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| Make 'Em Laugh | |
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| Season 2, Episode 12 | |
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| Air date | November 5, 1994 |
| Directed by | Boyd Kirkland |
| Written by | Paul Dini Randy Rogel |
| Music by | Michael McCuistion |
| Airdate Sequence | |
| Previous Harley's Holiday |
Next Batgirl Returns |
| Production Sequence | |
| Previous Lock-Up |
Next Deep Freeze |
Make 'Em Laugh is an episode of the second season of Batman: The Animated Series. It features The Joker in his last episode of the show.
"Make 'Em Laugh" was the 83rd produced episode overall and the 18th episode produced in the second season.
Synopsis[]
Gotham City is plagued by a rash of crazy crimes all committed by bizarre villains. Batman and Robin investigate, discovering the "criminals" are actually famous comedians brainwashed by the Joker. It seems the comedians had the Joker tossed out of the annual Gotham Comedy Competition the year before and the jealous clown has sworn to destroy their reputations in return.
Plot[]
The Condiment King
One night, a man dressed in a ridiculous fashion enters a fancy restaurant and pretends to steal from the people in that place by threatening them with his two guns connected to a pair of tanks on his back. The people doesn't take him seriously and the man introduces himself as The Condiment King as he sprays them with ketchup and mustard, forcing the people to give him their money, jewels and all valuables they had. The police report the robbery, which is listened by Batman and he decides to go to that place. As the Condiment King gets his way out of the restaurant, Batman grabs his loot and prevents him from escaping. After a failed attempt to fight Batman, the Condiment King decides to leave the place for good and he stands on the edge of a balcony where he slips on his own ketchup and falls to the street on top of a police car. Officer Montoya comes out of the car, takes the sunglasses from the fallen man and she recognizes him as Buddy Standler, a well known TV host and comedian.
Batman returns to the Batcave and tells what happened to Robin, who is shocked because Standler is supposed to be part of the jury on the annual comedy contest. Robin tells Batman that he and Alfred bought tickets for the show already. Batman wonders where Alfred is at the moment.
The trusted butler is looking for some clothes to buy in a certain store when suddenly he is pushed by a mysterious man, who walks to the cash register and steals an empty box from a customer before taking off his trenchcoat and reveal his ridiculous rat disguise. The man calls himself the Pack Rat and he plans to take everything that is disposable on the store. The security guards try to take the man out of the store, but Pack Rat is armed with a machine gun and he attacks everyone that defies him. Alfred notices the danger and he gets to a phone booth inside the store in order to call Batman for help. Batman and Robin answer Alfred's call and he tells them where he is at the moment, but soon, the Englishman is attacked by Pack Rat for trying to call for help. Batman and Robin hear the gunshots before the connection is ended.
Meanwhile, actress and comedian Lisa Lorraine is watching TV at her home, when someone knocks at the door. She opens it and a pizza delivery guy stands in front of her. She doesn't recall asking for pizza, but she decides she'll take it anyway. The man opens the box and gas comes out of it, knocking Lisa unconscious.
At the store, Pack Rat shoots the phone and takes the speaker with him, but Alfred is safe. Pack Rat continues his pillage of garbage until Batman and Robin arrive at the place and get the situation under control. Batman disarms the man with ease and Pack Rat picks a golf club and swings it at Batman, who dodges the attack and causes the club to hit an electric box, knocking the criminal. Batman unmask him and learn that he is another famous comedian called Harry Loomis, who is also part of the jury at the comedy contest. Batman also notices that there's a small device on the man's neck and when he takes it, Batman realizes that it is a microchip similar to the mind controlling chips designed by The Mad Hatter.
Mad Hatter is "out"
Batman and Robin go to Arkham Asylum to pay Hatter a visit, but when they get in his cell, Hatter is apparently sound asleep. Robin turns the man around and they discover that he is completely unconscious with his eyes wide open. Batman gets a closer look at Hatter and he finds one of Hatter's own chips on his neck and the whole situation takes a darker tone.
Batman and Robin get back to the batcave and Alfred gives them the newspaper with the tragic news of the kidnapping of Lisa Lorraine, the final jury on the comedy contest. Alfred and Robin remember the contest from the previous year and Alfred provides a recorded video with the last act of the night. They watch the tape on the Batcomputer and they watch how an unregistered contestant comes to the stand and tries to make his act. The jury conformed by Loomis, Lorraine and Standler refuse to give the man a chance and he is taken away from the stage by force. Batman seems to recognize the failed comedian and he freezes the image of the man's face. Using the Batcomputer, Batman is able to modify small parts of the man's face and in the end, Batman discovers that the man is in fact The Joker.
Joker controls the contest
The night of the contest, the host is desperate to find replacements for the missing jury and Joker comes into his office to tell the host that his henchmen, Knuckles, Vinnie and Kowalski would serve as the jury and that he would be the only contestant. The host refuses, but Joker's henchmen subdue the man long enough for Joker to place a chip on him and then he obeys whatever Joker tells him.
The contest begins and the host introduces Smilin' Shecky Rimshot, who is the same guy from the last contest. Rimshot starts telling the audience about the previous year's contest and then he takes off his make-up and reveals himself as Joker. The people panic and Joker prepares to make them laugh with his laughing gas, but Batman and Robin arrive just in time to knock Joker's henchmen and prevent the gas from spreading. Joker isn't surprised by their presence and instead, he presents them his latest "follower", Mighty Mom, who is just Lisa Lorraine disguised as a super-hero. Lorraine attacks Batman and Robin with a mop and Joker takes the trophy for the winner of the contest. Batman follows Joker and Robin stays to fight Lorraine. Robin manages to avoid Lorraine's attacks and using a Batarang, Robin disarms Lorraine after which he takes the chip from her neck; however, Lorraine seems to be equally aggressive towards Robin in her normal state.
Batman chases Joker up to the rooftop of the building where Joker jumps towards an giant sized clown baloon with helium and he cuts the rope to escape from Batman with the trophy. Batman uses his Batrope to reach the clown, who tells Batman that he just wants the recognition that he is the best comedian in Gotham. Joker fights Batman armed with a knife and he manages to push Batman to the edge of the balloon, where the dark knight is barely hanging. Joker prepares to deliver the final blow when Robin comes in and kicks Joker away from Batman and as a result, his head gets stuck in the trophy.
Joker makes 'em laugh
Unintentionally, Joker stabs his knife on the baloon and it begins to descend and the Joker falls off the baloon. Batman grabs him with the batrope from his pants and stops Joker's fall while taking Joker's pants off. Batman ties the batrope to the falling balloon and he jumps to a rooftop along with Robin, leaving Joker to slowly fall to the street. Joker lands upside down and as he walks out of the baloon, the police arrive at the scene and the whole crowd from the contest is staring at the Joker walking with his pants down and his head stuck in the trophy. The whole crowd burst into laughter at Joker and when he finally gets his head out of the trophy, the police has already surrounded him. Joker is placed into custody, along with his comedy trophy as the people keep laughing while Joker was tripped with his pants down. From above, Batman and Robin contemplate the scene and they walk away from the place once the threat has been dealt with.