Episode Report Card Lady Lola: C | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Pelican Grief
By Lady Lola | Season 3 | Episode 17 | Aired on 04.09.2009
Outside, Tracy runs into a bedraggled Kenneth. He admits he's overworked. Tracy offers to help, though of course he doesn't really mean it, and Kenneth takes him up on the disingenuous offer. Tracy bemoans Kenneth's inability to read human facial cues, but agrees to make good on his offer anyway. Kenneth asks Tracy to head over to Chez Kenneth and feed his beloved bird, Sonny Crocket. However, warns Kenneth sternly and with a little eyebrow arch, Tracy must not enter his bedroom. Eep! Scary Kenneth!
Down the hall, Lemon grumbles to Pete that she's supposed to cut a quarter of her annual budget. Pete suggests she fire their announcer with the speech impediment -- he was never quite the same after that lightning strike, you know. But Lemon feels bad about cutting off his health benefits and vetoes that idea. Next idea: Food budget! Vetoed vis-à-vis a desperate yelp from Lutz. Next, Pete turns to the $1,200 per year straw budget. Lemon thinks that's an easy cut and announces that everyone will have to drink straight from the can from now on. Then she looks back to find a rat scampering (and presumably defecating) all over the mouth of the soda cans. So straws are back! Budgetary Brad interrupts to tell Lemon he needs her revised budget by the end of the day. She hems and haws, so he warns that he'll make the cuts for her if necessary.
Donaghy's office. Jack is in the middle of firing the head of the outdated Boom Box Division when Kenneth rushes in to tell him about an amazing, one-time-only offer from the cable company. Free Showtime for three months! Jack brushes him off, annoyed that Kenneth hasn't yet grasped what is urgent and what is telemarketing. Jack hands the Boom Box VP a box of tissues.
Chez Kenneth. Tracy walks in to discover a towel muffler positioned in front of Kenneth's forbidden bedroom door. He starts to feed the bird but can't resist walking over to take a quick peek. Sonny Crockett starts squawking, "Don't go in the bedroom! Don't go in the bedroom!" Tracy runs out, spooked.
Back at Donaghy's House of Doom, Lemon arrives. Kenneth does a quick theatrical change-up (i.e. wipes his hand down over his face) to switch from "Kenneth the Page" to "Kenneth the Assistant." He is hesitant to let Lemon in, but she says it's about the show's budget. He opens up Jack's office to expose a weeping executive and a very flustered Jack. He switches back to "Kenneth the Page" to admit to Lemon that this job shuffling is harder than it looks. Switch back to "Kenneth the Assistant," who calmly, courteously asks Lemon to take a seat.