This episode has a funny plot: Richie enters a convenient Howdy Doody lookalike contest in order to get a photo of Clarabell the Clown without makeup for the school paper.
The editor of the paper (who happens to be the same school paper editor who threatened to print Laurie Partridge's diary) says Richie is off the paper unless he gets a scoop, so Richie has his sights on Clarabell. He does manage to get the photo, which Life Magazine offers to buy for a huge $300 (huge in the fifties for a teenager).
What happens after that doesn't reflect well on Buffalo Bob and Clarabell. The pair go to the Cunningham house to try to convince Richie not to sell the photo, due to Clarabell's mystique, and how they don't want to ruin the fantasy for the fans. It's actually kind of like the band KISS and their makeup, who were just rising in popularity at this time.
Well, Buffalo Bob and Clarabell got what they wanted, as Richie rips up the photo. However, what do they do for Richie in return? Nothing! No money, no gifts, no courtesy, no nothing. Matter of fact, as soon as they got what they wanted, Bob and Clarabell hi-tail it out of the house and split as fast as possible, and they even do so knowing full well that Joanie has invited her friends over to see them!
So not only do Bob and Clarabell ditch Richie, but they ditch fourteen friends of Joanie's who are coming over. Talk about rude and selfish!
Still, good episode, especially when Richie and Fonzie try to get Ralph to enter the contest. Oh those poor kids, left behind....
The editor of the paper (who happens to be the same school paper editor who threatened to print Laurie Partridge's diary) says Richie is off the paper unless he gets a scoop, so Richie has his sights on Clarabell. He does manage to get the photo, which Life Magazine offers to buy for a huge $300 (huge in the fifties for a teenager).
What happens after that doesn't reflect well on Buffalo Bob and Clarabell. The pair go to the Cunningham house to try to convince Richie not to sell the photo, due to Clarabell's mystique, and how they don't want to ruin the fantasy for the fans. It's actually kind of like the band KISS and their makeup, who were just rising in popularity at this time.
Well, Buffalo Bob and Clarabell got what they wanted, as Richie rips up the photo. However, what do they do for Richie in return? Nothing! No money, no gifts, no courtesy, no nothing. Matter of fact, as soon as they got what they wanted, Bob and Clarabell hi-tail it out of the house and split as fast as possible, and they even do so knowing full well that Joanie has invited her friends over to see them!
So not only do Bob and Clarabell ditch Richie, but they ditch fourteen friends of Joanie's who are coming over. Talk about rude and selfish!
Still, good episode, especially when Richie and Fonzie try to get Ralph to enter the contest. Oh those poor kids, left behind....