A Different World (1987–1993): Season 1, Episode 18 - Speech Therapy - full transcript

£ I KNOW MY PARENTS LOVE ME £

£ STAND BEHIND ME
COME WHAT MAY £

£ I KNOW NOW THAT I'M READY £

£ BECAUSE I FINALLY
HEARD THEM SAY £

£ IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD £

£ FROM WHERE YOU COME FROM £

£ HERE'S A CHANCE TO MAKE IT £

£ IF WE FOCUS ON OUR GOAL £

£ IF YOU DISH IT,
WE CAN TAKE IT £

£ JUST REMEMBER
YOU'VE BEEN TOLD £

£ IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD £



£ FROM WHERE YOU COME FROM £

£ IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD £

£ FROM WHERE YOU COME FROM £

WHAT ARE WE CELEBRATING?

( mumbling )

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

I SAID I WISH I'D NEVER TAKEN
FOSTER'S POETRY CLASS.

I THOUGHT
YOU LIKED IT.

I DID, BUT NOW WE
HAVE TO GIVE SPEECHES.

WHAT'S SO TERRIBLE
ABOUT SPEECHES?

OH, LET'S SEE.

STANDING IN FRONT OF A ROOM
FULL OF PEOPLE

HAVING THEM STARE AT YOU,
SWEAT POURING DOWN YOUR FACE

YOUR KNEES KNOCKING,
YOUR HEART POUNDING



YOUR MOUTH GETTING QUITE DRY.

EVERYBODY GETS
A LITTLE STAGE FRIGHT.

NO, SEE, I GET STAGE PANIC.

I HAD TO GIVE A SPEECH
IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ONCE.

I'M ALMOST OVER IT.

OH, COME ON.

I'M SERIOUS.

SO FAR, I'VE GOT AN "A"
IN FOSTER'S CLASS.

BUT AFTER I GIVE MY SPEECH

HE WILL ASK ME
TO LEAVE HIS CLASS.

I THINK THIS MEANS THE BIG "D."

I TOOK SPEECH AND DEBATE
ALL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

I CAN HELP.

HEY, THAT'S AN IDEA.

GIVE THE SPEECH FOR US.

I DON'T KNOW.

COME ON.

IT WILL HELP YOU RELAX.

STAND UP.

PRETEND THIS IS THE LECTERN,
AND WE ARE THE CLASS.

SHOOT.

MYSELF OR YOU?

GOOD! YOU STILL HAVE
YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR.

I'M NOT DOING THIS.

JALEESA, YOU CAN'T
BE THAT BAD.

COME ON.

OKAY.

AHEM.

( monotone )
"WE STUDY ART HISTORY

"BECAUSE IT ENHANCES
OUR APPRECIATION OF PAINTING.

"STUDYING THE HISTORY OF POETRY

"CAN LIKEWISE ENHANCE
OUR APPRECIATION OF THE POEM.

"IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE,
FOR EXAMPLE

"THAT IN THE 13th CENTURY

"POETRY WAS DEVOID OF RHYME.

WITH TIME, HOWEVER, RHYME
SCHEMES APPEARED AND EVOLVED."

WHAT'S WRONG?

I WOULDN'T SAY
ANYTHING'S WRONG.

WOULD YOU?

NO.

WOULD YOU SAY I SHOULD
BE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY?

WOULD YOU?

WELL...

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD,
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL

IF YOU DIDN'T READ
THE SPEECH WORD FOR WORD.

YOU MEAN GET UP
IN FRONT OF 28 PEOPLE

WITHOUT KNOWING
EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY?

THAT'S THE IDEA.

FORGET THAT IDEA.

NO, JALEESA,
MAGGIE'S RIGHT.

CHOOSE YOUR MAIN POINTS
AND JUST TALK ABOUT THEM

TO MAKE THE SPEECH
MORE CONVERSATIONAL

AND LESS... STILTED.

I SOUND STILTED?

A LITTLE.

USUALLY PEOPLE TELL ME
MY PROBLEM IS RUSHING.

THERE, YOU'RE IMPROVING ALREADY.

SO WHAT DO YOU SAY WE GO BACK
AND START FROM THE TOP?

I DIDN'T MEAN THAT FAR BACK.

LISTEN.

I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING.

NEITHER DO I.

I THINK MY HUMIDIFIER
HAS STOPPED.

YOU CAN'T HAVE
A MAJOR APPLIANCE IN YOUR ROOM.

DEAD AS THE PROVERBIAL DOORNAIL.

IT IS A NO-NO.

YOU'RE BREAKING
A RULE.

RULES ARE MADE
FOR THE COMMON GOOD--

WHICH IS ALL VERY WELL
FOR THE COMMON.

BUT YOU SHOULD BE SETTING
AN EXAMPLE FOR THE OTHERS.

AT WHAT PRICE, MILLIE?

SKIN LIKE A RHINO?

WHAT ON EARTH AM I GOING TO DO
WITHOUT MY HUMIDIFIER?

A PAN OF WATER
NEAR THE HEATING VENT

SHOULD ADD MOISTURE
TO THE AIR.

SO WOULD A LAWN SPRINKLER,
BUT I WON'T PUT ONE

IN MY BOUDOIR.

MAYBE RONALD COULD FIX IT.

I THINK NOT.

ETHICS ASIDE

IF A REPAIRMAN COMES UP HERE,
YOU'LL PROBABLY GET CAUGHT.

LIKE I SAID, CALL RON.

YOU KNOW
THE NUMBER.

YOU CALL HIM
EVERY NIGHT.

I NEED FOOD.

THE CAFETERIA IS STILL OPEN.

I SAID FOOD--

SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T
HAVE TO HAVE A SIGN STUCK IN IT

SO YOU KNOW
WHAT IT IS.

OKAY, WE'LL GO OFF CAMPUS.

OH, SHOOT.

I CAN'T.

I DON'T HAVE ANY CASH.

CAN'T WE GO TO THE CAFETERIA?

I DON'T EVEN WANT
TO WALK PAST THE CAFETERIA.

I SHOULD HAVE ASKED DENISE
TO PAY ME BACK.

DENISE OWES YOU MONEY?

YEAH, $22.00.

I HATE TO ASK HER
FOR IT, THOUGH.

WHY?

WELL, YOU KNOW
IT'S ONLY BEEN FIVE WEEKS.

FIVE WEEKS?

THINK I SHOULD BE UPSET?

NO, JUST ASK FOR YOUR MONEY.

THE THING IS
SHE PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE IT.

DINNER WILL BE
MY TREAT, OKAY?

OH, HI, GUYS.

WAIT TILL YOU SEE
WHAT I GOT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

IF YOU WEAR THAT IN PUBLIC,
GET A HORSE TO GO WITH IT.

I DIDN'T THINK YOU'D LOVE IT.

MAGGIE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

IT'S CUTE.

THANK YOU.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I SPENT
THIS MUCH MONEY ON A HAT.

ME, EITHER.

I'M GOING TO SEE
WHAT I HAVE TO GO WITH THIS.

BYE.

WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING?

I DON'T KNOW.

I DIDN'T WANT
TO SPOIL HER MOMENT.

REALLY?

CAN I BORROW $50,000?

I ONLY NEED IT
FOR FIVE WEEKS.

WAIT A MINUTE.

WHEN YOU SAID HE WAS GOING
TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT

I DIDN'T THINK YOU
MEANT IT LITERALLY.

DO YOU THINK
YOU CAN FIX IT?

SURE WE CAN.

SURE WE CAN.

WHAT IS THIS?

A HUMIDIFIER.

I WAS GOING TO SAY HUMIDIFIER.

HOW VERY REASSURING.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S
WRONG WITH IT?

NOT EXACTLY.

IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO TELL
IF YOU TOUCH IT.

SHE'S RIGHT.

YOU CAN'T HURT IT.

IT'S ALREADY BROKEN.

THE REFRAIN IS YET ANOTHER WAY
OF CREATING RHYTHM IN A POEM.

GWENDOLYN BROOKS UTILIZES IT
IN A POEM CALLED "HORSES GRAZE."

"COWS GRAZE, HORSES GRAZE.

"THEY EAT, EAT, EAT.

"AND AT THE CREST
OF THEIR BRUTE SATISFACTION

"WITH WONDERFUL GENTLENESS

"IN AFFIRMATION

"THEY LIFT
THEIR CLEAN, CALM EYES

"AND THEY LIE DOWN

"AND LOVE THE WORLD.

"THEY SPEAK WITH
THEIR COMPANIONS.

"THEY DO NOT WISH
THAT THEY WERE OTHERWHERE.

"PERHAPS THEY KNOW
THAT CREATURE FEET

"MAY PRESS ONLY A FEW
EARTH INCHES AT A TIME

"THAT EARTH IS ANYWHERE EARTH

"THAT AN EYE MAY SEE
WHEREVER IT MAY BE

"THE IMMEDIATE ARC ALONE
OF LIFE, OF LOVE.

"IN SWEDEN, CHINA, AFRICA,
IN INDIA OR MAINE

"THE ANIMALS ARE SANE.

"THEY KNOW AND KNOW AND KNOW

THERE'S GROUND BELOW
AND SKY UP HIGH."

THANK YOU.

AND GOOD-BYE.

EXCUSE ME, PROFESSOR FOSTER?

MAY I SPEAK TO YOU
FOR A MOMENT?

I'M ALL EARS.

IT'S ABOUT
MY ORAL REPORT.

YOU'RE DEALING WITH...

THE HISTORICAL USE OF RHYME.

FASCINATING TOPIC.

IT REALLY IS.

IN FACT, I DON'T THINK A SPEECH
WILL DO IT JUSTICE.

I THOUGHT IF I DID
A WRITTEN REPORT

I'D BE ABLE
TO EXPLORE THE TOPIC.

YOU'RE AFRAID TO GIVE A SPEECH.

YEAH.

ALTHOUGH I REALLY COULD
DO A BETTER JOB

IN A WRITTEN REPORT.

I DON'T DOUBT THAT.

YOU'VE ALREADY WRITTEN
TWO SUPERB PAPERS FOR ME.

MY PUBLIC SPEAKING ISN'T SUPERB.

THE MORE YOU SPEAK
BEFORE A GROUP

THE EASIER IT WILL BECOME.

WAS IT DIFFICULT
FOR YOU AT FIRST?

NO.

I'M JUST AFRAID
IF I DO A BAD SPEECH

IT WILL LOWER MY GRADE.

DON'T WORRY
ABOUT THAT.

CAN I GET AN "A" FOR EFFORT?

NO.

OH.

I MEANT THAT
THE GRADE ISN'T EVERYTHING.

I NEED GOOD GRADES
TO KEEP MY SCHOLARSHIP.

YOU'RE A BUSINESS MAJOR?

YES, AND YOU'RE THINKING

PUBLIC SPEAKING IS IMPORTANT
IN BUSINESS.

NO, I WAS THINKING
THAT IT IS IMPORTANT

FOR YOU TO BE WILLING

TO TAKE
SOME RISKS.

BUT THIS IS NOT
A SPEECH CLASS, MISS VINSON.

YOU MAKE THE DECISION.

I NEED A REPORT FROM YOU,
ORAL OR WRITTEN.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

ON THE SUBJECT
OF TAKING RISKS

MY WIFE HAS JUST GRADUATED
FROM YET ANOTHER COOKING CLASS.

I HAVE TO GO HOME NOW
AND EAT HER FINAL.

WHERE DOES THIS GO?

IN MY HAIR, YOU NINNY!

THIS IS MY ELECTRIC ROLLER.

WHITLEY.

RONALD AND DWAYNE ARE
TRYING TO DO YOU A FAVOR.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

I APOLOGIZE.

WE ALREADY TIGHTENED
YOUR DRAWER PULLS.

AND CHANGED
THE LIGHT BULB.

ABSOLUTELY GRATIS.

AND FOR THAT I AM
FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT.

MY SKIN IS SO PARCHED,
I FEEL LIKE A BEDOUIN.

I MIGHT JUST DRY UP
AND BLOW AWAY.

DON'T LET ME
STOP YOU.

RONALD!

I CAN'T HELP IT,
BUTTERCUP.

SHE REALLY FRIES MY RICE.

KIDS, BREATH DEEP.

I KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO GET
THIS THING MISTING AGAIN.

YOU DO?

WHAT?

A REPAIRMAN.

I CAN'T HAVE A REPAIRMAN
TROTTING UP THESE STAIRS.

HUMIDIFIERS
ARE CONTRABAND.

IF THE REPAIRMAN CANNOT
COME TO THE APPLIANCE

WE MUST GET THE APPLIANCE
TO THE REPAIRMAN.

NOW DO YOU SEE WHY
THIS MAN AND I ARE TIGHT?

OH, GOOD.

A STAMP FOR YOU.

OH, THANKS.

LET'S SEE... GUM.

THE TYPEWRITER RIBBON...

THANKS.

AND THE FASHION
MAGAZINE FOR YOU.

22 CENTS.

HOW MUCH
DO I OWE?

TWELVE DOLLARS.

CAN THAT BE RIGHT?

THIS MAGAZINE
COST $8.00.

IT'S ITALIAN.

I'LL HAVE TO ASK
CARLA FOR CHANGE.

I TRUST YOU.

PAY ME LATER.

OKAY.

EIGHT DOLLARS
FOR A MAGAZINE?

ISN'T IT RIDICULOUS?

DENISE, YOU DON'T EVEN
SPEAK ITALIAN.

I KNOW, BUT I LOVE
ITALIAN CLOTHES.

WOW, WHAT A GREAT PURSE.

IS THAT A PURSE?

IT LOOKS LIKE
A PINEAPPLE.

IT'S GOT SHOULDER STRAPS.

GEE, I CAN'T
GET OVER IT.

EIGHT DOLLARS
FOR A MAGAZINE!

SO EXPENSIVE.

BUT I'VE REALLY BEEN
SAVING MY MONEY LATELY.

IT'S GREAT, YOU KNOW.

IF I DISCIPLINE MYSELF A BIT

I CAN AFFORD
THOSE EXTRA LUXURIES.

SEE YOU LATER.

NOT JUST ANY
FASHION MAGAZINE.

AN ITALIAN
FASHION MAGAZINE.

DO YOU KNOW
WHAT IT COST?

EIGHT DOLLARS!

I TOLD YOU?

YOU TOLD ME.

YOU'RE RIGHT, I'M BEING PETTY.

AM I BEING PETTY?

NO... REPETITIVE.

LOOK AT THIS.

SHE HAS BRAND-NEW BOOK COVERS.

I SHOULD BE GLAD
THEY'RE NOT ITALIAN, TOO.

NOW YOU'RE BEING PETTY.

YOU'RE RIGHT, I AM.

HAVE YOU ASKED FOR
THE MONEY SHE OWES YOU?

WELL, NOT EXACTLY.

NO.

WHY NOT?

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY?

DENISE, YOU OWE ME MONEY.

I CAN'T. COULD YOU?

YES.

THEN WOULD YOU... FOR ME?

NO, MAGGIE, THAT'S
BETWEEN YOU AND DENISE.

NOW I'VE GOT THIS PAPER
DUE FOR DR. FOSTER

AND I'D LIKE TO GET TO IT, OKAY?

OKAY.

YOU DECIDED TO DO THE PAPER
INSTEAD OF THE SPEECH?

YEAH.

BET THAT'S A RELIEF.

YEAH, I GUESS.

EIGHT DOLLARS
FOR A MAGAZINE.

I BET PAPER COSTS
A FORTUNE IN ITALY.

SCUZI.

HURRY, HURRY, HURRY!

YOU LOVE THIS WOMAN, MAN?

Ron:
THAT'S RIGHT.

BRRRR. CHILLY, ISN'T IT?

I THOUGHT I'D GET BY WITH
MY CAR COAT, BUT I GUESS NOT.

BUT LETTIE, YOU'RE CERTAINLY
NO HOTHOUSE FLOWER.

IF YOU WERE THINKING
OF GOING OUT, GO.

I'M GOING TO WATCH
A DOCUMENTARY ON TV.

OH, DRAT!

I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU TO
HELP ME WITH MY DANCE STEPS.

YOU SEE, CHIP ST. CHARLES
ASKED ME TO ATTEND A COTILLION.

IS THAT SO?

YES, IT IS.

BUT MY DANCING
IS A BIT RUSTY.

SINCE YOU HAVE A REPUTATION
FOR DANCING ON AND OFF TABLES

WOULD YOU HELP ME
WITH MY FOX TROT?

( tango music )

OR MY TANGO.

COME ON.

OUT HERE
IN THE LOBBY?

THERE'S MORE ROOM OUT HERE.

READY, AND...

YOU GUYS, IS SOMETHING WRONG?

I'M FINE.

SO AM I.

ARE YOU SURE?

OH, YEAH, POSITIVE.

YEAH.

OKAY.

SOMETHING IS WRONG.

NOT WITH ME.

MAGGIE, WHAT'S THE MATTER?

NOTHING.

WHAT COULD BE THE MATTER?

YOU GUYS TELL ME.

SOMETHING'S WRONG.

ARE YOU FIGHTING?

NO.

I HAD THREE SISTERS.

MAYBE I CAN SETTLE THIS.

DENISE, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG.

OKAY, FINE.

I DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT
THE PAPER FOR DR. FOSTER.

I THINK IT'S GREAT.

I THINK IT'S BRILLIANT.

THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM.

SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

DR. FOSTER THINKS I'M
A VERY GOOD STUDENT.

HE LIKES ME.

I'D KILL FOR THAT PROBLEM.

HE'S GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED
IF I DON'T GIVE THE SPEECH.

I CAN IMAGINE HIS FACE
WHEN I HAND HIM THE PAPER.

WHY DON'T YOU GIVE
THE SPEECH?

BECAUSE I'LL THROW UP.

I THINK YOU'D FEEL BETTER
IF YOU FACE YOUR FEAR.

THAT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY.

WHAT?

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT FEAR IS.

SURE I DO.

YOU MAKE IT SOUND EASY.

"JALEESA, FACE UP TO YOUR FEAR.

JUMP OFF
NIAGARA FALLS."

I KNOW IT WON'T BE EASY.

BUT IT'S THE BEST THING.

MY FATHER SAYS, "THE ONLY THING
TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF."

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT SAID THAT.

REALLY?

WELL, IT'S STILL GOOD ADVICE.

I THINK IT'S
THE BEST THING TO DO.

SHE COULD FACE HER FEAR

AND END UP LOOKING LIKE AN
IMBECILE IN FRONT OF THE CLASS.

I'M WITH HER.

AT LEAST YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IT.

WHY DOES THIS SOCIETY INSIST
WE FACE UP TO OUR FEARS?

EVERY MAGAZINE I PICK UP

SEEMS TO HAVE AN ARTICLE
ABOUT CONFRONTING FEARS.

I MEAN WHY SHOULD I?

I EAT RIGHT, I EXERCISE,
I STUDY HARD.

DO I HAVE TO BE PERFECT?

SO I'M NOT THE MOST ASSERTIVE...

WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?

GIVE ME MY MONEY.

WHAT?

YOU OWE MAGGIE $22.00.

I DO?

YOU BORROWED IT FROM ME

AT THE BOOK STORE.

THAT WAS OVER A MONTH AGO!

SIX WEEKS YESTERDAY,
BUT WHO'S COUNTING.

I'M SO SORRY.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO
GIVE IT TO ME NOW.

IT'S TEN AFTER ONE.

I WANT TO.

SHE WANTS TO.

I DON'T NEED
IT ALL REALLY.

TAKE THE MONEY.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

I'M SORRY.

IT BETTER ALL BE HERE.

MUCH OF TODAY'S POETRY, IN FACT

TAKES US FULL CIRCLE TO
THE EARLIEST ENGLISH POEMS

WHICH WERE, AS I STATED EARLIER,
TOTALLY DEVOID OF RHYME.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE
FURTHER INFORMATION

ON THE EVOLUTION OF POETRY

PLEASE REFER TO THE BIBLIOGRAPHY

I HANDED OUT BEFORE I BEGAN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MISS VINSON.

NEXT TIME WE'LL HEAR FROM
MISS SEDAYAO, MR. GILNER

AND MR. LEONARD.

GOOD-BYE.

MISS VINSON?

THE OTHER DAY

WHEN YOU EXPRESSED
YOUR APPREHENSIONS

ABOUT GIVING A SPEECH

I ASSUMED, LIKE MOST STUDENTS,
YOU WERE EXAGGERATING.

I WAS WRONG.

I REALLY DO WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR ENCOURAGING ME TO DO THIS.

I WOULD HAVE FELT TERRIBLE
HANDING IN THAT PAPER.

I'M GLAD.

I'M NOT SURE IT'S GOING
TO BE ANY EASIER NEXT TIME.

I'M TEMPTED TO QUOTE YOU
SOME PASSAGE ON COURAGE

OR HAVING FAITH
IN ONE'S SELF.

BUT I THINK THE BEST THING
TO DO IS TO SHUT UP

AND GIVE YOU A "B."

THANK YOU.

YOU SHOULD BE PROUD.

YOU TOOK A RISK.

WHAT YOU LACKED
IN PRESENTATION

YOU MORE THAN MADE UP FOR
IN PREPARATION.

YOUR MATERIAL
WAS EXCELLENT.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

IS THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY
FOR THE PAPER YOU WROTE?

I COULD BRING THE PAPER IN.

IF YOU PROMISE
NOT TO READ IT TO ME.

GOTCHA.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING.

HI.

RON WAS JUST GOING UP
TO VISIT MILLIE.

IS THAT SO?

MOST YOUNG MEN BRING THEIR GIRLS
FLOWERS OR CANDY.

VERY RARELY DO THEY BRING
THEM HUMIDIFIERS.

I DON'T KNOW WHY.

THEY LAST LONGER.

WHY DON'T YOU PUT THAT DOWN?

DOWN HERE.

WHAT IS HOLDING YOU UP?

SIDEWAYS THIS TIME.

I THINK I AM.

HI, LETTIE.

IS THIS
YOUR HUMIDIFIER?

IS THAT
WHAT THAT IS?

YOU CAN UNCROSS
YOUR FINGERS.

THE MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR CAME
ACROSS YOUR BOOTLEG HUMIDIFIER

THE OTHER DAY.

WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY
ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

I THOUGHT WHEN YOU FOUND IT
UNPLUGGED, YOU'D TAKE THE HINT.

UNPLUGGED?

IF YOU TWO WILL CARRY THAT
DOWN TO THE STOREROOM

I'D APPRECIATE IT.

FOLLOW ME.

DID SHE SAY "UNPLUGGED"?

DAG.

DOUBLE DAG.

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