I Asked You Not to Tell Me That

Yesterday, for really no reason that I can recall, I found myself thinking about "Get Smart," the 60's US spy-spoof sitcom created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. The series starred Don Adams as Maxwell Smart and Barbara Feldon as Agent 99, both agents for the super-secret spy agency "Control."

Specifically, I remembered the cone of silence (invented by Professor Cone of course), a device intended to keep secret conversations secret, but really only managed to keep Max and the Chief from hearing each other.

I found a brilliant website dedicated to the show called wouldyoubelieve.com, where I spent far too much time laughing and remembering the funniest parts of this show.

One of my favourite recurring gags typically went something like this:

Max: You think you've got me, but at this very moment there are 100 Control agents surrounding this building.
Villain: I find that hard to believe.
Max: Would you believe 50?
Villain: No.
Max: Would you believe two girl scouts and a pocket knife?

And of course the classic exchange:

Max: Don't tell me he's dead?
Agent 99: He's dead Max.
Max: I asked you not to tell me that!

And finally, my favourite: The Craw.