When Mary Jo returns from a trip to a client's without Anthony, the group begins to evaluate whether Mr. Tyson's account is worth the hassle his eccentricity engenders. After making sure that all the nudes in his paintings and sculptures were modestly 'clothed,' their unusual client was insisting that the Sugarbaker firm design a halter top for the fire hydrant in front of his house. When Bernice, a friend of Julia and Suzanne's mother, shows up, she announces that she has been selected to represent her retirement community in an upcoming beauty contest and asks if the Sugarbaker design firm will sponsor her for the event and wants Suzanne to coach her for the program.
When Suzanne demurs, Julia points out that they had promised their mother to look out for her friend, and the least Suzanne can do is give her a little advice. Just as Bernice informs the group that her special talent is eating fire, Anthony arrives with Mr. Tyson, who is immediately smitten with Bernice's charms while inviting Julia to be his girlfriend in the same breath. The subsequent conversation leads them to the conclusion that their client is definately a certifiable nut case!
Bernice begins to get the feeling that she's getting a brush-off when one by one, her beauty contest mentors plead prior engagements when she asks for additonal assistance. The night of the beauty contest arrives; the ladies all go through their routines and interviews, glum and close-mouthed -- with the exception of Bernice and her arch rival Oleta. When questioned about the lack of smiles, Bernice confides that Oleta is suspected of having absconded with the other contestants' dentures. Mr. Tyson is a vocal and enthusiastic supporter who is delighted with the outcome of the event. The four women are touched to learn the special esteem in which they are held.
Additional Comments:
The original title for this episode is Still Crazy After All These Years.
Mr. Tyson was actually a character mentioned in the Pilot episode where it was said that he returned some lamps because they illuminated the nudes in his paintings in a way that was too titillating.
The ladies don't intentionally brush off Bernice -- they genuinely feel bad about their schedule conflicts.
The comment about Oleta absconding with the other contestants' dentures does not appear in the episode as it airs in syndication.
The ladies actually set up Bernice with Mr. Tyson to draw his attention away from Julia. The idea comes to them after hearing Mr. Tyson make an odd comment about his TV being broken and now seeing himself on every channel -- the same comment Bernice had made a few days earlier.
This episode must set some sort of a record -- Sugarbaker's actually has a couple clients and the ladies are working! In addition to Mr. Tyson, Julia is in the background with a client while Suzanne is coaching Bernice.
Classic Scenes:
The ladies discuss Mr. Tyson.....
JULIA: Mary Jo, I know he's a handful, but he can't be that bad.
MARY JO: That's because you haven't met him yet, but your luck is about to change because he's coming here to look at some fabrics because he didn't like any of the samples I took him.
JULIA: Why not? You took all the new books we have.
MARY JO: There's no rational explanation for it, Julia. It's the same kind of stuff he griped about when I got him those religious pictures, and I'm tired of fooling with him.
CHARLENE: Oh, you mean when you had to have swimming suits made for all the nude figures?
MARY JO: I told you, Charlene, they weren't swimming suits, they were little cloth strips.
CHARLENE: Well you can call them whatever you want, Mary Jo. They still looked like angels in bikinis.
JULIA: Well maybe he is an odd duck, but it's an enourmous account and we're pretty tight right now. Frankly I just don't think we can afford to offend him.
MARY JO: I don't want to offend him -- I don't even want to be around him! And furthermore, I don't think that "odd duck" sufficiently describes a person who wants us to design a canvas halter top for the fire hydrant in front of his house.
SUZANNE: He asked you to do that? That's sick.
CHARLENE: I don't think canvas would look very good, do you?
JULIA: And I don't think it's ethical to take money from someone who's off-the-beam for services that don't make sense.
SUZANNE: Well I do. I think crazy people have a right to be fleece just like everybody else.
Suzanne tries to make excuses not to coach Bernice.....
JULIA: Suzanne, I cannot believe you can't find time to help Mrs. Clifton.
SUZANNE: Oh, it's not just the time, Julia. It's, well, she drives me crazy. I mean, she's calling me up every night as it is.
JULIA: She does?
SUZANNE: Well, yeah. Doesn't she call you?
JULIA: No. What's she want?
SUZANNE: Oh, it's just goofy stuff. Y'know, like don't I think that dance Bill Cosby does right before his show starts is just a little bit silly.
MARY JO: Mr. Tyson, this is Julia Sugarbaker.
JULIA: It's so nice to finally meet you.
MR. TYSON: And I am equally titillated.
MARY JO: Mr. Tyson, I was just telling Julia that you want to see some fabrics for the sofa in your den.
MR. TYSON: Yes, that's right. I want to see some prints...some prints that have a lot of activity on them -- as long as it's not sexual.
JULIA: Well...of course.
MR. TYSON: Don't get me wrong. I don't think it's anybody else's business what people do -- but not on my fabric.
MARY JO: Well, Julia, I guess you'll be taking it from here.
MR. TYSON: Well now that we've dispensed with the formalities, (to Julia) how would you like to be......my gal?
JULIA: You're talking about aluminum foil . . .on the walls.
MR. TYSON: That's right, because I think that lightning is getting ready to strike the TV in my den....again.
JULIA: Mr. Tyson, if you truly want aluminum foil on your walls, I don't think we can help you.
MR. TYSON: Ok, then you just pick out something that you like, Mrs. Sugarbaker. Or....may I call you Julia?
JULIA: That would be fine.
MR. TYSON: How about....Sugar?
JULIA: One step too far.
BERNICE: You know it's so much easier since I taught myself how to drive.
JULIA: Bernice, you be careful out there.
BERNICE: Oh, don't you worry about me. When I'm sitting on that pillow I'm King of the Road. But since I've been driving I found out something.
CHARLENE: What's that?
BERNICE: You can only get the Bird so many times before it starts to hurt your feelings.
MARY JO: Y'all ever feel like we're playing fast and loose with our sanity?
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