WAKE UP !

     There's an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show where Mary feels like her life has gotten "into a rut."  Doing the same thing every day...



     Ted Baxter tells her, speaking with great confidence, "Mary, I know exactly what's wrong with your life!"  His tone changes, and he speaks each phrase with a sighing weariness:

"Ya wake up.
You eat your breakfast.
You drive to work.

You say hello to your friends.
You work at your job, you
go to lunch

Ya work some more --
You say good-bye to your friends.
You drive home,
You have dinner

You read a magazine,
You watch TV... --
And you go.  To sleep."


A real "blah" tone infuses everything he says.  He sighs at the end.  He says, "Isn't that right, Mary?"  She nods her head yes, with a comically distressed expression.




     And Ted then says, with convincing firmness and energy, "Now Mary, starting tomorrow, here's what you've got to do..."

     He speaks loudly and confidently, boldly, with a smile and an attitude of eagerness, enthusiasm, and joy:

"WAKE UP!!

Eat your breakfast!

Drive to work!

Say hello to your friends!
Work at your job!

[super-happy and energized, with hand gestures]


Go to lunch!
Work some more --
Say good-bye to your friends!

Drive home,
Eat dinner!
Read a magazine,
Watch TV... --
And GO.  To SLEEP!"  [big, satisfied smile]

-----------------------------------



The audience just roars -- they love it.  It's so funny, the way he does it.

     Mary stares at Ted in astonishment and says, "Ted that was wonderful!  It was profound!  You're so right -- it's not what you do, it's how you do it!"


     And now, having served up this perfect Ice Cream Sundae of Comedy and Philosophy, they put on top of it this dollop of real whipped cream and a lovely cherry on top of that:

After Mary says, "It's not what you do, it's how you do it,"



Ted responds very seriously, in his deep announcer's voice, "No Mary, that's not what I said.  I said you've got to --

[joyfully]
WAKE UP!
EAT YOUR BREAKFAST!
DRIVE TO WORK...!  [fade out]     lol

_________________________

The title of this episode is, 

"Mary Moves Out" -- you can watch it on You Tube.

-30-