Episode #106 "Caught On Tape"

Kimberly has a crush on Kyle, a busboy at the restaurant where she works, and Butch, Pamela and Robbie love to tease her about him. Kimberly isn't amused. It's Joan's birthday, and Pamela informs Butch that Joan has spent every birthday in bed crying since "the incident." The incident, she reminds Butch, where he chose to come out of the closet on his mom's birthday. In fact, Pamela has it all on tape. A home video, crudely shot through Robbie's POV follows in which the family speculates on the reason for Elizabeth's absence and Butch then says that he's gay. Butch says it's time for a new tape. They'll get Joan out of the house on some pretense and take her to a surprise birthday dinner at the restaurant where Kimberly works. Robbie can bring the camera, and then there'll be a new tape. Butch shows up at Bill and Joan's and refuses to leave until Joan goes out with him. Bill says Butch should be ashamed of himself for showing up on Joan's birthday; Joan's a wreck. Later, Elizabeth begs Butch to make sure that Charlie goes to the party, because she and Dan are desperate for a little time alone. Charlie's not thrilled with the idea, but after prodding from his mom, Dan and Butch he relents. At the restaurant, Kimberly's mortified when the family starts arriving. She thinks they're there to spy on her. Driving Joan to the party, Butch runs out of gas in a bad area. Two threatening looking bikers arrive who take them to a seedy roadhouse bar. Butch is forced to tell Joan about the surprise party and goes off to phone Pamela at the restaurant. Joan orders a drink, brings out the infamous tape and proceeds to tell the bikers how this isn't the first time her son ruined her birthday. Butch reaches Pamela who chides him for trying to be Mr. Fix It. But she drags the family out of the restaurant and heads for the roadhouse. When Butch returns, everyone is gathered around a TV watching "the incident." Skull, one of the bikers, observes that Butch really did ruin his mom's birthday. Butch confesses that although he's not sorry he came out, he's sorry that he did it on Joan's birthday. Joan, who's had a few drinks by now, says that Butch must really love her if he was willing to drag her from her bed and take her out. By the time Pamela, Bill and Robbie arrive at the bar, Joan is dressed in Skull's leather jacket and singing "Private Dancer" along with the jukebox. Viper, another biker, recognizes Bill from Joan's tape. Butch says it's time for the tape to go. He gives Joan a pool cue, and she smashes it. Robbie shoots it all, and they now have a new birthday tape.