I was thinking a scene for my current WIP and this question poped into my mind.

What on Earth is Jimmy Olsen doing in the White Orchid Ball in the Pilot?

Ok, Cat was there because, she's the gossip columnist, Perry is the EIC of an important newspaper, Lois is a reporter that has won several awards and Clark was her escort. But Jimmy Olsen?

What do you think?

Jose

The only thing that I can think of is that the invitation was a general one extended to the Daily Planet staff. So everyone was there?

LabRat

Well, maybe because he's the photograph of one of Metropolis most reknowned newspaper and that...er...he's taking pics for either Cat's column or Lois and Clark's coverage of the event.

After all, Lex made a speach Met's papers are likely to report on, didn't he?

Carole

That's a good point, Cyad. Was Jimmy a photographer at this point though? Or was he still in his 'gopher for Perry and getting sidelined into doing nothing but menial errands' phase? I can't remember. Anyone?

LabRat

I'm leaning toward he was still a gopher. Didn't he and Perry fight about whether or not he could be a photographer in GGGOH? I don't remember if there were any prior discussions.

Jen

maybe he was there as cat's escort. someone she could walk in with and then ditch, no hard feelings. that way she wouldn't walk in alone, but would still be able to circulate. and he'd even get the chance to learn a little more about news coverage (since perry really wanted to encourage jimmy to be a good reporter; the whole 'gopher' thing was just a way to encourage him to stand up for himself)

Paul

I think Paul's hit the nail on the head - and I sorta suspect Jimmy would've had other reasons. Like maybe he took a camera in, so he could show Perry some initiative like Clark did with the theatre story. Maybe he learned something from that? (Okay, so maybe we didn't see him with a camera there, but that doesn't mean he didn't and managed not to get caught with it, nu? )

Melisma ( under her Rock)

Yeah, I think he took photos later when Supes came with Lois flying, but at the begining Perry told him to write an obituary, at that piont he was more the gopher than a photograph.

Good point, but don't you think Cat was more the type she would like to get "something" after the Ball?

Jose

I agree with Jose, who said what I was just about to. I think Cat would be able to pick up a hot date without any problems and it would probably be someone she could take home to her place afterwards.

I always got the impression Cat felt about most of her dates the way Paul describes a date with Jimmy. Useful for a short time, then expendable. And there were usually no hard feelings from the men in her life because they'd had a good time with her and weren't really in it for the long haul either.


LabRat

Then in The Foundling, didn't Jimmy ask Cat for a date, and then they made a bet if they are relatives, a subplot realted wiht the current a-plot of that episode.

Jose

well, my thought was that she'd take jimmy so she'd have an arm to hold coming in, then drop him. that'd also get jimmy in (which perry would have secretly liked). then, she goes and mingles, gets the gossip, and can leave holding a new arm. with a whole room full of interesting prospects, i doubt she'd want to limit herself at the beginning.

Paul