All language subtitles for The Jeffersons s04e17 Lionel Gets the Business

Well, we're moving on up, moving on up,
to the east side, moving on up, to a

deep...

No. Somebody spray painted it on the
subway.

But it's true.

Weezy, guess what?

After six months, I finally did it.

Did what?

Don't you ever listen to me?

That's all I've been talking about.

What was the last thing I said before we
went to bed last night?

Not tonight, Weezy. I'm too tired.

Haven't you ever seen Mr. Jefferson in a
good mood before?

No, but don't go by me. I've only worked
here two years.

You can't get to me today, Florence.

Mr. Jefferson, Mama and Jenny will be
coming soon.

Don't you want me to start the hors d
'oeuvres? No, hold it.

These are the hors d 'oeuvres. Real
fancy French ones. Just stick them on a

plate.

You went out and bought hors d 'oeuvres.
I was going to make them myself.

I know. That's why I went out and bought
them.

But I was going to fix something special
just for you. I called it my George

Jefferson sandwich.

Oh, yeah? What is it?

Shrimp wrapped in tongue.

Well, come on, George. Tell me why
you're in such a good mood.

Well, Weas, I finally did it.

Oh, that must be the kids. You can tell
us all at once.

Is this some time for the big news?

Oh, yeah.

What's up, Pop? My business, that's
what.

You know that account I've been trying
to land for the last six months, that

hotel owned by that French dude?

You mean the Moulin Rouge?

That's right. Well, from now on, I am
going to be cleaning all of the Rouge

of their Moulin.

Oh, that's wonderful, Mr. Jefferson.

Here's to your new job.

And here's to my old one.

Your old... Older one? What do you mean?

Oh, I got laid off today.

Laid off? How could they do that? It's
illegal.

Why? Because you're my son.

Well, I don't think they took that into
consideration, Mr. Jefferson.

Well, didn't you tell them about your
four starving kids at home?

Pop, that's a lie.

No, it's not. If you had four kids,
they'd be starving right now.

Now, look, the contract I was working on
just ran out. That's all.

But how are you going to support
yourself?

Hey, it's not that bad.

We have a savings account, you know.

And how long is that going to last?

If we really cut down?

Eight or nine hours.

Hey, Mom, don't worry now.

It's probably just temporary.

And besides, I can always quit school
and get a job.

Ha! You support Lionel?

Yeah, well, what's wrong with a wife
helping out? Mrs. Jefferson, she helped

you. That's different. Weezy has a
natural talent for doing laundry.

What?

Oh, no, that came out wrong, Weez. What
I mean is, uh, you really shine when

you're around dirt.

Keep talking, George, and you'll be
under six feet of it.

Now, look, Jenny could help out, but
she's not gonna have to.

I can just get another job.

You can?

Hey, that's right, and I know where to.
Where, Pop? With me.

With you? Why not? I mean, it's perfect.

I mean, uh, good hours.

Good pay, and a boss will be just like a
father to you.

You know, it's not a bad idea, Lionel.
After all, it would only be temporary,

and you can make enough to tide yourself
over.

Right, and besides, you used to work for
me in the summer at the store.

I mean, you know what I'm like to work
with.

Don't blow it, George.

Oh, Weezy.

So what do you say, son?

Uh, careful, Lionel. Your father might
say it's temporary, but you know how

he wants to get you in that business.

Jenny! I'm shocked.

What makes you think Mr. Jefferson would
ever tell a lie?

I don't know. Maybe I heard it from my
four starving kids.

Come on, Jenny.

He's only trying to help and... Well,
I've worked behind the counter before. I

know the job.

Good, then it's all settled.

Well, okay.

And, um, thanks, Pop, but you better
remember something. If an engineering

comes... Sure, sure.

But meanwhile, you'll work for me in my
corporate headquarters as my new vice

president. Oh, hold it. A temporary vice
president?

Hey, now, wait a minute. I thought I was
going to be working in one of your

stores behind the counter. All those
jobs are taken.

What do you want me to do? Fire one of
them poor guys just to make room for

Of course not. Then you've got to be
vice president. It's the only job that's

open.

Vice president? Then you know I don't
have any experience for that. What are

talking about? Your name is Jefferson,
ain't it?

You got cleaning fluid in your blood.

I think you got some of these hors d
'oeuvres you brought home, too.

What are they, Florence?

These are me. Little green things over
here, little black things... What are

those little brown things on top?

If they ain't moving, they're probably
anchovies.

Well, no thanks, Florence.

Maybe later.

I wouldn't wait too long, child.

Lord knows what happens when they get
old.

Look, Florence, I'm starving to death.
Now, will you get rid of that mess and

start serving dinner?

We'll help you, Florence.

Come on, baby.

Oh, George, isn't this nice, the way
everything worked out?

Lionel working for you temporarily?

Temporarily? I got news for you, Weezy.

He is going to be working for me
permanently.

It's finally going to be Jefferson and
Son.

Don't you ever give up.

Lionel doesn't want to work for you
permanently.

He will.

Psychology, we... Look, when a man gets
a job behind a big desk, making

important decisions, all of a sudden
he's ten feet tall.

How come it didn't work for you?

That the supplies are on their way.

Oh, good.

Thank you. Yeah. Bye -bye.

Hey, Lionel, how's it going? Oh, great,
Pop.

Hey, um...

You know something?

I've been working with you for the past
week now. You've been really easy to get

along with.

You don't question any of my decisions.
You say yes to everything I do. You

haven't argued with me once. Hey, Pop,
are you okay?

Why should I question your decision?

I told you, you're the boss. If you say
something's right, it's right.

Mr. Jefferson, all the stores just
called in. They said they delivered the

furniture, and it's beautiful.

Stop!

What new furniture? Who the hell ordered
new furniture?

I did.

Oh, you did.

Another great decision.

New furniture.

Why?

Well, I thought the customers would like
some place to sit. You know, while

they're waiting for their clothes. Of
course. Now, see, that's using your

What a great idea.

How much did it cost?

Oh, don't worry about that, Pop.

I got a great deal.

Normally, it would cost us $1 ,700.

$1 ,700?

Don't worry, Pop.

I got a great deal.

It only ran us $1 ,300.

Oh, only $1 ,300.

For each store.

For each store?

Did I do something wrong, Pop?

No, no, no, no. I was just wondering why
I never thought of that.

Well, you know, you probably just didn't
know where to get a good deal.

Oh, you might be right, Lionel.

Oh, Pop, I want you to wait here. I want
to bring in something and show it to

you. Hey, you the boss.

And you know something? I think you're
really going to like this.

Oh, better than the furniture?

Oh, man, a lot better.

I don't think so.

Hello. Oh, Mr. Simmons. Hey, how's the
restaurant business treating you?

What do you mean what happened to your
laundry?

You know it always takes a week.

Who told you we had one day service?

Lionel Jefferson.

No, I never heard of him.

You said he was my son?

That's impossible.

My son's in Alaska.

No, no, Senator, don't worry about it.
I'll take care of it.

Okay, bye.

But Lionel's hopeless.

Well, what do you think?

Well, oh,

says Jefferson Cleaners. Now, see,
Lionel, a little patch like that is good

advertising. Now, see, that's what I
thought, too, Pop. So I went ahead and

one for every employee, you know, in all
the stores. That's great.

I mean, how much could a bunch of
patches like that cost? Hey, man, this

cost nothing.

They threw them in for free when I
bought the blazers.

You bought blazers for all the
employees?

Oh, yeah.

I thought it would give the store some
class.

About $2 ,000 worth of class.

Oh, no, $3 ,000. Oh, well, I mean, who
could put a price tag on class? Now,

I knew you would appreciate that. And
look, while you got a minute, I made one

more decision.

Oh, let me sit down for this one.

Okay, go ahead.

I decided to get all the stores painted.

You decided to get all the stores
painted.

Don't worry, man. Won't interfere with
business.

I'm having the painters come in on
Sunday when all the stores are closed.

Donald, don't you know that painters get
double time for Sunday?

What do you think about that, Pop?

I guess I've made my first mistake, huh?
No, no, no, I wouldn't say that.

Now, how much does this painting want to
cost? Well, um, here's the estimate.

Of course, it's only a ballpark figure.

Yeah, Yankee Stadium.

What'd you say?

Oh, nothing, Lionel. Look, I think I
better run down to the bank. Oh, you

me to go with you? No, you stay away
from the bank!

It's a walking disaster.

I don't think you mean fair, George.

Lionel's only been in the business a few
days.

Yeah, right. And if he's in it much
longer, ain't gonna be no business.

Isn't it possible that you're just
expecting too much from him too soon?

Wheezy. No, I mean it.

Don't forget, you made some pretty bad
mistakes yourself when you first

Oh, yeah? Like what?

Like that first delivery truck you
bought.

Oh. Yeah, well, how was I supposed to
know it had been used in a holdup?

The bullet holes in the back might have
given you a hint.

Yeah, you're right. I should have
looked.

You remember the time you accidentally
bleeped those nuns' habits?

Oh, yeah.

Boy, were they mad.

I didn't think nuns even knew words like
that.

And how about the time the dryers burned
out because you used the wrong fuses?

Now, that was really dumb.

Okay, you made your point.

Yeah, I guess it'll take a while to
learn the ropes.

Oh, Lionel, straighten out. You'll see.

Yeah, you're probably right, Wee. Now,
just relax and read the paper.

I'll make you another drink.

And look on the bright side. Your air
turned out beautifully.

Oh, yeah? Well, that's good.

What air?

Oh, it's right there on page three.

This bad.

Jefferson Cleaners proudly announces
Friday half price sale.

Who the hell put this in here?

Didn't you?

Are you crazy, Wheezy?

A half price sale and all my store could
run me out of business.

Well, if you didn't do it, who did?

Lying.

dropped off a ton and a half of laundry.

Lionel's ad is going to ruin me. Every
cleaner in town is sending me to work.

Well, what do you want me to tell the
manager in the Bronx? He's practically

crying. Well, tell him to come on over
here. We can cry together.

Yeah, what is it?

Hello?

Wong, song, facts, hen laundry.

No speak English. Call back and we learn
how.

I thought maybe you'd like to go out to
lunch today. Great, Weezy. Why don't you

get us a table for two in Brazil?

Mr. Cooper, I got a mean dude on the
line in there. He's laughing his head

and saying you are the dumbest
businessman he's ever seen.

Oh, yeah? Who is it? Your accountant.

George, what about lunch? Not now,
Weezy. Answer the phone.

Huh? Grab the phone.

What do I say? Say hello.

Hello. What? Oh, you're from the
newspaper.

Yeah. No, I don't want to run you out
again next week.

I'll tell him.

George, that was your manager in Queens.

He said when he called before, he forgot
to tell you something. What?

George,

what's going on here?

Look, will you just grab the phone?

Hello, what do you want?

Jefferson Cleaners. I know this is
Jefferson Cleaners. What do you want?

I don't want anything.

Nobody talks to me like that. Oh, yeah?
Well, you listen to him, mister.

Mister!

George!

George!

Hi, Weasley.

Mister, huh?

Look, I'm sorry, Weasley. I didn't know
it was you. Look, that ad line I put in

the paper is the cause of all of this.

Hi, Pop. Hey, Mom. How you doing?

We were just talking about you. Oh,
yeah? Oh, went by all the stores, and

should see all the business we're
getting. Yeah, we're getting the

right.

Uh, Lionel, are you sure putting that ad
in the paper was the right thing to do?

Are you kidding?

We couldn't buy publicity like that for
a million dollars.

I think we just did.

Well, um, if you two want to talk, I'm
going shopping.

Oh, yeah. See you later, Will. Yeah,
have a good time, Ma.

Uh, Lionel. Sorry, Pop. I gotta get
these bills out.

Oh, like, before you do that, Lionel,
uh, look, I've been doing a lot of

thinking, and, um, you've been working
here almost a week now.

And, like, you really got things turned
around here.

Oh, Pop, thank you. I'm glad I'm working
now.

Uh, yeah, so, um, well, I figured you're
about due for a vacation.

What?

Well, you know, paid, of course.

A vacation?

Yeah, well, at least two or three
months.

Oh, we're too busy now.

I mean... There's too much to get
finished.

Oh, finished?

That's the word that keeps popping in my
head.

Look, we're too busy right now. I better
skip that vacation. But Lionel, look, I

don't want you to be overworked. I want
you to stay fresh.

So you can keep coming up with those
great ideas.

Ah, so that's it. Hey, look, you don't
have to worry about that because I got a

lot of great ideas left.

Oh, you do?

You know something, Lionel? You are
unbelievable.

Hey, Pop.

You don't have to thank me. After all,
what a son for.

That's what I'm beginning to wonder.

Hello.

Who? Oh, yeah, he's here.

Hold it.

It's the boss from your engineering
company.

Hello, Mr. Hoffman.

Uh -huh.

Uh -huh.

Hey, well, sure, I'd like to meet with
you.

That sounds great.

Today for lunch will be fine.

Okay. Yeah. Bye.

Well, what do you think?

You'll never guess, Pop.

Those people want to give me my old job
back.

Really?

I mean, really?

I really don't know what to do.

Because I like the job, you know. Well,
then go take it. I mean, look.

I mean, I'll miss you around here, but
I'll make out somehow.

Well, I am an engineer, you know. I
know. You've got to go with your

Oh, don't get me wrong.

You've done a great job here.

Well, Pop, you can find someone to take
my place, can't you?

I don't think so, Lytle.

I don't think there's anybody in the
cleaning business like you.

Well, thanks, Pop.

That's all I needed to know.

Where are you going?

Oh, I'm going to have lunch with Mr.
Hoffman and tell him that I can't take

job. Hey, Bilal!

Hey, Pop, you need me here, man.

Stop walking around.

You make me feel like I'm eating in a
buck depot.

I can't help it, Weezy. I don't know
what to do about Lionel. I mean, he

well, but he's ruining my business.

Oh, you don't think Jefferson and Son is
going to work out, huh?

Oh, no, the Jefferson is cool.

It's the Son that's got to go.

Here's your coffee.

Where's the cream and sugar?

Where it always is, in the kitchen.

It really isn't Lionel's fault.

He's an engineer. He never wanted to be
a businessman.

That's right. That's why I don't know
where you got the stupid idea that he

should work for me.

My idea?

Uh -uh. You're not going to pin this one
on me.

She's right. It was your stupid idea.

Well, look, it don't matter whose stupid
idea it was.

The fact is, he's our son. He's screwing
up our business, and we got to work it

out together.

But what can we do?

Well, you just have to fire him.

Me? What happened to doing it together?

We're doing it together.

I hired him. You fired him.

Why don't you do it?

Because you're his mother.

You're his father.

You had him.

You made him.

I used to pick up after him.

Ain't you got something better to do
than just sitting there?

I don't know. Make me an offer.

Well, why don't you try washing the
dishes?

That ain't better than sitting here.

Florence.

Y 'all always talking about I'm part of
the family.

Look, George.

You got yourself into this mess. Now you
get yourself out.

Yeah, but how?

By telling him the truth.

That's right.

I mean, this is business.

I'm a man. He's a man. We're supposed to
know how to handle business.

I'll just lay it on the line. Sure.

What are you doing?

I'm going to write him a letter.

You are doing nothing of the kind.

You're going to talk to him face to
face.

But, Weezy, how can I tell him?

Yeah, but, Jenny, how can I tell him?

It's simple.

You've got the opportunity to work on a
special project. You couldn't turn Mr.

Hoffman down.

Mm -mm.

Well, what's wrong with that?

Well, I just can't hurt Pop like that.
You know, you should have heard him when

I told him I might be leaving. Oh,
Lionel, you love engineering.

Any reasonable person will understand
that.

Yeah, but sweetheart, we're not talking
about a reasonable person.

We're talking about my father.

Yeah, I forgot.

Well, it's got to be done anyway.

Yeah, well, it isn't going to be easy.

Oh, Lionel, Jenny, what a nice surprise.

Hi, Mom.

Hello, Mrs. Jefferson.

Well, come on in.

George, look who's here.

Oh, hey, kids. How you doing?

There's nothing wrong at the store, is
there? No, everything's fine.

You didn't sell one of them, did you?

Well, why would I do something like
that?

Well, I don't know. Maybe you ran out of
paint or blazers or something.

No, we only dropped by because Lionel's
got something to tell you.

Well, that's a coincidence.

George has something to tell Lionel.

Oh, you do? What is it?

Nothing that can't wait. You go first.

Oh, well, go ahead, Lionel.

Okay, Papa, I'm going to get right to
the point. I can't, I don't, um... Yeah,

that's right, Lionel, right to the
point.

Well, woman, I can't talk if you keep
interrupting me.

Listen, you made me forget where I was.

Somewhere between I and oh.

Go on, son, what is it?

Lionel, just tell him.

Pop, I want to tell you something.

I like working with you.

Okay, George.

Your turn.

Right.

Lionel. Yeah?

I like working with you, too.

See you in the morning.

Good. 7 .30 sharp. Come on, darling.

Where are you going?

You bitch.

George, you've got something to say. Now
say it.

And so have you, Lionel.

Lionel. Pop.

Lionel. Pop, you're fired.

But he quits.

I'm fired.

You quit?

But, Pop, you told me I was doing such a
great job.

Well, you told me you enjoyed working
for me. Well, what kind of a father goes

around firing his own son?

A father who has a son who quits on his
own father.

Oh, Pop, you let me down.

You disappointed me, Lionel.

And I've never been happier in my life.

The Jeffersons was videotaped in front
of a studio audience.