Podcast Summary: Ozzie and Harriet 45-09-30 (044) Exaggeration Troubles

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Ozzie and Harriet 45-09-30 (044) Exaggeration Troubles
Aired: September 17, 2025
Original Broadcast: September 30, 1945

Episode Overview

This episode of "Ozzie and Harriet" zeroes in on a timeless theme: the trouble that exaggeration can bring to family life. Prompted by Harriet’s tendency to embellish, Ozzie attempts to “cure” her by meeting exaggeration with over-the-top tall tales of his own. What begins as playful banter about last night’s party soon snowballs into a comic misadventure involving antiques, misunderstandings, and a very costly visit from the tax assessor. The show sparkles with witty repartee and satire, offering a humorous look at household dynamics and human foibles.

Key Discussion Points and Episode Breakdown

1. Post-Party Reflections (01:46–05:24)

• Setting: Ozzie and Harriet, sluggish after a late-night party, reflect humorously on the prior evening.
• Party Recap: Ozzie insists he played the “perfect host,” but Harriet recalls his faux-pas, from his awkward admiration for guests’ dresses to loudly advertising "free sandwiches."
• On Exaggeration: Harriet jokes about being “starved” for breakfast, segueing to Ozzie’s frustration about her habit of exaggeration—especially when she bragged at the party that Ozzie could do 50 push-ups (when he could barely do seven).
  • Quote:

    "You must exaggerate, dear. I wish you'd leave me out of it."
    — Ozzie Nelson (05:36)

2. Breakfast Table Escalation – Ozzie’s Counter-exaggeration (05:59–14:24)

• Ozzie’s Plan: Ozzie confides in son David, deciding he’ll exaggerate even more than Harriet to teach her a lesson.
• Breakfast Tactics: Ozzie begins making absurd claims about not having eaten for “two weeks” and delivers wild stories (e.g., his lodge friend eats "135 eggs, 50 quarts of milk, 6 dozen wheat cakes" for breakfast).
• Household Banter Chain: Gloria the housekeeper enters with her own tall tales about “air pressure cocktails.” The family’s banter mounts as they trade ever more ludicrous nuggets.
  • Quote:

    “One drink and you blow your top.”
    — Gloria (12:11)

  • Quote:

    “I've had your relatives over for dinner. Your Uncle Peter could eat that guy under the table and then eat the table right off of him.”
    — Harriet Nelson (13:42)

3. The "Antiques" Scheme – Ozzie’s Plan Backfires (19:39–27:29)

• The Scheme: Ozzie and Emmy Lou (neighbor) concoct a plan: when the antique dealer arrives, Ozzie will use outrageous exaggerations to show Harriet how silly it is.
• Unexpected Visitor: Instead of the antique dealer, Mr. Clark from the County Tax Assessor's office appears to value their furniture for tax purposes.
• Ozzie’s Antics: Ozzie grossly inflates the value and history of household items:
  • A table—really worth $50—is pronounced “$5,750” and purportedly a Scottish knight's footstool.
  • The old piano is “the one the finance company took back from Franz Schubert.”
  • A lamp was “used by Julius Caesar” before electricity was invented.
  • Quote:

    “You just succeeded not only in picking out one of the most valuable possessions in the house, you have picked out the most valuable. This floor lamp … was once used by Julius Caesar.”
    — Ozzie Nelson (26:09)

• Table-Turned: Mr. Clark diligently writes down all values for the tax records.
• Harriet’s Exasperation: Harriet is mortified by Ozzie’s claims and reveals to Ozzie he’s been speaking to the tax assessor, not the antique dealer.
  • Quote:

    “That was the assessor for our personal property tax. And this year, it’s going to be a honey.”
    — Harriet Nelson (27:41)

4. Resolution: Learning (or Not Learning) the Lesson (29:49–31:09)

• Tax Consequences: Harriet shows Ozzie the (humorously exaggerated) tax bill—$152,740—and jests that their living room is now "worth half a million."
• All’s Well that Ends Well: Harriet clarifies the records are accurate because she quickly corrected Ozzie’s exaggerations with Mr. Clark.
• Last Laugh: Harriet confesses she had to tell Mr. Clark Ozzie had "a brain the size of a peanut" to rectify matters.
  • Quote:

    “There you go exaggerating again.”
    — Ozzie Nelson (31:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Harriet’s Party Recap:

  “You admired every woman's dress. All right. In fact, you mortified that one woman completely.” (02:56)

• Ozzie’s Rationale:

  “I'm merely trying to show you how foolish it is to exaggerate things.” (14:14)

• Emmy Lou’s Philosophy:

  “Women don’t exaggerate, Mr. Nelson. It’s just that after they get done telling the truth, they keep on talking.” (20:12)

• Emmy Lou’s Exaggeration Logic:

  “If I met a goon, of course I tell my girlfriends he’s the most divine man—utterly handsome, simply super dreamboat. … Then they know he’s a goon, or I wouldn’t have said all that.” (20:26–20:47)

• Harriet’s Zinger:

  “I told him you had a brain the size of a peanut.” (31:05)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Party Aftermath/Exaggeration Setup: 01:46–05:24
• Ozzie's Counter-Exaggeration at Breakfast: 07:07–14:24
• Gloria’s Tall Tales: 11:01–13:14
• Emmy Lou’s Exaggeration Philosophy: 19:39–20:47
• The Antiques/Tax Assessor Fiasco: 22:29–27:41
• Resolution and Final Banter: 29:49–31:09

Summary & Takeaway

“Ozzie and Harriet: Exaggeration Troubles” deftly satirizes the everyday embellishments we indulge in, tipping over into farce when Ozzie tries to give Harriet a taste of her own medicine. The moral? Sometimes exaggeration gets you in hot water, and the best intentions can backfire hilariously. Through misunderstandings, marital banter, and over-the-top claims, the episode delivers classic comedic timing and gently pokes fun at the art of the tall tale—a relatable slice of Golden Age radio.