Portlandia (2011–2018): Season 6, Episode 7 - Family Emergency - full transcript

Louis C.K. cancels a show in Portland due to a family emergency; Fred and Carrie are asked to judge a plume contest.

KZFY P-p-p-p-p-Portland.

And 97.2.
This is Fizzy.

And this is Ziggy.
Welcome and good morning.

Uh, just about the 6:00 hour.

Wake up!

When I woke up this morning,
my wife was looking at me.

She's like--
she got that belly fat.

Come on.

She suddenly got
the belly fat.

I-- you know,
I'm on Tinder now.

- What?
- Yes, I'm giving it a try.



Fizzy can't get a date.

Guys, what's wrong with ya?

You got a girl here.
She's looking great.

Her hair's looking--
I'm talking blonde.

And we need a cleanup on aisle
six, 'cause she is ready to go.

I'm sorry. We're talking
about slip and slide.

Yeah, baby.

Let me tell you
something else too.

We got a couple
of announcements.

Louis CK coming up
at the Hollywood Theater.

Louis, call me, by the way.
I'm single.

I'm gonna say it.

I'm okay with
a little light spanking.

Fizzy, did you ever get
some of that butt makeup?



Look, I'm a regular guy.

I like rock and roll.
I like a hot dog and a beer.

But it doesn't even
make sense.

Guys, wouldn't you like it
if ladies put a little bit

of just a blush
on some of them butts?

So Louis CK
at the Hollywood Theater.

17 years since my last drink.

I wish I had one
every single day.

So you guys know
I dropped out of high school

to focus on
my entrepreneurial endeavors.

- Oh, yeah.
- Yep.

We encouraged you.

That's why your mom
won't speak to us anymore.

Well, I have
an opportunity

that only comes
once in a lifetime, yo.

Once in a lifetime?

I have seen the future.

The future comes
as strawberry, blueberry,

bubble gum, nilla, banilla.

What am I talking about?
E-juice.

both: Ooh.

And how do you get
to this e-juice, you ask?

You vape.
Smoking is out.

Vaping is in.

both: Oh.

And there's over 45 million
analog smokers in the US,

but only 2 1/2 million
e-smokers.

That means this market
has a lot of room to grow.

both: Ooh.

In fact, e-cigarette sales
have doubled in the last year,

going from this...

to this.

- Oh.
- Ooh.

And all these new vapers,
they need a kick-it spot.

They need a place to go,

and that's where
you guys come in.

I'd like you to be my partners
in opening up a vape shop.

There's a space
currently available,

and I think that if we don't
get in there and start vaping,

somebody else will.

What do you say?

We could move
some assets around.

Yeah, but, we could
lose our shirts on this.

Yeah.

- Oh.
- Or we could make a $1 million.

Oh, okay.
Give it to him.

How does an investment
of $800 sound?

Does "Giddy up, new partner"
mean anything to you?

All right.

Okay, so what
are we gonna call this place?

I was thinking
The Vaped Crusader.

Ooh, what about,
Statutory Vape?

Mm?

Oh, come here, you.

Go away.
Out.

Cheap and Shitty
Storefront Design.

How may I help you?

Oh, that sounds very shitty.

We'll be there later today.

- What do we got?
- Another vape store.

What?
It is seriously

"Planet of the Vapes"
around here.

We tear all the wood out.

We want to get rid of anything
that seems natural, authentic.

Get rid of everything here,
all those bags.

Get rid of the espresso machine.
Get rid of that.

- That all goes. That all goes.
- Anything rustic is gone.

Anything authentic, anything
organic, anything permanent.

The lighting is
too warm in here.

This is too-- I'm feeling
too good about this.

You know,
I want to see my own zits.

Like a old thrift store
or something maybe.

No, that's
even too descriptive.

That's too kitschy.

It should just be like part
of an airport that you ignore.

Think of hanging out
inside a vending machine.

- A cell phone store or a...
- Mm-hmm.

Batteries Plus.

That's kind of depressing,
though.

Nope, nope.

- Also, this is a vape store.
- Yeah.

So we want a carpeting
that's going to absorb--

and I don't mean mask--

but literally
just absorb the odor

so that when people come in
here, they're just overwhelmed.

Okay, you want it
to be pungent.

- Jaundice.
- You know, sickly, vomitus.

- Just...
- The taste of bile.

You want it to smell
like old bubble gum.

Yeah, have you ever huffed
an Air Wick?

No.

Make sure your bathroom
really has got a toilet

that's way too high
and kind of big.

Also, two plungers.
Two plungers says it all.

And, uh-- and, you're
gonna be working here?

Yeah, I think so.

I mean, I don't have a job,
but it's my shop.

Hey, do you think
we'll get to meet Louis CK?

- I hope so.
- His show is so funny.

He performs in it;
he directs it.

What most people don't know
is, he edits it.

- I know that.
- Editing is the key to so much.

I know what editing is.

'Cause he used to do
a three-camera for HBO.

- "Lucky Louie."
- Yes.

You're starting to be a little
bit of a comedy nerd like me.

But, like, "I Love Lucy," for
example, is a three-camera.

That's one of the first ones.

I've heard you
do this on dates.

- Do not explain this stuff to me.
- Thank you. Thank you.

- Oh, This is what editing is.
- Okay, well, you know.

- Hey!
- I do.

- Hi.
- What's up, you guys?

If you guys are free tomorrow,
come to our grand opening.

You guys
have a business?

Yeah, we got
our own store now.

- Yep.
- Oh, my gosh.

Maybe you guys can judge
the plume contest.

And was it it?

They blow, like,
these beautiful...

Smoke hearts

and squares
with their mouths.

- It's great.
- Me and Carrie'll do it.

- When is it?
- Yeah!

5:00 PM.

5:00 PM.
We'll be there.

- Don't flake out.
- I have not committed, but...

- I'm committing both of us.
- Okay.

- We're committing.
- Okay. Okay.

Bye, guys.

- What luck.
- All right.

- A vape shop?
- Oh, "Vape My Day."

I am not going to a vape shop.
Honestly, it just looks bad--

Ladies
and gentlemen,

unfortunately Louis CK
is not performing tonight

due to a family emergency.

We can't hear you back here.
What happened?

There's been
a family emergency.

Louis CK is not performing.

Is the show canceled?

No, it's been canceled,
absolutely.

No, it's been-- is it
canceled or not canceled?

It's been canceled.
It's been canceled.

And what are the chances
the show will be, uh,

back on for tomorrow night?

I have no more details
at this time.

How did you find out?

I'm sorry. That's
the only details I can give you.

- But who gave you the details?
- I am only the messenger.

I know, but someone
gave you the message.

- Okay, okay.
- Sorry, sir.

All right.

That's too bad.
You really are a big fan.

Yeah, I'm a comedy guy.

Oh, well.
We can always just try...

- Kind of a drag, but...
- Yeah.

Hey, Fred.
Hey, Carrie.

What are you doing
with our toilet?

Uh, yeah, it's busted.

How do you know?

I, you know, stopped by
to use your bathroom

while I was doing my, you know,
regular landlord check-in.

- Landlord check-in?
- Being responsible, yes.

Is that something
that's even allowed?

Landlord rights,
I'm sorry.

Portland has some of the
strictest in the country.

Let me ask you something.

Are you flushing toilet paper
down the toilet?

Yes, is that
a problem?

That's-- well, yeah.

I mean, you should really
go paperless.

This is a very old house.

1800s, it was built,
and the pipes--

they're just not made
for the super poops of today.

I mean, back then, everybody
ate flapjacks and radishes.

Not like today where--
what do you eat?

Like, quinoa and tofurt,
and that stuff?

That's-- that's heavy.

Uh, when are you
gonna fix it?

Tomorrow afternoon,
probably.

Well, what are we
supposed to do until then?

I'm gonna do something
for you.

- But you got to promise--
- Ah!

Oh, oh, jeez,
I'm sorry.

- Milton, this is...
- Ew.

Can you just hold this
for a second?

Disgusting,
and this is your house, okay?

Yes, well, look.
I'm helping you out.

This is my personal list

of the coffee shops
in the neighborhood.

And these are the bathroom codes
to every one.

Well, it's very big of you
to give us your list.

No problem.
I want that back, though.

Well, this is kind of
turning out to be a crappy day.

You know, it's, like,
Louis CK cancels,

family emergency,
and now this.

What's funny about it?

What did you say?
"Family emergency"?

Yeah, Louis CK
canceled a show.

- He has a family emergency.
- Oh.

- Oh, yeah.
- No, he doesn't.

People just say that
to get out

of stuff they want
to get out of.

You don't cancel a whole show.
It seems serious.

If you had to cancel
something big, right,

and you just had to get out
of it, that's what you say.

Then nobody will ask you,
"Oh, what happened?"

They just go,
"Oh, oh, oh."

- We'd like our toilet back.
- Yes.

I would like
your toilet back too.

- Okay.
- Can you get the door?

Yes.

I hope Milton
fixes our bathroom soon.

What is going on?

Um, behind you, 11:00.

There's someone here
you might recognize.

Oh, my God.

- Is that Louis?
- That's Louis.

That's so weird.

It seems like he's
in no rush to get anywhere.

Everything's
been great.

He seems happy.

I thought he had
a family emergency.

I thought he was gonna go
out of town.

I can't think
of any bad things recently.

I'm gonna do
a quick picture.

Okay.

- That's hilarious.
- Excuse us.

- Hi.
- Sorry to interrupt.

- I'm-- I'm Carrie.
- I'm Fred.

- Are you Louis?
- Yep, yeah.

- We're huge fans.
- Thanks, guys.

- Great to meet you.
- We're, like, comedy nerds.

- We're, like, really into comedy.
- Hey, uh, Cindy.

Can I call you back?

No, you didn't
have to do that.

Well, now I already--

We didn't want
to interrupt anything.

Yeah, we just wanted
to give you our condolences.

We went to your show.
We paid for tickets.

And then there was
a family emergency, so...

You could just feel
the sense of sympathy.

Thank you so much,
and I'm sorry about the show,

but it was an unavoidable
family emergency.

- How you doing, buddy?
- I'm fine, thank you.

- Is everything okay?
- Yeah, everything's fine.

Was it a hospital or a funeral
home that you had to go to?

That's all I can say
at this time.

If it's a family emergency,
why aren't you at the location?

- Because I have to be here.
- You let us all down yesterday.

- When you canceled your show.
- It's not me that let you down.

Oh, so you're throwing your
family under the bus a little.

They let us down.

Well, they're the ones who
didn't look after the... baby.

Ah, so there's a baby,

and this is why
it's so embarrassing.

It's-- is it your baby?

Is this baby okay?
Is this baby alive?

- Almost.
- You're baby's almost alive.

- Yeah.
- Here's the thing.

I think most people assumed
you wouldn't be here

because you canceled a show.

And here you are in Portland...

- Yeah, okay.
- In a coffee shop--

And most people
don't know that.

You guys know it.
You just keep it--

You don't have
to worry about it, right?

Well, we took a picture.

Fred took a picture
on his phone.

Why'd you do that?

That's all we can say
at this time.

Okay, why don't you guys
have a seat?

I think we all know that I
did not have a family emergency.

I knew it.

Yeah, we were starting
to suspect that.

Yeah, okay, very good.

The truth is, I was bidding
on a vintage camera on eBay,

and the auction was gonna end
right during the show,

so that's why I made up

the family emergency thing,
so that--

Couldn't a-- an assistant
have done that for you?

It's that feeling, you know,
on eBay when you get the,

"Eh, I got it, I got it,
I got it."

I wanted to, like, live that.
That's a really big deal to me.

Wow, you shouldn't be so
cavalier with your audience.

To say a family emergency?

Well, but the thing about
saying "family emergency" is

that nobody asks questions,

'cause it's like, "Uhh,"
you know?

- Right.
- Did you get the camera?

Yeah, and then the guy
who's selling it

is right here in Portland,
so it's, like, perfect.

It's a small town, Portland.

And I'm not one of those
jerks who's like,

"I'm gonna go online
and tell everybody."

I can't lose the FFE thing,
the Fake Family Emergency thing.

It's a big deal in my life.
I use it for a lot of things.

Here's the thing.

We just want to hang out
with you.

If you promise
to have dinner with us,

we will never tell anyone

about your whole fake
family emergency thing.

I got to be honest
with you guys.

I really don't want
to hang out with you.

It's gonna be kind of
like a chore for me,

but I'm willing to do it
if you don't tell people

about my fake family emergency,
which I depend on.

- That's great.
- That's a deal.

- Okay? Is that good? Okay.
- That's great, yeah.

Uh, uh, everyone, hello?

Uh, welcome to the grand opening
of Vape My Day.

All right.

Before we have some fun
sucking up these dope flavors...

I just want to thank
my wife, Kristine,

for making all this possible.

And my nephew Andy for putting
this dream team together.

All right.

Okay, have some fun.

Oh, uh, and don't forget to
sign up for the plume contest.

- Gonna be great.
- Right.

Okay, so let's go home,
get ready for dinner,

and then, um, I guess
we'll just kind of

blow off the vape thing,
right?

Ebbe and Kristine?

I don't know
if we can do that.

You promised we'd judge
the plume contest.

When is the next time
we're gonna have the opportunity

to blackmail Louis CK
into dinner?

We cannot tell them
that we got a better offer.

I don't know
what we're gonna do.

Me neither.

I know what we can say.

- Um, honey.
- What?

Oh, Fred and Carrie
can't come.

They had a family emergency.

- Oh, that sounds serious.
- That sucks.

They're probably
identifying a body

or dental records right now.

Or maybe they had
a car accident.

Or they're at a ranch and
a horse bucked somebody off.

Oh, my gosh.
All right.

We got to take care of this.

Excuse--
Hello, hello?

Excuse me, everybody.

Um, our dear friends,
Fred and Carrie,

they were supposed to be here
tonight to judge our contest,

but they cannot be here,

due to a family emergency.

I don't think I need to tell you
what that means.

So in their honor,

I would appreciate it if we all
had a plume of silence.




Oh, look.

They texted back already.

"Our prayers are with you."
Whoa.

- They bought it.
- It totally worked.

We're free.

And also their prayers
will go into our nice night.

Like, we'll have a good dinner
with Louis.

It's so funny
I'm calling him Louis now.

What are we gonna talk
to him about?

I'm doing relationship stuff.

You're gonna talk to him
about your personal life?

Carrie, you want
to be vulnerable

in front of comedians.

You want to be, like, "Yeah,
I find my own body ugly.

Right?"

I think that'll be
a good starter.

Write that down.




Hey, Smitty.

- How you doing?
- Good.

Listen, last time I was in here,
I remember seeing a potty.

Uh, is it still for sale?

You mean that potty?

Oh, yeah, that green one.
That's it.

Well, everything's for sale.

- For a price.
- Hey, how about if I swap you?

My potty for your potty.

What kind of potty?

A broken potty.




It's, uh...

- No deal.
- Oh, come on!

No.

Smitty.




Stupid toilet.




Hey, kid, you got a light?

No, I don't need one.

What the hell are you smoking
there, a remote control?

I'm not smoking.
I'm vaping.

- Oh, so that's vaping.
- Yeah, dog.

It's way better than that cancer
stick you're about to light up.

Is it healthier?

Uh, we really
have no idea.

- I like what I'm smelling.
- Oh, yeah?

Follow me.

- Thank you.
- Don't you hate waiters?

What?

It's like, what exactly
is your job, sir?

They take your order.
Then they bring you--

Then they bring you food.

I'm the kind of guy-- I like--
I like to mess with people.

So, like, if a waiter
comes in and goes,

"Can I take your order?"

I'll go, like,
"No, I'll take my order.

"You can write down my order,

but you're not taking it, 'cause
I would like to take it to go."




So where are you guys--
you guys

are from Portland,
both of you?

Did you grow up here or...

Are you from Portland?

That's great.
That's great.

I'm just trying
to have a conversation.

I'm asking you,
are you from Portland?

What's usually
the punch line?

The punch line is usually
that you tell me.

Uh-huh.

Oh, and then you do
a riff on it, so I'll--

Okay, yeah, I get it.

No, you tell me
where you grew up,

and then we make connections
as human beings.

- That's one option.
- Right.

That's great.

- Oh, it just--
- That is great.

both: Can we just talk
like human beings?

Apparently you can't talk
like human beings.

- Well, I'll tell you what.
- What?

You want to talk real?

Where are the piano teachers?

What?

Where are
the damn piano teachers?

You know,
when you're a kid--

Is this like trying
to be a comedy bit?

- Yeah.
- Okay, go ahead.

Let me hear the "where did
the piano teachers go" bit.

Well, when you're a kid,
you got your baseball coach,

you got your football,
and it's a piano teacher,

you know,
damn pain in the neck.

You got to go take
your piano lessons.

- Where are the piano teachers?
- Here's the thing.

The point of comedy is, you ask
a question that people go,

"Yeah, I'm not sure
about that."

- You know, I--
- You can't just ask a question.

- No, I--
- How long--

How long is a meter
compared to a yard?

That's not a joke.

But you can-- there's a way
you can perform it

where it becomes funny.

Let me see you
make that funny.

All right, where are
the damn piano teachers?

Look, guys,
I've had a long day,

and I really would like to
just power through dinner, okay?

Society's like that now.
We power through meals.

We power through relationships.

Also, where do people
get "powwow" from?

I'm being serious.

You know, it's like, "Do I
say 'moo-moo' or 'blah-blah'?"

It's like these made-up words
that we somehow--

Uh, okay, I got to pick up
that camera I won on eBay.

Could you guys give me a--
give me a ride?

both: - Yeah.
- That would be great.

- Of course.
- Can we have the check, please?

So soon?

Yeah, let's hang out
for a little bit.

- Yeah, no, let's go.
- We'll take you there.

- No, let's go.
- No, let's wait for a second.

I'm not done eating.

The whole damn world
is in a rush.

Where's everyone going?

And also, what happened to
people looking at their watches?

You're all looking
at your phones.

It is just-- I'm serious.

Now, what flavor
am I sucking on?

- Ripe cherry.
- Ah.

You ought to try the pesto.
That's my favorite.

- Pesto.
- Try the rye bread.

Rye bread?
I'm getting hungry.

Yeah.

Let me ask you
a question, though.

How come you got seats reserved
for Fred and Carrie?

- They were supposed to be here.
- Yeah.

But they had
a family emergency.

- Yeah.
- Huh.

Yeah.

Okay, yeah.
Oh, that's a good one.

Hey, that's not funny.

That's serious.

They don't have
a family emergency.

That's what you say if you want
to get out of something

and you don't want
to explain yourself.

Well, if they didn't
have a family emergency

and they're not at our grand
opening, then where are they?

If murder was legal,

I might've killed
a few people.

I don't know.

You know, guys,
could you turn that off?

- Oh, really?
- Yeah.

- But we really need the law...
- Ah, sure.

- Against murder.
- Thank you.

So do that joke again.

What was the, um--
the one we just heard?

I mean,
it's not something

I can just turn on and do,
you know?

It's like, what if I asked you,
like, sing, uh...

you know, sing
the national anthem right now?

- Okay.
both: - ♪ oh-oh, say ♪

♪ can you see
by the dawn's ♪

Do you want to hear
the whole thing?

They're not having
a family emergency?

No, no, I know for a fact.
I'm their landlord.

They said nothing about coming
to the opening of a vape show.

- You mean they blew us off?
- I'm sorry.

- But they love massive plumes.
- Do they?

- Here's a question.
- What?

Anyone playing
tic-tac-toe anymore?

- I'm serious.
- Hey, I need you to--

I need you to make a left here,
okay?

Hang a Louis?

That's not funny.

This is where you're
meeting the camera guy?

Yeah, I guess he works
in his vape store.

He's coming out in a minute.

Hi.
Hey, how you doing?

- Louis CK?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You bought my camera?

I did, yep.
That's right, paid for it.

- We should get out of here.
- Thank you.

- All right, let's go.
- Let's roll out.

All right, thank you.

- Wow, Louis CK!
- Look! Look at him!

- Hi, how are you?
- Oh, my God.

- How are you? Hi.
- Bought your camera.

- Fred and Carrie.
- Ah.

- Hi.
- Oh, amazing you're here.

- It is amazing.
- How is your family?

Thank you for asking.
They're-- they're doing better.

- Quite an emergency, I see.
- Yeah.

- But how about that camera?
- Yeah, whoo.

No, no, no.
Come on now.

These two were supposed to judge
our plume contest tonight,

but instead, they told us
they had a family emergency.

- Yeah.
- So they lied to you.

- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah.

They were actually
with you, I guess.

- That's terrible.
- Yes.

You guys,
that's really gross.

I had no idea you were
such awful peop--

what kind of person
would do a thing like that?

I don't know.

Louis, you want to come in
and do a set?

We got a bunch of guys
with nothing to do.

- Sure.
- No, no, no, no, no.

- We have a crappy PA.
- Yeah.

- You don't want to do that.
- Ah, I don't care.

It's fine.
I'll do a set anywhere.

- Really?
- I'll tell jokes to anybody.

- Whee. Thank you so much.
- I'm so excited.

- Oh, I love it.
- Oh, jeez.

Um, we're full up in here,
you guys, sorry.

There's room right in there.
We can go in.

No, no, no, no, no,
we're at capacity.

It's just us, though.

That's all we can say
at this time.

Okay.

- Great, thanks.
- All right, well...

I guess we can watch
through the window.

- Oh, yeah.
- Hey, Fred. Hey, Carrie.

- Hey.
- Hi, Milton.

Hey, look. I got your toilet.

You can put it in tonight.

No, its gonna take me
a few more days at least,

but I have some new bathroom
codes for, you know,

the local 7-Elevens,
gas stations, Laundromats.

This is a downgrade.
Some of those aren't even clean.

I'm sorry.

Hey, I got
to get back inside.

Louis CK's about to perform.

And also,
I was at a restaurant,

and I was thinking, you know,
don't you hate waiters?

I just hate waiters.

It's like,
what are you giving me?

You're bringing me my food?

Don't take my order.

I'll take my order.

And what's up with--

There used to be
so many piano teachers.

Right?

- It's true! It's true, yeah!
- Right?

I mean, it used to be like,
"Piano teacher, what's up?".

Now it's like--

Where are all the
piano teachers?

I mean, it blows my mind.

They're gone.

I'm serious.