Episode Reviews: “Hot Tips” & “The New Bowling Ball”:

[Frank Gannucci]

Episode Reviews: “Hot Tips” & “The New Bowling Ball”:

Episode #201
DVD: MPI MIGHT release this episode along with a few other short color sketches.
Color Episode Title: "Hot Tip."
Lost Episode Title: "Hot Tips."

Alice is doing her makeup. Ralph comes out and complains that he can't find his other black sock. Alice goes into the bedroom while Ralph takes off the black sock that is on his foot and there's another black sock on it (he put the two black socks on one foot), so he tells Alice about it. Ralph's fly in his pants are open. Ed comes down and is ready to go to the racetrack with Alice and Ralph. He is wearing a loud jacket that he claims is lucky. He won money when he had it on at one time. According to him, the only time it brought him bad luck was the time that he met Trixie. Ralph has picked five sure winners. Ed says that there is no such thing as a sure thing so he tells a story on how one horse couldn't lose and ended up losing because his tail got stuck in the starting gate.

Alice comes out and Ralph argues with her and says: "The next time I take you someplace, I will leave you home." Ha! Ralph asks Ed to give him some money. He has a hot tip on one horse that he thinks is going to win. He is betting $30 on one horse. Ed leaves. Alice wants to know how did Ralph get the $30. He got the money from the rent money. "This is no wild scheme", says Ralph. Ralph knows a bus driver who's got a brother-in-law that knows an uncle and this uncle knows a guy who drives a milk wagon and this milk wagon delivers milk to a barber who cuts the horse's jockey's hair. Alice sarcastically agrees. Ralph says that this horse is a 90-1 shot and when Ralph multiplies 90 times 30, he can't come up with the answer. Gee, that isn't saying too much about Ralph's IQ. Ralph: "We can move into a penthouse and have a nice view of Central Park if we win." Alice says the opposite will happen if they lose.

When word gets out, a bunch of people ask Ralph to place bets for them. Ed comes up and says that there is a policeman coming up to the apartment (thinking that someone is being a bookie). Ralph and Ed panic so Ralph says to put it under the ice box, but Ed says that that won't work. A policeman knocks on the door. Ed: "Just a minute. We are not ready." Ralph suggests putting the list in the faucet, but Ed says that that won't work since the cop may want a drink. Ralph and Norton panic, and Norton tells Ralph to eat the list that he wrote the bets on. Alice tells the cop that the list will prove Ralph's innocence and Ralph discovers that he didn't eat the list after all. (He actually ate the money.) The cop is convinced and leaves. All I can say is if Jackie really ate the money, I hope he didn't get sick. Ed leaves. Ralph apologizes to Alice. Alice forgives him. They hug and kiss.


Episode #202
DVD: MPI MIGHT release this episode along with a few other short color sketches.
Color & Lost Episode Title: “The New Bowling Ball”:

I haven't seen the 60s version but I am assuming it's the same as its Lost Episode counterpart except for a few things.

The episode opens up with Alice coming home. Trixie comes in. Alice says that she has to rush to make dinner. Alice also bought food and a new bowling ball for Ralph. Ralph is going bowling tonight. The boys come in. Ralph looks at the bowling ball and loves it. Ralph: “She’s all mine.” Ed: “I hope the two of you are very happy together.” Ed said that he saved money to get a bowling ball, but she says that Trixie thought of only herself and got her tooth pulled with that money. The Nortons leave.

Ralph is ready for dinner. He is upset that dinner isn’t near ready yet. When Alice tells Ralph what they are having, he doesn’t like it. Alice asks Ralph to unwrap the steak. When Ralph finds out that the steak is frozen solid, he is upset. The steak has to thaw out but Ralph has to go bowling in a little while. Ralph yells. Alice: “Keep yelling and the steak will thaw out in no time.” This is also one of the first times that Ralph says to Alice that one of these days, he will hit her. Ralph gets the can opener but has difficulty with it. He accidentally hurts his finger with the can opener. According to Ralph, now he can’t go bowling. Alice says for him to stop exaggerating. Ralph tires to prove Alice wrong by putting his hurt finger in the bowling ball. He can’t get it all the way in somehow. Ralph: “I’m going bowling now.” Ralph then finds out that he can’t get his fingers out of the ball. Uh oh! Ralph is upset at Alice some more. He now thinks he can’t do his job anymore because of the fact that he has a bowling ball stuck to him. Ed comes down. Ralph explains to him what just happened to him. Ed: “Why don’t you go on a diet? Maybe it will drop off.” Alice and Ed help Ralph out. Ed grabs the ball while Alice grabs Ralph by the waist and both of them pull. The ball falls off as Ralph backs into the corner with Alice behind him and accidentally hits her slightly. Ralph’s thumb is so hurt that he thinks he (Ralph) can’t go bowling. Ed leaves. Ralph is still upset at Alice. Ralph calls him unlucky. Ralph: “Not as unlucky as King Faruk though.” Alice says that Ralph hurt his left hand. Ralph finds out that he is RIGHT HANDED. So, he can go bowling after all. He tries to leave. Alice wishes him good luck. Ralph is upset at what he just did to Alice. He asks Alice if she wants to see him bowl. She says yes. Ralph: “Baby, you’re the greatest.” They hug and kiss.