Hot Air

Lionel Macomb is an abrasive conservative talk personality, who hosts a popular eponymous daily radio show in which he regularly lobs insults at callers and politicians who disagree with his views. Long estranged from his addict sister Laurie, her half-African American/half-Caucasian 16-year-old daughter, Tess, seeks out Lionel—as he is her only living relative not afflicted by substance abuse—at his upscale Manhattan apartment following her mother's relapse, which sent Laurie back to rehab. After introducing herself to her uncle, whom she never previously met, after walking in on him having a sexual affair with his maid, Tess convinces Lionel to let her stay by threatening to tweet about his heartless actions when he tries to deny her a place to stay; forgoing his "pick-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps" beliefs against providing charity or any outside help, he relents and gives Tess the spare bedroom in his apartment. Tess receives support from Lionel's publicist and girlfriend Val, who tries to see the good in Lionel despite his gruff, hardline persona. Tess reveals to Val that, after expressing hesitance to leave her ailing mother, she had made a deal with Laurie to attend the prestigious Harper Academy if her mother enters and completes rehab.