Ricky or Fred, Who Was Right On This Topic? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Adamantium · 06-30-2008, 04:32 PM

In the episode where Ricky and Lucy are planning on going to California and they invite Fred and Ethel to join them by sitting in their back seat, then Ricky expects Fred to pay for half the gas, but Fred says "Where the front half of the car goes, the back has to follow."

Who do you agree with?

Ricky, expecting Fred to pay for half the gas since he's going on the trip with them.

Fred, who feels the Ricardos are going anyways, and the back seat has to go with the car whether he's in it or not.

Ireneparalegal · 06-30-2008, 04:41 PM

I just posted on the other thread how I feel that Fred being an invited guest on this trip (as was Ethel) how he should have helped to pay for the gas. Yes, technically the backseat goes wherever the front part of the car goes

but still, it would have been nice for Fred to help pay for something since his hotel room in California was being paid for.

BTW, who paid for the hotel room, Ricky or MGM? I assume Ricky because I cannot imagine MGM paying for anyone else other than Ricky. And I sure as hell know Fred wasn't paying for it.

InspectorExstead · 06-30-2008, 04:42 PM

lol. i just posted something about this in irene's thread.
i think fred was definitely in the wrong with this situation. he was way too greedy and i don't think i would want to go with someone like him on a trip. yes, the backseat was going with the car even if they didn't go. but that doesn't mean he can't give a little gas money. or offered to pay.
he didn't pay for the tickets on the train on the way back to ny either. he wanted the ricardos to pay for the bike that was ruined.
and when they had that wrap up party for ricky towards the end of the hollywood stay, he complained how expensive the caviar was that ethel got.
another thing, when they got to that restaurant that only had cheese sandwiches, ricky ended up paying the entire bill himself and fred didn't chip in.
after all of the freebies the ricardos gave him, he couldn't keep quiet and not complain for one second? or maybe take everyone out to eat one night? it was very greedy and very rude. when someone invites you on a trip and pays for you and your wife, it's a little rude to keep making demands and saying things like "you need to pay for me..."

InspectorExstead · 06-30-2008, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I just posted on the other thread how I feel that Fred being an invited guest on this trip (as was Ethel) how he should have helped to pay for the gas. Yes, technically the backseat goes wherever the front part of the car goes

but still, it would have been nice for Fred to help pay for something since his hotel room in California was being paid for.

BTW, who paid for the hotel room, Ricky or MGM? I assume Ricky because I cannot imagine MGM paying for anyone else other than Ricky. And I sure as hell know Fred wasn't paying for it.

i was wondering the same thing in your thread! i think ricky paid for the fred's hotel. i can't imagine mgm paying anyone else other than ricky either. and fred certainly did not pay for the hotel, because if he had...he and ethel would be staying at a motel or on the street. lol.

Ireneparalegal · 06-30-2008, 04:47 PM

^^^Thank you. You said it. So many instances where the Ricardos paid and Fred got away with it. How many times did the Ricardos treat them out to dinner? What abt the first day in Hollywood and Lucy paid for the meal at the Brown Derby? Fred was happy abt that because he was able to look at the more expensive meals offered on the menu. The trip to Europe? How much did Fred pay to go there? NOTHING. NADA. ZILCH!

InspectorExstead · 06-30-2008, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

^^^Thank you. You said it. So many instances where the Ricardos paid and Fred got away with it. How many times did the Ricardos treat them out to dinner? What abt the first day in Hollywood and Lucy paid for the meal at the Brown Derby? Fred was happy abt that because he was able to look at the more expensive meals offered on the menu. The trip to Europe? How much did Fred pay to go there? NOTHING. NADA. ZILCH!

yep!! there were tons and tons of instances where fred got freebies in hollywood alone. and then a free trip to europe and hotels and all of that. ay ay ay ay ay. lol. fred's character and his greedy/cheap attitude always annoyed me. i understand complaining about prices once in a while, but come on...the man wasn't broke. he never used any of his money, so he was practically loaded! lol.

-STEFFY- · 06-30-2008, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamantium

Who do you agree with?

Ricky, expecting Fred to pay for half the gas since he's going on the trip with them.

I think Ricky was so right....he's more than generous with the Mertz's.

tdr · 06-30-2008, 05:31 PM

The trip to Europe was a different scenario, since Fred was the band manager-- but he seems to never lack for time to just be a tourist; a sightseeing trip the first day they're in Paris, the climbing a mountain and bicycling from Italy back into France, et al. And when he is doing the work of a manager, it's usually making things uncomfortable with his "cheaper" ideas, or even lousing things up to where there could conceivably be a breach of contract (i.e., sending the band to the wrong city hours away). But there has to be some excuse to have Fred and Ethel every place Ricky and Lucy go, so being the manager-- more nominally than of necessity-- was the one for that trip (and maybe it was for Florida too?).

As for the Mertzes hotel room in Hollywood, the show tries to cleverly slip that one by the viewers by just not mentioning the arrangements. All we know for sure is that the Mertzes' room was not a suite, therefore was much cheaper, but still way too expensive for somebody for them to stay the entire time (several months) that Ricky was doing a picture that got shelved, then publicity stunts to keep him under contract, then finally doing another movie we do not get the benefit of knowing anything about. Is it possible, though, that Ricky could have asked for an additional hotel room because he expected guests from New York, and perhaps said there was another family member who would stay a while [Lucy's mother]?... it still seems the studio would turn a deaf ear to some 'newfound' talent coming in with requests like that. But Fred and Ethel simply had to be there for the makeup of the show, so if it didn't make sense for them to be there all that time... just slip them in anyway

.

As a related subtopic, Lucille Ball once remarked that "Bill Frawley was Fred Mertz;" meaning he was actually like the character he played-- cheap, cynical, often surly and rude. I remember from the book, Meet the Mertzes,, one incident it tells about is when Frawley was working My Three Sons, he 'drank his lunch' at this same place every day-- until they raised the price on his favorite drink by 10 cents, and then he angrily told them off and vowed never to go there again, and he didn't. So yes, Fred Mertz-- who William Frawley "was"-- paying for his own hotel room just to be close to his friends across the country-- no way. And those chiseling Mertzes were lovable enough for Ricky to pay for their room? That's hard to see, unless something was connived some way. So the writers probably just couldn't come up with a believable excuse, and therefore nothing was mentioned about that aspect.

Jude The Obscure · 06-30-2008, 05:33 PM

As the Ricardos climbed the economic ladder, so were "the tag along Mertzes"

The Great One · 06-30-2008, 05:48 PM

El Fredo was El Cheapo!

BarneyFife · 06-30-2008, 05:55 PM

Fred should of helped with the gas. What was it back then, like 5 cents a gallon.

Fred was cheap!

Ireneparalegal · 06-30-2008, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdr

The trip to Europe was a different scenario, since Fred was the band manager-- but he seems to never lack for time to just be a tourist; a sightseeing trip the first day they're in Paris, the climbing a mountain and bicycling from Italy back into France, et al. And when he is doing the work of a manager, it's usually making things uncomfortable with his "cheaper" ideas, or even lousing things up to where there could conceivably be a breach of contract (i.e., sending the band to the wrong city hours away). But there has to be some excuse to have Fred and Ethel every place Ricky and Lucy go, so being the manager-- more nominally than of necessity-- was the one for that trip (and maybe it was for Florida too?).

As for the Mertzes hotel room in Hollywood, the show tries to cleverly slip that one by the viewers by just not mentioning the arrangements. All we know for sure is that the Mertzes' room was not a suite, therefore was much cheaper, but still way too expensive for somebody for them to stay the entire time (several months) that Ricky was doing a picture that got shelved, then publicity stunts to keep him under contract, then finally doing another movie we do not get the benefit of knowing anything about. Is it possible, though, that Ricky could have asked for an additional hotel room because he expected guests from New York, and perhaps said there was another family member who would stay a while [Lucy's mother]?... it still seems the studio would turn a deaf ear to some 'newfound' talent coming in with requests like that. But Fred and Ethel simply had to be there for the makeup of the show, so if it didn't make sense for them to be there all that time... just slip them in anyway

.

As a related subtopic, Lucille Ball once remarked that "Bill Frawley was Fred Mertz;" meaning he was actually like the character he played-- cheap, cynical, often surly and rude. I remember from the book, Meet the Mertzes,, one incident it tells about is when Frawley was working My Three Sons, he 'drank his lunch' at this same place every day-- until they raised the price on his favorite drink by 10 cents, and then he angrily told them off and vowed never to go there again, and he didn't. So yes, Fred Mertz-- who William Frawley "was"-- paying for his own hotel room just to be close to his friends across the country-- no way. And those chiseling Mertzes were lovable enough for Ricky to pay for their room? That's hard to see, unless something was connived some way. So the writers probably just couldn't come up with a believable excuse, and therefore nothing was mentioned about that aspect.

Jude...

you kill me.

As for the European trip, the Mertzes were already invited to go BEFORE Fred was made a band manager. It was the cost of going that kept them from saying, "yes" to the offer. It wasn't until after that bogus raffle concocted by Lucy and Ethel, that Ricky was informed he wasn't going to have to pay for him and Lucy's boarding on the ship, therefore, the money he would save by not paying for Ricky and Lucy, he would use to pay for Ethel and Fred. So, yes, the European trip was again, paid for by Ricky so that the Mertzes could tag along.

Adamantium · 06-30-2008, 07:11 PM

LOL. I didn't realize it was discussed. I had this thread idea for a few months now, but I finally remembered to post it today. I looked down the list of thread titles and I didn't see anything like it, so I went for it.

I'm surprised. I figured everyone would be on Fred's side, lol.

Ireneparalegal · 06-30-2008, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamantium

I'm surprised. I figured everyone would be on Fred's side, lol.

Why???

Fred was a cheapskate. Ricky was too kind.

Adamantium · 06-30-2008, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Why???

Fred was a cheapskate. Ricky was too kind.

LOL, I don't know. I just pictured people quoting Fred, "Where the front of the car goes, the back end has to follow."

I, too, wondered about who paid for the Mertz's hotel room. They would make it seem like it was the studio, which is what I'll assume happened. But it seems really strange that that would happen.

And for the record, the Hollywood trip was the only one I really enjoyed. The others had their classic moments, definately, but beyond Hollywood, I just want to see the four in their apartment or home in the country. They spend a great deal of season five on different vacations.

I loved all the episodes leading up to them leaving for Hollywood, them actually leaving for Hollywood with the episodes on the road. Then their stay in Hollywood and finally their homecoming. I loved all of it.

06-30-2008, 04:32 PM	#1
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,836	Ricky or Fred, Who Was Right On This Topic? In the episode where Ricky and Lucy are planning on going to California and they invite Fred and Ethel to join them by sitting in their back seat, then Ricky expects Fred to pay for half the gas, but Fred says "Where the front half of the car goes, the back has to follow." Who do you agree with? Ricky, expecting Fred to pay for half the gas since he's going on the trip with them. Fred, who feels the Ricardos are going anyways, and the back seat has to go with the car whether he's in it or not.

06-30-2008, 04:41 PM	#2
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	I just posted on the other thread how I feel that Fred being an invited guest on this trip (as was Ethel) how he should have helped to pay for the gas. Yes, technically the backseat goes wherever the front part of the car goes but still, it would have been nice for Fred to help pay for something since his hotel room in California was being paid for. BTW, who paid for the hotel room, Ricky or MGM? I assume Ricky because I cannot imagine MGM paying for anyone else other than Ricky. And I sure as hell know Fred wasn't paying for it.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

06-30-2008, 04:42 PM	#3
InspectorExstead Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Oct 29, 2001 Location: The Golden State Posts: 12,902	lol. i just posted something about this in irene's thread. i think fred was definitely in the wrong with this situation. he was way too greedy and i don't think i would want to go with someone like him on a trip. yes, the backseat was going with the car even if they didn't go. but that doesn't mean he can't give a little gas money. or offered to pay. he didn't pay for the tickets on the train on the way back to ny either. he wanted the ricardos to pay for the bike that was ruined. and when they had that wrap up party for ricky towards the end of the hollywood stay, he complained how expensive the caviar was that ethel got. another thing, when they got to that restaurant that only had cheese sandwiches, ricky ended up paying the entire bill himself and fred didn't chip in. after all of the freebies the ricardos gave him, he couldn't keep quiet and not complain for one second? or maybe take everyone out to eat one night? it was very greedy and very rude. when someone invites you on a trip and pays for you and your wife, it's a little rude to keep making demands and saying things like "you need to pay for me..."
	__________________ They killed my sister because she asked: "Where is my vote?" http://sosiran.com/ http://tapeshhd.com/index.php

06-30-2008, 05:48 PM	#10
The Great One Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 29, 2006 Posts: 6,378	El Fredo was El Cheapo!
	__________________ .

06-30-2008, 05:55 PM	#11
BarneyFife Retired Forum Fanatic Join Date: Mar 02, 2008 Posts: 8,460	Fred should of helped with the gas. What was it back then, like 5 cents a gallon. Fred was cheap!
	__________________ BarneyFife has left the building.

06-30-2008, 04:47 PM	#5
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	^^^Thank you. You said it. So many instances where the Ricardos paid and Fred got away with it. How many times did the Ricardos treat them out to dinner? What abt the first day in Hollywood and Lucy paid for the meal at the Brown Derby? Fred was happy abt that because he was able to look at the more expensive meals offered on the menu. The trip to Europe? How much did Fred pay to go there? NOTHING. NADA. ZILCH!

06-30-2008, 05:31 PM	#8
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	The trip to Europe was a different scenario, since Fred was the band manager-- but he seems to never lack for time to just be a tourist; a sightseeing trip the first day they're in Paris, the climbing a mountain and bicycling from Italy back into France, et al. And when he is doing the work of a manager, it's usually making things uncomfortable with his "cheaper" ideas, or even lousing things up to where there could conceivably be a breach of contract (i.e., sending the band to the wrong city hours away). But there has to be some excuse to have Fred and Ethel every place Ricky and Lucy go, so being the manager-- more nominally than of necessity-- was the one for that trip (and maybe it was for Florida too?). As for the Mertzes hotel room in Hollywood, the show tries to cleverly slip that one by the viewers by just not mentioning the arrangements. All we know for sure is that the Mertzes' room was not a suite, therefore was much cheaper, but still way too expensive for somebody for them to stay the entire time (several months) that Ricky was doing a picture that got shelved, then publicity stunts to keep him under contract, then finally doing another movie we do not get the benefit of knowing anything about. Is it possible, though, that Ricky could have asked for an additional hotel room because he expected guests from New York, and perhaps said there was another family member who would stay a while [Lucy's mother]?... it still seems the studio would turn a deaf ear to some 'newfound' talent coming in with requests like that. But Fred and Ethel simply had to be there for the makeup of the show, so if it didn't make sense for them to be there all that time... just slip them in anyway . As a related subtopic, Lucille Ball once remarked that "Bill Frawley was Fred Mertz;" meaning he was actually like the character he played-- cheap, cynical, often surly and rude. I remember from the book, Meet the Mertzes,, one incident it tells about is when Frawley was working My Three Sons, he 'drank his lunch' at this same place every day-- until they raised the price on his favorite drink by 10 cents, and then he angrily told them off and vowed never to go there again, and he didn't. So yes, Fred Mertz-- who William Frawley "was"-- paying for his own hotel room just to be close to his friends across the country-- no way. And those chiseling Mertzes were lovable enough for Ricky to pay for their room? That's hard to see, unless something was connived some way. So the writers probably just couldn't come up with a believable excuse, and therefore nothing was mentioned about that aspect.

06-30-2008, 05:33 PM	#9
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,520	As the Ricardos climbed the economic ladder, so were "the tag along Mertzes"

06-30-2008, 07:11 PM	#13
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,836	LOL. I didn't realize it was discussed. I had this thread idea for a few months now, but I finally remembered to post it today. I looked down the list of thread titles and I didn't see anything like it, so I went for it. I'm surprised. I figured everyone would be on Fred's side, lol.