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Hot in Cleveland is recorded
in front of a live studio audience.
I call to order the first meeting
of project Oscar.
Now the Academy Award ballots
are being mailed out this week
and I am determined to be nominated.
So first order of business...
Get a time machine and
give a better performance?
I have hired our little detective here
to track down any Academy members
living in the Cleveland area.
I was able to find all three members.
[Gasps]
I got Corey chambers?
Oh, he was my favorite
teen actor in high school.
I was obsessed with him.
I dreamed that he'd asked me to prom.
I knew he would see past my
acne and back brace and...
Lazy ***.
"Lazy ***"?
One *** was slower to grow.
Joy has two of those.
This is incredible.
My high school reunion is coming up,
and I wasn't gonna go.
But what if we meet and fall in love,
like I always dreamed, and
I bring him to my reunion?
That'll show 'em. Who's "Smell-anie" now?
It's hard to shower with a back brace.
This might be a good time to stress
that you can't make fools of
yourselves with these actors.
Got it, got it.
Oh, he volunteers at Petsmart
Charity's Adoption Events.
So do I. That's my in.
Excellent. Elka?
I've got Rusty Banks.
I remember him.
He was a child actor,
but I've never heard of his movies.
Oh, they were westerns.
And they called him the comeback kid
because he was always
telling people to come back.
"You're coming back, ain't you, China Joe?"
Terrible movie.
Well, my actor is Ivy Johnson.
Oh, from Night of the Hereafter.
I saw that last week. She is amazing.
Oh, so young and beautiful.
And it's her first movie.
Yes, we all hate her.
But won't she just vote for herself?
Well, of course. But she
can nominate me as well.
Or maybe she's one of
those honorable people
who refuse to vote for themselves,
like I say I am.
Ivy's staying with her parents.
She only goes out to go to group therapy.
Word on the street is she's a hot mess.
Oh, good. My word got out.
I'll be infiltrating that therapy group.
Frankly, I'm happy for the diversion.
Ever since Simon left, I'm
not interested in dating.
[Sighs]
But I know he may never come back,
so I mustn't put all my eggs in one basket.
You've got enough eggs
left to need a basket?
Speaking of eggs, Elka,
since you were there, was
it the chicken or the egg?
[Upbeat music]
♪ Ba ba ba ba ♪
♪ ba ba ba ba ♪
♪ hey! ♪
Synced and corrected by Mastermonger.
www.addic7ed.com
Excuse me, Mr. Banks?
The one and only. [Laughs]
Roy!
You're Rusty Banks?
Yes, ma'am.
How are you, Elka? Have a seat.
What's it been? Two years?
Yeah, ever since my mom wouldn't let me
date you anymore.
I remember. [Both laugh]
Is she... Well?
Oh, yeah. She's great.
She got remarried last year.
Now, of course, my baby stepbrother
gets all the attention.
- "Baby stepbrother"?
- Yeah.
Just turned 70.
Kids do say the darndest things.
Mostly because of the dementia. [Laughs]
I had no idea you were in show business.
Oh, I made 50 pictures before I was ten.
But then Hollywood decided
I wasn't cute anymore,
so we moved back to Ohio.
Well, a cute kid is nice,
but a handsome man is nicer.
That is wonderful.
Ivy, can you go a little
deeper with that thought?
[Mumbling] I just want
to scream and disappear.
I think that's something
we can all relate to, right?
I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch that.
- What did she say?
- [Gasps]
Ivy has some issues with
vocal confidence right now.
She's feeling some anxiety
due to the pressures of fame.
But we're gonna help her through it, right?
[Mumbling] Thank you.
How about you, Joy?
Is there anything you'd
like to share with the group?
Oh, I'm not sure I'm ready yet,
but you guys carry on.
[Mumbles indistinctly]
I think Ivy sums it up perfectly.
- She does?
- Yeah.
Group can be daunting at first.
Just tell us about
yourself, anything at all.
Okay. [Laughs]
My name is Joy.
I'm originally from Britain
but moved to Los Angeles
where I started a successful business.
[Crying] And now Simon's
halfway around the world!
He said he'd come back,
but he's already lined
up two more assignments.
So I just have to accept that he's someone
who's never gonna stay with me.
That was a good share,
Joy, and I think John...
the problem is
I can't help comparing
every guy I meet to him.
I can't move on with my life.
[Mumbles indistinctly]
- She said that...
- I know.
I understood this time.
[All clapping]
So Roy is Rusty Banks?
And he agreed to vote for me?
Your name never came up.
Well, see that it does.
Joy, were you able to
infiltrate Ivy's therapy group?
Yes.
I posed as an unstable woman,
and they bought it.
There's your Oscar performance.
Actually, therapy was quite cathartic.
I think if I keep going, I can work through
some of my issues with Simon.
Well, what about Ivy?
Oh, poor thing.
She's clearly insecure
and struggling with her sudden fame.
Excellent.
If we can fuel those insecurities,
maybe we can convince her to drop her name
from the Oscar ballot completely.
Oh, people will have to vote for
the other fresh-faced ingenue.
Me.
Okay, before you say
anything, yeah, I know.
I got a huge zit on my forehead.
What? No.
I don't see anything.
It's like a third eye.
It's following me.
Oh, it's moved to my chin too.
It's from that cream you gave me.
You said the FDA wouldn't approve it
'cause they were jealous.
Huh.
I may have made that up.
So how did it go with Corey?
Oh, great, I think.
I was able to lure him over to the house.
And of course I was super excited.
But I think we made a real connection.
I can't believe I'm sitting
next to Corey chambers.
And I'm being completely real
because I remember in tiger beat
you said you hated phonies.
Yeah.
[Clears throat]
You said that this was
a fund raising event?
Yeah, I'm gonna write a check.
And that Jim Brown would be here.
Yeah, I might have made that up.
I'm sorry, it's just that
when I was a teenager, I used to have
your poster over my bed,
and I would dream that you would come alive
and crawl into my bed,
and then I would pull the sheets real tight
so you couldn't escape.
[Chuckles nervously]
It was a little rocky at first,
but I charmed him.
In fact, I RSVP'd yes to
my high school reunion.
If things go as planned,
I am showing up with Corey on my arm.
Wow.
Your plan, joy's Breakthrough,
Elka's happiness...
Listen to yourselves!
Such selfishness.
I mean, what about my Oscar?
Clearly, I'm gonna have
to find some clever way
to insert myself into your assignments.
No, no, no, no.
You don't have to worry about me.
I made a real connection with Corey.
And I will talk to him about
you the next time I see him.
- Melanie Moretti?
- Yes.
This is a restraining order.
I can't believe I'm here
with the great Rusty Banks.
Not just a legend, but a
voting member of the Academy
for over 50 years.
Oh, I don't vote anymore.
What?
It doesn't feel right to vote.
I don't act anymore.
So, what I'm hearing is that
the dormant acting bug is awakening.
I don't know. Maybe.
Oh, listen to that passion.
Now I'll just bet that
there is a dream project
in there somewhere.
Well, I always thought
it would be kind of neat
if the Comeback Kid made a comeback
in a one-man revue.
Where do I buy a ticket?
[Laughs]
- I don't know about this.
- Oh, I do, I do.
Oh, let's do it, Roy.
I'll bankroll the whole thing.
Let's up on a show and see
where this old cow trail takes us.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Okay!
Let me get my Stetsen
and my cowboy dance-belt. [Laughs]
What the hell?
Well, if he starts acting,
then he'll start voting
for the Oscars again.
But actors are so self-centered
and obnoxious.
You do realize that I'm an actor.
The only one I know.
Hearing about Joy's sad life
really made me feel better about my own.
I get that a lot.
Well, I've been making some progress.
And it may not sound like much,
but I've been reading these scripts,
and I made a call to
my agent to let him know
I'm back in the game.
Oh. [All clapping]
If I could add to that.
Oh, everyone, let's hear
from our new member, Victoria.
Hi.
I'm just so inspired by Ivy.
I mean, I don't think I could've handled
so much success at such an early age.
No wonder you say, "I feel like a fraud."
I didn't say that.
Well, you or the critics...
someone has or will have said it.
I hate to say this to
a newcomer I don't know,
but shut up, Victoria.
I would, but I'm just...
I'm so scared, you know, for Ivy.
She is blindly walking into a
red-hot buzz saw of criticism,
fresh meat to be ripped apart.
So here's to you.
You are my hero, Ivy.
[Mumbles indistinctly]
I'm sorry, dear. What was that?
[Muttering]
Can anybody?
This is a mirror, Melanie.
I can see you.
Hi.
I guess you're wondering
why I'm wearing glasses.
The hundreds of things
I'm wondering right now,
glasses are not on the list.
I'm sorry, you know.
This is a really terrible idea.
I'm doing all of this
for a really good friend
and now I feel stupid and ridiculous
and I'm so, so sorry.
Look, you're obviously crazy.
But you seem harmless.
Hopefully harmless.
So I'll tell you what.
Double your donation to the charity,
stay out of the men's room,
and I'll drop the restraining oder.
Thank you.
You will never see me again. Good.
- Unless you want to.
- Good-bye, Melanie.
Thank God that worked.
It did not!
The whole point was to give
him the DVD of my movie.
You were supposed to say
you were overcome that day
by my performance in Cleveland rhapsody.
Now get out there and give it to him.
- Okay.
- Go!
Corey! Wait up!
I hate you, Victoria.
You ruined therapy for me.
I hate you too.
You made me chase after Corey,
and now the restraining
order is 1,000 feet.
I hate you the most.
Oh, Elka, you look adorable.
I am not Elka.
I'm prairie sue.
Roy put me in his show.
Dagnabbit.
Setting aside everything you've done to us,
you've also dashed the hopes and dreams
of that sweet young actress Ivy.
Look, she's got decades
ahead of her to get nominated.
This is probably my only chance.
And I think I'm just
one therapy session away
from getting her to scratch
her name off that list.
This Oscar obsession has
turned you into a monster.
Really, Melanie?
I'm the monster in the room?
All I ever wanted to be was an actor.
I grew up inspired by
the grand old actresses
of yesteryear.
Julia Roberts,
Molly Ringwald,
Elizabeth Shue.
But now I realize I have to quit
the thing I love the
most because failing at it
is the thing that scares me the most.
So... [Breath trembles]
I'm moving back to Cleveland for good
to work at my dad's gas station.
No pressure, no expectations.
I wish I had the strength
and confidence that Victoria has,
but I don't.
I barely know Victoria, but sometimes
strength and confidence can
be destructive and selfish.
Yeah, that's true.
Also sometimes, people who appear
to be strong and confident are
actually masking deeper fears.
[Laughs] Oh, no. That isn't me.
I mean, sure. It's awards season.
And of course that brings up some fears.
And I really, really would like to win.
But, look.
I don't know where this overwhelming desire
to win awards comes from.
Probably my childhood, but, well,
this is hardly the
place to delve into that.
Well, it kind of is.
I mean, it's a therapy group.
Why don't you tell us about yourself.
Well, I've never done
ensemble therapy before,
but okay.
I was born in a small
town in upstate New York...
[Crying] Called me a loser.
[Sniffles]
Until I brought that
award home from school.
And that was the first
time my father ever told me
he was proud of me.
And so when it came time
for me to decide what I wanted to do,
I thought, well, what profession
constantly gives itself
awards just for doing its job?
Acting.
Ivy, I'm a horrible person.
I came here to get you to
drop out of the Oscar race.
But you can't quit acting.
I saw your performance
in night of the hereafter.
And hated every minute of it.
That's how good you were.
Wow.
Hatred from an actress of your stature.
Thank you.
But what if I am a fraud and that part
is the only part that I can play?
Ivy, it's crazy to think that way.
At your age, your best
roles are yet to come.
Well, how do you know
your best relationship
isn't yet to come?
I mean, you're still
pretty young. What are you?
Like, 35?
Yeah, I'm, like, 35. Yes.
Joy, Ivy's right.
I mean, there must be tons of guys
out there looking for someone as lovely
and open and honest as you.
I mean, what about this guy?
He listens to problems.
You have problems.
In the movie business, we
call this a "meet cute."
In the therapy business, we call that
questionable ethics, so...
- I'll quit group.
- How's Saturday night?
See you then.
Look.
You're gonna have your ups and downs
and you'll feel like a fraud sometimes.
We all do.
But, if you'd let me, I'd
really like to help you
over the rough patches.
I'd like that.
And if you'd let me, I'd like
to take you sweater shopping.
Thank you.
[Whistles]
[Sniffs]
Okay, I smell women's perfume.
Melanie, is that you again?
Actually, it's Victoria Chase.
I know who you are.
What the hell's going on here?
Hmm, a better question would be
why is your club security so lax?
Look, you have a restraining
order against my friend,
Melanie Moretti.
But it's really all my fault.
[Sneezes]
She's here, isn't she?
Hi, Corey.
What the hell happened to you?
Oh, I can explain.
You know how in your
movies the power of love
made awkward girls beautiful.
Well, here it did the opposite.
I'll take it from here, Victoria. Thanks.
Look, my high school reunion is coming up,
and I had this stupid
idea that I would ask you
to go with me.
I guess it's important
because I was just such
a loser in high school.
Yeah, I looked like...
well, what I look like now.
[Laughs]
I guess someone like you
could never understand.
Really?
I want to show you something.
- Ugh.
- Oh.
- Mm.
- Poor thing.
- Who is she?
- That's me.
In high school.
Look, I'll drop the
restraining order, okay?
And I can't believe I'm
actually saying this,
but the answer is yes.
- What?
- I'll go with you.
To your reunion. Seriously?
Oh, my God!
Corey Chambers is going to my
high school reunion with me.
And maybe if we have a good time,
we can have a proper date.
Because now we have a whole...
Honey, he said yes.
Let's just quit while you're ahead.
Just wanted to meet you. Big fan.
Okay.
[Harmonica playing]
♪
And that's our show, folks!
Y'all coming back, ain't ya?
[Applause]
Oh, it's a hit.
They want us back. Every weekend.
Oh, that's great.
Every weekend?
Oh, Roy's gonna have
to whittle me a new hip.
- Roy, that was fantastic.
- Oh, thank you.
What an exciting night.
But I'm done with show business.
What?
Oh, the anxiety,
the physical exhaustion.
Being with you is excitement enough for me.
Oh, Roy. [Laughs]
So you're hanging up your spurs?
- Yes, I am.
- [Laughs]
But keep the chaps.
- [Phone vibrates]
- Oh, I just got a Google alert.
Me too. We're both in people magazine's
Oscar buzz issue. That's great.
But remember what we
talked about in therapy.
An award can't be a substitute...
all right, just go back
to hitting on your patient.
One more drink, and she's good to go.
Synced and corrected by Mastermonger.
www.addic7ed.com