Gossip Girl Gossip: November 2008

This week sure was full of action. Blair’s birthday! Serena in Times Square! Chuck vs. Dan! Cyrus! Dresses on fire! A new President! Wow.

Blair’s 18th birthday wasn’t just a day. It was an event. The most important event to ever take place. Well, according to Blair. Her birthday, like everything else in her life, had to be perfect. And this year was going to be better than ever before. Blair’s mother was dating a new man, her old divorce lawyer, Cyrus. Blair’s mother loved men like Cary Grant: suave, sophisticated and handsome. Her new boyfriend would surely be no exception. But when Cyrus showed up at the Waldorf’s Blair was surprised. Who was this short, nebbish man standing in front of her? This could not be the man her mother had fallen in love with. Blair was stunned. Where the hell was Cary Grant?

Cyrus was everything Blair hated. He slurped his soup, ate with the wrong fork, wore sports socks and even had a catch phrase (“not enough!”). How could her mother be in love with such a man? Eleanor told Blair she could trust Cyrus, unlike Blair’s father who had his fair share of secrets. Blair was livid. This was not the kind of man she wanted for her mother. And she only got madder when Cyrus started standing in the way of her birthday party. He thought Blair was spending way too much money on peonies. Cyrus could get them cheaper somewhere else. Blair didn’t want them from anywhere else but her favorite Upper East Side florist. The nerve of this man! But Blair was trying to be a new kind of eighteen year old. She wanted to be classy and calm like Grace Kelly. Though, it was awfully hard with a man like Cyrus around. Especially when Cyrus had bought tickets to a Cyndi Lauper concert for himself and Eleanor the same night as Blair’s party. Blair wanted her mother at her party. Cyrus felt bad, but Eleanor didn’t care. They were going to see Cyndi Lauper and she would celebrate Blair’s birthday with her on her actual birthday. Blair was upset. Which could only mean one thing: Girl Just Want to Scheme.

Blair didn’t like this Cyrus guy and she was determined to bring the little man down. The two went to eat and Blair was hoping she could find some incriminating evidence against him. Instead Blair was overcome by Cyrus’ romantic story about falling in love with a Vietnamese girl named Kim-Ly while he was in the Vietnam War. Cyrus was married to his first wife when he met Kim-Ly and was planning on divorcing her to be with Kim-Ly. Unfortunately Kim-Ly died. Cyrus’ wife forgave him for the affair, but they ended up divorcing later on anyway. It wasn’t until Cyrus met Eleanor that he realized he could fall in love like that again. Blair was mesmerized. Maybe Cyrus wasn’t so bad after all.

When Eleanor found out Blair had gone to lunch with Cyrus she knew what was up. Eleanor knew her daughter too well. Everything Blair did was a scheme. Eleanor figured Blair had gone to find out information about Cyrus so she could use it against him. But Eleanor knew Blair would only come up empty handed. Cyrus was the most trustworthy man in the world. Blair was taken aback. Why was her mother accusing her of this and taking the side of some guy she hardly knew? So that’s when Blair had to resort back to her seventeen year old self. Goodbye, Grace Kelly. Hello, old Blair. Blair told her mother Cyrus wasn’t the perfect man Eleanor thought he was. He had cheated on his first wife. Just like Blair’s father had done to Eleanor. Eleanor was crushed and devastated. Good job breaking your mom’s heart, B.

When Cyrus showed up at Blair’s party Eleanor told him to get out. She didn’t want to see him again. A defeated Cyrus left the penthouse and Blair looked, shockingly, guilty and sad? Moments later, guess who came out of the elevator? Cyndi Lauper!! Cyrus had bought out her gig so she could come and perform at Blair’s birthday party. Blair was shocked. And then Blair did something very out of character. She grew a conscience. Blair went outside to stop Cyrus from leaving. She found him and couldn’t believe he was giving up so easily. Who said he was giving up? And that’s when Blair realized this Cyrus guy wasn’t as innocent as he looked. Cyrus out-maneuvered her. He knew Cyndi Lauper would prey on Blair’s emotions and thus force Blair to come and find him to do the right thing. Cyrus reminded her he was a lawyer. Always had to think six steps ahead. And besides not everyone can rely on their looks. Blair told him he better be good to her mother or else. Cyrus agreed. Maybe Cyrus wasn’t as different from Blair as she thought.

Meanwhile, Dan finally finished his story about Charlie Trout (aka Chuck Bass) and gave it to Noah Shapiro from the Paris Review. Shapiro liked it so much he told Dan he’d give him a Yale recommendation. Yay! But that’s not the only thing Shapiro wanted to do for Dan. He also hooked him up with James Wolf, an editor at New York Magazine, who was very interested in Dan’s story. Dan was confused. New York Magazine didn’t really do fiction. James told Dan that it was the 20th anniversary of Bass Industries and they’d love to do an expose on Bart Bass. Since Dan knew the son and dated the step-daughter he had an in. Dan was skeptical. The last person he wanted to hate him was Bart. And Chuck (scary!). Shapiro reminded him he needed to grow some if he ever wanted to play in the big leagues.

And what did Dan choose? He chose to play. Dan met with Bart and told him he’d been thinking of giving up writing. Maybe business would be his newest venture? He’d love to get the chance to work for Bart a few days a week. See what a powerful businessman did. Bart agreed to it. Score! Unfortunately, Chuck entered the office and found his father with Dan. WTF was Dan Humphrey doing there? It was icing on the cake when Bart invited Dan to Rangers game that he had told Chuck earlier he couldn’t go to. Chuck was angry. And you never want to make Chuck Bass angry. It ain’t pretty.

Dan thought he was in for the story of a lifetime when a Deep Throat like source contacted him. This guy told Dan he had some inside info about Bart Bass. Turned out Bart was responsible for a fire that started in one of his buildings twent years ago. He used the insurance money from the fire to start up Bass Industries. If it weren’t for the fire, Bass would have lost a lot of money and never have gotten his company off the ground (aka Chuck would be poor! Or rather not as rich). Dan went to Bart and told him he knew all about the fire. Bart was shocked Dan had found out. Bart said he had to live with the guilt of a dead man for the past twenty years. Wait, what? Yeah, someone had died. Oops. Chuck heard this all and made his father stop talking. He knew Dan was writing a story about his father. Dan was a spy. Bart offered to pay Dan off, but he didn’t want the Bass’ money. As Dan left the apartment, Chuck pleaded with him. If Dan used that info it would ruin Chuck’s family. Eek. Major moral dilemma for Dan.

But Dan’s a Humphrey. And he did what was right. Dan sent Bart his story about Charlie Trout. This story was about the character of Charlie Trout thinking he killed his mother. Bart’s no idiot. He understood that Charlie Trout was an alias for Chuck Bass. Bart went to talk to Chuck. He had no idea Chuck felt that way about his mother. Bart never thought Chuck was responsible for his wife’s death. It was just always hard for him to look at Chuck because he reminded Bart of her so much and he still loved and missed her. Bart told Chuck he wanted to know him better. Maybe he could make that hockey game after all. Aww. Yay for Bart and Chuck!

Over in Jenny world things weren’t going so well. After running away from home she found herself living with Agnes. And Agnes’ true colors were coming out. Jenny and Agnes went on meeting after meeting with business managers to try to find a way to start their line. Unfortunately, Agnes had a different vision than Jenny. Jenny was frustrated. She needed this line to happen or else everything she worked so hard for was just a waste. Agnes didn’t seem to care. She just really wanted to party and have fun. Fed up, Jenny went behind Agnes’ back to meet with a business manager. To say Agnes was mad when she found out would be a huge understatement. Agnes couldn’t believe Jenny would do this to her. She was the one who had the contacts, she was the one who had the idea for the guerilla fashion show. Jenny would still be an intern if it weren’t for her. Agnes wanted Jenny out of her apartment. But before the two could really say goodbye Agnes did one last crazy thing. She threw Jenny’s dresses in a garbage can and lit them on fire. So long Jenny’s hard work. Jenny’s dresses went from high fashion to highly flammable in a matter of seconds. Jenny was distraught. The dresses were all she had. And now Jenny truly had nothing.

Though, Jenny wasn’t giving up quite yet. The business manager told her there was only one thing left she could do if she wanted him to work with her: emancipate herself from her parents. Jenny would have to divorce her parents (!!). The only question she had to that was: what do I need to do? Bad girl!

All the while, Serena was being courted by Aaron Rose. He had been sending her maps of a bunch of different places in the city. It was way romantic. But the most romantic thing by far (possibly ever in the world) was when Aaron put Serena’s face on an electric billboard in Time’s Square. All of the tourists, Broadway stars and vendors could see Serena’s beautiful face on a big screen. So freaking sweet. Only problem was that Aaron was still seeing other girls. Serena didn’t get it. Sure, she was a free spirit but Aaron’s gaggle of girls was becoming a bit too much. Serena didn’t want to compete (nor should she have to, hello she’s Serena van der Woodsen!). However, when Serena met Cyrus her mind changed a bit. Eleanor’s new boyfriend, Cyrus, was actually Aaron’s dad (I know, small world and really the resemblance is, how do I put it, different?). He told Serena that he heard Aaron had taken her to the Cloisters. Aaron wouldn’t take just anyone there. She was special. Serena went to find Aaron. But when she found him he was of course with a different girl. Ugh. Serena didn’t want to do this. It was over.

But Aaron didn’t understand how it could be over when it never really even began. They couldn’t break up since they weren’t technically dating. When he went to see Serena at her apartment, he told her really liked her. He too grew up on the Upper East Side and he didn’t want the same kind of life as his parents. Aaron thought Serena was like that as well. And then Serena realized something. She was different than other UESers. Serena was a free spirit who didn’t have to go by the rules. And with that she put a coat over her nightgown and grabbed Aaron’s hand. It was time to go barefoot in the park.

Looked like everyone made some great changes this week! Blair became the bigger person by letting Cyrus in (even though he also moved into the penthouse with her family, but that’s something else she’ll need time to deal with entirely). Serena decided she would let her hair down and be the person she really wanted to be. Chuck got to have his father see him in a new light. Dan let his morals win and proved he really is a good person. And well, Jenny. I think her changes are for the worse. Divorcing your parents? Now that’s a new low. Can’t wait for Thanksgiving.

Nate and Jenny Over
Before they began!

Happy?

xoxo Gossip Girl (RayRay)