I’m happy to bring another recovered MiSTing and one I don’t think I’ve read in a five years easily. I remembered having written it, but not most of the riffs on this old Modern Mechanix advertisement. So I’m happy for the rediscovery. This is among my silliest of Mystery Science Theater 3000 fan fictions. The great bombastic but silly lead of the original material makes it easy to stay goofy. I can certainly hear the Jam Handy Repertory Players narrator reading the advertising copy.
Dr Forrester’s line about “Did you know everything you can count can be turned into money for people who aren’t you?” feels like I’m somehow riffing on the NFT scam, a decade and a half before it was even invented.
[ SATELLITE OF LOVE. CROW and TOM, wearing glasses with pencils tucked against their heads, are going over a mess of papers, as MIKE, wearing a baseball glove and playing with a ball, enters and surveys the scene. ]
TOM: 48 out of 152 by my count.
CROW: Yeah, but there were like a dozen assists.
TOM: They don’t count when you get yelled at for them.
CROW: They do too! Mike! [ Startling MIKE, who drops the ball. ] Tell Tom they count!
MIKE: Tell Tom what counts and for who’s counting, Crow?
TOM: Oh, don’t pad, Mike.
CROW: Our *statistics*, Mike. We’ve got to update our statistics on riffs attempted, riffs completed, laughs gotten, bobbled references, all these things.
MIKE: And this is important … why?
TOM: For our rotisserie league! Sheesh, don’t you follow anything?
MIKE: Constantly. What rotisserie —
[ MADS SIGN flashes. ]
MIKE: Oh, for the love of … hello?
[ DEEP 13. TV’s FRANK is sitting at a collapsible table with many sheets of grid paper and books as he works. DR FORRESTER sits opposite him with a small pile of cash. ]
FRANK: So center seat I’ve got Mike … left seat I’m going to stick with Tom … right seat … what do you think, ten bucks for Crow?
DR F: Absolutely.
FRANK: [ Handing a bill over to DR F ] All right! I got a team!
DR F: [ Pocketing the bill ] You’ve got a rare talent, Frank.
[ DR FORRESTER faces the camera. ]
DR F: Well, now, minions. Did you know everything you can count can be turned into money for people who aren’t you? It can. Now off to the theater and let’s generate some statistics, mmm? Your game today is an advertisement for potato chip manufacture … riff all you want, boys, we’ll make more.
[ SATELLITE OF LOVE. ]
TOM: Did he just Jay Leno all over us?
CROW: This can only end in tragedy. And party snacks.
[ MOVIE SIGN flashes; general alarm. ]
MIKE: Later, we got movie sign!
[ 6 … 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1 … ]
[ THEATER. ALL file in. ]
CROW: All right! Tie game so far!
> MODERN MECHANIX
MIKE: And practical jokes!
CROW: Like the spelling.
> AND INVENTIONS
> June 1935
TOM: [ Snorting ] Blazing its way from print, to us, to you.
MIKE: It’s not so much snail-mail as continental-drift-mail.
> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/05/03/turn-potatoes-into-cash/
TOM: Oh, now we’ve got blog all over the … potatoes into cash? The heck?
>
> I WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO TURN Potatoes into CASH!
MIKE: Worst counterfeiting scheme ever.
>
> START YOU in a Profitable Potato Chip Business At Home
CROW: [ Taking odd offense ] Yeah? Well … start *you* in a profitable potato chip business at home, then!
>
> THE invention of a marvelous new machine
MIKE: Excuse me, that’s [ Booming, announcing ] *A* marvelous *NEW* machine.
> throws the big
> potato-chip market wide open again.
TOM: After the big Ruffles-Lays bailout.
> Even if your community is
> being supplied with old fashioned chips,
CROW: Hand-carved by traditional artisans working under a stern but understanding taskmaster.
> I’ll show you how to
> step in and grab the market,
MIKE: [ Booming ] Unless you meet my demands immediately!
CROW: Won’t the potato chip market be all greasy and have that salt grit all over your fingers?
> rake the profits into your own
> pocket.
TOM: I don’t have a pocket.
MIKE: [ Announcing ] I’ll show you how to afford a pocket!
CROW: I don’t have a rake.
MIKE: [ As above ] You’ll be able to afford a rake!
TOM: A pocket rake!
> You simply manufacture and sell to stores at wholesale
> — let stores sell for you.
CROW: Stores selling things! Why, it’s brilliant!
MIKE: Oh, now, he’s thought of everything.
> I furnish complete plant and
> exact instructions for making profits the first day.
TOM: [ Announcing ] The fourth, sixth, and ninth days you have to wing it!
>
> "GREASELESS" Potato Chips Made by New Machine
MIKE: One hundred percent John-Travola-free in minutes!
>
> Think of it — for the first time —
CROW: They’re right! It’s amazing! For the first time!
TOM: Third time it’s just kind of `huh’.
> a Potato Chip
> from which all excess oil has been extracted by my new
> "wringer".
TOM: [ As the advertiser ] And sold to the worldwide potato oil cartels!
> Look better, taste better, stay fresh longer.
CROW: What if I want to stay fresh wider? What then?
> No
> wonder the public is crazy about this new kind of chip.
MIKE: Potato chips with the great, great taste of guys who buy stuff from Modern Mechanics ads.
> No
> wonder my operators are having such big success,
TOM: And fabulous cash prizes!
> even with no
> experience.
CROW: Even with no potatoes!
[ To conclude … ]
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Another Blog, Meanwhile 
Speaking of “greaseless” potato chips, I’m thinking of hopping on the air fryer bandwagon …any suggestions or recommendations on a make and model to try?
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I’m afraid I haven’t got any advice, no. I’ve never tried frying air. Seems like it should be a light enough snack, at least.
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