Yo, yo, yo, it's TheRealZiggyKatz here.
Just want to saydobry dzien
and happy Wednesday to my friends in Minsk,
andni hao and happy Thursday to my tigers out in Liajing.
Xie xie for waking up so early.
And of course, dhonnobad
to all my devoted Chittagong gals,
glad to see the floods
haven't affected your internet connections.
Y'all look super clear and ready for a show.
Today, I'm debuting a tera lift new song
for my favorite people in the whole, wide world,
My Hi-Hat fans.
Here's for the birthday girl!
Yes! Oh, thank you!
Oh, look at that. Looks good!
Evelyn! Have a piece of cake!
What's the occasion?
It's Leslie's birthday!
Yup, I'm 21!
Some of the women can hear the singing.
LESLIE: Oh, no, really?
Yes, I'm doing intake
with a new resident and her two children.
Shit. It's my fault. My voice carries.
Me too. Sorry, Evelyn.
We'll try to keep it down.
Okay.
And we'll clean up before your 3 o'clock.
Thank you.
Congratulations on your birthday, Leslie!
There's a tajine in the oven.
Did you have a good day?
Ah, a woman came into the shelter today.
She was about 26, her kids were eight and four.
Last night, her husband came home
and locked the kids in the basement
while he assaulted their mother upstairs.
The police came and only spoke to the husband.
Luckily, the eight year old
recorded the audio on his phone.
So, you know, every cloud, right?
How was your day, my dear?
It was very productive.
Good, I'm glad.
♪ That's the way
♪ The earthquake rumbles
Ziggy?
♪ The house of cards
♪ Falls down and tumbles
♪ Down
Woah, that was the first time
I ever played that song.
I can't believe it went so well.
I hope you guys had as much fun as I did.
Remember to upnote me in the corner,
and if you like what you heard, feel free to tip.
And there's the early bird, Ludmila!
Nishrita, coming in close second!
And not to be done outdone,
graciasto the Huertos family for all your generosity.
You guys are all tera lift!
So make sure you all come back next week
where I'll be debuting a new song
about a girl that I like at school.
This is TheRealZiggyKatz, thanks for tuning in!
Mom!
Mom, did you try to open the door
while I was live streaming?
Ah, motherfucker.
Dad?
Yeah?Did Mom try to open the door
while I was live streaming?
ROGER: I don't know, ask her.
Mom, did you open my door while I was... Shit! Sorry.
Did you try to open the door while I was live streaming?
I'm taking a shower, Ziggy.
Did you?
What's "live streaming?"
Where I basically make all my money.
Where thousands of kids
who are desperate to hear me perform
log on every week and tip me and upnote me
and I'm one of the highest performers on the site.
Well, that all sounds
very impressive.It is.
And, uh, what do you plan on doing
with all that hard-earned money?
Uh, spend it.
On what, my child?
I don't know. Probably a new guitar
and a new mic and probably a better translation software,
because I want to play for African kids
and they have like a hundred different languages there.
So you're going to use the money you make
from playing your songs
to buy more equipment to play your songs?
Yeah.
Well, that's a tautological nightmare,
don't you think?
What?
Well, it sounds like you're on an exhausting loop.
Have you thought about an endgame?
Oh, an endgame?
I don't know, I'm gonna be rich
and you're gonna be poor?
Oh, you're going to be rich?
And I'm going to be poor?
Yeah, just don't open my door again.
When you're live streaming?ZIGGY: Right.
Right.
Hmm.And the hearts of palm.
Wow. Where'd you get the chicken?
Patsy's farm.
She also had a surplus of tomatoes, which I bought.
Oh, very good.
I'll make a gazpacho tomorrow.
I mean, it's basically giving the guitar away.
To get a Strat from that year at that price
is basically free, you know?
Just make sure you don't play the blues!
What?
You don't play blues music, do you?
No, I play folk rock.
Classic folk rock with alternative influences.
I don't know what that means.
Well...
I could play it for you.
I just debuted a new song, Truthaches.
I could show it to you.What did you say it's called?
Did you say Truthaches?
Yeah. Do you want to hear it?
Well, I'm assuming that we're
not your target audience.ZIGGY: Right.
I mean, it's geared towards teenagers, am I right?
Yeah, I... Sure.
Because it's incredibly unethical...
White people playing blues music.
Did you ever read Amiri Baraka?
Who?Roger, please.
Because he's very explicit on the issue
of cultural appropriation.Jesus Christ, Roger!
Dad, I don't play blues music.
God, just shut the fuck up.
Okay, okay! I was just...
I was just saying.
Hey, Mom, can you drive me today?
Are you ready to go now?
Yeah, just give me, like, five seconds.
You're on the city council,
how difficult is it
to get some goddamn painters in here, Homer?
We have women coming in, it's the middle of
the goddamn night, they have nowhere to park their cars.
We're talking about two white lines on the fucking asphalt.
Um, Ms. Katz?
I just wanted to let you know I just did outtake.
Hold on a second, Homer.
Yeah, I'm going home.
Well, to my sisters,
but I'm getting out of here.
Yay, me!
That's wonderful, dear!
Can I give you a hug?
Um, yes. Of course.
You saved my life.
You saved my daughter's life.
I'm very proud of you, dear. Very proud of you.
I'm sorry about that, Homer.
What?LILA: No, no, no.
The US not only ignores human rights abuses,
but they purposely, maliciously profit off them!
And the worst offense
is this sanctimonious, savior complex
where we're distributing our morally superior values
to the unwashed masses,
like they're just, sitting around the desert
waiting for someone to descend from the heavens.
But what would you rather,
for China to swoop in?
Or maybe Russia?
Or maybe some other amoral actor?
It's not like the US steps out...
Yo, Z, you want a hit?
No. Shut up, I'm trying to listen.
CYRI: ...starts handing out free bread.
By that logic,
we should just occupy every country
that might be at a slight risk of intervention
because we're the bastion
of peace and equity.Yeah, I feel like...
Thank you for making my point.
I was being sarcastic.BECKY: Oh, no. Don't do this.
So was I. Thank you.LILA: You're infuriating!
Yo, I agree with you, Lila.
Thank you, Ziggy! See, someone's got my back!
Yeah, of course, man.
Uh, huh. Yeah.LILA: Yeah. Very.
How?
What?
How do you agree with Lila?
Oh, shit, yeah.
Um...
Well, you mentioned China, right?
Yeah.
Cause I play music for these Chinese girls on Hi-Hat.
I actually have like 20,000 followers,
and I'm in the top percentage of performers. I'm...
I'm validated and I'm starred,
which is tera hard to get.
And, like, the girls I play for are super dope.
There's this one girl, SeaKitten, that's her handle,
who tipped me 20 credits last week...
...after I wished her a happy birthday so...
So, I guess, just in terms for what you're saying, Lila,
like, I totally agree with you.
BECKY: A stirring defense!
Becky, don't be a dick.
Ladies.WOMAN 1: Oh, hey.
And he's not a big guy and he wasn't even drunk,
but he's got his hands around my neck.
Was this the first time he did this?
Well, it was the first time that day.
Then, he just kind of gets up. He says he's got to go pee.
Mmm-hmm. And then you called the police?
No, I didn't call the police.
Oh. Um...
It says, uh...
Sergeant McKenna brought you in. I thought...
Oh.ANGIE: Right, well, Kyle called the police.
Yeah, uh, I called them.
Eh, where were you?
I was just next door at Sean's.
Yeah, his friend Sean's.
They've been friends since...Right...
Whatever....forever. Like...
So she texted me, and, uh, I ran back home.
How old are you, Kyle?
Seventeen.
He's my little
knight in shining armor.KYLE: Mom.
You are.
You're the only good thing in my life.
Thank you.It's true.
It's true, kids are just pure love.
Do you know what I mean?
Mmm-hmm.
You know, when he was just six years old, um, Ms...
I'm sorry, what's your name again?
I'm Evelyn.
Evelyn.
Shit, I'm sorry.
Well, when Kyle was six years old,
his father hits me
and I get this nasty cut over my eyebrow,
and I didn't even know that Kyle knew anything.
I mean, who knows what kids know about their parents?
But, anyway, he comes into the room,
he says he's had a bad dream,
can I come and stay in his bed?
Mom, stop.
No, she needs to hear this, okay?
So, anyways, we're laying in bed
and I just whisper to him,
"Do you want to tell me about your nightmare?"
And he says, "I didn't have a nightmare."
He just knew I needed to get out of that room, you know?
He's only six years old.
So, he just...
I'm a bad mother.EVELYN: Angie.
No, no, no. I'm a bad mom.
Angie, you're not a bad mother.
You're in the right place.
You're very, very safe
and you'll have two very comfortable beds
for as long as you need.
All right, well...
Hey, Mom, you know what I think
you could use right now?
What?
A new tissue.
That's... That's... Yeah, don't touch me with this...
Take that.
All right, okay, sorry.
Thanks.
ZIGGY: ♪ I told her twice
♪ Her cold eyes melt
♪ They melt like ice
♪ And that's the way
♪ The earthquake rumbles
Hello?
What the hell are you doing?
Installing a red beacon light
so people know when I'm live streaming.
And by people you mean...I mean you.
Well, I...
And to a lesser extent, Dad.
Well, it's nice to be ranked first.
Yeah, so when this light is on,
you don't knock or come in or make any noise.
All right, and when it's off
I'm free to go about my business,
to enjoy the rich pageantry of life?
What? Yeah, sure.
Yeah. It's a good system.
You know, there are a couple of projects around the shelter
that could use a handyman.
Like what?
Uh, well, I've been waiting on these goddamn painters
to come out for this residents parking spot out front.
Oh, yeah?
Mmm-hmm. Just some white paint with some blue trim.
Wouldn't the city need to do that,
if it's like, a street parking spot?
I suppose so,
but I'm sure there's a bunch of other stuff.
Just some bathroom mirrors and some...
And light fixtures.
Maybe on the weekend,
you could come in for a couple of hours
and then afterwards we could...
We could go out to dinner together?
This weekend?Yes.
And it'd be, like, as a volunteer?
As opposed to what?
A paid employee.
Oh, yes. A volunteer.
I'm busy this weekend.
Uh, okay.Yeah, so it'd be impossible.
You're a very lucky boy.
What?
Nothing.Nothing.
♪ You've never seen a day so
♪ Like 32 year olds ashore
Yo, dudette, you wanna hit?
Obviously not.
All right.
Could you try to speed up?
Yeah, sure.
One sec.
MALE SINGER: ♪ 'Tis the final conflict
♪ Shall free the human race
I didn't know you'd be here. What a cool coincidence.
Lots of people from school are here.
It's not that mind blowing.
Yeah, totally. It's like,
"Hey, everybody from school. Tera lift to see you guys."
Cool.
Well, it was good to see you. Have a nice time.
Hey, I thought it was lift
the way you were talking the other day at lunch.
Like, about all the political stuff.
I just thought you were super honest and passionate.
And, like, I write music.
Yeah, you were saying.Yeah, and in my music,
I'm all about being passionate and honest too. And...
I have 20,000 followers,
and I think what they like about me
is my passion and charisma.
And I thought you had that too.
Thanks.
Uh, I don't really think about it in those terms,
like, as a commodity.
Oh, lift.
Have you ever thought about what you could do
with a platform like that,
or are you just happy taking people's money?
Um, I guess the first thing.
Because it sounds like you have a really good opportunity
to start a grassroots movement
about environmental issues
that concern you or political corruption,
especially if you're streaming in countries that are in need
of organizing from non-political actors.
Yeah, I don't know, man.
I think I'm more of a vacation.
Like, they deal with all that shit all day.
Like the corruption, and the poverty or whatever.
Like, they're just, like,
wandering the dirty streets of their towns,
and then they come home,
and they see my page and it's, like...
Right.
Like, sometimes I feel like the world would be
a better place
if people just chilled out
and listened to music, you know?
Hmm.
But, I mean,
I guess I could think about it.
It could be kind of lift to change it up sometime.
Yeah, it could be.
Because, like you said, I got a huge platform, 20,000.
So...
Hear ye! Hear ye!
We will not stand by.
We will stand up through revolutionary art.
Let the performances commence.
Are you gonna do anything?
I have a poem.
Oh, lift, I have a song.
It's starting, it's starting.
Yo, yo, yo, what's up? What's up?
This piece is about the patriarchy,
of which I'm a reluctant member.
Sonia, hello.How you doing?
Hello.KYLE: Oh.
Hey, Evelyn, how you doing?
Very well, thank you.
How about you? Do you like it here?
Do you have any complaints?
Oh, no, not really.
I mean, it's great.
My mom's happy here, that's the main thing.
Hmm. What are you working on over there?
It's algebra.
Oh, I would offer to help you,
but I don't remember how to do it.
It's cool. I... It comes kind of easy to me.
Well, you're naturally very bright.
Where do you go to school?
Hamilton.Oh, my son goes there.
It's a big school.Yes, it's too big,
I think.
So, I need your help with something.
What?I need someone tall.
I used to rake in like 200 to 250 bucks in a weekend.
Oh, that's quite a lot of money.You think?
I do. I... I do think...
But the restraining order kind of killed the whole thing.
I mean,
any guy that hits his wife is terrible my book,
but I could take it, you know?
Now, I literally got no income.
Well, would you ever want to work anywhere
besides the autobody shop?
I don't know, my dad owned the place,
so it was kind of perfect.
It'd be like your son working here.
You said you had a son, right?
Yes.Yeah, so it'd be a sweet job.
I mean, if your mom owned the place.
Oh, um, can you pass me a screwdriver?
The, um, yellow one?Oh.
The flat head.Oh!
The yellow one?KYLE: Yes.
Thank you.EVELYN: Here you go.
And I was seriously good at it, too.
I mean, my dad used to say
that, uh, kids make the best mechanics,
because they got tiny little fingers.
Actually, it sounds kind of creepy when I say that.
It does sound a little creepy, yes.
You're not going to become him.
What?
You're not going to become him, Kyle,
if that's what you're worried about.
What? No... Why would I... I'm not worried about that.
Oh, right. Of course not.
Why would I become him? He's a dick.
Yes. Yes. No... My mistake.
I'm like a normal dude.
Yes, you are.
You are. You're...
You're better than normal.
I was, um...
I was very taken with the way you behaved with Angie,
with your mother the other night.
What do you mean?
Well, you were very gentle with your mother
at a very vulnerable time.
Um, if I can speak freely, I was moved.
Yeah, well, my mom's gotten the shit
kicked out of her since she was born.
I know. Do you?
Well, I... I can imagine.
Kyle, would you be
open to discussing options for your future
other than the body shop?
Like what?
Well, are there any other jobs you might be interested in?
Uh, when I was a kid,
I always wanted to play for the Pacers.
The Pacers?
Yeah, the basketball team.Oh, right, yes!
Well, um, is there anything else?
Anything a little more practical?
The body shop's practical.
Yes, of course. Yes. Yes, it is.
You know...
I was just like you.
When I was your age,
I was determined to become the editor
of Rolling StoneMagazine.
And then when I went to college, I...
I met someone who introduced me
to a life of social service.
And I'm, I'm embarrassed
that I ever considered anything else.
Yeah, I mean, yeah.
But people still need to have their cars fixed.
Oh, of course they do.
So it's not like a totally stupid job.
Oh, yes. Yes, no, it's... It's a very good job.
It's... It's a very important job.
But you have an unusual heart, Kyle.
I mean, most... Most boys your age
can't bring themselves to be kind,
and you can't help yourself.
You really think so?
You're a special person.
I'm sorry.
No, it's cool.
You know, my friend Margaret runs
the social work program at Oberlin.
Where's Oberlin?
Well, it's, uh, just next door in Ohio.
It's actually a very beautiful town,
and you'd be surrounded by, by people like you.
Bright, curious, good, young people.
How much is it?
Well, there are all sorts of scholarships
for people like... For people in your situation,
and Margaret owes me a favor.
Let me make a few calls.
Seriously?Absolutely.
Yo, thank you so much, Evelyn.
It is unquestionably my pleasure.
Ohio.
And we both never tell a lie.
Or do we?
That was very powerful. Thank you so much.
Um, up next we have Lila Stryjewski
with an original poem.
Yo, good luck, Lila.
Not that you need it.
Hi, everybody.
Um...
This is something I wrote about the Marshall Islands.
They're in the Pacific Ocean,
and they've been exploited for centuries,
and now they're literally sinking due to the effects
of global warming.
Um...
I don't know if it's any good or...
I guess that doesn't really matter.
Anyway, here it is.
"Floating little worlds Bobbing in the sea
"Unsuspecting
"Unexpecting
"War to shed his grace on thee
"So it's 1526
"When the Spaniards starts to run
"Like Pamplona bulls in China shops
"Ain't colonialism fun?
"Then it's German New Guinea
"But the age old story
"And I'll give you the skinny
"But it's deliberately gory
"Enslaving their people for some Copra Cabana
"Until 1919 When they made way for Japan
"And...
"It was 1526 So thanks for playing
"Then it was 1885 So thanks for playing
"Now it's 1919
"So thanks for staying
"For the Japanese mandate of the whole South Pacific
"And it's some enchanted bullshit
"If you want to get specific
"You'll learn our language
"You'll eat our food
"And you'll get noDomo Arigato
"Bet you didn't think we're rude
"Then it was 1954
"So thanks for staying
"For the powerful US
"More like us versus them
"We'll drop a kilo on your foxtrot
"You're a pig stuck in the pen
"We've worn out your bikini
"We've capped you at the knees
"Leave you praying for the Spanish
"For a deadly disease
"And it was 1592 So thanks for playing
"Then it was 1885 So thanks for playing
"And it was 1919 So thanks for playing
"Then it was 1954
"Wish you were staying
"But you're not"
Thanks.
Lila?
Hey, dude.
That was amazing.
Like, transcendent or whatever.
Yo, sorry, man. I didn't know where you went.
Who gives a shit?Hey, Lila.
Hey, Jackie.Lift poem.
Would you mind if I read what you wrote?
What do you mean?
The poem. Can I, like, have it?
What are you gonna do with it?
I don't know. Murder people by paper cutting them?
No, I just... I want to read it again.
Uh, next up we have Ziggy Katz
with an original song.
He's new here tonight, so be nice.
I guess that's me. Duty calls, man.
He's a fucking genius.
Mmm.
Bloomington! How's everybody feeling?
All right.
Um, I wrote this song
when I graduated junior high,
and I had to say goodbye to all my friends.
Sometimes, saying goodbye to good friends is tera hard.
Follow me on Hi-Hat @TheRealZiggyKatz.
And without further,
you know,
here'sAlumni Alone.
♪ For those caps and gowns
♪ And the flashing lights
♪ Which says you did it
♪ You're done
♪ You passed the test
♪ My friends, my friends
♪ Where will you go?
♪ My friends, my friends
♪ Where have you gone?
♪ I'm alone, I'm alone
♪ I'm alumni alone
Yo, don't worry, man.
Those people are a bunch of idiots,
they only care about political shit.
You're like a real artist.
What are you talking about? They loved me.
No, they didn't.
Those people were visibly rolling their eyes.
I heard one girl say, "This is bullshit."
And another one say, "This is lame bullshit."
Dude, if I worried about every fucker who didn't like me,
I'd never wake up in the morning.
It's the nature of success.Oh.
Yo, Moms, what's up?
I'm not shouting, Ziggy.
I'll speak to you when you're closer.
Hello.
Hey.
How was your day?
It was great, yours?
Also very good, thank you.
Hello.
Where the fuck were you guys?
-School, man. -I was at work.
Oh. Today was my Chancellor Ceremony.
You knew this. You both knew this.
Oh, shit. Was that today?Oh, my God.
I'm so sorry.ROGER: Oh, don't worry.
I'm sure they'll give me
another lifetime achievement award at some point.
Dad, I am so sorry.
I had some important shit to take care of,
and I just thought that Mom was gonna be there.
Well, yeah, I guess I thought that Ziggy was gonna be there,
so, I...Jesus fucking Christ.
What?You both could have come.
The two of you.
The two of us what?
Everyone around me is a narcissist.
What does that say about you?
That I'm unlucky.
I'm going upstairs to read, try to keep it down.
He seems upset.
Ziggy, don't sneak up on me like that.
Oh, sorry, can you take me to school?
Are you ready to go right now?
I'm right here, dude.
Can I change the music?
To what?Literally anything else.
I like to listening to this music
on the way to work.
It's elitist.No, it's not.
Of course it is. It's just a bunch of rich, white men.
I don't care about that stuff, but you pretend to,
so I just thought you should know
it's kind of hypocritical.
Okay, thank you for the advice.
Sure.
You doing anything interesting in school today?
No.Reading any books?
Yeah, we're doing, um,
To Kill A Mockingbird in lit class.
It's always Harper Lee and never Toni Morrison.
What?No, nothing,
I would just... I would just suggest you push yourself
beyond the curriculum there.
Mom.Yes?
Do you think I could be political?
I'm sorry, what?
Like, there are these kids at school,
and, like, they're super political and stuff,
and I was just wondering if maybe
you thought that I could be too.
Mmm-hmm.
What do they talk about, these other kids?
Just, like, everything, like wars
and politicians, and the environment.
What do they say about all that?
Well, they're against most of it.
I mean, not the environment, they're for that.
Oh, that's a relief.
So, um, what are you asking me?
Well, you're interested in that stuff too,
so I was just wondering if, like,
you had anything for me to say to them.
To get them to like you?
What? No. I...
I want to be smart and interested too.
Well, it sounds to me like you want a shortcut
to sound intelligent, to get some kids to like you.
I don't want a shortcut.
No? Well, no, what is it then?
Because, I mean, if you want to talk to these kids,
then you should just listen to what they're saying
and form your own opinion.
I'm not gonna spoon-feed you
some cool line about the Middle East
because you won't learn that way.
Half the time they're talking,
I don't even know what they're saying.
Because you haven't done the work.
What work?Well...
Well, you can't just jump right int the middle
of a debate about something which you know nothing about.
Yeah, okay.
Look, if you don't make the effort
to understand the issues that are affecting society,
then your problems extend far beyond
impressing your classmates,
and there's no shortcut that I can give you...
Mom stop saying fucking "shortcut"!
You know, when you were a little boy,
I brought you to every march, every protest.
You were my little ally.
You'd play all our protest songs
on that plastic rainbow guitar that we got you.
Where Have All The Flowers Gone,
The Fiddle and The Drum,
There Once Was A Union Maid.
You remember that?
Your life was gonna be happier
because you were part of the struggle.
You were gonna be one of the good ones.
And then something switched in you.
You stopped being interested in anything
outside your own little world, and I...
I would take you with me,
but you would always want to go home.
Sorry about that.
Now, I know that you want to impress these kids.
But it's not going to impress them,
if it doesn't come from a sincere place.
So, do the work. Read.
Educate yourself and then I'll help you.
And then we can talk about
some things for you to say, okay?
Yeah.
Does that sound like a plan?
Yeah, it does.
Thanks for the advice.Of course.
Have a good day, son.
Jesus, Ziggy!
I'm gonna go get some baking soda.
Yo, Lila, what's up?
Hey, Ziggy.
Just getting some baking soda or whatever.
Cool, man.
Hey, I just wanted to say that I was, like,
rereading your poem from the party.
I just think it was so lift.
Like, I love the phrasing and the build and everything.
It's actually tera sophisticated.
Thanks for the validation.
But you should probably put your goggles back on
before Mr. Ryan sees.
What's he gonna do? Arrest me?
You're a rebel.Yup.
Just got the baking soda.
Actually, I'm just gonna go get some more.
You're not gonna help me?
Jackie, fuck off, I'm doing something important.
Hey, and I also just wanted to say...
Jesus, stop fucking sneaking up on me.
Oh, sorry.
Uh, I also just wanted to say,
I know you talk about politics all the time
and I probably don't look like I know what I'm talking about,
but I actually know a lot about all that stuff.
Like, you probably wouldn't know
because I focus so hard on my music,
but when I was a kid,
I went to every protest, and every sit-in
and I was a real ally.
I even played these protest songs
on this little plastic guitar.
Like There once Was A Union Maid...
MR. RYAN: Ziggy, goggles.Yup, shit, sorry.
MR. RYAN: Don't say "shit."Yup.
So, that's just, like, what I wanted to say.
Thank you for saying it.
You're welcome.
Ziggy.Yeah?
You don't have to be interested in politics.
But I am.
No, you're not. It's obvious, but it's cool.
You think I'm stupid?
No, no, I didn't say that.
So, can you teach me?
About what?
I watch you talk about things.
Like... Like, big things.
And you talk about them with such passion,
like the way most people talk
about shit they just want to buy,
you talk about the world.
I want to be like that.
I want to be like you.
Hello, Marci.
Hi. Hi, Evelyn.
Are you having a good day?
Mmm-hmm. Yeah, it's good. So far so good.
Is your work going well?
Yeah, it's great.
Do you enjoy it? Do you enjoy the work?
Yeah, of course,
it's very rewarding.
Will you tell me again how long you've been working here?
Um, it'll be two years next month.
Are you firing me?
No. Oh, no, no, dear. You're a wonderful employee.
No, I'm just talking.
The elevator takes so long to come here.
That was a nice conversation.
Oh, hi.
Hello, I just, um, wanted to see if you were all right,
if you needed anything from me or from any of us.
No, it's been great,
everyone is so helpful, and...
Good, good.
Yeah. Uh, do you want to come in?
Oh! Sure, why not?
Is Kyle here?
Oh, he's just in the bathroom.
Uh, honey, Evelyn is here.KYLE: Hey.
Oh, jeez.
How's it going?
Oh, very well. I was just checking up on you,
making sure everything was to your liking.
And I said it was and...
Is your shirt okay?
Oh, uh, yes, it is. I don't know why I put this here.
Um, I brought you this hat, Kyle.
Indiana Acers.
Yes, I noticed that,
I think the P fell off in the dryer.
It was my son's, but he no longer wears it.
He wears...
Well, actually, I don't... I don't know...
I don't know what he wears anymore.
Anyway, um, that is for you.
Thank you so much, Evelyn.
I remember you said you liked them.
He loves them!
Evelyn! Kyle, say thank you.
I just did, Mom.
Well, it was the least I could do.
Kyle was very helpful with some minor repairs
around the shelter.
Oh, I heard. He said it was the highlight of his week.
Well, I like staying busy.
Oh, um, well, in that case,
how would you like to run an errand with me?
Mom?
You don't mind if I borrow him, do you, Angie?
Sure.
Feel free to change the station
if there's something else you'd like.
No, this is cool.
It's not too stuffy?
Okay, now that's everything.
All right.
Kyle, just, um, just put these in wherever it'll fit.
Don't be precious about it.KYLE: Gotcha.
Not too heavy?
Of course not.
Is that your son?
No, no, no, he's just a...
He's just a kid who works at the shelter.
So, you'll appreciate this, Kyle,
Marcella does all the translations
for Spanish speakers at the shelter.
The women are in and out of court
all the time with custody
and orders of protection, and you cannot imagine
how rigged the system is
against non-native English speakers.
But Marcella is a genius.Please.
And that is not an exaggeration.
I'm not a genius.
No, no, no.
You're more effective than any lawyer we've ever hired.
Look, you can tell him the truth.
I used to be a resident at the shelter.
Oh, really?
My husband... My ex-husband and I was undocumented.
I couldn't go to the police,
and I couldn't go back to Honduras.
Shit. I'm sorry that happened to you.
Thank you.
My mom and I are living there now.
Yeah, my dad's kind of a...
I know.
What was that?
Oh, sorry, I was just saying
that my dad's not really a great guy.
Uh, you speak Spanish?
I mean, high school Spanish.
My goodness, you are full of hidden talents!
Oh, I guess I just got a good ear.
Uh, okay, Kyle, I think that we should be heading back.
I don't want your mother to worry.
Oh, I don't think that she'll worry...
No, no. We really should go.
Uh, Marcella, thank you. Thank you so much for this.
It was great to see you,
and I will just, um,
I will just bring my mug into the kitchen.
No, leave it.No, no, I've got it.
I'm gonna pop it into the dishwasher.
Oh, are these clean or dirty?
Marcella seems pretty cool.
She's fine. Do you want to get something to eat?
Oh, I'm cool just to go back if you want.
No, let's... Let's get you something to eat.
I owe you.
Hello?
Mom?
I don't suppose
you've had Ethiopian food before, have you?
Uh, no, definitely not.
You have to eat with your hands.
I hope that's all right.Do they give you gloves?
That's cute.
I... I think you'll enjoy it.
My son used to love coming here,
and then he started complaining
that it made his hands feel dirty.
That makes sense.
No! You know people get their hands dirty,
it's a fact of life.
You understand that because you work with cars.
I feel like I should've brought a fork.
Oh, no, stop it.
You're gonna be just fine.
After you!
Thank you.
Hi.Oh, Jesus. Fuck, Dad!
When did you get home?
Just now! Where's Mom?
Working late, I guess.
Okay.
Do you want to, like, order a pizza or something?
I made a duck.
You want some wine?
No thanks, Dad.
Yeah, it's not very good anyway.
So which one is Marci again?
When you walk in, she's the first desk.
You've seen her a million times.
With the thick glasses?Mmm-hmm, yeah.
Exactly, Marci.
And she used to be a wrestler?
Mmm-hmm, I'm serious.
Like, "This Thursday at Bankers Life Arena,
"I challenge you, Undertaker, in a fight to the death!"
No, no, no, no.
No, no, not like that.
No, college wrestling, you know with the ugly one piece
and the soft helmet?
Oh, I can't imagine her doing that.
And apparently she was ranked very highly.
She was at IU?
Mmm-hmm, big 10 school, full ride.
For wrestling?For wrestling,
they give out scholarships for anything.
That's what we have to find for you.
Right.
I'm still nudging my friend at Oberlin,
but worst-case scenario, we get you in IU
with a scholarship or aid.
They make the process unnecessarily
complicated these days.
Yeah, I was, um, thinking about all that,
like, since you mentioned it the other day.
Good. Oh, me too.
Um, this is embarrassing, but I actually got
an online subscription to US News and World Report
just to check the college rankings.
Oh, Evelyn, you don't have to do all that for me.
Oh, no, but I want to. I want to do it.
Have you thought about a personal essay?
What's that?
Well, it shouldn't be hard for you
because you've been through so much.
But we'd have to codify it in a way that feels academic.
Right.And it should be fun.
You know? It should be fun for us.
Cool.
Um...
So do you like the food?
I do, yeah.
I mean, it mostly just tastes like regular vegetables,
but it's good.
Because you're kind of avoiding the red goopy stuff.
Yeah, because the red goopy stuff is insanely spicy.
You know, in Ethiopia, not eating the red goopy stuff
is extremely disrespectful.
Shit, really?
Mmm-hmm, in fact, if you don't eat it,
they might even ask us to leave.
Okay.
Shit. All right.
Oh, God.
Kyle.
Oh, God.Oh, Kyle.
I need a water.Here take mine, take mine.
I... I was kidding.
Jesus.
"It's extremely disrespectful."
Kyle... Kyle, you need to lighten up.
Oh, no, no.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Don't spit it out because now they really will
ask us to leave.
Okay, good, I'm ready to go.
Ziggy?
Yup?
Are you happy?
What?
Are you happy?
Are you really asking me?
Of course.
Um...
Yeah, I mean, I think so.
I mean, like, I'll have a good thought in my head,
you know, like, "You just wrote a lift song."
And, then, later I'll be feeling bad about something.
I mean, it could be anything,
and the feeling doesn't feel good anymore.
Does that make sense?
Like, I'll have a logically good thought,
but my feeling is still bad.
And it just kills me because it means that my thoughts
and my feelings are disconnected,
and I could be the most popular
songwriter in the world,
but it still won't solve any real problems.
Because no matter what I do in this world,
I'll always, kind of, have a lingering pain.
Yeah.
Mmm.
Why are you asking me?
'Cause I'm reading this fascinating article
about teen suicide
and it's highest in your specific age group.
Oh.
And you being white and upper middle class and educated,
it's very high for people like you.
Okay, thanks, Dad.
You want to read it?No.
Mom's home.EVELYN: Hello, boys!
I made a duck.
Oh, boo! I already ate.
You did?
Yes, but I'll sit with you,
and I'll certainly have a glass of something.
I opened the Malbec, but it's not very good.
Oh, stop it, Malbec's always good.
Hey, Mom.
Hello, Ziggy.
Dad's reading a fascinating article about teen suicide.
So what did you eat for dinner?
I took Marci to the Ethiopian restaurant.
It was her second year anniversary
of working at the shelter
and I wanted to do something nice for her.
It was delicious.
We ate with our hands and it was very interesting.
Yeah, I know, I love that place.
Mmm.
No, you don't.
Of course I do, we used to go all the time.
Yeah, and you told me it made you feel dirty.
It did, I had lentils and shit all over my hands,
but I still liked it.
Oh, I didn't realize. Maybe we can go back sometime.
Yeah, sure, maybe, I don't know.
I have to go upstairs and write a new song.
I'm live streaming tomorrow, so.
Oh, don't worry, Dad and I'll clean up your plate.
No, no, no, it's all right.
I worked all day and I'll just come home
and clean up after you, I don't mind.
What do you mean you worked all day?
You just went out to fucking dinner.
Ziggy, calm down.
Excuse me, I was with Marci,
we were discussing a grant. It was work.
Yeah, I'm sure it was really important
that you discussed a grant at a cool restaurant
you used to take me to.
I don't have to defend myself to you, Ziggy,
you're a child.Yeah and you're a shitty mom.
Ziggy, sit back down.Shut up, Dad! Shut up, Dad!
Oh, you're a wonderful son. I'm so very lucky.
You know what? My songs make more money
than you'll ever see in your fuckin' lifetime!
My songs will reach more people
you'd ever dream of reaching
in your little shelter in Indiana!
Oh, okay. Yeah, go write your little teenage songs...
Fuck off.
♪ Holding hand... Shut the fuck up, shut up!
♪ Kissing hands... Shut up. Mom, shut up!
♪ La, la, la, la, la
Yo, I'm actually writing a song right now!
It's a political song.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah! And it's gonna be so political,
it's gonna change the fucking world!
And you're gonna be so embarrassed
that you didn't think of it.
Ziggy, Ziggy, even if you wrote
the best, most political-est song,
I doubt I'm gonna wish that I wrote it.
Just try not to make any noise.
Ev.I know, stop.
♪ You look out there
♪ It's full of hot air
♪ The fucking Congressman
Ooh, that's good.
♪ The fucking Congressman
♪ Oxygen...
This fuckin' sucks.
♪ There is pow'r
Lila, hey.Yo.
I don't wanna interrupt your time or anything,
I know that this is, like,
probably your favorite thing in the world,
but I just wanted to say that I wrote something for you.
And if you had any interest or any time,
I'd love to play for you.
Like, outside, alone if possible.
You wanna head out now?
Yeah, really?
Sorry, I'm just a little nervous,
I've been, like, practicing all day,
so that's probably why.
It's actually a little cold.
Yeah, yeah, so why don't, uh, you sit there so that,
you know, you're comfortable, right?
Uh, yeah, sure.
Dude, you're making me nervous.
Oh, shit, sorry.
I'll just sit here on the ground.
Shit, it's actually a little tough
to play from this position.
Do you wanna come sit up here?
Where are you gonna sit?
I'm gonna sit here too.
Oh. Lift.
Okay, um, here it goes.
Sorry, it's a little smushed.
♪ Floating little worlds
♪ Bobbing in the sea
♪ Unsuspecting, Unexpecting
Is this okay?
Keep going.
But it's okay that I'm doing this?
We'll see.
♪ Ain't colonialism fun?
♪ If you wanna get specific
♪ We've worn out your bikini
♪ For a deadly disease
♪ But you're not
Hey, guys.
Hey, stranger, where have you been?
Just at a party with some friends.
Anybody we know?
No, just actually some really smart kids.
Some really political kids, actually.
You wanna to sit down and eat with us?
Oh, no, actually I have
a livestream in, like, 20 minutes.
You could just sit for a sec.
Oh, no, guys, sorry, thanks anyway.
Rog?
I left something at the office.
I'm gonna go down there.
You want me to go for you?
No.
Hey there, smarty pants.
Evelyn, hey, what are you doing here?
Oh, silly me, I made too much food
and I thought you might be hungry.
Thanks.
I actually already ate, though.
Oh, it's pot roast.
Yeah, shit.
Sorry, my mom and I just ate a couple hours ago.
Oh, yes, of course, that makes sense.
Um, well, I left some paperwork at the office
and that's why I came in, primarily.
Well, yeah.
Thank you, so... Yeah,
thanks so much anyways.
Um...
Oh, I, um, I think we'll have some good news
from Oberlin tomorrow.
Very exciting!
I've secured two sponsorships,
both for $10K from Hair Today
and one from the Clifford family.
Oh, well, that's tremendous.
Fred has never been particularly eager
to part with his money.
But the downside
is we're only half sold as of now.
I'm sorry, Evelyn.
Yeah, sorry.
Oh, no need to apologize.
You're doing the best you can.
But, last year at this time, we were sold.
Don't be so hard on yourself.
Oh. I'm sorry I'm interrupting.
You all right, Angie?
Uh, can I talk to you for a sec?
Oh, yes, yes, of course.
I shall return.
I don't know how to tell you this.
Well, tell me what?Well, it's about Kyle.
Oh, is he all right?
Is he hurt?No, he's fine.
Oh! Oh, good!
Oh, don't scare me like that.
Kyle's going to be fine.
Oh, no, I know that.
No, I don't think you do.
No, I do. He is an amazing kid.
You're very lucky.
I'm lucky.
Well, I believe that Kyle has told you his plans
on working with his father after he finishes school
at his father's shop?
The car repair shop.
Right, the car repair shop, yes.
Uh, yes, yes, we've been discussing that
and I've been encouraging him
to think outside the box a little bit.
There are some wonderful programs
where I think that Kyle would excel.
He's... He's very curious.
He's unusually sensitive.
Yeah, I know that.
Of course, you do, you're his mother.
Yeah, well, Kyle feels good working with his father.
He already works weekends. He makes good money,
and he feels good about himself,
and you're trying to push him into someplace
that's gonna make him feel stupid.
No one's gonna make
that boy feel anything less than brilliant,
anything less than what he is.
Well, he feels good working with his father,
maybe not brilliant, but he feels good about himself.
Well, imagine how good...
Imagine how amazing he would feel with a college degree,
with something that he had
no expectation of ever getting.
I think he must feel pretty amazing when someone says,
"Hey, kid, you fixed my car. You're 17 years old,
"and you fixed a car that hasn't turned over in a year.
"Now I can get to work on time.
"Now I can pick my kids up from school."
Yes, yes, yes,
and I'm sure that is a wonderful feeling,
and that is exactly what I am offering him,
that feeling times a million.
Okay, well we don't want it.
You don't... You don't want it,
or does Kyle not want it?
Yeah, I don't want it.
I mean, I think we're gonna need
that kind of space.
Yeah, I mean, it's a little echoey,
but the biggest problem I'm having is Steven.
He's, like, texting me every five minutes.
He thinks he's gonna be the emcee.
He's working on his jokes,
but we're gonna have kids there.
Well, I think the kids are more important
as far as the community and everything is involved.
Paging Kyle Marks.
Would Kyle Marks please report to the office?
I repeat, would Kyle Marks please report to the office?
Hey, get me a muffin!Yo, shut up, man!
Oh, my God, haven't you seen that?
I know, it's like, I don't even know
what to wear.
It's like, you're egotistical. Really?
What, narcissism and arrogance?
Well, I...
Yo, yo, yo, how's it going everybody?
Hey, Lila.
Sit down, sit down, Troubadour.
Oh, lift!
Cool, no, I don't wanna interrupt anything.
So, uh, what are you guys talking about?
Becky's thinking about getting her tongue pierced.
Which is obviously a terrible idea.
Yes, I am. It's my tongue.
Uh-uh, not after you get it pierced,
then it's the world's tongue.
You know that!I just thought you guys
were talking about political stuff
like you usually do.It is political.
It's my body.
It's an important muscle.
You will have no taste buds.Stop being rude.
Oh, no, I just want like world politics
'cause Lila and I were kind of working on this song
for the Marshall Islands.
Oh, really?Yeah, um,
Ziggy did, like, the weirdest, possibly nicest thing.
He took this poem I wrote and set it to music.
Yeah, that's actually why I came over here.
I played it last night on Hi-Hat.
That's where I have 20,000 followers,
and I'm validated and starred and everything.
You told us.Oh, really?
Mmm-hmm.Oh, lift.
Anyways, I don't really sing about political shit,
'cause I feel like people don't really like that stuff,
and also it doesn't really translate
because of the language barrier,
but I played the Marshall Islands song
last night, right? And I got, like, 83 up notes,
which translates to, like, 90 bucks
before Hi-Hat deductions.CYRIL: Hmm.
And it's so funny, 'cause you, Lila,
you said that I had a huge platform to be political.
And I never really wanted to do that
because I thought it'd make me less money,
but last night proves that I can both be political
and make money.
Wow.Isn't that awesome?
Kyle!
Hello!
How are you, dear?Uh, I'm fine.
What's up, Evelyn?Oh, I had to speak to you...
Oh, forgive me.It's cool.
Is my mom okay?Oh, yes, Angie's fine.
Oh, actually, I don't know.
I really don't know...Wait, what happened?
I just spoke to her,
and she said that, um, that you and she had discussed
what we had been working on together,
and I wanted to get some clarity on the situation.
Shit! Um...
I'm sorry about that.
What did she say?
Well, she said that she was worried
that you wouldn't fit in with the other students,
and that you wouldn't excel,
and both you and I know that that could not be further
from the truth.
But I inferred from what she said to me
that I may have overstepped,
and if I have, I would be mortified.
Frankly, I would be mortified.
You know, she's just, well...
She's been really emotional lately.
I told her not to talk to you.
Okay, okay, well, I understand.
I mean, she's a good mother. She's a very concerned mother,
and we've all been there,
and it's a big change.
I mean, not just for you, but for your entire family.
Yeah, uh, and what if I don't want it?
Don't want what?
School and all that.
Um, 'cause I don't think that I really want to go.
I'm sorry, I know that you've been thinking about it a lot
and that it's important to you.
Just, uh, I talked to my dad
and, uh, we all think it's a good idea
if I start working with him more.
Ziggy, do not follow me.
Lila, just explain to me what I did wrong?
Why are you so fucking stupid?
Maybe I am. I just, I thought you'd be proud.
Oh, proud? Proud? How could I be proud?
You exploited me.
You exploited the fucking poor people
in the Marshall Islands
like they have any more reason to be miserable,
and you exploited yourself.
How the fuck did I exploit anyone?
I wrote this killer fucking lift song with you.
We worked together,
and I used it to raise awareness
for a major world problem.
And then you would have the audacity to brag about it
to me like you're a fucking god.
Changing the world takes doing real work
and actually giving a shit about real people.
You can't...But maybe
I can change things.You can't.
No, maybe we can, like a team.
We're not a team, Ziggy. You're like a little boy.
I know that's scary.
We all have imposter syndrome.
I understand that.
I am constantly striving to have my character
match up to my ideals...
Okay, okay, yeah. No, I understand.
But it steels you, it strengthens you.
It's the only way to learn and to grow
and to live a more examined life,
to make an impact.Not that...
Don't you want that?Yeah, I guess.
Yes, of course you do. Because that is what everyone wants.
I know, I just can't really think about it right now.
No, but right now is the time.
Right now is the time that you have
to think about it.Evelyn, just please, stop!
Just, please, please, just stop,
stop, please, stop!
Please!
I'm sorry. Oh, no, no.
You're not gonna, like, kick us out, right?
What?
Like, if I don't go to college,
you're not gonna make us leave, right?
Oh, God. Oh, my God, no, I mean,
oh, Kyle, these things are...
Okay.These things are separate.
These things are totally separate. They're not...
All right, thank... Thank you. Really, thank you, Ms. Katz.
'Cause my mom really feels safe there.
Well, she is.
She is very safe there,
and you're both very safe.
Ah, fuck.
'Sup?
Hey, guys, RealZiggyKatz here.
Just want to say happy 4th! Uh, 4th of July,
or as we call it in America, Independence day,
whatever that means.
Um, so, right now I'm going to play a song called
Mouth of a Liar.
Yo, yo, yo, it's TheRealZiggyKatz here.
Just want to saydobry dzien
and happy Wednesday to my friends in Minsk,
andni hao and happy Thursday to my Tigers out in Liajing.
Xie xie for waking up so early.
And, of course, dhonnobad to
all my devoted Chittagong gals.
Glad to see the floods
haven't affected your internet connections.
You all look super clear and ready for a show.
Um, so the first song I'm gonna play
is a brand new debut
for my favorite people in the whole wide world,
my Hi-Hat fans.
♪ Pieces of gold
♪ Straddling paper
♪ Owing to nothing
♪ Turning to vapor
♪ The air is thin
♪ The locks are set
♪ You lift your chin
♪ She feigns regret
♪ Running out of steam
♪ Not turning back
♪ Never gonna crash
♪ But never gonna meet
♪ She can't contend
♪ With what I'm selling
♪ The ominous
♪ The paranoid
♪ The temporary
♪ Polaroid
♪ And at the starting bell
Hi, can I get your mom?
Oh, no... Um, that's okay.
Thank you.
♪ Will she wish you well?
♪ Never gonna crash
♪ Never gonna meet
Excuse me, can I help you?
Uh, no, that's... That's okay.
Sorry, um, I'm... I'm Evelyn Katz's son.
Oh, you must be Ziggy.
Yeah.
What's up guys? Um...
I'm gonna be doing a new thing on my channel,
uh, where I'm gonna vlog,
which is new for me, I think.
Um, I've never really done this before,
but let's... You know,
we're gonna see how it all goes down.
Um, by the way...
So, uh, thank you so much for watching.
I hope you come back.
This has been, uh, Ziggy Katz.
Thanks for tuning in.
♪ She never was afraid
♪ She went to the union hall
♪ Oh, you can't scare me
♪ I'm sticking to the union
♪ Oh, you can't scare me
♪ I'm sticking to the union
♪ This union maid was wise
♪ She'd always get her way
♪ And this is what she'd say
♪ Oh, you can't scare me
♪ I'm sticking to the union
♪ Oh, you can't scare me
♪ I'm sticking to the union
♪ If you got a union card
♪ If he's got a union wife
♪ Oh, you can't scare me
♪ I'm sticking to the union
♪ Oh, you can't scare me
♪ I'm sticking to the union
♪ Oh, one more time
♪ Oh, you can't scare me
♪ I'm sticking to the union
♪ Oh, you can't scare me
♪ I'm sticking to the union