The Hard Times of RJ Berger (2010) s01e03 Episode Script
The Berger Cometh
Hammer it! Hammer it! Nail it, nail it! My name is RJ Berger.
One nail! Every kid thinks their parents are crazy or stupid or embarrassing.
But mine are literally killing me.
- Oh! - Ow! Son of a bitch! Could you guys maybe Knock it off for one night? I have school in the morning.
What are you talking about, bud? Mommy and I were just hanging a picture.
Look I'm aware you're not capable of being normal parents, but Just, um, keep the Whatever it is you're doing down.
Now, wait just a minute.
What do you mean, we can't be normal parents? Mom, there's a dude I've never seen before standing behind your armoire.
Evening.
That's what I mean Not normal.
Teenagers.
Hey, RJ.
I came to school naked today.
What? I said, "is it cool if I can't make it today?" You know, our study-buddy session.
Yeah.
Um Yeah, that's fine.
Yeah, we could--you know, we'll do it some other night.
Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about.
I don't think I'm gonna be able to make it for at least a few weeks.
Mrs.
bender offered me the lead in the school musical.
You're kidding.
I mean that's awesome for you.
Thanks.
Too bad you're not doing it too.
I mean, we totally could have hung out and studied during rehearsals.
Yeah, I mean, that would have been, uh, interesting.
I totally would have auditioned, had I known, but I mean why don't you? Auditions don't end till tomorrow.
- Uh, I mean, I-- really--uh, no, I-- you know, I got something-- - come on.
All you got to do is get up and read a few lines.
A musical, RJ? You know what, dude? Why don't you just hire a couple guys to fly planes into our reputations? Okay, what else would you like me to do? I mean, without our study dates, I don't have any reason to be with her.
Nice.
How else am I gonna win her over? Step one, don't let her see you prance around in a leotard! You want her to spin around on your fun stick, not take you for a mani/pedi.
You have to do something manly in front of her.
- What do you mean, "manly"? - You know, manly.
Like grow a mustache or, uh Beat the piss out of some random seventh grader.
She's not gonna be into me for beating up some kid.
What? She goes out with Max Owens! That guy single-handedly destroyed more kids than divorce! Look, people laugh at you for just walking down the hall, RJ.
Imagine what they'll do if they see you dance.
RJ! Dinner Hey.
Just where do you think you're going? - To my room.
- Oh, buh, buh, buh, buh, buh.
No, tonight the three of us are going to have a normal family dinner like normal families do.
So you just throw that fanny in reverse and park it.
Oh, you heard your mother.
So what's the, uh, hiz-aps at school? really? Come on, RJ.
Daddy's asking a perfectly normal question.
Uh, okay, well, uh I'm auditioning for the high-school musical tomorrow.
Look out.
That is fantastic.
Well, excuse me, Matthew Broderick.
What's the play, bud? - It's like-- it's an original p-- it's like, uh--it's a mash-up between West Side story and--and--and twilight.
West Side is one of our favorites.
- That's--that's if I get a part.
I'm not even gonna want you guys to come.
I'm sure it's gonna be-- - I'm a Puerto Rican gal you're a handsome white guy and something, something else - mom-- - and we can't be together 'cause our gang's got a beef there's some fighting and some dancing I get stabbed, and maybe I get killed oh! And I'm crying over your dead body I sing a big song, then we start to make out next! You crazy, man? Nobody can Tokyo drift Better than me! Next.
Sunshine and lemonade with kittens and rainbows next.
Next! Oh, come on, people! Isn't there someone here with an ounce of natural talent? Who's next? You're up.
Come on! "She's the most beautiful girl "I've everSeen.
Every morning when I-- when I go to sleep, it's her I dream about.
" No, no, no! It's about passion, okay? About a boy who loves a girl with every ounce of his being.
Loves her so much, it hurts.
Ever felt that way about a girl, uh Arj Berjay? - Uh, it's--it's r-- - that kind of burning love? A burning love that couldn't be consummated.
Hmm? Yes.
Again.
"She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.
"Every morning, when I go to sleep, it's her I dream about.
"And every time she walks by me, it's It's like the sun goes down.
"But like the sun She turns me to ashes, "because I don't belong in her world.
"She sees right through me.
"I amUndead to her.
" I found my leading man! Arj! - The lead in the high-school musical, RJ? The lead? - I-I wasn't trying to get the lead, you know.
It just sort of-- it happened.
I-I got up there, and--and I was, like-- I was thinking about Jenny.
It was weird, and it just-- it just sort of came out.
Yeah.
May I remind you what came out last time you did a school play? First up, we have Johnny as the rose.
Next stop, we have Timmy as a blade of grass.
And I feel tickly on bare feet.
As our dewdrop, we have Sally.
I'm a drop of dew, and I help all the plants grow.
And lastly, we have RJ as the daffodil.
I'm a daffodil, and I Oh! I hate the daffodil! A lot's changed since then.
Yeah.
Your poops have gotten bigger.
All right, I know bad ideas, and this--this is a bad idea.
Hey, RJ.
Great audition yesterday.
Thanks.
Maybe we could meet after school sometime Run lines? Yeah, um I'd love t-to do that with you.
Well, I'll see you at rehearsal.
Okay.
Control, alt, delete everything I just said.
That's it.
Deep stretches.
Feel yourself becoming one with the stage.
Now, I want you all to listen closely.
Girls don't want Shakespeare unless DiCaprio goes shirtless.
Boys don't want Jane Austen unless there are zombies in it.
Kids want mash-ups.
They want sex.
And this year, we're going to give them both.
Vamp side story is a tale of forbidden love and hard-bodied vampires.
It's a show that demands intensity and passion.
This is especially true of our beautiful Mary played by Jenny Swanson and our naturally pale vampire Anthony played by arj Berjay.
- It's--it's r-- - in the end Their love will triumph, and their lips will meet in a final, tragically deep kiss.
Wait.
We kiss? Places, please! Places, everyone! So you finally get to swap spit with Jenny Swanson.
A little intimidating, no? Uh, shut up, Lily.
What? I'm just saying.
If I finally got to kiss the girl of my dreams, I'd be terrified of screwing it up.
- If you're trying to get into my head, I-- - it's not your head I want to get into.
- Lily-- - you only get one chance to make a first impression.
And let's be honest, arj.
You haven't much experience in the spit-swapping department.
So? So say you get up there and gum at her like a caveman with a Turkey leg? You'll be kissing the girl of your dreams good-bye.
If you want to practice, my mouth is open 24-7.
So you're the one who taught RJ everything he knows about acting.
So what's your technique? How do you, like, take someone and turn them into a great actor? - I take a hands-on approach, Renee.
Um, but to be honest with you, they have to have a certain amount of Natural talent.
But what I do is is I take that talent, and And I--and I mold it.
You know, I-I-I squeeze it until it's five or six times bigger than it was.
Do you think I have enough natural talent to be molded? I think you could be the next Salma Hayek.
Kiss my cold lips.
I promise I won't bite.
And scene! Beautiful, arj! Absolutely beautiful.
- Mrs.
bender? - Yes, my love.
Um, well, you know, I was just wondering, you know, it's opening night tomorrow night, and We really haven't, you know, worked out the whole, uh-- the--the kiss.
Yeah, RJ's right.
It's the climax, and we haven't even rehearsed it.
You never rehearse the first kiss.
You don't.
It has to be fresh.
You need to feel your way into each other.
When I see you kiss up there, I want to see that discovery.
I want to feel that sensuality.
I want to taste that saliva.
From the top! Hey.
- Hey.
- Listen I know what Mrs.
bender said, but I was thinking maybe we could rehearse everything, you know, just leading up to the kiss, just so you don't go this way, and I go that way.
- UmNow--now? Yeah.
Here.
Lie down.
Okay.
Um, so Okay.
- Right.
Okay, we do this.
- So you're gonna grab my hand.
Pull me in.
Pull me close.
- I go-- - then I'll lean in like this.
- Uh-huh.
- Okay.
Now, put your arm around me that.
Does that feel okay? - Mm-hmm, that's really And then I'll lean in like this And that's when we'll kiss.
That's when we kiss.
- That felt okay, right? - Yeah, that felt awesome.
- Okay, good.
- That felt really, really good.
Great.
See you out there.
- See you out there.
- Break a leg.
Okay.
Break a leg, baby.
Bro, it is a packed house out there.
You pull this off, and you're gonna have Jenny Swanson costarring in your underwear! Hey, Miles, I, uh, I can't--I can't kiss Jenny onstage.
What? Come on, come on, man, hey, hey, hey.
Opening night jitters, man.
Shake it out.
Shake it out, all right? You're gonna do great.
All right? Hey, what was Jenny Swanson doing in he-- dude Why are you harboring a midget in your leotard? Miles, I got a big problem.
I can't go out there, miles! Okay, okay, okay, okay.
Let's not panic.
Let's just think about something that'll tame that tiger.
Don't look at it! Okay, okay, okay, okay.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
- Thank you.
- Shh, shh, shh.
Let's think about something like--ah, God - Like what? - Like--like homework! - Ah - Dog--dogfighting circles.
- No.
- Okay, o-Oprah's feet.
- Oh, I kind of like Oprah.
- Uh The Jonas brothers.
I can't, I can't.
I can't, I can't.
Hold on, hold on.
Did you--did you, uh, self-serve? No! Shh.
Twice today, already, yeah.
All right, look.
Okay, look, ready? Look at these things.
This is gross.
This is a major boner killer right here.
Okay, stop, stop! That's awful.
That's awful.
Look, he's smart, okay? And he knows what's going on.
And he knows we're kissing Jenny Swanson tonight.
He's not gonna go away.
Ohh - I-I can't do it, I can't do it! I can't do it! Dude, pull yourself together! I got six hot girls out there waiting to hop on my casting couch, okay? There's too much riding on this! - I'm sorry.
- Let's hey! Hey! Let me see that thing.
Good job, good job.
You sure you don't want to eat my face a little before your big scene? - Lily.
- Okay, okay, fine.
But at least take my advice-- easy on the teeth and avoid choking her with your tongue.
Oh, my gosh.
You're doing so great.
You're doing amazing.
Oh, my gosh.
I love the choice.
- My choice? - Yes.
Your limp, from the fight with Bernie? So smart.
I know, right? Yeah.
So next number's up, people.
Let's go! So That's my cue.
I'll see you at the climax.
Yeah, okay.
Die, vamp! Oh! Oh, no! Oh, yeah! Yeah! Let's roll! Kiss my cold lips.
I will not bite For I've already been bitten.
by love.
Oh, my God! He's pitching a tent! He's got a wooden stake in his shorts! He's got a boner! Yo, Berger! You suck.
- All-new low for RJ Berger.
Killed the play.
Hi.
Yeah.
Ruined your chance with six very naughty-looking girls.
- Yep.
- I'm a walking disaster.
Hey, look at the bright side.
You brought down the curtain early, which is good, 'cause that play totally sucked ball-- oh, man.
Next time I have an idea like this, just - Come on, man.
- Blow my brains out.
- No! - Hey, RJ.
Hi.
Um, can I talk to you alone for a minute? I owe you an apology, RJ, for last night.
I shouldn't have freaked out like that.
It was just, um It was just a little surprising.
You're apologizing? I'm the one who ruined the show.
No, it was not your fault.
We should have rehearsed it.
You were good, RJ.
You were really good.
No matter what anyone says, they can't take that away from you.
- I don't wanna talk about it.
- You don't have to.
- We have something to say to you.
- No, seriously You were right, RJ.
We're not the world's most normal parents.
But then again, you're not a normal kid.
You're extraordinary.
And we couldn't be more proud.
Thanks, guys.
No problem, bud.
Love you.
My name is RJ Berger.
Yes, my parents are crazy, and stupid, and embarrassing Harder! Harder! But they're my parents.
Right there.
One nail! Every kid thinks their parents are crazy or stupid or embarrassing.
But mine are literally killing me.
- Oh! - Ow! Son of a bitch! Could you guys maybe Knock it off for one night? I have school in the morning.
What are you talking about, bud? Mommy and I were just hanging a picture.
Look I'm aware you're not capable of being normal parents, but Just, um, keep the Whatever it is you're doing down.
Now, wait just a minute.
What do you mean, we can't be normal parents? Mom, there's a dude I've never seen before standing behind your armoire.
Evening.
That's what I mean Not normal.
Teenagers.
Hey, RJ.
I came to school naked today.
What? I said, "is it cool if I can't make it today?" You know, our study-buddy session.
Yeah.
Um Yeah, that's fine.
Yeah, we could--you know, we'll do it some other night.
Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about.
I don't think I'm gonna be able to make it for at least a few weeks.
Mrs.
bender offered me the lead in the school musical.
You're kidding.
I mean that's awesome for you.
Thanks.
Too bad you're not doing it too.
I mean, we totally could have hung out and studied during rehearsals.
Yeah, I mean, that would have been, uh, interesting.
I totally would have auditioned, had I known, but I mean why don't you? Auditions don't end till tomorrow.
- Uh, I mean, I-- really--uh, no, I-- you know, I got something-- - come on.
All you got to do is get up and read a few lines.
A musical, RJ? You know what, dude? Why don't you just hire a couple guys to fly planes into our reputations? Okay, what else would you like me to do? I mean, without our study dates, I don't have any reason to be with her.
Nice.
How else am I gonna win her over? Step one, don't let her see you prance around in a leotard! You want her to spin around on your fun stick, not take you for a mani/pedi.
You have to do something manly in front of her.
- What do you mean, "manly"? - You know, manly.
Like grow a mustache or, uh Beat the piss out of some random seventh grader.
She's not gonna be into me for beating up some kid.
What? She goes out with Max Owens! That guy single-handedly destroyed more kids than divorce! Look, people laugh at you for just walking down the hall, RJ.
Imagine what they'll do if they see you dance.
RJ! Dinner Hey.
Just where do you think you're going? - To my room.
- Oh, buh, buh, buh, buh, buh.
No, tonight the three of us are going to have a normal family dinner like normal families do.
So you just throw that fanny in reverse and park it.
Oh, you heard your mother.
So what's the, uh, hiz-aps at school? really? Come on, RJ.
Daddy's asking a perfectly normal question.
Uh, okay, well, uh I'm auditioning for the high-school musical tomorrow.
Look out.
That is fantastic.
Well, excuse me, Matthew Broderick.
What's the play, bud? - It's like-- it's an original p-- it's like, uh--it's a mash-up between West Side story and--and--and twilight.
West Side is one of our favorites.
- That's--that's if I get a part.
I'm not even gonna want you guys to come.
I'm sure it's gonna be-- - I'm a Puerto Rican gal you're a handsome white guy and something, something else - mom-- - and we can't be together 'cause our gang's got a beef there's some fighting and some dancing I get stabbed, and maybe I get killed oh! And I'm crying over your dead body I sing a big song, then we start to make out next! You crazy, man? Nobody can Tokyo drift Better than me! Next.
Sunshine and lemonade with kittens and rainbows next.
Next! Oh, come on, people! Isn't there someone here with an ounce of natural talent? Who's next? You're up.
Come on! "She's the most beautiful girl "I've everSeen.
Every morning when I-- when I go to sleep, it's her I dream about.
" No, no, no! It's about passion, okay? About a boy who loves a girl with every ounce of his being.
Loves her so much, it hurts.
Ever felt that way about a girl, uh Arj Berjay? - Uh, it's--it's r-- - that kind of burning love? A burning love that couldn't be consummated.
Hmm? Yes.
Again.
"She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.
"Every morning, when I go to sleep, it's her I dream about.
"And every time she walks by me, it's It's like the sun goes down.
"But like the sun She turns me to ashes, "because I don't belong in her world.
"She sees right through me.
"I amUndead to her.
" I found my leading man! Arj! - The lead in the high-school musical, RJ? The lead? - I-I wasn't trying to get the lead, you know.
It just sort of-- it happened.
I-I got up there, and--and I was, like-- I was thinking about Jenny.
It was weird, and it just-- it just sort of came out.
Yeah.
May I remind you what came out last time you did a school play? First up, we have Johnny as the rose.
Next stop, we have Timmy as a blade of grass.
And I feel tickly on bare feet.
As our dewdrop, we have Sally.
I'm a drop of dew, and I help all the plants grow.
And lastly, we have RJ as the daffodil.
I'm a daffodil, and I Oh! I hate the daffodil! A lot's changed since then.
Yeah.
Your poops have gotten bigger.
All right, I know bad ideas, and this--this is a bad idea.
Hey, RJ.
Great audition yesterday.
Thanks.
Maybe we could meet after school sometime Run lines? Yeah, um I'd love t-to do that with you.
Well, I'll see you at rehearsal.
Okay.
Control, alt, delete everything I just said.
That's it.
Deep stretches.
Feel yourself becoming one with the stage.
Now, I want you all to listen closely.
Girls don't want Shakespeare unless DiCaprio goes shirtless.
Boys don't want Jane Austen unless there are zombies in it.
Kids want mash-ups.
They want sex.
And this year, we're going to give them both.
Vamp side story is a tale of forbidden love and hard-bodied vampires.
It's a show that demands intensity and passion.
This is especially true of our beautiful Mary played by Jenny Swanson and our naturally pale vampire Anthony played by arj Berjay.
- It's--it's r-- - in the end Their love will triumph, and their lips will meet in a final, tragically deep kiss.
Wait.
We kiss? Places, please! Places, everyone! So you finally get to swap spit with Jenny Swanson.
A little intimidating, no? Uh, shut up, Lily.
What? I'm just saying.
If I finally got to kiss the girl of my dreams, I'd be terrified of screwing it up.
- If you're trying to get into my head, I-- - it's not your head I want to get into.
- Lily-- - you only get one chance to make a first impression.
And let's be honest, arj.
You haven't much experience in the spit-swapping department.
So? So say you get up there and gum at her like a caveman with a Turkey leg? You'll be kissing the girl of your dreams good-bye.
If you want to practice, my mouth is open 24-7.
So you're the one who taught RJ everything he knows about acting.
So what's your technique? How do you, like, take someone and turn them into a great actor? - I take a hands-on approach, Renee.
Um, but to be honest with you, they have to have a certain amount of Natural talent.
But what I do is is I take that talent, and And I--and I mold it.
You know, I-I-I squeeze it until it's five or six times bigger than it was.
Do you think I have enough natural talent to be molded? I think you could be the next Salma Hayek.
Kiss my cold lips.
I promise I won't bite.
And scene! Beautiful, arj! Absolutely beautiful.
- Mrs.
bender? - Yes, my love.
Um, well, you know, I was just wondering, you know, it's opening night tomorrow night, and We really haven't, you know, worked out the whole, uh-- the--the kiss.
Yeah, RJ's right.
It's the climax, and we haven't even rehearsed it.
You never rehearse the first kiss.
You don't.
It has to be fresh.
You need to feel your way into each other.
When I see you kiss up there, I want to see that discovery.
I want to feel that sensuality.
I want to taste that saliva.
From the top! Hey.
- Hey.
- Listen I know what Mrs.
bender said, but I was thinking maybe we could rehearse everything, you know, just leading up to the kiss, just so you don't go this way, and I go that way.
- UmNow--now? Yeah.
Here.
Lie down.
Okay.
Um, so Okay.
- Right.
Okay, we do this.
- So you're gonna grab my hand.
Pull me in.
Pull me close.
- I go-- - then I'll lean in like this.
- Uh-huh.
- Okay.
Now, put your arm around me that.
Does that feel okay? - Mm-hmm, that's really And then I'll lean in like this And that's when we'll kiss.
That's when we kiss.
- That felt okay, right? - Yeah, that felt awesome.
- Okay, good.
- That felt really, really good.
Great.
See you out there.
- See you out there.
- Break a leg.
Okay.
Break a leg, baby.
Bro, it is a packed house out there.
You pull this off, and you're gonna have Jenny Swanson costarring in your underwear! Hey, Miles, I, uh, I can't--I can't kiss Jenny onstage.
What? Come on, come on, man, hey, hey, hey.
Opening night jitters, man.
Shake it out.
Shake it out, all right? You're gonna do great.
All right? Hey, what was Jenny Swanson doing in he-- dude Why are you harboring a midget in your leotard? Miles, I got a big problem.
I can't go out there, miles! Okay, okay, okay, okay.
Let's not panic.
Let's just think about something that'll tame that tiger.
Don't look at it! Okay, okay, okay, okay.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
- Thank you.
- Shh, shh, shh.
Let's think about something like--ah, God - Like what? - Like--like homework! - Ah - Dog--dogfighting circles.
- No.
- Okay, o-Oprah's feet.
- Oh, I kind of like Oprah.
- Uh The Jonas brothers.
I can't, I can't.
I can't, I can't.
Hold on, hold on.
Did you--did you, uh, self-serve? No! Shh.
Twice today, already, yeah.
All right, look.
Okay, look, ready? Look at these things.
This is gross.
This is a major boner killer right here.
Okay, stop, stop! That's awful.
That's awful.
Look, he's smart, okay? And he knows what's going on.
And he knows we're kissing Jenny Swanson tonight.
He's not gonna go away.
Ohh - I-I can't do it, I can't do it! I can't do it! Dude, pull yourself together! I got six hot girls out there waiting to hop on my casting couch, okay? There's too much riding on this! - I'm sorry.
- Let's hey! Hey! Let me see that thing.
Good job, good job.
You sure you don't want to eat my face a little before your big scene? - Lily.
- Okay, okay, fine.
But at least take my advice-- easy on the teeth and avoid choking her with your tongue.
Oh, my gosh.
You're doing so great.
You're doing amazing.
Oh, my gosh.
I love the choice.
- My choice? - Yes.
Your limp, from the fight with Bernie? So smart.
I know, right? Yeah.
So next number's up, people.
Let's go! So That's my cue.
I'll see you at the climax.
Yeah, okay.
Die, vamp! Oh! Oh, no! Oh, yeah! Yeah! Let's roll! Kiss my cold lips.
I will not bite For I've already been bitten.
by love.
Oh, my God! He's pitching a tent! He's got a wooden stake in his shorts! He's got a boner! Yo, Berger! You suck.
- All-new low for RJ Berger.
Killed the play.
Hi.
Yeah.
Ruined your chance with six very naughty-looking girls.
- Yep.
- I'm a walking disaster.
Hey, look at the bright side.
You brought down the curtain early, which is good, 'cause that play totally sucked ball-- oh, man.
Next time I have an idea like this, just - Come on, man.
- Blow my brains out.
- No! - Hey, RJ.
Hi.
Um, can I talk to you alone for a minute? I owe you an apology, RJ, for last night.
I shouldn't have freaked out like that.
It was just, um It was just a little surprising.
You're apologizing? I'm the one who ruined the show.
No, it was not your fault.
We should have rehearsed it.
You were good, RJ.
You were really good.
No matter what anyone says, they can't take that away from you.
- I don't wanna talk about it.
- You don't have to.
- We have something to say to you.
- No, seriously You were right, RJ.
We're not the world's most normal parents.
But then again, you're not a normal kid.
You're extraordinary.
And we couldn't be more proud.
Thanks, guys.
No problem, bud.
Love you.
My name is RJ Berger.
Yes, my parents are crazy, and stupid, and embarrassing Harder! Harder! But they're my parents.
Right there.