July 23, 2019
Writer: Lissa Levin
Director: Linda Day
Original Air Date: November 18, 1981
In 1980, there were only 2.2 million condominium units in the United States. That number today is north of 14 million. But it is strange today to think of a time when this form of home ownership was looked at with suspicion, as if the builders were "scamming" buyers by selling them a home without selling them the land. It was synonymous with conforming to the majority to relinquish your homeowner rights to live in a cookie-cutter condo with condo fees and condo rules.
It's not just the cheesy "Gone With the Wind" theme that is causing people to laugh in this episode. The very idea of Johnny Fever in a condo that they are reacting to.
In 1980, homosexuality was illegal in the United States. It wasn't until 2003 that the Supreme Court struck down same-sex sodomy laws, essentially making laws against consensual sexual activity unconstitutional. But it is strange today to think of a time when this form of relationship was looked at with suspicion, as if gay couples were "corrupting" people into joining them. It was synonymous with abandoning decency to "choose" homosexuality despite the fact most people knew and/or were related to homosexual people.
It's not just the "whole slavery bugadee boo" that is causing people to laugh in this episode. It is the very idea that Johnny Fever could be gay that they are reacting to.
See what I did there?
But lets begin our discussion of this episode with probably its most controversial plot point: Johnny Fever has money!
Johnny receives a settlement cheque of $24,000 from the radio station in L.A. that fired him all those years ago for saying "Booger!" on the air. It was a great call back to the very first episode that Jennifer gets a laugh just for saying the word "Booger." An inflation calculator tells me that in 2018 dollars, that would be a cheque for $62,700. Another funny call back is that the first things Johnny and Venus can think of doing with that much money involve careless ways to pay more for your phone bills (always worrying about the phone cops!).
Johnny immediately blows over a $1000 in one day on leather clothes, women, intoxicants of some sort, harmonicas and "soap you can see through!" But he had previously asked the more financially savvy Venus to help him manage his money. Venus wants him to be smart with this money and invest it. "Real Estate has never failed" he tells Johnny and, it just so happens, Herb has the perfect investment opportunity: his client Gone With The Wind Estates. According to their radio spot "it's Con-Doo-Minium Living... Plantation style."
The gang visits Johnny in his new condo, each commenting on how much they like it, before he confesses to Venus how much he hates it. They need to get him out of this deal.
Venus arranges for a meeting between Johnny and himself and the condo salesman Mr. Wainwright and "one of the company's top people" Ms. Archer. Ms. Archer is some sort of cross between Miss Trunchbull and a women's prison warden; all tightness and cruelty. Venus tries to approach these "Gone With the Wind-ers" like a true financial consultant at first, or perhaps even as a lay lawyer. He is reasonable, even offering a cash penalty.
At this point you may wonder why Ms. Archer et al are so unwilling to let Johnny out of an agreement that isn't even a day old at this point. Most reputable condo companies don't want owners who are so unhappy with their situation that they are even threatening to raffle off the condo to get out of the agreement. I will submit the idea that Gone With the Wind Estates is doing poorly - very poorly. That the good people of Cincinnati don't want to live on Piddy Pat Lane. My evidence is two-fold: first, they have to hire a hard ass like Archer to keep owners in line in the first place; and second, they have stooped to advertising with WKRP.
Much like Mr. Carlson in certain situations, we sometimes forget how wise Johnny can be. He has seen some things, and although he will burn through money buying clear soap, he has survived this long by being able to read people and make unemotional choices (other example include the union and Venus dating Andy's sister). So as Venus fails, Johnny reads Wainwright and Archer, the Old South themes of the Condo and Venus' fuchsia suit and develops his plan.
Once again, please remember that this is 1981, 15 years before Nathan Lane in "The Birdcage." A flouncy, broad depiction of gay behaviour BY ITSELF would still read as very funny in ways that it might not widely today. But please consider what Johnny is trying to do here - we wants to make Wainwright and Archer so uncomfortable with what would be Venus' and his openingly gay lifestyle that they would be willing to go back and rip up the contract. They can be no half measures! He has to go full "Liza Minnelli this and Liza Minnelli that." So even more of the comedy comes from watching Mr. Wainwright and Ms. Archer squirm (as well as, unfortunately, Venus). As well, the places he goes with this, from "textures" to "scampi" to "we will practically LIVE in the sauna" are very inventive and each chosen for maximum discomfort. And maximum comedy.
As a nice bonus, Johnny also knows this is all making his buddy Venus very uncomfortable as well.
Roy
Other Notes - More continuity - is Venus helping Johnny sort out his finances as a result of Johnny's run in with gambling debts in the previous episode? This is the episode in which we learn where Herb gets his suits! The Harmonicats were exactly what you think they were - a harmonica-based musical group from the 1940-50's. They even had a #1 Billboard hit in 1947 called "Peg O' My Heart."
