Flight of the Bumblebee

Flight of the Bumblebee was the 7th episode of Season 10 of Married... with Children, and the two hundred sixteenth episode overall. Directed by Gerry Cohen and written by Calvin Brown Jr., the episode originally aired on FOX, premiering on October 29, 1995.

Synopsis

The tenth season's seventh episode saw the return of King Kong Bundy this time as himself, rather than Uncle Irwin. Bud is looking to be initiated into NO MA'AM, and his final test is to get his picture taken with the wrestler.

Storyline

To earn his membership into NO MA'AM, Bud must crash a televised wrestling match in order to get an photograph taken of himself with wrestler King Kong Bundy. With Kelly's help he gets near King Kong dressed as a bee. Bud not only manages to get backstage access by dressing in a Bumblebee outfit, but, thanks to Kelly's foolishness, he ends up getting matched to face the wrestling star as well. Meanwhile, NO MA'AM watches the match with their wives and the wives are all turned on by the violence. Subsequently, Bud embarrasses the giant and gets promptly flattened in the process. Finally. both Al and Bud end up in the hospital, with Al saying that Bud is still out of NO MA'AM due to wrestling causing their wives to go crazy, which leads them to change NO MA'AM to stand for Numb Old Men Anxiously Awaiting Morticians.

Guest Starring

• Harold Sylvester as Griff
• E.E. Bell as Bob Rooney
• Tom McCleister as Ike
• Benjamin Lum as Sticky
• Carol Ann Susi as Frannie
• Alix Elias as Louise
• King Kong Bundy as Himself
• Michael Clarke Duncan as Bouncer
• Carrie Genzel as Natalie
• Jimmy Lennon Jr. as Ring Announcer
• Frank Lloyd as Referee
• Neriah Davis as Anytime
• Kate Weiskopf as Girl Witch

Notes

Title

• The title of this episode is a reference to the orchestral interlude, "Flight of the Bumblebee" from the opera, The Tale of Tsar Saltan, as well as Bud's wrestling costume/persona.

Trivia

• This is the second appearance of King Kong Bundy on MWC, but his first in his wrestling persona. He previously appeared on the show as Uncle Irwin in the season 2 episode,"All in the Family".
• One of the trick-or-treaters, the young witch, is played by Kate Weiskopf, the daughter of MWC producer Kim Weiskopf.
• Anytime, the valet of King Kong Bundy in this episode, is played by Neriah Davis, who was Playboy's Playmate of the month for March 1994.
  • An edited version of her pullout centerfold was previously seen in the season 8 episode, "The Legend of Ironhead Haynes" when Bud turns it into a paper airplane and uses it to distract Al and his friends.
• This episode marks the final appearance of Sticky, the Asian member of NO MA'AM. He was previously seen in "Reverend Al".
• The referee in this episode is played by Frank Lloyd, who was the stunt coordinator for the show and previously played Al's friend, Norris in the early seasons.
  • He was also in the previous episode in an uncredited role as the mugger that Peggy punches.

Cultural References

• Al suggests to the members of NO MA'AM they "Party like the Kennedys".
  • This is in reference to the politically connected Kennedy family, which is known for its members' penchant for excessive drinking and extramarital affairs, such as Ted Kennedy.
• The film that the women watch, Old Man, Older Woman, Marcy says that is stars:
  • Hume Cronyn
  • Katharine Hepburn
  • Buddy Ebsen
• After the women tell NO MA'AM about "Old Man, Older Woman", Ike asks if it is on CBS, which Marcy confirms.
  • At the time CBS was known for shows that typically catered to an older demographic.
  • The older demographics is referenced again when Peggy explains that the movie is being rebroadcasted as a significant portion of the audience fell asleep and it will be moved back to an earlier time.
    • This is reference acknowledges the fact that some people tend to go to bed at 9 or 10 PM local time.
• Al refers to Marcy and the ladies as "The Joy Cluck Club", in reference to the novel and film, The Joy Luck Club.
• King Kong Bundy mentions that his fight will take place at Ditka Dome and will be followed up by the Mike Tyson vs. Macaulay Culkin Fight.
  • Ditka Dome was an indoor sports arena named after Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka. As of 2012, the arena has been bought out an investor and renamed to "Mistwood Sports Dome".
  • Mike Tyson is a retired professional boxer and actor. At the time this episode originally aired, he had been released from prison and had begun his comeback to professional boxing, fighting against Peter McNelley.
  • Macaulay Culkin is an actor, who is best known for his role in the 1989 film, Home Alone and its 1992 sequel. At the time this episode aired, the then-child actor had retired from acting after starring in several films during the mid 1990s that failed in the box office.
• Ike mentions that he is a fan of musician Yanni.
• Franie tells the group that Ike belives Elvis is alive, causing him to jump and scream that he knows Elvis is alive.
  • This is in reference to musician / actor Elvis Presley who died in 1977. Since his death, there have been numerous claims made by people who claimed to have seen him and belive that is still alive.
    • This was previously referenced in the season 3 episode,"I'm Going to Sweatland" when Peggy claimed to have seen Elvis in front of Gary's Shoes.
• While watching the wrestling match, Marcy calls it "a televised Bobbit-tizing".
  • This in reference to John and Lorena Bobbitt, in which Lorena cut off the penis of her husband, John , while he was asleep, claiming that he raped her earlier that night. After a successful reattachment surgery, the couple filed for divorce in 1995 and she was found not guilty by reason of insanity. The two eventually meet again in a televised interview in 2009.
• Al asks Peggy to grab his "Whatchamacallit", causing him to scream out in horror as says he meant the candy.
  • Whatchamacallit is the name of a chocolate candy bar made by Hersheys.
• After Bud loses to King Kong Bundy, as the camera pans around, one of the audience members is seen wearing a rainbow wig and has a sign that reads "John 3:16" on his chest. This is in reference to Rollen Stewart a popular fixture at sporting events during the 1970s and 1980s, known for his rainbow colored afro wig and holding up signs that read "John 3:16" to spread his message about Christianity, until his arrest during a standoff in 1992.
• The premise for this episode is loosely based on the 1937 Looney Toons short Porky the Wrestler. In the short, Porky ends up wrestling with the champ after the challenger fails to show up. Bud does the same on MWC.

Music

• Al and the members of NO MA'AM sing "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" by James Brown twice. In both cases, it is sung when they arrive at the Bundy residence.

Locations

• Bundy Residence
• Ditka Dome

Sets

• Bundy Living Room / Kitchen
• Bundy Basement / Bud' Room
• Ditka Dome Dressing Area
• WrestlePalooza Ring

Goofs

• After Al screams in horror when Peggy grabs his penis instead of the Whatchamacallit candy bar, the wrapper doesn't match up with the one used for the real Whatchamacallit candy. The one that Al has looks more like the ones used for World's Finest Chocolate, a brand of chocolate that is typically sold through school fundraisers.
• After Marcy becomes turned on by the wrestling match, she asks Jefferson what it reminds him of. He then replies, "Thanksgiving Dinner at your father's?". In several past episodes, it has been implied that he father has been dead for some time, long before she even met Jefferson.
• After Bud lost to King Kong Bundy, his costume appears to be intact but his front teeth are missing in the picture. When he awakens on a gurney next to Al, his costume is completely shredded, but his teeth are fully intact.