Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:14 — 13.4MB)
Up to this point, Phil Harris had played his role as bandleader fairly conservatively. In this episode, however, his developing stage persona shines through as he enthusiastically joins the minstrel show setup. The broadcast also squeezes in an intriguing, twisted take on Romeo and Juliet.
While minstrel shows are unquestionably offensive by modern standards, they were once a dominant fixture of American entertainment. Interestingly, contemporary critics gave this specific episode less-than-stellar reviews. Though it remains an enjoyable listen today, that lukewarm 1936 reception hinted that old minstrel and vaudeville styles were already fading into the past.
