"Rocky Ragu"

"Rocky Ragu" [sic]
January 26, 1982
C+

Maybe it's that some lines are repeated, but of all the things to recall from Season Seven, it's Carmine's dialogue of the movie within the television script (written by Albert Goodman, who has only soundtrack credits otherwise on IMDB), like "You're the one who makes me sweat in a cold shower," that came back to me today.  Rhonda is up for the role of a boxer's girlfriend, so she suggests that Carmine try out for the lead.  He says he doesn't want anyone else to know except Shirley, in case he doesn't get the part, and yet they rehearse at Cowboy Bill's and he lets the Squignowski Talent Agency manage him.  (And the boys actually help!)  This is just so that we can have the farcical set-up that Laverne thinks Carmine is cheating on Shirley with Rhonda, and Laverne can repeatedly slap him.  There's also some Lavmine, with her mending his torn pants and later "going for the meat," to put on his eye, the latter leading to Shirley slapping him.  Not a very happy episode for Carmine (especially when the movie is cancelled), but at least Mekka is given more to do than lately.

And, yes, that's 27-year-old Julie Brown (a couple years before she released "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun") as the Secretary.  She'd have the role of Patti later in the year.