03x06 - Valerie’s Home Alone

[bunniefuu]

Oh, how's the sting, Patience?

Better.

I just don't know how a bee

- got in my breakfast sandwich.
- Yeah.

Okay. I am outta here.

Ah, you're golfing again.

Aww.

No, and please stop
asking me that, Val.

No, I'm not golfing.
I'm going to Burning Man,

and this is the only thing
I can think of

- to wear on the plane.
- Okay.

I assume I will be mostly naked
when I'm there, so...

I'm kidding, Val.
I brought shorts.

Mark, they announced
the show's airing,

and I've got
a marketing Zoom at 9:00,

and you waltz in here to say,

"Oh, I'm going to Burning Man,"
at 8:57. Okay...

Well, I was hoping to minimize
the amount of drama

with the enforced time limit.

So, this is happening then,
right?

You're going to Burning Man
with our doorman?

Yeah, I told you about it
three weeks ago.

Well, okay,
I thought that was like,

"I'm gonna start rock climbing,"
you know?

Never happening.

Val, I need to get away.

- Now, look...
- I can't get this.

Can't find...

Well, if you want to travel,
why don't you go

to the East Coast,
visit Francesca?

Oh, I already support them
financially.

I have nothing to offer
emotionally.

- You have two grandchildren.
- They don't like me.

- They're two and five, Mark.
- No, I meant Francesca and Omar.

Oh, well, yeah.
That's 'cause she thinks

you don't approve
of her husband.

Well, I don't,
which is probably something

I can work through
with the help of ayahuasca.

-Okay.
-You ever done ayahuasca, Jane? I bet you have.

- She hasn't.
- [Jane] Yeah, I have.

- And?
- Amazing.

Okay, that's not helping, Jane.

Mark, you're a grandfather.

Grandfathers don't go
to Burning Man. [Scoffs]

This one does.
And look at the time.

- It's 9:00.
- Okay. Well...

- Love you, Val.
- Mm-hmm, bye.

Just don't die, please.

Show's going well.
Don't die now.

Oh, "show's going well"
gets top billing over my death.

Well, you know it doesn't.

- Eh... bye.
- If he does ayahuasca,

he's probably just gonna
vomit for three days.

Aw, okay, thanks, Jane.
That helps.

- [computer mouse clicking]
- Start.

[chiming]

- Hello, hello, hello.
- [both] Good morning!

I'm just watching through a cut
of the third episode right now.

Oh, right... You are right now?
Yeah?

- Yeah.
- He's been texting me all the way through.

Arbor is obsessed.

I mean, that look
on your face, Val,

when that B&B guest says, uh,

"This doesn't look
like eggs Benedict."

- And then you say...
- It's eggs Beth Benedict.

- So, how's that?!
- So, how's that?!

[both laughing]

Oh, you know it
better than I do.

[Arbor]
God, that is funny.

Allassist is really learning,
huh?

Well, actually, no, that's Evan.

That's the, um,
Allassist tech support guy.

He's funny. Clever.

Yeah, real find.

- Okay, who?
- Yeah, the one who wri...

He's the one that
wrote that joke,

the "eggs Beth Benedict" joke
you love.

So, I think we should
try to get him

into the Writers Guild,
you know?

That would be a real good thing.

I mean, I'm just the ideas guy.

So, um, but this is actually
a marketing meeting,

so I believe, Ridley,

you had something
on the docket, right?

- Yes. The ad campaign.
- Okay.

I know this is the 11th hour,
but I had an idea.

And, I'm sorry,
I've fallen in love with it.

Okay? So, here it is.

I'm a flag,
and I'm being blown sideways.

You know, hanging onto
the flagpole of the B&B.

Right? Real cute.
Just, like, legs out, you know?

Just blowing in the wind, right?

Like the, um,
New England state flag.

So...

Are you there... Uh, are you...
Did you freeze, or...

- No, we're here.
- Yeah.

That's great, but this is what
we were thinking.

- Let me share my screen.
- Uh-huh. Okay.

Oh! Wow!

Okay, yeah, no, that's it!
That's the one.

Much better.
Yeah, forget what I ju...

Ah! I don't remember
posing for that for...

Oh, it's AI.
It's basically the.

Under the Tuscan Sun poster.

Diane Lane's body,
but your face.

And we love it.

- And you look amazing, girl.
- Yeah, so good.

I don't know why everyone's
so afraid of AI.

[chuckles] Done!

Nailed it!
Ha-ha. I love it!

[Valerie] Billy's in here?

Yeah, I know these offices.

They're so drab and dull.

Game face, everyone.

Plus, we're late.

Scanning took longer
than I thought.

Well, why do you think they
wanted to scan your image

- at the "digital dome"?
- I don't know.

In case there are stunts?

- Hmm.
- You know? Stunt double does it,

and then, you know, they...

Wait, Billy Stanton, 1205,
alright.

Stunt double does it, and then,

you know, they put me
or my skin over them.

You know, that's how they
do it in movies right now, so...

Maybe they wanna
put me in movies.

You know, and they're
just thinking ahead.

Are there even
stunts in sitcoms?

Sometimes, yeah.

You know, walk through
a glass door,

or drop a cake, slip on
the frosting. [chuckles]

Well, why do you think
they wouldn't let our cameras in

- to film the scanning process?
- Not now, Jane.

Late for my meeting with Billy.

Hey, careful,
I'm on a ladder here.

[Valerie] Wow.

Oh, you really did
a lot in here, Billy.

Is that wallpaper
and wainscoting?

I've been waiting for you
for seven minutes.

[chuckles] Sorry, I was at the
digital dome getting scanned.

Why wasn't I at the digital
dome getting scanned?

- I don't know.
- [Jane] Oh, that's because the studio

can't profit off
exploiting your image.

Alright, Jane.
So gloom and doom.

[chuckles]
Anyway, so here I am,

so we can talk
about our relationship

like you voice memo'ed me.

You voice memo, I show up.

- Do you want a water?
- What, dear? Couldn't...

- I was speaking. Okay?
- She doesn't want water.

- [Valerie] Yeah. No.
- Does anyone want a water?

No one wants water, Willa.

[clearing throat]
I think I'm gonna have some.

Okay. Jane,
this is private, okay?

So, can you and the cameras
please not come in?

- This is personal. Thank you.
- [Valerie] [chuckles] Okay.

Widen out to get them.

- Valerie Cherish?
- Yeah?

- This is David Berkus.
- Uh-huh.

- Hi.
- [Billy] I've asked David to do a session with us.

- Hi.
- David is a brilliant couples therapist.

Uh-huh, and has cameras.
[chuckles]

Well, I'm producing
his pilot on my own.

- [Valerie] Uh-huh.
- I mean, couples therapy content

- is so hot right now.
- [Valerie] Is it? Yeah.

Well... [chuckles] Billy,
you can't just suddenly put me

in front of a therapist
and expect me to talk.

On his show.

[Billy] You do everything
in front of the camera,

but suddenly,
not when it benefits

my mental health or career.

You see? This is what
I was talking about.

- Mm.
- Um, I'm sorry.

What's your name again, sir?

- David Berkus.
- Berkus, okay.

Like, uh, Oprah's decorator.

- Yeah. [Chuckles]
- Oh, no.

Berkus, like me, the therapist.

- Uh-huh.
- [David] Mm-hmm.

That's right, yeah.
You know what?

- Jane, they have cameras, so.
- [Jane] Mm-hmm.

I have cameras, too.

- Good? Are we set?
- Yeah.

- Good? Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.

Um, Billy,
don't have time for this.

Okay, I thought we were just
gonna have a quick talk,

you know, before you had to go

to the color timing
session at 1:00.

I don't know anything
about a color timing at 1:00.

[Valerie]
Well, you're on the email.

Executive producer
has to sign off

on the cut of the pilot,
you know?

And I'm in rehearsal,

so that's why
there's just no time.

If we had time, we could...
We could discuss this.

You know, how Billy seems
to be having a hard time

stepping up as an EP?

You know, never reads the emails

- or listen to voice mails.
- No one

listens to voice mails, okay?
And to be clear...

Can we let the therapist
say something?

Oh, I'd like to hear
what Billy has to say

without him being interrupted.

[Jane] Okay, everybody's
in everybody's shot.

Then, tell him to stay
out of my zone.

- [camera operator grunting]
- [crew] Holy sh*t.

Oh, oh! Are you okay?

[David] We are centered.

- [camera operator] Yeah.
- And we are calm.

Okay. Can you get up?

Can't sh**t me at that angle.

Val, I have things
I need you to hear.

[Valerie] I know, and
talking's real important to you.

That's why, you know,
we should do this on my pod,

when we can get
something out of it,

you know, for both of us.

But right now,
you have to go be an EP.

Well, I can't leave.

I booked Willa and her
boyfriend right after us.

- I only have enough waters for our crew.
- Did he call us?

Yeah, alright,
well, that's okay.

I'll do it.
I'll do the color timing, so.

What is color timing?

It's where they

time the color.

Okay!

[laughter, chatter]

[PDP] Wait, wait, dude.
Then he looks at the lady

at the front table
and he says...

Can I tell you something?

You're my favorite character.

[cast continues chattering]

[Valerie] Listen, everybody.
I am so sorry

that I stood you all up
yesterday, okay?

But I had to stay
in color timing

just to get the show
looking just right, you know?

Alright, uh, everybody,
please leave the room,

except for actors.
Uh, cameras, too.

Well, what... What's this about?

Actor business.

You don't have to tell me twice.

- [Walter] Let's go, people.
- [Tommy] Hands down,

- the most talented.
- Thank you.

You need to leave the room now.

- Oh.
- [Walter] Alright, chop-chop.

Let's move it.

[sighs]

I think we can all feel
that there's something

not being said about how
this show is being made.

And I know what
that something is.

- You do?
- [Walter] Yes.

I was on a show like this before
and it didn't work.

There's another AI show?
You've been on it?

[Walter]
No, I was on a show

where the star
tried to take over.

- And you got rid of the costumer.
- Yeah.

And you got rid
of the show runners.

Wait, did you say
this is an AI show?

[Valerie] I... No.

Walter wants to talk
about the costumer, okay?

And he has the floor.

Val, I didn't just make that up.

I heard "AI."
What is going on?

[Valerie sighs]

[Valerie] Okay, the, um...

The show i-is...

Is written by AI.

- What?!
- [laughing] Oh!

- [PDP] Oh, my God!
- [Dean laughing]

- sh*t.
- Well, I'm... I wasn't supposed to say anything.

- So, you know.
- Well, you didn't.

It just came out.

Well, yeah,
well, 'cause it's a secret.

- I don't like being lied to.
- And I don't like lying

to you, or you. I'm...
And, uh, you know what?

I'm glad it's finally out.

Wait, wait, so does the...
The studio know?

Well, yes, dear.

The studio is the one that
told me not to say anything.

- Keep it a secret.
- [PDP] They wanted to keep it a secret?

From who? From us?

Well, from the world, I think.
Right?

I mean, until they know
whether it works or not.

And then, it doesn't matter
who knows.

sh*t.

That's worse than the star
taking over the show.

- How is that worse?
- [PDP] Come on! Everyone...

Everyone hates AI!

I didn't sign up to be on
an AI-written show.

Yeah, should we
be calling our agents?

Please don't. Please don't.
You know, if this gets out,

and the studio doesn't
want it to, then I don't know,

they could pull the plug
on the whole thing!

- No.
- This information is top secret,

and even had to sign an NDA.

- I'm sorry, what's the big deal?
- Oh! [Scoffs]

We can't do a show
without writers.

Well, we're not. We have Al.

Al is AI, though.

- Al's a bot?
- Yeah, well...

Is that why no one would ever
give me his contact information?

Well, okay. Guys, listen.

Okay, we're the first.

And the show's tested well.

So, I think we just take
the material that you are given,

bot or not,

funny or not funny,

and do everything you can
to make it great.

Alright? We're actors.

That's what we do, right?

That's right.

It's our job
to make things funnier.

Uh-huh.

But a lot of times
when I do that

the writers get angry
if I change a word.

So many times
I've made the writing

so much better than it was.
I've been told that.

- Yeah.
- [Frank] And then I have to go back

and do the words
the way that they wrote it.

And the audience doesn't laugh,

and they look at me
like I'm not funny.

I knew the joke wasn't funny
the whole week,

- but I can't say that.
- [Valerie] Right.

- Right?
- It's like when they give me a line that's not funny,

they say,
"Gabrielle, do it sexier."

- Ugh. Yeah.
- [PDP] That's probably why it's been so fun here.

It turns out there
are no writers.

It's just us.

Yeah, I've been enjoying this.

- Yeah.
- [Frank] You know,

I don't think
I ever liked a writer.

[sighs] There's never been
a writer that said,

"Hey, how you doing today,
Walter?"

Or, "Happy birthday, Walter."

- You know, I think they're jealous...
- [Gabrielle] Mm-hmm.

because we get
more attention.

- They make fun of my arms.
- All writers are dicks.

They're bitter.
They're just bitter people.

[Dean] Yeah, 'cause
they don't work out.

They don't take care
of their bodies.

Yeah, and you never
want to date one

because they, like,
only think of themselves.

- [chuckles] I do know that.
- [Gabrielle] Val!

Did you date a writer?

Oh, well, back in the day,
you know.

But long story short,
uh, "Me too!" [chuckles]

- Wha-What?
- [Valerie] No, not r*pe.

Just... Nothing criminal.
Yeah.

Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

What are we talking about now?

- [knocking]
- [Valerie] Oh.

Places for intros, guys.

- I'm not ready! Okay.
- [door closes]

[all chuckle]

Hi, you've reached
Mark Berman's mobile.

- Leave a message.
- Mm!

- [phone beeps]
- Marky Mark, it's me.

Mm, I'm eating pizza
'cause you're not here.

[chuckles]
Just two slices.

Hope you're happy.
[chuckles]

Mm, hope you haven't
eaten any cactus,

so you're not hallucinating,
right?

Alright. Miss you.

[phone beeps]

[♪ "Mrs. Hatt"
theme music playing]

[Valerie] You know, I've
been thinking, Charlie.

My hydrangeas across
the street grow so high,

and your Nellies here
are way lower.

I think these have been
replanted recently,

which makes me question.

What's buried underneath there?

Question number two.

Where is Nelly?

That's an interesting
question, Mrs. Hatt.

[♪ Whimsical, suspenseful
theme playing]

People would have liked it
if they'd known where it was.

[♪ Theme music
continues playing]

And I love that theme song.

Aw. Just so good.

Ah, I could watch this
all night.

Nope, gotta go to bed.

You are always saying
that I'm not stepping up

as executive producer.

- Billy, I...
- [Billy] No, Val, you say it

- all the time.
- [Valerie] Okay, well,

not letting me in,
so what do we do now?

- [banging, clattering]
- Ooh, okay.

Are you okay?
Oh, you're not mine.

[whispering] Great.

Billy, let's let Valerie in.

- Hmm?
- [Valerie] Thank you, yeah.

'Cause I have
something important

that I'd like to say, okay?

Listeners, this is
a Cherish the Time experiment.

Okay, we're exploring
healing, with...

You see?
It's always about her.

Was about to say your name,

but cut me off again.

[Billy] It's...
It's never about me.

It's like she can't ever
take me in.

Oh, hold on a second.
What's this?

I think we got a fan out there.

That's Peri.

- That's my girlfriend.
- Oh, that is?

What are you doing here?

- What...
- How did you find me?

Well, I haven't
seen you in days,

so I tracked your phone
to make sure you weren't dead.

'Cause I called Trader Joe's.

They told me you stopped
going to work?

What, you don't work
there anymore, Jane?

I mean, what is happening?

- I'm busy with this.
- [dog whimpering]

Okay, so you're back
to following around this woman

who you told me was a very
destructive energy in your life?

- Flag all that.
- Why are your cameras filming me?

- Stop filming me.
- [dog whimpering]

What I'm doing
is really important.

- It's about AI.
- Hmm.

You're making very
unhealthy life decisions.

Okay.

Come on, let's go, Rocket.

- Jane, sounds like you've got...
- [door closes]

a communication problem
with you and Peri.

You know, didn't tell her
you stopped working

at Trader Joe's, you know?

Gotta start communicating,
right?

Yeah. Start by telling her

that you are gonna be working
on this for a long time.

Yeah, and you can't tell her
or anyone anything

until the studio
approves it, Jane.

Oh, no, she knows, yeah.
She signed an NDA.

- Right, Jane?
- I didn't sign it.

Well, what... What do you
mean, you didn't sign it?

No, she will.
You'll sign it, right, Jane?

- Yeah.
- [Billy] You better.

You know, Val went to bat for you
with the studio and... Oh, my God.

Now, I'm getting
sidetracked off of me.

D-Do you see
how I let myself do that?

Okay, Billy, don't be so hard
on yourself, okay?

'Cause this is about healing.

Okay, so this is a lot.

It is, yeah.

Maybe two episodes.

There. Perfect.
And on time.

Mm-hmm. [Chuckles] Tommy.

There is a Belgian waffle truck
outside.

Compliments of Miss Cherish.

Can I bring you one
on my way back?

- I'm good. Thanks.
- Mm-kay.

[groaning]
Oh, yah-yah-yah-yah-yah!

Yah. Okay.

[Frank clearing throat]

I'm having a problem
with your hairdresser.

- With Tommy? What...
- He's a close talker.

- What does that mean?
- He talks to me very close.

Uncomfortably close.

Yeah, well, you know, he's old,

so maybe he gets so close
so he could hear.

He also

[whispering]
rubs my shoulders.

Okay. You don't like that?

Okay, well, you can
ask him to stop.

Yeah, you can just say,
"Tommy, you're a darling, but... ".

You're an executive producer,
Val.

[clearing throat]
Got it.

Yeah. Okay.

That looks good.

I love Lacroix.

Cute kid.

Isn't he? Um...

[clearing throat] Tommy,
can I talk to you, darlin'?

- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah, um...

[loud sipping]

Please don't rub
Frank's shoulders.

He's uncomfortable.

Got it.

- Sorry.
- Yeah.

- He's always so tense and nervous.
- Yeah.

- I was just trying to help.
- Yeah.

- That's all it was.
- Yeah! Yeah.

I've been rubbing
nervous actors' shoulders

since WKRP
in Cinci-f*ck in-nati.

[chuckles] That far back?
Yeah, I know, yeah.

It's different times.

- Different times, yeah.
- Well

my astrologer always says...

"See the signs
as they present themselves."

Mm-hmm.

And this sign says,
"Exit stage right."

What? Oh, no.
Tommy, darlin', no.

Oh, no, it's probably
a blessing in disguise.

Plus, my legs hurt.

- It was fun at first.
- Yeah.

- Now, it's a job.
- Uh-huh.

And workplace drama?

- Not at this age.
- Yeah.

Take me with you.

[chuckles]

[Tommy]
Pascal can cover for me.

He did you beautifully
when I fell asleep

on the La-Z-Boy,
on the swing set.

Are you sure?
'Cause I can talk to Frank.

I'm sure.

No hard feelings?

- No hard feelings.
- No?

- No.
- Mm.

Darlin'.

I'll go talk to Pascal.

Thank you. That's a grown-up.
Communication.

- Have a good show.
- Have a good show.

"Have a good show"?
Are you kidding me?

Assassin?

Oh, I'm not surprised.

It's always the gays
that bring you down.

The gays hate the gays.

I have never been
called on the carpet

by a straight actor
in my life, ever!

Not John Stamos.

Not Steven Weber.

Not the boy who played Larry
on Perfect Strangers.

Three names.
Mark something-something.

- Linn-Baker.
- Whatever!

They were all so appreciative

of a caring,
helpful shoulder rub.

It's only the gays
that take it the wrong way.

It's just shoulders, darling.

If I wanted in your pants,
they'd be off by now.

So, I told him.

Oh, now what... What's happening?

Jane, you need to sign
this NDA right now.

[pen clicking] - [Valerie]
And what's security gonna do?

Hold her hand and push
the pen on... What?

She's gonna sign it.
She'll sign... She'll sign it.

- I'm never signing that.
- [Billy scoffs]

What do you mean
you're never signing that?

Jane, we have an agreement.

This doesn't concern me.

The point is moot, anyway.

The studio owns the footage
because they've been paying you.

I haven't cashed
any of the checks.

Okay, well, now I'm with Peri.

Jane, you are not making
smart life choices.

[softly] You don't want to be
that person, right?

Has no money,
can't pay her bills, right?

Peri won't be attracted
to that, you know?

Right? Please.

Sign the NDA, Jane.

I can't.

People have a right
to know that AI

- is coming for their jobs.
- Okay.

Not just in offices
and factories.

It's right here
on this stupid sitcom.

Okay. [Scoffs]

I have to show them
that it's not happening

somewhere in the future.
It's already here.

Okay, well,
I thought this was about

an actor's uplifting return
while she navigates

a whole new
television landscape.

Jane, I cannot believe you're
trying to pull this bullshit on her.

It's like The Comeback
all over again.

It's not.

This is not about you, Valerie.

AI is a real threat.

Not just to our jobs.
To our souls.

Oh, my God.
Okay. Let's go.

- Come with us, please.
- Alright, you heard him.

[Valerie] Oh.

Okay.

I...

- What?
- [Jane sighs]

Come on. Stop filming.

- Guys?
- No. No.

Your crew all signed.
I checked.

Guess they need the work.

- [crew 1] Sorry.
- [crew 2] Sorry.

- Wow.
- Ma'am, come on.

- Yeah, alright.
- Let's go.

- [Billy sighs]
- [Valerie clearing throat]

Okay, that was unnecessary,
Billy.

What?

Are you kidding me?

Everything we worked for
is riding on this.

You asked me
to step up as an EP.

I stepped up.

[scoffs]

- [Bev] Val?
- [Valerie] Yeah?

Ready to sh**t the pre-tapes.

Thank you.

- Okay. Patrick, effects?
- [Patrick] Yeah.

[Bryan] Oh, okay.
So, just so we're clear,

when we hear Valerie say,

"Where's the leak?",
release the water full.

- Mm-hmm.
- Okay? If something's not right,

- I'll cut before that.
- [Patrick] Yep.

I only want to do this once,
so be on your game.

- [Bev] Okay, quiet, everybody!
- "A" camera, take one.

- [Bev] And roll sound.
- "B" camera, take one.

Val? Val?

- [Valerie] Huh?
- Look at this.

"Valerie Cherish sitcom
secretly being written by AI."

Did you do this?

Me? No, there's a leak!

- Oh!
- [PDP] Oh! Oh!

[Zeke laughing]

Hey, stop! Stop! What...

I didn't say "action."

She said "leak."
I heard her.

Oh, mother of God.

- [door closes]
- [Billy] Look, look, look.

Angry writers
are all over TikTok.

Here's another one.

I'm a comedy writer
that can't pay my mortgage.

- Thanks, Valerie Cherish.
- Well, thanks for that, Billy.

[TikTok user 1]
f*ck you, Valerie Cherish!

Are they all that angry?

[TikTok user 2] Valerie Cherish
doesn't care about people.

- Only profit.
- [Valerie groaning]

Patience, is anyone...
Anyone standing up for me?

It's a lot of TV writers
on social media

that each only have,
like, 12 followers.

- Okay, yeah.
- Yeah, but it's catching fire.

Everybody's picking this up.

[TikTok user 3]
That is a nobody in TV!

Okay.
Is NuNet saying anything?

Or Comspot?
Or any of them?

- I've seen nothing from them.
- [Valerie] You know what, Billy?

Call your guy at NuNet,
the one you're sleeping with.

[Billy] I'm not calling him.

He screamed at me
at the GLAAD Awards.

Okay, well, God forbid
you should be embarrassed

when the entire world
is tearing me apart!

- No, it's just Hollywood.
- Oh, "just Hollywood"?

Okay, yeah, that's good.

Just where I live and work.

It's an end-of-day dump,
which is good.

By this time tomorrow,
the story will be dead.

Okay, yeah, it'll be dead.
Like my career.

[TikTok user 4]
Hey, Valerie Cherish.

[TikTok user 5]
We wrote a movie

[both] that can't get
made because of you!

Okay, great. So...
Wait, how am I the bad guy?

I asked the network
for a writer three days ago!

You know what?
I'm calling NuNet.

- Because I can't just sit here.
- Deadline!

- [Valerie] Gotta do something.
- It's on Deadline.

"On the AI-written sitcom,
the actors

- "and the crew were forced...
- Hello, hi, this is Valerie Cherish,

- calling for Arbor.
- to sign NDAs."

I don't know his last name.
How many Arbors are at NuNet?

The "I hate Valerie" dance
is going viral.

-Okay.
-[Valerie] Oh, you found him? Alright, good.

-Thank you for the extra effort.
-[TikTok user 6] Valerie Cherish,

- you are a corporate pawn.
- Okay, it's voicemail.

Four o'clock, and everyone's
already gone over there.

- This guy's calling her the devil.
- Yeah. Okay.

[TikTok user 7] And I don't
even know who the f*ck she is.

Television?

Hi, Arbor, it's Valerie Cherish.

So the... the S has hit the F.

Uh, writers are real angry.

[bottle thumps]

[whispering]
Somebody open this.

Yeah, so, uh, remember,

wanted us to hire
that boy Evan, right?

- Hollywood Reporter.
- So we could, you know,

- have a leg to stand on here.
- "Valerie Cherish

- "not just a Traitor on TV.
- You know, but nobody called me back

- from your office.
- "She's a traitor for real this time.

-So, you know, what do we do? What happens now?
-Picks AI over writers."

- Right? What do we do?
- Yeah.

- Maybe NuNet makes a statement.
- This on Deadline.

- You know, saying that the WGA approved all this?
- "Valerie Cherish sitcom."

- "'How's That?!' crosses the Rubicon...
- Okay, 'cause I was told"

-that they did.
- replacing writers with AI." Mm, God.

- "On the AI-written sitcom...
- You know, just realized you're Creative.

- Should have sent this to Marketing.
- "...actors and crew were forced"

- "to sign NDAs."
- Okay, can... Doll, can you send

this whole message
to, uh, Riddler?

- Alright, thanks.
- [Billy] Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

- Oh, my God.
- I, uh, eagerly await all of your responses.

[TikTok user 8]
Say no to the robot invasion

of our industry and boycott
How's That?!

Well, the show premieres next
week, and they're boycotting it.

Never even seen it,
but they're boycotting it.

- [Billy] f*cking Jane!
- Well...

m*therf*cking Jane!
God, she works fast.

We don't know that
it was Jane, okay, Billy?

Oh, Val, it was Jane.

[Valerie]
We don't know that.

You should never have
brought her on to this!

Hollywood hates me, Mark.

It... The story's everywhere.
It's even on CNN.

Writers are so mad.

I told you AI was the villain.
I knew this would happen.

[inhales sharply]

Okay... This is just me talking
to your machine,

so, um...

[clearing throat]
Don't worry.

You know, I'll get
through this, right? So...

[sniffling]
I just wish you were here.

Or near a cell tower.
[chuckles]

[sniffles] Um...

It's just, you say such smart,
calming things,

you know, like,
"These are writers.

They're always angry."
You know?

"Probably won't spread
to real people."

And I think
you'd probably say that...

I just should stop
looking at it.

Just shut it all off.

[sighs] Yeah.

Yeah.

That's... I'm just gonna
shut it all off.

Okay, well, I hope
that's what you'd say,

'cause it really helped.

It did, so thank you.

Okay.

Yeah.

[lights click]

[sighs]

[reporter] [on TV] AI has
at long last found its way

into mainstream television,

and not just
for special effects.

Has it crossed the line?
What's too far?

And then this from Academy
Award-winning director.

Jane Benson, who has been
filming a documentary

about How's That?!

Yes, AI was being used.

But Valerie Cherish
was in no way responsible

for writers' jobs
being taken away.

In fact, the entire time
that I was there,

she did nothing
but ask for writers

to be hired,
over and over and over.

[reporter] Not everyone
feels that strongly

that Valerie Cherish
is an advocate for writers.

-[Valerie] Of course. He's the leak.
-[grunting]

[reporter] That's Emmy
Award-winning television writer Paulie G.

- Feeling the wrath of her non-advocacy...
- [door opens]

- on The Comeback, her reality show in 2005.
- [door closes]

While the Writers Guild
of America

has not officially made
a comment yet,

many of its 25,000 members
remain loud and very clear

- where their feelings are.
- You came home.

- I saw the news.
- And as the swirl of anger...

- I'm here.
- and frustration at this latest development...

- I'm here.
- in the ongoing AI debate continues in Hollywood,

businesses across the country
are bracing

- for more bad AI news on their own.
- That's enough of that.

[TikTok user] [on phone] Are we
really surprised a thirsty-a*s has-been

has been eager to welcome
the evil robot overlord?

- Where's your phone?
- Don't know.

- f*ck you! AI isn't writing, it's plagiarizing.
- [Mark] Oh.

- Here it is.
- I hope she sees all these posts

- and kills herself.
- [phone chiming off]

Are you hungry?

Come here. Come here.

[♪ "Chasing Pavements"
by Adele playing]

[sighs heavily]

♪ I've made up my mind ♪

- [Valerie sighs]
- We're okay.

- [Valerie] Yeah.
- Yeah.

[Valerie]
Yeah. I'm alright.

♪ Don't need to look
no further ♪

♪ This ain't lust ♪

♪ I know ♪

♪ This is love ♪

♪ But if I tell the world ♪

♪ I'll never say enough ♪

♪ 'Cause it was
not said to you ♪

♪ And that's exactly
what I need to do ♪

♪ If I end up with you ♪

♪ Should I give up
or should I ♪

♪ Just keep
chasing pavements? ♪

♪ Even if it leads nowhere ♪

♪ Or would it be a waste,
even if I knew my place ♪

♪ Should I leave it there? ♪

♪ Should I give up
or should I ♪

♪ Just keep
chasing pavements? ♪

♪ Even if it leads nowhere ♪

♪ Or would I give up ♪

♪ Or should I just keep
chasing pavements? ♪

♪ Even if it ♪

♪ Leads nowhere ♪