09x10 - Spotlighted and Unrequited

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

[Jamie] This is the true story...

[Matt] ...of seven strangers...

[Melissa] ...picked to live in a mansion...

[Kelley] ...work together...

[Danny] ...and have their lives taped.

[David] To find out what happens...

[Julie] ...when people stop being polite...

[Jamie] ...and start getting real.

-The Real World...
-[Julie] ...New Orleans!

[theme music concludes]

[upbeat music playing]

[traffic whizzing]

[David] There's a lot of girls
I hang out with.

There's one in particular
that kind of stands out.

Her name is Sienna.

Not one.

[David] Sienna, she has connections.

She's a girl about town.
She knows people,

and I was talking to her, I was like,
"You know something? I need to sing."

And she was like,
"You ever sing the national anthem?"

I was like, "Can you get me to sing that?"
She was like, "I know somebody."

She popped open her phone.

She said, "Okay, we have an interview."

She talked right to the person in charge
of the New Orleans Brass.

I was like, um... the hockey team here?

I'm trying to make sure
that when I leave here

that I do not regret a single day.

I've got to make every single effort
that I possibly can,

and to make that effort
is doing it with music

because that is what the gift is.

Damn.

[Amy] We're not going
to mic you to try out,

so you can
just stand right here and belt it out.

-Can I just take it in for a second?
-You sure can.

-I'm just takin' it in.
-[Amy] Whenever you're ready.

[David] I ain't...

[Amy] Have you ever sang
before a live audience?

Well, like, our little
school basketball games.

-Like, what, like 50 people.
-[Amy] Uh-huh. This is big school.

So, just... we have to hear you.

[clears throat, sighs] Okay.

-♪ Oh, say can... ♪
-[David] I'm hoping that works out,

'cause I would love to sing
in front of 10,000 people

and I will never, never forget that, ever.

[upbeat music playing]

[David] Producing a show is very hard.

I've been up
since about six o' clock this morning.

I'm doing a lot of the stuff right now.

-On your own?
-Yeah. So, um...

I got a show to put on
on Saturday and I know damn well

that nobody's going to work
as hard as I'm working.

[Elton] Now, even though
obviously you're the producer

for this particular show,
you've got the other members involved?

Yeah, and I told them I'd give them ideas
of what I want them to do.

I'm just a little concerned.
At this point,

you got to get the rest of the team
out there rolling,

'cause time is a-clicking.

You can't do it all by yourself.
It's physically impossible. All right.

-Cool. Thanks, Elton.
-Okay.

[upbeat music playing]

[Danny] What's going on?
Dave is in control,

but he's not telling us anything.

I feel like he's going
to make the entire show.

-[Kelley] Wouldn't surprise me.
-He hasn't said a single word...

Like, he won't even tell us
what he wants the segments to be about.

Last night, he just kept saying,

"Oh, yeah, yeah.
You know, we'll talk about that later."

Yeah, I need a guideline sheet
or something.

Just 'cause he's a producer
doesn't mean that we're going to agree

with his topics, you know?

Whatever. I'll push the buttons
and I'll do what he says. I don't care.

Well, it's his... it's his thing.

-That's the whole point.
-[Danny] What?

You know, if he's going to be producer,
then that's the whole point.

Like, it's your... show.

We are just, like, employees.

[Julie] Maybe he's not working
with the rest of us

as much as he could.

"If you want something done right,
you might as well do it yourself"

is kind of the attitude he's adopting.

[David] This meeting just is saying,

"Look, a lot of stuff is done."

I have a blueprint of what
the show's going to be like.

Haven't typed it yet,
but the new topic is, um,

"Why relationships don't last as long?"

And also interracial dating.
"What is the consensus about interracial?"

Would you like me to do some research
on interracial dating?

I mean, I have a lot to say about it

because I'm a product
of an interracial marriage.

[David] That's love.

[Melissa] Every relationship I get into

I have no choice
but to be interracial, so...

-Mm-hmm.
-[Melissa chuckles]

-Multiracial, interracial, whatever...
-[David] That's love.

But I got a couple coming in
as far as the interracial dating thing.

I also have...

[Melissa] Input is not appreciated.

I get nothing but rejection
when I put my two cents in.

As far as the set is concerned,

we have a band coming in
for the third segment.

I can give you the particulars

as far as what they're bringing.
keyboards, blah-blah-blah.

I'll give your responsibilities tomorrow,

but also at two, I'm meeting the band
that's supposed to be playing on Saturday.

I mean, we still have to be
in the office tomorrow.

You know, practice on the cameras,
because basically, with the band now,

we have to do a lot of pan shots,
a lot of quick shots. Things like that...

He's got this wall between himself
and the rest of us.

[upbeat music playing]

[David] Can you ask Stephanie
for the number to this phone, please?

It's like, 1:30.

I think that's the right number.

I have got to meet
with the manager of the band

that's supposed to be performing
on Saturday, and that's at two.

And the car is gone.

Oh, ADD. Could you have ADD?

Hey, that's the article...

[David] Jamie's chilling.
Matt's at the computer

but nobody else is in there.

Nobody's in the editing suite.

Nobody's in the production suite.
Nobody's anywhere.

[phone keypad beeping]

[automated voice] At the tone,

please leave your voice
or numeric message.

I'm paging everybody. Just paging,
like, 1-800-page-page-page.

They knew the night before
that I had to go to this meeting...

-[call tone playing]
-[automated voice] The number...

[David] And it's bothering me.
It's bothering me a lot.

What do you guys want to do?
Do you want to go

-right back to work right now?
-[Danny] Yes.

[Melissa] Yes, so we can get yelled at.

Yes, please, take me quickly.

[all laugh]

[Matt] It's not like
they're just dissing their boss.

They're dissing David.

I have a band waiting to meet with me
but this can just mess it all up.

I'll make my appointment.
That's no problem.

But if they don't call,

and I have to leave in a cab,
I will be one pissed person,

so I'd advise somebody to be there
when I see them again,

to separate me, because I will go off.

David's gonna be like,
"Where the hell have you guys been?"

-"We have been working so hard."
-[Kelley] He's just so mad, he's like,

-"Woo, woo, woo, woo..."
-[chuckles]

[all laugh]

[Melissa] And that is not love!

[all laugh]

Tell them when they get back,
tell them they shouldn't have left,

that I'm pissed,
and I'll ream their [bleep] asses.

You can say that
any way you want to. Okay?

Thank you so much. That's all you need.

[mid-tempo music playing]

[Matt] Mwah. I appreciate it, babe.

David and I ended up hitching a ride

to meet with a manager
for Mental Metropolis.

-Thank you, my man.
-It's been a pleasure.

[David] I'm having issues
because the only person

that's really, really working hard
besides myself, is Matt.

And from what we discussed,
it was understood

that we were to be in the office
from noon to four.

[Matt] They know they're in the wrong.
You know what I mean?

As a producer,
it'll be like, "Y'all let me down."

"I had a meeting at two."

"You know, Matt and I,
we made it, we talked to 'em

but at the same time,
we shouldn't have had to deal with that."

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

I don't have a... a level-one storm.

I don't have a level-two storm.
Everything's like, level six.

Level six is not a good place to be.
And right now, I'm at level six.

All right, well, tell me how I can help
bring you down to calm

because I don't want people
to push off what you have to say.

[David] Matt and Dave as a team, dude.
I got all I need in Matt.

Just having your presence there
will help me be calm.

I want to make sure things come out right.

Just be there.

-[Matt] All right.
-Just be there.

[ominous music playing]

[David] If we can do a favor

and everybody sit over there
for a second, please.

Let's get this over real quick.

I'm holding myself back.
I'm holding myself back.

I am a little bit disappointed.

I told you guys yesterday

I was going for a little,
brief little meeting

and you guys aren't there.

And I wasn't understanding
exactly what was going on

because I'm understanding
that from the very first show,

from the very first understanding,

and that's all.

Just, from 12 to four,
there is no deviation.

We have deviated in the past. We all have.

But, see, that's the thing.

When we're supposed to be in the office,
we're in the office. Okay?

[Kelley] I'm not arguing with you
but you're wrong.

[Jamie] He sits there and he lectures us
about the same things

he just got through doing
three weeks before.

That's what it is. No deviation.

Twelve to four. I don't care
if you're twiddling your thumbs.

You're there.

[Danny] He's being the biggest hypocrite
I've ever seen.

You let me know what's up,
because this is my bag.

I am not going to be lectured like that.

You're not my dad.

By somebody, like, nobody in this room
is going to lecture me when...

[David] Well, first of all this is work.
If you can't work four hours...

Nobody's got any room
to be talking in this room

first of all, on the issue.
The end of it, nobody does.

Well, we have done
what you delegated for us to do.

Okay, now, who's talking?
Who's talking to who?

-You talking to me, baby? Go ahead.
-No, I'm finished, Dave, thanks.

-Go ahead.
-Really. I'm finished.

-Really. Seriously.
-Okay, no problem.

[Jamie]
David took his leadership responsibility

to this next level of dictatorship.

You can say what happened in the past.
I really don't give a damn.

You should respect the fact
that it was a mistake.

-We have apologized.
-Mmm-hmm.

But from this misunderstanding
there will be no one boss and one...

That's... that's just too easy.

Look, this is pointless.

Dave, the point is
that you got your work done

and you did it well
and that was the bottom line.

And I think that's what
we all need to understand

is that we all need to get
our work done and do it well.

All right, this is the thing.
This is the thing.

This is the thing, okay.
This is the thing.

Tomorrow, 12 to four, period.

Twelve to four, you do your job.
You understand? That's it.

[upbeat music playing]

I know that he's frustrated
and he just doesn't know the right way

to, like, get it across
without making everybody defensive.

[Jamie] I was fine.
Like, I was legitimate.

I bought a car, yadda, yadda.
He needed it.

I didn't get pissed off
until he started in with this

"When I say 12 to four,
you better be there." Uh-uh.

When I get lectured in that way,
it just makes me go crazy.

He's trying to say something that's right,
he just says it wrong.

Well, I'm proud of him
for keeping his cool

because I know how easy it is
for him to get all wound up.

[Kelley] He says it the wrong way.
He needs, like, Communication Skills 101.

Like, how to get what you want
without pissing everybody off.

[phone ringing]

-[Sienna over phone] Hello?
-[David] Yeah.

-[Sienna] Guess what?
-What?

-You'll be singing the national anthem.
-Yeah!

-Ah! David.
-[chuckles] Oh, this is great.

Yeah. Yeah.

Sienna said to get ready to sing it
on the 27th. That just boggles my mind.

[somber music playing]

[Matt] You know, David is an only child.

I don't really think that David
developed the communication skills

that you usually get
with brothers and sisters.

When did your parents get divorced?

That was ten years ago. I was 12.

I grew up with my mom.

My dad, our relationship isn't too good.

I'm just not interested.
It seems like he's trying to make up

for like, ten years of not being there...

which is cool.
You can try to make up ten years.

I just won't be there
to make it up with you.

You know they say, like,
forgive and forget.

-Uh-huh.
-I don't do that.

[David] He wasn't there for me.

The strength that I have
to be so gung h* and so determined,

so full of desire to achieve
everything that I can,

it was because of what he didn't do
that makes me that way.

[Matt] So how'd your mother deal with it?

She showed me. Her face was like,
"You know, I'm strong."

"Yeah, you know what I'm saying?"
Whatever, like that.

There's plenty of times I heard her cry,
you know what I'm saying?

-I knew it tore her up.
-I realized that she is

the single most important person
in his life.

That's it, you know what I'm saying.
The foundation is just her and me.

You know, just her and me.

[melancholic music playing]

[phone keypad beeping]

-Hey, Ma.
-[David's mom] Hi, sweetheart.

-I know you're asleep. I'm sorry.
-That's okay. What's up?

[David] Nothing.
Do you think you'll be able

to come down and hear me sing
the national anthem?

This is by far the biggest crowd
I will ever have sang in front of

and I'm thinking, you know,
your Ma should be here.

[David's mom] Are you doing something
or do you just want me to come down?

I'm singing the national anthem.
What you mean? Are you awake?

Oh, my God. Okay. Mmm-hmm.

[chuckles] I should call you
when you're awake.

If you would even be able to do it,
'cause I didn't know

whether, you know, you were free
or whatever like that.

To have my Ma here
for me singing the national anthem

and to see her baby up there,
it would just be...

an amazing thing, 'cause it's like...

she knows that I try real hard
to make her proud.

All right, Ma. I love you.

-[David's mom] Love you. Bye.
-Bye.

-[upbeat music playing]
-[indistinct chatter]

Bring the set to this side.

[David] Being producer is a lot of work.
But it's a rush.

What's up, my man?

Oh, yeah, it's going to be a show.

This show, it's like
I'm setting the standards.

I am so setting the standards
and I pushed the envelope to have a band.

I'm setting standards.

[indistinct chatter]

[David] I believe with all my heart

that the roommates
want to see me fail at this show.

They want me to.

[crew member] Ten minutes.

But now it's time to establish myself
and my show is going to be the b*mb.

-Here we go.
-Ten seconds.

Five, four, three, two...

Five, four, three, two...

[upbeat music playing]

Good evening and welcome to The Real 7
on Channel 77.

We have with us today
Elder Alva's favorite...

[Matt] This is the second show.

Everyone is a little bit more
at ease with this show.

[David] What about the children
of interracial marriages?

[guest] I believe that the children
undergo a large amount of stress.

-Mm-hmm. Yes.
-Due to the fact that...

[all laugh]

-Yes, they do.
-[guest] Due to the fact that...

Countdown.

Three, two, one. Cue them off.

Ladies and gentlemen,
for your listening enjoyment,

Mental Metropolis.

[cymbals playing]

♪ Say brah, I'm really out
For microphone assassination... ♪

[David] This show was tight.
We brought it up another level.

It was the tightest show
we've ever had. Woo-woo.

-See you guys next Saturday at seven...
-[applauds]

-...on 77. That's love. See you later now.
-[cheers]

Three, two, one.

Fade to black.

-Beautiful.
-[cheers]

-Much love.
-All right, you guys. I'm really proud.

You guys are really moving along
very, very nicely.

It just keeps getting better.

-You know, you guys now have a live band.
-What did I miss?

[laughter]

[Kelley] Dave gets the job done.

[Matt] The second show
was an absolute success.

We got in there, got it done.
You know, flawless victory.

[Melissa] David is determined
and motivated and talented.

I was very proud of you.
That came together very well.

There is so much more to him
than playing women and working out.

With the show and everything,
so much had to come together today.

It's too bad that somebody with talent
and all that he has going for him

has to be such an a*s-[bleep].

David, you have to change your worldview.

The only way that
you can really excel in this world

is with the help of others.

We're there for you,
and we can be there for you.

[light music playing]

[David] Today is the day.

Singing the national anthem,
it'll be a big thing.

This is it. My Ma's in and everything.

I can't even explain
how excited I am about that.

I can't wait to
give her a big-a*s hug.

A big old hug. If I say big-a*s
around my Ma, she'll k*ll me.

[David's mom] Mmm. How you doing?

[David] When I was a kid,

there was times where she spent like,
long periods at the hospital.

'Cause I don't know.

I feel almost that I have to make
some big impact in the world

so that I can make sure
that my Ma has no worries.

You know, I'm glad she's here
to witness this.

We both understand right now
that this is huge.

I mean, for two minutes,
I'm the person everybody's listening to.

This whole thing is going to be weird.

It's just like, boggling my mind.

I think it is, because you sitting here
and it almost seems like you scared.

-It's cool to be nervous.
-It's just, dang...

It's just...

Ultimately, this could, like,

make or break me. You know? I mean...

You put all that pressure
on yourself, David?

-[David] If I do it well...
-Singing the national anthem...

If you just do your best,
you won't have to have all this pressure.

You just go out there...

put no effort into it,
do your best and blast them.

I want to show her
that she's done a hell of a job.

[upbeat music playing]

[David] I got, like, two hours
until it's showtime.

-Seven of those?
-There's seven of us.

You look nice.

I am... I am frightened.

[Amy] It's fine. You'll be fine.

[David] Butterflies? Forget butterflies.
We talking like, you know,

piranhas just up in the stomach.

[Amy] This is it!

Thanks a lot. Ticket?

[David] Me doing this well

is a knock against people
who said I could never do it.

Who, in the past,
have said you'd never make it.

You'll never do anything serious.
You know, this is all about redemption.

Whenever I sing,
it's always about redemption.

[inspiring music playing]

[Matt] Row 19.

[indistinct chatter over PA]

[chuckles] He's standing over there?

-There.
-Yeah, I see 'em now.

Ooh.

[David]
It's almost like a defining moment.

Who knows what'll happen
if I sing this well?

There he is! There he is!

[announcer] And now, ladies and gentlemen,

if you'll please stand
for our national anthem.

♪ O say can you see ♪

♪ By... ♪

[David] Once I get started,
everything just flows. You can't stop.

It's not like I can say,
"Okay, I'm starting over. Sorry."

♪ ...Were so gallantly streaming ♪

♪ And the rockets' red glare ♪

♪ The bombs bursting in air... ♪

[Jamie] When he hit certain parts
of the song, I get the chills.

♪ Say does that star... ♪

Bring it down. Bring it down.

♪ Spangled banner yet wave ♪

[Jamie] I look over at Melissa
and there are tears in her eyes.

♪ And the home of the ♪

-♪ Brave ♪
-[audience cheers, applauds]

Whoo!

He's amazing.

[Melissa] We're all very proud of him.

David! Whoo!

Yeah, baby. Whoo!

[cheerful music playing]

What's up, Ma?

Here I am, Ma. Thank you.

[hums]

♪ O say can you see ♪

-Back me up.
-[David laughs]

-♪ By the dawn's early light ♪
-[David] ♪ Shoo-be-do-boo ♪

-Bring it on down. Bring it on down.
-[David laughs]

-♪ What so... ♪
-[David] I'll be so scared, dude.

♪ Proudly we hail ♪

I'll be there to back you up.
If you start choking up,

I'll be like, "Dave, pass the mic."

-♪ Were so gallantly... ♪
-Oh, boy.

You know the words to the national anthem?

-Yeah.
-[Matt] See, that's the problem.

Most people, they don't know the words,
they just make sounds.