When his son Marty bombs at a school track meet, Jay becomes determined to help his son find something he's good at. Meanwhile, an unwise promotion of Duke's (He'll pay $100 to whoever doesn't laugh at Jay) puts him at odds with the thousands of Coming Attractions unhappy viewers.
This episode has examples of
- Didn't Think This Through: Reporter Jack Peters covering the fallout of Duke's bet concludes his report by suggesting that this incident will "excise this cancerous tumor" from the media landscape. It turns out he works at Phillips Network News.Duke: Hey, idiot! You're fired!
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Marty embraces a talent that entertains people and has never been happier. A Flash Forward shows him performing at Carnegie Hall.
- Flash Forward: 20 years in the future, Marty is the world's greatest stomach virtuoso performing at sold out concerts, while Jay achieved his dream of becoming the world's fattest man.
- Heroic BSoD: Marty's self-confidence is destroyed by his awful performance at the meet and everyone else laughing at him.
- Hilarity Sues: When Duke refuses to pay, the class-action suit is so large that it has to take place at a ballpark stadium.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Jay after Marty announces he's going to play his guitar at the school talent show.
- So Proud of You: Jay and Ardeth towards Marty at the talent show.
- Tempting Fate:
- At a judo class, the teacher explains that cunning trumps size. Marty is excited by this, so the teacher introduces him to his opponent: Satoshi, the Eater of Souls.
- Jay is aware that Marty stinks at the guitar, but he says it makes him happy. Marty then enters to say he's now going to enter the school talent show and expresses certainty no one will laugh at him this time.
- Your Soul Is Mine!: "Cookie puss, I will eat your soul!"
- Yank the Dog's Chain: After Jay insists the mall will have something to cheer up Marty, they see a large sign advertising The Cheer Up Marty Store. However, a smaller sign above that says it won't open until June 1997 (then three years away).
