This thread in GQ discusses the “Do Not Remove Under Penalty of Law” tag found on mattresses. For a long time, it wasn’t clear that the tag applied only to merchants, not consumers. As several posters noted, this provided grist for many a joke.
My favorite was when Mr. Carlson, the nebbishy boss on WKRP in Cincinnati, was explaining how law abiding and fearful of authority he was.
"You know those mattress tags that say, ‘Do not remove under penalty of law’?
Classic National Lampoon cover: “Crime issue!” Semi-dark bedroom, film noir atmosphere. In the background, a terrified hottied backed against a wall, staring in horror. In the foreground, a leather-gloved pair of hands rolling back a mattress and tearing off the tag.
Mad Magazine’s parody of Apocalypse Now. The severed heads of a few Vietnamese who’d transgressed against the mad rule of Colonel Kurtz are shown. One was condemned for jaywalking in the jungle. Another for spitting on the floor of a jungle bus and the third: “You know those little tags that say ‘do not remove under penalty of law’?”
Peewee seeing the broken, still locked handcuffs on each wrist: “Whatd you do?”
Mickey “Well, one night, I got real mad… and so I took a Knife… [[Mickey quickly reconsiders confessing to pee wee]] and I … You know those do not remove tags on mattresses…”
Peewee “Yeah ?”
Mickey “Well one night, I got real mad, and so, I cut one of em off!”
Peewee “I always thought that was the stupidest law” [peewee laughs]
When Fletch gets caught in the house in Utah (or something), he’s looking under the bed, and he pops up and says, “mattress tag inspector.”
From IMDB: "I’m afraid I’m gonna have to pull rank on you. I didn’t want to have to do this. I’m with the Mattress Police. There are no tags on these mattresses. "
