Raising Asia recap episode 2: Daddy issues

On tonight’s Raising Asia, Shawn continued to struggle with his role in Asia’s career, Asia continued to struggle with the fact that she’s 8 and not 18, and Kristi continued to struggle with pretty much everything, including the fact that her husband is underfoot an awful lot lately and how just much eye makeup is too much eye makeup.

With Asia fresh off what her dad calls the “biggest performance of her career” at World of Dance, Papa Ray is ready to stake his claim as the man who is, in fact, raising Asia —despite the part where her manager/coach/overlord of one year, former famous-ish dancer Billy Hufsey, points out that he spends more time with the child than Shawn does.

To get the ball rolling, Mr. Ray rifles off his dadager cred to Mrs. Ray, who promptly throws down the “I’m with her 24/7” trump card and calls it a argument won. She’s got other stuff to worry about, which is that Asia and her baby sister Bella refuse to stay quietly seated upstairs and Asia needs to prepare for an appearance at the Reality Wanted Awards. Which, it turns out, is actually a thing.  Not much of a thing. But a thing, nonetheless.

No matter. Shawn’s birdie loves Shawn, even if everyone else is dismissing him. I love you, too, Shawn. Don’t get too “TV” on me. Pinky swear.

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Oh haaay, Anthony Burrell! Turns out the Dance Moms and Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition veteran is tasked with creating something spectacular for Asia to do at the Reality Wanted Awards, since it will be full of “industry professionals” who could “further her career.”

Anthony decides to let Asia self-determine on this one. He plays several different songs and asking her to improv to each so he can see what fits her best. The first one is a jazzy, bluesy thing and Asia mugs and vamps her little face off in a way that totally takes me back to Rudy Huxtable and this:

Kristi is not having it, though. No theatrical crap, she says. No Orphan Annie. No cutesy. No, no and, uh, no.

In an aside — most likely far from her mother’s earshot — Asia says Kristi should just leave it to the pros cause they know what they doooooin’. Word. ’Bout your mother.

We settle on a techno thing that lets Asia do what we’re all accustomed to Asia doing. Pacified, Kristi says she knows she’s a pain in the ass. Good girl. The first step is admitting we are a problem.

Meanwhile, Shawn decides that the only way get un-pissed at Billy and — lock down his feelings about his expanding dadager role, his finances and his family with the guy — is for the two to have a little sit-down over coffee.

Papa Ray wants to know what Billy’s deal is — is he Asia’s manager or her acting coach or her vocal coach or what — and Billy says Shawn needs to talk to his wife, because she signed a contract long, long ago. Shawn says the two need to calmly talk business or else, because his family and their fortunes are at stake. Billy takes this as a threat something on par with pro body builder Shawn offering to use him as a prop to demonstrate which of his muscle groups is most powerful.

Wielding overuse of the word “bro” as his own weapon of choice, a wide-eyed Billy gets up to leave and Shawn says that speaks to the content of his character. Sit your butt down, bro, get to know me and talk business like a man, he says evenly. Still sputtering, Billy does. “I’m a hired gun,” he snarls at the larger man. “I worked very hard to make your kid great.”

“My kid was on her way to being great before you,” says Asia’s proud dad, reminding Billy how many managers are out there vying for a gig.

Back home, Shawn asks Kristi about the purported contract. Kristi says he needs to relax. Good talk. Where’s Asia?

Asia doesn’t want to wear that.
She really doesn’t want to wear that.
Give Asia her phone.

With her youngest yellin’ for mama to stop yellin’, Kristi reminds her oldest that they are filming a show and there will be no more filming until she shapes up and puts on her costume. Shawn reminds Kristi that there is nothing that is not on camera (your wife is counting on that, sir, trust me), then heads off to tell Asia that, when faced with a problem, real pros improvise. So improv on the too-tight costume. Or at least the ‘tude.

Kristi and Asia head for Billy’s studio so Asia can be coached on how to present an award, because, says Mrs. Ray, the more successful Asia becomes, the more she’s going to be asked to do public speaking. “Persistence breaks resistance,” Billy reminds the kid, even though I will bet my last flowing maxi dress that Asia has no clue what that means.

For her part, Kristi promises to do better at running interference between her husband and her starmaker in a pork pie hat.

Then everyone heads out to rehearse for the Reality Awards, where we quickly discover that instead of the 20′ x 24’ stage we were promised, we’ve got a scruffy little feller that’s maybe 6 ft. across at best. Kristi freaks. Anthony says what we need here is a gnarly floor. Wait, a marley floor. A what? A marley floor. Like a “ninoleum” floor, Anthony explains.

A gnarly marley ninoleum floor will not work over the top of tile, says Kristi. Asia will hurt her dancer’s body. Anthony says Kristi needs to be more flexible. “I’m blaming everyone for this,” says Kristi cheerfully. Kristi has every right to protect her child, adds Billy, who used to dance on concrete back in the day.

Asia says that small stage or no, it’s going to be amazing because she is the queen of improvising. And so it is — Asia works the teeny, tiny stage like a teeny, tiny showgirl. The microphone, too. “Killed it!” she announces triumphantly.

Anybody else notice that other than Asia’s part and a few shots of the audience, we see not one other thing of the Reality TV Awards? Not a banner, not a podium, not one square inch of red carpet? Well anyway. Killed it!

Afterward, Asia wants to know if she and Anthony can “party for a little,” which apparently involves tap tap tap dancing. Only for a little, Kristi says. “What do you want from me, lady?” snarks her child.

Everything, kid. Everything.

Next week on Raising Asia, Billy has a sobering thought for his charge: “What happens when you’re nine and competing against everyone that is amazing, too?”

New episodes of Raising Asia premiere Tuesdays at 10/9CT on Lifetime.

Photos ©2014 A&E Television Networks, LLC/Adam Taylor. All rights reserved.