Episode #66 "Jan's Aunt Jenny" Questions

[James]

During the tea ceremony (Remember the slurping noises the kids made? I wonder how Aunt Jenny felt! ) Jenny got a call from a celebrity for a birthday bash on his yacht. The name sounded sort of like "Kennedy." Who was it? The fact that the name Jackie was mentioned clued me in to the Kennedys, assuming said Jackie was Mrs. Onassis.

Also, Jenny got a call from a Senator with a marriage proposal, and the name sounded like Lester. Was there a senator by the name of Lester in the early 1970s?

[Rich3]

I seriously doubt there was supposed to be any sly references to any real people in the Brady Bunch, since it was such a fantastical almost surreal type of show. It was set in Bradyville, USA. I don't remember hearing "Kennedy" during that episode.

[TV Guy]

I can't stand Aunt Jenny's relentless name dropping in this episode - she comes across as so insecure. When one of the kids asks "Who's Lester?" after Jenny gets a marriage proposal, she replies with really forced casualness, "Oh, a United States Senator." Why not, "oh, just a good friend", or something like that.

Does Aunt Jenny have any good friends who aren't famous? Or is she one of those people who hangs around people only because they are famous.

[Cashodeen]

OOH!! OOH!! OOH!!! Slurping noises are actually part of good etiquette in Japanese custom. I got so excited seeing your question because I JUST learned this info about Japanese custom YESTERDAY! While watching that awesome music channel IMF, they discussed Japanese culture during "Hello World." So if Jenny really knows her stuff, she should be pleased the kids slurp! Maybe she even told them to slurp. But if she didn't, and they had no idea it was part of good Japanese etiquette, then their American etiquette sucks badly.

[Cashodeen]

Originally Posted by Rich3

I seriously doubt there was supposed to be any sly references to any real people in the Brady Bunch, since it was such a fantastical almost surreal type of show. It was set in Bradyville, USA. I don't remember hearing "Kennedy" during that episode.

It doesn't sound too far-fetched that they could throw in a reference like that. Maybe I am giving the writers too much credit though, hehe. I haven't caught the name Kennedy on that episode so I don't know if an actual reference was made. I'll remember to check for it next time I watch.

Aunt Jenny was a huge mystery to me. What made her so darn desirable that she could actually hang out with all these "important people?" I agree, her name-dropping was ridiculous. This topic takes me back to this
hilarious thread. I made it, but it was made hilarious thanks to others.


*This post could not have been done without the help of Dutabi84, so thanks, dude!

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Cashodeen

OOH!! OOH!! OOH!!! Slurping noises are actually part of good etiquette in Japanese custom. I got so excited seeing your question because I JUST learned this info about Japanese custom YESTERDAY! While watching that awesome music channel IMF, they discussed Japanese culture during "Hello World." So if Jenny really knows her stuff, she should be pleased the kids slurp! Maybe she even told them to slurp. But if she didn't, and they had no idea it was part of good Japanese etiquette, then their American etiquette sucks badly.

did she tell the kids that they should slurp their tea? for some reason that comes to my mind.

[OKCRay]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

did she tell the kids that they should slurp their tea? for some reason that comes to my mind.

Yes she did! She told the kids that a silent slurp "would be an insult to the host. Let's HEAR it, honey!" Then when she saw the kids having problems using chopsticks, she showed them the "proper" way by pulling the plate right up to her face ("haven't dropped a grain of rice in 20 years!").

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by OKCRay

Yes she did! She told the kids that a silent slurp "would be an insult to the host. Let's HEAR it, honey!" Then when she saw the kids having problems using chopsticks, she showed them the "proper" way by pulling the plate right up to her face ("haven't dropped a grain of rice in 20 years!").

I knew it. So this initial post is wrong. I had seen B.B. back during it's first run. I recall Aunt Jenny mentioning something abt it being good manners to slurp or something like that. As a matter of fact, it was this episode that I first heard of that being good manners in Japan.

[James]

Originally Posted by OKCRay

She told the kids that a silent slurp "would be an insult to the host. Let's HEAR it, honey!"

OKCRay, I thought she was referring to a small sip and that whoever first drank took too little, and that quantity is the issue here, not sound.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by James

During the tea ceremony (Remember the slurping noises the kids made? I wonder how Aunt Jenny felt! ) Jenny got a call from a celebrity for a birthday bash on his yacht. The name sounded sort of like "Kennedy." Who was it? The fact that the name Jackie was mentioned clued me in to the Kennedys, assuming said Jackie was Mrs. Onassis.

Also, Jenny got a call from a Senator with a marriage proposal, and the name sounded like Lester. Was there a senator by the name of Lester in the early 1970s?

it says "slurping noises" that's sound, not quantity...

[James]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

it says "slurping noises" that's sound, not quantity...

I thought the Bradys started slurping big time after Aunt Jenny's "that would be an insult to the host" admonshment. When I saw the first Brady take a rather small quantity of tea (or whatever was being served; I forget) I thought that was what caused Aunt Jenny to say "that would be an insult to the host", regardless of the slurping sound. When I saw the episode on DVD I practically cringed when the second to partake of the beverage slurped--it's a manners thing. I thought the host would be more concerned with how big a gulp his guest was consuming (as a measurement of quantity--and how much said guest liked the beverage) and not how loud the slurp is.

Now I understand, it's a Japanese thing. They measure the slurp as to how much the beverage is enjoyed, from what I've gathered here. Then again, I've never been to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Sorry for the confusion, folks!