Episode #118 "Mrs. Finnerty You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter"

Lily is near tears after she and some of her girlfriends are booed off the stage at the school talent show. Claudia tells her she’s overreacting, but Lily, blinded by the spotlight, heard a commotion in the audience and the words, “Go home, Finnerty!” so she’s not convinced. Lily storms upstairs, and Sean observes that she’s just being dramatic. Claudia tells Sean that she’s never seen Lily this upset, and she’s refusing to do tomorrow night’s show. Sean wants to quit while they’re ahead, but Claudia can’t stand to see their daughter miserable and humiliated. It all started when Sister Helen tells Lily she can’t do her act, because it’s lewd and lascivious. When Sean jumps to Lily’s defense, Sister Helen informs him that Lily’s song, “Big Spender,” is a song about prostitutes. Sean wins, but not until Sister Helen saddles him with cases and cases of chocolate bars to sell for the schools fundraising drive. But when Sean actually sees Lily and her friends rehearsing the sexy dance number, he flips out. Claudia reassures him that this is just normal teenage fun stuff. Sean says that this is a Lily that he’s never seen before, but Claudia says he’s being ridiculous; wanting to look sexy isn’t the same as wanting to have sex. When confronted, Lily protests that she’s just playing a character. Sean goes to Sister Helen, and tells her she’s right about the song. If she wants to shut them down, she has Sean’s blessing. But it’s too late; the programs have already been printed. Sean leaves with thirty more boxes of chocolate bars. Lily’s in the kitchen with Eddie who’s trying unsuccessfully to cheer her up. Claudia comes in with Sean and insists that Lily hear the real story. Sean and Claudia are in the audience watching Lily when three teenage boys sitting behind them begin hooting and making remarks their daughter. Sean tries to grin and bear it, but Claudia is suffering. She insists that Sean do something. The hissing starts when Claudia holds up her coat to block the boys’ view. She pushes Sean over the chairs into the boys. Blinded by the lights, Lily can’t see what’s happening in the audience; she can only hear the boos and catcalls. When she find out what really happened, she thinks it’s really cool and can’t wait to do the next performance.