Super Pumped (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Grow or Die - full transcript

So you want to work for Uber.

I have one question for you.

Are you an asshole?

Sorry, one sec.
You got a thing?

Quentin has a thing, yeah.
Addresses the safety issue.

Fuck that. We don't have
time for safety bullshit.

We got taxi commissions
across the land

trying to chip our beef.

We got journalists trying
to infiltrate our shit.

- We got...
- We got passenger safety issues

- that we need to address...
- Graves, here,



is what my mom would
call a piece of work.

This guy answered a tweet
that I sent on a whim

looking for a killer.

I made him CEO... for
about three minutes,

until I realized this
was a real company.

Then I took the job.

And now he does this and
that, some important things.

Apparently he's our
new safety czar.

Safety? Dude, you know how many
rides we're doing every day.

It's over a million.

No matter how we vet
these fucking drivers,

there's gonna be a guy
who had a bad morning,

he got horny, he
forgot to jerk off,

he makes a pass at a passenger.



Suddenly that's my fault?

The press makes it out like
getting in one of our cars

is like walking
through Times Square

at 2:00 in the morning in 1976.

There's more important
shit than safety...

TK, you're gonna love my nuts.

It solves the public
perception problem

and adds to the bottom line.

It's a Safe Rides Fee, TK.

We drop those words in the app,
add a dollar to every ride.

We can make a...

Like a driver training
video or something,

and the rest of it...

Wow.

I do love your nuts.

Let me English this shit
up for those of you too

trusting of a smiling face to
get the actual fucking drift.

That Safe Rides Fee provides
one thing and one thing only,

and it ain't a safe
motherfucking ride.

It's your money in their
goddamn bank account.

Just because they hide it
in the fine print of an app

don't mean it ain't a scam.

That is some Michael
fucking Eisner shit.

Matt, what do you think?

It seems maybe
misleading. Is that okay?

"Is that okay?" Yeah, dude,
it's fucking brilliant.

Do you know the
name Michael Eisner?

It's the guy that ran Disney.

When he first started, parking
at the theme parks was free.

His first year on the job,

he starts charging
$1 per car to park,

goes up and up
and up from there.

People freak the fuck out.

They're, like,
kicking and screaming

and "This is un-American,"
but what did they do?

They kept parking at
fucking Disneyland

because they want to see Goofy.

I mean, they need to see Goofy.
It's for their kids, right?

We are Goofy, and Minnie
and fucking Mickey Mouse

all rolled up into one.

Once we get them in our car,

we can charge whatever
we want to the next time.

You have the green light
on the Safe Rides Fee.

Dude, that is hundreds
of millions of dollars,

those three words together.

Nice work.

You didn't answer my
question from before.

Are you an asshole?

I just... I know that
look on your face.

You're like, "I think I
know what I want to say,

but I'm not sure if
I should say it."

I recognize that
look. You know why?

Because before all of this,

it was on my face too.

What do you think? Gray or...

Gray?

They called it charcoal
when I bought it.

- Looks gray to me.
- Okay.

I really don't think you can go
wrong within the three shades

of the color palette
you're debating.

How is it?

- Mm-mm.
- What?

So, what do you know?

- About Bill Gurley?
- Mm-hmm.

Well, Benchmark is one of
the top venture capital firms

in the whole valley.

If they invest in
us, we are minted.

If they pass, then we
stink like roadkill.

And Bill Gurley is
the shot caller.

Shot caller.

He's actually
literally a baller.

Literally a baller.

- Played in college.
- You gonna talk sports with him?

I think he'd be more into
his Valley highlight reel.

Don't you think?

- Uh, eBay?
- Yeah, exactly.

They put in six
and a half million.

Oof. What's it worth now? Four?

Five billion.

Yeah, if Benchmark
comes in on UberCab,

- we are...
- Minted. You said.

- Yeah, yeah.
- You get upped.

- They open the books.
- Made.

This has got to work.

I don't know, though.

He's just gonna see a
guy in his lame jeans

and these fucking shoes.

I don't know what
these shoes are.

Nah, he'll see you're
a dun-colored mare.

- What?
- From Raise High the Roof Beam?

Salinger. Don't worry,
you'll read it later.

What it means is your
ideas will matter.

Not your clothes.
He'll see that.

What are you doing tonight?

Reading up on this
new cancer drug

before I get ready
to take it public.

I'm just gonna throw this
guy so much attitude,

he won't even pay
attention to the clothes.

Don't be the Winston Wolf
cool version of Travis.

Be open.

Show him that you're vulnerable,

and need his money
and his protection.

- This could be the one, Bill.
- Could be.

Leaves a lot of room for the
other side of that wager, Bill.

Is that where you land, Fenton?

Just a little less
bullish than he is.

We're talking about
committing millions of dollars

and our reputational
capital on this guy.

To his product. And
it is a great product.

Yep, UberCab is solid.

Tech could really be something.

And we like this space.

But why not Cabulous
or Taxi Magic?

How do we know this Kalanick
guy is the chosen one?

So we got point.
What's counterpoint?

He's the counterpoint. I
made the original point.

Look, Bill, something is
going to pop in the space.

- This guy's reputation...
- You know how it goes with me.

Travis and I start completing
each other's sentences, well...

Look, a unicorn will take
flight in this sector.

Someone will make a hundred-X
return on their investment.

But is this Travis guy the kind
of person who can ride one?

I'll just be like one of those
sheriffs in the Westerns.

Stand back six paces and
stare him right in the eyes.

And shoot him?

You know, at Benchmark Capital,
we don't shoot founders.

We leave that to Sequoia.

Here he is.

Mr. Gurley.

Just Bill.

Everybody's got the
numbers on the company,

so I'm not gonna
grill you on that.

All that studying for nothing.

But I do want to understand
how it is that you see yourself

growing into the role of CEO.

Not every founder can.

First day out of high school,

LeBron James had a
meeting at Reebok.

He took the bus there.
It's all he could afford.

And he was sitting
at the longest

conference table in
the world with the CEO.

And they're talking,
and LeBron notices,

oh, the CEO's starting
to write something.

And then the CEO gets up

and he walks the length
of this whole table,

and he drops a check in
front of him for $10 million.

Now, it's only the
two of them in there,

and, uh, LeBron's only 18.

And the way he tells it, he
almost took the check, right?

He almost started crying.

It was everything he ever
worked for in his life

just suddenly made
manifest in front of him.

But he didn't.

He stood up and he walked out.

Strong move.

Yeah, the man understood
his value, right?

And eventually, he
signed for much more

with the place he
wanted to be: Nike.

But first, he had to ride
the bus a few more times

to get to the
Bentleys and the PJs.

But you're not walking out.

No.

Because you're not just some VC.

You're Nike.

And I know it.

You know, maybe we don't
sell each other tonight.

Just...

We just talk a bit.

If I were selling you,
you'd have your wallet out.

No, I'm... I'm...

I'm here in the
spirit of connection.

And in that spirit,
I'll tell you,

I believe I have underachieved
in my potential as a leader.

But if I had a
mentor, like you...

there is no limit to
where this thing could go.

How do you think your
drivers would describe

their relationship
with the company?

There we've done it
right. Our drivers...

- Are your army.
- That's what I was gonna say.

Our army. And I believe an
army with a full belly...

Is an army that can win. Yes.

Yes, sir, and that part,

it's not just
self-serving either.

It's a big part of the
whole motivation for me.

I really believe this
service can be a true value,

can be so good for
so many people,

so many groups of people.

Ever since the very beginning,

from the first time
I had the idea.

Well, from...

um, from when Garrett
Camp and I had the idea.

I bet.

We were in Paris

at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

And I remember it just
came to me in a burst.

I saw a way to upend
the wage slavery

of the taxi business.

You know, to democratize
the entire industry

for the good of those
hardworking drivers

as well as for the passengers.

I saw it all from above.

A new form of
transportation, yes,

but also a way for people to
make it on their own terms.

You know, a mom
who can just work

while her kids are at school,

or a dad who can
turn off the app

when it's time
for family dinner.

So, yeah, that's the basic idea.

It's people driving people.
A car always within minutes.

A private chauffeur, but
only when you need it.

So the cost is minimal.

A real disruptor
for the taxi space.

I just need an operations
type to run it,

and there's no one
better than you.

Yeah, you might... You
might have something.

A lot of work to make
that real, though.

A lot of work.

And Garrett contributed
a lot too, absolutely.

Well, it's good of
you to make sure

that he shares in the credit.

Of course, yeah.
No, you got to.

Right?

But at that point,
it was just a matter

of getting the angel investors
onboard and, you know,

when they saw how sticky
this product is...

What do you say we get
into the real questions?

Sure.

Are you willing to work
with the outside money?

Listen to wise counsel?

I will always listen,
and I'll take good ideas.

But I will never take orders.

I can't.

Good.

I don't give orders.

Good.

What else do you need to know?

How sticky is it?

Really.

If someone rides twice,
we have them for life.

That's some evening.

I might've had a
one-few too many.

I think I might leave
my car here tonight.

Hey, taxi!

You know, I have a solution
for this particular problem.

Now, these things rebooted
everything, right?

And...

What, you just...?

Yeah, like magic.

Travis?

Very nice.

You moved to the
city after Scour?

Yeah. That was my...
My first startup.

Peer-to-peer media file sharing.

That didn't turn out?

No, it didn't.

Because of Mike Ovitz.

You shopped the fucking deal.

In the world I come from,
that name made titans weak.

Now, Silicon Valley
gets to deal with him.

You refused to close
terms for months.

You said you were gonna invest,
but the money never came.

We were bleeding
out, so eventually,

I had to go looking for
other sources of funding,

and then you fucking sued?

That's what you do when
you're getting screwed.

You're getting screwed?

You sued your own company
so it would take your money,

but it's money you
didn't want to give.

A child can never understand
the motives of a man.

Just as the samurai can
never question his lord.

You know to this day, in Japan,

if a salaryman screws
up at work, he says,

"I offer to cut my belly open."

They own their mistakes.

They don't blame their betters.

I am not, and I will
never be, a salaryman.

That's true.

Salarymen at least, uh,
have a steady income.

Yeah, they also live by
a code which you do not.

I mean, you leaked the story,
and now no one will touch us.

You drove a fucking stake
through the heart of this...

That's right.

And it'll just go
on and on, boyo,

until you have no choice
but to sell it for parts.

Nobody shops a
deal on Mike Ovitz.

And when you look
back on it all,

you'll only have
yourself to blame.

You're just gonna
let the car go?

How are you gonna get home?
You're not sleeping here are ya'?

No, I'll just get another one.

It's easy.

Boss doesn't pay? How
does that work for morale?

I'm paid in full. It's a frictionless
experience for every passenger.

Credit card's on file. You just get
out of the car, get on with your life.

It should feel like it's
free. It's just easy.

Tip?

No, our rev share is so good,
our drivers don't need tips.

Hell.

Bill, I just want to tell you

I am not going to
lose my company

from the inside ever again.

You can rest easy,
because at Benchmark...

Yeah. You don't fire founders.

There we go finishing
each other's sentences.

So are we doing this?

You need my money, right?

I don't need shit.

I'm gonna take this thing the
whole way with or without you.

Well then, you do it without me.

You don't need to do that.

I see you.

I get there's no
company without you.

So about my money?

I would like it, yes.

Yeah, one last question.

Threshold.

This whole private cab thing...

in the long run...

it's gonna be declared legal?

Bet your ass.

All right, that wasn't
the last question.

This is:

The W always has
cabs waiting outside.

You paid them not to
be around, didn't you?

What the hell do you think?

But you, you weren't really as
drunk as you let on, were you?

-What the hell do you think?

I think...

you're my new VC.

That's what I think too.

Guys, big news.

Bill Gurley and
Benchmark is an investor.

Okay.

Well, that sounds...
That's good, right?

- Dad, like I just got signed by the Dodgers.
- Hey, hey!

Don't touch me, I'm too hot. You're
gonna burn yourself. Like that!

-Okay, mister.

How about a hug hello
before you start braying?

He's excited.

You used to get that way
when you closed a huge sale.

That's why you
were such a killer.

Well, I just want him to know
that he does not have to have

good news to come and visit.

We're happy to see you anytime.

And we miss you.

Okay.

But, Trav, you are a killer.

-Just like your mama.

This is... no, it's really
big. It's a big deal.

Yeah, the press is gonna have to
write something nice about you

for a change.

Uh-huh. Yeah, maybe
not yet, but they will.

Sounds good, though.

So how much of a piece
does this guy get?

His company gets a chunk,
but the valuation goes up.

And I'm still the
majority owner, Dad.

How's Angie? How
come she's not here?

Well, she, um...

- Hey.
- What's up, big bro?

How you doing, Cory?

Heard the next
Zuckerberg was in town,

- so I figured I'd come say hi.
- You say that with a tone of

sarcasm, but I bet
Randi Zuckerberg didn't.

That's why she got that
big chunk of preferred

in the friends and family round.

My piece is locked.

Is it? Are you sure?

- Trav!
- What? Me? Him?

The fuck did I do?

Fine, I'll be your
doting sister.

I'll knit you a hoodie,
so you look just like him.

Why don't we just
let it die, okay?

Sure thing, Zuck.

All right, enough.

You know, your brother
just cut a big deal

to bankroll his company.

- What, the cab thing?
- It's a capital investment.

It's not a bankroll.
There's a difference.

- Congrats, Trav. Sounds good.
- Thank you.

You know, Cory's
kicking butt too.

Cory, show him the thing.

- Uh, no, it's silly.
- Oh, come on.

- All right.
- What's that, a body cam?

Yeah, the squad got
them from the company,

and we mounted them to
our helmets last shift.

Look, look at that.

Oh, the poor little
thing looks dead.

No, look, it's coming around.

A real American hero, huh?

Yeah, how cool that both
of my boys are kicking ass.

Yeah. You show that clip
to the ladies, watch out.

Oh, what would you know
about that, Donald?

-I used to.

All right.

Breakfast is ready.

Oh, Cory, do me a favor.

Give me a copy of that clip.
I'd love to show it at work.

Yeah, you should
send it to me too.

I'm gonna show it to
people and be like,

"I know that guy."

That's what a
supportive brother does.

Good, you can get in on the
friends and family sloppy joes

- down the station.
- Sweet.

Cory, Trav,

we have one family breakfast

every three months
at this point.

Could we maybe chill
on the cage match?

We have hardly seen you lately.

Where is my son hiding you?

- We've been busy.
- You work too hard.

That's the problem with
you Silicon Valley types.

Are you sure that you're
taking care of you

and not just him?

You know, he can be
pretty consuming.

Yes, I know. I'm okay. Really.

- You sure?
- Mm-hmm.

Welcome to the Rider
Appreciation Party.

I am legit super pumped
to be here tonight

and to be part of this company.

You know, I wish...

I would be so happy

if I could just make all
of your lives frictionless.

Right? Can you imagine,
like, if you wanted a raise,

and you didn't even have to
say anything to your boss,

you just look at him
and boom, there it was.

-You know what I mean?

Or like if you wanted a
date, just swipe right

and there's the other party in
your room, down for whatever.

Right?

-Now, unfortunately,

I cannot control all of these
experiences, or not yet.

But what I can control
is the experience

of getting from one end of
town to the other end of town

with no hassle on either end.

You're in, you're out.

You don't have to touch
your cash or your wallet

or your credit
card or the driver.

So drink up,

because DUIs are a
thing of the past!

Great time, you guys!

Hey, thanks.

- That was so good.
- Oh, thank you.

Where's Cory?

He, uh...

Wow! Okay. I'm... I'm
gonna get some air.

- You want me to...?
- No. No, it's all right.

If you wanted Cory here,

you could have
invited him directly.

I invited all you guys.

Don't make everything a test.

It shouldn't fucking have to be.

You're doing it all wrong, son.

You don't recognize me?

My name's on some
correspondences

that will put you
out of business.

Oh. You're Pearson?

The transportation
guy for the city.

Pearson. Randall
Pearson, that's right.

And I'm telling you,
you're fucking up.

You know,

I've heard that so
much in my life.

I should get it tattooed on
my ass and take a picture,

make it my profile photo.

But you know what
I'm gonna do instead?

I'm gonna keep
building my company,

and then you can get
an ass tattoo that says

"Travis Kalanick is a
better man than me."

No tattoos for me, thanks.

'Cause I have some
personal pride.

- Do you? Working where you work?
- Listen, Travis,

let's try and act sane
for maybe five minutes

like a couple of
goddamn grownups?

I represent some very
powerful individuals

in the taxi and livery business.

People who don't take too kindly

to their drivers being stolen.

Even less so when
it's their customers.

You know, as the head of the San
Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency,

your mandate is to
represent the public,

not powerful individuals.

Yeah, well, the public interest
is served by having available

and inexpensive
taxicabs readily av...

Uh-huh.

Look, Travis,

this can go so hard for you.

Buried in fines, lawsuits, jail.

Or you can win huge with me.

Give them your tech.

Put it in their cars,
in their fucking taxis.

Join forces.

They'll make it
real sweet for you.

You'll end up controlling
so many medallions.

They'll be jingling in your
pockets like loose change.

I think this must have
been what it was like

when Homo sapiens were
running around together

with Neanderthals.

You're asking me to trade my
fire for your fucking club.

No, thanks.

You're making a big mistake.

I'll put that on
my other ass cheek.

Yeah, no, I get it.
No the thing is,

When I say I get it,
that means I get it.

Okay.

This is the kid you're
interviewing for the job.

Great. Pull up a chair.

Here is my question for you.

Are you an asshole?

Sorry.

- Are you the CEO?
- I am.

This is an order
to cease and desist

all taxi and livery operations.

- You arresting me?
- Not at this time, sir.

But if you continue in
violation of city ordinance,

we'll be back.

This is bad, TK.

- This is a cease...
- We're not ceasing.

- And desist...
- We're not desisting either.

- It threatens up to...
- Yeah, I see.

There's penalties.

Up to $5,000 per instance
of UberCabs operation.

"Instance" meaning each ride.

Ninety days in jail per day

the company remains in
operation past the order.

That's me in jail?

Yeah, that's you in jail, man.

Anything you could sign
so it's you instead of me?

Jesus, no.

I... I mean, I can... No...

I'm fucking kidding, Gil.
Don't worry about it.

But I am more
Emerson than Thoreau.

I do not want to go to jail.

Hey, everybody!

You heard about this already?

I want you to know this...

truncheon of the crooked
establishment, this object of fear,

I want you to know this
is not our death warrant.

This is our goddamn
birth certificate, okay?

This means we are
alive in this world,

and we are growing the fuck up.

It's a sign of validation.

And it's a sign
that we are scaring

the taxi and livery industry,

and the transportation agency,

and the status quo shitless.

This is validation...

of our standing as...

disruptors.

Austin, how's it going
with our future drivers?

You're getting them?

Got a bunch.

Did you settle with the city?

Oh, no, no, we're not
settling with the city.

We are taking this city!

-Are you sure, TK?

You know what they say
about fighting city hall.

See, this is the thing
about changing the world.

The world never wants to change.

It's gonna dig in its
heels and tell you no

and try to crush you.

Fortunately for us, we are in
the world-changing business.

At least I am. I
was built for this!

They want to fight?
Oh, I love to fight.

You want to know
who wins fights?

Whoever wants it more.

And who do you think
wants this more?

Them?

Or me?

Let's fucking go!

Come on!

Let's fucking go!

Let's fucking go!

Penny, get me a
meeting with the mayor

and order more iPhones.

We need to ratchet up
enlisting more drivers.

Made me wise

But I'm not About to give thanks

Or apologize

Shape up, boys.

I need five minutes.
Nah, fuck that.

You need the five minutes
that I'm about to give you.

What is this, huh?

We don't have time.

Of course you don't have time...

because you're
indentured servants...

if you're human at all.

Because really, you're more
like hamsters on a wheel.

Who are you calling a rodent?

No, no, no.

You're making
yourselves rodents.

Look, you got to run,
run, run all day long

just to make enough
fares to cover your nut

during your shift,

with pissed-off customers

because the commission
hiked the fares,

or to pay off the loans
on your medallions,

or the consortiums
that own the medallions

on the hacks that you drive.

Or to make enough
from the limo company

so that your piece is enough

so you can afford some food
pellets and wood shavings

for your cages at
the end of the week.

Tell me I'm wrong.

So, yeah, you can.

You know, hustle out
there and get at it.

Or you could stay
here for five minutes

and hear about
being your own boss,

and driving with a company

that's gonna change
your fucking lives.

I could use a change.

Enmity gauged

United by fear

Time to endure

What I could not forgive

We're making progress.

I didn't say you were wrong.

Just what you're
saying is irrelevant.

Here.

Mayor?

Nothing yet.

Try again.

We don't have to tell you
just how much in contributions

our clients have made.

No, you don't.

Then you tell us something,

like what you're gonna do,

because right now,
this goddamn company

is stealing drivers from
legitimate taxi and livery.

It's chipping away
at a legacy business.

There are two jobs
you want in this city:

the mayor's and mine.

I'm like Robert Moses in
The Old Man in Chinatown.

You really think I'm
gonna let some tech weasel

grab my dick like a baton,

twirl it around in
Golden Gate Park?

What's your next step then?

What are you going
to do? Question mark.

What I'm gonna do is drop
a thermonuclear device

right on top of their heads.

The San Francisco Municipal
Transportation Agency has those?

Close enough.

Right now, I expect a
duck-and-cover drill

taking place over
there at UberCab,

right before the mushroom
cloud turns them all into dust.

Tough to have a car service
without any fucking drivers.

All right, what?

What's the emergency?

It's the fucking drivers.

They're defecting.

That's what the
incentives are for.

- Pay them more.
- Gil said we can't.

And without those incentives,
they're leaving in droves.

- They're going back to taxis.
- That's Randall fucking Pearson.

He's making his last stand.

Gil, why are you cutting
off the incentives?

Because we don't have
the money to pay them.

And without drivers, we'll
never have any fucking money.

- Right?
- He can't, TK.

We don't have it. Our burn rate
is bleeding the company dry.

Maybe it's time we make
a deal with Pearson.

Maybe we do just license our
tech, combine our forces...

Wait, wait. That's giving
up. Are you fucking insane?

No, that's not insane.
That's reality.

Because we're down to smoke
and mirrors and promises.

I don't know how we're gonna
keep the lights on next month...

Okay.

Unless we make
some kind of a deal

- with the taxi commissi...
- Okay, okay.

Okay.

All right.

We are not that kind of company

that just bends over
to the status quo.

We fuck the status quo, right?

Now, I'm hearing a lot about
what surrender looks like.

Looks like me on my knees with
Pearson pissing in my mouth.

We're not doing that.

Tell me what victory looks like.

Well, I guess we can't, or
we wouldn't be sitting here.

All right, we're
gonna take money

from other departments.

We have.

Stop paying the vendors
just for a minute.

Gurley.

Go to him, ask him
for another check,

just to ride us out
through this fight

with San Francisco Transport.

That's the one thing I can't do.

We'd look like fucking idiots.

Or I would.

Like we're failing.

Because we are.

So that's it?

That's all you got for me?

Buy a Powerball ticket. I...

This company, my life,

is on the line here right now,

and you motherfuckers...

Yeah, and all of you too!

You just leave
everything to me, right?

You just come to work,

and you lounge around with
your thumbs up your ass.

You don't do anything.

You don't fucking bleed for it.

You're not... You're
not super pumped.

Hi, Travis.

Hey, Mom.

What's going on?

I was just thinking about Cory.

How do you sleep at night,
him doing what he does?

Well, once you have kids,

you don't really sleep
a full night again.

You'll see that one day.

Seriously, though.

Seriously.

This is not about Cory, huh?

Yeah, I know, uh...

I, um...

I yelled.

Aw.

At Angie?

No.

Everybody.

Travis, you can't do that.

- Aw.
- Yeah, I know.

I don't... I don't know what
the fuck's wrong with me.

I don't know why
I keep doing that.

It's just like why can't
they just watch what I do

and do what I say and...

And believe what I know,

and why can't they
just fucking trust me?

What did you yell about?

We're up against it.

I thought the company
was doing great.

It is, kind of,

but there's this thing
called burn rate,

and, um...

Yeah.

I need more money.

Like, now.

Can you go to a bank?

No. Not for this much, no.

What about your
investor, Gurley?

You have not asked him?

No. No, I can't go to him.

If I went to him right now,

he would just think
I was a fuckup.

He'd see these numbers...

and he'd just shut me down

and probably sell
me off for parts.

Okay, your brother is
great at the thing he does.

It's a straightforward thing.

Hard to do, easy to
measure. Your thing isn't.

But you're also great at it.

You brought this Bill Gurley in,

you built a company
that he liked.

So now, you got to do what
Cory does with his guys.

You got to treat him like
you're all on the same team.

You know, tell him what's
going on and what you need.

What if he says no?

Sometimes, to get what you want,
you got to give what you want.

You're wondering why
they don't trust you.

Well, believe me,

they're wondering the
same thing about you.

Why should Bill Gurley trust
you if you don't trust him?

The burn rate.

I'm, uh, hesitant
to talk about it.

I can see that.

Also, I wanted to come here

and have a conversation
face-to-face about it.

Um, the money we are spending...

Spent, we spent it, I did.

Is to get the
riders in the car...

All startups that are expanding
go through serious burn.

What are we dealing with here?

I'm reluctant to
say the numbers.

Um, here...

Well, Jesus.

I can see why you would
think that's unsustainable.

Is that what you think?

I think that top sheet's about
as ugly as a horned toad's ass.

That sounds ugly.

You ever seen a
horned toad's ass?

Can you picture
Joakim Noah's jumper?

Fugly. Yeah.

This is like that.

You're wondering whether
this is the moment

I shoot you or sell
your company for parts?

Yeah, just hearing
you say those words...

You know, if I don't
give you this funding,

the people you work
with, they're gonna start

updating their résumés and
they are gonna light out.

Hell, even if I do, they
probably already started.

So let me ask you, is that you?

Smart, talented guy.

Are you looking for
a soft spot to land?

Me? No fucking way.

No, this is the hill I die on.

There is no other company
startup or otherwise for me.

This is all I've got.

Good. What did I tell
you from the beginning?

No way I sell it out.

-Is that because I'm a good guy?

No. I mean, I am a good guy.

-That's not the reason.

Does the heroin dealer giveaway
the first taste of his product

out of the goodness
of his heart for free?

No, he does not.

This is that.

We put as much
money as we need to

into getting people
into those cars,

and we got them.

We charge anything we want.

Cigarettes, the best
business in the world

till people start getting sued

and having to pay
for the settlements.

But what we're
doing with UberCab

sure as hell isn't
giving anyone cancer.

So you're gonna
keep bankrolling us?

- You're gonna come in for more?
- Grow or die.

Listen, it wasn't easy, you
coming in here like this.

I get that.

And I appreciate it.

I respect that.

We're partners.

And you got your check.

Thank you.

I want you to have something.

A full access card.

You come and go at
UberCab as you please.

You're one of us.

Travis.

This money...

it'll only go so far.

This is the last of it.

You hardly touched
your bento box.

Yes, I'm sorry.

You usually crush the
tempura, not even that.

Just not hungry.

You sounded so excited earlier

after talking to Gurley.

Yeah, guess it wore off.

Reality set in.

Why don't you leave
this here and come home?

- Get a few hours sleep...
- Nah, sorry.

I'm just gonna stay till I can
think of a way to take the city.

This is our
proof-of-concept moment.

You know, last go-round before
we're out of dry powder,

and the mayor won't
even talk to me.

Look, you know your history.

And you know people.

Reagan showing strength
to Gorbachev in Geneva

by going without his coat
in the freezing cold, right?

Gates promising
he'd deliver the OS

before he even started it.

Hamilton agreeing to move
the actual White House.

Power is fluid.

Use that.

Use all of it.

The riders.

They're not just what we need.

They are our power.

We enlist them against
the politicians.

Get the mayor to talk to me?

No, he's gonna beg
me to talk to him.

We need to let those
fuckers in office know

that the voters are with us.

What do you do when you
get kicked in the balls

by a hobnailed boot?

Roll around and groan?

Well, the motherfuckers
who run startups,

this motherfucker,

eats it with a smile
and keeps on going.

I'm at peace, I'm the man

Buying stocks on the
day Of the crash, yeah

On the loose, I'm a truck

All the rolling hills I'll
flatten them out, yeah

More petitions coming in.

Uh-huh

It's evolution, baby

There's no top.

We didn't have enough
to fill the last boxes.

Yeah, but still, that's
a lot of signatures.

Yeah, but a pyramid
has to have a point.

Really, TK? Ringers?

- Yeah.
- What if they check?

Then we become baristas.

Well, shit, I
already tried that.

Didn't really work out.

Point.

Okay.

You said it loud and clear
with these petitions.

Now, say it even louder.

Let us ride!

Let us ride! Let us ride!

Let us ride!

The mayor is willing to meet.

Yes.

I'm going in!

Don't worry, I have
prepped the mayor

as to exactly how we feel
about your little enterprise.

But at the risk of having you

clutter up our
offices any further,

I figured I'd say hello.

And a quick goodbye,

because as Mr. Pearson said...

Horseshit.

There were piles of it
all along the streets

of this fine city, from
Lombard down to Lincoln Way.

Literally horseshit.

Until the horse and carriage
got replaced by the streetcar.

You don't think those teamsters
were bitching back then?

Because they were,
but John Geary,

the first mayor of this
town, he saw the future.

And he made it so.

Of course, the future
doesn't last, right?

And pretty soon, Jitneys
came into fashion,

which obliterated the cable car,

turned it into a
tourist attraction.

But that's because the
mayor then, James Rolph,

he saw that for a nickel,

you could take a Jitney anywhere
you wanted to go in the city.

As long as you don't mind riding
along with some other lugs

and stopping wherever
they want to stop,

which is why the Jitney gave
way to the buses and the BART,

and of course, taxicabs, right?

Blessed taxis, in which you
can ride princely and alone

as long as the meter is running.

And as long as the
medallion owner

and the San Francisco
Municipal Transportation Agency

takes their bites.

So for a while times were
fat, and everybody ate.

But just like all those
other modes of transport,

eventually the dying day comes.

And that is where we are today
with Mayor Ed Lee in charge,

and now it's his chance
to glimpse the future,

usher it in,

because this is what
we are offering.

This is the future of
passenger traveling

in a private vehicle for a fee

driven by a private
citizen who earns that fee.

It is winners and commerce on
both sides of the equation.

The question you have
to ask yourself is:

Does Mayor Ed Lee wanna go
down in the history books

as an innovator,

or does he want to let
these beautiful streets

of San Francisco get flooded
with horseshit one more time?

Because that is what the SFMTA

and the taxi lobbies
are peddling.

Horseshit.

The city has been taken!

Great. That's great.

Full stop. But...

Okay, wait, you can't say
"full stop" and then say "but."

That's...

But what about the fines?

No, dude, the
mayor loves us now.

He's gonna push legislation
our way, all right?

Future fines unlikely.

Great. So prior fines?

Pearson was there.

I think he thinks we
still owe the money.

Oh. What'd he say?

"You still owe the
fucking money."

Great.

I think this is gonna be a
great thing for the both of you.

For everybody.

Full access? Nice.

That's the kind of relationship
I build with all my founders.

If the door isn't open
to me and vice versa,

something's wrong.

So, what does Travis
think of this?

We'll find out when I tell him.

Look, if we do
what you're saying,

- and we pay these fines...
- Yeah, and if we don't,

we're right back in those
waters where we drown.

- Okay, well I'm not paying them.
- Then they're gonna take

the fixtures off the
ceiling to sell them.

We're in a vise.

Whoop. There it is.

Perfect.

Come on in.

Might as well do this

while we still have
office furniture.

Sit down. Where
did we leave off?

You asked me a question

that I didn't have
a chance to answer.

Great. And what is the answer?

Hey, I understand
congratulations are in order.

Bill. Yes, they are.

Good to see you.

Who's this?

This is the answer to
your burn rate problem.

Meet Emil Michael, best
dealmaker in the valley,

and your new raise wingman.

Now that you've, uh,
taken over San Francisco,

it's time that we, uh, go
to the outside investors,

tackle the other cities.

Grow or die, right?

Welcome aboard.

Bill, thank you so much.

Your support is...

It's just always so appreciated.

Anything I can do to help.

Take care.

I'll let you get to it.

What the fuck are you
really doing here?

You a spy? You
here to replace me?

Whoa, I'm...

I'm just here to
help, like Bill said.

Yeah, I've heard
that bullshit before.

It's not happening
in my company.

I don't expect you to trust me.

I expect you to test me.

Give me that.

We have to respond to this
bullshit by end of business,

or else this company that
you're spying on right now

won't exist anymore.

What do you got? You're
this big dealmaker.

You make us a deal,

get us out from
under these fines,

settle us out, pennies
on the dollar, what?

The San Francisco MTA
regulates taxicabs.

And so, yeah, UberCab is
up to its ass in fines

and facing existential threat.

- Gil?
- Yeah?

UberCab,

and all of its corresponding
regulatory problems

and liabilities is
hereby shut down,

inoperative and defunct.

Okay.

Why didn't I think of that?

A crucial question
for another day, Gil.

So we're not a cab
company anymore?

You never were.

So no cab regulators can reg us.

Sharp.

Ginsu sharp, yeah.

We are a ride-sharing service.

-They're gonna say that's fraud.

- I mean, it might be fraud.
- Why?

Because I'm not
willing to recognize

that some taxi authority
has jurisdiction over us?

Let them call it fraud
and you know what?

To the end, Gil, re-paper
us as a new entity

called Uber.

Uber... what?

Yeah.

Nothing. Just Uber.

When I came into this, I
was ready to break shit,

because that is what
revolution requires.

But you know what? I
forgot that for a second.

But our new friend Emil
here just reminded me.

- Go.
- Okay.

I'm supposed to
say yes, aren't I?

That I'm an asshole.

Well, I am.

I'm an asshole.

That's the right answer.

Because if you're not,
you'll never make it at Uber.

We should hire this guy up.

Kelsey, can you
bring him to Gil?

Make sure he signs an NDA.

Congratulations.

Go.

All right, bro, are you ready?

'Cause next, we're taking
New York, and then Paris,

then Berlin, then
Mumbai, and then Tokyo,

and then rest of
the fucking world.

Then we take Berlin

I'm guided by a signal

In the heavens

I'm guided by This birthmark

On my skin

I'm guided by the beauty

Of our weapons

First we take Manhattan

Then we take Berlin

I'd really like to
live Beside you, baby