Today in TV History: ‘The West Wing’ Introduced Marion Cotesworth-Haye, A Very Silly Name Indeed

Of all the great things about television, the greatest is that it’s on every single day. TV history is being made, day in and day out, in ways big and small. In an effort to better appreciate this history, we’re taking a look back, every day, at one particular TV milestone. 

IMPORTANT DATE IN TV HISTORY: March 26, 2003

PROGRAM ORIGINALLY AIRED ON THIS DATE: The West Wing, “Privateers” (Season 4, Episode 18). [Watch on Netflix.]

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: As a writer of drama, one of Aaron Sorkin’s gifts is his affinity for screwy comedy. The West Wing was at its best when that comedic streak made itself a big part of the drama. Yes, there were heavier episodes, full of FBI stand-offs and multiple sclerosis revelations and that time Josh had PTSD, but blessedly, “Privateers” comes heavy with the comedy.

The plot of the episode in a nutshell: it’s Amy Gardner’s first day as the First Lady’s chief of staff, and Abbey wants her to get an anti-Choice amendment removed from a foreign-aid bill. At the same time, an upcoming reception for the Daughters of the American Revolution is threatening to become a public relations problem because an old biddy from the DAR has a problem with Abbey’s lineage, specifically that she’s descended from pirates. That woman? Ms. Marion Cotesworth-Haye from Marblehead, MA.

The plot with Amy and the foreign-aid bill is actually pretty good — all the plots with Amy are good; Amy was a great character — but the gleaming highlight of the film comes when C.J. and will pull Amy into their plan to mollify Ms. Cotesworth-Haye. Seems easy enough. If she’s not won over by the grandeur of being in the White House, they can just make up a fake award to give her. The only problem: C.J. finds the name “Marion Cotesworth-Haye” to be incredibly funny.

So many great things about that one scene. Allison Janney’s contagious hilarity. Mary-Louise Parker keeping a complete stone face, and somehow managing to be successfully bewildered by her surroundings (the part about the “surprise faces” is the best), Joshua Malina scrambling to come up with a Francis Scott Key award. And above all, the map of Marblehead written on the sour face of Marion Cotesworth-Haye. So many props to Helen Slayon-Hughes for such an iconic role.

Also, watch the entire episode, if only to hear C.J. describe Ms. Cotesworth-Haye as “Helena Hotworth Hooter-Tooter.”

[You can stream The West Wing‘s “Privateers” on Netflix.]