Shadowing Practice: The Bob Newhart Toupee Sketch That Broke Dean Martin - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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I guess any man who has ever combed his hair
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and found one or two strands on the comb has thought to himself, I'm gonna lose all my hair or I'm gonna be bald all my life. And...
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has thought Should I buy a toupee?
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Now, very often he will make the decision to buy a toupee, or in some cases, his wife will make the decision for him.
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This is the complaint department of a large department store,
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ladies and gentlemen, Here is Mr. Bob Newhart.
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Thank you.
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Ready?
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hmm private room of some kind of discuss returning a gift Oh,
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well, is it underwear, sir?
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No, it isn't.
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It isn't underwear, see, um, my wife bought me a toupee for our anniversary. And, uh...
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I'd like to return it.
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Well, do you have it with you, sir?
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It's under the hat, yes.
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Well, uh...
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What model is it, sir?
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I don't know what model it is.
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It's the...
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crew cut with the widow's peak.
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Oh, our Mr. Wonderful model.
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Whatever you call it.
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Thank you.
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Well, could I see the item, sir?
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I'll show it to you in just a minute.
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There's some people coming.
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Just...
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Don't, don't, don't scare me.
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Just...
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They, have they gone by?
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Yeah, yes, they've gone by.
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See, there it is.
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See, the problem is I notice people on the street, they start laughing at me as I...
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come towards me, you know?
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Well, it certainly makes you look years younger.
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Thank you very much, sir.
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But see, they still laugh.
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See, we--
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We went to this party
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and I bent down to put some cheese dip on this cracker and the toupee fell into the cheese dip.
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And everyone quit having cheese dip.
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Eh?
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Maybe a laughing matter to you, sir.
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It's not...
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And the hostess started crying and...
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I'm not.
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- The hostess?
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- The hostess, yes.
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We spent about two hours trying to fish it out of the cheese dish.
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So, uh, anyway, I took it home, and I put it in our washer -dryer, you know. And, uh...
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We, uh...
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We have one of those with the windows, you know?
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See, there's another problem.
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See, the kids like to sit and watch it.
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I'm not.
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. So?
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I know.
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They like to watch it grow up?
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See, they're mad because I'm returning it.
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Would you want a full exchange?
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Well, that's it.
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Well, I'd like a straight man who didn't laugh.
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No, I...
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I don't want the full exchange.
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What I'd like to get is a real cheap one I could stick in the washer for the kids' lives.
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What did...
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Did you know your wife was getting it for you, sir?
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Well, I didn't-- well, looking back, of course, See, one morning she came in with this piece of paper, and she told me to put my head on it, you know.
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She traced my head.
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She'd never tell me what it was for.
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Exactly.
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What is your main complaint?
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Well, the main complaint is it doesn't do what, you know, you say it's going to do.
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Thank you.
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Well, that particular model is guaranteed to stay on in a hurricane.
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- Well, yeah, I know it stays on a hurricane, but see, uh, we're from Iowa, and, you know, we really don't get that many hurricanes.
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See, mainly I wanted-- to stay on when I go down for the cheese day.
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Well, of course, if you wish to exchange it, we'd have to have the price tag.
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Thank you.
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You're sure you worked with Jerry?
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Yeah.
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But our stuff wasn't this funny.
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I did.
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- Thank you.
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Could I use your phone?
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Oh, for heaven's sake, yeah.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Uh, honey?
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Listen, you wanna call the Hennessy's and ask him to look
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and see if there's a price tag in the bottom of the dish?

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice English through a humorous sketch featuring Bob Newhart. The sketch involves the humorous experience of a man attempting to return a toupee bought for him by his wife. You will focus on listening comprehension, pronunciation, and the use of conversational language in everyday scenarios. This lesson is perfect for those preparing for the IELTS speaking section, as it provides an engaging context to enhance your verbal skills and explore comedic timing in English.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Toupee: A hairpiece worn to cover baldness.
  • Anniversary: A date that marks the celebration of an event's occurrence.
  • Model: A particular version of a product.
  • Hostess: A woman who receives or entertains guests.
  • Cry: To shed tears, often as a result of emotion.
  • Cheese dip: A creamy condiment often served with snacks.
  • Laughing matter: A situation that causes amusement.
  • Comedy: A genre of literature or performance that aims to entertain through humor.

Practice Tips

To make the most of this video for your English learning, try applying the shadowing technique. Listen to how Bob Newhart's character delivers his lines and then attempt to repeat them in real-time. This method, known as shadow speech, can significantly improve your fluency and comprehension. Pay close attention to his pacing, intonation, and expression—especially since the delivery is filled with comedic elements that may require subtle tone shifts.

Since the sketch has a relaxed yet witty speed, practice shadowing on our shadowing site to align your speaking rhythm to match that of the video. Start by pausing and replaying sections to mimic the pauses and laughter that evoke humor. This will also help you familiarize yourself with conversational phrases and idioms that are common in everyday English, which will serve you well in your IELTS speaking practice.

Engaging with comedic content like this is an enjoyable way to boost your language skills, so have fun while you learn!

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.