Raisin the Stakes: A Rock Opera in Three Acts

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“Raisin the Stakes: A Rock Opera in Three Acts”
Clone High episode
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 9
Guest stars Jack Black as the Pusher/Larry Hardcore
Written by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Bill Lawrence
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Production no. 109
Original airdate 12 January 2003
Episode chronology
← Previous Next →
"A Room of One's Clone: Pie of the Storm" "Litter Kills: Litterally"

Raisin the Stakes: A Rock Opera in Three Acts is an episode of Clone High. It is also a rock opera.

Contents

[edit] Plot

[edit] Synopsis

An anti-drug speaker at Clone High actually makes everyone want to smoke raisins. Cleo and JFK peer pressure Abe into smoking raisins. Gandhi gets high and takes a magical adventure through his subconscious. Scudworth uses the opportunity to take over the PTA. Joan tries to save everyone.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Episode walkthrough

Guest speaker Larry Hardcore (voiced by Jack Black) gives a concert on drug awareness and in the process plants the idea of smoking raisins in the minds of the students of Clone High. Directly after the assembly, a "scary looking hooded fellow lurking in the shadows" who calls himself The Pusher appears to sell them raisins.

Joan makes a passionate speech persuading the crowd not to smoke raisins, but JFK appears with bags of raisins and quickly persuades everyone to smoke raisins (the process of which resembles marijuana cigarettes, but with raisins sticking out the end) with him in his van. Despite his firm anti-drug stance, Abe follows the crowd, worried that Cleo will hook up with JFK if he doesn't.

Gandhi also goes to smoke raisins, excited about the possibility of finally becoming accepted. Immediately after smoking, he begins hallucinating. In his hallucination, he imagines Geldhemoor, a Humkeycorn – “half humming bird, half donkey, and half unicorn.” Geldhemoor says she has come to take Gandhi “on a magical journey into [his] subconscious.” She gives him some magic trail mix, which shrinks him until he is small enough to ride on Geldhemoor’s back. She tells him that he must find the Magic Amulet of Balthazoo, which will lead him to The Castle Fusilor, where he must rescue the beautiful Princess Gremulon, who is descended from The Great Rivinojaneelankavel. Gandhi, however, is barely listening. He falls off of Geldhemoor’s back and is eaten by a live-action cat. Abe and Cleo also start smoking raisins, and become Captain Lavender and his common-law wife, Rainmelon, the leaders of a group of raisin hippies. Abe’s parents find raisins in his pockets and confront him about it, but he is too strung out on raisins to pay attention, and they wind up fighting.

Meanwhile, Scudworth has found out about the school’s PTA. He shows up at their next meeting, which is filled with anxious parents fearing for their children’s behaviour. When JFK, high on raisins, falls through the cafetorium’s skylight and straight into the meeting, it’s the final straw, and Scudworth is crowned "King of the PTA", so he can build a giant fence to (somehow) contain the raisin epidemic.

The Olsen Twins creature give Gandhi its gold and jewels
The Olsen Twins creature give Gandhi its gold and jewels

Joan also wants to contain the raisin epidemic, and confronts The Pusher. He reveals the source of his power: Teenagers want to rebel against their parents, so they smoke raisins, because “they’re told not to do it by the parents and school.” Joan formulates a plan, and buys all the raisins The Pusher has.

Meanwhile, in the live-action cat’s belly, Gandhi discovers a strange two-headed creature guarding a giant pile of gold and riches. The creature is Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and among its riches is the Magic Amulet of Balthazoo, which was given to the creature by Dave Coulier. The creature gives Gandhi the amulet, telling him that, with the spirit of his clone father, he will defeat the dragon guarding Princess Gremulon, rescue her, and she will thrice lay him. Gandhi is excited for this, and goes to confront the dragon, the stereotypical Australian dragon Daniel Feldspar. Gandhi tries to imagine what Original Mahatma Gandhi would have done. He says to the dragon, "I'm thinking of going on a hunger strike but I've never tried vegemite." The dragon runs off to make Gandhi a vegemite sandwich, and Gandhi uses the distraction to rescue the princess. He is surprised to find not a princess, but Geldhemoor! Gandhi uses the power of the amulet, Geldhemoor turns into a princess, who is indeed beautiful, except for the fact that she still looks an awful lot like a horse. As promised, she offer to "thrice lay" Gandhi, but Gandhi awkwardly passes.

Finally, in the musical climax, the raisin smokers attempt to destroy Scudworth's fence. Abe climbs to the top of the fence, and confronts Scudworth. Abe falls off of the fence, and hits his head on a rock. He too has a hallucination: Original Abraham Lincoln confronts him, telling him that he must take a stand against raisins, because, if he does, “Cleo would do you and I hear she’s amazing.”

Abe wakes up, and promises to help Joan stop the raisin epidemic. Joan climbs on top of the pile of raisins she bought, and tricks the parents into setting them on fire. The fumes get all the parents high, and for the clones, “now that authority figures are doing it, it doesn’t seem so rebellious.” They stop smoking raisins, and The Pusher is unmasked as none other than Larry Hardcore, the rocker from the beginning of the episode. Larry reveals that he was hired by the Raisin Council, who wanted to sell more raisins, and that raisins don’t really get you high. "It was all in your minds." At that point, Gandhi inexplicibly flies by, riding Daniel Feldspar.

[edit] Featured cast

[edit] Songs

[edit] Everything's Normal

by Liam Lynch

Cast:

Everythings normal, nobody's mopin’.
Let's take it for granted; the campus is open.
Our freedom will be here; that is a given.

Scudworth:

I'm Principal Scudworth, to power I'm driven.

Abe:

Cleo, only Cleo. Cleo, Cleo, Cleo, Cleo, Cleo.

Cleo:

Cleo, only Cleo. Cleo, Cleo, Cleo, Cleo, Cleo, Cleo, Cleo.

Joan:

A-a-a-Abe.

Cast:

Organically awesome, fantastical bliss.
If something bad happened,

The Pusher:

It'd probably sound like this.

Cast:

Normal!
Captain Lavender and his common-law wife Rainmellon
Captain Lavender and his common-law wife Rainmellon

[edit] Manic Sexualized Dancing

by Mad City

Mud dance, gravy trance, butterfly dream.
Hog, log, vegan bread, sunflower cream.
Tye-dye, contact high, Love Boat, the sun.
Smoke, fly, raisins, try, Vietnam, fun.
Mary Clark, pistol—

[edit] The Pusher

by Liam Lynch
performed by Jack Black

I'm the Pusher!
The Pusher!
I push raisins on kids,
And kids think it's cool,
Cause they're told not to do it
By the parents and school.
I'm the Pusher!
I'm the Pusher!
I become alluring
With bans and boycotts.
First they'll smoke raisins,
Then they'll shoot up apricots.
I know you can't resist me
When you want to smoke some fruit.
Check out my sweet ass, matching pantsuit.
I'm the bad-ass, low-class Pusher.
I'm the booty-licking, taco-sticking Pusher.
Kids think drugs are cool.
That is why I rule.
I provoke civil folk till they smoke.
Take a toke.
Get your foot of my cloak!
I'm the sky-high, have a try Pusher.
I'm the smokescreen, have a dream Pusher.
I'm the booty-poking, raisin-smoking Pusher.
And in summary:
I'm the Pusher!

[edit] Abe’s House

by Liam Lynch

Scudworth:

I'm building a fence.
It's our last defense.
Raisins will be past tense,
And I'll rule the parents.
Build it higher.
Build it higher.
Build it higher.

Abe:

Grounded?
For what?
For growing up?
For being free?

Abe's foster dad:

We're doing this for you boy,
Not doing it for me.
You're not going to the hippie beach drum circle peace fair.

Abe's foster mom:

Abe—

Abe:

Abe's my slave name, square.

Abe's foster mom:

Captain Lavender, raisins are building a barrier,
And we need to build a wall to break it down.

Abe:

You don't understand us, you and this stinking town.
I wish I could die.
Your barbecued chicken's very dry!

[edit] Higher

by Liam Lynch

Abe:

They're not going to crush our freedom.
We smoke raisins, but they just eat 'em.
The sun is raising us to a higher plane,
After this line there's gonna be a refrain.

JFK:

Watch me, hold me, sign my cast for me.
Wheel me.

Clones:

And it's raisin’ us higher, and higher.

Abe:

Raisins are from heaven,
Now we're raising hell.

Parents:

Higher, and higher.

Scudworth:

Build the pickets higher.
Don't skimp on that barbed wire.

Clones:

Higher, and higher.

The Pusher:

My power grows higher
With each raisin buyer.

Abe:

Attack!

Scudworth:

I'm king of the wall.

Abe:

You're going to fall.
When push comes to shove,
We'll conquer with love.

Clones:

Love, only love. Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love. Love, only love. Love, love…

Cleo:

This isn't working. Love is just an abstract concept. It can't knock down stuff.

Scudworth:

I'll build it higher.

Abe:

I'm getting higher.

Scudworth:

Higher.

Abe:

Higher.

Scudworth:

Higher!

Abe:

Higher!

Abe:

Where am I?

Original Abraham Lincoln:

Inside of you.
Inside of me, too.
And me is you.
You must see the truth about the evil raisin.
You're all enslaved by the joints that you're blazin’.
If you free up the kids it'd be you that they're praisin’..
Larry Hardcore explains to the clones that the psychedelic adventures were all in their heads.
Larry Hardcore explains to the clones that the psychedelic adventures were all in their heads.
Cleo would do you, and I hear she’s amazin’.
You were my clone conception,
Now you'll lead us to redemption.
For you are my son.

Lincoln Chorus:

My son, my son, my son.

Joan:

A-a-a-Abe.

[edit] Featured clones

[edit] Subliminal messages

During the 1970s, the power of subliminal messages was a hot topic in the news. Much of this was fuelled by Wilson Bryan Key's 1973 book, Subliminal Seduction. During that same period, many rock bands, including Led Zeppelin and Queen were accused of using subliminal messages embedded within their songs to convince youths to do drugs and worship Satan. As a tribute to these controversies, Raisin the Stakes: A Rock Opera in Three Acts contains many instances of subliminal messages – some along the lines of the subliminal messages embedded in ads as described in Key’s book, and some along the lines of rock music subliminal messages designed to steer youths towards evil.

Visual Description
Before the opening credits, Clone High’s mascot, DNA Dan, welcomes everyone to join him in going over to the dark side.
In JFK's van, Cleo blows a puff of smoke that spells the word ‘sex’ for only a few frames.
  • This is in reference to one of the few controversies during the 1990s over subliminal messages; the controversy over the movie The Lion King, where the animators allegedly animated some dust to look like the word ‘sex.’
After the first commercial break, the image of a raisin smoking a person is seen for a split second. (It seems the idea of this is that if you don’t smoke drugs, drugs will smoke you.)
  • The person's face is blocked out, but it is commonly thought to be either Abe's foster dad or Principal Scudworth.
  • The raisin looks like The California Raisins, who are later mentioned.
When Scudworth stands up to speak at the PTA meeting, an image that says "Scudworth is your favorite character" is seen for a split second.
After The Pusher disappears into a cloud of smoke for the second time, the smoke forms the words ‘smoke raisins’.
On the school roof, Abe and Cleo's clothes disappear for a split second. Their genitals are not visible, but Cleo's breasts are exposed.
  • Either done for the sake of censorship or to be tasteful, her nipples are covered by 60s-style flower designs.
JFK falls through the sunroof overlooking the cafetorium. As he foams from the mouth he starts to speak backwards; when reversed the message is: I am talking backwards, and telling you to watch Clone High... and for us to get an Emmy... I'm saying that backwards... 'cause it's sneaky!
When JFK is being rolled off-screen in his wheelchair, the words "I Buried Ponce" are seen for a split second.
In Abe's dream, Joan’s face is merged with a holy image for a split second – either the Virgin Mary or Mary Magdalene.
  • Some have interpreted the next scene as Abe confronting God (in the form of Original Abraham Lincoln), which makes Abe the son of God Jesus Christ. So perhaps it would make more sense for Joan to transform into Mary Magdalene, since Joan loves Abe just as Mary Magdalene loved Jesus.
  • It could also simply represent Original Joan of Arc's devotion to religion.
As Gandhi rides Daniel Feldspar across the sky, the message "For more information about raisins, consult your local library" is seen for a split second.
  • The message is a parody of the messages played at the end of most serious teen drama show episodes about serious issues (just replace ‘raisins’ with ‘sex,’ ‘alcohol,’ ‘marijuana,’ etc.)

[edit] Deleted scenes

Daniel Feldspar, the stereotypically Australian dragon
Daniel Feldspar, the stereotypically Australian dragon
  • Many alternate dragons were considered. These included: Bowser from Super Mario Brothers; a “gay weightlifter dragon” (with muscle shirt and piano); a touchy-feely dragon (who said, “Listen, I don’t want to kill ya, but, you know how it is. Let’s just get it over with. I’ve love to help ya out, but you’re the hero, you got an amulet, and that’s very nice, but I’m a dragon. No hard feelings. Can I get you anything, first? A bagel, biali, a hot kinish? You don’t want to die on an empty stomach, believe me. Are you comfortable? As a formality, I have to challenge you to a duel, but… why don’t we talk about you for a little bit first…” etc.); a Bruce Vilanch dragon, (with “a ridiculous t-shirt”); an Alan Alda dragon; a Columbo dragon (saying, “There’s just one thing I don’t understand… oh you’re right, you’re right… but just one more thing…”); a Rodney Dangerfield dragon (“who gets no respect”); a John C. McGinley dragon (as Dr. Cox from Scrubs, and saying, “Well, gee, newbie, why don’t we go ahead and say you killed me.”); a Christopher Walken dragon; a bad impressionist dragon (who said, “Come on, you know you want me to do Jack Nicholson…”); a Jerry Seinfeld dragon (who said, “You ever notice how the dragon always defeats the hero? Why do the dragons never wear shoes? Who are these people? And what’s the deal with sugarless chocolate? Who’s that for?” Gandhi: “Uh… diabetics?” Then the dragon exploded from Gandhi “defeating his logic.”)[1]
    • It was also thought that “maybe Gandhi and the Dragon have a dance fight like in Thriller”.[1]
  • A scene where Abe’s foster dad asked him, “Abe, why can’t you be more like your foster brother, Lil’ Cesar Chavez?” Lil’ Cesar Chavez then replied, “Uvas no,” which means, “No grapes!”[1]
  • After the parents got high off of raisin fumes, Abe’s foster dad originally yelled “Who wants to order pizza?!” then repeated the word “pizza” fifty times.[1]
    • Joe Flaherty recorded the dialogue for this scene four times (meaning he said the word “pizza” two hundred times) and then the line was cut for time.[1]

[edit] References

[edit] Historical references

  • Scudworth proclaims himself King Scudworth the Lionhearted. King Richard I was also known as Richard the Lionhearted.
  • Gandhi tries to think what Original Mahatma Gandhi would have done to defeat the dragon, and decides on a plot involving a hunger strike. Original Mahatma Gandhi is known for his use of hunger strikes.
  • Joan almost gets burned alive, just like the original Joan of Arc.

[edit] Popular culture references

  • The Pusher has a Successories poster about Determination in his office.
  • There are several reference’s to Raisin Bran’s slogan, "Two scoops of raisins in Kellogg's Raisin Bran."
  • Gandhi eats magic trail mix, which causes him to shrink. This is a reference to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, where drinking and eating cause Alice to shrink or grow.
  • The bizarre landscape during Gandhi's journey on Geldhemoor, as well as the animation of the clones standing on the colourful smoke of a raisin doobie during Abe's song of resistance, are reminiscent of the animation in The Beatles' film, Yellow Submarine. The floating words of "Love" are also a parody of floating text in the film.
  • The music during “Higher,” which is also used as background music throughout the episode, is quite similar to another song from Tommy, “Pinball Wizard.” JFK's lines in this song also reference an additional song from Tommy, "See Me Feel Me Listening to You".
  • The barbecued chicken smashing the mirror is a near-replica of the climax of The Who's Tommy.
  • The discovery that The Pusher is none other than Larry Hardcore is reminiscent of similar revelations at the ends of many episodes of Scooby-Doo, Where are You!.
  • Music similar to the theme song to Sesame Street is used at several points during the episode.
  • Abe is portrayed as somewhat of a messiah, much like the main character in the rock opera 'Tommy' based on the album by The Who.

[edit] Trivia

  • Just for this episode, the ‘Exclamation, USA’ sign says ‘Population: Fantastic.’
  • While describing Gandhi’s mission, Geldemore flies by several bizarre references to sexual intercourse, including a hot dog penetrating a donut, a naked woman mounting a dachshund, and a piece of asparagus entering a fish.
  • All the lighthouse pictures in Abe’s house are hung upside-down during this episode.
  • The live-action cat was a cat belonging to some friends of Clone High creators Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. In order to get the footage they needed, two hours of the cat were filmed.[1]
  • The Great Rivinojaneelankavel is a mix of the names of Clone High writer Erica Rivinoja and her boyfriend, Prince Neelankavel.[1]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Pava, Adam. Episode Nine: ‘Raisin the Stakes: A Rock Opera in Three Acts' Notes (HTML). CloneHighUSA.com.

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
  • Clone High: Raisin' The Stakes contains a further discussion of the episode, including the subliminal messages, a clearer sound file of JFK’s backwards message, a screenshot of the ‘dolphin,’ and several quotes.
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