Eddie Haskell: An “Overstimulated Adolescent”?

[Sgt. Saunders]

During the famous “Wally’s Weekend Job” LITB episode, an obviously annoyed Mary Ellen Rogers comments, while enjoying ice cream with her friends in a drug store, that her father had characterized Eddie Haskell as an “overstimulated adolescent.” I hardly think that Mr. Rogers intended that characterization as a compliment to Wally’s best friend.

Come to think of it, the term “overstimulated adolescent” just doesn’t seem in consonance with the usually wholesome, G-rated late 1950s theme of the episodes on LITB. Although, that characterization could possibly be applied to Wally’s one-time date, Marlene Holmes,” as an “overstimulated twenty-something.”

I’m surprised that the LITB writers were even able to get the term, “overstimulated adolescent” past the network censors in 1962. It almost sounds like a clinical term that would have appeared in either the Kinsey Report or in a research paper prepared by Masters & Johnson during the 1950s. I’d have thought that those network censors would have practically had an apoplectic fit when they saw that term in that episode’s script.

Heck, since the censors let that particular term remain in that LITB episode, they could have also okayed a scene in which Ward and June and Fred and Gwen (I think?) Rutherford were enjoying coffee after dinner at the Cleavers’s home and the term, “overstimulated adolescent,” came up while the four adults were discussing teenaged dating and sexuality as outlined in the Kinsey Report. And, what would Aunt Martha have thought of that discussion in polite company?

PS In an unrelated matter, do you think that the various tv networks aren’t airing that commercial for Kisunla (with the older woman on a ski slope with her very young granddaughter), the medication for Alzheimer’s disease, frequently enough? I mean, that commercial must be aired at least a hundred times a day on tv. I even see it shown repeatedly on the streaming service that continually airs the entire collection of LITB episodes.

I don’t think that such active and alert senior citizens as Aunt Martha and Gus-the-Fireman would have appreciated having to see that commercial broadcast on tv all day.

[stevea]

It's a good question. Perhaps Mary Ellen characterizing her father's feelings that way cast him as a hothead, and explained the fact that he threw a fit and threw Wally out when he delivered the ice cream.

I wonder if Ward knew Mr. Rogers: "What's this I hear about you throwing my son out of your house?"

[Sgt. Saunders]

Yes, but what if it had been Eddie, instead of Wally, delivering that ice cream to Mary Ellen’s slumber party? Mr. Rogers would have definitely hit the ceiling and physically thrown Eddie out of the house right on his keester!

[MichaelMartinD]

Like the Sargeant, I always felt this term was a little jarring. I'm not sure it *necessarily* has a sexual connotation, though. As Steve says, it could refer simply to being a hothead or the like. Or maybe by this point in the series the writers felt they could be a little more daring or adult in the choice of language? I'm sure the term had some kind of precise meaning in mid-century psychology.

[Tankeryanker]

Originally Posted by Sgt. Saunders

Rutherford were enjoying coffee after dinner at the Cleavers’s home and the term, “overstimulated adolescent,” came up while the four adults were discussing teenaged dating and sexuality as outlined in the Kinsey Report.

So what is the kinsey report and who was kinsey?

"Kinsey's parents were devout Christians. His father was known as one of the most devout members of the local Methodist church".

"Kinsey is widely regarded as the first major figure in American sexology; his research helped pave the way for a deeper exploration into sexuality among sexologists and the general public, as well as liberating female sexuality.[17][18]"

Sounds like a wild guy and a free thinker.

Okay, he was very advanced for that era. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred...Kinsey_Reports

The things I learn here.

[Sgt. Saunders]

Originally Posted by Tankeryanker

So what is the kinsey report and who was kinsey?

"Kinsey's parents were devout Christians. His father was known as one of the most devout members of the local Methodist church".

"Kinsey is widely regarded as the first major figure in American sexology; his research helped pave the way for a deeper exploration into sexuality among sexologists and the general public, as well as liberating female sexuality.[17][18]"

Sounds like a wild guy and a free thinker.

Okay, he was very advanced for that era. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred...Kinsey_Reports

The things I learn here.

Tankeryanker,

You should check out the 2004 film, “Kinsey,” on the life of Alfred Kinsey. Liam Neeson stars as the “somewhat” controversial Alfred Kinsey. Laura Linney, Timothy Hutton and Chris O’Donnell also appear in the film. It’s an excellent film; I think that you’d enjoy it.

[MichaelMartinD]

Kinsey is believed by some to have been a fraud who falsified his data.

[Sgt. Saunders]

In addition, to that film on the life of Alfred Kinsey, there was a cable tv show several years ago, entitled, “Masters of Sex.” The series is about Dr. William Masters and his his assistant, Virginia Johnson, who carried on groundbreaking research on human sexuality at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri beginning in 1956.

Michael Sheen portrays William Masters and Lizzy Caplan portrays Virginia Johnson in this excellent series.

While a free spirit like Uncle Billy might very well have enjoyed reading the academic writings of both Alfred Kinsey and Dr. William Masters as particularly relaxing bedtime reading, I doubt very much that Aunt Martha would express any interest at all in perusing these provocative and thought-provoking studies.