Busy and Amanda are sparring in karate class and talking about the ear cuffs Amanda just got without her mother's consent. I assume that involves some cartilage piercing and I just don't buy that any piercing place would let a girl that age do that. But anyway, it has no bearing on the story. Amanda teases Mr. Neil about his short pants and gives Busy a knowing look when he pats Busy's shoulder. Back when I watched this show during the original run, I thought I saw an episode where a teacher comes on to one of the girls and I quit watching because it was stupid. Since that never happens in the series, I assume I watched the first few minutes of this episode and quit in disgust.
On the way home Amanda kids Busy about her supposed crush on Neil. She even implies that this grown man has a crush on this obviously lesbian eleven year old. I think it was at this point all those years ago that I turned this episode off. Anyway, Amanda says Neil is nothing compared to her latest obsession, a rock star named Bonsai. I'm not sure if Bonsai is supposed to be a parody of a real singer or not. Like U4EA (used later in the series) is obviously code for U2. Of course, since she mentioned him, it means he's going to show up sometime during the episode. He's scheduled an appearance "here in our city" (Toronto? They never say.)
Busy enthuses about Neil with her family, causing her brother Manny to make snide remarks. He went to school with Neil and seems to have a very definite negative opinion about him. Notice Busy is expected to serve the men just like her mother.
Busy arrives at karate practice in a decidedly more feminine ensemble than usual. Busy will undergo a makeover in season five, and she looks just fine there, but before that I always think Busy looks like a guy in drag when she tries to dress like a girl. When Neil holds Busy's leg to help her with a move, Amanda remarks out loud that she hopes Busy shaved. It's an out of character remark, because usually she's trying to hook Busy up with whatever guy she's supposed to be after. Still, after class Amanda presses the idea that Neil is in love with Busy. This guy is like 30. They should be calling the cops if anything.
Amanda asks what a date with Neil would be like and Busy answers they would do karate. See, it's this kind of thing that should make Busy wonder about her sexuality. Compare this with Amanda's romantic dream date with Bonsai. This doesn't really sound like a genuine crush. It seems like she admires her karate teacher, nothing more.
Then, through the bus window they see Neil and...
They see him kissing another man.
Amanda makes a list of all the reasons Neil might be kissing another man - besides the obvious.
Manny and Dom give Busy a hard time about crushing on a gay guy. Manny even throws out the "F" word. Frankie says it's no big deal, and kudos to him for being so open-minded in 1993.
Amanda and Busy fight their way through a crowd of fangirls to see Bonsai come out of his hotel. Busy asks Amanda, in front of all these people, if she thinks not knowing about Neil and liking him makes them gay. Finally! Busy is finally acknowledging the obvious. Only it's for the stupidest reason ever. Why is she gay because she has a crush on her MALE teacher? Does my childhood crush on Chad Allen mean I'm a lesbian? Nah, it means that when I was seven, I had bad gaydar. Look around, Busy, you're the only one of these girls who doesn't care about this Bonsai. It's things like this that should make you question.
Amanda finally gets to meet Bonsai. She gives him a bracelet she spent six hours making and he calls it a piece of crap. I guess the point of this is that straight guys can be asses and it's not right to judge people based on their orientation. Or something.
Nevertheless, Busy almost quits karate and the girls act freaked out when Neil tries to help them. He asks Busy to stay after class (reminds me of this episode of Degrassi Junior High. Here is another teacher-is-gay episode.) He doesn't care anything about Amanda or why she doesn't want him to touch her either. She stays anyway. They finally confess to seeing Neil kiss another man. One thing I like about the episode is that they don't cop out and say 'I'm not really gay, but you'd still like me if I was, right?' Neil IS gay. The guy was his boyfriend. This is a weird conversation if you look at it from the perspective that Busy is going to grow up to be gay (assuming you aren't both blind and deaf.) Is it normal? she asks. Can't you try to be like everyone else?
Busy's brothers make fun of Amanda for a while and then start in on Busy's crush on Neil. Frankie calls Dom and Manny homophobic. I'm pretty sure this is one of the first utterances of this word on a TV show, and certainly one of the first on a kids' show. Busy kicks a football out of Manny's hands. The end.
This was an okay episode, but I'm putting it in the "worst" category because it could've been so much better. They could've had Busy question her sexuality for legitimate reasons (of which there are many.) It's easy to have a one time guest star come out as gay. It would have been ground-breaking if it had been Busy.
Next episode: Amanda spreads nasty rumors about Chrissy.
Laura Bertram Foot Fetish
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