We see Amanda arriving back at Lee’s place with Alexi’s things.. Hmmm Amanda lets herself back into Lee’s apartment.. she has a key! hehheee
I wonder if she gives it back…
The look on Lee’s face is too cute when Amanda finds out what they bought at the shop.. he knows he shouldn’t have gotten that rubbish and he is being suckered but he wants to spoil him and be liked.. awh!!! and Amanda can see this..
Love the little glance Lee gives her just before she says “what are you doing? going for the father of the year? ” – he knows it’s coming.. hehehee.. Doesn’t he look cute here in the scene?? awh…
Then, Lee defends his being a big softie by how hard Alexi has had it… and then 
he launches into what has been going on at ACM plant.. the satellite project.. blah blah.. why does Amanda need to know this? It must be because it is her case too 
ahem… Actually, I think maybe Lee is trying to change the subject and it seems to work.. for now!
Love how Amanda just takes his money – no problem spending his money with Alexi! heheheee…
Oh 
!!!
Amanda: Just in case what?
Lee: Well, you know, just in case some of our friends would also like to get his hands on Alexi.
Amanda gasps: Really?
Lee(sounding serious!): Yes, Amanda.
Danger, excitement, Intrigue.
Amanda: Oh, shut up.
Lee: haaaaaaa
I think Lee liked to have a little tease with Amanda here to level out things.. he has just been busted spoiling Alexi and I think he was a little vulnerable about it… so ha haaaa crack a joke and tease Amanda.. I love the laugh he gives as he leaves.. he has a great laugh.. and that smile?…. ooh swoon!!!
On to the agency… The lug wrench bar??? now that sounds like a masculine hang out!! I see Billy is still in the ugly knit cardy.. only this time it is sleeveless.. oh come on Billy.. let Jeanne dress you!
Lee: But I wonder what all this has to do with Alexi’s folks.
Billy: Tell the King woman to keep her ears open. And by the way, how’s she getting along with Alexi?
Lee: You know Amanda. She’s got motherhood carved on her bones. She’s having the time of her life.
Ok.. ‘the king woman’? Billy!!grrrr shame on you ‘the cardy man’!
Lee says ‘You know Amanda?’ Actually Lee.. Billy doesn’t.. he just knows “the king woman” reow!
Err.. am I hearing this right? Did Lee just say he knows Amanda? and um.. kinda compliment her?? OH MY!!!!! Isn’t it fabulous to see him give a proud smile about Amanda’s mothering skills?? swoon…(err even though it isn’t really true… Alexi is a tough kid to enjoy, he doesn’t want to be enjoyed!) I think Lee is happy to admit Amanda has these skills – as they are nothing to do with usual agency work!
This bow-tie wearing guy at the arcade is the scary Mr Wilson?? That we heard about in the beginning? haa!! He tells Alexi his parents are safe for the moment.. if he sneaks back there later and helps them with the computer or something.. Alexi tries the sad eyes he tricked Lee with- Pleeease don’t hurt my parents! but.. Mr Wilson is unmoved and threatens to do more than just hurt them..
Sooo we get to see the Lug Wrench bar.. notice anything weird about this sign?
Happy hour is 4-6pm!! A 2 hour happy hour??? haa hehehee.. someone can’t count.. that is too funny!
Ricky Joe err I mean Lee drinks a hacksaw.. don’t worry.. it’s the name of a drink apparently..errr is that a real drink?
Dotty and her erogenous zones are too funny! Dr Bain was mentioned in If thoughts could kill and now Amanda seems to be figuring out who he is- when she knew who he was 2 episodes ago – ah… episode order change alert!
Dotty: Fred and I have determined that I carry a lot of passion in my arches.
Amanda: Mooother!
Amanda: Hi, boys. You having a good time?
Jamie: Yeah, Alexi’s teaching us how to roll a drunk.
Love the way Phillip says : Naaaaah, the Feds got him in protective custody.
Like he knows all about that.. 
Alexi won Jamie’s bike in a crap game?? lol!!!! Why doesn’t it register that the kid is very clever… and that maybe he is the one they could be after? hmmm..he is probably too annoying for anyone to notice!
The big sister program is a good idea.. good one Amanda.. at least that one kind of made sense..
Lee and Amanda’s phone conversation is really clever and funny with the double meanings..and Dotty listening in the whole time… great writing!!! Love how Amanda manages to get another little 
dig in about his hellhole. err I mean apartment!
I think Amanda is stuck- she has to look after Alexi, she can’t tell Lee she wants him to go when Dotty is listening!
Oh dear.. Lee you could have been more subtle with seeing the guy there and then starting in 
with the fighting with your ex-wife!! (Amanda’s face when she hears this is too funny!)
It is great when Amanda finally gets tough with Alexi..
Alexi: You know, you’re tougher than the Fed with the moldy cheese.
Amanda: Really? I want that in writing.
-that is kind of cool!
It looks like the security guy out the front is doing the banana dance.. 
check it out.. really!!
Alexi visits the baddies to do a little research on Ricky Joe.. check out the clunky keyboard! ha haaa
Ricky Joe Jackson.. what a name..
Back at Amanda’s.. uh oh.. the headband is back… her phone conversation with Dean is rather unromantic isn’t it.. no I miss you or love you.. just.. “I told you you should have taken your poncho!” oh dear..(she’s telling him to take his rain poncho? He is the weatherman who just won an award and she knows better than he does Haaa.) Amanda does manage to at least sound half interested in hearing him talk about his trophy… an aluminum sun.. yawn! Then again, she is a mum and has lots of practice at listening to stuff and sounding interested… LOL.
Love Dotty’s line: Well, how are you and young Dillinger getting along?
Back at the lug wrench..
Lee: So she says to me, “Now don’t you bother taking your boots off, ’cause I just love a cowboy.”
oh my.. ummm.. I just have to um get this picture out of my head!!! yeee haaa.. ricky joe, you are being very unhelpful!…. maybe a cup of water in my face will help! no wait.. maybe Amanda’s insult coming up will help! hehehee…
Amanda the monkey wrench arrives at the Lug wrench How did Amanda know where to find Lee? Does she know about his cover?? and if she knew where he was- why not just call him!! I know I know.. this way is more fun!
Lee: Now you see why I’m so broke. Most ex-wives just pick up the phone. Not mine. She jumps on a plane.
Good save Lee!
and .. how does she know his name is Ricky Joe? (they must have told her at the agency huh…?)
Lee whispers : Come to my place tonight and we’ll talk. ( I have had dreams about Lee whispering that to me )
Lee: Tell me I stink. ( Hmm…no dreams about Lee telling me that though )
Amanda: You stink.
Lee: Throw my drink in my face.
Amanda: And frankly, Ricky Joe, sex with you was always a major
disappointment.
Lee: Ham. 
Ahhh this is another gold humour moment!!!! I just love the delivery here!!!I love how Amanda shoves the drink in his hand and walks off…. sooo funny!!!! Lee got more than he bargained for didn’t he- Amanda!! you don’t have to call into question his leaving his cowboy boots on
!!!! ohhh the shame of it!!!
Ricky Joe is offered $2000- for personnel files by the baddies.. and he comes through for them passing their test.. Their next step is to get Ricky Joe to steal the satellite codes.. only they are going to need to convince him to do it! The baddies say they are keeping Alexi around to verify the codes and once they are in the satellite computers – Alexi and his parents will be ‘blown away’…. uh oh!!
Well that is it for now! I’ll be back soon with Part 3… Hope you are all enjoying the Christmas break!
"Just walk with me.." 
I think, wordpress ate my comment again ….
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Yep, it’s a hungry son of a gun. Guess we should feed it more often. 😉
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Walk 1-2/3: The ACM Kid 1.05
#rewatch 2025
A cheerful Amanda arrives at the apartment and is confronted with the fact that Lee is apparently running for “Father of the Year.” He let Alexi choose the food – plus the beer for both of them. The soft whistling and the looks Lee gives Amanda are just too sweet. He knows it wasn’t right, but he wants to make the boy happy. Lee really shows a compassionate side here that you wouldn’t expect from his “Scarecrow-personality“.
I think it’s great to learn more about Lee.
Not that Amanda doesn’t see through it.🤣
Have you noticed how sexy, soft and gentle his voice is when he says
Lee: “Hey.” He’s been through a bad time.” is?
You can always talk to me like that, Lee…
*kihudtspsp;sxiok7fopoc7😵💫 *faint😵💫 *thud😵💫
I think it’s really nice of Lee to provide Amanda with the money she needs to keep Alexi busy during the day. Even though Amanda is a little overwhelmed by it at the moment, she accepts it anyway.
I love the following conversation because it simply shows that the two get along better than they would ever admit. Or even that they like each other a lot.
Amanda: Just in case what?
Lee: Well, you know, just in case some of our friends would also like to get his hands on Alexi.
Amanda: Really?
Lee: Yes, Amanda. Danger, excitement. Intrigue.🤨
Amanda: Oh, shut up.
And again his voice… and his quiet laugh… and his Eyebrows… Gosh, I just “LOOVEEE” (Imagine Bruce’s voice here) it. Even though he teases her a little about it, Amanda isn’t mad at him.
Billy wears clothes that my ex-father-in-law always wore in the early 90s. I thought they were awful back then, and nothing has changed. But I think since Billy is no longer in the field, he just wears what’s comfortable and appropriate for his position. Lee, on the other hand, always puts a lot of stock in his clothes. Always smart, always well-groomed. Always with a collar pin under his tie.
It’s also amazing how quickly he can put himself in Jeff Clemens’ shoes and how well he understands a gambling addict. What he doesn’t understand is how Alexi and his family got into this mess.
Lee: But I wonder what all this has to do with Alexi’s folks.
Billy: Tell the King woman to keep her ears open.
And by the way, how’s she getting along with Alexi?
Lee: You know Amanda. She’s got motherhood carved on her bones.
She’s having the time of her life.
Lee almost sounds as if he’s impressed by Amanda’s mothering skills. HELLO???😵
Is he proud of Amanda?😵
Just look at his smile right now.
Holy cow.😵
But yeah, IWSOD, I still agree with you. I also think Lee is only giving the compliment because it has nothing to do with agency work. And still… it’s not an empty compliment in my opinion.
I understand Amanda’s annoyed that a 12-year-old smokes and then talks her out of her money so he can keep gambling. The guard can be seen in the background. How inconspicuous. *rofl*
Mr. Wilson, the guy behind the change booth, is a slimy, sleazy character. But he reveals how Alexi and his family are involved in the whole thing. Lee previously said it was a satellite project. and that the satellite is a special surveillance job, and obviously, the bad guys would love to find out what makes it tick. ….. and now we also learn that Alexi is highly gifted.
Wilson: You have an IQ of 185. You’ll think of something.
It annoys me that this slimy, sleazy rat is threatening Alexi to make him compliant.🤬
Wilson: If you’re not here, I’ll do more than just … hurt them.
For hecks sake, that’s a 12-year-old.🤬
In the Lug Wrench Bar, we then see Lee as a little poor cowboy [Ricky Joe Jackson? Really? … gimme a break…] in western clothes (your idea, Bruce?) flirting with the waitress. Unfortunately, Conny is much smarter than him and gives him a great comeback. But … the Stetson smile with the mesmerizing dimples works after all, and Lee can make a good impression on her. His smile IS swoon-worthy …🥹
@IWSOD: Hacksaw is a cocktail made with vodka, orange juice, and orange soda. It’s served in a Mason jar with ice, with the vodka added first, then the orange juice, and finally the orange soda.
And honestly, I’m surprised Lee’s drinking a cocktail instead of a beer. But I guess that’s part of his cover. In any case, someone seems to have taken the bait. Otherwise, we wouldn’t see the blond, also somewhat greasy guy in close-up.
Meanwhile, Amanda is mixing some unidentifiable red in her kitchen. I’m guessing it’s something vegetable-based, but I understand Philipp making a horrible face. I wouldn’t want to drink that either.
Anyway, we learn more about Dotties erogenous zones in her feet, that Alexi teaches the boys how to roll a drunk, that Alexi won Jamie’s bike in a crap game. And that the Feds have Alexi in protective custody, which Dottie is more than just interested in. But Amanda is really quick and tells a crap story about a Big Sister program.
Yes, the phone conversation is really funny.
Especially since Dottie curiously pricks up her ears.
Amanda: Of course! Let’ not undo all the good we’ve done by sending him back to the hellhole he was in this morning.🤣
Lee: Hey, watch it, wil , ya?
Amanda still tries to be nice to Alexi, but he really doesn’t seem to trust anyone and acts like Lee. But he immediately gets a warning from Amanda. It’s her house, after all, and he needs to pull himself together. So he tries to be nice, too.
Alexi: You know, you’re tougher than the Fed with the moldy cheese.
Amanda: Really? (Alexi nods.) I want that in writing.
Meanwhile, at the Lug Wrench Bar, the blond, somewhat sleazy guy named Becker is lurking around Lee’s Porsche, which has a Texas license plate. Behind him, in the bar, Lee leans over, peeks out the window, and smiles. Goal achieved.💪
After dark, Alexi tries to sneak out (as instructed by Mr. Wilson). He can’t go out front because a Fed is waiting for him there, so he goes out the back to get Wilson and Becker information about Ricky Joe Jackson. And we also learn that Becker definitly isn’t the brightest bulb in the chandelier. *rofl*
The next morning, Amanda calls Dean. I think this is the third time he’s appeared in some form. This time, though, not in person. Tri-city weather forecaster of the year that gets an aluminum sun as a trophy. Gosh, phone calls with my boss are more emotional…🥱
During lunchtime at the Lug Wrench Bar, Lee tries to play the playboy and tells stories from his love life. And he’s already resorted to calling the candy waitress darlin’ and sweetheart. Amanda unexpectedly shows up at the bar. Did she call Billy to find him? Lee is nervous about her appearance and tries to salvage the situation.
Lee: Now you see why I’m so broke. Most ex-wives just pick up thephone. Not mine. She jumps on a plane. Excuse me for a minute, huh? The alimony check is in the mail, sugar.
Lee: Ah. You know, I got to go back to work now or I might screw up my job totally, you savvy. Come to my place tonight and we’ll talk. Tell me I stink.
Amanda: You stink.
Lee: Throw my drink in my face.
Amanda: And frankly, Ricky Joe, sex with you was always a major disappointment.
Lee: Ham
I had to google what “ham” means. To me, it was pork ham.🤦♀️
In any case, Amanda puts on a more than funny performance as an ex-wife with a lot of unresolved anger for her ex-husband when she pushes the glass into his hand and walks away. Lee watches her go, glaring. But at least Lee managed to convince Becker of his role as a loser and gets immediately involved in an illegal business, for which he receives two grand to help ease the (mental) pain.
Coughlin: Cowboy gets an A.
Becker: Good. Next we’ll go for the code book.
Coughlin: We keeping the kid around to verify the codes for us?
Becker: That’s the only reason we’re keeping him around. Once we’re into the satellite computer, Wilson wants the kid and his parents blown away. They’re too much trouble.
I wonder what Lee did with the money? Can he keep something like that or does he have to hand it over to Billy? Would be interesting to know.
@Nancy
Yes, the Ricky Joe and Amanda bar scene, where she gets back at him big time, is pure gold!😍
@Morley
Exactly. How much mothering has Lee been around? I agree with you, that Lee has a greater appreciation for Amanda.
@karenrudolph
YEAHHH … the little glance he gives Amanda before she says “father of the year” and his super sexy voice when he starts that speech.
And the chuckle and the big smile he gives before he leaves?
… OH
… MY
… GOSH
… *kihudtspsp;sxiok7fopoc7😵💫 *faint😵💫 *thud😵💫
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Here it is MavisMarston, yep wordpress falsely accused you of being spam – perhaps because of your awesome emojis 😦
But I’ve given wordpress a good talking to!
flag it with me if this happens again so i know to come and look – wordpress doesn’t notify me if there is spam, but I’ll always get your comments emailed to me. all good!
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Sorry, Mavisramble.
But you‘re the best, you know that?
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I always laugh when 1) Lee tells Amanda to throw his drink in his face, 2) she does exactly what he says, and then 3) he looks genuinely annoyed. It seems to me like he got sort of caught up in the play-acting with her, and didn’t think through what he was asking. LOL.
OTOH, I’m almost reluctant to admit this, but sometimes I think I might be the only SMK fan out here who doesn’t find the “frankly Ricky Joe, sex with you was always a major disappointment” line to be hilarious. I mean, it’s funny, but it seemed a little … I don’t know. Trying too hard?
Maybe part of it is the fake accents. Lee’s “Ricky Joe” persona with the fake Southern/Texas accent always used to bother me a lot, because while Virginia is technically the “South,” this is just not the way people sound in Northern Virginia. This watch-through, I finally caught that he is pretending to be from Houston. But why? And why is the bartender talking this way too? There seems to be this thing in Hollywood, especially on older TV shows, that Southern = stupid hick, and I hate to say it, but I do believe SMK plays into that stereotype here and on several other occasions, and I find this… irritating? lazy writing?… I don’t know, it just always bothered me.
But as usual, I’m probably way overthinking this. They had Bruce use that accent because he could, and it sounded funny to everyone.
I think the best-delivered line in this episode by far is when Amanda is talking to Lee on the phone with her mother hanging around right behind her: “Splendid idea! Yes! Well we wouldn’t wanna undo all the good we’ve done by sending him back to that HELL HOLE he was in this morning.” I love the way she sort of grits her teeth while saying it. Makes me crack up every single time! Amanda’s having to be fake-cheery for the whole conversation so that Dotty doesn’t catch what’s really going on is SMK humor at its best. Love it.
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#2019rewatch
How did Bruce Boxleitner take that zinger standing? IMO, he let it go because his cover was “Ricky Joe” and Lee Stetson wouldn’t want Amanda messing around with that deadbeat dad! Now if Amanda said that (but it’s not her style) to Lee Stetson or “Scarecrow,” she’d get a reaction!
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Yes! Lee’s laugh is great and his smile is swoon-worthy … don’t forget his mesmerizing dimples! It’s wonderful this comes hot on the heels of his “danger, excitement, intrigue,” to which Amanda responds, “Oh shut up!” This scene is priceless and who can resist laughing right along with him?
The Ricky Joe and Amanda bar scene, where she gets back at him big time, is pure gold! Also caught the subtle fun that occurs when a petulant Ricky Joe calls beer-annointing Amanda a HAM; earlier, she made derogatory comments about his CHEESE!
NOTE: With the luxury of going back to the beginning, I decided to use the revised episode order, so this is episode three.
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A hacksaw is a real cocktail – apparently it’s made in a mason jar.
http://cocktails.underthelabel.com/l/11958/Hacksaw
I do.like it when SMK gives us real info.
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How much mothering has Lee been around? I think he kind of likes being exposed to it. I sense as I watched this part tonight that Lee has a greater appreciation for Amanda here, especially the part in his kitchen. His face seems o have a lightness about it that we haven’t seen yet. There was a glipmse of it at the end of There Goes the Neighborhood, when Amanda use the hairspray, but here it is stronger and somehow I get the feeling that it has to do with Amanda’s mother instinct. I think Lee is enjoying it a bit too.
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Comment on the happy hour at the Lug Wrench Bar. Happy Hours at most bars here are not really an hour. It usually last from the time most people are in transition from work to home or going out. Usually it’s anywhere from about 4:00PM until 6:00 or 7:00PM. Drinks and appetizers are usually discounted, sometimes by 50%.
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I love it when Amanda gets tough with Alexi – it is a very different side of Amanda we get to see for about 16 seconds. Other than when the volcano exploded at the end of season 2, we don’t even see her this tough with her own kids. Oh how I wish Billy and Francine could have seen that side of her somehow in connection with the Agency early on! After The First Time where Amanda gets in some good zingers on Lee, she doesn’t really ever act this tough except here, I think. Guess it only comes out when she’s in her comfort zone.
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After I posted this comment I thought about an episode we have’t gotten to yet, Life of the Party. I think we see some toughness there, but it’s not the same. If I remember I’ll try to make the link when we get to that episode.
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Lee teasing Amanda again…HaHa…he just can’t help it. Enjoy how she gets him with her line in the bar…yep, Lee, she is something else!!!!
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Hi all! 😀
Here we go again: With six frozen pizzas and a pound of brownies, LOL! Love KJ’s delivery of this line and the way she nods her head before she states this. Very funny! Alexi’s quick-witted reply also makes me smile every time: „We must have left the beer in the car. Thanks for reminding me.“ As much as he might be a pain in the neck, I think I find something cute about him as well after all.
And Lee? He puts up a cute innocent face and gives a huge smile when Alexi gives his cheeky reply. Is he going for „father of the year“? Ohhh Iwsod, how well you captured the little glance he gives Amanda before she says that! He purses his lips as if he was about to start whistling, doesn’t he? Very cute. Then he starts to defend Alexi… He’s been through a bad time… Wow, BB’s voice is super sexy when he starts that speech. Ooooookayyyyy Karen… concentrate…!
Amanda takes Lee’s money with a quite forthright attitude. Quite the material girl here, haha. Love it. And then of course: „Yes, Amanda! Danger, excitement. Intrigue.“ Look how Lee raises his eyebrows when he talks about intrigue! Hahaha, he cracks me up! About the chuckle and the big smile he gives before he leaves, ohhhhh well… I guess we can swoon collectively. Right?
Back in Billy’s office. What’s with all the pictures of old cars on his wall? Do we ever see them again – in other episodes, that is? Well, I think I like them better than the merlin that comes up later. 😉 Lee says Amanda has motherhood carved on her bones… And the next thing we see is how Amanda tries to pry Alexi loose from a gambling machine. Shooting Lee’s wad. Theheee.
On the the Lug Wrench Bar. Lee as Ricky Joe Jackson… He does a pretty good job, doesn’t he? The whole conversation with the Lady at the bar sounds very American in my ears. The way she says „What kinda action?“ or „I cut class“… And Lee answers „Hell, the check’s good!“ Is it just me or do they really speak more slang here than in the rest of the episode? It makes the whole scene more credible to me. Partly I was grateful for the subtitels though.
Dotty comes back home barefooted… LOL, I love Amanda’s face when Dotty speaks about the passion in her arches! Then the boys come downstairs and talk about the things they… errr… „learned“ from Alexi. I think I need your help there, because I don’t really understand what it means to „roll a drunk“.
Oh dear, how complicated a simple phonecall gets when both sides are unable to speak openly! Hahaaa! Lee is totally puzzled when Amanda says it was a „splendid idea“ that Alexi should stay with her a little longer. And Amanda states it was much better than sending him back to the „hellhole“ he stayed in before. This time, Lee does not seem to be amused! Love how he jumps back into the role of Ricky Joe Jackson, pretending a quarrel with his ex-wife.
Awh, Alexi really is sweet in his own way. „You know, you’re tougher than the fed with the moldy cheese…“ Awh, look at his face and his eyes. Maybe the tough guys aren’t as taugh as they want to make us believe? 😉
Oh my, here comes Dean! I almost forgot he’s still in the game… What? He is tri-city weather forcaster of the year. And he got an aluminum sun as a trophy? Oh wow, I mean… WOW. I am SO impressed. ROFL
One of the best scenes of this ep: Amanda comes to see Lee the Lug Wrench Bar. But she only finds Ricky Joe Jackson! LOL It is so funny how they manage to exchange the most important bits of information without blowing their cover. Hahaha, how Lee grits his teeth when he talks about screwing up his job totally… And did you realize how Amanda hesitates a split second before she calls Lee, err, Ricky Joe „honey“…? Is it true KJ adlibbed the line about sex with Ricky Joe being a major disappointment? In that case I really wonder how she and BB managed to stay in character…
Well I think that’s it for now. Bye! 😀
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I’ve heard that ” And frankly, Ricky Joe, sex with you was always a major
disappointment.” was an adlib by Kate Jackson. If that is true, how Bruce could have stayed in character is beyond me. 🙂
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