Hey, honey, which one?
The blue.
But say I'm in Southeast Asia
negotiating for top-of-the-line sewing equipment.
The blue. Okay, but what if I'm...?
The blue.
You know what? I'll bring both.
You can't wear black when you're making deals in Malaysia.
They consider it unlucky.
Good to know. I was wearing
a little black number the night I lost
20,000 ringgits playing pai gow.
You can't gamble in Kuala Lumpur.
Oh, honey, you can gamble anywhere.
Just follow the Chinese people.
Did you travel to Malaysia
a lot when you ran MaxDot?
Max and I went to Malaysia, Korea, the Philippines...
Really, anywhere they eat with sticks.
I'd watch Douglas and Christina for a week,
and they'd travel the world.
Yeah, but we always brought you back a T-shirt.
Yeah, that made up for it.
The '80s were my time.
There was J.R. Ewing...
and Dottie Wheeler.
I would have loved to see you back then.
I was what the youngsters would call a bad bitch.
Now...
you can see me travel all the way to my room.
Bring me back a shirt.
You should take her with you.
Why do you want to hurt me? I'm nice to you.
She has recovered enough from her stroke.
She would enjoy it.
But I'd be miserable.
But she would enjoy it.
Yeah, repeating it doesn't make me want to do it more.
I see this every day at work.
People think they have enough time,
then something happens
and they don't get the chance to say goodbye.
Thank God for FaceTime, huh?
(groans)
Mom! You want to go to Malaysia with me?
No, thank you. Hmm.
Go and convince her.
Ah, come on.
("Ifanla" by Sola Akingbola playing)
Ah, e kaale, Mummy. Kaale.
What is all this? I was hoping
we could spend some time together,
just the two of us.
I see.
Why?
You are my mother.
Tell me what you have done,
and I will decide if I want to remain your mother.
Could you please just sit?
I have KitKat Chunkies.
You are bribing me with confectionary.
Auntie Olu and I would have girls' nights like this
when I first moved to America.
I was worried about you,
but I was glad you at least had a second-rate version of me.
We would drink wine
and put on Big Brother Nigeria.
So, you would get drunk and watch terrible television?
The show did not matter.
It was about the laughter and wonderful conversation.
That sounds nice.
Yes.
(clinking) Cheers.
Mmm.
So...
What is new with you?
Bob is in Malaysia on business.
I know that. Ah.
Work has been very busy.
I know that. Ah.
How are things in your life?
None of your business. Of course.
(speaks Mandarin)
There's no smoking.
Aw! What's the third world coming to?
I think most of the manufacturing machines are
in the grand ballroom.
Oh...
Busi's got a prototype here.
Clear your schedule. We found our white whale.
Eh, sorry I'm gonna have to miss that,
I'll be too busy networking.
You mean you'll be at the bar.
That's what I just said.
Bob?
Wati, hey!
I thought it was you.
I recognized your flat head.
And hubba hubba.
Who is this young lady? (chuckles)
Wati, the last time I saw you,
we were both in the back seat of a squad car.
I told you not to give tequila to that policeman's horse.
(all laughing)
Do not tell me you are staying here. Well...
this is where we keep our bags, but you know me.
A disco nap, and then I hit the streets.
You must stay with me.
Oh, me and my flat head wouldn't want to impose.
My wife would not forgive me.
I insist.
We'd love to.
Great, I will see you at home.
Can't wait.
Oh, you can't smoke here anymore.
What the hell, Mom?
What? We can't stay with Wati.
Why not? He's an old friend.
He's also the guy we're gonna screw over
when we pull our business in six months.
Ah... I forgot about that.
Yeah, that is a pickle.
I knew I should've come alone.
Then this is on you.
We are going now. Have fun.
I would love to,
but I have a whole list of things
to take care of around here.
I know you are going to drink soda and watch YouTube.
That is on the list. (knock at door)
E karo, Auntie. Ah. (chuckles)
Morenike. E karo.
UNCLE TUNDE: Hello. Uncle.
Is now a bad time?
Oh, Morenike and I were just going out.
Oh. To brunch.
Oh. You and I used to do that.
Yes, we did.
And now you have been replaced.
No one has been replaced.
Come by tomorrow. We will do something then.
Auntie, tomorrow we have reservations
for the escape room.
Oh, yes. Well, I will call you.
Or I could join you.
You do not want me to.
Of course we do.
Well, then...
I will come.
Okay.
You will come.
I am feeling awkward,
and I am not even in this conversation.
Anything for my most loyal customer.
You have done so much
for our family.
I brought a friend of yours with me from the States.
Hello, Jack, it has been too long.
You did not have to bring anything.
Your ongoing business is the greatest gift.
Okay, enough shoptalk.
Jin, this nasi lemak is incredible.
I'm glad you like it.
MaxDot is the way we keep food on our table.
Uh-huh.
You mind if I crack open your buddy there?
So, um, how are the kids?
Where's little Selly?
All grown up. She just went off to college.
University of Wisconsin.
Oh, that's great.
I'm paying $40,000
for her to drink Miller Lite.
Which we would never be able to afford without...
Yeah, you're welcome!
(dance music playing)
I'm going to get a peach Bellini.
Careful, Auntie.
Remember what happened last time.
(both giggling)
What happened last time?
I drank it too fast and I got the hiccups.
You know, sometimes it helps if you drink water.
She did. It made them even worse.
(laughs)
I-I had the hiccups the other day. It was also funny.
Oh, really? What happened?
Eventually they went away. (laughing)
(laughs politely)
(music ends)
What's happening?
Just watch.
("I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor playing)
♪ At first I was afraid ♪
♪ I was petrified ♪
♪ Kept thinking I could never live ♪
♪ Without you by my side ♪
♪ But then I spent so many nights... ♪
Um, what kind of restaurant is this?
Oh, perhaps we should have warned you.
♪ And so you're back ♪
Oh. (patrons clapping rhythmically)
Oh.
♪ Did you think I'd crumble? ♪
♪ Did you think I'd lay down and die? ♪
Oh... ♪ Oh, no, not I ♪
♪ I will survive ♪
♪ Oh, as long as I know how to love ♪
♪ I know I'll stay alive ♪
♪ I've got all my life to live ♪
♪ And I've got all my love to give ♪
♪ And I'll survive ♪
♪ I will survive ♪
♪ Hey, hey. ♪
(song fading)
Look, Dottie.
This was when we got our ears pierced together.
Oh, I think she's out.
But you look great. I like the dangly yin-yang.
You are a good son for bringing her.
Yeah, she's almost pleasant when she's sleeping.
(chuckles)
When she put you in charge of MaxDot, I had my doubts.
I remember.
"Your son's a dumbass" is the first phrase
I learned in Mandarin.
I have to start thinking of who I want to leave my company to.
You thinking of calling it quits?
I'm losing my fire.
I used to love socks.
Now I just really like them.
Well, then there's something we should talk about.
MaxDot's gonna be making some changes.
What kind of changes?
Well, as you know,
a lot of American companies make their products overseas.
I thank God every day for such laziness.
We're not gonna be one of those companies anymore.
What?
We're setting up our own factory.
Look, this is good, you just said
you wanted to get out.
I meant decades from now. I'm only 80!
Well, now you're still young enough
to enjoy time with your wife.
Vacation together. With what money?
Yeah, that is a pickle.
Get out of my house! Come on, don't be that way.
Get out! (exclaims) What's going on?
There it is.
(disco music playing)
My goodness, you killed it again.
(giggling) Yes,
you slayed, bitch.
(laughing) Auntie!
What? That is how we speak.
All of us queens.
Once my friends met Auntie,
they could not get enough of her.
And are all your friends... like this?
Ah. We have a virgin?
Ring the bell.
Please, no bell, all right? (bell rings)
Please, no pictures.
This is illegal where I'm from.
We are not in Nigeria. Have fun.
Stick this into her bra, you will feel better.
It is okay.
Are you singing today?
If I keep on drinking, anything is possible.
(laughing)
Auntie Olu, you crack me up.
So, you both knew this was going to happen?
Yes, it is a drag brunch.
MORENIKE: Many of the queens will perform today.
There's Harlot Letter. Peg the Stallion.
And there is my favorite,
Tuckin' Carlson.
Oluwa mi o.
Oh. Olu-wa mi o.
That could be my drag name.
("Boss Chick" by Saweetie playing) You know what time it is.
Twerk o'clock!
Come on, Auntie.
If you want a free shot, you better get up
and shake it! AUNTIE OLU: Ooh, no.
I could not possibly.
♪ That can coach me... ♪
MORENIKE (chanting): Go, Auntie! Go, Auntie!
Go, Auntie!
Go, Auntie! Go, Auntie!
Wati's been our friend for 30 years,
and we stabbed him in the back.
No, I wanted to stab him in the back,
you stuck the knife right in his sweet face.
Hey, you think the kitchen's still open?
How can you be so cold?
It's business.
Our arrangement with Wati served its purpose,
and now it's done.
You didn't cry when we fired your math tutor.
We didn't have a relationship with him.
Oh, God!
You wanted to bring manufacturing back to Detroit.
Where did you think you were bringing it from?
Well, it was easier to screw him over
before I knew he had two Pomeranians named Max and Dot.
You may not have the stomach for this, Bobby.
I have been running the company for 25 years.
After it was already built.
The dirty work was done.
The eggs were cracked. The bodies were buried. I get it!
I'm sorry, but I just think
there's a way to run a successful company
and treat people with honesty and respect.
That's nice.
Totally delusional but nice.
I thought you couldn't get into one of those places
unless you are gay.
Apparently, everyone is welcome.
Oh, who'd have thought that anyone can get lunch
in a place that serves lunch?
Auntie seemed so... comfortable.
There's an easy explanation for that.
(Gloria scoffs)
Her aunt isn't gay. I've been to a drag show.
And there's an easy explanation for that.
If anyone was uncomfortable, it was me.
I must be a bad person.
No, baby, you were just raised in a certain environment,
and it can take a long time to put that stuff down. KEMI: Yes.
Not everyone is as open-minded as I am.
You were just over here basing people's sexuality
on where they eat waffles.
But I don't hate them for it.
Mind open.
I do not hate them either.
I know you don't, sweetie.
On a homophobia scale, I'd put you at a... seven.
Seven?
Hey, I'm giving you credit.
Seven is not bad when you were raised in a church full of tens.
Keep working on it,
and soon you'll be down to a zero like me.
And your bisexual auntie.
(exclaims)
Hello, handsome.
My Mandarin's a little rusty, but I gather you're pissed.
Bob is a selfish man with a stupid mustache.
You want to keep whining,
or you want to kill that bottle of Jack?
I can do both.
Are you still a lightweight?
I only brought two outfits
and I don't need you puking on me.
If I throw up, it will not be the alcohol--
it will be because of your face.
(laughing): Hey, jackass, I had a stroke.
(laughing): Is that over yet?
I missed this.
Me, too.
You know, our factory's not up and running yet.
You can still keep making socks
while you figure out your next move.
I would rather keep my pride.
I've seen you blacked out in a jail cell.
What do you know about pride?
The way I see it, you've only got one way out of this.
I am not managing my brother's KFC.
How about you come to America
and help us run MaxDot manufacturing?
Why would I do anything to help you?
You get a gig, you get to be close to your daughter,
and you can buy Jack Daniel's at every gas station.
Is that true?
It's right next to the cigarettes.
My God, that sounds wonderful.
So, do we have a deal?
We have a deal. Thank you, Dottie.
(clinking) You're welcome.
(slurps)
Call me old-fashioned,
but I think there's a way to succeed in business
while treating people with honesty and respect.
That's nonsense.
Yeah, it is.
(phone ringing)
Hey.
Hey, you. How is the trip?
Oh, it's going great.
Thank you so much for making me bring Mom.
You're welcome.
I was being sarcastic.
I know, so was I.
There he is.
Hang on, the curse has returned.
You were right, Bobby.
What are you talking about?
Friendship, respect, all that crap.
That's why Wati's coming to Detroit to work with us.
What?! I-I have to go.
Me, too.
I need to talk to this drag queen.
What?
Excuse me.
(quietly): Twerk o'clock?
Ah, you are Morenike's cousin.
Yes. Abishola.
I have never seen you on this bus.
I am a little late for school today.
You are in law school?
You cannot tell by these bags under my eyes?
Last time I saw them,
they were covered (quietly): in glitter.
Would you like to sit?
Thank you. Yeah.
So, what did you think of the performance?
Uh, it was very...
colorful. (chuckling)
You are so polite.
I know you were uncomfortable,
but you stayed the whole time.
I did.
Morenike is lucky to have family like you.
Thank you.
(quietly): I'm down to a six.
Here is the boring logo we have been using for decades.
And here is the MaxDot logo of the future.
I just see a Max with a period.
Max. Dot.
MaxDot.
Oh, now I get it.
(chuckles) I still don't like it, but I get it.
What the hell is that?
We're kicking around ideas for a new logo.
So, you replaced my name with a freaking blob?
It is not a blob. It is a dot.
(sighs) Thank God we're bringing in a pro.
What are you talking about?
You didn't tell 'em yet?
I figured you'd want to.
Wati's coming in to run the factory.
What? What? Excuse me?
Why was I not involved in this decision?
Many of us were not involved.
Does this change the hierarchy? Am I still number two?
Am I still the janitor?
You know, this would be a wonderful discussion
if this was a democracy.
But you are living in the People's Republic of Dottie.
Meeting's over. Back to work.
Long live Dottie!
What happened in Malaysia?
I woke up a monster.
(sighs)
Am I still the janitor?
Captioning sponsored by CBS
and TOYOTA.
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org