Pepper tries to change her image after testing as too harsh and intense with viewers, but her attempts to soften up go horribly wrong and sink her ratings even lower. Babcock offers to help, but Pepper finds his advice difficult to follow.

Pepper is close to breaking a celebrity-murder-trial story when she is forced to take a vacation by the new station manager. Already upset at losing the story, she is further startled to learn the boss wants to change to a “news-a-tainment” format instead of the hard-hitting journalism she practices.

Pepper gets a lead on a story from her current date, the new mayor, but then realizes he used her report to further his agenda. Meanwhile, Kathy plans to boost morale at the station by holding birthday parties, and she discovers Pepper and Babcock share the same date.

Pepper is nominated for four local reporting awards, but is disappointed when her parents refuse to attend the ceremony. To make matters worse, Les orders her off an important story to cover the red-carpet beat at the awards show.

Pepper investigates a dating service after Kimmy signs up to find the perfect man. Elsewhere, Charlie's too-white teeth are causing a problem for a viewer.