Original subtitles

MAN: Keef Knight needs to go.

WOMAN: Black People for Rent sucks.

MAN: That guy's an asshole. WOMAN: Hey, man, stick��

KEEF: Why is it that it's people of color

always having to stand for something

or, you know, say something in our work?

[intense music] That's why I keep it light.

ADRIENNE: Keef.

Keef. Hi. � Huh?

ADRIENNE: Hey. � Oh, hey.

Hey, sorry.

� You okay? � No, I'm good. You?

� Do we, uh... do we need to talk

about that��that thing the other night?

� Oh, no. No, no, uh��

� The shirt, the�� KEEF: Innocent mistake.

Innocent mistake. That's fine.

Yeah, but this...

ADRIENNE: Shit. Man, that's a lot of hate.

KEEF: A lot of hate.

� I got canceled when I was 12.

Look at me now. � Oh, wow.

Took you 20 years to get uncanceled.

� Really? KEEF: Mm.

� 17. Thanks, Keef. KEEF: Okay.

What's the plan? What do I do?

� Now? Nothing.

You just take your mind off it. I have an idea.

Bear with me. It's��it's out there.

� Ready? KEEF: Mm�hmm.

� Swing dancing.

� Yeah, but what's your idea?

� Swing dancing. Something fun, different.

� Okay, look, I've been to my fair share of hockey games,

a Phish concert, and I love true crime podcasts,

but this may be a little too white for me.

� Oh, Keef, come on!

You know that the Lindy Hop was invented

by Black people, right?

� What? � Yeah.

I mean, the Harlem Renaissance.

Didn't you learn about it in primary school?

� No, but I know what to do in a mass shooting.

� Jesus.

� Okay, look, I just...

I just don't wanna go dancing.

� [sighs]

� People are gonna be staring at me,

seeing if I'm good or not.

� Oh, you're not a good dancer.

� I'm actually a pretty good dancer.

� Not so sure about that.

I've got a better idea anyway.

� So why do you have a swing set in your art studio?

� It's not a swing set. � Hmm.

� It's an interactive installation.

� Mm. � Yeah.

I just wanted to create an experience, you know,

where we could get out of our self�important adult minds

and remember how it feels for us

to be like children without cares in the world.

� Wow. We may have had

slightly different childhood experiences.

� Could you just try it? � You want me to try this?

ADRIENNE: Yeah. � Okay.

The back and forth thing? � Yeah.

� It was called swinging?

� Yeah, you already said no to the dancing, so��

� Okay, all right. Swinging.

� This is the least you could do.

� Here we go.

� So what do you think?

� Do I feel better?

A little bit, maybe.

� You're a natural.

� Well, it's like riding a swing.

[both laugh]

Oh, okay.

You might know what you're talking about.

� Thank you. Feels good, huh?

� So how much would this thing cost me?

� Well, more than a Ferrari, but less than therapy.

� Jesus.

� It's kind of a steal.

[rock music]

♪ ♪

[hip�hop music]

♪ ♪

� Hey, uh, guys?

I hate to interrupt your food,

but I have to call an impromptu, uh, meeting.

Now, as someone who knows the importance of focus groups,

and you two are the only two people that still like me,

I need your opinion.

� Okay, but we don't like you that much.

Boom! � Okay, cool.

Kay. Thank you very much.

It's this way.

I've been working on some new characters,

you know, some more personal stuff.

I gotta get back in the game, so check it out.

That's for you. I want you to pass those out.

GUNTHER: That's really smart of you.

� Okay, confer amongst yourselves.

I'll give you a minute.

I'll be over here.

I don't want you to think that I'm trying to influence your...

ah, I can't stand it.

Okay, so, uh, what do you think?

� No, it's, uh... it's a great first draft.

Um... � It's��it's a second draft.

� Love the concept, but...

� How 'bout you draw people?

Like, actual human beings. What's this shit?

� People. � Yeah.

This is a talking trash can?

I don't know, that's kinda��

that's kinda out there, you know?

� And talking toast isn't?

� Do you want feedback or not?

� Yeah, no, I'm�� I'm done talking, so just��

� Yeah, well, what is�� I mean, what is this even for?

� Excellent question, uh, you on the right.

Um...a salon.

� Oh!

Okay. Okay.

� What the fuck is a salon? Like��

� Yeah, I don't know. I don't know.

� A beauty salon? � [scoffs]

A salon is a gathering of people

that come together to refine taste

and also increase knowledge using art

and also... [clicks tongue]

Conversation. � Oh, cool.

� So one of them pretentious�as�fuck parties?

� Yup. � It's in Oakland.

� Oh, well�� � [laughs]

� Yeah, I fuck with Oakland. � Oh, yeah.

� I fuck with Oakland. � It's the best.

� Oakland, that's where all them, uh, fake�ass,

wannabe "Wakanda" motherfuckers live.

GUNTHER: Yeah, I like Wakanda. � We fuck with Wakanda. We do.

Wakanda don't fuck with him though.

GUNTHER: Mm. � They don't fuck with Keef.

Yeah, Wakanda gonna hate this shit.

� Like Wakanda,

the Oakland in your head does not exist.

Beyond all of that, this is an opportunity

for my work to be seen among some of the best tastemakers

in the Bay Area, okay?

All the shit that I'm going through?

This is the opportunity to turn that around.

Ayana hooked it up.

� Ayana gon' be there?

� She puts it on, so yeah.

� Oh, shit, man��hey, come on.

We in there. � Oh, bro.

� We in there, my boy. All right, man.

� Still trying to scale that mountain, huh?

CLOVIS: No.

Maybe.

Yes.

I mean, she do owe me for them Kottos.

� So what's the deal?

You, uh, invite Adrienne or what?

� No, I am not bringing Adrienne.

It's work thing. I don't wanna...

and besides, it's always important

to preserve a little mystery.

� The mystery is why it's called a salon

and I can't get a fade.

� Is there a world in which you two stay home tonight?

� Hmm...

nope.

[Sidewalk Chalk's "Make Room"]

[beeping]

[upbeat funk music]

SINGER: ♪ I'm gonna need a whole lot of room ♪

♪ Whole lot of this world right now ♪

♪ Right now, right now ♪

♪ ♪

CLOVIS: Damn, all right.

It's a party. Okay.

Oh. � It's poppin'.

� Hey, you guys go ahead. I'm gonna check in.

� Oh, uh, did I tell you about the Paul Robeson assemblage?

� No.

� Yeah, it explores the dichotomy

between mysticism and science.

It's already been accepted into the Whitney Biennial.

ARTIST: Congratulations.

You know, I've been meaning to submit

my multimedia piece celebrating Oscar Micheaux,

but it's already been purchased by the Obamas.

ARTIST: I'm looking forward to what carcass Darque Noir

is going to be opening up tonight.

[indistinct chatter]

BAG: Psst. Hey. Hey, Keef!

Yeah, down here.

You think your little cartoon drawings

are gonna get you uncanceled?

� You've gotta be fucking kidding me.

� You can't survive in here.

You can't even pass the paper bag test.

� What paper bag test?

� You got to be Blacker than me to present at this event.

� [laughs]

That's easy. Look at that.

� I didn't say darker.

I said Blacker.

First question:

how do you pronounce this author's name?

� This author? Oh, that's simple.

� T�ta��mm.

Tennessee? Not Tennessee?

That's...Ta�hi��Tie�ha�ness��

[clears throat] Hmm.

I'm gonna go with Mr.�� Mr. Coates.

� You suck at this.

� You know, I'll just check in later.

[funky music]

♪ ♪

� [whispering] Hey.

� Let me guess.

You're a Virgo with a Taurus rising.

� What the fuck?

Yeah, I am. How'd you know that?

� It's your aura.

� My aura?

Sick. [laughs]

� Do you like mushroom tea?

� I do like mushroom tea.

[laughs]

Sweet.

Thanks.

Cheers. � Cheers.

♪ ♪

KEEF: Ayana.

� Keef Knight. BOTH: Hey.

� Hey. This party, huh?

It's hyphy.

� I'm sorry, what was that?

� This party, it's hyphy.

� "It's hyphy"? � Yes.

I don't believe that you've ever said that before.

� Well, not in a sentence, no.

� You've just said the individual word by itself?

� Yes. � Yeah.

I'm surprised you're here.

I thought you'd be laying low, avoiding the haters.

� What? Come on, now.

No, no, I'm here to, you know, redeem myself.

� Oh. Well, well, well.

And how will you do that?

� Oh. Glad you brought that up.

� Mm�hmm.

� Some of my new stuff.

New cartoons, new me. � Oh.

KEEF: Bam. � Oh, nice.

� Yeah. � Is that T�shirt girl?

� Uh, yes.

� I can tell 'cause she's white.

� Uh, I know other whites.

Fun fact: not sure if you knew this,

but swing dance was invented by Black people

in the Harlem Renaissance.

� Yeah, everyone knows that.

� Everybody knows that. AYANA: Yeah.

� So I was just seeing if you knew.

� Look, if you're gonna present,

do actually present.

Don't back out. � I won't. What?

� Okay, well, you just have backed out of everything

we've ever tried to do together.

� That tracks. That tracks. � Okay, so don't do that today.

This event is hosted by Darque Noir,

and you don't wanna upset them.

� Darque Noir?

Isn't that just..."dark black"?

� Yeah. � Oh.

� "Super black."

Years ago, Ryan Coogler screened an early cut

of Fruitvale Station.

Darque Noir critiqued it, and Coogler went home crying.

� Oh, shit.

AYANA: Rumor has it that Darque Noir critiqued

one of Maya Angelou's last poems.

A week later, she died.

� Okay, that�� that doesn't seem real at all.

� She is dead, isn't she?

� Okay. All right. I get it.

� Yeah. So go meet them.

Go talk to them. Endear yourself.

'Cause one post from Darque Noir

will get rid of all the haters.

� Okay. � Kay?

� Yeah, just talk to the person who killed Maya Angelou.

� Allegedly. Good luck.

[chill music]

MARIA: Mm.

Oh, my God.

You're perfect.

� Mm. [chuckles]

You know, that's what I've been telling everybody.

MARIA: Mm�hmm.

� What's your name? � Maria.

� Maria, Maria. MARIA: Mm�hmm, mm�hmm.

� How you doing, Maria? I'm Clovis.

MARIA: Are you comfortable?

Do you wanna...

kinda try lying back a little?

� I mean, honestly, I think it'll be time

for more of that later, but you know.

So what do you do?

� I'm an artist. This is my piece.

� Your piece of what?

� This is my installation.

� Baby, this a couch.

� [laughs]

Couch in a Dollhouse.

♪ ♪

� Your spirit animal.

On three.

One, two, three.

ALL: Manatee.

[laughter] � Fuck no.

You're kidding me. Really?

� I feel like you are my brother

from another mother.

� We are brothers in manatee, I guess.

� This is��wow.

� Actually, you know,

it just could be considered a little rude

to touch a man's hair without his permission.

ZIGGY: Oh.

� But you have my permission.

� Ah! � Yeah, go nuts.

You do too. Whatever.

� Really? � Yeah, yeah.

� I wanted to touch it. Oh, my God.

� It's for everybody, yeah. � Oh, my God.

� That��actually, that feels really fucking good.

� It's so soft.

� What's up?

� No.

How do you keep finding me?

� Girl, you know I'm looking for you.

� Please stop. � Mm�hmm.

I bet it look real good on you though.

� What?

� Those Kottos that you owe me 350 for.

� I don't owe you shit. I already paid you.

� Eh, you did,

but you know that was, like, the friendship price.

� We're not friends. � Exactly.

� Okay.

� You know, I could've sat on those for, like, a year,

probably sold 'em for at least $350,

so you owe me.

� Well, you told me it was a gift, so��

� And it was. It was a gift.

But, you know, that was before...

� "Before..."

� You turned me down, right?

� Bitch, I'm gay. � [spits]

So it's not me? � Mm...

� Damn! No, stop that.

I thought it was me all this time.

� No, you should keep thinking that.

� Yeah.

Oh, that's what you like?

� Yeah, that is what I used to like.

� [laughs]

� Damn, she look like she pissed off at you.

� Yup.

We broke up this morning.

� Damn!

And she doing all that with somebody else.

� Yeah. � Wow.

� Heartless.

[funky music]

♪ ♪

� What a poignant commentary on our obsession with image.

� It is a black mirror indeed.

� Fleeting, valueless.

Although this artist has made millions off this piece.

� Millions, you say?

I could use some of that money.

I am broke.

� Ha!

We have another starving artist in our midst.

Medium? � Pen and ink.

� Cartoonist.

Keef Knight.

Black People for Rent?

� Ah, that's��wow, you've�� you're aware.

� I'm drawn to tragedy.

� [laughs] That's tragedy.

You know, funny story.

I'm actually here showcasing some of my newest stuff,

really trying to get back to my roots

and, uh, really try to...

� White folks started buying,

and now he's at The Whitney.

Appropriate, I suppose,

given all he draws is white women.

Look at this place.

If I see another white face, I'm gonna lose my mind.

I'm excited to see your new work.

� Indeed.

♪ ♪

[whispering] Fuck.

[breathing heavily]

MARKER: Ow! Is this what it comes down to?

Burnt�corking your girl for some critic's approval?

� What choice do I have?

You heard Darque Noir.

He said if they see one more white face,

they'll flip out.

� And you flipping out right now.

� Stop that. Please, okay?

Because you know that this is all that people will see.

I'm merely shading the message.

That's it. I'm just shading the message.

� I give up, man. You're on your own.

� Shut up.

[knocking]

Occupied!

[scribbling]

Oh, shit.

I did Blackface her.

She's never gonna know.

[knocking]

Occupied!

[rap music playing]

� Ooh, this looks comfy.

� Hey, bro, can you respect the art?

� Huh?

CLOVIS: Man, what the fuck is going on with your hair?

Why you like White Iverson?

� Oh, well, there's actually a real salon back there.

� Oh, word? � No. You kidding me?

I got it done by my new friends.

� Ha�ha. � It's Oakland magic.

� I don't think those are your friends.

GUNTHER: What? � Yeah.

GUNTHER: Oh, they are. � Yo, yo.

� Hey. � Where you been?

� Don't worry about it.

� Okay, I won't.

AYANA: Everyone gather around, please.

We're getting ready to start

the Salon du Noir presentations.

[scattered applause] Thank you.

� Wanna hit it? AYANA: Gather round.

Have a seat. Welcome, welcome.

Come on. Come on in.

Have a seat on our amorphous furniture.

Please. Yes.

Welcome to Salon du Noir.

[applause]

Yeah.

This is supposed to be a room

full of love and support,

and some of you are more capable

of that than others.

[laughs]

This girl knows what I'm talking about.

� This chick is devastated.

� So, uh, you're all here to see a show.

I'm seeing a show right now.

And, um, yeah. It'll be good.

It'll be good. It'll be good.

[laughing] For everybody.

So yeah, let's get ready for the show.

Okay?

Uh, yeah.

So do your thing or whatever.

� Thank you. Thank you so much.

I'm so excited to share this with you.

So sculpting is my medium... � [whispering] Hey. Hey, Keef.

SCULPTOR: You can see my mom always said...

� Is that Adrienne?

SCULPTOR: I just wanna turn this around here.

� Yes.

SCULPTOR: For two years

and I really think this is the one that's gonna get me...

� Yes, it is.

� This is made entirely

of discarded IKEA materials.

� Hi, stranger. KEEF: Hey.

� Didn't know you were here. � Same here.

� Hey, you still owe me some toast, by the way.

� He seems relaxed.

Oh, look at your hair, Gunther. It looks nice.

� I took mushrooms. � Got it.

� Uh, listen,

I'm a little bit hungry. Y'all hungry?

I think we should just get out of here

and grab something to eat, you know?

� What are you talking about?

What, did I trip through your entire presentation?

� Oh, no. That hasn't happened yet.

� You're doing a presentation?

� Am I?

� Kept that under your hat. � Yeah.

ADRIENNE: Oh, my goodness. Keef Knight.

� I don't wanna talk to you guys anymore.

� Okay. ADRIENNE: Cool.

� Yeah, the presentation, it's something that, you know��

ADRIENNE: You can tell me. � I didn't know I was��

� You've wasted all our time.

Frankly, I don't care for any of it.

I hope your return policy on this art

is better than IKEA's.

Please, Lord, I hope it gets better from here.

Continue. � Thank you.

Uh...um, as, you can see...

� Seems nice. � Yeah, real nice guy.

� Oh, that guy bought a piece of my art.

I gotta talk to him. � Okay.

SCULPTOR: Um, so I'm really hoping

on, uh, getting people to come around...

� Hey. � No.

I cannot with you right now.

� First of all, it ain't got nothing to do with me.

Don't get mad at me 'cause your girl over there

with Amber Rose. AYANA: It's not just her.

It's all these fucking fake people.

I'm just tired of everyone acting like they're artists.

� You know, honestly, I'ma keep it real with you.

I don't give a fuck

about nothing you're talking about right now.

� Oh, okay.

CLOVIS: You're focused on the wrong stuff.

She's not perfect. � You don't know her.

� Oh, my God.

You know what, close your eyes.

� This, like, a trap or something?

� Girl, I ain't trying to trap you

in front of all these damn people.

Close your eyes.

� But if we were, like, alone, you were gonna trap me?

� Can you close your eyes? I'm trying to help you. Damn.

AYANA: All right.

� All right. Now, imagine your girl.

You're laying in bed together, you know,

and her breath, it smells like booboo.

� Oh. � Yeah, straight dookie.

AYANA: Oh. � Number two.

AYANA: No. � Yes.

And then you go and get in the shower.

� Okay. � All right,

because you feel dirty now 'cause of her breath.

� Yeah. � And you come out,

and she's dancing, right?

Kicking in the mirror. � Mm�hmm.

� But she's dancing to Black Eyed Peas.

� Mm.

� Now imagine you come home from work.

She's in the house, on your couch.

� My couch.

� And she's watching Full House.

� Mm. � Laughing.

[laughs]

Like that shit funny. � It's not.

� What's her credit score?

� I don't know. � 4�something?

� Probably. She's bad with it.

� Now open your eyes.

Voilà.

� Damn. � Mm�hmm.

Look how she digging in her mouth.

AYANA: Ugh. CLOVIS: Yeah.

You're welcome. � Okay.

Not as bad as I thought.

� See, that's what I've been trying to tell you.

Damn.

So you still gay?

� Yeah, man. Very gay.

CLOVIS: Okay. Okay. � Okay.

� Yeah, that was probably the worst day of my life.

I'll never go to the waterslides again.

� [whimpering softly]

� [sighs]

You carry a lot of pain.

� I can feel it.

� Yeah.

I'm a soldier, though, you know?

� Mm. � Yeah.

� Hey, what the heck are you guys doing after this?

� Hanging out with you?

� Great.

[both laugh]

[applause]

� My goal with this piece is to reveal

the blatant hypocrisy of critics

not being able to handle their own criticism.

� Hey, Ayana. � Hi.

� I am so sorry. � Mm.

� But, uh, tonight's not my night.

� Oh, okay. � Yeah.

� If you bail on me, I'll never run your shit again.

� Okay. Good.

� Okay? � Okay.

� Great.

Wow, that was something.

Give it up for Mirror Face.

Yes, thank you. Thank you.

You can go. Thank you, that's enough.

[voice echoing] And now for something

completely different...

[normal voice] Cartoonist Keef Knight.

[cheers and applause]

Keef Knight, everyone.

GUNTHER: That's my boy. My boy.

� Yeah, come on. All right.

� Right now?

Thank you, Ayana, for such a...

aggressive intro.

� Mm�hmm. � Appreciate that.

Um...hello.

My name is, uh, Keef Knight,

and, uh, I would like to show you all

some of my new stuff,

um, which is, um, using humor

to shed a spotlight on the human condition,

so...okay, yeah.

My ne��first piece is all about my roommate.

[grunts]

Yeah, I call this one Back to the Future

because he does not like new stuff.

� That's me.

� Oh. � That's freaking me.

� [clears throat]

And this next series, actually, is about my other roommate.

Um, here we go.

And...

this is because he�� [laughs]

He lies a lot and he hates women, so...

� Them just jokes, y'all, you know.

[laughs] You know, I love women.

My mama a women.

� I've been Keef Knight, and that is my time.

� Are you gonna show the last one?

� I'm sorry, what?

� You have one more. Do you wanna show it?

� ¿Qué? � You have one more board.

I can see it right there.

Do you wanna show it to the audience?

� Oh, yeah��this thing?

� We wanna see the rest of his work, right?

Come on.

[chanting] Show it, show it.

ALL: Show it, show it, show it,

show it, show it, show it, show it.

� Mm, okay. [laughs nervously]

Yikes. All right, here we go.

This one, um...oh, boy.

Let's not even...

uh, don't focus

on the girlfriend character at all.

I mean, she was kind of just, like, an afterthought.

Yeah, so...

[crowd muttering]

� Kind of like you and me. [scoffs]

� Um... [laughs awkwardly]

Did you, uh, know that swing dancing was invented

in the Harlem Renaissance, which is��

uh, and people don't know that,

so I just thought I'd teach you guys a lesson

before I get out of here, so...

� Why is her face so fucked up?

� Uh, you know, just for��for�� for reasons.

� But why though?

� Art�based reasons.

Mainly for art...

� The complexities of toxic masculinity.

Men are afraid of the future

because the future is feminine.

Man is afraid to face

what they know is coming.

An excellent portraiture

of Black�on�Black love.

Bravo, Keef Knight!

Bravo.

[applause]

AYANA: Keef Knight, everybody.

[chill music]

♪ ♪