The Whip Skit – Red Skelton, Mel Blanc
While watching the Red Skelton movie, Neptune’s Daughter, I noticed a short scene between Red and Mel Blanc that was a very old clown skit – the whip skit. It goes something like this:
Two clowns enter on stage from opposite directions. Clown 1 is carrying a whip (easily made from a length of rope).
Clown 2: Wow! Is that a real whip?
Clown 1: It sure is! (cracks the whip to demonstrate)
Clown 2: Can you do any tricks with it?
Clown 1: Sure thing! Here, let me show you! (positions Clown 2 so that he’s perpendicular to the audience to one side of the stage) And you’ll need this! (pulls out a candy cigarette, and puts it in Clown 2’s mouth)
Clown 2: (pulling the candy cigarette out of his mouth) Hey, cigarettes aren’t healthy! Or funny!
Clown 1: (putting the candy cigarette back into his mouth) Not to worry – that’s why I’m going to cut it in half with the whip!
Clown 2: Oh, all right then. (realizes what’s going to happen) Wait a minute! Isn’t that dangerous?
Clown 1: Don’t worry, I won’t be in any danger.
Clown 2: (reacting to the audience) It’s not you that I’m worried about!
Clown 1: (confidently bragging) Don’t worry, I’m going to snap that right in half.
Clown 2: Don’t bother – I’ll help you! (pulls the candy cigarette out of his mouth, breaks it in half and puts half of it back in his mouth)
Clown 1: (confidently) Okay, I’ll do it with half a cigarette!
Clown 2: (panicking) Wait a minute! Have you done this before?
Clown 1: Sure, I’ve done it with my brother.
Clown 2: Well, call your brother to help you, then!
Clown 1: Okay. (cups his hands together and calls off-stage) Hey, No-Nose! Come here!
Clown 2: No-Nose? (dashes off stage, with Clown 1 chasing after him – “hey, come back!”)