Short: (1951) A placid tour of the alphabet.
Movie: (1959) High-panted, cool-singing, truck-driving hepcat tangles with blonde bombshell, tries to solve his friend’s murder and becomes a courier for drug dealers.
First shown: 7/20/91
Opening: J&tB are marketing mad dogs gathered around the water cooler
Invention exchange: Dr. F is feeding the miracle growth baby; Joel shows off his air freshener mobile, while the mads demonstrate the alien teething nook
Host segment 1: Joel sings: “Hike Your Pants Up”
Host segment 2: J&tB reenact the drag race from the movie, with Joel getting killed a lot
Host segment 3: Joel is conducting a spit-take lesson, but the dumb guy from the movie keeps appearing on the Hexfield
End: Joel is studying the “Want some?” scene, Joel reads letters, and in Deep 13 the button doesn’t work
Stinger: “Couldn’t help ya if I wanted to, fella. Gym policy.”
• As the kids say, this episode is full of win (that is what they say, isn’t?). It is chock full o’ awesome. It’s got everything: a cheesy but watchable movie (featuring the high-panted Dick Contino) that even includes swingin’ musical numbers, great host segments, riffing that starts in high gear and stays there and a memorable closing segment. A classic.
• References.
• This episode will be included in Shout’s upcoming MST3K Collection Vol. XXXIII.
• If you’re playing along at home, this was number 30 on that 1995 Comedy Central countdown.
• Those who say host segments in the Joel years were more often related to the movie were probably thinking of episodes like this one: Just about ALL the host segments are not only related to the movie, they’re direct parodies or reenactments of scenes from the movie.
• The idea of the alien teething nook was taken up by this plush toy. It didn’t have the nipple, though.
• Again, that’s Tim Scott as the miracle growth baby.
• The blue tint is back. Ugh.
• The short is the first of many educational shorts (though some count “X Marks the Spot,” that short is more for adults) that would eventually become one of the most popular elements on the series.
• I love the way Joel imitates Dick Contino’s rictus grin as he sings.
• That lyric about Corey Haim in “Hike Your Pants Up” got a bit less funny in 2010.
• In the reenactment of the race, it’s interesting to note that Tom plays the guy and Crow plays the girl, for a change! It probably has to do with the placement of the guy and gal in the movie, but still, it’s a rarity.
• When they re-enter the theater, Tom covers the absence of the cars they were wearing by saying “Good thing we were thrown clear of those cars!”
• Callbacks: “Ya got me!” (Catalina Caper) “Chili peppers burn my gut” (Sidehackers) “Hey that’s from Catalina Caper!” “The driver is either missing or…” (The Phantom Creeps) “I don’t care!” (Time of the Apes)
• Is THIS the last time we hear the “Weiner Man” song? Similarly, is THIS the last episode with a mole person?
• Okay, Dick lost his license, but he doesn’t need a driver’s licence to race cars on private property, right? It’s a plot hole.
• Segment 3 features the first use of the hexfield viewscreen since episode 302. That’s Mike, of course, as the clueless Bruce.
• During segment 3, Tom’s Carmen Miranda hat almost falls off. Joel straightens it and they keep going.
• The lady in the club looks a LITTLE like Lou Reed from the Transformer album. It’s kind of a stretch, though.
• Little letter writer Christina, 7 when she wrote to the show, is now (assuming she is okay) cruising toward 30.
• The crowning glory of this terrific ep is the famous “broken button” bit, a gem people remembered for years. Unfortunately, in later years a lazy Comedy Central did not respect the bit and actually ran voice overs during it–an incident that sparked one of several major online protests among fans.
• The closing bit also features an uncredited mole person! Is THIS the last appearance?
• Cast and crew roundup: Director Lou Place was on the set of lots of MSTed movies. He was the assistant director for “The Undead,” played the police captain in “Swamp Diamonds” and was production manager for “It Conquered the World” and “Agent for H.A.R.M.” Editor Harold White also worked on “The Beatniks.” Makeup guy Carlie Taylor also worked on “Swamp Diamonds.” In front of the camera, actress Sonia Torgeson was also in “Teenagers from Outer Space.” Actor Bob Banas was the choreographer on “The Skydivers.” Dick Contino also appears in “Girls Town,” of course. Buttery Bruno Vesota wasm also in “Attack of the Giant Leeches,” “Gunslinger,” “The Wild, Wild World of Batwoman” and “The Undead.”
• CreditsWatch: Jim Mallon moves from writer to contributing writer for the rest of the season. Paul Chaplin joins the list of contributing writers. “The Pants Up Song” is by Mike and Kevin and Mike did the “baby music.” Trace and Frank are still guest “villians” (misspelled) and Dr. F’s name is still spelled “Forrestor.”
• Fave short riff: “But he’s got a brain like a chick pea!” Honorable mention: “It’s the Georgia juvenile correction system.”
• Fave feature riff: “On my ANKLE, like I SAID!” Honorable mention: “Do you like the names of lots of fish?”
