"The Third Annual Shotz Talent Show"

"The Third Annual Shotz Talent Show"
January 30, 1979
C+

This episode written by Nathan & Price is the weakest of the three "Shotz talent show" episodes so far, with even the Lenny & Squiggy song unmemorable, although I do still enjoy Edna's "Plenty of Gin" audition number.  (It's that and Frank's lousy ventriloquist act that I remember most from the time.)

The main shipping note I have is that Shirley suggests taking the kiss out of "The Wedding of Jack & Jill," but Laverne (who will be Jack this time, unlike when they worked in a shoestore) thinks they should leave it in.  Oh, and Carmine & Shirley flirt, but I'm just not that invested in them.  I will say that I do feel sort of sorry for Carmine this season.  He didn't get to go on his favorite game show and he couldn't audition for West Side Story because all the male parts had been cast at that point, and now directors Lenny & Squiggy steal his act for the talent show.  On the other hand, he does own his own business, which presumably is going well if he can get his students to adopt all those dogs on the "pound" episode.

Harry Shearer is uncredited but that's clearly him reprising the voiceover role of Max Shotz.