Friday, March 25, 2011

Nicer Scott the Button-Pusher and Mr. Chinbunny's Cigars!

OTR Friday and our chronological listening to ever surviving episode of the comedy classic "Vic and Sade" really starts to hit it's stride. The 2 shows we listen to today are chock full of Paul Rhymer's somehow insightful and non-sensical turn of phrase. Outside characters truly begin to take shape and the comically lyrical speech patterns of the cast lace every show.

If you haven't been taking the time to listen to these shows, now's the time to get on board.

If you're the sort of person who visits this site slowly through your iPhone or some other bullshit Apple device which "Kaiser-of-All-That's-Trendy-and-Overpriced", Steve Jobs decrees, doesn't support "flash", you can't even see the buttons offering the show on this blog. In which case, borrow a friends innerweb surfing doodad and listen in. You know, the kind of friend that realizes Jobs is never going to "friend" him on Facebook or invite him to dinner and who would rather have something that gives him the freedom to access whatever they want to access without having the fascists mold them into thier minion. He's a good guy, that friend of yours. Plus he's got an ectra $300 in his pocket that you don't. Maybe he'll take you out to dinner.

Anyway, back to OTR Friday.

Our first episode is from May 29, 1940 and concerns Rush's arch-nemisis "Nicer" Scott from across the street. "Nicer" is a button-pusher. A passive-aggresive shitbag. You know the type. The guy wom you dread entering into any conversation with, because about half way through you realize that, this person isn't having the same conversation you are, he is just looking for something to say contrary to you to watch you loose your temper. Someone who thinks conflict and aggrivation are the point of conversation, and not the development and resolution of ideas.

"Nicer" gets a paste on the snoot from Rush for his trouble, and then Rush is blamed for being a hot-head. I know guys like this. I'm going to stop getting angry and just start pasting them on the snoot. Are you reading this Frank?

Enjoy the show.



Episode 2 is from June 2, 1940. This is a REALLY good example of the development of the off-microphone characters and the wide farc that Rhymer hushes to a subtle whisper.

Mr. Chinbunny, the principal of the high school, is a far younger man than you would expect from his position. Fearing the Board of Education will fire him and hire an older man, he's constantly trying to appear older and more experienced than he is. This is why he wears spectcles he doesn't need, walks around stiff and straight with a stern expression and shaves the top of his head so he has a bald spot. As he prepares to head to Chicago for a teacher's conference, he schemes to have Vic teach him the techniques and subleties of cigar smoking, as a mature man's affectation. Vic decides this shouldn't effect he and Sade's game of "500" with Fred and Ruthie Stembottom.

Enjoy!



And our visual today is from the April 1942 issue of "Radio and Television Mirror". A lavish pictorial of our little family, which by 1942 will include "Uncle Fletcher". More on him later, but when he joins the cast you're gonna love him!









Whew! Quite a full day.

Talk to you soon.

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