Goofy Ball

"Goofy Ball" is the second episode of the second season of NewsRadio, and the ninth episode overall.

Synopsis
Jimmy brings to the station a "Goofy Ball", a hot-potato game ball from a toy company he recently acquired, and asks Joe, Beth and Matthew to try it out. They are happy to oblige, much to Dave's constant annoyance. When Lisa arrives, Dave notices that she's wearing one of his shirts, which makes her self-conscious about revealing their relationship.

Bil arrives to work in disguise, thinking that a man with an eyepatch has been watching him and wants to kill him. Joe tells Dave about a group of attractive female models who are doing a photoshoot upstairs. They keep running into the models at the elevator and engage in subtle flirting, which catches Lisa's attention. Dave suggests to Lisa that they stop keeping their relationship a secret, but she feels that the staff would misinterpret it as a career move on her part. Joe tells Dave that he can set him up on a date with one of the models, Sheila, who is interested in him. He initially declines, but refuses to admit the reason in front of the staff. Lisa still unwilling to come forward, half-heartedly suggests he go through with it.

Bill asks Joe about getting a stun gun for him. Joe later delivers a homemade contraption to Bill, who is unconvinced that it actually works. Dave expresses his frustration with Lisa that he is now forced to go through with the date, but insists that he won't cancel it, much to her surprise; she thinks that Dave is trying to make her jealous.

Catherine warns Bill to be careful with the stun gun. After trying to zap items on his desk, he inadvertently shocks himself. Lisa and Dave continue to argue in his office over when to tell the staff about their relationship. When Jimmy learns about their affair, he is okay with it, but asks which one of them he will have to fire due to the questions that would arise with Lisa sleeping with the boss. They decide to continue to keep their secret, but Jimmy now begins to second guess whether Dave is playing favorites while giving assignments. As they leave, they meet the models in the elevator, and Dave starts to come clean with his would-be date.

Bill, still frozen in his chair and unable to speak, is visited by the man with the eyepatch, who explains that it is only to help strengthen his vision. He spends the evening telling Bill stories, ignoring his condition, and finally reveals that all he wanted a picture of Bill for his coffee shop. Beth and Matthew, still hanging around playing with the Goofy Ball, try to include Bill in their game, but end up hitting him in the head with it since he still can't catch it.

Quotes
Lisa: "Dave, what do you think people would say if they found out I was sleeping with you?"

Dave: "Way to go, Dave?"

Lisa: "Look what people think about Yoko Ono?"

Dave: "A lot of people happen to think that her work on Double Fantasy wasn't... completely disruptive."

Bill (regarding Joe's homemade stun gun): "Looks like a garage door opener."

Joe: "That's what it used to be, you know, a garage door opener, some diodes and resistors from a busted mixing board, one reconditioned door bell button, and one big ass battery."

Jimmy: "You're sleeping with the boss now, Lisa. What do you think the staff's going to feel about that? You know what people think about Yoko Ono."

Lisa:'' "Yes, I do, sir." ''

Jimmy: "What about you, Dave? You know what people think about Paul McCartney?"

Dave: "You mean John Lennon."

Jimmy: "No, people liked him. You know, back in the service we used to have a saying: 'You can't expect the troops to salute you if you're sleeping with the sergeant.'"

Dave: "What... what branch of the service were you in, sir?"

"Don't mess with a man with a wayback machine, Dave. I could make it so that you were never born." -Jimmy

Main Cast
Dave Foley as Dave Nelson

Stephen Root as Jimmy James

Andy Dick as Matthew Brock

Maura Tierney as Lisa Miller

Vicki Lewis as Beth

Joe Rogan as Joe Garelli

Khandi Alexander as Catherine Duke

Phil Hartman as Bill McNeal

Guest Stars
Dennis Miller as The Stalker

Alison Brahe as Sheila

Wendy Hamilton as Emily

Elisabeth Sjoli as Carol

In-Universe
Dave and Lisa reveal their affair to Jimmy.

Beth wears her first midriff-bearing outfit in this episode, something she would become known for later in the series (mainly Season 3).

Production
Dennis Miller previously worked together with Phil Hartman on Saturday Night Live.