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(FILM REEL CLICKS)
(BUTTONS CLICK)
(PAPERS RUSTLE)
And we are back, in living color, with our exclusive interview
with the president of the United States, Richard Milhous Nixon.
Mr. President, before the break,
we were discussing the pending impeachment investigation.
And I guess we're all wondering,
how are you feeling about your ability to defend yourself against the charges?
Well, that's very interesting to hear you say that, Mr. President.
It begs the question,
is it paranoia if indeed everyone is coming after you?
WOMAN: If you can just drop it on the floor for now. Hey, Christine.
- Hey. - WOMAN: Are we interrupting something?
No, I... I was just running some tape on myself.
WOMAN: It's the new quad machine. Sorry.
- Hey, Jean? - JEAN: Yeah?
Have you, uh, noticed that I do this thing when I...
I nod a little too sympathetically when I'm interviewing a subject?
- No. How can you be too sympathetic? - I don't know.
It feels forced.
JEAN: I'm gonna cue up the interview for the zoning piece.
- Can you look at the film intro? - Yes.
(SOUND MUTED ON FILM)
JEAN: After we're done here, I need your help in the studio.
- Hey, Chris. Is it cued up? - Yes, it's cued up.
- Alright. - (CHRISTINE CLEARS THROAT)
- Your stomach's still acting up? - Yeah, it's just stress.
JEAN: So I-I was thinking we'll go film intro, and then go to graphics,
and then jump into this.
We don't need that film intro. Let's cut it.
- Are you sure? - This is good. This is solid as it is.
TV: ...at least put it to vote,
because while we wait, there are kids who are suffering.
The whole of Florida suffers...
Stop! Rewind.
- How come? - It's that lean-in. I wanna see it.
Oh. Hey, I was wondering, um,
if you have time after the show tonight, can you take a look at something?
Uh, I took your advice. I've been trying to put a story together.
CHRISTINE: Well, I have my volunteer shift,
and then dinner, but tomorrow maybe?
- Yeah, alright. - OK.
TV: ...or at least put it to vote,
because while we wait, there are kids who are suffering.
CHRISTINE: There. Right there. Stop. See that?
You don't think that's... forced?
No, it's fine. You're listening to them.
Have you noticed Gail has been putting fake flowers on the table?
- Yeah. Mike asked her to. - MAN: Wayne!
CHRISTINE: They're silk or something.
How does our new, very expensive quad look?
Uh, don't know yet. It's still in the box.
Let me know when you get it up and running.
If it doesn't work, I'm not paying for it.
- Ladies, team meeting. Five minutes. - Copy five.
MAN: I mean it!
- "I mean it!" - "Five minutes, ladies."
(BOTH LAUGH)
Steve, what's going on in your world?
Orlando's looking at a big storm tonight.
It'd be great to get another ten seconds.
It's gonna have to come in the lead, then, George.
The lead-in's ten long as it is,
and I got fat to trim all over the rest of the show.
MIKE: OK. Keep working on it.
- This just came in. - Fire just called.
Pickup truck went off the road on Orangeville.
- Chubbuck, can you get out there? - Uh, no, sorry. I can't.
What do you mean, you can't?
I'm tucking in that hospital piece. I need more time.
You're shitting me. I thought you finished with that last week.
That was Part One.
What is with this zoning obsession of yours?
- It's inane. - No, it's important.
People could be dying out there.
Mike, it's fender-bender reporting. It's demeaning.
I have been very clear
that I am doing issue-oriented or character-based pieces.
You always make it very, very clear.
Thank you for your clearness. It's too dry!
(JEAN CHUCKLES)
MIKE: We gotta liven things up around here.
The ratings are in the fucking toilet.
You know, I can be on that real quick.
All the film rigs are out anyway.
- Don't. - MIKE: Take one of the Akais.
The Akais don't work.
They work, Chubbuck, you just refuse to learn them.
Which reminds me, everybody, September the 1st,
everybody in this room! September the 1st.
Mark it on your calendars.
We are all video by then. There's no excuses.
- Yes? - Yes.
MIKE: No excuses!
Jean, d'you mind picking up that footage?
- JEAN: No, I'm on it. - WOMAN: Mike, Bob's on the phone.
- Bob, Ford Dealership Bob? - No. Bob Bob.
- Station owner. - MIKE: Fuck.
Tell him I'll be right there.
Tell him I'll call him right back.
Mike, you should go take that.
Probably calling to tell me he's gonna come here to put us out of our misery.
GEORGE: Bob Andersen deigning to visit us.
That'd be something.
Right. Will he be traveling by spaceship or unicorn?
OK, quick. Sports. Kirby. Go.
MAN: Get your curlers out, Kirby. We're on in 30.
Thank you. "...quarterback among his two main..."
- MIKE: They're gonna skip that. - That's good. Thank you, Gail.
- Anytime, George. - (SIGHS)
GEORGE ON TV: In other news,
there was a car accident on the 301 this morning.
What time do we have Christine in the line-up? 5:20.
PRODUCER: Five, four, stand by... Take VC1.
GEORGE: The erratic flight patterns of a pelican. End quote.
The resulting pile-up
fortunately did not result in any injuries,
but did back up south-bound traffic all the way to Somerset.
Driving conditions are now normal.
I've changed my mind. We need to add a film of me walking the county line.
I don't think we can. We're up in three minutes.
Goddamn it, Chubbuck!
- I'll load it. - How's that graphic looking?
I don't know. I like it.
GEORGE: The meeting will begin promptly at 7:30 pm,
and we're told that cookies and coffee will be served.
PRODUCER: Ready, camera two.
GEORGE: And now, let's kick it over to Steve Turner.
JEAN: Moving on to weather.
Just a couple of seconds off the top. Let's go.
- PRODUCER: Cue camera two. - Tell George to stretch.
Tell George to stretch it. Camera two, go to a two-shot.
It really mucked things up with that rainstorm last week, huh?
Well, like any new technology, it has its kinks.
It just kinda makes you look like a liar, Steve.
Well, I think you know that I'm not, George.
I'd like to see you jump to the hot seat one night. See how it feels.
- That sounds like fun, actually. - I'm sure it does.
- PRODUCER: Two. - As always...
MIKE: VT1 is open, ladies. Whenever you're ready.
CHRISTINE: OK.
Here. (INDISTINCT)
My asshole is like this right now. It's like this.
CHRISTINE: I'm going. Copy, copy.
- Let's go. - OK.
JEAN: Load graphic on VT1. Load film on film two.
TRT is 35 seconds. Sound on film.
- Go to interview on VT2. - PRODUCER: Sound on film.
GEORGE: And now, in a special edition of the Sarasota Suncoast Digest,
an ongoing investigative report from reporter Christine Chubbuck.
Christine?
Thank you, George.
As you know, there's been some controversy
with several of the hospitals up near Longboat Key.
I sat down with councilman and zoning Board president Tom D'Esposito
and some local healthcare professionals
for an exclusive interview to talk about it
and how it ties into what might be a larger crisis in Sarasota.
A zoning crisis.
(BUTTONS CLICK)
(THEME MUSIC)
PRODUCER: Projector two.
You can't see, but I'm standing on the line
that divides Manatee and Sarasota Counties.
There's a proposal on the table right now
to move the line up a fifth of a mile,
so that the Sunshine Children's Home and other facilities like it
are eligible for more state funding.
However, discussions, like this railway track,
have come to a dead end.
Mr. D'Esposito, this is the fifth time in as many months
that the re-zone proposal has gone forth before the board.
Is your plan to postpone the vote again?
What's your message to residents,
and to the workers at the Sunshine Children's Center,
and the children in their care?
(# ANNIE'S SONG BY JOHN DENVER)
# You fill up my senses
# Like a night in the forest
# Like a mountain in springtime
# Like a walk in the rain
# Like a storm in the desert
# Like a sleepy blue ocean
CHRISTINE: Hm, but Miss Tangerine...
Yes, See Saw, darling?
How do you know if it's a stranger?
What do you mean?
Well, what if you know them,
but you don't really know them?
Then what?
MISS TANGERINE: Hm. Well, that's a tricky question, See Saw, darling.
If you've spoken to them more than once, then they're not a stranger,
and it's probably OK.
SEE SAW: Well, thank you, Miss Tangerine.
You're welcome, See Saw.
Thanks, kids.
Thank you, kids.
That was wonderful! Can everyone thank Miss Christine?
- CHILDREN: Thank you, Miss Christine! - Alright, dinner time, everyone.
Hey, Stevie, I have a good one for you today.
- Knock knock. - Who's there?
- Harry. - Harry who?
Harry up and let me in, it's cold outside. (CHUCKLES)
Alright, it's dinner time, kiddo.
- Goodbye, Miss Christine. - Bye, Steven.
- Thanks again, Christine. - Oh, of course.
You know, I was a little torn.
I know most of them don't leave the grounds ever, so...
No, it's all helpful.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
Hey, Miranda...
Uh, I've been, I've been having these, uh...
awful stomach pains, uh, right down here.
Could you, uh... Could you maybe have a look for me?
Honey, I'm a pediatric nurse. I'm not really qualified.
That might be in your lady parts.
You should call a doctor.
Yeah, that... that makes sense.
Well, it's... it's probably just stress anyway. (CHUCKLES)
TV: From the NBC News Center in New York, this is NBC Nightly News...
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
- Sorry I'm late, roomie. - Oh, hey. It's OK.
- Long day? - Long day.
I was stuck behind this guy on the 41.
We were not moving in the left-hand lane. It was crazy.
- WOMAN: Don't worry about it. - CHRISTINE: Can I have the usual?
- WOMAN: The show was great tonight. - CHRISTINE: It wasn't.
They always put me to the back of the line.
It was great!
Hey, who did the graphic for the zoning crisis? That was wild.
Yeah? Well, it was my concept.
But Jean did the graphic. I'm not very good with the tech stuff.
So... how were things with gorgeous George today?
Don't be weird.
WOMAN: We're still not speaking.
- What's all this stuff? - I know. I'm sorry.
We're out of storage at work,
and Frank just asked if I could keep some of it here.
Just for a week or so.
Rent's due tomorrow. Don't forget this month.
I won't! Jeez!
- Hey, Chris? - Uh-huh?
Thought more about what you might wanna do on your birthday?
I'm trying not to think about it.
At least let me take you to dinner. We could go to Davenport's.
- Maybe you could invite George? - I have to get to bed.
Oh, come on, Chris, I was just kidding around.
No, it's fine.
I just have to get up early tomorrow to grind out a piece before Friday.
Goodnight, Mom.
(INDISTINCT TV)
- (GUNSHOT ON TV) - Oh!
Frank Delmonaco, Miami Action 6, got an eight with this.
An eight. He beat out reruns of All in the Family.
They got a 7.6.
- You're reading the numbers now? - I always read the numbers.
- It's called rounding up. - Why do I have to be here? I do sports.
MIKE: This is a team meeting.
It's a simple concept, guys. If it bleeds, it leads.
There's a reason this idea is catching fire in the culture right now.
But he... They didn't show that, Mike. They cut out just before it.
If they'd had the guts to show the whole thing,
they could've doubled their rating.
There aren't sniper standoffs in Sarasota. We're not in Miami.
Also, "if it bleeds, it leads" is not some concept, Mike,
it's a catchphrase that you picked up at a conference in Cleveland last month.
Chubbuck, this is not debate club.
CHRISTINE: Well, this is a joke.
This sort of thing, it'll make us a joke.
- I gotta side with Chris on this one. - Steve, you do weather.
(PHONE RINGS)
We're the joke, Chubbuck, OK?
We're the joke. You read the numbers?
Tell me, Chubbuck. Tell us all. What did we do last month?
We're drowning here, guys.
ABC is not kicking in what they promised this quarter.
The last round of local ads didn't hit, so people aren't re-upping.
I know this is all just fun and games for you.
You're all just breezing through here on your way to a national market.
But the situation is getting fucking dire.
Hear me when I say that.
We need higher ratings. How do we get them?
Juicier stories. It's simple math, guys.
That's not math, that's logic.
Here we are at the fifth annual Sarasota Strawberry Festival.
(FILM FAST-FORWARDS)
- Shit. Ow. - TV: ...and humid with a high of 96.
- It's currently 75 degrees. - (SIGHS)
GEORGE: Hey, Chubbuck.
You ready?
A or B?
"The salmonella can seemingly be traced to poorly packaged chicken from..."
or, "The authorities believe the salmonella originated..."?
- (CHRISTINE CLEARS THROAT) - Are you OK?
Why?
Do I not seem OK?
You're not upset about Nelson, are you?
No.
You can't let him get inside your head.
Can he even hear himself sometimes?
He just gets all grumpy,
because he's got Mrs. Mike Nelson back home waiting for him.
Use the "authorities" line.
Make people feel like someone's steering the ship, you know?
Yeah.
You're OK?
I'm OK.
I'm OK, you're OK, right?
Alright.
(GEORGE HUMS)
...the Sarasota Strawberry Festival.
Here we go, folks. My first strawberry of the season.
(INDISTINCT)
So, Sharon Davis, what can you tell me about this...?
Well, this is our fifth year. We've been doing it since 1969.
DOCTOR: New in town, huh?
- Yeah. Uh, uh, about a year. - Hm.
- I used to vacation here as a kid. - Hm.
Yeah.
You were, uh... You were in Boston before this, right?
- Hm-hmm. - Great city.
- Yeah, but Ohio originally. - Hm.
DOCTOR: So...
How long have these pains been going on for?
- I don't know. About a month or two. - Hm.
- Probably just stress. - Probably.
But better safe than sorry, right?
We'll take blood and urine, and do a pregnancy test.
A pregnancy test? (CHUCKLES)
OK. Sure. Whatever. Good luck with that. (CHUCKLES)
- DOCTOR: Been a while, huh? - Oh, you could say.
And I think we'll do some x-rays.
We'll need to schedule a follow-up for next week. Alright?
Absolutely. Whatever you need.
DOCTOR: Says here someone's got a birthday coming up, huh?
Oh, yeah, don't remind me.
- (BOTH CHUCKLE) - The big 3-0, huh?
Can you put your feet up in the stirrups, please?
CHRISTINE: Oh. Sure.
Alright. Now slide down.
Slide your hips right down to the edge of the table for me.
- Hm-hmm. - Thank you.
TV: From the NBC News Center in New York, this is NBC Nightly News,
reported by John Chancellor.
The House Judiciary Committee voted today to make public
all the classified material it has amassed in seven weeks
into the inquiry into the impeachment of President Nixon.
The vote was 22 to 16, with 16 Democrats and six Republicans
voting to release the evidence.
Anything else while you wait?
No, no.
Long day. (CHUCKLES)
- I guess I've been stood up. - That's rough.
I'll just, uh, take the check there.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Hi, hi. Sorry to interrupt.
I, uh, couldn't help but, uh, notice you back there.
Y-Y-You both seem to be v-very much in love.
Thanks. We are.
How long have you been together?
It's our third anniversary.
Oh. (CHUCKLES)
Wow.
You must think I'm crazy. My name is Christine.
I'm a reporter at WZRB, and I have a community affairs segment
called The Suncoast Digest.
And I'm always on the lookout for a positive, human-interest story.
Uh... Here.
Let me give you my...
You wanna call me.
I, uh, I can't guarantee that you'll make it to air,
but, uh, why not give it a shot, right?
"OK, lady, we get it. Let us get back to our dinner."
I am... I'm real sorry to interrupt.
I just... You just made my night.
Don't lose sight of what you have here. OK?
(# I WONDER WHAT SHE'S DOING TONIGHT BY BOYCE & HART)
Words...
matter.
Coffee never killed anyone.
(PAPER TEARS)
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
MOM: Chris? I'm so, so sorry I missed dinner.
I got a little tied up at work.
You could've called the restaurant.
I know. I... I got a little distracted.
Frank had us do an inventory.
CHRISTINE: Well, you've got to learn how to stand up to him.
I know, I know. You wanna hang out?
No, I think I'm gonna get to bed early.
MOM: You sure?
One hundred percent positive.
(MUSIC VOLUME INCREASES)
(SIGHS)
(HUMS)
(CLICKS TONGUE)
(WHISPERS)
Do better. Better, goddamn it.
(PHONE RINGS)
MIKE: Can somebody grab the phone?
(GEORGE MUTTERS)
STEVE: Are you freaking out? I am freaking out.
No. Why?
STEVE: Well, it's just the worst possible time for this to be happening.
Is your computer acting up again?
STEVE: My computer is more than acting up. It's taking over my mind.
I'm in the booth, talking it over with the Japanese tech guy,
and that's no small feat.
(JAPANESE ACCENT) "The circuits are flied."
I swear, we are about to break the whole thing wide.
I'm talking countries coming together here, Chris.
And Jean busts in, like I'm in some sort of bad dream,
and tells me that I have to get out, because Mike is giving Bob a tour,
and I'm just like, "Really, Jean?"
- Wait. Bob? - Yeah.
Now I gotta stand up in front of an empty map
with nothing to say like a goddamn birthday clown!
Bob Andersen?
Yeah. Bob fucking Andersen. Are we having the same conversation?
Jean? Hey, Jean! Jean!
Hurry.
- Yeah? - What do you know?
- About what? - About what? About Bob Andersen.
Oh, nothing, really. He just came by.
It's crazy, right? I think he's with Mike right now.
Hey... I keep meaning to talk to you about something.
Communication.
MAN: Get someone out there. See if we can get some shots.
WOMAN: Did you see Bob Andersen?
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Yes, Chubbuck, can I help you with something?
I'm sorry. (STAMMERS)
Uh...
(CLEARS THROAT) I...
I just wanted to let you know that I've been getting a lot of calls
about that Strawberry Festival piece.
MIKE: Great! Thank you.
Goodbye.
GEORGE: I'm serious. Are we taking a championship this year?
KIRBY: This might be the year, George.
GEORGE: There you have it, ladies and gentlemen,
a bold prediction from our own Andrea Kirby.
And that's all we have for you, Sarasota.
Stay tuned for Police Surgeon, followed by the national news.
Until tomorrow.
(GEORGE EXHALES)
GAIL: And we are out. Thank you, everybody. Great show.
GEORGE: Who's thirsty?
ANDREA: Oh, yeah, let's go to that place across the street.
GEORGE: Bob Andersen was watching you from back there.
ANDREA: Yeah, I saw him.
GEORGE: Everybody's freaked out about it.
- Thank you. - ANDREA: Thank you.
- STEVE: Good one, guys. - GEORGE: You too, Steve.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
No, I saw him wave. Did he say anything to you? Did he talk to you?
JEAN: He didn't talk to anybody. He spent the whole day with Mike.
Oh.
So that's how it feels to have everyone's attention and respect?
What's going on here, Mike?
Calm down, Steve.
What do you mean, calm down, Mike?
We are talking about all of our lives here.
Why didn't you tell us that he was here?
I didn't know he was coming any more than you guys.
He flew down this morning, called me at home, asked to have lunch.
Mike, are we... are we gonna be shut down?
In defiance of any logic, or common sense I can discern...
he's here to see if he can poach some on-screen talent.
- GEORGE: What do you mean, poach? - MIKE: He's not shutting us down.
He's actually picking up another station in Baltimore. WKRB.
So I guess he's doubling down on this whole news thing.
Wait, so he wants to hire one of us to work in Baltimore?
It's a top 30 market.
MIKE: I love how quickly you've all moved off your fear of getting fired.
If he takes one of you,
it's gonna be a royal pain in the ass for the rest of us.
- Who's he gonna take? - Steve, I have no fucking idea.
But he's gonna be hanging around for a couple of weeks,
working on this and a couple of other real-estate deals he's got going on.
He's even offered to host our 4th of July party.
But believe me when I say he'll be watching.
JEAN: Mike, you always host our 4th party.
Yeah, well... Things are gonna be a little different this year.
Goodnight, kids.
JEAN: Baltimore.
That's so close to New York. That'll be huge.
Maybe he'd take a couple of us. That'd be a fun road trip.
(INDISTINCT TV)
(SIGHS)
Almost half of all the meals we now eat are junk-food meals.
Hi, Mike.
MIKE: It's called knocking, Chubbuck.
Do you have a minute?
Sure.
Check this out.
I'm watching an Action 6 air check from last month.
They're doing a series on, uh, fat people.
You know, people addicted to junk food, you know, like Twinkies.
They're trying shock therapy now. Can you believe this?
WOMAN ON TV: OK.
MAN 1: We're gonna ask you do a couple of things.
MAN 2: I'm gonna turn the machine on.
At first, you're not gonna feel anything at all.
As a matter of fact, the machine is on now.
Mike, level with me.
I haven't led in over a month now.
Tell me what I have to do to get to Baltimore.
Why not try to get me something like this?
Because this is totally at odds with the work that I've been doing, Mike.
(CHUCKLES) It's exploitative.
Then why are so many people watching it?
The people you're so concerned about representing
are the ones that are gobbling this stuff up.
We're supposed to know better than them.
That's a pretty superior attitude to take.
It's on the job description.
You asked me a question, I'm answering your question.
So what, get some footage of some fat people burning in a car crash,
and I'm on a plane to Baltimore, is that what you're saying?
- Now you're being a smart-ass. - (SIGHS)
Know what your problem is, Chubbuck? You're a feminist.
You think that the way to get ahead is by talking louder than the other guy.
That's the whole movement in a nutshell.
Oh. So you're saying that I'm not fit for a bigger market 'cause I'm a woman?
No, I'm saying that there's no respect for institutions of authority.
You're the smartest person here.
If you took half the energy you use to give me a hard time,
and did what I'm asking you to do...
- I'm just trying to understand you. - Jesus Christ! Make your stories juicy.
CHRISTINE: But I thought people were supposed to like me for who I am.
That it's what's on the inside that counts.
They are. But you have to show them who you are.
Well, how do I do that?
Well, you do it with your actions. You act boldly and bravely.
You put on nice clothes,
and you wake up every day, and you tell people who you are.
You use your body language.
You use your words.
So what I say can count, too?
Yes, it can.
Sometimes it can.
(APPLAUSE)
TEACHER: Thank you, Miss Christine.
OK, come on.
You seem bigger in real life, a little taller.
I can't believe I didn't recognize you. Oh, don't mind him.
He's on a damn drunk.
Maybe I can get your autograph on the way out, hm?
Frank! You have a celebrity visitor.
CHRISTINE: So I'm looking to run some grittier stuff for my segment.
Grittier? OK.
Well, you know crime is on the rise. In Sarasota last month,
there were at least two armed robberies and four burglaries.
Well, that was an anomaly. If you look at the charts, it's pretty even.
(CHUCKLES) I wouldn't say it's rising.
Well, maybe not rising, but it is here.
You know, I think people are a little too happy to ignore it.
Did something happen to someone you know? 'Cause you can tell me.
No. I... I just need to...
to show the darker side of Sarasota.
- Find a darker angle, you know. - For what it's worth, Miss Chubbuck,
I think your show is great.
You do these think pieces. They're so positive.
I love coming on.
Well, I appreciate that.
Captain, people are really listening to me.
So I just need to make sure that I'm really saying something.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(LAUGHTER)
MOM: You know, she's paranoid and crazy, right?
- (DOOR CLOSES) - Oh, hi, honey.
- I need a minute, Peg. - PEG: What's in the box?
- (NEIGHBOR MUTTERS) - PEG: Shh!
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
PEG: Can I come in?
You were smoking pot out there, and you know how much I hate that.
PEG: It's my day off.
Please let me come in. I wanna talk to you.
I heard you talking about me.
If you have a problem with me, you can say it to my face.
I was talking about Janice. Janice from the Yarn Barn.
I'm sure you were.
Chris, will you stop looking at that? What is that, a HAM radio?
It's for work. What?
I'm making shark steaks for dinner. I was hoping to talk to you.
Well, we're talking right now. What?
Christine...
This isn't the start of one of your moods, is it? You can tell me.
I hate to see you go through that.
Peg. Jeez. Moods?
- What is it? - It's just...
You're sounding a little like you sounded
towards the end of your time in Boston.
Yeah, well, I'm fine, OK?
- What? - I have some news.
I met someone. (CHUCKLES)
His name is Mitch. He came into work a few weeks ago.
He, um, he lives in Bradenton. (CHUCKLES)
OK. What do you want me to say?
I want you to be happy for me.
I'd like you to meet him.
Well, why don't we, uh, give it a few weeks?
Historically, these things don't always go as planned with you.
Christine, I know that's not you talking.
That's whatever you're carrying around right now.
And I think you should apologize to me.
Christine!
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't say things like that to you.
It's just that you don't even ask me what's going on with... with... with...
with George or anything.
- And it's like, uh... - Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa.
I wanted to talk to you about it the other day, and...
And now you're telling me all this,
and it, well, it just, uh, just feels like gloating.
PEG: Oh! Oh, my God, no! I'm sorry, I should've checked in with you.
Hmm. Do you really see that or are you just saying that to shut me up?
No! I can totally see where you're coming from. OK?
Can I give you a hug?
- That usually seems to help. - Yeah.
(PEG TUTS) Oh.
(CHRISTINE SIGHS DEEPLY)
(SIGHS)
Thank you.
I don't think I realized how much I needed this.
(SNIFFLES)
Thank you.
Of course, honey. You can always talk to me.
I'm your mom. That's what moms are for.
OK.
(RADIO CRACKLES)
(RADIO BEEPS)
COP 1: If you could go over to Island Park, there's those kids
that've been loitering around the last couple of weeks.
If you could shine your flashlight or whatever. Over.
COP 2: 32-15, show me en route.
I'm at Fifth and Pineapple now, headed back toward Main.
(RADIO BEEPS)
COP 1: Did you get that 11-20 under control or whatever that was? What was that?
COP 2: 32-15, yeah. Just a couple of kids.
We kind of flashed the lights, pulled up and they took off.
COP 1: You wanna hear something on a happier note?
(POP MUSIC PLAYS ON RECORD PLAYER)
COP 2: Yeah, please do.
COP 1: I finally touched Marie's pussy last night.
COP 2: What else is going on? I'm bored out of my fucking mind.
COP 1: What can I say?
I hate my job, I hate my family, I hate my fucking brother.
COP 2: Now we're getting somewhere. Now you're opening up.
COP 3: 10-21, 32-15, 32-75, 32-50,
respond to a 10-55 in progress at Sycamore and Orange.
Sycamore and Orange, there's a 10-55 in progress.
Sycamore and Orange.
- COP 1: 32-15, show me en route. - Yes. I'll come and get you.
JEAN: This is so exciting. I feel like Bob Woodward.
- CHRISTINE: Uh-huh. - JEAN: Is this for the zoning crisis?
CHRISTINE: I am not exactly sure yet, Jean. We will find out.
JEAN: What's going on?
- CHRISTINE: A fire. - JEAN: Oh, my God. Is that a fire?
CHRISTINE: Yeah. Find where the good angles are, Jean.
JEAN: Copy. You want the Auricon or the Akai?
CHRISTINE: Uh, Auricon. Auricon, color film.
I have a feeling this is going to be special.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
CHRISTINE: Hello, sir. Christine Chubbuck.
I'm a reporter at WZRB.
This is some fire. Can you tell me how it got started?
I really don't know for sure.
I just know bad things have been happening to me.
OK, OK. Can, uh, can you stay here for... for one second?
I will be right back. Jean?
- JEAN: Chris. - Jean.
I'll get an establishing of the trailer. You want to check framing?
No. We don't need it. We, uh, we need to shoot this guy.
OK, but... we can frame him up with the fire behind him.
No, we have to frame up on his face. Real close.
(REEL CLICKS)
I didn't know I fell asleep last night with a cigarette in my hand.
Um... But I do check the smoke... smoke detector quite regular.
I'm grateful my wife got me into that habit.
I woke up. I heard the alarm go off.
I ran quickly outside to the front lawn.
Realized I forgot my cigarettes.
And I ran back in.
And when I ran to the kitchen, two canisters exploded and ignited.
- And that's how I did this. (SIGHS) - (LIGHTER CLICKS)
(LIGHTER CLICKS)
(SIGHS)
You know... (CLEARS THROAT)
That's the third time this happened this year.
I hope they don't, but, uh...
I think they're gonna cancel my homeowner's insurance tomorrow.
A man driven back into a burning house by a primal need to feed an addiction.
An entire community imperiled.
A sad story,
but not one without hope.
What does it mean?
Real Floridians. Real stories.
This is Christine Chubbuck with your Suncoast Digest.
GEORGE: Thank you, Christine, for that story.
Next up after the break, the sports report with Andrea Kirby.
And after that, sales of lemons are on the rise in Western Florida.
Bad cars from bad dealers.
A special report on what's looking like an epidemic.
GAIL: And... we're on a break, guys. Back in 60 seconds.
Hey, Mike. What do you think?
I was trying to tap into some real suffering.
It wasn't a story. The guy burned himself going back in for cigarettes.
Mike, that's exactly what you've been asking for. It was...
It was raw, and the man had an irony to him.
We're not making irony, we're making news.
I mean, where was any footage of the smoldering house?
At least that would be something. You just showed his face.
But his face was burnt!
You showed a guy talking. Mumbling, actually.
Guys, I got to get out of here early. Go pick up my wife for the party.
I'll see you all at Bob's. No-shows will be fired!
Darren, you're in charge!
That guy was a real pistol, huh? That was real different, Chris.
It wasn't supposed to be different, it was supposed to be good.
And we're back in 30 seconds, guys!
From the whole gang here at WZRB...
ALL: Happy 4th of July, Sarasota!
Yeah!
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(PIANO MUSIC IN BACKGROUND)
(LAUGHTER)
Andrea, welcome to the party.
I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Michael's wife.
Yeah. Of course, I remember you.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Have you seen this place? It's like their second or third house.
I mean, it just sits here most of the year.
I mean... (MUTTERS)
- It's just wild. - (GLASS SMASHES)
- CHRISTINE: Oh, God. Are you OK? - MRS. NELSON: I'm so sorry.
- Damn it. Every goddamn time. - Sorry.
MIKE: Come over here, and drink some coffee.
MRS. NELSON: Stop it.
Uh-oh, here comes trouble!
JEAN: Steve's had a few.
CHRISTINE: Jean...
How bad was that? Honestly?
I liked how it came together.
I-I thought Mike was way too hard on you.
You don't think that...
You don't think that Bob Andersen was watching, do you?
I don't know.
But it was good. Don't worry about it.
Hey, Turner, you keeping it together?
You know what, George?
- One of these days... - Yeah?
I'm gonna test you.
Yeah, I'm gonna give you the test, you'll see.
- Well, I'll study. - Hmm. You should.
- I will. - Good.
Hey, Chubbuck, I found a pool table in the den.
- Good. - Come on.
What? Uh...
OK.
(# ROCK YOUR BABY BY GEORGE MCCRAE)
BARMAN: Here you go, Mr. Andersen.
That is not Andrea!
Now that was some report you gave today.
CHRISTINE: Uh, thank you, George.
Strange. Interesting. I liked it.
CHRISTINE: OK. Tell that to Mike.
Jeez, just take the compliment, Chubbuck.
It's good stuff you do in the field.
I wish I could get out there and do something like that.
Make an impression.
CHRISTINE: No one on anchor wants to be in the field.
That's what people in the field think.
(BILLIARD BALLS CLICK)
(SIGHS) Still stripes.
You and I have been working together for over a year now,
and we've never gone out and had a drink together.
Well, I don't really drink.
Well, you know what I mean.
Well, you've never asked me.
You're not always the most approachable person, Chubbuck.
Well, I am approachable.
Maybe you just don't know how to approach me.
Oh? And who does know how to approach you?
A lot of people. Jean, Steve.
(GEORGE CHUCKLES)
(SLURPS)
You're funny, Chubbuck.
People are just so funny.
I mean, take Mike and Mrs. Nelson.
Something drew them to each other, you know? But now?
(SIGHS) God.
It's like we all have these different versions of ourselves
competing to be the real us.
You ever think about stuff like that?
ANNOUNCER ON RADIO: That was George McCrae's "Rock Your Baby".
Your turn.
ANNOUNCER: Coming up we've got Sonny and Cher,
"I'm Leaving It All Up to You".
I don't think I'm very good at this.
Sometimes I'll be daydreaming at work...
and I'll just gaze off,
and imagine, like, this big wad of shoelaces, you know?
Like in a box.
All tangled up.
Different colors, too.
Grey, black, red, neon orange.
It's a big ugly knot.
And that's...
my life.
(SIGHS)
I don't think we're so different, you and me, Chubbuck.
I think sometimes maybe we make things too hard on ourselves.
I think you and I might have... something to offer one another.
You know we're not alone out there.
(SIGHS)
- (DOOR SLIDES OPEN) - Well, hello, you two.
- Hey, soldier. Did you just get here? - Hm-hmm.
I-I have, uh... a lot of work to be doing so...
I should... I should go.
Chubbuck, just admit this was a little fun.
Sure. Goodnight, George.
- So what's the game? - Pool, dummy.
Uh, happy 4th, Mr. Andersen.
Chubbuck, aren't you gonna stay and watch?
Uh, no, I... I have to say goodbye to someone.
STEVE: The fireworks are starting.
(FIREWORKS EXPLODE)
(LIGHT SWITCH CLICKS)
(KEYS CLINK ON TABLE)
Mom?
Are you home?
(POLICE RADIO BEEPS)
COP 1: I'm telling you, man, you got to take it to Tug.
COP 2: I don't trust an outside guy with my gun,
especially not Tug Daiss.
COP 1: It's pronounced "dice".
(RADIO CRACKLES)
It's the Daiss Auto Service Center.
You've never seen the "Daiss" on the side of the building?
COP 2: I dunno about that guy.
He fixes cars, he fixes guns, he just fixes stuff.
It's like if I had a sandwich shop and you came in and I was like,
"Today we're selling blowjobs."
- (RADIO BEEPS) - COP 1: That's why you see him.
He's crazy. He's a real character. His stories are fuckin' hilarious.
COP 2: I don't find him hilarious.
I find him pretty disturbing, to be honest.
(RADIO BEEPS)
COP 1: That is the Tug Show, my friend.
Look, he's there from four to eight.
You do what you wanna do.
Anyway, let me tell you how it went with Betty last night, alright?
So we go back to her place, but, um...
- (RADIO VOLUME DECREASES) - She's raring to go, you know.
(TURNS RADIO OFF)
(DOGS BARK IN THE DISTANCE)
(GROANS)
CHRISTINE: I-I-I thought I-I was just stressed.
Is it from stress?
DOCTOR: It's hard to say. It could be. It could be genetic.
As we get older, our bodies do things to us that we can't control.
Alright, well, I-I have been stressed. (SIGHS)
DOCTOR: You know, if you're stressed, we can give you something for that.
Give me something?
DOCTOR: You used to take trazodone as an antidepressant.
I didn't like the way that they made me feel, OK?
And, uh, I would really appreciate it if we could stay on topic.
This is very... unexpected.
Look, it's great we caught it so early. It's very manageable at this stage.
We just... We need to take it out in the next few months.
- The cyst? - The whole ovary.
It's the only way to make sure the issue doesn't recur.
But it's a very manageable surgery.
It's tantamount to having your tonsils out.
The only issue is, of course, it can create complications
should you want to conceive in the future.
Are... are you saying
that, uh, if I have this treated that I...
that I won't be able to have ch...
That I... That I have two months to have a baby?
DOCTOR: I'm not saying that at all. Now, you will only have one ovary,
so, it just... might require a little coordination.
MAN: We want our residents to partake,
but they need to get on that waiting list quickly.
We can't help it if we've turned this
into an attractive destination for retirees and non-retirees alike.
You know Florida is the place you want to be.
We've got sun, sand, surf,
championship golf, great cuisine, culture.
Everything you could imagine.
And everybody wants to come here right now.
- People are coming here from... - Can we stop for a second. Jean?
- Yes. - CHRISTINE: Jean? Stop.
Can you... can you... can you get Gail?
I thought she was meant to get some fresh flowers.
Oh, yeah, I told her to. It must've slipped her mind.
It slipped her mind? Well, I can't think about anything else. Sorry.
You're gonna have to... Someone get some fresh flowers!
(SOBS)
JEAN: OK, um, I'm sorry, sir.
We're just gonna have to wait a little bit. I'm sorry.
I'll be right back.
Chris?
Hey, Chris.
Are you OK?
CHRISTINE: Yeah, yeah.
It's just, uh... summer allergies.
Oh.
But... are you, you know...
OK?
What do you mean?
Well, you just seem a little more wound up than usual.
What do you mean?
- Like, tense. - No.
You said "more than usual."
Well, a little. But you just seemed like you got really upset out there.
Hey... Do you wanna get out of here?
Where?
Why don't we just go play hookie?
(SNIFFLES) Jean, don't be weird.
I'm serious. When I get bummed out,
I like to go eat ice cream. It's this little trick I learned.
When things are starting to be too much, I just get a cone, and...
This is gonna sound stupid, but I sing, you know,
along with a song on the radio or whatever, it doesn't even matter.
Look, come on. It's my treat.
I have a lot of work to be getting on with,
so I should do that.
I should get on with my work.
And, uh, I'm sorry. Sorry, but, uh...
Can you sign the Akai out for me?
- Alright. - I need to learn it.
And, you know what? I'll just... I'll go get the flowers.
- OK. - Uh, sir?
I'm very sorry, and we will pick this up at a later date.
JEAN: OK, thanks, Christine.
(# TIGHTER, TIGHTER BY ALIVE AND KICKING)
My source at the police station called it the Tug Show, actually.
- He said that? - Yes, he did.
And, uh, how did you get into this? Into this business with the police?
Officer Jimmy Suskind comes out here with a busted-up cop car,
starts fiddling with his pistol, says it doesn't shoot straight.
I said, "Alright, give me your keys and your pistol."
He said, "I ain't gonna give you my pistol."
I said, "I'll take it for one day, get it fixed for you.
I'll have it shooting straighter than a pecker in a peepshow."
He says, "Alright."
Madman, take care of the front office. I gotta take care of a little business.
(DOOR SQUEAKS OPEN)
Here we go. There you are. Come on in. This is it.
(LIGHT SWITCH CLICKS)
And, um... All of these guns, they belong to other people?
About half of 'em I'm working on for other people.
Others I sell to friends. The rest of 'em are mine, though.
Um...
Uh, how about, uh, that one there?
- What's that? - What, that one there?
What, that bad boy?
- Look at that. That's a.44. - Oh.
Yeah, it's loud. It's got a big kick.
It's got a lot of weight to it. It's a damn monster.
- Here, hold it. - Really?
Oh, yeah. Come on. It ain't loaded or nothing.
There you go.
(LIGHT SWITCH CLICKS)
Oh... Holy cow, that's heavy.
TUG: Here.
CHRISTINE: I had no idea that so many people carried guns down here.
TUG: Oh, sure. Now this is a.38 special.
My momma carried that in her purse.
It aims for shit, but it's good for close contact.
- Hm-hmm. - Yeah.
We just got bullets for those, called wadcutters.
They explode on contact.
Stop a threat dead in its tracks.
I didn't know that Sarasota was a town known for its threats.
Oh, yeah, there's threats everywhere.
There's a fever settling into this country, Miss Chubbuck.
Can't you feel it?
I mean, you gotta be ready to protect yourself. Be aware.
You're living in Condition White.
Condition White?
When you're sleeping. When you're home, tucked in your covers.
CHRISTINE: Condition White sounds nice.
Oh, it's a victim's mentality. Condition White is for sheep.
Condition Yellow, that's when you are aware of your surroundings.
You're Yellow when you leave the house.
There's a bird. There's a car.
Most people live and die in White and Yellow.
Carrying a gun on you usually jumps you right up to Orange.
And that's the next level. That's where you wanna be.
That's when you're aware of your surroundings and of threats.
CHRISTINE: And...
Well, what happens after Orange?
Well, that's Red.
That's when you see the threat, and you're ready to take an action.
You carry one of these around with you for a few weeks.
You'll see.
Changes things.
(EERIE MUSIC ON TV)
(POLICE RADIO IN THE DISTANCE)
(MAN AND WOMAN ARGUE IN THE DISTANCE)
(POLICE RADIO BEEPS)
(SWITCHES RADIO OFF)
(ARGUING CONTINUES)
Let me tell you, please!
(PHONE DIAL CLICKS)
Hi. You've reached Jean Reed.
I'm probably not here, or if I am, I'm...
That's great, Wayne. Re-rack it. Cue it up for preview.
WAYNE: Will do.
- Is Mike in his office? - Yeah.
MIKE: Oh, that is a great shot.
Yeah, I thought so.
The shoe's been in evidence for a year, with blood all over it. They missed it.
- I love it. I love it. - Yeah.
You've got some pep in your step.
I think I've got something. Look out for it.
- (CHUCKLES) - (KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Michael, I have some footage that you need to see right now.
I think it's really gonna blow your hair back.
We're always fighting, but I actually think that we're saying the same thing.
You want flash and pizzazz, and that's fine.
You know what? Who am I to say that's not OK?
There's drama and tragedy and suffering all around us.
I just wanna get to know these issues and the people behind them.
We need to put it in context, you know?
The mistake we've been making is not doubling down on the idea.
We need to go deeper. Wayne? Where's Wayne? Wayne!
I don't follow you.
I am saying let's get rid of this pedestrian idea of the news,
so-and-so did such-and-such at this place and time.
It's so cold. Let's really examine it.
There's a subjectivity to those stories that we're not tapping into.
We need to go inside people's homes.
Really spend some time with them. Plant cameras.
Heck, give them the camera, so we can see what goes on behind closed doors,
'cause that is the big question
that we're running around here trying to answer.
What would it be like to be someone else?
They did this, Chubbuck and it was called American Family.
- It was on PBS last year. - Oh, I've thought about that, Mike.
Wayne? I need you... Wayne.
So I'm thinking long form docu-journalism
with little... little movies to fill in the gaps.
- Movies on the news? - Yes.
Wayne, Wayne, come on.
- WAYNE: Stand by. I'm coming. - CHRISTINE: Cue it up.
People just watch stuff, Mike.
You know, a never-ending parade of stuff
to distract themselves from their miserable lives.
So I mocked up something like a domestic dispute and a home invasion.
You know... Uh...
It's a little... It's a little rough. So, uh, try to follow me here.
(DOOR CREAKS ON TV)
The door is unlocked. Hm.
Hey, you never leave the door unlocked.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Are you home?
CHRISTINE: What you're seeing here is a sort of dramatic rendering
of the moment a roommate comes home
and realizes her friend isn't home when she should be.
She's usually home by nine o'clock.
CHRISTINE: This is based on that case last year
where that girl in Reno was abducted from her dorm room,
and no one reported it for over a week.
We've got more standard talking-head interview, which will go right in front.
But then we just jump into this.
We don't make a big thing out of it. We just do it.
MIKE: What is that, a knife?
What am I looking at?
The exposure's off. We'll adjust that.
Jean wouldn't come out and run camera with me.
It's a little too much to do for one person.
Christine!
- Why are you even here? - Look, Chubbuck, this is...
interesting, but I think you need to, uh, develop the idea more.
I'm punting the Chicken Lady tonight. Why don't you take the rest of...?
If you're punting Chicken Lady anyway, I should go on and announce it.
Jesus Christ! I'm punting the Chicken Lady
to make room for the serial killer from Gainesville.
- It's gonna lead. - What?
Who?
Young Jean Reed here. She's been working as an extracurricular activity.
Doing really good work. Real grisly.
- Exclusive stuff, too. - I tried to tell you about it. I swear.
CHRISTINE: Is this a joke?
We do local news. Gainesville isn't local.
He's at large. He could be anywhere.
Well, I didn't know those were the rules.
There's no rule book, Chubbuck. And I don't need your permission.
Excuse me.
I never wanted to do the chicken story anyway!
MIKE: Good. I'm glad we agree.
You know, Mike, just because your wife has a drinking problem
doesn't mean that you get to treat me like this!
That's on you! Don't put it on me! That's on you!
I'm trying to do my best for this station! And it isn't easy!
Are you fucking kidding me?
You fucked up. Again! And now you insult me?
You insult my family?
You know, I got half my savings invested in this station.
I believe in it. What do you believe in?
What are you doing to make a mark?
(DOOR SHUTS)
CHRISTINE: OK.
I'll do the Chicken Lady.
But there's gonna have to be some changes around here.
MIKE: Christine! Go home!
Have you even seen the flowers that Gail has put out for us?
They're fake, Mike. Just fake!
Sums up the whole operation!
Running our own cameras in the field.
We're a joke, Mike! We're not real!
We're a joke!
I don't know what is going on with you right now,
but you need to get the fuck out of here!
(DOOR SLAMS)
- Chris, what happened? - (MUTTERS)
You OK?
TV: I'll have the complete weather picture for you at 5:20
- on Channel 30 Weather Watch. - (MITCH AND PEG CHATTER)
Watch yourself, Sarasota, with the Channel 30 News team.
Meanwhile, sit back, relax, and enjoy our afternoon...
PEG: Oh, hi, Chrissy. You're home early. Aren't you on air tonight?
Well, it would, uh, it would seem not.
Uh, we were gonna surprise you. Making an apple pie. Your favorite.
Um, this is Mitch, my friend I was telling you about.
Hi, honey. I'm Mitch.
Um, y-your mom's told me so much about you.
Peg, can I talk to you for a minute? Alone.
- Nice to meet you, too, sweetheart! - Mitch.
Christine, we have company.
CHRISTINE: Now, please.
(PEG SIGHS)
PEG: What is going on with you?
CHRISTINE: What is going on with me? Where have you even been?
Mitch surprised me. We went to Key West. To a hotel.
Are you kidding me?
- What about work? - Honey...
Here I am, just drowning under water,
and you decide to take a romantic getaway without telling anyone?
- What are you, 15? - What happened to you?
What happened to me? How about my mother abandoned me for four days,
and now she shows up out of the blue with some stranger
that she's gonna have (WHISPERS) sex with in my house?
- (WHISPERS) Our house. - Our house that I pay all the rent on,
while she stays at home and smokes pot!
- Christine, that is not fair. - My life is a cesspool!
I'm so, so sorry the smell is inconvenient for you.
It must be very, very nice to have an escape hatch.
Christine, you are scaring me. It's getting to feel a lot like Boston.
What is this? Bring Up Boston month? I'm...
I'm hurting. I'm in pain here.
And it is... it is that simple.
Baby, I can see that.
What do you want me to do? Tell me what to do. Look at me. I'm here!
- But he's... - Forget about him. Never mind him.
Look at me. Look at Mom.
(PHONE RINGS)
You... You have these moods, baby. You know you do.
You put all this pressure on yourself, and this is how it comes out.
Can you see that? For a second.
And I'm not always equipped to deal with it.
Maybe you should go back to Dr. Benolken for a little.
- You liked him. - (PHONE RINGS)
CHRISTINE: That is a temporary solution.
I need to fix my life. My life is the problem.
What? He's answering the phone now?
Uh, she's indisposed right now. Can I take a message?
Yes, could you tell her that Jean called?
And that I... uh, wanted to talk to her.
And that I'm her friend, and I'm sorry.
- Alright. - You know, I guess...
Can you just ask her to call me back?
OK.
Why don't you just invite him to move in with us, hm?
Maybe I will. Maybe I'll move out.
- Oh, the truth comes out! - My God! You want me to act like this!
I... I don't know what to do with you sometimes!
You want me to be your mom, you want me to be your friend,
you want me to be your punching bag!
I am a person, too, Chris! We're both adults here!
I'm your child! You were supposed to figure this all out.
And maybe if you did, and spared me for one day all your hippie baloney,
I would actually understand how the world works!
PEG: Christine...
I love you. Look, look, let's just take some breaths.
Why would you love me?
It's weird that we live together. Just say it.
- I won't say that! - We both know what's going on here.
I got all turned around in Boston,
and I come here to relax and rehabilitate,
and you're here to babysit me.
- I won't say something that's not true. - Well, it's not relaxing here, Peg!
It's a trap here!
These people are ruining me all over again!
- PEG: These people...? - Why won't anyone just listen to me?
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
(PHONE RINGS)
GAIL: Hello, WZRB, This is Gail speaking.
He's in a meeting right now.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
JEAN: Hey, Chris. Did you get my message?
Hi.
(PHONE RINGS)
WZRB, this is Gail speaking. How may I direct your call?
Hey, Chris, I, um...
GEORGE: Chubbuck.
You got a minute to pop into my office with me?
CHRISTINE: Did you wanna talk?
No, it's just, um...
Mondays, you know.
GEORGE: It's Thursday, Turner.
- STEVE: It's just a saying, George. - GEORGE: Right.
Have a seat.
(CHRISTINE CLEARS THROAT)
So, how are you?
- I'm fine. You? - You didn't seem fine yesterday.
Didn't you ever have a bad day?
Sure. I have bad days all the time.
Listen...
Do you... Do you wanna maybe get some dinner tonight?
What do you mean?
You know, fork, knife, plate, food. Dinner.
I don't... I don't get it.
Chubbuck, I'm not gonna bite you.
I feel like we're always about to make some breakthrough
to some new level of connectivity,
but something gets in the way.
- Dinner? - Yeah.
And then maybe afterwards, I could take you somewhere.
Somewhere where we could talk.
Well, uh...
I'm gonna have to think about my schedule.
GEORGE: Don't think. Just say what you wanna say.
It's a little more complicated than that.
Why don't you just say... yes?
WOMAN: And usually we can harvest about 200, 300 eggs in a day.
And they go straight out to market.
Well, that's fascinating.
Maybe you can get us some footage of the chickens having sex,
so people can see how the eggs are really made.
I'm kidding. That's a joke.
- (JEAN CHUCKLES) - We can edit it out later.
I was gonna say, I've seen it. It ain't pretty.
Oh, well, I can only imagine.
(# EVERYTHING I OWN BY OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN)
(APPLAUSE ON TV)
But before we get into those things, I got to tell you the story
told me by one of the cameraman a few minutes ago.
I thought it was a pretty hip story. It's about this...
CHRISTINE: I'm, uh... I'm going out, Peg.
PEG: Oh, you're talking to me now?
How do I look?
Really nice, actually.
I have a date.
PEG: You have a date?
Guess who with.
PEG: No!
No! (CHUCKLES)
Baby, I'm so happy for you.
Yeah? (CHUCKLES)
(# PLEASE COME TO BOSTON BY KENNY CHESNEY)
(ENGINE IDLES)
Hi, George.
GEORGE: Why, hello, Christine!
Shall we?
I thought you didn't drink.
For the most part, I don't. (CHUCKLES)
Special occasions. Uh, like Easter, or, um...
I'm surprised that you, uh, remembered that about me.
I didn't drink for a really long time.
Just easing back into it.
Sometimes I still slip up and overdo it.
If you'd told me a year ago that I'd be sitting down
for a one-on-one dinner with Christine Chubbuck,
I would have told you you were crazy.
Yeah, well, I-I would have, too.
I mean, I-I... I don't mean me, I mean about you.
Having dinner with you.
- Right? - I understood what you meant.
(CHRISTINE CLEARS THROAT)
So why haven't we been able to just sit down
and have a dinner like this together, huh?
Well, I...
I can shut people out,
even when I don't mean to.
I know how that feels, Christine.
Believe me, I know how that feels.
(# LAUGHING BY THE GUESS WHO)
(EXHALES)
(SNIFFS)
(EXHALES DEEPLY)
(EXHALES)
(# LAUGHING BY THE GUESS WHO)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
OK.
Thank you.
If you believe it will happen, it will happen.
Right.
My mom always says stuff like, uh, "Thoughts become things,"
and mostly I just tune her out.
But I really think that if I just harness all the energy that I have,
and put it into getting back into a major market, then...
I'm... I'm rambling.
Uh... I'm rambling.
I'm sorry. I don't know.
I don't usually drink.
This is very pretty. Where are we?
This is where I went to high school.
Really?
Yeah, I'm a Florida boy. Never left home.
Failure to launch.
- (CHUCKLES) - You can't be hard on yourself.
I was an all-star quarterback here.
Starter, three years.
But then, I took a bad tackle in college and messed up my shoulder,
and I couldn't play anymore.
After my injury, I couldn't see the future.
And I felt like a train off the rails. (SIGHS)
Not a lot of people know this, but I got really into cocaine.
It's bad stuff.
It's the only way I could feel alive anymore,
because, in many ways, I was dead inside.
But then one day,
I met a man named Marvin Lammer here in town.
You ever heard that name before?
No, no.
Well, Marvin saw what was going on inside of me as plain as day.
That my definitions were all wrong.
See, I see the same thing going on with you.
The same thrashing around.
What is this?
We call it TA.
It's short for transactional analysis.
It's sort of like... group therapy.
Don't be scared.
Put your trust in me.
(DOOR OPENS)
MAN: How do, George? We're just about to start.
Hey, everybody, this is my friend, Christine, who I was telling you about.
Everybody, please say hi to George's friend, Christine.
- GROUP: Hi, Christine! - (GEORGE CHUCKLES)
We're just about to start a round of Yes, But.
Um, Crystal, Jim, could y'all split up?
Crystal, you work with Christine,
and Jim, you can work with George.
- Just give it a shot. - OK.
It's best just to dive right in.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
Um.. maybe we'll set aside some time later,
so we'll talk a little bit about the broader process.
- Hm-hmm. - OK.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
- Hi, Christine. - Hi.
- I'm Crystal. - Hi.
CRYSTAL: So...
I know this can seem a little bit funny,
but just try to relax and let it wash over you, you know?
CHRISTINE: Uh-huh.
We're gonna play a little exercise called Yes, But.
I'm gonna be Black, and you're gonna be White, OK?
Um, basically, you're just gonna tell me a problem that you've been having,
and I'm gonna try to come up with a solution to that problem,
and then you'll counter that by saying, "Yes, but..."
For instance, "I need to lose weight."
I would say, "Why don't you join an aerobics class?"
And you would say something like,
"Yes, but I can't afford the membership fee," et cetera.
- Hmm. - Got it?
And... this is, this is gonna help... help me?
- Yes, in a way. In time. You'll see. - Hmm.
Would you like to give it a shot?
Sure.
Whenever you're ready.
Uh, well... I-I really wish that I could get a job promotion.
Why don't you ask for one?
- I already have. - Um, yes, but...
Yes, but I already have.
They say I have to do different work.
Then why don't you do different work?
Yes, but if I do different work,
then I won't be doing the work that I love.
Why don't you try a compromise?
Well, that just makes my stomach hurt.
Um... Yes, but...
Hm, yes, but that just makes my stomach hurt.
Why don't you see a doctor?
Yes, but I have.
He tells me I have to have an operation.
Well, why don't you have the operation?
Yes, but if I have the operation, then...
I won't be able to have children.
Well, why don't you have a baby, then?
Yes, but I...
I haven't gotten the man I love to fall in love with me yet.
Why don't you have a different man impregnate you?
Yes, but I can't have sex with just anyone.
I-I-I haven't had sex at all. I'm a virgin.
Oh.
Um...
Why don't you try to adopt a baby?
Yes, but I've always wanted to have a baby.
And I've always wanted to have a husband,
and I've always wanted to have a job
where I can do the work that I wanna do.
Why don't you manage your expectations?
Maybe, um, adjust your thinking?
I don't... I don't, um...
I don't understand the question.
Christine, it works.
I promise you. (SIGHS)
(ENGINE STOPS)
Once you learn your life script...
it really just becomes OK.
(POP MUSIC ON RADIO)
Can I tell you something? I'm gonna tell you something.
I want you to hear it from me first.
I've known for a couple days, but I haven't told anybody yet.
I'm going to Baltimore.
To anchor.
For Bob Andersen's new station.
Wh... What?
How?
I don't know, Bob Andersen came up to me at the 4th of July party,
and told me I had a steady, paternal presence.
Then just like that, bam, I'm going to Baltimore.
Just like that.
I know you were jockeying for a spot up there, but...
This just goes to show if a dumb quarterback like me
can get where he wants to go, so can you.
Believe me, Christine.
You have so much passion and integrity,
you're bound for even greater things.
Chicago. Hell, New York City!
I believe that.
I really hope you can still help me with my copy.
Maybe we can do phone calls.
Phone calls sound good.
Good.
OK.
I'll see you at work.
Yes, I will see you at work. Goodnight.
OK. Oh, and thank you. For dinner.
(ENGINE STARTS)
(KEYS RATTLE)
- Can I help you? - Hi... Forgive me.
I-I-I've blown a flat tire outside of your house, and, uh...
Mr. Andersen?
Uh... Is this? I-I-I didn't realize this was your house.
I'm sorry. Do I...?
It's me. I'm Christine Chubbuck.
I'm a field reporter at WZRB.
Oh! Oh, hi! I... I thought I recognized you.
Would you like to come in...
- Yes. - ...for a minute and use the phone?
Thank you. That'd... That'd be very nice.
(BOB CHUCKLES)
(CHUCKLES)
BOB: Now I was just having a little midnight snack.
Oh. Uh, excuse the mess. I haven't had a chance to clean up.
(INDISTINCT TV)
Uh, you wanna use the phone?
Uh, I-I might need just to take a... second here.
That's... I'm a little shaken up.
- BOB: Sure, sure. - (CHUCKLES)
Did you happen to get to catch any of our reporting
while you were here the last couple of weeks?
Not as much as I would've liked.
No, I was mostly tied up
with construction on the other properties I own down here.
Well, I always try to do informational pieces, community affairs.
Uh...
I should, uh, show you a clip sometime.
Hmm. Have Michael send me a tape.
You know our anchor, George Ryan?
Well, yes. (CHUCKLES) He's... He's the anchor.
Well, he and I have a terrific chemistry.
I think I should try and find a piece where we're at the desk together.
You'll know what I'm talking about.
Well, sounds fantastic. (CHUCKLES)
You see that there? The anchor, he shuffled his papers there?
That seems like a tic, but...
actually he's added that consciously to his delivery.
I think it makes people feel more comfortable.
George and I, we have that same attention to detail.
I guess I never saw that before.
I mostly just keep this on for company. (CHUCKLES)
I feel like you were maybe leading up to a question there.
Did I miss it? Uh, I've had a few.
I'm going to cut to the chase, Mr. Andersen.
I'm not supposed to know, but I have heard
that George has been promoted and is going to Baltimore.
And I want to know...
if you're still looking for another news person.
If the qualities that I have mentioned are important to you.
Oh, well... We've already hired our quota.
That... That little blonde number in Sports...
Uh, um... Oh.
Hm.
- Andrea? - Uh, yeah.
Andrea. Firecracker. (CHUCKLES)
She's going to Baltimore?
Oh, well, George suggested that they go together,
and I said, "Well, sounds like fun. What the hell!"
Uh, but the door is always open.
I always leave the door open as policy.
I just try not to overthink these things too much, you know?
My wife likes to read the papers, watch the news.
Uh, she and I took a vacation down here once.
She liked it.
- (SLAMS GLASS ON TABLE) - Bam!
I bought the news station.
- (SLAMS GLASS ON TABLE) - Bam! I bought this house.
See what I'm saying?
- Follow your gut. - Exactly.
And leave the managing to the managers.
Life is hard enough without dwelling on every little thing.
And... man, is it hard.
And that's... the liquor talking.
Which is another problem I have.
But there's only one way out.
Forward.
(ALARM CLOCK RINGS)
(ALARM CLOCK CONTINUES TO RING)
- Hon? - (ALARM CLOCK STOPS)
Honey?
Hi, Peg.
Baby, your alarm's been going off for an hour.
I don't think I've ever seen you oversleep.
Was it a late night?
Oh.
Yes.
Well, great! (CHUCKLES)
See, you were just lonely, right?
Bet you feel better already.
(SIGHS) You always come through these funks.
Move in circles.
By the way, I made a reservation at Davenport's for your birthday.
No pressure. We can always cancel.
(BOTH KISS)
CHRISTINE: Miss Tangerine?
Miss Tangerine?
You're not saying anything, Miss Tangerine.
Well, what would you like me to say?
I don't know.
I like it when you talk to me.
Well, what if I don't have anything else to say?
You mean it's... it's OK to be quiet sometimes?
Yes, See Saw, sometimes it is.
Can I be quiet with you?
Yes. See Saw, you can be quiet with me.
- Morning, Jean. - Hey. Good morning, Chris.
Frank.
(CLEARS THROAT)
MIKE: George.
George Ryan.
GAIL: Chris, can you get this VO done by noon?
- Oh, the children's hospital called. - OK. Sure.
- Using it when... - (KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Come in.
Hi, Mike. Uh, do you have a second?
Chubbuck.
- Can we have a talk? - Hey, I can go.
No, no. Stay, actually. I...
I would rather you stayed.
Uh, so, two things first.
I... I got the scratch VO for that piece about the campsite from yesterday.
We're kicking the can on that.
I have to run this fucking story about the bowling alley going under.
OK. Sure. You just... You just tell me.
MIKE: I will.
Uh, second thing is, um...
I'm just gonna come right out and say it.
I wanna ask your permission to lead a story from the desk.
You are not leading.
- Mike... - CHRISTINE: You know what?
Don't. He's right.
You're right. I know. I have been a... real bear lately.
I can see that now.
Look, Mike.
I know we're in a less-than-ideal situation here together.
You're not going anywhere.
And I'm not going anywhere.
So I would like to wipe the slate clean. I'll read anything you like.
What is this? What are you doing?
CHRISTINE: I've been thinking a lot about
your idea of, um... sensationalizing the news.
- That's not what I'm saying. - CHRISTINE: Mike, listen.
I'm agreeing with you.
I just got sidetracked for a second there.
I should've fired your ass for your tantrum the other day.
You should have, but you didn't.
If I mess this up, I'll never ask for anything again.
Cross my heart.
GEORGE: I mean, Mike, come on.
Mike.
I don't know. (CLEARS THROAT)
No one's watching us anyway, remember?
Ha.
You can report whatever comes in over the weekend. Whatever I say.
Thank you.
I mean...
You say please. It's nice.
"Please" I can work with.
(SHOP BELL RINGS)
(INDISTINCT POP MUSIC)
(SNIFFS AND CLEARS THROAT)
TV: We're not trying to prove psychic powers,
but let's see if you can pick up the image
which I'll tell you at the end of the program.
Alright? Ready now? Begin.
Concentrate.
- PEG: Oh, hi, Chrissy. - As you were. As you were.
TV: The name which I can see... on a sheet of paper...
(DOOR OPENS)
She seems better.
(DOOR CLOSES)
She does, doesn't she?
TV: With your eyes closed, of course.
She's my favorite person.
You're my favorite person.
- (CHUCKLES) Get over yourself. - Hubba hubba!
(FILM MACHINE WHIRS)
- CHRISTINE: That's great. - JEAN: OK. Good.
CHRISTINE: Let's keep it simple.
Let's use five or ten seconds at the top.
- JEAN: OK, are you sure? - Yeah.
Can you, uh...?
Can you make sure that Darren is recording the show tonight?
I'll want it for my reels. I will go out of pocket for it.
Alright.
(TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK)
STEVE: Hey, Chris. Do you wanna go to lunch?
Uh...
- Maybe tomorrow. - OK. Rain check.
(BLOWS)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
GAIL: OK, everyone, we're getting close.
Let's get ready.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(BACKGROUND MUSIC PLAYS)
(GUN CLICKS)
MIKE: Chubbuck's big night.
ANNOUNCER: This is News Watch at Five with your anchor, George Ryan,
Steve Turner, weather, Andrea Kirby...
GAIL: OK, everyone, We're going live in five, four...
three...
ANNOUNCER: It is Monday, July 15th, and this is your News Watch at Five.
Good evening, Sarasota. I'm George Ryan.
To begin our broadcast tonight, we turn to Christine Chubbuck...
PRODUCER: Camera two.
...with a report on some upsetting events that occurred over the weekend.
- Christine. - PRODUCER: Take two.
Thank you, George.
An 18-year-old man named James Whitworth was stabbed this weekend
in the parking lot of the Starwood Tavern on 27th Street.
The event occurred at roughly 4:30pm on Sunday.
It is unclear how the altercation that led to the stabbing began
with conflicting reports citing a financial disagreement
and an argument over a relationship.
MIKE: Ready, projector one?
MAN: Telecine's down. One is not gonna run.
MIKE: What? No! No, go fix it.
Go fix it, Kenny! Goddamn it!
...an assailant whose name has not been released...
MIKE: Tell him, uh, uh, uh... Flag anything that needs film.
And we'll, uh, bump up anything that's on the quad.
We go now to exclusive footage of the crime scene just moments after...
- PRODUCER: What do I do? - MIKE: Tell George, goddamn it.
(WHISPERS) It's jammed. It isn't going to roll.
MIKE: Here we go. Come on, Kenny!
Uh, it appears that we're having some technical difficulty.
We had wanted to show you some film from the scene,
but I'm sure that if you...
MIKE: Kenny, where are we with the projector?
PRODUCER: No...
CHRISTINE: So...
Now...
In keeping with the WZRB policy...
- MIKE: Don't give up on it. - ...of presenting the most immediate
and complete reports of local blood and guts,
TV 30 presents what is believed to be a television first.
In living color,
an exclusive coverage of an attempted suicide.
(OIL SIZZLES IN PAN)
MIKE: Go to black. Go to black.
Very funny, Christine.
JEAN: Oh, my God!
GEORGE: Oh, my God! Somebody call an ambulance!
JEAN: Grab a towel! Grab anything!
MIKE: Gail! Get on the phone!
Get on the phone right now!
(SIREN WAILS)
(MUTTERS)
- I need you to try to calm down. - OK.
I know you're scared. You gotta stay calm. She needs you to be calm.
JEAN: Christine. Christine.
DETECTIVE: Sir, I'm gonna need you to put that down. That's evidence.
Sir, I'm sorry. This is an active crime scene.
You're gonna have to put that down.
DOCTOR: Respiration is shallow.
Bring it in, bring it in.
- There must be someone with... - I'm sorry. No.
JEAN: Mrs. Chubbuck?
- Yes. - I'm Jean.
You're Jean, from the station?
- Yeah. - (SOBS)
JEAN: I'm so sorry.
- How's she doing? What's going on? - I'm really sorry.
- I know. I... - Oh, my God!
I'm really sorry.
I'm OK. You're OK. I'm OK. You're OK.
Repeat it. Say it. Say it, say it! I'm OK...
TV: ...and shot herself in the head while the program was on the air.
30-year-old Chris Chubbuck, is in critical condition tonight.
Seconds before shooting herself, Miss Chubbuck told TV viewers,
"In keeping with Channel 30's policy of bringing you the latest in bloody..."
CHRISTINE ON TAPE: TV 30 presents what is believed to be a television first.
In living color,
an exclusive coverage of an attempted suicide.
(GUNSHOT)
(MONITOR BEEPS)
(SOBS QUIETLY)
(PEG SOBS)
TV: The woman host of a television talk show in Sarasota, Florida,
Chris Chubbuck, today read a news item about a local shooting,
then told her viewers they were about to see a television first.
She pulled a gun from a shopping bag and shot herself in the head.
She's in critical condition at a Sarasota hospital.
In other news tonight, Vice President Ford said today
that Watergate has this country deadlocked
on its major domestic problems,
and that something must be done to break this impasse.
In California, the vice president said...
(FILM ROLLS)
(FILM FAST-FOWARDS)
(MICROPHONE CLICKS)
(SIGHS) Scratch VO for Christine Chubbuck memorial.
(CLICKS TONGUE)
Uh, Christine Chubbuck was born August...
August 24, 1944.
Uh...
OK...
(WHIRRING)
My name is Christine Chubbuck,
and I'm a field reporter at WZRB.
Mrs. Cazacracker do you call her?
You know. Come on.
Uh, chickens are a very serious...
An entire community imperiled.
It begs the question,
is it paranoia if everyone is indeed coming after you?
JEAN: You can just drop it on the floor for now.
Hey, Christine. Are we interrupting something?
CHRISTINE: No. I was just running some tape on myself.
JEAN: Oh, it's a new quad machine. Sorry.
- Hey, Jean? - JEAN: Yeah?
Have you, uh, noticed that I do this thing when I...
I nod a little too sympathetically when I'm interviewing a subject?
JEAN: No. How can you be too sympathetic?
(DOOR CREAKS AND KEYS CLINK ON WORKTOP)
Hey, Pepper. Hey, sweetie.
- (MEOWS) - Pss, pss, pss, pss.
(TURNS TV ON)
REPORTER: Good evening.
President Ford told a congressional subcommittee today
that there was no deal, period, involved in the pardon of Richard Nixon.
Mr. Ford's appearance before a subcommittee
of the House Judiciary Committee has no precedent in history.
He is the first president ever to testify voluntarily
before the House of Representatives. And the message he brought
was that his swift and unexpected pardon of Mr. Nixon
was done only because resignation and punishment was enough,
and because the country had to focus on other problems facing it.
Here are some of the main points the president made
in a two-hour session.
FORD: Our nation is under the severest of challenges now
to employ its full energy and efforts
in the pursuit of a sound and growing economy.
We would needlessly be diverted
from meeting those challenges
if we as a people were to...
...and treats its opponents as enemies must never, never be...
(SWITCHES CHANNEL)
(THEME SONG FROM THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW)
# This world is awfully big
# Girl, this time you're on your own
# Well, it's time you started livin'
# It's time you let someone else do some giving
# Love is all around No need to waste it
# You can have a town Why don't you take it?
# You might just make it after all
(HUMS)
# You might just make it after all
ANNOUNCER: This show was taped in front of a live studio audience.
PRESENTER: Good morning, everyone...
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