So Michael, you're saying
you'll break up with Catherine
unless she pierces her body?
MICHAEL: Yeah, well, I mean,
who isn't pierced these days, right?
Maybe, maybe
Barbara Bush?
"Who isn't pierced?"
The answer to that question and more, when we come back.
I'm Morgan Bell.
Everybody tells me the truth.
( Applause )
All right, now we're in commercial.
MONICA: Tess,
why would anyone put a ring through their nose?
Believe it or not, they're just trying to fit in.
Teenagers do the craziest things.
But at least they grow out of them.
Well, sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.
Look at Morgan.
MONICA: Morgan?
She looks so together.
TESS: What's keeping her together
is what's going to tear her apart.
ANDREW: Okay, okay. We're back.
In five,
four, three, two...
Welcome back to The Morgan Bell Show.
( applause )
Today, "Get Pierced or Get Lost."
Michael...
WOMAN: What attracted you...
What attracted you to Catherine?
Well, at first, it was like
different stuff, you know?
Just... like her attitude and I don't know,
stuff like that.
She was just really out there, you know?
I thought she was like, fearless, man.
So you were attracted by her attitude?
Well, yeah, and also by, you know,
kind of, you know?
WOMAN: You don't want to know.
We don't want to know.
Do you still think she's fearless?
So, Michael, do you still think Catherine is fearless?
Well, she could prove that by getting pierced.
Wait, wait. Row Six.
Let's move out to the audience and get some comments.
Nose ring woman. Go to her.
Uh, the young lady in the back with the nose ring?
Good.
Why is she so interested?
You seem to have a lot of interest in this.
WOMAN: This kid's got a thing for Michael.
Nail her. Do you know our guest?
Do you know our guest?
WOMAN: Is that why you're here?
Is that why you're here today?
MICHAEL: Hey, back off.
WOMAN: Girlfriend. Bingo.
She's your new girl, isn't she?
( Audience murmuring )
Oh, man.
Yeah, kinda.
GIRL: Kinda?
You lousy...
Ginger...
Michael, what?
Just relax, Catherine.
( Sobbing )
MICHAEL: Ginger, just sit back down.
All right? Just chill.
"Oh, I love you, Ginger.
You're the best, Ginger."
WOMAN: Okay, now go to commercial.
I'm Morgan Bell.
More truth after this.
Good girl. I'm proud of you.
Now that's television.
♫ When you walk down the road ♫
♫ Heavy burden, heavy load ♫
♫ I will rise ♫
♫ And I will walk with you ♫
♫ I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Till the sun don't even shine ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Every time, I tell you I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Believe me, I'll walk with you. ♫
I want to thank all of my guests,
but especially Catherine here.
She learned an important lesson...
That sometimes love is only skin deep.
See you next time.
And we are out.
Where you going?
The show is over.
Not for you, it isn't.
Now remember,
the camera only shows you what it wants you to see.
And if you need me I'll be at the mixing board.
I just love punching them buttons.
But, Tess, I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
Hi. You must be Monica?
Uh, yes.
It's really nice to meet you.
Oh, same here.
Um, the agency says
you have lots of experience doing this sort of thing.
"Experience" is my middle name.
If I had one, I mean.
That would be it... Experience.
You understand, she has very special needs?
When it comes right down to it, who doesn't?
I like that attitude.
You're hired.
Here's the, um, address.
Tomorrow, 10:00 sharp.
Great.
Good luck.
Thank you.
ANDREW: Hey.
So how'd you like the show?
Okay.
The best bit was seeing
the angel of death running around with a T-shirt
and headphones.
What's the matter?
I was just trying to imagine what you would look like
with a safety pin through your lower lip.
Andrew, what are you doing here?
I know that I've got some unfinished business.
I don't know what it is yet.
But there's something about Morgan.
I don't know.
She looks awfully familiar.
I have a job with her sister.
Claudia? Really.
Doing what?
I don't know.
That ought to be something to write home about.
What do you mean?
She's the invisible producer.
She's like the Wizard of Oz or something.
She runs the whole show.
She calls all the shots from her apartment
and no one's ever seen her.
Never?
Nope.
( Doorbell rings )
( knocking )
Claudia, I'm stuck on this next segment.
Do we treat this guy like he's really an alien
or like he's a nut.
WOMAN: There's a girl at my door.
I saw you talking to her yesterday.
That's Monica, your new assistant.
I thought...
Stop thinking.
That's my job.
Claudia, you can't do it all by yourself.
( No audio )
( knocking )
Claudia?
We're gonna go back in 15.
Uh, Claudia?
You heard him. We're back in 15.
ANDREW: Ten.
Uh...
Is this working?
Okay, I'm sorry, Claudia.
Please.
Don't hang me out here to dry.
ANDREW: Five,
four, three, two...
Claudia! What am I gonna do?!
Oh, my God! We're gonna die!
CLAUDIA: Snap out of it, Morgan.
Morgan, come on. Let's do it.
Wake up. Let me see that smile.
( Show theme begins )
Welcome back.
All of our guests today believe
they have been sent to Earth from other planets.
Ask Zorox, "What's your earliest memory?"
Zorox...
tell us your earliest memory.
Now some of you may not believe
these pizzas were delivered by an alien.
I say, hey, as long as they come in peace.
And no anchovies.
See you tomorrow.
( Applause )
( sighs )
What do you think you're doing?
Uh... Hello. I'm Monica.
Your sister sent me.
I don't need an assistant.
You hear me?
An assistant.
Oh. Are-are you sure?
Yes, I'm sure...
and the automatic door is broken anyway,
so stop hanging around.
Broken, huh?
Yeah. Must be a short or something.
Sorry.
Well, maybe I can help.
I'm very good with mechanical things.
No, no.
That's okay.
The workmen are coming tomorrow.
There we go.
Hello, Claudia.
Hello.
How did you get that door open?
Uh. Um...
Open your mind and you open a door,
I always say.
Well, there's been a mistake.
I don't need any help.
( Phone ringing )
Yeah?
No, no mistake.
"The American Dream," that's Friday's topic.
Happy families.
Sit down. Don't bother me.
You got a problem with happy families?
Yeah, make sure there's a guest
seated on the aisle, row two.
Her name is...
Melissa Lukas.
Row two. Aisle.
Uh, so how about if I started cleaning up around here?
No.
Whatever my sister said, I don't need anybody.
My sister's always trying to take care of me.
That's funny.
I heard you were always taking care of her.
Maybe that's the secret of our success.
Look, I understand if you're not comfortable with...
around somebody who's...
Around someone who weighs
a few hundred pounds less than I do?
No, I didn't mean that.
It's just that I understand how you...
Don't patronize me.
Nobody understands.
Trust me.
Get out.
I mean it. Get out.
And if you think
I'm sitting around here feeling sorry for myself,
forget it.
I'm happy, hear me?
Very, very happy.
I've got my life just the way I want it.
( Sighs )
That's what I'm afraid of.
Good night, Andrew.
Hey, hold on a second.
I'm just gonna finish up here and I'll walk you to your car.
Oh, no, that's okay.
I'm parked right by the door.
I've had no success getting close to Claudia.
She won't even let me clean her house.
Morgan won't even let me walk her to her car.
Each one seems to be close only to the other.
As if they were two halves of the same person.
Morgan the face, Claudia the brains.
And each one
needs the other one if they want
to make the show a success.
That's too simple
an explanation.
God wants every person to be a whole person...
A completely unique individual,
not half of somebody else.
And whatever made them start this secret club of theirs,
isn't healthy
for either one of them.
And it's gonna start
to hurt other people, unless we can get
these two women apart and yet somehow keep them together.
Hi.
The Times will love tomorrow's show.
Your story will write itself, believe me.
Don't miss it now, okay?
Bye.
I brought dinner.
Please, don't wear your hair that way.
What's the story on this "American Dream" show?
You're always
complaining about the sensational stuff.
This is uplifting.
This doesn't sound like you.
Thank you.
Why do you keep
sending me twits like this Monica?
( Sighs ): She's not a twit.
I don't need help.
You ran her off, didn't you?
What am I going to do with you?
I guess we're stuck with each other.
Who would've thought?
Could be worse.
Yeah.
( Audience applauds )
Mr. and Mrs. White,
tell the audience how long you've been married.
We've been married for a quarter of a century.
And we've never spent a night apart.
She still turns him on?
She still turns you on after all these years, Jess?
( Door opens )
You were fired yesterday, go away.
I just came by to leave something.
Put it by the door on your way out.
MR. WHITE: Yes, ma'am, she sure does.
( Chuckling )
MORGAN: Wouldn't you like to see more shows like this?
Morgan, keep on track.
Ask him
if every night has been a good night.
So I suppose the next question is,
has every night been a great night?
Well, there was that one long night.
( Audience murmurs )
Well, well, well.
I think we've got something here.
Oh, no, not prom night again.
MR. WHITE: Lizzy had a curfew of 1:30.
Have fun, kids. Be home by midnight.
LIZZY: Mom said 2:30.
It was special, cause it was prom night.
Okay, Morgan. Snap out of it.
It was prom.
You're okay, Morgan.
Forget about it. Just move on.
Anyway, that was probably the worst night we ever had.
( Audience chuckles )
You're fine, Morgan.
Now go to the girl sitting in the second row on the aisle.
Just do what I say and you'll be fine.
Do you believe this family is really happy?
No.
Why not?
Whenever somebody says they're that happy,
they've got to be hiding something.
What's your name and why do you think that?
My name is Melissa Lukas, but my real last name is Jersey.
Your real name?
Jersey is Mrs. White's
maiden name.
I'm her daughter...
the first one.
Claudia, don't do this.
Don't give up now, Morgan.
Tell us your story.
Come on, come on, Morgan.
Just say it, Morgan.
Just say it.
What's your story?
Come on, ask the question.
Tell us your story.
She had me when she was 18.
I grew up in a bunch of foster homes
and she got herself an all-American family.
Claudia, stop this. It's wrong.
What do you think, Mrs. White?
Is this your daughter?
What do you think, Mrs. White? Is this your daughter?
( Sobbing )
Jo?
MORGAN: Mrs. White?
Joanna?
( Choking ) Are you okay?
She's having a heart attack.
Joanna! Joanna!
Somebody help, please!
Okay, cut! Cut the feed. Go to commercial.
No, don't go to commercial.
Go over to her. Go on.
( Dialing )
Hello? Yes, there's an emergency at The Morgan Bell Show.
Thank you.
I don't know, I don't know what to do.
What should I do, Claudia?
Tell me.
I-I...
Help me, Claudia.
I-I don't know what to do.
The highly-ranked tabloid show has made its reputation
breaking taboos, taking no prisoners,
and leaving broken hearts in its wake.
However, this time,
their muckraking style may have broken Mrs. White's heart
for real.
Mrs. White remains in critical condi...
We asked her how many children she had,
and she lied,
and we are in the business of truth.
But she took that risk when she abandoned her kid.
( Scoffs )
She was racked with guilt,
and it catches up with you sooner or later.
It just happened to be on our show.
Yeah? Fine. Do that.
And take a look at the ratings while you're at it.
You don't think guilt's gonna catch up with you
sooner or later?
Look at this.
Uh...
"Bell is no stranger to tragedy.
"As a teenager, she was the sole survivor
of a fatal car crash."
Old news.
Well, not to me.
I carry it around with me every day.
And if you think you don't, look in a mirror.
Morgan, don't you walk out on me!
You make me sick.
Morgan!
Oh!
( Phone rings )
This is Claudia. Make it quick.
( Beep )
MAN: This is WMLW news,
and we'd like to request an interview with your sister.
( Phone rings )
This is Claudia. Make it quick.
( Beep )
MORGAN: Claud, it's me again.
Come on, answer the phone.
I'm sorry.
You know I didn't mean it.
Well, I did, kind of.
Look, we have to talk.
Would you pick up?
Okay, I'll call you tomorrow.
And-And we're gonna talk before the show, okay?
( Projector reel clicking )
( sighs )
What are you doing here?
I was worried about you.
You didn't answer your phone.
Don't you get it?
I have a right to my privacy.
If you don't mind my saying so,
you've been private for 30 years.
I do mind, and I'd like to know what you're doing here.
I thought a few happy memories might cheer you up.
( Quiet sigh )
What's to cheer up?
You think I'm losing sleep over some pathetic gal
who couldn't handle the truth?
Yes, I do.
Honey, the turnip truck just left without you.
Aren't you even a little...?
MAN: Come on, now, give her a kiss.
Mmm.
There you go. That's great.
All right, kiss her back.
Kiss your mum back. Oh.
Come on, just gi...
No, Dad, please.
We got to go.
All right, fine.
Jonathan, yeah, the corsage.
That'll be great. MOTHER: Oh, honey.
We're running out of film. Hurry now.
MOTHER: Oh, they look so cute.
I'm gonna die.
Not after I paid 46 bucks
for that dress, you won't.
MOTHER: Oh, honey. Honey, come on.
All right now, kids, come on, smile for the camera.
Oh, you look so cute! Jonathan, head up.
That's it. That's great. Here you go.
All right, you kids have fun now.
MOTHER: Oh, have fun!
FATHER: Just remember to be home by midnight.
Daddy, get real.
MOTHER: Drive careful!
Be safe!
CLAUDIA: Turn it off!
( teary ): Turn it off!
( Quietly ): Turn it off.
You didn't go to the prom.
Must have been
very hard for you to be left behind.
I don't want to talk about it.
That's a funny attitude for a talk show producer.
( Sighs )
That's right, I'm the producer.
I don't have to talk.
But why shouldn't you?
You're so creative, you're so clever.
You could be the host.
You would be so...
Pretty if I lost weight?
Been there, heard that.
Get out.
I was going to say you'd be so popular.
There's something so familiar about all of this,
but I just... I can't put my finger on it,
but I know I've seen Morgan before.
Okay, what do we have here?
We have two women who should be living
two lives instead of one.
I just can't believe that Mrs. White's life
had to be ruined in the process.
You just leave Mrs. White to me,
'cause you're not nearly done.
Now let's think about this.
Morgan is controlled by her sister.
Claudia is controlled by...?
Anger?
Well, she's angry at herself
for gaining weight and missing out on life.
No, baby. She's not angry because she gained weight.
She gained weight because she's angry.
At something or somebody, or some time
that she can't forget.
Well, okay, we ought to be able to narrow that down, then.
Um, how long has she been like this?
Well, I know that Claudia
wasn't at all large when she was younger.
How do you know that?
I saw her home movies.
You know, Andrew, maybe you should look at them.
They might help you remember something.
Oh, yeah. Well, there's nothing I enjoy more
than sitting around watching somebody else's home movies.
Claudia didn't like it either.
Especially prom night.
Prom.
That mean something to you?
Yeah, maybe. Um...
Was Morgan wearing a pink dress with those little...
TESS: Spaghetti straps.
How did you know that?
And the boyfriend was in a really ugly blue tux...
Uh, Jonathan something.
Andrew, what?
Oh, wow. I can't believe it.
I remember everything now.
Claudia's problem didn't start with anger.
It started with guilt.
Serious, serious guilt.
( Phone rings )
( answering machine clicks )
This is Claudia.
Make it quick.
( Beeps )
MORGAN: Okay. I'm really
getting worried now.
I know you can hear me, right?
Please, Claudia, just let me know you're all right.
I should have checked on you.
Listen, everything is falling apart around here.
The new stage manager, the Andrew guy,
he's missing in action.
For some reason, all the guests have canceled
an-and we're scrambling through the audience for replacements.
I swear, Claudia, if you're not there for me
when we go on the air, I... I don't know how I'm...
( device beeps in studio )
MONICA: Claudia?
What is it with you?
If you need a job,
I'll make some calls.
But you've got to stop hanging around.
And you.
You'd better get your tail
over to the set, or you're
gonna be looking for a new job.
Actually, we both already have jobs.
We're angels.
Look, we've done angels to death.
"My Mother-in-Law's an Angel."
"Angels in the Public School System."
Angels, angels, ang...
Claudia,
do you remember me?
I remember you.
1966... prom night.
No!
Can He see me?
MONICA: God?
Yes.
Oh, no.
I-I can't let Him see me like this.
Claudia.
God sees you exactly as you are,
and He sees you more perfectly and truly than people can,
than even angels can.
And He loves you
much more than you could ever imagine.
No, no. No, He doesn't.
He knows. He knows.
ANDREW: Yes, He knows.
And so do we.
Do you remember that night, Claudia?
You screamed for him, "God, help me," and He did.
But you forgot to let him keep on helping you.
You forgot him, Claudia.
But he didn't forget you.
And there's something else that he wants you to see.
It's that one.
Hello, Claudia.
The sound engineer, too?
Now stay with me here, Claudia.
I've just had a very interesting conversation with Mrs. White.
I explained to her that her heart attack isn't exactly
the way God wanted her to deal with her past.
But since you beat us all to the punch,
I thought you should be
in on how this has all worked out.
She looks wonderful, doesn't she?
All right, baby, go ahead. You're on.
Hello?
Just look anywhere. It's fine.
Claudia?
I feel fine now.
I think...
I know it was a miracle.
I'm not the all-American mother, Claudia.
I always felt so guilty.
And that guilt turned into anger,
and I started taking it out on everybody...
even my own kids.
In some funny way,
being on your show might just be the best thing
that ever happened to me.
( Sobs )
( sighs )
And I feel... free.
Tess says God loves me.
He wants you to know that, too.
( Sobs )
Any questions?
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
She knows that, baby.
And God knows it, too.
Back to you, kids.
Remember that angel show?
"My Mother-in-Law's an Angel"?
I thought that guy was a nut.
But it made good television.
I still think he's a nut.
But that day on the show...
I wanted to believe so hard.
I didn't even dare to.
But I knew if somehow
I could just meet an angel, a real one,
everything would be okay.
We don't make anything okay, Claudia.
We just introduce you to the One who can.
Well, I'm ready.
Yes.
Yes, you are.
( Claudia crying )
Okay, one minute!
Okay, folks.
Now, when I wave my hands,
I want to hear some
serious clapping here.
All right?
I can't do it.
She's cut me out,
and I can't do it without her.
Sure you can.
You've always been able to do it.
That's because we've always been there for each other.
We're like...
One person?
One frightened
16-year-old person?
Claudia hasn't cut you out, Morgan,
she's given you a chance. Take it.
And you can start by losing this.
There's another voice you need to be listening to.
But I...
You didn't die that night, Morgan.
But you might as well have, because ever since then,
you've just turned your life over to somebody else.
Take it back.
It's you.
Yes, ma'am.
In five,
four, three...
But what do I do?
Wing it.
( Show theme plays )
Hello.
We're going to have a great show today,
and we have a fascinating guest who's going to talk about...
Well, it's a secret.
As a matter of fact, it's a secret to me, too.
I hope it's Mel Gibson.
( Audience chuckles )
So let's have our mystery guest enter and sign in, please.
Claudia.
Uh, ladies and gentlemen, this is my sister
and the producer of the show, Claudia Bell.
CLAUDIA: It's okay.
I know what you must be thinking.
But I'm positive you don't know what I'm thinking.
And I guess it's time to tell you.
First of all, I love my sister.
And I know she loves me.
And for the first time in my life,
I know that God loves us both.
That's the only reason that I have the strength
to come here and tell you what I have to say now.
Maybe you all heard
what happened Friday to Mrs. Joanna White.
She's okay,
but that doesn't take away from what I did.
I've been doing dirty tricks like that all my life.
Since I was 16.
It's okay.
I wasn't always like this.
When I was 16, I carried the weight of a normal teenager.
And then,
then something happened.
And well, I guess
I've been carrying three people around with me ever since.
But I'd better back up.
It was 1966 and my sister had been invited to the prom.
No, Dad, please.
We got to go.
All right, fine.
Jonathan, yeah, the corsage.
That'll be great. MOTHER: Oh, honey.
We're running out of film. Hurry now.
MOTHER: Oh, they look so cute.
I'm gonna die.
Not after I paid 46 bucks
for that dress, you won't.
MOTHER: Oh, honey. Honey, come on.
All right now, kids, come on, smile for the camera.
Oh, you look so cute! Jonathan, head up.
That's it. That's great. Here you go.
All right, you kids have fun now.
MOTHER: Oh, have fun!
FATHER: Just remember to be home by midnight.
Daddy, get real.
MOTHER: Drive careful!
Be safe!
( laughing )
Morgan.
What?
I got you guys something.
What is it? All right!
For the prom.
Way to go, clodhopper!
How'd you do this?
Fake I.D.
I've got the key to the new copy machine in the library.
Listen.
I-I was wondering.
I did all the decorations, you know?
Really?
Yeah, and I thought it'd be so cool
if I could just go and see what they look like,
you know, with people and all.
You think you could just give me a ride there?
I could walk back.
Oh, Claudia...
Look, thanks for the booze.
You're great, but...
The car's...
I mean, there's no room.
I'm sorry, really. Let's go.
See you, Claud.
Thanks.
Thanks for the booze! Whoo-hoo!
( Kids laughing )
BOY: We're out of here.
Whoo-hoo!
( Rock music playing in car )
( tires screeching )
( car crashing )
( dog barks in distance )
CLAUDIA: No!
No!
Three people died that night
and it could have been four.
All because I tried to be somebody I wasn't.
I gave a bunch of teenagers alcohol
just to get some attention.
After that, I decided
I didn't want any attention
ever again.
And as you can see, I made sure of it.
But I never got over the guilt.
The harder I tried to hide the truth,
the bigger and sadder I got.
And I know now that I made so many people hurt,
just because I didn't have the courage to face my mistakes.
So I'm here to say
I'm sorry.
Please forgive me, Mrs. White,
and anyone else who has suffered
at the hands of The Morgan Bell Show.
Tell them the rest.
No.
( Sniffling )
I can't let you do this alone.
Morgan.
Uh, ladies and gentlemen...
there is more to this story.
See, sometimes people call me and my sister
two halves of the same coin.
One thinks, one talks.
But there's a reason we... were inseparable.
We've shared each other's lives, careers, and...
guilt.
No!
Oh, God; God help me.
( Small explosion )
( explosion )
( shrieking )
( sobbing ): Where's Jonathan?
( Sobbing ): He's dead.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God!
Oh, my God, I was driving!
I was driving!
Oh, my God, Claudia, what am I going to do?!
Morgan!
Stop it!
What am I going to do!? Shut up,
( sobbing ): Okay?
Listen to me!
Listen.
You were not driving,
do you understand me?
You were not driving!
Say it!
Morgan, say you were not driving!
I was not driving.
( Sirens approaching )
( sobbing hysterically )
MORGAN: But I was driving.
And my sister has been protecting me ever since.
Now, I know that when you look at Claudia,
you see someone you can't understand.
But I understand her.
She's just like me, only
she wore her guilt on the outside
instead of the inside.
But we're both guilty.
And we let that guilt poison not only our lives, but...
the lives of innocent strangers on this show,
and for that, I too...
am deeply, deeply sorry.
I think this is a good time to say good-bye
and begin to make amends to you,
and each other.
And to the families of our lost friends.
And finally, to the God who knew the truth all along...
And loved us anyway.
Four, three, two...
( applause continues )