#53, Race Again, aka "Leave the Driving to Us"

"Enough gags in this show already."

Coming near the end of the run, the comedy is more obvious and less funny.  There is no laugh track, ad unfortunately Peter openly laughs at gags (warning to comedians: this does not make the joke funnier).  At least the British name is a pun,"T.N.Crumpetts"; however, it seems about as subtle as Baron von Klutz.

Another indication that the show is not even trying is the gag, "I can't move b/c you are standing on my foot", used 3 times in the first 6 minutes.  This might be funnier if the 2-shot was tighter.  We can see that the actors' feet are nowhere near each other.

London Mist Spray, also comes in "roll on". Like a deodorant.  They do a comparative smell test of different smogs including Liverpool, Manchester and LA.  Davy does a Liverpudlian accent (see Beatles). All of the cities mentioned were known to have high levels of pollution.  The funniest part of this joke being that they could tell the difference and that what they are smelling is "Knockout Gas".


Novel uses of materials:
Note the absurdity of the Monkees as mechanics, using "highly unusual techniques".  Hammer, saw, needle& thread.  This calls to mind the unusual use of materials by Surrealist artists, including this Fur Covered Cup.

"Open End" was the title of the David Susskind show (1958-1986), one of the most famous interviews was with the Soviet Premier Nikita Kruschev.

Once upon a time, there were things called telephone books. They were people's addresses and telephone numbers, listed alphabetically.  The books were used as doorstops or for highchairs for children.  And is that a Moog synthesizer by the entryway to the garage?

The subtitle of the episode refers to a slogan for the Greyhound bus company.  There is also a reference to "Put A Tiger in Your Tank", a high octane gasoline ad by Esso.

German References:

The "villan" in the episode is Baron Von Klutz, who is pitted against Davy and his British Uncle's team, an allusion to WWII.  Oddly enough (and probably to confuse us later generations), the Baron wears a WWI helmet.  At one point, they have gas masks, used to protect against Mustard Gas.  Also note the square mustache, also known as the toothbrush or philtrum (named for the location on the upper lip.  It was popular between 1900-1945, first adopted as a more streamlined reaction to the handlebar style.  Chaplin used it and Hitler stole it.  (Note the end date of its popularity).


Micky turns on the radio and a generic 60's dance track plays, then a waltz (see #14) then an instrumental version of "Deutchland Deutchland Uber Alles" (German national anthem during WWII).  Note the earlier pun about a car being "in tune" and using a tuning fork.

There is a joke about trading Micky & TNC for "Wernher", meaning Wernher von Braun, a German rocket scientist who had come to America. Micky turns it into a joke about baseball.


Micky mentions the Blue Max, which was Prussia's highest honor,  Pour le Mérite.  There was a movie called "The Blue Max" (1966, starring George Peppard).  Von Klutz is also prominently wearing a pin which looks similar, the blue Iron Cross, which dates back to 1219.  It has always had a Teutonic, Prussian or German association, but is also now known as the shape of the Bikers Cross.  In the 1960's, it was used as a symbol of rebellion by bikers and surfers or in the car enthusiast culture as a point of pride of their car's country of origin. Note the decoration on the Klutzmobile. Volkswagen was originally designed and translated as "the people's car" in Germany in the 1930's.  By the 60's, the VW Beetle and Van were a ubiquitous (and cheap) choice for the hippie on the go.  They are still popular today, especially among Dead Heads (Grateful Dead Groupies).

By the late 60's, bumbling and overly serious German characters (in uniform) were popular.  Coming out of the horrors of WWII, Hollywood had essentially reduced the idea of the Nazis to a caricature.  Take note of the movie, "The Producers" (1968, Mel Brooks). (You should take note of the movie anyways).  A serious study could be (and probably has been) made of the portrayal of Germans post-WWII.  Compare the attitude in the 60's to 2009's "Inglorious Basterds".  They have transitioned into terrifying movie villains, with no sense of ineptitude about them.  (Whether or not this is accurate is another discussion entirely).


Note: In another blog post, I have recorded a Facebook exchange with someone who posted "We are studying the Nazis, and this episode popped into my head".  I thought it warranted further discussion.
Even if the show is not a primary educational tool, I remember that when I was in high school, *anything* that helped reinforce a History lesson was beneficial.


The Periscope gag is a reference to German U-Boats, popular during both WWI and WWII.  "U Boat" is the Anglicized version of the German "Unterseeboot", which means "undersea boat".  Note the inherent absurdity of using a periscope in, of all places, their garage in LA.  It does help to bring in different shots as an unusual technique to "advance" the plot.  If it's not a great joke, at least it's a bizarre setup.


Davy, while driving, says, "Curse you, Red Baron".  Which is an allusion to Peanuts, Snoopy's catchphrase and 60's song.  Which is an allusion to WWI and Baron von Richthofen.  When the Baron gets into the car to race, he is wearing a white scarf and leather helmet of a WWI fighter pilot.

If nothing else, the Monkees will teach you to count to 10 in German.  Not just in this episode, but Peter can also be heard counting on the beginning of the recording of the song, "All of Your Toys".

#35, Everywhere a Sheik Sheik

Title references "Old Macdonald" children's song, which epitomizes the idea of the American farm and is taught in every preschool in America, at least from the post war-period (think pre-Howdy Doody) to probably the modern day. It is the opposite of the Middle Eastern setting of this show, but consistency was never a main selling point.

We are introduced to Monty Landis, who brings in the idea of arranged marriages (also a common practice in the country of Harmonica and countries which have princes & paupers). The princess, who had raided the "I Dream of Jeannie" wardrobe closet, points to a "fan" magazine and picks Davy. (If the Monkees within the show are so poor, how come they are in fan magazines? And how did they work that camera technique where a static image suddenly comes to life?)

Note here Hollywood's version of the Middle East: bellydancing costumes for women (see also what the girls wore in the film, "Head") and Nehru jackets & headscarves (Keffiyeh, of the Lawrence of Arabia style)for men. Monty Landis doing an accent which seems to come from India and "strange customs", such as the villain wearing one half of a beard. There is so little consistency that the word "stereotype" doesn't even come to mind. "Do not question the strange ways of our people" because we can't be bothered to do real research or even get past the first of "1001 Nights".

VAUDEVILLIAN GEMS:
"Why does the camel sleep with one eye toward the desert moon?"
"To keep his pants up?"
(Cf: Why does a fireman wear red suspenders?)

Pay special attention to the scene where Peter is dressed in a lab coat, supposedly holding a Geiger counter, which clicks when it approaches radiation. (Is he holding a microphone and some sort of primitive recording device?) He, of course, has a hand held clicker in his pocket. Listen as Mike gives the cue, "What's that I hear?", which P intentionally muffs up. Peter is directly quoting Harpo Marx (using a sound instead of voice). Mike was quoting Phil Ochs, a protest songwriter (whether he realized it or not).

Micky & Mike are dressed in button down uniforms. Mike with a Bicorne hat, with white feathers stapled to it. During WW1, this was a practice of indicating someone who had pleaded "Conscientious Objector" and didn't fight. In other words, a chicken. Here, perhaps, it was done as a protest against the war in Vietnam. Or just because it was a funny sight gag, like Micky's helmet which is so small, the chinstrap goes through his mouth like a horse's bit. It's also fun just to watch Micky knocking off Mike's hat every time he salutes.

"This king, he wants me to marry his daughter"
"Nice looking?"
"Well, he's not bad . . ."
(Vaudeville technique of using surprise and vague nominative referent (using Syntax to make a funny!) to turn it into a question about the attractiveness of the king, not the potential fiancee)

Note how the boys harmonize, like a barbershop quartet (on the "Hello/Hello/Hello" bit) and Monty Landis conducts. Compare this to Hans Conreid's reaction in a blooper off the "Monkee's Paw"

Pun: "Secretary of Defense. /I'll be sure to keep it mended." (The fence) Linguistically and for non-native speakers of English, [The] and [Da] and [De] are close enough phonetically to be mistaken for each other, and close enough to be misinterpreted, to rare comedic effect, as seen here. In songs, the mistaking of one word for another is called a "Mondegreen". In speech, it is just called a mistake.

"Peel me a grape!" This is a reference to a terrific jazz song, written by Dave Frishberg in 1962, recorded by Dusty Springfield, Anita O'Day, Blossom Dearie, and Diana Krall. ALL are recommended (Blossom is my favorite, in general, but Dusty's video was the best of this song)

Paperweight. Mike is actually terrific with predictable dialogue! "What is this number with the concrete block?" Breaking 4th wall!! He knows the dialogue and plot are silly, so he overacts. We know that he knows that it's all fake, and so he turns to us and breaks the illusion fully, essentially addressing the guys who put him up to it as an actor. He's talking to the camera, and the literal people behind the camera (director, writers, prop guys, etc) as well as the audience.

"Golden Grecian Goblets Guarantee Graves!" Refer back to the post about Danny Kaye and the "Pestle" routine

Suddenly, the villain rips off his half beard and claims he is American (much more evil) and is a wildcatter from Oklahoma, only there to steal the oil. Prescient, indeed, about America's greed for oil in other countries. Not that we go to war over it or anything.