Original subtitles

- Previously, on "Twenties"...

- What you getting into tonight?

- You trying to link?

- No, I'm just curious what you doing.

- I'll keep you posted.

- You do that.

- The audition was awful.

- You just have to go really hard

and be super committed to the craft.

You'll get there. - I receive that.

- You know, you guys are lucky to have her.

- You are preaching to the choir.

- I'll be in touch. - I basically told him

that if he wants to work with me

he needs to earn it. - What do you mean, you?

- I'm sure if he signs with us, I'll be his day-to-day.

- Relax. I'm still your boss. - For now.

[dramatic orchestral music]

- Here we see a Todd in his natural habitat.

You can have a Todd sighting anywhere

because Todds believe they belong everywhere.

- The Todd species is not to be confused

with a Michael or a Jeff.

- Jeff is such a nice guy. - Jeff is mad cool.

- I dated a Jeff once or twice.

- A Todd is a guy who thinks

his mediocre ideas are brilliant,

and he somehow manages to convince other people

that his basic ass is a genius.

♪ ♪

- A Todd is a guy who walks into any room

like his ancestors have owned it

for hundreds of years.

And, yeah, they probably have.

But that's not a good thing.

♪ ♪

- Todds take up so much space,

they don't leave no room for the rest of us.

And we stay letting them get away with this shit.

♪ ♪

Back in the day, there used to be a law

that said you had to step off the sidewalk

when you saw a Todd walking by.

♪ ♪

- Good morning.

[slurping]

- Mm.

[slurping]

- Do you have to do that?

- Mm--yep.

All the vitamins and nutrients are at the bottom.

- All right, ladies. I have to go to class.

- I gotta go to work. - Yeah, me too.

- I'll wish you ladies a Todd-free day.

[laughter]

["OMG" by Sampa the Great]

- ♪ Flow ♪ - ♪ Oh, my gosh ♪

- ♪ Where man go? ♪ - ♪ Oh, my gosh ♪

- ♪ If a man see me ♪ - ♪ Oh, my gosh ♪

- ♪ I guess you never know what you got till it's ♪

- [inhales]

Improv is the key to a happy life.

Because with improv, you have to say, "Yes, and..."

Now, you shouldn't just be saying, "Yes, and..." in here.

You should say it out there as well.

Otherwise, you will end up a divorced, middle-aged man

who lives in a studio apartment and teaches acting

to a bunch of people that don't...

have that much potential.

- [man coughs]

- Now, everyone, I want you to say "yes"

as loud as you can.

all: Yes! - Yes!

- Good. And now, class,

you will tell our two actors who they are

and what they're doing.

And actors, you will say, "Yes, and..."

Take your pick. - Boyfriend and girlfriend.

- Yes! Good.

Uh, and now, where are they?

And let's give 'em some detail to work with.

- A dark alley during a zombie apocalypse.

- Good. Now...

Begin scene.

- I can't believe we're in a dark alley

during a zombie apocalypse. - Here, lean on me.

I saw you twist your ankle when we were running away.

- Oh, my God, you're bleeding.

- Ahh!

Uh, yes, and when we jumped out of the window,

I fell into some glass.

I'll be okay. Everything will be okay.

- There's nothing we can't get through together.

- You're right.

We got through that time

you called me by your ex-girlfriend's name

during sex. - [laughter]

We got through that time you tried to set up

a surprise threesome.

[laughter]

The time you forgot our anniversary.

- Wow. I'm an asshole.

- Yes. Yes, you are.

Can you hop away from me?

Because I don't wanna spend

my last moments on this Earth near you.

[laughter]

- And, scene.

Class, this is what happens when you say yes.

[applause]

- That was really good. - Thank you.

- And--

And now you gotta get out of here

before my next class comes in, okay?

Do it quickly.

Nia.

You...are so talented.

- Thank you.

- Yeah, you've really grown a lot

since you've been coming to class.

You're good.

- Do you think I'm good enough to get an agent?

- Uh, sure. - I'm, uh,

I'm a little nervous about the showcase.

- [laughs] Don't worry about that.

The big agents, they never come to these things.

Only their assistants. Yeah.

Don't worry about the audience,

you just dance like nobody's watching.

You just get out there, and you have fun.

You're good.

Enough. See you next week.

- ♪ I wanna feel the joy, the magic of it all ♪

♪ Ooh, baby ♪

♪ ♪

[phone chimes]

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Ben got the promotion.

Ben got the promotion.

- What are you thinking?

- I'm not good enough.

- I figured that's what you were thinking.

Then why did you ask me?

- Because I want you to know it's not true.

- Yes, it is. - No. It just means

that you work at a place that doesn't value

what you bring to the table.

- That doesn't make me feel better.

- Well, it's not supposed to.

- It's your job to make me feel better.

- No, it's my job to tell you the truth.

And the truth is...

This business isn't fair.

It was never meant to be.

This industry will always be frustrating for us.

That's not gonna stop us from pursuing our dreams.

- What if I quit?

- You're not gonna quit.

- Of course I'm not gonna quit because I am not a quitter.

- Nope. - I am a warrior.

- Damn right.

Don't do that. - What?

- Acting like it doesn't hurt.

[somber music]

It's okay to be disappointed.

- [voice breaking] I know that.

[sobs]

- I just wanna remind you. - I know that.

- I know.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- To Ben! all: To Ben!

To Ben!

["Wonder Woman" by Lion Babe]

- ♪ Go ♪ - ♪ Whoa, oh, whoa, oh ♪

- ♪ I'm feelin' funny ♪

♪ Feelin' high ♪

♪ They lookin' at me ♪

♪ I don't mind ♪

♪ Now it is easy ♪

♪ To walk on by ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I don't want what you got ♪

♪ So you better move along ♪

♪ ♪

- How's the writing going?

- Not too well.

I just got a lot on my mind.

Kinda hard to focus.

- What you writing about? - Love.

- No wonder you can't focus. It's a little vague.

What kinda love? - What do you mean?

- Is it about a romantic love? A friendly love?

A familial love?

Or is it about an unrequited love?

- Most of my love has been unrequited.

- Ditto. [both laugh]

So which one is it?

- I guess it's a complicated love

where no one really knows what they want.

Or they do know what they want,

but they're too scared to say it.

So everybody just goes through life

not saying anything and...

spending all of eternity with the wrong person.

- Ah, that's deep.

- I know.

- What's the love interest like?

- Vintage Eartha Kitt.

- You think Eartha Kitt would be into you?

- Hell yeah. - Please.

Vintage Eartha Kitt would chew you up and spit you out.

- And I would enjoy every second of it.

[both laugh]

- What a nice surprise.

- Uh-- - Hey.

This is Connor. - Good to meet you.

[slapping hands] - What's up?

- Cool, cool, cool. - [clears throat]

- Hi. I'm Lorraine. - I'm Idina.

- Yeah, she works here.

We don't know each other like that.

- Well, it's nice to meet you.

I'll see you soon.

♪ ♪

- We don't know each other like that?

- We don't.

- Bye, Hattie.

- What? What did I do?

- ♪ I don't, I don't, I don't need you ♪

♪ I just, I just want you ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

- [sighs]

- I thought you said agents didn't come to these things.

- I know. I think they got forced to.

You know, for inclusion or Me Too stuff.

You know how it is. Let's just have fun. Don't--

Don't--don't blow this for me, okay?

- Yeah.

- Um, I would just like

to thank our guests again for coming.

You know, tonight, we're gonna switch it up a little.

Your scene partner will tell you who you are,

where you are, and what you're doing.

Which one of you wants to go first?

- We're co-workers at an office supply store,

uh, stacking shelves.

- Okay. - Okay.

- And you just got a new weave.

- Yes. - And all she can talk about

is this new weave.

- Okay.

And...begin scene.

- Hey, you look different.

I just can't put my finger on what it is.

- What do you mean? - Did you change your hair?

- Yes. Apparently I got a weave.

[low whooshing]

- Jesus may have saved my soul, but this weave saved my life.

[laughs] Like, yesterday, I was sitting up in the house,

and my weave was like, "Bitch."

And I was like, uh, uh, yes, weave.

And my weave was like, "Bitch!

You better take that chicken out the freezer for dinner."

- That was a good save,

because what were your five kids gonna eat?

- And you know they all have different daddies.

- DeMarcus, my favorite of the baby daddies.

[laughter] - Mine too!

Not only because he pays his child support on time,

but he always gives me that good D whenever I need it.

Ah-ha! - Oh, wow.

[crowd clamoring] - Do you think

I could ask your weave, Marquesha, a question?

- Sure, but she only talks to me.

- Weave, should I make love to a black woman?

[laughter]

[whispering]

[both laughing]

- My weave said you're not worthy

of being inside a black woman.

[laughter]

- And scene.

Yeah! All right.

[applause]

[somber piano music]

♪ ♪

[all breathing heavily]

- As you reflect on your practice today,

remember how you are on the mat

is how you are off the mat.

Everyone can't be good at everything.

Maybe there are things you should just let go of

because they aren't meant for you.

Some of you will never be good at inversions.

You can hardly do Child's Pose.

♪ ♪

Namaste.

♪ ♪

all: Namaste.

♪ ♪

- Really liked your class.

- I'm glad you enjoyed it.

- I see you got the Oshun candle burning.

- What you know about the Oshun candle?

- I know that it represents beauty and sensuality.

My dad's Nigerian.

- Oh, I didn't know that.

- Ah--I just wanted to say

I'm not an Uncle Tom, I'm just competitive.

- Nobody thinks you're an Uncle Tom.

- I see how y'all look at me.

I'm always hanging around my white boss,

and y'all feel some type of way about my white girlfriend.

- Becky? - Her name's Lauren.

- To be honest, I don't really think of you at all.

- I think of you often.

- Is that right? - Yeah.

I know you're getting back into acting, and I wanna help.

- How are you gonna help me?

- I just got a promotion.

I wanna make some quality black content.

- That's not what I've heard.

- I know I'm not Marie's favorite person right now,

but I only pretended to like

the same shit as the white boys to get promoted.

And now that I'm in the room where it happens,

I'm gonna go Nat Turner on they ass.

- So you shucked and jived to get ahead?

- [laughs] Yes.

That's what all the greats did--

Flip Wilson, Sammy Davis Junior,

Tyler Perry.

Give the white folks what they need

till you're so rich you can do whatever you want.

- Huh. - Let's have a general meeting.

- But we already know each other.

- So what? And when a new VP

asks you to have a general meeting,

you should say yes.

- Yes. Yes, I will.

- Wow, cool. Sweet.

I'm gonna go.

[light orchestral music]

- [exhales] And, scene.

♪ ♪

- Yo, guess who walked into the coffee shop

with a Todd today.

both: Lorraine. - Yup.

- And no one is surprised by that.

- I still want y'all to feel sorry for me, though.

- I'm tired of feeling sorry for you.

- Wow.

Just for that, I'm taking back

my "sorry you didn't get promoted gift."

- It was a $10 gift card to Radio Shack.

- You used to love Radio Shack.

- I can't believe Lorraine would rather date a Todd

than be with you. - That's my question.

- I hate Todds. - Me too.

- And not all Todds are white. - Speak on it.

- Ben is such a Todd.

- Ben's not that bad. - Yes, he is.

He Todded his way to that promotion.

- He a Uncle Todd. [laughter]

♪ ♪

- What if for a whole day we acted like Todds?

♪ ♪

What if you walked into every room like you belonged there?

What if we took up space?

What if we made sure our ideas were heard?

- I'm down. - I ain't trying to get fired.

Shit.

[upbeat percussive music]

♪ ♪

- I want something new, something fresh.

Give it to me.

- What if we had a gay character?

- Oh, yeah. Like a sassy, gay black dude

who everyone loves 'cause he's so funny.

[laughter] Right?

- That's good!

♪ ♪

- ♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

[chatter, laughter]

- If you really wanna do something new,

you should write a character that's a queer black woman.

And, you know, just write her like she's a person.

- We did the black lesbian thing.

- Yeah. - Her name was Donna,

and she had a lot of tattoos.

- Oh, yeah, I must've forgot that she was a lesbian

'cause I never saw her kissing a woman.

- She kissed her roommate on the cheek once.

[laughter]

- What's your job description again?

- To make your life easier.

- You're not doing that right now.

[upbeat hip-hop music]

♪ ♪

- Whoa! What is wrong with you?

- Please, if Todd had lost the promotion,

he would've blown your car up. - Who the hell is Todd?

- Why didn't I get the promotion?

- [sighs]

First of all, it's not just my decision.

Okay, and secondly, there are a lot of factors.

- Like what? - It's all very political.

- Obviously, because you're talking

but not saying anything. - Okay, hold on, hold on.

Look, look, look, look, if it were up to me,

you would've gotten the job, all right?

- Don't lie to me. - I'm not.

I can't.

I respect you too much.

- Then why did you promote him instead of me?

- Because my colleagues aren't afraid of him.

They see you as a threat.

- So Ben got the job because he's not as good as me.

- Precisely.

- That's ridiculous. - I know.

I totally understand if you quit.

You deserve better than this

- Is that what you want?

You want me to leave?

- You know that I don't.

♪ ♪

- All right, class

to quote the patron saint of entertainers,

Beyoncé,

what goes around comes back around.

Nee, you will choose who you both are,

where you are, and what you're doing.

Actors have the stage.

- You're playing a white guy. - What?

That's not a thing. - You know, like a Ken doll,

Mitt Romney-type dude. - Huh?

- You've just been invited

to your old black nanny's cookout!

- Wait a minute, I don't know about this.

- Uh, class, what does he need to do?

all: Say yes. - Say yes, boo.

- Now walk in.

Perfect, you look like you have a stick up your ass.

[gasps] Oh, hello, Todd!

It's nice to see you.

Oh, boy. You shakin'. - Yes, I--

am a bit nervous. - Right, 'cause you never

been around so many black people before.

[laughter] You are terrified.

- No, I have black friends.

- Oh, mm-hmm. - [mouthing]

- Oh, Todd, honey. I don't count.

I'm just your nanny.

I remember when you was just a baby.

You had the cutest pink butt.

And it's still as flat as a pancake.

[laughter]

You grew tall.

But you know what part of you never grew?

Your little wee-wee. - What?

- Ooh! [laughter]

- Looks like you have a dish.

- Uh, yes, I brought potato salad for the barbecue.

- That nasty stuff your mama makes?

Ain't nobody want potato salad with raisins and apples.

- Oh, well, I'm sorry. I tried.

Yeah, you have a lovely pool.

Maybe we could go for a swim.

- I'll get my swimsuit. - Oh, that's right.

You can't swim. - Okay.

Well, you can't get wet, 'cause you'll come out

smelling like a wet dog. - Ohh!

- You hear those sirens?

Did you call the police on your old Opalene

and her black family 'cause they having

too much fun at the cookout? - No, I would never do that.

- That's not a yes. - Okay, yes,

I hear the police sirens, but someone else

must have called them. - Now why would they do that?

What's that sticking out your backpack?

Is that an assault rifle?

Did I hold a mass murderer to my bosom?

You was such a sweet boy.

[laughter] - And, scene. Scene. Scene.

Huh? [applause]

- You know, I feel like this is reverse racism.

- I'm just trying to help you build a character.

- That was bullshit.

- Yeah, it was.

- ♪ I said it with my chest ♪

♪ And I don't care who I offend ♪

♪ Uh-huh, ha ♪

[breathing deeply]

[light piano music]

♪ ♪

- I wanna thank you all for being here

and sharing your practice with me today.

Everyone has a reason for being here.

You could've made a different choice.

You could've been anywhere right now,

but you're here.

I want you to close your eyes.

What do you want to get out of your practice today?

What do you want to get out of life?

Breathe in and out.

And set your intention.

Open your eyes.

Now let's walk in our purpose.

["Dedication" by Nipsey Hussle]

- ♪ Look, my [...], this is dedication ♪

♪ This is anti-hesitation ♪

♪ This a real [...] celebration ♪

♪ This a Dime Blocc declaration ♪

♪ 59th and 5th Ave. ♪

♪ Granny house with vanilla wafers ♪

♪ Hard work plus patience ♪

♪ The sum of all my sacrifice, I'm done waiting ♪

♪ I'm done waiting, told you that I wasn't playing ♪

- ♪ Oh, he gonna get it now, get it, get it, get it now ♪

[upbeat hip-hop music]

♪ ♪