Tony Baloney

**Tony Baloney** is the fifteenth episode in Season 1 of *I ♥ Arlo*.

## Synopsis

Worried his visiting parents will be disappointed that he isn’t a criminal, Tony gets the gang to go along with a lie designed to impress them.

## Plot

Arlo and his crew were on their way to Tony's craving yam for some reason when they find Tony moping on the floor in his pizzas. He tells them in a panic his parents are coming to visit, to Arlo's confusion as he enjoys his dad's company. Tony admits ever since he quit conning to start the pizzeria, he worries they don't respect him anymore; in addition, he has come from a long line of con artists and criminals alike, and if he doesn't do any thievery or scamming, then he's considered a failure. The others understand Tony's sadness and he needs to get his parents to see the truth, and offer to spiff up the place and help him show them how impressive he is to them, to his relief.

While Alia keeps watch, Furlecia gives Tony a makeover so he looks fancy and rich. Thao soon stops by and drops off a package without saying hello to Marcellus' suspicions; the box opens to reveal Tony's parents, who used the cheapest method of travelling and are expecting anything high end. Tony appears and happily greets his parents before admitting he didn't steal the pizzeria from anyone like Papa expected, but Mama doesn't believe him as it's a convincing front. When he says it's legit causing the parents to break down, Tony promises it's famous with a booming business, and shoos everyone out of the "private dining establishment", to the point of having Arlo pass off as his personal assistant. As the parents are served, they are unimpressed and Papa begins to suspect Tony betrayed the family and gave up his conning tradition to his dismay, so he asks Arlo to cancel a forged meeting with his "president" and send in "his" business helicopter to show his parents his future.

Ansel, who was in on Tony's deception, flies his helicopter down to pick up Tony and his parents; while on board, Tony tells his parents he's going to expand his business and start a franchise. Naturally, the parents are still not impressed as there's no con to speak of, leaving Tony to angrily admit once again he did not steal it, causing them to feel worried for him. His parents' total disbelief is the final blow for Tony, prompting him to shoo Ansel out of the helicopter and steer it back to Seaside, knocking off the pizzeria sign in the process.

Once back on the ground, Tony is upset that his sign was ruined, and when his parents meet up, he promptly chews them out for their disbelief and reveals his entire ruse, admitting his friends helped him seem successful so they'd be proud of him before coming clean and showing his true love of making pizzas and how he runs a legit business doing so. At first the parents are hurt, but then Mama realizes Tony scammed them the whole time by making them believe he conned them, and they happily embrace him before asking to show them what the store is truly like.

After giving his parents a true pizza meal, Papa admits he and Mama are proud of their son and his friends for keeping up the tradition his own way and fooling them in return. Ansel comes in and Tony thanks him for lending the helicopter, but his parents steal it and fly away with it; Ansel doesn't matter, as he was thinking of getting another one anyway. The episode ends with Arlo reentering the restaurant and realizing Tony's parents stole his "laptop" as well.

## Cast

* Michael J. Woodard as Arlo Beauregard
* Mary Lambert as Bertie
* Jonathan Van Ness as Furlecia
* Haley Tju as Alia
* Brett Gelman as Marcellus
* Tony Hale as Teeny Tiny Tony
* Vincent Rodriguez III as Ansel Beauregard
* Maria Bamford as Tony's Mom/Family/Cats
* Mark Whitten as Tony's Dad/Family/Cats

## Trivia

* This is the first of a few things:
	+ The first appearance of Tony's parents following brief mentions in the movie.
	+ The first episode to focus on Tony.
	+ The first time Ansel is seen inside Tony's Pizzeria.
* When Ansel cancels out Tony's argument with his parents, his headphones are playing an instrumental of "Better Life".