S1e11- Lord John Marbury (I don't even think the accent's real.)

Yes, Lord John Fauntleroy Marbury is here, with his liquor and his women.  Thank heavens, too, because this episode is fairly serious- we spend a fair amount of time in the Situation Room, where there is seldom blog-able comedy, and deal about open war between India and Pakistan.  There is nothing funny about that either, plus, there's nothing that someone with degrees in Music Education and Choral Conducting can add to the conversation.  So, I won't try.  Thankfully, there's plenty of other topics in this episode that I can lend my voice to.

First: Josh gets subpoenaed, and yes, I had to look up how to spell this.  What starts out as an inquiry about Josh's investigation into West Wing staff drug use becomes a clear attack of Leo.  Thankfully, Sam is there to slam his briefcase shut (29:11) and stop the deposition before Josh perjures himself.  He also threatens to bust the opposing lawyer like a piñata- yet another West Wing quote I aspire to use one day in conversation.

Second: We meet Ed and Larry for the first time.  Not sure which is Ed and which is Larry?  That's ok- no one really ever is sure who is who.

Ed and Larry, or Larry and Ed.  Not sure which...

Third: President Bartlet wishes he had built a dungeon to keep his daughter away from men in general.  Zoey asked Charlie out, and Charlie asked Bartlet if it would be alright if they went on a date.  Leo

LEO- Got a racial problem?
BARTLET- A racial problem?
LEO- It’s okay to admit it.
BARTLET- I don’t!
LEO- Okay.
BARTLET- I don’t have a racial problem.
LEO- Okay.
BARTLET- I’m Spencer Tracy at the end of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”
LEO- Okay.
BARTLET- Racial problem!
LEO- I’m just saying...
BARTLET- My problem is not that she’s white, he’s black, it’s that she’s a girl and he’s not.

Yup- that pretty much sums it up.

Fourth: Leo and Lord John Marbury apparently have met 10-12 times.  Leo remembers, knows that he is the Chief of Staff (and that his name is Leo), while Lord John Marbury does not recall any of this.

Thankfully, Lord John Marbury will be sticking around as long as he is needed.

Fifth: This is facinating, so follow me through this:

Erick Avari was born in India, and plays the Pakistani Ambassador.

Iqbal Theba was born in Pakistan, and plays the Indian Ambassador.

I'm trying to figure out if there's something more there- that can't be an accident, right?  Tweets to Iqbal Theba have gone unreplied.  I'm positive his people have a picture of me and are on the lookout for the "crazy West Wing guy."


Last: CJ get's hosed by the everyone.  Completely not cool.  Dee Dee Myers (Press Secretary under Clinton) faced a similar situation (read all about it here), and wasn't satisfied with how the conflict found resolution.  I would share more about this, but I don't want to soften the blow of the fact that it was not at all ok, smacked of sexism, and Toby's apology sucked.

What's Next?  S1e12- He Shall, From Time to Time...

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