Modern Family - Strangers on a Treadmill - Recap

The families each try to conceal hidden thoughts about the others this week. Just not Hayley, who has always been pretty blunt to everyone around her. She makes it her mission to teach Alex how to be cool and make more friends. Alex is too eager, so playing hard to get with the most popular girl in school is the way to go. It works for awhile and Alex does so well that Hayley can't believe her eyes. Unfortunately, after a few slip-ups on the phone mentioning homework and telling her new friend she loves her, Alex is once again friendless.

Phil is psyched about an upcoming Realtor banquet that has made him the host. He plans some jokes he thinks are hysterical but are actually pretty lame. What else is new? Claire seeks the help of Mitchell to tell him the truth about his jokes so she doesn't hurt his feelings. Mitchell chickens out when Phil confronts him and Claire resorts to stealing Phil's joke cards instead. When Phil reaches the podium without his jokes, he turns the banquet into a roast of his coworkers and is a huge hit.

Gloria gets on Jay's case about not wanting to socialize with his coworkers and urges him to go to a party. Jay, wanting to prove Gloria wrong, has Manny introduce himself around the room so Jay can collect information and prove he's the life of the party. He thinks it's working well but he doesn't know they went to the wrong room and are actually in the wrong party. They're at a wedding full of strangers and it's not long before things get awkward.

Great news. Cam is working out again. Who is loving that imagery? We get a nice shot of Cam's workout clothes when he comes strutting into the living room showing off every little bit of him in some tight bicycle shorts. Yeah...that's not pretty. Mitchell doesn't have the heart to tell Cam that he should immediately get rid of the shorts because of how sensitive he is about his appearance. He asks Claire to do it for him and she does. Perhaps not nicely enough because Cam ends up sobbing in his bedroom like a little girl. Mitchell tries to reason that he's sure there's something about himself that Cam doesn't like so Cam tells him to get rid of his ugly beard. Gasp. Mitchell runs for a razor and starts to shave it off. Cam is touched he would do that just for him and they hug it out. About two seconds later, Mitchell accidentally implies that Cam needs his shoulders shaved and gets a deathglare in return.

Funniest Quotes of the Night:

Luke: I heard when the Jonas Brothers perform, they get nervous every night.
Phil: Not Kevin! He's a rock.
Luke: ESPECIALLY Kevin.

Cam: I hate your beard.
Mitchell: Wow. Well, you had that bullet in the chamber.