What's Happening!!: My Three Tons

What's Happening!!: My Three Tons
ABC
August 26, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B

This episode walks a thin line about fat jokes, although I think the main message is that they're OK among friends but not among co-workers.  Rerun has a chance to be part of a dance troupe (Berry's former group the Lockers as the Rockets), but as Dwayne discovers, they only chose him for his weight, not his dancing ability.  Mama comes up with a scheme for revenge.  I'd go with a B-, but Rerun's "sharp threads," including when modified for Roger and Dee, are memorable, and the dance routines are still fun to watch.

Wolfman Jack plays the Emcee of SoulStuff.  Danny Wells, who plays Bert Frederick, would return as a Plainclothesman, while Stu Gilliam, who's Gary here, would be Willie Spencer later.  Ronalda Douglas has her first of three WH roles, as the Secretary.  Note that Hemphill is absent, but I'm guessing that, since her name isn't in the opening credits, Shirley wasn't originally meant to be a regular, just a recurring character.  This is the only WH story written by Jim Mulligan, who'd do three for M*A*S*H, and it's the only WH episode directed by Alan Rafkin.