"Flipper Parody/Temporary Insanity/Operation: Lollipop/What are We?" is the 6th episode of the original Animaniacs. It originally aired on September 20th, 1993.
Mr. Plotz's secretary Mrs. Hoffelmeyer gets sick and leaves him with a phone number to dial a temp-secretary, but because of his lack of knowledge on how telephones work he accidentally dials the Warners, having them come over and "help" Mr. Plotz out. In the end they destroy the building over a dispute on who answers the phone, the call itself being the secretary letting Mr. Plotz know that she'll be sick for another day. As Mr. Plotz looks in in worry, debris falls onto his head and knocks him unconscious. The Warners then gleefully wave goodbye as the cartoon ends.
Hanging on the wall, in the reception room, are pictures of three Tiny Toon Adventures characters: Hamton J. Pig, Buster Bunny and Elmyra Duff. There is also a portrait of Batman as he appears in Batman: The Animated Series, which had a lot of the same crew as Tiny Toons and Animaniacs.
Mr. Plotz is a technophobe, who doesn't know how to use a phone.
The typing tune is "The Typewriter" by Leroy Anderson.
Yakko does an imitation of Jerry Lewis' typewriter miming routine from the film Who's Minding the Store?
The clips of Yakko saying "Time out!" and "Time in!" are used in the opening of Rob Paulsen's podcast Talkin' Toons.
The sick secretary in Ellen Stamper's book adaptation of this episode is named "Miss Fyngolden.
The title could be referencing the 1980 Paul McCartney song “Temporary Secretary” as the episode is about Mr. Plotz needs a temporary secretary and the title is very close to “Temporary Secretary”.
Quotes
Plotz: (after hanging up on the Warners) Oh my. What have I done? Where's my aspirin? (opens his cabinet drawer)
(Yakko, Wakko and Dot appear out of the drawer)
Yakko: Reporting for work, sir!
(Yakko, Wakko and Dot kiss Mr. Plotz, and start cleaning and organizing his office)
Plotz: Get back in your tower!
Wakko: I thought you needed us to be your secretaries.
Mr. Plotz: No, no. I mean I want you to write a letter.
Wakko: Okay. (takes out a notepad and a pencil as Oh Christmas Tree plays in the background) Dear Santa, I have been ever so good this year. I would like a new mallet and a shiny brass anvil.
Mr. Plotz: No, no, no, no! Write a letter for me! For me!
Wakko: Well, I don't know what you want for Christmas.
Mindy's mom (whom she refers to as "Lady" which irritates the mom) straps Mindy to her safety harness and gives her a lollipop and tells Buttons that he won't get a treat unless he's good, and specifically not to terrorize the mailman. Mindy then proceeds to accidentally get the now sticky lollipop onto the mailman's van, causing her to escape her safety harness to get it. Buttons then proceeds to chase Mindy to get her back home. They end up on a falling out of an airplane gliding back home with a mail back, Mindy somehow getting back into her safety harness with the lollipop just in time for the mother to check up on them. Mindy's mom assumes that Buttons attacked the mail man because of all the mail scattered around, scolding him and not giving him his treat.
As Dr. Scratchansniff tries to de-zanitize the WB Kids, he asks them what kind of creature they are. They then proceed to sing their ideas to him, but in the end they draw the conclusion that they are cute! Dr. Scratchansniff then says he regrets his decision to ask as they iris out.