The Larry Sanders Show
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
S1 E1:
During a meeting with network executives, Larry is asked to do live commercials to appease his show's sponsors. Reluctant to tamper with the format of his program, Larry worries that they will not work with the style of the show, while Arthur suggests that Hank should be the one to do the spots. However, when that idea is turned down because Hank is already overexposed in the commercial market, Larry is told that the owners are adamant that he be the one doing commercials for the Garden Weasel. Learning about the new commercials, Hank goes to Arthur demanding to know why he was not chosen to advertise the Weasel. Unable to tell him that he is overexposed, Arthur claims he doesn't recall how the network executives responded to the idea that he does them instead. Turning to Larry with his complaint, Hank is still not told of his precarious position, and is insulted when Larry tries to compliment him about the commercials he has been doing. When Larry does his first Garden Weasel commercial and plays it for a laugh, network executive Melanie Parrish insists that, from now on, he read them just as they are written. However, when his comments on the next show cause her to threaten Larry if he doesn't comply, Melanie ends up giving him a black eye that he must then explain to his own staff. Finally, after using Hank in his next commercial, the sponsor's response is enthusiastic, but Larry insists on not doing them anymore himself, despite what anyone else wants.