TAX SEASON OVER! KRAMDEN AND UNGER WENT THROUGH IT, TOO

Don't know your tax situation, none of my business. But I'll tell you, two of the funniest sit-coms to deal with this subject were both The Honeymooners and The Odd Couple.

In the Honeymooners episode, "The Worry Wart" (April 7, 1956), Ralph receives a letter from what then was called the Bureau of Internal Revenue. He believes he's getting a refund. No check inside, but a letter telling him to report to their office.
This happens during dinner, and he can't sit still. Meanwhile, Norton, his slim friend with the voluminous appetite, oblivious to Ralph's stress, keeps ordering Ralph to the fridge for various condiments ---ketchup, piccallilii chow-chow. But it's the request for bread that causes Ralph to blow a gasket.


Ralph compounds his worries by having Norton assist him in his tax audit defense.. Things immediately get off on the wrong foot when Norton, checking Ralph's return for accuracy, mistakes Ralph's social security # as either a dollar amount or Ralph's weight. And although Ralph tosses Norton out of his flat for the umpteenth time for his ludicrous summation ("stand on the 18th amendment-tell them you were drunk when you did your taxes"), Ralph nevertheless accepts Nortons' offer to accompany him down to the tax office. And although Norton, as only he can do, nearly indicts Ralph ("he's Kramden, I'm clean"), it all works out in the end.
For the few who have actually not viewed these twenty-four minutes of hilarity, the ending at the IRS office is priceless (just remember in your own life, when in a bad situation, to remain "calm and cool").

Now, almost 20 years later, The Odd Couple tries its hand at tax comedy ("The Ides of April", 4-19-73).  By 1973, the Bureau has changed its name to the IRS.

Felix, too, gets a letter of what he believes is an office audit. Upon arriving there, before verifying  the nature of the inquiry, he erupts in a diatribe of the injustice of being called down. He then elaborates about the great accuracy of his returns and the pains  he goes through. And how does the IRS have the gall to audit him, when they should be "auditing people like his roomate, Oscar Madison, who 'doesn't care what figures he puts down on his return'."

Turns out, like Kramden before him, Felix was not in any kind of trouble. To the contrary, the IRS was so impressed with his flawlessly neat, tidy and accurate returns, that they longed to meet the man behind the pencil. The supervisor bellows, "everyone get out here, Mr. Unger is here!". To show their appreciation, the entire office gives him a standing ovation. It is then the character of Felix Unger utters one of the corniest lines ever, that only he could say: "many happy returns!".

However, before he gets out the door, the supervisor then inquires for the name of the man who Felix said, "puts down any amount on his tax return". Felix pleads amnesia but to no avail--("get me the file on Oscar Madison".)  Felix then returns home to break the news to Oscar how he inadvertently  ratted him out.


Like Norton to Kramden, Felix offers his tax preparaion services to Oscar, whose plan is to "just go down there and beg for mercy". Fortunately for Oscar, Felix is much more competent than Norton. And the ending of this episode is classic.