‘Modern Family’: A family to be thankful for

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Thanksgiving is a time for family, food, football and Fizbo?

Luke’s birthday falls around Turkey Day, and of course, in typical Jay-and-Claire fashion, his big day gets “lost in the shuffle.�

Poor Luke, but then again this a boy who only asked for a belt for his b-day. What!?

In lieu of giving my fellow “Modern Family� fans a recap of last night’s hilarious episode, I figured, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’d list the five things I’ve thankful for.

5. Over-the-top birthday parties.
What kid doesn’t like a bounce house, rock-climbing wall, snow-cone machine and petting zoo? It’s a great way to ring in your special day, until a poisonous scorpion is set loose and you get this glorious announcement: “Let’s tuck our pants into our socks.�

4. Manny’s little-man qualities.
Although he seems to get overused in some of the episodes, I liked that they gave him a crush his own age and not on his family tree. When going to stepfather Jay for advice to win over a classmate, Manny admitted he was fresh out of ideas. “I’ve tried everything to get her attention. Opening doors, having a milk sent over in the cafeteria. Nothing’s worked.�

3. Eric Stonestreet.
He lived up to his word. When he talked to Show Tracker about Fizbo, he promised to bring the funny. Why would I even have doubted Stonestreet to begin with? Also, kudos to him for being boyfriend of the year and coming to Mitchell’s side at the gas pump when he was accosted by a bully. And to think Mitchell wanted him to stay in the car out of fear people would stare. “People are gonna stare,� Cameron warned. “They’re not used to seeing one clown in a car.�

2. Claire and her terrible ideas.
Wanting to have a craft table at a kid’s birthday party? Totally normal and actually pretty cute. Deciding to make comb sheaths? Scary, sad and depressing. Before tonight I didn’t know what a comb sheath was. Kinda wish I’d kept it that way. If only Phil agreed. “Let me know if you get low on supplies. I’ll make a quick run back to the 1950s for you.�

1. Phil and his very rational fear of clowns.
Like Phil, I too had an extreme fear of clowns. It actually didn’t go away until college because I just sorta grew a set. I could never understand my fear, and once when a clown corned me in a haunted house, it ended in vomit. Phil’s reasons are a bit more rational than mine. “My mother says it’s because when I was a kid I found a dead clown in the woods, but who knows.�

-- Gerrick Kennedy (Follow me on Twitter @GerrickKennedy).

Photos, from top: The ‘Modern Family’ clan clowns around. Luke gets some pointers from Jay on making the perfect shot. Credit: ABC

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