A Different World (1987–1993): Season 4, Episode 19 - How Great Thou Art - full transcript

M.j. Dribbles left,
dribbles right

going up for the slam...

Oh! Charles rubbed him!

He rejected him!

£ ta-da! £

what are you doing?!

There's only five seconds left.

Not anymore.

Whitley!

Forget all these grown men
dribbling.

They'll never make



a touchdown anyway.

You are looking
at e.H. Wright industries'

newest corporate intern.

I start tomorrow.

You got it?!

I'm on the payroll.

Bunny's making money!
Bunny's making money!

Wait, wait.

You did say e.H. Wright?

E.h. Wright
industries, buddy.

Who are you calling?

I'm calling my broker.

I got to dump my stock
in that company.

£ I know my parents loved me £



£ stand behind me
come what may £

£ I know now that I'm ready £

£ for I finally heard them say £

£ it's a different world £

£ than where you come from £

£ yes, it is now, yeah £

£ here's our chance to make it £

£ and if we focus on our goal £

£ you can dish it,
we can take it £

£ hey, just remember
that you've been told £

£ it's a different world £

£ it's a different world £

£ it's a different world £

£ than where you come from £

£ ooh £

£ than where you come from. £

Whitley?

H-Hello, miss Abernathy?

Aren't you a little early?

Am I?

Well, just an hour.

I'm sorry.

I'm so excited.

Well, it's a pleasure
to meet you.

No, the pleasure is all mine.

I am so enthusiastic
to be granted

an opportunity to serve you
in this capacity.

Of course.

Why don't you sit down?

We were very impressed

with the essay portion
of your application.

It showed that you not only
had a knowledge of art

but a great critical instinct.

Well, miss Abernathy,
my mother always told me

I had the eye of an artist.

Not the hands, but the eye.

Consequently

life is my art.

I mean, art is my life.

Yes.
Ever since I was
a small child

I've been to every museum...

The metropolitan museum of art

the louvre, the prado...

I've seen them, darling.

Footnote.

First rule in business:

Always be aware
of other people's time.

Are you acquainted
with auction houses?

Acquainted?

I practically cut my teeth
at sotheby's.

Really?

Well, here's the catalog of art

that's to be auctioned tomorrow
at rutherford's in Washington.

And here are your train tickets.

We'll be bidding

on lots 324 and 352.

See you tomorrow.

1:00 P.M. sharp.

You don't have to worry,
miss Abernathy.

I'm like a sponge.

I absorb information...

Whitley...

Second rule of business:

Retain information already heard

as per my previous footnote.

Your previous footnote...

"Always be aware
of other people's time."

Right.

See you tomorrow.

No, Matthew.

Come on, Kim.

If there's anybody who
can do it for me, you can.

I told you no.

Please, baby,
please, baby, please?

I'm dying for some.

Matthew, I can't serve you
oatmeal after 11:00.

Oh, man!

Matthew, come here.
I got to talk to you.

My professor just approved
my communications final.

Oh, now I understand
why we're whispering.

I get two hours on the
campus radio station,
and dig this...

I have developed
my own experimental
call-in talk show.

That's great,
but what's experimental

about a call-in talk show?

Me.

I intend to be a catalyst
for global change.

Freddie, it's only campus radio.

The journey of 1,000 miles
begins with a single voice.

Huh?

Never mind.

Well, look who's here...

This month's
black enterprise centerfold.

You better watch it.

You're jealous
because you don't have

a corporate mentor like I do.

Yeah, that's it.

So, how did it go?

Yeah, what's he like?

My mentor is a woman.

Merely bait to reel in
the big fish.

It's the corporate men
who do all the work

while you all fetch some coffee.

Ron, you'll be lucky if you're
typing my memos one day.

Maybe then you'll learn
how to take women seriously.

Au contraire.

I take you little chickadees
very seriously.

Tell us, what is she like?

Erdeen Abernathy is the perfect
corporate art buyer.

She's beautiful, sophisticated

and I think I made
a good first impression.

Baby, that's wonderful.

I could tell by the way
that woman looked at me

she knew I had it.

Had what?

The gift, the touch

the true grit it takes
to make it to the top.

They'll be writing articles
about me...

"from mediocre marketing student
to art-buying mogulette."

Yeah. Right next to
the headline:

"Alien gives birth
to bearded baby."

Anyway, if I do well
tomorrow, Dwayne

I could be
a future associate art buyer.

And get paid to spend
other people's money.

Till they find
a qualified man to do the job.

Kick his butt, Dwayne.

Kick his butt.

Good afternoon, miss Abernathy.

Good afternoon, whitley.

Early again.

I'm so excited.

I was reading that they have

a Fletcher Wilson painting
for auction.

I first saw his work

in a gallery outside of Richmond

and I knew this man was special.

I hear he is good

but we're not developing
new artists now.

He won't stay
undiscovered for long.

He is on the brink.

I can feel it.

We are here to complete
a collection.

But this would be
a great investment.

Is he a family member
or are you on commission?

I simply believe in his talent.

And I believe the auction
is about to start.

Lot #279...

Varnette p. Honeywood's
lilies of the nile

sold to paddle #61.

Excuse me.

I have to take a phone call.

Up next, Fletcher Wilson's
midnight sun.

I'm going to open
the bidding at $1,500.

I have $1,500.

Do I hear $1,600?

I have $1,600 against the wall.

Do I hear $1,700?

I have $1,700.

Do I hear $1,800?

I have $1,800.

Do I hear $1,900?

I have $1,900.

Do I hear $2,000?

I have $1,900
from the center of the room.

Going once, going twice...

That's $2,000.

Yes, I see you.

I have $2,000.

Do I hear $2,100?

I have $2,100.

Do I hear $2,200?

I have $2,200.

Do I hear $2,300?

I have $2,300.

I have $2,300, 24, 25,
26, 27, 28, 29...

I have $2,900.

Do I hear $3,000?

$3,000, on the aisle.

Going once, going twice...

Sold to paddle #42!

Now!

Am I mistaken

or did I just purchase
something that you bid on?

No, you are not mistaken.

That's just about what happened.

Have we bought anything else?

Whitley, may I have
a word with you?

No, ma'am. That is it.

Perhaps I left things
just a little too murky.

Let me bring you
out of your fog.

You are here to observe.

You... don't... buy.

Don't they have
a mistake policy?

Yes.

They take the loss,
strip you of your paddle

and then they show you
to the door.

I'm sorry, miss Abernathy.

I was hearing them
bid on that painting

and every fiber in my body said

"whitley Gilbert, don't let
that Fletcher Wilson

slip through your fingers."

It was like the train

was pulling out from the station

and I couldn't get off.

Well, if you leave now,
you won't miss the next one.

Okay, I'll repeat

the philosophical question
of the day one more time.

"Is the human tragedy
by definition

the human condition?"

Come on, people.

I know that you're out there

and you're just aching
for some spiritual dialog

so come on and call me.

Let's rap.

Or not rap.

Call me.

Come on and call me.

Please?

Please, somebody, call me.

Oh, you are cosmically
unconscious, hillman.

Where are you?

Hey, whitley, what are
you doing home so soon?

I figured you'd be
sipping champagne

at chez something or other.

Whitley, how did the auction go?

Why don't you have
a little macaroni?

This could be the worst day
of my life.

What did you do, chip a nail?

I'm serious.

I went to that auction

and everything just fell apart

before my very eyes.

Hello? Oh, yes, she is.

May I ask who's calling?

It's an erdeen Abernathy?

Ms. Abernathy, I'm sorry,
but whitley can't come

to the phone right now.

She's sleeping.

Actually, actually,
she's... out.

She's sleeping out.

I'm sorry, miss Abernathy,
but whitley is busy.

I'll have to have her
call you back, okay?

Thank you. Good-bye.

Girl, what is your problem?

Hey, jaleesa.

Hey!

Hey, baby,
what you doing home so early?

I'm home early. You got
a problem with that?

Do I look like I got
a problem with that?

Whitley, what is going on here?

I went to this auction
and everything was fine.

I showed miss Abernathy
a picture

of Fletcher Wilson's work
in the catalog.

I told her he
would be a big star.

I warned her.

You warned her?
What did you do?

Well, she had to leave the room
to get a phone call

and I was forced to bid
on the painting by myself.

Wait... but are you
supposed to bid?

No.

What else was I supposed to do?

She told me the company
wasn't interested

but I just knew they
had to have that painting.

You bid on a painting
the company didn't want?

They were wrong
not to want it, Dwayne.

They had to buy it?

Well, miss Abernathy came in

and she took my paddle
at the very last minute

so technically, she bought it.

No, baby, you bought it.
They ate it.

Hello?
Hello?

Does anybody actually
live in there?

What is the matter with me?

I have...

I have worked so hard
to get here

and I finally find something
that I really want to do

and what happens?

I ruin it completely.

Baby, maybe it's not as bad
as you think.

I'm never going to amount
to anything, Dwayne.

You going to amount
to about 170 pounds

you keep eating like that.

Give me this.

What is that on your head?

People, people,
what is wrong with you?

We have a chance to create
something meaningful here.

A oneness, a sameness,
a universal truth

and why isn't anybody
calling me?!

It's not fair.

Don't take this
personally, Freddie

but you're really annoying.

Thank you, Matthew.

You're a little too cosmic
for your own good.

You need to be grounded
somewhere near our solar system.

I just don't know what to say.

Think of something,
'cause you got another hour

and they don't want
to talk to you.

Fine!

Fine.

Maybe they would like
to talk to somebody else.

Somebody a little more grounded.

Hello, hillman.

That attractive, intelligent,
damn-near perfect young lady

had to step out,
but don't you worry none

because I'm here and I know
that hillman needs a-healing.

You know what really bugs me?

Apathetic people too wrapped up
in themselves

to care about anyone
or anyt'ing else.

Oh, looky here...
We got a caller.

Hi, my name is Lucy and, like,
I totally agree with you.

People don't listen.

Well, thank you, Lucy.

At least I know
there's somebody out there.

Oh, looky here.

We got another caller.

Hello, you're h-on the h-air.

Hi, uh... this is Bob.

Lordy mercy, Bob!
Turn the radio down.

Sorry, baby.

I just want to let you know
that I'm listening.

Well, thank you, Bob.

We got a caller!

I mean, looky here.

We got a caller.

Hello, you're h-on the h-air.

Hi, my name is...

Leon...

And someone told me today

I just don't take
women seriously

when I think the real problem

is women don't take me
seriously.

Leon, if you got all the answers

why did you call?

Don't t'ink man-woman;
T'ink human being.

Treat the woman

like you want to be treated.

That's the way it is.

Thank you for calling.

Another caller.

Hello, you're h-on the h-air.

Am I on?

Go ahead.

Well, I am very depressed.

I think I lost a job
that I really, really want

and all I do is eat macaroni.

This is whitley.

What do you mean,
you t'ink you lost your job?

I don't actually know

because I'm afraid
to talk to my boss.

Oh, girl, wake up
and smell the macaroni.

Do something positive.

All this moping
and eating macaroni.

That don't solve anyt'ing.

Remember... no such thing
as a problem

just a situation,
and I got a funky feeling

you always in a situation.

Hello, you're h-on the h-air.

Send her in.

Thank you for seeing me,
miss Abernathy.

I realize I do not have
an appointment.

Come in.

Sit down, whitley.

I didn't expect to see you.

I... I was afraid
to talk to you.

So, why are you here?

I contacted some businesses
and galleries

that I knew I could interest
in the Fletcher Wilson painting.

Here's a list.

This cannot compensate
for the embarrassment

that I've caused you

but I felt obligated
to find a way

to absorb
the company's financial loss.

That ship has already sailed.

Whitley

when I chose you
for the mentor program

I thought
I'd made a wise choice.

I'm not always right.

But this time I was.

You were?

Though your behavior
leaves much to be desired

you do show an extraordinary

intuitive talent.

I do?

We were offered
twice what we paid
for the painting

and we decided to keep it.

It is a good investment.

Hot dang!

"Hot dang," indeed.

Now here is a catalog
for an auction next week.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Whitley

third rule of business:

This time...

Keep your paws off my paddle.

I... I got that.

Hey, Matt.

Hey, how does it feel
to be a big celebrity?

Faboo! The station wants
the show on a weekly basis.

Oh, that's great.

It is not great.

This is not even mediocre.

I wanted to reach people
on a socio-political level

and I just ended up
doing something trivial.

When she said,
"don't think man-woman

think human being,"
I said to myself

"this little lady
knows of what she speaks."

You talking about
that talk show?

Oh, yeah...
The Jamaican sensation.

I sure would like to meet her.

You would, huh?

You think this lady's
really deep, huh, Ron?

She is the genuine article.

You could learn a thing or two
from her, red.

He's right, Freddie-la.

She sure did help me.

She did?

She gave me motivation

to get my job back.

Well, I'm off to go study
my auction catalog.

See you two nobodys later.

Hey, Josie.

Hi.

Ooh, I have some studying
to do of my own.

Josie, I just want you to know

I don't think of you as a woman.

I think of you as a human being.

So why don't we get together
tonight and rap...

Or not rap.

Not rap... I heard the show too.

Well, then, human to human,
I must confess

I was one of the brothers
that called in.

Leon.

Really?
That was me.

There was a discussion on you

in my psychology class today.

Guess they were right.

Well, wait a minute, baby.

Let me just...
Let me just...

Well, I guess I could do one

or two little bitty shows.

It seems like my public
desperately needs me.

Kimmie

did you happen to catch
that little radio show

that each and every single
person is talking about?

Yeah, it was cute.

Cute?

Did you not find the advice
to be exceptional?

Yeah...

But you be needing to work
on the accent, man.

Hello, hillman.

You're h-on the h-air.

Call me.

We'll explore
our inner space together.

I am mother eartha.

Welcome to my universe!

Right!