To recap "My Old Kentucky Home",
episode three of the season: There were three parties, the biggest being the lawn soiree at Roger Sterling's country club to celebrate Kentucky Derby day, but was in actuality a sort of coming-out party for his new young wife, the pitiable Jane. Faithful fans will come away from this episode with two scenes indelibly imprinted on their memories: Roger
in blackface singing "My Old Kentucky Home" to an appreciative audience of well-heeled whiteys (well, almost
—Pete scowled a bit at first, and Don refused to watch after a few bars); and, of all couples, Pete and Trudy taking the dance floor with a really polished Charleston. To enjoy the sheer exuberance of those ninety seconds I backed up On Demand over and over again. Don retreated to the unattended country club bar, where he had a moment with a distinguished old fellow who called himself "Connie" and might well have been (according to savvy
MM forum posters) Conrad Hilton. The second party, a pathetic affair, was at Joan's apartment, where she and her new husbnd—yes, she married that little rapist fuck—were entertaining his bosses from the hospital. A total fizzle, until hubbie Greg (his name is Dr. Gregory Harris, very close to Dr. Gregory House, some staff writer's little joke probably) made Joan take out her old accordion and sing to their guests which, even in those humiliating circumstances, she did brilliantly. The third party will be every fan's favorite—a brainstorming session in Paul Kinsey's office, which becomes a pot party when Paul's creative well runs dry and he calls in an old college mate dealer. For it is here, finally, that his fellow copywriter entered, announcing, "My name is Peggy Olson and I'd like to smoke some marijuana." Oh Margaret from Brooklyn, what are you mother and the parish priest gonna say?
Random items:
- The lyrics to "C'est Magnifique", the song Joan sang and played on the accordion for her dinner party guests last week, are posted at Cantara's Notebook. Yes, to reiterate, her husband is a swine.
- Did anyone else catch that "foreshadowing" reference to little Patrick Kennedy, JFK's third child, who died in September 1963 only a few days after his birth?
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