Questions about Tennessee Ernie Ford

The two parter with Tennessee Ernie is a classic. Ernie Ford was one of the best guest stars on the show.

But after viewing it again for the tenth time I wonder, just WHY did Ernie come to New York in the first place? Was he hoping to get a job? He wasn’t about to find one spending all his time on the couch singing “Wabash Cannonball” and eating the Rick-er -dos out of house and home.

Was he just taking a vacation? He had less than fifty cents in his boot which was all he had left from selling his gee-tar. Where was he planning to stay in New York on fifty cents if Lucy and Ricky had not taken him in?

Very funny two-parter. But it would have made a lot more sense if Ernie had a plan other than sponging off the Ricardos! As Lucy said, he had too much pride to take money for a bus ticket home. But he wasn’t too proud to be a freeloader.