44-04-13 The Gooks Await News of Fletcher's Visitors

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, DAVID WHITEHOUSE AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

• Uncle Fletcher is excited because he's expecting three visitors (Roy Dejectedly from Dixon, Howard Honeycrutch from Belvidere, and Dwight Twentysixler from Dismal Seepage, Ohio) all at the same time, all having made their plans independent of the others.   
• Mis' Keller calls Sade to say Fletcher's on his way over and to warn Sade that he's extremely excited.
• When he arrives, everyone expects him to spill the beans immediately, but he's acting calm and collected as if nothing's new.  They continue to anticipate his announcement will eventually arrive as an eruption.



Enigmatic

• Fletcher reveals "it's considered good luck to use your shoe to wipe mashed potatoes off your chin." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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This running gag of Roy Dejectedly coming for a visit finally ends; it began on December 21, 1943.  There are at least four known episodes that deal with the visit and I imagine there are more than we don't know about.  One of the things I enjoy about the show (and would enjoy more if we had the full run of audio) is these very long running jokes, of which there are many.

Dwight Twentysixler is a big name in the Series 2 and 3 but he's small potatoes in this original run of shows.  He's my favorite "real character" in the other two series but I think if he had been expanded in this original run - with the same attributes - he'd have been as noteworthy as Hank Gutstop or Mr. Gumpox.

Twentysixler has great 'ridiculous characteristics' - something that Rhymer gave some characters and not others.  The more ridiculous and the more talked about, the better.  After all, it's hard to remember a guy when he's only mentioned once.

Fletcher is not excited when he arrives at the Gook house - this is another Rhymer joke.  Fletcher should be jumping up and down but the tempered Fletcher only confounds the Gooks and the audience.