During the heavily-protested white-rights rally, Vinnie suspiciously questions Ashley’s new bling with veiled threats to her job. Charlie gets into trouble with Sly.
During the heavily-protested white-rights rally, Vinnie suspiciously questions Ashley’s new bling with veiled threats to her job. Charlie gets into trouble with Sly.
CAST IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
Spencer Wilson– Chris Osbrink
Elizabeth Ellis – Nan McNamara
Vinnie – Brian N. Taylor
Ashley Allen – Natalie Wachen
Charlie Cole – Ashley Chaney
Stephen Sly - Joe D. Reitman
CREDITS:
Written & Directed by Natasha Lewin
Produced by DaVida Chanel Smith of Creating, Etcetera
Engineered by Tom Fritze at LoLA Studios
Casting Director Medge Ross
Music courtesy of J. Wells
Music courtesy of Bleu
Copyright 2020
A listener note: This episode contains adult content.
INT. STUDIO Fans WHIR.
SPENCER
What’s up with all the fans?
ELIZABETH ELLIS Sorry the A/C’s out.
SPENCER
It’s gonna sound like shit.
ELIZABETH ELLIS
It’ll be fine. Once we start, we’ll turn them off.
SPENCER
Then I’ll be drenched in sweat.
ELIZABETH ELLIS
Right. Lemme find another studio.
SPENCER
Yeah, do that. Otherwise I’m not doing this.
Door OPENS / CLOSES. Elizabeth SIGHS.
ELIZABETH ELLIS
Fuck, he’s worse than Charlie Cole.
EXT. LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER City TRAFFIC. FOOTSTEPS.
VINNIE
Morning, got you a coffee.
ASHLEY Thank you.
VINNIE
Long day ahead, hope you’re rested. But probably not since we were up most of the night. Are you wearing a wedding ring?
ASHLEY
No. It’s not real. I knew it’d be crazy here so I wanted to avoid any of the --
FAN
Have my Aryan baby Ashley!!
ASHLEY That.
VINNIE
You told me you were single, then we sleep together, and all the sudden you’re wearing a wedding ring?
ASHLEY It’s actually an engagement ring.
VINNIE So it’s real and you cheated??
ASHLEY
No, Vinnie. What happened between us can’t happen again but this--
VINNIE
You’re scared you’re gonna lose this gig, I get it. But you’re not gonna lose it.
ASHLEY You’re not hearing me.
VINNIE
I hear you. You’re afraid you’re gonna get canned. Or you lied to me and you are dating someone.
ASHLEY
I’m not lying to you.
VINNIE
So it’s your job. I told you, don’t worry about it. Unky Steve loves me. He loves you. He’d be thrilled if we were together.
ASHLEY
You promised not to tell anyone.
VINNIE
I won’t. I’m just saying I can be your best friend or your worst enemy.
ASHLEY What does that mean?
VINNIE
It means, if we date it’ll be good for your career.
ASHLEY
I think doing my job will be good for my career. Where’s my mark?
VINNIE
Hey, don’t give me the attitude. I’m not the one who lied.
ASHLEY
I didn’t lie! You know, maybe I should tell Elizabeth this isn’t working out. She said this happens to you and most anchors so....
VINNIE
Maybe I should call my uncle and tell him you’re a big, fat liar. You want that?
INT. HAIR AND MAKEUP
A hair dryer WHIRS. A KNOCK at the door, it OPENS.
ELIZABETH ELLIS Charlie, AC’s out in 2, we’re switching to studio 7.
CHARLIE
Whatever. Wait, doesn’t 7 have red walls?
ELIZABETH ELLIS Yes.
CHARLIE Hello?? I’m wearing red.
ELIZABETH ELLIS Wardrobe will find you something.
CHARLIE
You approved this dress already.
ELIZABETH ELLIS Lemme check with 3.
CHARLIE No, 3 has yellow. I’ll look like I work at McDonalds (to Gretchen) Ow! Watch it, Gretchen!
Door OPENS / CLOSES
ELIZABETH ELLIS These fucking divas.
EXT. LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER CHANTING in the b.g.
NAZIS White power! White pride!
ASHLEY
... as you can hear, WELL supporters are by far drowning out their challengers as today’s divisive WELL rally marks the first large-scale, white-nationalist expo ever held in Los Angeles. A massive turnout is expected after WELL announced they have sold out the 10,000-seat convention center. Black Lives Matter activists responded with a call for 50,000 protestors to flood the streets. Now WELL members across the country are flocking to Downtown LA as the first of what will be many protests have already begun. Chief of police, Myles Metzger, ordered all off-duty officers, even those from other counties, to report here for extra security. Stay with Sly News for our all-day coverage, including the arrival of White Excellence Local Liberator leader, Spencer Wilson, who will be giving his keynote later in the day. And don’t forget to tune in at 8 when Sly’s own Charlie Cole sits down with Spencer Wilson in his first-ever network interview. This is Ashley Allen. Back to you, Chip.
VINNIE Cut. Sounded kind of bland.
ASHLEY
You try saying ‘White Excellence Local Liberator leader.’ It’s a mouthful.
VINNIE
You had a mouthful last night.
ASHLEY
If we’re gonna have to work together, can you please be less crass?
VINNIE No.
ASHLEY Great.
VINNIE
So who gave you the ring?
ASHLEY
I told you, no one. It’s fake. See? It’s a cheap nothing. It’s trash.
VINNIE Alright, alright, I see.
ASHLEY Then drop it, please.
VINNIE
I can’t drop it. I like you, okay? You’re smart and funny. You’re not stuck up like everyone else in this city. You’re white. You think like me.
PROTESTOR Sly News sucks!!
VINNIE
Yeah fuck you too, you big-nose kike.
ASHLEY
You know what, you’re right. It is the job. It means everything to me. I want to get ahead on my accord. Not because I’m sleeping with Stephen Sly’s nephew. But on my own.
VINNIE Whatever.
ASHLEY
No, not whatever. I’m gonna need you to respect this Vinnie, because we’re not crossing the line again. Okay?
VINNIE
Okay, fine. Christ. I’m gonna go in for a bit.
ASHLEY
Fine. I’ll watch our stuff to make sure the ‘oven-dodgers’ don’t get it.
VINNIE
See? Smart and great in the sack.
ASHLEY Vinnie....
VINNIE
Alright, I know. Truce, okay?
ASHLEY Thank you. Truce.
VINNIE Want anything?
ASHLEY A stiff drink.
FOOTSTEPS walk away.
ASHLEY (CONT'D) (sotto) Racist asshole.
INT. STUDIO - Background NOISE. LOUD HEELS.
ELIZABETH ELLIS Spencer, we’re so sorry for the delay. This is --
CHARLIE Charlie Cole. Hi.
SPENCER
What took so long? I have to be at the expo in less than two hours.
ELIZABETH ELLIS Don’t worry. Charlie’s a pro.
SPENCER
Pro what? I don’t want her backing me in a corner because of time constraints.
CHARLIE Was that a dig?
ELIZABETH ELLIS
No, he’s been waiting a while. We’re all a little out of sorts. Spencer, you’ll be in and out, I promise. Have a seat and we’ll get started in a minute.
As she WALKS off --
ELIZABETH ELLIS (CONT'D) Andy, are they miked to go?
CHARLIE
Backing you in corner, please.
SPENCER
Networks do it all the time.
CHARLIE
Is that why you made me change my ad?
SPENCER
Your ad? You’re not the story.
CHARLIE
It’s my network, ergo it’s my ad.
SPENCER
You know I heard you nobody liked working with you. Must be your charming personality.
CHARLIE Says the nazi.
A chair SCRAPES the floor.
SPENCER
You know what, ergo fuck yourself. How’s that? I’m done. He STOMPS out.
INT. OFFICE - MUZAK.
ELIZABETH ELLIS
We gotta pull the ads, write a retraction, and now we need something for the 8. What about that David Duke interview?
STEPHEN SLY
From the 80s? No. We’ll just do the interview live.
ELIZABETH ELLIS
He ripped up the contract. He won’t work with Charlie.
STEPHEN SLY Not Charlie....
ELIZABETH ELLIS
No, no Stephen. Ashley doesn’t have any experience. I don’t even know what she’s interviewed before. If they were people or pets or --
STEPHEN SLY We’ll feed her a script.
ELIZABETH ELLIS This is a bad idea. Live TV??
STEPHEN SLY
I don’t agree. Get Wilson’s approval and get it done.
ELIZABETH ELLIS And what about Charlie?
STEPHEN SLY She’s fired.
INT. VAN
Muffled CHANTING of PROTESTORS and NAZIS.
ASHLEY (on phone) Hello?? Elizabeth, can you hear me?
ELIZABETH ELLIS (O.S.) (in phone) Sounds like a madhouse.
ASHLEY
It is. I’m in the van.
ELIZABETH ELLIS (O.S.) Where’s Vinnie? I don’t want you there alone.
ASHLEY
He’ll be back any minute. What were you saying?
ELIZABETH ELLIS (O.S.) There’ll be a slight delay, but for the most part you’ll be 100 percent live. So if you’ve got a cursing problem, get it out now.
The van door SLIDES open. Ashley GASPS. CHANTING LOUD.
NAZIS Jews will not replace us!
ASHLEY HOLY SHIT!!!
VINNIE Did I scare you?
ASHLEY Yes.
VINNIE
If a little chanting’s making you nervous, wait ‘til you go inside.
ASHLEY There’s a lotta people?
VINNIE
Tons. But don’t worry, they’re all white. Here, got you a Dr. Pepper. Stiffest drink I could find.
Tune in next week for the Season 1 Finale of White Privilege Radio Play.