T.H.E. Cat

Episode 23: The Ninety Percent Blues

February 24, 1967 • 30 min

(intro narration) Gangster Milo Andrade, along with 2 of his thugs, is having a meeting in his penthouse apartment with handsome, young black comedian Timmie Taylor. In front of them is a 10-gallon aquarium filled with piranha, their teeth ""sharper than razors."" Milo tells Timmie to sign the management contract: 90% for Milo, 10% for Timmie-- no wonder Timmie has got The Ninety Percent Blues. When Timmie refuses, Frankie Welles and the other thug grab him, and force his hand into the piranha tank-- but only for a second, as a warning. One thug forces Timmie into the next room. Then Cat silently enters the room, knocks out Frankie Welles and throws him across a table. Cat sneaks Timmie out, and to safety. That night, at a nightclub, Timmie is doing his act: dancing with a 4-piece band (bass guitar, horn, drums and piano) and telling jokes-- ""My friend was on a far-out diet. For 3 weeks all he ate was bananas. He didn't lose any weight, but man, you should see him climb trees!""