Comments on: I didn't dream up the helicopter. My memory is Jerry said a helicopter.

I didn't dream up the helicopter. My memory is Jerry said a helicopter.

Bunny Ultramod — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 17:59:05 -0800

It may be the most notorious Thanksgiving promotion of all time. It is the 40th best television episode of all time. It's available in (semi-)entirety on HULU. And the classic TV blog offers an oral history. Happy thanksgiving, and, as God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.

By: Bunny Ultramod

Bunny Ultramod — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:00:06 -0800

TV guide is responsible for declaring it the 40th best.

By: Renoroc

Renoroc — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:00:42 -0800

I still crack up at that. Classic TV goodness.

By: HMSSM

HMSSM — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:06:44 -0800

I've just discovered WKRP and love it. Andy reminds me of Nathan Fillion but in skin tight jeans and shirts. And the turkey episode is hilarious.

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:08:51 -0800

Wonderful! Thanks for the heads up! One of my favorite episodes!

By: TheWhiteSkull

TheWhiteSkull — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:10:12 -0800

It's a helicopter, and it's coming this way. It's flying something behind it, I can't quite make it out, it's a large banner and it says, uh...Happy... ...Thanks... ...Giving... ...From... ...W... ...K...

By: TheWhiteSkull

TheWhiteSkull — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:10:35 -0800

...R... ...P...

By: nadawi

nadawi — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:11:06 -0800

i love this episode. few other shows fucked over by rights management issues make me more upset. it's basically unwatchable in its current form.

By: chococat

chococat — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:16:02 -0800

Interesting to read the behind the scenes of that episode. I loved that show so much. But yeah, I can't even watch WKRP now because it's edited to pieces and filled with the shittiest, blandest TV stock music instead of the real songs, (which I remember vividly.)

By: Sticherbeast

Sticherbeast — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:24:07 -0800

bags of wet cement

By: Miko

Miko — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:26:33 -0800

Ah, a shining moment of curation! Thanks. I love WKRP. Had the flu last winter and watched the entire series on Hulu. Still good.

By: The corpse in the library

The corpse in the library — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:33:14 -0800

> Andy reminds me of Nathan Fillion but in skin tight jeans and shirts I never made that connection, but now that you say it... oh, such a crush I had on Andy.

By: stifford

stifford — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:34:01 -0800

When I think Gordon Jump, I think two things; WKRP (and this episode in particular) and the episode of Different Strokes when he tries to molest Arnold and Dudley.

By: flaterik

flaterik — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:35:24 -0800

Andy reminds me of Nathan Fillion but in skin tight jeans Captain tight-jeans?

By: Miko

Miko — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:36:33 -0800

Also, my crush on Andy Travis still has not gone away.

By: Greg_Ace

Greg_Ace — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:41:11 -0800

My crush was on Bailey Quarters.

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:41:42 -0800

I was always a Bailey guy, too.

By: Bunny Ultramod

Bunny Ultramod — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:43:32 -0800

I was a Mrs. Carlson guy.

By: oneirodynia

oneirodynia — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:44:04 -0800

But yeah, I can't even watch WKRP now because it's edited to pieces and filled with the shittiest, blandest TV stock music instead of the real songs, (which I remember vividly.) Yeah, I showed my boyfriend the "Tiny Dancer" episode and he was pretty much all "... er?.." The clincher was that they took out the Elton John tune and replaced it with mush. Such a great show, and it's been completely de-fanged. I wonder if proper originals exist anywhere. It's weird to think that only if you watched the original episodes and their first time through syndication (or whatever, I know I saw them more than once, back in the day) you may not ever have that chance again.

By: Slarty Bartfast

Slarty Bartfast — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:51:43 -0800

This year, I am thankful for WKRP, Astro Zombies, Washington state's relaxed liquor laws, the Reverend Jim Beam, and my true love, Bailey Quarters.

By: item

item — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:54:38 -0800

Hmm. There's got to be a way be a way be a way be a way to watch this episode all uncut and stuff, but I really wouldn't know anything about that. And as for you, oneirodynia, well I also don't know anything at all about an uncut version of the episode that features Tiny Dancer.

By: item

item — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:58:14 -0800

pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man

By: ricochet biscuit

ricochet biscuit — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:58:48 -0800

The "Tiny Dancer" episode even has dialogue changed. The would-be defector tries to freak Les out by leaning in close and murmuring, "Hold me closer, tiny dancer." At least he did this in 1979 or so. In repeats now, he mutters, "Hold my order, terrible dresser." That is comedy gold. Of course, the studio audience still bellows laughter at this marvellous turn!

By: parki

parki — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:03:43 -0800

Bailey.

By: Zonker

Zonker — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:05:45 -0800

item, I feel like I should thank you, but I can't possibly imagine for what.

By: ricochet biscuit

ricochet biscuit — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:11:13 -0800

The perfect and largely unsung moment in the turkeys episode, in the midst of Les' remote piece just after he has speculated that they are skydivers, is his puzzled, mildly concerned, "No parachutes yet." Richard Sanders is not a titan of the acting world, but he sells that line perfectly.

By: oneirodynia

oneirodynia — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:11:59 -0800

And as for you, oneirodynia, well I also don't know anything at all about an uncut version of the episode that features Tiny Dancer. Woohoo! Thanks, Item! I'm glad you don't know anything.

By: Fnarf

Fnarf — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:17:19 -0800

As God is my witness, Mrs. Fnarf pulled up this very episode while I was reading this post. Oh, and Bailey, Bailey, Bailey [low throaty noise].

By: Greg_Ace

Greg_Ace — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:18:04 -0800

"Hold my order, terrible dresser." This phrase is going to just sit in my brain, for years - decades, if need be - until I encounter a situation I can reference it in. Nobody will get it but me, and I won't even care as I collapse to the floor in helpless gales of laughter.

By: JimInLoganSquare

JimInLoganSquare — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:29:12 -0800

I'll just be grateful for my memories of the original show, which was genius. Sad that, because music was the central theme of the show, music rights disputes have eviscerated the experience. My dad videotaped a bunch of the original shows, so maybe I can relive some of it that way, along with 1985 H.H. Gregg commercials. I'll be seeing him tomorrow.

By: bquarters

bquarters — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:35:40 -0800

My crush was on Bailey Quarters That's how I picked my name- I identified with her somehow, I guess. Much more so than with Jennifer Malone and her humongous apartment and many many gifted appliances. (Yes, I spent many after school afternoons watching WKRP. The second best episode is the WKRP (W-Karp?) baseball team playing WPIG. The third best episode is when Herb was followed by TV cameras.)

By: catlet

catlet — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:36:05 -0800

I was a Johnny Fever girl. I'm still kind of a sucker for mirrored aviators, tbh.

By: SweetTeaAndABiscuit

SweetTeaAndABiscuit — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:38:46 -0800

Feeeee-VER!!

By: maggieb

maggieb — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:40:38 -0800

If this is the official U.S. Thanksgiving thread I'll just put this right here.

By: fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit

fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:41:45 -0800

There are a couple of WKRP lines burned into my brain: the line about turkeys and The place was crawling with phone cops!

By: alltomorrowsparties

alltomorrowsparties — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:43:28 -0800

In the late 1980's I worked in a dinner theatre. We featured a steady stream of 3 act comedies starring actors made popular in television series. I got to meet Gary Sandy and Gordon Jump (as well as members of the casts of M*A*S*H, Three's Company, Gilligan's Island, Family Ties, Taxi and Laverne and Shirley). Gary Sandy (Andy Travis) was a down-to-earth guy who played baseball with the staff and came to our parties. He also found a good agent for one of his co-stars in the production at our theatre; a young actor who had formerly been one of our bus boys. That guy went on to enjoy a reasonable amount of success in television and film himself as a result of Sandy's help. Unfortunately for me, I never did get to meet Howard Hesseman (on whom I had a tremendous crush at one time). Much love for the WKRP.

By: Mezentian

Mezentian — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:44:14 -0800

Obligatory: Sorry, currently our video library can only be watched from within the United States Thanks. Thanks a bunch. I did have no idea "as God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly" was from WKRP, so, that's nice.

By: Chrysostom

Chrysostom — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:44:21 -0800

My favorite eps were "Scum of the Earth" and the one with Clean Up Radio Broadcasting.

By: Miko

Miko — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:47:30 -0800

Phone cops! And little old ladies sitting in church basements playing rock records slower...and slower....and slower...

By: Capt. Renault

Capt. Renault — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:48:49 -0800

If this is the official U.S. Thanksgiving thread I'll just put this right here. This year, as every year, the Thanksgiving Prayer will be led by Uncle Bill.

By: Miko

Miko — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:49:04 -0800

For those of you who heard "as God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly" in some other context, what the heck was the context? I didn't know it had become an idiom.

By: evilcolonel

evilcolonel — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:49:16 -0800

One of my all time favorite shows. From the same episode

By: Mezentian

Mezentian — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:51:47 -0800

I have seen "as God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly" around forever on the Internet. Did The Simpsons do it as well (or riff off it?).

By: Miko

Miko — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:52:31 -0800

Yeah, I'm just having trouble imagining what it's supposed to mean, divorced from the show context.

By: Mezentian

Mezentian — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:57:06 -0800

I have always taken it to mean "I did a thing, it seemed obvious, and it failed, because it came from an honest place, but a place of mis-understanding."

By: ovvl

ovvl — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:18:31 -0800

Don't get me started on that Cincinnati thingy now, I cannot coherently describe Herb Tarlek explaining human sexual behavior to Les Nessman.

By: twoleftfeet

twoleftfeet — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:19:24 -0800

It is the 40th best television episode of all time. The 40th best television episode of all time is Twilight Zone - Time Enough to Last OR The 40th best televsion episode of all time is The West Wing – Two Cathedrals OR The 40th best television episode of all time is ER - Love's Labor Lost OR The 40th best television episode of all time is Andy Griffith - Bargain Day OR... Lists are fun.

By: straight

straight — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:31:19 -0800

Yeah, I'm just having trouble imagining what it's supposed to mean, divorced from the show context. I always knew it's from WKRP, but the phrase by itself creates a pretty self-explanatory scenario in your head. You wouldn't know helicopters and radio station promo stunts are involved, but the basic idea is pretty obvious. "As God is my witness, I thought babies could swim!"

By: TheWhiteSkull

TheWhiteSkull — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:32:00 -0800

I don't know what you want, but you should know I've killed a lot of old people in my time, and I'm not above doing it again!

By: Capt. Renault

Capt. Renault — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:33:27 -0800

I was a Mrs. Carlson guy. Those scenes between Mrs. Carlson and Andy Travis? Hawt, hawt stuff. Srsly.

By: EmpressCallipygos

EmpressCallipygos — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:43:44 -0800

I wrote a fan letter and got an autographed picture of the whole cast when I was ten! Dad and I liked it for the music, but then in '81, my father (who's part Polish) noticed that Howard Hessman traded in Johnny Fever's rock t-shirts for a Solidarnosc shirt in his costume and was quite touched. No one ever called attention to it that I could tell, he just started wearing them.

By: nebulawindphone

nebulawindphone — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:51:19 -0800

I have no idea where I heard the line before — this is definitely the first I'd actually watched this episode. For a minute I thought it was because Bloom County had dropped a reference to it ages ago, but now I think I'm misremembering a Gone With The Wind spoof ("As God is my witness I'll never go hungry again!").

By: Catblack

Catblack — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:58:25 -0800

Sadly, I think a lot of the original music used in WKRP was re-dubbed for syndication. Still, this is one of the better episodes of the series. (I had such a crush on Bailey Quarters...)

By: Bluecoat93

Bluecoat93 — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:58:48 -0800

The 40th best televsion episode of all time is The West Wing – Two Cathedrals OR The 40th best television episode of all time is ER - Love's Labor Lost ...both with Bradley Whitford in a major role. "Love's Labor Lost" is still one of my top 5 ER episodes. I can very clearly picture the ending w/ Mark Greene standing silently starting into the trauma room wondering what went wrong. Awesome TV.

By: Mezentian

Mezentian — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:00:08 -0800

"As God is my witness, I thought babies could swim!" They can't? Next you'll be telling me you can't fish for them with money.

By: Slarty Bartfast

Slarty Bartfast — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:05:48 -0800

As god is my witness, I thought it was spelled "Tarlick." Tar-lick. Herb. Tarlick. Herb Tarlick. Greatest TV name ever. except maybe "Jim Ignatowski"

By: Mezentian

Mezentian — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:09:47 -0800

"As God is my witness I thought people would want to see a movie based on Battleship without the iconic line 'You Sunk My Battleship', but with ALIENS!". Spoiler: people did.

By: merelyglib

merelyglib — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:11:12 -0800

"Herbert Ruggles Tarlek, Jr." heh.

By: Isadorady

Isadorady — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:27:30 -0800

Total Johnny Fever gal here. I met him once in a bar and was a complete idiot, but still cherish the memory.

By: mrgrimm

mrgrimm — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:33:19 -0800

A man and his two children tried to kill me. After the turkeys hit the pavement, the crowd kind of scattered but, some of them tried to attack me! I had to jam myself into a phone booth! Then Mr. Carlson had the helicopter land in the middle of the parking lot. I guess he thought he could save the day by turning the rest of the turkeys loose. It gets pretty strange after that.

By: Greg_Ace

Greg_Ace — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:34:35 -0800

Slarty Bartfast: except maybe "Jim Ignatowski" Iggy!! (80's TV DERAIL) My favorite bit of dialog from that show was when burnout Ignatowski got a letter from his estranged (well-off) dad: Louie: Wait a minute - Iggy, you got a father?? Ignatowski (searching whatever brain he's got left for the correct answer): Uhh...yeah, boss. Louie: There goes my "spore" theory...

By: blue_beetle

blue_beetle — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:42:53 -0800

Mr Carlson: Well, nobody's perfect. You're not perfect, I'm not perfect... Jennifer, maybe.

By: lekvar

lekvar — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:02:55 -0800

Sooooo, along with all the other porn parodies over the past few years, one was "WKRP in Cincinnati: A XXX Parody." A friend of mine says that it's pitch-perfect, especially Herb. For those of you who feel the need to filth up this perfectly respectable thread with your base human needs Baily forever I would suggest you seek it out.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:11:19 -0800

"I almost forgot, fellow babies...booger."

By: Meatbomb

Meatbomb — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:14:08 -0800

I liked the one where God wanted Johnny Fever to become a golf pro.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:15:45 -0800

"Want to go check out some Carly Simon album covers?"

By: Sphinx

Sphinx — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:39:23 -0800

I grew up with an "uncle" who worked for a local radio station, and thanks to him I still have somewhere in my parents attic, a treasured row of Betamax tapes with a few WKRP episodes. In addition I'd like to think that woodgrain Betamax player still works. (It does, we watched the Blue Thunder pilot episode a couple of months ago.(Yeah, those months were in 2006.)) Unfortunately, I'm terrified of letting them get anywhere near the public because I'd always believed I'd get sued into a place where I'd honestly have to put down masking tape to illustrate an office. Not like it's anything like that now without the awesome soundtrack and the incredibly approachable gorgeous ladies. Having worked in radio, nobody is that hot. Men or women. Especially the men, holy crap there were some ugly as hell dudes in rock and roll in the 1980's. There's a reason "You have a face for radio" is such a staple. /Bailey, always Bailey.

By: Greg_Ace

Greg_Ace — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:45:03 -0800

kirkaracha: "Want to go check out some Carly Simon album covers?" Oh no you did NOT leave out this one!

By: disillusioned

disillusioned — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 23:16:50 -0800

I've never seen Cincinatti WKRP, since it predates me by a fair amount, but I'm watching this episode now. TVTorrents has VHS rips of the entire show WITH original music that are shockingly decent quality. I have exactly two invites to TVT. MeMail if you'd like one, first come, first serve, in the spirit of Thanksgiving.

By: disillusioned

disillusioned — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 23:23:02 -0800

Okay, I'm OUT! That was fast! But not so fast that I was still in the edit window!

By: disillusioned

disillusioned — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 23:28:25 -0800

Man, watching this episode minutes after trying on Hulu and reading that there was a discrepancy, it's crazy how much they hacked the show up. There's already been a scene with Pink Floyd that was just butchered and the fill-in "muzak" is just horrible.

By: salishsea

salishsea — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 23:30:02 -0800

I used to be on the Board of a community radio station in Peterborough Ontario in the 1980s and, as God is my witness, we actually took management tips from WKRP. And one of the bands we played a lot was The Rheostatics, who did this with Herb Tarlek. Frank Bonner did the cameo in that video.

By: ckape

ckape — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 23:36:57 -0800

Of course, the flying abilities of turkeys is still a matter of some debate.

By: Oriole Adams

Oriole Adams — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 01:06:43 -0800

You can test your Turkey Drop knowledge here. (Oh, the humanity!)

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:42:15 -0800

a treasured row of Betamax tapes with a few WKRP episodes I've been hoping forever that the public would be able to scrape up the run of original WKRP episodes and distribute by torrent. I, too, have some strong memories connected to particular moments in the series matched to particular songs. It would be a huge underground hit if it could be done.

By: chavenet

chavenet — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 03:16:06 -0800

Just the turkey scene for those w/o access to Hulu. Happy Thanksgiving!

By: maus

maus — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 07:46:27 -0800

That's how I picked my name- I have two friends named Bailey, both in their 20s, whose parents picked their names the same way. I wasn't around for WKRP the first time around, but I was a late night TV junkie throughout the 90s and thoroughly enjoyed the (apparently cut to all hell) syndicated reruns. Its reasons like these that despite the illegality, I support things like BitTorrent- WKRP and Daria and the like aren't exactly high culture, but they're worth preserving.

By: cccorlew

cccorlew — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 07:54:13 -0800

I am pleased to admit that during the 90s when I was a photo editor at a small newspaper I had, much like Les, taped the floor around my desk where the walls to my office should have been. What a great show that was.

By: marienbad

marienbad — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 08:07:06 -0800

*thunder rumbles* Jennifer: Ignore it. The Christmas episode, where Carlson's door opens and Jennifer is stood in a white dress... I actually gasped. "Somewhere, a Volkswagon is missing its seat covers" "... porn parodies over the past few years, one was "WKRP in Cincinnati: A XXX Parody." A friend of mine says that it's pitch-perfect, especially Herb...I would suggest you seek it out. DO NOT DO THIS. Trust me. 5 minute and it went off. Jeez, it was hideous, garish and bright and terrible. Interesting that one of the guys in the Scum of the Earth episode is also the interpreter in the "latka's wedding" episode of Taxi. Also, Howard Hesseman is in one of the really early episodes of Taxi, I think he plays a Hollywood producer or something like that. Also re: solidarity T-Shirt - this is surely one of the most left-leaning and liberal tv shows ever. The things that are on there are amazing, and some episodes are so funny and yet so poignant they bring a tear to my eye. The general seating episode is unbelievably sad, and kudos to the makers for both covering it and handling it so well. "I've been hoping forever that the public would be able to scrape up the run of original WKRP episodes and distribute by torrent." They have. It is somewhere in Sweden ;)

By: chococat

chococat — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 08:09:29 -0800

I'm wondering how they get around so many episodes that featured specific songs as integral to the story or jokes. The impossible song-montage contest that Johnny/Andy cut together, thinking no one will be able to guess? The Who concert episode? The whole scene with Mr. Carlson asking about the Pink Floyd album that Johnny is playing? My memories of the show are so wrapped up with the music--Earth, Wind, and Fire playing in Venus' overnight shift; Jennifer strutting around the lobby to Steely Dan's "Peg" during that Real Families* episode ("Herb is a hard worker, loyal husband and all-around fine person.")--that I just can't stomach it all fake and homogenized. * I think that might be my favourite episode. Perhaps tied with the one where Mrs. Carlson hires a consultant (the guy who's on Mad Men now) to observe the WKRP staff and they all pretend to have completely different personalities: Bailey is a stoner, Les is a competent newsman, Venus is robbing Johnny at knifepoint, etc.

By: ob1quixote

ob1quixote — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:16:13 -0800

"Let's trade hats!"

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:13:33 -0800

Watch the Palin Turkey Massacre Again, Because 'Tradition'

By: routergirl

routergirl — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:44:00 -0800

Man, I watched this show religiously as a kid. I love the turkey episode, but every time I see it brought up I wish I could get the whole series with the original music, which seems darn near impossible, unless you count downloaded episodes of horrible quality. I also had a thing for Johnny Fever, never Travis.

By: EmpressCallipygos

EmpressCallipygos — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:57:20 -0800

I'm wondering how they get around so many episodes that featured specific songs as integral to the story or jokes. That's why there haven't been any DVD releases or syndication. The licensing deals they cut were only good for ten years.

By: Chrysostom

Chrysostom — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 20:14:20 -0800

This usually comes up, but I still like the Jan Smithers cover of Newsweek.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:35:42 -0800

In Which Thanks Are Given

By: dhartung

dhartung — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:52:26 -0800

Oh, wow, I just watched the one with the real music. Mr. Carlson is clearly inspired to his crazy scheme, probably unconsciously, by seeing the song name "Pigs on the Wing" when looking at the album cover for Animals. This really underlines how essential the original music was -- at least in certain episodes -- to the show.

By: EmpressCallipygos

EmpressCallipygos — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 09:19:57 -0800

Okay, this isn't about the turkey episode but it's been bugging me for nearly 30 years now - In the episode where there's a bomb threat on the station and they seen Johnny and Venus to broadcast from the transmitter, there's a subplot in which Johnny is trying to get inside a locked toolbox. There's a moment when he is leaning on it as it sits on a table, and he hits it in frustration - and then we go to a commercial break. However - I swear that when they first broadcast that episode, the bit was a little longer, and involved Johnny hitting it a couple more times, then starting to play it like the bongos while he sang a filk of "The Banana Boat Song," with lyrics that went "Daylight come, and me wanna throw up!" I swear I remember this, but every time I've seen that episode - even on the first rerun - they cut to commercial after the first whack against the box. Does anyone remember that longer cut?

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 09:27:03 -0800

Oh yeah, I absolutely remember it. Does the additional bongo-toolkit and song come after the break, though? That's how I remember it. The great thing about that 2-parter is the camera closing in on the toolbox at the end of part 1, leaving no question whatsoever about what's inside. SCUM of the Earth, Venus teaching atomic theory, the break-in, the daydream episode... so many greats.

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:07:02 -0800

No, wait. I think he drums on the toolbox and sings that ditty with a quick fade to commercial, and he's still playing on it when they return from the break.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 13:28:46 -0800

Interview With a Turkey

By: mrgrimm

mrgrimm — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 12:58:46 -0800

I've made the comment before, but TPB I'm sure has a torrent of the first five seasons with real music. I won't search it or link it, but it's out there. ... My favorite ever I think was the two-part episode with the bomb threat ... it's in the remote transmitter!!! ditto (third?) on the PHONE COPS!!! No, wait. I think he drums on the toolbox and sings that ditty with a quick fade to commercial, and he's still playing on it when they return from the break. Either you guys are suffering from collective delusion or are cooler than I am. My has the short cut.

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 14:03:19 -0800

That "daylight come and me wanna throw up" is burned into memory from who knows how many viewings; I can hear it in my head. Other mental-aural snippets at will: Charles Winchester: "I don't need your 'hep'"; Jim Ignatowski: "What does a yellow light mean?" (SLOW DOWN), etc etc etc. I probably should have read more.

By: chococat

chococat — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 14:39:03 -0800

No, wait. I think he drums on the toolbox and sings that ditty with a quick fade to commercial, and he's still playing on it when they return from the break. Yes! I remember it as the last little bit as the credits are rolling, he's singing "day O!" and drumming on the toolbox...TO BE CONTINUED and fade to the MTM logo. And then when it's revealed in the next episode that the bomb was in the toolbox, he freaks out because he'd been beating the shit out of it and drumming on it.

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 14:52:24 -0800

Oh, you've totally got it, chococat. That's it. Well done.

By: EmpressCallipygos

EmpressCallipygos — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 17:54:54 -0800

Nnnnno, chococat, the "day-o" is earlier. He is drumming on the toolbox before the "to be continued", but it's just a rhythmic and repeated tapping as the camera moves in on a closeup on the box....and then you realize that the tapping sort of sounds like a ticking clock...and then you hear the whole audience gasp when they realize WHOA SHIT IT'S IN THE TOOLBOX! But I swear the "daylight come and me wanna throw up" was earlier.

By: EmpressCallipygos

EmpressCallipygos — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 17:56:24 -0800

(That's it - I'm watching the whole of episode one over here to confirm this for myself.)

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:22:10 -0800

Uh oh. Did you find it? It kinda looks to me like it's about to happen here (part 2) at 9:26. But then... it fades out. That despite original music.

By: chococat

chococat — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:29:33 -0800

He is drumming on the toolbox before the "to be continued", but it's just a rhythmic and repeated tapping as the camera moves in on a closeup on the box....and then you realize that the tapping sort of sounds like a ticking clock Damn, I think you might be right. I thought the "day o" part came after that tapping shot, though. Like a little end bit tacked on at the very end of the show before the final MTM logo. Any luck with watching it from that link? I watched the "Real Families" episode from that site the other day and it was all cut to hell. So disappointing.

By: EmpressCallipygos

EmpressCallipygos — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:52:45 -0800

It kinda looks to me like it's about to happen here (part 2) at 9:26. But then... it fades out. That is precisely where I remember it happening the first time through. And then in the summer when it was in reruns, there was the fadeout. *pout* I KNOW I saw it! I know I know I KNOW! Although rewatching did remind me of the throwaway lines here and there, like the joke about the race horse "Terminal Disease".

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 20:01:29 -0800

A smattering of just a half dozen or so hits on the web for that exact phrase. If assassins show up at your door, it will confirm the plot to erase this moment in television once and for all. Next up on Shared Delusions: witch hunts. Did your garden fail this year? I know mine did.

By: chococat

chococat — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 20:22:06 -0800

It's in part 2. Check out 10:09 here.

By: EmpressCallipygos

EmpressCallipygos — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 05:35:39 -0800

CHOCOCAT IS KING OF CINCINNATI CINCINNATI IS REALLY HARD TO SPELL