S2E17

Charlie Busts C.J. for Crazy-Gluing Priceless Statue

In the Outer Oval Office, C.J. and Donna arrive to wait for President Bartlet amid the filibuster crisis. Charlie confronts C.J. about her botched repair of a priceless Egyptian cat statue, which she Crazy Glued back together after mistaking it for a potpourri holder. Her defensive quip about the 'ancient curse of Bast' elicits laughter, but Charlie insists she confess to the President—minus the humiliating details. This breezy comedic beat offers vital relief, humanizing the staff's flaws and vulnerabilities during escalating high-stakes tension.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

C.J. and Donna arrive, seeking Charlie, signaling a shift in focus to the impending crisis.

neutral to anticipatory ['Outer Oval Office']

Charlie reveals the broken Egyptian cat statue, hinting at C.J.'s earlier mishap, which becomes a tension-relieving subplot.

anticipatory to humorous tension

C.J. confesses to using Crazy Glue on the statue, escalating the comedic tension while subtly reflecting her stress over the filibuster crisis.

humorous tension to exasperation

Charlie advises C.J. on how to handle the statue's damage with the President, blending humor with a pause before the larger political battle resumes.

exasperation to cautious relief

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

C.J. Cregg

White House Press Secretary

primary

Embarrassed defensiveness masked by sharp humor

Enters Outer Oval with Donna seeking President Bartlet, initially denies statue breakage, admits to Crazy Gluing it after mistaking for potpourri holder, delivers witty defensive quip invoking Bast's curse while bantering with Charlie.

Goals in this moment

• Deflect blame through denial and humor
• Secure permission to wait without immediate confession

Active beliefs

• Glued statue qualifies as 'not broken'
• Ancient curse humorously justifies mishap

Character traits

defensive sarcastic witty resourceful

Follow C.J. Cregg's journey

Charlie Young

Presidential Personal Aide

primary

Determined insistence tempered by practical empathy

Greets entering C.J. and Donna, confirms President's imminent arrival, confronts C.J. directly about broken statue, insists on confession while tactfully advising omission of humiliating details like Crazy Glue.

Goals in this moment

• Ensure President learns of statue damage promptly
• Protect C.J. from full embarrassment in confession

Active beliefs

• Truth must be told to President regardless
• Discretion preserves dignity amid protocol breach

Character traits

insistent loyal diplomatic persistent

Follow Charlie Young's journey

Donna Moss

Assistant

primary

Amused detachment with loyal candor

Enters Outer Oval alongside C.J., casually reveals C.J.'s Crazy Glue repair of the statue during Charlie's confrontation, contributing to the comedic exposure without further elaboration.

Goals in this moment

• Expose truth to aid resolution
• Support team accountability lightly

Active beliefs

• Honesty accelerates problem-solving
• Humor diffuses staff tensions

Character traits

observant blunt supportive

Follow Donna Moss's journey

Josiah Edward 'Jed' Bartlet (President of the United States)

President of the United States

primary

mentioned as arriving soon, to be informed about the broken statue

Character traits

politically pragmatic jocular policy‑driven paternal commands institutional authority relational — centers staff and family centralizing (commands staff attention and schedules) centralized authority figure strategically vital intelligent politically consequential (actions and associations create immediate risk) protocol-driven calculating principled in public rhetoric vulnerable emotionally forceful institutionally minded performative control of public optics candid principled politically vulnerable (per party strategists and press) strategic witty/jocular under pressure vulnerable-to-proxy-actions collegial poised decisive principled but electorally mindful resolute constitutional protective (paternal focus on family safety) deliberative ruthless burdened decisive when confronted with moral stakes authoritative/managerial paternal/protective regionally grounded politically strategic supportive traditional weary/resolute authoritative public-facing decisive in crisis loyal blunt protective politically consequential measured committed politically shrewd risk‑aware consequential self-aware witty institutional (symbolic center of staff effort) ceremonial

Follow Josiah Edward …'s journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

Hassan Ali's Ceramic Cat Statue

Central comedic prop as the priceless Egyptian cat statue gifted by Hassan Ali; referenced repeatedly as broken and grotesquely repaired, driving confrontation and humorous deflection, symbolizing staff fallibility amid diplomatic pressures and filibuster chaos.

Before: Broken and Crazy Glued in C.J.'s possession, hidden …

After: Still broken/repaired, impending confession to President heightens exposure …

Before: Broken and Crazy Glued in C.J.'s possession, hidden from Protocol

After: Still broken/repaired, impending confession to President heightens exposure risk

C.J.'s Crazy Glue

Explicitly invoked as the tool C.J. used for botched statue repair, outed by Donna and queried by Charlie; embodies C.J.'s hasty error, fueling defensive quip and advice to omit from confession, amplifying ironic humor in high-stakes context.

Before: Previously applied to statue shards by C.J.

After: No change; remains associated with the mangled repair …

Before: Previously applied to statue shards by C.J.

After: No change; remains associated with the mangled repair job

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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Themes This Exemplifies

Thematic resonance and meaning

Whimsical Cover-Ups Amid Protocol Panic

C.J. Cregg deflects Charlie's insistent alerts on a missing diplomatic cat statue with exasperated humor and brisk enlistment of Carol, escalating to embarrassed Oval intrusions …

Part of Larger Arcs

C.J. Cregg's internal panic and professional embarrassment from breaking a priceless Egyptian cat statue (diplomatic gift involving Hassan Ali), leading to frantic deflection, cover-up enlistment of Carol, and confrontation by Charlie amid the filibust...

Key Dialogue

"DONNA: "She Crazy Glued it back together.""

"C.J.: "I didn't know what it was. I needed a potpourri holder. I have the ancient curse of Bast on me so get off my back, Sparky.""

"CHARLIE: "Okay, but when you tell him I'd leave out the Crazy Glue.""