Just tell me. What appeals to you?
I don't know, Henri. it's never been one of my abiding fantasies.
Why don't you make the decision.
Well, do you like sleek?
Brown and wiry?
Tall?
Tail's good.
Short?
Zaftig?
What about her?
She looks like she could be wild and crazy.
She's not a she, Madelaine.
Okay, now, this is just what we're looking for.
Which is exactly what?
She looks sweet.
A little gamin, but you can see she's nasty.
This girl has tricks up her sleeve.
We have to do it.
But we did it all night long. We went to sleep three hours ago, Alice.
I'm beginning to think you're a sex maniac.
Not that. Sounds great, though.
- We have to tell our friends. - Oh, God.
I know. They're going to freak.
It's a lesbian curse, you know.
Whenever two people in a group of friends become girlfriends...
...it throws off the whole balance.
But they should be happy for us.
I know.
It's just, I don't know, it messes things up.
It's like one minute, we're their friends individually...
...and the next it's like, " if I want to see Alice...
...does that mean I have to invite Dana too?"
Thanks, Al.
I didn't mean it like that.
Okay.
Thanks.
- Fuck. - Good morning.
- How are you?
Are you okay?
Sit down.
- Sun. - Yeah, it is nice.
What do you suppose it is about Shane that...?
Period, question mark... You know?
I think it's...
...l don't know, about the unattainable.
Right? Because I think that most people want what they can't have.
I mean, do you think that it's she's fantastic in bed?
No, I have no idea. That's such an oversimplification of things.
No. I have no idea.
Well, aren't you at all curious?
No. Shane is my good friend.
- So... - What?
- What about Carmen? - Oh, Carmen.
Has she ever mentioned anything...
- ...about what Shane was like to...? - Oh, my God. Stop.
Mark, you're weird.
You're weird. Weirder than me.
- You're... Okay. - Stop it.
This is a nice way to wake up.
Mommy. Mommy, wake up.
Morning, babies.
- Hey, it's all right. - No, no, no, it's not.
I promise you, they have a very healthy attitude towards...
it's not all right. They shouldn't be seeing this.
Babies, why don't you go and wake up Nu Nu...
...and get her to take you for croissants and chocolat chaud?
I want to examine Tina's tummy again.
Not right now, Wilson. Maybe later.
Darling, do as Mommy says. Go on.
- I wanna listen if the heart's beating. - Go and wake up Nu Nu right now.
Later on, you can listen to Tina's baby's heartbeat.
And if you're a good boy, I have a super special treat in store for you.
Can you close the door on the way out?
That freaked me out.
Children are sexual creatures. This is totally natural for them...
it's not natural for them to see their mother...
...fucking someone they barely know.
You're not a parent yet.
I've been doing this for a while.
And if you're good...
...I'll let you know what I have in store for us this weekend.
I have to work this weekend.
I'm doing a youth arts outreach program...
...for K through six at Venice Beach.
- L... - Pat and Hilma can handle it.
We're going to San Diego, you and me.
We're taking my children to SeaWorld.
- I can't, Helena. - Yes, you can.
I spoke to them.
They're completely capable of running that workshop on their own.
You spoke to Pat and Hilma?
Mind if I come in for a minute? I wanted to say welcome.
I'm Bette Porter.
We've met.
Barbara Gladstone's dinner for Matthew Barney.
Okay, never mind.
- Leo Herrera. - Nice to meet you.
Well, you seem to be making yourself at home.
Come, sit down for a minute, can you?
- Well, actually I have... - Oh, just for a minute.
There's something I want to get out of the way.
I just want to reassure you that I'm respectful of your position at CAC.
Actually, I'm in awe of the work you've done.
That's nice, thank you.
I know this could be awkward, but I don't think it has to be.
There's no reason it should be.
I have two years left on my contract. They'd be silly to let me go.
I'm here to raise money, not take your job.
Let's work together. I can help secure the Aaron Noble show and Julia Scher.
Challenging projects to fund.
You know, I've been managing very well on my own, Leo.
Apart from Helena Peabody, which I don't think was through...
...any failure on my part, so...
Helena can be an important friend to this museum.
We need that relationship.
Seems like you've been cultivating it already.
I met your ex the other night with Helena.
God, they're so excited about the baby.
Hi. it's Bette.
And I would really love it if you could return some of my phone calls.
Listen, I know that...
...you don't really want to deal with this right now, but I...
I need some kind of resolution before the baby is born, okay?
So...
...please call me.
Bye.
- Oh, hey, I was... - Please shut the door.
It's mostly travel memos and shipping receipts.
There was a breakdown of costs for the Aaron Noble.
- Mr. Herrera's reviewing that. - That won't work.
- I want everything to come to me first. - Sure, okay.
Alice called, wondering if you'd meet her at the Planet.
I'm already going. Why?
Well, she didn't say, she just said it was some kind of emergency meeting.
Oh, and the catalogue from the sculpture...
...from the Michael Kohn Gallery, Leigh Ostin?
Would you call Michael Kohn and get me a studio visit today?
- Yeah, absolutely. - Thanks.
Fucking fuck, fuck, fuck.
He gave me his fucking useless word.
The air hostess is producing it?
- Jesus. - Marty just dropped out of the project.
Let me give you some advice. No, you listen to me, Richard.
If you want to keep Marty as a client, you will pull him off this deal now...
...because a year from now, he'll fire your sorry ass...
...for blowing off Veronica Bloom for the air hostess...
...who's sucking his cock.
That's his wife. The project's gonna fall apart without Marty.
She's taking it hard because they used to be married.
- She calls his new wife the air hostess. - No, Richard...
...you and your client better get a fucking grip.
Maybe we should go to Night.
- He's looking to do a period drama... - You want me to go from Marty...
...to M. Night-fucking-Shyamalan?
Where were you educated?
Do you even know the difference between War and Peace...
...and a Marvel fucking comic book?
Get out!
Unless you have something to say, get out.
You're all fucking useless. Just leave me alone.
Not you.
You stay.
Can I get you something?
Why do people always let you down?
No matter how much you've done for them?
Don't you find that to be true?
That's why I try not to need anything from anyone.
I want you to teach me how to do that.
Come on.
Sit down.
Let's go out. Let's go make ourselves feel better.
"Luminous."
Hello. I'm looking for The Fabulous Venus de Mylar.
Yeah, so?
I was told she lived here.
I'm her, girlie.
That better?
So, what's your name, little girl?
Dee Dee. Dee Dee Steinberg.
Victor Bernstein.
It wouldn't fly in Peoria.
Come on, have a seat.
So...
...l take it you want to join the circus.
Yeah. How did you know?
Venus can sense these things, girlie.
So, what's your story?
I don't belong anywhere else.
- My family thinks I'm a freak because... - Yeah, but do you have any talent?
Any special circus skills?
Holy bejesus, that is special!
But it'll never fly in Peoria.
"That is special.
But it'll never fly in Peoria."
Well, well.
Who'd like to start?
I thought it was extraordinary. It was really extraordinary.
It calls to mind Rick Moody.
- Have you ever read Demonology? - No, I'm sorry.
What about Jenny's story " Luminous" evoked Rick Moody for you?
Well, first of all, there's that story called "The Carnival Tradition."
it's fairly obvious, I know...
- ...but it's more than the type. - Good.
So it wasn't the carnival allusion that reminded you of Moody.
Isn't it more that Moody and Jenny both write about and reveal...
...the grotesque that's hidden underneath the mundane?
Absolutely. I feel like Jenny is to the Midwest...
...as Carson McCullers is to the South.
It's... it's gothic.
It's grotesque, yet always delivered with self-deprecating humour.
Oh, that's very generous of you.
It's not every day that a writer in the bloom of youth...
...gets compared to Carson McCullers.
It's very generous, don't you think, Jenny?
Yes, I do. Thank you, Hunter.
Charlotte, do you have any questions or comments for me?
If I were you, I'd leave well enough alone.
I think Hunter has acquitted you admirably.
Thank you, Charlotte.
So why shouldn't I become a lesbian?
Because women are intense.
They're a lot of work. They can suck you dry.
You sure you don't want to try this, Shane? The results are amazing.
Thanks.
What you don't know about me is that I like intensity.
When things aren't intense, I get bored...
...and when I am bored, I want to kill myself.
Well, watch out.
Motherfucker!
You know what? You have potential.
You stick with me, kid. I'm going to help you realise it.
Oh, fuck.
Oh, yeah.
Exquisite.
They must take forever to assemble.
I work on each piece for almost a year.
I'm usually working on two or three pieces at a time.
But as you can imagine, I'm not exactly prolific.
Why haven't I seen this work before?
I think Michael's been trying to get you in here for ages.
Well, I'm glad I finally came to my senses.
Me too.
This work I don't normally show.
These are all straight-up copies of classic Renaissance paintings.
I'm usually working on two at a time.
I didn't think anybody does this anymore.
It's thrilling, isn't it?
Leigh, do you know my sister's club, the Planet?
It used to be a café?
Yeah, it still is during the day, but Kit's hiring a chef...
...and she's looking to bring in musicians a couple nights a week.
Sharon lsbin is performing tonight.
I saw her play with the New York Phil last June at Avery Fisher Hall.
The CD actually just came out.
Here.
Well, this will be a bit more intimate.
Do you want to join me?
Actually, it's Valerie who's the classical-music aficionado.
Would it be all right if she came too?
- Hi. - Hi.
Hey, sweetie.
Yeah, sure.
I did Jenny, Shane and Carmen.
Carmen's gonna be working there, but I thought it would be nice...
...if I called and officially asked her.
Right, and I did Bette and Tina.
Tina wanted to invite Helena. I was like, "Tina, that's not cool to Bette."
You're so smart and thoughtful.
But you didn't tell anybody what it was about, did you?
- No. - Okay.
I just, you know...
...l think it's important to tell everyone at the same time.
Someone will feel less important than somebody else.
- But Shane already knows. - Yeah, but Shane didn't tell anybody.
She's the only person on Earth who can actually keep a secret.
You guys, it's a beautiful sunny afternoon.
Why are you inside watching television?
- We're watching cartoons. - We're watching cartoons.
I brought you something that is gonna be much more fun...
...than staying inside and getting cross-eyed.
Tina, Popsicle sticks.
- Will you build a fort with me? - Yes.
Wilson, Nu Nu will build a fort with you, darling.
Tina has to come and spend a little time with Mama.
- Helena...? - What?
Your children are just inside.
They're completely engaged...
...in brilliantly wholesome art-making activities, thank you very much.
Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!
I didn't know you were coming. How did you get here?
- Well, I flew. - Look what Tina brought us.
Will you build a fort with me?
Yes, sweetheart, very soon But first, where's Mommy?
Tina, meet my ex.
Winnie Mann.
This is my sister Kit.
Kit, this is Leigh, and this is Valerie.
- Hi. Nice to meet you. - Hi.
What a coup. Sharon lsbin.
Oh, yeah, my friend Benjamin hooked it up.
He thought she'd be perfect for the kind of music we do in here.
And you should see the flowers he sent me.
You are not actually above the law, Helena. I know you think you are.
Don't be absurd, Winnie. I haven't broken any laws.
They were due back with me this morning at 8 a.m.
I had something special planned for them this weekend.
Why should they miss out because you're rigid and small-minded...
- ...and you don't...? - I'm sorry.
- I'll leave in a minute. - You don't have to leave.
- Oh, yes, you do. - Tina, you know I had...
...special plans with the children this weekend in San Diego.
This is between me and Helena. You'd be well-advised...
- ...not to get involved. - I need you as a witness.
Their other mother wants to deprive them of that enriching experience...
...out of pure petty, selfish pique.
She violated a court order.
- Tina, I need you here. - I have to go.
I remember Alice is having this gathering at the Planet.
- I should go. - Don't be intimidated by her.
No, do because when it comes to my children...
...even Helena Peabody can't make me roll over and play dead.
I will not beg for scraps...
...and all the money in the world won't keep me in my place.
I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?
You're a lying scumbag, and I'm never getting married again...
...so I can collect alimony till the day you fucking die.
You listen to me, you piece of shit.
Don't come to me the next time you need something produced...
...because I'm gonna tell you to shove it up your ass.
Fuck you, Marty. Fuck you.
That's your sister?
The one who just broke up with her partner?
- So? - She's beautiful.
Introduce me to her in six months.
You're a smart woman.
Bette? Alyson Palmer from Betty.
- Performed here a couple of weeks ago. - Oh, right, right, I saw the show.
You guys were great.
This is so not a feminist thing to say...
...but there is a group of women over at the bar...
...who have you meat-tagged like nobody's business.
- I'm sorry? - Meat-tagged.
It means that they've marked you as a hot item.
They're lining up around the block to get on your dance card.
My neighbours will love that.
FYl.
- Bette. Hi. Meryl Rothman. - Hi.
We met when I was an executive at Disney.
Right. Right.
I'm a therapist now, in private practise...
...but I would rather date you than analyse you.
Call me.
Ladies.
You've been meat-tagged.
Well, that would seem to be my new identity.
My head.
That son of a bitch Marty ruining my movie...
Never gonna forgive him.
Fuck.
Here you go.
Yeah.
These should make you feel better in a little while.
Why don't you take one.
No, I'm not into Xanax.
But you had some Oxy in there.
- Would you mind? - Take whatever you want.
Really?
Take the whole bottle. I can get more.
All right.
When you come back, get into bed with me.
We'll get fucked up and watch Funny Girl.
Barbra Streisand movies have always been my tonic when I feel like shit.
Look...
Thanks. But I think I'm gonna go.
No, you're not.
Yes, I am.
- My friends need me tonight... - No, they don't.
Yes, they do.
- But I can stay until... - I'm fucking paying you.
You will stay here until I say you can go.
Fuck that.
You will do what I tell you to do.
You will fucking watch a movie with me if I tell you to.
You'll tickle my back if I tell you to tickle my back.
You'll fuck me if I tell you to fuck me!
Come back here!
You know Sharon lsbin? She thinks you're all that.
Then how come she didn't even talk to me?
She said she heard some of the girls say that you were... What do you call it?
- Meat-tagged? - Yeah. Well, what is that?
Hi. My friend over there wants to know if you're ready to start dating.
She says she could be your rebound girlfriend.
Hey, that's not a bad offer.
Does it have an expiry date? Because I think I might need to think about it.
I'll go ask her.
You've been pimped.
Okay...
What do you think we should say?
I don't know.
That... I don't know, that nothing much has changed, you know?
That we're still hanging out day and night.
It's just now we're having incredible, mind-blowing, earth-shattering sex.
What time is it?
- We're early. - Yeah.
Come here.
Oh, fuck.
Oh, God.
I heard these guys at the Troubadour...
- ...and they're fucking amazing. - They're "fucking amazing"?
Yes. They are fucking amazing.
You know what I think's fucking amazing?
- No. - Watching these people...
...on the dance floor and then you can feel them getting really, really hot.
I like that too. Yeah, they get hot and sweaty...
...and I love it because you can just feel the crowd and...
And you just feel their energy.
Hey.
Hi, mama.
Go on over there. She's getting rid of them.
- What do they want? - Filet mignon, honey.
- Hi. - Hi.
Sorry I didn't call you back.
Can we talk after this weekend?
Okay.
...CD player two, which corresponds with this sliding button, channel two.
Should we do it?
- You want to? - I do.
Okay.
- Hi. - Hey.
- Shane, where are you going? - I've gotta go...
...but everyone's inside, so go for it.
Ready?
All right, all right, everyone.
If I can have your attention, please.
There is a happy new couple here.
Give it up for Alice and Dana.
This one's for you.
Thanks, Carmen.
Congratulations.
They're gorgeous together.
Hi.
What about beer? Do you have any beer?
- No. - Maybe we should get some pizza.
No. Fuck the food. No way. How's this?
- Yeah. - All right. Go ahead.
Come on.
- What was that? - I don't really think I want to know.
Maybe we should call it a night.
Let's just take a breather and...
...then we can visit it again in the cool, clear light of day.
I understand.
Come on. Play with us.
Come on.
Come on. Play with us, Shawn.
It's Shane.
Shane, come here.
No.
Let's take them out onto the beach...
...to collect seashells or beach glass or anything that they feel...
...inspires them, and then after that, we'll break up into individual groups...
...and then we'll start to workshop.
Tina.
Excuse me.
Come in.
Hey.
Would you say that this is...
...the cool, clear light of day?
Do you wanna come in?
I've been trying to figure this out.
I don't know why...
...l left last night.
I really wish I hadn't.
I think because you like Shane.
I'm not someone who falls...
...for fucked-up, unavailable people.
I don't think that we really have a choice...
...in the people that we fall for, Carmen.
Here.
Hi.
Hey. How are you?
I'm surprised to see you.
- Why would you be surprised? - I don't know.
I thought you'd be mad at me for walking out last night.
I just thought it was between you and Winnie.
Yeah, well, I'm sorry you had to see that.
Then again, you know, I'm not sorry.
At least now you get to see just how completely mad she is.
Well, she was angry...
...but she wasn't completely without reason.
I know I shouldn't have kept them beyond my curfew.
I just get so carried away, you know.
I want to give them something wonderful to take back to New York...
...something to think about when they get sad...
...knowing their mommies are splitting up.
When they're in New York...
...they sleep on a mattress on the floor and eat food that comes out of a can.
Okay. Maybe you should just talk to her.
I've offered.
You know?
Winnie won't take anything from me...
...till we've gone through this barrage of lawyers and custody hearings.
- She's trying to cut me off from them. - Completely?
I stand a chance with Jun Ying...
...but she's Wilson's birth mother, so...
You can't separate them. They're too close.
I wouldn't do that.
You know...
...Winnie and I have always said that even though she gave birth to Wilson...
...we both equally conceived of him.
For years, we talked about it, we planned it.
I helped dream this family into existence.
Well, I hope you and Winnie work it out.
We will.
Do you want to come help?
- Yeah. - Okay.
You know, I did have some other plans.
Fuck, fuck, I'm so late for school. Fuck.
Hello.
Yeah, hang on a sec.
Shane.
It's for you.
It's Veronica Bloom.
Tell her she can kiss my ass.
She's not around right now. Can I take a message?
Okay.
Bye.
Shane.
She would like you to please call her back.
Goodbye.
She can kiss your ass.
You want to know something?
You've been getting away with this shit for too long.
I don't know what that poor ass-kissing woman did to piss you off.
You know, maybe you guys were walking down the street one day...
...and she smiled at you too sweetly by accident.
Okay, but maybe she bought you a gift...
...to let you know that you're kind of special to her...
...or just maybe...
Maybe she really liked you.
I think that that's something...
...that you just don't know how to handle right now...
...and...
And I also think that...
That we sweet, simple folk...
...will not go around kissing your ass forever.
"'Watch my cock, Madelaine.
Watch me beat it again while Miss Jasmine fathoms your pussy...
...for the 27th time this morning.'
The sky was chartreuse...
...wretchedly beautiful and poisonous...
...and Henri paid the prostitute handsomely for her services."
Okay, who wants to start?
- Yeah. - I'm just wondering...
...what was the significance of the cross-dresser?
Well, she wasn't a cross-dresser, she was a full-on transsexual...
...and I guess I put her in there for local colour.
Colour's good. Sometimes a detail is an end of itself.
- Jenny? - Yes.
I think that your story evokes Henry Miller.
Well, I think I did have Henry Miller in mind just a little bit.
Yeah. Yeah, with your Paris setting...
...and, you know, the younger man- older woman relationship...
...and the fixation on prostitutes, right?
Those are all Henry Miller themes...
...but what else about Hunter's story calls to mind Henry Miller for you?
I actually think that it's " Henry Miller Lite."
No, no, no, but seriously, seriously...
...because in your story, all your women...
...you've basically turned them into nameless, faceless, body-part whores.
That is not true. I honour my women characters.
- I imbue them with sexual agency. - Your main character, Jasmine, like...
...opens up Madelaine's world...
...by giving her the best fucking orgasm she's ever had...
...which, I don't know if you know, is the primary sex act...
...that two women can actually have, and then you go ahead and belittle it...
...by turning it into pornography. I think the reason...
...why you're doing this is because men can't handle...
...the fact that these women can have this amazing, fucking beautiful...
...mind-blowing orgasm without a fucking cock.
Sounds like you know what you're talking about, Jenny.
Hello.
Hey, how are you doing? I didn't recognise your number.
You know, I think she left.
But...
Yeah, no, she's not there.
Is everything all right?
Hold on, slow down, slow down. I can't hear you. Say it again.
All right...
Listen, that's totally normal. Just be cool.
Tell me exactly where you are, okay?
Yeah, of course, but where specifically?
On Venice... On Washington, okay.
On the Washington side. So the phone booth right by the alley.
Okay, I want you to just sit down right there.
I'll be there in, like, 20 minutes...
...and just be cool and just don't move from there, okay?
You're not drinking too much water, are you?
Because I heard this thing about this guy...
...who was at the Burning Man festival, OD'ing on X...
...and he wound up drinking all this water...
You know what... I'm gonna be there in, like, 20 minutes.
Just don't drink a lot of water.
Schecter...
That was totally unnecessary, and you know better.
But I spoke my mind.
I mean, the thing is, I've been subject...
...to some really harsh criticism in this class...
...and I can take it because it's a writer's job...
...to be able to take that kind of criticism.
My job is to make sure that everyone becomes...
...the best writer he or she can be. There isn't one standard.
There are many. And I think it's time that you step up to the plate...
...and start living according to the standard I've set for you.
Okay, but what is your standard?
The thing is, I don't know what you think of me...
- ...or you think of my writing, because... - I have an assignment for you.
What?
Do you want me to blindfold myself and walk into a busy intersection...
...so I can feel more with my writing?
I want you to call my friend Burr Connor.
Do you know who he is?
Yes. isn't he, like, that...
- ...old-school movie star? - It's not exactly the silent era.
He was an action star in the mid-'80s...
...but he's an interesting man and he's writing his memoirs for Dutton.
- Why do you want me to call him? - Because he needs help.
He needs someone to redact his stories...
...someone to give structure...
...and he needs someone to push him to dig a little deeper...
...to tell the truths that are harder to find...
...and I told him you were my most gifted student.
Take the card. Call him.
Sailboats.
- It's staying. - I know, because you're so good at it.
Do you want to do some more glue right here?
- Okay. - Okay, see if you can do that.
- Looks good. - This one's hard...
...because it's, like, tilted.
Do we need more glue, like, on the ends?
Just keep on gluing. I'm gonna make a quick phone call. Okay?
Bette, it's Tina.
I know that we're getting together next Wednesday...
...but I just wanted to let you know that I've been...
...thinking about our baby.
- No more, fucking crazy bitch. - Fuck you, Mel.
Get out of here, you little freak.
- Fucking lay off. - You little freak.
Eat shit.
- Get off, man. - Fuck you. Get off me.
You fucking piece of shit.
She don't look like no fucking girl.
Fuck you, you fucking cunt!
- Fuck you, Mel. - Fuck off.
All right, all right, come on.
You're all right.
All right. You're okay. I got you.
Hi. Jeez, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.
- I was just looking for Tina. - Tina doesn't live here anymore.
I'm Sandy. She used to buy frozen meat and fish from me...
...usually stocked up a couple of times a year?
Yeah, I remember you.
Do you think you might want something?
- I don't do much cooking on my own... - Let me give you...
...a box of New York steaks, on me.
Maybe I could come by and cook them for you sometime.
Oh, Christ.
You have one unheard message.
Bette, it's Tina.
I know we're getting together next Wednesday...
...but I just wanted to let you know that I've been...
...thinking about our baby.
We conceived of this baby together...
...and you should absolutely be part of her life.
I think she'll like this.