- Sumo of the OperaEpisode number: 22Original release date: 8/31/04
- Countertop Intro
Bob is all alone on the Countertop, greeting the kids once again, before explaining to the viewers that Larry is helping some kids out on a toy drive, but he explains even further that Larry hired a special friend to fill in for him while he's gone. We are then introduced to Larry's replacement, Lutfi the kindly teensy-weensy cucumber (played by a hand puppet operated by Khalil the caterpillar, obviously). When Bob tells Lutfi to say hi to the kids, Lutfi does so, explaining that he is kind and friendly, and not to mention teensy-weensy. Bob then tells Lutfi that since Larry's away, he's going to help with the show, which Lutfi agrees with, explaining that even though he is teensy-weensy, he can be a great helper. The phone then rings so Bob goes to answer it, asking Lutfi to cover him, which Lutfi does by humming repeatedly. It turns out that Larry was calling, so Bob puts him on speakerphone, before Larry asks who's humming. When Lutfi makes himself known, Larry then tells Lutfi that he may be teensy-weensy but he's a great big helper. Bob then tells Larry that he was telling the kids about Larry's volunteer work, before Larry tells him that he's not doing it and that he's coming home because the whole day has been a big mess, which Bob is curious about. Larry then explains that he got on the bus, but he missed his stop because he ran out of nickels so he had to take the subway, so he's now calling at a payphone at the subway line, saying that he's giving up and coming home. Bob then tells Larry that he can't just give up now, telling him that he needs to persevere in order to get to the toy drive. When Larry asks what it means to persevere, Bob answers that perseverance means that we need to keep on keeping on, even when it's hard. Larry then says that he's down to three quarters at the payphone. Of course, Lutfi knows of a story that can help Larry.
- Going Up!
At Mr. Nezzer's piano delivery, Mr. Nezzer enters the truck before he is met with a surprise when he sees his three employees Larry, Jerry, and Mr. Lunt in the front seat. Mr. Nezzer then tells them to get out of the truck. Soon, Mr. Nezzer is driving down the road, with Larry, Jerry, and Mr. Lunt riding in the back of the truck. Soon, the truck arrives at a mansion on top of a hill as Mr. Nezzer has his employees take a piano out from the back of the truck. Their job is to bring the piano up to the mansion on top of the hill, which they are nervous about, before Mr. Nezzer tells them, via a black screen, "The piano must go up!" (The line is translated by the French Peas throughout the entire short). After Mr. Nezzer leaves, Larry, Jerry, and Mr. Lunt have no other choice now but to do as their boss says as they begin to push the piano up the flights of stairs that stand before them. After they make it up the stairs, they think that their job is over when the piano suddenly rolls away down the stairs as they frantically hop after it to try and stop it. The trio is successful in stopping the piano, but they are surprised to find that they are back where they started from. Jerry throws in the towel, not wanting to go back up the stairs, even when Larry and Mr. Lunt tell him, "The piano must go up!"
Because of this, Larry and Mr. Lunt are working hard to try and get the piano up the stairs, but it's too much work for two vegetables alone, before Mr. Lunt notices a penny on one of the steps as he picks it up. Unfortunately, it also causes the piano to slide back down the stairs again, with Larry on it, before he falls into the fountain. Larry then comes up from the fountain as he tries to keep the piano from falling in. Mr. Lunt comes back down the stairs again, just as the ice cream truck approaches the bottom of the stairs. Mr. Lunt and Jerry use the penny to buy some ice cream from the ice cream man (played by Scooter Carrot). The ice cream truck then leaves after that, just as Larry is able to keep the piano from falling into the fountain, before he notices Mr. Lunt and Jerry both eating the ice cream that they had bought. Larry is frustrated with what he sees, before indignantly repeating, "The piano must go up!" Soon, Larry has tied the piano to his back as he starts toting it past his two cohorts who are still slacking off while eating the ice cream. Mr. Lunt and Jerry can only shrug before they resume eating their ice cream.
Larry then starts hopping up the stairs with the piano still tied to his back, even though it's difficult for one vegetable alone. Back down at the bottom of the stairs, Mr. Lunt and Jerry are now sound asleep after having eaten the ice cream, while Larry still tries hard to get up the stairs with the piano. After a great deal of hard work, Larry finally makes it to the mansion, before he is met with Madame Blueberry, who is happy to see that Larry has finally got the piano up the stairs. Larry then triumphantly states, "The piano is up!", before Madame Blueberry tells him, "My hero". Larry is modest about what he's done, while Madame Blueberry stares lovingly at him. Back down below, Mr. Lunt and Jerry are still asleep, before they are approached by Mr. Nezzer, who is not very happy to see two of his employees sleeping on the job. Mr. Lunt and Jerry wake up after that, but before they can be punished, Larry comes back down with a kiss mark on his cheek, implying that he got a kiss as a reward. Later, Mr. Nezzer has permitted Larry to ride in the front seat with him, while Jerry and Mr. Lunt are still forced to ride in the back of the truck as punishment for giving up and not having done any work at all.
- Countertop Part 2
Back on the Countertop, Larry asks on the phone if they're going to start the story soon, with Bob telling him that it was a silent movie. When Lutfi says that it was powerful, Bob indignantly asks Lutfi how Larry is supposed to know what happened because he's on the phone, which Lutfi replies that he did not think about that. Larry then says that he only has two quarters left on the phone. Because of that, Bob has to find another story about perseverance, while Lutfi covers for Bob again, humming once again.
- Schoolhouse Polka with Larry
Larry then appears in front of a teacher's desk and a blackboard while playing an accordion and singing a song about homophones. After singing about homophones, the narrator then says that Larry will also sing about prepositions, pronouns, and adjectives. However, when the narrator asks if Larry is going to sing about interjections and adverbs, Larry turns him down.
- Countertop Part 3
Lutfi asks Bob if he found a story yet, to which Bob answers that he hasn't yet, before telling Lutfi to keep covering for him. Fortunately, Lutfi knows just the thing, before announcing "And now it's time for Lutfi's Fanciful Flannelgraph, the part of the show where Lutfi comes out with his fanciful flannelgraph and tells a story". Lutfi then comes up while wearing a green bowler hat and holding a shamrock, telling the viewers that he will be telling them the story of the origin of St. Patrick's Day.
- The Story of St. Patrick
The story starts with the birth of St. Patrick, who was not known as St. Patrick at first, instead referred to by name as Maewyn Succat. As Maewyn grew up, Lutfi explains that he did things that every little boy did, like attend school, play soccer, and attend church. When Lutfi mentions that Maewyn got kidnapped by pirates, Maewyn says that that's normal, to which Lutfi responds with, "If you were too normal, then you wouldn't have a holiday named after you". The pirates then take Maewyn to Ireland, before they sell him to a druid. The druid then starts calling Maewyn "Pig Boy", because of the fact that he has to feed his master's pigs. Lutfi then also explains that the people of Ireland did not know about God, instead preferring to perform a type of practice called "Paganism", in which they prayed to things like twigs and pond scum.
While working for his master, Maewyn begins to realize that even though he is far away from his home in England, God is still with him, so he decides to pray to God, even while working. One day, after being in Ireland for six years, Maewyn decides to run away from his master in order to try to get back home to England, but not without the pigs following after him. Maewyn then approaches a ship, asking the captain if it's heading for England, to which the captain replies that it is, so he lets Maewyn on the ship, though the pigs stow away on the ship as well. The ship then sets sail, but it ends up landing in France instead of England. Because of that, Maewyn, the captain, and two of the captain's mates have to travel on foot across France. After traveling, the group is really hungry but they don't have any food with them. The captain then asks Maewyn to pray for food, which he does, just as the pigs show up. When the pigs realize what's happening, they end up getting turned into ham, with one of the captain's mates praising it as a miracle. The captain then thanks Maewyn for saving them, but Maewyn tells him to thank God, which the captain and the mates do.
After arriving back in England, Maewyn is able to return home to his family and friends again. Lutfi then explains that while Maewyn slept, he dreamt that the people of Ireland were begging for him to return to Ireland and teach them about God, which Maewyn agrees to, as soon as he finished school. After Maewyn has finished school, he has studied to become a bishop, and got his name changed to Patrick, with Lutfi telling him that the St. part comes much later. Soon, Patrick has gone back to Ireland, where he explains to the people of Ireland all about God. After a bit of misunderstanding, in which the people of Ireland pray to the shamrock that Patrick is using in his demonstration, he tells that God is like a shamrock because he is three persons in one, which are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Once the people of Ireland fully understand this, they decide to turn to God. Lutfi then explains further that on March 17th in the year 460, Patrick died at the age of 73, and that his name was changed one last time, this time to St. Patrick, which is the reason why on March 17th, people celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
- Countertop Part 4
After Lutfi finishes this story, Bob comes back, explaining that he finally got a story to help Larry. Larry then asks Bob if he heard the story of St. Patrick, which Bob says that he did not. Larry then says that he has one quarter left, before Bob tells him to hang in there then says, "ROLL FILM!"
- Sumo of the Opera
At a sumo wrestling ring, a group comprised of seven carrots and one gourd sing about being wrestlers of Japan, before a wrestler by the name of Apollo Gourd shows up. Apollo Gourd is up against Scooter Carrot, who tries pushing against him but to no avail. Apollo then pulls off his trademark wrestling move, which is called his Belly Ringer, which involves him jumping up into the air, landing in front of his opponent, then giving the opponent a belly bump, which knocks his opponent out of the ring. Apollo Gourd does just that to Scooter, knocking Scooter out of the ring, as Apollo gives off a triumphant laugh after that. The sportscaster Jim Gourdly (played by Jimmy Gourd), accompanied by his cameraman (played by Jerry Gourd), approaches Apollo Gourd, telling him about the championship match to celebrate the Year of the Scallion, asking him to comment on his opponent Po-Ta-To. Apollo answers that he has a haiku for Po-Ta-To, which goes "No way Po-Ta-To will stay in the match and linger, when I give him a Belly Ringer".
After Apollo finishes this haiku, Jim is dubious saying that that wasn't a real haiku, which the cameraman agrees with. A mysterious wrestler then shows up and enters the ring with Po-Ta-To, making Po-Ta-To laugh with his silly hijinks. Jim is able to identify this wrestler as the Italian Scallion (played by Larry the Cucumber). When the cameraman asks how this cucumber got a name like 'Italian Scallion', Jim explains via silkscreen that the Italian Scallion got his name from being raised by scallions, so grew up thinking that he was a scallion. When the cameraman says that that doesn't make any sense, Jim replies that it does, saying that 'scallion' rhymes with five words and that 'Italian' was the catchiest, before the cameraman corrects him, saying that the silkscreen doesn't make any sense. Archibald then shows up, explaining about the silkscreen after that. After that, the Italian Scallion then hangs a spoon on his nose, which Po-Ta-To finds to be really funny, while his trainer Mikey (played by Pa Grape) tells him to stop laughing and that he's supposed to be sparring with the Italian Scallion. At that moment, Bobby (played by Bob the Tomato) shows up, asking Mikey if he has any recycling, to which Mikey tells him to help himself.
Bobby then starts rummaging through the recycling bin at the same time that the Italian Scallion is now wearing a pair of funny glasses and making Po laugh even more. Bobby then finds a banana peel in the recycling bin before he throws it into the ring, before the Italian Scallion slips on it, sending him ricocheting off the sides of the ring before getting tied up as a result. This makes Po laugh even harder before he suddenly slips backward after stepping on the banana peel and falls into the recycling bin, before he says in a haiku, "Oh my aching back, might as well call workman's comp, it's thrown out again". Jim then says, "Now that's a haiku", before Archibald shows up again, explaining that a haiku is a poem of three verses, with the first and third verses having five syllables and the second verse having seven syllables. Mikey then angrily tells the Italian Scallion that he's supposed to be helping Po train, not give him a sprain, which the Italian Scallion apologizes to, and that he was just joking around. The Italian Scallion then sings about how he likes to joke around while in the ring.
After the Italian Scallion finishes this song, Mikey tells him to sit down, though he ends up sitting on a whoopee cushion that had been placed on the stool that he sat on. Mikey then admonishes the Italian Scallion for always joking around, telling him that he wanted to be a sumo but gave up the minute it got hard, further telling the Italian Scallion that he's got no guts, or more accurately no gut, because he's skinny, before telling him that he doesn't finish anything. The Italian Scallion then tells Mikey to tell him one thing he doesn't finish, before his friend Hadrian (played by Junior Asparagus) shows up, asking the Italian Scallion if he finished fixing his bike yet because he needs it for his paper route. The Italian Scallion is at a loss for words, before Mikey shows him an incredibly long list of things that he never finishes. Po is then carried off after that hurting his back. When Apollo hears that Po-Ta-To is hurt, he demands to know who did it, before the Italian Scallion tells him that it was an accident. Jim then asks Apollo who he will wrestle to win the championship and the prize that goes with it. The prize for winning the championship turns out to be a bicycle known as a Tiger Bike, which Hadrian really likes.
Apollo then says that he wants the championship and that he doesn't care about the prize, while the Italian Scallion states that he won't have to finish fixing Hadrian's bike if he wins that bike. The Italian Scallion then says that he'll take it, which the French Peas think is a joke for Scallion to wrestle Apollo, before Scallion says that he was talking about the bike. Apollo then says another haiku, "In the Year of the Scallion, how about a bout with the Italian Scallion?" Jim then notes that Apollo was only off by two syllables. Mikey then says that Apollo is way out of Scallion's lead, with Scallion retorting that he knocked Po-Ta-To out of the ring, to which Mikey responds that he slipped on a banana peel. Scallion says that it was his fault and that he owes it to Po then tells Mikey to tell Po that he's taking his place. The French Peas then start laughing at the aspect of the Italian Scallion facing off against Apollo Gourd, before Jim tells Scallion that he's a hoot. Scallion then says that he's really going to wrestle Apollo and that he accepts the challenge. The wrestler singers then show up and sing about how the Italian Scallion has accepted the challenge.
After that, Mikey asks Scallion why he's doing this, to which Scallion answers that he owes it to Po and that he needs the bike, which he owes to Hadrian. Mikey protests that Apollo is the champ and that no one has stayed in the ring with him longer than eight seconds, before Scallion tells him that there's always the first time. Mikey then tells Scallion that he only has two weeks to train, before Scallion tells him that he could help him by being his trainer, something which Mikey is hesitant about, before he finally agrees to train Scallion for the match, but tells Scallion that he has to do everything that he tells him, which Scallion says that he'll promise to do. Soon, Scallion's training has begun, which involves him mopping the floor, crushing aluminum cans with each hop (but ends up falling in a manhole while doing so), trying to eat more, climbing up the down escalator (which results in him getting bonked on the head by the cane of an old lady gourd (played by Grandma Gourd), and trying to endure getting hit by bags of recyclables at the recycling center. Meanwhile, Apollo asks the French Peas if everything is arranged for his victory party, to which the French Peas respond that they are, before asking him if he's going to train for the match, but Apollo says that Scallion is a pushover and that he could beat him in his sleep, before the wrestler singers show up and sing about how Apollo won't be doing any training for the match.
Scallion is now doing sit-ups as part of his training, but he finds that the training is tough, before Mikey shows him a picture of when he used to be a wrestler called Mr. Juicy, admitting that he joked around too when he was younger and never took anything serious. Mikey then says that you have to stick it out even when it's hard, before showing Scallion a picture of himself as a wrestler now known as Alexander the Grape, grand sumo champion three years running, before his knee injury (which confuses Scallion). Mikey then explains that there's lots of reasons to quit, but not because they're hard, and that God gives us lots of things to do that are hard. Scallion then laments that he doesn't have what it takes to be a sumo wrestler, which is the reason why he's always clowning around, the only thing that he's any good at. Because of that, Scallion decides to quit, before Mikey then hops off in shame after that. Later, while out in the streets, Scallion is then met with Hadrian who is wearing a scallion headpiece on his head like Scallion wears. Hadrian then asks Scallion why he isn't training, Scallion says that he doesn't know, before he asks about the headpiece that Hadrian is wearing, before Hadrian answers that it's a scallion headpiece that he made for Show and Tell, saying that it felt great to finish it and show it to everyone. Scallion then dejectedly says that he never finished any of his Show and Tell projects, before asking Hadrian if it was hard, to which Hadrian answers that it was, but says that if Scallion could stick to something, so could he. After hearing these words, Scallion realized that Hadrian really would be willing to stick to anything, just as the wrestler singers then show up to sing about how while a sumo's job is tough, you must always keep on keeping on without stop. After the song ends, a pair of carrots pass by, asking Scallion if he's quit or if he's waiting until he gets in the ring with Apollo. Because of this, Scallion is now inspired to continue with his training.
This time, Scallion is able to continue with his training, going up the down escalator but is able to get past the gourd lady without any problems. Scallion then continues with his sit-ups once again after that, is able to crush more aluminum cans with each hop, and is able to endure getting hit by the bags of recyclables, which causes one of the bags to explode after a few seconds. Scallion is also able to have seconds and thirds of sushi, which tires out the chef (played by Mr. Lunt), before he also resumes crushing more aluminum cans, mopping the floor, and going up the down escalator past more citizens that have gotten onto the escalator. Once Scallion has completed his training, he confidently proclaims "It's time". Soon, it is now time for the wrestling match between the Italian Scallion and Apollo Gourd, with Jim Gourdly acting as MC for the match. After Apollo tells Scallion that he's going to bounce him out, Scallion answers with "Go for it", before the match begins, as Apollo then starts off by pushing Scallion out of the ring, before he uses his Belly Ringer move. However, when he pulls the move on Scallion, it has no effect, which leaves Apollo dazed from the impact of his move having backfired.
After Apollo snaps out it, Scallion then looks up at the Tiger Bike before he counters back with a belly bump of his own that leaves Apollo shaken up. With Apollo all shaken up, this gives Scallion a chance to use the moves that Mikey taught him, such as mopping the floor and going up the down escalator, with Scallion pushing Apollo towards the edge of the ring. However, Apollo then gets back up again as he and Scallion face off once again, which Jim finds to be inconceivable. Apollo then pushes Scallion towards the edge of the ring, but this results in the two of them falling out of the ring before they hit the ground. The match is over, with Jim stating that it's a tie, stating that Apollo is still the champion, before realizing that no one has ever lasted more than eight seconds against Apollo Gourd. The citizens then approach Scallion, praising him for lasting longer than anyone in the ring, as Scallion is proud of himself for finishing what he started, before he starts singing about how the feeling of finishing makes him feel good, before everyone sings along as well. After the song is over, it seems that the story is over, but Jim tells the viewers that the story is not over yet. Because of that, Scallion then approaches Hadrian, telling him that even though he did not win the Tiger Bike, they did give him the bell that came with the bike, before telling Hadrian that since he's going to be a finisher from now on, he put Hadrian's bike back together, which Hadrian is happy about.
- Countertop Outro
Back on the Countertop, Bob asks Larry what he thought of the story, before the sound of a dial tone is heard, to which Bob is worried, thinking that Larry never got to hear the story. Larry then shows up, which Bob is happy to see, before he asks Larry about the kids and that he doesn't know how much of the story Larry heard, but Larry assures him that he pretty much heard the whole thing, then says that he ran out of quarters before the end, but was able to make it to the toy drive. He then explains further that they gave away toys, had sandwiches, and took pictures, proclaiming that it was awesome. Bob then says that when he heard the busy signal, he thought that Larry had given up, but Larry tells him that he got back on the subway, got to the bus, hopped three more blocks, and made it there. Bob is amazed from hearing this story, before asking Larry to talk about what they've learned today, before a sumo version of the "What Have We Learned" song plays, but Qwerty then steams up before breaking down, which surprises Bob and Larry, asking Qwerty if they're okay, before Lutfi pops up, saying that he fits into tiny places, before Bob tells him that he killed Qwerty, but Lutfi disregards this, saying that he only made Qwerty sputter and smoke, before Bob says that they need to get Qwerty repaired and that they need a verse. Fortunately, Lutfi says that he knows his "scripture memory verses", before he hums the rest of the song, then brings up the verse, which is, "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised... Hebrews 10:36". Larry praises Lutfi for the verse, before Bob tells him that God wants us to persevere, to keep on keeping on, even when it's hard. After that, Bob, Larry, and Lutfi then sign off as the episode ends.
Character Introductions: Grandma Gourd
Tropes:
- Art Shift: The Story of St. Patrick segment is animated in a 2D, flannel graph style reminiscent of something like South Park.
- Banana Peel: Occurs in "Sumo of the Opera", as Bobby throws a banana peel onto the ring while clearing the trash, first causing Scallion to slip and bounce back-and-forth between the ropes before getting tangled in them and then causing Po Tato to slip shortly afterward, breaking his back and falling into the trash bin as a result.
- Gonna Fly Now Montage: Shows up twice in "Sumo of the Opera", the first one appears after the "He's Accepted the Challenge" song, while the second one occurs before the championship bout.
- Graceful Loser: Subverted. The match between Scallion and Apollo comes down to a draw, which means Apollo still retains the championship and technically didn't lose. With that said, while Apollo initially expects the crowd to give him praise and attention, he takes it in good stride when everyone acknowledges Scallion for withstanding the match as long as he did, and even gives Scallion appreciation himself.
- Honor Before Reason: Both Scallion and Apollo have shades of this:
- Scallion to honor Po Tato after accidentally breaking his back.
- Apollo would rather have the official championship than just win by default.
- Mime and Music-Only Cartoon: "Going Up!", which makes sense, since it's supposed to be in a similar style as that of a silent movie.
- Piano Drop: Happens in "Going Up!", though the piano just falls down the stairs.
- Raw Eggs Make You Stronger: Subverted in "Sumo of the Opera" as Scallion is pretty
squicked out about having to drink a glass full of raw eggs. Mikey clarifies that they are to be scrambled. - Smooch of Victory: Larry and two other veggies are cast as a three-stooges style trio trying to get a piano up a massive flight of stairs for a female customer. One by one, the other two give up. However, Larry perseveres and the lady calls him her hero. When he comes back down, he's got a lipstick mark on his cheek.
- Spared by the Adaptation: Maewyn's master. According to the original story of St. Patrick, the druid who kept Maewyn as a slave was so afraid when he learned Maewyn was returning to Ireland as Patrick that he locked himself inside his house and set the house on fire. In Lutfi's version, the druid is still alive and present when Patrick is preaching. He becomes one of Patrick's converts.
- Three Shorts: Instead of the usual format of having two stories and a Silly Song; this episode has three stories, "Going Up", "The Story of Saint Patrick" and the titular "Sumo of the Opera" with the Silly Song "School House Polka"
- Wax On, Wax Off: Scallion's training in "Sumo of the Opera" involves mopping and going up the down escalator.
- Whoopee Cushion: The Italian Scallion sits on one of these on a stool in "Sumo of the Opera" after the "A Joking Sumo I" song.
- Writers Cannot Do Math: Jimmy says that for the second "haiku", Apollo was only off by two syllables. He was actually off by five, which is the same as the first attempt.
