August 7, 2025 • 58 mins
"The Exposé" delivers a gut-punch exploration of what happens when our talents and compromises collide with our relationships and integrity. At its heart are two parallel journeys of people discovering that their attempts to course-correct may have come too late. Valene has written a manuscript based on Gary's famous Texas family that's caught a publisher's interest. Her excitement quickly turns to anxiety when Gary finally reads it and declares it can never see the light of day. Though fictionalized, the story contains enough truth about the Ewings that Gary fears public humiliation. What follows is Valene's painful realization that her newfound talent has become a threat to her marriage. When she agrees to shelve the book in exchange for Gary spending less time with Abby, we see a woman sacrificing her creative voice to preserve her relationship. But Gary's immediate breaking of this promise triggers something in Valene that many viewers will recognize—that moment when compromise becomes capitulation, and you finally say "enough." Meanwhile, Richard Avery's storyline offers an equally compelling examination of compromise gone wrong. A talented lawyer reduced to arranging escorts for his firm's clients, Richard embodies the soul-crushing reality of being valued for all the wrong reasons. His desperate attempts to reclaim his professional dignity backfire spectacularly when Marnie, one of his regular call girls, secretly records him discussing his arrangements. The televised exposé leaves Richard professionally ruined, scapegoated by the very company that demanded these services. The episode brilliantly captures how we sometimes find ourselves trapped in stories not of our making. As our characters discover, you can make accommodations, follow the rules, even stand up for yourself when things go too far—and still end up paying the price. What would you sacrifice to tell your truth? Or to reclaim your dignity? These questions linger long after the credits roll. Ready to dive deeper into vintage primetime soap opera debauchery? Subscribe now and join our community of newbies and die-hard fans exploring the golden age of television drama together.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Gary does not strike me as a scholarly type.
He doesn't even strike me as acurious type.
I can't imagine he's crackingopen any sort of literature
outside of.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys andgirls, welcome or welcome back
to Soap Floor, the officialgathering place for newbies,
novices and OG die-hard fans ofthe golden age of primetime.
(00:22):
I'm your host, jet.
I'm still viewing and reviewingthe Sophia Sedgwick's primetime
storyline from 1981.
We are back on the West Coastdoing the absolute most.
So, whether you're new to thisor true to this, sit back and
enjoy.
Tell the kids it's time to playoutside or out of sight.
Tell babe, no questions,suggestions or concerns for the
next 25 to 35 minutes.
(00:43):
Everyone else in earshot.
Be cool, be quiet or you willbe kicked out because we are
watching our stories.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys andgirls, this is Soap Lore.
Hello, gorgeous, welcome orwelcome back to another
(01:08):
fun-filled edition of Soapboard.
I hope your day is shaping upwell.
Boy oh boy, mine is awesome,don't get me wrong.
However, there's somethingabout this episode of Knots
Landing that just has me in aweird headspace.
I can't quite put my finger onit, but there's.
I can't, I don't know.
Maybe you guys can help meunderstand what I'm not
(01:35):
understanding about this.
I don't know.
This one feels extremely realto me for some reason.
Let's go ahead and jump in.
We are on season three, episode18 of Nance Landing, called the
Exposé.
The show opens up, simpleenough Valene, the Vidalia Onion
Queen, is on her morning run.
She looks elated to besprinting through her
(01:55):
neighborhood.
Color me impressed.
I know an athlete when I seeone.
This woman's body language saysshe does this all the time, for
real, for real.
She comes sprinting up to thehouse because she sees Gary
outside.
So I imagine in her, her mind,her day is going to start with a
brisk morning run.
Then she's going to make Gary alittle breakfast.
They're going to get theirkissy, kissy, boo, boo face
stuff on before he goes to work,because she hardly sees him in
(02:18):
the evening anymore.
Well, right about this time,here comes Abby in a pewter
shooter suit.
Gary's also in a three-piecesuit and I was like what the
heck?
He's wearing an awful lot ofclothes lately.
I don't think I've ever seenhim with this many clothes on.
Anyway, abby's like oh my gosh,these numbers are just killing
me, gary.
I can't make heads or tails ofthem.
Nothing is coming the way itshould.
(02:38):
We're going to have to crunchsome numbers after work again
and Valene is like you know.
Valene has made no qualms abouthow she feels about Abby.
She already put Abby on notice.
I'm watching you.
Abby's like, yeah, you probablyshould.
You could learn a thing or two.
Abby is far more used toconfrontation.
I can tell by this, because sheis breezing through this
(02:59):
interaction like nothing iswrong.
Business, business, business,mind you.
She jumps into gary's uhpassenger side.
He's gonna take her to workbecause she don't like to drive
like that.
Valine is looking a little funny.
Abby tells her girl, don'tworry, I'll have him home before
you know.
He'll eat dinner at my house,it'll be fine.
Valine makes it very clear garyonly eats the vidalia onion
(03:20):
queens meal.
Baby girl, I'm the only persontaking care of his nutritional
needs.
You can give him that fluff,all those empty calories, if you
want, but I'm taking care ofhis meals.
Perhaps I'm embellishing alittle, but Valene does take
offense to Abby thinking she'sgoing to prepare a meal for her
husband.
I wouldn't worry anything aboutit, because we all watch Abby
(03:41):
try to make that cake.
There was flour all over thekitchen.
You ain't got nothing to worryabout Vidalia.
She walks into the house andLily Mae is there folding towels
like hey girl, did the mailcome?
Yet I doubt the mail comes at 7am.
This is what we learned thisepisode.
Valene has already had theconversation with Joe about the
manuscript.
(04:01):
She sent it to New York, justlike he said.
His friends are going to lookover it.
Let them know if it's worthanything.
Joe told Vidalia that if theylike her, they're going to call
you.
If they don't, or if they'renot going to be able to use it,
they'll send you something inthe mail.
So Valene is floating silentlythrough this sort of excitement.
There's a rush.
(04:22):
Lily Mae has that sameanticipation.
You know Lily Mae is an artist.
She understands like, oh mygosh, girl, I read it, you're
going to be amazing.
So Lily Mae's hyping her up.
Val, what's wrong?
Don't worry about it.
Did the mailman come?
Okay, so every day he doesn'tcome, that's more hope.
And Val is, it's like she don'twant to get her hopes up too
much.
But she's also toiling with thefact that Gary hasn't actually
(04:43):
read her book.
So she and Lily Mae are sittingon the steps.
It's almost as if she's tryingto justify it to herself.
Writing might also be very, verytherapeutic for Valene.
This is the first time she'sever got to really say
everything all in one fell swoop.
She didn't really have to worryabout anyone's feelings when
she was writing.
She didn't have to worry aboutwhat it looked like, but what I
(05:05):
am gathering from just otherclues in the show, she did think
about it.
She's still aware that this isloosely based on Gary's family.
Only the loosely part might notbe as loose as she would need
it to be.
So she says, mama, I can't.
I imagined it Like I told somestuff that I knew and then just
(05:27):
some rumors that I heard aboutthe Ewings.
But I, you know, I imagined it.
It's all from my imagination.
She told a more sensationalizedversion of the truth, according
to her, but she's veryconcerned that if Gary reads it
he might feel away.
So as the episode progresses,joe comes bursting into the
(05:47):
house.
This would appear to have beenthe same day.
Lily, mae and Valene arechilling.
In comes Joe and he's like ohmy gosh, I could have called you
, but I just had to see yourface.
My friend called me.
He loves your book.
Lily Mae is elated, leaps upfrom the couch.
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.
Val is still kind of likebreathing this, like, oh my god,
(06:08):
this is so awesome, this is soawesome.
I gotta tell Gary.
She runs the hundred or soyards to Abby's house, tells
Gary the good news.
He's pumped.
Well, let me finish up here andwe'll celebrate properly.
Valene's face drops.
Valene seems a whole lot moreconscious than she was a few
episodes ago about Gary and Abby, even though he's not giving
any signs like there's anythingwrong.
(06:29):
So this is just a suspicion.
I have come to the finalconclusion.
100% Nothing else has happened.
Based on something else he saysa little bit later in the show
Val don't like all this extratime and Gary could see he could
take it or leave it.
Honestly, he doesn't reallywant to be there.
Crunchy numbers discussing this.
Weedahol, alcohol, gasahol doesnot really pick an up scene like
(06:50):
it should, you know.
Abby says oh, it'll be about anhour.
Gary's like well, ok, let'sskip some particulars.
Honey, I'll be home in no lessthan 30 minutes.
All right, cool.
So peppered in a few scenes.
Between here we learned two kindof important things Karen's
role, this episode kind ofinforming the audience.
Karen is harassing Joe.
The timing is a little bitfunny because the way the scenes
(07:17):
line up, it seems like all thishappens the next day, like Joe
goes to tell Valene the goodnews and then the next day,
maybe that morning, karen startsto ask him about Valene's book.
But it also seems like Val ranover straight away that night
and then later on that nightsomething else happened.
It's irrelevant, it doesn'treally matter.
(07:39):
Karen is beside herself.
She has been trying to squeezethis information out of Val for
a long time.
She knows that her brother sentoff a manuscript.
She knows that Val accidentallywrote something, but she
doesn't know what it is.
So she's been just kind ofkeeping quiet, letting the
context clues fall into place.
Finally, she can't take it.
No more.
Joe, stop playing.
You better tell me whatValene's book is about.
(08:00):
Joe is enjoying being a littlebrother.
He tells his sister.
You ask her.
You ask her what it's about.
Joe is enjoying being a littlebrother, he tells his sister.
You ask her.
You ask her what it's about.
She goes I did, but she don'twant to say nothing.
She doesn't want to sayanything until Gary reads it.
So as she's saying things outloud, she's putting it together.
So she's like okay, if Valwrote something and she wants
Gary to read it, it must have todo with Gary's family and that
(08:21):
can't be good.
If she's worried about him,that means that it's none too
kind about his family.
Mind you, she's just saying allthis out loud.
Joe isn't really cosigning oranything.
He's just kind of giggling inthe background and pretty soon
he realizes she doesn't need hishelp, but she keeps putting it
together.
She asked about Abby.
She was like well, why wouldAbby want to help?
Joe says well, that's, I mean,that's her friend.
(08:41):
Karen's like nah, nah, nah, ifValene wrote something and it's
about Gary's family and it's notin the best light, that could
cause problems between them,which is why Abby is all of a
sudden gung-ho on Valene's newwriting career.
That's why she was so helpful.
I was wondering why she was sohelpful.
Well, by point, joe realizesshe doesn't need him.
(09:03):
So he leaves the room andGary's just kind of sitting
there discussing amongst herself.
Should I tell Valene, how do Ieven approach her with this?
I don't know.
Interesting take.
Interesting point.
I'm sure this scene was thrownin so that the audience who
hadn't really fully caught on mea little bit too could catch up
(09:25):
as to Abby's motives.
Also, it lets us know Val'sstate of mind.
This is something.
This is where I think a littlebit of confusion comes in for me
, because I feel like this wholeepisode is really about she and
Richard.
They are the same side of thesame coin, but they're also so
very different.
But if you break it down to itsmost simple, basic form, it's
(09:48):
the same thing.
Valene has discovered that sheis very talented.
Her struggle now is if I amtalented and I am successful,
what will this cost me?
On the back end of that?
Also, she has this sort ofdoubt.
I've never been good atanything.
How come I'm suddenly good atthis?
(10:08):
Am I good at this because I'm agood writer or am I good at
this because I had intel?
Is it the subject matter or isit my style?
I think anyone who is creative,anyone who wants to put their
self out there, you have tothink about that.
Like, do people like me?
Do they like my perspective, ordo they just like the topic I'm
(10:29):
talking about?
It's one of those situations.
Let's jump over to Richard,because he's very similar.
Richard is a phenomenal lawyer,no doubt about it.
He saved a company more timesthan a little bit.
Within three seasons he'salready brought in big clientele
.
He's been able to navigate somekind of sticky situations.
Every other episode someone isasking him for legal advice.
(10:52):
Richard knows what he's talkingabout.
He is a good lawyer.
Only this new company don'twant him lawyering, they want
him pimping.
He happens to be good at that.
I thought about this and Istill can't really understand
why the boss looked at Richardand said oh you know hookers,
could you please facilitate theentertainment for the evening
(11:14):
whenever we have guests fly in?
I don't know why he thoughtthat, but he wasn't wrong.
Part of me thinks well, he's alawyer.
I bet any lawyer would probablybe pretty good at negotiating.
You probably have a certainamount of people skills.
So maybe it was just a test allalong and unfortunately he was
so good at the thing he didn'twant to be good at.
(11:34):
Now he's sort of stuck there.
Towards the beginning of thisepisode, richard enters his
boss's lair.
It is that same gorgeous greenas Sammy Jo's apartment where
she got smacked up, flipped up,not rubbed down.
And his boss says, hey, couldyou order some more girls this
week?
And he's basically writing outa grocery list of what kind of
women he wants.
(11:54):
Richard immediately is like no,I don't want to do that anymore
.
I want the Orlando case.
I have some really good ideas.
I think this could really putus on the map.
Just let me do my thing.
And the boss is being super,super vague.
It's also worth noting that hehas your standard issue
supervillain mustache.
I wonder if there's like asepia colored pamphlet floating
(12:16):
around from like the late 1800s,early 1900s that says anytime
there's a villain on film, hemust have dark hair with a side
part, it must be greasy, it mustbe slick, he must have thick
eyebrows and he needs like aLego snap on mustache, because
that is all you see on theseshows.
Every villain looks exactly thesame if it is a dude.
(12:37):
So the boss is halfwaylistening.
It's very clear.
And Richard is picking up onthis.
I think, coming from his oldfirm, the way he was burned
there, he's trying his best notto get burned again.
So he does what any respectablelawyer does he tries to
negotiate.
He said okay, cool, you likehookers, you like to party, you
(12:57):
want to have a good time?
That's fantastic.
I like being a lawyer, I'd liketo hear the law, but y'all
ain't really letting me be that.
Why don't you give me theOrlando case, I'll give you
hookers, quit pro quo.
And his boss is like man, Imean, I'll think about it.
(13:18):
Richard takes the little grocerylist, goes about his day.
Sadly, not only is he not wherehe wants to be in work, he's
not where he wants to be in love.
For all his good yearning ofthe law, he's not a good husband
.
He's not good at relationshipsand I think let me be very clear
, let me rewind that a littlebit, let me be a little bit more
(13:39):
fair.
It's not that he's not good atsome relationships.
You know friendships.
You can kind of float in andout of those.
I think that's where thelawyering part comes in.
He's able to listen to people,be objective.
He's able to give good advice.
It's probably easy to dobecause you're not really
talking about yourself, you'renot correcting any of your own
(13:59):
actions.
He can't understand why Lauradoesn't want him back.
Laura stops by.
We learn that she has thisbrand new condo.
Of course she does, and it'sawesome because she's an awesome
real estate agent.
Great little condo right nextto a park so Jason can go and
play.
She's got a babysitter to comeand help her with the day-to-day
(14:19):
Life is pretty good.
But she comes back to the oldneighborhood, says hey to Valene
, and they're like girl, how youreally doing, I'm fine, y'all
don't worry about me, baby'sdoing fine, everything's cool.
I'm only over here so that Ican do the taxes with Richard.
So she walks in with thisbeautiful like coral colored
dress really cute, especiallyconsidering that she's pregnant
(14:39):
but when she sits down to do thetaxes with Richard she looks
like she's pregnant in 1981.
Shout out to all of our moms whowent through the 80s Prego
maternity clothes have not madegreat leaps and bounds.
I mean, maybe the last 10 yearshave probably gotten really
good, but before that you justgot to be creative and, god
(15:02):
bless the women of the 80s,y'all didn't really have much to
work with.
She's wearing this sort ofprairie print is what I call it.
Every house I went into in the90s, I swear, had this exact
same thing.
It was either a swan or it waslike I guess it would be more of
a goose or a bear, and thisbear had on an old fashioned
(15:24):
sort of prairie hat bonnet.
I don't, I guess that's whatyou'd call it.
She's wearing this bonnet andshe usually had on some sort of
apron dress and sometimes she'dhave like little bears with her
or little swans or geese orwhatever they were.
It always had this super tinyfloral pattern.
I promise you, I promise you,you've seen this.
(15:45):
That's what her dress lookedlike and I'm like God, it's not
really the pattern so much, it'sjust the cut.
It was just not flattering.
All of her maternity clotheskind of suck this episode,
except for that opening dress.
Anyway, we're not here to readher for full for her clothes,
we're here to talk about taxes.
So as they're sitting downdoing the taxes, laura is really
like okay, we could probablydeduct this trip because we did
(16:07):
X, y and Z.
We could probably deduct thisbecause of this reason.
All Richard is talking about ishow beautiful she looked.
This one time they went up andhung out on the beach all day
and they made love all night.
It was just wonderful, it wasbeautiful.
To which Laura replies thatwould have been really nice to
(16:28):
hear during that time.
We're not talking about beachtime, we're talking about taxes.
And he's like, oh, come on, it'sso ridiculous that we're not
together, he's not hearing herand it just kind of reminds you
of the scene where she finallydecided enough was enough.
She didn't want to go to Europe, she didn't want to not mess
around with Skeeter, but she didit for Richard, and all he
could talk about is all thethings he wanted to do.
(16:49):
Now this in and of itself, isnot a bad characteristic he's
planning a trip that they'reboth going to be on, but it's
clear that he doesn't see her asan individual person.
He doesn't see her as someonewho is not solely built for his
pleasure, his comfort, hissupport.
So when she's not in theseroles, when she's in this, I'm
(17:12):
an efficient, free-thinkingwoman.
I've got all these things goingfor me and all I want to do is
my taxes.
I don't really want to have aconversation about what we used
to be.
He can't fathom how this iseven possible.
So Laura does what anyrespectable woman does who has
to wear this hideous muumuu shepicks up her briefcase, she
(17:32):
stuffs it full of whatever sheneeds and she's like I'm out.
I told you before I came overhere don't start this mess.
This is what you want to do.
Now you're going to see ass andelbows, I'm out.
So she leaves and he is onceagain super lonely.
That's kind of the tone here.
He doesn't feel respected atwork because he has to be this
sort of corporate pimp.
He doesn't feel anything athome because the house is quiet.
(17:55):
His wife's not there, his son'snot there and it's really,
really difficult to have thesenights without those extra
people in the house.
So he has a choice.
He can either eat terribletakeout in front of the TV and
watch the evening news, becauseeverybody knows in 1981 there
wasn't a whole lot on TV.
Number two he can just kind ofwalk around the neighborhood and
(18:16):
hope someone's out and about sothat he can talk to them, spend
a little time with one of theneighbors if he gets a chance.
Or, number three he can visit alady of the night, because you
know what, she's always going tobe a listening ear.
She gets paid to work at night.
Those are her office hours.
It works out real well with him.
(18:38):
Kind of quenches, that thingthat he's missing.
He does just that.
He goes to visit Marnie, he'smissing.
He does just that.
He goes to visit Marnie, theadorable, lovable hooker, the
heart of gold, or at leastgold-plated, gold-foiled.
We'll say that Marnie is alsothe one that OD'd that one time.
The night that Laura made outwith Skipper was the same night
(18:58):
that he hooked up with thishooker.
The Japanese businessman hadleft the suite.
She OD'd for a little bit, heput her in the shower and then
he went ahead and he's like Imean, I guess you're already on
the clock, might as well takeadvantage of that.
Seems like Marnie is a regular,so he goes over and he's just
sort of lamenting to her abouthow much his life sucks.
She's like baby, I'm here foryou.
(19:19):
Tell mama all your woes, god,sometimes there's moments in
life where you just wish justonce you would rewind the clock,
even just a couple of seconds.
This usually happens to me whensomeone's like hey, do you know
how to gift wrap?
Do you know how to tie a bow?
Oh sure, I know how to tie abow.
And then, right as you get toabout the fourth word, you're
(19:39):
like, oh crap, I'm going to endup volunteering to wrap 8
million Christmas presents whenI don't really want to do it.
It's moments like that whereI'm like, god, just don't, just
just play dumb, be careful, whatyou're good at.
Richard sort of leans intoMarnie like well, I mean, sure,
(20:00):
I guess I can tell you what'sgoing on.
She goes hold on, baby, let mego get a little more oil.
She crawls over to hernightstand and pushes record on
a tape deck.
If you know anything aboutthose old school tape decks or
recording cassette players, Iguess is what it would be called
a cassette player.
You have to push two buttons atthe same time and it's kind of
(20:24):
loud.
But Marnie's a genius becauseshe I guess he would think it
was the sound of the lid of theoil coming off, not her pushing
record.
So she does squirt a little bitof oil into her hand.
Kudos to her for already takingthe top off.
That worked out beautifully.
She covers up the tape recorderwith this little doily thing,
climbs on his back and startsmassaging him.
(20:45):
He's like hi, my name is RichiePulls a full on curvy.
Hi, my name is Richard Avery.
I am a lawyer at blah, blah,blah and I'm a bent.
I order hookers from all overthe greater Los Angeles area and
Martin is like oh man, you callhookers?
He's like of course I do.
That's why I call you all thetime he starts telling
(21:09):
everything.
He's like Parkhurst and whoevermy lawyering firm.
Yeah, the hookers are basicallyin the book.
It's a tax write-off.
Every time someone comes intotown we order more girls.
They have a good time.
We're kind of building areputation on it.
Again, my name is Richard.
I'm Richard Avery corporatepimp, corporate chump, something
(21:32):
to that effect.
My heart sank.
My heart sank because at firstI couldn't understand why she
would be.
Why would she do this?
She's already getting paid.
He's basically sending her newclientele all the time.
This seems like a good deal.
Well, it turns out Miss Marniehas other aspirations.
She doesn't always want to be ahooker.
She doesn't want to be a callgirl for the rest of her life.
(21:54):
Marnie has hopes and dreams aslarge as a silver screen, and
with someone with a face likehers, I gotta admit she's a
cross between Elvira and PeggyBundy.
She is stunning.
She could probably do well, orso she thinks.
But also she starts to feel alittle bit bad because Richard's
(22:14):
kind of her pal.
He's as much of a pal as a Joecould or a John could be.
So when we see Marnie again, sheis talking to some gentleman,
telling him yo, I don't reallythink we should do this expose.
I don't really feel good aboutthis.
Of course he starts selling herthe pipe dream and it feels a
whole lot like Richard Avery'sboss.
(22:35):
Yeah sure We'll think about theOrlando, for you know that sort
of thing.
Yeah sure you could have that,richard, but nothing in writing.
Well, this guy happens to be atelevision producer.
He starts selling her the samething.
Oh, marnie, you can't back outnow.
I had big plans for you.
I was going to submit your nameto a firm and get you an acting
(22:56):
gig on the TV movie of the week.
She's like, really.
He's like well, yeah, I mean itwouldn't be a speaking position
or anything, but you couldpossibly talk to the guy doing
the casting.
Not much of a deal, but it'sjust tempting enough to dangle
in front of her.
It is a way out, even if she'snot going to be an A-list
(23:17):
celebrity right away.
It is an opportunity to act.
So she folds and she continues.
Richard ends up going to talk tohis boss the next day.
He is empowered by this.
He's like yo, you need to giveme the Orlando case.
I haven't ordered the hookersyet.
You better give me the Orlandocase.
His boss cannot believe thatthis guy has the audacity to
(23:38):
come in here and ask him to domore urine of the law.
Richard, richard, richard, Ithought you'd like to listen.
I really need you on this.
I would hate for our clients tobe disappointed.
Richard says I get that, butyou got to give me something in
return.
Do I have the deal?
I'm like, I was like, I guess.
So Again, not a firm yes, butjust enough, dangled in front of
(24:04):
Richard so that he takes thebait.
Okay, twelve hookers coming upand I'll make sure they're extra
.
What did the guy ask for?
He asked for them to be showy Ithink is a word.
He wants flashier hookers thanthe hookers before.
He wants to get caught, is whatI heard.
But whatever, do you do youmustachio baddie, do you?
(24:24):
Meanwhile, back at Val andGary's, I breathe a sigh of
relief as soon as the scenestarted.
Gary is back to his baby bluedraws.
I was wondering if he was sick.
Not that I was waiting, let mebe clear.
I wasn't waiting for him to benaked.
I'm just saying he usuallyfinds a way to show a little
(24:47):
something.
He's awfully covered up for awhile Ever since he talked about
having that cold.
I was like God.
I wonder if he's not feelingwell.
He seems to be feeling fine.
He is back with those baby blueho shorts and he gets in bed.
Valine is looking over thiscontract from the publisher a
lot of little twists and turns,which I'm sure richard be more
(25:07):
than happy to help her navigate.
But she says, gary, I'mdefinitely not going to sign any
of this until you read the book.
I just need need you to read it.
I don't feel good about doinganything until I know that
you've put eyes on it and he'slike, okay, yeah, I will, I will
, I will.
Gary's hella busy Not onlybetween this new endeavor that
he has.
It takes up all of his freetime after work and some of his
(25:29):
time at work.
If we're being honest, he isalso vice president of Knott's
Landing Motors, so he is quiteliterally working all the day
long.
Plus, I know you shouldn'tjudge a book by its cover.
You should never judge a jockby his draws.
But Gary does not strike me asa scholarly type.
(25:51):
He doesn't even strike me as acurious type.
I can't imagine he's crackingopen any sort of literature
outside of probably like theSears catalog or wherever he
buys his painted on clothes.
I don't know.
I know he ain't reading nobooks.
That's what I know.
I know if he's in the libraryit's because he has a meeting
there.
Not calling him dumb, butsometimes you can tell some
(26:12):
things just don't interestcertain people.
He don't like books.
I can tell you that now.
Well, until this night he can'tsleep for some reason.
Maybe it's the way Val said it,maybe it's insomnia, maybe it's
just this sort of intuition, Idon't know, but something makes
him get up and go downstairs.
(26:33):
He finds Valene's othermanuscript.
I guess this would be the copythat Abby had made.
Remember, she's ear rocks.
Everything it's in a box, soI'm assuming this is probably a
copy, the copy that she made.
And he sits down and he readsthrough the night.
He reads well over 500 pagesand he's sort of frozen in this
(26:58):
state.
When Val finds him the nextmorning she goes to give him a
hug and it's the lack ofreception, or maybe it's the
fact that she can see what he'sreading.
It kind of makes her stop andshe's like oh crap, okay, gary.
Well, what did you think Beforewe go there?
I forgot a very, very importantstatement that was made by Karen
(27:22):
a little earlier this episode,when Karen was putting the clues
together when she was on herCarmen Sandiego tip.
She said if that book was aboutGary's family, it must not be
all that kind to them and thatwould be terrible, considering
his dad just died recently.
Gary has not said boo about hisfather.
(27:45):
Valene has not said boo abouthis father.
Louis may have said a littlesomething, but we'll get to her
here in a minute.
So in this scene I was a littlesurprised that Gary didn't
bring that up.
But I don't know how they'refilming this.
I really don't know how they'restretching this out.
I've heard from you guys thatit really doesn't matter.
(28:07):
The story isn't tainted in anyway by Jock's death and plus we
know the actor really died.
So I mean, I'm really happy tohear that they didn't do
anything weird or creepy.
Anyway, he starts off with acompliment Valene, I tell you
what, for your first time out ofthe gate, this is very good,
amazing even.
However, comma, as good as Ithink this is and as happy as I
(28:32):
am for you, this book cannot seethe light of day.
And she's like Gary.
No, come on, like, why not, val?
This is clearly about my family.
She's like, I know, but I madeit all up, though I didn't
really put true stuff.
He's like everything from fromour daughter to my parents.
Like you, put everything inthere.
Anybody who knows us is gonnaknow it's us.
(28:54):
I had not realized that onDallas, or even on Knott's
Landing, even though Lily Maysaid, oh, the Ewing's from Texas
, I didn't realize they werethat popular.
I didn't realize they were thatbig.
In my mind, in my eldermillennial minds, it'd have to
be a name like Hilton or Jacksonor Obama or Trump, a big, big
(29:15):
name that you would just know.
Okay, I know this family.
They're known worldwide.
I couldn't name an oil familylike that now.
Well, maybe I could name one ortwo, but also a group in Texas.
That's a little bit different.
Can you name oil barons fromaround the world?
I can't.
It doesn't matter.
Gary's saying we are popularenough, we are famous enough, we
(29:39):
are well known enough.
They're going to read this.
It says a family from Texas.
It doesn't take a whiz tofigure this all out.
So it's kind of a hard.
No, val gets upset and I'm gladto see it because it's the first
time you realize maybe she knewmore than she was letting on.
I'm not saying she did it to bemalicious.
That's not fair To me when youwere telling your story and
(30:03):
there are other people in yourstory, you don't always have to
protect their image.
If something happened to youwhich in her case I was chased
out of town, I was run off thisproperty, I had to leave my
child and anytime I went back Iwas threatened with death, I
don't really see why I had toleave my child and anytime I
went back I was threatened withdeath.
(30:24):
I don't really see why shewould need to protect the people
who were threatening her life,despite being married to Gary.
On the other hand, I can alsounderstand that you want to keep
the peace.
This is a tough situation.
Do you expand on this new giftand go ahead and drop the book
she and Joe had at some point?
I'm mixing up scenes, but ithas been said by both she and
(30:46):
Joe.
Maybe I could just use adifferent name.
If I don't put Valene Ewing,then people aren't going to
associate the Ewing with thefamily in Texas.
If I put Vidalia, the Georgiaonion queen, they might not know
Gary's like.
No, absolutely not.
I don't want this book to seethe light of day.
Gary's coming from a place of.
Although this is a true-ishstory, it makes my family look
(31:10):
absolutely terrible.
They look like villains andidiots and a bunch of
hillbillies wreaking havoc.
He's also not buying the, evenif you change your name.
I think the only reason theywant this book is because your
name is Ewing and this is abouta family in Texas.
The scandal would be enormous.
That's the only reason theywant it.
(31:30):
Valene is defending her work theway she should.
She's like every writer knowsyou write what you know, but
most of this came from myimagination.
Most of this is made up.
You know, like every writerknows you write what you know,
but most of this came from myimagination.
Most of this is made up.
You know this.
I know this.
Why would people assume thateverything was true?
That's kind of wild.
Neither one of them are wrongin this instance.
(31:51):
Neither one of them are wrong.
I think a lot of Valene's thingis if I am talented and I'm
good, will I ever really know ifthese people want me because of
the scandal or do they want mebecause I'm a good writer?
I think it's a little bit ofboth.
If you were a crappy writer andit was about the Ewing family,
I think it's very, very possiblethat the book still would be
(32:12):
published.
They'd just bring in a ghostwriter.
They'd edit it to death.
It would be almost a completelydifferent thing than the thing
she created.
She just happens to be really,really good at this and he knows
that she made a path of this.
He's supportive, but he's alsoprotective, damn near forbidding
her from from putting this out.
(32:34):
Those are listen, I know this.
I hate that this is happening.
I know how much time that thisis happening.
I know how much time you putinto this.
I know how good you are, but,babe, this just cannot see the
light of day.
End of story.
Valine's obviously heartbrokenand she clearly tells her mother
because for the rest of thisepisode, lily may want smoke
with.
Lily may want all the smokewith Gary.
(32:58):
Gary ain't ish in her eyes.
She turns into thatmother-in-law matter of fact.
She's so upset she goes over toKaren's house to talk ish about
Gary.
Karen and Joe are cookingdinner.
Well, karen is cooking dinner,lily Mae is helping.
Joe is butchering the mosthideous salad I have literally
ever seen in my life wiltedlettuce, big lobs of it just
(33:21):
draped over the side of thosefaux wood bowls.
He is dicing this onion like itkills them.
It is horrible.
That is a sickest, nastiestlooking lettuce ever.
But karen's like lily, may youreally think she would withdraw
this book if gary'suncomfortable with it.
Lily may like hmm, talkingabout it's going to hurt his
family.
(33:44):
At the top of the show, lily Maecalled his family scoundrels
and scallywags and nothing haschanged since then.
She will add to it before shetakes it away.
She's like you know, as far asI'm concerned, every time I turn
around, balene is accommodatinghim, him.
What does he do for her?
Nothing.
When's the last time hesupported her?
Never, talking about put yourbook away.
(34:05):
It's going to embarrass myscoundrel, scallywag family.
I absolutely adore the wordscallywag.
Anyway, that's how Lily Maefeels Now.
She really did just go over toget that off her chest.
And karen's like dang, youreally, really think she
wouldn't publish the book?
It'd be a shame.
Joe's like yeah, it'd be ashame.
The book is good, karen, you'llknow what you're missing.
(34:26):
So karen's like maybe I shouldtalk to gary.
Lily may say oh, no, no, no,that's between husband and wife,
don't let it bother you, butjust know that I think him and
his family are scallywags.
Matter of fact, lily Mae thinkseverything bad that ever, ever
happened to Balene has happenedbecause of the Ewings, or Gary
and her, but she convenientlyleaves that part out.
(34:47):
She must not be in the book.
I don't think she'd have nearlythis much of a braudo if that
were the case.
In her opinion, to hell withthe whole scallywag ewing clan.
Put them all out there, putthem on the book and tell
everybody about them.
Though karen and joe were kindof convinced after talking to
lily may, because lily may islike dude.
All she did was express herpain.
(35:10):
She was, she had a catharticexperience, put it on paper and
she expressed how much agonyshe's in which explains to Lily
may might not be perfect, but ifthis is your daughter and you
get to actually see her sort ofstanding up for herself in a way
, you want her to do it.
But Lily may is convinced she'snever going to do this because
it'll hurt Gary and Gary is waytoo important for her.
(35:33):
But Karen and Joe were like manwe really should.
Maybe we could talk to him Likewe'll figure out something.
This is when Joe were like manwe really should.
Maybe we could talk to him likewe'll figure out something.
This is when Joe brings up.
We should do it under adifferent name.
I kind of feel like that's agood compromise.
Do it under a totally differentname and then later on, you
know, maybe you can come.
I don't know Karen's right,though.
(35:53):
You shouldn't have, especiallyif this is your story but maybe
a family in Connecticut orTennessee Tennessee is a
different place and people caninfer that it's about the Ewings
and that the names have beenchanged.
But let them think what theywant.
It's a little less on the nose,but it's still the truth.
You should not have to hide thetruth.
(36:15):
A friend of mine and I are bothNSYNC fans.
When the whole Britney thingcame out Britney's book and
she's talking about JustinTimberlake in it.
I am a huge Justin Timberlakefan.
Feel how you feel.
It is what it is my friend wasso upset she's like, oh my God,
I can't believe she could printthat and I'm like, okay, listen,
books like this do not not passthrough lawyers' hands.
(36:37):
I'm sure he knew some of thiswas going to come out and as
much as I love him, I will standby what I say.
If something happens to you, ifyou're in a relationship, you're
having an experience and youchoose to talk about it.
No, you shouldn'tsensationalize it.
No, you shouldn't throw otherpeople under the bus.
But if it was traumatic to youin some way, I don't feel like
(36:58):
you need to not talk about itjust because someone else
doesn't want to speak on it.
You know what I'm saying.
In a relationship, I thinkthat's a totally different thing
.
You should not have to not tellyour story.
But if expelling this truth oftelling your story it helps in
your healing, I say go for it.
I really do not believe inholding in like these deep, dark
(37:19):
, terrible, painful secrets.
It can make you sick.
It can make you sick.
It's your story too.
This doesn't seem to be a donedeal, at least not in Valene's
mind.
So when Gary comes home, heplops himself on the couch.
He's exhausted.
He's making a big show of beingtired.
Val says I didn't realize youwere working late tonight.
I thought we were going to talkabout this.
(37:39):
And he's like oh my God, whatAre we still talking about this
book?
Yes, yes, gary, we are stilltalking about this book.
I already told you how I feelabout that.
Val Vidalia says that's one.
That's how you feel.
I feel one way.
Maybe I'll post it, excuse me,maybe I'll publish it, maybe I
won't, but it will be ourdecision and not my decision.
(38:00):
We can't make decisions.
You can't make this decision byforbidding me from doing
something and she throws it.
I forget how she says it, butyou can't make these decisions
by remote control.
I thought that was a funny sortof a weird turn of phrase at
first, but then I thought aboutit.
She doesn't mean, like thelittle handheld remote control,
(38:21):
you change the channel, like youare making me stay in one spot
with this decision.
Maybe it's just thepost-pandemic me understanding
what it means to work remotely,that you can kind of tap in and
out whenever you want, you canremote into your work and you
(38:42):
can separate yourself from itjust as easy.
I kind of feel like that's whatshe means.
You just you want to.
You want to control thiswithout actually having to be in
my face and have the hardconversations.
So she insists and she's doingall this while shining boots.
I do not know why that gave mesuch delight.
(39:06):
Also, there was a scene whereRichard goes over to Kenny and
Ginger's house claiming that hewas out on a walk and he heard
baby two names crying.
Only baby two names had beenasleep for two hours.
You go inside Ginger andKenny's house and there's this
picture of Kenny I've mentionedthis.
It is so distracting Big oldKenny face behind Richard's face
(39:29):
.
And then there's like a pictureof someone holding some random
baby.
We're led to believe it's babytwo names.
But I'm like, is it really sodifficult to just put anyone's
pictures up?
It could be cousins, it couldbe anyone.
Put a black and white photo upfor crying out loud in 1981.
As long as it's a white couple,we're going to assume it's one
of their parents.
(39:50):
I really it's so why they gotthis man's big ass?
Was there not another pictureavailable or a vase?
Anyway, back to Vidalia and Gary.
So he's like oh my gosh, youalways want to argue and fuss.
He goes I don't want to argueand fuss, I want to come to a
conclusion, make a decisiontogether.
He's like okay, cool, so Idon't want the book out.
(40:10):
What is it going to take foryou not to publish this book?
That kind of pissed me off, asif he was buying her, as if she
was a lady of the night.
How much is it going to cost tokeep you quiet?
I expected her to say just asmuch.
But she was like stop talkingto Abby.
Oh, stop talking to Abby.
And here is where my theory, ormy thoughts, were solidified.
(40:33):
Gary's like okay, cool, hedidn't blink twice.
I mean, he was being a littlesarcastic.
He goes what?
Do you want me to find a newjob too?
Do you want me to never talk toher again?
Move somewhere else.
Don't do that.
You are doing performativecomparisons, that's you're
exaggerating way more than youneed to.
That's not what she said.
She's like this isn't awarranted ask because you are
(40:56):
always working late.
I understand you got a, butevery single piece of your night
goes to someone else.
I don't think that's asking toomuch as your wife.
And he's like OK, cool, I won'tsee Abby anymore.
We will only work on theproject during daylight hours.
We will only work at it atKnott's Landing Motors.
Anything after that, it's justgoing to have to be what it's
(41:18):
going to have to be.
If it keeps you from postingthis book, so be it.
Val feels a little bit like okay, now I feel like the little
wife who doesn't want you doinganything.
I want you to want to do it.
He's like I want to do it.
I really do.
I believe him.
I believe him also because theviolins come in after this.
Mind you, she is throwing themboots on the table.
(41:39):
Slam the boots on the table.
I'm proud of her for standingup for herself, but there's
something about this that Idon't like.
It's doesn't matter if I likeit or not.
Okay, it really don't matter ifI like it or not.
You know what?
I take back everything I justsaid.
(42:01):
I take back every defense I hadfor him.
I'm rewatching this scenebecause I wanted to make sure I
was remembering this correctly.
There is something deviousabout his posture on that couch.
Where have I seen this before?
I don't know.
Watch it for yourself.
He's just kind of sitting.
(42:21):
He looks tired.
He looks like a frat boy.
He looks like he just came homefrom a very prestigious East
Coast Ivy League college.
He's in some sort of fraternitywhere they have to wear suits
every now and then.
He's probably on the skulls orsomething.
He's sitting gap-legged on thecouch shaking hands with Val,
(42:42):
but it's like he even hesitatedto grab her hand.
He's just looking reallydouchey.
It really actually irritates me.
So tell me, but don't tell me,guys.
Does he grow out of this?
Is this a Shackleford thing ishe, is he in anything else I can
watch?
I feel like I need to see himin a film or in a play or
(43:05):
something else where he's notGary Ewing, because it's these
sort of intestinal gas faces hemakes all the time like he he's.
His chin is down, he's kind ofsquished face looking at her.
She know he lying too.
I could tell by the way she'slooking at him.
She knows he's lying.
He's just saying this in themoment and we figure this out
(43:26):
later on.
He does tell Abby in the car hey, um, if your wife has a problem
with another woman, even if youthink it's ridiculous, it is
your job to protect your wife,your spouse, whoever, your
girlfriend, your boyfriend,whoever.
It is not your job to tell theperson that they have a problem
with.
Oh, you know, she didn't wantme hanging around you anymore.
(43:46):
You are adding fuel to the fire, sir.
You are giving her ammo, abby,that is, you are giving Abby
ammo.
She's like oh my God, I can'tbelieve she's.
I mean, this is ridiculous.
You can't work because yourwife's jealous of me.
Yeah, she is, and what and what.
I didn't appreciate that.
Let me be fair.
He may not use the words.
(44:07):
My wife is tripping becauseit's you.
He's like well, the business istaking up too much time.
Abby's like I think that's verypetty.
She's clearly jealous.
We need to make these deals,however, so we're gonna do this.
I just, I just can't believeyou would put up with that.
But you know what.
You're the boss.
What she's doing is is ispolarizing the right word to use
(44:30):
?
Right there, she's.
She's the word.
The phrase I would want to useis she's polarizing herself.
That's I don't think that'sproper.
She's the word.
The phrase I would want to useis she's polarizing herself.
That's.
I don't think that's proper.
She is setting herself apart.
Whatever Valene does, she needsto be the opposite.
If Valene is tough, she's goingto be soft.
If she Valene is too giddy,abby's going to be cool.
She is making sure that he hasa completely different
(44:54):
experience when it comes to Abby.
So Abby is more of oh my gosh,I admire you.
You're the boss, you're the man.
I wouldn't go against what yousaid.
I certainly wouldn't do that.
You've got to work, gary.
I wouldn't have a problem withthat.
Yeah, okay, kudos, she islaying this out perfectly.
(45:15):
This is a beautiful spider'sweb.
If I'm being perfectly honest,this is kind of impressive.
One of her tasks, though, ifshe's listening to her boss,
gary, is that whatever meetingthey were supposed to have over
the weekend with this guy who'sinterested can't happen, or
she's just going to have to goahead ahead of him and handle it
(45:37):
.
He cannot not be home thisweekend.
He made a deal with his wifeand this is what's going to keep
her from publishing the book.
He also says if that's what ittakes, then that's what it takes
, like it's a very small priceto pay, which leads me to
believe he could really take itor leave it.
It really ain't about the extratime for him.
It is truly about getting thisbusiness off the ground.
(45:58):
I really, really, really,really think that's all it
really is, and maybe he likesthe attention a little bit, but
he seems to be focused on whathe's focused on.
Oh, richard, richard, richard.
Richard is focusing on himself.
He misses Laura and he missesJason.
(46:20):
So he shows up at Laura's condounannounced.
The babysitter is freaking outlike Mr Avery.
I'm so sorry.
Mrs Avery told me not to letanyone in.
I think she really wants toknow if you're here.
There's no cell phones in 1981.
She can't call ahead.
Even if Laura's still at theoffice, there's a pretty good
chance she's going to miss her.
This is about time for her tocome home.
(46:40):
Richard's like oh, don't worry,laura knows I'm coming.
He brings over gifts for Jason.
I mean, that's his kid, it'sall fine, well and good.
Laura gets home and she'sannoyed.
But she does not make a scene.
She says Richard, you got tostart keeping your word, sir.
This is not your home.
I don't want you over here.
If I'm not here, you need tocall ahead.
You cannot stop by unannounced.
(47:03):
He gets a little bit upset.
He's in his feelings a littlebit Again.
He's lonely, but he's goingabout it.
Gosh, here we go again.
This is another situation whereI can't outwardly say he's
wrong.
They're both right in thissituation.
This is her home.
They have an agreement.
I will say Laura is more rightbecause they have an agreement
(47:25):
that she is sticking to.
Richard can't seem to stick tothat agreement, so he gets huffy
.
But I also understand.
He wants to see his kid.
He's not going to bring anyharm, he's not going to do
anything bad, he just wants tosee the kid Comes over
unannounced.
It's not going well.
She tells him to get his tingsand get out and he goes.
You know you've become a realdrag.
He ain't heard half of it yet.
(47:47):
Laura is the least of yourproblems because Marnie is going
in front of God and everybodybehind a silk screen, so all we
see is a silhouette.
But she is going to give anexpose on being a modern day
hooker and her corporate clients, so she's explaining herself on
TV.
Richard is sitting in front ofthe TV because his options are
(48:07):
to walk around the neighborhoodto see if anybody's home, to sit
in front of the TV and eat badtakeout or to hang out with
Marnie.
Marnie is busy, I guess hedon't feel like walking, so he's
sitting in front of the TV andeat bad takeout, or to hang out
with Marnie.
Marnie is busy, I guess hedon't feel like walking, so he's
sitting in front of the TVdrinking terrible wine and
eating bad takeout, watching thenews.
This woman behind thissilhouette can't see her face.
She's talking to the newscaster, telling him about what it's
(48:28):
like to be a modern day hooker.
And then all of a sudden theygo to play the tape.
Marnie's freaking out becauseshe's like yo, you said that was
just background, why are youplaying that?
And he's like, oh, I have to.
I'm sorry, it's above me now.
It's above me, tell me why.
The tape comes on and all of thegreater Los Angeles area hears
(48:49):
Richard Avery's voice tellingabout the exact parker so-and-so
and so-and-so that he works forthey hire hookers.
Every time they have clientelehe gives his name and they have
the decency to beep out his name.
But he says corporate, pimp,corporate chump, blase, blase.
He just sort of sinks in thecouch and I sank with him.
(49:13):
My heart literally dropped.
I was like oh, richard, richard, richard, why, why were you so
open and vulnerable?
It's easy to say it's becausehe was lonely, but the reality
is he probably would have beencocky enough to do that.
From what I've seen of Richardwho's a very complex character,
by the way, he's fast becomingone of my favorite people to
(49:34):
watch on here I think I don'tknow.
This feels a little bitinevitable.
He wasn't talking to Lauraabout these sort of things.
According to her, they weren'treally talking like that.
So he had to tell someone, hehad to tell something, he had to
say something to somebody.
He just damn, it just happenedto be the night she wanted to
set him up.
I feel a way, I feel a way,however, not to fear.
(49:57):
Richard is really good at thelaw, so he goes to work the next
day.
He's already got a plan.
He's got like a five page plan.
His boss ain't trying to hear.
If he's like okay, richard, uh,coffee or tea?
Okay, let me pour this for you.
As Richard's like okay, I thinkwe can sue them on the grounds
of this.
We take this step.
So we get this little pressconference, we put this out and
(50:19):
his boss is like oh, don't worry, we're sending out something in
like 30 minutes.
I'm gonna read it to you.
And his boss reads this pagethat is going to be posted
everywhere, where he tells theworld that Richard Avery has
left Parker so and so and so andthere's going to be a full
investigation.
Parker so-and-so and so-and-sodoes not condone this sort of
behavior.
(50:40):
He got farred, as they wouldsay.
Richard's like wait what?
Yeah, dude, sorry, we need ascapegoat.
You're the scapegoat.
The public wants one, thepartners want one.
Somebody has to take the fallhomeboy and it's going to be you
today.
He's like but I didn't.
I got hookers because you askedme to Like, you sought me out.
(51:00):
And the dude's like yo, itsucks to suck, and today you
suck.
You're definitely going to bethat guy.
I'm really sorry, richard.
So at the end of the episode,richard shows up unannounced at
Laura's house.
Let me just say this real quickVal is over there with Ginger
and they're talking about thebook and she's telling them how
she decided not to post it or Ikeep saying post, publish it
(51:20):
because she and Gary have thisdeal.
Tell me why Laura's like beingquiet couldn't be me, ma'am,
since when?
Because seasons one, two andhalf of three you were all the
way up behind doing exactly whathe told you.
Whenever he told you couldn'tbe me, girl, you just found your
spine.
Please don't have a seat.
Well, they don't really get toget into it any more than that.
(51:41):
Because here comes Richard.
He just comes in and he doesthis thing.
I don't like, if you know,something is about to hit the
fan and, yes, you really reallyneed some help.
I get you being like just justbe with me, just hear me out,
just, you know, hear me out,yeah, but don't be like.
You got to be on my side.
You got to be on my side.
Wait, what are we getting into?
I don't know what you did.
(52:02):
I mean, let me know, let memake a sound decision.
But he is kind of in shamblesby the end of this.
Not only has Abby not canceledthe weekend meeting, she went
ahead and pushed it further.
We got to do this tonight.
How's he interested by her andsays listen, we got it, we got
to put this to bed tonight.
Let me tell Gary he can't doanything on the weekend but I'll
(52:24):
tell him about tonight.
So she tells him and Gary'slike oh my God, I promise Val.
Abby's like listen, if youdon't sign this paperwork today,
we could lose the capital thatwe need.
Gary, we got to make thishappen.
She just don't have tounderstand.
This is business.
Well, gary goes home andannounces that he's going out,
he's got a business to attend tohim and Abby are going to go
take care of business period,point blank, like she's just
(52:46):
supposed to take it.
So Val's like okay, cool.
As soon as he leaves, shestarts rage signing those papers
.
She rage signed a contract.
You know what?
Forget you and your scallywags.
I'm going to tell everybodyabout you and your trifling
family.
You can't keep your word.
(53:06):
I can't keep my word, oh mygosh, when I tell you I cannot
wait to press play on the nextepisode.
I can't wait to see his face.
Those of you who've watchedthis before, this could be a
blip.
I kind of get the feeling thatthis is not going to be a very
big storyline for very long, butright now, right now, lord,
this is good.
I almost wish there was a realcopy of the book I could read.
(53:27):
I think I finally understandwhat has been bugging me about
this.
In the case of both Val andRichard, it's almost as if they
were squeezed into someoneelse's story.
I mean, not Richard as much,but hear me out, richard showed
up as this lawyer, really goodat his job.
That's probably why he washired there.
Yet he allowed the narrative tobe spun in a different way, all
(53:50):
by saying yes, all by beingaccommodating way, all by saying
yes, all by being accommodating, all by following the rules
playing along.
He even had enough galleventually to stand up for
himself, and it still turned outfor the worst for him.
Valene is the same.
She had this whole story herwhole life and she didn't really
have these talents or whatever.
Gets this opportunity decides.
(54:12):
You know what it's moreimportant that my man feels
comfortable.
That's what is totallyrespectable.
She made the accommodations,she was willing to put her dream
on the back burner and it stilldidn't turn out in her favor.
I think the thing that bugs meis that in both situations and
(54:32):
in real life, you can do thething that is the noble thing.
You can stand up for yourselfafter you feel like you've gone
down the wrong path and it couldstill not turn out the best.
It's just such a hard thing tonavigate.
You know what I mean.
Life is not black and white.
There are so many nuances indaily choices and major choices.
(54:55):
Always possible to do the rightthing and end up on the wrong
way.
It's always possible to coursecorrect and still have to pay
the consequences of the firstmistake.
I think about kids like youteach kids okay, stand up for
yourself, always be yourself.
But the reality is you can dothose things, you can be
(55:17):
accommodating, you can stand upfor yourself and someone can
still disrespect you.
I think that's what it is.
It's like they both thoughtabout what they were doing,
decided that they weren'tcomfortable moving forward in
the way that the story wasalready going, did what they had
to do to change that and itstill didn't matter, gosh, not
(55:40):
to be dramatic, but wow, I thinkit hits a little differently
too, like if you're working, youwant to move jobs, you want to
move careers.
Sometimes you make decisions,you make accommodations, you get
in it and then before you knowit, you realize this was the
absolute wrong decisions.
That's the whole thing.
There's no certainty.
You really do have to just sortof take this leap of faith.
(56:01):
The only thing you can controlis yourself.
And they both really, reallytried.
Now Val's probably going to turnout all right.
I'm sure the Ewing's will bepissed, but I mean what's new,
and you know what I'm saying Arethey going to expose themselves
(56:23):
?
They're probably going to gofor her neck.
Honestly, I don't think JR isgoing to take this sitting down.
I don't see Sue Ellen takingthis sitting down either.
But Richard, oh man, richard'shurt the most because it's like
this guy went to law school.
He studied, he did all thethings.
He became the lawyer and I keptasking myself why is this so
painful?
I think it's so painful becauseit's like no matter how good he
(56:46):
is, no matter how great hisideas are, no matter how much
money he's saving the company orearning the company, people
can't seem to get past what theywant him to be.
They wanted him to be basicallya glorified secretary at his
first job.
Now this one wants him to be apimp.
It makes no sense why a man asintelligent as him can't walk in
(57:09):
there and do the job that hewants to do.
You know how rare that is tofind people who want to go to
work and actually work Present,company excluded, of course, we
all go to work and do our jobsright, but you know what I mean.
He wants to be better.
He wants the challenge, hewants to prove himself and I
don't think he necessarily wantsto prove himself to other
(57:30):
people, but it feels like hewants.
He needs to have some sort ofsuccess in this arena because
he's already invested so muchtime.
He don't even have a familylike that anymore.
He's about to have a brand newbaby who may never live in the
same house as him.
He left a crappy job only tohave his wife, who's been a
stay-at-home woman all this time, become this super realtor in
(57:55):
LA of all places.
The world is slipping away andit's like dang you made the
decision, you did the thing, youstudied hard, you became the
thing, and now you may never beable to do that again.
Valene's like.
I found my husband.
I reconciled, I'm making deals,I'm trying to be as caring and
supportive of him as I can be.
I'll even throw away thistalent if I have to, only to
(58:18):
have it be still not quiteenough.
I think there's a bigger lesson.
I feel like there's stillsomething simmering under the
surface, but that just hit me.
That hit me right in the feelslike dang.
Am I on the wrong path?
Have I been doing something waylonger than I need to do this
and many other questions we mayor may not answer on the next
episode of Soap Floor.
Thank you so much for joiningme today.
(58:39):
I hope you have enjoyedyourself.
Join me next time as we jumpback into some vintage primetime
soap opera debauchery.
Stay hydrated, stay moisturized, stay the course or abandon it.
Choice is yours.
Mind your business and keep allof your drama on TV.
Gary does not strike me as a scholarly type.
He doesn't even strike me as acurious type.
I can't imagine he's crackingopen any sort of literature
outside of.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys andgirls, welcome or welcome back
to Soap Floor, the officialgathering place for newbies,
novices and OG die-hard fans ofthe golden age of primetime.
(00:22):
I'm your host, jet.
I'm still viewing and reviewingthe Sophia Sedgwick's primetime
storyline from 1981.
We are back on the West Coastdoing the absolute most.
So, whether you're new to thisor true to this, sit back and
enjoy.
Tell the kids it's time to playoutside or out of sight.
Tell babe, no questions,suggestions or concerns for the
next 25 to 35 minutes.
(00:43):
Everyone else in earshot.
Be cool, be quiet or you willbe kicked out because we are
watching our stories.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys andgirls, this is Soap Lore.
Hello, gorgeous, welcome orwelcome back to another
(01:08):
fun-filled edition of Soapboard.
I hope your day is shaping upwell.
Boy oh boy, mine is awesome,don't get me wrong.
However, there's somethingabout this episode of Knots
Landing that just has me in aweird headspace.
I can't quite put my finger onit, but there's.
I can't, I don't know.
Maybe you guys can help meunderstand what I'm not
(01:35):
understanding about this.
I don't know.
This one feels extremely realto me for some reason.
Let's go ahead and jump in.
We are on season three, episode18 of Nance Landing, called the
Exposé.
The show opens up, simpleenough Valene, the Vidalia Onion
Queen, is on her morning run.
She looks elated to besprinting through her
(01:55):
neighborhood.
Color me impressed.
I know an athlete when I seeone.
This woman's body language saysshe does this all the time, for
real, for real.
She comes sprinting up to thehouse because she sees Gary
outside.
So I imagine in her, her mind,her day is going to start with a
brisk morning run.
Then she's going to make Gary alittle breakfast.
They're going to get theirkissy, kissy, boo, boo face
stuff on before he goes to work,because she hardly sees him in
(02:18):
the evening anymore.
Well, right about this time,here comes Abby in a pewter
shooter suit.
Gary's also in a three-piecesuit and I was like what the
heck?
He's wearing an awful lot ofclothes lately.
I don't think I've ever seenhim with this many clothes on.
Anyway, abby's like oh my gosh,these numbers are just killing
me, gary.
I can't make heads or tails ofthem.
Nothing is coming the way itshould.
(02:38):
We're going to have to crunchsome numbers after work again
and Valene is like you know.
Valene has made no qualms abouthow she feels about Abby.
She already put Abby on notice.
I'm watching you.
Abby's like, yeah, you probablyshould.
You could learn a thing or two.
Abby is far more used toconfrontation.
I can tell by this, because sheis breezing through this
(02:59):
interaction like nothing iswrong.
Business, business, business,mind you.
She jumps into gary's uhpassenger side.
He's gonna take her to workbecause she don't like to drive
like that.
Valine is looking a little funny.
Abby tells her girl, don'tworry, I'll have him home before
you know.
He'll eat dinner at my house,it'll be fine.
Valine makes it very clear garyonly eats the vidalia onion
(03:20):
queens meal.
Baby girl, I'm the only persontaking care of his nutritional
needs.
You can give him that fluff,all those empty calories, if you
want, but I'm taking care ofhis meals.
Perhaps I'm embellishing alittle, but Valene does take
offense to Abby thinking she'sgoing to prepare a meal for her
husband.
I wouldn't worry anything aboutit, because we all watch Abby
(03:41):
try to make that cake.
There was flour all over thekitchen.
You ain't got nothing to worryabout Vidalia.
She walks into the house andLily Mae is there folding towels
like hey girl, did the mailcome?
Yet I doubt the mail comes at 7am.
This is what we learned thisepisode.
Valene has already had theconversation with Joe about the
manuscript.
(04:01):
She sent it to New York, justlike he said.
His friends are going to lookover it.
Let them know if it's worthanything.
Joe told Vidalia that if theylike her, they're going to call
you.
If they don't, or if they'renot going to be able to use it,
they'll send you something inthe mail.
So Valene is floating silentlythrough this sort of excitement.
There's a rush.
(04:22):
Lily Mae has that sameanticipation.
You know Lily Mae is an artist.
She understands like, oh mygosh, girl, I read it, you're
going to be amazing.
So Lily Mae's hyping her up.
Val, what's wrong?
Don't worry about it.
Did the mailman come?
Okay, so every day he doesn'tcome, that's more hope.
And Val is, it's like she don'twant to get her hopes up too
much.
But she's also toiling with thefact that Gary hasn't actually
(04:43):
read her book.
So she and Lily Mae are sittingon the steps.
It's almost as if she's tryingto justify it to herself.
Writing might also be very, verytherapeutic for Valene.
This is the first time she'sever got to really say
everything all in one fell swoop.
She didn't really have to worryabout anyone's feelings when
she was writing.
She didn't have to worry aboutwhat it looked like, but what I
(05:05):
am gathering from just otherclues in the show, she did think
about it.
She's still aware that this isloosely based on Gary's family.
Only the loosely part might notbe as loose as she would need
it to be.
So she says, mama, I can't.
I imagined it Like I told somestuff that I knew and then just
(05:27):
some rumors that I heard aboutthe Ewings.
But I, you know, I imagined it.
It's all from my imagination.
She told a more sensationalizedversion of the truth, according
to her, but she's veryconcerned that if Gary reads it
he might feel away.
So as the episode progresses,joe comes bursting into the
(05:47):
house.
This would appear to have beenthe same day.
Lily, mae and Valene arechilling.
In comes Joe and he's like ohmy gosh, I could have called you
, but I just had to see yourface.
My friend called me.
He loves your book.
Lily Mae is elated, leaps upfrom the couch.
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.
Val is still kind of likebreathing this, like, oh my god,
(06:08):
this is so awesome, this is soawesome.
I gotta tell Gary.
She runs the hundred or soyards to Abby's house, tells
Gary the good news.
He's pumped.
Well, let me finish up here andwe'll celebrate properly.
Valene's face drops.
Valene seems a whole lot moreconscious than she was a few
episodes ago about Gary and Abby, even though he's not giving
any signs like there's anythingwrong.
(06:29):
So this is just a suspicion.
I have come to the finalconclusion.
100% Nothing else has happened.
Based on something else he saysa little bit later in the show
Val don't like all this extratime and Gary could see he could
take it or leave it.
Honestly, he doesn't reallywant to be there.
Crunchy numbers discussing this.
Weedahol, alcohol, gasahol doesnot really pick an up scene like
(06:50):
it should, you know.
Abby says oh, it'll be about anhour.
Gary's like well, ok, let'sskip some particulars.
Honey, I'll be home in no lessthan 30 minutes.
All right, cool.
So peppered in a few scenes.
Between here we learned two kindof important things Karen's
role, this episode kind ofinforming the audience.
Karen is harassing Joe.
The timing is a little bitfunny because the way the scenes
(07:17):
line up, it seems like all thishappens the next day, like Joe
goes to tell Valene the goodnews and then the next day,
maybe that morning, karen startsto ask him about Valene's book.
But it also seems like Val ranover straight away that night
and then later on that nightsomething else happened.
It's irrelevant, it doesn'treally matter.
(07:39):
Karen is beside herself.
She has been trying to squeezethis information out of Val for
a long time.
She knows that her brother sentoff a manuscript.
She knows that Val accidentallywrote something, but she
doesn't know what it is.
So she's been just kind ofkeeping quiet, letting the
context clues fall into place.
Finally, she can't take it.
No more.
Joe, stop playing.
You better tell me whatValene's book is about.
(08:00):
Joe is enjoying being a littlebrother.
He tells his sister.
You ask her.
You ask her what it's about.
Joe is enjoying being a littlebrother, he tells his sister.
You ask her.
You ask her what it's about.
She goes I did, but she don'twant to say nothing.
She doesn't want to sayanything until Gary reads it.
So as she's saying things outloud, she's putting it together.
So she's like okay, if Valwrote something and she wants
Gary to read it, it must have todo with Gary's family and that
(08:21):
can't be good.
If she's worried about him,that means that it's none too
kind about his family.
Mind you, she's just saying allthis out loud.
Joe isn't really cosigning oranything.
He's just kind of giggling inthe background and pretty soon
he realizes she doesn't need hishelp, but she keeps putting it
together.
She asked about Abby.
She was like well, why wouldAbby want to help?
Joe says well, that's, I mean,that's her friend.
(08:41):
Karen's like nah, nah, nah, ifValene wrote something and it's
about Gary's family and it's notin the best light, that could
cause problems between them,which is why Abby is all of a
sudden gung-ho on Valene's newwriting career.
That's why she was so helpful.
I was wondering why she was sohelpful.
Well, by point, joe realizesshe doesn't need him.
(09:03):
So he leaves the room andGary's just kind of sitting
there discussing amongst herself.
Should I tell Valene, how do Ieven approach her with this?
I don't know.
Interesting take.
Interesting point.
I'm sure this scene was thrownin so that the audience who
hadn't really fully caught on mea little bit too could catch up
(09:25):
as to Abby's motives.
Also, it lets us know Val'sstate of mind.
This is something.
This is where I think a littlebit of confusion comes in for me
, because I feel like this wholeepisode is really about she and
Richard.
They are the same side of thesame coin, but they're also so
very different.
But if you break it down to itsmost simple, basic form, it's
(09:48):
the same thing.
Valene has discovered that sheis very talented.
Her struggle now is if I amtalented and I am successful,
what will this cost me?
On the back end of that?
Also, she has this sort ofdoubt.
I've never been good atanything.
How come I'm suddenly good atthis?
(10:08):
Am I good at this because I'm agood writer or am I good at
this because I had intel?
Is it the subject matter or isit my style?
I think anyone who is creative,anyone who wants to put their
self out there, you have tothink about that.
Like, do people like me?
Do they like my perspective, ordo they just like the topic I'm
(10:29):
talking about?
It's one of those situations.
Let's jump over to Richard,because he's very similar.
Richard is a phenomenal lawyer,no doubt about it.
He saved a company more timesthan a little bit.
Within three seasons he'salready brought in big clientele
.
He's been able to navigate somekind of sticky situations.
Every other episode someone isasking him for legal advice.
(10:52):
Richard knows what he's talkingabout.
He is a good lawyer.
Only this new company don'twant him lawyering, they want
him pimping.
He happens to be good at that.
I thought about this and Istill can't really understand
why the boss looked at Richardand said oh you know hookers,
could you please facilitate theentertainment for the evening
(11:14):
whenever we have guests fly in?
I don't know why he thoughtthat, but he wasn't wrong.
Part of me thinks well, he's alawyer.
I bet any lawyer would probablybe pretty good at negotiating.
You probably have a certainamount of people skills.
So maybe it was just a test allalong and unfortunately he was
so good at the thing he didn'twant to be good at.
(11:34):
Now he's sort of stuck there.
Towards the beginning of thisepisode, richard enters his
boss's lair.
It is that same gorgeous greenas Sammy Jo's apartment where
she got smacked up, flipped up,not rubbed down.
And his boss says, hey, couldyou order some more girls this
week?
And he's basically writing outa grocery list of what kind of
women he wants.
(11:54):
Richard immediately is like no,I don't want to do that anymore
.
I want the Orlando case.
I have some really good ideas.
I think this could really putus on the map.
Just let me do my thing.
And the boss is being super,super vague.
It's also worth noting that hehas your standard issue
supervillain mustache.
I wonder if there's like asepia colored pamphlet floating
(12:16):
around from like the late 1800s,early 1900s that says anytime
there's a villain on film, hemust have dark hair with a side
part, it must be greasy, it mustbe slick, he must have thick
eyebrows and he needs like aLego snap on mustache, because
that is all you see on theseshows.
Every villain looks exactly thesame if it is a dude.
(12:37):
So the boss is halfwaylistening.
It's very clear.
And Richard is picking up onthis.
I think, coming from his oldfirm, the way he was burned
there, he's trying his best notto get burned again.
So he does what any respectablelawyer does he tries to
negotiate.
He said okay, cool, you likehookers, you like to party, you
(12:57):
want to have a good time?
That's fantastic.
I like being a lawyer, I'd liketo hear the law, but y'all
ain't really letting me be that.
Why don't you give me theOrlando case, I'll give you
hookers, quit pro quo.
And his boss is like man, Imean, I'll think about it.
(13:18):
Richard takes the little grocerylist, goes about his day.
Sadly, not only is he not wherehe wants to be in work, he's
not where he wants to be in love.
For all his good yearning ofthe law, he's not a good husband
.
He's not good at relationshipsand I think let me be very clear
, let me rewind that a littlebit, let me be a little bit more
(13:39):
fair.
It's not that he's not good atsome relationships.
You know friendships.
You can kind of float in andout of those.
I think that's where thelawyering part comes in.
He's able to listen to people,be objective.
He's able to give good advice.
It's probably easy to dobecause you're not really
talking about yourself, you'renot correcting any of your own
(13:59):
actions.
He can't understand why Lauradoesn't want him back.
Laura stops by.
We learn that she has thisbrand new condo.
Of course she does, and it'sawesome because she's an awesome
real estate agent.
Great little condo right nextto a park so Jason can go and
play.
She's got a babysitter to comeand help her with the day-to-day
(14:19):
Life is pretty good.
But she comes back to the oldneighborhood, says hey to Valene
, and they're like girl, how youreally doing, I'm fine, y'all
don't worry about me, baby'sdoing fine, everything's cool.
I'm only over here so that Ican do the taxes with Richard.
So she walks in with thisbeautiful like coral colored
dress really cute, especiallyconsidering that she's pregnant
(14:39):
but when she sits down to do thetaxes with Richard she looks
like she's pregnant in 1981.
Shout out to all of our moms whowent through the 80s Prego
maternity clothes have not madegreat leaps and bounds.
I mean, maybe the last 10 yearshave probably gotten really
good, but before that you justgot to be creative and, god
(15:02):
bless the women of the 80s,y'all didn't really have much to
work with.
She's wearing this sort ofprairie print is what I call it.
Every house I went into in the90s, I swear, had this exact
same thing.
It was either a swan or it waslike I guess it would be more of
a goose or a bear, and thisbear had on an old fashioned
(15:24):
sort of prairie hat bonnet.
I don't, I guess that's whatyou'd call it.
She's wearing this bonnet andshe usually had on some sort of
apron dress and sometimes she'dhave like little bears with her
or little swans or geese orwhatever they were.
It always had this super tinyfloral pattern.
I promise you, I promise you,you've seen this.
(15:45):
That's what her dress lookedlike and I'm like God, it's not
really the pattern so much, it'sjust the cut.
It was just not flattering.
All of her maternity clotheskind of suck this episode,
except for that opening dress.
Anyway, we're not here to readher for full for her clothes,
we're here to talk about taxes.
So as they're sitting downdoing the taxes, laura is really
like okay, we could probablydeduct this trip because we did
(16:07):
X, y and Z.
We could probably deduct thisbecause of this reason.
All Richard is talking about ishow beautiful she looked.
This one time they went up andhung out on the beach all day
and they made love all night.
It was just wonderful, it wasbeautiful.
To which Laura replies thatwould have been really nice to
(16:28):
hear during that time.
We're not talking about beachtime, we're talking about taxes.
And he's like, oh, come on, it'sso ridiculous that we're not
together, he's not hearing herand it just kind of reminds you
of the scene where she finallydecided enough was enough.
She didn't want to go to Europe, she didn't want to not mess
around with Skeeter, but she didit for Richard, and all he
could talk about is all thethings he wanted to do.
(16:49):
Now this in and of itself, isnot a bad characteristic he's
planning a trip that they'reboth going to be on, but it's
clear that he doesn't see her asan individual person.
He doesn't see her as someonewho is not solely built for his
pleasure, his comfort, hissupport.
So when she's not in theseroles, when she's in this, I'm
(17:12):
an efficient, free-thinkingwoman.
I've got all these things goingfor me and all I want to do is
my taxes.
I don't really want to have aconversation about what we used
to be.
He can't fathom how this iseven possible.
So Laura does what anyrespectable woman does who has
to wear this hideous muumuu shepicks up her briefcase, she
(17:32):
stuffs it full of whatever sheneeds and she's like I'm out.
I told you before I came overhere don't start this mess.
This is what you want to do.
Now you're going to see ass andelbows, I'm out.
So she leaves and he is onceagain super lonely.
That's kind of the tone here.
He doesn't feel respected atwork because he has to be this
sort of corporate pimp.
He doesn't feel anything athome because the house is quiet.
(17:55):
His wife's not there, his son'snot there and it's really,
really difficult to have thesenights without those extra
people in the house.
So he has a choice.
He can either eat terribletakeout in front of the TV and
watch the evening news, becauseeverybody knows in 1981 there
wasn't a whole lot on TV.
Number two he can just kind ofwalk around the neighborhood and
(18:16):
hope someone's out and about sothat he can talk to them, spend
a little time with one of theneighbors if he gets a chance.
Or, number three he can visit alady of the night, because you
know what, she's always going tobe a listening ear.
She gets paid to work at night.
Those are her office hours.
It works out real well with him.
(18:38):
Kind of quenches, that thingthat he's missing.
He does just that.
He goes to visit Marnie, he'smissing.
He does just that.
He goes to visit Marnie, theadorable, lovable hooker, the
heart of gold, or at leastgold-plated, gold-foiled.
We'll say that Marnie is alsothe one that OD'd that one time.
The night that Laura made outwith Skipper was the same night
(18:58):
that he hooked up with thishooker.
The Japanese businessman hadleft the suite.
She OD'd for a little bit, heput her in the shower and then
he went ahead and he's like Imean, I guess you're already on
the clock, might as well takeadvantage of that.
Seems like Marnie is a regular,so he goes over and he's just
sort of lamenting to her abouthow much his life sucks.
She's like baby, I'm here foryou.
(19:19):
Tell mama all your woes, god,sometimes there's moments in
life where you just wish justonce you would rewind the clock,
even just a couple of seconds.
This usually happens to me whensomeone's like hey, do you know
how to gift wrap?
Do you know how to tie a bow?
Oh sure, I know how to tie abow.
And then, right as you get toabout the fourth word, you're
(19:39):
like, oh crap, I'm going to endup volunteering to wrap 8
million Christmas presents whenI don't really want to do it.
It's moments like that whereI'm like, god, just don't, just
just play dumb, be careful, whatyou're good at.
Richard sort of leans intoMarnie like well, I mean, sure,
(20:00):
I guess I can tell you what'sgoing on.
She goes hold on, baby, let mego get a little more oil.
She crawls over to hernightstand and pushes record on
a tape deck.
If you know anything aboutthose old school tape decks or
recording cassette players, Iguess is what it would be called
a cassette player.
You have to push two buttons atthe same time and it's kind of
(20:24):
loud.
But Marnie's a genius becauseshe I guess he would think it
was the sound of the lid of theoil coming off, not her pushing
record.
So she does squirt a little bitof oil into her hand.
Kudos to her for already takingthe top off.
That worked out beautifully.
She covers up the tape recorderwith this little doily thing,
climbs on his back and startsmassaging him.
(20:45):
He's like hi, my name is RichiePulls a full on curvy.
Hi, my name is Richard Avery.
I am a lawyer at blah, blah,blah and I'm a bent.
I order hookers from all overthe greater Los Angeles area and
Martin is like oh man, you callhookers?
He's like of course I do.
That's why I call you all thetime he starts telling
(21:09):
everything.
He's like Parkhurst and whoevermy lawyering firm.
Yeah, the hookers are basicallyin the book.
It's a tax write-off.
Every time someone comes intotown we order more girls.
They have a good time.
We're kind of building areputation on it.
Again, my name is Richard.
I'm Richard Avery corporatepimp, corporate chump, something
(21:32):
to that effect.
My heart sank.
My heart sank because at firstI couldn't understand why she
would be.
Why would she do this?
She's already getting paid.
He's basically sending her newclientele all the time.
This seems like a good deal.
Well, it turns out Miss Marniehas other aspirations.
She doesn't always want to be ahooker.
She doesn't want to be a callgirl for the rest of her life.
(21:54):
Marnie has hopes and dreams aslarge as a silver screen, and
with someone with a face likehers, I gotta admit she's a
cross between Elvira and PeggyBundy.
She is stunning.
She could probably do well, orso she thinks.
But also she starts to feel alittle bit bad because Richard's
(22:14):
kind of her pal.
He's as much of a pal as a Joecould or a John could be.
So when we see Marnie again, sheis talking to some gentleman,
telling him yo, I don't reallythink we should do this expose.
I don't really feel good aboutthis.
Of course he starts selling herthe pipe dream and it feels a
whole lot like Richard Avery'sboss.
(22:35):
Yeah sure We'll think about theOrlando, for you know that sort
of thing.
Yeah sure you could have that,richard, but nothing in writing.
Well, this guy happens to be atelevision producer.
He starts selling her the samething.
Oh, marnie, you can't back outnow.
I had big plans for you.
I was going to submit your nameto a firm and get you an acting
(22:56):
gig on the TV movie of the week.
She's like, really.
He's like well, yeah, I mean itwouldn't be a speaking position
or anything, but you couldpossibly talk to the guy doing
the casting.
Not much of a deal, but it'sjust tempting enough to dangle
in front of her.
It is a way out, even if she'snot going to be an A-list
(23:17):
celebrity right away.
It is an opportunity to act.
So she folds and she continues.
Richard ends up going to talk tohis boss the next day.
He is empowered by this.
He's like yo, you need to giveme the Orlando case.
I haven't ordered the hookersyet.
You better give me the Orlandocase.
His boss cannot believe thatthis guy has the audacity to
(23:38):
come in here and ask him to domore urine of the law.
Richard, richard, richard, Ithought you'd like to listen.
I really need you on this.
I would hate for our clients tobe disappointed.
Richard says I get that, butyou got to give me something in
return.
Do I have the deal?
I'm like, I was like, I guess.
So Again, not a firm yes, butjust enough, dangled in front of
(24:04):
Richard so that he takes thebait.
Okay, twelve hookers coming upand I'll make sure they're extra
.
What did the guy ask for?
He asked for them to be showy Ithink is a word.
He wants flashier hookers thanthe hookers before.
He wants to get caught, is whatI heard.
But whatever, do you do youmustachio baddie, do you?
(24:24):
Meanwhile, back at Val andGary's, I breathe a sigh of
relief as soon as the scenestarted.
Gary is back to his baby bluedraws.
I was wondering if he was sick.
Not that I was waiting, let mebe clear.
I wasn't waiting for him to benaked.
I'm just saying he usuallyfinds a way to show a little
(24:47):
something.
He's awfully covered up for awhile Ever since he talked about
having that cold.
I was like God.
I wonder if he's not feelingwell.
He seems to be feeling fine.
He is back with those baby blueho shorts and he gets in bed.
Valine is looking over thiscontract from the publisher a
lot of little twists and turns,which I'm sure richard be more
(25:07):
than happy to help her navigate.
But she says, gary, I'mdefinitely not going to sign any
of this until you read the book.
I just need need you to read it.
I don't feel good about doinganything until I know that
you've put eyes on it and he'slike, okay, yeah, I will, I will
, I will.
Gary's hella busy Not onlybetween this new endeavor that
he has.
It takes up all of his freetime after work and some of his
(25:29):
time at work.
If we're being honest, he isalso vice president of Knott's
Landing Motors, so he is quiteliterally working all the day
long.
Plus, I know you shouldn'tjudge a book by its cover.
You should never judge a jockby his draws.
But Gary does not strike me asa scholarly type.
(25:51):
He doesn't even strike me as acurious type.
I can't imagine he's crackingopen any sort of literature
outside of probably like theSears catalog or wherever he
buys his painted on clothes.
I don't know.
I know he ain't reading nobooks.
That's what I know.
I know if he's in the libraryit's because he has a meeting
there.
Not calling him dumb, butsometimes you can tell some
(26:12):
things just don't interestcertain people.
He don't like books.
I can tell you that now.
Well, until this night he can'tsleep for some reason.
Maybe it's the way Val said it,maybe it's insomnia, maybe it's
just this sort of intuition, Idon't know, but something makes
him get up and go downstairs.
(26:33):
He finds Valene's othermanuscript.
I guess this would be the copythat Abby had made.
Remember, she's ear rocks.
Everything it's in a box, soI'm assuming this is probably a
copy, the copy that she made.
And he sits down and he readsthrough the night.
He reads well over 500 pagesand he's sort of frozen in this
(26:58):
state.
When Val finds him the nextmorning she goes to give him a
hug and it's the lack ofreception, or maybe it's the
fact that she can see what he'sreading.
It kind of makes her stop andshe's like oh crap, okay, gary.
Well, what did you think Beforewe go there?
I forgot a very, very importantstatement that was made by Karen
(27:22):
a little earlier this episode,when Karen was putting the clues
together when she was on herCarmen Sandiego tip.
She said if that book was aboutGary's family, it must not be
all that kind to them and thatwould be terrible, considering
his dad just died recently.
Gary has not said boo about hisfather.
(27:45):
Valene has not said boo abouthis father.
Louis may have said a littlesomething, but we'll get to her
here in a minute.
So in this scene I was a littlesurprised that Gary didn't
bring that up.
But I don't know how they'refilming this.
I really don't know how they'restretching this out.
I've heard from you guys thatit really doesn't matter.
(28:07):
The story isn't tainted in anyway by Jock's death and plus we
know the actor really died.
So I mean, I'm really happy tohear that they didn't do
anything weird or creepy.
Anyway, he starts off with acompliment Valene, I tell you
what, for your first time out ofthe gate, this is very good,
amazing even.
However, comma, as good as Ithink this is and as happy as I
(28:32):
am for you, this book cannot seethe light of day.
And she's like Gary.
No, come on, like, why not, val?
This is clearly about my family.
She's like, I know, but I madeit all up, though I didn't
really put true stuff.
He's like everything from fromour daughter to my parents.
Like you, put everything inthere.
Anybody who knows us is gonnaknow it's us.
(28:54):
I had not realized that onDallas, or even on Knott's
Landing, even though Lily Maysaid, oh, the Ewing's from Texas
, I didn't realize they werethat popular.
I didn't realize they were thatbig.
In my mind, in my eldermillennial minds, it'd have to
be a name like Hilton or Jacksonor Obama or Trump, a big, big
(29:15):
name that you would just know.
Okay, I know this family.
They're known worldwide.
I couldn't name an oil familylike that now.
Well, maybe I could name one ortwo, but also a group in Texas.
That's a little bit different.
Can you name oil barons fromaround the world?
I can't.
It doesn't matter.
Gary's saying we are popularenough, we are famous enough, we
(29:39):
are well known enough.
They're going to read this.
It says a family from Texas.
It doesn't take a whiz tofigure this all out.
So it's kind of a hard.
No, val gets upset and I'm gladto see it because it's the first
time you realize maybe she knewmore than she was letting on.
I'm not saying she did it to bemalicious.
That's not fair To me when youwere telling your story and
(30:03):
there are other people in yourstory, you don't always have to
protect their image.
If something happened to youwhich in her case I was chased
out of town, I was run off thisproperty, I had to leave my
child and anytime I went back Iwas threatened with death, I
don't really see why I had toleave my child and anytime I
went back I was threatened withdeath.
(30:24):
I don't really see why shewould need to protect the people
who were threatening her life,despite being married to Gary.
On the other hand, I can alsounderstand that you want to keep
the peace.
This is a tough situation.
Do you expand on this new giftand go ahead and drop the book
she and Joe had at some point?
I'm mixing up scenes, but ithas been said by both she and
(30:46):
Joe.
Maybe I could just use adifferent name.
If I don't put Valene Ewing,then people aren't going to
associate the Ewing with thefamily in Texas.
If I put Vidalia, the Georgiaonion queen, they might not know
Gary's like.
No, absolutely not.
I don't want this book to seethe light of day.
Gary's coming from a place of.
Although this is a true-ishstory, it makes my family look
(31:10):
absolutely terrible.
They look like villains andidiots and a bunch of
hillbillies wreaking havoc.
He's also not buying the, evenif you change your name.
I think the only reason theywant this book is because your
name is Ewing and this is abouta family in Texas.
The scandal would be enormous.
That's the only reason theywant it.
(31:30):
Valene is defending her work theway she should.
She's like every writer knowsyou write what you know, but
most of this came from myimagination.
Most of this is made up.
You know, like every writerknows you write what you know,
but most of this came from myimagination.
Most of this is made up.
You know this.
I know this.
Why would people assume thateverything was true?
That's kind of wild.
Neither one of them are wrongin this instance.
(31:51):
Neither one of them are wrong.
I think a lot of Valene's thingis if I am talented and I'm
good, will I ever really know ifthese people want me because of
the scandal or do they want mebecause I'm a good writer?
I think it's a little bit ofboth.
If you were a crappy writer andit was about the Ewing family,
I think it's very, very possiblethat the book still would be
(32:12):
published.
They'd just bring in a ghostwriter.
They'd edit it to death.
It would be almost a completelydifferent thing than the thing
she created.
She just happens to be really,really good at this and he knows
that she made a path of this.
He's supportive, but he's alsoprotective, damn near forbidding
her from from putting this out.
(32:34):
Those are listen, I know this.
I hate that this is happening.
I know how much time that thisis happening.
I know how much time you putinto this.
I know how good you are, but,babe, this just cannot see the
light of day.
End of story.
Valine's obviously heartbrokenand she clearly tells her mother
because for the rest of thisepisode, lily may want smoke
with.
Lily may want all the smokewith Gary.
(32:58):
Gary ain't ish in her eyes.
She turns into thatmother-in-law matter of fact.
She's so upset she goes over toKaren's house to talk ish about
Gary.
Karen and Joe are cookingdinner.
Well, karen is cooking dinner,lily Mae is helping.
Joe is butchering the mosthideous salad I have literally
ever seen in my life wiltedlettuce, big lobs of it just
(33:21):
draped over the side of thosefaux wood bowls.
He is dicing this onion like itkills them.
It is horrible.
That is a sickest, nastiestlooking lettuce ever.
But karen's like lily, may youreally think she would withdraw
this book if gary'suncomfortable with it.
Lily may like hmm, talkingabout it's going to hurt his
family.
(33:44):
At the top of the show, lily Maecalled his family scoundrels
and scallywags and nothing haschanged since then.
She will add to it before shetakes it away.
She's like you know, as far asI'm concerned, every time I turn
around, balene is accommodatinghim, him.
What does he do for her?
Nothing.
When's the last time hesupported her?
Never, talking about put yourbook away.
(34:05):
It's going to embarrass myscoundrel, scallywag family.
I absolutely adore the wordscallywag.
Anyway, that's how Lily Maefeels Now.
She really did just go over toget that off her chest.
And karen's like dang, youreally, really think she
wouldn't publish the book?
It'd be a shame.
Joe's like yeah, it'd be ashame.
The book is good, karen, you'llknow what you're missing.
(34:26):
So karen's like maybe I shouldtalk to gary.
Lily may say oh, no, no, no,that's between husband and wife,
don't let it bother you, butjust know that I think him and
his family are scallywags.
Matter of fact, lily Mae thinkseverything bad that ever, ever
happened to Balene has happenedbecause of the Ewings, or Gary
and her, but she convenientlyleaves that part out.
(34:47):
She must not be in the book.
I don't think she'd have nearlythis much of a braudo if that
were the case.
In her opinion, to hell withthe whole scallywag ewing clan.
Put them all out there, putthem on the book and tell
everybody about them.
Though karen and joe were kindof convinced after talking to
lily may, because lily may islike dude.
All she did was express herpain.
(35:10):
She was, she had a catharticexperience, put it on paper and
she expressed how much agonyshe's in which explains to Lily
may might not be perfect, but ifthis is your daughter and you
get to actually see her sort ofstanding up for herself in a way
, you want her to do it.
But Lily may is convinced she'snever going to do this because
it'll hurt Gary and Gary is waytoo important for her.
(35:33):
But Karen and Joe were like manwe really should.
Maybe we could talk to him Likewe'll figure out something.
This is when Joe were like manwe really should.
Maybe we could talk to him likewe'll figure out something.
This is when Joe brings up.
We should do it under adifferent name.
I kind of feel like that's agood compromise.
Do it under a totally differentname and then later on, you
know, maybe you can come.
I don't know Karen's right,though.
(35:53):
You shouldn't have, especiallyif this is your story but maybe
a family in Connecticut orTennessee Tennessee is a
different place and people caninfer that it's about the Ewings
and that the names have beenchanged.
But let them think what theywant.
It's a little less on the nose,but it's still the truth.
You should not have to hide thetruth.
(36:15):
A friend of mine and I are bothNSYNC fans.
When the whole Britney thingcame out Britney's book and
she's talking about JustinTimberlake in it.
I am a huge Justin Timberlakefan.
Feel how you feel.
It is what it is my friend wasso upset she's like, oh my God,
I can't believe she could printthat and I'm like, okay, listen,
books like this do not not passthrough lawyers' hands.
(36:37):
I'm sure he knew some of thiswas going to come out and as
much as I love him, I will standby what I say.
If something happens to you, ifyou're in a relationship, you're
having an experience and youchoose to talk about it.
No, you shouldn'tsensationalize it.
No, you shouldn't throw otherpeople under the bus.
But if it was traumatic to youin some way, I don't feel like
(36:58):
you need to not talk about itjust because someone else
doesn't want to speak on it.
You know what I'm saying.
In a relationship, I thinkthat's a totally different thing
.
You should not have to not tellyour story.
But if expelling this truth oftelling your story it helps in
your healing, I say go for it.
I really do not believe inholding in like these deep, dark
(37:19):
, terrible, painful secrets.
It can make you sick.
It can make you sick.
It's your story too.
This doesn't seem to be a donedeal, at least not in Valene's
mind.
So when Gary comes home, heplops himself on the couch.
He's exhausted.
He's making a big show of beingtired.
Val says I didn't realize youwere working late tonight.
I thought we were going to talkabout this.
(37:39):
And he's like oh my God, whatAre we still talking about this
book?
Yes, yes, gary, we are stilltalking about this book.
I already told you how I feelabout that.
Val Vidalia says that's one.
That's how you feel.
I feel one way.
Maybe I'll post it, excuse me,maybe I'll publish it, maybe I
won't, but it will be ourdecision and not my decision.
(38:00):
We can't make decisions.
You can't make this decision byforbidding me from doing
something and she throws it.
I forget how she says it, butyou can't make these decisions
by remote control.
I thought that was a funny sortof a weird turn of phrase at
first, but then I thought aboutit.
She doesn't mean, like thelittle handheld remote control,
(38:21):
you change the channel, like youare making me stay in one spot
with this decision.
Maybe it's just thepost-pandemic me understanding
what it means to work remotely,that you can kind of tap in and
out whenever you want, you canremote into your work and you
(38:42):
can separate yourself from itjust as easy.
I kind of feel like that's whatshe means.
You just you want to.
You want to control thiswithout actually having to be in
my face and have the hardconversations.
So she insists and she's doingall this while shining boots.
I do not know why that gave mesuch delight.
(39:06):
Also, there was a scene whereRichard goes over to Kenny and
Ginger's house claiming that hewas out on a walk and he heard
baby two names crying.
Only baby two names had beenasleep for two hours.
You go inside Ginger andKenny's house and there's this
picture of Kenny I've mentionedthis.
It is so distracting Big oldKenny face behind Richard's face
(39:29):
.
And then there's like a pictureof someone holding some random
baby.
We're led to believe it's babytwo names.
But I'm like, is it really sodifficult to just put anyone's
pictures up?
It could be cousins, it couldbe anyone.
Put a black and white photo upfor crying out loud in 1981.
As long as it's a white couple,we're going to assume it's one
of their parents.
(39:50):
I really it's so why they gotthis man's big ass?
Was there not another pictureavailable or a vase?
Anyway, back to Vidalia and Gary.
So he's like oh my gosh, youalways want to argue and fuss.
He goes I don't want to argueand fuss, I want to come to a
conclusion, make a decisiontogether.
He's like okay, cool, so Idon't want the book out.
(40:10):
What is it going to take foryou not to publish this book?
That kind of pissed me off, asif he was buying her, as if she
was a lady of the night.
How much is it going to cost tokeep you quiet?
I expected her to say just asmuch.
But she was like stop talkingto Abby.
Oh, stop talking to Abby.
And here is where my theory, ormy thoughts, were solidified.
(40:33):
Gary's like okay, cool, hedidn't blink twice.
I mean, he was being a littlesarcastic.
He goes what?
Do you want me to find a newjob too?
Do you want me to never talk toher again?
Move somewhere else.
Don't do that.
You are doing performativecomparisons, that's you're
exaggerating way more than youneed to.
That's not what she said.
She's like this isn't awarranted ask because you are
(40:56):
always working late.
I understand you got a, butevery single piece of your night
goes to someone else.
I don't think that's asking toomuch as your wife.
And he's like OK, cool, I won'tsee Abby anymore.
We will only work on theproject during daylight hours.
We will only work at it atKnott's Landing Motors.
Anything after that, it's justgoing to have to be what it's
(41:18):
going to have to be.
If it keeps you from postingthis book, so be it.
Val feels a little bit like okay, now I feel like the little
wife who doesn't want you doinganything.
I want you to want to do it.
He's like I want to do it.
I really do.
I believe him.
I believe him also because theviolins come in after this.
Mind you, she is throwing themboots on the table.
(41:39):
Slam the boots on the table.
I'm proud of her for standingup for herself, but there's
something about this that Idon't like.
It's doesn't matter if I likeit or not.
Okay, it really don't matter ifI like it or not.
You know what?
I take back everything I justsaid.
(42:01):
I take back every defense I hadfor him.
I'm rewatching this scenebecause I wanted to make sure I
was remembering this correctly.
There is something deviousabout his posture on that couch.
Where have I seen this before?
I don't know.
Watch it for yourself.
He's just kind of sitting.
(42:21):
He looks tired.
He looks like a frat boy.
He looks like he just came homefrom a very prestigious East
Coast Ivy League college.
He's in some sort of fraternitywhere they have to wear suits
every now and then.
He's probably on the skulls orsomething.
He's sitting gap-legged on thecouch shaking hands with Val,
(42:42):
but it's like he even hesitatedto grab her hand.
He's just looking reallydouchey.
It really actually irritates me.
So tell me, but don't tell me,guys.
Does he grow out of this?
Is this a Shackleford thing ishe, is he in anything else I can
watch?
I feel like I need to see himin a film or in a play or
(43:05):
something else where he's notGary Ewing, because it's these
sort of intestinal gas faces hemakes all the time like he he's.
His chin is down, he's kind ofsquished face looking at her.
She know he lying too.
I could tell by the way she'slooking at him.
She knows he's lying.
He's just saying this in themoment and we figure this out
(43:26):
later on.
He does tell Abby in the car hey, um, if your wife has a problem
with another woman, even if youthink it's ridiculous, it is
your job to protect your wife,your spouse, whoever, your
girlfriend, your boyfriend,whoever.
It is not your job to tell theperson that they have a problem
with.
Oh, you know, she didn't wantme hanging around you anymore.
(43:46):
You are adding fuel to the fire, sir.
You are giving her ammo, abby,that is, you are giving Abby
ammo.
She's like oh my God, I can'tbelieve she's.
I mean, this is ridiculous.
You can't work because yourwife's jealous of me.
Yeah, she is, and what and what.
I didn't appreciate that.
Let me be fair.
He may not use the words.
(44:07):
My wife is tripping becauseit's you.
He's like well, the business istaking up too much time.
Abby's like I think that's verypetty.
She's clearly jealous.
We need to make these deals,however, so we're gonna do this.
I just, I just can't believeyou would put up with that.
But you know what.
You're the boss.
What she's doing is is ispolarizing the right word to use
(44:30):
?
Right there, she's.
She's the word.
The phrase I would want to useis she's polarizing herself.
That's I don't think that'sproper.
She's the word.
The phrase I would want to useis she's polarizing herself.
That's.
I don't think that's proper.
She is setting herself apart.
Whatever Valene does, she needsto be the opposite.
If Valene is tough, she's goingto be soft.
If she Valene is too giddy,abby's going to be cool.
She is making sure that he hasa completely different
(44:54):
experience when it comes to Abby.
So Abby is more of oh my gosh,I admire you.
You're the boss, you're the man.
I wouldn't go against what yousaid.
I certainly wouldn't do that.
You've got to work, gary.
I wouldn't have a problem withthat.
Yeah, okay, kudos, she islaying this out perfectly.
(45:15):
This is a beautiful spider'sweb.
If I'm being perfectly honest,this is kind of impressive.
One of her tasks, though, ifshe's listening to her boss,
gary, is that whatever meetingthey were supposed to have over
the weekend with this guy who'sinterested can't happen, or
she's just going to have to goahead ahead of him and handle it
(45:37):
.
He cannot not be home thisweekend.
He made a deal with his wifeand this is what's going to keep
her from publishing the book.
He also says if that's what ittakes, then that's what it takes
, like it's a very small priceto pay, which leads me to
believe he could really take itor leave it.
It really ain't about the extratime for him.
It is truly about getting thisbusiness off the ground.
(45:58):
I really, really, really,really think that's all it
really is, and maybe he likesthe attention a little bit, but
he seems to be focused on whathe's focused on.
Oh, richard, richard, richard.
Richard is focusing on himself.
He misses Laura and he missesJason.
(46:20):
So he shows up at Laura's condounannounced.
The babysitter is freaking outlike Mr Avery.
I'm so sorry.
Mrs Avery told me not to letanyone in.
I think she really wants toknow if you're here.
There's no cell phones in 1981.
She can't call ahead.
Even if Laura's still at theoffice, there's a pretty good
chance she's going to miss her.
This is about time for her tocome home.
(46:40):
Richard's like oh, don't worry,laura knows I'm coming.
He brings over gifts for Jason.
I mean, that's his kid, it'sall fine, well and good.
Laura gets home and she'sannoyed.
But she does not make a scene.
She says Richard, you got tostart keeping your word, sir.
This is not your home.
I don't want you over here.
If I'm not here, you need tocall ahead.
You cannot stop by unannounced.
(47:03):
He gets a little bit upset.
He's in his feelings a littlebit Again.
He's lonely, but he's goingabout it.
Gosh, here we go again.
This is another situation whereI can't outwardly say he's
wrong.
They're both right in thissituation.
This is her home.
They have an agreement.
I will say Laura is more rightbecause they have an agreement
(47:25):
that she is sticking to.
Richard can't seem to stick tothat agreement, so he gets huffy
.
But I also understand.
He wants to see his kid.
He's not going to bring anyharm, he's not going to do
anything bad, he just wants tosee the kid Comes over
unannounced.
It's not going well.
She tells him to get his tingsand get out and he goes.
You know you've become a realdrag.
He ain't heard half of it yet.
(47:47):
Laura is the least of yourproblems because Marnie is going
in front of God and everybodybehind a silk screen, so all we
see is a silhouette.
But she is going to give anexpose on being a modern day
hooker and her corporate clients, so she's explaining herself on
TV.
Richard is sitting in front ofthe TV because his options are
(48:07):
to walk around the neighborhoodto see if anybody's home, to sit
in front of the TV and eat badtakeout or to hang out with
Marnie.
Marnie is busy, I guess hedon't feel like walking, so he's
sitting in front of the TV andeat bad takeout, or to hang out
with Marnie.
Marnie is busy, I guess hedon't feel like walking, so he's
sitting in front of the TVdrinking terrible wine and
eating bad takeout, watching thenews.
This woman behind thissilhouette can't see her face.
She's talking to the newscaster, telling him about what it's
(48:28):
like to be a modern day hooker.
And then all of a sudden theygo to play the tape.
Marnie's freaking out becauseshe's like yo, you said that was
just background, why are youplaying that?
And he's like, oh, I have to.
I'm sorry, it's above me now.
It's above me, tell me why.
The tape comes on and all of thegreater Los Angeles area hears
(48:49):
Richard Avery's voice tellingabout the exact parker so-and-so
and so-and-so that he works forthey hire hookers.
Every time they have clientelehe gives his name and they have
the decency to beep out his name.
But he says corporate, pimp,corporate chump, blase, blase.
He just sort of sinks in thecouch and I sank with him.
(49:13):
My heart literally dropped.
I was like oh, richard, richard, richard, why, why were you so
open and vulnerable?
It's easy to say it's becausehe was lonely, but the reality
is he probably would have beencocky enough to do that.
From what I've seen of Richardwho's a very complex character,
by the way, he's fast becomingone of my favorite people to
(49:34):
watch on here I think I don'tknow.
This feels a little bitinevitable.
He wasn't talking to Lauraabout these sort of things.
According to her, they weren'treally talking like that.
So he had to tell someone, hehad to tell something, he had to
say something to somebody.
He just damn, it just happenedto be the night she wanted to
set him up.
I feel a way, I feel a way,however, not to fear.
(49:57):
Richard is really good at thelaw, so he goes to work the next
day.
He's already got a plan.
He's got like a five page plan.
His boss ain't trying to hear.
If he's like okay, richard, uh,coffee or tea?
Okay, let me pour this for you.
As Richard's like okay, I thinkwe can sue them on the grounds
of this.
We take this step.
So we get this little pressconference, we put this out and
(50:19):
his boss is like oh, don't worry, we're sending out something in
like 30 minutes.
I'm gonna read it to you.
And his boss reads this pagethat is going to be posted
everywhere, where he tells theworld that Richard Avery has
left Parker so and so and so andthere's going to be a full
investigation.
Parker so-and-so and so-and-sodoes not condone this sort of
behavior.
(50:40):
He got farred, as they wouldsay.
Richard's like wait what?
Yeah, dude, sorry, we need ascapegoat.
You're the scapegoat.
The public wants one, thepartners want one.
Somebody has to take the fallhomeboy and it's going to be you
today.
He's like but I didn't.
I got hookers because you askedme to Like, you sought me out.
(51:00):
And the dude's like yo, itsucks to suck, and today you
suck.
You're definitely going to bethat guy.
I'm really sorry, richard.
So at the end of the episode,richard shows up unannounced at
Laura's house.
Let me just say this real quickVal is over there with Ginger
and they're talking about thebook and she's telling them how
she decided not to post it or Ikeep saying post, publish it
(51:20):
because she and Gary have thisdeal.
Tell me why Laura's like beingquiet couldn't be me, ma'am,
since when?
Because seasons one, two andhalf of three you were all the
way up behind doing exactly whathe told you.
Whenever he told you couldn'tbe me, girl, you just found your
spine.
Please don't have a seat.
Well, they don't really get toget into it any more than that.
(51:41):
Because here comes Richard.
He just comes in and he doesthis thing.
I don't like, if you know,something is about to hit the
fan and, yes, you really reallyneed some help.
I get you being like just justbe with me, just hear me out,
just, you know, hear me out,yeah, but don't be like.
You got to be on my side.
You got to be on my side.
Wait, what are we getting into?
I don't know what you did.
(52:02):
I mean, let me know, let memake a sound decision.
But he is kind of in shamblesby the end of this.
Not only has Abby not canceledthe weekend meeting, she went
ahead and pushed it further.
We got to do this tonight.
How's he interested by her andsays listen, we got it, we got
to put this to bed tonight.
Let me tell Gary he can't doanything on the weekend but I'll
(52:24):
tell him about tonight.
So she tells him and Gary'slike oh my God, I promise Val.
Abby's like listen, if youdon't sign this paperwork today,
we could lose the capital thatwe need.
Gary, we got to make thishappen.
She just don't have tounderstand.
This is business.
Well, gary goes home andannounces that he's going out,
he's got a business to attend tohim and Abby are going to go
take care of business period,point blank, like she's just
(52:46):
supposed to take it.
So Val's like okay, cool.
As soon as he leaves, shestarts rage signing those papers
.
She rage signed a contract.
You know what?
Forget you and your scallywags.
I'm going to tell everybodyabout you and your trifling
family.
You can't keep your word.
(53:06):
I can't keep my word, oh mygosh, when I tell you I cannot
wait to press play on the nextepisode.
I can't wait to see his face.
Those of you who've watchedthis before, this could be a
blip.
I kind of get the feeling thatthis is not going to be a very
big storyline for very long, butright now, right now, lord,
this is good.
I almost wish there was a realcopy of the book I could read.
(53:27):
I think I finally understandwhat has been bugging me about
this.
In the case of both Val andRichard, it's almost as if they
were squeezed into someoneelse's story.
I mean, not Richard as much,but hear me out, richard showed
up as this lawyer, really goodat his job.
That's probably why he washired there.
Yet he allowed the narrative tobe spun in a different way, all
(53:50):
by saying yes, all by beingaccommodating way, all by saying
yes, all by being accommodating, all by following the rules
playing along.
He even had enough galleventually to stand up for
himself, and it still turned outfor the worst for him.
Valene is the same.
She had this whole story herwhole life and she didn't really
have these talents or whatever.
Gets this opportunity decides.
(54:12):
You know what it's moreimportant that my man feels
comfortable.
That's what is totallyrespectable.
She made the accommodations,she was willing to put her dream
on the back burner and it stilldidn't turn out in her favor.
I think the thing that bugs meis that in both situations and
(54:32):
in real life, you can do thething that is the noble thing.
You can stand up for yourselfafter you feel like you've gone
down the wrong path and it couldstill not turn out the best.
It's just such a hard thing tonavigate.
You know what I mean.
Life is not black and white.
There are so many nuances indaily choices and major choices.
(54:55):
Always possible to do the rightthing and end up on the wrong
way.
It's always possible to coursecorrect and still have to pay
the consequences of the firstmistake.
I think about kids like youteach kids okay, stand up for
yourself, always be yourself.
But the reality is you can dothose things, you can be
(55:17):
accommodating, you can stand upfor yourself and someone can
still disrespect you.
I think that's what it is.
It's like they both thoughtabout what they were doing,
decided that they weren'tcomfortable moving forward in
the way that the story wasalready going, did what they had
to do to change that and itstill didn't matter, gosh, not
(55:40):
to be dramatic, but wow, I thinkit hits a little differently
too, like if you're working, youwant to move jobs, you want to
move careers.
Sometimes you make decisions,you make accommodations, you get
in it and then before you knowit, you realize this was the
absolute wrong decisions.
That's the whole thing.
There's no certainty.
You really do have to just sortof take this leap of faith.
(56:01):
The only thing you can controlis yourself.
And they both really, reallytried.
Now Val's probably going to turnout all right.
I'm sure the Ewing's will bepissed, but I mean what's new,
and you know what I'm saying Arethey going to expose themselves
(56:23):
?
They're probably going to gofor her neck.
Honestly, I don't think JR isgoing to take this sitting down.
I don't see Sue Ellen takingthis sitting down either.
But Richard, oh man, richard'shurt the most because it's like
this guy went to law school.
He studied, he did all thethings.
He became the lawyer and I keptasking myself why is this so
painful?
I think it's so painful becauseit's like no matter how good he
(56:46):
is, no matter how great hisideas are, no matter how much
money he's saving the company orearning the company, people
can't seem to get past what theywant him to be.
They wanted him to be basicallya glorified secretary at his
first job.
Now this one wants him to be apimp.
It makes no sense why a man asintelligent as him can't walk in
(57:09):
there and do the job that hewants to do.
You know how rare that is tofind people who want to go to
work and actually work Present,company excluded, of course, we
all go to work and do our jobsright, but you know what I mean.
He wants to be better.
He wants the challenge, hewants to prove himself and I
don't think he necessarily wantsto prove himself to other
(57:30):
people, but it feels like hewants.
He needs to have some sort ofsuccess in this arena because
he's already invested so muchtime.
He don't even have a familylike that anymore.
He's about to have a brand newbaby who may never live in the
same house as him.
He left a crappy job only tohave his wife, who's been a
stay-at-home woman all this time, become this super realtor in
(57:55):
LA of all places.
The world is slipping away andit's like dang you made the
decision, you did the thing, youstudied hard, you became the
thing, and now you may never beable to do that again.
Valene's like.
I found my husband.
I reconciled, I'm making deals,I'm trying to be as caring and
supportive of him as I can be.
I'll even throw away thistalent if I have to, only to
(58:18):
have it be still not quiteenough.
I think there's a bigger lesson.
I feel like there's stillsomething simmering under the
surface, but that just hit me.
That hit me right in the feelslike dang.
Am I on the wrong path?
Have I been doing something waylonger than I need to do this
and many other questions we mayor may not answer on the next
episode of Soap Floor.
Thank you so much for joiningme today.
(58:39):
I hope you have enjoyedyourself.
Join me next time as we jumpback into some vintage primetime
soap opera debauchery.
Stay hydrated, stay moisturized, stay the course or abandon it.
Choice is yours.
Mind your business and keep allof your drama on TV.
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