"Laverne & Shirley": The Collector's Edition, Volume Five

We've met the boys and the girls, and we've gone to the brewery.  We've even had a spotlight on Laverne's "love life."  So, sure, let's learn "All About Carmine."

"Dancing instructor Carmine 'The Big Ragoo' Ragusa, Shirley's on-again, off-again boyfriend, calls her 'Angel Face.'  For the most part, however, Carmine is trying to live out the Italian stallion macho myth.  'Carmine and I have an understanding,' explained Shirley.  'I'm allowed to date other men and he's allowed to date ugly women.'  Eventually their romantic feelings gel, and when Laverne and Shirley move to Hollywood, Carmine follows after Shirley and gets a job delivering singing telegrams.  Actor Eddie Mekka, a Tony nominee as best actor in the Broadway musical The Lieutenant, also appeared in A League of Their Own and Beaches."

The first episode on this videocassette is "Dating Slump," which Carmine isn't even in that much, but it is in a sense "all about him," since it examines how the loss of her long-term romance with him impacts Shirley, and it's not like any of the Season One episodes are about him, in the way that "Hi Neighbors" is about the boys.  Here's the blurb: "Shirley becomes a recluse after her steady boyfriend, Carmine Ragusa, has another sweetheart.  Laverne, determined to get Shirley out of her doldrums, plans an evening out--and both wind up in a barroom brawl.  Note: In this episode, Laverne exclaims the classic line, 'Touch my "L" sweetie, and your teeth go to Peoria.' "  You'd think they'd mention the cameos by both Mark Harmon and Robert Hays, but oh well.  There is surprisingly no Stay Tuned, and indeed there are none on this tape.

Then, from the end of Season Four, comes "Shirley and the Older Man": "When wealthy, old Monroe Harrison invites Shirley to his house to meet his family, his daughter Adelle gets Shirley drunk to find out if she's a gold digger--Carmine burst in, explodes with jealousy, and accidentally gives Shirley a black eye.  Note: Robert Alda (Monroe Harrison) starred in Rhapsody in Blue and was father of Alan Alda (Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H)."  So apparently finding out "all about Carmine" includes that he can become jealous to the point of violence.

Moving on to Season Six, we have "But Seriously Folks": "When Laverne, Shirley, Lenny, Squiggy, Frank and Edna, and Rhonda attend Carmine's opening night as a comedian at the Comedy Jungle, they discover that they are all the brunt of his jokes.  Note: Discover what the 'L' on Laverne's shirt stands for and why Milwaukee is called Port Laverne.  Penny Marshall, who directed this episode, also directed the motion pictures Awakenings, A League of Their Own, and Big."  Again, not an episode where Carmine comes off well, since he both slut-shames Laverne and calls Shirley frigid. 

Lastly, we have Season Eight's "How's Your Sister?," which gets this description: "When Squiggy's sultry and bizarre sister, Squendelyn, comes for a visit and stays with Laverne, Squiggy pays Carmine $200 to ask her out on a date--causing Squendelyn to fall head over heels in love with him.  Note: David L. Lander doubles as Squiggy and Squendelyn."

Ever since I found out the line-up for this videocassette, my alternative title for it has been "Carmine Is Kind of an Asshole."  I suppose they could've found less flattering episodes for him if they tried, but it wouldn't have been too hard to find more flattering ones.  What about "The Dance Studio," which centers on him and shows his show-biz dreams?  I'd even have taken the series finale, since it's more about Carmine than any of the other regulars, and it gives closure to his show-biz dreams.  Heck, they could've even done "Rocky Ragu" or "Do the Carmine," since those have his name in the title.  This isn't as egregious as "Laverne in Love," but it does again show Columbia House's slapdash attitude.