A Lad and his Lamp
Episode 48 Season 2, 1985
Introducing: --
The Kid is running late for a show, and Riley is about to start telling jokes, until he finally shows up with a package under his arm. Later, Ryan finds him unwrapping an old, tarnished lamp. Kid claims it called to him and he had to spend 3 weeks allowance to buy it. But Ryan blows it off and drags Kid to the next number before he can finish polishing it. Guess what happens while he’s gone?
Yes, a streetwise genie magically extracts himself from the lamp and, after updating his wardrobe, scares the hat off Kid. He gives the usual spiel and adds the bonus stipulation that Kid can’t tell anybody about all of this.
After his initial shock, Kid has seen the benefits of having a breakdancing genie and is ready to make his first wish. Tired of being drowned out by the other kids, he wishes for “a voice that will shatter the world”. Unfortunately for him, Genie is straight up literal, yo. It does exactly that.
Now facing charges for property damage, Kid wonders if he can cancel his first wish without losing another. Genie is nice enough to comply, but he also attempts to warn him about going overboard. Not that Kid has learned his lesson, though. His second wish is for everything he touches to turn into money. Yes, everything. He should have wished for the ability to eat paper.
Also, Genie for some reason interprets “fortune” as “dressing like Elton John”.
Starving and humbled, Kid finally gets it. He asks Genie if he can come back at a time when he actually appreciates having 3 wishes. Unfortunately, genie rules – wait, genies have official rules? Do they also have a union? – state that all wishes have to be made within the same time frame.
Now Kid realizes that duty-free wishes aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. His last wish is unselfish, and Genie transports him back to before he made the purchase.
Hey, look, there are other kids in this episode! They don’t seem to have been covered under the wish, however, and are puzzled when lampless Kid declares he has no idea what they’re talking about and leaves for the next number.
For the first time, I gave this episode 3.75 mics. Although I found it weird that there were hardly any other kids in this episode, Rahsaan just took this one and ran with it. He’s particularly hilarious here. Shabba hams it up as well.
It’s just that Ryan of all people should have seen this coming! He’s more than likely read all the books that Genie mentions. Even the lamp has the typical look of genie lamps you see in cartoons, comic books, commercials, movies…Kid hasn’t EVER come across genies in the media? Genie is constantly exasperated by this fact.
Where does Genie get his slang? He has to update his wardrobe when he gets out – that would indicate he’s been in there a while. Can he hear through the lamp? That would explain why Kid claims the lamp practically shouted “Buy me!”
Guest star: Shabba Doo a.k.a. Adolfo Quinones as the genie (the credits list it as all one word?)
Invention count: none 6 in total
Vocab: The genie is anachronistically full of 80’s street slang: “dude”, “illin” “Just like that?” “No, just like that.”
Continuity, gags and themes: Kid will remember enough about genies to rib Stacy about it later when she finds her magic ring. Kid’s ego usually gets him into trouble. He also doesn’t read much, which Genie can’t seem to comprehend.
New Locations:--
Pop culture references: Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves Aladdin “I dreamed of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair”, a song from 1854. Kid’s wish for everything he touches to be money is an updated version of King Midas’ tale.
Solos: Stacy (1) = 13 Kid (2) = 26 Episode Total: 3 Total: 146
Performance outfits: Genie costumes – gold clothes, red capes, turbans and long ponytails for the girls, gold slippers, etc. red and black/sequins
Songs:
Trapped –
Magic (longer version with 2 verses) –
Leave a Tender Moment Alone –
Bit by Bit –
We’ve Got Chemistry –