9: “The World Hunger Shindig”
Synopsis: “Jem and the Holograms are invited to perform at a concert benefitting the victims of world hunger. When The Misfits learn of the concert, they try to horn in. Sally Brand, the woman behind the World Hunger Shindig tells them they can perform, but can’t be on the live album unless another group backs out. Eric Raymond schemes to keep the Holograms away from the concert and to make a tidy sum of money for himself in the process.”
Summary: We start with the Holograms being flown by helicopter to a private BBQ with Sally Brand, the person in charge of the World Hunger Shindig. Michael Sheehan, the actor that voices Rio, does a terrible stereotypical Texan accent as the helicopter pilot.
At the BBQ, Sally Brand is introduced as the host, by a fellow in a cowboy hat, who yet again appears to be voiced by Michael Sheehan (hilarious). Sally introduces Ellen Sue Tanner to the crowd as the chairwoman of the World Hunger Foundation. The premise for the concert, which is to be held at the Houston Astrodome, was based on Ellen’s bet to Sally that she couldn’t raise eight million dollars within one week. Naturally, Sally accepted the bet. Without further ado, Sally brings Shawn Harrison on stage and introduces him as both “English teen idol” and the person in charge of signing bands to the concert. The Holograms run on stage to perform a song.
Jem and the Holograms music video: “We Can Make A Difference.”
After the Holograms finish their number, they introduce themselves to Sally. Shawn asks the band who wrote the song. Kimber, in her usual shy demeanour tells him that she wrote it. So far it seems like Kimber is immediately smitten with any attractive man she meets. Jem asks to be excused as she think she’s getting sick and leaves the party to go rest. This is used as an excuse to switch back to Jerrica Benton see Rio and the others expecting to see her.
Sally: Jerrica Benton? Feel like I know ya with all them talks on the phone.
Sally introduces C.B Dodd, a man who’s fortunes lie in the oil industry but who wishes to invest in a record company. Unfortunately the conversation is cut rather short when the Misfits make a grand entrance in a low riding car (possibly a Cadillac) with what appear to be bull horns on the front. The Misfits don’t even wait for Eric Raymond to introduce them to Ms. Brown. Eric the and the Misfits ingratiate themselves upon Sally since they are eager to perform at the World Hunger Shindig. Sally accepts, but stipulates they will not be on the live album unless someone backs out. Eric and the Misfits are invited to stay together in Sally’s guest house, but Eric is not enthused by the idea.
Eric Raymond: Makes a groaning noise.
The Holograms try to warn Sally about Eric because of his checkered past, but Sally is quite aware of who he is and acknowledges that she knows he’s a “weasel.”
Pizzazz: Hi Shawn. It’s been a year since I saw you in that crummy little club in London. Are you still into fighting all-comers?
Shawn: Not anymore ol’ girl, so run along.
Author note: I don’t get why everyone is so mean to Pizzazz and turns her away, even when she’s being nice. She’s perfectly attractive.
At the guest quarters, we see a very frustrated Eric Raymond who is struggling to get his cowboy boots off. That seems understandable since he’s not used to the attire of urban cowboy. Pizzazz comes storming in and yells are Eric after finding out the band will be doing the concert without being paid. To add insult to injury, they won’t be on the live concert album. Eric seems to have everything worked out (or does he?) when he tells the Misfits not to worry, that they’ll be on the album and it will be their ticket to “international recognition.”
Stormer: What are you getting out of this, Eric?
Eric: Nothing! Nothing but contacts and publicity for you ingrates. No go to bed and get out of my hair!
Naturally this wouldn’t be an episode of Jem without some kind of planned sabotage. Zipper seems to materialize out of thin air when he appears in the corner of the room and reassures Eric of his plans.
Zipper: Psssst! Over here. Everything is set at the Astrodome. Any last minute details?
Yes Zipper, there is one. I want you to get rid of Jem and the Holograms… tomorrow.
Author note: Okay, I don’t see how this can be misconstrued in any way, but Eric is asking Zipper to murder the Holograms.
The following morning, Sally goes over to the guest house where the Holograms are staying. Dressed in business attire, Kimber makes a comment about her sudden change in appearance from the previous evening.
Sally: Whip cracking business duds. I’m going into my office in Houston. Ya’ll enjoy the ranch today, hear. Plenty of things to do. Riding, swimming… but stay away from gullies and ravines. First sign of a cloud, high-tail it back here. This is flash flood season.
Sitting at a park bench and looking rather lonesome, Rio meets Jerrica. After commenting on the beautiful weather they’re having, Rio retorts with a gloomy “I suppose so.” Rio doesn’t appear to be too happy to see Jerrica at this moment, and she was hoping that the two of them could spend some time together. Rio apologizes and promises to see her later in the evening.
Later in the afternoon, Shawn notices Kimber feeding a bird and charms her into taking a horse back ride with him. Kimber accepts while Pizzazz jealously eaves drops on their private conversation.
Zipper is seen overlooking a cliff as he keep tabs on where the Kimber, Shawn, and the Holograms are headed on horseback.
The Holograms decide to rest for a while and the group decides to go for a swim. Shawn receives an important phone call about an urgent contract that needs to be signed back in Houston. Shawn takes off but tells Kimber he’ll see her at the hay ride later in the night. Regrettably for the Holograms, once they’re alone, a bandanna wearing Zipper shows up and commands them to walk towards the ravine. Kimber creates a distraction and pretends to be hurt, while Jem uses Synergy to create holographic rain and then a flash flood that sends Zipper and his hired thug running. Once again, Eric’s dastardly plans are foiled.
At the hay ride, Kimber is disappointed to hear that Shawn took off with the Misfits and wouldn’t be joining her. But the truth of the matter is that the Misfits created a ruse by telling Shawn that Kimber wanted to meet him at a local club. After arriving at the club, the Misfits receive a very strong and warm welcome by fans.
The Misfits music video: “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”
Driving down the road in Pizzazz’s Cadillac, Shawn and the Misfits make their way back to the ranch, but not before briefly engaging in an argument.
Pizzazz: Your new mellow personality is sickening. You used to like good songs. You used to have guts.
Shawn: Slow down and grow up ol’ girl.
Pizazz: You’ve turned into a wimp, Shawn.
The Misfits nearly collide with the Holograms while they’re on a hay ride. Without doing the decent thing and stopping to check if they’re unharmed, Pizzazz drives off. Jem asks Kimber if she noticed who was in that car, and Kimber vows to never speak with Shawn Harrison again.
In the next scene, Zipper calls Eric from a phone booth after Rio tries to unsuccessfully get in touch with Jerrica. After relaying the unfortunate news of Zipper’s failure to rid Eric of the Holograms, Eric flies off the handle.
Eric: World Hunger Shindig. Give what you can.
Zipper: Boss, it’s me. The plan fell through.
Eric: What!?
Zipper: You wouldn’t believe. A flash flood came out of nowhere.
Eric: You failed! Are you trying to sabotage my whole plan?
Zipper: Hey, mellow out pops, it’s covered. I’ll take care of everything tomorrow. Right here at the Astrodome.
At the Astrodome, Zipper poses as the ticket attendant, even though he doesn’t even attempt to disguise himself this time. All of the money from ticket sales go straight into a bag under his desk.
Shawn catches up with Kimber before taking off to the Holograms’ dressing room and apologies for the mishap earlier in the day. He admits that Pizzazz tricked him into going with the band and Kimber quickly accepts his apology. While this is occurring, the Holograms are escorted into an empty room marked as their dressing room, upon which they’re locked in for the duration of the concert. Kimber searches for the band and bumps into Rio, who is a tad irate as he hasn’t spent much time with Jem or Jerrica.
The Holograms find a way to escape the storage room after discovering an air duct large enough for them to crawl through. When Zipper’s hired thug comes back to check on them, he’s fooled into thinking Jem, Aja, and Shana are still in the room, due to a cleverly crafted Hologram.
Author note: How on earth is this hologram being projected from Jerrica’s earrings, when she isn’t even in the same room? It defies all sense of physics and logic. And how did the Hologram so perfectly go away when the thug was not looking?
Thug: That’s what I like to see. Good quiet girls.
At the World Hunger Shindig office, Zipper drops by with a briefcase of the ticket booth money for Eric. The briefcase is hidden in the air duct and we get to see Jem, who’s eaves dropped on the entire conversation between Eric and Zipper. Eric seems awfully confident that his plan is rock solid and will assure the Misfits have a spot on the concert album, since the Holograms are locked away. Jem creates a hologram of a snake, which freaks Zipper out when he tries to snag the briefcase away from Eric.
Author note: How did he remove the air duct panel without any tools? Jem just said the screws were too tight when she attempted to remove it herself.
Zipper comes back in a moments notice, this time with a bat. The Holograms manage to escape, but Zipper sees them and chases after them. Meanwhile, Kimber urges Sally to halt the concert for just a few minutes longer, as she assures her that the rest of the band will be there any minute. Cut to Jem, Aja, and Shana as they try to get away from Zipper by climbing into a duct that (conveniently) leads them to a platform high above the stage where they need to be. Synergy projects her voice over the PA and announces “Jem and the Holograms” while Jem, Aja, and Shana dramatically slide down a net holding balloons.
Jem and the Holograms music video: “Share A Little Bit of Yourself.”
As The World Hunger Shindig concludes, Ellen Sue Tanner broaches the disappointing news that Sally is $280,000 short on her $8 million dollar bet for the concert. But saving the day, Jem runs in with a briefcase containing money that was stolen by Zipper.
Pizzazz: Just in it for the contacts, huh Eric?
Yes, well, it’s $250,000 I collected, privately. A surprise.
Pizzazz: You were the one who looked surprised, Eric.
Eric: Be quiet! I’m sorry it’s not enough to win your bet.
Sally: The bet don’t mean diddly, Eric. I’m playing for them little starvin’ kids. So sign over your $50,000 promotion fee, now!
Trivia:
- At the end of this episode, there is a 35 second rock video of “We Can Make A Difference.”
- Sean Harrison is introduced as an old acquaintance of Pizzazz’s.
- Kimber’s hair turns pink twice in this episode.
Duration: 1:04:33
Present: Alex, Tempest.
Episode Links- Episode 9: “The World Hunger Shindig”
- “We Can Make A Difference”
- “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”
- “Share A Little Bit Of Yourself”
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Download: Episode 9: “The World Hunger Shindig”