[audience cheering, applauding]
AUDIENCE [chanting]: Grace! Grace!
Grace! Grace! Grace!
Grace! Grace!
Grace! Grace! Grace!
Grace! Grace!
-Grace! Grace! Grace! Grace! -[cheering swells]
[intro to R&B song playing]
[cameras clicking]
[photographers clamoring]
-[cameras clicking] -[cheering]
♪ Bad... girl ♪
-GRACE: Do you guys like this song? -[cheering]
♪ Bad... ♪
-[music distorting] -[button clicks, music stops]
MAGGIE: Whoa, whoa, we're clipping.
-SETH: Yeah. -MAGGIE: Let's pull that down.
-SETH: Got it. -[audio warbling]
-[button clicks] -[music and cheering resume]
GRACE [over speakers]: Do you guys like this song?
'Cause I've been singing it for a long time.
This was one of the first songs I ever recorded.
Lee Moses wrote it.
And when I played it for the label,
they said, "Who wants to listen to this?"
And you know what I say?
How you like me now?
Wait, wait. Play that back.
-Let's lose the gates. -[music stops]
I want it to bleed more.
-[music resumes] -And you know what I say?
How you like me now?
-♪ Bad... ♪ -SETH: Nice, Maggie.
[chuckles]
-♪ Girl ♪ -GRACE: This song is about...
...a bad girl.
HANKY [in song]: One, two, three, four!
-[upbeat music plays] -GRACE: ♪ Bad... girl ♪
-♪ Oh, yes, I am... ♪ -[indistinct chatter]
-[music stops] -MAN: You know it, man.
Sorry, Maggie, I got a real session here.
Oh, shit.
[laughter, indistinct chatter]
-That's crazy. That's crazy. -All over.
-5:00 a.m. -Hey, sweetie.
-Sethy! My brother. -Hey.
-'Sup, man? -You beautiful beast.
-What's happening, man? -What's happening?
-Looking good as usual. -Yo, dude, was that
-a Grace Davis track? -SETH: It's a work in progress.
-Yeah, man, I'd love to get in on that. -Yeah, me, too.
SETH: Uh, let me just pull up your track.
[muffled chatter continues]
HANKY: One, two, three, four!
GRACE: ♪ Bad... girl ♪
♪ Oh, yes, I am ♪
♪ Baby, they call me bad girl ♪
♪ All because I wanted to be free ♪
♪ But there's a man who's in love ♪
♪ With this here little girl ♪
♪ And I believe that he loves me, yeah ♪
♪ What his heart feels ♪
♪ His lips must confess that he'll ♪
♪ Never let me alone ♪
♪ He doesn't care if I'm bad ♪
We're gonna be friends.
♪ Bad girl, yeah ♪
♪ Oh, so bad ♪
♪ Yeah, bad, bad girl ♪
♪ His love ♪
-[tires squeal] -[grunts]
♪ Is a mystery ♪
♪ It can't be explained by anything... ♪
Whew! Hi.
Where are her keys?
You could lose the tone.
I've had a hell of a day.
Where are the keys?
Mm-mm.
I manage the house,
not the woman that lives inside of it.
That's your job.
♪ ♪
-[engine revving] -♪ Bad ♪
♪ Bad girl ♪
JACK: If your ass can't be on time, be early.
Here, this is her bag.
Hey, I'll see you at the house.
Late.
Six minutes.
-Not my best. -Nope.
How was Maui?
Crowded, hot, pretty, fun.
I don't know. Hard.
What is this? That's disgusting.
I don't want that. Why'd you bring that?
Y-You asked me to.
[laughing]
You drink it.
MAGGIE: Your set-changes meeting is at 2:30,
and then you have the waxer at 3:15.
-Uh-huh. -And you want a facial, yeah?
Yeah. I don't want this, though. No more of that.
-My God. -Um, the band is coming over
for the party at 5:00-ish,
and tomorrow we leave at 9:30, wheels up, for New York.
And what are we doing with that producer meeting?
Jack is scheduling those.
Um, but about the live album, I was wondering...
Do I have rehearsal tomorrow?
-Is that all set? -Yes, well,
Dan was asking if, perhaps,
you would want to rehearse at his house instead of yours.
I'd said to his assistant that that probably would not...
How many Grammys do I have?
-11. -Uh-huh.
And how many Grammys does Dan have?
-Eight. -Not 11.
-No. -That's eight.
-That's very fewer than me. -Mm-hmm.
A lot fewer.
[laughing]
You feel free to relay that to his assistant.
["Flowers" by Leon Bridges playing]
-[lively chatter] -♪ Flowers ♪
Oh. Thank you.
♪ Of the fields ♪
♪ Here today ♪
♪ Vanish in the wind... ♪
Look at you.
Full of sugar. Shit.
Just eat half of your ass.
I'm-a just eat cake, no icing.
No icing.
Jack, she will have just finished eight shows,
and you want her to fly to Vegas
to have a conversation with the Caesars Palace guy?
It's a residency, okay?
And it's my job to find us our next gig.
This ain't your grandmama's Vegas.
Lil Jon done played there.
DJ Khaled.
Let me do my job, and you do yours, which is:
get her coffee, Kleenex, Kotex
and whatever else the hell we been paying you to do
for the last six months.
Three years. [chuckles]
I've been here for three years.
You get paid?
I thought you were an intern.
MAGGIE: [sighs] Jack, I just feel
like it might be a good idea if she took a break.
That's a good idea.
And what I mean by "good idea"--
screw you and your shitty ideas.
She just got back from Hawaii.
That was work.
Yeah, in Hawaii.
Okay, now, guys, I'm not going back to Hawaii.
If we're gonna do tropical, Jack,
I want to go to the Maldives.
Jack, there hasn't been a new Grace Davis record in a decade,
and the fans want one.
-[sighing]: Okay. -We need one.
Let me tell you something-- I've been managing Grace
longer than you've probably been alive.
So you think she should do new material?
-Yeah. -Okay. Guess what.
Don't nobody give a shit about new material.
-Okay? -[scoffs]
That last album she did,
it didn't do as well as she had hoped.
Matter of fact, those was not Grace Davis numbers,
and you know it.
That was a reality check,
people letting us know it's time to move on.
-To a Vegas residency? -Yeah.
Don't nobody want to go to no Yankee Doodle
Springsteen concert and hear him play
that Wrecking Ball folksy bullshit.
Actually, that was an incredibly poignant album,
and it did extremely well.
People want "Thunder Road," okay?
And that's what we gonna give 'em.
We gonna give 'em "Thunder Road."
That's how I pay my mortgage.
But you wouldn't know that,
'cause your little ass ain't got no mortgage.
Crazy little girl gonna tell me how to do my goddamn job.
Always coming at me with some Springsteen shit.
[scoffs]
Got me twisted.
["Share Your Love with Me" by Aretha Franklin playing]
♪ It's an evil wind... ♪
MAX [over radio]: "Share Your Love with Me,"
sung by the 27-year-old Aretha Franklin.
-Originally by... -Bobby "Blue" Bland.
MAX: Bobby "Blue" Bland.
♪ It's a sad heart ♪
♪ That won't love ♪
♪ Like I know it should ♪
-♪ Oh, how lonesome ♪ -♪ Oh, how lonesome♪
♪ You must be... ♪
HANKY: One, two, three, four!
GRACE: ♪ Bad ♪
[distorting]: ♪ Bad, bad ♪
♪ Bad girl... ♪
Hey, do you think you could, like,
turn it up a little bit louder?
-Headphones. -Okay.
You put them on so I can sleep.
Thank you.
♪ But there's a man ♪
♪ Who's in love with this here little girl... ♪
HANKY: One, two, three, four!
♪ Bad... girl ♪
♪ Baby, they call me bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad ♪
♪ All because... ♪
[phone ringing, vibrating]
-Oh. -[bell chimes, jet engine whooshes]
This is the song list for the live album.
Okay.
-Don't mess it up. -I won't.
-Okay. -Here you go.
-Thank you, baby. -I know that Jack is
setting some producer meetings for the live album,
-and I was wondering... -Mm-hmm.
Well, I was hoping, actually, um, if I could...
What you doing in my damn seat?
Why you always sitting here?
Oh, I'm sorry.
-Sorry. -[Grace clears throat]
[R&B music playing quietly]
[Jack sighing]
Want to go over the set list?
No.
-Do you? -[laughing]
No.
Got your bag of diabetes right here.
Boom. Give it to me.
You know, I don't even like sugar.
-Uh-huh. -I only carry this
on the off chance that you might want some, you know?
Mm-hmm. Very kind.
But you know who ends up eating it all?
-Who? -Me.
-And I'm trying to do better. -Mm-hmm.
Taking my little Pilates.
-[laughing] -Got my spin classes.
Eating my salads.
Iceberg lettuce with a whole bunch of blue cheese on it
is not a salad.
Look, menu say it's a salad, it's a goddamn salad.
-It's not a salad. -Yeah.
-Mm. -So, let's go over the list.
No, I don't want to go over the set list.
Grace, come on.
I'll get off this goddamn plane right now.
You're gonna get off the plane, Jack?
How are you gonna get off the plane?
-I bought you the plane. -You... Oh.
My voice bought me this plane.
JACK: That's a damn technicality.
Give me another Red Vine.
[Jack sighs]
You know what?
-20% of that's mine. -Unbelievable.
AUDIENCE [chanting]: Grace! Grace! Grace!
-[chanting continues] -♪ You better just ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, stop for a minute, oh ♪
-[drums play brief, heavy beat] -[chant stops, fans cheer]
[lights thump]
[heavy whooshing]
-[band playing upbeat intro] -[cheering]
♪ Monday morning, and the sun is dead ♪
♪ Sky is broken, and the clouds are bled ♪
♪ I was up, was gonna go to work ♪
♪ Had my coffee, then went back to bed ♪
♪ Aiyee ♪
♪ My baby ♪
♪ Stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute. ♪ Uh-uh! Uh-uh!
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.
I'm not gonna tell you guys you're great
if you're not great. Let's do it again.
♪ Baby, 'cause you ♪
♪ You're the only one who knows what I... ♪
No, no, no, no, no!
-♪ Stop for a minute ♪ -[fans clamoring]
♪ Stop for a minute, oh... ♪
Hello, New York!
Chicago!
Hello...
-Where are we? -Detroit.
I can't hear you, Maggie.
Detroit.
I can't hear you, Detroit!
♪ Stop for a minute, stop for a minute ♪
♪ Oh, stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
-Cold. Oh! -Detroit Free Press:
"Everything we'd expect from a Grace Davis concert.
"Lucky her songs are good, or by now
we would've tired of them."
-I need more ice. -I don't agree.
-I know when I need more ice. -Oh.
-♪ Baby, 'cause you ♪ -[fans cheering, clamoring]
♪ You got little brittle pieces... ♪
[chatters, laughs]
♪ Stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
AUDIENCE: ♪ Stop for a minute, stop for a minute, oh. ♪
-[cheering] -Thank you!
[fans continue cheering and shouting excitedly]
-Oh, I call tall blondie. -Dark shorty.
-I call Mr. Chocolate. -JACK: Grace!
-Yes, Jack. -Look. Hey.
Hey, y'all. Get the hell out of here.
-Beat it. Beat it. -Oh, and hello to you, too.
-Give me that. -Oh, give me that.
-Remember Alec? Caesars Palace? -Oh.
Of course I do.
I wish I'd known you were coming. I...
I would've gotten you box seats.
Oh, there's no need to fret. Jack got me...
-[mimicking Jack]: the hookup. -Ah!
ALEC: I can't tell you how stoked I am
to be here and finally be having this conversation.
We so want to be in the you business, Grace.
Caesars is going through a full revamp.
Uh, more seats, brighter lights, louder sound.
JACK: It looked great in there.
It's hooked. And everything you're doing on tour,
-we can do it right there. -Yeah.
JACK: Five years, six years.
-Ten. -Ten.
I would do the same thing every night?
[laughing]: Man, that's my dream job.
-Easy money. Look, no stress. -Mm-hmm.
All right? No more touring.
[whispers]: I love touring.
-I like groupies, too. -[chuckles]
No, I like touring. I don't like groupies.
But this way... this way, I ain't got to
[chuckling]: reinvent your ass every time.
I'm just trying to take a little pressure off myself.
MAGGIE: I found your lucky glass.
It was on the balcony, which was weird.
-Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't... -ALEC: Sweetheart, be an angel.
-Get me a drink. No soda. Ugh. -Get, get, get, get.
Celine Dion did over a thousand shows for us.
But I think, with your fan base, we can beat that record.
[scoffs] Man, come on.
[mimicking Jack]: Man, come on.
-JACK: That's nothing. -ALEC: That's nothing.
It's "nathan."
It's... "nathan."
If you want the feel of touring, we can do it.
We'll leave from Vegas, we'll drive you around,
we'll come back to Vegas.
You'll feel like you're touring.
We'll do whatever you want.
Grace, there's a problem with the house monitor,
so we just need to do another sound check.
Oh, my God. Okay.
-So sorry. Duty calls. -Oh.
-Got to go. -Of course. Yeah.
We'll do anything to get you there.
-So, uh... -Thank you for coming.
Enjoy the show.
["Oh No Not My Baby" by Maxine Brown playing quietly]
♪ I had faith in you ♪
♪ I just kept on saying ♪
♪ Oh, no, not my baby ♪
♪ Oh, no... ♪
Hey.
Are you okay?
Yeah. I can't sleep.
Do you want some tea?
Or I think Jack has a lot of Ambien.
No. It's fine.
Stop. Relax.
What are you doing?
Schedule stuff.
What are you listening to?
♪ And I should use my head ♪
♪ But I didn't listen to what she said... ♪
[gasps] Aw.
Such a good song.
Maxine Brown.
You know who originally wrote this?
-Yeah. Carole King. -Very good.
-She's my favorite songwriter. -Really?
-Other than you. -Thank you.
-I'm sorry. -[laughing]
-I'm joking. -Mm.
Here.
That was a really good move back there with Mr. Vegas.
[exhales through lips] It did not look like
you wanted to have that conversation.
Oh.
Like you can read me so well.
Sorry.
I'm kidding.
I can't believe he pulled that.
He's just looking out for me.
He and I have been hustling together since I was...
since I was 18.
I used to do these sets at these late-night,
divey piano bars.
They were, like, sticky floors, like, smoke everywhere.
Sound system was terrible.
They were awful. Like, awful.
And every night, Jack would... [chuckles]
He would show up, and he'd be standing in the back...
and his mouth was just, like, hanging open, looking at me.
[chuckles]
For where we come from,
getting locked into a Vegas residency,
that is a win.
What?
Nothing.
I know everyone is happy with me...
...doing the same show every night.
I don't know, what if...
Whatever.
I remember watching you on Oprah...
-Which time? -...when I was little, and...
I've done Oprahso many times.
I think you were talking about your third album.
Uh-huh.
And you said this thing that I'll never forget.
I think about it all the time.
You said, "When there are no more surprises,
then who am I doing it for?"
-Oprah. -[quietly]: Oprah.
-Long time ago. -[chuckles]
So, has this just been, like, a long con?
Yes. Ever since I was a little girl,
I've dreamed of giving you an enema in Toronto.
Okay.
-Do not bring up Toronto. -[chuckling]
You know what clams do to me.
♪ ♪
MAGGIE: She was telling me about
all these amazing affairs that she had. It...
KATIE: So you didn't talk to her about the album.
MAGGIE: No. You don't understand. Katie...
BOTH: She doesn't have any family, and no friends.
You're not friends. We are friends.
You know how I know we're friends?
Because friends don't pay friends to be their friends.
I actually feel like I pay for a lot of stuff
-in this relationship. -This is like a trap, you know?
-No. -You are not the only person in the world for her.
You are my only person in my world.
[chuckles] I know that, but if you told 12-year-old me
that one day I'd be working for Grace Davis...
I mean, she's an icon.
-It's the dream job. -[phone chimes]
Or at least it's, like, the gateway
to my actual dream job, but...
It's the gateway to, like, Stockholm syndrome.
Hey, I thought you left your phone in the car.
Yeah, my... I left my phone in the car.
This is my work phone.
Okay. You know what? Listen to me, Maggie.
-Yes. -Phone down. Eyes on me.
I know you think that she's gonna
give you this, like, life-changing shot
and you guys are gonna ride off into the sunset
holding hands or some shit,
but I think we need to consider the possibility
that this woman doesn't even know your last name.
-She does, sometimes. -Do we really think
she's gonna stop making you
wear her shoes around the house to break them in
and, oh, I don't know, make you her producer?
-Yes! -Maggie!
-[scoffs] -She only did that once, by the way,
and it was for the Grammys.
Can you please want more for yourself?
We are like this.
So, when you say "affairs"...
MAGGIE: I'm not gonna tell you anything.
KATIE: Like, give me a name. One name.
MAGGIE: Because Grace and I are friends
and I signed an NDA.
["California" by Phantom Planet playing]
♪ We've been on the run ♪
DAVID [singing along]: ♪ Driving in the sun ♪
♪ Looking out for number one ♪
♪ California, here we come ♪
♪ Right back where we started from ♪
Are-are these organic?
♪ Oh, hustlers, grab your guns... ♪
I don't work here.
But yes.
♪ California, here we come... ♪
Great song.
-You don't think so? -What?
♪ California... ♪
Ooh! He holds it out the whole time, you know?
[hits high note]: ♪ Here we come... ♪
BOTH: Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, Phantom Planet.
Very good.
Well, everybody knows this song. It's from The O.C.
Great show, right?
♪ Right back where we started from ♪
I have to go.
♪ A pedal to the floor, thinking of the roar... ♪
DAVID: I'm just wondering if your distaste for the show
is affecting your ability to appreciate
the musical complexity of the song.
[clears throat] Um...
Well, of all the songs about California,
this is not the one that I would pick.
-Okay. -Joni Mitchell's "California," maybe.
Or "Going Back to Cali" or "California Dreamin'."
They're all way better than this.
-"California Love." -Yeah.
Zeppelin's "Going to California."
-That's an amazing song. -Okay.
"Hotel California."
Mm, uh...
What's wrong with "Hotel California"?
Well, the Eagles are hokey, and Don Henley is
a very mean man.
-Okay. -Randy Meisner almost died of a stomach ulcer
because the band hated each other so much.
Yeah, but it's a perfect song.
It's, like, underrated, to be honest.
Underrated?
-Yeah. -It's literally always on.
-[scoffs] Okay. -It's, like, the "Brown Eyed Girl"
of Southern California soft rock.
So the Eagles won't make your fantasy dinner party.
Who does?
Popsicle?
Oh, no, thanks.
Well, uh, living or dead?
It doesn't matter.
Um, Brian Wilson.
Mm-hmm.
Nina Simone.
She and I have the same birthday.
Me and Mariah Carey.
So we're both very demanding and very deeply sad.
-Yeah. -[laughs]
-Otis Redding, for sure. -Oh, you're not
one of those girls who learned about Otis Redding
from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, are you?
I'm not even gonna respond to that.
-So, yes. Last one. -Hi.
Hi.
-Sam Cooke. -Who's Sam Cooke?
-"Who's Sam Cooke?" -Yeah, who's Sam Cooke?
You know Phantom Planet, but you don't know Sam Cooke?
MAN [over P.A.]: Folks, please join us outside on the patio
for live music and free vitamin B shots.
I'm having a party next week.
-You should come. -Oh, n... that's all...
CASHIER: That'll be $45.17. For the Popsicles.
-Yeah! -DAVID [over P.A.]: Welcome to
the second annual Laurel Canyon Wellness Fest.
I'm David Cliff, and I'm gonna start off
with a song from the King of Soul, Sam Cooke.
-[crowd murmuring, clapping] -Hope you all know who that is.
-[crowd whooping] -WOMAN: All right!
-MAN: Sam Cooke! -[playing "You Send Me"]
♪ Darling, you send me ♪
-MAN: Ah, nice, brother! -[others whooping]
♪ I know you send me ♪
♪ Darling, you send me ♪
♪ Honest you do, honest you do, honest you do ♪
-♪ Whoa ♪ -[crowd whooping]
-♪ You thrill me... ♪ -Son of a bitch.
JACK: It's just one simple meeting.
The label guys want to know all about Vegas.
-[Jack grunts] -[Grace coughing]
-[sniffs, sighs] -JACK: You know what?
Let's just talk about this later.
Continue to do your, uh, euca-load-of-shit.
"I don't want to sit with a bunch of label guys who..."
What is that line?
[whispers]: "Have to be reminded."
"Have to be... have to be reminded that I'm still alive."
What did we sit here and talk about?
MAGGIE: Mm.
Uh, "I've already done
"a greatest-hits album and a live album,
and now a greatest-hits live album?"
-[scoffing] -What?
Look, when I agreed to come back,
what did you promise me?
Huh?
You said you was gonna listen to me this time.
All I want to do is play it safe so we can stack some money.
[hoarsely]: It's pathetic.
No, you pathetic.
-[both scoffing] -'Cause you arguing with me
and your ass should be on vocal rest.
[hoarsely]: I will decide
-what I want to do next. -Yes.
-Give me the Popsicles, Maggie. -Yeah.
You always walk away!
Grace.
Now ain't the time for some damn sabbatical.
♪ ♪
[horn honking, siren in distance]
Oh, shit.
GRACE: What is Richie doing here?
He been working on this shit, like, two weeks, okay?
So, look, I haven't heard it, either.
So, before you start complaining,
at least give the man a listen.
-GRACE: Hi. -Richie Williams.
R-Dub-- that's what they call me.
-Yeah. Nice to meet you. -I feel like we met.
The Met Ball or the Oscar awards?
-Huh. Maybe. -Or a rave? You ever go to raves?
Don't go to raves, Richie.
Well, we're gonna go to one with this remix.
-Let me show you... -[laughing]: Okay.
Richie Williams' version of "Bad Girl."
-[ascending synthesizer tone] -Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
[electronic beat plays]
[heavily processed vocal]: ♪ Bad... girl ♪
-Signature sound right there. -Yep.
[distorted vocalizations]
-[turns down volume] -Is that dope, or is that dope?
Trick question. This is dope.
-Gotcha. -We know that. -All of it.
-What are you doing here, Maggie? -Um...
Richie Williams. R-Dubs.
Grammy Award winner.
I'm working on the album. If you want to
sit in the, uh, session, I can mentor you a little bit.
Uh, it's important for me to raise women up, you know?
-Come on in here, sweetheart. -JACK: Come on, man.
We ain't got time for that, okay?
All right. Let's get back into it.
Let's focus on this. Don't worry about her.
I mean, I'm... Kind of feels done.
Let's talk about it.
This version of "Bad Girl."
The old one's kind of old, right?
Feels old or whatever. I feel like this one
spiced it up a little bit. Feels global now.
Global, all right?
Matter of fact, intergalactical.
-Intergalactical. -That's that EDM stuff, man.
This is just what the doctor ordered.
Grace, may I please speak with you for a moment?
-What? -Um, well,
-I just, um, wanted to... -Oh, my God, spit it out.
I... I did a cut of the album.
-Wh... -I did a cut.
Seth helped me.
You hadn't hired anybody to do it yet,
and I didn't want to tell you or Jack.
JACK [over speaker]: Hey, hey. We can hear y'all.
Y'all know it's a damn microphone in there, right?
How long have you been working on this?
I came in before work and after work
and whenever I could.
-I should have asked you. -Yeah.
I just wanted to take a shot.
Do you want to hear it?
-Okay. I... [sighs] -JACK: Hell nah.
-MAGGIE: This is the spine of the song. -[music playing]
You're always talking about how there has to be a heartbeat,
something to hold onto and then give away,
and this is it.
-[drumbeat begins] -Hanky's been playing this drum track
for 20 years, and it still sounds as tight as it did
on the day you recorded it.
-Richard. -R-Dawg.
Did you redo this with a synth?
It's actually called cross synthesis,
which I invented, which takes one synth
and cancels the other out when they play at the same time.
Sounds dope.
That doesn't make any sense.
-RICHIE: Yeah, it does. -JACK: It does.
You've heard of cross synthesis, right?
No, but it don't matter.
-You the producer. -Yeah.
You took out the backup singers?
They're kind of old-sounding, I mean, honestly.
We got plug-ins that do that stuff.
-Ah. -We don't even need backup singers anymore.
I put my voice in there and stacked it,
-put some Auto-Tune. -♪ Bad... girl ♪
It sounds brand-new. Sounds great.
-MAGGIE: Grace, do you hear this? -♪ Bad... ♪
-You are the song. -[song continues]
You should not be buried under all this flashy bullshit.
Sure, the track needs some mixing and some editing,
but you could release your demos,
and they would be way better
than anything that he's ever, ever done.
[scoffs] Yeah, right.
I actually think you should release your demos,
because I've heard them, and they're unbelievable.
Who the hell you think you are? Missy Elliott?
RICHIE: Who releases demos?
JACK: How you gonna come in here and insult
-my man Richie? -MAGGIE: Plenty of artists. Bob Dylan...
-Okay, okay, okay. -JACK: Go to Starbucks.
Everybody, stop.
-[music stops] -[buttons clicking]
Margaret, never talk to anyone
that Jack has hired that way again, do you understand?
Yeah.
-Okay. -Yes.
-Never. -Never.
We got a hit.
We got a big one. [chuckles]
-[makes whooshing sound] -JACK: It's a hit.
-My version, not hers. -Don't worry about hers, man.
-Oh, I'm not. -See what I'm dealing with here?
RICHE: She was kind of mean, right?
-JACK: She is very abrasive. -Use her cut.
-What? -Wha...
RICHIE: I'm still getting paid, right?
[door closes]
JACK: Maggie. Maggie!
Come here.
I don't know what planet you come from
where rattling off every little opinion
that's rolling around in that brain of yours
is considered a skill.
But...
I was right.
This is not about being right
in the studio for a moment in time.
This is a marathon.
I'm sorry, I disagree. I think if she put out
something like that-- oh, my God.
Obviously.
We would never put out garbage like that.
But that's besides the point.
It took me months to get them in a studio together.
Months.
Off the off chance she might say,
"Hey, Jack, I want to do a remix album."
And I say, "I got the perfect person.
"Oh, damn.
"We can't work with him anymore
"because your dumbass assistant insulted the man,
"and he don't want to work with you no more.
He'd rather do Rihanna."
Well, I... I apologize for that.
[Jack sighs]
And-and now that I'm the producer,
I will look for my replacement.
Do you know how long it took for Seth
to get a little-bitty engineering credit?
Being a producer is about having a point of view
that you've earned over years of hard work.
It don't happen like this.
You're not a producer. You're not a artist.
You're not a manager.
If you want to be a producer,
you find your own goddamn clients
and stay the hell out of mine.
♪ ♪
[door closes]
This is what we're gonna do. We're gonna go in there.
Then we're gonna get some drinks,
and then we are going to find him.
-Ah. Yeah. -I'll give him the spiel,
and then we're just gonna leave as quickly as possible.
No, we don't have to leave so quickly.
We're having fun. We're hanging out.
When was the last time you went to a party?
-Do work parties count? -No.
I went, technically, to Elton John's, um, Oscar party.
That doesn't count.
You stood outside the entire time.
Whoa, he has a pool?
-[upbeat R&B music playing] -[people whooping]
Do any of them have jobs?
Hi. Excuse me.
-Do you have a job? -I'm a model.
Okay.
[loudly]: It's a Wednesday.
MAGGIE: I didn't think you'd ever wear it.
What is... Oh, my God.
Wait, I thought you said he performed at a grocery store,
not that he owned it.
-You ready? -WOMAN: Yes, I'm coming.
-Yeah, I'm ready. -[woman laughing]
-[gasps] -[laughing]: Oh. My drink.
-Ooh! -Oh, my God.
-Is it bad? -[laughing]: Oh, my...
Ugh, this is so crazy.
I know. Why does he have a blow-dryer?
I don't even know him.
"Hey, man, um, from last week.
"I just want you to remind yourself of me,
"and I would like to tell you
"that I'm just a personal assistant,
"but I'd love to produce your music,
-if you got any." -Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey.
Look, all I do is basically
clean up biohazardous materials,
but I get to walk around and call myself a doctor.
That's not all you do.
Exactly. Do not sell yourself short.
-Uh... [sighs] I'm... -You just produced
a live Grace Davis album for no money and no credit.
And you're gonna do it again. You know why?
Because you're following your dream.
No, that's not my dream. I don't want to do that again.
I'd love to get money and credit.
God, he has so many products.
Ooh.
Feels like we shouldn't go through his stuff yet,
-'cause we don't even know him. -Well, I've done it,
and here we are. Look, you need to pull yourself together
and tell your vision-impaired, fresh-breathed client
that you are a producer.
-I am not a... -[water splashes]
You are so lucky, Maggie.
So you get out there,
-and you close that deal. -Okay.
You're way too comfortable in his house.
-You are. -[laughing]: I am not.
-DAVID: Hello. -Oh, that's you.
[chuckles] That's him.
Thanks for dressing up.
Oh. That's... [chuckles]
This is Katie.
-She's my roommate. -Katie. Hi.
-Nice to meet you. -You're very handsome.
-Thank you. -Did you know that Maggie's
-a music producer? -No, I didn't.
KATIE: Yeah, she's amazing.
I like to say the ear of our generation.
Katie, thank you so much for coming to this party.
Got it. I'm gonna see how much cheese I can fit into my bag.
-Mm. -And then I'm gonna look his house up on Zillow.
Please don't.
Can't make any promises.
-Oh, my God. -You want, uh,
another drink to actually drink this time?
And here I was thinking you had a crush on me
and just had to see me again.
Oh, no, I'm just here for the pipes.
Babe, I thought you were bringing me a vodka Red Bull.
Uh, Theresa, this is Maggie.
Maggie's a producer.
THERESA: Cool.
I work at SpaceX.
Cool.
Why don't you come out? DJ for us.
Wow.
Is that your girlfriend?
She's not looking for anything serious.
Good for her.
Mm-hmm.
You have some lipstick.
Right here?
-All around your face. -Mm.
Do you have any songs recorded?
Yeah.
Can I hear them?
Now?
Yeah.
[piano-based R&B song playing]
♪ It's incomprehensible ♪
♪ Excitement I've never known ♪
♪ I'm up while the whole world sleeps ♪
♪ The way the sky falls for me ♪
♪ It's deep, deep like the ocean ♪
♪ Deep, deep like devotion ♪
♪ Deep, deep like the valley ♪
♪ Where cold water streams... ♪
[clears throat] This is pretty good.
Did you write this?
Yeah, it took me, like, 20 minutes.
The first verse?
-Whole song. -[chuckles]
Why are you performing at grocery stores?
I like it.
It's fun. It's no pressure.
It's just... it's nice.
Well, you can write.
And you've got the voice and the tone
and, I mean, an amazing record collection.
That Marvin Gaye and...
This Elmore James,
I had this CD in my car for, like, six years.
That was the first album my dad gave me.
Really?
[chuckles]
Well, I, um... I would love to...
I mean, if you are...
I-I could work with you if you wanted.
I'm listening.
[chuckles]
Well, you have an amazing sound.
Thank you.
I mean, there's a couple of things that I-I-I...
If I may?
Please, you may. [chuckles]
Um, I think that your producer might, uh, be...
[stammers]: sucks.
He's a friend of mine, and he does it for free.
I mean, what... what exactly do you want to do differently?
Well, to start, I would...
Your bassist is way too loud.
And then I'd probably drop that weird drum track.
And then I'd move the bridge up.
And then you should definitely be singing into a real mic.
[laughing]: I mean, I'm so sorry, but where
did you record this, in a closet?
Wine cellar.
Who?
My wine cellar.
I thought the acoustics would be better.
Ooh.
Will you send me the files?
No.
Please?
Come to my show next week.
[chuckling]: Oh.
Um, I... well, I should ask Katie,
'cause next week, I was...
-What's that? -A jacket.
So I'll see you next Friday?
Oh, my God. Do you wear this?
-[Maggie laughing] -[sighing]: Oh, my God.
What is that?
This looks like Stevie Nicks
ran over Jason Derulo with her car.
-Okay. All right, we're done. -Oh, my God.
-Thank you so much. We're good. -That is wild.
That's enough. That's enough.
[smooth R&B track playing]
[track continues playing over speakers]
KATIE: Hey, you know who's been up for 37 hours?
Me.
You dick.
[birds chirping]
So, if you can please just make sure that she takes
the, uh, fish oil and the little green one
after she eats dinner because they upset her stomach.
Wow, you're really the only person I know
who can make pills not fun.
Wait.
Why are you leaving early?
You never leave early.
Um...
because I got to go to this thing at, uh, the airport.
'Cause my gr... my gran is, like, demanding...
Well, I don't care about any of that.
Sorry.
And I don't believe it.
It sounds like a whole lot of "B"-- bull crap.
This is exactly what happens.
It starts off with a thing,
and then you're gonna ask for a weekend off.
All of you assistants are the same.
You get lured in here by the glitz, the glamour,
the swag, the celebrity, the pool house.
You live in the pool house.
And you could, too.
Not at this moment,
because I'm not in the market for a roommate,
but maybe someday.
If you play your cards right.
What are you doing?
This is all available to you.
Ah!
Ha. Found them.
Wow, I thought you were cleaning the pool.
See, these are a gift from Grace.
Do I prefer Dior? Of course I do.
Am I gonna tell her that?
No. I'm gonna be grateful for what I have
and for what she's discarded because she's bored with it,
'cause then it comes to me.
And I can wear it.
And you got to start carrying a notebook around
to write this stuff down.
GRACE: Margaret!
[groans]
Margaret!
Hi.
What do you think of this?
Do you think it's too booby?
Mm, yes.
Oh.
Perfect.
You can go.
Oh. Okay, great. Thank you so much.
No, not you. You guys can go.
-Thank you. -BOTH: Oh.
-Thanks. -Okay.
-GRACE: Okay, bye. -STYLIST: Bye, Miss Davis.
-Well, Margaret. -Yeah?
Are you sure all of this is still okay with you?
Um...
'Cause after that little show
at the recording studio, I'm... I'm not sure.
Because if there is something else you want to be doing,
I don't want you to be here if you don't want to be here.
No, Grace, I, um...
-Yes? -I want to be here.
Good.
Because I want to go through my closet
and donate things that aren't sparking joy or whatever.
Yeah, right now?
Yeah.
Great.
[classical music playing quietly]
Joy.
-Definitely joy. -Joy.
[gasps] Oh, my God.
Mm.
-Joy. -Joyful.
-How's everybody doing? -[applause, cheering]
Yeah, that's what I like to hear.
Well, I'm David Cliff, and this is my band, and, uh,
we're gonna play a couple songs for y'all, if that's all right.
-[cheering, applause] -DAVID: All right.
Obviously, I'm keeping the Gianni Versace.
-Obviously. -Yeah.
All right. So we did all the evening wear.
[Grace gasps]
Let's do the early-evening wear.
-Come on. -Okay.
-[cheering, applause] -All right,
I've got one more song for y'all tonight.
MAN: Oh, come on!
[scattered shouts, whooping]
Thanks for coming.
-[mid-tempo drumbeat starts] -[mouthing]
[playing intro to Al Green's "Let's Stay Together"]
♪ I, yeah ♪
♪ I'm so in love with you ♪
♪ Whatever you wanna do ♪
♪ Is all right with me, yeah... ♪
Wow, I didn't think you'd show up.
Well, we had a deal.
-Ah, okay. -[chuckles]
So, what'd you think?
Um, uh, well, that was a great song choice.
Huh.
And you sounded incredible.
Really good.
Great start. What else?
Um, well...
-your band... -I knew it.
You couldn't even last a minute.
-Well, the drummer. -That's my friend.
Is he?
-Is he really? -Here we go.
Here we go again. Wow.
You asked me, and I'm not gonna tell you
that they're great if they're not great.
I know there's a compliment in there somewhere for me,
if you want to be more direct.
Can I show you something?
Is this your car?
Yeah.
Should I sign a waiver?
[grunting]: Okay.
[David clears throat]
[mid-tempo R&B song plays]
DAVID: ♪ This is more than a feeling ♪
Is this my song?
♪ More than attraction... ♪
Oh, my...
The drum pattern is not bad.
I also brought you up a bit, and I rerecorded the guitar.
Yes, it's good.
It's g... it's good.
You have real talent.
You really do.
Do you need me? No.
But you should want me because I think I can help
bring out an entirely different sound in you.
And if you work with me, I can get you heard
by the right people.
Oh, I'm not worried about that.
I just want to know who else...
who else you working with right now.
A producer never discusses artists
with other artists.
That's just not part of the... those...
-It's... -Okay.
Okay.
How do you, um...
How do you know how to do all of this stuff?
[chuckles]
-[music stops] -I grew up around music
and musicians and people talking about music.
My dad worked in radio, and my mom was a singer.
And then I went to school for composing,
and then immediately after, I started, um, producing.
If you could point to any time in my life,
good or bad, I could tell you
who I was listening to and how I got through it.
And if I had the opportunity to work with an artist like you
and create something that could maybe make somebody
or anybody feel a little bit less alone,
then I want to be a part of that.
I know how to be a part of that.
So...
[key clicks]
["The Weight" by The Staple Singers plays]
MAX [over radio]: The Staple Singers
doing "The Weight," originally by...
BOTH: The Band.
MAX: The Band.
-[chuckles] -♪ I was feelin' 'bout a half past dead ♪
♪ I just needed someplace ♪
All right, when do we start?
♪ Where I could lay my head... ♪
[chuckles excitedly]
-Now. -Now?
Well, I... No, actually, I have to...
Um, uh, tomorrow or, you know, when I can find time.
I'll have my... my office reach out.
The office. All right.
[inhales deeply] Okay, get out!
I got to go.
-Come on. -What you talking about?
It's a Friday night.
I know. I have to work in the morning.
I'm in demand-- by an artist
who doesn't have their shirts custom-made.
[door closes]
♪ And put the load right on me... ♪
[exhales sharply]
It's good, though, right?
♪ And went lookin' for a place to hide... ♪
WOMAN [over TV]: Coming up next,
Grace Davis is set to release a live album
recorded at her tenth world tour.
The music icon has remained a remarkably private person.
She's never married or had children
and is tight-lipped about her plans for the future.
-[paparazzi clamoring on TV] -All her fans are wondering,
when can they expect another hit?
But first, hit maker Cardi B on what it's like
to have yet another number one song.
You okay?
Do I not look okay?
No, you look great. A-Amazing.
Well, good, 'cause Michael B. Jordan's
coming over tonight.
Here?
-You got to be out of here by 5:00. -Okay.
And can you get me everything off the Jon & Vinny's menu?
Uh, the dessert section, too?
I don't eat dessert.
Okay.
Can you make sure the sexecology oil
is upstairs in my bathroom?
[acoustic guitar strumming mellow song]
DAVID [softly]: What we gonna do with this?
[David vocalizing]
♪ Drive over the limit with my eyes on you ♪
♪ I drive over the limit with my mind on you ♪
♪ Why you always getting in the back seat? ♪
Yeah. Right there.
♪ I drive over the limit ♪
♪ With my eyes on you ♪
♪ I drive over the limit with my mind on you ♪
♪ Why you always getting ♪
-♪ In the back se... ♪ -What's that?
Wh...
-Oh, my God! -[thud]
I'm really, really
so sorry about your face.
-Uh-huh. -But let's just be honest
and say that that wasn't really the best place to sit.
Who's that?
Uh, my dad, David Cliff Senior.
MAGGIE: That's your dad?
-Yeah. -Wow.
Sax player.
He plays better than anyone else I know.
So, you said your mom was a singer?
Well, she was. Um, she died when I was six.
-Oh, I'm sorry. -That's okay.
Um, she, uh, met my dad
backstage at a Paul Simon concert.
My dad was there covering the show for work.
And they met, and then she moved in with him the next day,
and they got married a month later.
Pretty crazy.
Not that crazy.
What about your mom and dad?
Never married.
My mom, um, she left me with my dad when I was little.
And, um, it was complicated.
I don't know.
My dad's cool, though.
Pissed I don't play sax, but...
you know, he... he's there for me.
-Yeah. -How's your head?
Let's see.
-Ooh. [laughs] -"Ooh," what?
-Are you laughing at me? -Oh, man.
This is my moneymaker, so I don't really
-get what's funny. -[laughs]
So, composing major...
can you play?
[sighs] This keyboard?
Whichever one you like.
Typically, I'm just... I'm-I'm in the studio.
I'm, like, behind the boards, and I allow, you know,
the artist to... create.
-So... -F.
Uh-huh. To E minor.
-That? -Yeah, like that.
So it's just, uh...
[strums guitar]
-To E. Yeah. -[strums guitar]
Uh-huh. To F.
-Oh, shit. -Hey.
Stop interrupting yourself.
-[chuckles] -Let's try it again.
Okay. It was...
-Uh, that? -Mm-hmm.
Nah, but I like that. Do it fast like that again.
-Yeah, punch it. Punch it more. -[playing staccato]
Yeah. Mm.
And then what about...
All right.
-Sing it a little. -Mm.
♪ Drive over the limit with my eyes on you ♪
♪ I drive over the limit with my mind on you ♪
♪ Get up in the front, I'm not a taxi ♪
-♪ Oh, no ♪ -That sounded good.
-Sounds sexy. Yeah. -Can we do it again?
-Yeah, we can do it again. -Okay.
♪ Eyes on you ♪
♪ I drive over the limit with my mind on you ♪
♪ Why you always getting in the back seat? ♪
♪ Get up in the front, I'm not a taxi ♪
♪ Oh, no, drive over the limit... ♪
So, Thursday, when we record,
I have these really incredible...
I can't. Playing a bat mitzvah.
-What? -What?
I don't... David, I don't understand.
The... Clearly, you're not doing these gigs for money.
I don't...
I made a commitment.
Okay.
I'm not gonna beg you to take this seriously.
-[Maggie chuckles] -Don't beg me.
David, you have an incredible voice.
When you sing, it's restrained
and impassioned and nostalgic, and...
people outside of various L.A. community centers
should hear it.
Yeah, but what if I'm not good enough?
-What? -What if I'm just
some douchebag who thought he could be a singer
like everybody else, and then what?
Then what am I supposed to do?
Oh, my God.
What?
You're insecure.
[laughing]: This is amazing.
[chuckles] I'm coming at you with
some deep-seated anxiety right now, and...
No, you're just self-sabotaging,
-and I can work with that. -[cell phone ringing]
Sorry.
Hello? Hello?
Oh, okay. I will...
Yes, I'll be right there.
Okay.
Um, that was another client, so I have to go.
You're amazing.
-All right. -And I will see you soon.
-So... -And we will continue this conversation.
-Yes. -Okay, bye.
Good night, Maggie.
Thank you. Very nice.
Wait.
Is this your car?
Why do people keep asking me that? Yeah.
You need to ask your boss for a raise.
[laughing]
[laughing]: That's so funny.
Do you get it? Because I'm your boss.
-[Grace laughing] -[rock music playing]
Hey. Do you get it?
Wait, pull over. Right here.
Right here, right here, right here.
[loudly]: Hey. Can I get two carnitas, please?
And one of them should be chicken,
with hot sauce.
[pops lips, laughs]
So, Michael B. Jordan insisted
that we leave my house and go to a hotel
because he had...
this whole proposal planned.
We have very different problems.
What are your problems, Margaret?
-Well, I mean... -I'm hungry.
-Oh. Um... -I'm so hungry.
-Okay. -Is the food coming, sir?
MAN: Ma'am, we've been over this.
We are not a drive-through.
GRACE: Okay, well, it should be.
-It could be. -WOMAN: Oh, my God.
Is that Grace Davis?
-No. -Hi.
Hi. I love you so much.
-I love you. -Can I take a picture with you?
-Wow. Love, huh? -[laughing]: I know.
-Sure. Yeah. -WOMAN: It's Grace Davis!
-I'm gonna get out. Hi. -[fans clamoring]
-GRACE: Hi. This isn't my car. -Hi.
-Hello. -Okay, followers, look who I am with.
-It's Grace Davis! -Okay, one, two.
Hi, Grace Davis!
-Hi! -[camera clicks]
WOMAN: You look gorgeous.
So glad I called you.
MAGGIE: Uh, usually, you call Gail.
[blows raspberry] Are you kidding me?
It's after 10:00.
Miss Gail is passed out.
[laughing]
Anyway, I thought you would enjoy this time with me
'cause you're always hanging around me,
just hanging around me.
That's my job.
You know what I mean.
[chuckles softly]
Mm.
Would you get married?
Oh, my God.
Not you, too.
I know that everybody wonders, "Is Grace gonna find a man?"
I mean...
"Who's gonna put a ring on it?"
You know what?
[sighs] I'm happy with me.
I am happy with me.
Yup.
I just thought that maybe,
if you were gonna do anybody the favor,
then it may as well be Michael B. Jordan.
I almost did.
Once.
-Really? -Yeah.
♪ ♪
But I was... I was too young.
Mm.
We were in love and...
the whole thing.
Mm-hmm.
It was before all this happened.
Then it did.
And I didn't choose him.
Obviously.
I didn't want it.
I don't want it.
I chose those countertops in the bathroom.
They were like, "You can have two sinks."
And I was like, "No." [scoffs]
"I want one... one big one."
-It is a very big sink. -Mm-hmm.
What's happening?
Why are you all dressed up?
[chuckles]
Why did you have to
steal from the needy
and take this $3,000 Saint Laurent jacket?
-How much? -[gasps] Oh, wait.
-Were you with a boy? -[chuckles] No.
[laughing]: Yes, you were!
You were on a date.
Okay, okay.
Does he know who I am?
Well, he lives on Earth, so yeah.
Listen to me, Margaret.
I am a very big draw.
Okay?
So you... you make sure he's with you for you, okay?
-Okay. -Okay.
Thank you.
♪ ♪
MAGGIE: So, this is just practice.
-You don't... -[takes deep breath]
There's no band. It's just you.
-No pressure. Okay? -Mm-hmm.
Just pretend you're at a bat mitzvah.
Hmm.
-[button clicks] -Okay.
-You want to try one? -DAVID: Mm-hmm.
[metronome ticks rhythmically]
-♪ You're like track eight ♪ -[music track plays]
♪ On my favorite record ♪
♪ Nobody knows your name ♪
♪ But I... ♪ Sorry.
-[exhales] -I'm way ahead of it.
[whispers]: He's just a little nervous.
-SETH: Yep. -Yeah, yeah. It's totally fine.
-DAVID: Okay. -We got all night.
Can I just go again from the top?
-Yeah, whenever you're ready. -If that's cool.
-Thanks. -[metronome ticks rhythmically]
-[music track plays] -♪ You're like track eight ♪
♪ On my favorite record ♪
♪ Nobody knows your name... ♪
-Sorry. I-I feel like... -You're doing so great.
It's okay. You just got to loosen up a little bit.
You're gonna get there.
-All right. -Um, I'm gonna come in.
I'm going in.
You okay?
Yeah, I'm good.
Yeah.
It's really beautiful in here, isn't it?
Yeah.
Did you know that that was Sam Cooke's original mic?
-Are you serious? -[chuckling]: Yeah.
Yeah, Seth and I found it at an auction last year.
♪ Darling, you send me ♪
[Maggie chuckles]
♪ I know you send me ♪
♪ Darling, you ♪
♪ You, you, you send me ♪
♪ Honest you do ♪
♪ Honest you do, honest you do. ♪
Have you ever heard that recording that he does?
-That live recording? -[scoffs]
-Talking about the one at the Harlem Club? -Yeah.
-Have you heard it? -Yeah, when he's like...
♪ Oh... ♪
♪ You send me ♪
♪ Honest you do, honest you do. ♪
MAGGIE: Feel a little better?
-Yeah. -You want to go again?
All right. I'm down.
-Okay. -Cool.
Fo' sho'.
You want to try one?
Yeah, a'ight.
[metronome ticks rhythmically]
-♪ You're like track eight ♪ -[music track plays]
♪ On my favorite record ♪
♪ Nobody knows your name ♪
♪ But I would die for you ♪
♪ You're like a date ♪
♪ That nobody paid for ♪
♪ You walk out the door with the check in your pocket ♪
♪ But you just forgot it ♪
♪ Just trying to figure you out with ♪
♪ Every word that comes out of your mouth ♪
-♪ Mouth ♪ -[both chuckle]
♪ Mouth ♪
♪ Ooh, I drive over the limit with my eyes on you ♪
♪ I drive over the limit with my mind on you ♪
♪ Why you always getting in the back seat? ♪
♪ Get up in the front, I'm not a taxi ♪
♪ Oh, no. ♪
[music continues]
♪ ♪
Beautiful.
Was that really Sam Cooke's mic?
-No. -[music ends]
-Can I hear that again? -Mm-hmm.
♪ I drive over the limit with my eyes on you ♪
♪ I drive over the limit ♪
♪ With my mind on you ♪
♪ Why you always getting in the back seat? ♪
♪ Get up in the front, I'm not a taxi ♪
♪ Oh, no ♪
♪ I don't stop looking at, looking at you ♪
♪ Let me wipe the sugar from your lips ♪
♪ I don't understand you talking sweet like this... ♪
[panting]: I'm sorry.
-[camera clicking] -[photographer talking quietly]
[sighs]
♪ I drive over the limit ♪
-♪ With my eyes on you ♪ -♪ Drive over the limit♪
♪ I drive over the limit with my mind on you ♪
♪ Drive over the limit♪
♪ Why you always getting in the back seat? ♪
♪ I can't concentrate with you behind me. ♪
It's so good.
Oh, my God.
"Sea Dust."
[exhales softly]
That makes a huge difference.
Um, no big deal or anything.
Just your girl doing open-heart surgery.
Okay, cool. Sorry.
Back to your art.
Everything we do is meaningless.
["No Scrubs" by TLC playing]
-GRACE: Oh, such a good song. -MAGGIE: Jam.
Yeah. [vocalizing]
Did you know that the guy who produced this song
also did "Bills, Bills, Bills"
-for Destiny's Child? -I did know that.
And did you know that he also did a Sinéad O'Connor song?
Did you know that I want to hear the song on the radio?
-Oh. Sorry. -Yeah.
Thanks, Margaret. Let's sing it.
BOTH: ♪ Trying to holla at me ♪
♪ And you're walking ♪
♪ Oh, yes, son, I'm talking to you ♪
MAGGIE: ♪ If you live at home ♪
BOTH: ♪ With your mama ♪
♪ Oh, yes, son, I'm talking to you ♪
♪ If you have a shorty ♪
♪ And you don't show love ♪
BOTH: ♪ Oh, yes, son, I'm talking to you ♪
♪ Wanna get with me with no money ♪
♪ Oh, no, I don't want... ♪
-[whoops] -[Grace laughing]
Grace Davis!
[laughing]
-♪ Oh, oh. ♪ -BENNETT: Ah, there she is.
-Hey. How are you? -Hey, hey.
-Hi there. -Hey, man. See you over there.
-Hey, good to see you. -GRACE: Hey, Dave. How are you?
-Can I get you something to drink? -Oh, no.
I'm fine. Ma-Margaret, you want something?
-No? Okay. -Sparkling? Still?
Well, Grace, thanks for coming in.
-GRACE: Hmm. -This is Spencer.
He's on national press.
-Hi, Spencer. -SPENCER: Can I just say--
my mom's more excited about me working with you
-than when I graduated Stanford. -[others chuckle]
What was that, like, a week ago?
[laughter]
I told you she was hilarious.
SPENCER [laughing]: Yeah, that's a good one.
[laughter continues]
Baby, we are so excited about
your live album release party next week.
Ugh, we're thrilled you okayed Ariana Grande to open for you.
She's amazing.
Her mom loves you, too.
-BENNETT: Spencer. -Yeah.
No more mom stuff.
You guys didn't bring me all the way down here
so you could tell me that, did you?
[both laughing]
-[others join in laughter] -SPENCER: That's great.
Once the live album is out, we really want to make sure
we think through your next moves.
Yeah, what do you want to do next?
Well, um...
I've been thinking, and...
I think it's time I record a new album.
JACK: Um...
Well, I mean, that's one plan.
[Jack laughs]
Um, we've talked about a few different things,
and we really want to know what you want to do.
I mean, where do you envision Grace Davis in the future?
RYAN: Yeah.
Have you thought any more about the, uh... the Vegas residency?
We talked about Vegas, remember?
RYAN: We think it's a cool, reliable way
for you to showcase where you're at.
[Ryan clears throat quietly]
Could be fun.
JACK: I mean, I'm-a have fun.
[laughter]
At least I can get a damn drink somewhere.
-[laughter] -Price of one.
We'll get you a damn drink.
SPENCER: We're super excited.
And, uh, if you want, I can show you
the slideshow that I put together.
[taking deep, shuddering breaths]
-[door opens] -[groans]
I don't want to talk about it.
I thought you didn't want to do Vegas.
I said I didn't want to talk about it.
It's a big commitment.
You heard what they said.
It's-it's... it's not the same as it used to be.
Yeah.
Some of their ideas weren't terrible.
Yeah. I think a Spotify-curated Christmas album
could be super cool.
Okay, just say it, all right?
I get it. I know what you're thinking.
I'm a sellout. I get it.
That was humiliating. Yep. You got to witness it.
-That was... -What? No.
It's fantastic.
That's not what...
Grace, those pretentious sparkling water blowhards
just spoke to you like they forgot
that you basically built this entire label for them.
-They were just trying to help me. -What?
You've got, like, years of career moves ahead of you.
If you want to do Vegas, then fine, do Vegas.
But don't do it like it's your farewell tour.
It's not over for you.
You said it in there.
You said it-- a new album.
That is what you should be doing.
Do you know what they were avoiding saying in there?
What?
In the history of music,
only five women over 40 have ever had a number one hit.
And only one of them was black.
One.
Do you understand that?
No.
You do not understand that.
And none of you guys in there
understand what I have been through.
So, I don't know. Uh, we could just pretend.
We could pretend that we live in some sort of magical world
where, I don't know-- let's see--
age and race are not a thing.
And then do you know what the problem is?
I-- not the label, not Jack, not you--
have to come up with shit that people give a shit about,
and I don't know how to do that anymore.
I don't know if I know how to do that.
[shuddering breaths]
Oh, my God.
I know you've been writing.
What?
I'm sorry, what?
Oh, no, no, no.
Have you been going through my private stuff?
-No. -You know what? No.
-That's not what I did. -No.
I am not here for you.
You are here for me.
I am not your stepping-stone.
You're not a producer, Margaret.
I didn't ask you to produce my song.
And I'm not gonna say thank you, either.
You're an encyclopedia.
You memorize trivia.
You-you handle my itinerary.
You pick peanuts out of kung pao chicken.
You're not the ticket to people's breakthrough.
Okay?
And you know what, those guys in there,
they're way better than you
because they were setting me up for an easy win.
And you, little lady, are setting me up for a fail.
Thank you.
[door opens]
[door closes]
♪ ♪
[quiet chatter]
-♪ Something I could say ♪ -[Seth clears throat]
-♪ To settle... ♪ -[music stops]
You're late.
I mean, what's-what's up, Mags? We doing this or what?
Um, yeah. Let's, uh...
Uh, why don't we just take... take it from, um...
[sighs] Why don't we take it from, um...
[trembling inhale]
Let's just take it from, um...
[whispers]: Fuck.
[siren wailing in distance]
Maggie.
What was... what was that?
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay.
-You okay? All right. -[crying]
Okay.
Okay, what's wrong?
Nothing.
Nothing?
-You sure? -No, I'm fine. [sniffles]
-Yeah? -Yeah.
Okay.
-All right. -Mm-hmm.
Okay.
D-Do you not want to do this anymore?
Is that... is that what's wrong? Do you not...
Is that what it is?
No.
-No? -No, no.
I mean, no, I want... I want this more than anything.
♪ ♪
I don't know what I'm doing.
You don't?
Mm-mm.
Well, you sure freaked out James when you told him
that if he didn't get his tuning right,
you was gonna run over him, so that's...
[sobbing]: Well, that's a really big problem.
Look, Maggie, you got all of us in that room, okay?
I know it wasn't easy.
But, look, you've got that drummer in there,
and I don't know where he came from,
but he's, like... [chuckles] I think he's-he's big-time.
You know?
-Yeah. -Yeah.
So you know what you like.
That's what makes you great.
Just glad I made the cut.
Well...
barely.
[chuckles]
Did you come up with that guitar riff in there?
Yeah.
It's pretty good.
I'm pretty good. I did it last night.
It was easy.
You could tighten it up, okay?
Mm-kay. Mm-kay.
[soulful R&B music playing]
♪ So if there's something I could do to twist ♪
♪ And turn back the time ♪
♪ Something I can say ♪
♪ To settle your mind ♪
♪ Something to prove ♪
♪ They don't love you ♪
♪ Like I do. ♪
Whoo!
Yes, yes, yes.
That's what I'm talking about.
Oh, my God, y'all are good.
[light laughter]
Okay, let's stop for, uh, a second.
Something's off, yeah?
Yeah. I think...
I feel like it needs some, like, layers, you know?
-A little bit of warmth and... -Yeah.
Um, m-maybe some harmonies.
I can get some backup singers.
Can-can you just do it? I mean, we could... we could always
replace it later. I just want to hear it right now.
I can have somebody here in an hour. It's no... It...
-We-We'll just... -Maggie.
David.
-Maggie. -[chuckling]: David, no.
You know the song.
We wrote the song, right?
We've done it a hundred times.
Just come on and do it. It'll be fun.
This is my area, and that's your area.
So, nope.
Maggie, please.
Don't push me, David.
Come on.
Oh, my God. No.
♪ Is there something I could do to twist ♪
♪ And turn back the time? ♪
♪ Something I could say to settle your mind ♪
♪ Something to prove ♪
♪ They don't love you ♪
♪ Like I do. ♪
-Bye. -All right, bye. -Thank you. -Nice job.
-I'll send you those guitar parts, okay? -Good night.
-Hey, it sounds good, man. -Thank you.
-Have a good one, man. You good. -You, too, man.
-Bye, Seth. -Bye.
You're the best.
-Love that guy. -[sighs]
-He's pretty good. -Good guy.
Yeah.
-You're not too bad, right? -Oh.
-A little bit of... -Wow.
-Bada... boom. -Yep, and it...
-And, uh... and, uh... -[laughs]
Okay.
-So, that was a great session, and, um... -Yes.
-I think that everyone feels very good about it. -Mm-hmm.
-Mm-hmm. -So I'll e-mail you.
And, um...
we will chat soon.
[cell phone chimes, vibrates]
♪ ♪
[quietly]: What?
Oh, God.
No.
MAGGIE: We have a problem with the release party.
Ariana can't perform.
She's trying to finish a six-part album,
and-and she won't leave the studio,
-and, uh, th-that's crazy, but... -[laughs]
What about, uh, what's-his-face?
Oh, the guy who hit on us at the Grammys?
-He hit on you. That one. Yes. -The Weeknd?
He is on tour in Europe, and also he has a girlfriend.
Okay, great. Well, um, let me just do your job for you.
-Taylor Swift. -She's writing a memoir.
[Grace sighs]
-Do I need to lecture you... -No.
...on the importance of an opener for an album release?
GAIL: Does she need to lecture you, Maggie?
-That was the question. -Okay, Margaret,
I'm not gonna come out there to a cold crowd like an amateur.
You have totally screwed this up.
And I have noticed that you have not been
focused on your job over the last few weeks.
I've noticed that.
I'll fix it.
Because scheduling is in my very limited wheelhouse.
Well, then why don't you find someone
who's not gonna embarrass me?
-I will. -Great. Thank you.
Be nice if you could do your job.
-Dan would love to do it. -[sighs] Fine.
I don't care. Whatever.
Hey, it's me. Can I come up?
MAGGIE: Is this a work thing?
-No. -Then no.
Oh. Hey, David.
You want to come in?
Is she just gonna say this is not a good idea?
MAGGIE: This isn't a good idea. We really need to focus
-on our work together... -Yeah. Forget that.
...and not be blurring the lines and, you know...
-I let him up. -What?
[sighs] Okay, listen.
Brian Epstein did not sleep with the Beatles.
Jerry Wexler and Aretha? No.
Jimmy Iovine and Springsteen? No.
Actually, he did have a whole thing with Stevie Nicks.
Anyway, David Geffen...
also had a thing with Cher.
And people do think that Brian Epstein was
in love with John Lennon, so there's...
Um, this is not...
I'm not...
You should... I think that you should go.
-Cher's amazing. -Mm-hmm.
So sexy.
Have you ever heard her version of "All I Really Want to Do"?
["All I Really Want to Do" by Cher playing]
♪ Now, I ain't lookin' to compete with you ♪
♪ Beat or cheat or mistreat you ♪
♪ Simplify you, classify you ♪
♪ Deny, defy or mystify you ♪
DAVID [singing along]: ♪ All I really want to do ♪
♪ Is, baby, be friends with you ♪
MAGGIE: ♪ Baby, be friends with you ♪
-[whistling melody] -♪ Now, I ain't lookin' ♪
-♪ To fight with you ♪ -[both chuckle]
-♪ Frighten you ♪ -[Maggie sighs]
-♪ Or uptighten you ♪ -[cell phone ringing]
♪ Drag you down or drain you down ♪
♪ Chain you down or bring you down... ♪
-Hello? -JACK: Have you confirmed
Dan Deakins for the release party on Friday?
Yeah, yeah. Of course I did.
-Yeah. -Well, when was you gonna tell me, huh?
-He better be there. -Yeah, it...
-[line clicks] -Oh.
Okay. [chuckles softly]
♪ I ain't lookin' to... ♪
What are you doing on Friday?
Hopefully this again.
♪ Or lock you up, analyze... ♪
-[elevator bell dings] -Hi. It's Maggie.
JOSH [over phone]: Hey, girl.
Dan is so excited for Grace's party later.
Well, that's what I was calling to talk to you about.
Do you have a quick sec?
Uh, I'm actually waiting on him to...
get out of a meeting right now, so...
Oh, a meeting. Really?
Wha...
[laughs] Maggie?
-How did you know we were here? -Please. Everybody knows
this is the first place he comes when he comes to L.A.
-[chuckles]: Oh. -How long have you been
Dan's assistant? Like, five years?
-Yeah. -Have you ever wanted
to do something other than be his assistant?
Well, between you and me,
I've been working on a screenplay.
It's 200 pages, but I'm confident.
-It's hilarious. -Okay, great. Yeah.
So, what would you do to get, like,
I don't know, Spielberg to read it?
[chuckling]: Uh, anything.
Anything, right? So, I've been working with this
really incredible artist on the side without Grace knowing.
And I know that Dan has already committed
to doing the party on Friday,
but I need you to help me Ocean's 11this whole thing
and get him to drop out at the last minute, so then I can
swoop in and I can get my artist heard
by Grace and the label,
and then everyone is gonna lose their minds--
clearly, like I've lost my mind--
and I'm gonna change the trajectory of our entire lives.
Roll credits.
I love Ocean's 11.
[sighs]
[softly]: Hey.
Let me hear him.
[music playing faintly over headphones]
♪ I drive over the limit ♪
♪ With my eyes on you ♪
♪ I drive over the limit with my mind on you ♪
-[breathing deeply] -♪ Why you always ♪
♪ Getting in the back seat? ♪
♪ I can't concentrate with you behind me ♪
♪ Oh, no... ♪
[music stops]
All right. I'm in.
-Shut up. -It'll piss off Grace,
but she needs a kick in the ass.
Sure you're ready for this-- working with musicians?
People like me, Grace, this kid.
Crazy little gods.
Before you know it, you'll be
on tour when you're supposed to be
best man at your brother's wedding.
Or in the studio when your kid's winning the nationals.
Or buying another Rolls-Royce when you've already got three.
No, four.
Yes.
Then you realize, "Damn, I'm writing lyrics
"on a napkin in a toilet, and I'm supposed to be
at the reception for my fourth wedding."
No, fifth wedding.
[Dan sighs]
And you think this kid can handle that?
I do.
And you think that you can handle that?
I do.
And do you want it more than blood?
I do.
Send me the rest of his stuff.
I want to play it in the car.
♪ How long till you play me the song ♪
♪ That will make me belong to you? ♪
♪ One dance with my baby tonight ♪
♪ And we'll dance till the night is through ♪
♪ What you, what you gonna do? ♪
♪ I used to be so ready to run ♪
♪ My philosophy... ♪
Here's pictures of me and Shwayze, man.
This girl right here can sing.
Make sure you tag me in that, girl.
Instagram, all them 'grams you got.
[photographers clamoring]
I'm the star now.
And which is my better side, Jack?
Whatever side I'm on.
[laughing]
-This shit is confusing. -Jack. Hi. Sorry.
-Can I just get a quick... One sec. -Yeah.
Thank you, 'cause he talking about VR.
Why can't people just take shrooms like they used to?
Um, Dan is a no-go.
What?
Yeah.
He's... not able to make it.
So I have a plan B.
You said you was gonna handle this.
I am. Trust me.
-Where's your guitar? -It's in the car.
I thought we were going to dinner.
-Why this one? Oh, God. -What? Why not?
Okay. Um, I'm gonna need you to fight the urge
to get really mad at me right now.
Okay. I mean, what's going on?
Um, well, there's been a little change of plans.
First of all...
[tapping pants]
I'm not a producer.
-What? -I mean, I am,
but I'm not a real one.
I'm a personal assistant.
I'm just... I'm an assistant to a big-time singer
who is having a big party tonight,
and her whole label is gonna be there
and a lot of other music people,
and you're gonna sing for them.
That's gr... That's good, right?
You're an, um... you're-you're an assistant?
[sighs] Yeah, I am.
I'm an assistant to...
But my boss, Grace Davis, is awesome.
You-you work for Grace Davis?
Yeah.
[chuckles, sighs]
Wow.
David! Hey, wait.
Does she... does she know about this?
Um, no, not yet, but she's gonna love you.
Do you even have any clients?
I mean, did you lie about that, too?
Oh, my God.
I'm sorry. I should have told you.
And I don't... I'm sorry that I...
Uh, but we can talk about all of this later if...
You know, you're so arrogant.
-[sighs] -You don't know shit.
You don't know anything.
You just walk around pretending and shit.
-Like, who does that? -I'm sorry that I lied to you.
It was wrong, but I... we made something really good,
and it deserves a shot.
I think you deserve a shot.
And do you know what's in there?
That could change your whole life.
It could change both of our lives.
I'm not your escape plan, Maggie.
That's... [sighs]
That's not what I...
David!
And I love this jacket.
[takes deep breath]
[dance music playing]
♪ Come on in... ♪
GRACE: All right, well, I'm gonna have
another sip of this, and I'll be right back.
JACK: Dumbass millennials.
Did you figure it out?
This was your second chance.
You couldn't handle it.
You want to be a producer?
Producing is about trust and commitment
and taking care of your artist.
You couldn't even do that as an assistant.
Why would I want to work with you?
Why would anyone want to work with you?
We're done.
JACK: Grace, it's time.
Thanks, Jack.
If you need a reference for your next job,
-have 'em give me a call. -[cheering, applause]
I got a lot to say.
ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, Grace Davis.
[cheering swells]
Hello, everyone.
How are you?
So, it looks like I'll be opening for myself tonight.
[cheering]
♪ ♪
[siren wailing in distance]
Hey, I'm sorry today was such a shit day.
I opened the Adele basket.
MAGGIE: Okay.
I would never leave you.
What am I saying?
No, we were all meant to be together.
Come on.
We're going home.
[takes deep breath]
♪ ♪
["Jealous Guy" by Donny Hathaway playing]
[seabirds squawking]
♪ I didn't mean to hurt you ♪
♪ And I'm sorry I made you cry ♪
♪ I'm just a jealous guy ♪
[over headphones]: ♪ I'm just a jealous guy... ♪
MAX: And that is
the late, great Donny Hathaway
doing John Lennon's "Jealous Guy."
Live at The Bitter End.
Hey, Magpie.
Hi, Dad.
MAX: I got to stop by Johnny's.
Just a few things, then we'll be home.
What do you have to...
All right.
♪ ♪
-[door closes] -MAX: All right.
What do we need?
Want to order some pizza?
[sighs]
[quiet knocking]
Hey, Maggie.
I got to do the morning show.
-[Maggie groans softly] -[claps]
Want to come with me?
No.
What?
It's the singer-songwriter hour.
Gonna start with Joni Mitchell.
You know what album I'm thinking of?
Guess.
Was she dating David Crosby or Jackson Browne?
James Taylor.
My favorite.
For the Roses.
Attagirl.
[exhales sharply]
Yeah, it's all about being a rock star,
dating a rock star, and heroin.
I can't believe I let her stay with me this long.
She was always in my face.
-Mm-hmm. -"Hi. I'm Maggie.
"I know everything about everything.
-[laughing] -"Oh, I'm in the studio.
"I'm a producer.
I can pull off bangs." No, you can't.
No, you can't, because it's not 1970.
Hasn't been 1970 for some years.
-[sighing]: Oh, my God. Okay. -She's a nightmare person.
And she's a bummer to be around.
Why is she always asking if you need water?
I don't know.
And she's constantly listening to your songs
over and over and over again.
Oh, my God.
And honestly, Grace,
I thought she was gonna be the one who would stick it out.
-And I tried to help her. -Did you talk to her?
I did talk to her.
-Okay. -And I tried to tell her
that this was an enormous opportunity.
And I saw myself in her.
You know, before I became
the strong, independent woman that I am today.
I think she's just obsessed with you.
She never asked you for anything, which was weird.
-No, she actually did. -What?
Did she ask you for those "Louis Boutins"?
Because those are mine, Grace.
It goes from Grace to Getty Images to Gail.
No, she wanted to produce.
Who?
[chuckles softly]
Me.
[laughing]
♪ ♪
Why?
I mean, you're retired.
[sighs]
I'm not retired.
Yeah, I'm a singer, Gail. [scoffs]
GAIL: I thought we were retired.
Is she any good?
-[quiet chatter] -[seabirds squawking]
MAX: Next up, a song by the great Lee Moses.
No.
Made famous by the one and only Grace Davis,
here's "Bad Girl."
♪ This is a song about a bad girl... ♪
I really don't want to hear this right now.
Oh...
Your mother loved that song, huh?
I knew the Grace version.
Everybody did, but...
She knew all the covers.
She was obsessed by 'em.
[sighs, chuckles]
You know the way a song can be one thing
when it comes out of somebody's mouth, and then...
magic, and suddenly it belongs to somebody else.
You know, it's hard.
It's hard for me to think that...
oh, one day, you're gonna wake up,
and you're gonna be older than your mother ever was.
Dad.
But if she knew that you worked for Grace Davis
-for two... -Three.
...three years... [exhales sharply]
-she'd have been so proud and jealous. -[chuckles]
And she wouldn't want you hiding out here.
Well, I really blew it.
But I did learn more than...
I'll ever learn anywhere else working for Grace.
I didn't even know I wanted to be a producer
when I started there.
And what did she say when you told her that?
You did tell her that, right?
She does not want to talk to me...
[sighs] I think, forever.
Maggie, come on.
You can wallow around here,
or you can try to make things right.
I'm not wallowing.
Well, call her.
♪ Bad girl... ♪
[sighs]
All right. What are you gonna start with tonight?
Hmm.
-Maybe this one. -Uh, nope.
Uh, please.
Not "Landslide" by the Dixie Chicks. That...
It's a great song.
No.
MAGGIE: Good evening.
This is Maggie Sherwoode.
I will be covering for Don for the next couple weeks.
I'm gonna kick it off with three different versions
of "The First Cut Is the Deepest,"
originally by Cat Yusuf Stevens.
P.P. ARNOLD: ♪ I would have given you ♪
♪ All of my heart ♪
-♪ But there's someone ♪ -Jesus Christ.
♪ Who's torn it apart ♪
♪ And he's taking almost all that I've got ♪
♪ But if you want, I'll try to love again ♪
♪ Baby, I'll try to love again ♪
Oh, no.
♪ But I know ♪
♪ The first cut is the deepest ♪
♪ Baby, I know ♪
♪ The first cut is the deepest ♪
♪ 'Cause when it comes to being lucky... ♪
I'm gonna call her.
Okay.
Where's my cart?
It's a long story.
It died.
Hi, Grace.
It's Maggie.
Uh, Margaret Sherwoode.
Um...
I'm sorry about the party.
I-I had this whole plan that was meant to show you
that I could be more than just an assistant,
and then it totally fell apart.
Uh, so...
Um, mostly, though, I just really wanted to say thank you.
'Cause I've always been in total awe of you, Grace,
and to be able to witness the person that I admire the most
do the thing that she does best...
...was the greatest time of my whole life.
Um...
and I'm so grateful.
♪ ♪
[cell phone ringing faintly]
[sighing, grunting]
Hello.
Are you still mad at me?
Yeah. But I got to talk to you about something.
Well, I just want to tell you
that I'm really sorry about everything, and...
I really just wish we were writing.
Uh, uh, wh-where are you?
Well, actually, about that...
[knocking]
-[gasps] Oh, my God. -Hi.
What are you doing here?
Your roommate told me where you were.
She was very rude. Yeah.
So, do you know where you sent my suit to be tailored?
I want to wear it tomorrow.
Um, what suit?
The one I wore to Michelle's birthday.
[gasps]
Obama or Williams?
I may or... Mm.
...may not have said some things that could have...
hurt someone's feelings.
And, uh...
for that...
I forgive myself.
Yeah.
Was that an apology?
Absolutely not.
No. No, it wasn't.
I was pissed
because you messed up and you didn't do your job.
And what else was I supposed to do?
But while you were gone, I, um...
...missed you.
I took having someone on my side for granted.
-I'm always on... -No, no.
No, no, no. I have, actually, more to say.
I realized it's because...
I trusted you,
and I have never trusted an assistant like that before.
Do not tell Gail.
[chuckles]
But you were very good at your job.
And you worked harder than...
[laughing]: anyone else ever has,
and you loved it, and...
which is... [chuckles]
And you love my music.
And I appreciate that.
Well, thank you for coming all the way here to tell me that.
Maggie, that's not why I came here.
I came here to tell you
that the work you did on the live album was very good.
-Really? -Yes.
I would have filled in the audience track
a little bit more, and I think you overmixed
-in some places. -Okay.
But you made me sound...
[sighs] ...like me.
Me.
I haven't heard her in a long time.
That's the sign of a good producer.
Thanks.
So, it's gonna be tough, you know?
Uh, because it's... it's really bleak out there
for middle-aged singers.
And when I get there, I'll-I'll confirm that.
[chuckles]
But for female producers, mm...
I've never worked with a female producer.
Uh, yeah.
Should we give it a go?
[chuckles]
-Yes. -Yeah?
Yes. I am available for that.
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
I've been writing.
I knew it.
[laughs]
Do you want to hear 'em?
Yes.
-Now? -So much, yeah.
[playing slow ballad]
♪ There are things I know that I should have said ♪
♪ That I couldn't say ♪
♪ To you ♪
♪ I've been hiding in my tower of strength ♪
♪ And there's no room in there ♪
♪ For two ♪
♪ Still ♪
♪ You can't walk through fire ♪
♪ And not bear the scars ♪
♪ Do you feel my heart trembling ♪
♪ Now you're here in my arms? ♪
♪ This is new to me ♪
♪ This is new to me. ♪
[plays final chord]
-It's called "New to Me." -[knocking]
-One second. -Okay.
Really?
Okay. Well, that was...
Just bared my soul.
-Hi. -DAVID: So, before we talk,
I don't know how you did it, but...
-Dan Deakins loves the songs. -Oh. Yeah.
David?
-Um, this is... -Mom?
What are you doing here?
"Mom"?
Did you send Dan the songs?
Oh, sweetheart, are you recording?
Sorry. Did you just call her "Mom"?
Are you his mom?
Not now, Margaret.
Yeah, I've been working on some stuff with Maggie.
-Oh. -And Dan showed his label the tracks,
and they want to sign me.
So, wait, you...
you were working with him while you were working for me?
Is this the guy... Are you...
Is this...
[whispers]: Is this the boy?
[gasps] Are you two dating?
-MAGGIE: No. -DAVID: Yeah.
Hey, Magpie, I got some tacos.
Wow. It's, uh...
It's Grace Davis.
That's me.
[chuckles softly]
Uh...
you came on the ferry?
-No, I have a helicopter. -[scoffs] Wow.
-I do. -[scoffs]: Yeah.
-I have a helicopter. -Tell everybody.
MAGGIE: So...
when you said that you and your mom
just started talking again,
you didn't think to tell me that your mom is Grace Davis?
You didn't tell me you were working for her.
Oh, don't change the subject.
We've met before.
1989, I interviewed you for my radio show on K-SADJ, and...
-It was in L.A. -Yes.
Downtown.
I can't believe you remember that.
-Yes. -[Max laughing]
Oh, my God. Wait.
-Yeah. -You had long hair.
You didn't have the-the beard.
-Yeah, okay. -And that voice.
That's you! [laughs]
That was a really good show.
I think it was. Yeah.
And you had a pregnant wife.
Yeah. Yeah.
-Yeah. -She used to help me.
And that was Maggie.
What-what...
The one inside the pregnant wife.
-[gasps] -Small world.
Fucking long con.
I had him when I was so young.
And I had a chance
to change things for us, and I took it.
I took it.
Who else knows?
Gail.
Jack.
He was there when I had him.
Jack's always there.
I don't... I just don't...
How-how did this...
I know everything about you. I mean...
I have really good lawyers.
Like...
-Damn. -Mm.
Are you gonna tell people?
I wanted to.
Many times.
But he said he wasn't ready.
And after everything I put him through, I... I respect that.
I wanted to help him with his music.
But he was worried that people wouldn't take him seriously
if I was involved, which I understand.
It must have been really, really hard for you.
-Yeah. -For you both. I mean...
Mostly him.
There's a lot of things I wish I had done differently.
We're here now.
He's really good, Grace.
[crowd cheering]
DAVID: Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
[cheering continues]
[chuckling]
-MAGGIE: Oh, my God! -Oh, shit.
-Oh, my God. That was amazing. -Oh, my God.
This is so crazy. This is so crazy.
That was amazing. You have to do it again. Go.
Encore. Encore. Do it. Yeah.
[cheering]
So, uh, before we go, we've got a surprise for y'all.
Someone very special is here tonight.
Oh, my God.
-Is he talking about you? -No.
And she happens to be
a really great singer.
-[yells] -I'm not...
Come on out.
-Okay. -Yep.
-Hold my phone. -Got it. Yep.
-Excuse me, Margaret. -Whoa.
Grace? Oh, my God.
[crowd whooping]
-Okay, that makes a lot more sense. -Sh...
My mom, Grace Davis.
-[crowd cheering] -Ooh. [chuckles]
CROWD [chanting]: Grace! Grace! Grace!
Grace! Grace! Grace! Grace!
Grace! Grace! Grace!
Grace! Grace! Grace! Grace!
-Excuse me, ladies. Can... -Whoa. Geez.
-Can y'all back up off the stage a little bit. -S-Sorry.
[cheering continues]
[piano plays soft intro]
♪ Why ♪
♪ Have I been this way? ♪
♪ Through all of my pleasures ♪
♪ Through all of the pain ♪
♪ I know that hard times ♪
♪ Can get in the way ♪
♪ But even the worst nights ♪
♪ There's nothing I'd change ♪
-♪ I've been feeling ♪ -[full band joins in]
-♪ Like a fool ♪ -[cheering]
♪ They don't love you, they don't love you ♪
♪ Like I do ♪
♪ Is there something I could do to twist ♪
♪ And turn back the time? ♪
♪ Something I could say ♪
♪ To settle your mind ♪
♪ Something to prove ♪
♪ They don't love you... ♪
She been waiting to do this for a long time.
DAVID: ♪ Why ♪
-[mouths] -♪ We battle ♪
♪ For blame ♪
♪ But you make it easy ♪
♪ To smile through the thunder and the rain ♪
♪ So if there's something I could do to twist ♪
♪ And turn back the time ♪
♪ Something I could say ♪
♪ To settle your mind ♪
♪ Something to prove ♪
♪ They don't love you ♪
♪ Like I ♪
-♪ Do. ♪ -[song ends]
[cheering and applause]
BACKUP SINGERS: ♪ Ooh, ooh♪
GRACE: ♪ I forget when I was younger it was easy ♪
♪ Now I'm stressed-out, always have to have the TV on ♪
♪ Watching memories fade to gray ♪
♪ Unwinding slowly ♪
♪ Makes me uneasy ♪
♪ Making me crazy ♪
-♪ Crazy♪ -♪ But is it fake love ♪
♪ If I'm lying to myself? ♪
♪ Trying to fix up something real ♪
♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ I don't want to keep my head down ♪
♪ Got nothing to share ♪
♪ Maybe I should put my phone down ♪
♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ If everybody likes me ♪
♪ I just want to love myself ♪
♪ Love myself ♪
-JACK: Mm, mm, mm, mm. -♪ Ooh...♪
Damn, the girl still give me goosebumps.
-[chuckles softly] -[song ends]
Grace, that was so good.
Thank you, Maggie.
Let's take it from the top.
[orchestral intro slowly fades in]
♪ Ooh, ooh♪
♪ I forget when I was younger it was easy ♪
♪ Now I'm stressed-out, always have to have the TV on ♪
♪ Watching memories fade to gray ♪
♪ Unwinding slowly ♪
♪ Makes me uneasy ♪
-♪ Making me crazy ♪ -♪ Crazy♪
♪ But is it fake love ♪
♪ If I'm lying to myself? ♪
♪ Trying to fake the way I feel ♪
♪ Am I a stranger ♪
♪ If I don't recognize myself? ♪
♪ Trying to fix up something real ♪
♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ I don't want to keep my head down ♪
♪ Got nothing to share ♪
♪ Maybe I should put my phone down ♪
♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ If everybody likes me ♪
♪ I just want to love myself ♪
♪ Love myself ♪
-♪ Ooh, ooh♪ -♪ Love myself ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh♪
♪ It's hard to pay attention when my mind talks ♪
♪ Only wish there was a way to turn my mind off ♪
♪ Now the only way to sleep is with the lights on ♪
♪ Making me lonely, making me crazy ♪
♪ But is it fake love ♪
♪ If I'm lying to myself? ♪
♪ Trying to fake the way I feel ♪
♪ Am I a stranger ♪
♪ If I don't recognize myself? ♪
♪ Trying to fix up something real ♪
♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ I don't want to keep my head down ♪
♪ Got nothing to share ♪
♪ Maybe I should put my phone down ♪
♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ If everybody likes me ♪
♪ I just want to love myself ♪
♪ Love myself ♪
♪ My head is spinning ♪
♪ The ground breaks ♪
♪ And I can't pay attention when my hands shake ♪
♪ When love is gone, when every day is a bad day ♪
♪ Just need myself to tell me that it's okay ♪
♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ I don't want to keep my head down ♪
♪ Got nothing to share ♪
♪ Maybe I should put my phone down ♪
♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ If everybody likes me ♪
♪ I just want to love myself ♪
-♪ Love myself♪ -♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ I don't want to keep my head down ♪
♪ Got nothing to share ♪
♪ Maybe I should put my phone down ♪
♪ I don't really care ♪
♪ If everybody likes me ♪
♪ I just want to love myself ♪
♪ Love myself ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh♪
♪ Ooh, ooh.♪
[song ends]
[upbeat intro plays]
-♪ You got ♪ -♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh♪
♪ Little brittle pieces ♪
-♪ You got ♪ -♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh♪
♪ Little brittle pieces ♪
-♪ You got ♪ -♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh♪
♪ Stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Monday morning, and the sun is dead ♪
♪ Sky is broken, and the clouds are bled ♪
♪ I was up, was gonna go to work ♪
♪ Had my coffee, then went back to bed ♪
♪ Aiyee ♪
♪ My baby, stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
♪ Stop for a minute♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh♪
♪ Baby, 'cause you ♪
♪ You're the only one who knows what I mean ♪
♪ Boy, if you knew ♪
♪ What this ache is really doing to me ♪
♪ If you could just stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
♪ I know you'd change your mind ♪
♪ 'Cause, baby, it's true ♪
♪ You got little brittle pieces of my heart all over you ♪
♪ Stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
♪ Stop for a minute♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh♪
♪ Stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
♪ Stop for a minute♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh♪
♪ Tuesday morning, and I'm lying here ♪
♪ Phone is ringing, I ain't answering, oh, oh ♪
♪ And I know I should get out of bed ♪
♪ But I keep thinking about the words you said ♪
♪ Aiyee ♪
♪ You left me ♪
♪ Stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
♪ Stop for a minute♪
♪ Stop, stop♪
♪ Baby, 'cause you ♪
♪ Oh, you're the only one who knows what I mean ♪
♪ Boy, if you knew ♪
♪ What this ache is really doing to me ♪
♪ If you could just stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
♪ I know you'd change your mind, baby ♪
♪ 'Cause, baby, it's true ♪
♪ You got little brittle pieces of my heart all over you ♪
♪ Stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
♪ Stop for a minute♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh♪
♪ Stop for a minute ♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh ♪
♪ Stop for a minute♪
♪ Stop for a minute, oh.♪
[song ends]
RICHIE: Is that dope, or is that dope?
Trick question. This is dope.