Self-Portrait

**Self-Portrait** is the sixth episode of Season One and the sixth overall episode of the series *Claws*. It aired on July 16, 2017, on TNT and became available on Hulu on May 11, 2018.

## Synopsis

Desna and her ladies visit the new salon for the first time. They enter the Florida premier nail design competition for cash prizes. Virginia is feeling left out when she's named the alternate. Jennifer finds out one of Desna's dark secrets.

## Plot

[...]

The women walk the sidewalks of Sarasota, reveling over the big change of their lives, as they continue down to their new salon Glint Nails. Upon entering the establishment, Ann rushes to the minibar, while Polly tries to get a feel of her new station. The Koreans that stand behind the counters, in their native tongue, ask which would be the new owner, commenting that Desna and her girls were all black in their eyes. Mrs. Kim walks in to introduce herself to Desna and tells her that putting the salon out of the market was for its protection.

Ken interrupts her Desna's date with the gynecologist because he sees a small car in the parking lot of the clinic. Inside the car is a Detective and Ann hooking up. The next day Ken brings doughnuts to the nail salon, panics, and Polly slaps the sense back into him. Ken looks at her with amor in his eyes. Desna schedules a second date with the gynecologist to make up for the one they missed. Dean considers inviting Virginia to his bodybuilding date.

When Gregory the gynecologist shows up for the date at Desna's home, he is met by Desna, Polly and Ann. Ann did some of the cooking, and Polly was there for moral support. They leave and Desna thanks him for giving her a second chance.

When Virigina goes to her event she dresses up as a rabbit but the guy wants her to have sex. Its not just photos but porn which her friends did not specify. Virginia is upset, and wants out, but he wont let her, pushing her onto the bed. She yells and shoves him off of her before running for the door.

As Desna and Gregory sit on the couch together, and Gregory says that he's looking for something real. Desna agrees and then they go in for the kiss but are interrupted by a phone call. Gregory incourages her so Desna picks up the phone, it's Virginia, who is crying in the bathroom and explains what is happening, asking Desna to come and pick her up. She has to pick up a friend.

When Desna and Ann barge into the apartment, Ann has a bat, beats up the man, breaks his camera and webcam and takes Virgina to safety. On the drive out, Desna asks Virginia what is wrong with her, warns her that they are some types of dirty you can't wash out, then tells her to get a good nights rest because she is coming to/ competing in nailpalm tomorrow.

At nailpalm Desna gets into the finals where the theme is Self Portrait, the winner is Desna, and she wins the 15,000 dollar prize, beating the korean crew and Mrs. Kim. And Gregory brings flowers to Desna and they all celebrate together.

Back with the crazy lady Roller sees her art, which the main focal piece of which is a huge fucking statue covered in pubes from a correctional facility. He fakes tears, saying that its beautiful. Scene cut and the crazy lady and him are back in the bedroom, and he tells her that she must go to the art show, because her art (cut to a gross painting of a mans face with the hair all made of pubes) speaks to the human experience. She says she will and starts out to go to the art store so Roller grabs her phone and calls his father but before he can say anything She comes back and he has to hang up.

Dean and Jennifer are at Desna's house and she sees his poster of the real estate people. Jennifer asks him why he has it and he says because when he was little they hurt him, and that Desna said that one day karma would get them. The episode ends with a shot of Jennifer looking wide eyed at a wall.

[...]

## Cast

**Main Cast**

* Niecy Nash as Desna Simms
* Carrie Preston as Polly Marks
* Judy Reyes as Quiet Ann
* Karrueche Tran as Virginia Loc
* Jenn Lyon as Jennifer Husser
* Jack Kesy as Roller Husser
* Kevin Rankin as Bryce Husser
* Jason Antoon as Kenneth Brickman
* Harold Perrineau as Dean Simms
* Dean Norris as Clay Husser

**Guest Cast**

* Jane Adams as Gladys Coleman Pirette
* Elvis Nolasco as Chip Lauderdale
* Jimmy Jean-Louis as Gregory Ruval
* Suleka Mathew as Arlene Branch
* Peggy Lipton as Herself
* Linda Park as April Kim
* Brandon Stacy as Director
* Aadyn Encalarde as Brienne
* Angelica Ross as Relevance
* Kenneth Kynt Bryan as Scarlet
* Juliet Kim as Glint Girl #1
* Angela Oh as Glint Girl #2
* Jacqueline Harris Matherne as Customer
* Andrea Sooch as Riva
* Issa Abou-Issa as Audience (uncredited)
* Rhonda Johnson Dents as Granny (uncredited)
* Jeffrey Klemmer as Art Gallery Patron (uncredited)
* Cynthia LeBlanc as Art Patron (uncredited)
* Elton LeBlanc as Wealthy Art Patron (uncredited)
* Shad Roberts as Larger Guy (uncredited)
* Sean Stevens as Resturant Patron (uncredited)
* Xena Zeit-Geist as White-Haired Stripper (uncredited)

## Trivia

* The episode title originates from one of the categories in the NailPalm competition.