S01.E08: 1.69 Million

[peachmangosteen]

Quote

With a little encouragement from Ava, Deborah’s unpolished set sparks a career-defining moment

Airs June 3rd.

[pennben]

This show is flat out amazing! I even forgive them for making Ava so awful the first handful of episodes.  Sad that there’s only two episodes remaining.   This must be renewed!

[Quickbeam]

This was my favorite episode yet. Really dug deep into the issues in performing that women have endured. Jean Smart is just brilliant in this. Not one false move. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

As soon as that male comic introduced himself to Deborah, I was like ugh, THIS GUY. You know, the same guy you see at every comedy club. THIS GUY is the reason why when allegations of groping or sexual assault come out, people are not surprised because of course THIS GUY has been stuck in that gross mindset for his entire career (or "career" as the case may be). I hope Deborah makes sure to include that he isn't allowed to do any comedy at all. No youtube channel, no jokes on twitter, NOTHING.

I'm closer in age to Ava than to Deborah, but even I was like YUP when Deborah and her old comedy friend were talking about how getting groped was just part of being a female in a comedy club. Hell, that was just part of being female anywhere. Although it was interesting to see the generational gap between Deborah accepting that kind of behavior and Ava being totally appalled by it, it made me wonder how Ava managed to be a writer in Los Angeles and never get sexually harassed. I mean, good for her but even with the advent of MeToo, it still happens.

I was glad that Marcus decided not to run out on the water guy!

[FrankOFoley]

This is the episode that made me fall in love with this show. Jean Smart is great. Love the idea that Deborah had to  circle back to her comedy origins to rediscover herself and hopefully save herself.

[arc]

At 25, Ava is either from the last year of the millennial cohort or the first year of the zoomers. It’s tricky. But saying millennials are 40 is only partially true: that’s how old the very oldest millennials are.

The co-creators sat down with the LA Times for an interview about this episode. (MSN link because there’s no paywall that way)

[Feech]

I enjoyed the episode but not the implicit censorship.

Deb gave two alternatives to the other comics bullshit. There is a third. As the immortal Homer Simpson said:

”Be More Funny!”

The speechifying was not funny in the least and is the kind of Aaron Sorkin nonsense that never happens in real life.

”Be More Funny!”

 

Edited June 5, 2021 by Feech

[Night Cheese]

This show just keeps getting better and better. I'm so happy I found it because it's been a really joy to watch these last few weeks. 

I think the writers have really done a great job portraying how each woman brings out the best in the other and helps each to grow in a healthy way. Obviously Ava, the young, "entitled" one has the most opportunity to mature from being around a wise older comedian who has seen it all, but even Deborah, who at 70ish and very set in her ways, has grown and matured with Ava's influence. 

I hope that Deborah is able to land another casino gig somewhere and if this show gets a Season 2, we never have to see Marty again. I knew at the end of Episode 7 that the two of them hooking up was going to end badly, but I thought he would just move on to another young woman and Deborah would take another ageist blow. Him dropping that bomb on her the morning after they spent the night together was just so unnecessarily sleazy and I really need Deborah to come out on top. I don't blame him for doing his job and doing whatever is the most profitable for his casino, but sleeping with her knowing that she was essentially getting fired the next day was pretty gross. 

[Irlandesa]

On 6/4/2021 at 9:59 PM, Feech said:

Deb gave two alternatives to the other comics bullshit. There is a third. As the immortal Homer Simpson said:

”Be More Funny!”

Deborah doesn't give a damn whether he's funny or not.  He was using his power in the club to sexually harass comedians.  She wanted him gone so future comedians didn't have to deal with that just to get time on the stage.

If he were funnier and more successful, it'd actually be worse because he'd have even more power.

My issue with it is that, even without the club, he's still going to be that guy--one who'll probably harass any woman in his office over whom he feels he has power.  Now, with 1.69 million in his pocket (minus taxes).

In spite of the logic, Jean Smart was again terrific in this episode.

Edited June 6, 2021 by Irlandesa

[Feech]

11 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Deborah doesn't give a damn whether he's funny or not.  

Exactly. She doesn’t care about being funny.

Maybe then can open up woke lecture clubs instead of comedy clubs.

Funny trumps everything. That’s why you go to a comedy club.

[chaifan]

14 hours ago, Feech said:

The speechifying was not funny in the least and is the kind of Aaron Sorkin nonsense that never happens in real life.

I thought a lot of Deborah's "speechifying" was very funny.  Uncomfortable, and mean (though deservedly mean), but funny.  Does this happen in real life?  Probably not.  If it did, there would be far fewer asshats like the male comedian. 

I didn't think Deborah needed to do the bit with the bribe, though.  I think she got her point across very well prior to that and sufficiently outed that guy as a harassing creep.  The money part did show that she did not have to put up with his shit, that her success wasn't dependent on him (like the younger female comedian), and she could make him her little puppet on a string with little effort. 

Here's where I hope this goes...  someone, of course, was recording all of this.  It makes it's way on to Twitter or whatever, reaching the late night talk shows.  Deborah is a hit, is relevant with the younger crowd, is a hero for young female comedians and actresses, and she gets incredible offers that she never would have been able to take if she were still obligated to her casino contract.  So it's a big F you to Marty and the casino, as they just lost out on the hottest game in town.  Her new show is the new material she and Ava have been working on. 

So Season Two (I hope there is a Season 2!) starts with her new gig, resurrected fame, no Marty (except for a guest appearance or two of him groveling back), Ava has success and new confidence. 

 

[Feech]

12 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Deborah doesn't give a damn whether he's funny or not.  

The only part of her speechifying that was remotely amusing was her direct attacks on the MC. Ridiculing his hoodie and his looks. The rest was a self satisfied feminist diatribe that is reminiscent of much of the unfunny tripe that passes for comedy in woke circles.

It is not even really a man/ woman thing as witness the recent contretemps between Anthony Jeselneck and the Legion of Skanks.

If we subscribed to the woke comedy that Ava prescribes we would have to ban Richard Pyror, Buddy Hackett, Rodney Dangerfield, Andrew Dice Clay Joe Rogan, Anthony Cumia, Jim Norton, Bill Burr, Joey Diaz and Louie CK. I know that is what a lot of untalented female comics want but not what the people who actually buy tickets at most comedy clubs will actually pay to see.

The title of this show is “Hacks.” That is what Deb is and how she became so rich. Do you really think she can maintain her lifestyle by becoming Tig Notaro?

Edited June 5, 2021 by Feech

[pennben]

Lord, I wish the word ‘woke’ never evolved into a word that allows easy dismissal of awareness of issues otherwise previously ignored.  Somehow “woke” has become a castaway spell to all for ignoring legitimate issues.  

[txhorns79]

21 hours ago, Night Cheese said:

Him dropping that bomb on her the morning after they spent the night together was just so unnecessarily sleazy and I really need Deborah to come out on top. I don't blame him for doing his job and doing whatever is the most profitable for his casino, but sleeping with her knowing that she was essentially getting fired the next day was pretty gross. 

I mean, Deborah was blackmailing him in an effort to keep her slot at the hotel, so her hands aren't particularly clean in all this. 

I didn't like Ava lecturing Deborah about her prior experiences with the now-dead owner of the club.  Sometimes I feel like it's very easy for Ava to lecture because she has no real idea what those times were actually like. 

[Cheezwiz]

26 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

I didn't like Ava lecturing Deborah about her prior experiences with the now-dead owner of the club.  Sometimes I feel like it's very easy for Ava to lecture because she has no real idea what those times were actually like. 

Yeah, this was clearly intended to illustrate Ava's cluelessness and lack of experience with the club circuit. Women back then had shrug this bullshit off and barrel ahead because there were simply no alternatives  and even today, things have probably only improved marginally, as shown by Mr. Pleather MC.

Ava is now suddenly facing an unexpected dilemma - her attachment to Deborah is growing, but a promising gig is being dangled in front of her. I honestly thought that phone call to Ava at the end of the episode was going to be a crisis involving her Dad - wasn't expecting a job offer.

I really hope this comes back for a second season - not only is the story of the two main characters interesting, but I like all the secondary characters, like Marcus, the personal assistant, the house manager, and Kiki.

[Night Cheese]

1 hour ago, txhorns79 said:

I mean, Deborah was blackmailing him in an effort to keep her slot at the hotel, so her hands aren't particularly clean in all this.

That is true. When she came up with that plan, I figured it would backfire somehow, so when he shrugged off and said he'd just take that hit, I wasn't very surprised.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

10 hours ago, Feech said:

Funny trumps everything.

Funny doesn't trump sexual harassment. Funny doesn't trump abuse of power. No matter how funny Pleather Hoodie thinks he is, his behavior is still shit.

Comedians who rely on sexism, racism, and other such -isms are lazy. If you can't make people laugh without stooping to that kind of humor, you aren't very talented.

[Feech]

Funny trumps everything.

Lectures belong in a college study hall not a comedy club.

If he did something actionable then make a criminal complaint. 
 

 

[Irlandesa]

3 hours ago, Feech said:

Funny trumps everything.

Sexual harassment? Rape? Murder?

Anyway, she did something. She offered him 1.69 to leave comedy.  He could have turned it down but he knew, she knew, everyone knew that he'd never make that much in his comedy career because he might be "funny" enough to rule over this hole in the wall comedy club but not funny enough to make it big like Deborah had.

 

[arc]

6 hours ago, Cheezwiz said:

Women back then had shrug this bullshit off and barrel ahead because there were simply no alternatives  and even today, things have probably only improved marginally, as shown by Mr. Pleather MC.

Jen Kirkman was just tweeting today that in the 90s she co-ran one comedy room and ran another because she and other women couldn’t get booked at comedy clubs. Comedy Central and other gatekeepers thought this was a sign of being bad at comedy, and then they came to the rooms … and picked out the men there for specials. 
 

(Also, that thread was a spin-off about the sexist and racist gatekeeper at Just For Laughs Montreal, which is so incredibly important for launching comedy careers.)

[tljgator]

9 hours ago, Feech said:

Funny trumps everything.

That's (part of) the problem, though. IT SHOULDN'T. You said Louis CK fell in this group for you -- well, Louis CK whipped his dick out whenever he felt like it, women DID complain, and he can still do a comedy set in a NY club whenever he wants. Bill Cosby raped dozens of women, and it was a fairly well-known behavior in Hollywood, but he was still hired constantly for whatever work he wanted. The whole point of this episode is that being funny [if you're a man] trumps everything. And it SHOULDN'T. Funny men shouldn't get to rape women at work and then get more of the same work.

The other point of this episode is that funny doesn't trump shit if you're a woman. (Ask Kathy Griffin. And hundreds of others.) Related -- if you're a man, who's the gatekeeper to women getting work at all in these places, then funny doesn't even enter the equation.

9 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

If you can't make people laugh without stooping to that kind of humor, you aren't very talented.

If you didn't see Katt WIlliams (of all people, lol) making this exact point about why 'cancel culture' is NOT a thing and shouldn't be that was all over the Twitterverse yesterday, check it out. 

[whiporee]

6 hours ago, Feech said:

The only part of her speechifying that was remotely amusing was her direct attacks on the MC. Ridiculing his hoodie and his looks. The rest was a self satisfied feminist diatribe that is reminiscent of much of the unfunny tripe that passes for comedy in woke circles.

It is not even really a man/ woman thing as witness the recent contretemps between Anthony Jeselneck and the Legion of Skanks.

If we subscribed to the woke comedy that Ava prescribes we would have to ban Richard Pyror, Buddy Hackett, Rodney Dangerfield, Andrew Dice Clay Joe Rogan, Anthony Cumia, Jim Norton, Bill Burr, Joey Diaz and Louie CK. I know that is what a lot of untalented female comics want but not what the people who actually buy tickets at most comedy clubs will actually pay to see.

The title of this show is “Hacks.” That is what Deb is and how she became so rich. Do you really think she can maintain her lifestyle by becoming Tig Notaro?

Wow, that's a total miss of the scene and the point. she explained it all pretty well. By saying what he did, he put her in a box that he got to define. He got to make a joke about her tits. Woman's a legend, and he thought it was cool to make a joke about her tits as she took the stage, and she could ignore it, or she could joke back, or she could call him out. I guess you'd have preferred she ignore it, and let him think it was okay. She wasn't being woke -- she was putting a piece if shit in his place. It's not okay to publicly humiliate someone, and if you do, then you deserve the humiliation when it comes back at you. 

She wasn't insulting his act. She was attacking what he said to and about her. And to be honest, I doubt you really know the stuff of most of the names you've mentioned. Because aside from Clay, none of their routines were attacking specific people. None of them acted to menan other comedians. They were funny because they didn't need to do that. This guy did. 

Sticking up for yourself isn't woke. It's natural. its what we all should expect of ourselves and each other. 

[Keywestclubkid]

20 hours ago, Feech said:

Exactly. She doesn’t care about being funny.

Maybe then can open up woke lecture clubs instead of comedy clubs.

Funny trumps everything. That’s why you go to a comedy club.

He was a predator... funny doesn’t trump everything... 

[chaifan]

14 hours ago, Feech said:

Funny trumps everything.

 

Well, the audience laughed.  Quite a bit.  So I guess by your measure that means Deborah succeeded. 

[BC4ME]

Ignoring the troll...

I love the series. Jean Smart is fabulous. Just fabulous. I love the way they set this episode up to show the differing views on harassment of the younger generation vs the older. If you count 69 as old. I'm actually a couple of years younger than Jean Smart and although I wasn't in the comedy business, the general attitude that this was the way the world was and you couldn't do anything about it is accurate IMO. It was degrading, unpleasant or worse and you just had to accept it and move on the best you could. The battle was too hard to try to fight every instance. Especially because it was a battle that couldn't be won at that time. We're closer now but back then, you couldn't waste all of your energy on it. It was a losing fight. 

[sugarbaker design]

On 6/6/2021 at 2:01 PM, BC4ME said:

Ignoring the troll...

Same!

Was I the only one yelling "Don't gooooooooo!" as Curtis was giving the valet his ticket?  I adore the two leads, but as someone posted above I love the supporting cast.

Edited June 14, 2021 by sugarbaker design

[Iseut]

On 6/14/2021 at 6:41 AM, sugarbaker design said:

Was I the only one yelling "Don't gooooooooo!" as Curtis was giving the valet his ticket?  I adore the two leads, but as someone posted above I love the supporting cast.

I did! Didn't realize how invested I was in their relationship until I actually started yelling at my TV! So glad he went back. Again, it's impressive how much we know about Marcus even with his limited lines and scenes. Great acting and writing for his character. 

I hope that the $1.69 million doesn't come back to bite Deborah. I can imagine a bunch of assholes showing up at her shows shouting out gross things and then asking her for money to make them shut up. 

[SoMuchTV]

I’m just now watching this, but this episode is where it’s taken a turn from fluffy entertainment to something I’m invested in. Don’t let me down now, show!

[LuvMyShows]

On 6/5/2021 at 1:13 PM, chaifan said:

Her new show is the new material she and Ava have been working on. 

So Season Two (I hope there is a Season 2!) starts with her new gig, resurrected fame, no Marty (except for a guest appearance or two of him groveling back), Ava has success and new confidence. 

On 6/5/2021 at 9:13 PM, txhorns79 said:

I didn't like Ava lecturing Deborah about her prior experiences with the now-dead owner of the club.

Deborah is sooo much funnier when she's channeling her anger and her horrible experiences in the comedy world, than she is even in her new material.  I don't have any spoiler info, but I hope this incident convinces both of them to drop the material she's been working on with Ava (foreclosure?  double mastectomy?  sounds fairly generic), and instead use the very specific events and emotions she has experienced coming up in the comedy world.