Mork & Mindy (1978–1982): Season 4, Episode 18 - Cheerleader in Chains - full transcript

Mindy is held in contempt of court for refusing to reveal a source of news.

MORK:
Na-no, na-no.

Daddy got his license.
Daddy got his license.

Okay, you lost, Grandpops.
Fork over.

[FRED SIGHS]

Mork driving. Who would believe
it could happen here?

I keep thinking,
one stiff wind four years ago

and he would've landed in Kentucky.

Come on, Dad.

Mork went out, set a goal for himself
and he achieved it.

I think you should be very proud
of him.

Proud?



He just drove out of a gas station
with the attendant still under the hood.

Made me laugh.

Ha, ha!

Oh, ho.

Well, I'm free. I've got mobility now.

I have got my license, the key to joie.

Oh, ho. Look at this.

Look at that. Oh, I can finally take that
"Just Married" sticker off my bicycle.

It was so hard dragging all those cans
all these days.

Honey, look,
don't think of me as your father.

Think of me as your savior.

You can't turn that maniac loose
on the highway.

Will you have a little faith in Mork,
please?

He didn't try to discourage you
when you took up karate.



Oh, bless you,
my little support system.

This would be a red-letter day for me
if I hadn't taken such a lousy picture.

Amidst all of this excitement,
I've written a poem.

Here it is. Don't you read.

"My Dad" by Mearth McConnell.

Okay.

Now that my dad can drive
And change a flat

Please don't run over my new cat

Bless you, son, bless you.

That was wonderful.
I loved your imagery and your meter.

You know, it's kind of reminiscent
of Ubie or Robert Blake.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

MINDY:
Oh, hello.

Hi, uh, I'm Bob Miller,
your neighbor from across the street.

- Oh, hi.
- I seem to have gotten your mail.

- You're Mindy McConnell, aren't you?
- Oh, yeah.

- Oh, and this is my husband, Mork.
- Oh, howdy. Hi, Bob. Ha-ha-ha.

I've seen you. When are you gonna
take down those Christmas lights?

- Wait a minute. This is a subpoena.
- That's right.

Hey, isn't that great?
Bob, what a kinda guy you are.

Come over tomorrow,
we'll wear shorts,

stand by a fire
and have a weenie roast.

Wait a minute. Mork.

You just walked in here and lied to me.
You're a process server. You just…

- You said you were our neighbor.
- I am.

I do live right across the street.

- By the way, can I borrow your rake?
- No.

Sorry you have to be going,
neighbor.

Mind, come on.
You can't treat people like that.

I mean, if you do that, they'll be
walking their dogs on our lawn.

- What's this all about, honey?
- I don't know.

Oh. Ugh.

They want me to testify
on that story I broke

on the Hidden Springs Highway
scandal.

You remember that one, Dad.

It was where the road crew told me the
contractor was skimping on the codes

and paying the state inspectors
to look the other way.

I suppose they want you to tell them
who supplied the information.

Mm-hm.

Mommy, I hope you're not going to
release the name of the informant.

You should stand
on the first amendment,

on your rights as a journalist.

Too strong?

It's okay when Lou Grant says it.

I can identify with him.

We've got matching bodies.

I just can't believe that they would ask
me to betray a confidence like that.

If it wasn't for me, they wouldn't
have the story in the first place.

Look, honey,
I respect your principles,

but haven't journalists gone to jail
for standing on the first amendment?

Oh, Dad, this is just a little construction
scandal, not the Pentagon Papers.

No, they're not gonna
do anything to me.

This is News Line
and I'm Larry Carroll.

Today, KTNS reporter
Mindy McConnell

was cited for contempt of court

and jailed for refusing
to reveal her news source

in the Hidden Springs bribery trial.

In other news, finalists prep
for the Miss Nude Colorado contest.

Film at 10.

All right, come on, sister, move it.

You know,
I've never been in jail before.

Yeah, life's tough.
I've never been to France.

Excuse me,
but there's somebody else in there.

Maybe I could have a single cell.

Toots, this is jail, not the Love Boat.
Get in.

Wait a minute. Wait.
One last question.

Um, are my things
gonna be all right?

I mean,
that's a very expensive sweater.

Don't put that on a hanger.

Oh, don't worry about it, honey.
I'll only wear it weekends.

- Hello.
- Hi.

Oh, you poor, dear child.

I know just how you feel.

Now you come right here
and you sit down.

- Would you care for a Snickers?
- Oh.

No, thank you.

Suit yourself.

I was just trying to be friendly.

Oh. Oh, I'm sorry.

It's just I've never done time before.

I've never even been grounded.

Oh, I'm Mindy McConnell.

- And I'm Louise Bailey.
- Hi.

- My, but you are a cutie.
- Oh.

What in the world
are you doing in a hell hole like this?

I don't know.

I didn't think
things were gonna work out like this.

But my lawyer called and she said
I should be out in a few hours.

- It's funny the way things happen.
- Yeah.

I'm in here because of
a silly old parking meter.

You're kidding.

No, I went into a hardware store,
and when I came out,

there was a policeman
writing me a ticket.

I don't believe it. They threw you in jail
for a parking ticket?

Well, in a roundabout way.

You see, when I put the shovel
in the trunk, Walter's arm fell out.

Who's Walter?

My husband.

Well, what was he doing
in the trunk?

Not much.

He was dead.

I warned him about his snoring for
years, but he just wouldn't believe me.

So last night I took a pair
of my very best panty hose

and I wrapped them around his neck
real tight.

You know, it was the first good night's
sleep I've had in 31 years.

Well, you look well rested.

- You don't snore, do you, dear?
- No.

No. No.

- Oh. Oh.
- Oh.

Oh, my poor prison pooter.
My little San Quentin quail.

How are you?

Oh. Oh, Mind, I mean,
oh, the anguish, the degradation.

But cute little dress though.

Mork, I feel so humiliated, even though
I know what I'm doing is right.

They took everything.

They took my clothes,
and they took my wedding band.

And then they fingerprinted me
and took mug shots and…

MORK:
Oh, Mind…

Mork, that woman told me
that she murdered her husband.

MORK:
Oh, Mind, murdered her husband.

Come on,
she looks like Mrs. Cleaver.

Hi.

Oh, Mork, how did Mearth take it?

Did you tell him?

He cried a lot.

He kept saying, "Mama's in the can,
Mama's in the can."

- Oh.
- Oh, it's all right, though.

Then he packed all your stuff in boxes
and he moved in the bedroom with me.

Well, you can tell him to unpack.
I'm gonna be out in a few hours.

I got things to tide you over
in case you're here longer.

Here's some cigarettes
to bribe the screws.

And, uh, here's some facial cream
for an older woman.

And, uh, here's a harmonica.

Visiting hours are over.

- Let's go, Shorty.
- You got it, Butch.

- I miss you already.
- I miss you too, Mind.

Oh, and, lady, don't you worry,
she makes a real good roommate.

Don't let her snore
and keep you awake at night.

Um, heh, heh, that was a joke.

He was kidding. I don't snore.

As a matter of fact,
I don't even sleep.

Guard!

[MEARTH SOBBING]

Daddy, Daddy, Daddy,
it's such a long step.

Oh, son, son, what's wrong?

- Oh, come, what's the matter now?
- What's the matter?

- Can't you see?
- Oh, look, well, sit down.

- Sit down.
- Oh, the life…

- Let's look at the boo-boo. Sit down.
- No boo-boo.

Doggie bit me,
and then there was a kitty bit me,

and then there was a gray squirrel,

then Tommy Leonard
hit me with a bat. Ow.

What did you do
to make these people angry?

Just this.

Oh, son, well,
let me look at your boo-boo. Oh!

- Don't touch it.
- Oh, blood.

- Hey, hey, hey…
- I'll be back. Wait now.

MEARTH:
You've got to set an example for me.

[MORK VOMITING]

Daddy, Daddy…

Here we go. Don't you worry.
Let's put a little of this on.

Wait a minute. Ow! Aah!

Come on, if a dog bit you…

Come on. It's my sore.
Let me do the "ows."

Ow.

Okay, if a dog bit you,
we've gotta get a rabies shot for you.

I was kidding about that.

Doggie didn't bite me
and a kitty didn't bite me.

But Bobby Leonard
hit me with a bat.

Mommy never puts these on.

- She always puts…
- Well, listen, kid.

Your mommy's in the slammer busting
rocks and breaking out license plates.

So I'm the best you got.
You better deal with me.

Oh, what am I talking about?
I miss Mommy too.

Boy, you need some sedation.

Oh. Oh, son, son, I'm sorry.
Forgive me.

Can't you even think of helping me?

Boy, it's getting stiff.

Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Gangrene, gangrene.

That's it.
I'm not going to go very far.

Here we go. Come on, son.

[MEARTH GROANING]

There we go.

- You up now?
- Yeah. This is a biggie.

[GROANS]

- Are you feeling better now?
- Yes, I am.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Oh, my gosh. That's the doggie.
Maybe it's Bobby Leonard.

Mork…

I'm afraid I've got some bad news.

Don't tell me something's
happened to Gene Rayburn.

- No, Mork.
- Oh, thank God.

You see, the judge has denied
Mindy's petition for release.

She could be locked up
for quite a while.

Oh, this is awful.

Mommy's not coming home
for a while.

Oh, no, Mearth and I
are gonna be plagued by relatives

bringing over strange casseroles
like tomato delight.

Gee, I'm like Daddy.
I'm real sorry about that,

but take some extra green,
looks like you lose again.

[HARMONICA SQUEALING]

It's amazing. Nine days
and she hasn't improved at all.

- Oh, Mork.
- Oh, honey.

Oh, Mork, I don't think
I can stand it another day.

Oh, darling,
I think I have a plan, though,

so you can say good-bye to the bars,
the community showers

- and the mystery meat.
- Oh, what?

Well, just tell them the name
of your informant.

No. I'm not gonna do that.

You tell me
and I'll spill your guts for you.

Mork, you know how I feel
about freedom of the press.

This is a basic
constitutional question.

You mean like how Strom Thurmond
keeps having children?

What?

Oh, Mork…

GUARD:
All right, get in here.

Easy, sister,
or I'm gonna have to show you

a few tricks I learned
in the roller derby.

MINDY:
Oh.

Oh, Mind, come on now.
You gotta come home.

I can't bear you sleeping on anything
that doesn't have a dust ruffle.

[GROANS]

Believe me, I wanna come home.

Oh, Mork, it's not easy for me here.

When I go out in the exercise yard, the
prisoners giggle when I shoot baskets.

I have to cut my meat with a spoon

and, frankly,
the screws here aren't very nice.

Move it, sister, you're on my bunk.

Do you believe I said that to her?

That woman would kill me
for my lunch.

Oh, are they that good here?

Oh, Mind, I'm not just gonna sit down
and let you rot in here.

Now come on,
I'm gonna try and do something.

Oh, Mork, what can you do?
It's so complicated.

You wouldn't know where to start.

Oh, that doesn't matter, Mind.

I'm gonna go to the capitol,

start knocking on doors
until someone listens.

I'm gonna work through the system.
I am.

MORK: I've gone through enough
red tape to gift wrap the Kremlin.

- How can I help you?
- Well, you see,

my wife is a journalist and, well,
she refused to give her sources

so the judge found her in contempt.
She's been in the stir nine days

and they haven't even
taught her a trade.

That's an outrage.
Would you like some coffee?

Oh, no, thank you.
I'm not alone in this, though.

I have a petition here signed by all 17
members of Miss LePons' tap class.

I'd like to thank you
for taking the time and the trouble

to bring this problem to my attention.

Before you go, I would like to present
you with one of my souvenir pens.

If I wanted a pen and coffee,
I would've mugged a waitress.

I don't need any more pens.

Look at this. I've got pens
coming out the klarn here.

Look at this.

Look at that. Look at this one. A
Ronald Reagan pen. It's got no point.

Come on now.
Come on, you're an elected official.

I mean, you've gotta help people.

Do more than open up super markets
and have mediocre-looking daughters.

There's gotta be something
you can do.

Well, okay, the only viable solution
that I can think of is a shield law.

Oh. Is that the law
where it forces a woman

to wear pads to protect
her delicate dress?

No, it protects a journalist
from having to disclose their sources.

Uh, twenty-six states have some sort
of shield law, but Colorado doesn't.

However, they don't have
our mile-high taffy.

Well, how about this
for a campaign for you, huh?

I mean, how about this?

"Free the shiksa one."

- That'll work.
LOGAN: Yeah.

And who knows? In no time, Mindy'll
be home changing the vacuum bag.

Okay, listen, I know what I can do.

Of course, this is gonna take time.
This isn't Fotomat.

I'll have to draft a bill, and then, uh,
push it through the right channels.

- Right. Right.
- Well, you know what?

- I won't take my Christmas vacation.
- Bless you.

- I'll ram this through…
- Ram it home.

Yes, sir. And you know what?

She'll probably be out
in about two or three years.

Two or three years?

By that time Brooke Shields' eyebrows
would have met.

Hey, listen, that's not so…
That's not so bad.

You know, it took me two full terms
just to get this swivel chair?

Then you can't
get my wife out of jail?

No. But my father could've.

I'm sorry. It's not that I don't care.

It's just that, well,
I don't wanna make waves.

Oh. You don't wanna make waves?

Well, you politicians…
You politicians are all alike.

I should have known better.

I mean, from the same system
that gave us Spiro Agnew.

[GRUNTS]

[SINGING]
Happy birthday to you

Hey.

It's not my birthday.
What are you doing?

Oh, will you listen to her?
She's so shy.

She lies about her age
and her SAT score.

You know,
you've got a funny little man here.

A cake in the shape of a saw.
Ha-ha-ha!

Play along with her. We're making
our own laws here, just like in Haiti.

Mork, whatever you're up to,
please don't.

Oh, she's gonna perk up so much

when we make
those little balloon animals.

Oh, good.
You know, we haven't had a party here

since the police chief
had his heart attack.

MORK:
Party! Whoo!

Party! Whoo!

Well, Mind… Well, I saw this cake.
It's the best one I'd seen bar none.

Hope it doesn't make you break out.
Heh, heh.

Break out. Heh, heh.

Well, make a wish, hon.

I did, but you're probably
going through with this anyway.

A couple of weeks
without her Waterpik

and she still hasn't lost her spirit.

- Well, time to cut the cake.
- Yeah.

Oh, but there's an old tradition that
the birthday girl gets to cut the cake.

Well, we have a little tradition
here too.

Prisoners with knives
get shot on sight.

- I want my piece of cake now.
- Oh, yeah.

What kind of filling is that?

I asked for rum raisin.

Oh, how'd that…?

Oh, the nerve. Oh, boy.

I'm gonna call my consumer advocate
about this. Whoa.

Watch out for this one.
Oh, that really…

Oh, what a bummer. Watch out for…

GUARD:
Hey, wait a second.

Did you really marry that guy

or are you just breaking him in
for somebody else?

Come back here.

Psst.

It's me.

Hop on the Midnight Express.
Come on.

I want you to stop this right now.

Oh, Mind, come on now. I need you.
Mearth needs you.

And, besides, we've got tickets to see
Sophisticated Ladies. Now come on.

- No.
- Oh, Mind, listen.

I mean, it's clam night
at Howard Johnson's.

Mind, come on now, please.

- Well, stand back. Stand back.
- No.

- No, Mind, come on, stand back.
- Stop it.

- Mork, put that finger down.
MORK: Mind…

[ELECTRICITY CRACKLING]

Come on, Mind. Come on.

My car's outside, engine's running.
You don't wanna miss clam night.

Come on, let's go.

Mork, it's against the law
to break people out of jail.

Well, so is dancing with sheep,
but people still do it.

[HUMMING]

Mork, oh, I wanna go with you,
but I can't.

Oh, Mork, don't you see, this is…

[GROANS]

This is my one chance to prove that
my beliefs are more than just words.

My mind's made up. I'm not going
anywhere. I'm staying here.

Are you the same woman that broke
the Pritikin Diet after only three hours?

Yes. But that's different, Mork.

Sometimes you have
to make sacrifices for your principles.

Oh, come on,
you see that, don't you?

Oh, no. Come on, Mind. Oh, no.

All right, freeze, shrimp.

MORK: You boys play handball
someplace else.

- Oh, no. No, that's not gonna work.
- No, no.

- You're under arrest.
- Oh, please.

No, no, wait, wait. This is a mistake.

This is a misunderstanding. Come on,
where's your sense of humor?

Well, Mind, look at the good side.
I'm here, you're here,

and if they get Mearth on a juvenile
rap, we'll be a happy family again.

You know, you could've
saved yourself the trouble.

Pollyanna here's been released.

- Your source finally spilled the beans.
- Ah.

You're kidding. I'm free.
Oh, God, I can't wait to get out of here.

Oh, but, Mind, you ex-cons
are so insensitive.

Mind, what about me?

- Well…
- Come on, toots, let's move it.

Um… Mork…

Oh, Mind, you can't leave me here.

You know what happens
to a pretty face in jail.

I'm gonna go straight home
and call the lawyer, all right?

- All right.
- Okay, I'll call… You might need this.

- Oh, all right.
- And don't eat the macaroni. It's bad.

[YELLS]

[HUMMING]

Wait a minute.
What am I feeling sorry about?

There's no jail in this town
that could hold me on clam night.

[ELECTRICITY CRACKLES]

A souvenir.

[ELECTRICITY CRACKLES]

[SINGING]
Born free

[SIGHS]

All those years in the roller derby…
I knew I should have worn a helmet.

This is News Line
and I'm Mindy McConnell.

Heavy rains today bring flash flood
warnings to Colgate County.

Today, Denver Gazette reporter
Judd Smith was cited for contempt

and jailed for refusing to reveal
his news sources

in the Arvada kickback trial.

In a related story, a bill to provide
a shield law for journalists

died in committee.

And the manhunt continues

for escaped pantyhose strangler,
Louise Bailey.

Details at 10.