The Crazy Ones s01e15 Episode Script

Dead and Improved

You love the taste, you love the sounds A simple treat that's so profound You put the snap, crackle, pop in your soul It only takes one bowl Six, seven, eight You got to have the crackle, don't give up on the pop Then snap is undeniably snappin' at the top You put the snap, crackle, pop in your soul It only takes one bowl Rice Krispies.
That was fantastic.
You made a 50-year-old jingle sound like a Gold Record.
I actually have a Gold Record.
- Have two Platinums.
- Grammy.
- Dad? - Honey we just laid down the track and it was perfect.
All before Doris Jingle-Writer even got here.
- Yeah, Conrad's not gonna make it.
- It's a bummer, honey, I'm gonna miss his cheerleading.
"It's not a jingle, you buffoon, it's a journey, and your singers are taking us on a detour through Crapasylvakia.
" Dad, he's dead.
He died in his sleep last night.
Melora's in your office.
- Oh.
- Wow.
He went quick.
It was a blessing, I suppose.
Certainly for all those who knew him.
Save for me, of course.
I'm wrought.
- How did he go? - The doctors think it was his heart.
Ironic, considering how little mileage he put on it.
Are you okay? Yes.
Looking at you now, I suddenly remembered how much my father disliked short people.
He had faults.
They were many.
Would you do his eulogy? - Say what? - I know, it's a challenge.
People didn't like him *** But I knew him better than anyone in the world, and his life deserves to be celebrated.
I, me.
You want me to eulogize, uh, like, as in "Alas, poor Conrad, I" Well, no What about your mother? Or your stepmother? Or any one of your stepmothers.
All tickled he's dead.
- Aha.
- Isn't there any other family? Just my godfather - Perfect.
- which is you.
No, no, what, no, I'm I'm not no That's for real? I thought he was joking.
I'd eulogize him myself if I thought I could hold myself together but as you can see, I am a basket case.
Honey, I can assure you your father would not want me to speak at his funeral.
The only thing he could ever say about me was "Simon Roberts is an untalented hack.
" And he always made the "hack" noise.
It was ugly.
Do you know what he told me about you, Simon? He said you get the song in life.
- He said that about me? - That you had a way of making people feel invited to the dance.
- I remember he hated dancing.
- And music.
And people.
And feet.
Wait, how could he hate music? He wrote jingles.
Happy jingles, jingles that snap, crackled and popped.
I truly think there was a happy man deep, deep, deep down there, looking to get out.
He never did.
- Never.
- I want his life to be celebrated, at least for one day.
Please, Simon.
- Mm-hmm.
- He was my father.
- No, no, Melora - Wait for it.
For what? No, no, no, no, no, no.
As godfather, I'll do what I can, Connie.
If he sleeps with the fishes, I'll make sure he sleeps well.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh Oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Honey Oh sweet mother of softness.
Paws off, pal.
Just one squeeze? Just enjoy it with your eyes.
Please tell me what you saw.
Tell you what we saw? Tell me what you saw.
Well, I saw two bears, very evolved.
I might add most just go in the woods, and don't use Even Yogi, who was smarter than the average bear You.
What's your name? Still Lauren.
What'd you see? Well, mama bear, papa bear Exactly.
Yes.
Mama bear, papa bear, where's the baby bear? Why no baby bear? Tell me.
You.
Well, uh, maybe baby bear is either still in Huggies, or Bad answer.
Did not please me.
Bad answer.
Got it.
I want a baby bear.
And I want it to be pink.
Hm? A pink baby.
They shouldn't all be blue.
He got the diversity memo.
And I want to do another spot without any bears at all, but with people real human beings people.
Brilliant.
Should we first test it with non-human beings people? Real human beings people.
- Okay.
- Okay.
Sweet human being mother of softness with human being, sexy people.
Like you.
Like you.
Not you.
- It's lunacy.
- Why? It worked for bears, why shouldn't it work for people, like the real human being kind? It shouldn't have worked for bears.
Bears go in the woods.
Hey, Simon, uh, I'm so sorry, I'm having a little trouble with the Charmin account.
Really? Want to trade projects? Deal.
What do I got? A dead masochistic jingle writer.
You're doing the eulogy.
No, no, listen.
Wait, wait, wait.
Toilet paper for Conrad? Trust me, it's an even swap.
What's an even swap? Oh, Melora.
This is Andrew.
He'll be doing your dad's eulogy.
He is our go-to vulnerability guy.
- Did he know my father? - Not at all.
Which gives him a leg up, really.
But I want you to do it.
But no one evokes sympathy more than Andrew.
I mean, look at that face.
He's like a poster child for sad.
I don't want sad.
I want pomp, I want circumstance.
I want my father celebrated and rebranded - Andrew can do - as beloved.
I'm sorry, did you say beloved? Yes, beloved.
Honey, I'm good, but not that good.
Yes, you are.
This is my father we're talking about.
He wrote so many jingles for you.
You knew him.
There was a rumor you once liked him some.
Wait for it, here it comes.
Melora, look Oh, God, oh, God.
Oh, wow.
It's like a lip seizure.
Oh Ooh, it's a-ripplating, up and down.
Look at that lip quiver.
Just, tick-a, tick-a, tick-a, tick-a Oh, God, oh, God, just Stop, stop it.
Okay, okay, I said I'll do it; I'll do it.
And I want it to be kick-ass.
Pomp, circumstance.
It'll be the most kick-ass funeral ever.
By the time you're finished, I want him unrecognizable.
I'm gonna give that miserable son of a bitch the best damn funeral he doesn't deserve.
Yay, dead guy! Okay.
Just a little too soon.
Oh, yeah.
- That felt wrong.
- Yeah, a little respect.
Before we even resume who's dead? I'm sorry? Don't play dumb with me, scarecrow.
Somebody around here croaked.
It wasn't the Budweiser Frog.
You people are pitching some big funeral campaign.
We want in on that.
- You want in on a funeral? - Oh, you betcha.
I am sick of getting our asses wiped by Kleenex in the ancillary markets.
There is no reason people can't be drying their eyes with Charmin.
Well, first, this figures to be a tear-free funeral.
I don't care.
And second, since Kleenex has respectfully stayed out of the bottom hygiene market I don't like you.
since Kleenex has Now that's official.
out If people are crying at a Lewis, Roberts & Roberts sponsored event, I damn well want to see rolls of Charmin being passed around.
Do I make myself clear? Shouldn't we be getting back to the sweet, yummy No.
Right now my focus is on off-label usage.
I want what Kleenex has.
People need to wipe their glasses? Why not Charmin? Blow your nose? Why not Charmin? Remove a little makeup.
Why not Charmin? Stuff your bra before the prom.
Why not Charmin? Why not Charmin? I just did a first pass at the eulogy.
I'll test it with a focus group, see if it needs any punch-up.
Our social media campaign is on fire.
His death notice has gotten tons of "Likes" on the Facebook page.
Yeah, we hired a rocking choir for the church.
It'll be so fun, people will say why couldn't he have died years ago? Sounds fantastic.
Totally.
Like with any campaign, it's very important we get to know the product first.
In this case The man.
Yeah, the man.
The man.
Who da man? Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Who dat? Who dat? Oh, this is so much fun.
We'll put the "fun" in "funeral.
" Uh, okay.
Let's talk about some of the things that he did.
Mm-hmm.
And who he did them to? Nice things.
Like, was he involved in any charities? He sued the March of Dimes once.
Oh.
Excellent.
"Active in philanthropic community.
" What were his loves? Uh Hates? Flowers, puppies, birds chirping.
Okay.
Maybe we should go to the box.
Okay.
These are the family photos? Yes, yes, yes, yes.
I picked out my father's happiest moments.
Oh, wonderful.
Oh.
Wow.
He's not smiling in any of these.
He also hated smiles.
We should add that to the list.
Against smiles good.
Well, this should be a piece of cake.
And cake.
Hated cake.
Sorry.
Syd, we just got a call from Payson's bosses at Charmin.
Is there a problem? Well Am I right? Am I right? It looks right.
People get nosebleeds a lot, especially kids.
They get 'em all the time.
They stuff 'em with cotton.
Well, why not Charmin! Charmin? Andrew, Zach, may I borrow you guys for a second? Sorry, Mitchell.
Of course.
Go ahead.
I'm only the client.
So, we just got a call from Charmin.
It seems our exec has gone a bit rogue.
Mmm.
Evidently, his wife left him yesterday.
Has he been acting strange at all? No.
Seems fine.
Not at all.
Okay, well, we're told he no longer speaks for the company, so you guys are gonna have to terminate the meeting.
Ooh, who's gonna break that ns? Um Gosh, I'm terrible at confrontation, and don't argue with me about it because I'm gonna lose.
And I'm not good at telling people things they don't want to hear.
In fact, I don't even believe in that.
Fine, ladies.
Mitchell.
Hey You're outside on a baking hot day.
You forgot your sunscreen.
Why not Charmin? Mitchell, I've been notified by your superiors to terminate this meeting.
They say that you've been a bit erratic.
Why did they say that? I know that your wife left you.
I-I'm sure this is a very difficult time.
I certainly see no reason to bring my personal life into this.
We are professionals.
Uh, Mitchell I would like a moment, please.
Uh, of course.
If there's anything I would like a moment.
You got it.
Overall, the test audience really liked the eulogy.
Oh, good.
Yeah.
But not Conrad.
Ah.
Only 23% of respondents say they would have dinner with him, were he alive.
Well, that's not terrible.
More than he had when he was alive.
Yeah, but usually, there's a postmortem swell.
You're forgetting about the death bounce.
What do I have to do? Well, get some corroboration, for starters.
Studies suggest that people need to hear something from two separate sources or Morgan Freeman before it becomes an inherent truth.
- Can we get Morgan Freeman? - No, but we can get Fred Melamed.
Mr.
Voiceover.
He's in the building laying down a track for La-Z-Boy.
Go tell him to get his lazy boy ass up here ASPCA.
He loves animals.
He'll do it for the beast known as Conrad.
Call him.
Tell him it's urgent.
If Fred says it, it is so.
Hey, Dad.
Little situation.
What now? Mitchell.
Simon.
Family good? Can't complain.
You're naked.
Fantastic, isn't it? Really good.
Amazing.
I've decided to shed my clothes, if not my skin.
I have come to the do-over fork in life's road, Simon.
After you're done rebranding the dead guy, I'd like you to remake me.
Well, Mitchell, I I want I want to be noticed.
I'd say mission accomplished.
The meek do not inherit.
That's a big lie.
You know that, don't you? I do now.
It's the noisy who prosper, the ones who draw attention to themselves.
I don't have to tell you.
You splatter yourself on the wall, paint this bigger-than-life perception and it works, doesn't it? There you are.
Maybe we should talk about this in my office.
Like the Old Spice guy.
I'm on a horse, you're on a wall.
The elevator, no less.
The ups and downs of life.
Mitchell Well, it's my turn, damn it.
I want to be on a horse, I want to be on a wa.
It is my turn to be somebody I'm not.
"In a world" Fred my office.
Deal with this.
Really? I'm such a non-nude kind of guy.
Deal with it.
Hey Mitchell.
Do you want to head into the No.
Okay.
How 'bout an extra layer? No.
I want to be someone I'm not.
Quackenbush.
Know what I'm talking about? Not a clue.
Exactly.
Uh, if I were to walk up to a stranger on the street and say "Quackenbush," they'd give me exactly the stare I'm seeing now.
But if I were to say "Charmin," that shouts something.
It shouts, "World's softest bathroom tissue, ultra soft, ultra strong.
" And that is a product you helped bring to mankind, Mitchell.
And with it, its underlying message: "Enjoy the go.
" Think about that.
Finally, just enjoying the go.
Are you out of your dinky little mind? Come on, you're a voiceover guy.
Anything you say will sound good.
Yeah.
Syphilis.
Ah, it's like music.
Fred, just a few kind words.
Sure, $10,000.
To say something nice about a guy at his own funeral? Simon, is this not the height of phonyism? No, I'm taking it to a new height.
Well, well, well.
Hello.
Fred, this is Conrad's daughter Melora.
"In a dark and empty cavern of despair, "one man stood alone "like a mountain, waiting to be scaled by the weak and vulnerable.
" Does that actually work? Oh, you have no idea.
So, it'll be cash or check.
I don't take credit cards.
Wear the ascot.
Why? Why does anyone wear an ascot? So, how we doing? Well, as assignments go I really don't care if you just make it up, Simon.
That's fine.
Well, sweetheart, listen, in advertising, a hack starts with a lie and then builds the ad.
A good adman starts with the truth and then builds to the lie.
So if you dig somewhere deep down there, there's still a kernel of truth.
But the deeper I dig with your dad, it's just No, don't You're talking about a man I loved very much.
I know, but Just give me a spectacle, Simon.
That's all I ask.
Whether it's a lie or I just want a spectacle.
For once, I want my father in the same room as the word "wow.
" Wow.
- On a scale of one to ten - General Patton.
- Oh, God.
- Over and over.
Remember, no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country.
He won the war by making some other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
Hey, honey.
I love the smell of Patton in the morning.
Dad? You know I'm just getting fired up, you know.
Big speech, got to get in the zone, be uplifting, inspiring.
Salvation time.
Are you really nervous about this? I mean, you're a showman.
What's the big deal? Um You want to talk? Yeah.
Let's sit down.
You know, when I'm selling a product, whether it's Pringles, laxatives or erectile dysfunction, you know what I'm really selling? Myself.
My personality.
All my nonsense and Yeah, which you're full of, so what's the problem? Well, I always believed in myself.
Meaning? Meaning that maybe there was some naked truth in what naked Mitchell said.
I am this big artifice of perception.
They throw a bigger-than-life image of myself on that wall, and people end up buying it.
What are they buying really? Do you really feel this way? I don't know.
You know, funerals force a man to ponder his legacy.
And what's mine, really? I'm good at selling crap.
Wow.
Stop the presses.
Daddy You always say that when you know I need it.
Come on.
You remember the old David Ogilvy story? Yeah.
Blind man, it's springtime, and I cannot see? Yeah, something like that.
Yeah, well, with you, it's not just that it's always springtime.
You have a way of making everyone else see it, too.
You're not really worried about your legacy, are you? Smoke and mirrors, baby.
No.
You're awesome.
And you don't need to sell that.
Now, come on! Right.
We have a kick-ass funeral to throw.
Yeah.
Let's do this.
Whatever you're going through God God's gonna see you through Hold on Hold on And don't give up Give up, give up Whatever you're going through Whatever you're going through God will God's gonna see you through Hold on Hold on And don't give up Give up, give up The road gets so rough The road gets so rough I hope I-I am not crashing.
Oh, no.
We encourage walk-ups.
You even get a gift bag.
I I just didn't want to be alone.
Plus, there's something oddly affirmative about you people.
Right? Well, please enjoy these aloe vera wet wipes with a decorator container and one ticket to any AMC near you, not including IMAX.
Thank you.
Yeah.
The road gets so rough The road gets so rough Such a good turnout.
It is, isn't it? Hold on And don't give up Give up Hold on Hold on Hold on Hold on You got to keep praying Hold on Hold on Hold on Hold on Hold on And don't give up Don't give up! Yeah! Okay, go.
What? I'm the opening act? Yeah, go, and make it good.
Oh, balls.
In a world where people constantly seek to remake themselves in their ceaseless need to be popular, one man marched alone in his quest to be unliked.
I now give you Simon Roberts.
Mm-mm-mm, mm-mm-mm, mm-mm-mm-mm Ten grand for that? Yes, I'm taking a flower arrangement, too.
Go marching in Go marching in, yes Oh, when the saints go marching in Oh-ho-oh-oh, whoa Oh, Lord, I want To be To be in that number Oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-oh-oh When the saints go marching in Oh, when the saints It's a spectacle! Go marching in Go marching in Oh, when the saints go marching in Why didn't you have my back with the "Yeah, dead guy"? Clearly, I was on message.
be in that number Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh When the saints go Marching in.
How about that choir, people? I thought I saw the box move.
Aah! What can you say about Conrad? Conrad.
He was a lot of things to a few people.
He was a loud man with strong opinions.
Although I didn't find him attractive, many of our wives did.
He was a good Jew and even better anti-Semite.
But I never judged, 'cause I thought he had inside information.
Information there's so much of it out there.
Everyone Twittering and Twerking and rehashtagging.
How much of that information is true? How much of what I'm saying about Conrad is really true? None of us really knew him.
Except his daughter.
Melora.
You wanted me to sell your father as beloved.
Well, he was beloved, honey, by you.
No matter who Conrad was, or what he did, you loved him.
There's nothing I can make up that could really top You want the true picture of a man? See him through his daughter's eyes.
That's his legacy.
To be deeply loved, if not widely.
Truly loved by the one person that knows you best.
Wow.
That's as good as it gets.
If you ever go see Les Misérables, there's a line in that play that's applicable to the "misérable" in that box.
To love another person is to see the face of God.
He loved you, honey, and you loved him.
That's the glory of love.
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh You know, you got to give a little.
Yes! - Take a little.
- That's right.
Let your poor heart break a little.
Yeah! That's the story of, you know? That's the glory of love Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh Sister woman, take it.
Sweet baby, help me out here.
You've got to give a little Ooh, ooh You got to give a little people.
Come on, - give a little.
- Take a little Take a little now! And let your poor heart break a little Let your poor heart break a little for me, now, people, please! Ah-ah That's the story of Ah-ah That's the glory of love Come on, now, people.
Time to take him home.
You've got to laugh a little Pallbearers! Come up here and grab Conrad.
We're gonna blow this joint let's go now! Help him get down, yeah! Six feet down! Here we go.
Come on, people.
Give it up for Conrad! You know the moves! Join in.
Let's sing him out in style! Now that's a wow.
My father together with wow.
We've got the world and all its charm Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh And when the world is through with us We've got each other's arms You've got to Win Win a little Lose Lose a little And always have the blues a little Ah-ah That's the glory of love.
Are you in the room, Conrad? So, how was the test numbers for Conrad? They seemed really well.
- And he's gone.
- He's gone.
Now, Conrad's on his way today Now, I'm gonna, I'm gonna sit and play Conrad's going deep and down, Conrad's leaving this old town Hey, Chi town, shout it out now Chi town, shout it out now Conrad's on his way, yeah Conrad's on his way, yeah! Conrad's on his way.
Get the rights!
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