Jack plots against his counterpart and rival from the West Coast, Devon Banks — by using Kenneth the page as a honey pot. Meanwhile, Tracy gets a DNA test after a woman claims that he's the father of her illegitimate son...and discovers that he's a descendent of Thomas Jefferson.
This episode contains the following tropes:
- The Alcoholic: Floyd is revealed to have been one. Liz pretends to be one in order to date him.
- Boomerang Bigot: Toofer's ancestor, who he believed to have been the highest-ranking black officer in the Union Army, was actually in the Confederate Army (in reality, no Black soldier ever served in the Confederate army). He owned the farm where they caught John Wilkes Booth, and there's a book written about him called Confederate Monster.
- Brick Joke: When he's trying to sell Liz on the idea of a fireworks special, Jack mentions that they have fireworks that can form in the shape of a cowboy hat. Later in the episode, one of the network executives asks Jack if the special will have fireworks that can turn into cowboy hats.
- But Not Too White: According to a DNA test, Tracy is more white than black, which results in him having an identity crisis.
- Calling Your Attacks: Devon yells "Ka-RATE!" when practicing his karate moves.
- The Cameo: Maury Povich shows up in Tracy's dream, hosting an episode of Maury where Tracy confronts his biological father, Thomas Jefferson.
- Al Roker also cameos as the host of the NBC fireworks special.
- Chekhov's Gun: Liz mentions earlier in the episode that it would be useful if people would be open about all their weird issues at the start of a relationship. At the end of the episode, she tells Floyd all the weird issues she has in order to win him back over.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Jack tries to use Kenneth as a distraction for Devon to keep him from attending an important meeting. Despite Kenneth's spectacularly unsexy dancing, it works...until Devon hears the time on the radio.
- Famous Ancestor: Tracy is a descendant of Thomas Jefferson. Meanwhile, Toofer is descended from the infamous (and fictional) Tobias Spurlock, the highest-profile black officer for the Confederacy.
- Fantastic Fireworks: Subverted. They would be fantastic, but NBC forgot to warn people that they would be setting off three hours of fireworks over Midtown...on a day that's not The Fourth of July...in a post-9/11 society where everyone fears another large-scale terrorist attack.
- Funny Background Event: As the fireworks and their implications become clear, Al Roker begins to slowly back away.
- Oblivious to His Own Description: Frank, never seen without his trucker cap and huge glasses, asks Tracy why he's wearing a "stupid hat and glasses".
- Oblivious to Love: Kenneth has absolutely no idea that Devon is hitting on him.
- Slip into Something More Comfortable: Devon uses this line in the hotel room with Kenneth, who gushes "Like in the movies!"
- Straight Gay: Devon turns out to be gay, which takes Jack by surprise.
- The Thing That Would Not Leave: Pete's moved into Liz's apartment indefinitely after marital problems.
- Tropaholics Anonymous: After Liz follows Floyd into a church to see why he's going there in the afternoon, she joins him in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
