Original subtitles

Yeah, that album's comin' out in a couple of weeks, huh?

Good luck to you, my brother. Good luck.

Hey, say hi to Antonio and Maya for me.

Hey, how you doin'? I'm Rocky Carroll.

Welcome to tonight's live episode of "Roc." Here we go.

Okay, folks, you know of all behind the scenes

people who work on the TV shows like the lights, the camera

and the makeup, the one that's the most important to me

is the caterer. No, no, I-I'm serious, you see.

We work long hours on the show and it's up to him to put out

the kinda stuff that we all like.

For example, this is Carl Gordon's favorite.

This is carrots and celery.

Yeah, I eat that stuff too, when it's lying next to a steak.

Ella Joyce likes this. This is a bottle of water from France.

Let me ask you something, if this is so good

why do French people drink so much wine?

As for Roc Dutton, he likes barbels

in a light bearnaise sauce.

No, no, no, I-I'm just kiddin'. He's into health food.

But for me, my favorite backstage treat

these little titbits right here.

That's right, folks. Aspirin.

Why? Because television, live TV is hard work. Enjoy the show.

Hey, Dias, hey, Britney. Hey, Destiny. How y'all doin'?

Peace.

♪ Them that got shall have ♪

♪ Them that's not shall lose ♪

♪ So the Bible says ♪

♪ And it still is news ♪

♪ Mama may have ♪

♪ Papa may have ♪

♪ But God bless the child ♪

♪ That's got his own ♪

♪ That's got his own ♪ Them that's got shall get ♪

♪ God bless the child ♪ Them that's not shall lose ♪

♪ Them that's got shall get ♪

♪ Them that's not shall lose ♪

- Hey! - Hey.

Man, I can't believe those trucks. How bad they are.

The engine stalls every time I turn on the compactor

and the department just refuses to fix it.

Yeah. Clinton's been here for a week and nothing's changed!

Hey, guys, listen up.

I got somebody here I want you to meet.

- Man, I don't believe it! - 'Whoa!'

Ruben Stiles. Ha-ha. My man, Ruben Stiles.

How you doin', man?

I-I'm Ernie Jessup. I'm a big fan of yours.

Man, I've seen every one of your movies.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, Roc Emerson.

Nice to meet you. You're a real good actor.

Would you mind just autographing my T-shirt? It's clean.

- Right here. - Knock it off! Come on here.

So, what brings you here to our happy dump?

I'm gonna shoot this movie about a garbage man

that lives in Baltimore. I'm gonna study you guys.

Man, in fact, why don't we just kick this thing off

by going down to that bar down the street?

All the drinks be on me.

- Hey! - Oh, great!

Hey, hey, hey, Roc, you comin' with us?

No, I wanna get home, Eleanor worked the early shift

so we could spend some time together.

Oh, so, your wife works to make ends meet, huh?

Well, you know, we're saving up for a house

and my father lives with us.

You know, we're trying to get ahead.

So, basically, you're like the quintessential working man?

Yeah, that's what the gang calls me.

You know what, Roc? I like to model my character after you.

You know what I'm sayin'?

See what you see, feel what you feel.

I'm gonna make you my template.

Me? You want me to be your template?

Whoa! I'm flattered!

I mean, I've never been a template before but I can learn.

Alright, man. Then it's settled, man.

Every wakin' hour, I'm gonna spend with you.

Except I got this facial tomorrow.

Okay. Good. That's great. Then let's do it.

Okay, first stop Charlene's Bar 'n' Grill.

Uh, you did say you were buying, right?

You cheap, huh? See, that's good character stuff.

No, don't-don't change the subject.

♪ Keep on walking ♪

- Face... - Ha-ha-ha!

Hey, everyone, you'll never guess

who followed me all from work!

'Oh, my God!'

- Oh, my God! - Ruben Stiles, man.

- That's Ruben Stiles. - Yeah.

Oh, Lord, he's standin' right here in my living room.

Please don't mind the house.

If I'd known you were comin', I'd have refurnished.

Hey, hey, Ruben, uh, uh, this is my wife, Eleanor.

I'm sorry if she didn't recognize you.

Hey, and this is my brother Joey.

- Hey, what's happening, man? - And this is my pop, Andrew.

Oh, this is a pleasure.

You know, I've seen you in Trigger Finger

and Trigger Finger returns.

Oh, I love both those movies.

But tell me, how come you had to shoot all the brothers?

They was working, weren't they?

You're being funny. Have a seat, Ruben.

- Get out. - Wait a minute.

- Have a seat. - Alright. Alright.

I'm gonna ask what everybody else is wonderin', okay?

Um, why is a down brother like you hanging with Roc?

- Oh! - Yeah, yeah.

Well, it just so happens, Ruben's doin' a movie

about a Baltimore garbage man

and he wants to model himself after me!

- Oh, Roc. - Must be a horror movie then.

Is that right?

Actually, it's a drama titled "City of trash."

You know, Robin Givens is gonna play my wife.

Oh, that's me.

Woody Harrelson will be my hot-headed partner.

Oh, that's cool, that's cool.

Who's gonna play the garbage man's father?

You don't see the garbageman's father in the movie.

I can tell you right now, that story's not very satisfying.

Ruben, can I get you a beer or somethin'?

Yeah... no, I just got out of Betty Ford.

I-I made some good contacts here.

That's how I got this movie.

- Oh. - Ooh!

Can I get you some coffee, or some ice water?

- Some Kool-Aid? - No, listen.

I'm just here to observe y'all.

Just do what you do if I'm not here, alright?

On your mark, get set, live.

Well, you know, we really

weren't gonna do anything interesting, you know?

Just sit around and you know, pay some bills.

Now that's the kinda stuff I wanna see, man. Human suffering.

- Okay, then, let's go. - Alright.

Now, Roc, don't be gettin' loud on me over these bills.

I'm sleepin' in my flannel pajamas tonight.

This is great stuff.

Okay, here we go.

Okay, Roc, here's the gas and electric.

Oh, this is the gas and electric.

- Ninety-six dollars? - Here we go.

That's $14 more than last month.

Roc, honey, don't be ridiculous.

This time of the year, the days are shorter. We need more light.

If that's all this was about, I'd have no problem.

How many times have I asked you, no, begged you

to turn off the light when you leave the room.

But no! You gotta keep this place lit up

like a ballpark doing a twilight doubleheader.

Here comes Cal Ripken slidin' into the kitchen

Out. Lights out, Eleanor.

Well, from now on, I'll light a candle.

That can be my light and my heat.

Then again we probably can't even afford the wax.

Oh, damn! I didn't wanna get mad with her, you know

but, um, you know, these utility companies will rob you blind.

I know. That's why I own stock in them.

Yeah, well, this is the phone-phone b...

Hey, Joey, get in here!

Whatever you do, don't put a younger brother in your movie.

Yeah, Roc, what's up?

Joey, did you make a $30 call to Oslo, Norway?

Uh, Roc, let me remind you that Norway

is the center of progressive jazz.

Okay. You were calling somebody about a job?

Uh, actually I was calling a stewardess friend of mine.

She was on lay over, see...

Joey, that's the last time you ever use the phone

in this house again!

Joey, that's the last time you'll ever use the phone

in this house again!

See, I think I got the eyes down.

I just gotta work on gettin' the veins

to pop out at the back of my head.

Daddy, this is so exciting.

Carol Moseley Braun is going to be the first sister

to serve in the US Senate.

- Yeah, uh-huh. - Just wait.

Before you know it, there's gonna be

a black person in the White House.

Oh, where've you been, Eleanor? There'd been there for years.

Moppin', scrubbin', dustin'.

Hell, they've been picking up after white folks there

since before reconstruction.

It's like our, uh...

...national plantation.

Daddy, you know you're just upset 'cause your man...

Didn't even carry one state.

No, it's not that.

I'm just down about somethin' else.

What's wrong?

Oh, it's Dan Quayle. I miss the little fella.

Well, daddy, you know he's still gonna be around.

Yeah, he'll be makin' speeches and writin' books.

He won't be able to read 'em but...

...he'll still be on the news

sayin' one stupid thing or another.

You'll still be able to make fun of him.

Yeah, but it won't be the same.

Well, suddenly I'm in the mood for a potato.

Oh, stop that...

Cheer up, daddy, there's a whole lotta joke potential

with someone whose name is Tipper.

Oh, boy, what a day, huh?

I bet you've never worked around that much trash

in your life, huh, Ruben?

Sure, I have, except in Hollywood

they walk on two legs.

Guys, it sounds like you had a real rough day.

Yeah, babe.

Well, dinner goin' be ready in about an hour.

Great, baby, so, why don't you come over here

and give me some of that sweet sugar.

Uh, don't go there, Ruben.

If you think he's overprotective of me

try going near his remote control.

Hey, Roc, I was in the neighborhood

saw the light, thought I'd drop by.

Yeah, well, Fred, there's lights all over this neighborhood.

Why did you have to pick my house?

Hey, Ruben, man, I didn't know you were still here.

Yeah, right, you wear your church clothes

whenever you wanna come and hang out with me, huh?

Hey, man, I've been meaning to ask you a question

about that fine Robin Givens.

Now, is that her real hair?

Or is she wearin' one of those weaves?

No, that's hers. She paid for it.

Oh! You rogue, you're wrong!

'Who is that?'

Hey, Roc, you know my wife Gladys.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we heard, we heard, Randy. Come on in.

Yeah, Gladys, you know, you're the last person

I expected to see.

Eleanor, I told you to turn off the lights.

Now, this is gonna cost electricity and food.

Roc, these are your friends.

Yeah, well, u-unplug the phone.

I am so happy to meet you.

You're my biggest fan.

No, no, no. You're my biggest fan.

You understand me.

Yeah, yeah, we heard you saw some lights in the neighborh--

No, no, no, we're here to see Ruben.

Kids, come on in!

There he is. Ruben Stiles, movie star.

Tell me ain't I a great dad?

- Put that down. Don't touch. - Put that down, sweetie.

- Don't... - Bobby, put that down!

- Hey, Sylvia. - Sylvia.

Would you please get those kids to sit down and behave?

Come on now... Don't let him upstairs.

- Hey, what's going on in here? - Come on now.. Oh!

- Hello! - Get these kids to settle down.

Hey! A house full of happy people?

- Yeah, I'm in the right house. - Joey, here.

- Hey, Joey, Joey. - Yeah.

Uh, it's a Cindy

from Stuttgart, Germany calling collect.

- Yeah, yeah. - Stuttgart, Germany!

No, no, no, no, no.

Nein, nein, nein.

Joey, you know something, you have the...

- Don't you be ever callin'-- - Hey, Roc, Roc, Roc. Allow me.

Joey, you've gotta stop and pay your own way.

All you do is take advantage, and I've had it, Joey!

No more free TV, no more free food.

As a matter of fact, I'm gonna start charge you

for out of conversation.

Hey, hey, man, that was a great Roc.

Except you got a little too much neck.

You need to hunch your shoulders when you, you...

Oh, hey, come on, come on, come on, come on

that's not what I'm really like.

- Aye, pop! - That's it.

No more TV after 11 o'clock.

Last month's phone bill was sky high.

I'm talking about it, pop, if you gotta go to sleep

watch TV, take a pill or somethin'.

Aye, come on, that's not me.

No, Roc, he-he's got you down.

And, Eleanor...

...as soon as the tipster, gets the twenty geese

I'm payin' for heat.

We've got plenty of good furniture to burn up.

Eleanor, I'm not made out of money.

''Cause if I was, I'd take off my leg'

and I'd cash it in, Eleanor.

See, that's what's wrong with your big city sidity woman.

You get a roof over your head and you get spoiled.

Thank you. Hey, Roc, how'd you like that?

Roc. Roc.

- I think he left. - Hope I didn't insult him.

Well, since he's gone, hey, big brother

why don't you let me borrow $50?

Joey!

You nailed it.

There is more "Roc" live after these messages.

♪ Keep on walking ♪

Hey, Roc.

Eleanor said I could wait for you.

Oh, yeah. Well, I have to talk to her about that.

Listen, Roc, I apologize if I offended you, man.

I-I thought you'd be flattered by my portrayal of you.

Oh, yeah, great performance.

You made me out to be Fred Flintstone with rabies.

Come on, man, you've got to admit. I had you down.

Oh, sure, you do a great performance.

You're a great mimic. See you.

Hey, I'm not a mimic. I'm an actor.

No. James Earl Jones is an actor.

Morgan Freeman is an actor.

Yeah. They're good, too.

You know, you told me you wanted to follow me around

so you could see what I see, feel what I feel.

And that's what I've been doin'.

Oh, no, you haven't.

You're dealing with the superficial stuff.

How I walk, how I talk.

You know, I've never met a big-named actor before

but I know people with other skills.

Mechanics, carpenters, you know what I mean?

And they're-and they're serious about

doin' the best job they can

and you're not even in their league, Ruben.

As a matter of fact, you're nothing.

You know what? You're right. I'm just a big fraud.

Oh, great. So you're gonna mock me, huh?

No, I'm agreein' with you, man. I'm not an actor.

I'm just some kid from South Central that got lucky.

I've been fakin' it all these years.

Alright, wait, wait, but don't go to pieces now.

I'm, you know, I'm-I'm just blowing off a little steam.

No, man. No, you're right, man.

Did you read what Jean Cisco wrote about me in my last movie?

He said I had the emotional range of a prune Danish.

Come on, man, I've been foolin' everybody.

Everybody but you, Roc.

Man, maybe he should have followed Fred around.

Hello.

Hollywood?

No, Ru-Ruben's not here.

No, he's not laying here next to me.

No, I don't have a fax machine.

No, I don't have a modem.

I do have an attitude. What can I do for you?

He did?

No. No, I don't know what happened.

I'm sorry. Goodbye.

- Roc. - Hmm?

What did you say to Ruben?

Uh, wh-what do you mean? Who was that?

The producer of his movie.

He said Ruben called him and said he's quitting the movie.

It seemed someone convinced him

that he couldn't handle the role.

'Oh.'

Well, you know, all I told him was, you know...

You know, that he wasn't, you know, nothing.

Of course he's nothing...

...next to a powerful, influential

garbage man like you, huh?

Well, apparently he's done this kind of thing before.

You know, his-his producer said that his team of therapists

is on a book tour.

Whenever anybody criticizes his talent

he just goes in to an emotional funk.

Oh, if I had a nickel for every time

Roc sent somebody there.

Oh, this black man going to see a therapist?

Oh, only in Hollywood.

Oh, the poor guy. You know, all that money, cars, women.

It's just a cover, you know, for his insecurities and fears.

Sounds like a fair trade to me.

I'll get it.

I can get it.

You don't live here no more.

Oh, hi, Ruben.

- 'Hey, Ruben.' - 'Hey, hello, Ruben.'

- How are you? - Suicidal.

It'll pass.

Good luck, son.

Uh, Roc?

One thing, uh

if he says somethin' that you don't like

the proper response is not "Shut up, Ruben."

Shut up, Joey.

Yeah, that's good. Get it out of your system.

Um, listen, Roc, I just wanted to say goodbye

'cause I'm gonna leave town.

Yeah, but where you goin'?

I don't know. Here, there.

Wherever bad actors go.

Well, you know, what are you, what are you going to do?

I don't know, man. I just gotta clear my head, man.

I got to do something mindless

something doesn't take any thinking.

I'd probably do a sitcom.

Yeah.

Umm, well, you know they tell me you're, you know

you're gonna, you know, quit that movie.

Yeah. I wanna thank you for that.

Thank you for saving for makin' a fool of myself.

Oh, wait a minute. Now, come on, Ruben.

Now you know you make people happy, you make people smile

you know, you're like a, you know, general electric.

You know, you, you bring good things to life!

Roc, you're just too smooth, man.

Why don't you become an agent?

Just get yourself an Italian suit, grow a pony...

Wear a hat.

Oh, come on, man, I'm not hustling you, man.

Man, come on, just yesterday you told me I was a terrible actor.

I never said you were a terrible actor.

I just said you didn't get me, you know.

You were doin' a parody. But you're better than that, man.

You-you could be the actor you were born to be.

You gotta focus in on your subject, okay?

I mean like, okay, okay, now. Now, who am I?

Fine. Who are you?

Well, I don't know. I'm, uh...

I'm just a guy, you know.

Oh, I guess I totally missed that.

Well, w-w-wait a minute, wait a minute.

Now I'm a black man working for a living.

Tryin' to achieve the American Dream.

No, but that's not easy.

That's frustrating.

I mean, it's, you know, it's hard to pledge

allegiance to a country

that never pledge allegiance to me.

So, you know, sometimes I lose my temper.

But then I always have to come back

to believe in-in that dream.

Because without that...

...I'm just another guy tryin' to survive.

Man, I understand where you're coming from.

See, I got into acting to make a difference.

There's a black actor in Hollywood, man.

All I get to play is cops, and dope dealers and hustlers.

But see, man, I keep tryin' to get that one great role, man.

I keep hustlin' for it, man, 'cause I have to.

Yeah, that's great. Good, good.

Now see, you take that wanting, and that frustration

and use that to play me.

I mean, you already got the mannerisms right.

Come on. Now just give me the man.

Play the man, yeah.

- Okay, the wanting? - Yeah!

The yearning, the frustration.

I'm just a black man tryin' to achieve the American Dream.

But it's hard to pledge allegiance to a country

that never pledge allegiance to me.

But I keep hangin' on to that dream.

Because without it, I'm nothing.

Yeah, that's good. You know, t-that's much better.

Don't go away. "Roc" live will be right back.

♪ Keep on walking ♪

- Yeah, not too much. - Yeah.

- Hey. - Hey.

What're y'all watching there?

It's Ruben's movie. He's sent us an advance copy.

- Oh! - Shh.

'Francine, you come from another world.'

'I couldn't venture into your Ivory Towers.'

'I'm just a garbage man.'

'It's not what I do. It's what I am.'

What is this movie rated? PU?

I can't believe he would leave his gorgeous wife, the nurse

for that rich, skinny, no behind tramp up town.

Oh, come on, Eleanor, it's just a movie.

'Stonie, why do you hurt me like this?'

'Why won't you pay your bills without yelling at me?'

'Francine, you just don't understand'

'my financial discipline.'

'I'm savin' up to put my senile pop in a home.'

What?

- Did you tell him that? - Oh, pop, it's just fiction.

You know, nobody's taking this stuff seriously.

'Stonie, I know the real reason you're so afraid of life.'

'It's because you can't reproduce.'

'You have a low sperm count.'

Who in the hell told him that?

I never told him that.

Hey, Joey, you want a sandwich?

Hey, Stonie, it's just a movie...

Run! Run!

♪ Yeah keep on walking on ♪

♪ Oh Lord ♪

♪ Oh yeah yeah yeah ♪

♪ Yeah yeah well well well ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Oh oh ♪

♪ Whoa whoa whoa ♪

♪ Keep on walking on ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Whoa whoa ♪

♪ Keep on walking on ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Whoa whoa ♪

♪ Keep on walking on ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ Keep on walking on ♪

♪ Whoa ♪