Good Times (1974–1979): Season 2, Episode 16 - The Nude - full transcript

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♪ Good times Any time
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♪ Not gettin' hassled
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♪ Keepin' your
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♪ Makin' a wave when you can ♪

♪ Temporary layoffs Good times ♪

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♪ Good times ♪♪

Say, there, Ma...

You know, I gotta
talk to you for a minute.

Times are changing and there's
a new morality going around.

Nah, that ain't gonna work.

Hey, there, Ma.

Boy, you really
looking beautiful today.

You know, at first I thought
Lena Horne had moved in here.

Say...

About that new
morality going around...

Nah, that ain't gonna make it.

Hey there, you
lovely, open-minded

sweetheart Mama of mine.

Guess how your son is
gonna make some money?



You sold your
brain to the junkyard.

What are you doing
sneaking up on people?

I always sneak up on people
when they start talking to thin air.

Well, I'll have you
know, ugly little sister,

that I just got commissioned
to paint a portrait.

You're kidding?

No, I ain't, and this
could be my big chance.

Next thing you know,
I'll be hung in a museum.

Oh, it doesn't matter where,
so long as they hang you.

Who you gonna paint?

Mrs. Charlene Brooks.

The lady who just
moved in upstairs?

The one with the
shake-em-up shimmy?

The one everybody's
talking about?

The only reason
they talking about her

is because they jealous.

They don't know that she
happens to be a real hip lady

who wears real cool clothes.

Cool is right.

That lady doesn't
wear strapless dresses,

she wears dressless straps.

Well, this time her
skimp is not the problem.

What is?

The fact is that
when I paint her,

she ain't gonna be
wearing no skimp at all.

That lady wants you
to paint her in the nude?

That's right.

That all-together lady

wants me to paint
her in the altogether.

Hey, that's great!

Hey, Thelma, you
really like the idea?

Yeah!

You think that
Ma will like it too?

No, she's gonna kill
you. That's why I like it.

Hey Daddy, Ma, guess
what J.J.'s gonna do?

Hey, now, shut up
Thelma. Let me tell her.

Ma, I got some good
news. And some bad news.

Oh, what happened?

Well, J...

Uh, Thelma, let
me tell it, please.

Well, I just wanna give
them the bare facts.

Shut up. This is
too important to me.

What is, J.J.?

Well, my open-minded,
lovely sweetheart Mama...

James, we're in big trouble.

Well, no, it all depends
on how you look at it.

How you look at what, Junior?

Okay, I'll tell you.

I've just been commissioned
to paint a portrait

of a lovely young lady.

It's a birthday present
for her husband.

Oh, J.J., that's wonderful.
I'm proud of you.

Yeah, congratulations, Junior.

Thanks, Dad. And I'm
getting paid $50 to paint it.

Hey!

Yeah, J.J., you forgot

to tell them what
kind of portrait.

I'll get to that.

I know. I can hardly wait.

Thelma, will you shift
your lips into park?

Okay, J.J., give
me the bad news.

What kind of portrait is it?

Let's hear it straight, Junior.

Well, it all started when
I was in the third grade.

The teacher put a
paintbrush in my hand...

Let's hear it straight,
Junior. What kind of portrait?

Well, about two weeks ago,

a moving van pulled
up front, and then...

Junior, I wanna hear
what kind of portrait,

and I wanna hear it in one word.

Nude.

Hmm, what we got
cooking here? That's lovely.

Nude?

You gonna paint a
woman in the nude?

Us artists call it
"oh natcha-all."

And us mamas call
it "Oh, no, you ain't."

Oh, Ma, times are changing.
Don't be so old-fashioned.

Well, maybe times have
changed, but mamas haven't.

I don't see anything
so terrible about it.

Thelma, you mean to say
you're talking Junior's side?

Well, I guess I am.

Thelma, don't do that,

that could be a
shock to my system.

The body is nothing
to be ashamed of.

All artists have painted nudes.

That's right. There
was Michelangelo,

Picasso, Rubens, Gauguin,

then there was this
Spanish dude named Goya

who painted the naked duchess,

and that didn't
bother the duke none.

Maybe the Duke copped out
when the pressure got heavy.

J.J., your father and I
know that you're talented,

but why can't you paint
fruit or trees or chicken?

Because nobody will pay $50

for a picture of
a naked chicken.

Well, maybe it's
not that bad after all.

The way J.J. paints, you might
not know what it is anyway.

Dad, now, let me appeal to you.

You out there in
the street every day.

You know how hard
it is to make $50.

Yeah. You got me there, Junior.

And you know how much
art supplies I can get with that

and how long that'll
keep me going?

Yeah. Well, Florida,
what do you say?

Well, yourself, what do you
say? You the head of the house.

Now, wait a minute. How come
I'm always head of the house

when you wanna say no,

but you the head of the house
when you wanna say yes?

James, you just not thinking.

Now, we know
that J.J. is talented,

and we know the
importance of $50,

but what kind of a woman

would pose naked in
front of an 18-year-old boy?

What kind, James?

Well, my guess is
that she probably...

Oh, never mind.

You're a man. I already
know what you guess.

Oh, now, come on, Ma.
You got the wrong idea.

Mrs. Brooks happens
to be a very lovely lady.

Mrs. Brooks?

The Wiggler?!

Who calls her the Wiggler?

Anybody with
twenty-twenty vision.

She shakes like Jell-O
on a roller coaster.

Oh, Ma, she can't
help her shake.

It's built in,

like the shimmer of
moonlight on Lake Michigan

when you can see
through the sewage.

Oh, J.J.

Oh, now, come on, Ma.
This is my big chance.

One commission
could lead to another,

Besides, what's a nude
to me? I'm an artiste.

After all, God made the
human figure in his own image.

He also made fig leaves.

Oh, Ma, all I know is
that my whole art career

is going down the tubes.

Oh, come on, J.J.,
it's not that bad.

It is, Ma! I don't remember
the last time I sold a painting.

I'm beginning to wonder
if I really got what it takes.

Maybe I ought to just
give up the whole thing.

Oh, now, Junior, you
can't be serious about that.

I am, Dad.

I mean, what's the use
of knocking your head

against the wall if
ain't nothing happening.

Yeah, well, look. Let
me and your mother

talk about this
alone for a minute.

I'll let you know, hear?

Okay, Dad, but I feel the
need for some sympathy.

I think I'll go in the
room and cut off my ear.

Now, look here, Florida,
maybe we ought to...

James it just isn't right to
paint some man's wife nude.

Well, maybe Junior's right.

Maybe we are being a little
bit old-fashioned about this.

I mean, after all, if God didn't
intend for man to look at woman,

then why did he give
them all them nice, uh...

What I mean to say is, how
come he made look so, uh...

Why he make them
look so beautiful, baby?

Like you, sugar.

James, the thought of J.J.
painting a naked woman

is something I
just can't accept.

I think we ought to at least
talk about the thing some more.

Having another
family discussion?

You stay out of this.
I'm not even in it yet.

James, why would
the Wiggler hire J.J.?

What's a wiggler? Never mind.

Because he's the only painter
in the projects, he's cheap,

and probably because she feels
safe undressing in front of him.

Who's gonna undress?!

Didn't I say never mind?

I thought you wanted me

to participate in
family discussions.

Not in this
particular discussion.

Now, go do some homework.

I wanna be bused
to another family.

If you don't get out of here

I'm gonna bus
you with this belt.

Now, baby, you
heard what Junior said.

He's ready to give
up on his painting.

I know you don't
want that, do you?

Honey, you know I don't.

You know, Florida, there's
a lot of kids like Junior

out on the street they ain't got
no where to go, nothing to do.

At least our son's got a
talent. I mean, he can paint.

If Junior ain't got his
painting, he ain't nowhere.

Well?

Maybe you're right, James.

He's got to go on painting.

That's right.

I guess I was silly
worrying about J.J.

and the Wiggler. I know
we brought him up right.

Sure we did. He's my son.

But let's trust him anyhow.

All right, James, if it's okay
with you, it's okay with me.

Ha-ha, Dy-no-mite!

Dad, Ma you gonna
let J.J. paint her?

You heard too, huh?

I just love these little
private talks we have, James.

Thanks, Ma and Dad.

The minute I was
born and meet y'all two,

I knew that we would hit it off.

Who are you calling?

I'm calling Mrs. Brooks
to tell her it's all set.

Hello? Mrs. Brooks?

Oh, uh, Mr. Brooks...

Yeah, well this is
her hair dresser,

uh, Mr. LeRoy.

Yeah, I'm down here
at the beauty saloon...

Yeah, I'm calling about
her hair appointment today.

Yeah, I'm supposed
to hot comb her afro.

Yeah, I'll hold on.

Junior, what is this
Mr. Leroy business?

Dad, I don't wanna
blow the surprise.

Hello, Mrs. Brooks?

Yeah, this is your
personal portrait painter,

James Evans, Junior.

Yeah, I wanna finalize
the arrangement.

Yeah, it's all set.
All you have to do

is come down with a
small down payment,

say about 90 percent.

Yeah, okay, I'll
see you soon, bye.

Well, I'm in
business. It's all set.

I am in business, and
she's on her way down.

Ah, J.J., I'm so happy for you.

Yeah, me too, Junior.

I see you getting ready
to meet the Wiggler too.

You know, I still
don't understand it.

What kind of a birthday
present is that, anyway?

Why give your husband a
painting of yourself in the nude?

Sure beats the hell
out them slippers I got.

Baby, you know I got a
birthday coming up soon.

Oh... Uh, James.

I'll get it, Dad.

Hey, hello, Mrs. Brooks!

Hi, J.J.

Come on in. Thank you.

I want you to meet my family,

uh, this is my mother,

my sister Thelma and my dad.

How do you do, Mrs. Brooks?

My, Mr. Evans,
J.J. didn't tell me

he had such a handsome father.

How you doing Mrs.
Wiggler... Uh, Mrs. Brooks?

You'd make a
wonderful model yourself.

Yeah... Me and Jim Brown.

Your stomach just
went down one size

and your head went up two.

I brought the down payment, J.J.

I've only got $25 for now.

Ah, that's fine. When
you wanna get started?

How about 5:00 tomorrow?

My husband Calvin thinks
I'm getting my hair done.

Tomorrow will be fine.

You better give me the
address of your studio.

Oh, you have the
address, right here.

Here? Here?

Here, J.J.?

Here?

Ah, now take it easy, Ma.

Where else did you think
I was gonna paint her?

I never even thought about it,
and now that I think about it...

Oh, I don't wanna
think about it.

But, Ma!

Don't you "But, Ma" me,
there is no way in the world

you gonna paint a naked
woman in that living room.

Then I'll paint her
here in the kitchen.

Can I just have my deposit back?

Uh, Thelma don't
just stand there,

do something to help
me out. I'm desperate.

I agree with Ma
and Daddy. It's crazy.

I thought you was on my side.

You knew that wouldn't last.

Ah, this ain't fair. I'm gonna
cut off both of my ears.

J.J. will you stop
that nonsense?

Now, we gave into the
idea of a nude picture,

but not in our home. We've
got a 12-year-old child here.

Ah, that's okay, Ma,
I'll get him a fake ID.

I'll be 13 in two months.

Michael, you shouldn't
even be listening.

Go into Thelma's room.

You can hear just
as good in there.

I beg your pardon?

I'm going, Daddy.

That's what I thought you said.

Can I have my
money back, please?

Just relax, Mrs. Brooks.
I'll think of something.

Uh, how about if I
paint you up on the roof?

Junior, why don't you just give
the lady her money back, now!

Daddy, maybe J.J.
can rent a studio.

Are you crazy, girl?

There ain't no
studios around here.

Can I have my money back?

Okay, looks like I'm
dead. Here you go.

And there goes my whole
art career out the window.

And I wish I could go
out the window with it.

Just a minute.

Mrs. Brooks, I
just had a thought.

Now, you wanna give your husband

a nice birthday present.

A portrait of yourself, right?

Right.

Well, would it
make any difference

if you gave him a picture
of you uh in a bathing suit?

But it's a birthday present.

That's why I wanted it
done in my birthday suit.

Well, do you think
my husband will like it?

Mrs. Brooks...

I'm sure that with your figure

and my son's imagination,

well, that painting
will come out just fine.

Yeah!

Mrs. Evans, I think
that's a good idea.

We'll put what talents I
have into a bathing suit,

and J.J.'s talents on canvas.

Oh, that's a great idea!

Heh, heh, heh.

Heh, heh, heh.

Thanks, Ma, for coming
up with a great idea.

Hey, now that the Wiggler's
gonna wear a bathing suit,

is it cool for a 12-year-old
kid to come out now?

Well, I'm all set.
All I need now

is my model who shall
be here momentarily.

Now, Junior, now the most
important thing about a painting

like this is concentration.
Don't let nothing distract you.

What are you talking about, Dad?

Well, what I mean is, you can
see that even with a dress on

that the woman is, uh, together.

Oh, you noticed?

Well, just giving my son
some advice, that's all.

Aw, now you don't
have to worry about me.

Being an artist is
like being a doctor.

When I look at
the female figure,

all I see is a
collection of curves.

Well, don't forget
the stop signs.

I don't know what's
wrong with y'all.

Y'all don't understand.

This is my profession now,

and it don't bother me being
around beautiful females

they just call me the
long Toulouse-Lautrec.

James... I'll get it.

Hello, Mrs. Brooks.

Hi J.J., Mr. and Mrs. Evans.

Mrs. Brooks, how you doing?

Well. I'm all ready for you.

All you have to do is go
hang up your coat over there.

Oh, thank you.

Well, how do you
want me to pose?

She's talking to you, Too Loose.

How do you want me to pose?

Anyway is fine,
uh, I can't miss you.

Well, how is this?

Uhh... Or this?

Ooh!

Or maybe this?

Ahh!

Well how do you want me to pose?

That'll be fine.

Okay, I'll do this.

I think I can handle
this alone, Dad.

Of course, Junior.
You're on your own, son.

Heh, heh, heh.

Heh, heh, heh.

You think my husband will
like his birthday present?

Yes, Lord!

I'll get it, baby.

Hello. No! Not... No!

Of course that ain't Florida.

Junior pull the shade down.

Well, what's your
jaw so tight about?

What do you mean no, no,
of course that ain't Florida?

What I meant was, baby, if
that was you standing there

in a bathing suit, why, all
the windows in the projects

would be wide open.

I hope I'm not
bothering anybody.

Oh, no, no, no, no!

This is a typical evening
in the Evans home.

Yeah, no trouble. No
trouble at all, Mrs. Brooks.

James... Yeah.

J.J. is doing the painting,

there's no need for
you to do the looking.

Ah, Florida, what
you talking about?

I ain't paying
that girl no mine.

Hey, this stuff is cold.

Give me another
cup of thigh, will you?

Can I see it now?

Well, not until it's finished.

Well, this session will
rap it up, Mrs. Brooks.

Uh, I think that's about it.

Good. I've been lying to
my husband for six days,

sneaking around trying to
keep him from following me.

He's getting wise, and
I'm getting pneumonia.

Well, I got to get
another tube of paint,

I'm running out of flesh tones.

Uh, you use up a lot of that.

Calvin, what are you doing here?

I've got a better
question, baby.

What the hell are
you doing here?

Calvin, wait, there's
an explanation.

Yeah, I'll bet there is.
Now who's the dude?

Well, let's get at it.

Hey!

Who are you?

He's my husband.

Oh, nice to meet you.

You owe me $25
for services rendered.

This beat my time?

I don't believe it.

I don't believe it.

I mean, you messing around
with this mess of bones?

Wait a minute. You think
that me and her were...

You're damn right!

Well, sometimes
these things happen

between a model and an artist.

Oh, Calvin, wait!

Hey, now wait a minute,

I was just immortalizing
her on canvas.

What I mean was...

I know what you mean, dude.

Wait a minute I got
something to say.

Yeah, like what? Help, police!

Now, say your prayers, sonny.

Ma!

Hey, hey, hey! What
the hell's going on here?

Man, this brown bag of bones
been messing with my wife.

Yeah, well, just
lighten up, brother,

because this brown bag of
bones happens to be my son.

Yeah, that's right, you
lucky my dad got here.

J.J., stop that nonsense
before something falls off.

And if you'd open your eyes,
you'd see what's going on.

That's right, honey. He
was painting my picture

as a birthday present for you.

Hey, that's not
what I was wearing.

Well, that's the way I see it.

Well, do you like it?

Charlene, you're something else.

Well, the something
else is the bathing suit,

compliments of yours truly.

Hey, when I sign that
painting, I'm gonna sign it

J.J. Evans and Mama.

Honey, you did this for me?

I sure did.

Ah, baby, you're fantastic!

She wasn't
fanstastic by herself.

It was a collaboration
between artist and model.

J.J., you're a genius!

I know.

And, folks, that's some
artist you got there.

We know.

♪ Just lookin' Out
of the window ♪

♪ Watching the asphalt grow ♪

♪ Thinkin' how It all
looks hand-me-down ♪

♪ Good times Good times ♪

♪ Keepin' your
head Above water ♪

♪ Makin' a wave When you can ♪

♪ Temporary layoffs Good times ♪

Good Times is recorded on tape

before a live audience.

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪

♪ Good times ♪♪