Grown-ish (2018) s02e17 Episode Script

1 I'm too cocky for my shirt I'm too cocky off two I'm too cocky, I know my worth I'm too cocky I'm too cocky for my shirt ZOEY: The pursuit of higher education aside, there are so many reasons people go to college.
Some go to find love Yes, I'm too cocky others to find their purpose.
It shocked me, they say you poppin' Where the paparazzi? "YG, how you like your" Hibachi And for Vivek Shah, the number-one reason he went was to reinvent himself and finally fit in.
But don't get me wrong there'd been some bumps along the road to his reinvention.
What's up with you and being so close to my body, bro? Bro, you make it so hard to root for you.
Bitch, I will slap you.
But despite the growing pains, Vivek had finally found his way.
I'm sorry.
I couldn't hear you.
Is that a domi-yes? Hm? Or a domi-nos, bitch?! - [Groans.]
- [Cheering.]
Whoo! And since being kicked out of Winthrop house by the rich kids and crashing at Hawkins, he had really started to fit in.
But on the road to reinventing yourself and trying to fit in, is it possible to fit in too well? Get at me later, my [bleep.]
.
I'm too cocky, I know my What the hell just happened? Watch out, world, I'm grown now I'm grown Learn something new every day I don't know, so I'm-a feel my way Got the weight of the world on me But no regrets, this is what I say Watch out, world, I'm grown now - I'm grown - You can tell me My heart beating so loud Mama, look, I'm grown now I'm grown [Indistinct conversations, hip-hop music playing.]
Hold up.
Did anybody peep that? Why is nobody trippin'? Trippin' on what? Somebody do something? Your boy, "V-Didge.
" Yo, it seems like he's starting to feel a little too at home at Hawkins.
Well, I mean, the dude's been crashing here, so technically, he is home.
No, no, I'm saying, like, homeland home, motherland home, "For Us By Us," but he ain't one-of-us kind of home.
Yo, he's starting to get a little too comfortable, man.
Well, I can argue Vivek has always been comfortable.
Hey, Queen.
We do it for the culture! Excuse me, Queen, you thirsty this evening? [Door slams.]
You mad.
- Yeah.
- No, I'm saying my problem is, we're all a little too comfortable with him being that comfortable.
Somebody's gonna have to check his ass.
What? Whoa! Can you Dude, this is our boy we're talking about here, okay? Not some stranger.
This is harmless, sweet-faced, chipper-ass Vivek.
The dude's like a buff little Disney prince or something.
No, no, no.
Did you not hear what Rafael just called him? That's not Vivek's fault.
You cannot blame him for Rafael's dumbass comment.
[Cackles.]
Plus, everybody knows Rafael says the N-word all the time.
The dude's got a serious problem.
[Engine sputtering.]
Come on, [bleep.]
.
Come on! - [Engine starts.]
- Ooh! My [bleep.]
.
Talkin' bout.
[Engine sputters.]
Come on.
Unh-unh.
Don't do that.
But that doesn't excuse Vivek's behavior.
Bro, he's appropriating our culture period.
How can Vivek be guilty of cultural appropriation? By definition, it means taking the elements of someone else's culture without knowing anything about it or having any respect for it.
Vivek isn't stealing anything, and you are buggin'.
Yo, when I watch old boy brush his hair with the little wooden brush like that, I feel mad disrespected.
From the way he brushes his hair? Yes, and you don't find it odd that when we text each other, he sends me the black thumbs-up emoji? Honestly, I find it more odd that two grown-ass men text with emojis.
Okay.
And in his defense, Vivek is brown.
What the hell color is he supposed to use? Not the Wesley Snipes thumb.
- [Chuckles.]
- Yo, and and Okay.
How do you explain the whole video game thing? [Cheering.]
[Whistle blows.]
Doug, it's a basketball game.
The majority of the players are Black.
Here.
Yo, he had the option to customize his player to look exactly like himself, and he went and made it look like 2 Chainz.
Yo, I just think you're too close to dude to see it.
I guarantee you if this was anybody else besides your BFF, you would find this whole thing mad sus.
- [Exhales sharply.]
- Just sayin'.
So, after learning that a little volunteer work would not only help society but also help me boost my grade so I could get off of academic probation, I decided to scour the Internet.
You know, it's too bad that Cal U won't give you extra credit for the type of volunteer work that I do.
Which is? Writing sizeable tax-deductible donations to private school students in Israel.
Wow.
How noble of you.
I'm pretty much like the Jewish Oprah.
[Laughs.]
Okay, you're insane.
Well, I'm big on giving back, too.
Once a year, I go with my church into low-income neighborhoods to paint poor children's faces.
You guys, you should see the smile on their faces.
After we paint them on.
[Chuckles.]
Okay, and you're insane, too.
Ah.
Damn it! The puppy rescue is full.
You know, I would have killed to rescue a poor little discarded golden retriever named Hector.
- Ohh.
- That woman looks so fulfilled.
Okay, well, is there another site you can check? Uh Actually, you know what? There's a site my father uses.
- Arts and culture - Yeah.
And ZIP code [Gasps.]
Oh! "Project: Ballgown.
" This is actually pretty perfect.
Not only can I stack extra credit, but I can also stack the confidence of high school girls who can't afford prom dresses.
- That's perfect.
- Mm-hmm.
I mean it's no face paint.
Yo, what's poppin', my people? This is your boy V-Didge, and we outchea in these Cal U streets! AARON: Mm-hmm.
Ooh, God, what is that? - Who taught him that? - DOUG: I'm telling you.
Brrrratt! Brrrr, brrrr, brrrr, brrrrrr Mm! Mm! Oh, see? Look.
Look.
Right there, Vivek just built the best defense for himself.
Black people don't let dogs kiss them on the mouth.
- That's just not a thing that we do.
- All right, cool.
But none of the rest of that seemed sus to you? Come on.
I mean, sure, yeah, Vivek, as a human, makes me feel very sus, conflicted, confused, about a lot of things, but as a Black person, no.
And besides, he's a minority, dude.
He can't steal from us.
It still doesn't give him an all-access pass 'cause he's not White.
But it does give him a limited-access pass, because as a minority, we know what it's like to have to assimilate.
We don't trust cops, we know the difference between a well-seasoned piece of meat and that bland-ass bullshit White people cook for Thanksgiving.
What the hell is a turducken? - Okay, I'm sorry, but, bro - Hm? if you're not Black, right, it doesn't matter how similar our taste buds or our hardships are.
You stay in your lane, I stay in mine.
It's simple.
But how can you tell which lane is which when everyone's trying to be us? Black culture is pop culture.
It's not Vivek's fault that the lines are so blurred, you know? [Cheering in distance.]
What was that? Who turnt up over there? [Indistinct talking.]
AARON: What's happening? "Wave Cap Wednesday.
" And these [bleep.]
about to be seasick! You hear me? [Claps.]
Ohhh! Oh! ALL: Ohh! Man, I don't know about that.
Come on.
Come on.
ALL: Ohh! RAFAEL: Come on.
Don't let me down.
Don't let Daddy down.
ALL: Ohh! [Laughter.]
My man! Unh! He won.
He won that one.
RAFAEL: Yes, sir, hold up! Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh! Whoa! Whoa! Hold up! What? Here we go.
Here we go.
ALL: Ohhhhh! - Ooh! Ooh! - Man, how you like that? But the lines aren't so blurred now, are they? Welcome.
The Zoey Johnson Styling Experience has officially gone philanthropic.
I'm giving back in the best way I know how fashion.
[Gasps.]
[Inhales sharply.]
[Voice breaking.]
Oh, my God! She looks stunning! She is possibly the second most beautiful prom princess I have God, I've ever seen.
Uh, it's just a little big on you, but I can fix that easy-peasy.
- It's fine.
- No, it's super simple.
All I have to do is take in the waist, pull up the straps.
Seriously, it doesn't matter.
It's fine.
Oh.
Thank you.
Okay, um you're welcome? I got a lotta the drip, huh It's deep like a bottomless pit, ay I need to rocket this ship New 4G outta the whip, hey I need a bottle to sip, hey Bad little model and Ay, need so much money around me Hey, you know that we don't have to sit with Aaron, right? We can totally get our own table.
No.
No.
I'm I'm good.
I'm good, because I am pivoting myself back into the friend zone with him.
See? Pivot.
Right back.
So good.
Yeah.
Pfft.
You're so good.
And, look, you dodged a bullet, okay? I mean, the dude has beads in his rattail.
- [Laughs.]
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Yo, Vivek.
I see you ditched the waves.
Yeah, dudes was getting nauseous.
Your boy was too wavy.
Yeah.
Hey, ma, can I get a Crown and Coke, please? Out of curiosity, uh, why'd you order that? I don't know.
'Cause it's a delectable cocktail that you introduced me to.
And if I haven't thanked you before, I'm thanking you now.
Good lookin' out, homey.
- Mm! - No prob, homey.
[Eclip$e feat.
Rozay Royce's "Can't Lose" plays.]
[Crowd cheers.]
Oh, snap! This is my joint! Mm! Mm, mm! Mm-hmm! Mm! Mm! Mm-hmm! Hey.
Hey! You look great.
Thanks.
It's good to see you.
I, uh, missed you.
Thanks.
Uh, you want to dance, maybe? I can get you a drink.
No, thanks.
cash is being real I need that loaf, and - I'm just being honest - Right.
Hey, hey, hey, peep your boy.
Look.
He knows all the words.
I know you wanna ride with me, shorty Road to success and swervin' lanes like I'm Tory And since when has memorizing rap lyrics been a crime? I didn't say that it was.
But I guarantee you when that N-bomb drops, he's not gonna stop rapping.
- Look.
- my life to get no average pension So I'm-a make you get the point What are you idiots doing? Waiting on Vivek to drop the N-bomb.
Because he's a cultural appropriator.
- Alleged cultural appropriator.
- Thank you.
Doug has been trying to convince us all day.
Fun! I feel like we missed a lot.
Here it comes.
Here it comes.
Can't hate me if she choose Young [bleep.]
can't lose! - Oh, my - Damn it, Rafael! - Every time.
- ANA: Wait.
I don't get it.
Why do you guys think Vivek is appropriating? Think about it from the Gucci he rocks - Right.
- .
to the music he listens to.
Right! All the drugs that he deals! Huh? Uh Uh, which have absolutely nothing to do with Black culture at all.
Right.
Right.
But neither is rocking Gucci.
We didn't create that.
If anything, the guy's guilty of flexing too hard, not robbing us of our culture.
If you ask me, I say he's just celebrating, not appropriating.
O-Oh, okay, but none of y'all find it weird that out of all the things he celebrates, it's our shit? Maybe those are just his preferences.
[Laughs.]
Oh, Sky, no.
We have to stay woke.
I mean, knowing the deep history of fetishization of Black culture, and especially Black women, as an ally of the struggle, I find it deeply problematic to excuse Vivek's behavior.
Do you want to take this? No! No.
I'm-a sit shotgun on this one.
Okay, Nomi, so, as an ally of the struggle, would you consider your own behavior problematic? Because I would.
Some would say you're very similar to Vivek.
I mean, you hang out with a mostly Black crew, you're rocking bamboo earrings And apparently, now you give lectures to Black people on how to stay woke.
- [Chuckles.]
- Mm.
Oh, my God.
I've failed as an ally of the diaspora.
ANA: I'm sorry.
I just don't even see the big deal.
Why can't people just dress they that they want to dress or talk the way they want to talk or do their hair the way they want to do it? I mean, I don't care that Doug is always dressed like my 50-year-old Cuban Uncle Pepe.
Imitation is the highest form of flattery.
JAZZ: Okay, there is nothing flattering about picking and choosing elements of my life that you want to take.
My body, my music, my hairstyles.
All of a sudden, all of these White girls are rocking cornrows and want to call 'em boxer braids, and everyone's acting like they're making a brand-new trend or something.
Then we're the ones who get penalized for it.
Yeah.
Okay, okay.
But isn't Black culture so much bigger than cornrows and unlaced sneakers? I mean, it feels like you guys are minimizing the entire culture by focusing on something so so trivial.
But it's not trivial to us at all because it's all we got.
This is a culture that we've been forced to create because the first one was robbed from us, and now it feels like we're at risk of losing it again.
Wait, wait.
Hol Hold up.
How is it that you can clearly see the problem but you don't see what Vivek is doing? 'Cause I don't think he's doing anything wrong.
Okay.
So if you don't think he's doing anything wrong, I'm-a just go check him myself.
No, Doug.
Whoa, whoa.
Wait.
What are you gonna do walk up to him and say, "Hey, Vivek, stop trying to be Black"? What? You guys feel like I'm trying to act Black? Huh? No.
What? We're just It's fine.
Nah, nah, nah, it's not fine.
Yo, look, man.
There's just a few things about you that don't sit right with me.
Like the whole wave cap business and some of your language and you use the Black Santa Claus emoji, bro.
You can't do that.
Wow.
I'm, uh I'm so sorry.
It was never my intention to hurt anybody.
And if I'm making anybody feel uncomfortable, I'll fall back.
Know what? I'll even move out of Hawkins.
Deuces.
I mean goodbye.
AARON: Vivek.
Vivek, come on So, Cameo's enthusiastic "yes to the dress" was more of a "meh, sure, whatever to the dress.
" And after my styling disaster with the twins, I'd promised myself I'd never let a client walk away unhappy again.
[Knock on door.]
Oh.
Hey, Cameo.
Good morning.
Hey.
I saw all your missed calls and texts saying you wanted to see me at 1:30 in the morning.
Yeah.
Uh, no.
Thanks for not reporting that to any adults.
Okay, listen, uh, I had a couple thoughts about your prom dress, and it's just really got me thinking that You know, I just don't think I quite nailed it for you yet.
And because this is your prom, I really do feel like I really [Chuckles.]
gotta nail this.
For you, o-of course.
I mean sure.
I guess.
O-Okay, I can work with an "I guess.
" Nice.
Nice.
"Nice.
" Okay.
This? Great.
"Great.
" Ooh.
This one is it.
[Chuckles.]
It's cute.
Mnh-mnh.
[Laughs.]
I'm sorry Cameo, this dress this dress is not cute.
This dress is amazing.
It is a vintage beaded gown worn by Cher.
Matter of fact, I actually had to lie to the guy at the rental house and tell him I was Sasha Obama so he would let me take it.
My point is this dress is friggin' beautiful! To you, maybe.
But not to me.
It's just not who I am.
Um Wow.
This whole time, I've just been feeding her options that work for me, but I've never once stopped to ask Who are you? [Sighs.]
[Gunfire.]
- [Controller chimes.]
- Don't worry, man.
Just came to pick up my satin pillowcase.
It's good for my waves.
Yeah.
I know.
Right.
Yo, Vivek.
[Sighs.]
Stop, man.
Look, it was never my intention to have you bounce from Hawkins, man.
I was just trying to put you up on game.
That's it.
Yeah, well, I can assure you, I've never been more "up on game" in my life.
Hey, I'm killin' the "up on game" game right now.
O-Okay, I'm I'm sorry, man.
Look maybe I was too harsh.
You know, I'm the new dude here, so who knows? Maybe the people in the crew know you more than I do and you were just being yourself.
Nah.
Not entirely.
Truth is, I've always struggled with who I am.
All this extra stuff, you know the labels, the drug dealing, it's it's all part of running away from the poor, nerdy kid who never fit in.
So, yeah, you know, maybe I did borrow some things from the people here at Hawkins, but not because I was trying to steal anything, you know? I just think you guys are dope.
I-I get it.
Black people fly as [bleep.]
, man.
[Both chuckle.]
So, bottom line is, you know, when Aaron invited me to crash here, everybody embraced me like I was family.
I felt like I belonged, so, yeah, I guess I did get a little too comfortable, but only because I felt like I was part of the community.
No, bro, you are definitely.
It's just some things are maybe more reserved for my community.
Exclusively, you know? I get it.
You should probably have this.
Ohhh.
No.
I-I-I should not.
Uh, but you could pocket the wave cap and, you know, put your little satin lady pillow down and come over here and get molly-whopped in some bones, man.
I'd loved to get molly-whopped by you, man.
- Come on.
- [Laughs.]
Oh.
Hugs.
Okay.
Ay, these [bleep.]
in here huggin', yo! Uh-huh.
I seen that.
Shoulder-to-shoulder, nipple-to-nipple.
[Cackles.]
Y'all are nasty.
Come on.
Oh, yeah Whoa, oh, oh, oh It's amazing.
Baby, tell me all your secrets You heard it here first, folks.
The streets love the Zoey Johnson Styling Experience.
[Sighs.]
Now, let's just pray that when Luca gets back from New York, he does not notice the very expensive bespoke red tux that he wore to freshman formal is missing from his closet.
Sometimes in life, fitting in isn't always the best, because it can prevent us from standing out and shining as our true, authentic selves.
And I make 'em say Baby, tell me all your secrets But other times, it's exactly what we need to get the sense of community that makes us feel like we're part of something bigger, something special.
- Take that one time.
- Set me up.
Hey, hey, man, something's bothering me.
Is there something in my nose? - What? - Uh, no, I don't see anything.
Me, neither.
Oh, wait, sorry.
I don't mean that nose.
I mean my domi-nose, bitch! Unh! Are you kidding me? We should've never let him stay.
We shouldn't have.
Hey.
I've been outside for, like, 30 minutes.
What happened to Wave Cap Wednesdays? Pfft, [bleep.]
, today is Thursday! Thursday?! Y'all made me waste a wave cap! [Banging rhythmically.]
TOGETHER: He thought that it was Wednesday Ay! He thought that it was Wednesday