¶ ¶
(sirens wailing)
-(panicked chatter) -Oh, shit!
Go, man, go!
DISPATCHER: Any available units, respond to The Hellfire Club.
Backup units respond.
Police! This is a raid!
Let the dogs go.
-Back off. -Oh, shit! Ladies, run!
Go!
OFFICER: Keep it moving, fellas!
-Take everyone! -Come on!
OFFICER: Take 'em all!
Take everyone!
(indistinct chatter, clamoring)
What is it? Explain yourself!
You're spreading that disease.
We're shutting this place down.
Let's go!
(siren wailing)
Fucking Giuliani!
Fucking with my goddamn coin!
Shutting them places down ain't gonna stop people
from having sex or keep them safe.
Fuck people! What about me?
How am I going to maintain my luxurious lifestyle?
Maybe it's time you come up with a new enterprise.
If anyone can summon up a get-rich scheme, it's you, ma.
You do have a point.
Lemar!
-Why you been dodging my calls? -I've been busy.
Too busy to see Cubby?
I'm establishing a house
that actually dominates and sustains.
BLANCA: Ooh-ooh.
Move, peasants!
(indistinct chatter)
My house won't settle for plastic trophies
and SpaghettiOs.
We want money.
Cold hard cash.
Ballroom isn't about getting rich.
It is now.
They pay for excellence,
as they should.
Times have changed, but, of course,
you don't know that, mommy, because you've been absent
from the suddenly lucrative scene.
Lemar, now you know ballroom is about community, family...
Blah, blah, blah.
You know what?
Instead of worrying about my house,
get yours in order, Mother of the Year.
I hear Damon's at the bar right now,
just one gimlet shy
of giving out hand jobs as consolation prizes.
-Ooh! -Keep my son's name out of your mouth.
Damon, Damon, Damon...
is a drunk.
-Ooh, ooh, ooh, enough! -Try me.
-You lucky. -You two, I raised you better than this!
We battle it out on the floor.
And leave it there!
LEMAR: I have an idea.
How about you and the Evangelistas
walk against me and the Khans?
I wouldn't give you the pleasure
of dragging you on the runway tonight or ever.
You're right, sis.
-I'd be scared, too. -Oh...
-Ma... -Why don't you join the Evangelistas
on the sidelines.
Make sure to get a good seat.
We'll be out to gag you shortly.
-Perras. -(others gasping)
ELEKTRA: The nerve
of these sloppy bottoms.
A bottom-feeder, if I ever saw one.
Mm. Oh.
-Mwah. Mwah. -Uh, where do you think you're going?
I have business to attend to, darling.
This late at night?
Ambition never sleeps, daughter.
(music playing in distance)
-Remove yourself. -PRAY TELL: Oh! Yes!
I can't with her.
PRAY TELL: Come on, divas!
-(crowd cheering) -Oh, shit.
Aha, aha.
Ah-ah-ah. Oh! Oh, shit!
Synchronicity!
Oh!
(cheering continues)
Work!
-Exactly. -Oh! Miss Kiki
is working these children out tonight!
Ha-ha. Yes.
It looks like The House of Pendavis
may walk away victorious tonight.
-(cheering) -Come on, now.
(laughs) I'm impressed.
¶ ¶
Hmm.
-Oops! -(record scratches)
I may have spoken too...
¶ Soon. ¶
So, just to remind you all,
the house with the most sickening presentation in face,
runway and vogue will not only walk away
with a trophy this evening
but your esteemed MC council has cash.
(crowd cheering)
That's a thousand dollars, to be exact.
And there's another house
that wants a shot at Daddy's bag.
-(gasping and oohing) -Oh, how the plot
-hath thickened. -KIKI: What?
Now, you know the category is closed, Pray.
-Yeah. This ain't fair! -Puh-scuse me!
The only people that decide what is and isn't fair
is the MC council.
Y'all know that.
Now, the up-and-coming legendary children
of The House of Khan are ready to take center stage.
-(cheering) -It's a competition.
Step aside!
Step aside. Get out the way.
The category is Love, y'all!
DJ, drop the beat!
¶ Regulators! ¶
¶ Mount up ¶
-And who do we have here? -(cheering)
¶ A clear white moon, Warren G... ¶
Oh!
Shit!
Now, y'all know Miss Pretentia Khan
don't play when it comes to runway, honey.
¶ On a mission tryin' to find Mr. Warren G ¶
-¶ Seen a car full of girls... ¶ -Whew.
This could be the helium talking,
but your beauty
is making me light-headed, girl!
¶ So I said, "Let's do this..." ¶
Ah!
(laughs)
Yes, girl!
Look at that bone structure!
Uh! Uh!
All y'all know what I'm talkin' about.
We ain't seen this kind of beauty since...
since, um...
Angel Evangelista.
-(gasping and oohing) -Ooh! Mm-mm.
That was supposed to be in my inside voice, y'all.
(laughing)
No shade, girl. No shade.
But you ain't rockin' tonight.
Oh, shit.
-Queen of Hearts! -(cheering)
Is that you?
Blessing us with your timeless beauty.
Come on.
Oh, shit.
I love it.
Truly, I do.
But, Miss Thing, I'm gonna need you to remove your mask.
This is a face category,
so we need to see your face.
PRAY TELL: ¶ There she is ¶
¶ Miss Nefertiti ¶
¶ Khan... ¶
Proving once again
the blacker the berry,
the sweeter the motherfucking juice!
(cheering)
Yes, girl!
Now, where's your father? Where's Father Lemar?
-¶ Now, Nate got the freaks... ¶ -Oh!
-(cheering) -Yes, here he come.
Here he come.
Uh-huh.
¶ 'Cause it's on, N-A-T-E... ¶
Come on through, Father Lemar!
¶ Just like I thought... ¶
Serving us
new way without ever forsaking
his old-way roots.
Babies, you can't buy this level of excellence.
You can't buy it.
Ain't no price tag on it.
-(cheering) -¶ And you seem real nice ¶
¶ Would you let me ride? ¶
¶ I got a car full of girls and it's goin' real swell ¶
(cheering)
¶ The next stop is the Eastside Motel... ¶
(Pray Tell laughs)
This father has stepped into 1994
without missing a motherfucking beat.
All hail
Father Khan!
(cheering)
Why are y'all gagging so?
Judges, your scores.
Uh-huh. Ten, ten,
ten, ten, ten!
Across the board.
Come on and pick up this trophy, baby.
Looking like Cupid just threw up all in here.
Ah!
Ha! Uh-uh-uh.
You better serve, honey.
¶ ¶
(cheering)
Beware the wrath...
of Khan.
(cheering)
MANHATTAN: 431, 32,
33, 34.
We still need $576 to pay The House of Khan their prize money.
What happened to all that money you was waving around?
-They were one-dollar bills. -Yeah.
Stunt queens.
-Mm. -Mm-mm. I'll tell you now,
those are not the girls to be playing with.
I heard The House of Khan jumped somebody for some pumps.
-CASTLE: That's so ghetto. -MIZRAHI: Bitch... -(groaning)
LEMAR: Miss Things.
Oh. Cheesecake isn't gonna help you Golden Girls
with that diabetes.
(laughing)
Shut your skinny ass up.
We came to collect, Pray.
PRAY TELL: I've known you since you were
Elektra's errand boy.
So don't try to get brand-new just 'cause The House of Khan
is hot right now. Y'all need to come correct.
Just give us the money, Granny.
We're fundraising.
Oh, so y'all don't have it?
You will all get your money.
Okay?
Now go out and play in traffic.
-(popping) -Boop.
Oh, we-we can play.
What y'all gonna do?
Just this.
¶ The butterfly? Uh-uh, that's old... ¶
-(snaps fingers) -Girl, we gonna die?
-(screaming) -¶ Yeah ¶
¶ 199Quad ¶
¶ 69 Boyz ¶
¶ Backed up by the Quad City DJ's ¶
-¶ One time ¶ -(screaming)
¶ Cotton candy, sweetie, go ¶
¶ Let me see the Tootsee Roll, come one ¶
-¶ Come all, just make that Tootsee Roll ¶ -¶ Tootsee Roll ¶
¶ To the left, to the left, to the right, to the right ¶
¶ To the front, to the front, to the right, to the right ¶
¶ Now slide, slide ¶
-¶ Slide, slide, slide ¶ -Hey, Pray Tell!
¶ Slide, slide, slide ¶
¶ I feel a whoop comin' on, a whoop ¶
-¶ Comin' on, a whoop ¶ -Queen!
-¶ Five, four ¶ -¶ A whoop comin' on ¶
-¶ Come on, now ¶ -¶ Whoop, whoop ¶
-¶ Whoop ¶ -¶ Come on, let's ¶
-¶ Whoop, whoop, whoop ¶ -¶ Oh, baby, baby... ¶
And this is for your motherfucking sweet tooth!
-¶ Just roll, just roll ¶ -(screaming)
¶ Just roll, just roll. ¶
(door opens)
(footfalls approach)
PRAY TELL: The category is...
Live...
Work...
Pose!
¶ ¶
(birds singing)
(horns honking in distance)
Good morning, baby.
What you doing?
(laughs) Watching you.
You're so peaceful when you're sleeping.
You know,
I used to sleep with one eye open,
afraid someone was gonna break in,
or one of my children were gonna get into something.
But as soon as I get into bed with you,
I'm out like Sleeping Beauty.
And I wouldn't say you fall asleep right away.
-Oh. -Hey.
¶ ¶
I got stuff to make you some pancakes.
And none of that Bisquick, either.
-I'm talking straight from scratch. -Uh, yeah.
That's tempting, but... I got to get home
and see my child before work.
What's this?
CHRISTOPHER: Oh. O.J.'s wife was murdered last night.
O.J. Simpson? The Hertz guy?
CHRISTOPHER: The greatest running back ever.
They were divorced, had a couple of small children.
That's terrible.
You know, I hate it when you run off like this in the morning.
You know I need my woman with me.
And I need my man.
I got one child left under my roof.
Chilly went back home last month, Quincy hopped houses.
Last one will be gone soon, and I'm all yours.
Mm.
-Mm. -(Christopher laughs)
All right, baby.
Pancakes for dinner.
I guess.
(Christopher laughs)
Thing is, everybody thinks
they got what it takes, right,
but then you have that one person...
-Hi, baby. -Hmm.
Hi.
Sorry.
Am I interrupting something?
Never. Let's catch up later, okay?
-Who's that? -Melanie?
-She works reception. -Oh.
What kind of reception is she doing?
(smacks lips) Don't be like that. Okay.
Here we go. Yeah.
You know I'm always working on my talent pool.
Oh, your talent pool.
Papi, I need to be working.
I haven't booked a job since that Smirnoff campaign,
and that was almost a year ago.
You did that catalog shoot last month.
Might as well be in retirement.
Oh, baby, relax. What can I do?
Look, I submit you, I send you out,
I talk you up to the client so that when you walk in that room,
all you got to do is dazzle 'em.
Once you in that room, I got no control, baby.
(phone ringing)
-(fax machine whirring) -Am I doing something wrong?
Mm-mmm.
-What the fuck is this? -Ugh! You're not even listening!
You asshole, you're not even listening.
Oh, baby, baby, baby, baby, please, please, please, please.
-(sighs) -Stop it.
I'm sorry, okay? Trust me.
Come here.
Can I give you a squeeze?
All right?
-(soft piano music playing) -(quiet chatter)
Is your man spending too much time at the office?
Are you desperate for him to pay more attention to you?
Well, reawaken that passion with Chanel No. 5.
-(sprays) -You like that?
Yeah.
It's cheaper than a negligee.
One spritz on that décolletage,
and he'll be on you
like white on rice. (chuckles)
¶ ¶
(siren wailing)
(door opens)
MIZRAHI: Girl, they be wanting $5,000 for this day,
saving for the Summer Solstice Ball.
(quiet chatter)
CASTLE: Oh, y'all, here comes Pray.
PRAY TELL: Hey, y'all.
-Hey. -Jesus.
-You smell like my mood. -(Pray Tell sighs)
Shitty as all hell.
And you look like it, so don't judge.
How many more of these are we gonna have to sit through?
MANHATTAN: Well, we're up to two million and counting,
so I'd say a lot fucking more.
-(sighs) -PRAY TELL: This is grim.
There used to be hope.
Back when it seemed like there was a cure on the horizon.
Now, it's clearly not,
and this virus is looking to take me out.
Put that away.
My drinking is not gonna fill this room back up.
CASTLE: But we're still here.
Don't forget that.
Yeah.
For now.
My God.
Didn't he just walk Butch Queen body?
Yeah. He won grand prize.
How old was he?
25. A baby.
I just can't do this anymore.
-I can't do it. -Where are you going?
-Home. -Let me come with you.
No. I'm gonna make this quick.
-I'm retiring. -MIZRAHI: I didn't know
-you could retire from retail. -I'm being serious.
I'm done emceeing the balls.
Well, we do not accept your resignation.
Well, it's not up for discussion.
Y'all know the balls ain't what they used to be.
We've lost too many icons, and-and all these young kids
ain't got no home training.
And these cash prizes and these...
tacky lip syncs.
I just can't...
The children-- they depend on us, Pray.
I know. I know.
I'm sorry. I love y'all. I really do.
But I don't have anything left to give.
(sirens wailing in distance)
(fire truck horn honks)
(door closes)
She's going through it.
(indistinct chatter)
(indistinct P.A. announcement)
-Hey, Dr. C. -Hi.
Hey.
(monitor beeping)
CUBBY (weakly): Hello? Who's there?
Hey, Cubby.
It's Blanca. How you feeling, boo?
Like shit.
How do I look?
-Stunning, as always. -Ah.
You think that's why Lemar doesn't visit?
He can't handle that I'm still more beautiful?
Oh, no, child.
Lemar too caught up in his new house
to see past his own reflection.
-It is not personal. -So much for family.
Well, at least you have a birth mother who still loves you.
Please stop bringing her up.
(crying): She hates me.
Cubby, that ain't true.
I talked to her, and she actually loves you very much.
-What? -It's-it's my job to get in contact
with the families of patients who...
Patients who are, um...
Who are dying.
-(sighs) -Look, let's just...
-(crying) -She's here.
She's in the waiting room, and she really wants to see you.
I don't want to see her.
Boy, you can't even see. (laughs)
(sobbing)
-(coughing) -Come on. Here.
Here's some water.
Mmm.
When I came out to her,
she told me I was gonna die from this disease.
I told her I was gonna prove her wrong.
(crying)
She was right, Blanca.
I'm gonna die.
(quietly): No, no, no, no, no.
Your mama didn't come here to prove nothing to nobody.
She came here to make things right.
(sniffles)
Give me some Carmex first.
-(laughs) -Can't have her reading
-my chapped lips. -Child, you haven't
changed a bit, have you? (laughs)
Am I still beautiful, Blanca?
Beyond.
Hey, you want your compact? (laughs)
Yes, please.
Bam!
(sighs)
I still got it.
Baby?
CUBBY: Hi, Mommy.
Oh, honey.
Oh.
BLANCA: Look, I know it's our job,
but seeing Cubby in there like that...
(both sigh)
This job is not for the faint of heart, doll.
That's why they got the tough girls like you and me
-up here working. -(chuckles softly)
You're right.
NURSE JUDY: But you shouldn't be dealing with Cubby
all by yourself. Where are the kids?
Judy, they may still be my children,
but they're not kids.
Damon's the only one under my roof,
and he don't even really need me like that no more.
Well, sounds like you're about to become an empty nester.
What's next for Mama Bear?
I haven't even thought that far.
I'm just trying to get by. Do my job, girl.
You're a natural, Blanca. Everyone loves you,
especially your patients.
You know how rare it is to have somebody
who's positive next to them? Someone who understands?
You know how many times I've sat in these halls over the years?
Waiting in fear for a diagnosis?
It never crossed my mind that a woman like me
could have the answers.
Could be the one with the solution.
Maybe in another life, I could have been wearing nurse scrubs.
Or maybe in this one.
It's never too late to go after what you want.
Remember, doll,
there's not many yous out there.
Hey.
Damon?
You home?
-NEWSMAN: They're pulling over off to the side. -Oh, shit.
They know that he's coming and...
(door opens)
-Hey, babe. -PRAY TELL: Hey. -(door closes)
-You have a good day? -PRAY TELL: No.
(glass clinking)
What crawled up your ass?
I'm on my feet working all day,
only to come home slaving over a hot plate
so you have something other than liquor in your belly.
First of all, first of all,
auditioning is not the same as working.
Second, you act like you made this chicken yourself.
-(silverware clatters) -You are such an asshole.
Do you even know what today was?
What? Anniversary?
Your birthday?
I had a callback for Janet's tour today.
My second one.
But you wouldn't know that
because you never ask how my day is.
(groans)
Your generation is so dramatic.
(phone rings)
-Hello? -BLANCA: Pray, turn on your TV. Now.
-Okay. All right. Hold on. -Now.
-Damn, Blanca. -They think he gonna
-kill himself. -NEWSMAN: Earlier this evening, a longtime friend
-of Simpson's, Robert Kardashian, -Oh, my God.
went on television with Simpson's lawyer.
Ricky, Ricky, look!
-What? What is it? -PRAY TELL: It's O.J.
BLANCA: Get over here. We got to have a watch party.
NEWSMAN: ...and it was described as suicidal.
NEWSWOMAN: Shapiro said, in fact, that he gave the police
the address of where he was, gave the location,
-and promised that he would... -RICKY: That's your last one.
And then you're getting cut off.
You ain't my mama.
BLANCA: Ooh. Okay, well, I can't believe this is real.
Feels like something out of a movie.
RICKY: (scoffs) Please.
The cops chasing after a Black man?
Feels pretty familiar to me.
Yeah, but he was never that kind of Black man.
Not till today.
BLANCA: And what is that supposed to mean?
He a respectable Black man.
You know, white folks love drinking O.J.,
especially when he's winning them trophies
or starring in they funny movies
or selling them cowboy boots.
You know, when white folks love you,
-you become raceless. -RICKY: What does that
-have to do with him killing his wife? -PRAY TELL: Mm!
NEWSMAN: ...5 Freeway, O.J. Simpson...
We don't know for a fact that he killed her.
-(scoffs) -Innocent till proven guilty.
Pray, that man killed his wife. Why would he be running
-if he was innocent? -PRAY TELL: Mm-mmm.
-Don't do that. -BLANCA: Stop. This is not
a Black-and-white issue. This is about a mother
who's not around to raise her kids anymore.
PRAY TELL: Mm.
Not in a country where being Black is the crime.
NEWSMAN: However, they just
-(drink pouring) -thought he was in a general vicinity
near his wife's cemetery.
("I Wanna Be Down" by Brandy playing)
¶ The kind of girl that you ¶
¶ Could be down for ¶
¶ 'Cause when I look at you, I feel something... ¶
Bitch.
-ANGEL: Mm. -LULU: Girl, this picture
is everything. Look at her.
Sickening.
What?
I went out for this campaign.
Why didn't I book this?
Girl, you better talk to your manager about that.
-I have. -Well, maybe it's just slow
right now, Angel.
¶ But I feel like something could be going on ¶
¶ The more I see you ¶
¶ The more that it becomes so true... ¶
(sighs) Well,
if it makes you feel any better,
-shit, I'm back on the pole. -Why?
I thought you said you had a degree.
It's an associate's,
and I need a bachelor's to be an accountant.
Besides, college ain't paying no bills.
Oh.
Okay.
¶ I wanna be down... ¶
What kind of weed is that?
-Oh, this? (laughs) -Uh-huh.
Girl, this that new-new.
-I got it from a girl at the club. -Who's that?
-Well, they call it a woolie. -What's a woolie?
-She lace her joints with a little crack. -(phone ringing)
-What the fuck? -It's just a sprinkle.
Girl, it takes the edge off and keeps me snatched.
Well, why would you give me that?
-Why would you give me that without telling me? -I didn't
-tell you take it. -And you know Papi don't want me on that shit.
You took it out of my hand. I didn't give you nothing.
-Hello? -BLANCA: Girl, get your ass
over here. You missing the party.
-What party? -O.J. Simpson is on the run.
Who's O.J.?
-Orange juice? -No!
O.J. Simpson, girl. The football player actor.
Um, Naked Gun, Hertz commercials.
Girl, bye.
¶ Until you want me, baby ¶
¶ I wanna stay by your side... ¶
Orange juice on the run.
¶ Be there to cool you out... ¶
-Let me. Give me... -Uh-huh.
-I knew you wanted some more. -Shut up. Shut up, crackhead.
-You look like a crackhead. -You been a crackhead.
-Your mama. -¶ Oh, yeah. ¶
BLANCA: You think he gonna get in a car accident?
This is crazy. Thank you.
To think I ditched my plans to see Michelle Pfeiffer in Wolf
to watch this fucking car chase.
You know, I think they're gonna shoot him.
-Oof. -PRAY TELL: What?
What? I'm just saying
-what everybody's thinking. -Damn, Pray.
-See, and that's why you need to put it down. -PRAY TELL: Oops.
I guess I need another one.
NEWSMAN: On the 5 Freeway, past the 55.
-At first, only one unit. -(sighs)
-Then, within a matter of minutes, over 20 units... -Talk to him.
-(mouths) -Go talk to him.
...and are now following Mr. Simpson...
I got it.
NEWSMAN: ...about 30 miles an hour.
-(drink pouring) -Hey, um, Pray.
-Hmm? -Can I show you something in my room?
Ooh.
Hey, Ricky.
Damon wants to show me
something in his room.
-Mm. (chuckles) -Okay, okay, okay.
-Come on. Come on. -RICKY: You should go.
Let's go.
PRAY TELL: You little chickadees, you always got
-something to show me. -Ricky, you need to handle that.
-That's your friend. -And he's your man.
Show me your dick! (laughs)
I'm just playing.
-I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. -No, wait. Stand up, stand up.
-Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. -Okay.
(coughs softly) Ooh!
Oh, we Buddha!
Yum, ho, yo,
ren, gay, kyong, yong, yong, yong, yong, yong...
(laughs)
What, you gonna read me a Bible story?
Uh, we call it The Big Book.
PRAY TELL: Oh,
no, thank you. I don't need to...
No, I know what it's like
self-medicating to escape this fucked-up world,
but there's a better way.
Better way?
A better way to watch my friends die?
The world is cold and cruel
and filled with shitty fucking diseases.
-The least we can do is have a little fun. -Sobriety
is-is not escaping death.
It's about living life on life's terms.
-You know, I... -(doorbell rings)
PRAY TELL: Oh!
Saved by the bell! Saved by the bell.
What's so important
that I had to cancel my Friday night date for?
What's going on?
(whispers): Follow me.
(indistinct chatter)
I got something for you.
-Oh, dear, this better be good. -Ooh,
-you ain't gonna believe this, girl. -(sighs)
Oh!
-What I miss? -RICKY: They think he might kill himself.
Who is going to kill himself?
ALL: O.J.!
No! He's one
of the most talented actors of our generation.
He would never throw everything away
because of a false accusation.
Perhaps he's running because of grief.
-I believe he's innocent. -NURSE JUDY: No one would threaten
suicide unless they knew the jig was up.
I mean, why else would he be running?
You can't blame a Black man
for running from a broken system.
-PRAY TELL: Everybody got to run from something. -NURSE JUDY: Innocent
or guilty, I can't participate in this anymore.
-OTHERS: No! -What are you doing?! -Fine.
Thanks for the good times, kids.
-Bye, bitch. -NEWSMAN: ...helicopter shot,
but the Associated Press reports
-that bystanders are waving. -(knock on door)
Who you think is in the car with him?
Where's everybody at?
Uh, in the living room,
watching the end of humanity as we know it.
-Bye, girls. -They canceled the Knicks game for this.
-They need to... -BLANCA: What are you talking about? You don't
-even watch sports. -RICKY: How you know what I watch?
I thought you weren't coming.
I had to drag her here.
Y'all know I loved me some Naked Gun 33 1/3.
(laughs)
I'm already bored. You want to smoke?
Sure.
ANGEL: Okay.
PRAY TELL: Smoke? I'm going with them.
I need a change of scenery.
ELEKTRA: Fun fact...
my sugar daddy had season tickets to all his games.
I was asked to stop attending,
because he couldn't keep his eyes off me.
-RICKY: Oh, my God. -(laughter)
PRAY TELL: Oh, hell yeah.
-ANGEL: Yes. -Mmm.
Full disclosure: it's got a little kick to it.
Ooh.
There's coke in it.
-I'm good. -Come on,
-take a little hit. -Have a little bit.
-Take a little, Sleepy Daddy. -No, I've had enough.
-You know you want to try it, so... Ooh. -(knocking)
What y'all smoking in here?
-Cigarettes, Ma. Damn. -(doorbell rings)
Mm-hmm.
-Hey! -Special delivery.
(grunts) Hi, baby.
Hey, baby.
(lock clicks)
-Close the door. -(snickering)
Yo, I got supreme, just for you.
Oh, this is heavy.
You good?
Yeah. I'm happy we all under one roof again.
-Mm. -It's been too long.
-Mm-hmm. -I just can't believe how lost everyone is.
I thought I raised all y'all with some sense.
Hey, I got some sense.
But you can't take responsibility
-for they fuck-ups. -That is what mothers do.
Look, I don't know what to tell you, then.
Do what mothers do, girl. Fix it.
Look, look, look, look, look, look.
-(kisses) Love you. Bye. -Boy...
-Yo, Big Papi in the house. -All right, bro.
-I mean, can you believe this shit? -What's crackin'?
-What? -DAMON: They're all just sitting there
cheering for this man like he didn't do it.
-PRAY TELL: Ooh, that's close. -ELEKTRA: I see O.J.!
-He's getting out of the car! -They're gonna shoot his Black ass!
Motherfucker cut his wife's head off with the kids upstairs.
I will not sit by at this tense moment
and listen to you cast aspersions on the reputation
of an innocent man!
Oh, at least if they shoot him there's gonna be
-something good on TV to watch. -Ooh, they're gonna shoot him
inside of his own house!
-No! -(shrieking) -Oh, my God,
would you all shut up!
Ain't nobody getting shot.
You see that driveway and them shrubberies
and that castle?
-O.J.'s practically a white man. -DAMON: Not anymore.
All right, enough, enough. It's over. Time for dinner.
-No! -(others clamoring)
-What are you doing?! -What?
Damon, Papi, get the food. Angel, set the table.
-(others groaning) -Come on!
-No... -What?
-You couldn't let them... -No, you go.
You're lucky this is your house, little girl.
BLANCA: It's gonna be on repeat, y'all.
ANGEL: The category is...
-Inner Peace. -Uh-huh.
Bring it like a monk.
Oh, work it out, work it out.
Ooh, she's a commentator now.
It's not that hard.
Yeah, if all I said was, "Come judge for me,
come judge for me,"
I wouldn't think it was that hard, either.
-Okay, okay, that's enough. -(laughs)
I missed this, y'all.
It's been a while since we've been together like this.
Everybody's been doing their own thing.
Oh, Lord, I hear a speech coming on, y'all.
It is true.
All of my best memories are with y'all.
Especially when we competing at the balls.
Ain't nobody got time for that no more.
Well, maybe we should make time.
I'm thinking about bringing The House of Evangelista back.
At the Summer Solstice Ball.
Is this about your legacy?
No.
It's about our legacy.
Look, I don't like what Lemar and The House of Khan is doing.
They're tarnishing ballroom, making it about money
when it should really be about creativity,
community, family.
Everything we worked hard to create.
And don't y'all want to become iconic?
-No. -(laughs): I already am.
LULU: But what are you proposing
we do, exactly?
You know, um...
walk as a house again,
reinstitute Friday night dinners.
-Absolutely not. -Oh, no, no.
-(others protesting) -Pray Tell, help me. Help...
-Pray Tell, help me out. -If they don't want to walk,
-you can't force them. Hmm. -Mm-hmm.
We rose from the bottom and we became stars.
When we walk together...
we shine brighter than the entire Manhattan skyline.
We make a statement.
Come on, this could be our one opportunity
to remind the world who we really are.
Y'all my family and I miss my family, so...
-I'm in. -Boom.
Me, too, Mother. I'm in.
-Boom. -Well, if Damon's in, I guess I am, too.
ANGEL: Well, I still think it's a horrible idea,
but I'm going, 'cause, uh, Miss Lulu's coming, too.
(sighs) Whatever, bitch. I guess.
(laughter)
The first category we don't snatch a trophy,
-I'm out. -Same.
Deal.
Wait, Mother, do it for us.
(lively overlapping chatter)
-RICKY: Come judge for me. -(vocalizing)
(all vocalizing)
(door opens)
I thought you'd be sleeping.
Did you watch the chase?
I tried, but I was on the go with patients all day.
My man has been working so hard.
Mm.
What you reading, smarty-pants?
New research on antiviral drug trials.
Hmm.
I bet you was always the one
-with your hand up first in class, huh? -Mm.
Mm.
Nah, I ain't even going for it-- I was.
-Right? -Teacher's pet,
homecoming king and valedictorian.
Show-off.
-(laughs) -I was never good in school.
And it wasn't because I wasn't trying.
It's just, I struggled with reading.
Something was off, 'cause every book looked like
a big ole bowl of alphabet soup.
It wasn't until I was 14 I found out I was dyslexic.
-Damn, baby, I had no idea. -Yeah, well,
school did a number on me.
I was called dumb and stupid so many times,
I just gave up.
And now, after all of these years,
I'm entertaining the thought of actually going back to school.
For nursing.
I can help you study.
I got you, Blanca.
I love you.
¶ ¶
I-I love you, too.
Good.
Good. Because there's something I've been meaning to ask.
I want you to meet my parents.
Look, I know we've only been together
-for, like, six months... -It's not that.
It's just, um...
(sighs)
I never imagined something like this-- I mean, finding love
and meeting your parents.
I already know how this is going to go.
Your parents will judge me, and then you'll realize
the whole world is judging me, and I don't have...
Stop, stop, stop.
They'll love you because I love you.
Take the next step with me.
Please.
Okay.
What you think?
Dangles?
You're right. I'm gonna do me a Jody Watley hoop.
(chuckles) Why you got to be so sexy when you're nervous?
Boy, stop. You know I haven't met the parents before.
-Tell me about them. -(clicks tongue)
-High school sweethearts. -Mm-hmm.
Dad's a Morehouse man.
-Moms went to Spelman. -Mm-hmm.
She's an attorney. He's a psychologist.
I'm an only child, so...
-(phone ringing) -I get what I want.
Ooh. I didn't know I was dating Theo Huxtable.
Oh. Oh, you got jokes, huh?
-Huh. -I might do a little sumpin'-sumpin'.
Hello?
What?
Okay. Okay, I-I'll be right there.
Babe, what's up?
It's Cubby.
¶ ¶
(monitor beeping)
Can he hear us?
I don't know, baby.
Maybe we should... share some of our memories of him.
So he knows we love him.
Do any of you remember the Pixie Ball?
Didn't he walk sex siren wearing nothing but pink glitter
-and a thong? -(laughter)
ELEKTRA: I admired his nerve.
And when he told me he walked all the way from his apartment
to the ball in that outfit,
I knew he needed a mother to teach him about survival.
Cubby didn't care what anybody had to say about him.
He never apologized for who he was.
We used to fight and argue all the time.
I thought he acted the way he did
because he wanted to upset me.
I never considered it was just...
who he was.
I regret letting my own ignorance
drive him away from me.
Listen, nobody is out here teaching parents
how to accept their gay children.
You can't blame yourself for what you didn't know.
Thank you.
Thank you for taking care of my boy.
I'm sorry I gave up on you.
I'm sorry I let you go.
I'm so sorry I let you go.
-(monitor flatlines) -(gasps)
Yo. Yo!
-We need some help! -That's okay, Papi.
There's nothing we can do. He's gone.
(flatlining continues)
(all sniffling)
¶ ¶
(sobs, sniffles)
Cubby's room?
Oh, shit.
Mother, don't cry. Your favorite is here,
and he got empanadas.
You're late.
I had a fitting.
I hope it was worth it.
Cubby's gone.
What?
(quietly): It's okay.
(indistinct P.A. announcement)
You never told me it was that serious!
I've been telling you for weeks to come and sit with him,
but you've been so absorbed with pulling stunts
and winning trophies that you didn't have enough time.
-I was busy building a house. -A house you wouldn't even let
-your own brother into! -Cubby didn't make the cut.
-He got sloppy. -He got sick, you fucking asshole!
-Oh, this is how you want to play? -Stop. Stop.
-Right here, let's go. -How fucking dare you!
-Enough! -How fucking dare you!
BLANCA: We just lost Cubby.
He wouldn't want this.
(Pray Tell sniffling)
You're right.
(sniffles) He would want us
to fight it out like I taught him to...
on the ballroom floor.
Are you challenging me, Mother Dear?
(sniffles, sighs)
Yes, bitch.
You and your entire house.
Tonight at the Summer Solstice Ball.
Please. This hardly seems fair for your sake.
The Evangelistas haven't walked as a house in ages.
That boy's body is still warm!
The balls are how we grieve, Pray.
She's right.
We should walk in Cubby's honor at the Summer Solstice.
This is not how to grieve.
LEMAR: Well, while you heifers
figure out your return from retirement,
I'm gonna go see my brother.
He's your brother now?
I'll see you on the ballroom floor.
(sniffles)
(crying softly)
(sniffles)
¶ ¶
(crowd cheering)
MIZRAHI: The A/C might have quit on us, honey,
but the Sixth Annual
Summer Solstice festivities must...
carry on.
It's about to get severe up in here, children.
Yo. Yes! Thank God! Hurry up!
Why are y'all walking like a bunch of old ladies?
MIZRAHI: We got ourselves a challenge out here tonight.
Come on! It's about to be the last category.
Everybody dressed and ready.
An iconic house is coming out
of retirement, ladies and gentlemen,
for a house-versus-house challenge.
-(cheering) -Are you ready?
The House of Khan versus The House of Evangelista!
(cheering)
DJ, drop that beat.
¶ You better work... ¶
It's house-versus-house time. All right.
It's the gorgeous babe time, honey.
You better walk. We're gonna start this off
with the face, girls.
This is Angel versus Miss Pretentia, honey.
We talk about wicked beauties.
Sell it, baby.
-(cheering) -Aw, shit.
You gotta walk the runway now, darling.
¶ 'Cause everything looks ¶
¶ Good on you ¶
¶ Supermodel work... ¶
You gotta pump for me. Walk for me. Turn. Pump for me.
-(cheering) -Oh, my God!
Is that my sister's man?
(cheering)
Ricky, Ricky versus Shadow, honey.
She did go storm out his shadow, baby.
¶ Work, work... ¶
And look who's in the back, baby.
She went to Paris.
She taught 'em to dance.
You better work, Miss Damon.
-(cheering) -Oh, and it's Father Khan.
It's the Voguing battle.
And it is house-house versus house-house.
(cheering)
¶ When you walked into the room ¶
Ooh!
¶ Everybody's eyes on you... ¶
-Yes! -(cheering)
MIZRAHI: ¶ And the Mother has arrived ¶
¶ The Mother has arrived ¶
¶ The icon ¶
¶ Miss Elektra! ¶
(cheering)
¶ Work that runway, sweetie ¶
¶ I have one thing to say ¶
¶ Sashay, shanté, shanté, shanté ¶
¶ Shanté, shanté, shanté, I have one... ¶
MIZRAHI: Bitch, you better take your walk, darling!
(cheering)
You better take a step for every house you've been in
since the '70s.
Hey, I'm talking about Abundance.
I'm talking about Ferocity.
I'm talking about Evangelista. I'm talking about Wintour.
Now, on the count of three,
I need you to hold that legendary pose for me.
One, two, three and hold
that legendary... pose.
Give them a round of applause.
-(applause and cheering) -Oh, give it up.
Give it up! Give it up! Give it up! Give it up!
Judges, what do you have for The House of Khan?
Ten.
Ten. Nine.
Ten.
-Nine. -(booing)
All right. And for The House
of Evangelista? Ten.
-Ten. Nine. -(cheering and oohing)
Ten. Ten.
(applause and cheering)
Whoo!
The House of Evangelista has done it again!
¶ ¶
(cheering continues)
Congratulations!
That's how you serve a house.
Jack, may I?
-Let's go. -BLANCA: Uh,
I would like to give a round of applause
to The House of Khan tonight.
(applause and cheering)
What you have done with your house, Lemar,
my brother, is beautiful.
Our houses showed up, despite our differences,
-because we're family. -(crowd assenting)
And ballroom is our home.
For too long, we've been on the run.
All of us. If you're always moving, no one can catch you.
Nothing bad can happen to you.
But all that running ain't gonna do nothing
but put more distance between you
and what you're meant to do with your life.
Not one day did our dearly departed
brother Cubby Abundance Wintour run.
So today, I'm done running.
-Yeah! -(cheering)
Who's with me?
(cheering and whooping)
I love y'all.
I love ballroom.
My family will donate our $500 cash prize
to GMHC in Cubby's name.
This is for you, Cubby.
("I Love Your Smile" by Shanice plays)
-To Cubby. -OTHERS: To Cubby!
¶ ¶
(cheering continues)
-ALL: Cheers! -To Cubby! -To Cubby.
To Cubby.
LIL PAPI: Now can we eat, please?
-Yo, your boy is hungry. -What's new, my guy?
-All right, all right. -PRAY TELL: Dig in, y'all.
-Dig in. -(overlapping chatter)
¶ Hear the teacher, his books don't call me... ¶
-Those veggie dumplings. -The dumplings.
¶ I don't see the bad boys tryin' to catch some play ¶
¶ 'Cause I love your smile ¶
¶ ¶
(overlapping chatter continues)
(Christopher clears throat)
¶ I love your smile... ¶
RICKY: Who's this?
You got room for one more?
Always.
-Who is this? Who is this? -Pray...
¶ The clock at work says 3:00 ¶
¶ And I want to be free... ¶
(cheering and whooping)
¶ Free to paint my toes all day ¶
-¶ My boss is lame, you know ¶ -Well, all right.
-¶ And so is the pay... ¶ -PRAY TELL: Get a room!
(clears throat) Um, everybody,
um, this is Christopher.
And Christopher, this is... this is my family.
Hi, Christopher!
LIL PAPI: Hey, I saw you...
-Papi, right? -Yeah. Christopher.
-ANGEL: Hi, Christopher. -CHRISTOPHER: Hey.
PRAY TELL: What's going on?
You want some noodles before you get grilled?
You better take that.
(laughter)
Isn't she beautiful?
-It's true, I am. -¶ I love your smile ¶
LULU: Get a room.
¶ I really do. ¶
(indistinct chatter)
¶ ¶
-Can I help you find your class, darling? -Oh.
No, I'm sorry. I'm... I'm not a student here.
-Oh. -But I'd like to be.
Do you have an application?
I can help you with that.
-Here. -Thank you.
Now, you've got two weeks to get everything in
before the fall semester.
What program are you interested in?
Nursing. I'm gonna be a nurse.
Oh.
-Thank you, ma'am. -You're welcome.
¶ ¶
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH