C.J.'s Turkey Audition Fiasco and Song Confession
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
C.J. admits her musical incompetence for the Thanksgiving event, exposing the absurd contrast between her professional stature and elementary school song knowledge.
C.J. conducts high-stakes turkey auditions with camera flashes, treating livestock selection with presidential campaign rigor.
Donna re-enters with poultry handling advice as C.J. wrestles with Eric the turkey, physical comedy underscoring the surreal demands of White House ceremonies.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Stoic resistance, avian instincts overriding human handling.
Eric perches defiantly on C.J.'s office chair during the final camera-flash audition, remains unflappably composed to win pardon selection over Troy, then resists C.J. and Donna's wrangling attempts to get him down and toward the door.
- • Maintain perch and composure to secure pardon
- • Resist dislodging from comfortable chair
- • Chair provides secure vantage against threats
- • Stillness ensures survival in chaotic environments
Agitated panic from flashes and competition.
Troy participates in the office camera-flash audition alongside Eric, flaps frantically in response to flashes disqualifying himself, and lunges forward as C.J. physically blocks him back while she handles the victorious Eric.
- • Compete aggressively for audition spotlight
- • Advance toward C.J. during wrangling distraction
- • Flapping asserts dominance in rivalry
- • Chaos aids escape or opportunity
Exasperated vulnerability masking press secretary overload, blending self-deprecating humor with frantic multitasking.
C.J. borrows Donna urgently from the bullpen, banters briefly with Josh, confesses her shocking ignorance of 'We Gather Together' at her office door, then enters to flash-camera audition turkeys, selects Eric despite his eerie stillness, and wrestles him off the chair while blocking Troy, snapping fingers in frustration.
- • Select the most photogenic, composed turkey for pardon to avoid Oval mishaps
- • Quickly learn or adapt Thanksgiving song for CNN performance amid crisis
- • Flapping turkeys undermine presidential dignity and photo ops
- • Personal knowledge gaps like song lyrics expose cracks in her elite credentials but can be patched with aides
Helpful exasperation tinged with amusement at C.J.'s elite blind spots, steady amid chaos.
Donna stands rifling her folder at her bullpen desk, agrees to help C.J., notes INS arrival to Josh, teaches 'We Gather Together' and suggests 'Madrigals' alternative with a sigh, then re-enters office to offer hindquarter support tip while assisting in wrangling Eric off the chair.
- • Aid C.J. with song knowledge and turkey handling to smooth holiday prep
- • Alert Josh to incoming INS amid her logistical duties
- • Basic cultural songs like 'We Gather Together' are common knowledge everyone should know
- • Practical grips under hindquarters make turkey wrangling feasible even for novices
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Donna's Folder serves as a mundane anchor at her bullpen desk, rifled through as C.J. interrupts for urgent help, symbolizing the clash of routine admin with holiday absurdity and refugee undercurrents; it grounds Donna's initial state before song lessons and turkey aid.
C.J.'s Turkey Audition Camera Flash erupts in blinding bursts inside her office, testing Eric and Troy's composure under stress to mimic presidential photo pressure; its pulses disqualify flapping Troy, crown stoic Eric, and heighten C.J.'s vulnerability amid farce.
C.J.'s Office Chair becomes Eric's defiant perch during the audition, creased under his sprawl as flashes test reactions; it transforms into a chaotic wrangling battleground where C.J. and Donna lunge, snapping fingers, underscoring the slapstick humanizing staff amid crises.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Josh's Bullpen Area hosts the event's frantic opening—Donna at her folder-laden desk, C.J.'s urgent borrow, Josh banter—propelling duo toward C.J.'s office door for confession; its cluttered desks amplify West Wing pandemonium, bridging holiday levity to INS alerts.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
CNN amplifies stakes as C.J. laments conducting her musical on their broadcast, framing the song ignorance confession and turkey audition as high-wire optics prep amid national scrutiny, humanizing her pressures.
Immigration and Naturalization Service (I.N.S.) looms as impending authority when Donna alerts Josh of their imminent arrival amid turkey chaos, injecting refugee crisis gravity that contrasts and elevates the comedic audition's frivolity.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Josh's deflection with Thanksgiving plans is immediately followed by Donna's bombshell about the INS agents, highlighting the overlap of crises."
"Josh's deflection with Thanksgiving plans is immediately followed by Donna's bombshell about the INS agents, highlighting the overlap of crises."
Key Dialogue
"C.J.: "I need help with the song." DONNA: "Is it the usual song?" C.J.: "There's a usual song?""
"C.J.: "Troy, I want you know it was neck-and-neck but I'm giving it to Eric. You were in it right to the end but it's the flapping thing you've got going on.""
"DONNA: "The guy said to support him under his hindquarters." C.J.: "Well I don't know where his hindquarters are and I'm not going to look that hard.""