"The Wash-Out" is the second segment of the twenty-seventh episode of Pepper Ann. It aired on November 6, 1999.
Synopsis
When Gwen Mezzrow leaves school crying after being called into the principal's office, Pepper Ann accidentally starts a rumor that Gwen was sent home for having head lice.
Plot
As Ms. Stark prepares the class for their eventual trip to Fuzzy World to find right angles, Gwen Mezzrow is unexpectedly pulled out of class by Nurse Oomla. While the conversation is not heard, it leaves Gwen crying and running home. At lunch everyone wonders what the conversation was all about. Pepper Ann nonchalantly points out how everyone had lice screenings; leading everyone, including Milo, to spread the rumor that Gwen has head lice. While Pepper Ann was not being serious, Nicky scolds her for being careless about her words.
Despite Nicky telling Pepper Ann that the rumor will subside, Gwen is ostracized the very next day. Even when she tells everyone she left because her goldfish died, everyone ignores her, making Pepper Ann feel even worse. Nobody will pick her to be their partner to Fuzzy World, not even Dieter (who is wholly grossed out by her "condition") Milo. Nicky attempts to be Gwen's partner to show how silly everyone is being, but ditches her when Stuart walks in (despite it not being his class). Pepper Ann approaches Gwen at lunch time and reveals that she was the one to inadvertently spread the rumor and will make it up to her. She goes from student to student, telling everyone the truth while also interacting with all their head related objects and getting Tess and Vanessa to write a rumor retraction article.
Pepper Ann finally approaches Dieter, who staunchly refuses to believe her. Left with no choice, Pepper Ann breaks into the Nurse' office to get Gwen's file, but runs into Nurse Oomla. She reveals to Pepper Ann that she has head lice and that she is fine as long as she did not share any brushes or hats. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Pepper Ann has been doing, and now the whole school has lice, ruining the trip to Fuzzy World and sending everyone home, except for Gwen who was the only one, ironically, not infected.
Cast
Main cast
- Kathleen Wilhoite as Pepper Ann Pearson
- Jeff Bennett as Dieter Liederhosen, Noah*
- Danny Cooksey as Milo Kamalani
- Clea Lewis as Nicky Little
- April Winchell as Abriola Stark*, Sherrie Spleen*
Additional voices
- Ellen Cleghorne as Nurse Oomla
- Kimmy Robertson as Gwen Mezzrow
- Kath Soucie as Cissy Rooney, Mean Girl*
- Cree Summer as Tessa and Vanessa James
- Jenna von Oÿ as Trinket St. Blair
*Marks an uncredited voice role
Non-speaking appearances
- Stuart Walldinger (does not speak)
- Alice Kane (cameo; fantasy sequence only)
- Constance Goldman (cameo)
- Cossie Van Tuttie (cameo)
- Crying Girl (cameo)
- Gerta Liederhosen (cameo)
- Lamar Abu-Dabe (cameo)
- Mr. James (cameo; not seen)
- Timid Boy (cameo)
- Timmy (cameo)
- Tommy (cameo)
- Wayne Macarbe (cameo)
- Marie (mentioned)
Trivia
General
- This episode is also referred to as "The Washout" on some guide listings.
- For ABC, UPN, and Family Channel broadcasts, this episode was paired with "Def Comedy Mom" in favor of its sister segment.
- This episode marks the second and final appearance of Mean Girl with her Season 2 skin tone.
Continuity
- Nurse Oomla makes her first speaking role in an episode after being a recurring (albeit silent) character in the previous season.
- Going by production/broadcast order, "You Oughta Be in Musicals!" would've been her first speaking appearance.
- Pepper Ann's line, "You can have my scrunchie you've always admired; it's the freshest!" is a call-back to "Crunch Pod" when Tessa and Vanessa ride by on their bike and call out, "Hey new Crunch Pod champ! Your scrunchie is the freshest!" to Pepper Ann.
- This episode marks the final instance of Gwen's crush on Dieter being shown following their implied relationship in the previous season; Dieter is shown to be rather repulsed by her affection, especially following the lice rumors.
- Dieter states that "newspapers are nothing but wo-bit conspiracy mills"; considering that Dieter has written for multiple newspapers (including Hazelnuts "N' Bolts) on various occasions, even being seen reading the aforementioned school paper in this episode's sister segment, this comes off as rather hypocritical.
Allusions
- The episode makes a rather blatant reference to the Hollywood Blacklist and the Red Scare. In Pepper Ann's fantasy, Gwen admits that she's a communist and utters Joseph N. Welch's often quoted exclamation "have you left no sense of decency?"
External links
