![The Husband’s Return – when the husband arrives home unexpectedly, the wife’s boyfriend hides under the table! “One lump for your coffee, one lump for my coffee, and one lump for you!” [breaking a plate over the hidden man’s head]](https://i0.wp.com/famousclowns.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/the-husbands-return-title.jpg?resize=678%2C381&ssl=1 "The Husband’s Return – when the husband arrives home unexpectedly, the wife’s boyfriend hides under the table! “One lump for your coffee, one lump for my coffee, and one lump for you!” [breaking a plate over the hidden man’s head]")
The Husband’s Return – when the husband arrives home unexpectedly, the wife’s boyfriend hides under the table! “One lump for your coffee, one lump for my coffee, and one lump for you!” [breaking a plate over the hidden man’s head]
The Husband’s Return is quick blackout, or one minute sketch, from The Red Skelton Hour episode, “He Who Steals My Dump Steals Trash“. The basic premise is exactly as stated above. Having said that, I’d like to make some suggestions.
At a minimum, the original skit at least hints at infidelity. What might be more all-ages friendly would be to have the “boyfriend” instead be a mutual friend of the couple, and they’re planning a surprise birthday party for the husband! Not only would this make him more sympathetic, it opens the door to some other comedy options. For example, when he quickly hides under the table, he has to take the birthday cake with him! Then, after the husband breaks a plate (or whatever) under the unseen person under the table, the friend can come out, holding the cake. And the wife can then explain the situation to the husband, deflating him. Something The Honeymooners was very good at.
Then, when the friend’s standing there, probably rubbing his head … he can deliver the cake to the husband’s face!
Other Ideas
In the original sketch, Red Skelton was hiding under the table, with his hands intentionally sticking out, so the husband (George Gobel) would realize someone was hiding underneath. Think of some ‘clownish’ things the husband could do!
- pretend to step on the fingers! give the clown under the time time to react to the audience
- Painting the fingernails!
- “One little piggy went to market …”
And, of course, there’s plenty of opportunity for clowning around with the coffee, cups, etc. as well.
Props
- A small table – large enough for someone to hide under
- A tablecloth, big enough to cover the table, and conceal the person hiding underneath
- Toy or plastic coffee pot and cups
- A breakable plate, or foam hammer, to hit the person hiding under the table
- Possibly a birthday cake