CHAPTER 30 "99 Percent"

Elizabeth receives a call from Mrs. Mudford about Madeline's "inappropriate family photo." Harriet tells Elizabeth that the reverend of the First Presbyterian Church and the LA Times have called for Mad and Elizabeth, respectively. Elizabeth doesn't want to do the interview because she knows they'll ask about her family.

Walter calls Elizabeth to console her about Amanda's family tree issues. Lebensmal tells Elizabeth he's unhappy with the show. Walter asks Elizabeth to feature a sponsor's soup in one of the episodes. Elizabeth wants to meet Lebensmal, but Walter forbids it.

The week gets worse: Mrs. Mudford gossips with the parents about the children and their families, revealing that Madeline is born out of wedlock and Amanda doesn't have a mother; Elizabeth learns that she makes much less than the other KCTV employees and that profit-sharing privileges are only given to male employees. In a rage, Mr. Sloane throws a beer bottle at Harriet. Harriet won't let Elizabeth call the police because she thinks she can handle Mr. Sloane.

After the week's events, Elizabeth calls the sponsor's soup poisonous on TV. She explains how to kill someone by feeding them toxic mushrooms and rants about women not being paid the same as men before showing the audience how to make a broccoli-mushroom casserole.

Lebensmal wants to see Elizabeth at 7 PM, and Rosa, the make-up artist, warns Elizabeth not to go alone. Elizabeth goes to Lebensmal, who yells at her. He fires her and everyone else on Supper at Six if this doesn't work. Elizabeth calmly explains that Lebensmal wants to fire her because he “want(s) a show that reinforces societal norms (and) limits an individual's capacity”.

Lebensmal undresses in Elizabeth's face to show his power. Lebensmal faints when Elizabeth calmly pulls a 14-inch chef's knife from her bag.