Lori's old friend and musical partner in crime, Dave enters the picture. Rachel explains, "We're going to Dave's house so Malik and I can hear what he's been doing with Lori's vocals for songs." Notice Rachel's careful wording here. No where does she say, "We are so psyched to here Lori's recordings!" or "Lori's singing rocks!" Instead we get the equivalent of, "We are curious to meet the man who can make Lori's painful shrill sound like a work of art." Anywho, Malik and Rachel are blown away by Lori's voice on the pre-recorded track. Note the words, pre-recorded.

Cut to Coral wanting to make good on the job. "I pride myself on being professional and succeeding...I haven't really had too many incidents where people have been unhappy with my work." Once again, I point out the obvious with the choice wording of "too many." Exactly how many is too many anyway?

The crew is offered the chance to work an in store gig for the band 112. Coral and Nicole volunteer. No one objects. Coral and Nicole, but especially Coral, feel they are in their element at the gig. This makes sense since Coral's main purpose is telling people they have to move it along or form a single line. You know, orders and all that jazz.

The clan meets L.A. Reid and Usher and some awkward conversation is exchanged. Lori says, "It's great being a singer and being in a record company, however nothing in our job ever involves my singing." Sweetheart, what did you expect to do, form a singing group with the roomies a la The Brady Bunch or The Heights? Meanwhile, the girls plan how Lori can ambush L.A. Reid to get her big break. Sure, you meet the man once and you think you're automatically in.

The group gets to check out coming recording artist Lennon. (My, my...isn't this episode just all about the famous cameos?) For Mike I use the words "check out" literally as he quickly gives Lennon the once over. (No, I didn't miss that one.)

Lori is quick to criticize Lennon. "Some of Lennon's stuff isn't really my style- there's no harmonies in her songs and she doesn't really sing that high...which is encouraging, because it means you don't really have to sing high to make it." Now read between those whited out lines and tell me me what YOU see.

Lori talks to her friend about Lennon. "There's a new girl coming who isn't girly." (No! You don't say? Can they really do such a thing?) Lori then sums up her Lennon philosophy, "If I can do it than I'm not impressed." Ok then.

Lori meets this guy Nicky who apparently wrote a song for Arista. It can't get much more cryptic than that folks. Lori hints at how they get their vocalists oh so subtly. Nicky (cameras rolling), delivers some garbage about Arista having an "open door policy" blah, blah. He then fakes shock and interest when he finds out Lori is a struggling vocalist. She agrees to give him some of her material. Little does she know he's probably the janitor.

It's lecture time from Adam. Kevin gives us the overall gist, "Adam wants us to go out there and really be a street team." Nah, ya think? Adam tells them they can redeem themselves at another street team gig and to arrive ready for 5:30. Ironically, once 5:30 rolls around the only ones on time are Nicole and Coral. Apparently Adam is pissed but we never see this. Instead we see the crew arrive late to their street team gig and all is well. Really what is he gonna do, fire all of them?

The guys discuss Coral's attitude turnaround. Mike even throws Nicole in as an afterthought. I guess all is well for 2 (edited) weeks in a row. Who woulda thunk it?

In another 180, Coral is no longer on Adam's s**t list and instead Adam gives her (and ONLY her) a 112 poster to show his thanks. Coral is glad he noticed her hard work and dedication.

Lori hands her CD to Nicky, Arista's janitor. Nicole's trying to figure out if Lori will be the next Madonna or the next Britney. Lori says, "Maybe I won't be a next." Nicole says, "No, you're a next." Hmm...that doesn't sound like a compliment to me.

Nicky tells Lori he likes her stuff. He also tells her he can probably put her on a track and see how it goes. Ahh yes, but is it the track to stardom?

Janet Branagan is a freelance writer and pop culture addict from New Jersey.

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