Amos & Andy - The Minstrel Show

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Amos & Andy - The Minstrel Show
Date: March 25, 2026
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

---

Overview

This episode features one of the classic episodes of "Amos & Andy," a wildly popular radio comedy from the Golden Age of Radio. Performed as a minstrel show within the show, this episode includes signature comedic banter among Amos, Andy, Kingfish, and Bill Hay, comical sketches about their lives, witty exchanges, and a series of musical performances by the Mystic Knights of the Sea male chorus and guest tenor Frank Parker.

Note: This episode is a historical artifact, reflecting entertainment styles and sensibilities of a different era.

---

Key Discussion Points & Segment Highlights

1. Opening Banter & Minstrel Show Setting

• [01:03] Bill Hay greets Andy, commenting on his attire—a derby hat and a belt with a gun, setting the comedic tone for the evening.

  • Memorable quote:

    Bill Hay (Host): “Well, Andy, I see you wear your derby even in the minstrel show.”
    Andy: “Oh, yes, sir, yes, sir. Tonight’s my. Unlike tonight. Boy, I really gonna do some unlaxing around here.” ([01:12])

• Andy recounts a comedic tale about his clever rooster pushing an ostrich egg through the fence to impress the hens.

  • Memorable quote:

    Andy: “He say, gals, I ain’t complaining, but I just want to show you what they do in other places.” ([01:58])

---

2. Musical Interlude: "Sing, Baby, Sing"

• [02:22] The male quartet performs “Sing, Baby, Sing,” blending humor and harmony.
• Amos provides spirited encouragement throughout the performance, contributing to the playful mood.

---

3. Kingfish’s Comic Updates

• [03:42] Bill Hay banters with Kingfish about his leadership and personal life, including a broad joke about his mother-in-law being kicked by a mule.
  • Memorable quote:

    Kingfish: “We had 125 people at the house yesterday.”
    Bill Hay: “Is that so? Extending their sympathy, huh?”
    Kingfish: “No, sir. They won’t buy that mule.” ([04:17])

---

4. Special Guest: Frank Parker Sings "Mandy"

• [04:29] Renowned tenor Frank Parker is introduced to perform “Mandy” from the Ziegfeld Follies of 1919. Andy and the troupe set up the segment with comic wedding-themed banter.

---

5. Parody Advertisement Sketch

• [06:13] The cast parodies a toothpaste advertisement, playfully mentioning the fictional ingredient “irium.”
  • Andy feigns mischief while Amos and Kingfish spar over reading duties for the ad.
  • Memorable banter:

    Kingfish: “Say, Lightning, Lightning, come here. Take this announcement. Deliver this message to Garcia.” Amos: “Don’t worry, Brother King, please.”
    ([06:46])

---

6. Audience Engagement & Liniment Gag

• [07:44] Amos points out Bill Hay’s wife in the audience and launches into a running joke about a liniment invented by Bill making her arms larger.
  • Memorable quote:

    Amos: “I was just looking at her there, Bill. You must have spill a little of that on her feet too, ain’t you?” ([08:34])

---

7. Chorus Number: “Dinah”

• [08:47] The ensemble performs “Dinah,” led by the quartet and chorus with cheerful energy and lively harmonies.

---

8. Andy’s Mock Bravado with “Below Low C”

• [10:58] Andy criticizes the previous singing and boasts of his deep bass singing ability.
  • Memorable quote:

    Andy: “Oh, boy, when I sings, I really goes down after them. Yes, sir, I go way down below.” ([11:07])

  • Bill and the others mock Andy as he attempts to go “below low C,” leading to good-natured laughter.

---

9. Finale & Wrap-up

• [12:39] Bill Hay announces the grand finale by the full company.
• Bill recaps the main performers and thanks the audience, mentioning Pepsodent—the show’s real-life sponsor.
• [13:07] Amos, Andy, and Kingfish discuss the overflow audience, suggesting they reprise the show with new jokes and songs.
  • Memorable quote:

    Amos: “We ought to put on the show again next Friday night and change the jokes and songs and everything around.” ([13:24])

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Andy’s Ostrich Egg Joke:
  “Gals, I ain’t complaining, but I just want to show you what they do in other places.” ([01:58])

• Kingfish’s Mule Story:
  “No, sir. They won’t buy that mule.” ([04:17])

• Liniment Gag:
  “I was just looking at her there, Bill. You must have spill a little of that on her feet too, ain’t you?” ([08:34])

• Andy’s Singing Bravado:
  “Oh, boy, when I sings, I really goes down after them. Yes, sir, I go way down below.” ([11:07])

• Overflow Audience Discussion:
  “They crowded up all over. All over the place, out in front and every other place.” ([13:19])
  “We ought to put on the show again next Friday night and change the jokes and songs and everything around.” ([13:24])

---

Important Timestamps

• 01:03 – Show begins, Andy’s gun and derby joke
• 01:36 – Andy’s ostrich egg story
• 02:22 – Musical performance: “Sing, Baby, Sing”
• 03:42 – Kingfish’s entrance and mother-in-law gag
• 04:29 – Frank Parker sings “Mandy”
• 06:13 – Toothpaste advertisement parody
• 07:44 – Audience interaction and liniment joke
• 08:47 – “Dinah” performance
• 10:58 – Andy boasts about singing “below low C”
• 12:39 – Grand finale
• 13:07 – Talk about overflow audience and show’s future

---

Closing Notes

This episode captures the quick wit and musical variety that made "Amos & Andy" a household favorite in radio’s early years. The lively banter, comic misunderstandings, and playful jabs at each other's expense drive the humor, while the musical numbers offer a showcase of classic early-20th-century popular music.

Listeners are reminded: This is a historic broadcast, and while beloved in its era, some material may reflect outdated stereotypes and attitudes.

---

Transcript

[Howie Mandel]

The Global Gaming League is presented by Atlas Earth, the fun cashback app. Hey, it's Howie Mandel. And I am inviting you to witness history as me and my How We do it gaming team take on Gilly the king and wallow. 2, 6, $7 million gaming in an epic global Gaming League video game showdown. Plus a halftime performance by multi platinum artist Travy McCoy. Watch all the action and see who wins and advances to the championship match right [e-mail] that's globalgamingleague.com in partnership with

[Amos]

Level Up Expo, Lightning Eyes, Yummy Vander

[Andy]

the Kingfish.

[Kingfish]

We as all brothers in that green lodge.

[Bill Hay]

And as interlocutor, your old friend, Bill Hay.

[Quartet Member]

Here they are.

[Bill Hay]

And the Mystic Knights of the Sea male chorus and quartet.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Gentlemen, be seated. Well, Andy, I see you wear your derby even in the minstrel show.

[Andy]

Oh, yes, sir. Yes, sir. Tonight's my. Unlike tonight. Boy, I really gonna do some unlaxing around here.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Well, what's that? I see you got a gun strapped

[Andy]

on your belt there.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

What's the idea?

[Andy]

Never mind, never mind, Bill. You gonna find out. Just don't stop me from unlaxing, that's all.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

By the way, Andy, the last time I was over at your house, you had a nice bunch of chickens over there. How are they getting along?

[Andy]

Well, I got a new bunch of chickens over there now, Bill. And I got the smartest rooster in the world.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Well, what makes you think you rooster is so smart, Andy?

[Andy]

Well, right next door to our house, a man's got a couple of ostriches over there.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Yes. Yeah.

[Andy]

And there's a hole in the fence. So this rooster I got went next door and he sees this ostrich egg laying there. So he took his feet and he pushed that ostrich egg through the hole in the fence over in the backyard. Then he called all the hens round the egg.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Yeah, go on, go on.

[Andy]

And then does rooster say to the hens? He say, gals, I ain't complaining, but I just want to show you what they do in other places.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

And now, ladies and gentlemen, we should like to present one of the members of the large quartet, assisted by the quartet and chorus in their version of Sing, baby, sing

[Quartet Member]

While you sing, baby, sing While you sing Sing, baby, sing when trouble troubles you Sing, baby, sing do like the birdies do Sing, baby, sing when cold winter comes they all out of rum Poor little birdies Late eating but oh, oh, oh don't you know A song a day keeps me no mischief Hearts don't like music with our cherry swing don't sing while you sing, baby, sing oh, when the trouble troubles you Sing, baby, sing do just like Freddy Sing baby things when cold wet your rum they all have the drum or there's birdies they ain't eating

[Amos]

the man is here with the stuff

[Quartet Member]

oh, oh, oh don't you know

[Amos]

now

[Quartet Member]

that heart that don't like music with that certain wing.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Well, Kingfish, I'm glad to see you tonight.

[Kingfish]

Well, Ms. A, I'm glad to be down here tonight at the Lodge Hall. See all the brothers out there in the audience. You know, it must give the brothers a great feeling to see me up here working for them. Cause I, as their true leader and

[Andy]

honest brother,

[Kingfish]

mind goings on.

[Andy]

That's gratitude.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

By the way, how's your mother in law?

[Kingfish]

Oh, ain't you not hearing about her, Mr. Hay? She was kicked by a mule.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

You don't mean to tell me your mother in law was kicked by a mule?

[Kingfish]

Oh, yeah. He let her have a good one.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Well, I must drop by.

[Kingfish]

Well, we had 125 people at the house yesterday.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Is that so? Extending their sympathy, huh?

[Kingfish]

No, sir. They won't buy that mule. You know my mother.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

At this time, I should like to protect. Present a man whose voice is familiar

[Andy]

to all of you.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Amos and Andy have selected for their first guest star America's celebrated tenor, Mr. Frank Parker. Mr. Parker will sing Mandy from the Ziegfeld College of 1919.

[Kingfish]

Mandy, do you take this man, Frank Parker, to be your loving husband and empower me to honor him through sickness and through health?

[Quartet Member]

I don't know. I can't make up my mind.

[Singer]

Now listen, Mandy, There's a minister handy and it sure would be dandy if we let her make a fee so don't you linger Here's a ring for your finger Isn't it a humdinger? Come along and let the wedding times Bring happy times for men behind me. Now don't you linger Here's a ring for your finger Here's a little humdinger Come along and let the wedding time Bring happy times oh, manly.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Before continuing with the show, I should like to say that some time ago, Pepsodent Toothpaste was licensed exclusively to use a newly discovered ingredient called irium. Now for McGuire.

[Amos]

Look out, Andy. What you doing?

[Andy]

Irim or no Irum, I'm gonna unlatch around here tonight.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

They got me here. Kingfish, help me deliver this message. The physicist is an answer.

[Kingfish]

Yasa. Mister. Hey, Yasa. I'll take care of It. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, here at last is the toothpaste that ends the disappointment of old fashioned Jennifer.

[Andy]

Yeah, well, I'm going to act around here if I got to knock everybody off.

[Kingfish]

Say, Lightning, Lightning, come here. Take this announcement. Deliver this message to Garcia. Hey, read it, Layton.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Read it.

[Kingfish]

You gotta deliver the message.

[Amos]

Don't worry, Brother King, please.

[Quartet Member]

I'll read it.

[Amos]

Ladies and gentlemen, why not give up those old fashioned disappointing benefices?

[Andy]

Well, I hate to do this.

[Amos]

Captivity is the only toothpaste that contains irum which not only floats away film as nothing else can, but it also steps up the luster to surprise and speed.

[Andy]

I'll get him this time.

[Amos]

I promise you that once you try this toothpaste, you want to give up them old fashioned kinds and use Pepsicin all the time. Is you hitting him, Andy?

[Andy]

I'm shooting him right in the middle. Lightning, what is the matter with you?

[Amos]

Well, I tell you, Ms. Andrew, the Patrick and Company thought something like this was gonna happen and they sent me a bulletproof ve.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Well, Amos, you seem very happy tonight.

[Amos]

Yes, sir, Mr. Here I is everything going along fine up to now. Got a nice crowd out here in the audience too.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Yes, we have a very nice audience here tonight.

[Amos]

Well, look at that. There's your wife in the front row there. Hello, Ms. Hay.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Yeah, Mrs. Hay wanted to come down tonight to see the show.

[Amos]

Yeah, she's all dressed up in the evening gown. Stand up, Ms. Hay, and let the people see you. Folks, that's Bill Hay's wife. Yes. You know, Bill, last time I seed your wife, her arms were so very thin. I was just looking at her forearm there, how big it is. She must be playing tennis or something, ain't she?

[Bill Hay (Host)]

No, she isn't, but I'm glad you asked that.

[Andy]

Yeah.

[Amos]

Well, what makes her arms so big, Bill?

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Well, Amos, I've invented a liniment by rubbing this liniment on my wife's arm, I find that it makes her arms much larger.

[Amos]

Oh, you rub the liniment on her arms and it makes them larger, huh?

[Bill Hay (Host)]

That's right.

[Amos]

Yeah, I was just looking at her there, Bill. You must have spill a little of that on her feet too, ain't you?

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Ladies and gentlemen, Amos Jones, assisted by Andrew Brown. The quartet and the chorus will sing. We'll sing. Let me see, what is the name

[Andy]

of that song, Mr. Hay?

[Quartet Member]

The name of this song is Dinner. Yes. The name of this song is D. Yes.

[Singer]

Name that song is D. Carolina give

[Andy]

me Dinah say you bout the proudest one beneath the Dixie Sun.

[Amos]

Yes, sir.

[Singer]

And the news is spreading about dad wedding.

[Kingfish]

Can you hear them church bells ringing?

[Singer]

Here's the song my heart keeps singing Dinah Is anyone finer in the state of Carolina? If Neil Dan, you know her love won't she show her to me? Oh, Dinah where the Dixie Eyes blazing how long sitting gazing to the eyes of just my Dino leaves every night Whitey white ha with fright because my dynamite Change your mind or diner if she wanted to China, I would hop an ocean liner here to be with Dinah Lee Dinah, Dinah, Dinah, Dinah, Dinah Is anyone finer in the state of North Carolina Here there's and you know a lot of people. You show to me dinah with the 60 eyes blazing how along sitting gazing to the eyes of my China and every night why do I take with bright he calls me dynamite. Change your mind. If you wanted to China I would

[Kingfish]

hop an ocean line.

[Andy]

Bill, I hope you don't call that singing. He can't sing no more than a monkey. Now wait a minute, handy. Wait a minute nothing. If you want to hear some singing, let me sing something.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

I didn't know you could sing.

[Andy]

Oh, boy, when I sings, I really goes down after them. Yes, sir, I go way down below.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Low H. You mean you can sing as low as low C or lower

[Andy]

than below low C below the sea. Well, I ain't exactly going to get wet doing it. Put on no diver suit or nothing. But I get way down there, though.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Oh, you do?

[Quartet Member]

All right.

[Andy]

Go ahead.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

Let's see what you can do with it.

[Andy]

All right, I'll show you. Crowd around me here, boys.

[Quartet Member]

Come on.

[Kingfish]

All right, Brother Hand.

[Amos]

I hear. I hear.

[Singer]

Go ahead, Mr. Hend.

[Amos]

I hear.

[Andy]

Get up close. Now Listen to this, Mr. Leader. Give me a couple of chords and something there. I'll show you some below singing Many Brave Hearts or Asleep in the deep. So beware be hot dog.

[Kingfish]

Be you really going down there now be.

[Quartet Member]

He sure is low

[Bill Hay (Host)]

be.

[Amos]

Stand back here, buddy.

[Andy]

Oh, oh, I forgot.

[Bill Hay (Host)]

The grand finale by the entire company.

[Bill Hay]

The Mystic Knights of the Sea minstrels with those inimitable end men, Amos and Andy Lichten and the Kingfish. The Mystic Knights of the Sea male chorus and quartet with your old friend Bill Hay as interlocutor, have been presented by the Pepsid Company, makers of Pepsid and toothpaste. Amos and Andy will be back with you Monday night at the same time with their regular episodes.

[Amos]

Hey, look at that bunch of people out in the audience there, would you, Andy?

[Andy]

Yeah, I was talking to the Kingfish and he said that they had to turn away about 2,000 people. They couldn't get them in here.

[Amos]

They said it had 2,000 people and

[Kingfish]

they couldn't get in the place.

[Andy]

They crowded up all over. All over the place, out in front and every other place.

[Amos]

Well, you know what we ought to do?

[Bill Hay (Host)]

What?

[Amos]

We ought to put on the show again next Friday night and change the jokes and songs and everything around.

[Andy]

Yeah, let's do that.

[Quartet Member]

Mingli song.

[Bill Hay]

Koya Komling sing Choyas phone.

[Amos]

What you say, mister?

[Bill Hay]

I said this is the Red network

[Andy]

of the National Broadcasting Company.

[Howie Mandel]

The Global Gaming League is presented by Atlas Earth, the fun cashback app. Hey, it's Howie Mandel and I am inviting you to witness history as me and my how we do it gaming team take on Gilly the King and Wallow $267 million gaming in an epic global gaming league video game showdown. Plus a halftime performance by multi platinum artist Trav McCoy. Watch all the action and see who wins and advances to the championship match right [e-mail] that's globalgamingleague.com in partnership with Level Up Expo.

[Tyler Reddick]

Tyler reddick here from 2311 Racing. Another checkered flag for the books. Time to celebrate with Chumba. Jump [e-mail] let's shamba.

[Howie Mandel]

No purchase necessary. BTW group void, we're prohibited by law. CTNC21+ sponsored by Chumba Casino.