It's All About Me
Matthew 6:1
“It's All About Me” is episode #517 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written by Marshal Younger and Kathy Buchanan, and originally aired on May 17, 2003.
Summary
Connie starts a Kids' Radio advice show with Mitch. At school, Trent DeWhite worries that he's getting credit for something he didn't do.
Plot
Connie questions Mitch about why he would want to join the FBI, and he reminds her that he is from Boston and is used to having a lot of things to do.
Trent suddenly walks into Whit's End and asks Connie and Mitch for advice joining the Biology Club at Odyssey Middle School. He really likes science, but his older brother tells him that he "has never heard of anything more dripping of geekism than being in the Biology Club" and that weirdness is not what he wants as the family reputation. Connie and Mitch both tell him he should join and establish his own reputation.
Suddenly, Trent sees his brother out front. His brother walks in, mentioning that a bird outside had a "very suspicious looking beak." Trent's brother is revealed to be none other than Jared DeWhite.
After the two brothers leave, Connie comes up with the idea to have Mitch host a call-in advice show on Kids' Radio. He's not real excited about the idea, but agrees to try it out after seeking advice from Whit, who tells him to go for it. Mitch soon becomes "Dr. Wise" and Connie is right there beside him, helping him to answer callers' questions. The reviews come back as good, except for the "pushy producer." Connie decides she doesn't like that Mitch is getting all the credit when the show was her idea and she's helping him give the advice. She tries to take control and in the process causes tension between her and Mitch.
While all this is going on, Trent is late to leave school after finishing up a biology project. Jared, covered in mud, has Trent listen to the tape of Rodney Rathbone shoving him into the puddle. Jared then tells Trent that he will take Trent's borrowed skeleton back to the biology classroom. When Jared returns the skeleton to the teacher's room for Trent, he finds the door locked. He then decides to put it somewhere else — a locker. Into his audio journal, he records that it would be funnier to stuff it into Rodney's locker...
The next day the whole school is talking about how a mysterious Prank Man performed the prank of the century on Rodney — as Rodney taunts Trent, Marvin, and Liz while opening his locker, the skeleton leaps out at him. After a little investigation by Liz, Trent is given credit for the prank, even though Trent himself protests that he was not responsible. Jared, jealous of Trent, wants the recognition for it and makes sure that it's known that it was him who performed the prank. But unfortunately, he has to lie in the process. The truth finally comes out from none other than Liz. Instead of the name "Prank Man," Jared is referred to as "Pathetic Man" and discovers the consequences for trying to take all the credit.
Discussion Questions
- What kind of advice did Trent want from Connie and Mitch?
- Why did it bother Connie that Mitch’s show was getting good reviews?
- Jared put the tape in Liz’s locker so everyone would know he was a hero. Then, he lied about putting the tape there. Do you ever do things only to gain all the attention for yourself?
- How can you put the focus on other people instead of you?
Cast
Heard in episode
Mentioned in episode
| Character | Mentioned By |
|---|---|
| Mrs. Randolph | Connie Kendall |
| Mrs. DeWhite | Trent DeWhite |
| Doris Rathbone | Rodney Rathbone |
| Tamika Washington | Marvin Washington |
| Stephen DeWhite | Jared DeWhite |
Notes
- Trivia
- This episode marks the second return of Jared DeWhite and his first return to Odyssey.
- This is the first episode with Trent DeWhite, Jared's brother, who was mentioned many episodes ago in #375: “The Pushover”.
- The "Pete's Gas and Chow" commercial in this episode previously appeared in #313: “Top This!” and would later appear in #623: “Buddy Guard”.
- Mitch's suggestion from this episode about how to get out of a locked trunk foreshadows his escape from Mr. Charles in #525: “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?, Part 3”.
- Connie's insistence to Mitch in this episode that he encourage kids to speak to their parents about problems was a lesson she learned much earlier in #62: “Let This Mind Be in You” when she failed to encourage Jimmy Barclay to do exactly this.
- Audio
- Dr. Wise's theme as heard in this episode is the same as an older version of the Focus on the Family theme.
- Goofs
- In #375: “The Pushover”, Jared says that his little brother (Trent) is "almost two." However, in all future episodes, they are much closer in age.
- Marvin tells Mitch in this episode that "his little sister keeps getting into his room," even though Tamika is his older sister. This is confirmed in #557: “A Lamb's Tale”, which states that Takima is ten — Marvin having been confirmed several times before this to be in middle school.
- The AIO Club summary for this episode says that Connie starts a radio show with "Mitch Mitchell."
Reviews
Quotes
Trent DeWhite: I was asked to join the biology club. We do experiments and help other kids with biology projects. And we're the only group allowed to touch the skeletons. I know it sounds nerdy, but it's kind of an honor to be asked because skeletons aren't cheap.
Robert Mitchell: I wouldn't sell mine for anything.
Jared DeWhite: Do you think those are real birds up there? Because I just came across one with a very suspicious-looking beak...
Robert Mitchell: If you ever do get locked in a trunk, you can kick out the brake lights and wave out the back to signal vehicles behind you.
Robert Mitchell: And we're back. The best way, caller, to get lipstick out of a sweater is with Vaseline.
Liz Horton: Ooh, how do I get the Vaseline out, then?
Robert Mitchell: Oh... look at that! Time for another break.
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