{"id":1542,"date":"2009-08-20T14:37:07","date_gmt":"2009-08-20T18:37:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1542"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:22:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:22:29","slug":"its-a-serious-business-being-funny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1542","title":{"rendered":"It’s a Serious Business Being Funny (by the Giggly Sisters)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>A fond look at some classic comedy moments from life on the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/span> K+ \u00a0WC \u00a01500<\/p>\n

It’s A Serious Business Being Funny<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright sat at his desk, reading a letter delivered from Virginia City that morning. As his eyes scanned the lines his dark eyebrows shot higher and higher towards his hairline.<\/p>\n

\u201cStuff and nonsense!\u201d he expostulated, screwing up the letter into a ball and tossing it in the general direction of the fireplace. However, his aim was off, which somewhat spoiled the overall dramatic effect. Ben was actually notoriously cack-handed, unable toss a letter into the fire from a distance of three feet, as witnessed in Showdown<\/em>. Of course, he blamed Continuity and Editing for this little faux pas. However, it was a certainty that he\u2019d never play professional baseball, as the Deputy Sheriff, Clem, was rumoured to have done.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Pa?\u201d Adam asked, with a certain tone of resignation in his voice. It was always a bad sign when his father got worked up, for his voice rose by at least 20 decibels, seriously endangering all the windows in the house. No wonder Joe had been so aggrieved over all the fuss Ben had made over one measly broken window in The Flapjack Contest<\/em>. Life on the Ponderosa could never be described peaceful and Adam sometimes considered moving to the middle of a busy city, where he could enjoy some well-earned quietude.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy correspondent says that we are having too much fun and that Bonanza is meant to be serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

In moments of great emotional distress, Adam had to pinch the bridge of his nose very hard in order to retain his normal composure. But this was too much, even for a man who was so reserved that he formally introduced himself to the family every breakfast time.<\/p>\n

\u201cSerious?\u201d he squeaked, sounding alarmingly like Joe, whose high-pitched giggle had caused the Cartwrights untold amounts of distress over the years. While they were quite accustomed to the disconcerting sounds, strangers tended to look around in terror, almost expecting to be knocked over by men rushing by, with a straightjacket at the ready.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can they ignore the rich vein of humour we\u2019ve injected into popular culture?\u201d Ben moaned, thinking of such classic episodes as Ponderosa<\/em> Explosion<\/em> and Caution: Easter Bunny Crossing<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy personal favourite is The Savage<\/em>,\u201d the redhead said happily. Noticing the stunned look on Adam\u2019s face, she hastened to explain, \u201cThe bit where you throw your hat to the floor, that is. Of course, the rest was a masterpiece of dramatic acting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see what\u2019s so funny about the state of chaos we live in,\u201d Joe complained. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s fine to sit on the coffee table, but woe betide any one who dares to put so much as a toe tip on it. And then there\u2019s the matter of my bedroom\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed heavily. He was getting just a little fed up with Joe\u2019s constant complaints about his moving bedroom. Catching the heavy gust of air rushing by his ear and setting the centre light swinging madly to-and-fro, Joe decided to switch tack.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, we\u2019ve got all these extra bedrooms, including the one downstairs. So how come visitors always get stuck in my room? Time after time it happens \u2013 The Auld Sod<\/em>, Square Deal Sam\u2026<\/em> And does anyone ask where I sleep? Do they care?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe care, poppet,\u201d the blonde said soothingly, brushing Paw\u2019s fur into a Mohican and smiling broadly at the results.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re making a lot of fuss over nothing,\u201d Adam replied. He still wasn\u2019t sure about the redhead\u2019s comment. \u201cBut acting is a serious business. You can\u2019t really have fun and do a good job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe noticed that,\u201d the redhead said, smiling at Paw, who was cavorting around showing off his new fur style. \u201cAfter all, you didn\u2019t have a particle of fun with Hoss and the Leprechauns<\/em>, now did you? You didn\u2019t really enjoy thumbing your nose and doing that charming little dance. We could all tell that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI were right about them little fellas,\u201d Hoss said. \u201cAn\u2019 none of yous believed me!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a classic episode,\u201d the blonde said, reminiscently. \u201cJoe was wonderful in it.\u201d She smiled at him fondly and he went \u201cYoo-hoo!\u201d just for the sisters. They nearly passed out with bliss.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were quite funny in The Burma Rarity<\/em>, too,\u201d the blonde told Adam. \u201cYou almost had a passable Cockney accent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam smirked modestly. \u201cI have a talent for accents,\u201d he said, as though this was unique to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYa don\u2019t say, guv,\u201d hazarded the redhead, who was quite adept at accents, too. Adam gave her a hard look, which she ignored. Every time he tried to show off his skills, the redhead managed to show him up. She was just as annoying as his pesky little brother. Talented, gorgeous \u2013 no wonder he hated her!<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a real stuffed shirt in The Ponderosa Matador<\/em>,\u201d Joe said. \u201cDid you see the way he sucked up to that girl, spouting off Spanish?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anybody had bothered to create a bible and take note of previous episodes,\u201d said the redhead, \u201cthey would\u2019ve remembered that you spoke some Spanish in El Toro Grande<\/em>.\u201d She sighed, for that had been another episode where Joe had been allowed to fence, and he was sooooo sexy when he did that.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn\u2019 I won the gal that time,\u201d Hoss said, with evident glee. \u201cI wonder what happened to her?\u201d<\/p>\n

“Disappeared without trace, I should think,” the blonde said. “Probably best, in the long run. I mean, imagine how crowded the Ponderosa would be if everyone who fell in love with you stayed around!”<\/p>\n

“No to mention the fights,” Ben moaned piteously. He still hadn’t forgotten the mud-wrestling match in Springtime<\/em>. Judging from the exclamations and the sounds of scrubbing coming from the kitchen Hop Sing hadn’t either.<\/p>\n

“Now there was an episode with something in it for everyone!” the redhead observed. “A segment devoted to each of the boys, three journeys of realisation and development, some lovely bits of comic relief thrown in for good measure and a satisfying ending.”<\/p>\n

“Plus, we got to see your bare feet!” the blonde sighed adoringly at Joe.<\/p>\n

“Don’t forget The Gunmen<\/em>!” Hoss said happily. “That were downright hilarious in parts. \u2018Specially that false moustache they stuck on you, Shortshanks!”<\/p>\n

“How many hamsters gave up their lives for that ‘stache?” Adam wheezed, between large guffaws of laughter.<\/p>\n

Joe reddened and decided it was time to change the subject. “Don’t forget San Francisco<\/em> – the sight of Pa getting shanghaied was brilliant!”<\/p>\n

Hoss nodded eagerly. “Sure was. Plus, it was about the only time we ever managed to have ourselves a proper holiday.”<\/p>\n

“Speak for yourself!” Adam said sourly. “I didn’t get to go – remember?” He still felt rather bitter about this and wondered if a nice, long break away from the Ponderosa was what he needed.<\/p>\n

The Giggly Sisters remembered the sight of the Cartwrights getting prepared for a night out and sniggered quietly. Those string ties bore a remarkable resemblance to satin ribbons, making Ben, Hoss and Joe look like three life-sized teddy bears. Still, that paled into insignificance when it came to the Cartwrights\u2019 trousers.<\/p>\n

As befitting the patriarch of the Ponderosa, Ben was the only member of the family who seemed to have avoided the curse of the comedy trousers, which provided hours of amusement for eagle-eyed viewers. Nowadays, Adam had fairly normal trousers, but there were several episodes when he sported unfeasibly large turn-ups and in the early seasons Hoss had displayed a penchant for tucking his pant-legs into his boots, but Wardrobe had spoken sharply to him about that. However, Joe continued to be forced into stone-coloured pants, which may have fitted beautifully around the butt, were which were lamentably short in the legs and rode up alarmingly when he sat down. They had been a reasonable fit to begin with, in the days when he wore the grey and blue jackets, but with the advent of the green jacket had come ever-shorter trousers. As for Roy Coffee with his old mannie trousers with the waist up to his armpits, and the crotch somewhere between his knees… \u2013 well the less said there the better!<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, are you going to reply to your correspondent?\u201d the redhead asked Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t want to get into a debate about this,\u201d he said, thinking hard. \u201cBut I don\u2019t think Bonanza is meant to be taken too seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe, either,\u201d said Joe, who loved nothing more than fooling around pulling silly faces and laughing hysterically.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd people love the series the way it is,\u201d Adam interjected, although it galled him to have to agree with Joe about anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019ll be remembered for many, many years,\u201d added the blonde. She eyed Paw, who was now flattening his Mohican.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemembered with love and laughter,\u201d said Joe. \u201cSounds good to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0A fond look at some classic comedy moments from life on the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

Rated: K+ \u00a0WC \u00a01500<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-humor","wpcat-4-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":654,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/bonanza31.jpg?fit=573%2C389&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5061,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5061","url_meta":{"origin":1542,"position":0},"title":"Dear Santa, 1859 (by Puchi Ann)","author":"Puchi Ann","date":"December 30, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0The first in a series. \u00a0Even though he's all grown up, there's one Christmas tradition Little Joe is reluctant to give up, his annual letter to Santa Claus. \u00a0It's his way of reflecting on the events of the past year, and this story those center on the episodes of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/DearSanta2.jpg?fit=248%2C203&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15705,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15705","url_meta":{"origin":1542,"position":1},"title":"The Letter (by BettyHT)","author":"BettyHT","date":"December 16, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: During the Christmas season, six-year-old Little Joe learns the importance of a letter and the impact it can have. \u00a0He learns too about consequences, and learns both lessons well. \u00a0Years later, the importance of a letter is still strong. \u00a0 rating = K \u00a0word count = 2593","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Christmas.jpg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12091,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12091","url_meta":{"origin":1542,"position":2},"title":"A Letter from Hoss (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"May 1, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Tricked and left with the shortest match,\u00a0 Hoss is the one to be away on business on Pa's special day, but does he forget his father? 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