In The Room

From West Wing Wiki

At a Bartlet family birthday, Penn and Teller burn an American flag in the White House, prompting a political and publicity nightmare. Aboard Air Force One, Bartlet is stricken by a paralyzing episode of MS. Josh is approached to run the Vice President's presidential campaign.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Cast 2.1 Starring 2.2 Special Appearance By 2.3 Special Guest Stars 2.4 Guest Starring 2.5 Co-Starring 3 Trivia 4 Goofs 5 Quotes 6 References

[edit] Summary

[edit] Cast

[edit] Starring

• Dulé Hill as Charlie Young
• Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg
• Joshua Malina as Will Bailey
• Mary McCormack as Kate Harper
• Janel Moloney as Donna Moss
• Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler
• John Spencer as Leo McGarry
• Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman
• and Martin Sheen as President Jed Bartlet

[edit] Special Appearance By

• Alan Alda as Senator Arnold Vinick

[edit] Special Guest Stars

• Kristin Chenoweth as Annabeth Schott
• Gary Cole as Bob Russell
• Ed O'Neill as Eric Baker
• Penn & Teller as Themselves

[edit] Guest Starring

• Elisabeth Moss as Zoey Bartlet
• Mary Kay Place as Dr. Millicent "Milly" Griffith
• Ron Canada as Ted Barrow
• Stanley Kamel as Stanley
• NiCole Robinson as Margaret Hooper
• Renée Estevez as Nancy

[edit] Co-Starring

• Timothy Davis-Reed as Mark O'Donnell
• Kris Murphy as Katie Witt
• Ben Murray as Curtis Carruthers
• Paul Rae as Walter
• Tracey Costello as Secret Service Agent Moody
• Elizabeth Karr as Reporter #4
• James Sharpe as Reporter #5

[edit] Trivia

In one of their most thoughtful and politically charged tricks, Penn and Teller make a U.S. flag seem to disappear by wrapping it in a copy of the United States Bill of Rights, and apparently setting the flag on fire, so that "the flag is gone but the Bill of Rights remains." [1] In the episode, the flag remains missing, unlike in the stage version.

Penn is quick to point out that, as seen in their stage show, the flag-burning routine "is astonishingly patriotic." It includes his observations about the greatness of being able to perform such a trick in a free country, and finally, the flag not only reappears unscathed, but "up on the flag pole where it started, waving in the breeze." [2]

The title comes from the question that many people were asking: Was the President in the room at the time of the flag incident.

Alan Alda makes his first appearance in this episode.

[edit] Goofs

[edit] Quotes

Penn Jillette: What if we burned a flag, not in protest, but in celebration of the very freedoms that allow us to burn a flag - the freedoms that everyone who has ever worked in this magnificent building has pledged to preserve and protect?
Josh Lyman: Did you go to law school?
Penn Jillette: No, clown school.

Arnold Vinick The President can't give me the job I want.
Josh Lyman Which job.
Arnold Vinick His.

[edit] References

"The West Wing" In the Room (2004)
Penn burns flag on 'West Wing'
Penn and Teller

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