This classic episode has Rerun falling in love with the high priestess (Jonelle Allen) of a whacked out cult who worships a head of lettuce called "Ralph" and chants "Oom Shaka Loom, Shak Shak" (which was a catchphrase for those of us who saw this episode in our school years). Roger and Dwayne get worried that this is a bunko scheme, and try to keep Rerun from being conned out of his money and being made a fool of. Will they succeed? You'll see.
While this episode can be looked at today as entertaining foolishness, it is interesting to note that in the late 1970s, outlandish cults who exploited the confused and gullible were a real concern on the American scene and stories like this that parodied this phenomena of ignorant characters joining ridiculous pseudo religions were a staple of TV sitcoms at the time (this story is remarkably similar to a "welcome Back Kotter" episode of the same era of Arnold Horshack joining an equally moronic cult). However, this plot line quickly vanished from sitcom fodder after the Jim Jones killings that took place several months after this story aired. Conversely given the plethora of followers today of Internet conspiracy theorists, Pseudo-history DVDs of the "Hidden Colors" variety and History channel shows about aliens and UFOs, phony informercials, and ever present political and religious quacks- aside from a couple of dated gags about Shamu the whale and the bald TV detective Kojak, this episode is just as funny and eerily relevant today as it was in 1978.
While this episode can be looked at today as entertaining foolishness, it is interesting to note that in the late 1970s, outlandish cults who exploited the confused and gullible were a real concern on the American scene and stories like this that parodied this phenomena of ignorant characters joining ridiculous pseudo religions were a staple of TV sitcoms at the time (this story is remarkably similar to a "welcome Back Kotter" episode of the same era of Arnold Horshack joining an equally moronic cult). However, this plot line quickly vanished from sitcom fodder after the Jim Jones killings that took place several months after this story aired. Conversely given the plethora of followers today of Internet conspiracy theorists, Pseudo-history DVDs of the "Hidden Colors" variety and History channel shows about aliens and UFOs, phony informercials, and ever present political and religious quacks- aside from a couple of dated gags about Shamu the whale and the bald TV detective Kojak, this episode is just as funny and eerily relevant today as it was in 1978.