Tough Pigs Anthology

The Decline and Fall of Gorch

Part Two: The Fall -- July 2002

The Gorch Anthology

Anthology Contents

 

Chapter 14

Life Goes On

 

in which The Mighty Favog tries to cut a deal

 

(May 8, 1976 -- host Madeline Kahn)

 

   The story so far: The Muppets are fired. 

 

   The Gorch set has been destroyed. The cast and the writers don't like the Muppets. They're going off to do The Muppet Show in England anyway. And the last time we saw the Gorch characters, in late April 1976, they were getting into the trunk to be packed away. 

 

   But leave it to the Muppets to have a couple tricks left up their sleeve...

 

 

[ Chevy Chase is standing backstage, next to the prop trunk. He polishes his sunglasses. ]

 

Chevy

 

I don't think these look girlish. They look good to me.  [ He puts the glasses back on. ]

 

[ The lid of the trunk cracks open, and Scred peeks out. ]

 

Scred

 

Chevy? Chevy Chase, is that you? It's me, Scred, remember?

 

Chevy

 

Scred!

 

Scred

 

Yeah!  [ He pops up. ]

 

Chevy

 

Hey, Scred! Nice to see ya!

 

Scred

 

Yeah, remember, I used to have that dressing room over there, under the sink?

 

Chevy

 

Oh, yeah... hey, listen, y'know, we were all pretty sorry to hear you guys got cancelled, Scred, but, uh -- y'know, that's show business. I mean...

 

Scred

 

[ sigh ]  Yeah...

 

Chevy

 

One day, you're on top of the world, the next day, you're, uh... inside a trunk. I guess that's the way it is.

 

Scred

 

Yeah. Let me get outta here.  [ He hops out of the trunk and leans over Chevy's shoulder. ]  Hey, hey, listen, Chevy -- don't you think you could talk to the producer, Lorne Michaels, and ask him to let us back on the show, huh? Dontcha think so? Huh? Huh? Dontcha think?

 

Chevy

 

Well, Scred, I don't know... I mean, now the show's a hit, and it's a pretty big success, and I think it might've kinda gone to Lorne's head, ya know? I mean, right now he's not even here, I think he's out having dinner with Lee Ratzwell or something, so...

 

Scred

 

No wonder he's not interested in us anymore.

 

Chevy

 

Yeah.

 

Scred

 

Yeah, well.

 

Chevy

 

I think the man's got a little too big to work with felt anymore, Scred.

 

Scred

 

Yeah. Phooey.

 

Chevy

 

I'm sorry.

 

Scred

 

Hey, Chevy, uh -- ahem -- listen, uh... I hear that Lorne's trying to get the Beatles for the show, huh?

 

Chevy

 

Yeah. Yeah. He's had lunch four times with Peter Best. Scred -- could you use a mouthwash or something?

 

Scred

 

Sorry. Ahem. But, listen -- I have a friend who happens to know the Beatles personally.

 

Chevy

 

Really? Who?

 

 

 

[ Cut to: The Mighty Favog, sitting on a crate. ]

 

Favog

 

SHE LOVES YOU, YEAH YEAH YEAH... AWRIGHT. HERE'S THE DEAL. TELL MICHAELS HE TAKES BACK THE MUPPETS, I THROW IN THE BEATLES FOR NOTHIN'.

 

Chevy

 

Favog... you're sure we're talking about the same Beatles?

 

Favog

 

THE OOBLADI, OOBLADA, LIFE GOES ON, BRAAAA, BEATLES? THOSE THE ONES?

 

Chevy

 

Those are the ones. You know them, huh?

 

Favog

 

ARE YOU KIDDIN'? I AM THE WALRUS.

 

Scred

 

I thought you was the egg man.

 

Favog

 

SCRED? TELL 'IM.

 

Scred

 

Oh, yeah. Hey, remember when the Beatles went to India?

 

Chevy

 

Yeah, to see the Maharishi, right?

 

Scred

 

Uh uh.

 

Chevy

 

Uh huh.

 

Favog

 

OMMMMMMMMM.

 

Scred

 

Mani Padme Hum, yeah, yeah. And tell him about the time you told Paul your favorite number...

 

Favog

 

SCRED, SCRED... I THINK WE MADE OUR POINT.

 

Chevy

 

Well, uh, listen, fellas, I'll certainly tell Lorne about this.

 

Favog

 

HEY, HEY -- TELL 'IM, HE TAKES THE MUPPETS, THE BEATLES ARE GRAVY. GOT IT?

 

Chevy

 

Great. Okay. I'll tell him right now. Scred, good to see you.  [ He pats Scred on the head. ]

 

Favog

 

G'BYE.

 

Scred

 

Okay.

 

Chevy

 

Okay. So long.

 

Favog

 

OKAY.

 

Scred

 

Bye bye.

 

 

 

[ Chevy leaves. ]

 

Scred

 

Oh, Mighty Favog -- you've done it again!

 

Favog

 

AWRIIIIGHT!

 

Scred

 

Yeah, yeah! I feel like a new Muppet!

 

Favog

 

AND IN THE END... THE LOVE YOU TAKE IS EQUAL TO THE LOVE YOU MAKE. YEAHHHH.

 

Scred

 

Strawberry Fields Forever!

 

 

 

Gorch Fact

 

   Add Chevy Chase to the short list of people on Saturday Night Live who apparently liked the Muppets. This sketch was written by Chevy, and it's nice that -- unlike most of the other "Muppets are cancelled" sketches in this period -- it actually ends on a hopeful, upbeat note. The "get in the trunk" sketch in the last episode was a pretty depressing suicide metaphor, but this one at least ends with the momentary illusion of success. 

 

   And would you believe it if I told you there was still one more Gorch sketch? 

 

 

Next, the thrilling conclusion

of the Gorch Anthology:

The Muppet Morgue!

 

 

The Gorch Anthology

Anthology Contents

 

 

Danny@ToughPigs.com