Dinner Is Not Served

Originally aired December 6, 1937, this episode of Fibber McGee & Molly finds Fibber in over his head once again—this time as a one-man catering disaster. With Molly still visiting Aunt Sarah, Fibber is reminded that he’s responsible for hosting the Wistful Vista Literary, Dramatic, and Cleanup Club's bi-monthly dinner party. Not one to back down from a challenge (or admit he's clueless), Fibber insists on preparing a gourmet meal for thirty. What follows is a culinary catastrophe of comedic proportions. From darning socks with a hammer to mending recipes with needle and thread, Fibber’s kitchen antics spiral from confusion to calamity. He sends Silly Watson to buy “alligator pears,” mistakes cracker crumbs for something to literally roll in, and blows up the kitchen trying to “permeate the oven” with gas. Meanwhile, neighbors, creditors, and delivery men stream in, bewildered by Fibber’s growing chaos. Even Nick DePopulous drops off ice cream with warnings, and Clark Dennis serenades the would-be guests. But when the oven vanishes and the roast goes up in smoke, Fibber's dream dinner is toast—until the club calls to cancel first. Loaded with slapstick humor, food-themed wordplay, and an appropriately undercooked ending, this episode of Fibber McGee & Molly serves up classic radio comedy—just don’t expect dinner to be served.