Vinyl (2016) s01e04 Episode Script
The Racket
1 We cut Deadwood.
Then we got money to bring in new acts Guys, I'm trying to bring this into the future.
Well, I'm here in the present trying to keep the fucking lights on.
Get the band ready.
Set up a showcase sometime next week.
What the fuck happened to the band I heard? Hey! Play the Tubes song.
Tell 'em we're signing them.
Did you or did you not sell the company? It's gonna be fine.
Nothing's gonna change.
Jackie just signed Dusty Springfield.
Oh! Watch your step Jackie.
Hannibal wants to have lunch with me Richie.
Gloria wants a check for 10,000 for the fundraiser.
Deb, I told you.
It's a temporary belt tightening? "Nothing's gonna change Deb.
" This is what you threw me, like a child.
You still playing guitar? Manage a few bands? - Well, maybe you and I should - Why did you come here Richie? I'm offering you an opportunity.
I lost my voice because of you.
- Fuck! They found him.
Relax! He'll be fine.
All night long Hey, now, now, now, now Hey, little baby You been on my mind Look in my dreams Your taste is all I find Hey, now, darling Where you stay out all night long I wanna tell you You know your daddy's home All night long All night long.
Lord, Lord, Lord Please help me find my way home Lord, Lord, Lord Please help me find my way home I was young when I left Didn't realize what I was doing I've had pains and trouble Ever since I've been gone I've had pains and trouble Ever since I've been gone Francis Rogers, loving son to Natalie and Boris.
Buck to his many friends.
Cultural figure.
Generously supported the Federation, the Sisterhood lunch, the renovation of the Bessie Weinbaum memorial Excuse me, are you Richard Finestra? No.
He couldn't make it.
Just he wanted to be here.
Owner of six stations on radio.
Music, sporting events, traffic.
WBSO especially good for the traffic.
Okay, now say it.
Selling the company really fucked with me in ways I didn't anticipate.
I didn't get how much it brought up shit about my father and everything.
And Buck's funeral today.
They're putting the man in the ground, I'm not even there, okay? Which shows you how committed I am He refers to Buck Rogers as that psychotic dipwad.
Don't roll your eyes.
Put it into the couch.
There we go.
Put it into the couch, not your marriage.
How does that feel? Better, actually.
I don't want to take it out on her.
- On you.
- Who? - Devon.
- Yeah.
Say it to her.
- I don't want to take it out - I got it, thank you.
Good.
Why don't you give it a try? Whacking the couch? I'm okay.
If you were okay, you wouldn't be here.
The racket's not gonna help.
I think it helped Richie.
We got him to talk about what's happening with him without attacking your relationship.
Both of you need to identify who you are outside of the marriage.
That's important for you, too, particularly now that Richie is looking at his own shit.
Mm, so now Little Richie is feeling better.
I fucking hate it when she calls me that.
I don't want him to feel better.
I want him to feel worse.
- You see this shit? - Devon.
Our marriage is based on an agreement that nobody does drugs.
Ah, that's how this goes.
Nobody but me ever did anything.
Because when we do, people end up in the hospital on life support or dead.
Mea culpa, okay? Nobody got hurt this time.
You have two healthy children.
What do you want me to say? Not that you feel better! Devon, I hear how angry you are.
You have every right to be.
I want you to pick up the racket and let the couch absorb He's ruining my life! I'm not hitting the fucking couch with a tennis racket! Oh, Candida We could make it together Is he trying to kill me? Leo, the station.
Come on.
Well, at least we don't have to worry about him boycotting us anymore.
Buck.
The man was murdered.
I'm just saying.
Silver lining.
That guy talking to me at the service, brown suit, thought I was Richie.
You would dress better.
- You know, if you were Richie.
- Yeah, I followed you.
Probably a bill collector.
Schulman says there's some fishy shit in the books.
- Who's Schulman? - Forensic accountant.
Did he call you? He had some questions I tried to answer.
Didn't add up.
Somebody's playing shell games.
No, no, if Richie drained the goddamn company, why didn't he unload it when he had the chance? 'Cause he's a coke fiend back on coke.
- You're looking for logic? - He's under a lot of pressure.
- A lot of pressure.
- Oh, really? Whose fault is that? Yeah, he's got all of A&R shitting their pants.
I mean, he's really gonna fire them if they don't sign an act in a week.
Yeah, why the fuck not? You should find an act.
It ain't rocket science.
You throw a brick in this town, you hit somebody singing a song.
Bette fucking Midler got discovered in a feygeleh bathhouse.
I have a girlfriend.
I don't hang out at feygeleh bathhouses.
Hey, Zak, I got Richie.
- Give me him.
Give it to me.
- Give it.
- Give me the phone.
- Give him more cord.
- Hand me the phone! - You're gonna break it.
- You're holding it.
- I got it.
Leave it alone.
- It's stuck.
- Fuck.
Hey, I thought you were gonna be there.
Had to meet somebody.
How was it? Fucking freak show.
Couldn't call me and let me know you're not coming? Hey, you didn't think I wanted to be there? I wouldn't miss a goddamn funeral unless there was a significant thing.
Well, I would have appreciated a warning.
I got to tell everybody you're late.
Then there's this other guy coming around.
- And I don't know who he is.
- Yeah, yeah, listen to me.
Okay? I got Hannibal coming in today to get fluffed before we re-up his contract.
How about you and the guys grab lunch before you come home? You know, so he doesn't feel swamped.
Don't we want him to feel swamped? Fuck! Well, Skip won't shut up about the royalty rate, and Julie gave him all that shit about the fucking synth on the last album.
No, Julie's in the studio today and Skip's making sales calls, so I can ditch Scott.
Are we arguing about lunch? Get a drink.
What's the problem? Yeah, fine, okay.
Whatever.
Fuck.
I just had this pressed.
I'm calling Joe Smith at Warners today.
Beg for a fucking job.
You're gonna walk away from a 22% stake in the company? My stake in the company.
My stake is now worth zero.
- Just fucking relax.
- You fucking relax.
- I lost everything.
- We all lost everything.
Nobody hires you right now.
You tanked the buyout.
You smell like a turd.
Get out of the fucking limo if it's such a hardship.
What, you were really gonna retire after that buyout? And do what? Paint Moira's toenails? And you, you think you'll ever get pussy again you're not a record man? Bunch of whiners.
Enough already! Watch your leg.
This is my side of the car, that's your side.
- What, are you six years old? - Yeah, maybe I am.
Shut up.
Shut the fuck up.
You're recording today? Goulet, the Christmas album.
Oh, yeah, my mom loves him.
Do me a favor, look out the window.
Play the license plate game, all right? In silence.
Everything is beautiful Leo! You're killing me.
Just a minute.
Cece, he's here.
People, let me tell you about a place I know To get in, it don't take much dough Where you can really do your thing Oh, yeah It's got a neon sign outside That says come in and take a look at your mind You'd be surprised what you might find, yeah Strobe lights flashing from sunup to sundown There he is.
Give me five, my brother.
Look at that.
We got a butterfly.
What's your name, butterfly? - Cece.
- Cece.
Hal has the big room all set up.
- Can I walk you in? - We got ribs, brisket.
- Do you remember that place - We're vegetarian now.
Get this shit out of here.
Move.
All of it.
You don't got no Danish at 11:00 in the morning? Of course we do, sweetheart.
Jamie, go down to Goldie's.
25 Danish, no poppy.
It sticks in the teeth.
Am I right? Where is he? Hannibal! Unh! Somebody get me a marker so this man can sign my chest.
Hairy motherfucker.
How I'm gonna sign that? Come on, give it to me.
I see you, Starr.
I see you like a goddamn poem.
So fucking beautiful.
I love you, baby.
Me, too.
Mwah.
Somebody get the queen some champagne, please.
Uh-huh.
You got your own poem.
Oh, yeah, huh? I guess I'm not as dumb as I look.
You're gonna have a drink with me, right? Penny, Jamie hook you up? Yup.
How's everybody doing? - Oh, yes.
- My favorite white girl.
Hannibal.
We're not talking deal points, Harvey.
We're just two big boys having a drink, am I right? - No numbers, okay? - We good, bro.
Get some fruit.
He got to reduce.
Fucking fat ass.
I got something that's waiting for you.
Five cheese, five apricot.
No, no poppy.
I'll be right down.
- You meet him? - No, you? I will.
I just found these two guys who sound exactly like Humble Pie.
Do you really need me to break this down for you? Find somebody who sounds exactly like nobody you've ever heard.
Oh, now she's the Dalai Lama.
Look, the Nasty Bits suck my balls.
I don't want to get into this with you.
Oh, okay, then they're geniuses and I just don't get it? You're right, you just don't get it.
You think I could fire her, huh? You haven't found anybody, huh? How's Starr treating you? Starr want me dead.
That's why I can't go nowhere without her.
- Can't give her no time to plan.
- Here you go.
So, Harvey walk you through the changes? We weren't going to talk business.
I'm not negotiating, brother.
I just hope that he told you that we rolled over on basically everything.
I'm a dog laying on the floor showing you my belly.
Jackie Jervis sent me a case of Dom.
Jackie Jervis is a twat.
He suck you off, too? He didn't have to.
All the Dom I drank, I got too tired.
You know how many funk acts they have over there at Koronet Records? - Not gonna remember your name.
- He said my name a lot.
- He got it down.
- Oh, yeah? Can I interest you in this? Or do you want to run home to Jackie's Dom? - Give me that.
- Line it up.
I want to throw something on the pick for you.
I want you to listen to this horn.
This is the cat who played with Les McCann on "Compared to What.
" - That's a hot track.
- No shit.
Listen to this.
Hey.
Hey, me, too, motherfucker.
You off the wagon? Shit.
Listen, listen.
Ooh! That's a mean horn.
I'm putting him on your next album.
My ma coming to the show tonight.
Front row.
Esther? She's a fucking pistol.
Rein it in with the chicken.
Last time she saw you, she started bringing over trays of that shit.
"You give this to Richie.
His folks both in the ground now.
- Somebody got to take care of him.
" - Well, she's fucking right.
How come you didn't bring the motherfucking chicken? I ate it.
Man, Starr only cook vegetarian now.
Fucking nasty shit.
We're running the world, we can't get a bite to eat.
You better not run this world into the ground, Mack.
Selling your label, not selling your label.
I heard Dusty Springfield bailed.
Dusty Springfield's a fucking loon.
Have a little faith, how about? Do I not take care of you? Have I not always taken care of Hannibal? Found a couple of your fucking groupies downstairs.
Oh, my goodness.
Hi.
Cece brought out the new Bobby Womack.
Playing it for Starr right now.
All right, sugar.
You better pinch me, make sure I'm real.
Sorry.
I need to get out.
Thanks.
- Hey.
- Shall we? Uh Let me just see what's going on back here.
- I need to see Richie.
- Do you have an appointment? Tell him Lester Grimes is here.
Does that mean you have an appointment? Yeah.
Trying to sign with him? I can slip him your tape.
Oh, yeah? You an American Century artist? I'm here to sign.
Sorry, just a few more minutes.
- You want a drink? - We want to sign the bloody contract.
Lester? What the fuck? Welcome to American Century.
Get ready to take it up the ass.
The news watch never stops.
You really think Richie's skimming? Probably.
Selfish piece of shit.
I bought my in-laws a condo in Boca.
- You get a deal? - No, I didn't.
I didn't.
They were gonna move in with us.
I was saving my life.
I thought I was about to make millions from the sale of a company.
Eight years cleaning up after him like the asshole behind the elephant.
What's with you? You don't seem to give a shit that the sale tanked.
I give a big shit.
I was gonna stay with them, PolyGram.
- Maybe work at the headquarters.
- Germany? Fucking kike.
What, are you gonna pass as an Italian? Oh, stop.
It's different now.
West Berlin is it's a happening place.
- Culturally.
- Well, you're not going.
Did you ever meet him before Hannibal? Once, twice.
The big acts, Richie doesn't want you to come around because you'll steal his thunder.
I can't come home with a napkin that he signed? That's all.
You know, I listened to Hannibal when he was still called Lyle Hanny.
I brought an act in once.
A girl with a guitar.
So sweet, you just you want to die.
Irish.
Not that Celtic crap.
She wrote a song about a boat.
He says, "You don't got an ear, Zak.
Yeah, but that's okay 'cause you got a nose for promos.
" That's his rhyming couplet.
This autistic visionary that we're following off a fucking cliff.
Hey, listen to me, Zak, you got a great ear.
I do or I don't, who gives a shit? I got relationships with every DJ in the United States.
- Yeah.
- Mobile, Alabama, has got two broads playing the tin cups, I know about it.
And if Mobile loves them, I take them national.
That's how we got Wilson and Chick.
- And the - Penny.
The Penny Fliers.
I'm a relationship person.
Richie Finestra, he's got a relationship with himself.
This is bloody.
I can't eat this.
- Ma'am.
- Medium well.
Thank you.
Ah! Money Get away Hey, Skippy, we got a card game Thursday.
- I bet we can make room.
- Fuck off, Moose.
More pay and you're okay Money It's a gas Grab that cash with both hands And make a stash This one of mine? Pink Floyd.
Capitol.
Just released.
How come I never walk in here and find you playing my shit? I got a Puerto Rican chick for questions like that.
But she's got tits like helium balloons, so from her I'm willing to take it.
I need you to hold off on the extracurricular Donny Osmond run.
- The fugazis? - Yeah.
I pressed them Friday.
We're very efficient.
Well, sit on them a couple of weeks.
The trucks went out this morning.
It's already at the Goody stores.
What the fuck? I ask you to run something, I normally got to stand here and threaten to piss in your face before it gets done.
I quit drinking.
I had a heart scan.
Three nights in the hospital.
Turns out I can get a lot done in a day.
Mario, do you have any fucking idea what you just did? I am feeling better, thank you very much.
They're auditing my company.
I can't have 10,000 fake Donny Osmond returns showing up, right? It'll be more than we pressed in the first place.
So next time, do the math before you order an illegal run.
Hey, I paid for that run, I can't sell it.
I feel terrible for you.
Now don't give me that look.
Don't give me that look! You made this bed, not me.
You're a moaning asshole.
My blood pressure was 180 over 90! Man, fuck the coat.
I'm gonna get you an actual leopard.
Like a baby one? Yeah, you can't get them old or they'll eat your face off.
Cece, I want to take this kid out after his show tonight, so book a table for everybody, okay? We're gonna have a goddamn vegetarian orgy.
Rice.
Whatever you want.
Richie, there's a detective calling for you.
Take a message, for Christ's sake.
And, uh, Rich.
Ain't I clean, bad machine Super cool, super mean Feeling good for the man Superfly, here I stand Richard, I need to speak with you.
Hey! Do you know Hannibal? Hannibal, this is Robert Goulet.
You think you got to tell me that? He's fucking Lancelot.
Man, you the whole salami.
Oh, look at that, you're the salami.
Shouldn't you be in the studio? Bob, can you have a seat in my office, please? No, I have one original song on this album of warmed-over slop.
If we start on the original material It's about the day after Christmas.
It's an untouched market.
You'll want to stick your head in the oven, you hear this song.
There he is! Zak is back.
Take your time, honey.
Been at lunch since breakfast.
Would you offer Bob a drink, please? I'll be in in a minute, okay? Hannibal, I fucking love you.
He doesn't give a shit.
Five minutes.
Superfly, here I stand - Secret stash, heavy bread - Oh, Richie Baddest bitches in the bed - Buy these for yourself? - But they're not real.
They don't need to be real.
Next to these eyes, real rocks is a waste of bread.
Hey.
This how he treats all his bands? I'm so sorry.
It's crazy here today.
- Fucking bullshit.
- Have you had lunch? No.
There's a diner called Munson's up the block.
We ain't signed.
We ain't got no money.
- What'd you think was gonna happen? - I don't Even if you managed to sell this sorry shit as an album, what then? The fucking "Mike Douglas Show" like this? Am I a sideshow monkey, man? Put me in a little vest? Shut the fuck up.
You got a guilty conscience and this is your solution? 10 years and this is what you come up with? Yeah, man, that's it! That's all I got! You don't like it, get the fuck out! Oh, fuck.
I listened to that shit.
That's my fault.
It's been years since I heard what I used to Why didn't you just fucking hit me with a bat like Galasso did? - Ain't no difference.
- Lester, if I thought for one second that this was gonna hurt Look, I swear to God, man, I just thought that if we took those tracks what are you doing? What are you doing? That's great.
Very nice.
Oh, come on, man.
Yeah, that's really great.
Thanks.
Cece, get me some water, please.
- Cece, get me some water! - Holy shit! Cece, get me a fire extinguisher! What's happening in there? - Back, now.
- Are we getting water? - Cece, anybody, get me some water! - I sent someone, Richie.
Hurry up! Agh! Go away! Get out! - What the fuck?! - Holy shit.
Fucking kidding me? Fuuuck! Cry baby Cry baby Cry baby Honey, welcome back home I know she told you Hon, I know she told you that she loved you Much more than I did But all I know is that she left you And you swear that you just don't know why - This was when? - A couple weeks ago.
You, too, or just the den? Excuse me? Any physical abuse in the marriage? Oh, no, no.
Not in no.
No, you don't need to write that down.
It was an accident.
Is that what women say? I get a lot of clumsy women.
That's not what this was.
It was a car accident.
As much my fault as Richie's.
So you can cross that out.
How about I do my part, you do yours? I don't want you suggesting in your records that I have an abusive husband.
He abuses drugs.
That's different.
I want it to be about what it is.
- Drug abuse.
- And alcohol.
Which for an addict with a history of Accidents.
Is this supposed to feel like a cross-examination? It's not supposed to feel very nice.
And if someone told you it would, they misled you.
You expect sole custody of the children? No.
He's a good father.
He's never exposed the kids to I thought your son found him drunk on the couch with the rectangular guitar.
Shared custody.
- Because he's a good father? - Yes.
Sylvia! - Invoice the hour.
- You want the questionnaire? Sure, what the hell? You bring a checkbook with you, Mrs.
Finestra? - Yes.
- Great.
There's a 150 charge for this meeting and Sylvia will give you a questionnaire.
You can fill it out at home.
Your secretary said on the phone that there would be no charge for the initial consultation.
- Well, she was mistaken.
- What if I hadn't brought my checkbook? Lucky for me you did.
If you think this somehow makes me more comfortable with the idea of you handling my divorce You're not getting divorced, Mrs.
Finestra.
You just wasted an hour of my time generating a card to play in the next fight you have with your husband.
That is the most condescending thing anyone You love your husband, sweetheart.
I wish you didn't.
He sounds like a real asshole.
If I'm wrong, fill out the questionnaire and we'll discuss it the next time we meet.
$150.
My last name is Gross.
Spelled like "Wow, that was really gross.
" One, two, three, now They could care less about you, they could care less about me As long as they are to end the place that they want to be They're always wearing false smiles, I guess it goes with their style Politicians in my eyes You get an idea, you can't shake it.
Hum along with it when you're on the train.
You like it for a minute, but then you hate it.
It ain't good enough, but you write it down anyway just to get it out of your head.
Then you pull out your guitar, see if it might stand up.
Your mouth, your thought, your hand.
Put a microphone in your face, somebody hits record.
Hmm.
Now you sign a deal with a label, paid you a big chunk of change to cut an album, so you're feeling like the man, but they gonna hit that pile of cash, pull out a stack to pay for the studio, the guy pushing the button and the cover art and the poster and the launch party.
That's called recoupment.
Cut the record, it sells in stores, shop gets half.
Take out a buck for the manufacturing.
Buck and a half for the distribution.
A buck for marketing.
Not a whole lot left for you.
But even if there is, you don't get to see a dime of it till they pay off your production costs.
Probably need to sell 100,000 records to do that.
100,000 is more people than you'll ever meet in your life.
You know the difference between mechanical royalties, performance royalties, artist royalties, songwriting royalties? All that shit's gonna show up on a stack of paper, your name at the bottom under a dotted line like it's already done.
And Richie Finestra's gonna hand you a drink and a pen.
He knows that every single one of those things is negotiable down to a hundredth of a percent.
I know.
Only ones that don't know is you.
And you're the ones holding the pen.
Hannibal said he'd put me on the list for the show tonight.
- Good for you.
- You're going, too, right? What do you want, a ride in the limo? Are you gonna change before the show? I take off the jacket, it's a whole nother story.
All right.
Goulet wants to record an original song, I think we should let him do it.
Throw him a bone.
You're the one who thinks we're getting evicted, so if you want to do it You're the one who wants new material, okay? He's got a fresh idea.
It's worth trying.
Got him in here anyhow.
Not like we got to hire an orchestra.
You know, while we're here arguing and they're sitting in the studio burning up the hour I said yes.
What, you want it in a telex? Richie, you're signing the Nasty Bits.
- You can do it in Julie's office.
- Can't I get one minute? No.
They've been sitting here for the entire afternoon.
- Try and look excited, okay? - Shut the fuck up.
Hey, there they are.
The Bits.
We were listening to your demo this afternoon.
- It was so hot, set my office on fire.
- Shit.
Cece's gonna open a bottle of champagne so we can all get shit-faced, okay, before you throw your chop on the line.
Come on.
Get in there, you nasty Nasty Bits.
Hey, coffee.
We want to go over a couple of deal points first, yeah? Yeah, okay.
Sure.
Our manager's gonna join.
He just went to take a leak.
You got a manager? Good, one less thing to figure out.
- Yeah, there he is.
- Great.
You two go back, right? I don't need to do no introductions.
Fuck.
Piece of sh Hey, you got to buy that, man.
What the hell are you doing? You can't touch that.
I'm gonna have to call my manager.
You take this off the platter, I'll get you fired.
Okay, sunflower? Hey, why is my Donny Osmond display shoved in the back of the window behind the dueling fucking banjos? People love those banjos.
That fucking retarded kid.
But I paid you for the front row.
I want to see Donny Osmond's face.
He's got half a nose out there.
Okay, okay.
I'll fix it.
Okay, Mario just sent you an overrun of the Osmond.
I want you to hold off on it for a while.
- You kidding me? - No.
Put the whole operation on ice for a couple of months.
Fuck that.
I got two dozen copies of that fucking record.
I want my return money.
No, you can return what you'd have normally.
No extras, okay? 'Cause I got accountants crawling up every orifice this week.
- That's your problem, man.
- Oh, you want to blow the whole gig? You don't need the extra cash? They pay you so much as a manager of shoving paper clips up his ass, you don't want a cut anymore? Why can't Mario take them back? Because Mario's a fucking asshole.
Like you're a fucking asshole.
He gets a cut, you get a cut.
- I'm the only one taking risks.
- Oh, you don't get a cut? You bought that shit-brown Camaro on what you won betting on the Mets? I take plenty of risk.
Howard's been sniffing around here all the time now that his wife left him.
And I'll tell you what risk I'm not gonna take.
I'm not storing 50 boxes of illegal Donny Osmond albums.
I'm gonna lose my job.
I just bought a bumper pool table.
I can't be out of work right now.
You destroyed my office! That's 10 grand worth of damage in there.
Fucking gold records warped.
Let's talk about the band's advance.
You're a fucking manager, I'm Venus on the half shell.
I am and I'm gonna specialize in people Richie Finestra's ready to gut.
Let me ask you something.
In what universe do you think these shit palms pay a black man 20% of their dough? Richie, we got to swing.
Show's gonna start.
Yeah, I'll meet you there.
Uh, should I take the limo? How about you take a cab? Is that too much of a hardship? 30 grand advance.
15, which is five more than they're worth.
30 and you stay out of the studio.
Get the fuck out of my office.
They have a right to preserve their sound.
You don't give a crap about their sound.
You tripped over them in my lobby.
They have a raw energy.
I want to protect that.
You wanted to protect me, so that ain't something that inspires much.
You know something? You overestimate how shitty I feel about what happened to you.
My label, my artist.
If I want to mix that fucking record myself, I'll do it.
20 grand.
The future is not what it seems I'd offer you a drink, but you're an asshole.
Que sera Que sera When I saw you outside your building that night, what was playing? Some kind of bongo beat under a funk something.
Oh, this kid Kool Herc plays two records at the same time.
Turned my fucking head around.
I had to stop the car.
Does he write his own stuff? You never stop hustling, do you? You better hope I don't.
Que sera Hey.
So you found an act, huh? Yeah, man, I think so.
Called Veiniacs.
The Veiniacs.
No, just Veiniacs.
Are they what are they like? If T.
Rex and Sweet fucked, had a baby raised by Dr.
John, you dig? Yeah.
Yeah.
They're black guys? - No.
- Really? Did you not find any? - Black bands? - Yeah.
I did.
Didn't want to go that way? Yeah, no.
I feel that, you know? You don't want to be pigeonholed.
You think I'm here just to bring in the brothers? Hey, no, I mean, we're all just here to be who we are.
Did Julie say something? Uh, about? I'm supposed to only bring in R&B and funk? No, no.
I mean, he may have said something.
I don't really remember.
You know? You you want some coffee? No.
Ladies and gentlemen, the man of the hour.
Put your hands together for Hannibal! Yeah! Hannibal We want you back Hannibal We want you back We want you back I said Hannibal We want you back We want you back Nobody got the carrots like I asked for.
Excuse me.
Bitch, get a hobby.
You see how these bitches want something for free? You see that one back there? - Hey, Starr.
- Hey, Deirdre.
Chew on a stick.
Baby, why you not wearing the scarf? Shit.
Where it at? Get that goddamn scarf! Oh, you gonna walk slow? Oh, my God.
Supposed to be good for the throat.
- Oh, yeah? - Not really.
But it shuts him up.
Hannibal! Jackie Jervis.
Look at you.
That's some bad pants.
I want some pants like that.
I'll take them off.
You can wear them.
Get out the way.
Andrea, baby.
You so hot, you dangerous.
- Can I eat you alive? - Mm-hmm.
Ooh, you smell like cookies.
I said Hannibal We want you back We want you back You know Cece? Jackie Jervis and Andrea.
She so fine, she don't need a last name.
Nice to meet you.
- Cece work for Richie.
- Oh, yeah? - Is he lurking around here? - He's on his way.
Oh, well, maybe I should leave.
I don't want to show him up.
He'll be here in a minute.
Just stuck in a meeting.
New artist.
Wow, you're already yesterday's news over there, huh? Hannibal Was the opening act one of yours? What? No, man.
I'm not here to see your opener, motherfucker.
I'm here to see you.
I don't care whose label you're on.
I'm a fan of your music, man.
He's smooth.
Hey, you better play "Up the Kleedle" tonight.
- It's my favorite song.
- Gogo! We got "Up the Kleedle" on the list tonight? Put it on.
I have the artist stage right.
Hannibal, we're ready for you.
All right, Hannibal.
Whoo! Hannibal! - Whoo! - All right, baby.
Hannibal Put your hands together Just clap your hands Come on.
Let's go.
Come here, kitty, got a bottle of wine Come on, kitty, want to kill some time Who knows when they gonna drop the bomb on us? Singing everybody better get along It's all right Lady Let's make a baby It's all right Lady Let's make a baby Sing, girl So what you saying to me, brother? That every woman got to be a mother? Maybe that's not my scene Oh If you know what I mean I'm talking about love, love, love I'm talking about love I'm talking about love, love, love Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Whoo Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Whoo Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady Everybody sing, it's all right Lady, let's make a baby All right Lady, let's make a baby Richie, Cece's on the phone.
She says Jackie Jervis is at the show and he's all over Hannibal.
Are you fucking kidding me? - Do you want to talk to her? - No.
No, just tell her to keep him away from Jervis.
Offer to blow him in the corner.
Some fucking thing.
I'll be there in 10 minutes.
Hannibal or Jervis? What? Should she offer to blow? It's an expression.
Hannibal should the opportunity arise.
Tell Leo to bring the car around.
Fuck.
What are you doing? Those two guys right there want to talk to you.
They're detectives.
Why'd you let them back here? Well, nobody's out front.
I'm covering Cece's desk so you're not alone.
Should I Well, I think at this point, you got to let them in.
Hey, guys.
What's up? - Hey.
- Hey.
What happened here? Oh, sprinklers.
- Wow.
- Yeah.
It's not really a good time.
Besides, I already talked to Voehel.
Somebody's got your hoe in the same row.
Voehel? Yeah, Detective Voehel.
I hate to eavesdrop, but did I hear one of the gals say Robert Goulet was here today? - Yeah.
- Is he making a record? - Yep.
- I knew it.
That's terrific.
When can I purchase a copy? Christmas.
It's a Christmas album.
Oh, what you gonna call it? I don't I don't know.
Something like "Robert Goulet's Christmas Album.
" Oh.
How about something in a neighborhood of "Christmas With Bob"? - Hmm? Does he go by Bob? - Yeah, he does.
Guys, how can I help? Is it standards or new material? Mostly standards.
Hmm.
You weren't at Buck Rogers' funeral.
We thought we'd catch you there.
Yeah, I wanted to come.
Got detained.
Oh, with what? Something happen at the funeral? The mother was really undone.
Did you know her? No.
No, we were business acquaintances.
No social interaction at all? No.
I mean, look, I'm in a business where professional interaction has a social component.
Did you two chat on the phone a lot? - We spoke.
- Yeah, we saw that.
Saw what? That he called you.
We looked at his phone records.
Call me irresponsible Call me unreliable.
Did he say that when he called? It's a Goulet song.
The last person called from his home on the night he went missing was a Finestra, Richard, of Greenwich, Connecticut.
All the stockings are hollowed All the paper is torn All the eggnog is swallowed Not a drop left this morn And I wonder how long This poor pine tree will last Christmas, you go so fast So I sit You're right.
I want to drown myself in a bucket of water.
Just the memory of kissing Underneath mistletoe Come on, come on.
- Let's go.
Let's go.
- I have waited all year For what's now in the past Christmas, you go so fast It's only fa-la-la-la-la Good-bye to gingerbread And fa-la-la-la-la Old Santa's gone to bed Oh, fa-la-la-la-la Little star upon the tree Say fa-la-la-la-la It's only you and me And so now as the year ends I see slush on the floor From the boots of my dear friends As they walked out the door Yuck! If it takes a whole month If it takes a whole year I'll bring you back Christmas, come back Christmas, you go So fast.
- Hello? - Hey, babe.
Listen, I've got to take Hannibal and his fucking circus out after the show.
I'm gonna stay in the city, okay? I spoke to a lawyer today.
A divorce Baby, I'm sorry.
I've got to run, okay? I'll try you in the morning.
You good.
Thank you.
Enjoy your drink and we're gonna do the same.
You still dry? No.
Pour him a drink.
He's got a fat wallet, so pour everybody a drink.
What do you want? Maybe I just I wanted to see you.
Hey, Papa.
I've come home, Papa.
Hold me, Papa.
Fuck you.
I need an alibi.
Oh, sinnerman, where you gonna run to? Sinnerman, where you gonna run to? Where you gonna run to? All on that day Well, I run to the rock Please hide me, I run to the rock Please hide me, I run to the rock Please hide me, Lord, all on that day But the rock cried out, "I can't hide you" The rock cried out, "I can't hide you" The rock cried out, "I ain't gonna hide you, guy" All on that day I said, "Rock What's the matter with you, Rock? Don't you see I need you, Rock?" Lord, Lord, Lord, all on that day So I run to the river, it was bleeding I run to the sea, it was bleeding I run to the sea, it was bleeding All on that day So I run to the river, it was boiling I run to the sea, it was boiling I run to the sea, it was boiling All on that day.
Then we got money to bring in new acts Guys, I'm trying to bring this into the future.
Well, I'm here in the present trying to keep the fucking lights on.
Get the band ready.
Set up a showcase sometime next week.
What the fuck happened to the band I heard? Hey! Play the Tubes song.
Tell 'em we're signing them.
Did you or did you not sell the company? It's gonna be fine.
Nothing's gonna change.
Jackie just signed Dusty Springfield.
Oh! Watch your step Jackie.
Hannibal wants to have lunch with me Richie.
Gloria wants a check for 10,000 for the fundraiser.
Deb, I told you.
It's a temporary belt tightening? "Nothing's gonna change Deb.
" This is what you threw me, like a child.
You still playing guitar? Manage a few bands? - Well, maybe you and I should - Why did you come here Richie? I'm offering you an opportunity.
I lost my voice because of you.
- Fuck! They found him.
Relax! He'll be fine.
All night long Hey, now, now, now, now Hey, little baby You been on my mind Look in my dreams Your taste is all I find Hey, now, darling Where you stay out all night long I wanna tell you You know your daddy's home All night long All night long.
Lord, Lord, Lord Please help me find my way home Lord, Lord, Lord Please help me find my way home I was young when I left Didn't realize what I was doing I've had pains and trouble Ever since I've been gone I've had pains and trouble Ever since I've been gone Francis Rogers, loving son to Natalie and Boris.
Buck to his many friends.
Cultural figure.
Generously supported the Federation, the Sisterhood lunch, the renovation of the Bessie Weinbaum memorial Excuse me, are you Richard Finestra? No.
He couldn't make it.
Just he wanted to be here.
Owner of six stations on radio.
Music, sporting events, traffic.
WBSO especially good for the traffic.
Okay, now say it.
Selling the company really fucked with me in ways I didn't anticipate.
I didn't get how much it brought up shit about my father and everything.
And Buck's funeral today.
They're putting the man in the ground, I'm not even there, okay? Which shows you how committed I am He refers to Buck Rogers as that psychotic dipwad.
Don't roll your eyes.
Put it into the couch.
There we go.
Put it into the couch, not your marriage.
How does that feel? Better, actually.
I don't want to take it out on her.
- On you.
- Who? - Devon.
- Yeah.
Say it to her.
- I don't want to take it out - I got it, thank you.
Good.
Why don't you give it a try? Whacking the couch? I'm okay.
If you were okay, you wouldn't be here.
The racket's not gonna help.
I think it helped Richie.
We got him to talk about what's happening with him without attacking your relationship.
Both of you need to identify who you are outside of the marriage.
That's important for you, too, particularly now that Richie is looking at his own shit.
Mm, so now Little Richie is feeling better.
I fucking hate it when she calls me that.
I don't want him to feel better.
I want him to feel worse.
- You see this shit? - Devon.
Our marriage is based on an agreement that nobody does drugs.
Ah, that's how this goes.
Nobody but me ever did anything.
Because when we do, people end up in the hospital on life support or dead.
Mea culpa, okay? Nobody got hurt this time.
You have two healthy children.
What do you want me to say? Not that you feel better! Devon, I hear how angry you are.
You have every right to be.
I want you to pick up the racket and let the couch absorb He's ruining my life! I'm not hitting the fucking couch with a tennis racket! Oh, Candida We could make it together Is he trying to kill me? Leo, the station.
Come on.
Well, at least we don't have to worry about him boycotting us anymore.
Buck.
The man was murdered.
I'm just saying.
Silver lining.
That guy talking to me at the service, brown suit, thought I was Richie.
You would dress better.
- You know, if you were Richie.
- Yeah, I followed you.
Probably a bill collector.
Schulman says there's some fishy shit in the books.
- Who's Schulman? - Forensic accountant.
Did he call you? He had some questions I tried to answer.
Didn't add up.
Somebody's playing shell games.
No, no, if Richie drained the goddamn company, why didn't he unload it when he had the chance? 'Cause he's a coke fiend back on coke.
- You're looking for logic? - He's under a lot of pressure.
- A lot of pressure.
- Oh, really? Whose fault is that? Yeah, he's got all of A&R shitting their pants.
I mean, he's really gonna fire them if they don't sign an act in a week.
Yeah, why the fuck not? You should find an act.
It ain't rocket science.
You throw a brick in this town, you hit somebody singing a song.
Bette fucking Midler got discovered in a feygeleh bathhouse.
I have a girlfriend.
I don't hang out at feygeleh bathhouses.
Hey, Zak, I got Richie.
- Give me him.
Give it to me.
- Give it.
- Give me the phone.
- Give him more cord.
- Hand me the phone! - You're gonna break it.
- You're holding it.
- I got it.
Leave it alone.
- It's stuck.
- Fuck.
Hey, I thought you were gonna be there.
Had to meet somebody.
How was it? Fucking freak show.
Couldn't call me and let me know you're not coming? Hey, you didn't think I wanted to be there? I wouldn't miss a goddamn funeral unless there was a significant thing.
Well, I would have appreciated a warning.
I got to tell everybody you're late.
Then there's this other guy coming around.
- And I don't know who he is.
- Yeah, yeah, listen to me.
Okay? I got Hannibal coming in today to get fluffed before we re-up his contract.
How about you and the guys grab lunch before you come home? You know, so he doesn't feel swamped.
Don't we want him to feel swamped? Fuck! Well, Skip won't shut up about the royalty rate, and Julie gave him all that shit about the fucking synth on the last album.
No, Julie's in the studio today and Skip's making sales calls, so I can ditch Scott.
Are we arguing about lunch? Get a drink.
What's the problem? Yeah, fine, okay.
Whatever.
Fuck.
I just had this pressed.
I'm calling Joe Smith at Warners today.
Beg for a fucking job.
You're gonna walk away from a 22% stake in the company? My stake in the company.
My stake is now worth zero.
- Just fucking relax.
- You fucking relax.
- I lost everything.
- We all lost everything.
Nobody hires you right now.
You tanked the buyout.
You smell like a turd.
Get out of the fucking limo if it's such a hardship.
What, you were really gonna retire after that buyout? And do what? Paint Moira's toenails? And you, you think you'll ever get pussy again you're not a record man? Bunch of whiners.
Enough already! Watch your leg.
This is my side of the car, that's your side.
- What, are you six years old? - Yeah, maybe I am.
Shut up.
Shut the fuck up.
You're recording today? Goulet, the Christmas album.
Oh, yeah, my mom loves him.
Do me a favor, look out the window.
Play the license plate game, all right? In silence.
Everything is beautiful Leo! You're killing me.
Just a minute.
Cece, he's here.
People, let me tell you about a place I know To get in, it don't take much dough Where you can really do your thing Oh, yeah It's got a neon sign outside That says come in and take a look at your mind You'd be surprised what you might find, yeah Strobe lights flashing from sunup to sundown There he is.
Give me five, my brother.
Look at that.
We got a butterfly.
What's your name, butterfly? - Cece.
- Cece.
Hal has the big room all set up.
- Can I walk you in? - We got ribs, brisket.
- Do you remember that place - We're vegetarian now.
Get this shit out of here.
Move.
All of it.
You don't got no Danish at 11:00 in the morning? Of course we do, sweetheart.
Jamie, go down to Goldie's.
25 Danish, no poppy.
It sticks in the teeth.
Am I right? Where is he? Hannibal! Unh! Somebody get me a marker so this man can sign my chest.
Hairy motherfucker.
How I'm gonna sign that? Come on, give it to me.
I see you, Starr.
I see you like a goddamn poem.
So fucking beautiful.
I love you, baby.
Me, too.
Mwah.
Somebody get the queen some champagne, please.
Uh-huh.
You got your own poem.
Oh, yeah, huh? I guess I'm not as dumb as I look.
You're gonna have a drink with me, right? Penny, Jamie hook you up? Yup.
How's everybody doing? - Oh, yes.
- My favorite white girl.
Hannibal.
We're not talking deal points, Harvey.
We're just two big boys having a drink, am I right? - No numbers, okay? - We good, bro.
Get some fruit.
He got to reduce.
Fucking fat ass.
I got something that's waiting for you.
Five cheese, five apricot.
No, no poppy.
I'll be right down.
- You meet him? - No, you? I will.
I just found these two guys who sound exactly like Humble Pie.
Do you really need me to break this down for you? Find somebody who sounds exactly like nobody you've ever heard.
Oh, now she's the Dalai Lama.
Look, the Nasty Bits suck my balls.
I don't want to get into this with you.
Oh, okay, then they're geniuses and I just don't get it? You're right, you just don't get it.
You think I could fire her, huh? You haven't found anybody, huh? How's Starr treating you? Starr want me dead.
That's why I can't go nowhere without her.
- Can't give her no time to plan.
- Here you go.
So, Harvey walk you through the changes? We weren't going to talk business.
I'm not negotiating, brother.
I just hope that he told you that we rolled over on basically everything.
I'm a dog laying on the floor showing you my belly.
Jackie Jervis sent me a case of Dom.
Jackie Jervis is a twat.
He suck you off, too? He didn't have to.
All the Dom I drank, I got too tired.
You know how many funk acts they have over there at Koronet Records? - Not gonna remember your name.
- He said my name a lot.
- He got it down.
- Oh, yeah? Can I interest you in this? Or do you want to run home to Jackie's Dom? - Give me that.
- Line it up.
I want to throw something on the pick for you.
I want you to listen to this horn.
This is the cat who played with Les McCann on "Compared to What.
" - That's a hot track.
- No shit.
Listen to this.
Hey.
Hey, me, too, motherfucker.
You off the wagon? Shit.
Listen, listen.
Ooh! That's a mean horn.
I'm putting him on your next album.
My ma coming to the show tonight.
Front row.
Esther? She's a fucking pistol.
Rein it in with the chicken.
Last time she saw you, she started bringing over trays of that shit.
"You give this to Richie.
His folks both in the ground now.
- Somebody got to take care of him.
" - Well, she's fucking right.
How come you didn't bring the motherfucking chicken? I ate it.
Man, Starr only cook vegetarian now.
Fucking nasty shit.
We're running the world, we can't get a bite to eat.
You better not run this world into the ground, Mack.
Selling your label, not selling your label.
I heard Dusty Springfield bailed.
Dusty Springfield's a fucking loon.
Have a little faith, how about? Do I not take care of you? Have I not always taken care of Hannibal? Found a couple of your fucking groupies downstairs.
Oh, my goodness.
Hi.
Cece brought out the new Bobby Womack.
Playing it for Starr right now.
All right, sugar.
You better pinch me, make sure I'm real.
Sorry.
I need to get out.
Thanks.
- Hey.
- Shall we? Uh Let me just see what's going on back here.
- I need to see Richie.
- Do you have an appointment? Tell him Lester Grimes is here.
Does that mean you have an appointment? Yeah.
Trying to sign with him? I can slip him your tape.
Oh, yeah? You an American Century artist? I'm here to sign.
Sorry, just a few more minutes.
- You want a drink? - We want to sign the bloody contract.
Lester? What the fuck? Welcome to American Century.
Get ready to take it up the ass.
The news watch never stops.
You really think Richie's skimming? Probably.
Selfish piece of shit.
I bought my in-laws a condo in Boca.
- You get a deal? - No, I didn't.
I didn't.
They were gonna move in with us.
I was saving my life.
I thought I was about to make millions from the sale of a company.
Eight years cleaning up after him like the asshole behind the elephant.
What's with you? You don't seem to give a shit that the sale tanked.
I give a big shit.
I was gonna stay with them, PolyGram.
- Maybe work at the headquarters.
- Germany? Fucking kike.
What, are you gonna pass as an Italian? Oh, stop.
It's different now.
West Berlin is it's a happening place.
- Culturally.
- Well, you're not going.
Did you ever meet him before Hannibal? Once, twice.
The big acts, Richie doesn't want you to come around because you'll steal his thunder.
I can't come home with a napkin that he signed? That's all.
You know, I listened to Hannibal when he was still called Lyle Hanny.
I brought an act in once.
A girl with a guitar.
So sweet, you just you want to die.
Irish.
Not that Celtic crap.
She wrote a song about a boat.
He says, "You don't got an ear, Zak.
Yeah, but that's okay 'cause you got a nose for promos.
" That's his rhyming couplet.
This autistic visionary that we're following off a fucking cliff.
Hey, listen to me, Zak, you got a great ear.
I do or I don't, who gives a shit? I got relationships with every DJ in the United States.
- Yeah.
- Mobile, Alabama, has got two broads playing the tin cups, I know about it.
And if Mobile loves them, I take them national.
That's how we got Wilson and Chick.
- And the - Penny.
The Penny Fliers.
I'm a relationship person.
Richie Finestra, he's got a relationship with himself.
This is bloody.
I can't eat this.
- Ma'am.
- Medium well.
Thank you.
Ah! Money Get away Hey, Skippy, we got a card game Thursday.
- I bet we can make room.
- Fuck off, Moose.
More pay and you're okay Money It's a gas Grab that cash with both hands And make a stash This one of mine? Pink Floyd.
Capitol.
Just released.
How come I never walk in here and find you playing my shit? I got a Puerto Rican chick for questions like that.
But she's got tits like helium balloons, so from her I'm willing to take it.
I need you to hold off on the extracurricular Donny Osmond run.
- The fugazis? - Yeah.
I pressed them Friday.
We're very efficient.
Well, sit on them a couple of weeks.
The trucks went out this morning.
It's already at the Goody stores.
What the fuck? I ask you to run something, I normally got to stand here and threaten to piss in your face before it gets done.
I quit drinking.
I had a heart scan.
Three nights in the hospital.
Turns out I can get a lot done in a day.
Mario, do you have any fucking idea what you just did? I am feeling better, thank you very much.
They're auditing my company.
I can't have 10,000 fake Donny Osmond returns showing up, right? It'll be more than we pressed in the first place.
So next time, do the math before you order an illegal run.
Hey, I paid for that run, I can't sell it.
I feel terrible for you.
Now don't give me that look.
Don't give me that look! You made this bed, not me.
You're a moaning asshole.
My blood pressure was 180 over 90! Man, fuck the coat.
I'm gonna get you an actual leopard.
Like a baby one? Yeah, you can't get them old or they'll eat your face off.
Cece, I want to take this kid out after his show tonight, so book a table for everybody, okay? We're gonna have a goddamn vegetarian orgy.
Rice.
Whatever you want.
Richie, there's a detective calling for you.
Take a message, for Christ's sake.
And, uh, Rich.
Ain't I clean, bad machine Super cool, super mean Feeling good for the man Superfly, here I stand Richard, I need to speak with you.
Hey! Do you know Hannibal? Hannibal, this is Robert Goulet.
You think you got to tell me that? He's fucking Lancelot.
Man, you the whole salami.
Oh, look at that, you're the salami.
Shouldn't you be in the studio? Bob, can you have a seat in my office, please? No, I have one original song on this album of warmed-over slop.
If we start on the original material It's about the day after Christmas.
It's an untouched market.
You'll want to stick your head in the oven, you hear this song.
There he is! Zak is back.
Take your time, honey.
Been at lunch since breakfast.
Would you offer Bob a drink, please? I'll be in in a minute, okay? Hannibal, I fucking love you.
He doesn't give a shit.
Five minutes.
Superfly, here I stand - Secret stash, heavy bread - Oh, Richie Baddest bitches in the bed - Buy these for yourself? - But they're not real.
They don't need to be real.
Next to these eyes, real rocks is a waste of bread.
Hey.
This how he treats all his bands? I'm so sorry.
It's crazy here today.
- Fucking bullshit.
- Have you had lunch? No.
There's a diner called Munson's up the block.
We ain't signed.
We ain't got no money.
- What'd you think was gonna happen? - I don't Even if you managed to sell this sorry shit as an album, what then? The fucking "Mike Douglas Show" like this? Am I a sideshow monkey, man? Put me in a little vest? Shut the fuck up.
You got a guilty conscience and this is your solution? 10 years and this is what you come up with? Yeah, man, that's it! That's all I got! You don't like it, get the fuck out! Oh, fuck.
I listened to that shit.
That's my fault.
It's been years since I heard what I used to Why didn't you just fucking hit me with a bat like Galasso did? - Ain't no difference.
- Lester, if I thought for one second that this was gonna hurt Look, I swear to God, man, I just thought that if we took those tracks what are you doing? What are you doing? That's great.
Very nice.
Oh, come on, man.
Yeah, that's really great.
Thanks.
Cece, get me some water, please.
- Cece, get me some water! - Holy shit! Cece, get me a fire extinguisher! What's happening in there? - Back, now.
- Are we getting water? - Cece, anybody, get me some water! - I sent someone, Richie.
Hurry up! Agh! Go away! Get out! - What the fuck?! - Holy shit.
Fucking kidding me? Fuuuck! Cry baby Cry baby Cry baby Honey, welcome back home I know she told you Hon, I know she told you that she loved you Much more than I did But all I know is that she left you And you swear that you just don't know why - This was when? - A couple weeks ago.
You, too, or just the den? Excuse me? Any physical abuse in the marriage? Oh, no, no.
Not in no.
No, you don't need to write that down.
It was an accident.
Is that what women say? I get a lot of clumsy women.
That's not what this was.
It was a car accident.
As much my fault as Richie's.
So you can cross that out.
How about I do my part, you do yours? I don't want you suggesting in your records that I have an abusive husband.
He abuses drugs.
That's different.
I want it to be about what it is.
- Drug abuse.
- And alcohol.
Which for an addict with a history of Accidents.
Is this supposed to feel like a cross-examination? It's not supposed to feel very nice.
And if someone told you it would, they misled you.
You expect sole custody of the children? No.
He's a good father.
He's never exposed the kids to I thought your son found him drunk on the couch with the rectangular guitar.
Shared custody.
- Because he's a good father? - Yes.
Sylvia! - Invoice the hour.
- You want the questionnaire? Sure, what the hell? You bring a checkbook with you, Mrs.
Finestra? - Yes.
- Great.
There's a 150 charge for this meeting and Sylvia will give you a questionnaire.
You can fill it out at home.
Your secretary said on the phone that there would be no charge for the initial consultation.
- Well, she was mistaken.
- What if I hadn't brought my checkbook? Lucky for me you did.
If you think this somehow makes me more comfortable with the idea of you handling my divorce You're not getting divorced, Mrs.
Finestra.
You just wasted an hour of my time generating a card to play in the next fight you have with your husband.
That is the most condescending thing anyone You love your husband, sweetheart.
I wish you didn't.
He sounds like a real asshole.
If I'm wrong, fill out the questionnaire and we'll discuss it the next time we meet.
$150.
My last name is Gross.
Spelled like "Wow, that was really gross.
" One, two, three, now They could care less about you, they could care less about me As long as they are to end the place that they want to be They're always wearing false smiles, I guess it goes with their style Politicians in my eyes You get an idea, you can't shake it.
Hum along with it when you're on the train.
You like it for a minute, but then you hate it.
It ain't good enough, but you write it down anyway just to get it out of your head.
Then you pull out your guitar, see if it might stand up.
Your mouth, your thought, your hand.
Put a microphone in your face, somebody hits record.
Hmm.
Now you sign a deal with a label, paid you a big chunk of change to cut an album, so you're feeling like the man, but they gonna hit that pile of cash, pull out a stack to pay for the studio, the guy pushing the button and the cover art and the poster and the launch party.
That's called recoupment.
Cut the record, it sells in stores, shop gets half.
Take out a buck for the manufacturing.
Buck and a half for the distribution.
A buck for marketing.
Not a whole lot left for you.
But even if there is, you don't get to see a dime of it till they pay off your production costs.
Probably need to sell 100,000 records to do that.
100,000 is more people than you'll ever meet in your life.
You know the difference between mechanical royalties, performance royalties, artist royalties, songwriting royalties? All that shit's gonna show up on a stack of paper, your name at the bottom under a dotted line like it's already done.
And Richie Finestra's gonna hand you a drink and a pen.
He knows that every single one of those things is negotiable down to a hundredth of a percent.
I know.
Only ones that don't know is you.
And you're the ones holding the pen.
Hannibal said he'd put me on the list for the show tonight.
- Good for you.
- You're going, too, right? What do you want, a ride in the limo? Are you gonna change before the show? I take off the jacket, it's a whole nother story.
All right.
Goulet wants to record an original song, I think we should let him do it.
Throw him a bone.
You're the one who thinks we're getting evicted, so if you want to do it You're the one who wants new material, okay? He's got a fresh idea.
It's worth trying.
Got him in here anyhow.
Not like we got to hire an orchestra.
You know, while we're here arguing and they're sitting in the studio burning up the hour I said yes.
What, you want it in a telex? Richie, you're signing the Nasty Bits.
- You can do it in Julie's office.
- Can't I get one minute? No.
They've been sitting here for the entire afternoon.
- Try and look excited, okay? - Shut the fuck up.
Hey, there they are.
The Bits.
We were listening to your demo this afternoon.
- It was so hot, set my office on fire.
- Shit.
Cece's gonna open a bottle of champagne so we can all get shit-faced, okay, before you throw your chop on the line.
Come on.
Get in there, you nasty Nasty Bits.
Hey, coffee.
We want to go over a couple of deal points first, yeah? Yeah, okay.
Sure.
Our manager's gonna join.
He just went to take a leak.
You got a manager? Good, one less thing to figure out.
- Yeah, there he is.
- Great.
You two go back, right? I don't need to do no introductions.
Fuck.
Piece of sh Hey, you got to buy that, man.
What the hell are you doing? You can't touch that.
I'm gonna have to call my manager.
You take this off the platter, I'll get you fired.
Okay, sunflower? Hey, why is my Donny Osmond display shoved in the back of the window behind the dueling fucking banjos? People love those banjos.
That fucking retarded kid.
But I paid you for the front row.
I want to see Donny Osmond's face.
He's got half a nose out there.
Okay, okay.
I'll fix it.
Okay, Mario just sent you an overrun of the Osmond.
I want you to hold off on it for a while.
- You kidding me? - No.
Put the whole operation on ice for a couple of months.
Fuck that.
I got two dozen copies of that fucking record.
I want my return money.
No, you can return what you'd have normally.
No extras, okay? 'Cause I got accountants crawling up every orifice this week.
- That's your problem, man.
- Oh, you want to blow the whole gig? You don't need the extra cash? They pay you so much as a manager of shoving paper clips up his ass, you don't want a cut anymore? Why can't Mario take them back? Because Mario's a fucking asshole.
Like you're a fucking asshole.
He gets a cut, you get a cut.
- I'm the only one taking risks.
- Oh, you don't get a cut? You bought that shit-brown Camaro on what you won betting on the Mets? I take plenty of risk.
Howard's been sniffing around here all the time now that his wife left him.
And I'll tell you what risk I'm not gonna take.
I'm not storing 50 boxes of illegal Donny Osmond albums.
I'm gonna lose my job.
I just bought a bumper pool table.
I can't be out of work right now.
You destroyed my office! That's 10 grand worth of damage in there.
Fucking gold records warped.
Let's talk about the band's advance.
You're a fucking manager, I'm Venus on the half shell.
I am and I'm gonna specialize in people Richie Finestra's ready to gut.
Let me ask you something.
In what universe do you think these shit palms pay a black man 20% of their dough? Richie, we got to swing.
Show's gonna start.
Yeah, I'll meet you there.
Uh, should I take the limo? How about you take a cab? Is that too much of a hardship? 30 grand advance.
15, which is five more than they're worth.
30 and you stay out of the studio.
Get the fuck out of my office.
They have a right to preserve their sound.
You don't give a crap about their sound.
You tripped over them in my lobby.
They have a raw energy.
I want to protect that.
You wanted to protect me, so that ain't something that inspires much.
You know something? You overestimate how shitty I feel about what happened to you.
My label, my artist.
If I want to mix that fucking record myself, I'll do it.
20 grand.
The future is not what it seems I'd offer you a drink, but you're an asshole.
Que sera Que sera When I saw you outside your building that night, what was playing? Some kind of bongo beat under a funk something.
Oh, this kid Kool Herc plays two records at the same time.
Turned my fucking head around.
I had to stop the car.
Does he write his own stuff? You never stop hustling, do you? You better hope I don't.
Que sera Hey.
So you found an act, huh? Yeah, man, I think so.
Called Veiniacs.
The Veiniacs.
No, just Veiniacs.
Are they what are they like? If T.
Rex and Sweet fucked, had a baby raised by Dr.
John, you dig? Yeah.
Yeah.
They're black guys? - No.
- Really? Did you not find any? - Black bands? - Yeah.
I did.
Didn't want to go that way? Yeah, no.
I feel that, you know? You don't want to be pigeonholed.
You think I'm here just to bring in the brothers? Hey, no, I mean, we're all just here to be who we are.
Did Julie say something? Uh, about? I'm supposed to only bring in R&B and funk? No, no.
I mean, he may have said something.
I don't really remember.
You know? You you want some coffee? No.
Ladies and gentlemen, the man of the hour.
Put your hands together for Hannibal! Yeah! Hannibal We want you back Hannibal We want you back We want you back I said Hannibal We want you back We want you back Nobody got the carrots like I asked for.
Excuse me.
Bitch, get a hobby.
You see how these bitches want something for free? You see that one back there? - Hey, Starr.
- Hey, Deirdre.
Chew on a stick.
Baby, why you not wearing the scarf? Shit.
Where it at? Get that goddamn scarf! Oh, you gonna walk slow? Oh, my God.
Supposed to be good for the throat.
- Oh, yeah? - Not really.
But it shuts him up.
Hannibal! Jackie Jervis.
Look at you.
That's some bad pants.
I want some pants like that.
I'll take them off.
You can wear them.
Get out the way.
Andrea, baby.
You so hot, you dangerous.
- Can I eat you alive? - Mm-hmm.
Ooh, you smell like cookies.
I said Hannibal We want you back We want you back You know Cece? Jackie Jervis and Andrea.
She so fine, she don't need a last name.
Nice to meet you.
- Cece work for Richie.
- Oh, yeah? - Is he lurking around here? - He's on his way.
Oh, well, maybe I should leave.
I don't want to show him up.
He'll be here in a minute.
Just stuck in a meeting.
New artist.
Wow, you're already yesterday's news over there, huh? Hannibal Was the opening act one of yours? What? No, man.
I'm not here to see your opener, motherfucker.
I'm here to see you.
I don't care whose label you're on.
I'm a fan of your music, man.
He's smooth.
Hey, you better play "Up the Kleedle" tonight.
- It's my favorite song.
- Gogo! We got "Up the Kleedle" on the list tonight? Put it on.
I have the artist stage right.
Hannibal, we're ready for you.
All right, Hannibal.
Whoo! Hannibal! - Whoo! - All right, baby.
Hannibal Put your hands together Just clap your hands Come on.
Let's go.
Come here, kitty, got a bottle of wine Come on, kitty, want to kill some time Who knows when they gonna drop the bomb on us? Singing everybody better get along It's all right Lady Let's make a baby It's all right Lady Let's make a baby Sing, girl So what you saying to me, brother? That every woman got to be a mother? Maybe that's not my scene Oh If you know what I mean I'm talking about love, love, love I'm talking about love I'm talking about love, love, love Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Whoo Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Whoo Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady, let's make a baby Ooh, lady Everybody sing, it's all right Lady, let's make a baby All right Lady, let's make a baby Richie, Cece's on the phone.
She says Jackie Jervis is at the show and he's all over Hannibal.
Are you fucking kidding me? - Do you want to talk to her? - No.
No, just tell her to keep him away from Jervis.
Offer to blow him in the corner.
Some fucking thing.
I'll be there in 10 minutes.
Hannibal or Jervis? What? Should she offer to blow? It's an expression.
Hannibal should the opportunity arise.
Tell Leo to bring the car around.
Fuck.
What are you doing? Those two guys right there want to talk to you.
They're detectives.
Why'd you let them back here? Well, nobody's out front.
I'm covering Cece's desk so you're not alone.
Should I Well, I think at this point, you got to let them in.
Hey, guys.
What's up? - Hey.
- Hey.
What happened here? Oh, sprinklers.
- Wow.
- Yeah.
It's not really a good time.
Besides, I already talked to Voehel.
Somebody's got your hoe in the same row.
Voehel? Yeah, Detective Voehel.
I hate to eavesdrop, but did I hear one of the gals say Robert Goulet was here today? - Yeah.
- Is he making a record? - Yep.
- I knew it.
That's terrific.
When can I purchase a copy? Christmas.
It's a Christmas album.
Oh, what you gonna call it? I don't I don't know.
Something like "Robert Goulet's Christmas Album.
" Oh.
How about something in a neighborhood of "Christmas With Bob"? - Hmm? Does he go by Bob? - Yeah, he does.
Guys, how can I help? Is it standards or new material? Mostly standards.
Hmm.
You weren't at Buck Rogers' funeral.
We thought we'd catch you there.
Yeah, I wanted to come.
Got detained.
Oh, with what? Something happen at the funeral? The mother was really undone.
Did you know her? No.
No, we were business acquaintances.
No social interaction at all? No.
I mean, look, I'm in a business where professional interaction has a social component.
Did you two chat on the phone a lot? - We spoke.
- Yeah, we saw that.
Saw what? That he called you.
We looked at his phone records.
Call me irresponsible Call me unreliable.
Did he say that when he called? It's a Goulet song.
The last person called from his home on the night he went missing was a Finestra, Richard, of Greenwich, Connecticut.
All the stockings are hollowed All the paper is torn All the eggnog is swallowed Not a drop left this morn And I wonder how long This poor pine tree will last Christmas, you go so fast So I sit You're right.
I want to drown myself in a bucket of water.
Just the memory of kissing Underneath mistletoe Come on, come on.
- Let's go.
Let's go.
- I have waited all year For what's now in the past Christmas, you go so fast It's only fa-la-la-la-la Good-bye to gingerbread And fa-la-la-la-la Old Santa's gone to bed Oh, fa-la-la-la-la Little star upon the tree Say fa-la-la-la-la It's only you and me And so now as the year ends I see slush on the floor From the boots of my dear friends As they walked out the door Yuck! If it takes a whole month If it takes a whole year I'll bring you back Christmas, come back Christmas, you go So fast.
- Hello? - Hey, babe.
Listen, I've got to take Hannibal and his fucking circus out after the show.
I'm gonna stay in the city, okay? I spoke to a lawyer today.
A divorce Baby, I'm sorry.
I've got to run, okay? I'll try you in the morning.
You good.
Thank you.
Enjoy your drink and we're gonna do the same.
You still dry? No.
Pour him a drink.
He's got a fat wallet, so pour everybody a drink.
What do you want? Maybe I just I wanted to see you.
Hey, Papa.
I've come home, Papa.
Hold me, Papa.
Fuck you.
I need an alibi.
Oh, sinnerman, where you gonna run to? Sinnerman, where you gonna run to? Where you gonna run to? All on that day Well, I run to the rock Please hide me, I run to the rock Please hide me, I run to the rock Please hide me, Lord, all on that day But the rock cried out, "I can't hide you" The rock cried out, "I can't hide you" The rock cried out, "I ain't gonna hide you, guy" All on that day I said, "Rock What's the matter with you, Rock? Don't you see I need you, Rock?" Lord, Lord, Lord, all on that day So I run to the river, it was bleeding I run to the sea, it was bleeding I run to the sea, it was bleeding All on that day So I run to the river, it was boiling I run to the sea, it was boiling I run to the sea, it was boiling All on that day.