Object
Potato (Impromptu Anecdotal Prop — The Short List, S1E09)
A russet, medium-sized tuber described only in recollection: oblong with knobbly brown skin and the dull, matte texture of a common potato. The potato never appears physically on-screen; Joshua Lyman mentions it as a makeshift smoking device in a gallows-humor anecdote. Other characters react with brittle amusement and mild embarrassment, treating the mention as a throwaway prop that momentarily loosens formality before the conversation pivots to a more serious revelation.
2 appearances
Purpose
A common edible root vegetable; in the anecdote it is referenced as an improvised smoking device (a makeshift bong).
Significance
Acts as a verbal, tone-shifting prop: it provides dark levity and rapport, briefly deflects tension, and sets the stage for a sharper emotional turn when Leo's past addiction and treatment are revealed, thereby heightening the scene's political and personal stakes.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used