04x05 - Work Ethic

[bunniefuu]

♪ Your heart has called me ♪

♪ Closer to you ♪

♪ I will be ♪

♪ All that you need ♪

♪ Just trust... ♪

Baby? Lottie? We're almost there, okay?

Might want to wake up.

♪ Baby, I believe. ♪

(SIGHS)

- Hi, morning.
- Hey, good morning.

- Can I see your license?
- Uh, yes.

- Here you go.
- SECURITY GUARD: Thank you.

All right, I'm-a need to see your bag.

Oh. Okay.

- Here you go.
- VAN: Thank you.

All right now.

- Let me see that bag, too.
- You want this bag?

- Yeah, the backpack. Mm-hmm.
- Oh.

(GRUNTS) Here.

All right. Thank you. (GRUNTS)

(SIGHS)

Is this really necessary?
She's just a child.

SECURITY GUARD: You'd be
surprised who's snuck g*ns in here.

(BACKPACK ZIPS)

- Here we go.
- Thank you.

You got that. Watch yourself.

- VAN: Have a good day.
- (SIGHS)

You'll need these at all
times. Hold on to that.

- Okay. Thank you.
- Straight up there.

You got it. Have a good one, now.

("I LIKE THAT" BY
JANELLE MONÁE PLAYING)

(ENGINE STARTS)

(CAR ALARM CHIRPS)

TOUR GUIDE: Hello, y'all, and welcome

to Kirkwood Chocolate's
one and only Chocolateland.

A studio for the culture and what...?

GROUP: By the culture.

- By the culture, that's right.
- Yes, Lord!

(LAUGHS)

Over here we have Mr. Chocolate's

state-of-the-art film stages.

- WOMAN: What's that over there?
- TOUR GUIDE: Uh,

those are Mr. Chocolate's
old stages and studios.

He's converted them
into a personal office.

Mr. Chocolate is very... private.

So, no one's allowed in

or out. (LAUGHS)

All right, moving on.

(DOOR CLOSES)

Hi. We're here for filming.

- Hi. Nice to meet you.
- VAN: Oh.

- Yes.
- Um, you can just sign your name.

- Oh, okay.
- You can sign in over there,

and I'll come and bring
you to hair and makeup

when they're ready for
you. If you need anything,

please ask, okay?

- Thank you.
- FIRST P. A.: No problem.

Okay, ready?

Good.

Take a break, we'll do it again.

(SIGHS)

Yo, man, don't come at
me with that bullshit.

You know I had to take
Chrissy to set today.

I'm hungry.

MAN: Uh-uh, uh-oh.

Oh. Okay, okay.

If that n*gga ain't got
my bands, he dead anyway.

I don't think I brought any
snacks. They're in the car.

MAN: n*gga, hold that n*gga there.

We'll just grab something after, okay?

MAN: Oh, okay. Okay. n*gga,
hold that n*gga's ass there.

Hold him there.

Hold that n*gga there! I told you,

put that n*gga in the
trunk if you have to.

Hold that n*gga there.

- That's a really nice goldfish.
- Thanks.

Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up.

Hey, uh, excuse me.

Yo, I'm sorry for
being loud or whatever.

Oh, it's okay. (CHUCKLES)

Um... what's your name?

Denise.

Nice to meet you, Denise.

- Yeah.
- (DOOR OPENS)

FIRST P. A.: Vanessa.

Oh, we're ready for you.

Uh... Denise, they're ready for you.

Uh, let's pack up.

- Is this your first time here?
- Oh, yeah. (CHUCKLES)

It's great, isn't it?

- Yeah, it's fun.
- (CHUCKLES)

That's the one you saw with Grandma.

(MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY OVER HEADPHONES)

Baby, you want my
phone? You can have it.

I'm okay.

- Mm, she is so sweet.
- Aw.

I can't tell you how
many kids come through

with a diva attitude.

Thank you.

Honestly, it's your first time on set.

Both of us, actually.

- Really?
- Mm-hmm.

Are you a Kirkwood Chocolate fan?

Uh... I haven't really

watched his stuff in a while, so...

Yeah. I hate it, personally.

Oh. (CHUCKLES)

- No offense. (LAUGHS)
- No.

No, truly, none taken.

Yeah, honestly, I don't
know, it was just, like,

a quick way to make
some good money, and...

Yeah.

And we're supporting Black
art, so I thought that was good,

and... my friend, actually,

told me to audition. It made
me feel kind of independent.

PHAEDRA: Mm-hmm.

VAN: So, I thought I'd
just sort of follow that.

PHAEDRA: Yeah. Yeah, I mean,

- I'm doing this to get my bread up.
- Mm-hmm.

- And it's an experience, you know?
- Exactly.

- We deserve that.
- Yeah.

And then, I was also,
like, I don't really care,

so I could just have fun,

and then my daughter could see
me do something I wanted to do.

- (KNOCKS) Yo, air should be working now.
- PHAEDRA: Oh, good.

Take a second and look at
the hot water... Oh, uh...

My bad, I didn't mean
to interrupt you guys.

- Oh, no, you're good.
- It's okay.

Hi, I'm Shamik.

Hi. Vanessa.

I ain't seen you before.
What show you work on?

Uh, I'm just a day player today.

- SHAMIK: Oh, really?
- Mm-hmm.

- SHAMIK: Well, it's nice to meet you.
- You, too.

- I'll see you around. All right.
- All right.

(SIGHS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

- Well, okay, Miss Vanessa.
- (LAUGHS)

- I see you.
- Copy. Phaedra.

We're gonna need her in minutes.

- Oh, okay. (STAMMERS)
- (CHUCKLES)

- Girl, we just... in here talking.
- Okay, I'm just gonna...

(APPLAUSE)

You don't need him.

- Sandra, he is not worth it.
- (SIGHS)

But he's my husband.

If I don't stand with
him, who else will?

(ALL GASP)

What the hell is going on here?

Didn't I tell you you
couldn't have any friends?

Charles, I love you,

but a woman has needs and boundaries.

You represent me when you
walk out of this house.

I don't care what your little
thot friends over there think.

MALE VOICE (OVER INTERCOM): Dramond.

Grab her by the shoulders.

- (WHISPERS): Who is that?
- (WHISPERS): Mr. Chocolate.

MR. CHOCOLATE (OVER INTERCOM):
Mikey, please mess up her hair.

More, Mikey.

Thank you. Continue.

DRAMOND: I'll be damned if
you embarrass me like that

ever again.

Both of you, out.

Charles, we're here...

- Now.
- LOTTIE: Shut up.

- Baby. You have to be quiet...
- MR. CHOCOLATE: Who said that?

Uh, I'm sorry. That
was my daughter. Um...

Baby, you have to be quiet
when they're filming, okay?

So they can record it. Okay, mama?

MR. CHOCOLATE: May I see her?

Uh, I'm sorry, my daughter?

MR. CHOCOLATE: Yes.

Uh, s-sure.

Where are you?

MR. CHOCOLATE: I'm everywhere, like God.

I'm Mr. Chocolate.

Why did you tell that
mean man to shut up?

He was being mean.

I like her. Put her in the scene.

Mikey, place her on the stairs.

Oh, oh, I'm sorry, she-she doesn't act.

Everyone acts, Miss Vanessa.

What is your name, young lady?

Lottie.

Lottie.

Can you tell the mean man to shut up

exactly the way you did the first time?

Okay.

- Wonderful. Dramond...
- Are you gonna be okay?

Take it from, "I'll be damned."

DRAMOND: I'll be damned

if you embarrass me
like that ever again.

Both of you, out.

Charles, we're here supporting...

- DRAMOND: Now.
- Shut up.

(LAUGHTER)

MR. CHOCOLATE: Amazing. Cut. Moving on.

Oh, but, Mr. Chocolate, um,

that was just the blocking rehearsal,

and Lottie's not in any
of the earlier scenes.

We'll fix it in post.

But, sir,

the post department has been begging us

to fix it in "pre."

(INTERCOM BUZZING)

- Understood, sir.
- (BUZZER SOUNDS)

Call Marcie in costumes. We're
gonna need children's clothes.

I'm sorry, what-what-what's happening?

Oh, Mr. Chocolate just needs Lottie

in the next scene.

How long's that gonna take?

With the way that Mr. Chocolate sh**t,

you'll both still
probably be done by lunch,

but we just need to get her fitted.

Come with me, please.

(MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY)

Can I wear this?

It's up to your mother, darling,

but Mr. Chocolate
says whatever you want.

- This okay?
- VAN: Yeah,

that's fine.

(SIGHS)

You okay, love? You nervous for her?

Yeah. I guess I'm kind of nervous.

Well, she seems to be very excited.

She'll do fine.

Yeah, but I guess,
like, putting children

on screen, you know, I
don't know if she really

understands the bigger
picture of what we're doing,

you know what I mean?

What have you seen of Mr. Chocolate's?

Not a lot. Um...

I saw that one movie
where the woman marries...

an angel.

MARCIE: Oh, yeah. Do Not Be Afraid.

- (CHUCKLES)
- Yes, yes.

I, um, didn't love that one.

You a Christian?

I'm spiritual.

(LAUGHS) It's okay.

None of us are perfect.

The only reason I ask is
because it always reminds me

of this verse, "Whoever

"doesn't receive the
Kingdom of God like a child,

won't enter it."

And I always thought that
meant whoever's not open

to the joys of a child...

Like their own child...

is not really open to true happiness.

LOTTIE: Mom. Mom.

Looks cool, huh?

Wow.

It looks very cool.

Can I make a video?
I look like Doja Cat.

(CHUCKLES)

Listen, Doja.

If you ever feel uncomfortable,

and you want to leave,

you just give me the "thumbs down" sign,

and we go right then and there.

We don't even have to
talk to anybody, okay?

Okay.

Want to shake on it?

We're ready for Lottie on set.

All right, baby. Come on, let's go.

(APPLAUSE)

I don't like that man, Mama.

I don't like how he treats you.

I know, baby, but he's all I got.

Your mama's crazy.

If my mama's crazy,

what's your mama?

(LAUGHING LOUDLY)

You better tell her. (LAUGHING)

MR. CHOCOLATE (OVER INTERCOM): Cut.

Moving on. That was perfect.

- (BUZZER SOUNDS)
- VAN: Lottie.

Lottie?

She's good.

Thank you.

Honestly, we need to stick together.

Mr. Chocolate likes your daughter,

probably writing a kids
show for her right now.

(CHUCKLES)

Maybe my daughter
could be the best friend

who's good at computers.

(CHUCKLES) Nah.

She's, uh, just acting for today.

Honestly, she's not even
really that into acting.

I don't know.

She seems pretty happy.

VAN: Yeah, no. She's...

she's not ready. But your daughter

should have the show.

Oh, I know.

She's not the right "type."

Like I said, we really
need to stick together.

YOUNG GIRL: How was that, Mommy?

That was great.

That was great. Yes.

Excuse me, s... Where's Lottie?

They moved to the next scene.

- Next scene?
- Mm-hmm.

How many more scenes is she in?

Well, she's in...

uh...

more scenes, and it
looks like they made her

number three on the call
sheet. Congratulations.

Oh, no, no, no. I think I need

to speak to somebody in charge.

Is Mr. Chocolate around?

No. (CHUCKLES) He
never leaves his office.

I've actually never seen Mr. Chocolate.

I just know he's always watching me.

Guy's a genius.

That's fine. Um, where is Lottie headed?

Tommy Lister Memorial Stage.

- Okay, could you take me there?
- (GROANS) I...

I'll take you, if you want.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

SHAMIK: So, where you from?

I'm from here. You?

Oh, I'm from New Orleans.

Don't worry, I still like
you, though. (CHUCKLES)

Think it's cool seeing a mother

and daughter working together.
How long y'all been acting?

Uh, we actually don't really act.

A friend of mine put
me on, and I was told

maybe it'd be a good experience for me.

Oh, well, you guys are great. (CHUCKLES)

How'd you end up in maintenance here?

I got incarcerated when I was young.

Two years and...

wasn't a lot of
opportunity when I got out.

Mr. Chocolate, he had this program.

Just thought I'd build up my résumé

and work on coding at night.

- Coding?
- Yeah, I got this crypto mining farm.

It's in my closet.

I've been playing with
solar batteries, too.

Do you even know what that
is? Or am I just, like...

am I mansplaining?

You're doing a little bit of
both, but it's cute enough.

- (LAUGHS) Look, uh, there it is.
- Okay.

Look, I got to run, but...
you ever got a problem

with your fridge or your phone,

or you just want to get coffee...

you should hit me.

- Thank you.
- Oh, yeah, for sure.

- (MAN SOBBING HYSTERICALLY)
- (DISTANT g*ns f*ring)

You white piece of sh*t.

I hope you get sh*t in the theatre.

(SOBBING CONTINUES)

MR. CHOCOLATE (OVER INTERCOM):
And cut. Flip the set.

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

SECOND P. A.: Uh, Mr. Chocolate,

that was a blocking. We weren't filming.

MR. CHOCOLATE: We'll fix
it in post. Flip the set.

Um, excuse me, Miss? Sorry.

Have you seen my daughter?

She's a little girl with
cornrows? They said she would be

- on this set.
- Uh, I think

they're on the John
Witherspoon Stage now.

Okay, I'm sorry. This is unacceptable.

Who is with my daughter?

I'm sorry.

I'm directing two pilots
and starring in another.

I just bring people where he tells me.

Mr. Chocolate is the only person

who actually knows what's going on.

You need to bring me to
my daughter right now.

- Right now. Yes?
- Okay.

- Thank you.
- Yeah, yeah.

You realize you can't
just take somebody's child

without their permission?
That that's kidnapping?

Ma'am, I'm sorry this happened,

but you won't even remember this
when she wins that BET Award.

Award? This script has a
woman eating a cr*ck sandwich.

- (LAUGHTER)
- Yeah.

- Man, that's good.
- Mr. Chocolate is a wild boy.

- (LAUGHTER)
- What was I even thinking?

I can't believe I let her do this.

I wouldn't even let her watch this.

SECOND P. A.: Well, my
kids love it. It's funny.

Me and my grandma watch his HIV drama,

Love After Diagnosis,
sometimes after church.

I love his rap musical
about the Black law professor

that kills all her white students.

- (LAUGHS) Yeah.
- (LAUGHS)

- That show is lit.
- Yeah, but it's not good.

I don't know. He won,
like, NAACP Awards

- and a bunch of BET ones.
- Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Yeah, so Black awards.

So, only the white ones matter to you?

You know what I mean.

INTERN: Say what you
want about Mr. Chocolate,

- but he's done a lot for the community.
- SECOND P. A.: Yep.

(SCOFFS) I'm rooting
for everybody Black.

Mm.

Even O. J.?

- Even O. J.
- Even O. J.

Look, I tried.

- Lord knows I tried.
- (DOOR OPENS)

- (DOOR CLOSES)
- And I don't know what they said about me,

I don't, I don't know
what you heard, okay?

But sometimes you don't get
the answers you're looking for.

Go ahead and ask me something.

LOTTIE: Why am I here, Mama?

ACTRESS: None of us asked to be here.

You just go through life
and hope for the best.

But why am I here with you?

Why... didn't you protect me?

Isn't that what mothers
are supposed to do?

(CRUNCHING)

This cr*ck sandwich good as hell.

MR. CHOCOLATE (OVER
INTERCOM): Amazing. Moving on.

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

Lottie? Lottie?

Where is she?

Um...

I'm sorry, ma'am. I
don't know where she is.

(CHUCKLES) But I'm sure she's safe.

Mr. Chocolate is always watching, and...

he has plans for her.

What the f*ck are you saying?
Is this a f*cking cult?

Um, e-excuse me,
s-security? I'm sorry, um...

- Mm-hmm?
- I can't find my daughter.

Okay, but I can't
actually help you, though.

You're security.

Uh, technically, but I'm
also just an intern, too.

Here's your coffee.

(CHUCKLES) Thanks.

(DOOR CLOSES)

Give me back my daughter.

(INTERCOM CRACKLES)

MR. CHOCOLATE: No.

Hell no.

("POINT AND k*ll" BY LITTLE
SIMZ AND OBONGJAYAR PLAYING)

Hey. Hey, love.

You okay?

♪ Uh ♪

♪ I do as I want, I do as I like ♪

♪ I no watch face, I no fear ♪

♪ Nobody, nobody... ♪

Hey!

Kirkwood has my daughter.
I need to see her.

- This is a private residence, ma'am.
- Okay, this is ridiculous.

He has my daughter, and
I'm gonna get in there.

Ma'am, we're gonna call the police.

You know what? Call the
police. I want them here.

- Give me my daughter.
- It's okay, it's okay.

- No. No, no, no.
- It's okay, it's okay.

- Tell me what's happening.
- Kirkwood has my daughter,

and nobody's f*cking
helping me find her!

And I don't know what to do

- 'cause nobody's helping me.
- It's okay. Shh...

- I just need...
- It's okay, it's okay.

- Okay. Okay, okay. Okay.
- I got you. Don't you worry.

Okay. (PANTING)

Let her in.

She has no clearance, ma'am.
This is Mr. Chocolate's

- personal space.
- Mm. Okay.

(CHUCKLES)

- (g*nsh*t)
- (SCREAMING)

Oh, sh*t.

Ma'am, these are fake M s
from the film w*r of God.

Please don't sh**t me.

Go in, baby.

♪ Point and k*ll ♪

- ♪ You can't stop me, oh... ♪
- (WHIMPERING)

♪ You can't stop
me, point and k*ll. ♪

(PANTING) Okay.

(ECHOING): Mr. Chocolate?

(GRUNTING, MUTTERING INDISTINCTLY)

(PIANO PLAYING DISCORDANTLY)

(TYPEWRITER CLACKING)

(CONTINUES PLAYING DISCORDANTLY)

(PIANO STOPS)

(TYPEWRITER STOPS CLACKING)

Oh, hello.

I was just writing on my "Key-iano."

Scripts are like music to me.

Steve Jobs made that for me.

I think of him every time I write.

Would you like a grit?

Where's my daughter?

She's right there.

On the Mario Van Peebles Stage.

By the time you get there,

she'll have moved on
to the next scene...

and the next stage.

Where is the next stage?

(SLURPS)

(SCOFFS)

I don't know.

This whole operation

runs on its own.

I do not understand its...

wants and needs,

nor do I control them.

Chocolateland is my child.

I protect her,

guide her,

but she is not my own.

Have her say, "But I'm pregnant."

FIRST P. A. (OVER INTERCOM): But
this is a kids' show, Mr. Chocolate.

Thank you.

I'm calling the police.

I own the police.

And most of College Park.

You can't just take somebody's...

I can do whatever I want!

You break into my cube,

sh**t my guard, and then tell
me how to raise my child?!

This is an open carry
state, Ms. Vanessa.

You know, someone as you...

- (GRUNTS)
- (SCREAMING)

I'm fine.

Grits don't work on me.

I've developed a
tolerance over the years.

Oh, my God.

You're a con man.

You just make unrelatable

sh*t that takes advantage of the people

- you say you're trying to help.
- Mr. Chocolate?

(GASPS) Oh, my God. Baby? Baby!

- It's an honor, sir.
- Are you okay?

- Oh, so...
- Yeah, it was fun.

- Everyone said that I was funny.
- Really? Are you okay?

- Yeah.
- You okay?

Uh, Ms. Keifer,

- could you please sign this time sheet?
- Absolutely not.

"Unrelatable sh*t," you say.

You know, I've been
watching you, Ms. Keifer.

You're a single mother who can't
afford to feed your daughter.

Phaedra is your "hip girlfriend."

You have a "formally incarcerated,

light-skinned love interest,"

a "Christian, g*n-toting grandmother,"

and let me guess,

you have a dark-skinned baby daddy?

He's brown-skinned.

And you threw grits at me.

Unprovoked.

Face it, Vanessa,

you're a Kirkwood Chocolate woman.

Well, maybe I am, but that
doesn't make you an artist.

It doesn't.

It makes me a philanthropist.

And I'd like to make Lottie an offer.

Six seasons of a children's show.

That would make her financially stable

until she was . What do you say?

Well, I'm not like one of
those mothers downstairs

that's gonna make their
daughter do something

- they don't want to do.
- I want to do it.

I want to be on Mr. Chocolate's show.

(VAN SIGHS)

(QUIETLY): No.

- (SCREAMING): No! No!
- Lottie.

Lottie. Please, Lottie.

- She wants to stay.
- No!

- She wants to stay.
- (CRYING): No!

- VAN: She doesn't.
- No!

She can't be not- forever.

- (LOTTIE GROANING)
- Lottie. Please, Lottie.

- We have to...
- I shall have her.

- (LOTTIE SCREAMS)
- She'll be

"Spurned Woman Number Eight"
when I'm done with her!

- VAN: Lottie, please.
- (LOTTIE SCREAMS)

I've lost a lot of blood,
Mikey. Could you please, um...

- Could you call an ambulance?
- Oh, sir. Of course. Um...

Lottie. Come here.

Baby, I want to talk
about what happened, okay?

No.

(SIGHS)

I know you were having
a lot of fun today.

And...

I'm really sorry that it
ended how it ended, hmm?

But you represent something.

And I know it isn't fair, but
what you do... it matters a lot.

And... I just really
want you to be old enough

to decide what you
want to represent, okay?

'Cause I... I can't always protect you.

I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry.

It shouldn't have happened like that.

(LOTTIE STOMPS FOOT)

Oh. I love you, baby.

You, too.

I'm always gonna be here for you, okay?

Okay.

(SIGHS)

(SIGHS HEAVILY)

I'm gonna make mac and cheese.

LOTTIE: Okay.

("WISHY WASHY" BY COCO
& CLAIR CLAIR PLAYING)

(VAN SIGHS)

♪ : on the dot ♪

♪ He pull up on my block ♪

♪ We goin' to the mall ♪

♪ I'm getting' Nike Shox ♪

♪ No, I'm not Baroque but
he treats me like he's Bach ♪

♪ I take a little off the top ♪

♪ He my dog, Iggy Pop ♪

♪ Shopping bag, it's Goyard ♪

♪ You lookin' mad, I go hard ♪

♪ I'm on a yacht, no lifeguard ♪

♪ You not my man, you a blowhard ♪

♪ He givin' me the keys
to the brand-new Benz ♪

♪ We chillin' waterfront
but we're not holding hands ♪

♪ Wishy washy ♪

♪ Not my boyfriend but I
let you take me shopping ♪

♪ Buy me what I
want, I want it all ♪

♪ Wishy washy ♪

♪ I like the attention
but don't get too comfy ♪

♪ Wishy washy ♪

♪ Wish, wishy ♪

♪ Wishy washy ♪

♪ Wish, wishy washy ♪

♪ Wishy washy ♪

♪ Wish, wishy washy. ♪