Previously OnRun the World...
You better?
The "book not selling" stuff, yes.
Being branded a regressive blow
to fourth-wave feminism part, not so much.
I'm still interested in the VP of branch strategy role.
I'm gonna talk to Tom and Peter.
Half the female students in the department
have been trying to lock down Matthew for years.
What happened to the shoes I made for you?
Maybe she wants to wear pink shoes
'cause she's a six-year-old.
You could totally dance on a stage like this one day.
Really?
Really!
Here you go, baby.
Hey, I meant to ask you, how'd it go with Dr. Forman?
Oh, good.
Hopefully, he can be my committee chair.
Yeah, you know, I always thought he was kind of a kook.
He's got the kook hair going on.
He's got the same hair
as Malcolm Gladwell and Cornel West.
Yeah. Couple of kooks.
Shh!
Do you still have those brown ballet shoes?
Mm-hmm.
Okay. Okay. You were right.
Hey, um, how come you haven't met with Baptiste yet?
I really think she'll be a good fit for you.
Dad, you guys are not respecting this environment.
I feel like she was throwing me
a little bit of shade at our party.
Well, I'm sure it wasn't intentional.
She made it sound like you had dated another student.
All right, look, a couple years ago,
I had a student, she got really flirty,
and people assumed things were going on,
but it was a stupid rumor.
Well, then why would she say that?
I don't know. We've been friends forever.
She can be a little overprotective.
Look, I'm not gonna lie, Baptiste can be petty,
but she's brilliant.
And I think she'd be a great mentor for you.
Okay, fine. I'll reach out to her.
It's not like I have a lot of options.
You guys, please.
I can't let you two take me anywhere.
I wanted to apologize.
I did not mean to be rude the other night.
Oh, no worries.
I hope you didn't take my words out of context.
I didn't mean any harm.
Well, I appreciate that.
But, I mean, insinuating that Matthew has a history
of dating students is... kind of harmful.
So you're here because you need a new advisor,
or you're going to have to leave the program, correct?
I've read some of the chapters of your dissertation.
They're compelling and well-written.
But I was wondering why there aren't any women
in your research sample.
Was that intentional?
I mean, I-I came here to study under Dr. Powell,
and his focus is on male mass incarceration
and generational trauma, so I...
Um,
but, honestly, uh...
I would actually love to expand my focus to explore
how mass incarceration has forced Black families
to become matriarchal.
Fascinating.
I'd love to read what you've written on that.
Well, I haven't really started yet.
I was planning on expanding my focus
once I finished studying under Dr...
Sondi, your dissertation is the first indicator
of where your lifetime of scholarship will focus.
You have to start your career in your own voice.
Everyone already knows
what Matthew Powell is passionate about.
Wow.
Um, yeah, you're right.
Um, if I wanted to pivot my focus,
would you be interested in working with me?
I'd strongly consider.
Why don't you put together a 15-page thought starter
on female-anchored family structures,
and we'll talk again Monday.
I can do that.
Amari, sweetie, why don't you sit down
and draw another picture?
I don't want to draw anymore.
But you love to draw. Just one more.
You said we'd do one together.
And we will, I promise. I just need 30 more minutes.
Can we play charades?
Chicken...
I really need to get my work done, okay?
How about you draw a picture for your daddy,
and then we can go get ice cream, okay?
Where's your damn daddy?
Can we walk to the store?
I want something refreshing to drink.
Oh, you want something refreshing, do you?
Yes. I'm not sure what exactly.
But I'll know when we get there.
Hmm. All right, go get your shoes.
Rock, papers, scissors, shoot!
- Ugh, got me! - I thought Daddy was at work.
He is.
No, look.
Daddy!
Hey.
What are my favorite ladies doing here?
- I thought you had a meeting. - Oh, I did.
Just finished early,
so I figured I'd grab a quick bite.
Oh, well, you realize I'm trying to turn around
15 pages in three days, right?
Uh, yeah. Yeah. I was just about to come home.
Tres leches cake for Matt!
Daddy, you better get that to go.
Okay, baby, look, I'm sorry, all right?
I stayed out a little bit longer than I said I would,
but I don't understand.
Why are you so mad?
I did not risk
my entire academic career to be at your disposal.
I have a ton of research to do, and I cannot get anything done
because I am home with your daughter
and you're out having me time and eating fucking doughnuts.
It was a scone, but...
Do you want to die today?
Okay, look, I know you got a lot on your plate...
Do you?
Because you don't act like it.
Do you know you haven't washed a single dish
or done a load of laundry since I moved in here?
I have lived alone for nine years,
and now I wake up every morning next to you
and that amazing little girl,
whom I love but needs a lot of attention.
I feel like a married mother,
and I am not married or a mother.
Listen...
I'm extremely grateful
for everything you've sacrificed.
Your apartment, us working together.
And you're right, you've
you've done a lot since you've been here.
The last thing I want is for you to feel unappreciated.
Well, right now that's exactly how I feel.
I'm sorry. What can I do?
I just need to be alone.
I'm going to the library.
Renee, it is a private listening session,
not a birthday party at Lucky Strike.
Listen, tell your homegirl Imani
that you have a friend who's dressed up
with nowhere to go, and she'll love me!
All I got to do is throw my wig on.
Her name is Iman, and I'm grateful she got me in.
The only press they invited was Rolling Stone
and Jon Caramanica.
What is a Jon harmonica?
Jon Caramanica.
He's The New York Times music critic.
Renee, I got to go.
Mm-mm! No, no, no!
Come on, I heard Donald Glover's gonna be there,
and I feel like he missed out on dating me
when he lived in New York.
He's, like, married with three kids.
Girl, "like, married" is not married.
Let me shoot my shot.
You and you and you and you. You.
This is insane.
Thank you so much for inviting me.
Of course.
When I saw your byline on Hot Tea,
I was so excited.
Any chance you can run an exclusive
for the album release?
I'll talk to Barb about it.
- How is crazy Barb? - Same.
Still telling stories about partying at the Tunnel
with Craig Mack.
Oh, my God.
- Iman. - Yeah.
I'm hanging around for the after-set.
You want to join?
Yeah, sure. We'd love to.
Okay.
Hi, Emmett.
- You rep Emmett Wolfe, too? - Yeah.
We picked him up after he won the Globe last year.
I am gonna make him the next Michael B.
Allowing the audience to absorb
into a story about Blackness
that was void of both exceptionalism and trauma,
so refreshing.
I can see you're a deep thinker.
I'm sorry. I just... I'm a fan.
No, thank you.
It was one of the most important roles I ever played.
Yo, Em, when's Carly due?
Any day now.
I'm anxiously on call, man.
- Oh. - Oh, nice.
- Aww. - Oh, she's so beautiful.
Yo, bring that back.
She look like she actually fucks with you, bro.
- Shut up, bro. - A toast.
Let's make some toast, toast.
To the last days of you getting
more than five hours of sleep.
- You gonna need it.
I love Black men.
Oh, girl, miss me with that hopeless-romantic bullshit.
B-T-dubs, I haven't dated men since the Obama era.
- What? - Obama.
Okay, where have I been?
- We got to catch up. - Story time.
- Oh, yes.
Ooh, thank you.
Okay, so here we are dressed like Apollonia...
Uh, tah. I was Sheila E.
Whatever. Way too much purple.
- Okay.
So we get to the door, and the woman tells us
that our tickets are counterfeit.
I literally start crying.
- Hysterically weeping.
Well at least we didn't pay for them.
- Yeah. - The dude you were dating
gave 'em to us.
Wait. Damn. What did we call him?
- Rum Punch Bae. - Rum Punch Bae!
- Oh, my God.
Y'all don't even remember his name, do you?
No idea.
- Excuse me, guys. - Mm-hmm.
BRB.
Excuse me.
- Motherfucker. - Right?
I hate to do this to Iman, but I have to publish it.
We have to, right?
Of course we have to publish it!
If he's this much of a reckless asshole,
then he deserves it.
But his wife doesn't.
- Ugh. - Don't feel bad.
It's unproductive.
We can publish it
under "DaniSpillstheTea" if you want.
Iman's still gonna know it was me.
Yes, yes. She absolutely is.
I just don't understand this new relationship contract.
Because you're a celebrity or rich,
I'm supposed to be okay with you screwing other women?
Is it even infidelity, or are we now witnessing
the rise of Black polygamy and just not calling it that?
Whoa. Whoa. You're about to do the thing.
But I need you to get the story up and socialized
before we get scooped by some barback
with 12 followers.
- Buck up, buckaroo!
We're gonna have the best traffic day
of the year tomorrow!
- I know. - Okay, I'm hanging up.
Watching you be conflicted is very boring to me.
Okay, which is better?
"Emmett Wolfe: Unfaithful"
or "Emmett Wolfe: Just Messy"?
Both make your point.
Doesn't really matter.
So... what did you mean
when you said it doesn't really matter?
Huh?
Earlier,
when I asked about my headline, what did you mean?
That I don't care who Emmett Wolfe is fucking,
especially when it's interfering with our fucking.
But it's a huge story.
Sure, in the world of Hot Tea.
So now you're shit-talking my job?
Okay, wait, I-I'm confused.
You talk shit about your job all the time.
I can't have someone inside me who doesn't respect me.
What is happening?
Are we seriously arguing over a Hollywood relationship?
Who knows what kind of agreement they have?
Anderson, this is my job,
and I'm trying to be good at it.
Yeah, and your job is wack.
You know that. You're better than this.
Okay, how about you get the fuck out?
Deuces.
Okay, what are Tom and Peter saying about layoffs?
Oh, yeah. At least 25 people.
But don't worry. You're safe.
I better be.
I'm over here playing Black Barbie
at all these new client pitches.
If I'm gonna be the diversity mascot,
somebody should be paying me for it.
I agree.
I did talk to them about your promotion.
And you don't want to hear this,
but just give me some more time.
Abby, I don't have time.
I just became a single-income household.
I don't want to have to start selling my bags
to pay my mortgage.
- I hear you. - Jesus.
I was devastated when we had to sell the Hamptons house
when the market crashed.
Okay, now, Abby,
that was some real privileged white-girl complaining
you just did right there.
- I did it again? - You did it again.
- Am I getting better? - No.
Mia?
- Ah!
You look amazing.
You're impeccable as always.
Oh, Abby, sorry.
- Spelman screech and a hug.
- Loud. - Oh, my God, this is Mia.
We went to college together.
She was a few classes ahead of me.
Excuse me, Freshie.
We no longer mention these age-related things.
Oh, my God.
Remember that Homecoming when we got drunk
and sang the theme to Golden Girls
in the parking lot for an hour?
One of the best nights of my...
Well, ladies, I would love to hang,
but, unfortunately,
on one of the best nights of my life,
I made a bad decision,
and that decision is telling me
he needs baking soda and lighter fluid,
which I hope is for a science project.
- Oh. Oh.
Okay.
Here-here I go into my life.
- Okay. - See you tomorrow, Abby.
- Okay. Love you. Bye. - Bye.
- Your boss?
Yeah, but she's more like my homegirl.
I've been on her team for seven years.
- You still at Eclipse? - Yep.
Director. Gunning for VP.
You still at L'Oréal?
I am. VP now.
Up for SVP next year.
You got time for a drink?
- Girl, I can't.
Most of the women
in the beauty industry are cool.
Your average college-educated liberal progressives.
You know, they're all about solidarity,
but if you mention Black women are four times more likely
to die during childbirth, they say shit like,
"What kind of Black women?"
Well, at least they say it to your face.
You know, we've got one of those.
CC and BCC passive-aggressive email cultures.
It's like, "Bitch, whatever you have to say, just say it!
Why you need invisible backup?"
- Right?
- Get on my nerves with that. - So true. Always.
Just, "Pew pew pew pew pew. Let me tell you about this."
Oh, that's my packaging redesign.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
I love the new tube shape.
Wait, L'Oréal owns NYX?
And Urban Decay, Essie, Vichy, Kiehl's, and YSL.
Girl, that is literally everything in my life.
I feel like most consumers are unaware
of the scope of your portfolio.
Oh, the company has been synonymous
with drugstore makeup for so long,
corporate is worried about diluting the luxury brands.
See, I think it's the complete opposite.
I need an Urban Decay lipstick from Sephora for vacation...
Mm-hmm.
And a Proenza Schouler dress for New Year's Eve.
It's L'Oréal for your life.
It's the brand that goes with her forever.
Good line.
It is, ain't it?
- Mm-hmm.
Do you think I could come in and pitch it for you guys?
Maybe.
Let me talk to some of my big bosses
and feel it out.
Okay.
Yeah.
Cheers to that.
It's the brand that goes with her forever.
And they told me that we could come in next month to pitch.
I am so excited for you.
Girl, I'm so excited for you!
Breaking the Internet,
spilling all that spicy Emmett Wolfe tea.
Hoo! Had all the ginger, girl.
Crazy.
We had our biggest traffic day
since Harry and Meghan announced
that they were breaking up with Queen Grandma.
Now, you know I fucks with that Meghan.
That bitch is the epitome of fucking up, okay?
- She is.
I think I might have overreacted with Anderson.
Okay, you know I don't talk about Satan.
Now, back to me.
If we win L'Oréal,
I can buy Jason out of the condo
and start rebuilding my savings and just breathe easy.
Oh. I have to land this.
You will.
This is what you do, and you're really good at it.
If I do, fuck VP.
This is some "consider me for partner" shit.
Oh, gosh, I'm so excited, I'm slightly terrified.
Listen, anyone who has ever stood on the precipice
of world domination has felt fear.
Fear is good. Fear is fuel.
Shit!
Just give the drink to the floor, why won't you?
Bitch.
You could've given me a heads-up.
And, seriously, "DaniSpillstheTea"?
There were only eight people in the restaurant.
Iman, I am so sorry.
I was gonna call you, but then the story took off
and TMZ had pictures, so I figured that you would...
Emmett dropped me.
Again, I'm so sorry.
Can I buy you a drink or dinner?
I mean, we're next up for a table,
but you can have our reservation.
No.
You cannot buy me.
And so you're clear,
I'm never inviting you to anything ever again.
Also, I will talk shit about you to my colleagues
and others in the industry to save face.
So, if someone says I'm talking shit about you,
it's because I am.
Bye.
Ooh.
I love her.
We should be friends.
I mean, I think you ruined it for yourself,
but I think she'd like me a lot.
Mm-hmm.
What?
Moving on to new business,
we are thrilled to announce that Eclipse
will be pitching L'Oréal.
Let's give a big round of applause to Renee Ross,
who brought this in entirely on her own.
- Thank you. - All right, Renee.
Tom and I have discussed it,
and we have decided that Keith Mumford will run point.
Let's give it up for Keith.
What?
That is so uncool. I don't know.
Um, hi. Sorry.
Um, I'm just curious
what about me
you know, the person that brought this pitch in
entirely on her own?
Peter and I think the account might be
just a little too big for you.
But I'm sure Keith will welcome your input on the team.
Renee, there'll be a lot of opportunity
for you to learn.
This is so fucked up.
Seriously, this is fucked up. Fuck them.
I busted my ass for you people.
I gave you my 20s.
I worked all the little accounts
that you didn't care about,
and I just brought in a huge opportunity
that White Keith wouldn't have even tried for!
And to quote the great Maya Angelou...
"You may not control
"all the events that happen to you,
but you can decide not to be reduced by them."
I'm sorry. I don't understand.
- I quit! - Okay, let's just calm down.
We can talk about this offline.
Oh, I am calm, Tom.
Consider this my very calm resignation.
I won't stay somewhere where I'm not valued.
Me neither.
I also quit.
- Wait, wh-what? - Yep.
I quit, too.
I am over it.
We are the smartest people in this room,
so fuck it.
That's a microphone.
You can't see it, but it is there.
Okay. Well... yes.
We quit.
It's been nice knowing you guys.
- No, it hasn't. - It's been great.
It's been bad.
- Black lives matter! - Yes.
- Black lives matter.
Stay woke, Black Keith!
We did that shit.
So last week we left off
before we had a chance to talk about conflict resolution.
Yeah, we really don't fight much.
Well, it's not a bad thing to fight.
Sometimes I pick a fight with my wife
just for the makeup sex.
Do what you got to do to keep that thing spicy now.
Huh? Huh?
Uh, well, we have no spice issues.
Good. That's good.
And now, what about spending quality time together?
I mean, you both have very demanding professions.
Yeah, I-I really don't think it's been an issue.
Uh, sometimes it can be a strain.
I'm at the hospital all the time,
and Whitney works incredibly long hours, too.
I have no wiggle room in the ER, so
sometimes I do wish
Whitney could try to adjust her hours a bit more.
Well, I may not be saving lives,
but my work isn't exactly flexible.
Listen, you both have to prioritize
spending time together.
A little absence makes the heart grow fonder,
but a lot of absence makes the heart start to wander.
That's 100% mine off the dome.
All right, any other, uh... Any other problems, concerns?
Nothing here.
Uh, well, I-I do kind of feel like lately...
Whitney's been a bit distant.
Well, planning a wedding of this magnitude
isn't exactly easy.
I'm doing my best to appease my mother
and my bridesmaids,
as well as Ola's rather large and opinionated family,
so forgive me for not being perfect.
- Whitney, I'm not asking... - I am flawed, you know.
I have flaws. We all have flaws.
Jesus was flawed. Flawed is the new kale.
Whitney, I love your flaws.
I just want you to share those parts of yourself
with me, too.
Babe, I just want more of you.
I want all of you.
Mm. Beautiful.
My bachelorette is tonight,
and then I'm out for three weeks,
but I should be reachable until we get to the Maldives.
Check in with Brett at Eco Cheese
and make sure he got the new marketing presentation
for the IPO roadshow.
I don't want to push back any investor meetings,
so if it is something related to that, call, no matter what.
Understood. Don't worry. It's handled.
Yeah, Whit, don't worry.
I got you covered.
I took the liberty of familiarizing myself
with your client portfolios,
so I'm available to help Radha in any way she might need.
Thank you. Radha's got this under control.
So you can check in with her.
You can close it.
I'm just gonna...
Oh, I have been dying to give you this.
You look absolutely divine.
I hope I find someone to love me like this.
I am so happy for you!
- Oh.
Hey.
I need to speak to someone in a grown-up relationship.
Where are you?
Happy to let you talk first.
- Yeah, I kept my apartment. - No shit.
Matthew's place is great,
but this the holy grail of university housing.
I mean, I just couldn't.
I have no objection to that line of thinking.
So... what's going on?
I just keep trying to block out the guilt
from fucking that guy, but...
I'm sorry, you did what to who?
I had sex with Chris Cabrera,
the community-peen guy.
- What, no one told you? - No!
No one told me shit.
Whitney.
You cheated on Ola?
Don't say it like that!
Oh, okay.
You cheated on Ola?
Not on purpose.
Don't respond to that.
I feel like I need to tell him, but Renee is right.
It's only gonna hurt him.
Oh, I'm still processing.
How does nobody tell me these things?
What if he finds out down the road?
I don't want to get divorced.
And at counseling, I felt like he could smell it on me.
Well, you do smell kind of skanky
- now that I know about it.
I can't stop thinking about it.
And Ola's not making it any easier
with his kind, sexy, understanding amazingness.
How can I hurt a guy who genuinely speaks
in John Legend lyrics?
Okay, um, Whitney,
anybody who's ever been in a serious relationship
is going to run up against a lie at some point.
Hell, we're standing in a lie right now.
But all lies are not created equal,
and "I cheated on you right before our wedding"
is not the same thing as "yes, these are my lashes."
You have to tell him.
You plan on telling Matthew about this?
Fuck, no.
Oh, uh... should I still be going home
to get dressed for your bachelorette party tonight?
- Or nah? - Yes, everything is still on.
I just need to get my head together.
Why aren't you just getting dressed here?
'Cause I should go home
to Matthew and Amari.
That is my home.
Plus, I've been at "the library"
for, like, five hours now.
But stay here. Get your shit together.
Hey.
Whoo-hoo!