Just when you think And Just Like That… can’t get any more wild, the latest episode from the HBO MAX hit brings in the character of Italian stallion Giuseppe’s (Sebastiano Pigazzi) mother, portrayed by none other than Patti LuPone. Choosing the Broadway icon to play a commanding Italian mom might seem perfect, but there’s a twist. Yes, Gia is Italian, and she uses an exaggerated Italian accent, but she isn’t actually from Italy. Surprisingly, Giuseppe’s mom hails from Buffalo, New York! This detail makes LuPone’s portrayal even more playful and adds a layer of intrigue to And Just Like That….

**Spoilers for And Just Like That… Season 3 Episode 7 “They Wanna Have Fun,” now streaming on HBO MAX**

And Just Like That… is undeniably a show that splits opinion. Viewers either adore, despise, or enjoy hating Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) as she roams Manhattan in her oversized hats, Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) as she grieves her father twice over, and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) as she shifts from Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez) to Rosie O’Donnell’s virgin nun to Dolly Well’s endearing Joy. The show operates on its own peculiar wavelength. This is why casting the formidable (and recently controversial) Patti LuPone as Giuseppe’s mother feels fitting. It also sheds light on the character’s outlandish accent and her bizarre backstory.

We’re introduced to Giuseppe’s mother, who warmly insists that Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) call her “Gia,” when Giuseppe takes her to Hotfellas to meet his partner. Anthony (Mario Cantone) is already on edge about the meeting and slips by swearing about a flower arrangement right in front of her. Furthermore, Gia mistakenly believes that her handsome son must also be with a similarly striking partner. She greets Anthony disdainfully, first poking fun at his height, and then his age.

On one hand, Gia’s skepticism over Anthony is understandable. Remember, the two love birds only got together because Anthony wanted to pimp the poet out as the face and body of Hotfellas. However, that never factors into Gia’s calculations. Instead, she’s blissfully unaware of this backstory. She’s just sneering at Anthony in the here and now. He’s too old for her son. He’s not romantic enough, not hot enough, and not good enough.

What’s wild is that by Gia’s own admission to Carrie, she fell in love with Giuseppe’s father when she was a super young 22 and he was already a 50-something parent. She shrugs over lunch, saying the age gap wasn’t as big a deal in Italy, but she still reveals through her later words and deeds that Anthony and Giuseppe’s similar situation is worthy of scorn.

Gia’s hypocrisy is essentially the root of the drama here. As she’s sticking around for at least another week, I expect her and Anthony eventually to come to some sort of resolution wherein they can finally relate to one another. On most shows, that would be enough. That would be what Patti LuPone was hired to do. However, And Just Like That… lets LuPone milk every moment onscreen whether or not it works for the scene.

I can’t stress enough how stupidly hilarious it is to learn that Gia isn’t Italian, and yet she insists on speaking with a forced Italian accent. It’s one of those decisions that would normally reveal something about the character, but here, I wonder if it reveals something about the actor. The controversial Patti LuPone profile wherein she slammed former costar Audra McDonald as “not a friend” occurred during the actress’s work on the HBO MAX series. It’s a piece that captures a woman fully embracing her id and opting for an over-the-top accent seems in line with that mentality.

Of course, And Just Like That… goes the extra mile in making it weird. For some reason, Miranda is convinced that Carrie’s lavish birthday party for Charlotte needs a karaoke machine. Because Carrie and her pals are the least-likely New Yorkers to belt it out for fun, Lisa and Herbert’s (Christopher Jackson) theater nerd son Henry (Alexander Bello) takes it over, singing one ballad after the other. His first pick? Fantine’s “I Dreamed a Dream.” A song and role LuPone originated on Broadway.

Now, is Ms. LuPone there for this kid’s performance? No. Do we think she knew about it? Sure. Is it weird that And Just Like That… did all this? Yes, but no. And Just Like That... lives for the weird, awkward, campy, and inscrutable.

Patti LuPone’s bonkers turn on And Just Like That… is simply the latest “AJLT” thing this idiosyncratic show has pulled. Love it, hate it, or love to hate watch it, this show is never going to change.