1
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[marker squeaking on board]
2
00:00:49,925 --> 00:00:51,426
Okay, let's begin.
3
00:00:57,057 --> 00:00:58,350
Who wants to start?
4
00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,019
Yes, Brittany. Kick it off.
5
00:01:02,187 --> 00:01:04,690
I don't have a thought on the reading,
6
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I just think that
that word on the board is wrong.
7
00:01:09,236 --> 00:01:11,738
Well, I think it still has two G's in it,
last I checked.
8
00:01:11,822 --> 00:01:13,949
- [students laugh]
- It's not funny.
9
00:01:14,032 --> 00:01:17,160
[Brittany] We shouldn't have to stare
at the N-word all day.
10
00:01:17,953 --> 00:01:19,121
Uh, listen.
11
00:01:20,038 --> 00:01:23,500
This is a class on the literature
of the American South.
12
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You're going to encounter
some archaic thoughts, coarse language,
13
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but we're all adults here,
14
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and I think we can understand it
within the context in which it's written.
15
00:01:33,885 --> 00:01:36,930
Well, I just find that word
really offensive.
16
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With all due respect, Brittany,
17
00:01:39,516 --> 00:01:40,726
I got over it.
18
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I'm pretty sure you can too.
19
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Well, I don't see why.
20
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[sighs]
21
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Right.
22
00:01:50,277 --> 00:01:53,780
Now, does anyone else
have any thoughts on the reading?
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00:01:57,326 --> 00:02:00,203
Well, it made
some of your students uncomfortable.
24
00:02:00,287 --> 00:02:01,997
When did they all become
so goddamn delicate?
25
00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,499
- This wasn't an isolated incident.
- What?
26
00:02:04,583 --> 00:02:08,420
Last month you asked a student
if his family had been Nazis.
27
00:02:08,503 --> 00:02:11,590
Yeah, I did. He's German.
We were reading The Plot Against America.
28
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And trust me,
by the way he was squirming, they were.
29
00:02:14,217 --> 00:02:15,218
- Oh, my God!
- Oh.
30
00:02:15,302 --> 00:02:18,347
Uh, Monk, you are a very talented writer.
31
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We're fortunate to have you here.
32
00:02:20,432 --> 00:02:22,893
- What? He hasn't published in years.
- [sighs]
33
00:02:22,976 --> 00:02:25,771
I have written three novels
since the last time you published.
34
00:02:25,854 --> 00:02:27,981
Yeah, this is true,
and the speed with which you write
35
00:02:28,065 --> 00:02:29,650
only proves that good things take time.
36
00:02:29,733 --> 00:02:31,193
- [chuckles]
- Oh, go to hell, Monk.
37
00:02:31,276 --> 00:02:33,654
- Relax, Mandy.
- Yeah, relax, Mandy.
38
00:02:33,737 --> 00:02:35,405
And anyway, my new book is with Ecco
39
00:02:35,489 --> 00:02:37,574
and my agent says
they're very excited about it.
40
00:02:37,658 --> 00:02:39,368
Well, that's great to hear.
41
00:02:39,451 --> 00:02:42,037
- What's it about?
- Can we stop stalling, Leo?
42
00:02:43,455 --> 00:02:46,166
Um, listen, Monk...
43
00:02:48,168 --> 00:02:49,628
we'd like to give you a break.
44
00:02:53,674 --> 00:02:55,967
- What do you mean, break?
- Just some time off.
45
00:02:56,051 --> 00:02:57,344
Mandatory time off.
46
00:02:57,427 --> 00:03:00,472
It's just, you're already going to Boston
for the festival, right?
47
00:03:00,555 --> 00:03:01,973
Why don't you just stay there for--
48
00:03:02,057 --> 00:03:04,059
Because I hate Boston. My family's there.
49
00:03:04,142 --> 00:03:07,270
Well, you need some time to relax.
You're on edge, man.
50
00:03:07,354 --> 00:03:09,564
You're under the impression
that time spent with my family
51
00:03:09,648 --> 00:03:11,191
will take the edge off.
52
00:03:11,274 --> 00:03:12,818
- I'm fine.
- [Mandel] You're not fine.
53
00:03:12,901 --> 00:03:14,569
I saw you crying in your car last week.
54
00:03:14,653 --> 00:03:16,488
- [Monk scoffing]
- He punched the steering wheel.
55
00:03:16,571 --> 00:03:21,576
Wow. You know,
if you spent less time spying on me,
56
00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,205
you could probably write
a dozen more novels
57
00:03:25,288 --> 00:03:26,748
that people buy in airports,
58
00:03:26,832 --> 00:03:29,251
- with their neck pillows and Cheez-Its.
- Oh, here we go. Okay.
59
00:03:29,334 --> 00:03:31,128
- No, no, no, no.
- You want to go, dirty doggy?
60
00:03:31,712 --> 00:03:33,255
Okay, well, enjoy Boston.
61
00:03:33,338 --> 00:03:35,507
You can get my book at the airport.
62
00:03:35,590 --> 00:03:37,801
Oh, and good luck with Ecco.
63
00:03:37,884 --> 00:03:40,303
[up-tempo funk music playing]
64
00:04:37,027 --> 00:04:39,029
[cell phone ringing]
65
00:04:41,198 --> 00:04:42,199
Hello?
66
00:04:42,282 --> 00:04:43,825
Welcome back.
67
00:04:43,909 --> 00:04:45,619
How's it feel to be home?
68
00:04:45,702 --> 00:04:46,703
[Monk] Great.
69
00:04:46,787 --> 00:04:49,831
Already had a guy in a Bruins jersey
ask me if I think I'm better than him.
70
00:04:49,915 --> 00:04:51,792
[chuckles] That's good luck here.
71
00:04:51,875 --> 00:04:55,212
That's Boston's version
of a ladybug landing on you.
72
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Any news?
73
00:04:57,339 --> 00:04:59,883
Patrick at Ecco is passing.
But who fucking cares?
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00:04:59,966 --> 00:05:01,760
He's an old alcoholic.
75
00:05:01,843 --> 00:05:03,887
- What is that? Nine now?
- He says,
76
00:05:03,970 --> 00:05:06,223
"This book is finely crafted
77
00:05:06,306 --> 00:05:09,017
with fully developed characters
and rich language,
78
00:05:09,100 --> 00:05:11,061
but one is lost to understand
79
00:05:11,144 --> 00:05:14,481
what this reworking
of Aeschylus' The Persians
80
00:05:14,564 --> 00:05:16,733
has to do with
the African-American experience."
81
00:05:16,817 --> 00:05:19,361
There it is. There it is.
82
00:05:19,444 --> 00:05:21,947
- They want a Black book.
- They have a Black book.
83
00:05:22,030 --> 00:05:23,865
I'm Black, and it's my book.
84
00:05:23,949 --> 00:05:25,283
You know what I mean.
85
00:05:25,367 --> 00:05:28,161
You mean they want me to write about
a cop killing some teenager
86
00:05:28,245 --> 00:05:30,705
or a single mom in Dorchester
raising five kids.
87
00:05:30,789 --> 00:05:33,250
Dorchester's pretty white now, but yes.
88
00:05:34,084 --> 00:05:36,878
Jesus Christ. You know,
I don't even really believe in race.
89
00:05:37,462 --> 00:05:38,463
Yeah.
90
00:05:38,547 --> 00:05:40,966
The problem is that everyone else does.
91
00:05:43,260 --> 00:05:45,303
Anyway, have fun at the book festival.
92
00:05:45,387 --> 00:05:49,266
And just don't
insult anyone important. Please.
93
00:05:53,311 --> 00:05:55,689
[guest speaker] Writing from
a historical perspective
94
00:05:55,772 --> 00:05:57,774
doesn't mean that you can't
95
00:05:57,858 --> 00:06:00,986
make work that doesn't resonate
with today's audiences.
96
00:06:01,069 --> 00:06:04,865
You know, I think of things like
Game of Thrones as proof that
97
00:06:04,948 --> 00:06:08,118
nerds like us
can still find great success.
98
00:06:10,912 --> 00:06:13,832
Unfortunately,
we're going to have to end it there.
99
00:06:14,332 --> 00:06:15,458
Thank you to our authors
100
00:06:15,542 --> 00:06:18,295
- and thanks to all of you for attending.
- [light applause]
101
00:06:19,713 --> 00:06:22,507
Um, uh, i-is it just me,
102
00:06:22,591 --> 00:06:26,011
or was this small
even for a-- a book festival?
103
00:06:26,094 --> 00:06:28,346
Yeah, it's because
we're up against Sintara.
104
00:06:28,930 --> 00:06:30,015
Who?
105
00:06:30,098 --> 00:06:31,600
Sintara Golden.
106
00:06:31,683 --> 00:06:32,893
You haven't read her?
107
00:06:33,852 --> 00:06:35,770
No. What-- What's her book called?
108
00:06:37,689 --> 00:06:39,858
[interviewer] Raves everywhere.
109
00:06:39,941 --> 00:06:42,277
The Post, Bookforum.
110
00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:43,820
The London Review of Books said,
111
00:06:43,904 --> 00:06:49,492
"We's Lives in Da Ghetto
is a heartbreaking and visceral debut."
112
00:06:49,576 --> 00:06:52,329
Plus, a little birdie
told me that, perhaps,
113
00:06:52,412 --> 00:06:54,539
there's a TV adaptation in the works?
114
00:06:54,623 --> 00:06:56,374
No comment.
115
00:06:56,458 --> 00:06:57,584
[all chuckle]
116
00:06:57,667 --> 00:07:00,045
Okay. It was worth a shot.
117
00:07:00,712 --> 00:07:04,549
Tell us, what was your life like
before you were an author?
118
00:07:04,633 --> 00:07:07,010
Well, I did undergrad at Oberlin
119
00:07:07,093 --> 00:07:11,097
and moved to New York
the day after graduation.
120
00:07:11,181 --> 00:07:15,018
And a couple months later,
I was an assistant at a publisher.
121
00:07:15,101 --> 00:07:18,229
[interviewer] And did that
assistant experience shape your writing?
122
00:07:18,313 --> 00:07:20,982
Absolutely. Yeah, I was a first reader.
123
00:07:21,066 --> 00:07:24,611
Meaning, I would read
all the manuscripts in the slush pile
124
00:07:24,694 --> 00:07:27,238
and send them up the ladder
if they were any good.
125
00:07:27,739 --> 00:07:30,408
Some of them were great, most were not.
126
00:07:31,326 --> 00:07:32,744
[Sintara chuckles]
127
00:07:32,827 --> 00:07:35,664
But the feeling I couldn't shake was that
128
00:07:35,747 --> 00:07:38,625
no matter how good the books were,
129
00:07:38,708 --> 00:07:43,296
most every submission was from
some white dude from New York
130
00:07:43,380 --> 00:07:47,550
going through a divorce,
and too few of them were about my people.
131
00:07:48,593 --> 00:07:52,013
And so I think, "Where are our stories?"
132
00:07:52,973 --> 00:07:55,016
You know, "Where's our representation?"
133
00:07:55,809 --> 00:07:59,229
And it was from that lack
that my book was born.
134
00:07:59,312 --> 00:08:00,397
[audience clapping]
135
00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,108
Would you give us the pleasure
of reading an excerpt?
136
00:08:04,150 --> 00:08:05,151
[chuckles]
137
00:08:06,236 --> 00:08:07,237
Thank you.
138
00:08:12,617 --> 00:08:13,910
"'Yo, Sharonda,
139
00:08:14,995 --> 00:08:17,080
where you be goin' in a hurry likes that?'
140
00:08:17,163 --> 00:08:20,208
D'onna ax me
when she seed me comin' out the house.
141
00:08:21,751 --> 00:08:23,128
'Ain't none ya business
142
00:08:23,211 --> 00:08:26,756
but if'n you gots to know,
I's goin' to the pharmacy.'
143
00:08:27,924 --> 00:08:30,593
I looks back at the door
to see if Mama comin' out.
144
00:08:31,678 --> 00:08:35,515
'The pharmacy? What for?' she ax.
145
00:08:36,224 --> 00:08:38,309
'You know,' I says.
146
00:08:39,102 --> 00:08:40,937
'Nah,' she say.
147
00:08:42,188 --> 00:08:45,817
'Hell, nah! Girl, you be pregnant again?'
148
00:08:46,901 --> 00:08:49,112
'Might's be,' I tells her.
149
00:08:49,654 --> 00:08:50,989
'And if I is,
150
00:08:51,531 --> 00:08:54,617
Ray-Ray's gonna be a real father
this time around."'
151
00:08:55,285 --> 00:08:57,162
[audience cheering and applauding]
152
00:08:57,245 --> 00:08:59,039
[chuckles] Thank you.
153
00:09:03,460 --> 00:09:04,502
Yes!
154
00:09:05,628 --> 00:09:06,963
[Sintara chuckles]
155
00:09:32,489 --> 00:09:34,491
[alarm beeping]
156
00:09:39,370 --> 00:09:41,372
[detector squealing]
157
00:09:46,711 --> 00:09:49,589
- Hi, I'm here to see Lisa Ellison.
- Hi.
158
00:09:49,672 --> 00:09:51,841
Uh, do you have an appointment?
We're about to close.
159
00:09:51,925 --> 00:09:53,426
No, I'm-- I'm her brother.
160
00:09:54,177 --> 00:09:55,512
Oh, there she is.
161
00:10:00,642 --> 00:10:01,643
Hello, Monk.
162
00:10:04,479 --> 00:10:05,480
Hi, Lisa.
163
00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,742
Okay, you're in a boat,
the motor cuts out,
164
00:10:17,826 --> 00:10:19,494
but you're in shallow water,
165
00:10:19,577 --> 00:10:21,913
but you're wearing $600 shoes,
166
00:10:21,996 --> 00:10:27,502
but... your ride to the airport
is just pulling away from the beach.
167
00:10:27,585 --> 00:10:31,589
Why, oh, why is this a legal issue?
168
00:10:34,300 --> 00:10:35,301
I don't know.
169
00:10:36,970 --> 00:10:39,889
- It's a matter of row versus wade.
- Oh, my God!
170
00:10:41,933 --> 00:10:43,476
I think that's one of my best.
171
00:10:43,560 --> 00:10:44,561
Wow.
172
00:10:46,604 --> 00:10:47,605
Okay.
173
00:10:51,401 --> 00:10:53,570
- When did you start smoking again?
- Mmm.
174
00:10:55,613 --> 00:10:56,865
Right after the divorce.
175
00:10:58,491 --> 00:11:01,119
- I always hated Larry.
- Oh, I know.
176
00:11:01,202 --> 00:11:04,038
You told me right when we started dating.
Do you remember how mad I got?
177
00:11:04,122 --> 00:11:07,375
[imitating Lisa] "It's not your business
who I fuck! Who I fellate."
178
00:11:07,458 --> 00:11:10,712
- I definitely did not say "fellate."
- I thought you did.
179
00:11:10,795 --> 00:11:12,297
That's how I heard it anyway.
180
00:11:13,756 --> 00:11:15,133
It's good to see you.
181
00:11:16,843 --> 00:11:19,095
- Yeah, it's good to see you too.
- Hmm.
182
00:11:22,182 --> 00:11:23,183
How's work?
183
00:11:23,850 --> 00:11:25,059
It's not very glamorous.
184
00:11:26,728 --> 00:11:29,230
I go through a metal detector every day.
185
00:11:30,940 --> 00:11:33,276
- Well, what you do is important.
- Well...
186
00:11:34,903 --> 00:11:38,239
Meanwhile, all I do is
invent little people in my head,
187
00:11:38,323 --> 00:11:41,284
then make them have
imaginary conversations with each other.
188
00:11:41,367 --> 00:11:43,119
Books change people's lives.
189
00:11:44,204 --> 00:11:46,539
Has something I've written
ever changed your life?
190
00:11:46,623 --> 00:11:47,999
Absolutely.
191
00:11:48,791 --> 00:11:49,834
Absolutely.
192
00:11:51,586 --> 00:11:53,880
My dining room table was wobbly as hell
193
00:11:53,963 --> 00:11:56,090
- before your last book came out.
- Oh, my God! All right.
194
00:11:56,174 --> 00:11:57,884
- It was, like, perfect.
- Yeah. Oh, God.
195
00:11:57,967 --> 00:12:00,011
- I'm telling you and--
- Take me back to Logan, please.
196
00:12:00,094 --> 00:12:03,264
- Logan cannot help you, Monk. [laughs]
- [sighs] Oh, my God!
197
00:12:04,224 --> 00:12:06,643
- [Lisa] Welcome home, baby!
- [both laugh]
198
00:12:11,898 --> 00:12:13,233
Hello!
199
00:12:13,983 --> 00:12:14,984
Hello?
200
00:12:15,068 --> 00:12:17,070
- [classical music playing]
- [Lorraine squealing]
201
00:12:17,153 --> 00:12:18,488
[Monk chuckles]
202
00:12:18,571 --> 00:12:19,572
[door closes]
203
00:12:19,656 --> 00:12:22,951
- Mr. Monk! [chuckles]
- Lorraine!
204
00:12:23,034 --> 00:12:25,536
- Oh. What did--
- [Lorraine, Lisa chuckle]
205
00:12:25,620 --> 00:12:27,789
You know how that makes me feel.
It's just Monk.
206
00:12:27,872 --> 00:12:31,834
Oh, don't do that to me.
You know I'm too old to learn new names.
207
00:12:31,918 --> 00:12:33,920
- How you doing, Miss Lisa?
- I'm good.
208
00:12:34,003 --> 00:12:37,048
- You look good, Mr. Monk.
- No, I look fat.
209
00:12:37,131 --> 00:12:39,342
- Oh, that's the California talking.
- [Monk sighs]
210
00:12:39,425 --> 00:12:42,178
I took you to Arkansas right now,
you'd be a beauty queen.
211
00:12:42,262 --> 00:12:44,514
- [woman] Is that my Monkie?
- Uh, that's frightening.
212
00:12:44,597 --> 00:12:45,598
- [all chuckle]
- Oh.
213
00:12:46,307 --> 00:12:48,142
[woman chuckles]
214
00:12:49,727 --> 00:12:53,439
- Hi, Mother. [grunts]
- Oh. [chuckles]
215
00:12:53,940 --> 00:12:55,858
- You look fat.
- Ah, I know.
216
00:12:56,359 --> 00:12:58,319
[Lorraine] You ready
to go to dinner, Mrs. Ellison?
217
00:12:58,403 --> 00:13:00,446
Uh, I just need my purse
and my black cardigan.
218
00:13:00,530 --> 00:13:01,531
All right, I'll get it.
219
00:13:01,614 --> 00:13:03,157
- Are you all right?
- Oh.
220
00:13:03,241 --> 00:13:05,076
You overeat when you're depressed.
221
00:13:05,159 --> 00:13:06,744
I'm not depressed.
222
00:13:06,828 --> 00:13:11,374
I've just been not sleeping well lately
and so, fell off my exercise routine.
223
00:13:11,457 --> 00:13:14,043
- Mmm, so you're not depressed.
- Here.
224
00:13:14,127 --> 00:13:17,046
You just bear
all the hallmarks of depression.
225
00:13:17,130 --> 00:13:21,551
Uh... I missed you. [chuckles]
226
00:13:22,927 --> 00:13:24,178
- [sighs]
- Is Larry coming?
227
00:13:25,513 --> 00:13:27,015
No, Mother.
228
00:13:28,141 --> 00:13:30,143
Larry and I are separated, remember?
229
00:13:30,852 --> 00:13:32,812
- Of course I remember.
- Okay.
230
00:13:33,438 --> 00:13:35,857
I just thought he might join us.
231
00:13:37,191 --> 00:13:38,234
To see your brother.
232
00:13:38,318 --> 00:13:39,694
Uh, okay.
233
00:13:43,197 --> 00:13:45,908
I mean, is it really such a big deal?
Everyone forgets things.
234
00:13:45,992 --> 00:13:47,660
Doesn't mean she's sick necessarily.
235
00:13:47,744 --> 00:13:49,495
People forget dentist appointments.
236
00:13:51,289 --> 00:13:52,874
She forgets I'm not married anymore.
237
00:13:53,833 --> 00:13:54,834
That's weird.
238
00:13:57,211 --> 00:13:58,713
What do you suggest we do?
239
00:13:58,796 --> 00:13:59,964
Why do I have to decide?
240
00:14:00,048 --> 00:14:02,467
- Because you're a doctor.
- So are you.
241
00:14:02,550 --> 00:14:03,760
I'm not that kind.
242
00:14:03,843 --> 00:14:07,138
Okay, my point is,
you are an intelligent adult.
243
00:14:08,389 --> 00:14:11,059
And I'm tired of being
the only person that takes care of her.
244
00:14:11,142 --> 00:14:13,895
Well, I don't recall anyone
assigning you that responsibility.
245
00:14:13,978 --> 00:14:16,147
No, you and Cliff just fled west
as soon as you could
246
00:14:16,230 --> 00:14:18,066
and left me as caretaker by default.
247
00:14:18,149 --> 00:14:20,151
- My work's there.
- "My work's there." Yeah.
248
00:14:20,234 --> 00:14:23,029
Apologies that it prevents me from
keeping up with the family melodrama.
249
00:14:24,030 --> 00:14:26,449
If you lived up the block,
you wouldn't know what was going on.
250
00:14:26,532 --> 00:14:29,118
I'm stuck here taking care
of that old house and finding
251
00:14:29,202 --> 00:14:31,120
love letters from Dad's affairs.
252
00:14:31,204 --> 00:14:33,247
- His what?
- His affairs.
253
00:14:33,331 --> 00:14:34,999
You didn't know he was having affairs?
254
00:14:35,083 --> 00:14:37,502
- Uh, no. How did you?
- [chuckles]
255
00:14:37,585 --> 00:14:39,629
Well, he was an ob-gyn
256
00:14:39,712 --> 00:14:42,757
that was traveling constantly,
but his patients were in Boston.
257
00:14:43,341 --> 00:14:44,801
He said he was going to conferences.
258
00:14:44,884 --> 00:14:47,178
[chuckles] He was making house calls.
259
00:14:47,845 --> 00:14:51,682
Do you know that I saw him kiss
a white woman in the park in high school?
260
00:14:52,433 --> 00:14:54,727
- How white?
- What do you mean, "How white?"
261
00:14:54,811 --> 00:14:56,854
Like Brahmin white or Southie white?
262
00:14:56,938 --> 00:14:59,565
I don't know. She had thin lips.
263
00:14:59,649 --> 00:15:01,067
She looked like a bad kisser.
264
00:15:02,527 --> 00:15:03,736
Did you tell Mother?
265
00:15:03,820 --> 00:15:06,531
No! I wasn't going to blow up our lives--
266
00:15:06,614 --> 00:15:08,282
[clears throat] She's coming back.
Mom. Mom.
267
00:15:08,366 --> 00:15:10,326
- Mom. Mom. Hi.
- Oh, yeah.
268
00:15:13,121 --> 00:15:14,122
How you doing?
269
00:15:15,164 --> 00:15:17,083
Our waitress isn't wearing a bra.
270
00:15:17,875 --> 00:15:18,876
Okay.
271
00:15:19,419 --> 00:15:20,420
I didn't notice.
272
00:15:23,756 --> 00:15:26,717
See this shit?
This gonna take us out of the ghetto.
273
00:15:26,801 --> 00:15:28,136
But there are rules in the house.
274
00:15:28,219 --> 00:15:31,097
Rule number one,
never leave this product in the house.
275
00:15:31,180 --> 00:15:33,141
Rule number two, get your own crew.
276
00:15:33,224 --> 00:15:35,393
Number three,
got to have discipline in your crew.
277
00:15:35,476 --> 00:15:38,062
Rule number four,
don't praise a nigga too much.
278
00:15:38,146 --> 00:15:39,730
Otherwise he's gonna think you're soft.
279
00:15:39,814 --> 00:15:42,775
Rule number five, don't show no love.
280
00:15:42,859 --> 00:15:44,235
Love will get you killed.
281
00:15:44,318 --> 00:15:47,155
- [scoffs]
- See this, it's like a bitch.
282
00:15:47,238 --> 00:15:49,490
You fuck a bitch,
don't let a bitch fuck you.
283
00:15:50,116 --> 00:15:53,244
You a man who don't need nothing
or no one to get you through.
284
00:15:53,327 --> 00:15:56,080
This bitch?
This bitch will take your soul.
285
00:15:57,039 --> 00:15:58,499
Y'all niggas ain't got no fam--
286
00:16:02,753 --> 00:16:05,673
[muttering]
287
00:16:05,756 --> 00:16:08,342
Excuse me, uh, Ned.
288
00:16:08,426 --> 00:16:11,137
Do you have any books
by the writer Thelonious Ellison?
289
00:16:15,141 --> 00:16:16,476
Yeah, uh, this way.
290
00:16:20,438 --> 00:16:23,733
- Uh, here you go.
- Right. Yeah.
291
00:16:24,317 --> 00:16:26,235
Wait a minute. Why are these books here?
292
00:16:26,819 --> 00:16:28,070
[Ned] I'm not sure.
293
00:16:28,154 --> 00:16:32,492
I would imagine that
this author Ellison is Black.
294
00:16:32,575 --> 00:16:35,036
That's me. Ellison. Yeah.
295
00:16:35,119 --> 00:16:39,582
He is me, and he and I are Black.
296
00:16:39,665 --> 00:16:42,210
- Oh, bingo. [chuckles]
- No bingo, Ned.
297
00:16:42,293 --> 00:16:45,671
These books have nothing to do
with African-American studies.
298
00:16:45,755 --> 00:16:46,839
They're just literature.
299
00:16:46,923 --> 00:16:49,300
The Blackest thing
about this one is the ink.
300
00:16:50,176 --> 00:16:53,763
Uh, I don't decide
what sections the books go in.
301
00:16:53,846 --> 00:16:56,516
No one here does.
That's how chain stores work.
302
00:16:57,433 --> 00:16:58,976
Right, Ned.
303
00:16:59,977 --> 00:17:01,229
You don't make the rules.
304
00:17:02,355 --> 00:17:03,356
[grunts]
305
00:17:04,190 --> 00:17:06,526
I'm just going to put them
back after you leave.
306
00:17:06,609 --> 00:17:08,319
Don't you dare, Ned.
307
00:17:08,402 --> 00:17:10,821
Do not you dare.
308
00:17:12,823 --> 00:17:13,824
Ned.
309
00:17:21,999 --> 00:17:23,417
Monk, what are you doing?
310
00:17:24,335 --> 00:17:25,461
[books land on floor]
311
00:17:27,296 --> 00:17:29,173
[Lisa]Mom's only going to get worse.
312
00:17:30,925 --> 00:17:34,595
They say mental exercise is good.
That's why I got her that gardening book.
313
00:17:35,096 --> 00:17:37,890
Does growing cucumbers
count as mental exercise?
314
00:17:37,974 --> 00:17:39,850
- I hate when you do that.
- What?
315
00:17:41,435 --> 00:17:43,646
You share your condescending
opinion as a question
316
00:17:43,729 --> 00:17:45,398
trying to disguise the condescension.
317
00:17:45,481 --> 00:17:47,942
Why don't you just say that
you think that gardening is idiotic?
318
00:17:48,025 --> 00:17:50,069
- Uh, because that's not what I was doing.
- Bullshit.
319
00:17:50,570 --> 00:17:52,113
Bullshit. Bullshit.
320
00:17:54,574 --> 00:17:56,576
Maybe we can hire a nurse
a few times a week.
321
00:17:57,285 --> 00:17:59,745
- Who's going to pay for that?
- You-- You can't afford it?
322
00:18:00,746 --> 00:18:02,540
Not after the divorce, I cannot.
323
00:18:04,333 --> 00:18:07,920
Well, it will hurt, but we'll probably
have to sell the beach house.
324
00:18:08,004 --> 00:18:10,423
Yeah, we definitely need
to sell the beach house,
325
00:18:10,506 --> 00:18:13,759
but that money is going to go
to pay back the reverse mortgage
326
00:18:13,843 --> 00:18:15,928
that our mother
took out on the other house.
327
00:18:17,805 --> 00:18:18,806
Yeah.
328
00:18:22,059 --> 00:18:25,730
Look, I can send some money home, but it's
not going to be much. Can't Cliff chip in?
329
00:18:25,813 --> 00:18:28,899
- Cliff's not in a good place, okay?
- Who is? Okay?
330
00:18:28,983 --> 00:18:31,444
Monk, Becca took everything.
331
00:18:31,527 --> 00:18:33,654
And the kids are getting teased at school.
332
00:18:34,405 --> 00:18:37,658
- I didn't know.
- Well, maybe you should call him.
333
00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:42,121
[scoffs]
334
00:18:43,122 --> 00:18:45,207
I'm sorry I've always been so distant.
335
00:18:50,504 --> 00:18:51,964
You couldn't help that.
336
00:18:52,798 --> 00:18:54,383
You were always Dad's favorite.
337
00:18:56,927 --> 00:18:59,430
And that made Cliff and I bond,
and you resented us
338
00:18:59,513 --> 00:19:01,015
for having that bond, and then,
339
00:19:01,932 --> 00:19:03,934
I don't know,
you just became self-sufficient.
340
00:19:06,729 --> 00:19:09,482
- We've never talked about this.
- We never talked about anything.
341
00:19:11,692 --> 00:19:13,110
Is that surprising?
342
00:19:13,194 --> 00:19:14,612
Look at our parents. [scoffs]
343
00:19:15,363 --> 00:19:16,364
Mmm.
344
00:19:16,864 --> 00:19:20,034
The only emotions I remember from Dad...
345
00:19:22,578 --> 00:19:24,580
were boredom and rage.
346
00:19:25,331 --> 00:19:26,707
Is boredom an emotion?
347
00:19:26,791 --> 00:19:29,960
[chuckles] Great.
It's Detective Dictionary.
348
00:19:30,044 --> 00:19:32,213
- [Lisa chuckling] Oh!
- [chuckling]
349
00:19:32,296 --> 00:19:33,839
You haven't called me that in forever.
350
00:19:33,923 --> 00:19:35,216
Oh, God!
351
00:19:36,425 --> 00:19:38,511
- What? Oh, come on!
- Oh, God!
352
00:19:39,178 --> 00:19:41,097
[Lisa groaning]
353
00:19:41,180 --> 00:19:43,432
Lisa? You okay? Hey.
354
00:19:44,517 --> 00:19:46,352
[Lisa continues groaning]
355
00:19:46,435 --> 00:19:48,104
Hey, help! Help!
356
00:19:48,104 --> 00:20:18,104
Subtitle | www.movieddl.me
357
00:20:46,162 --> 00:20:47,997
[Monk] "if you are reading this,
358
00:20:48,497 --> 00:20:51,917
it's because I, Lisa Madrigal Ellison,
359
00:20:53,335 --> 00:20:54,336
have died.
360
00:20:57,465 --> 00:20:59,425
Obviously, this is not ideal,
361
00:21:00,593 --> 00:21:02,928
but I guess it had
to happen at some point.
362
00:21:04,972 --> 00:21:06,056
Hopefully, I ex--
363
00:21:09,101 --> 00:21:10,770
Hopefully, I expired
364
00:21:11,854 --> 00:21:15,566
under the heaving thrusts
of a sweaty Idris Elba,
365
00:21:16,484 --> 00:21:19,069
or perhaps in a less dignified manner,
366
00:21:19,153 --> 00:21:22,865
under the heaving thrusts
of a sweaty Russell Crowe.
367
00:21:24,074 --> 00:21:26,160
Irrespective of how I went,
368
00:21:26,243 --> 00:21:29,205
I ask that those closest to me
369
00:21:30,831 --> 00:21:32,416
not mourn all that much.
370
00:21:33,876 --> 00:21:35,836
I lived a life that made me proud.
371
00:21:37,046 --> 00:21:38,047
I Io--
372
00:21:39,048 --> 00:21:40,049
I was loved
373
00:21:41,967 --> 00:21:43,260
and I loved in return.
374
00:21:45,095 --> 00:21:47,640
I found work that aroused my passions.
375
00:21:48,307 --> 00:21:50,309
I believe I gave more than I took.
376
00:21:51,060 --> 00:21:53,854
And I did my damnedest
to help people in need.
377
00:21:55,022 --> 00:21:56,482
And on top of all that,
378
00:21:56,565 --> 00:21:59,652
many a friend wrongly
accused me of having Botox
379
00:21:59,735 --> 00:22:03,113
because of how tight my skin
stayed well into my 50s.
380
00:22:04,114 --> 00:22:06,033
What more could someone ask of a life?
381
00:22:08,285 --> 00:22:09,286
I love you all.
382
00:22:10,454 --> 00:22:12,665
[voice breaking]
Thank you for being here today.
383
00:22:15,334 --> 00:22:16,335
Goodbye.
384
00:22:18,462 --> 00:22:19,463
Lisa."
385
00:22:25,719 --> 00:22:26,720
Cliff?
386
00:22:52,621 --> 00:22:54,039
Are those human remains?
387
00:22:54,790 --> 00:22:56,542
[scoffs] You guys have a permit for that?
388
00:22:56,625 --> 00:22:58,294
Just shut the fuck up, Phillip!
389
00:22:58,377 --> 00:23:00,087
Cliff, you don't talk to me like that.
390
00:23:00,170 --> 00:23:01,380
Fuck you. I just did.
391
00:23:01,463 --> 00:23:02,715
- What?
- You want me to beat your ass?
392
00:23:02,798 --> 00:23:04,049
- I'm just--
- Get the fuck out of here.
393
00:23:04,133 --> 00:23:06,051
I will eat your sweater vest for dinner.
394
00:23:06,135 --> 00:23:07,636
- No-- Yep.
- Bitch. Go.
395
00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:09,179
- One...
- Get the fuck out of here, Phillip.
396
00:23:09,263 --> 00:23:10,598
- I'm just--
- Two...
397
00:23:10,681 --> 00:23:12,892
- Three.
- Always been a fucking douche.
398
00:23:29,992 --> 00:23:31,535
[exhales]
399
00:23:31,619 --> 00:23:32,828
Where is everybody?
400
00:23:33,829 --> 00:23:34,830
They're exhausted.
401
00:23:35,539 --> 00:23:37,750
I gave Lorraine something
to help her sleep.
402
00:23:37,833 --> 00:23:40,294
Mother's taking a bath.
Then I'm going to dose her too.
403
00:23:41,795 --> 00:23:44,590
You think maybe I can get
some of that later tonight?
404
00:23:44,673 --> 00:23:46,342
Yeah. What, you're not sleeping well?
405
00:23:47,468 --> 00:23:51,013
Uh, normally, I sleep fine,
but just lately.
406
00:23:53,015 --> 00:23:54,016
Yeah.
407
00:23:54,808 --> 00:23:57,770
Does seeing a dead body
ever become normal?
408
00:23:57,853 --> 00:23:59,480
I don't know. I haven't seen many.
409
00:23:59,563 --> 00:24:00,773
Really?
410
00:24:00,856 --> 00:24:01,941
I'm a plastic surgeon.
411
00:24:02,024 --> 00:24:04,526
If I'm looking at a corpse,
then something went very awry.
412
00:24:06,195 --> 00:24:07,196
Right.
413
00:24:09,490 --> 00:24:11,158
Yeah. Made me feel for Mother.
414
00:24:12,952 --> 00:24:15,704
Can't imagine what she must've
gone through finding Dad,
415
00:24:17,331 --> 00:24:19,208
you know, like that.
416
00:24:19,291 --> 00:24:20,292
I know.
417
00:24:21,669 --> 00:24:22,962
So much death.
418
00:24:31,178 --> 00:24:33,639
When was the last time
we were here together?
419
00:24:35,140 --> 00:24:38,102
Uh... [exhales] ...maybe ten years.
420
00:24:38,185 --> 00:24:39,436
Yeah.
421
00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:40,771
The kids were still little.
422
00:24:41,522 --> 00:24:42,523
Yeah.
423
00:24:45,401 --> 00:24:46,986
How is your family, by the way?
424
00:24:48,445 --> 00:24:49,905
You actually care?
425
00:24:49,989 --> 00:24:52,825
Of course. Why would I ask?
Why would you ask me that?
426
00:24:52,908 --> 00:24:54,576
I don't know, Monk. You never really call.
427
00:24:54,660 --> 00:24:56,996
- I get busy.
- Yeah, everybody gets busy.
428
00:24:57,579 --> 00:24:58,706
You drift away.
429
00:25:00,916 --> 00:25:02,418
You want to know how my family is?
430
00:25:02,501 --> 00:25:05,546
My wife left me
'cause she caught me in bed with a man.
431
00:25:06,255 --> 00:25:08,465
She took my house, half my practice.
432
00:25:09,216 --> 00:25:10,884
My kids fucking hate me.
433
00:25:12,344 --> 00:25:14,722
And I still live in fucking Tucson.
434
00:25:16,348 --> 00:25:17,725
What's wrong with Tucson?
435
00:25:17,808 --> 00:25:20,811
Oh, my God! There's one gay bar
and it's full of college kids.
436
00:25:20,894 --> 00:25:22,896
One of them asked me if I was Tyler Perry.
437
00:25:24,189 --> 00:25:25,190
That's terrible.
438
00:25:25,274 --> 00:25:27,943
I mean,
Tyler Perry lives in Atlanta, right?
439
00:25:28,027 --> 00:25:29,153
Fuck you, man.
440
00:25:29,236 --> 00:25:30,904
[both chuckle]
441
00:25:30,988 --> 00:25:31,989
Shut up.
442
00:25:32,072 --> 00:25:33,699
Nowhere near Tucson. [chuckles]
443
00:25:33,782 --> 00:25:35,284
Oh, boy.
444
00:25:36,368 --> 00:25:37,369
[grunts]
445
00:25:38,162 --> 00:25:41,165
- Did you know Dad had affairs?
- Oh, for sure.
446
00:25:41,248 --> 00:25:42,374
How?
447
00:25:43,459 --> 00:25:44,710
You could just tell.
448
00:25:45,419 --> 00:25:47,755
Lisa told me she saw him
kissing a white woman once.
449
00:25:47,838 --> 00:25:51,425
Ah, why did I have no idea?
Why am I the last to know?
450
00:25:52,051 --> 00:25:54,053
Because you loved him too much.
451
00:25:54,136 --> 00:25:56,388
Enemies see each other
better than friends.
452
00:25:57,806 --> 00:26:00,225
- [Lorraine snoring]
- [Cliff chuckles]
453
00:26:00,309 --> 00:26:01,560
What the hell did you give her?
454
00:26:01,643 --> 00:26:04,188
It's oxycodone. But knocks them right out.
455
00:26:04,271 --> 00:26:05,773
You gave her opioids to sleep?
456
00:26:05,856 --> 00:26:09,109
Yeah. You ever seen a heroin addict?
Those guys take naps standing up.
457
00:26:09,193 --> 00:26:10,235
It's dangerous.
458
00:26:10,319 --> 00:26:11,904
Look, I'm keeping an eye on her.
I'm a doctor.
459
00:26:11,987 --> 00:26:13,030
- So am I.
- Right.
460
00:26:13,113 --> 00:26:15,532
Maybe if we need to revive a sentence.
461
00:26:15,616 --> 00:26:20,913
[scoffs] Uh, well, um,
why do you have synthetic smack anyway?
462
00:26:20,996 --> 00:26:23,373
- [grunts, sighs]
- [water dropping]
463
00:26:25,209 --> 00:26:26,210
What is that?
464
00:26:32,508 --> 00:26:33,509
Whoa.
465
00:26:35,844 --> 00:26:36,929
Oh, shit.
466
00:26:37,721 --> 00:26:38,764
[water running]
467
00:26:38,847 --> 00:26:39,848
Mother?
468
00:26:42,309 --> 00:26:43,310
Mother?
469
00:26:44,978 --> 00:26:45,979
Mother.
470
00:26:48,524 --> 00:26:49,691
Hey.
471
00:26:50,275 --> 00:26:53,112
Hey. What are you doing? Hey.
472
00:26:54,947 --> 00:26:55,948
Mother.
473
00:26:57,449 --> 00:26:58,450
Hey.
474
00:27:05,332 --> 00:27:06,625
Come on.
475
00:27:09,211 --> 00:27:10,212
Come on.
476
00:27:12,089 --> 00:27:13,841
Well, I'm not sure, to be honest with you.
477
00:27:13,924 --> 00:27:15,843
It's going to depend
on what the doctors say.
478
00:27:16,718 --> 00:27:18,762
Yeah, I'll touch base when I know more.
479
00:27:19,805 --> 00:27:22,307
Thanks so much for being understanding.
480
00:27:23,851 --> 00:27:27,062
Hey, um, Leo. Uh, one more thing.
481
00:27:27,146 --> 00:27:29,898
I was wondering if maybe
we could treat this as a sabbatical
482
00:27:29,982 --> 00:27:31,733
as opposed to a leave of absence?
483
00:27:31,817 --> 00:27:34,695
Whatever happens with my mother,
it's going to cost some money.
484
00:27:37,364 --> 00:27:39,074
No, I understand.
485
00:27:39,158 --> 00:27:42,494
No, it's not your fault.
I'll figure something out.
486
00:27:43,328 --> 00:27:44,329
Yeah.
487
00:27:44,872 --> 00:27:46,206
Thanks for your help.
488
00:27:46,290 --> 00:27:47,541
Okay. Bye-bye.
489
00:27:49,293 --> 00:27:50,294
[woman] Oh.
490
00:27:52,963 --> 00:27:54,298
Oh.
491
00:27:54,381 --> 00:27:58,051
Oh. Uh, you don't have to do that.
492
00:27:58,135 --> 00:27:59,344
Oh, no. I do.
493
00:27:59,428 --> 00:28:01,513
It's tomato season.
You can't let them go to waste.
494
00:28:01,597 --> 00:28:03,140
Ooh. A crime around here.
495
00:28:03,223 --> 00:28:04,391
[chuckles]
496
00:28:05,392 --> 00:28:06,476
Thank you.
497
00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:08,145
That's what neighbors are for, right?
498
00:28:08,228 --> 00:28:09,688
Welcome to the neighborhood.
499
00:28:10,898 --> 00:28:12,566
I thought the place was vacant.
500
00:28:13,650 --> 00:28:17,863
Uh, it has been for a while.
We just got here last night.
501
00:28:17,946 --> 00:28:20,616
Oh. Figured the place was haunted.
502
00:28:20,699 --> 00:28:23,535
They said some old man
blew his brains out there a while back.
503
00:28:26,580 --> 00:28:27,581
Yeah.
504
00:28:30,626 --> 00:28:33,253
Oh, my God. I--
505
00:28:35,047 --> 00:28:37,090
I'm a fucking idiot.
506
00:28:37,174 --> 00:28:38,508
Please forgive me.
507
00:28:38,592 --> 00:28:39,593
Well...
508
00:28:41,261 --> 00:28:43,305
Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that.
509
00:28:43,388 --> 00:28:44,806
What'd she do for a living?
510
00:28:45,307 --> 00:28:46,600
She was a doctor.
511
00:28:46,683 --> 00:28:52,522
Um, most of my family, doctors.
Basically, I'm the outcast.
512
00:28:52,606 --> 00:28:53,607
Huh.
513
00:28:54,524 --> 00:28:56,276
What do-- What do you do for work?
514
00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:58,028
I'm a lawyer.
515
00:28:58,111 --> 00:29:00,239
Public defense. Quincy.
516
00:29:00,322 --> 00:29:01,865
Mmm. Very honorable.
517
00:29:01,949 --> 00:29:05,702
Yeah. It's very hard,
but can be rewarding.
518
00:29:07,162 --> 00:29:11,124
May I ask you something
that I'm sure a lot of people ask you?
519
00:29:11,208 --> 00:29:13,460
How do I feel
about defending guilty people?
520
00:29:14,044 --> 00:29:15,045
Yeah.
521
00:29:15,128 --> 00:29:17,339
- I love it.
- Why?
522
00:29:17,422 --> 00:29:20,300
I have to. And they're all guilty.
523
00:29:21,385 --> 00:29:23,470
- Really?
- Yes. But that's okay.
524
00:29:23,553 --> 00:29:25,639
People are more than their worst deed.
525
00:29:27,557 --> 00:29:29,726
- I guess I agree with that.
- Mmm.
526
00:29:29,810 --> 00:29:32,354
I'm sure you do. You're a writer.
527
00:29:32,437 --> 00:29:33,939
I don't follow.
528
00:29:34,022 --> 00:29:36,775
Well, writers have to be nonjudgmental.
529
00:29:36,858 --> 00:29:39,027
You can't write interesting characters
530
00:29:39,111 --> 00:29:41,363
and be critical
of every bad decision they make.
531
00:29:41,446 --> 00:29:42,447
Right?
532
00:29:42,531 --> 00:29:45,492
Maybe you should be the writer.
I don't feel like much of one lately.
533
00:29:46,159 --> 00:29:47,327
You blocked?
534
00:29:48,787 --> 00:29:50,664
It's just... [chuckles]
535
00:29:50,747 --> 00:29:53,166
...I don't think anybody
wants to buy what I write.
536
00:29:53,250 --> 00:29:54,251
That's not true.
537
00:29:54,334 --> 00:29:58,130
I-I didn't want to say anything, but,
um, I actually read one of your books.
538
00:29:59,464 --> 00:30:01,008
Hmm. Which?
539
00:30:01,091 --> 00:30:02,384
The Frogs.
540
00:30:02,467 --> 00:30:03,427
Oh, so you were the one.
541
00:30:03,510 --> 00:30:05,053
[chuckles] I liked it.
542
00:30:07,014 --> 00:30:09,016
- You're talented.
- [vehicle approaching]
543
00:30:12,227 --> 00:30:14,271
- [engine off]
- [door opens]
544
00:30:14,980 --> 00:30:16,606
You're ex-expecting company?
545
00:30:18,442 --> 00:30:19,443
Yeah.
546
00:30:20,986 --> 00:30:21,987
Oh.
547
00:30:29,411 --> 00:30:30,579
Hello.
548
00:30:31,496 --> 00:30:33,874
- Hey.
- Jelani, uh, this is Monk.
549
00:30:33,957 --> 00:30:36,501
He and his family
own the house across the street.
550
00:30:36,585 --> 00:30:37,586
Nice to meet you.
551
00:30:38,170 --> 00:30:39,546
Yeah, it's a pleasure.
552
00:30:39,629 --> 00:30:41,256
Are you staying for dinner?
553
00:30:41,340 --> 00:30:44,718
Uh, n-no, I--
I need to go check in on my mother.
554
00:30:44,801 --> 00:30:46,970
- [Jelani] Cool.
- Uh, thank you, uh...
555
00:30:48,889 --> 00:30:50,223
[gulps]
556
00:30:50,307 --> 00:30:52,142
...for the wine and, uh...
557
00:30:53,226 --> 00:30:54,436
good night.
558
00:30:57,356 --> 00:30:58,357
Good night, Monk.
559
00:31:05,197 --> 00:31:08,200
[Jelani chattering, laughing, faint]
560
00:31:29,221 --> 00:31:31,223
[seagulls squawking]
561
00:31:43,819 --> 00:31:46,321
[blowing, sniffing]
562
00:31:49,866 --> 00:31:51,493
What time's your flight?
563
00:31:51,576 --> 00:31:52,577
11 :00.
564
00:31:54,746 --> 00:31:57,416
You think, uh, maybe you could change it?
565
00:31:57,499 --> 00:32:00,293
Think it would be useful to have you
at Mother's doctor's appointment today.
566
00:32:00,377 --> 00:32:01,628
I can't. I got to get home.
567
00:32:03,630 --> 00:32:06,967
Fine, but you think you can chip in
for her care once we find out what's what?
568
00:32:07,050 --> 00:32:08,677
It's probably going
to be pretty expensive.
569
00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:10,637
Things are tight right now, so...
570
00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:12,431
You thought about firing Lorraine?
571
00:32:15,642 --> 00:32:17,352
Lorraine is family.
572
00:32:17,436 --> 00:32:20,147
Well, shit, Monk.
I don't know what to tell you, all right?
573
00:32:20,230 --> 00:32:21,356
So you can't do anything?
574
00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,943
[sighs] I will check with my accountant
when I get back, all right?
575
00:32:25,485 --> 00:32:26,653
It's 8:00 in the morning.
576
00:32:26,736 --> 00:32:28,780
I'm not flying the fucking plane, Monk.
577
00:32:33,285 --> 00:32:36,746
Well, do you think you could be so kind
578
00:32:36,830 --> 00:32:39,875
as to go inside and see
if Mother is ready to head out?
579
00:32:39,958 --> 00:32:41,042
Oh, all right. Hey.
580
00:32:41,126 --> 00:32:43,545
- Mother!
- Don't yell, man. Be civilized.
581
00:32:43,628 --> 00:32:45,672
You're just like our dad, man.
582
00:32:45,755 --> 00:32:48,717
'Till you do right by me, Monk.
I swear to fucking God.
583
00:32:49,384 --> 00:32:50,886
Clown.
584
00:32:50,969 --> 00:32:53,180
[Cliff] You want to see civilized?
[shouts] Mother!
585
00:32:53,263 --> 00:32:54,264
[groans]
586
00:32:57,976 --> 00:32:58,977
Morning.
587
00:33:01,021 --> 00:33:02,647
Hey. Morning.
588
00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:04,441
Listen,
589
00:33:05,108 --> 00:33:06,985
about last night, uh...
590
00:33:07,068 --> 00:33:08,069
Oh, it's okay.
591
00:33:08,153 --> 00:33:10,614
You don't have to explain.
I had a good time.
592
00:33:10,697 --> 00:33:11,698
No, I--
593
00:33:13,241 --> 00:33:15,827
Jelani, uh, he's, uh, my ex.
594
00:33:15,911 --> 00:33:17,245
He's going to be.
595
00:33:18,455 --> 00:33:20,624
We're in the middle of breaking up and...
596
00:33:21,625 --> 00:33:22,626
it's hard.
597
00:33:24,044 --> 00:33:25,170
I get it.
598
00:33:26,338 --> 00:33:27,506
I'd like to see you again.
599
00:33:28,924 --> 00:33:31,885
Do you think that you'll be
around town next couple of days?
600
00:33:31,968 --> 00:33:34,596
You know, grab a drink?
601
00:33:35,847 --> 00:33:36,973
Yeah, I'd like that.
602
00:33:39,142 --> 00:33:40,268
Yeah, me too.
603
00:33:42,479 --> 00:33:43,688
Drive safe.
604
00:33:44,689 --> 00:33:45,690
Thanks.
605
00:34:11,007 --> 00:34:12,425
[nurse] Mr. Ellison?
606
00:34:13,009 --> 00:34:14,219
We're ready.
607
00:34:18,265 --> 00:34:22,769
Her MRI shows
early signs of neurodegeneration.
608
00:34:22,852 --> 00:34:25,897
There's a slight decrease
in the size of the temporal lobe,
609
00:34:25,981 --> 00:34:27,774
which suggest Alzheimer's.
610
00:34:29,776 --> 00:34:31,528
I'm very sorry, Mr. Ellison.
611
00:34:31,611 --> 00:34:35,615
But at some point, she'll probably
require around-the-clock care
612
00:34:36,449 --> 00:34:38,201
for her own safety.
613
00:35:04,352 --> 00:35:05,812
[chuckles]
614
00:35:37,218 --> 00:35:39,638
[siren wailing in distance]
615
00:35:43,767 --> 00:35:45,352
- Hey, young nigga.
- Hey!
616
00:35:45,852 --> 00:35:47,604
Hey, whoa, whoa. [chuckles]
617
00:35:48,188 --> 00:35:49,939
Don't shoot me, partner. Come on now.
618
00:35:54,694 --> 00:35:55,528
Van Go.
619
00:35:56,404 --> 00:35:57,405
That you?
620
00:35:57,489 --> 00:35:58,657
Yeah, it me, nigga.
621
00:35:59,908 --> 00:36:01,910
Shit. What, you drunk, motherfucker?
622
00:36:03,328 --> 00:36:04,704
Where you runnin' to?
623
00:36:06,581 --> 00:36:07,874
Just leave me alone, man.
624
00:36:08,667 --> 00:36:09,709
[scoffs]
625
00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:11,961
How yo' mama?
626
00:36:13,505 --> 00:36:14,506
What you say?
627
00:36:14,589 --> 00:36:16,549
I said, how yo' mama?
628
00:36:19,594 --> 00:36:21,137
Oh, shit.
629
00:36:21,888 --> 00:36:23,348
They ain't tell you, huh?
630
00:36:24,057 --> 00:36:25,225
What you talking about, punk?
631
00:36:25,308 --> 00:36:27,268
Hey, what you talking about?
632
00:36:29,354 --> 00:36:31,022
Think about it, Van Go.
633
00:36:32,065 --> 00:36:33,233
Lookit my face.
634
00:36:35,026 --> 00:36:37,278
Lookit my midnight black complex--
635
00:36:37,362 --> 00:36:38,988
No, that's not right.
636
00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:41,241
What did you want to say?
637
00:36:42,575 --> 00:36:45,912
You can say it better than that, right?
Come on. What do you want?
638
00:36:50,458 --> 00:36:51,835
Think about it, Van Go.
639
00:36:52,836 --> 00:36:54,087
Lookit my face.
640
00:36:55,171 --> 00:36:57,632
Lookit my coal black skin.
641
00:36:57,716 --> 00:36:59,259
And then look it your own.
642
00:37:01,094 --> 00:37:03,012
Look at my Black eyes.
643
00:37:03,096 --> 00:37:04,264
Now look at your own.
644
00:37:06,141 --> 00:37:07,934
Look at my big Black lips.
645
00:37:08,017 --> 00:37:10,103
- [chuckles]
- And look at your own.
646
00:37:11,187 --> 00:37:12,856
I's your daddy whether you like it or not.
647
00:37:12,939 --> 00:37:15,400
Shut up, okay? Shut up, man! You lying!
648
00:37:15,483 --> 00:37:17,360
No, no, that's the truth, nigga.
649
00:37:18,987 --> 00:37:20,613
Where you been, huh?
650
00:37:21,197 --> 00:37:22,407
Where you been?
651
00:37:22,490 --> 00:37:23,992
I've been where I always be.
652
00:37:24,951 --> 00:37:26,161
Surviving.
653
00:37:27,036 --> 00:37:28,455
You ain't worth a piss.
654
00:37:29,247 --> 00:37:32,542
Your mama ain't worth a piss.
So here I am.
655
00:37:33,168 --> 00:37:34,335
[sobs]
656
00:37:41,217 --> 00:37:42,385
What do I say now?
657
00:37:43,344 --> 00:37:46,598
I think now will come
some sort of, you know,
658
00:37:46,681 --> 00:37:48,475
dumb, melodramatic sob story
659
00:37:48,558 --> 00:37:50,935
where you, uh, highlight
your broken interiority.
660
00:37:51,019 --> 00:37:53,938
Something--
Something like, I don't know, uh...
661
00:37:58,610 --> 00:38:00,028
I hates this man.
662
00:38:01,613 --> 00:38:02,822
I hates my mama.
663
00:38:02,906 --> 00:38:04,407
And I hates myself.
664
00:38:05,033 --> 00:38:06,743
[sighs]
665
00:38:07,660 --> 00:38:09,370
I've seen my face in his.
666
00:38:10,955 --> 00:38:14,375
I see the ape that all them stupid girls
were afraid of, yeah.
667
00:38:14,459 --> 00:38:16,586
I can see my long arms hanging down.
668
00:38:17,378 --> 00:38:20,799
And I see eyes that don't care
what happens tomorrow.
669
00:38:23,259 --> 00:38:24,260
I...
670
00:38:24,844 --> 00:38:26,012
I see myself
671
00:38:26,930 --> 00:38:29,766
rockin' back on my heels,
just like this, baby.
672
00:38:29,849 --> 00:38:31,226
Just waitin'.
673
00:38:31,309 --> 00:38:34,729
And waitin' and waitin' and waitin'
and waitin' for something
674
00:38:34,813 --> 00:38:37,273
that I'm not even gonna recognize
when it comes!
675
00:38:37,899 --> 00:38:39,818
Death is my only cure.
676
00:38:40,735 --> 00:38:42,195
[chuckles] I heard that before.
677
00:38:43,988 --> 00:38:46,199
I been hearin' it, and I'm hearin' it now.
678
00:38:48,993 --> 00:38:49,994
I see--
679
00:38:53,039 --> 00:38:54,541
I see my mama or yin'.
680
00:38:55,875 --> 00:38:58,378
I see her screamin' in my dreams.
681
00:38:58,461 --> 00:38:59,838
I see my babies.
682
00:39:00,588 --> 00:39:01,589
I see my--
683
00:39:02,340 --> 00:39:03,508
I see my daddy.
684
00:39:05,969 --> 00:39:07,220
I see myself.
685
00:39:08,471 --> 00:39:09,556
- [gunshot]
- [groans]
686
00:39:09,639 --> 00:39:10,723
What the fuck?
687
00:39:14,018 --> 00:39:16,771
- What the fuck you do that for?
- 'Cause you ain't shit, nigga.
688
00:39:19,732 --> 00:39:20,984
And you made me.
689
00:39:23,111 --> 00:39:25,947
So 'cause you ain't shit, I ain't shit.
690
00:39:27,448 --> 00:39:30,159
'Cause you ain't shit, I ain't shit!
691
00:39:30,243 --> 00:39:32,036
[groans]
692
00:39:32,787 --> 00:39:35,290
[siren wailing in distance]
693
00:39:37,166 --> 00:39:38,459
I gots to bounce.
694
00:39:40,253 --> 00:39:41,546
[sniffles]
695
00:39:43,464 --> 00:39:44,674
Peace, motherfucker.
696
00:39:45,967 --> 00:39:46,968
Peace.
697
00:39:48,344 --> 00:39:50,054
[whimpers]
698
00:39:50,138 --> 00:39:51,556
What the fuck was that for?
699
00:39:56,144 --> 00:40:01,065
[narrator] You're watching
Black Stories Month on WHN.
700
00:40:01,149 --> 00:40:03,359
[gospel choir]
♪ He is my friend ♪
701
00:40:03,443 --> 00:40:06,487
Celebrating the diversity
of the African-American experience.
702
00:40:06,571 --> 00:40:07,572
[gunshots]
703
00:40:07,655 --> 00:40:12,160
[narrator] Join us for more
riveting cinema, heartbreak and drama.
704
00:40:12,243 --> 00:40:14,078
[phone buzzes]
705
00:40:15,163 --> 00:40:15,997
Hello?
706
00:40:16,789 --> 00:40:19,208
"I be standing outside in the night.
707
00:40:19,292 --> 00:40:22,795
A police chopper go by
and shine some lights in some backyards
708
00:40:22,879 --> 00:40:26,549
and I think,
'Shine that light on me, motherfucker,
709
00:40:26,633 --> 00:40:31,638
shine me some fucking light
so I can see where the fuck I be at."'
710
00:40:31,721 --> 00:40:34,265
- Are you serious?
- You notice I didn't put my name on it.
711
00:40:34,349 --> 00:40:37,727
Yes, Stagg R. Leigh.
I did notice that. Well done.
712
00:40:37,810 --> 00:40:38,937
But I still can't send this out.
713
00:40:39,020 --> 00:40:41,814
You said you wanted Black stuff.
What's Blacker than that?
714
00:40:41,898 --> 00:40:46,819
It's got deadbeat dads, rappers, crack,
and he gets killed by a cop in the end.
715
00:40:46,903 --> 00:40:50,198
I mean, that's-- that's-- that's--
that's Black, right?
716
00:40:51,616 --> 00:40:53,826
- I see what you're doing.
- Good, because it's not subtle.
717
00:40:53,910 --> 00:40:56,996
I mean, how's that book so different than
some of the other garbage they put out?
718
00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,332
- That's not the point.
- Well, it's my point.
719
00:40:59,415 --> 00:41:03,169
Look-- Look at what they publish.
Look at what they expect us to write.
720
00:41:03,252 --> 00:41:04,545
I'm sick of it.
721
00:41:04,629 --> 00:41:07,882
And that's an expression
of-- of how sick I am.
722
00:41:07,966 --> 00:41:11,135
Monk, I'm trying to sell books,
not be a part of some crusade.
723
00:41:12,345 --> 00:41:14,931
- Who do you expect to publish this?
- No one.
724
00:41:15,014 --> 00:41:17,892
I just want to rub their noses
in the horseshit they solicit.
725
00:41:19,185 --> 00:41:21,437
Okay. What do you want me to do?
726
00:41:21,521 --> 00:41:22,855
I want you to send it out.
727
00:41:22,939 --> 00:41:24,357
Can I say it's performance art?
728
00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:26,651
No. Send it straight.
729
00:41:26,734 --> 00:41:29,070
If they can't take the joke,
then fuck them.
730
00:41:30,738 --> 00:41:33,908
All right, but I'm only sending it to
a couple of places. This thing scares me.
731
00:41:33,992 --> 00:41:35,368
Scares you? Why?
732
00:41:35,451 --> 00:41:38,621
Because white people
think they want the truth, but they don't.
733
00:41:38,705 --> 00:41:40,456
They just want to feel absolved.
734
00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:43,626
Well, fortunately, that's not my problem.
735
00:41:44,585 --> 00:41:46,087
- Okay.
- Bye.
736
00:41:46,629 --> 00:41:47,630
[line beeps]
737
00:41:49,507 --> 00:41:51,634
[chuckles]
738
00:42:07,525 --> 00:42:10,820
I'm surprised you reached out.
I thought you were just being nice.
739
00:42:10,903 --> 00:42:13,948
I'm never just being nice.
I'm too old for that.
740
00:42:14,032 --> 00:42:15,950
You know, I like you so much, in fact,
741
00:42:16,034 --> 00:42:18,202
that I went out and got
another one of your books.
742
00:42:18,703 --> 00:42:20,163
Really? Which one?
743
00:42:20,246 --> 00:42:21,581
The Haas Conundrum.
744
00:42:22,498 --> 00:42:23,583
What'd you think?
745
00:42:24,417 --> 00:42:25,585
I liked it.
746
00:42:26,669 --> 00:42:29,297
Susan has really great dialogue.
747
00:42:29,380 --> 00:42:31,424
And I love the aunt.
748
00:42:31,924 --> 00:42:34,594
Wow. I mean, you write women well.
749
00:42:34,677 --> 00:42:36,012
Huh. You think so?
750
00:42:36,095 --> 00:42:38,598
- Yeah. They're not hothouse flowers.
- Thank you.
751
00:42:40,224 --> 00:42:42,185
- I appreciate that.
- Mmm.
752
00:42:42,685 --> 00:42:44,645
I could've done with
less footnotes, though.
753
00:42:45,438 --> 00:42:46,939
[both chuckle]
754
00:42:52,403 --> 00:42:54,739
I, uh-- I got to run.
755
00:42:56,908 --> 00:42:58,284
Well, how's your mom?
756
00:42:59,327 --> 00:43:00,411
In and out.
757
00:43:01,412 --> 00:43:03,206
I'm afraid to be away for too long.
758
00:43:04,540 --> 00:43:05,875
- Yeah.
- But, um...
759
00:43:08,044 --> 00:43:09,128
I'll, uh...
760
00:43:11,005 --> 00:43:12,131
I'll call you.
761
00:43:14,425 --> 00:43:15,760
Hold on a minute.
762
00:43:21,516 --> 00:43:23,101
- Sign my book.
- [chuckles]
763
00:43:33,277 --> 00:43:34,695
What's your name again?
764
00:43:35,780 --> 00:43:36,781
Mmm.
765
00:44:05,726 --> 00:44:08,229
[switch clicking]
766
00:44:20,992 --> 00:44:22,201
[Lorraine] Mr. Monk?
767
00:44:27,165 --> 00:44:28,583
What's going on with the lights?
768
00:44:28,666 --> 00:44:31,335
Uh, Miss Lisa used to pay the bill.
769
00:44:32,461 --> 00:44:33,462
Did you?
770
00:44:36,674 --> 00:44:38,593
- [speakers: funk music playing]
- [snorts]
771
00:44:38,676 --> 00:44:39,886
How much?
772
00:44:39,969 --> 00:44:44,348
Well, I can handle the electrical bills,
but these care facilities are expensive.
773
00:44:44,432 --> 00:44:46,726
- [funk music continues playing]
- The best one nearby
774
00:44:46,809 --> 00:44:51,314
is 5,600 a month,
and that's for a shared room.
775
00:44:51,397 --> 00:44:54,442
It goes up to 6,900 a month
for a private room.
776
00:44:54,525 --> 00:44:56,819
Why you looking at the best one?
She wasn't the best mother.
777
00:44:56,903 --> 00:44:58,988
Look, I'm not here to re-litigate
our childhoods.
778
00:44:59,071 --> 00:45:00,990
Of course not, because yours was great.
779
00:45:01,073 --> 00:45:03,743
Goddamn it!
Are you going to help me or not?
780
00:45:03,826 --> 00:45:05,870
Won't Medicaid cover it or something?
781
00:45:05,953 --> 00:45:07,038
That's not how it works.
782
00:45:07,121 --> 00:45:08,497
- You don't know this?
- No.
783
00:45:09,081 --> 00:45:10,499
Hello. [kisses]
784
00:45:10,583 --> 00:45:12,335
Mmm. Mmm.
785
00:45:12,418 --> 00:45:15,004
- [Monk] Who's that? What are you doing?
- I've taken a lover.
786
00:45:15,880 --> 00:45:16,881
You've taken a lover?
787
00:45:16,964 --> 00:45:18,382
You got a problem with that, homophobe?
788
00:45:18,466 --> 00:45:21,636
Listen, I'm not offended that
you've taken a lover, Cliff.
789
00:45:21,719 --> 00:45:24,430
I'm offended, Cliff,
that you call it taking a lover.
790
00:45:25,056 --> 00:45:27,016
Mmm. You can eat shit, nigga.
791
00:45:27,099 --> 00:45:29,393
- [line beeps]
- I'll take my lover right now.
792
00:45:29,477 --> 00:45:30,937
Hey, where you going?
793
00:45:45,868 --> 00:45:47,161
[knocking]
794
00:45:49,330 --> 00:45:50,331
There you are.
795
00:45:50,414 --> 00:45:52,708
Traffic was insane. What's up?
796
00:45:52,792 --> 00:45:53,793
Sit down.
797
00:45:55,503 --> 00:45:56,671
[door closes]
798
00:45:58,547 --> 00:45:59,632
Have a seat.
799
00:46:04,262 --> 00:46:05,513
We sold your book.
800
00:46:06,764 --> 00:46:08,266
[laughs]
801
00:46:08,349 --> 00:46:10,518
Holy shit!
802
00:46:10,601 --> 00:46:13,020
- I thought it was DOA.
- Not The Persians.
803
00:46:16,232 --> 00:46:19,235
- [snickering]
- No. Get out!
804
00:46:20,027 --> 00:46:21,779
Paula Baderman from Thompson-Watt.
805
00:46:21,862 --> 00:46:24,031
- She always passes.
- Not this time.
806
00:46:24,115 --> 00:46:27,910
They want to preempt for 750,000.
807
00:46:27,994 --> 00:46:30,371
No one's ever offered that much to me.
808
00:46:30,454 --> 00:46:32,456
- This is you.
- No, it's not, Arthur.
809
00:46:32,540 --> 00:46:34,292
- You wrote it.
- As a joke.
810
00:46:34,375 --> 00:46:37,169
Well, now it's the most lucrative joke
you've ever told.
811
00:46:37,253 --> 00:46:39,088
- And I'm not selling.
- Why not?
812
00:46:39,171 --> 00:46:40,715
Because it's trash, Arthur.
813
00:46:41,549 --> 00:46:44,176
You didn't even want
to send it out the other day.
814
00:46:44,260 --> 00:46:46,929
But look who's
suddenly overcome his fears.
815
00:46:47,805 --> 00:46:50,016
I know. I broke the first rule of sales.
816
00:46:50,099 --> 00:46:52,268
Never underestimate
how stupid everyone is.
817
00:46:52,351 --> 00:46:55,479
Well, I'm not participating
in making them any stupider.
818
00:46:55,563 --> 00:47:00,151
Well, you haven't thus far,
which is admirable,
819
00:47:00,234 --> 00:47:03,112
but you also haven't made any money.
820
00:47:06,449 --> 00:47:08,367
Doesn't your mom need help these days?
821
00:47:11,412 --> 00:47:12,496
Check this out.
822
00:47:15,916 --> 00:47:18,169
I don't care how drunk we get,
I'm not selling it.
823
00:47:18,794 --> 00:47:20,129
That's not what I'm doing.
824
00:47:22,798 --> 00:47:25,384
Johnnie Walker Red, 24 bucks.
825
00:47:25,468 --> 00:47:27,762
Johnnie Walker Black, 50 bucks.
826
00:47:28,512 --> 00:47:30,222
Johnnie Walker Blue,
827
00:47:31,057 --> 00:47:33,142
$160.
828
00:47:33,225 --> 00:47:34,226
You see the metaphor?
829
00:47:35,644 --> 00:47:36,645
No.
830
00:47:36,729 --> 00:47:39,398
These are all made by the same company.
831
00:47:39,482 --> 00:47:42,902
The red is shit,
the black is less shit, the blue is good.
832
00:47:43,611 --> 00:47:46,530
But fewer people buy the blue
because it's expensive.
833
00:47:46,614 --> 00:47:49,033
And at the end of the day,
most people just want to get drunk.
834
00:47:50,910 --> 00:47:53,162
For most of your career,
your books have been blue.
835
00:47:53,746 --> 00:47:55,915
They're good, complex.
836
00:47:56,749 --> 00:48:00,211
But they're not popular
because most people want something easy.
837
00:48:01,379 --> 00:48:05,633
Now, for the first time ever,
you've written a red book.
838
00:48:05,716 --> 00:48:07,051
It's simple, prurient.
839
00:48:07,134 --> 00:48:11,472
It's not great literature,
but... satisfies an urge.
840
00:48:13,224 --> 00:48:14,475
And that's valuable.
841
00:48:15,267 --> 00:48:19,313
What I'm trying to illustrate
is that just because you do red
842
00:48:19,397 --> 00:48:22,066
doesn't mean you can't also do blue.
843
00:48:22,149 --> 00:48:23,401
You can do it all.
844
00:48:24,235 --> 00:48:25,736
Like Johnnie Walker.
845
00:48:25,820 --> 00:48:27,363
In fact, you got Johnnie Walker beat,
846
00:48:27,446 --> 00:48:30,616
because you don't even
have to put your real name on it.
847
00:48:34,412 --> 00:48:35,663
[groans]
848
00:48:37,540 --> 00:48:38,833
Jesus!
849
00:48:40,376 --> 00:48:41,710
Do we drink now?
850
00:48:41,794 --> 00:48:44,755
[line ringing]
851
00:48:46,507 --> 00:48:48,884
- [Paula on phone] Hello?
- Hello, Paula.
852
00:48:48,968 --> 00:48:51,971
Arthur! So wonderful to hear from you.
853
00:48:52,054 --> 00:48:55,641
Um, I hope that you are
with the man of the hour.
854
00:48:55,724 --> 00:48:57,893
I am, indeed. He's right here next to me.
855
00:48:57,977 --> 00:48:59,645
Mr. Leigh?
856
00:48:59,728 --> 00:49:01,313
[Monk] Uh, yeah, this is he.
857
00:49:02,022 --> 00:49:03,023
Oh, really?
858
00:49:10,739 --> 00:49:14,243
Uh... yeah, goddamn it.
859
00:49:14,827 --> 00:49:17,246
- Right. Right, okay, um--
- Motherfucker.
860
00:49:17,329 --> 00:49:20,124
Yeah, I was a little confused at first,
but... [chuckles]
861
00:49:20,207 --> 00:49:23,085
We're both very excited
to discuss Thompson-Watt's offer.
862
00:49:23,169 --> 00:49:25,921
Yes, well, first of all, let me just say
that all of us here at Thompson-Watt
863
00:49:26,005 --> 00:49:28,507
are thrilled with My Pafology.
864
00:49:28,591 --> 00:49:32,803
It is about as perfect a book
as I have seen in a long, long while.
865
00:49:32,887 --> 00:49:36,891
Just-- Just raw and-- and real.
866
00:49:36,974 --> 00:49:40,311
And, Mr. Leigh, is this, um--
is this based on your actual life?
867
00:49:42,354 --> 00:49:45,983
Yeah, you think some bitch-ass college boy
can come up with that shit?
868
00:49:46,066 --> 00:49:47,443
No, no. No, I don't.
869
00:49:47,943 --> 00:49:53,365
No. You know, that kind of... [sighs]
...visceral energy cannot be taught, right?
870
00:49:54,074 --> 00:49:57,036
Stagg-- May I call you--
Now, is Stagg a pseudonym?
871
00:49:58,370 --> 00:50:00,748
Yes, uh, it is.
872
00:50:00,831 --> 00:50:05,294
Mr. Leigh can't use his real name
because he's a...
873
00:50:06,003 --> 00:50:07,546
Well, he's a wanted fugitive.
874
00:50:08,130 --> 00:50:09,298
Oh, my God! Wow.
875
00:50:09,381 --> 00:50:10,341
[scoffs]
876
00:50:10,424 --> 00:50:12,259
That's why this couldn't
be a video conference.
877
00:50:12,843 --> 00:50:15,012
Are you crazy?
What if they fact check this?
878
00:50:15,095 --> 00:50:17,932
Fact check? There's barely money
to pay editors anymore.
879
00:50:18,015 --> 00:50:19,183
Just go with it.
880
00:50:22,144 --> 00:50:26,857
Yeah, I did a 12-year bid,
but no going back.
881
00:50:27,983 --> 00:50:29,235
Nah' mean?
882
00:50:29,318 --> 00:50:31,487
Yeah. Yeah, you know, um--
883
00:50:32,279 --> 00:50:36,075
I-- I've been, uh, reading a lot
about the, uh, prison abolition movement.
884
00:50:36,158 --> 00:50:37,284
Oh, no. God!
885
00:50:37,368 --> 00:50:39,537
Sorry to rush, Paula,
but can we talk business?
886
00:50:39,620 --> 00:50:42,081
Mr. Leigh values his time
outside of a cell.
887
00:50:42,164 --> 00:50:43,207
Of course.
888
00:50:43,290 --> 00:50:46,460
I'm sure you're both very, very busy,
so I will get right to it.
889
00:50:46,544 --> 00:50:51,715
Um, you'll notice that our offer
is unusually large,
890
00:50:51,799 --> 00:50:56,595
and that is because we believe
Mr. Leigh has written a bestseller.
891
00:50:57,179 --> 00:50:59,390
We think it is going to be
the read of the summer.
892
00:51:00,057 --> 00:51:05,521
Yeah, I'm sure white people
on the Hamptons will delight in it.
893
00:51:05,604 --> 00:51:06,647
[Paula] Yes, we will.
894
00:51:06,730 --> 00:51:10,442
They-- We-- It's going to be huge. Huge.
895
00:51:11,235 --> 00:51:12,236
I love it.
896
00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:20,119
[vehicle approaching]
897
00:51:20,202 --> 00:51:21,537
- [engine off]
- [door opens]
898
00:51:21,620 --> 00:51:24,039
Is that little Thelonious Ellison?
899
00:51:26,333 --> 00:51:27,835
My God! Maynard!
900
00:51:29,169 --> 00:51:30,671
[Maynard chuckles]
901
00:51:30,754 --> 00:51:32,840
Everyone still call you Monk?
902
00:51:32,923 --> 00:51:35,801
Well, everyone but you.
903
00:51:35,884 --> 00:51:37,886
Well, it's a beautiful name.
904
00:51:37,970 --> 00:51:41,015
I-It seems sinful not to use it whole.
905
00:51:41,098 --> 00:51:43,058
Well, I'm glad someone appreciates it.
906
00:51:44,602 --> 00:51:47,688
I heard about your sister. My condolences.
907
00:51:47,771 --> 00:51:48,856
Thank you.
908
00:51:49,815 --> 00:51:51,609
I don't think I've seen you since
909
00:51:52,526 --> 00:51:53,902
before your father passed?
910
00:51:53,986 --> 00:51:56,196
Yeah, it's been a while. I live in LA now.
911
00:51:56,780 --> 00:51:58,449
Oh, Hollywood.
912
00:51:58,532 --> 00:52:00,743
Hey, do you write for that NCIS?
913
00:52:01,535 --> 00:52:02,786
Just books.
914
00:52:02,870 --> 00:52:05,873
Well, you should try to write for NCIS.
It's popular.
915
00:52:05,956 --> 00:52:08,459
- Well, maybe I will.
- [chuckles]
916
00:52:08,542 --> 00:52:10,586
Hey, so, how you been?
917
00:52:10,669 --> 00:52:12,046
Oh, I-I'm good. And you?
918
00:52:12,129 --> 00:52:13,255
- Yeah--
- Mr. Monk.
919
00:52:13,339 --> 00:52:15,090
What would you like for dinner?
920
00:52:17,760 --> 00:52:19,011
Maynard!
921
00:52:19,094 --> 00:52:20,679
Hi, Lorraine.
922
00:52:20,763 --> 00:52:22,556
It's been a dog's age.
923
00:52:23,349 --> 00:52:24,767
Well, I guess it has.
924
00:52:26,977 --> 00:52:28,228
You look well.
925
00:52:29,605 --> 00:52:30,898
You too.
926
00:52:33,984 --> 00:52:35,486
Well, I best be getting back.
927
00:52:35,569 --> 00:52:38,364
- It's good to see you, Thelonious.
- [chuckles] You too.
928
00:52:41,033 --> 00:52:42,034
Lorraine.
929
00:52:45,829 --> 00:52:46,955
Mmm-mm-mm.
930
00:52:50,793 --> 00:52:53,796
[chuckling]
931
00:52:56,465 --> 00:52:57,800
Ain't nothing to smile at.
932
00:52:57,883 --> 00:52:59,843
[chuckles]
933
00:52:59,927 --> 00:53:01,136
[knocking]
934
00:53:01,220 --> 00:53:02,930
[Monk] Oh, there she is.
935
00:53:03,013 --> 00:53:04,181
Behave yourself.
936
00:53:11,438 --> 00:53:13,357
Hey. Hi.
937
00:53:15,067 --> 00:53:16,819
- Got this for you.
- Oh, thank you.
938
00:53:17,820 --> 00:53:19,738
Lorraine, this is Coraline.
939
00:53:19,822 --> 00:53:21,115
- Hey.
- Welcome.
940
00:53:21,198 --> 00:53:22,324
- Yeah, hello.
- Hello.
941
00:53:22,408 --> 00:53:23,617
Mother, perfect timing.
942
00:53:23,701 --> 00:53:25,202
This is Coraline.
943
00:53:25,285 --> 00:53:27,413
Hello, dear. I'm Agnes.
944
00:53:27,496 --> 00:53:29,498
Such a pleasure to meet you.
I brought you these.
945
00:53:29,581 --> 00:53:31,959
[gasps] Dahlias are my favorite.
946
00:53:32,543 --> 00:53:34,253
There's a whole world inside them.
947
00:53:40,175 --> 00:53:41,885
- [Agnes] Lorraine?
- [Lorraine] Yes.
948
00:53:42,636 --> 00:53:46,306
Mother, you sit here.
949
00:53:47,975 --> 00:53:49,059
All right.
950
00:53:49,143 --> 00:53:52,187
And, Coraline, why don't you
sit across from Mother?
951
00:53:52,271 --> 00:53:53,605
Oh, sure, sure.
952
00:53:59,987 --> 00:54:01,488
[Monk] Okay.
953
00:54:03,657 --> 00:54:05,325
I'm happy you're not white.
954
00:54:06,326 --> 00:54:07,327
Me too.
955
00:54:20,257 --> 00:54:21,759
[Monk] Yeah, it was pretty funny.
956
00:54:22,968 --> 00:54:24,344
Well, I think you--
957
00:54:25,429 --> 00:54:27,556
I think you remind her of my sister.
958
00:54:28,432 --> 00:54:29,516
Mmm.
959
00:54:30,726 --> 00:54:34,980
Well, do you think we look alike?
960
00:54:35,063 --> 00:54:39,067
N-No, but you're both self-assured
961
00:54:40,277 --> 00:54:41,403
and funny,
962
00:54:42,946 --> 00:54:45,073
and you're both...
963
00:54:46,492 --> 00:54:48,660
fantastic kissers.
964
00:54:48,744 --> 00:54:50,120
Oh? Ooh.
965
00:54:50,204 --> 00:54:51,538
[both laugh]
966
00:55:00,464 --> 00:55:01,882
[Lorraine] Mrs. Ellison?
967
00:55:04,343 --> 00:55:05,844
Mrs. Ellison?
968
00:55:08,180 --> 00:55:09,515
Mr. Monk!
969
00:55:12,935 --> 00:55:14,937
Mr. Monk!
970
00:55:15,813 --> 00:55:17,147
- I just-- I just--
- [Monk] What's wrong?
971
00:55:17,231 --> 00:55:19,942
- I just stepped outside for a moment...
- What's wrong?
972
00:55:20,025 --> 00:55:22,820
...to have a cup of coffee with Maynard.
I was right in front.
973
00:55:22,903 --> 00:55:25,030
- Where's Mother?
- I don't know!
974
00:55:25,113 --> 00:55:26,365
- What?
- The backdoor was open.
975
00:55:26,448 --> 00:55:28,158
- She gone.
- What?
976
00:55:28,242 --> 00:55:30,160
We should split up. Here.
977
00:55:30,786 --> 00:55:32,704
I-I got more in the car.
978
00:55:34,873 --> 00:55:37,459
- Mother!
- [waves lapping]
979
00:55:37,543 --> 00:55:38,544
Mother!
980
00:55:39,837 --> 00:55:40,921
Mother!
981
00:55:42,047 --> 00:55:43,131
Mother!
982
00:55:47,636 --> 00:55:48,637
Mother!
983
00:55:50,764 --> 00:55:51,807
Mother.
984
00:55:54,017 --> 00:55:55,352
Mother!
985
00:55:57,312 --> 00:55:59,022
Mother! Hey!
986
00:56:00,232 --> 00:56:03,944
Mother! Mother! Hey! Hey, stop!
987
00:56:04,027 --> 00:56:05,737
Hey! Where are you going?
988
00:56:05,821 --> 00:56:08,490
Lisa's out there
roughhousing with the cousins.
989
00:56:08,574 --> 00:56:10,242
Somebody's going to get hurt.
990
00:56:10,325 --> 00:56:11,326
Stop.
991
00:56:11,410 --> 00:56:15,372
Um, I will-- I will go tell her. Okay?
992
00:56:15,455 --> 00:56:17,499
- Yeah, but then--
- I'll take you back to the house,
993
00:56:17,583 --> 00:56:18,750
and then I will go tell her.
994
00:56:18,834 --> 00:56:21,420
- But they're out there.
- I know, I know.
995
00:56:21,503 --> 00:56:23,338
- Okay, you sure?
- I will tell her.
996
00:56:23,422 --> 00:56:26,091
- Okay.
- Now, come on. It's too cold out here.
997
00:56:26,675 --> 00:56:27,676
- [Agnes] You should...
- [Monk] Okay.
998
00:56:27,759 --> 00:56:31,638
- [Agnes] Lisa doesn't swim very well.
- I know. I know.
999
00:56:31,722 --> 00:56:33,724
Okay. Almost there.
1000
00:56:34,474 --> 00:56:35,475
All right.
1001
00:56:36,602 --> 00:56:37,603
[Coraline] Good.
1002
00:56:38,186 --> 00:56:39,771
- Good.
- [Monk] Here we go.
1003
00:56:41,607 --> 00:56:43,150
All right.
1004
00:56:43,233 --> 00:56:44,651
[Agnes] Okay, Monkie.
1005
00:56:44,735 --> 00:56:45,861
[Monk] All right.
1006
00:56:52,367 --> 00:56:54,995
And this is our library.
1007
00:56:55,078 --> 00:56:59,458
It's full of all the classics.
And we try to get some new releases too.
1008
00:57:02,169 --> 00:57:04,046
Do you like to read, Mrs. Ellison?
1009
00:57:04,129 --> 00:57:05,130
No.
1010
00:57:05,631 --> 00:57:07,174
That's not true.
1011
00:57:07,257 --> 00:57:09,885
She loves to read.
She taught me to love reading.
1012
00:57:09,968 --> 00:57:12,220
Perhaps we can get
some of your son's books in here,
1013
00:57:12,304 --> 00:57:13,639
and you can lead a book club.
1014
00:57:13,722 --> 00:57:14,848
Hmm.
1015
00:57:18,477 --> 00:57:20,270
- I'm sorry.
- It's fine.
1016
00:57:20,354 --> 00:57:23,815
It's hard for a lot of the residents
at first, but she'll settle in.
1017
00:57:23,899 --> 00:57:24,942
Right.
1018
00:57:25,025 --> 00:57:28,278
Um, I appreciate all your help,
1019
00:57:28,362 --> 00:57:31,031
but how soon do you think
we can get her in?
1020
00:57:31,114 --> 00:57:32,783
Uh, in about a month.
1021
00:57:32,866 --> 00:57:34,826
You can start the paperwork today
if you'd like.
1022
00:57:34,910 --> 00:57:37,329
- Great. I'd like that.
- [phone ringing]
1023
00:57:37,412 --> 00:57:39,331
You know, I'll go check on your mom, okay?
1024
00:57:39,414 --> 00:57:40,415
Thank you.
1025
00:57:45,253 --> 00:57:47,089
- Hello?
- Hey, Thelonious.
1026
00:57:47,172 --> 00:57:49,466
How you doing? My name is Carl Brunt.
1027
00:57:49,549 --> 00:57:52,344
I am the director
of the New England Book Association.
1028
00:57:52,427 --> 00:57:54,805
Hi, Carl. I-- I know who you are.
1029
00:57:54,888 --> 00:57:59,226
Oh, good. Then perhaps you'll also know
that each year my organization bestows
1030
00:57:59,309 --> 00:58:03,146
the somewhat pretentiously named
Literary Award.
1031
00:58:03,230 --> 00:58:05,816
Every writer knows
the Literary Award, Carl.
1032
00:58:05,899 --> 00:58:08,026
Especially those of us who haven't won it.
1033
00:58:08,110 --> 00:58:11,154
[chuckles] Yeah. Yeah.
1034
00:58:11,238 --> 00:58:13,740
Well, that's sort of related
to why I'm calling.
1035
00:58:13,824 --> 00:58:17,244
Like many American institutions,
mine was recently rattled by the notion
1036
00:58:17,327 --> 00:58:21,415
that our lack of diversity
had led to a blind spot in our work.
1037
00:58:21,498 --> 00:58:24,209
So, you know,
we're kind of trying to remedy that.
1038
00:58:24,292 --> 00:58:26,294
And to that end,
I was wondering how you might feel
1039
00:58:26,378 --> 00:58:28,755
about being a judge
in this year's award ceremony?
1040
00:58:29,840 --> 00:58:34,970
Um, let me say first, Carl,
that I'm honored you'd choose me
1041
00:58:35,053 --> 00:58:39,016
out of all the Black writers you could
go to out of fear of being called racist.
1042
00:58:39,099 --> 00:58:40,517
Yeah, you're very welcome.
1043
00:58:41,268 --> 00:58:44,938
But I-- I think this
sounds like a lot of work.
1044
00:58:45,022 --> 00:58:48,483
Yeah, I can't deny that. You're going
to have to read dozens of books.
1045
00:58:48,567 --> 00:58:50,610
We could offer you a modest stipend.
1046
00:58:51,403 --> 00:58:54,072
- Even so, I'm not sure.
- Okay.
1047
00:58:54,156 --> 00:58:57,409
One other crass perk I reference when
people are kind of on the fence like this
1048
00:58:57,492 --> 00:58:59,244
is that this will allow you
the opportunity
1049
00:58:59,327 --> 00:59:01,663
to literally judge
these other writers for once
1050
00:59:01,747 --> 00:59:02,914
rather than just figuratively.
1051
00:59:04,416 --> 00:59:05,709
All right, I'm in.
1052
00:59:05,792 --> 00:59:07,044
Well, fantastic. Okay.
1053
00:59:07,127 --> 00:59:09,880
Great. So you're going to be
one of five judges.
1054
00:59:09,963 --> 00:59:13,633
Uh, the only one we have confirmed
so far is Sintara Golden.
1055
00:59:13,717 --> 00:59:15,427
Are you familiar
with Sintara Golden's work?
1056
00:59:18,221 --> 00:59:19,431
Vaguely.
1057
00:59:19,514 --> 00:59:21,683
Oh, she's great.
You're gonna love her, man.
1058
00:59:27,481 --> 00:59:30,400
I brought you lunch, Mr. Monk.
1059
00:59:30,484 --> 00:59:32,569
Oh. Wow.
1060
00:59:35,530 --> 00:59:37,449
To what do I owe the pleasure?
1061
00:59:37,532 --> 00:59:40,368
Well, I have a favor to ask.
1062
00:59:42,704 --> 00:59:45,749
I was wondering if I might be able
to take the afternoon off.
1063
00:59:47,250 --> 00:59:49,294
Maynard just came in from the beach
1064
00:59:49,377 --> 00:59:52,547
and we thought it might be
nice to visit a museum.
1065
00:59:52,631 --> 00:59:53,632
Yes, of course.
1066
00:59:54,299 --> 00:59:56,468
I'm free today,
so I can look after Mother.
1067
01:00:01,723 --> 01:00:02,724
Lorraine.
1068
01:00:03,767 --> 01:00:04,768
Hmm?
1069
01:00:04,851 --> 01:00:06,603
You really like him, huh?
1070
01:00:08,522 --> 01:00:09,981
He's a fine man.
1071
01:00:15,278 --> 01:00:18,323
[phone rings]
1072
01:00:19,616 --> 01:00:20,617
Yeah.
1073
01:00:22,119 --> 01:00:24,162
Page seven. It's got, like, 12.
1074
01:00:25,288 --> 01:00:26,289
[chuckles]
1075
01:00:26,373 --> 01:00:27,916
The guests of honor.
1076
01:00:29,126 --> 01:00:32,295
Hello, Mrs. Ellison.
Looking beautiful as ever.
1077
01:00:32,379 --> 01:00:33,713
Hello, Arthur.
1078
01:00:34,256 --> 01:00:35,340
- [kisses]
- Mmm.
1079
01:00:36,258 --> 01:00:38,176
Layne, would you take
Mrs. Ellison to the kitchen
1080
01:00:38,260 --> 01:00:39,803
and set her up with some tea?
1081
01:00:39,886 --> 01:00:41,012
Right this way, ma'am.
1082
01:00:41,096 --> 01:00:42,764
Mother, I won't be long.
1083
01:00:42,848 --> 01:00:44,015
Take your time.
1084
01:00:45,225 --> 01:00:46,601
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
1085
01:00:47,310 --> 01:00:51,106
Not the pods, the good tea, for guests.
1086
01:00:53,275 --> 01:00:56,194
- What is this? I told you to dress street.
- I did.
1087
01:00:56,278 --> 01:00:58,113
Fucking Sesame Street.
1088
01:00:59,322 --> 01:01:01,324
What's this, uh, guy's name?
1089
01:01:01,408 --> 01:01:03,618
- Willy?
- Wiley. Wiley Valdespino.
1090
01:01:03,702 --> 01:01:06,371
He specializes in
Oscar-batty "issue" movies.
1091
01:01:06,454 --> 01:01:08,790
He did the, uh,
Middle Passage one last year.
1092
01:01:08,874 --> 01:01:11,668
- Somehow I didn't see that.
- Of course not. You're not lobotomized.
1093
01:01:11,751 --> 01:01:14,921
But if he adapts your book,
you stand to make a lot of money.
1094
01:01:15,005 --> 01:01:16,339
Why can't we just do a phone call?
1095
01:01:16,423 --> 01:01:18,466
Well, he said if he's going
to cut a check this large,
1096
01:01:18,550 --> 01:01:20,177
then he needs to meet in person.
1097
01:01:20,260 --> 01:01:21,261
All right.
1098
01:01:22,053 --> 01:01:25,140
- [sighs] What do I need to do?
- Just make him like you.
1099
01:01:25,223 --> 01:01:28,059
When I talked to him,
he seemed thrilled that you're a fugitive.
1100
01:01:28,143 --> 01:01:29,644
Just, you know, play that up.
1101
01:01:29,728 --> 01:01:30,896
But what if he recognizes me?
1102
01:01:30,979 --> 01:01:32,230
- You?
- Yeah, the real me.
1103
01:01:32,314 --> 01:01:34,399
Monk, you're not that famous.
1104
01:01:34,482 --> 01:01:35,984
And nobody in Hollywood reads.
1105
01:01:36,067 --> 01:01:38,904
They get their assistants to read things,
and then summarize them.
1106
01:01:38,987 --> 01:01:40,780
The whole town runs on book reports.
1107
01:01:42,157 --> 01:01:44,868
- You sure you can look after my mother?
- She won't leave my sight.
1108
01:01:44,951 --> 01:01:46,912
You'll just be across the street, anyway.
1109
01:01:48,038 --> 01:01:50,665
- Across the street.
- You should go. You'll be late.
1110
01:01:51,208 --> 01:01:52,417
He's waiting for you.
1111
01:01:54,085 --> 01:02:00,675
Well, if he, uh, wants the stereotype...
[clears throat]
1112
01:02:00,759 --> 01:02:02,302
...maybe it's better I'm late.
1113
01:02:27,744 --> 01:02:29,246
Stagg, I presume?
1114
01:02:30,121 --> 01:02:32,958
- That-- That's me.
- Hey, I'm Wiley.
1115
01:02:33,041 --> 01:02:34,542
Nice to meet you, brother.
1116
01:02:38,630 --> 01:02:39,923
[clears throat]
1117
01:02:41,132 --> 01:02:44,636
Sorry about the bougie restaurant.
My assistant picked it.
1118
01:02:45,178 --> 01:02:46,972
We can go somewhere else
if you're uncomfortable.
1119
01:02:47,555 --> 01:02:49,140
- This is fine.
- Okay.
1120
01:02:50,684 --> 01:02:51,726
What are you drinking?
1121
01:02:54,396 --> 01:02:55,897
I'll have a chenin blanc.
1122
01:02:55,981 --> 01:02:56,982
[server] All right.
1123
01:02:57,065 --> 01:02:58,858
Of your driest.
1124
01:02:58,942 --> 01:03:00,235
[chuckles]
1125
01:03:00,318 --> 01:03:01,528
Well, what's funny?
1126
01:03:02,362 --> 01:03:04,239
Ah, it's just a strange order
for a guy like you.
1127
01:03:04,823 --> 01:03:05,824
Why is that?
1128
01:03:05,907 --> 01:03:08,868
Well, you don't see many convicts
drinking white wine.
1129
01:03:08,952 --> 01:03:11,830
Y-You know many convicts?
1130
01:03:11,913 --> 01:03:13,039
You'd be surprised.
1131
01:03:13,123 --> 01:03:15,375
I spent a month in the joint myself.
1132
01:03:15,458 --> 01:03:17,127
It was some interstate commerce shit.
1133
01:03:17,210 --> 01:03:19,170
It was a short stay,
but I'll tell you what,
1134
01:03:19,254 --> 01:03:21,006
that experience grounded me.
1135
01:03:21,089 --> 01:03:22,882
The people I met in there
allowed me to see
1136
01:03:22,966 --> 01:03:27,429
a whole world of underrepresented stories
from underrepresented storytellers.
1137
01:03:28,972 --> 01:03:30,598
Can I ask what you were in for?
1138
01:03:30,682 --> 01:03:33,977
I-- I don't like to talk about that.
1139
01:03:35,061 --> 01:03:36,062
You feel me?
1140
01:03:36,688 --> 01:03:37,731
Was it murder?
1141
01:03:38,565 --> 01:03:39,983
You said that, not me.
1142
01:03:41,234 --> 01:03:42,485
[sighs]
1143
01:03:43,611 --> 01:03:46,114
You know, I gotta tell you,
before you showed up,
1144
01:03:46,197 --> 01:03:49,075
I was a little worried
you might be a phony.
1145
01:03:49,159 --> 01:03:50,618
A lot of fakes in Hollywood.
1146
01:03:50,702 --> 01:03:52,120
Well, I'm not from Hollywood.
1147
01:03:52,203 --> 01:03:54,622
Yeah, yeah, no.
That's obvious. That's obvious.
1148
01:03:54,706 --> 01:03:58,418
Clearly, you're cut from
a different cloth than your average, uh...
1149
01:03:59,294 --> 01:04:00,295
screenwriter.
1150
01:04:00,378 --> 01:04:02,839
Let me ask you,
I know they sent you some of my stuff.
1151
01:04:02,922 --> 01:04:05,300
Did you have a chance
to see any of my movies?
1152
01:04:07,385 --> 01:04:09,387
So-- I'm sorry, what did you say?
1153
01:04:09,471 --> 01:04:11,097
Have you seen any of my movies?
1154
01:04:11,181 --> 01:04:14,225
- Uh, uh, no.
- Okay.
1155
01:04:14,309 --> 01:04:15,560
Well, look, what I like to do,
1156
01:04:15,643 --> 01:04:19,564
is I like to pair genre
with real-world pathos.
1157
01:04:19,647 --> 01:04:21,066
It kind of elevates things.
1158
01:04:21,149 --> 01:04:23,526
You might be interested in this one
we're about to shoot, actually.
1159
01:04:24,361 --> 01:04:25,653
It's about this white couple.
1160
01:04:26,279 --> 01:04:28,990
They get married
on an old plantation in Louisiana.
1161
01:04:29,074 --> 01:04:31,743
Then all the slave ghosts come back,
and they murder everyone.
1162
01:04:31,826 --> 01:04:33,953
- Dear God!
- I know. I know.
1163
01:04:34,037 --> 01:04:35,372
It's great, right? [chuckles]
1164
01:04:35,455 --> 01:04:37,123
- It's called Plantation Annihilation.
- [siren wailing]
1165
01:04:37,207 --> 01:04:41,544
Ryan Reynolds is going to get decapitated
with an Afro pick in the opening scene.
1166
01:04:41,628 --> 01:04:44,714
- [gags] He's a friend.
- Gotta go.
1167
01:04:55,600 --> 01:04:59,354
Mother. Mother. Mother. Mother!
1168
01:04:59,896 --> 01:05:00,897
Mo--
1169
01:05:10,490 --> 01:05:14,035
Some ad exec on the third floor
had an aneurysm.
1170
01:05:14,119 --> 01:05:15,745
- Awful.
- I know.
1171
01:05:15,829 --> 01:05:19,290
Imagine exploding your brain trying
to think of a toilet paper commercial.
1172
01:05:21,334 --> 01:05:23,002
I assume Wiley isn't interested.
1173
01:05:23,086 --> 01:05:26,089
I sprinted out of there
like a complete maniac.
1174
01:05:26,172 --> 01:05:29,384
Actually, he's offering
$4 million for the rights.
1175
01:05:29,968 --> 01:05:32,220
- What?
- [chuckles] Yeah, man.
1176
01:05:32,303 --> 01:05:33,638
He called you the real deal.
1177
01:05:33,721 --> 01:05:36,599
Said you took off
the moment you heard police sirens.
1178
01:05:37,267 --> 01:05:39,686
The dumber I behave, the richer I get.
1179
01:05:39,769 --> 01:05:42,480
Now you know why my parents
moved here from Puerto Rico.
1180
01:05:43,606 --> 01:05:44,899
[urinal flushes]
1181
01:05:46,067 --> 01:05:48,069
[judge on conference call]
I mean, we can't be expected
1182
01:05:48,153 --> 01:05:50,363
to read every novel
all the way through, right?
1183
01:05:50,447 --> 01:05:53,116
What? No, people have
worked hard on these books.
1184
01:05:53,199 --> 01:05:54,451
And we have to respect that.
1185
01:05:54,534 --> 01:05:56,202
Well, hard work doesn't demand respect.
1186
01:05:56,286 --> 01:05:58,913
I mean, you know,
people worked hard on the Third Reich.
1187
01:05:58,997 --> 01:06:04,252
Yeah, well, I feel that we owe it to them
to read every page.
1188
01:06:04,335 --> 01:06:05,753
That is such horseshit.
1189
01:06:05,837 --> 01:06:09,841
I mean, most of it's going to be
that Knausgård autofiction crap, anyhow.
1190
01:06:09,924 --> 01:06:11,134
I tell you something right now,
1191
01:06:11,217 --> 01:06:14,345
I'm not reading 600 pages
about some pretentious jackwagon
1192
01:06:14,429 --> 01:06:15,805
discovering masturbation.
1193
01:06:15,889 --> 01:06:17,307
Sorry.
1194
01:06:17,390 --> 01:06:19,559
Okay, look, I think we're all
experienced enough
1195
01:06:19,642 --> 01:06:23,313
to assess the general quality of something
within a hundred pages.
1196
01:06:24,105 --> 01:06:26,691
If you want to read beyond that,
that's your prerogative.
1197
01:06:26,774 --> 01:06:28,818
[sighs] Well, how do you feel, Monk?
1198
01:06:29,444 --> 01:06:33,990
Uh, I agree with Sintara, actually.
I think 100 pages is sufficient.
1199
01:06:34,073 --> 01:06:36,326
You know, this is all a crock, anyway.
1200
01:06:36,409 --> 01:06:38,870
I mean, pitting art
against other art for awards,
1201
01:06:38,953 --> 01:06:40,747
I-like it's not subjective.
1202
01:06:40,830 --> 01:06:41,831
It's absurd.
1203
01:06:41,915 --> 01:06:44,083
Then why did you agree to be
a judge if you feel that way?
1204
01:06:44,167 --> 01:06:47,128
Well, because it's either me
or some other Brooklyn hack
1205
01:06:47,212 --> 01:06:50,048
who doesn't think there's a world
beyond the Hudson River, Ailene.
1206
01:06:50,131 --> 01:06:53,301
It's the East River
if you're in Brooklyn, Daniel.
1207
01:06:54,052 --> 01:06:56,346
You know what, art is subjective.
1208
01:06:56,429 --> 01:06:59,015
But I think this is an opportunity
1209
01:06:59,098 --> 01:07:02,685
to highlight books
that may otherwise be undervalued.
1210
01:07:03,394 --> 01:07:05,104
Book sales are plummeting right now.
1211
01:07:05,188 --> 01:07:07,732
So, perhaps this award can give someone
1212
01:07:07,815 --> 01:07:10,401
a real chance
at a career in this industry.
1213
01:07:12,111 --> 01:07:13,321
Hear, hear.
1214
01:07:14,572 --> 01:07:17,700
Um, where do you want this, Mother?
1215
01:07:18,618 --> 01:07:21,496
Thought it might look nice
here with this natural light.
1216
01:07:22,038 --> 01:07:25,166
I don't care.
I never liked that painting, anyway.
1217
01:07:27,126 --> 01:07:28,253
Okay.
1218
01:07:28,336 --> 01:07:32,549
Uh, well, I'll bring some more art
from home next week.
1219
01:07:32,632 --> 01:07:36,177
And you just tell me the pieces you like,
and I'll-- I'll bring them.
1220
01:07:36,261 --> 01:07:37,262
[knocking]
1221
01:07:37,345 --> 01:07:39,597
[worker] We've got your lunch
ready for you, Mrs. Ellison.
1222
01:07:40,598 --> 01:07:43,059
[Coraline] It looks great. What is it?
1223
01:07:43,601 --> 01:07:46,980
It's roasted turkey
and Havarti on 12-grain.
1224
01:07:48,231 --> 01:07:49,691
Sounds delicious.
1225
01:07:49,774 --> 01:07:51,859
Mrs. Ellison prefers white bread.
1226
01:07:52,402 --> 01:07:54,612
And she doesn't like the crust.
1227
01:07:54,696 --> 01:07:57,907
As much as this place costs,
y'all should get the sandwiches right.
1228
01:07:57,991 --> 01:08:01,160
I'll make sure that we take care
of that from now on, okay?
1229
01:08:01,244 --> 01:08:03,746
And enjoy your lunch, Mrs. Ellison.
1230
01:08:06,332 --> 01:08:07,458
[door closes]
1231
01:08:13,881 --> 01:08:15,133
I'm getting married.
1232
01:08:15,842 --> 01:08:17,343
- Shut up.
- What?
1233
01:08:19,304 --> 01:08:22,056
I didn't say nothing earlier.
I was just so sad.
1234
01:08:22,140 --> 01:08:26,436
But Maynard asked me yesterday.
1235
01:08:26,519 --> 01:08:30,231
- [laughs]
- Lorraine, that's amazing.
1236
01:08:30,773 --> 01:08:32,692
- I mean, let's celebrate.
- Mm-mmm.
1237
01:08:32,775 --> 01:08:34,652
Just too much excitement.
1238
01:08:34,736 --> 01:08:36,362
I don't like being
the center of attention.
1239
01:08:36,946 --> 01:08:41,159
Well, you deserve it, Lorraine,
and Maynard is a lucky man.
1240
01:08:41,242 --> 01:08:42,452
[chuckles]
1241
01:08:45,496 --> 01:08:48,958
Do you think you'd be willing
to walk me down the aisle, Mr. Monk?
1242
01:08:52,837 --> 01:08:54,130
I'd be honored.
1243
01:08:59,093 --> 01:09:01,304
Wow. Wow. [laughs]
1244
01:09:04,098 --> 01:09:07,518
[Paula] We are wildly excited
to help you get My Pafology out.
1245
01:09:07,602 --> 01:09:11,481
The, uh-- The marketing team has all kinds
of great ideas to help you sell it.
1246
01:09:11,564 --> 01:09:13,274
Great. We're excited to hear.
1247
01:09:13,358 --> 01:09:15,276
Um, John Bosco is
the head of the department.
1248
01:09:15,360 --> 01:09:16,944
I will let him tell you more.
1249
01:09:17,028 --> 01:09:18,029
Hi, Stagg.
1250
01:09:19,447 --> 01:09:22,617
- Hello.
- Nice to finally meet you, my man.
1251
01:09:22,700 --> 01:09:24,911
Listen, I love the book.
1252
01:09:24,994 --> 01:09:28,331
And we are going to sell
many, many copies.
1253
01:09:28,414 --> 01:09:30,583
There's already so much buzz
because of the movie deal.
1254
01:09:30,667 --> 01:09:32,960
And we just want to keep
that momentum going.
1255
01:09:33,044 --> 01:09:36,756
I spoke to Wiley yesterday.
He says Michael B. Jordan is circling.
1256
01:09:36,839 --> 01:09:39,258
[Paula] We heard.
We think he would be absolutely perfect.
1257
01:09:39,342 --> 01:09:42,428
You know, this book,
it's awards-bait with a capital B.
1258
01:09:42,512 --> 01:09:44,347
And we're thinking
that if Michael does sign on,
1259
01:09:44,430 --> 01:09:47,892
we want to put him on the cover
in one of those, um, scarves,
1260
01:09:47,975 --> 01:09:50,395
I guess you would call them,
tied round his head.
1261
01:09:50,478 --> 01:09:51,688
A do-rag?
1262
01:09:51,771 --> 01:09:55,441
Do-rag. That's it. Do-rag and a tank top
with the muscles showing.
1263
01:09:55,525 --> 01:09:57,276
Ooh, somebody call the fire department.
1264
01:09:57,360 --> 01:09:59,654
- [Paula, John laughing]
- [imitating gunshot]
1265
01:09:59,737 --> 01:10:01,823
Shit. Sorry. Your dad. Sorry.
1266
01:10:01,906 --> 01:10:04,158
[John] So listen, for a release date,
1267
01:10:04,242 --> 01:10:08,162
we're thinking of rushing it, so that we
can get it out in time for Juneteenth.
1268
01:10:08,246 --> 01:10:09,706
Juneteenth?
1269
01:10:09,789 --> 01:10:12,625
[John] We're thinking of making
a big holiday push.
1270
01:10:12,709 --> 01:10:15,920
Black people will be celebrating,
white people will be feeling,
1271
01:10:16,003 --> 01:10:18,089
let's be honest,
a little conscious-stricken.
1272
01:10:18,923 --> 01:10:21,426
We think it's going to be
a huge moment for your book.
1273
01:10:22,760 --> 01:10:24,887
So, Stagg, are you so, so happy?
1274
01:10:26,347 --> 01:10:29,851
We think it's great, John, really.
Amazing.
1275
01:10:31,185 --> 01:10:32,562
Yeah, it's-- it's, uh...
1276
01:10:33,312 --> 01:10:34,605
Oh, it's great.
1277
01:10:35,606 --> 01:10:40,445
And, you know, I've got an idea
I want to share with you two.
1278
01:10:41,571 --> 01:10:43,614
[Paula] Oh, well, I mean,
we always love to hear great ideas.
1279
01:10:43,698 --> 01:10:45,241
- [John] Yeah, cool.
- [Paula] Yeah.
1280
01:10:45,324 --> 01:10:46,701
I want to change the title.
1281
01:10:48,703 --> 01:10:50,079
- I don't...
- Okay.
1282
01:10:50,163 --> 01:10:53,708
Um, well, just to be clear,
we really do love My Pafology.
1283
01:10:53,791 --> 01:10:56,544
- We love it.
- It's got that whole Irvine Welsh
1284
01:10:56,627 --> 01:10:58,921
- proletariat vernacular thing.
- Yeah.
1285
01:10:59,005 --> 01:11:03,009
No, that's why I think you're
gonna love this new title even more.
1286
01:11:03,843 --> 01:11:08,848
Well, okay, you know what,
we're always happy to hear, uh, new ideas.
1287
01:11:08,931 --> 01:11:11,267
-What did you have in mind?
- Fuck.
1288
01:11:17,565 --> 01:11:19,859
Uh, um, I'm sorry. Pardon me.
1289
01:11:19,942 --> 01:11:21,110
Fuck.
1290
01:11:22,153 --> 01:11:23,863
I want to call it Fuck.
1291
01:11:24,864 --> 01:11:26,324
[chuckles]
1292
01:11:27,116 --> 01:11:29,035
- What are you doing?
- Screw these idiots.
1293
01:11:29,118 --> 01:11:30,328
- Stop it!
- No!
1294
01:11:32,747 --> 01:11:35,833
[Paula] So, Stagg, what about, like, Damn?
1295
01:11:35,917 --> 01:11:38,294
- [John] Mm-hmm.
- Damn? Or Hell?
1296
01:11:39,337 --> 01:11:40,755
Nah, Fuck.
1297
01:11:40,838 --> 01:11:42,340
Okay, that's cool.
1298
01:11:42,423 --> 01:11:46,677
Uh, but maybe we could
do that with a P-H instead
1299
01:11:46,761 --> 01:11:48,638
- because that would be more palatable...
- Yes. Yes.
1300
01:11:48,721 --> 01:11:50,515
- ...To our sellers.
- I don't care about all that.
1301
01:11:51,098 --> 01:11:54,310
And if you don't change the title,
the deal is off.
1302
01:11:54,393 --> 01:11:55,770
- Yeah.
- Whoa, whoa.
1303
01:11:55,853 --> 01:11:58,981
- No, there's no need to be-- be hasty.
- No, no, no.
1304
01:11:59,524 --> 01:12:00,525
You know what?
1305
01:12:01,734 --> 01:12:03,569
Why don't we-- Just give us a second
1306
01:12:03,653 --> 01:12:06,239
and-- and a moment,
1307
01:12:06,322 --> 01:12:08,908
and we will get right back to you, okay?
1308
01:12:08,991 --> 01:12:11,327
- What are you doing?
- What are you doing? This is ridiculous.
1309
01:12:11,410 --> 01:12:12,954
Do you know how much money
we're talking about?
1310
01:12:13,037 --> 01:12:14,372
I don't care, I'm shutting it down.
1311
01:12:14,455 --> 01:12:15,790
- Shutting it down.
- Come on.
1312
01:12:15,873 --> 01:12:17,166
- [Paula] Are you there?
- Please, just--
1313
01:12:19,377 --> 01:12:20,378
We're here.
1314
01:12:21,295 --> 01:12:22,296
Let's do it.
1315
01:12:23,089 --> 01:12:24,090
[both] What?
1316
01:12:24,173 --> 01:12:26,968
Yeah. We discussed it,
and we think it is very in-your-face
1317
01:12:27,051 --> 01:12:28,636
in the best way possible.
1318
01:12:28,719 --> 01:12:30,304
[John] It is very, uh...
1319
01:12:31,764 --> 01:12:33,766
[Paula, John stammering]
1320
01:12:33,850 --> 01:12:36,435
- Black?
- [John] That's it. Yes, that's it.
1321
01:12:36,519 --> 01:12:38,104
I'm happy you said it and not me.
1322
01:12:38,187 --> 01:12:39,939
[Paula, John laughing]
1323
01:12:40,022 --> 01:12:44,068
- Oh, Fuck! I love it. Oh, my.
- It's fucking great, Stagg. Yes.
1324
01:12:44,151 --> 01:12:46,362
You know, it's so brave, actually.
1325
01:12:52,118 --> 01:12:54,745
- [Coraline] I'm exhausted.
- Yeah, me too.
1326
01:12:55,454 --> 01:12:58,833
I got to stay up a few more hours
reading these books for...
1327
01:13:10,386 --> 01:13:11,387
[Monk] Hey.
1328
01:13:12,305 --> 01:13:13,306
Hey.
1329
01:13:14,765 --> 01:13:16,767
Hey. Hey!
1330
01:13:16,851 --> 01:13:19,604
[Cliff] Monk, bro. Shit.
1331
01:13:19,687 --> 01:13:20,813
What are you doing here?
1332
01:13:21,522 --> 01:13:23,274
What am I doing here?
What are you doing here?
1333
01:13:23,357 --> 01:13:25,443
What do you mean, what am I doing?
Why are you in town?
1334
01:13:25,526 --> 01:13:27,153
I came to see our mother.
1335
01:13:27,236 --> 01:13:29,363
Ain't that what you been
calling me about for weeks now?
1336
01:13:31,782 --> 01:13:32,783
What happened to your eye?
1337
01:13:32,867 --> 01:13:35,286
- I got in a fight.
- Yeah.
1338
01:13:35,369 --> 01:13:37,413
Well, get out of the pool.
You're making a mess.
1339
01:13:37,496 --> 01:13:39,999
I don't want to get out of the pool.
I'm a grown-ass man.
1340
01:13:40,082 --> 01:13:41,083
This your girlfriend?
1341
01:13:41,167 --> 01:13:43,044
Yeah, you scared the shit out of her.
1342
01:13:43,127 --> 01:13:44,879
I'm Coraline.
1343
01:13:45,713 --> 01:13:47,048
Hi, Coraline.
1344
01:13:47,131 --> 01:13:48,341
At least she's not white again.
1345
01:13:48,424 --> 01:13:50,509
- [chuckles]
- Your wife was white.
1346
01:13:50,593 --> 01:13:52,261
My wife was a beard. Beards don't count.
1347
01:13:52,345 --> 01:13:55,640
Well, get out. You fucking menace.
You'll wake the neighbors.
1348
01:13:55,723 --> 01:13:58,559
You know, fuck your neighbors!
And fuck your clean pool!
1349
01:13:58,643 --> 01:14:01,312
It's all just a part
of your superiority complex, anyway.
1350
01:14:02,063 --> 01:14:03,147
Whoa! Fucking asshole!
1351
01:14:05,816 --> 01:14:09,487
- [Cliff laughing]
- You are a goddamn child!
1352
01:14:10,905 --> 01:14:13,491
It's probably a bad time to tell you,
but I did piss down there.
1353
01:14:13,574 --> 01:14:15,660
- Fuck.
- [Coraline laughing]
1354
01:14:17,036 --> 01:14:18,204
[Monk] Funny, huh?
1355
01:14:18,287 --> 01:14:21,165
- [Coraline] I'm sorry, Monk.
- Don't get mad. Don't--
1356
01:14:21,791 --> 01:14:23,209
[Monk] Get out of here.
1357
01:14:24,251 --> 01:14:25,336
You want a piece of me?
1358
01:14:27,838 --> 01:14:29,507
[Cliff laughing]
1359
01:14:30,883 --> 01:14:31,884
[Monk] It's funny, huh?
1360
01:14:33,469 --> 01:14:37,807
[Cliff] So I'm lying in bed with him,
butt-ass naked,
1361
01:14:38,391 --> 01:14:40,810
and in walks Claude
carrying the frozen yogurt.
1362
01:14:40,893 --> 01:14:41,894
- [Coraline] No.
- Yeah.
1363
01:14:41,978 --> 01:14:44,230
I forgot I'd shown him
where I keep the spare key.
1364
01:14:45,106 --> 01:14:50,653
So he just throws the yogurt at us
and then he wallops me right in the eye.
1365
01:14:52,780 --> 01:14:55,533
- What was the other guy doing?
- Ah, he couldn't stop laughing.
1366
01:14:55,616 --> 01:14:57,660
He said that's what he does
when he gets nervous.
1367
01:14:57,743 --> 01:15:00,746
- [Coraline laughs] Okay.
- You really going for it these days.
1368
01:15:00,830 --> 01:15:03,874
I only been gay for, like, five minutes,
I got to make up for lost time.
1369
01:15:03,958 --> 01:15:05,918
Yeah. Well, good for you.
1370
01:15:06,002 --> 01:15:09,046
I mean, the whole world's falling apart.
Might as well have some fun.
1371
01:15:09,130 --> 01:15:10,715
- I appreciate that.
- Yeah.
1372
01:15:11,590 --> 01:15:12,925
You know, you're quite beautiful.
1373
01:15:14,260 --> 01:15:15,511
Thank you.
1374
01:15:18,222 --> 01:15:19,849
What do you see in my brother?
1375
01:15:21,308 --> 01:15:22,643
- He's funny.
- Mmm.
1376
01:15:23,269 --> 01:15:26,272
- He's not funny. No.
- No, not ha-ha funny.
1377
01:15:26,355 --> 01:15:28,024
Like, sad funny.
1378
01:15:28,107 --> 01:15:30,026
- [Cliff] Okay.
- [Coraline] Like a three-legged dog.
1379
01:15:30,693 --> 01:15:32,987
I see it now.
Like somebody dying on a toilet.
1380
01:15:33,612 --> 01:15:34,864
[Coraline] Exactly.
1381
01:15:34,947 --> 01:15:38,617
- Exactly.
- Invariably, you-- you-- you go too far.
1382
01:15:38,701 --> 01:15:41,537
- You think? I don't think I go far enough.
- It's becoming hurtful.
1383
01:15:41,620 --> 01:15:43,831
- [both] Aw.
- See? See?
1384
01:15:43,914 --> 01:15:47,418
[imitating Monk] You know, "invariably,
you-- you-- you go too far."
1385
01:15:47,501 --> 01:15:49,462
- [Cliff laughs]
- [Coraline] Yeah.
1386
01:15:49,545 --> 01:15:53,466
You got a kiss, man. Look at you.
Just by being pathetic.
1387
01:15:53,549 --> 01:15:54,759
- God bless you.
- Hey.
1388
01:15:54,842 --> 01:15:55,843
[laughs]
1389
01:15:55,926 --> 01:15:57,970
- [Cliff] That is like a three-legged dog.
- [Coraline] Hey.
1390
01:15:59,346 --> 01:16:01,098
[all laughing]
1391
01:16:03,726 --> 01:16:06,270
Oh, this-- This is nice.
1392
01:16:06,353 --> 01:16:08,314
Yeah, it's not bad.
1393
01:16:08,397 --> 01:16:09,899
What do you got there, pergola?
1394
01:16:09,982 --> 01:16:12,985
- No, that's a gazebo.
- Same difference.
1395
01:16:13,069 --> 01:16:14,278
- All right?
- [Monk] To the left.
1396
01:16:14,361 --> 01:16:15,362
Excuse me.
1397
01:16:17,239 --> 01:16:18,240
Huh.
1398
01:16:19,742 --> 01:16:20,743
Hey, Monk?
1399
01:16:21,577 --> 01:16:23,621
How the hell can you afford this place?
1400
01:16:24,705 --> 01:16:25,706
I, uh...
1401
01:16:27,374 --> 01:16:31,212
Well, there was some money
Lisa left for Mother.
1402
01:16:31,295 --> 01:16:32,963
Thought the divorce cleaned her out.
1403
01:16:33,964 --> 01:16:37,009
Well, I'm not familiar with
what her finances were like,
1404
01:16:37,093 --> 01:16:39,178
but if you're so interested in the bills,
1405
01:16:39,261 --> 01:16:41,388
perhaps I can start sending them to you?
1406
01:16:41,472 --> 01:16:44,558
- Ah, it's fine. Where we going?
- Right here, 44.
1407
01:16:45,684 --> 01:16:47,019
Surprise!
1408
01:16:51,607 --> 01:16:53,609
We've had a difficult morning.
1409
01:16:57,613 --> 01:17:00,324
We had to sedate her
after she tried to strike a nurse.
1410
01:17:00,407 --> 01:17:02,660
- Has she done that before?
- No.
1411
01:17:03,702 --> 01:17:07,832
She has a different demeanor every day,
sometimes every hour.
1412
01:17:07,915 --> 01:17:09,875
But maybe she'll feel better tomorrow.
1413
01:17:10,626 --> 01:17:12,336
I'm sorry, I need to go.
1414
01:17:12,419 --> 01:17:14,672
Yes, of course. Thank you.
1415
01:17:16,215 --> 01:17:19,468
The gardener cut these
right off the bush for your mom.
1416
01:17:19,552 --> 01:17:21,554
- Sweet, right?
- Yeah, that's great.
1417
01:17:22,680 --> 01:17:24,765
How can you afford this place?
1418
01:17:24,849 --> 01:17:28,018
I mean, you're not a drug dealer
or something, are you?
1419
01:17:28,978 --> 01:17:30,563
No, I'm a writer.
1420
01:17:30,646 --> 01:17:33,190
And you're my girlfriend,
not my bookkeeper.
1421
01:17:33,274 --> 01:17:37,361
[jazz playing on speakers]
1422
01:17:40,823 --> 01:17:44,827
[music continues playing,
vocalist singing]
1423
01:18:12,271 --> 01:18:14,815
I always knew you weren't a queer.
1424
01:18:16,942 --> 01:18:20,946
[music continues playing,
vocalist singing]
1425
01:18:26,619 --> 01:18:29,663
- She doesn't know what she's saying.
- I'm going to wait outside.
1426
01:18:30,581 --> 01:18:34,460
[music continues playing,
vocalist singing]
1427
01:18:47,223 --> 01:18:48,682
[rain pattering]
1428
01:19:00,986 --> 01:19:03,447
You sure you don't want to stay
for Lorraine's wedding?
1429
01:19:03,530 --> 01:19:04,907
It's better if I go.
1430
01:19:10,204 --> 01:19:12,289
It was nice to meet you, Cliff.
1431
01:19:16,627 --> 01:19:18,254
This family will break your heart.
1432
01:19:42,736 --> 01:19:44,738
[audience cheering]
1433
01:19:47,241 --> 01:19:49,493
Welcome back. I'm Kenya Dunston.
1434
01:19:49,576 --> 01:19:52,454
And today, we're going to discuss
a new novel that just debuted
1435
01:19:52,538 --> 01:19:53,539
at number one
1436
01:19:53,622 --> 01:19:55,833
- on The New York Times bestseller list.
- [applause]
1437
01:19:55,916 --> 01:20:00,713
It is just a remarkable,
special book, and it's called...
1438
01:20:01,630 --> 01:20:03,549
Cover your kids' eyes and ears. [chuckles]
1439
01:20:04,300 --> 01:20:05,843
- [bleep]
- [chuckles]
1440
01:20:05,926 --> 01:20:07,011
[audience murmuring]
1441
01:20:07,094 --> 01:20:10,097
We are lucky enough
to have the author with us today.
1442
01:20:10,180 --> 01:20:12,391
And for those of you
who are just joining us,
1443
01:20:12,474 --> 01:20:15,019
please know that
Mr. Stagg R. Leigh is coming to us
1444
01:20:15,102 --> 01:20:16,520
from an undisclosed location
1445
01:20:16,603 --> 01:20:18,814
as he is still on the run
from authorities.
1446
01:20:18,897 --> 01:20:20,524
[chuckles, breathes deeply]
1447
01:20:20,607 --> 01:20:24,528
Oh, Stagg, tell us,
is this novel a true story?
1448
01:20:24,611 --> 01:20:26,238
[distorted voice] Not factually,
1449
01:20:26,322 --> 01:20:30,993
but it's the true story of what it's like
to be a Black man in America like me.
1450
01:20:31,076 --> 01:20:32,286
- [crowd murmurs]
- And it ain't pretty.
1451
01:20:32,369 --> 01:20:33,746
Amen to that.
1452
01:20:33,829 --> 01:20:37,791
During my time in prison,
I learned that words belong to everybody.
1453
01:20:38,625 --> 01:20:42,296
So this book is my contribution
to this wonderful country of ours
1454
01:20:42,379 --> 01:20:44,423
where a Black ex-con can become rich
1455
01:20:44,506 --> 01:20:47,676
simply by telling the story
of his unfortunate people.
1456
01:20:47,760 --> 01:20:49,136
Hmm.
1457
01:20:49,219 --> 01:20:51,055
- Yes. Yes.
- [applause]
1458
01:20:51,138 --> 01:20:52,931
[buzzes, rings]
1459
01:20:54,475 --> 01:20:55,684
- Yeah.
- [Arthur] Get this.
1460
01:20:55,768 --> 01:20:59,271
The FBI called Thompson-Watt today
to try to get Stagg R. Leigh's identity.
1461
01:20:59,355 --> 01:21:00,773
- What?
- Don't worry.
1462
01:21:00,856 --> 01:21:02,107
They're not going to give him up.
1463
01:21:02,608 --> 01:21:04,818
Give who up?
It's me, I haven't done anything.
1464
01:21:04,902 --> 01:21:05,819
They don't know that.
1465
01:21:05,903 --> 01:21:08,989
- Look, this has gone too far.
- Relax.
1466
01:21:09,073 --> 01:21:11,492
The fugitive stuff's getting us
mountains of free press.
1467
01:21:11,575 --> 01:21:12,618
- Plus, as you said...
- [bell dings]
1468
01:21:12,701 --> 01:21:14,745
...you haven't done anything.
It's not like they can arrest you.
1469
01:21:14,828 --> 01:21:18,123
I wish I could go back
to not selling books.
1470
01:21:18,207 --> 01:21:19,500
I don't.
1471
01:21:20,167 --> 01:21:21,752
- Bye.
- [line beeps]
1472
01:21:30,969 --> 01:21:32,179
[sighs]
1473
01:21:35,599 --> 01:21:37,518
Is everything all right?
1474
01:21:37,601 --> 01:21:38,602
Yeah.
1475
01:21:39,436 --> 01:21:41,063
I'm just a little stressed out.
1476
01:21:41,146 --> 01:21:44,858
This, uh, book award stuff
is a bit more work than I expected.
1477
01:21:45,401 --> 01:21:46,443
Mmm.
1478
01:21:48,570 --> 01:21:49,738
Mmm.
1479
01:21:49,822 --> 01:21:50,989
Shit!
1480
01:21:52,241 --> 01:21:54,618
It's no biggie.
Got more forks in the kitchen.
1481
01:21:57,996 --> 01:21:59,248
[Monk exhales]
1482
01:22:01,208 --> 01:22:02,709
[utensil clattering]
1483
01:22:12,136 --> 01:22:14,012
- What's this?
- Mmm.
1484
01:22:14,096 --> 01:22:15,347
My friend got it for me.
1485
01:22:16,723 --> 01:22:19,017
- Have you read it?
- Of course not, have you?
1486
01:22:19,101 --> 01:22:20,102
Yeah.
1487
01:22:22,271 --> 01:22:24,231
And what did you think of it?
1488
01:22:24,314 --> 01:22:26,859
- I liked it.
- What did you like about it?
1489
01:22:26,942 --> 01:22:28,694
- Um... I--
- It didn't offend you?
1490
01:22:29,528 --> 01:22:31,572
You just said you didn't read it.
What's your problem?
1491
01:22:31,655 --> 01:22:34,366
- No, you answer my question.
- You answer mine.
1492
01:22:36,160 --> 01:22:40,497
My problem is that
books like this aren't real.
1493
01:22:40,581 --> 01:22:41,874
They flatten our lives.
1494
01:22:41,957 --> 01:22:43,083
What do you mean?
1495
01:22:43,167 --> 01:22:44,251
I mean, that-- that--
1496
01:22:44,835 --> 01:22:46,295
You know, my life is a disaster,
1497
01:22:46,378 --> 01:22:48,672
but not in the way you'd think
reading this shit.
1498
01:22:48,755 --> 01:22:52,092
They-- These things reduce us
and they do it over and over again
1499
01:22:52,176 --> 01:22:55,971
because too many white people,
and-and people apparently like you
1500
01:22:56,054 --> 01:22:58,599
devour this slop like pigs at a dumpster
1501
01:22:58,682 --> 01:23:01,185
to stay current
at fucking cocktail parties or whatever.
1502
01:23:01,268 --> 01:23:02,519
Okay, um...
1503
01:23:02,603 --> 01:23:06,106
You got a lot of opinions for someone
who hasn't published anything for years.
1504
01:23:06,190 --> 01:23:07,441
And you've published what exactly?
1505
01:23:07,524 --> 01:23:09,985
Okay, what is wrong with you?
1506
01:23:10,068 --> 01:23:12,696
- Why are you acting like this?
- I'm not acting like anything.
1507
01:23:12,779 --> 01:23:14,740
You've been acting
like a weirdo for weeks.
1508
01:23:14,823 --> 01:23:18,160
You've been obfuscating, sneaking around.
You're fucking unknowable.
1509
01:23:18,243 --> 01:23:20,704
Maybe you think being an enigma
is chic and artsy.
1510
01:23:20,787 --> 01:23:22,873
I just think it makes you an asshole.
1511
01:23:22,956 --> 01:23:27,127
Well, um, you don't understand my life,
and you can't, so just leave it at that.
1512
01:23:31,089 --> 01:23:34,426
One day, maybe you'll learn that
not being able to relate to other people
1513
01:23:34,510 --> 01:23:36,803
isn't a badge of honor.
1514
01:23:38,472 --> 01:23:40,682
[sips, swallows]
1515
01:23:41,725 --> 01:23:44,186
- I think you should leave.
- You know what I think?
1516
01:23:44,269 --> 01:23:46,855
You should leave, Monk.
1517
01:24:02,246 --> 01:24:03,747
Nonsense.
1518
01:24:11,004 --> 01:24:12,798
[door opens, closes]
1519
01:24:28,063 --> 01:24:30,649
- You guys need any help with that?
- Nah, we're good.
1520
01:24:32,734 --> 01:24:34,444
I thought you could use a little brawn.
1521
01:24:34,945 --> 01:24:36,488
- We got it.
- [chuckles]
1522
01:24:36,572 --> 01:24:37,948
Mr. Monk.
1523
01:24:38,031 --> 01:24:39,491
You mind I keep the soda maker?
1524
01:24:39,575 --> 01:24:41,785
You don't like the bubbly water
anyhow, right?
1525
01:24:41,868 --> 01:24:43,787
- It's all yours.
- Thank you.
1526
01:24:46,331 --> 01:24:49,209
Um, hey, wh-what about this?
1527
01:24:50,502 --> 01:24:53,171
No. I always hated that color.
1528
01:24:53,255 --> 01:24:55,215
It's just the one your father bought.
1529
01:24:56,425 --> 01:24:58,719
Thelonious, this just came for you.
1530
01:24:59,761 --> 01:25:00,762
Okay, thanks.
1531
01:25:00,846 --> 01:25:02,389
[Lorraine] This is the last of it.
1532
01:25:02,931 --> 01:25:04,474
Goodbye, Mr. Monk.
1533
01:25:07,853 --> 01:25:08,854
Bye, Lorraine.
1534
01:25:15,611 --> 01:25:16,612
Drive safe.
1535
01:25:16,695 --> 01:25:18,155
Guess I'll see you at the wedding.
1536
01:25:18,238 --> 01:25:20,324
All right. [chuckles]
1537
01:25:22,993 --> 01:25:24,369
[mover] I'll take that there.
1538
01:25:45,474 --> 01:25:48,852
Thompson-Watt apparently
raced to publish it.
1539
01:25:48,935 --> 01:25:51,271
Yeah, I heard that
they ran 300,000 copies already
1540
01:25:51,355 --> 01:25:52,856
and they're reprinting more soon.
1541
01:25:52,939 --> 01:25:54,399
I mean, it's going like gangbusters.
1542
01:25:54,483 --> 01:25:56,943
Christ on a crutch! It better be good.
1543
01:25:57,527 --> 01:25:59,905
[Wilson]
Hey, I heard the writer's a fugitive.
1544
01:25:59,988 --> 01:26:02,824
Well, that would explain the title.
He didn't go to charm school.
1545
01:26:02,908 --> 01:26:05,535
No, I think that
that background is a plus.
1546
01:26:05,619 --> 01:26:08,080
[chuckles] God, I am thrilled
1547
01:26:08,163 --> 01:26:10,624
to read a BIPOC man
harmed by our carceral state.
1548
01:26:10,707 --> 01:26:14,086
[Daniel] Wait. A-Are you one of those
"defund the police" nuts?
1549
01:26:14,169 --> 01:26:17,172
Yes, and I wouldn't expect you
to understand.
1550
01:26:17,255 --> 01:26:20,050
Well, I hope someone you love
doesn't get raped or murdered.
1551
01:26:20,133 --> 01:26:23,303
- Can we not talk about this now, please?
- Look, look, look.
1552
01:26:23,387 --> 01:26:25,681
Criminal or not,
I don't think we should add it.
1553
01:26:25,764 --> 01:26:29,142
Uh, we're already weeks into the process,
and I don't know about any of you,
1554
01:26:29,226 --> 01:26:33,105
but I've got more than a dozen books
I haven't even opened yet. [clears throat]
1555
01:26:33,188 --> 01:26:36,441
It was published before the submission
date, I think we have to accept it.
1556
01:26:36,525 --> 01:26:38,610
- [sighs]
- [Wilson] Yeah, it's just one more.
1557
01:26:38,694 --> 01:26:40,570
And from the looks of it,
it should be a quick read.
1558
01:26:40,654 --> 01:26:43,281
- A quick fuck. [chuckles]
- [chuckles]
1559
01:26:43,365 --> 01:26:44,825
[Daniel] I've had a couple of those.
1560
01:26:44,908 --> 01:26:46,243
[both men chuckling]
1561
01:26:46,326 --> 01:26:47,619
Bye, guys. Bye.
1562
01:27:21,611 --> 01:27:23,280
[knocking]
1563
01:27:23,363 --> 01:27:24,823
Hi, Monkie.
1564
01:27:26,825 --> 01:27:27,993
You look beautiful.
1565
01:27:42,924 --> 01:27:44,468
Oh, hello.
1566
01:27:45,051 --> 01:27:47,929
- Monkie, do we know these men?
- [man chuckles]
1567
01:27:48,013 --> 01:27:50,098
No, Mother, this isn't the Alzheimer's.
1568
01:27:50,182 --> 01:27:51,516
These are actual strangers.
1569
01:27:51,600 --> 01:27:53,518
- Who are you people?
- We're Cliff's friends.
1570
01:27:53,602 --> 01:27:54,978
Of course you are.
1571
01:27:55,061 --> 01:27:57,773
We met him a few days ago.
I'm Kenny, this is Alvin.
1572
01:27:57,856 --> 01:28:00,901
- Are you Monk?
- I am. How did you know?
1573
01:28:00,984 --> 01:28:03,904
Ooh. Well,
Cliff said Monk's a real tight-ass.
1574
01:28:04,780 --> 01:28:08,450
- Hmm. Did he? Delightful.
- [Kenny chuckles]
1575
01:28:08,533 --> 01:28:10,160
Mother, you sit here.
1576
01:28:11,578 --> 01:28:12,662
Lorraine?
1577
01:28:18,043 --> 01:28:21,004
- [Alvin] Do you like scrambled eggs?
- [Kenny] I love scrambled eggs.
1578
01:28:21,087 --> 01:28:23,548
- What the hell are you doing here?
- You first.
1579
01:28:26,134 --> 01:28:28,512
Oh, shit, the wedding.
1580
01:28:28,595 --> 01:28:30,722
- Ah!
- Oh, fuck!
1581
01:28:31,515 --> 01:28:33,809
[sniffs] I didn't go to the airport.
1582
01:28:33,892 --> 01:28:36,561
That day I left, I... [sniffs]
...needed some time to myself.
1583
01:28:36,645 --> 01:28:39,356
Time to one's self implies,
by definition, time alone.
1584
01:28:39,439 --> 01:28:42,359
Oh, Christ, here we go.
Detective Dictionary.
1585
01:28:42,442 --> 01:28:45,612
- Ah! Mr. Cliff.
- I'm sorry, guys, I'll handle it.
1586
01:28:45,695 --> 01:28:47,656
You need to leave.
1587
01:28:47,739 --> 01:28:50,659
- Don't bother to clean up, just go.
- Oh, no, it's all right, just...
1588
01:28:51,159 --> 01:28:53,954
Please stay. It's a celebration.
1589
01:28:55,372 --> 01:28:56,706
It's good to see you, Cliff.
1590
01:28:58,083 --> 01:28:59,960
Good to see you too, Maynard.
1591
01:29:00,043 --> 01:29:01,294
I, um...
1592
01:29:01,378 --> 01:29:02,838
I-I don't want to impose.
1593
01:29:02,921 --> 01:29:06,258
You can't impose. You're family.
1594
01:29:21,439 --> 01:29:22,440
Okay.
1595
01:29:23,316 --> 01:29:24,818
I'll, uh...
1596
01:29:24,901 --> 01:29:26,987
I'll go clean up a bit, yeah? [sniffs]
1597
01:29:27,904 --> 01:29:29,906
Congratulations, you guys. [sniffs]
1598
01:29:35,203 --> 01:29:37,956
Can we make y'all some breakfast?
I can whip up a killer smoothie,
1599
01:29:38,039 --> 01:29:40,375
and Alvin used to work
the omelet station on a cruise ship.
1600
01:29:40,458 --> 01:29:42,794
That sounds lovely. Thank you.
1601
01:29:47,841 --> 01:29:50,260
- It's very kind of you to let them stay.
- Oh.
1602
01:29:50,343 --> 01:29:53,722
It's always easier dealing with
other people's families than your own.
1603
01:29:53,805 --> 01:29:58,059
[chuckles] I regret to inform you
that in a couple hours,
1604
01:29:58,143 --> 01:29:59,603
this will be your family.
1605
01:30:07,527 --> 01:30:09,529
[no audible dialogue]
1606
01:30:18,580 --> 01:30:20,624
[guests cheering]
1607
01:30:30,759 --> 01:30:32,761
[guests exclaiming]
1608
01:30:37,015 --> 01:30:40,018
[speakers: "Let Love Flow On" playing,
vocalist singing]
1609
01:31:36,282 --> 01:31:38,076
[song fades]
1610
01:31:38,159 --> 01:31:41,162
- [guests chattering, faint]
- [music continues playing, faint]
1611
01:31:42,998 --> 01:31:43,999
[sighs]
1612
01:31:56,720 --> 01:31:57,721
Piss her off?
1613
01:32:02,517 --> 01:32:03,518
Yeah.
1614
01:32:03,601 --> 01:32:04,811
Shut her out?
1615
01:32:06,062 --> 01:32:07,105
Yeah.
1616
01:32:08,148 --> 01:32:09,649
Dad shut everyone out too.
1617
01:32:10,400 --> 01:32:11,526
He lied all the time.
1618
01:32:12,777 --> 01:32:13,987
Look how that turned out.
1619
01:32:17,532 --> 01:32:22,412
I find myself
getting very angry these days, like Dad.
1620
01:32:23,163 --> 01:32:24,164
These days?
1621
01:32:30,253 --> 01:32:34,841
I've been thinking a lot lately about, um,
how Dad died not knowing I'm gay.
1622
01:32:38,136 --> 01:32:39,763
- I think he suspected it.
- Mmm.
1623
01:32:41,306 --> 01:32:44,350
He may have, but he didn't know for sure.
1624
01:32:45,977 --> 01:32:48,480
He never knew the entirety of me.
1625
01:32:50,023 --> 01:32:51,066
And now he never will.
1626
01:32:52,817 --> 01:32:54,611
And that makes me...
1627
01:32:55,737 --> 01:32:57,113
It makes me real sad.
1628
01:33:00,408 --> 01:33:03,203
Well, what if he had known
and rejected you?
1629
01:33:03,828 --> 01:33:06,414
At least he'd be rejecting the real me.
1630
01:33:08,750 --> 01:33:13,213
I know that sounds crazy,
but, there'd be some relief in that.
1631
01:33:16,508 --> 01:33:18,551
It doesn't sound so crazy.
1632
01:33:23,598 --> 01:33:25,225
People want to love you, Monk.
1633
01:33:28,019 --> 01:33:30,688
I personally don't know
what they see in you, but, uh...
1634
01:33:32,649 --> 01:33:34,275
they want to love you.
1635
01:33:36,569 --> 01:33:38,404
You should let them love all of you.
1636
01:34:12,230 --> 01:34:14,023
[Daniel] It was dog shit.
1637
01:34:14,107 --> 01:34:18,778
I mean, some mollycoddled chump,
faffing on about his dead mom.
1638
01:34:18,862 --> 01:34:20,113
Who cares? [chuckles]
1639
01:34:20,196 --> 01:34:24,242
Okay, so that means
that Bury Me Standing is fourth.
1640
01:34:26,369 --> 01:34:27,704
Let's talk about Fuck.
1641
01:34:27,787 --> 01:34:31,416
- Uh, could we not?
- Personally, I adored it.
1642
01:34:31,499 --> 01:34:32,584
Oh.
1643
01:34:32,667 --> 01:34:35,545
It was like gazing into an open wound.
1644
01:34:35,628 --> 01:34:39,382
I agree. I think it's the strongest
African-American novel
1645
01:34:39,465 --> 01:34:41,301
I've read in a long time.
1646
01:34:42,927 --> 01:34:44,554
I mean, since yours.
1647
01:34:44,637 --> 01:34:47,265
- Of course, Sintara.
- Thank you.
1648
01:34:47,348 --> 01:34:51,019
You know, I-- I actually liked it
much more than I was expecting.
1649
01:34:51,102 --> 01:34:53,271
I mean, this is a gutsy piece of work.
1650
01:34:53,897 --> 01:34:56,274
- And necessary for the times.
- [Ailene] Mmm.
1651
01:34:56,900 --> 01:34:58,359
Uh, what did you think, Sintara?
1652
01:34:59,903 --> 01:35:03,072
I found it to be pretty pandering,
actually.
1653
01:35:03,156 --> 01:35:04,032
You did?
1654
01:35:04,991 --> 01:35:06,451
Yes. Did you not?
1655
01:35:07,035 --> 01:35:08,411
I very much did.
1656
01:35:08,494 --> 01:35:12,373
I thought it was simplistic
and meaningless.
1657
01:35:12,457 --> 01:35:14,209
Well, of course, it was simplistic.
1658
01:35:14,292 --> 01:35:17,253
I mean, i-it's the language of the gutter.
1659
01:35:17,337 --> 01:35:19,839
You know, not some prissy graduate thesis.
1660
01:35:19,923 --> 01:35:21,799
"Language of the gutter." Jesus Christ.
1661
01:35:21,883 --> 01:35:25,553
I think our blood sugar's low.
How about we take a break for lunch, huh?
1662
01:35:25,637 --> 01:35:27,222
- Fine by me.
- [Wilson] Okay.
1663
01:35:27,305 --> 01:35:28,640
- Okay.
- Really?
1664
01:35:29,140 --> 01:35:30,225
Okay.
1665
01:35:35,063 --> 01:35:36,272
[groans]
1666
01:35:41,861 --> 01:35:43,821
- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Oh, no, you're fine.
1667
01:35:43,905 --> 01:35:45,823
- What, I'm not interrupting?
- No.
1668
01:36:08,304 --> 01:36:09,305
Sorry.
1669
01:36:16,854 --> 01:36:17,855
[clears throat]
1670
01:36:25,363 --> 01:36:27,031
Do you mind if I ask you something?
1671
01:36:27,699 --> 01:36:28,783
Sure.
1672
01:36:29,742 --> 01:36:33,746
Um, what about Fuck
did you find pandering?
1673
01:36:34,372 --> 01:36:35,456
Oh, uh...
1674
01:36:36,916 --> 01:36:39,419
I can't really
put my finger on it, but, uh,
1675
01:36:40,670 --> 01:36:42,714
it's not different
from some of what's out there,
1676
01:36:42,797 --> 01:36:43,798
but it just felt...
1677
01:36:45,883 --> 01:36:49,721
"soulless" is the word
that I'm going to use. [chuckles]
1678
01:36:49,804 --> 01:36:51,848
- You said you agreed, right?
- Yeah, I-I-I do.
1679
01:36:51,931 --> 01:36:56,102
I think it seems written to satisfy
the tastes of guilt-ridden white people.
1680
01:36:56,185 --> 01:36:59,272
Yeah, the kind of book
critics call important and necessary,
1681
01:36:59,355 --> 01:37:00,565
but not well-written.
1682
01:37:00,648 --> 01:37:02,525
- [both chuckle]
- Exactly.
1683
01:37:06,279 --> 01:37:10,491
Okay, so-- A-And please
don't take offense at this,
1684
01:37:10,575 --> 01:37:15,705
but how is Fuck
so very different from your book?
1685
01:37:19,334 --> 01:37:20,710
Is that what this is about?
1686
01:37:20,793 --> 01:37:23,212
- You-- You think my book's trash?
- No.
1687
01:37:23,296 --> 01:37:27,175
To be honest, I-I haven't read your book.
1688
01:37:27,258 --> 01:37:33,389
I've read excerpts,
and it didn't seem so dissimilar.
1689
01:37:34,682 --> 01:37:37,560
I did a lot of research for my book.
1690
01:37:37,643 --> 01:37:39,979
Some of it was actually
taken from real interviews.
1691
01:37:40,730 --> 01:37:44,108
Maybe you've been up in
your ivory tower of academia for so long
1692
01:37:44,192 --> 01:37:46,444
you've forgotten
that some people's lives are hard.
1693
01:37:46,527 --> 01:37:47,695
Your life?
1694
01:37:49,072 --> 01:37:52,658
[grunts] You went to an exclusive
bohemian college.
1695
01:37:52,742 --> 01:37:56,579
You had a job at a fancy
publishing house in New York.
1696
01:37:56,662 --> 01:37:59,415
So what? I-- I don't--
I don't need to write about my life.
1697
01:37:59,499 --> 01:38:01,167
I write about what interests people.
1698
01:38:01,250 --> 01:38:02,251
Well... [sighs]
1699
01:38:02,335 --> 01:38:07,215
...you write what interests white publishers
fiending Black trauma porn.
1700
01:38:07,298 --> 01:38:10,259
They're the one buying the manuscripts.
[scoffs]
1701
01:38:10,343 --> 01:38:12,512
Is it bad to cater to their tastes?
1702
01:38:12,595 --> 01:38:16,099
If you're okay feeding
people's base desires for profit--
1703
01:38:16,182 --> 01:38:18,101
I'm okay with giving
the market what it wants.
1704
01:38:18,184 --> 01:38:19,769
That's how drug dealers excuse themselves.
1705
01:38:19,852 --> 01:38:21,479
And I think drugs should be legal.
1706
01:38:26,109 --> 01:38:28,528
But y-- you're not--
you're not fed up with it?
1707
01:38:29,278 --> 01:38:34,033
You know, Black people in poverty?
Uh, Black people rapping?
1708
01:38:34,117 --> 01:38:37,829
Black people as slaves?
Black people murdered by the police?
1709
01:38:37,912 --> 01:38:39,997
- Whole soaring narratives about...
- Okay.
1710
01:38:40,081 --> 01:38:42,041
...Black folks in dire circumstances
1711
01:38:42,125 --> 01:38:45,128
who still manage to maintain
their dignity before they die?
1712
01:38:45,211 --> 01:38:47,713
I mean, I'm not saying
these things aren't real,
1713
01:38:47,797 --> 01:38:50,508
but we're also more than this.
1714
01:38:50,591 --> 01:38:53,010
And it's, like, so many writers like you
1715
01:38:53,094 --> 01:38:56,305
can't envision us
without some white boot on our necks.
1716
01:38:56,389 --> 01:39:00,560
Do you get angry
at Bret Easton Ellis or Charles Bukowski
1717
01:39:00,643 --> 01:39:02,311
for writing about the downtrodden?
1718
01:39:02,395 --> 01:39:04,730
Or is your ire strictly
reserved for Black women?
1719
01:39:04,814 --> 01:39:08,401
Nobody reads Bukowski thinking
his is the definitive white experience.
1720
01:39:08,484 --> 01:39:12,530
But people, white people,
read your book and confine us to it.
1721
01:39:12,613 --> 01:39:14,907
They think that we're all like that.
1722
01:39:14,991 --> 01:39:18,744
Then it sounds like your issue
is with white people, Monk, not me.
1723
01:39:18,828 --> 01:39:22,165
Well, maybe, but I also think
that I see the unrealized potential
1724
01:39:22,248 --> 01:39:24,000
of Black people in this country.
1725
01:39:26,752 --> 01:39:28,713
Potential is what people see
1726
01:39:28,796 --> 01:39:31,215
when they think
what's in front of them isn't good enough.
1727
01:39:34,093 --> 01:39:35,344
[door opens]
1728
01:39:36,679 --> 01:39:37,680
[clears throat]
1729
01:39:39,640 --> 01:39:40,933
[door closes]
1730
01:39:41,017 --> 01:39:43,603
So, what are we talking about?
1731
01:40:32,151 --> 01:40:33,194
We're starting again.
1732
01:40:33,277 --> 01:40:34,737
I'll be right there.
1733
01:40:46,082 --> 01:40:48,417
Hey, can I speak to Arthur?
Yeah, it's Monk.
1734
01:40:51,754 --> 01:40:53,631
Hey. I'm-I'm fine.
1735
01:40:54,131 --> 01:40:57,218
Listen, y-you think you can set up
another meeting with Wiley?
1736
01:40:58,219 --> 01:41:02,014
I've got a new idea for him.
Different kind of movie.
1737
01:41:02,098 --> 01:41:03,099
Thanks.
1738
01:41:17,321 --> 01:41:19,073
I think it's Fuck for me.
1739
01:41:19,156 --> 01:41:20,908
- Yeah, me too.
- Yeah, I agree.
1740
01:41:20,992 --> 01:41:22,827
I disagree. I'm sorry.
1741
01:41:22,910 --> 01:41:27,707
I think it would be a mistake
to award this book anything.
1742
01:41:27,790 --> 01:41:31,544
Well, it's two versus three,
so Fuck's the winner.
1743
01:41:31,627 --> 01:41:32,878
Fuck is the winner.
1744
01:41:34,797 --> 01:41:35,798
[sighs]
1745
01:41:36,382 --> 01:41:38,884
You know, it's not just
that it's so affecting.
1746
01:41:39,969 --> 01:41:43,389
I just think it's essential
to listen to Black voices right now.
1747
01:41:51,606 --> 01:41:52,607
[Monk] Mother.
1748
01:41:54,442 --> 01:41:55,610
Did you...
1749
01:41:58,446 --> 01:42:00,615
Did you know that Dad was cheating on you?
1750
01:42:01,824 --> 01:42:04,118
He was bad at keeping secrets.
1751
01:42:04,201 --> 01:42:05,745
Why didn't you leave him?
1752
01:42:06,704 --> 01:42:09,248
He would've been
even more lonely without me.
1753
01:42:12,001 --> 01:42:13,252
You thought he was lonely?
1754
01:42:13,336 --> 01:42:15,588
Your father was a genius.
1755
01:42:16,547 --> 01:42:17,965
[chuckles]
1756
01:42:18,049 --> 01:42:21,010
Geniuses are lonely
1757
01:42:22,345 --> 01:42:25,848
because they can't connect
with the rest of us.
1758
01:42:27,892 --> 01:42:29,352
You're a genius, son.
1759
01:42:31,937 --> 01:42:34,440
Well, I certainly don't
feel like one half the time.
1760
01:42:35,232 --> 01:42:38,944
That's because you've always
been so hard on yourself, Cliffy.
1761
01:42:46,202 --> 01:42:48,913
[host] And now for the final award
for the evening.
1762
01:42:49,955 --> 01:42:52,667
I promise to leave you alone,
let you eat after this.
1763
01:42:53,459 --> 01:42:55,044
But, before I announce the winner,
1764
01:42:55,127 --> 01:42:58,798
I would like to acknowledge our judges,
our incredibly diverse group of judges
1765
01:42:58,881 --> 01:43:02,718
who've sacrificed valuable time
so we could all celebrate here tonight.
1766
01:43:02,802 --> 01:43:05,971
So, if you put your hands together,
they did a fantastic job.
1767
01:43:09,892 --> 01:43:11,185
Okay.
1768
01:43:12,144 --> 01:43:13,312
Without further ado...
1769
01:43:13,396 --> 01:43:14,522
[sighs]
1770
01:43:14,605 --> 01:43:17,191
...this year's Literary Award goes to...
1771
01:43:18,317 --> 01:43:19,694
Oh, I knew it.
1772
01:43:19,777 --> 01:43:22,154
By Stagg R. Leigh, Fuck.
1773
01:43:22,238 --> 01:43:26,200
[guests exclaiming, chattering]
1774
01:43:33,457 --> 01:43:35,084
Well, I'm not sure if Mr. Leigh
1775
01:43:35,167 --> 01:43:37,336
is going to grace us
with his presence here tonight.
1776
01:43:37,420 --> 01:43:40,172
He's notoriously cagey about attention.
1777
01:43:51,392 --> 01:43:53,060
Oh, hold on.
1778
01:43:53,144 --> 01:43:55,771
Oh, okay. I see some business.
1779
01:43:55,855 --> 01:44:01,444
Someone's coming. Oh, Thelonious Ellison.
One of our esteemed judges.
1780
01:44:04,613 --> 01:44:06,490
Weirdly walking toward the stage.
1781
01:44:08,117 --> 01:44:09,744
No idea why.
1782
01:44:10,828 --> 01:44:12,788
Hey. What's going on?
1783
01:44:14,165 --> 01:44:15,207
Excuse me.
1784
01:44:16,292 --> 01:44:18,043
Excuse me.
1785
01:44:34,268 --> 01:44:35,895
I have a confession to make.
1786
01:44:37,354 --> 01:44:38,731
[inhales]
1787
01:44:41,400 --> 01:44:43,527
[Wiley] Wait, wait, wait. Smash to black?
1788
01:44:44,278 --> 01:44:45,696
[bell ringing]
1789
01:44:45,780 --> 01:44:47,448
No fucking way, dude.
1790
01:44:47,531 --> 01:44:48,574
What's wrong with that?
1791
01:44:48,657 --> 01:44:51,410
There's no resolution here.
What's he going to say?
1792
01:44:51,494 --> 01:44:53,537
I don't know.
That's what's interesting about it.
1793
01:44:53,621 --> 01:44:54,705
No, he should say something.
1794
01:44:54,789 --> 01:44:56,248
What did you say?
1795
01:44:56,332 --> 01:44:58,375
Nothing. I walked out of the ceremony,
1796
01:44:58,459 --> 01:45:01,212
and the next day I called you to say
I wanted to write this movie.
1797
01:45:01,295 --> 01:45:03,798
Well, Monk, the character,
should say something.
1798
01:45:03,881 --> 01:45:06,008
Well, I don't want him to make some
1799
01:45:06,091 --> 01:45:09,386
grandiose speech spoon-feeding
everyone the moral of the story.
1800
01:45:09,470 --> 01:45:12,973
Th-There is no moral.
That's the idea. I like the ambiguity.
1801
01:45:13,057 --> 01:45:16,644
Okay, look. You're a good writer,
and this is almost there.
1802
01:45:17,144 --> 01:45:19,480
But novels aren't movies, okay?
1803
01:45:19,563 --> 01:45:21,565
Nuance doesn't put asses in theater seats.
1804
01:45:21,649 --> 01:45:23,442
We need a big finish. What is this?
1805
01:45:24,276 --> 01:45:26,570
It's the seltzer you asked for.
1806
01:45:26,654 --> 01:45:27,655
Why is it all wet?
1807
01:45:29,156 --> 01:45:30,533
Condensation?
1808
01:45:30,616 --> 01:45:34,119
Condensation. Okay.
You're a fucking weatherman now.
1809
01:45:34,203 --> 01:45:35,287
You want anything?
1810
01:45:35,371 --> 01:45:37,081
Uh, no, I'm fine. Thank you.
1811
01:45:37,164 --> 01:45:38,958
This is Monk. We're gonna
make a movie with him
1812
01:45:39,041 --> 01:45:40,626
- if he can get the third act right.
- Nice meeting you.
1813
01:45:40,709 --> 01:45:42,878
- Y-You as well.
- Get me a flat white.
1814
01:45:42,962 --> 01:45:45,005
And, hey, never again.
1815
01:45:47,091 --> 01:45:50,261
All right. What other endings
you got in that big brain of yours?
1816
01:45:54,056 --> 01:45:55,057
How about if...
1817
01:45:55,140 --> 01:45:57,810
This year's Literary Award goes to...
1818
01:45:58,769 --> 01:46:01,188
By Stagg R. Leigh, Fuck.
1819
01:46:52,156 --> 01:46:53,782
I'd like to apologize.
1820
01:46:56,535 --> 01:46:58,454
I haven't been myself lately.
1821
01:47:19,850 --> 01:47:21,560
What about that?
1822
01:47:21,644 --> 01:47:22,895
Will she forgive him?
1823
01:47:24,313 --> 01:47:26,023
I don't know.
1824
01:47:26,106 --> 01:47:28,609
The real Coraline
won't return my phone calls.
1825
01:47:29,401 --> 01:47:32,363
Maybe the movie Coraline
is more forgiving.
1826
01:47:34,782 --> 01:47:35,824
No. It's too pat.
1827
01:47:35,908 --> 01:47:38,327
Makes the whole thing
feel like a romantic comedy.
1828
01:47:38,410 --> 01:47:41,997
We don't want to make a romantic comedy.
We want to make something real.
1829
01:47:42,831 --> 01:47:44,541
Give me something real.
1830
01:47:48,504 --> 01:47:49,838
I mean, we could just...
1831
01:47:51,090 --> 01:47:52,633
Hey, what's going on?
1832
01:47:53,467 --> 01:47:54,468
Excuse me.
1833
01:47:55,844 --> 01:47:57,930
- [host stammers]
- Beat it.
1834
01:48:10,275 --> 01:48:12,403
I have a confession to make.
1835
01:48:13,237 --> 01:48:15,406
- [door opens]
- Stagg Leigh, on the ground now!
1836
01:48:15,489 --> 01:48:17,157
- [agent] There he is!
- [Monk] No, no.
1837
01:48:17,241 --> 01:48:19,118
I'm-- I'm-- I'm not Stagg Leigh.
1838
01:48:19,743 --> 01:48:21,245
He doesn't exist.
1839
01:48:21,328 --> 01:48:23,414
I'm Monk. Thelonious Ellison.
1840
01:48:23,497 --> 01:48:25,541
You're a fugitive! On the ground now!
1841
01:48:25,624 --> 01:48:26,792
[Monk] No. No, no, no.
1842
01:48:26,875 --> 01:48:29,586
That was all a marketing gimmick.
It was all a lie.
1843
01:48:29,670 --> 01:48:31,672
- [agent] He's got a gun!
- No, no! No, no!
1844
01:48:33,173 --> 01:48:36,135
[operatic vocalization playing]
1845
01:48:50,941 --> 01:48:53,944
[crescendo rises]
1846
01:49:01,076 --> 01:49:03,078
[vocalization resolves]
1847
01:49:04,079 --> 01:49:05,080
[Wiley] He's dead?
1848
01:49:06,498 --> 01:49:07,499
They smoke him?
1849
01:49:11,628 --> 01:49:12,838
It's perfect.
1850
01:49:14,506 --> 01:49:16,467
Yes! That is...
1851
01:49:17,468 --> 01:49:19,053
That is perfect!
1852
01:49:20,220 --> 01:49:23,891
Time to pick out your tux, my brother.
We're going to the big show.
1853
01:49:23,974 --> 01:49:26,060
Hey, come transcribe this. We got it.
1854
01:49:29,646 --> 01:49:30,647
Fuck!
1855
01:49:53,796 --> 01:49:54,797
Hey.
1856
01:49:57,633 --> 01:49:58,634
[sighs]
1857
01:49:59,384 --> 01:50:00,385
So?
1858
01:50:02,304 --> 01:50:03,472
They gonna make your movie?
1859
01:50:03,555 --> 01:50:05,682
Unfortunately, yes.
1860
01:50:05,766 --> 01:50:07,810
Hey! You know what?
1861
01:50:07,893 --> 01:50:10,604
Good luck finding someone
handsome enough to play me.
1862
01:50:10,687 --> 01:50:13,190
- I think they have.
- Who they got?
1863
01:50:14,233 --> 01:50:17,528
- Tyler Perry.
- [both chuckling]
1864
01:50:17,611 --> 01:50:19,029
You got me. That's good.
1865
01:50:20,614 --> 01:50:22,616
[engine starts]
1866
01:50:24,409 --> 01:50:25,577
[Cliff] All right.