The Hairy Dignitary is the thirty-eighth episode of Tom and Jerry in New York.
Synopsis[]
Tom trades places with a diplomat's cat.
Plot[]
Armand, the meticulous manager of the Royal Gate Hotel, is busy sprucing up the front desk to create a welcoming atmosphere. He sorts pens, waters the plants, and polishes the front desk bell. Suddenly, chaos breaks out as Jerry the mouse leaps over his head, pursued by Tom, who careens through the lobby, knocking over decorations in his wake. Armand quickly intervenes, reminding Tom that important guests will soon arrive, and he must behave properly. Tom, understanding the stakes, tries to focus.
As the excitement builds, a news reporter announces that the leading ambassador and her husband will be staying at the Royal Gate Hotel, along with their cat named Monty, who bears a striking resemblance to Tom. As the ambassadors approach the hotel, fans eagerly take pictures, while Armand tells the crowd he must attend the royal banquet that evening.
At the banquet, Monty sits beside his owners, but he appears discontented with his upscale lifestyle. After finishing his meal, he watches as Armand removes his plate. Meanwhile, Tom sneaks into the kitchen to grab leftover fish bones but is thwarted by Armand. In the chaos, Jerry manages to snag a crumb, infuriating Tom and igniting a frenzied chase that sends them crashing through the kitchen, breaking plates along the way. Ultimately, Jerry darts onto the dining table, where the ambassadors sit, turning the chase into a spectacle. The pursuit ends when Jerry slips into a mouse hole, causing Tom to crash dramatically into the wall.
Monty approaches the dazed Tom and introduces himself, commenting on their similar looks. He suggests they switch lifestyles for a day, offering Tom his collar as he proposes the swap. Intrigued, Tom accepts, and their adventure begins.
Tom soon finds himself tangled up in ambassadorial duties, posing for paparazzi photos. Monty, meanwhile, tries to navigate the chaotic life of a lobby cat. Seeking advice on the role, he approaches Jerry, who explains that lobby cats often enjoy cheese. Monty takes note, determined to fit in.
As Tom rubs shoulders with the ambassadors, a comedic misunderstanding leads him to mistakenly drink from a cup of hand soap, spraying it over the dining table and shocking everyone present. Amidst the chaos, Mrs. Ambassador starts her speech about national pride. Meanwhile, Monty, enjoying Jerry’s company, decides to take a nap in a litter box, much to his disgust when Jerry has to explain its true purpose.
The climax builds as the ambassadors prepare to cut a ceremonial ribbon at a town hall event, with photographers flashing continuously. The light disorients Tom, and during a moment of distraction, Madam Ambassador inadvertently snips the tip of Tom's tail instead of the ribbon, causing him to yowl in pain. The ambassadors immediately express concern as a flurry of paparazzi chase after the distressed cat.
In the aftermath, Madam Ambassador hands Armand a thank-you note, honoring their stay at the hotel. Sensing their mutual unhappiness, Monty appears and mentions to Tom that they both long to return to their original lives. Just as they’re about to switch back, Mr. Ambassador mistakenly places Tom into a pet cage, thinking he’s Monty. Realizing he needs to help his friend, Jerry concocts a plan. He startles Madam Ambassador and her husband, creating a diversion. Amid the confusion, Monty and Tom successfully switch back to their original selves just in time.
As the ambassadors depart in their limo, Monty waves from the roof, grinning at Tom and Jerry. The two friends wave goodbye, appreciating the lessons learned from their royal adventure and looking forward to embracing their fun, carefree lives once more.
Characters[]
Trivia[]
- This is the second episode in the second season of the series where Tom traded places with a lookalike cat, with the first being Stunt Double Trouble. Just like the lookalike from that episode, Monty can speak, unlike the real Tom, who rarely speaks, but mostly silent.
- Unlike the other lookalike, Monty wanted to switch back with Tom later on the episode, while the lookalike in "Stunt Double Trouble" had no intention of switching back and wanted to have Tom's life permanently and thinks he's a better "Tom" than the real Tom.
- The man resembling Shaggy Rogers from Scooby-Doo appeared as a paparazzi in this episode.