Secret Life: More Rumors

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

The number of comments made about "gay genes" in this episode was disturbing. What exactly were they going for? And why would Grace, one of the most medically-minded characters, put so much faith in the genetics of sexuality? Overall, I thought that this was a ridiculous episode that will add nothing to the Secret Life canon. A bunch of rumors flying around about the Juergens clan, and Ben decides to go against his father, friends, and guidance counselor by applying to a private school for his senior year. Now, maybe Grace kissing Adrian will change something down the line, but I'm betting they're going to write that off in another episode or two, so it won't even matter. Lastly, I may be showing my age, but can someone tell me what "4SnP" is? I tried to find it online and didn't get anywhere... is it a text-speak thing the kids are using these days? 

The Secret Life of the American Teenager "4SnP" (S04E23): Now that word has spread that Anne might be gay, Amy's peers wonder if she's following in her mother's footsteps, mainly because she's not in a rush to marry Ricky. Ethan goes to ask Amy if it's true, but she thinks he's talking about Anne, so the misconception continues.

http://abcfamily.go.com

Ben is the one who fills in Amy on what's going around, and she wonders why people don't think Ricky is gay when his mother is. [good point.] Ricky thinks that Amy should either laugh it off or move up the date to dispel the rumor, but this just makes her angry. She doesn't even want to go to school, but she has a test so Ricky makes her go, warning her not to do anything stupid. [so, of course, you know that she will.]

Griffin decides to head to George's to "help him" with Amy being gay, under the ruse that he's waiting for Ashley to come home. AND, he comes bearing yet another rumor - people are saying that George turns women gay. [for crying out loud!] When the mother-daughter duo return, Anne wants to confront George immediately over the rumor that she's gay, and Ashley is excited that Amy might be gay - that frees up Ricky again. [are we actually going to start seeing Ashley on the show? and is she really going to pine for Ricky again??!?] 

Adrian is upset that nobody is talking about her, so Grace offers to spread a rumor that her mother is gay. Instead, Adrian decides to mention that she's questioned her own sexuality, and after Grace lets it slip that she has thought about Adrian sexually, Adrian begins plotting. Grace is desperate to prove her heterosexuality, so she tries to get Daniel to have sex with her, but he won't. She then asks Adrian to kiss her, but that freaks her out even more, and she moves out of Adrian's in the middle of the night. [Angelina Jolie? really??] In a last-ditch effort, Grace demands that Jack kiss her and have sex with her. [Grace, honey, chill. seriously.] Adrian, still desperate for attention, milks the situation by telling people that Grace asked her to kiss. Of course, this spreads like wildfire and Daniel is soon telling Omar the rumor. [are we really going to bring back Daniel? Seriously?]

Ben talks to the guidance counselor about transferring schools, but she doesn't support the idea. [duh.] It's $1200 just to apply, so Ben has to talk to Leo pronto. Leo basically says that Ben goes to a fine school and he won't pay $32,000/year for a private school when he already pays a ton in taxes to fund public schools. [well-said, Leo!] Dylan tells Ben to keep bugging Leo and to charge the application fee for now... and it looks like that's what he's going to do. 

In a random storyline, Leo gave Betty a decorator and an unlimited budget for her residence hall room, but Betty really just wants the same things as everyone else - like bunk beds, even though she has a private room. [does anyone else wonder if there's a contract clause over how many episodes in which Jennifer Coolidge must appear?] The decorator works with Anne, so he's taken aback with Betty's news that Amy and Anne are gay. [of course. because the adults in this universe are just as obsessed with rumors as the kids.]