Being Mary Jane (2013) s02e10 Episode Script

(Mary Jane) Previously on Being Mary Jane I want to win an Emmy for producing nightly news on network.
Oh, did they assemble a secret focus group session for you as well? I was ordered not to tell you.
- You thought I didn't know? - Look, I didn't do anything.
I know, not a damn thing.
- What else you need? - $3 to 5 million in capital.
I got to pull out of this deal.
You want to back out of the deal because my sister hurt your feelings? (Mary Jane) I don't want to rush into anything.
You're in luck.
I'm a patient man, and you're well worth the wait.
[smooth R&B music.]
[car lock beeps.]
[doorbell rings.]
I brought the good black truffle gouda and a Bordeaux this time.
(woman) Let's take this overboard now I want you to I needed that.
- Got you feeling loose? Mm-hmm.
- Yes, you do.
It's gonna suck if you sign with another team.
- When I sign with another team.
- Right.
I mean, they were stupid to release you, but you know what? Worst case, you could always go to the Canadian Football League.
[chuckles.]
Listen, I love football, but not there.
You can't trust a place where they feel comfortable leaving their doors unlocked.
You know, it's just not home.
It's the NFL or nothing.
You could always go back to school.
- Weren't you close to getting your degree? - No, school's not my thing, and if I get a couple more years in, you know, I can invest that money.
Since we're playing why don't you tell me about your new guy? Look, I-- Come on, Mary Jane.
Everybody goes to the Optimist.
I saw you in there with that old cat.
Think he even had a Kangol on.
- He did not have on a Kangol.
- Yeah, you're right.
His hair's a little too high for that.
You're wrong for that.
Oh, well.
Is he cool? Yeah.
Yeah, he is.
I mean, it's new, but it's good.
So are you sleeping with him? Because it's not in our arrangement to, you know, have sex with other people while we are.
Don't you want to know his name first? Hey, listen, I'm happy for you, okay? But I'm just looking out for my own well-being.
Yeah-- No, I have not slept with him.
We're not there yet.
You just keep me posted if anything changes.
All right, you been grilling me, so what about you? Have you been sticking with our deal? My only concern right now is getting back into the NFL.
I don't have time for a bunch of drama right now.
You ever think sometimes, um our situation is the reason why-- Never mind.
How about I get you a hot towel? (woman) Drag from my lips to my fingertips What you looking at? Got a problem? That's fine, 'cause I love the way you're staring at it You're staring at it You're staring at it Oh, damn, that feels good.
How about an encore? I can't.
Got a late-night session with my trainer, but, um, I'm free on Thursday.
Maybe we can get together then.
Oh, that's too bad.
Guess I'll have to call my other dude.
[chuckles.]
(woman) Is it the way that I walk? (women) What you know about it? (woman) Is it the way that I talk? Oh, man.
(women) Is it the way that my lip gloss shining in the light (women) She a killer, ain't she? (woman) You can look until your face turn purple This ain't on purpose when I look like a commercial Oh, darling, careful, you're gonna go down Want to love me long time [man grunts.]
Oh.
Hey, stranger.
Hey, Nathalie.
How are you doing? I knew you'd be coming in soon.
- Why is that? - Because Lisa was just in here.
Girl bought up half the store.
I can't believe how toned she is.
- Did y'all go to Cancun again? - No.
I'll be on your level one day.
Girl, it's all work for me.
Ooh, this-- - This dress just came in.
- Oh.
Right, this'll look good on camera.
- Yes.
- Accentuate your small frame? - I like it.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- Good.
Cool.
So it's been a while.
Catch me up.
How's your guy? What's his name, Doug? Darrell? Dre, Andre.
Yeah, that's over.
What? Why? - He was a good one.
- Well, he's married.
- So that's what happened.
- No.
- Yeah.
- I knew it.
He was too good to be true.
Yeah, that's old news.
You're better off anyway.
So is there a new guy in your life? Girl, I am married to the job.
I stay on my grind.
You know how that is.
What about you? How's law school? - Mm, it's hard.
- Yeah.
But I'm not giving up.
I almost landed an internship at Collins and Hansen.
- Oh, that's great.
- It didn't work out, but-- You know what? I have a friend who works-- well, used to work there, Sheldon DeWitt.
Maybe I can ask him if he can help.
- Yeah.
- Oh, I know Sheldon.
Oh, you know Sheldon? Yeah.
How--how do you know Sheldon? How do you know Sheldon? How about we pour some champagne and talk about Sheldon? - Let's do that.
- Yeah.
That's a good idea.
Let's do that.
(Mary Jane) So you and Sheldon, huh? Yes.
Why are you making that face? I mean, he's so much older than you.
He's a powerful man and all, but damn.
And good-looking, but things just didn't work out between us.
How'd you guys meet? Oh, he came in here dropping all kinds of cash.
He was shopping for some other woman and wanted me to model the clothes, but once he saw me in the outfits, he just told me to keep them.
We dated for a few months before it got too weird.
Weird how? Oh, physically.
(Mary Jane) I mean, he's a mature man.
Not gonna be as active as you are.
Whoa, no, girl.
He's very active.
The man works out more than me.
I was referring to the fact that he never orgasms.
Because he can't? Because he won't.
He's straight-up kinky, like, Eyes Wide Shut kinky.
It's actually pretty impressive for his age.
- Oh.
- Mm.
That's-- Wait, are you dating him? Something like that.
Oh.
You're just not usually the type he goes for.
What do you mean? I--well, you know, like, closer to 40.
So is that why you guys ended things? Because of the sex? No.
No, no, no.
We ended things because he never let me stay the night, like, never.
You know that only means one thing.
What? That there are other women.
Right, mm.
We need a refill.
- Please.
- Mm-hmm.
Ron Finley, you are the face of guerrilla gardening.
That's what they tell me.
I think I'm one of the faces.
I mean, mine just happen to be real prominent right now.
I'm just trying to save other faces that look like mine.
You started planting food gardens right outside your home in Los Angeles on city-owned land because you said more dialysis centers were going up than grocery stores.
Well, actually, you own the land, but the city has jurisdiction over it, so I figured if I own the land, I should be able to do what I want with it.
Yeah, I got into a lot of trouble, you know, warrant issued for my arrest 'cause they didn't say anything about the rancid mattresses or the toilets, but you plant a carrot, and all hell breaks loose.
So basically, I got the law changed, so now you can grow food on the parkways in Los Angeles, California.
You're known for aphorisms like, "If kids grow kale", they eat kale," and "Drive-throughs are killing more people than drive-bys.
" Who are you marketing to, and are they listening? Uh, I'm marketing to, um, the urban communities across America and, which I found out, basically across the world.
I mean, these communities are being terrorized, occupied, and basically, it's genocide 'cause you can't get any healthy food in these neighborhoods.
You can get alcohol, and you can get--you know, there's a dialysis center or there's a doctor waiting to amputate you, but you can't get any healthy food, and it's by design, and we need to redesign our neighborhoods ourselves.
We need to empower ourselves.
We live there, and that we stop waiting for the guy on the white horse to come and save us.
We are the guys on the white horse.
My guest is Ron Finley, and we're talking about gangster gardening.
- We'll be right back.
- And we're clear.
Thank you for doing our show.
Thank you for having me on the show, and I must say you're more radiant in person than you are on TV.
- Oh, thank you.
Mr.
Finley, great show.
- Thank you.
- Very important.
I appreciate you guys getting the word out.
- Thank you.
- Of course.
It was a great show.
What? Say it.
What? You need to dig deeper.
Wh--where's the journalism? Okay, there is more to good journalism than interrogating people, Kara.
Having Ron on the show shed light on an issue that never gets attention.
That is also good journalism.
But the story feels innocuous.
How? Because it's not journalism, Mary Jane.
It's advocacy.
Oh, okay, so I'm an advocate because the guest is black? Oh.
Funny you never mentioned this with any other guests we've had on before.
Oh, please, don't try that.
You know that you should have pushed harder.
You could have asked him is it delusional for him to think that gardening is gonna prevent poverty and gang violence, or you could have said, "Hey", "what do you have to say about these critics that claim you're doing this for the limelight?" Or--or is organizing these dig-ins, where they plant crops in abandoned lots, could it be sending a message that he's encouraging people across the state to-- to break the law? You could have asked him any of those questions, and you didn't.
No, I didn't.
(Barbara) Cut straight to the chase, Paul.
David pulling out of the deal was just a minor setback.
If David's out, then I'm out.
It's not worth the risk.
This is a small bump in the road for us, but David was just one of many angel investors that I could turn to.
It's a firm no on this one, Paul, but I may have something that might pique your interest.
There's a development opportunity out in California.
You may have heard chatter of L.
A.
getting another football team? Yes, I read there could be a stadium built in downtown L.
A.
next to the Staples Center.
It's gonna be in Englewood.
The owner of the St.
Louis Rams just purchased 60 acres of property, and my source at the NFL tells me it's all for a new stadium.
Unofficial, of course.
Okay, so how does this concern me? I want you to be my project manager out in California.
You'll put together a team of like-minded agents and developers from the community and oversee purchases of foreclosed properties.
Now, when you say put together a team of like-minded agents from the community, I suppose you mean black people.
With your face in the forefront, we'll sell it as a story of rebuilding the community, and who better than the son of the first black COO of Vantage Airlines to lead the charge? You have done your research on my family.
We wouldn't be talking otherwise, but this isn't just about your family name.
You're a risk taker just like I am.
Most people don't have the balls to go after what they want, but I can tell that you do.
So what's the plan? We'll build exclusive residences around the stadium.
The real estate prices will explode once the stadium goes into production.
And what kind of upside are we talking about here? $25 million minimum, and that's just your cut.
Once you put together your team of buyers, you'll acquire properties from public auction at the lowest price point so that we can maximize our profits.
And I can only do that by making sure my team has the ability to drive the price of the property down.
We're talking bid rigging.
Two companies in San Francisco just went down for this.
I can't do much with 25 mil if I'm locked up for ten years.
I'm not asking you to break the law.
I'm just asking you to get it done.
I think my offer's a great incentive.
And what if things don't work out, if the location changes or L.
A.
doesn't get another football team? Then I own a lot of property in Englewood, and you get to live rent-free in my Marina del Ray development with $2 million over three years.
Think about it and get back to me.
I've got to move quickly on this opportunity.
Okay.
- Hey, I'm going home.
- Oh, okay, cool.
Um, I'll send over some story areas in a couple hours.
Okay.
Fine.
Why don't you come in and talk to me so our business isn't out in the street? MJ, I feel like you've pushed me out of something that was ours.
No, I took the lead in our direction, but, Kara, I heard you today, and I-- No, I mean, like, when we met in New York, we just clicked, you know? We had the same dreams.
It was like-- it was just like this perfect puzzle that fit, and yeah, we fought, but we made magic.
We still make magic.
I mean, yes, we fight.
That's our process, but it makes us both better.
Yeah, but lately this fighting thing is just-- it's like Chinese water torture, and I-- I just can't do it anymore.
Look, I--I want to stay with this direction.
We are holding our quarter-hour rating numbers, so-- It's not even about the new stories.
It's--I just really feel like I have to go after what I want just like you're going after what you want, and our friendship is too important to me to let it completely fall apart.
I just feel like we're going in two different directions.
Are you quitting? Honestly, I don't even know if SNC is the right place for me anymore.
Do you have another job offer somewhere else? No, no, no, no.
But I can't just wish to be on network.
Wow.
I'm not leaving right now.
I mean, I have nowhere to go.
I'm just-- I'm not interested in this dynamic between us anymore.
I can try and be nicer.
Kara, come on.
Well, you know, honey, I actually think that you gave me the push I needed.
You know, after losing John and my kids, I-- I didn't want to leave here too, but I--I think it's time to go, you know? I--I just really do.
I can't believe you're breaking up with me.
I just hope we can still be friends.
This might be the most mature breakup I've ever had.
Did you really just use the "Let's be friends" line on me though? I mean it.
[jazzy music.]
Mr.
DeWitt.
- Hey.
- Glad to see you again.
- Good to see you.
- Is everything to your liking? Everything's perfect, but I think now would be a good time-- To have them start on the chocolate soufflé.
It's in the oven.
Should be out shortly.
- You read my mind.
- That's my job.
You're gonna love this chocolate soufflé.
It melts in your mouth.
Well, I can't wait to taste it.
- Did you date her? - Who? Big booty Trudy, the waitress.
Did you date her? Where's this coming from? Shop girl at one of my favorite boutiques had a lot to say about you, namely that you only date and you refuse to ejaculate.
- Wow.
- But that's just what I heard.
Well, she did have a lot to say about me.
- Yes, she did.
- Are you done? Yeah.
Thank you.
You mind if I ask the shop girl's name? There was more than one? You know, there was a time I had a penchant for younger women.
I liked their availability, their flexibility.
I was just fixated on my career, but I'm not in that place anymore.
So you were a player? I guess for those who want to look at the victimization in this and call it that.
So what about the whole non-ejaculative aspect? What's up with that? For me, it makes the arousal last longer.
It's a way to keep me engaged.
Oh.
And here I was thinking it was my wit and sparkling personality.
Go figure.
When you're ready to hear me, let me know.
One chocolate soufflé and two spoons.
Enjoy.
[light melody.]
(Valerie) Well, you and Mary Jane are like sisters.
You've been friends since childhood.
I'm sure that things will work out.
Too much has happened.
I don't even know where to start.
Well, you know what? Maybe the distance is good right now, give you the time and space to continue working on yourself.
But right now I just feel stuck.
All these secrets between me and Dave are just getting in between our relationships.
Lisa, are you still taking your meds? I resent that, Valerie.
Of course I'm taking my meds.
It's just-- I feel the more I say or do, the more I'm misunderstood, which makes me seem crazy.
Now, I didn't say you were crazy.
No, not as long as I'm on my meds, right? I just feel like I'm drowning, and no one wants to save me for fear that I'll pull them in with me.
I just think that we should sit down, discuss it, be free, and have everything out in the open.
No.
Lisa, listen to me.
It's too much.
It's just too much.
It's a betrayal.
Now, if you're trying to save your relationship with Mary Jane, this is not the way to handle it.
So saying nothing helps Mary Jane, but if I keep it all bottled in, how do I help myself? You forgive yourself.
[ringtone chiming.]
You aren't gonna believe this.
Cynthia called in sick tonight.
She did? What happened? Who gives a rat's ass? Anyway, I half-jokingly recommended to the network that you do it 'cause I didn't think they'd go for it because of your blatant-ass disrespect and your ignoring their wishes and whatnot, but they were actually considering it.
It's going up the chain as we speak, right now.
- For real? - For real.
For real! So look, forget about everything I said last night.
I am on my period, and I cannot be held accountable for any of my crazy, emotional, stupid decisions.
I mean, I don't like the way we fight.
They're seriously considering me? - Yes! - Oh, g--oh, mm.
It hasn't been confirmed yet, but I think it's gonna happen.
I do.
I think it's gonna-- I think it's gonna happen.
I get to do Prime Time tonight? - Yes! - I'ma do Prime Time tonight? - Yes! Yes! - Oh.
- Yes, I know.
- Mm.
It's probably a nip and tuck It's probably (both) A nip and tuck It's probably gonna take two weeks It's probably gonna take two weeks - At least two weeks - At least two weeks [percussive music.]
Good evening.
Good evening.
Good evening, I'm Mary Jane Paul.
(Mary Jane) I'm Mary Jane Paul.
(Mary Jane) I'm Mary Jane Paul.
Good evening, I'm Mary Jane Paul.
[indistinct chatter.]
All right, here we go.
In five, four, three, two [upbeat theme music.]
Good evening, I'm Mary Jane Paul filling in for Cynthia Phillips.
Welcome to Prime Time News.
(Mary Jane) Coming up tonight, fracking is likely to make it on the ballot in Colorado, the first measure in the nation to ask its state's voters to sharply limit energy development and likely to pit Democrats against each other.
(Mary Jane on monitor) Where's the beef? Hopefully nowhere near your plate, as the FDA has issued a recall of over 80,000 pounds of beef-- Camera two, widen that shot as she takes us out.
(man) - Okay.
(Mary Jane) - Up next, I'm sitting down with education crusader Elizabeth Foy.
And we're clear.
(man) Elizabeth Foy is on her way down.
The questions are in the monitor.
[indistinct chatter.]
[phone buzzes.]
Elizabeth Foy? - Hi.
- It's great to meet you.
- Mary Jane Paul.
- Oh.
It's a bummer you got stuck with me, but I will do my best.
Not at all.
I'm actually a big fan of your show.
Oh, thank you.
We're hot in ten seconds.
Excuse me, ladies, we're going live in five, four, three Tonight's guest is a former high school educator who has written a best-selling book, Charting a Better Course.
- Elizabeth Foy, welcome.
- Thank you.
As an educator, you've really been at the forefront of debating the benefits of charter schools over traditional public schools.
You know, I don't feel like there's much of a debate when families and communities get to decide what's best for their children versus some statewide mandate.
Well, like what? Well, you know, charter schools often get fewer tax dollars per student than regular public schools, but we work harder, and we get better results.
We have smaller class sizes, so we tend to have a more hands-on approach, from the teachers to the students to the parents, and the result is better student achievement, greater parent satisfaction, and more vibrant school communities.
Good job.
Keep it moving.
(Mary Jane) Your book is gaining a lot of momentum.
Well, you know, I think it's because the book, it just does a good job of breaking down the benefits of charter schools in a way that anybody can understand, you know? It gets the politics out of the way, and it allows the parents to decide what's best for their child.
Well, it's interesting that you mention politics, because some are arguing that your best-selling book is published by a foundation that supports neo-racist authors.
Whoa.
Excuse me? Your book is published by Encounter Books, which is funded by the Bradley Foundation.
In fact, the Linda and Harry Bradley Foundation was at the forefront in funding the arguments for faith-based funding and school vouchers, most specifically as a way to lure back the black Democratic vote to the GOP during the Bush administration.
I'm--I'm sorry.
- I don't see the connection.
- This is not an ambush.
Oh, well, let me connect the dots for you.
- The thought is this.
- What is she doing? This is not 60 Minutes.
You need to get her in and out, so get to the prepared questions.
I thought it was a very natural follow-up question.
(Foy) I'm an educator.
(Foy) I know how to teach children, and I know that a program that allows families to have more choice has proven more successful.
She got you back on book.
Stay with the book.
But weren't you recently at a church in Alabama where you and Congressman Boyd passed out your book to the entire congregation? I'm--I'm sorry.
Is that a crime? Well, it could be, because the books were bought with campaign monies.
See, critics argue that your book tour is merely the blueprint for the No Child Left Behind model that the Republicans used during the Bush administration, you know, where they tried to rally the black churches for their support I don't know.
(Mary Jane) Using faith-based initiatives.
Some go as far to say as promising tax dollars for charter school funding in exchange for the black vote and support of the voucher program.
You know what? When I agreed to appear on this program, I was going to be interviewed by Cynthia, not by you and your liberal agenda.
I feel ambushed.
I feel attacked.
I'm not attacking you, Miss Foy.
I'm simply asking you if you think that your book is being used as a political football.
Stop badgering her and get back on topic.
Okay, all right.
(Mary Jane) Look, I'm not saying that you were complicit.
I'm asking you if you knew or thought that your book was being used to further a political agenda? - You've read my book.
- Well, I've seen your show, and you're a race baiter.
This segment was supposed to focus on her book! What is this? What do you want her to do, some kind of fluff piece? She's asking the questions that people really want to know.
Mary Jane going rogue upsets the politics of how we book guests, but you wouldn't know that working daytime.
Maybe these Maury Povich tactics work for what you do, but it's not gonna happen here.
Excuse me, there's nothing sensational about this.
It's called journalism.
No, I'm just following up on your responses.
You have the opportunity to explain your position right here, right now.
No.
And I would love it if you did that.
No, you know what? I'm done playing these games.
(Foy) I watched your show the other night, and you know what your problem is? You think the world sees you as an ugly black woman, always the victim, always misunderstood, and you're really just a broken record.
- Oh.
- Miss Foy, let's just talk.
- Yeah.
- Let's talk about that.
Let's talk.
Okay, because where I'm sitting, you're a woman.
I'm a woman, but your mistake is that you seem to think that I only see things through the prism of race because I have black guests and I'm black, but just because you're Caucasian, that doesn't make you immune from discrimination or being ignored as a woman.
If you were really paying attention to my show, you would see that we're not all that different at all.
I mean, granted, we may not agree on certain issues, but we're both fighting to be heard and fighting to be taken seriously and to be seen.
So when it comes down to it, when I look at you, I see an ugly black woman too.
- Camera there, steady.
- Off the charts.
(Mary Jane) I'd like to thank Elizabeth Foy, author of Charting a Better Course, for sitting in the hot seat with me tonight.
[upbeat theme music.]
Don't go anywhere.
We'll be right back after the break.
[phone chimes.]
[phone chiming.]
[phone chiming.]
[sighs.]
- Don't do it.
- Yeah.
Mm-mm.
We ain't ready for Twitter yet.
[phone chiming repeatedly.]
[knocking.]
Hey, son.
Hey, what's up, pops? I had a great round of golf today with Jeff Lynnwood.
How's Mr.
Lynnwood doing? Great, just great.
Actually, he's doing a real estate deal down in Coral Gables, and he's looking for some people to help him develop the project, and I told him that my son is getting his Master's degree in architecture.
Hey, you could get in on the ground floor.
I think Jeff said something like $30,000 base salary plus commission.
- Come on, dad.
You know I didn't go to graduate school to work for a base salary.
Look, don't let the $30,000 distract you from the bigger picture, son.
I just, um-- I just don't know if it's right for me.
What? To work hard and make upwards of $2 to 5 million doesn't appeal to you? I mean, that's what he's putting in front of you, not to mention that it would catapult you into your field.
Just follow up with Jeff and see what the man has to say? He's expecting your call.
Yes, sir.
[line ringing.]
(Kara) Hello? I love my house, Kara.
I don't want to lose my house.
(Kara) You're not gonna lose your house.
(Kara) Don't worry.
No one's called me.
Me neither, but I think the fact that neither one of us has heard anything can't be a good sign.
(Kara) Or it's not a sign at all.
Maybe nobody cares.
MJ, you did a hell of a job anchoring a prime time show, and you need to focus on that and enjoy the moment.
Yeah, you're-- You're right.
You're right.
(Kara) All right, do me a favor.
Don't take any calls, okay? Just take the night off, relax, and we'll deal with whatever comes next in the morning.
Did you say "we"? (Kara) Yes, I did.
All right.
(Kara) All right, mama, good night.
[phone beeps.]
[phone ringing.]
Hello? (Sheldon) I'm an ugly black woman too, just wanting to be heard.
I'm listening.
If we're gonna take a swing at this, you can't shut me out, and I can tell you're pulling back.
- Yeah, of course.
I'm afraid I'm gonna get hurt.
Listen, I know you found out some things about me that have accelerated this dance that we're doing.
(Sheldon) I don't have anything to hide, but I certainly didn't want you to find out about me like that.
Look, you're, um-- you're not like any woman that I've dated before.
It used to be just about sex, but with you I'm engaged, and I want more, and for me that's a first.
[doorbell rings.]
Uh, w--uh, can you hold on for a second? [phone beeps.]
Oh, g-- Hey, sexy.
I totally forgot you were coming over.
Okay.
Oh, Brandon, um, remember when we both agreed that if anything got serious, then we would just-- [clicks tongue.]
Yeah.
I think it's best we pull things back too.
Really? It's not you, Mary Jane.
I'm just all over the place and don't think I'm giving myself an opportunity for anything else to happen in my life if I keep repeating this same cycle.
You're lying.
You're totally lying.
You're only saying that because I was gonna cut us off first.
Oh, so I can't have an original thought? You didn't come all the way over here to tell us to stop.
You could have just used your phone for that.
I'm sorry.
I just tried to show you some respect.
You wanted some ass.
Of course I wanted some ass.
You think I'd pass up good-bye sex? That's just dumb.
Good-bye, Brandon.
I will call you later.
You're crazy.
That's probably why the sex was so good.
Bye.
Sorry about that.
Long hold.
Yeah, I was flipping a coin till I got the right answer.
(Sheldon) What did you decide? You were right.
I have been holding back, and the truth is I like you, Sheldon, and I like where this is going.
So is my past still an issue? No.
But I, um-- I want to go slow.
Taking it slow is fine with me.
Mmm.
(Sheldon) Can you define slow? [Mary Jane chuckles.]