Will & Grace – Kid ‘N Play

By: Kelly Kearney

After two weeks of serious topics such as Grace’s #MeToo confession and Will’s heartbreaking coming out story, Kid ‘N Play, helped ease our pain the only way, “Will and Grace,” knows how, with pure, gut splitting comedy. Not only did we get an update on Grace’s new romance with Noah, but Karen’s playing producer to Jack’s gay-tastic new play. Did someone say, “Gaybraham Lincoln?” Oh, yes they did! History just got the Jack McFarland glow up!

The Problem with Noah

There’s a reason Noah is (David Schwimmer) called, “The West Side Curmudgeon,” the man complains about everything and that aspect of his personality is what made Grace (Debra Messing) so attracted to him. Sure, he doesn’t see the point of things like kisses goodbye or the importance of his girlfriend’s GBF but he’s trying and that’s good enough for Grace. Until the red head finds out that Will (Eric McCormack) isn’t really vibing with the Curmudgeon’s attitude.  In fact, the King of Avoidance has been hiding in his bedroom every morning until Noah leaves, just so he doesn’t have to engage in awkward small talk. When Grace hears this, she orchestrates a sort of Parent Trap dinner, to force the two men into some adult playdate. The plan backfires for a couple of reasons. The first clue this isn’t working out is when Noah insults Will’s most favorite Musical ever, West Side Story. Noah, obviously clueless to what keeps the gay community going, argues that the musical is ridiculous, and Natalie Wood was miscast. Why doesn’t he just punch Will directly in the heart? As if that’s not bad enough, later, Will overhears Noah talking on the phone to someone named Katie and is flabbergasted when the call ends with an, “I love you.” Before he can go all, New York street gang dance off on Noah, the Curmudgeon explains that he’s not cheating on Grace, he has a daughter! A twelve-year-old that he just happened to keep from Grace. When Will asks why all the secrecy, Noah resounds with a lame excuse about the time just never being right. He meant to come clean, but the opportunity never presented itself and now he’s scrambling to find the right moment. Noah begs Will to keep his secret until he can tell Grace the truth over dinner. He’s torn because Will doesn’t keep anything from Grace, something that Noah, Will and even Grace, thinks is a tad disturbing. Knowing hoe serious Grace is about her new boo, is enough for Will to consider Noah’s request. Hoping the Curmudgeon will live up to his promise, Will agrees to stay quiet for twenty-four hours but makes it clear that lying by omission is not going to fly with him or his partner in life. Noah has to tell the truth, or this will never work out with Grace.

Unfortunately, twenty-four hours was not long enough because when Grace gets home from dinner, all she can talk about is the food she spilled all over her skirt. Nothing sticks in Adler’s craw like lost food and ruined fashion…but mostly the food, let’s be honest. As she’s ranting about her stained skirt, Will quickly realizes that Noah never told her about Katie. Grace, who knows Will better than anyone, is positive he is keeping something from her. She pushes Will to spill the tea but all he offers her is a vague explanation about keeping Noah’s secret. Grace, who can’t believe the BFF that she tricked into spending time with her new man is now hiding his secrets, immediately assumes Noah’s big reveal must be that he’s gay. Thinking she turned another man gay, even though she knows she isn’t that powerful, leaves her distraught and ready to throw herself out the window like some Upper West side street meat. Will assures her that Noah isn’t gay, but she needs to talk to him about this, he isn’t getting in the middle of their issues. Who is he kidding? Within minutes, Noah walks in on Grace squawking about his secret and Will is right there in the middle. The bizarre thrupple argues back and forth about keeping secrets until Noah admits he has a daughter. Grace is shocked, mostly about being in the dark because the woman has never gotten over how her relationship ended with Leo. Grace does not do lies unless she’s the one lying! Will exits so the two can work out their problems and after a lot of pushing by Grace, Noah admits the reason he kept quiet was because he has feelings for her. Definitely a weird way to show it and Grace demands to know what kind of feelings. After all, she isn’t getting any younger and she’s not about to waste her time on someone who can’t be honest about how he feels. Finally, the Curmudgeon begrudgingly admits he might be in love with her and that is about as shocking to Grace than the twelve-year-old daughter he kept from her. Noah might be internet famous for being a complainer but IRL the curmudgeon is like a salty caramel candy. Sweet and soft in the middle but enrobed in salty attitude. This is something Grace can work with, but will they last? Who knows, but the lying about his daughter certainly sends up a red flag that Noah might not be as ready to commit as deeply as Grace is. In fact, when Grace asks when she can meet Katie, his response is something like, how about never? Poor Grace, Noah might be her pessimistic equal, but the man doesn’t seem to be on the same relationship wave length as his designer girlfriend.

Four Score and Seven Gays Ago…

While Grace and Noah are ironing out the issues in their relationship, Jack (Sean Hayes) and Karen’s (Megan Mullally) friendship is on the rocks. After admitting that, “accountant,” suggested Karen invest in a losing business after her divorce, she targets Jack’s flailing acting career as her ticket to win big on a loser. Things get crazy when Karen becomes the producer of Jack’s new play about the life and gay times of Abraham Lincoln AKA Gaybraham Twinkcoln. The totally true story (to Jack anyway) of the life and gay times of America’s favorite beard and rainbowed top hat wearing president. Karen is delighted at the news because she knows this play will flop and she she’s counting on it…or counting all the money she will make when it does. The problem is, once Karen realizes her name is tied to this historical disaster, she starts to fear for her reputation. After all, Karen Walker is no loser, she just invests in losers!

After seeing the first act, Karen straps on the producing hat and starts barking orders at her BFF to drop the, “Jack-ting,” and start acting. Of course, Jack-ting is all Jack knows so, the two-start bickering like some old couple with Karen taking the lead and slinging insults like they’re going out of style. The friends, start strip fighting (everything turns sexual with these two) as Karen says, “your play sucks worse than a girl with daddy issues.” That halts Jack’s clapback because even though they’re fighting, that insult deserved some applause. The cease fire doesn’t last long because Karen gives Jack his pink slip. Ms. Moneybags decides to recast the show and Jack’s getting replaced by the very talented Jon Cryer. Jack’s out and Duckie’s in!

Once Karen sees Jon Cryer interpret her rewrites of Gaybraham Twinkcoln, she realizes that the actor really isn’t nailing the nuances of the role like her Jackie did. Minded, Cryer gives a stellar performance as the closeted war-torn president, enough so that Karen starts to rethink her fight with Jack. His performance was so touching that it made her realize how much she missed the mediocre talents of her BFF. Karen, who doesn’t often have moments of self-reflection followed by selfless acts of kindness, realizes that Jack and his D-list acting dreams, mean more to her than the public ridicule she will get for financially fronting this fiasco. Karen finally gives in to her BFF and fires Cryer sending Duckie packing. After tossing Cryer out on his glue on beard, Karen and Jack make up…or make out…you never know with these two. Suffice it to say, the bond is strong between Will and Grace and Jack and Karen, it can withstand any lying Curmudgeon and off-off Broadway flop, that they might face. Whether or not Grace and Noah will last is anyone’s guess but if Jack’s gay-visionist historical play can make a buck, then hope is not lost. After all, love is love, even if it’s with the angriest man in all of New York City.