How to Make It in America (2010–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Crisp - full transcript

Using $3G they got via yet another high-interest loan from Rene, Ben and Cam buy up a roll of hot premium-denim material, then hit a series of dead ends in their search to find a manufacturer to make samples of their Crisp brand of retro-ʻ70s jeans. Along the way, they parlay a crashed late-night dinner with top fashion designer John Varvatos into a brainstorming meeting that may, or may not, hold the key to their entrepreneurial success. Meanwhile, both Ben and Rachel realize that they havenʼt totally moved on, and vow to try harder in the future.

( Theme music playing )

- ( bird chirping )
- ( distant chattering )

- ( jazz music playing )
-( people chattering )

"Crisp."
Check my pants!

- Money!
- Okay!

Booby!

Fuck.

(Dialing )

(cell phone ringing )

Yo, sorry about that, Domingo,
but I've gotta bounce.

Don't let me stop you, dude.
It's all good.



Hey, thank Celine for
letting me crash here, okay?

You're welcome.

Do you want to have
a snuggle with us, Ben?

A little snuggle. Aww.

No, I can't, no.
But that was fun last night.

Then you must come by Freemans
later on this evening.

We're having a little get-together
for my friend Carole.

She just booked
the J.Crew campaign.

Don't you ever
take a night off?

Never.
I might miss something.

I'll be there.

Yo, dude, I kind of have to say

I like seeing you up early,

you know, taking care
of your denim business shit.



- It's awesome.
- Hey, you still like the name, right?

Crisp? Hell yeah.

Simple, understated-

kind of like you.

I try.
Hey, get some sleep.

Oh, yeah, I will...

- after that. Boom!
-( both laugh)

♪ Back on the journey again,
tool is the pad and pen ♪

♪ Cool is the fan as the wind,
soothing you after I send ♪

♪ True inner-vision risen and driven
while giving you my ♪

♪ Isms of intuition while
niggaz is living a lie ♪

♪' Syllables spill and I fly,
high as the pinnacle rhyme ♪

♪ Not to belittle a fool,
but try to get into you my ♪

♪ Lyrics inherited from awareness
somewhere in the sky ♪

♪ Clearly you've given merit
and cherish 'em better with time... ♪

Man:
You're not in here, okay?

The problem is
that's somebody else.

I want to see you,
work on you, okay?

- Next week? All right.
- Thank you.

Professor Fresconi.

Dan Epstein.

- Ben. Ben Epstein.
- Ben Epstein.

God, in an FIT
classroom no less.

- You remember. How are you?
- I'm good.

I'm good.
So what do you got?

Actually I stopped by
to pick your brain about something.

- I'm starting a denim line.
- Oh, boy.

- It's called Crisp...
- Mm-hmm.

...And it's inspired
by 1970s New York City.

So you've got
the birth of hip-hop

and the birth
of punk rock, you know?

- Not bell-bottoms?
- No no, just the spirit of the '70s.

No. Were you even alive
in the '70s?

- No.
- This place was a dump.

I mean, Central Park was
a war zone.

Times Square was
full of hookers.

Yeah, what's not
to love, right?

Anyways, I was hoping you could hook
me up with a good manufacturer.

Wow.
You're back 30 seconds,

you already want
the keys to the kingdom.

I'll settle
for a recommendation.

All the good denim guys
I know are in downtown LA.

Yeah, that's what I heard, but you
don't know anybody still in New York City?

Uh, yeah, I'd be happy
to make some calls,

but I've gotta tell you-- people are
a little funky about sharing their sources.

- I'll see what I find out.
- Yeah?

- Yeah.
- I appreciate it. Thanks.

You know, I always thought
you had talent.

It's just...
your follow-through wasn't there.

- Wow.
- Mmm.

I'm honest
with all my students, Ben,

even the drop-outs.

It's gonna be high-end
premium denim.

We're gonna call it Crisp.
What you think?

You say Crisp,
I think bacon.

Yeah, whatever.
What you know about fashion?

Just hurry up
with my sandwiches.

( Beeps, rings)

- ( picks up )
- Yo, how'd it go?

- Ben: I don't know, man.
- Did you get us a manufacturer?

Fresconi told me
to go to LA.

- You believe that?
- No. Fuck that and fuck LA.

What does Fresconi know?
He's only a teacher.

Yeah well, he's a teacher that sold
his apparel company for $80 million.

- Oh, for real?
- Yeah, he knows the business.

Well, so do I.
Hey, listen.

Meet me at 14th Street

- at the Jean Shop in 20 minutes.
- Why?

Because that's where our denim
was headed before we got it.

They must have somebody
local who makes their jeans.

- Think about it.
- And why would they share that with us?

Just let me do what I do.

Meet me there in 20 minutes
and I've got your egg sandwich.

- All right.
-( beeps )

Bubba, you want
to know the secret to selling jeans?

- Cool pockets.
- There you go.

( Chuckles )
Yeah. I'll see you later.

( Organ music playing )

- Rene.
- Oh. Danny.

Father.
( chuckles )

( whispering )
Hey, it's nice to have you back with us.

(Whispering )
Hey, it's nice to be on the outside

and not the inside,
if you know what I mean.

I understand.
I led the congregation up in Fishkill.

It's no place for a man to live.

Yeah, tell me about it.

I spent my life
going in and out of there

just to learn that very lesson.

- But you learned the lesson.
- Oh, I have.

Crime doesn't pay
and that's all behind me now.

- I'm never going back inside.
- I'm happy to hear that.

- Yeah.
- Good news.

You don't have
to do it alone.

- No?
- No.

Jesus Christ will help you.

Like he helped me
find my way,

he'll help guide you
so you stay with us from now on.

Well, I'll tell you--
he's doing a pretty good job.

I've got my own
legitimate business.

In fact, if you're ever looking
for a partner for bingo night,

my company,
Rasta Monsta,

would love to sponsor it.

Our Lady of Sorrows'
Rasta Monsta bingo night-

- it has a certain ring to it.
- Yeah yeah. No no, I'm serious.

I'll set it all up,
I'll run the whole thing,

provide all the beverages.

- Okay?
- All right.

I'll pitch it to the Fathers.
Sounds good.

He's gonna be
a good boy now, Father Dan.

No more prison for him, huh?

No. That's my promise
to you, Grandma.

- Huh.
- All right.

- All right.
- See you.

(Funk music playing )

You like this stuff, right?

It's fresh.

Man:
That's our most popular cut.

It's made from
Japanese selvage denim.

- Cool.
- Now let me ask you a question:

Are these jeans made
in America?

'Cause I'm only buying
domestic right now.

Yeah, all of our jeans
are made locally.

- Seriously?
- Mm-hmm.

That's awesome.
Isn't that awesome?

Yeah, that's definitely awesome.

- So you make 'em in New York?
- Yeah, in the Bronx.

BX!
That's where I'm from.

Born and raised.
What part?

Uh, I'm not sure.

I can ask the owner.
He's in the back.

You'd be the man
if you could do that.

Okay.

- Is the kid smooth or what?
- ( cell phone ringing)

Whatever.
( Inhales sharply )

( beeps )

Hello.

( Phones ringing )

- Hey.
- Ben: Hey, what's up?

Um, am I catching you
at a had time?

- No. No.
- Okay, good.

Listen, I was wondering if...

you wanted
to get together later,

maybe, to just get
a drink or something.

- Really?
- Yeah, I think we should talk about

what happened
the other night.

What night is that?

The under-
the-window night, Ben.

Right. Yeah.

( Chuckles )

Well, how about-

how about that sake spot
over on 2nd Avenue?

- Okay, sounds good. 8:00?
- I'll be there.

- All right. Bye.
- Bye.

( Phone beeps )

My grandfather was a tailor
in a factory on Fordham Road

and I was wondering if that's
where you guys make these.

Fordham Road? Nah.

Oh, really.

It seems like
the kind of work they'd do.

What factory
do you guys use?

Yeah, we found a gem
out in Hunts Point--

38 Minada Avenue.

Oh yeah,
I know that spot.

- Yeah, they're the best.
- Yeah yeah yeah. Oh, cool.

Anything else I can
help you out with?

- I think we're good.
- Yeah, thanks, man.

- Thanks.
- Thanks, guys.

-( R&B music playing )
- J' Don't sweat the technique. I

The boogie down Bronx--

it just don't got the same flavor
like the Lower East Side.

Could you keep your voice down
and not get us killed up here, please?

Yo, relax. I've got
peoples in every borough.

Yo, as a matter of fact, we ought to
hit this Cuban spot after this.

- Where we going?
- I can't. I've got to get back.

- For what?
- Rachel asked me to dinner, actually.

Pfft. I ain't even
gonna say nothing...

Good, 'cause I don't
want to hear it.

...Except that you're fucking crazy
to be trying to go back there.

I'm not trying
to go back there.

If I wanted to, I wouldn't have broken up
with her in the first place.

She broke up with you.

Yeah, the last time,
but I broke up with her the first so-

Whatever. I'm the one
that's always gotta hear it at the end,

and it's the same thing-
she wasn't happy with you

'cause you were
never happy.

What? She don't appreciate
your misery the way I do.

- Right?
- All right, this is us-- 38.

Yo yo yo yo.

Yo, you feeling it?

- I'm feeling it.
- No, are you feeling it?

- I'm feeling it.
- All right, come on.

( Saws whirring )

Hey.
Hey. Hey!

Do you guys make
jeans around here?

I look like I make jeans, pal?

( Hip-hop music playing )

Yo, why don't you kids make like
you in a maze and get lost?

Oh shit. I know you.
You're Rene Calderon.

Oh shit.
Rene Calderon.

- Do I know you?
- My pops grew up with you.

He says you OG.

Yo, tell your father,
whoever he is,

that I said that
he talks too much.

No-- no problem.
Let's roll.

- Let's roll.
- It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Calderon.

- We rolling.
- Yeah, man.

They're just children.

No, Grandma.
They're little troublemakers

who someday are gonna
become big troublemakers.

- I want to keep you safe.
- I'm always safe, Rene.

I have many angels
up there looking after me.

Yeah, but still I figure we'll move you
to someplace nice like Yonkers.

What would happen
to your cousin Cam?

He's 30 years old.
He should be able to take care of himself.

- He's 27.
- He's an imbecile.

He's not imbecile.

He has not had the easy life.

I want you to look after him.

I'll- I'll try, abuela.
I mean, I'll try.

-( Kisses ) Okay?
- Good boy.

( Hip-hop music playing )

- ♪ Can I kick it? ♪
- ♪ Yes, you can... ♪

- Rachel: Work's really good.
- Ben: Yeah?

We're working on, like,
four different apartments right now,

so it gives Edie
the excuse to be totally insane.

How's, um, Alex?

Alex-- he's getting over
his breakup with John from Suits.

So he's slightly more pleasant
to be around.

- More pleasant is good.
- Just a little bit.

- Yeah.
- So, umm...

- So.
- About the other night.

Yeah, about that.

I want to apologize.

- You do?
- Yeah.

I feel it was really uncool
for me to bring Darren to that gallery.

He sort of wanted
to tag along

and I couldn't figure out
a way to tell him no,

- so I'm sorry.
- Yeah.

- It's fine.
- Good.

- Thank you, though, for that.
- So you don't hate me?

- Never.
- Good.

So what's up
with that guy, anyway?

What do you mean,
what's up with him?

Is he really
opening a hotel?

Yeah, he's-- yeah.

- That's cool.
- Yeah, that's cool.

Yeah, I mean, on his own?
Just--

- Ben.
- What?

- Don't do that thing.
- What thing?

That thing that you do when you compare
yourself to everybody else in the world

and then you get upset that you're
not doing better than they are.

I'm not doing that thing.

I'm just curious
on who you're dating, okay?

Yeah, but why is
it important?

It's like we're both
moving on, right?

Yeah. What?

What? You think you're
moving on and I'm not?

I thought you were
moving on, Ben,

but then when you show up
underneath my window

at 4:30 in the morning
yelling and screaming--

- I was drunk, Rachel. Come on.
- Okay, so the alcohol

made you come over there and say
things that you just didn't mean?

You want to do this?
What about you?

I mean is it really
a sign that you moved on

when you care or not whether your
ex-boyfriend hates you?

Ben, it's not a competition.
I-I-I care about you

and I-I'm checking up on you,
seeing if you're okay.

Oh, you're checking up on me?
Thanks for that.

I'm more than okay, Rachel.
I'm great, all right?

- Okay.
- If I hadn't already moved on-- which I did-

all it took was seeing the naked
hotel guy in your window and-

( chuckles )

- You know what?
- What?

I've gotta go.

- Really? Ben, this-
- I'm sorry.

Ben:
What's going on, man?

(Cam chuckles)
Oh ho!

- Look who made it in one piece.
- Yeah.

So, you and Rachel--
are you guys back together?

Let's put it this way--
I didn't even get a chance to order.

- Hey, are these warm?
- Yeah.

- Yeah, let me get a slice of this cheese.
- Oh, what happened?

What always happens.

- Thanks, man.
- Thanks.

- Sorry, bro.
- Whatever.

It is what it is.

Pass that.

(Sighs)

You know we've got to make our first
payment on the denim tomorrow, right?

Jesus. Already?

It's $300 every Friday.

- Fuck.
- Well, don't worry. I've got my $150.

No, I know.
It's just that

$1200 a month--
that's 15 grand a year.

That's like a Honda with the rims
and the navigation system.

This whole thing
was impulsive.

I mean, we have to be the only two
idiots in loan-sharking history

to pay a vig
on a spool of denim.

That's what's gonna make
our jeans gangsta though.

( laughs )

Yo, are you ready for Celine's little
get-together tonight or what?

( Dance music playing )

-( laughing )
- Who is that? Yo.

- Hey, what's up, man?
- It's good.

- How you doing?
- I'm doing grand.

I was beginning to get worried
these ladies were gonna

get me wasted
and take advantage of me.

Yeah, you look petrified.

Boys, this is Carole, the guest of honor.
Ben and Cam.

- Ben: Congratulations.
- Thank you.

Next up for you,
maybe "Vogue" magazine?

Well, we shall see.
I'm just happy for today.

Well, I'm happy for today too.

And your hair looks amazing.
I'm just putting that out there.

We'll talk about it
later over a 'Rona.

- Yo, Domingo.
- What?

What's the deal with Carole?

Forget it, Cam, all right?
She's got a boyfriend

and his pops is
a Greek shipping magnate.

And my pops is
a Dominican mechanic,

- but that's not gonna stop me.
- Yeah, all right.

- You're a hater.
- You're a fool.

Ben, look, your boy needs
serious intervention.

What's up?
What's your deal?

Where you at right now?

Yeah, you see that guy
that Celine's talking to?

- Yeah.
- Who?

Who's that, your shrink?

-( Both laugh )
- Yo, your jokes are so terrible.

- That's John Varvatos.
- The designer?

- Ben: Yeah.
- Cam: And Celine knows him?

Yeah, Celine knows everybody.
That's my life.

Yo, she has to get us
an introduction.

Varvatos could definitely hook it up
with a manufacturer.

What?

John, is it all right
if I introduce you

-to a couple of friends of mine?
- Sure. Hey, how are you?

- I'm John.
- Cam.

- Cam, nice to meet you.
- Ben Epstein. How you doing?

- A pleasure.
- We're really big fans.

Yeah, I wear
your clothes every day.

- Thanks so much. Yeah, I see.
- Well, not today.

- I didn't know I was gonna meet you.
- You look cool though.

They're starting up a denim line, so I
thought it would be nice to introduce you.

- Oh, that's cool.
- Yeah, we're trying.

- Just starting out.
- Good for you guys.

- That's great.
- Yeah. Yeah.

- Sony to interrupt.
- Oh, no interruption.

You guys wanna join us
for a cocktail?

- For real?
- Yeah, come on. Have a seat.

- Thanks.
- Thank you. Yeah.

- ( Chatting )
- ♪ What can I do? ♪

♪ I hear your name
and I'm aflame ♪

♪ Aflame with burning desire ♪

♪ That only your kiss... ♪

Why didn't you just
ask when we were talking to him?

I'm not just gonna hit him up
while I'm shaking his hand, Cam.

I'll ask him at the right time.

- Hey. How you doing?
- Good. How are you?

- Are you a friend of John's?
- Uh, no.

No, I'm a friend of his.

He's a friend
of a friend of John's.

♪ Hey! ♪

♪ Down and down I go,
round and round I go ♪

♪ In a spin,
loving the spin I'm in ♪

♪ Under the old
black magic called love ♪

♪ Oh, in a spin,
loving the spin I'm in ♪

♪ Under the old
black magic called love. ♪

Ben:
Five espressos? Jesus.

My heart would explode.

He keeps drinking them like that,
we'll be here all night.

We have been here all night.

I should be getting it on
with Miss Carole somewhere.

Maybe we should just bounce.

What do you think?

(Sighs)

- Hey.
- ( clinks)

Hey, everybody, can I have
your attention, please?

Um, I just wanna
say something

on behalf of myself,
Cam Calderon,

my business partner,
Ben Epstein,

and our new denim line-
Crisp Denim.

It was an honor
to be here tonight

and I just want to thank Mr. Varvatos
for all his generosity.

Thanks, John.
And it was good meeting all of you

and I look forward
to hanging out with you again.

We both do.

So to John.

- Ben: To John.
- All: To John.

Very sweet. Nice toast.

What's this gonna cost me?

( laughs )

We'd love a minute
of your time.

Why don't you come by my studio
tomorrow afternoon?

Yeah. Thank you.

( Whispers )
Nice. Very nice, man.

( Reggae music playing )

Rene: Where's my cousin
and his little Jewish lover?

- Really?
- He's got a stupid sense of humor.

Oh, there they are
with my vig,

as they will be every Friday
for the rest of their lives.

- Not if we outlive you.
- Eddie, if I die,

I'm gonna will you
their debt, okay?

- Thank you.
- You've got it, man.

You boys got
something for me?

Ben:
There you go.

- Count it twice.
- It's all there.

Rene:
Who's talking to you?

It's all good.

I'm impressed.

I'm gonna show you guys something.
Come on.

I know you guys are into that
downtown art scene and all so...

- Cam: Oh, shit.
- Ben: Wow.

Yo, don't you touch that
with your slimy hands, okay?

See this thing here?

This thing is gonna
make Rasta Monsta

famous.

- Who did this?
- You ever heard of Lee Quiñones?

Oh, yeah,
he's a graffiti legend.

Yeah, to you. To me he's little Lee
from the Smith Projects.

Yo, Lee did his thing.

The truck looks dope.

Yeah. You know
you're gonna be driving this thing

if you're late with my vig.

Never gonna happen.

We've got
a big meeting today.

- Who you got a big meeting with?
- John Varvatos.

Who the fuck is
John Varvatos?

He is a fashion designer, stupid.

Why he meeting
with you guys?

'Cause we're starting a denim line
and he's gonna help us.

You guys making
skinny jeans?

-( Men laughing )
- Cam: Ha ha ha.

Y'all can laugh
all y'all want,

but y'all gonna see
we're gonna change the game.

That's what you said
about those ugly skate decks.

See you next Friday, Rene.

( Phone ringing )

- ( elevator dings)
-( people chatting )

How you doing?

- Here are Ben and Cam.
- Great. Thank you.

Hey, fells. How's it going?
Mike Heller.

- Cam.
- Nice to see you.

- Ben Epstein.
- Hey, how's it going?

- Hey.
- Look, John sends his apologies.

He got called out of town last minute
on some urgent Converse business,

but he left instructions
for me to take the meeting.

- I hope that's okay.
- Uh, yeah yeah, of course.

- Excuse me.
- We can always wait till John gets back

- and reschedule if that's better for you.
- No no no.

No, don't worry about it.
Just to let you guys know,

I'm the head of all denim operations
here at John Varvatos.

- Oh. So he's the man. Cool.
- I try to be.

So, fellas,
what can I do for you?

Well, we're looking
for a good denim manufacturer.

I know that you guys don't usually like
to give out that kind of information,

but is there someone that
you could recommend for us?

Well, we use
a manufacturer in Macau.

That's a little further
than we want to go.

- You guys got your samples?
- No. That's why we're looking

-for a manufacturer- to make them.
- Yeah.

No, you don't need a manufacturer
to make your samples.

You need a pattern maker.

See, manufacturer
takes care of your production line

once you guys start
getting orders.

Well, who makes
John's patterns?

We do everything in house.

- Can you make ours?
- ( all laugh )

No. I'm sorry, Cam.
We don't do that.

- You know he's just kidding, right?
- No, I wasn't.

- Cam, please.
- Do you guys have a business plan?

Do you have any financing
lined up? Anything?

Cam:
Not yet, but we're working on it.

Can I be straight
with you guys?

- Yeah, of course.
- Yes.

Okay, before you guys
do anything---

look, just don't.
Just don't. Don't do it.

- Don't do what?
- Don't start a denim line.

Do not waste your time.
Don't waste your money.

A million people
before you have failed

trying to do exactly
what you want to do.

Look, guys, I'm really sorry.
I don't mean to be a downer.

So you think starting
a denim line is impossible?

All I'm saying is that
I had 10 years experience

and I had backing and I still
couldn't get it done.

( Button clicks)

(sighs)

( elevator dings )

( doors close )

So I guess we need
a pattern maker.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

Fuck that guy.

That's why I love you, man.
Fuck that dude.

- He don't know how we roll.
- Yeah.

( Chuckles )

( rock music playing )

♪ I was saying
"Let me out of here" ♪

♪ Before I was even born ♪

♪ it's such a gamble
when you get a face ♪

♪ it's fascinating to observe
what the mirror does ♪

♪ But when I dine
it's for the wall that I set a place ♪

♪ I belong
to the blank generation ♪

♪ And I can take it
or leave it each time ♪

♪ Well, I belong
to the generation ♪

♪ But I can take it
or leave it each time ♪

♪ Triangles were falling at the window
as the doctor cursed ♪

♪ He was a cartoon
long forsaken by the public eye ♪

♪ The nurse adjusted her garters
as I breathed my first ♪

♪ The doctor grabbed my throat
and yelled, "God's consolation prize!" ♪

♪ I belong
to the blank generation ♪

♪ And I can take it
or leave it each time ♪

♪ Well, I belong
to the generation ♪

♪ But I can take it
or leave it each time ♪

♪ Take it. ♪