05x17 - On the Road

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Mad About You". Aired: September 23, 1992 – May 24, 1999.*
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Paul and Jamie Buchman face an unexpected challenge after 25 years of marriage when their daughter moves away from home to study at university.
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05x17 - On the Road

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[Thump]

Ow!

[Thump]

Ow.

[Thump]

Ow.

Here's your pencil.

Thank you.

Wait a second.

Let me understand this.

So you never registered?

No. I didn't want
to make people buy

Specific stuff at
a specific place.

Yeah, but you want presents.

I would love to get presents.

I just really don't want
this to be about presents.

Jamie, it's a baby shower.

Ok. That.

What?

Calling it a baby shower.

It just sounds so
redbook
magazine.

It's just not me.

What do you want to call it?

Uh, celebration, just
having friends over.

Yeah, that's good.

Catchy.

All right. Fine.
Call it a shower,

But everybody's gonna
know it's not that, right?

Yeah.

Now, can we talk
about the games?

Whoa. Games?

James, it's a baby shower.

Well, I have this friend
in my lamaze class

Who plays the guitar.

Fran: the guitar.

Yeah. She sings maternal hymns
from third-world countries.

I would like that.

Oh, ok.

Um, we'll say maybe.

Now, how about the
baby-picture game?

I love that.

We did it at my shower.

It was really silly fun.

Paul, remember? My shower?

Uh, did I go to that?

No, but I told you about it.

The pictures, with the games?

No.

The games, with the pictures?

Yes.

There were like
women there. Yes.

Yeah, I guessed
of them right.

Mmm. Well, boy.

God has given you many gifts.

So we're gonna do
the baby-picture game,

And we're gonna do
the... The gummi bears!

I wanna do the gummi bears.

Ok. Gummi bears.

I was thinking we could all
read a poem by deena metzger.

She's this radical
feminist poet, who...

Maybe we could do the
poems and the gummi bears.

Ok. Couple of gummi
bears never hurt anybody.

Because I found
the perfect bottle.

Look, is that perfect?

That's so cute.

Fran: debbie, it's adorable.

Paul! How cute is this?!

Oh, look at that. That's cute.

Boy, if you're
nursing a linebacker,

That's just the thing.

It's for gummi bears.

For gummi bears?

You fill it with candy.

I see.

Everybody tries to guess
how many are in there.

The closest takes all the candy.

A game, then?

Are you being left out? No.

Because you are being left out.

Sure. I don't want that.

That's ok.

See, this is what I was saying.

Can't we invite men?

Why must it be so clubby?

Show him the
invitations. Look at these.

Now, that's cute, too.

Now, how cute is that?!

It's very cute.

Ooh, it's a little baby's foot.

See the footies, there.

Oh, open it up.

"Help us get our baby
off on the right foot."

I gotta say, I like
the bunnies. Look.

These are all so cute.

But look at these footsies.

Oh, the little tootsies.

Makes me want to eat them.

[All talking]

Paul: somebody say
the word "hockey."

What's the matter with you?

If I hear one more word
about babies and booties

And showers or anything fuzzy,

I'm gonna put a b*llet in
my head. No kidding around.

Marvin.

The words "fuzzy baby booties"

Will not pass
through these lips.

Thank you.

What did I tell you?

Everybody told you this.

Once you have a baby,
everything changes.

What baby? There is no baby.

There's just talk of a baby.

When is the baby?
How's the baby?

What kind of baby? Let's
have a shower for the baby.

I'm telling you, it is inhuman.

Somebody sounds neglected, eh?

Leave work right now.
Come play basketball with me.

I can't come play basketball.

A half an hour. We'll run
around, sweat, shove each other.

You'll enjoy it.

Sounds tempting, but I can't.

Marvin, what do you say?

I would love to. No.

Let me finish.

I would love to, but my
boss is cruel and demanding.

How about a beer?

You can get away
for a beer, can't you?

Paulie, at this moment, no, i...

One beer. We'll sit,
drink, watch girls.

We'll say things
that are unkind.

I'm sorry.

Maybe a little fistfight with
tourists from other lands.

You don't get it. This
weekend would be fine...

Ira, I need this.

I need this. It's important.

I'm becoming unwell.

You need to get away, my friend.

You need to get out of
town, just like you used to do.

My folks have a place upstate.

I was thinking of
going this weekend.

If you want, you could... Yes.

It isn't much. Yes.

It's just a cabin, really. Yes.

It's a bit of a drive,
hours. That's ok.

Yes. Marvin, I'm
saying to you, yes.

Great. Yeah.

Paulie, are you serious?

Yeah. Come with
us. It'd be great.

Guys in a... Who's got a car?

I got a van.

Good. Guys in a van
with nothing to do.

We'll just drive, go
somewhere, and be guys.

Are you in?

What, this weekend? Yes.

You, me, and marvin? Yes.

Oh, what the hell. Let's do it.

All right.

Wait a minute.

You think james is
gonna let you go away?

What are you saying?

I'm just saying,

She's pregnant, she
can't get out of town.

Is it the best time
to go away? No.

Will she love that
I'm going away?

No, but give me a break here.

You gotta take care of you.

Really. Everybody worries
about the baby and the mommy.

Who's worrying about you?

Thank you. Strangers go over
to her. They see she's pregnant.

They start rubbing her belly.

Oh, look, a little baby.

What about me?

You know, nobody's
rubbing anything of mine.

I'm part of this, too.

Of course you are.

See, nobody thinks
about the daddy in this.

Nobody.

Paulie, go and sell this
to your wife, all right?

What does that mean?

All I'm saying is
good luck to you.

Is it the best time
to be going away? No.

Do I expect you to love
that I'm going away? No.

I know it's not fair.

You're pregnant, I'm not.

It's easier for me
to pick up and go.

For you, it's not.

Things are never going
to be exactly equal,

And just like you have your
needs, I have my needs, too,

And right now I'm saying

I really need to go away

And be with some
guys for a while.

That's it, and if you
can't understand that,

Then maybe we have bigger
problems than we think.

Go.

[Singing to radio] ♪ aah ♪

♪ Aah ♪

♪ Aah ♪

♪ Aah ♪

♪ Aah! ♪

Marvin, marvin. Marvin, marvin.

[Tires squeal]

Radio: ♪ shake it
up, baby, now ♪

♪ Shake it up, baby ♪

I tell you, if people got together
and sang that song every day,

The world would be a
better place to live in.

Yes, sir. No question.

Yes, sir.

Can I just say this
is so much better

Than baby showers and booties?

Here's to days of not
having to be sensitive.

We are here for you, my friend.

Oh, this is great.

It's truly
magnificent, huh, boys?

Mmm. And can I say,

Only with guys
would you have this.

That's right.

Amen.

Yes. Nothing against women.

Hey, now, goes without saying.

It's just that with
guys... What is it?

There's a thing, a sharing,
a frequency we all share.

'Cause all guys have been
through the same thing.

That's so true,
marvin. That's so true.

For example, all guys have
been through your mother.

Ow! Ow!

Tell me something I don't know.

That's true. It really is.

I mean, guys, everything
that you think is you,

Every time you
talk to enough guys,

It's happened to them, too.

That's true.

So true. So true.

[Ballad playing on radio]

All right, all right,
you know what?

I'm gonna tell you guys something
that I haven't told anybody.

Seriously?

Totally seriously.

Should I turn down the music?

Whatever. Uh... [Music stops]

Last week, for the
very first time in my life,

I... I ac...

Uh, actually,
forget it. Forget it.

What, are you kidding me? What?

We're in a mutual-trust
situation here.

Absolutely. Go ahead.

Eh, come on. It's us.

It's us.

All right, all
right. What the hell.

Last week, for the very
first time in my life, ok,

I'm dating this girl.

Her name is laurie grobman,

And i, uh... You couldn't...

Paulie, who told you?

Well, I took a wild guess.

Couldn't what?

I couldn't, you know...

For the first time
in my life, marvin,

I... I failed in my
obligations, you know?

I am totally lost.

The man was impotent!

No. I think I made a wrong turn.

I have no idea where I am.

Ira: hey, come on.

I thought at least this would
engender some conversation.

All right, I got something.

All right, marvin's gonna go.

Well, it better be good,
marvin, 'cause I shared.

Same ballpark.

Yeah?

All right, go.

You... You know how
when you're with a woman,

And you're in bed
and everything...

And you want it to last?

Sure, sure.

And you... You know how

The longer you
go at it, the better?

Of course.

Sometimes... It
doesn't last that long.

Hey, marvin, that happens.

Sometimes not long at all.

Ah. Whatever.

Sometimes ... Seconds.

Sometimes less.

Hey, well, listen,
marvin, you know, uh,

What guys haven't
been through that?

You know, I mean, it kind
of happens to everybody.

Yeah?

Sure.

O-ok.

Sure.

You know, I never
really said anything,

'Cause you never
know, you... You know?

Ah, sure, yeah.

Boy... Feels good to say that

To a couple of guys!

So you don't feel like a freak.

Hey, hey, marvin.

[Bell rings]

I can't believe I
said that out loud.

Wow, you guys are great.

It's...

You know, marvin, what
the problem may be?

And I'm just guessing,

But maybe you're a big sissy?

What?

I was just... You
know, as a possibility,

To me it's not out
of the question

That what may be the issue

Is that you're
just a big fat sissy.

Is that a joke?

A what? Yes, of
course it's a joke.

Well, i... I don't
think it's funny.

Marvin... That's a
stupid thing to say.

Of course it's a
stupid thing to say.

That's the point of
the joke. Otherwise...

What are you doing?

Hey, marvin!

That was not very sensitive.

[Dog barks]

Need a shammy?

No. I do not need a shammy.

Nice shammy cloth.

Thank you, no.

All right.

So where is he, paulie?

He will be back.

He'll be back.

It's been almost an hour.

I can't believe I want to have
a little break from sensitivity,

And now I gotta go
say I'm sorry to marvin.

Hey, you guys buying or looking?

Well, I'd like to browse
just a little longer,

See, 'cause you have such
a wide selection of jerkies.

Did you learn nothing?

What?

You get this guy mad,

He's gonna make us wait outside.

We're not dressed for winter.

Excuse me.

Yes, sir.

Uh... I, uh, here
is our situation.

We... This is funny, actually.

Our friend drove off with
our wallets in the van, and, uh,

Getting a bit thirsty.

Water hose over by the pump.

Ok. Good.

Also we're getting,
um, a little bit hungry,

And couldn't help
but notice you got

A mouth-watering array of both
chip and nut products, and uh...

We were just kind of
wondering if we could

Possibly get maybe a
couple cans of soda

And, uh, say, a bag
of chips on credit?

And then, you know, just
till our friend comes back.

Credit? Sorry, boys.

"No credit, no how, no way."

Yes. I can see how... For...

How you have that
up for everybody,

But this is a... A
little bit of a...

Special circumstances,
don't you think?

Sorry.

No credit.

Ok.

Ok.

You know what?

Put your hands up.

What's the matter
with you, anyway?

"Put your hands up"?

It was a joke, an obvious joke.

Does that look
like a g*n? Come on.

That's clearly fingers.

Paulie, it was a bad joke.

It's not like I was inside
a pocket pretending.

It was out there.

It was raw fingers,
knuckles, and nails,

No metal. A joke.

No, no, no. Look, a joke
is when people laugh, ok?

A bad joke is when
people brandish firearms

And kick you out
into the freezing cold

While your warm
clothes are stuck in a van

Where somebody else
who you already pissed off,

Drove away and left you to die.

That, mon frere,
is a bad, bad joke.

Everybody is so sensitive.

I make jokes with
you all the time.

I make fun of you.

Yeah, and I you. Yeah.

Paulie, we know each other.

The rest of the
world isn't like us.

So, is that my problem
or their problem?

[Animal howling]

Right now...

I would say that's our problem.

I do not like this one iota.

Come on. We're gonna make it.

So, guess where I ate last week.

Huh?

That place, il molino.

How did you get in?

It was tuesday. There
was, like, nobody there.

Ah.

What'd you have?

Just the pasta.

I'm telling you, my
feet are freezing.

I can't feel my toes.

We gotta keep moving.

We just gotta keep moving, see?

That's how to stay warm.

Cut it out. This is good.

This keeps the blood
circulating. This is all good.

You don't want me to hit you.

You should try it.
Come on, one sh*t.

Cut it out.

You couldn't even get in here.

Float like a butterfly,
sting like a bee.

You couldn't even touch me. Ow!

What are you, nuts?

You told me to hit you.

Not in the face, you
jackass. It's freezing.

I know it's freezing.

It stings when it's cold.

Paulie, you said one sh*t.

I'll give you one sh*t.

You ripped my pants.
Are you happy now?

Brand new pants, paulie.

Look at this. Just look at this.

Hey. Better yet, look at this.

It looks like our
friend marvin is here.

[Country music playing]

Ball, corner pocket.

Marvin.

You scratched.

Thanks, paul no,
thank you, marvin.

All right, boys, why
don't we go sit down.

We'll talk this
thing out, all right?

I'm not talking to you.

Yo, marvin, paulie's
not the only guy

You ditched back there.

I lost toes and a
brand-new pair of pants.

I gave you a sign
that I was leaving.

You did?

Yeah. I was doing this.

Oh, uh, I didn't catch that.

I did. Sorry you got
caught in the middle.

Hey, don't worry about it.

And you, you got a peculiar
idea of what constitutes a joke.

You know what?

You called marvin a sissy?

Hi. How are you tonight?

That kind of name-calling
stuff is so old, man.

And who are these
fine young ladies?

I don't know.

That's her, and
that's her friend.

I'm darla... And dawn.

How you doing?

You believe this guy?

Creep.

Hey, can I buy you
ladies a domestic beer?

Look, I'm sorry if your
feelings were hurt.

Are you?

Not that much.

The point is, it was a joke.

It was... Was it an
insensitive joke?

Yes, but that was the point,

Because we were all sharing.

We were all being
open and vulnerable,

So I think, "what is the
worst thing to say?"

And then go ahead and say that.

What?

Ok, look, here's
rude, and here's me,

So I'm one level
past being rude,

Because how could I be
rude if I know it's rude?

So I'm smart. I know it's rude,

And I think you're up
there with me, together,

Making fun of the rudeness.

Th-that's a joke
that we were sharing.

See I thought that you and i,

We could make fun
of the same thing,

And that it would be funny.

I'm going to the can.

Just can't reason with that guy.

Why would you
call marvin a sissy?

It was a joke, ma'am.

I don't get it. Me, neither.

If I may, I don't get it myself.

How is that funny?

Should I explain it?

Yes. Yes.

It's... Ok, to me,

It's funny because it's
so wrong, you know?

It's so far into wrong

That it becomes funny

Because it's so inappropriate.

You see what I mean?

It's the worst thing to do.

It's like laughing at a funeral.

You laugh at funerals?

That's sick.

Again, I can honestly say

I have never
laughed at a funeral,

But that's me.

Ok, you want to hear
something funny?

This is funny.

Tell them the one about...

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Ok. What do you call
a dog with legs?

Nothing, 'cause no
matter what you call him,

He ain't gonna come.

You heard it before?

I heard it before, yes.

Actually, in fact,
I think the joke is

"What do you call
a dog with no legs?"

What?

The way I heard it,
the actual joke is

"What do you call a
dog with no legs?" See?

You said " legs."

"No legs" is the
only difference.

See, because legs...

You call a dog with legs,

He could still... He
could hobble over.

So he's hobbling, and he
would get there eventually.

It would take him a while,
but he'd get there somehow

'Cause he can do it.

A dog with no legs,
he's not coming...

Ever.

A dog with no legs?

That is so sad.

I mean, how's he
gonna eat or play?

I'm not condoning
it. That's the actual...

What's wrong with you?

Your friend has a real problem.

I'm just saying
the actual joke...

Just give it a rest, mister.

You brought up the joke.

Walk away.

I'm gonna... I'm gonna
go play pool with guys.

You're friends with him?

Him? No. No way.

He's really insensitive.

But, yeah, but
that's why it's funny.

Don't you see?

To call a man a sissy...

Doesn't seem very funny to me.

No, it's not. It's, see...

But see, we were
all being out there

And open and vulnerable.

We were all sharing.

Let me tell you something.

There's nothing
sissy-like about sharing.

Maybe I'm not explaining
the joke properly.

I've been in aa
for years now.

I think I can safely
say it saved my life.

Me, too.

You know how? No.

By being open,
vulnerable, sensitive.

Hey, listen, I'm the most
sensitive guy in the world.

All I'm saying...

Easiest thing in the world

Is to make fun of somebody
who's having a problem.

Listen,

With the help of
these good friends,

I haven't had a drink
in over years.

No kidding? Is that true?

April will be years.

Wow. Hey, this is some
accomplishment. No kidding.

Well, good for you.

Let me buy you a drink,
and we'll celebrate.

Are you out of your mind?!

See, that's the
same joke. I know...

That's not a joke, mister.

You don't have to laugh,

But I know that's
a bad thing to say,

So I say it to be funny.

Son, I'm gonna have
to ask you to leave.

You're disturbing my customers.

Me?

I'm afraid so.

Are you throwing me
out because of a joke?

Am I going out of my mind here?

This is not a baby
shower, it's a bar.

There's liquor,
and people curse.

You better not
start cursing now.

I'm not gonna curse...

You know what? We got
off on the wrong foot.

You don't know me. I
happen to be a nice guy,

But even the nicest
guy once in while,

On occasion, has just
got to be insensitive.

Why? Why what?

Why do you have
to be insensitive?

Are you kidding me?

What... I mean, am I
your biggest problem?

Right now.

You want to talk
about offensive?

Have you seen the graffiti?

Look at your bar. You got
genitalia carved in your wood.

That's disgusting.

I didn't do it.

I'm sorry about my friend here.

He's a little wound up.

His wife is about
to have a baby.

All: aww.

You're having a baby?

Well, soon, yeah.

That is just such a miracle.

It's not a miracle.

I have of my own.

Ashley is , and jordan is .

Why didn't you tell us that
you were gonna have a baby?

I don't know you.

Boy or girl? One of the two.

I hope it's a girl.

This is my sister's little
girl. She's just months.

Her name's madison.

Look at those little cheeks.

Don't you just
want to bite them?

Num num num.

This is so cute.

Radio: ♪ aah ♪

♪ Aah ♪

♪ Shake it up, baby, now ♪

Look at this.

This is adorable.

You like it?

Oh, it's so cute.

I'm glad you liked it.

I thought you would.

It has the little fuzzy booties.

In the back, it has the
little bunny cottontail.

The baby falls on
his little baby bottom,

It's all cushioned
nice softy, softy.

You picked this out?

I did.

Sissy.

Thank you.

So, this guy, he's got a dog,

And, um, oh, he loves
this dog so much,

And the dog's
only got, um... ...

Legs. .

I'll get it right when
we get down there.

That's a ways to go, and, um...

Oh, he's gonna throw,
eh, the ball to the...

He's got a beautiful
backyard, and he...

You haven't heard
this one before?

No. Not at all.

So he throws it, uh, to...

No, he's gonna throw it.

What's the dog's name?

Oh, oh, here it is. Here it is.

What do you call
a dog with legs?

No, it's no legs, and
the answer's nothing

'Cause no matter what
you call him, he ain't coming.

What's the matter with you?
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