"Sequels." "It's the only time I gave in in my life." "But sometimes, you gotta do it the studio way." "What are you talking about?" " Get Lost?" " Yeah." "I thought the first one was pretty good." " Get Leo?" " Terrific picture." "Terrific!" "." "And you know what else?" "It was good." "You know what I'm thinking, Tommy?" "I'm thinking of getting out of the movie business." "Go back to my old job." " What, being a shylock?" " Yeah." "Why?" "'Cause at least they're honest about being dishonest." "Come on." "Why would you wanna leave all this?" "Hello!" "See?" "I'm telling you, this town." "Look, Chil." "You and me, we come out to Hollywood, sniff the air, and now look at us, man." "We made it!" "And you know why?" "'Cause we knew how to hustle a deal." "Yeah, like I got hustled into doing the sequel." "That sucks." "Do you know that unless you're willing to use the R rating, you can only say the F-word once?" " You're kiddin' me." " No." "You know what I say?" "Fuck that." "I'm done." "Before you skate out of the business," "I got a movie for you." "Oh, yeah?" "What?" "About NTL." "What's NTL?" ""What's NTL?" What, are you joking?" " No." " You're pulling my chain." "Nothing To Lose Records." "Hello." "Come on." "It's, like, the indie label." "I sign bands, I produce their albums, I sell the distribution to the majors." " Now you wanna make movies?" " Yeah!" "Who doesn't?" "All right, can you pitch it in 25 words or less?" "I can do it in one word--Me!" " You?" " Me!" "Hello!" "Me!" "I couldn't get your mother to watch that movie." "My life in the music business." "Come on!" "Gangsta rappers, the Russian mafia, you know?" "All that goddamn payola crap." "This place is like the wild, wild west, man." "You're dodging' the bullets, you're taking the arrows." "And it's got a girl." "There always is." "Her name's Linda Moon." "She plays a girl who wants to make it big in the biz, and I am the record mogul who makes it happen." "Anyway, it's a musical, and Linda's been trying to get me on the two-way ever since, you know, she saw you on Charlie Rose." "where you were very smooth, and found out that I knew you." "I said you would help her out, and she left you on the list at the Viper Room expecting you to show up." "So, Tommy, how's your wife?" " Edie?" " Yeah." "Who gives a shit?" "Don't be a buzzkill." "Where are you goin'?" "I gotta go to the men's." "I just had two iced teas." "But how about--Hey, Chili, how does the movie sound?" "Well, you don't have a movie yet." "You've got a premise and a setting, but you don't have character arcs or a plot." "Okay, but still." "You know." "Hey, who's gonna play me?" "Think about that." "How about Carrot Top?" "Do svidaniya." "Hey, Marla." "Long time no see." "Yeah." "How's organized crime treating' ya?" "A little more exciting now that you're in town." "Oh, yeah?" "So, Mr. Palmer, we've got reason to believe that this was a mob hit." "Trust me, if this were a mob hit, they'd have hired a man who knew how to shoot." "He hit him in the chest." "Finally." "After he shot up my Caddy." "What a shame." "Can you confirm that this fella was wearing a toupee?" "Stevie Wonder could confirm that he was wearing a toupee." "So out of the blue, this Mr. Athens just decides to look up your number and give you a call?" "I know what you're gettin' at, Marla." "You think I set him up." "The truth is Tommy wanted me to do a movie about him." "But you can't do a movie where the main character gets popped in the first scene, now, can you?" "Yeah." "It's not a bad opening." "You know, you're right." "That worked for American Beauty." "Sunset Boulevard." "Or Casino." "Mr. Palmer." "I'm Glenn from Thrifty Executive Fleet." "May I escort you to your vehicle?" "But of course." "Marla." "Detective." "There you go, sir." "What's that?" "I asked for a Cadillac." "The lnsight is the Cadillac of gas-electric hybrid cars." "Not only is it fuel-efficient, it's great for the environment." " I got it." " Thanks." " Hey, Martin." " Chili!" " How are you doin'?" " How are you doin', Chil?" " Good to see you, Martin." " Good to see you." " Good to see you." " Good to see you." "You know Hy Gordon?" "What's up, Chili Palmer?" "He did the soundtrack for Get Lost." "What's up, man?" "Sorry." "Hy's taking me around." "I'm doing a little research." "For my next part." "I'm gonna play Johnny." "The Man In Black." "Hello." "I'm Johnny Cash." " Oh, Johnny Cash." " Yeah!" " But he's like six-feet-something." " That's okay." "You don't--You know, low angles." "You know, the movies?" "Hey, Chili, is that your car?" "Yeah, it's an insight." "It's the Cadillac of hybrids." "It's a little tight for a big guy like you." "Small price to pay for the environment." "Fifty-seven miles to the gallon." "But what about speed?" "No, Martin." "If you're important, people will wait." "Just one shot, Marty." "Marty, one smile for me, come on." "My love, yeah" "You've got the best of my love" "Demonstrated love and affection" "That you give so openly, yeah" "The way I feel about you, babe, I can't explain it" "Want the whole wide world to see that" "Oh, but in my heart" "You're all I need" "You for me and me for you" "It's growing every day" "You've got the best of me, yeah" "You've got the best of my love" "You got me, yeah" "Givin' you the best of my love" "You've got the best of my love" "Givin' you the best of my love" "You've got the best of my love" "That's true." "You know what I'm sayin'?" "That's what it's about." "You have to let it go halfway." "You can't be always tryin' so damn hard." " Linda." " Yo!" " Yo, I ain't selling' that." " Raji, no, l" "That ain't sexy." "You better go put your chick shit back on." "I can't put that on right now." "I have a meeting." "I'm telling you, there's people out here paid to come see this shit." "Give me one second." "Baby, I just told you to put your clothes on, didn't I?" " I can't!" " Did I not tell you that?" " Look!" " Don't "look" me again!" " Mr. Palmer?" " Call me Chili." " It's an absolute pleasure to meet you." " Thank you." "Please, have a seat." " Can I get you something to drink?" " I have something coming." " So, Tommy's gone?" " Yeah." "I can't believe it." "I guess this means you're not doing the movie?" "Well, I gotta be honest with you, Linda." "I'm getting out of the movie business." "Here you go." "What's the matter?" "I'm tired of this, Mr. Palmer." "Look, if I can get some cash," "I would buy my way out of my contract and get out of music." "Are you kidding?" "After what I just saw?" " Why would you do that?" " 'Cause it sucks." "Look, I could do the same thing topless and make $2,000 a week with tips." "Well, why don't you do that?" "I'm Baptist." "My father wouldn't approve." "So then you're like Aretha Franklin." "You learned to sing in church." "I learned from my father." "My dad was in a jazz band." "Nothing big, though." "See, everything I know about music I learned from him." "I always thought we'd play together, but then then he died, so..." "Yo, Linda!" "Yo!" "I didn't dismiss you." "You're on my time." "That's my manager Raji with Miss Bangkok." "I told him I want to quit and he's, like, "You quit me, girl, I'm gonna jack you up."" "He talks like that?" "He thinks he's black." "His real name is Roger Lowenthal." "He's partners with this guy named Nick Carr." "He's this music promoter?" "I know Nicky." "They caught me straight off the bus from Texas." "Said they'd make me this big star and like a fool, I believed 'em." "When you done turning' tricks, get your ass back over here!" "I ain't done with you yet!" "Look, I can't do five more years." "Not with these guys." "Who's the big guy?" "That's Elliot Wilhelm, Raji's bodyguard." "He's got this thing that he can raise one eyebrow, give you that look." "He wants to be in movies." "What, that's it?" "He just does the one eyebrow?" "As far as I know, he's gay, too." "Word is he once threw a guy out of a 30-story building for calling him a fag." "Well, he must've been mad." "Maybe if you didn't blow all your energy bangin' tourists, your voice wouldn't sound so flat." "Talkin' about a flat voice, you know what I'm sayin'?" "Yeah, that one was for me, so you just relax." "You're gonna end up doing fifty-cent lap dances at the First King" "like Miss Bangkok." "Chil, wait." "You don't know these guys." "They're bad guys." "Trust me, Linda, I know 'em a whole lot better than you do." "...doin' some ass-poppin' all up and down a pole." "You'd be up in that place goin' pop, pop, pop." "Pop, pop, pop." "What are you gonna say?" "Nothing more than I have to, if that." "Ass-poppin'." "Snap, crackle, pop!" "Chili, wait." "Man in the suit." "You in town for some kind of convention?" "No, but if I was, you'd be the man to see, am I right?" "Why would you say somethin' stupid like that?" "The way you're dressed, you're either a pimp or a limo driver." "We've got jokes?" "You some kind of weak-ass comedian?" "Raji, look at me." "I'm lookin' at you, man." "You say you're looking at me, but are you really looking at me?" "I'm really lookin' at you." "You got somethin' stupid to say?" "Say it, so I can be done with you." "Linda's quit." " She's out of the Chicks." " Man, miss me with that." "She's got five years left on her contract." "Well, I just cancelled it." "You come walkin' out of the dark." "Who you supposed to be?" "I'm the one setting' you straight." "I'm Linda's new manager." "Come on, honey." " Elliot, light his ass up." " Got it." "You're Elliot Wilhelm, aren't you?" "You're an actor." "Yeah." "I'm sorry." "Chili Palmer." "I'm a producer." "I did the film Get Leo." "Do you remember?" "Sure, yeah." "It's great to meet you." "You know, I walk into a club, and I see a guy like you, and I say, "He's got the look." "But does he have the talent?" "Can he act?"" "Watch this." "Elliot!" "Elliot!" "Goddamn, what you doin', man?" "What?" "Breathe." "Up." "Up." "You okay?" "Yeah." "You can do better than him." "Why don't you send me some pictures, I'll give you a call, set you up for an audition." "All right, I'm in the Will Smith building." "Linda, you better talk to me." "Good day." "It's like that, huh?" "Okay." "Okay!" "I got an audition, Raj." "I need to get my headshots." "Edie?" "Chili?" "Is that you?" "Yeah." "Man!" "So glad you came." "Well, I'm sorry, and if there's anything I can do..." "Thanks." "So, how are you doing?" "You know." "You were right there when it happened, weren't you?" "Well, I was in the men's." "But you were with him in his last hour, right?" "I..." "I've had him cremated, and I wanted to do something special with his ashes, you know." "Maybe something he'd like." "Do you got any ideas?" "Well, nothing that makes sense." "Say, Edie, is that an Aerosmith tattoo on your back?" "Yeah." "You know I followed them on tour, right?" "I didn't know that." "I thought Joe Perry was so hot." "Yeah?" "So you were a groupie?" "No, man, much worse." "I did their laundry." "They travel with their own washer and dryer." "I did everything except Steven's stage clothes." "You know, he likes to send those out." "So, Edie, I was thinking, you know, maybe I could help you out with NTL Records." "What makes you think I need your help?" "Nothin'." "Look, Chili..." "let me tell you somethin'." "I started NTL with Tommy." "Right." " Equal partners." " Yeah." "And who do you think found the Dub MD's?" "I did." "Tommy's gone." "And I'm devastated, but I'm not about to roll over." "I can run my own label." "If anybody could, it's you." "Hey, Edie." "Why don't you get your clothes on and let's get outta here, okay?" "Make you feel better." "Besides, I wanna talk to you about this girl Linda Moon." " Linda Moon?" " Yeah." "She's a singer." "Here, put this on." "You know, I never made it with any of those guys from Aerosmith." "Yeah?" "I played tennis with Tom Hamilton once, though." "Christ." "I was just a girl then." "You'll always be a girl." "Chil, thank you." " Who's this?" " That's Tiffany, Tommy's intern." "How ya doing?" "What's that?" "Pizza." "He means the urn, genius." "Tommy." "You know, the cops came by NTL last night." "They were asking me about you." "Yeah?" "What'd you say?" "Nothing." "Just that you were gonna make a movie about Tommy." "It'd have to be a short." "They take anything?" "Some boxes, a few files." "But I think what they were lookin' for was this." "Thanks." "Here." " Where'd you get this?" " Some guy with a Russian accent." "It's NTL." "You know, about a month ago, he starts coming by," "Iookin' for Tommy." "Tommy's in the office, what, like three hours a week?" "So, this last time, he takes a picture." "He comes in, doesn't even ask for Tommy," "lights it on fire, and just tosses it on my desk." "No questions, no nothing." "Two days later, he comes back and this time, Tommy's in." "So I interrupt his meeting, and I buzz him." "He comes flying out of his office, walks up to the guy, nails him right in the eye." "Just like that scene in Get Leo." "Then he tosses the guy on his ass right in the middle of the street." "I'm like, "Tommy, who the hell was that?"" "Insurance salesman." "Okay." "An insurance salesman." "Insurance scam." "I mean, geez, even I know that." "Guy takes a picture of your business, says either you pay up or he puts your place on fire." "Well, you know, Edie, that was Tommy's specialty in Brooklyn." "He sold protection." "He could write a book on the different ways to work it." "Did this guy have a toupee?" "Not after Tommy hit him." "Good morning." "Carosell Entertainment." "You see the Chicks lnternational?" "I think these girls are gonna be big, the next big act to break." " Take my word for this." " What's up, Nick?" "I'm telling you!" "This Linda Moon." "Is she a g-string diva or what?" "They give you wood?" "What's up, man?" "I need to talk to you, Nick." "They give me mahogany." "Goddamn teak." "You could deck the QE 2 with the wood they gave me." "Who even cares if they can sing?" "Look, man, Chili Palmer came up in the club." "I gotta" "You're still my bitch." "Love ya." "Out." "Man, we gotta talk about this Chili Palmer." "Robin, who's on three?" "Robert's on three, Marty's on four." "Don't be" "Marty, you pimp." "Make me smile." "Nick." "Nick, for real." "Look, I'm serious, man." "I need to talk to you here." " No." "No, you did not." " Can I talk to you for a minute, man?" "Marty, hold on a sec, will you?" "What do you want, Raj?" "It says in the paper that Chili Palmer used to be a gangster." "He was a hired hand." "You know him?" "Tell me what you want, Raj." "Linda Moon says she's gonna leave and have Chili Palmer be her manager." "She told you that?" "No, man, he told me that." "What'd you do?" "I told him she's got five years on her contract, you know." "You feel you had to explain it to him?" "You didn't kick his ass?" "Man, he hit Elliot right in the damn throat." "He broke him smooth down." "Wow." "What a surprise." "Elliot's a faggot." "Pussy." "You think it's cool to have a queer for a bodyguard?" "What good is he?" "Chili Palmer's no manager." "He's a talker." "You shoulda hit him in the mouth." "What he does is make movies about shylocks, 'cause that's all he was." "A shylock." "That's right." "He did that movie Get Lost." "That's my shit, man." "That shit was tight." "There is no way we are losing Linda Moon." ""A," she's under contract, and "B," she's under contract." "So, what's crackin'?" "You want Joe Loop." "Man, all I want is for Chili Palmer to disappear." "You want Joe Loop." "Yeah." "Joe Loop." "Loop." "Nick Carr said I should call." "Yeah, sure." "Well." "I got something foryou to take care of or do I need to call somebody else?" "No, no, no, no." "You don't understand." "I would love to." "Here's your breakfast, sweetie." "Pancakes again?" "Panca--Yes, pancakes again." "Baby, would you tell this girl when we were comin' up, all we had was sugar sandwiches?" "Please." "She does not know how good she has it." "She does not know how good she has it." " Bye, baby." " Bye, Mommy." "Bye, baby." "Deshawn, eat the pancakes, okay?" "I put cinnamon on there, there's butter, they're very good." "The strawberries are fresh." "Eat up." "We got ten minutes, okay?" "I don't want you to be late." "Top of the morning, Marge." "Top of the morning, Sin." "Ain't this somethin'?" "What's up, dawg?" "Must you play into the stereotypes?" "Turn that mess down." "This is the suburbs." "I'm on the damn Neighborhood Watch." " Who did it?" " Not me." "You know, that bitch owed me 300 grand." "I shoulda sent the coalition." "Now shit's gonna have to get ugly." "Ugly?" "Why you trippin'?" "It ain't like you need it." "Dabu, it's the principle." "Today it's 300 grand, tomorrow it's three million." "I gotta send a message." "I feel ya, dawg." "You talk to the PD?" "The police?" ""The poli--" The program director." "Check this out." "Well, hello, Mr. Program Director." "You see what happen when you don't spin my records?" "Good morning, guys!" "Hey, y'all, speak to my daughter." "Good morning, Deshawn!" "Deshawn, sweetie, why don't you go back inside?" "Okay?" "Daddy's having a little meeting." "I'll take you to school in my car." "Bye, guys!" "Good-bye, Deshawn!" "Okay, boo-boo." "All right." "Play my records!" "You hear me?" "Play!" "Play!" "Play my records!" "Play Dub Records!" "Dub MD's!" " Move yo' head." "Move it." " Stay still!" "She gone?" "I'm telling you, Edie, she's got a voice, she's got the attitude." " You're gonna love her." " Sounds like you love her." "Well, if you're asking me if I think she's talented, yes." "I can't believe this." "Condolences on a two-way and half of them are Tommy's ex-girlfriends." "Look, Chil, producing an album, you know, it's not like making a movie." "Good." "I think movies are too corporate." "I like to be spontaneous and creative." "I'm just saying, you know, the music biz is a bitch, you know?" "It's dangerous." "It's rough out there." "Believe me, I know." "That's why I loved working at MoMo's club, if you know what I mean." "What'd you do at MoMo's?" "You book bands?" "Not really." " Were you a bouncer?" " Not really." "You really were a shylock, weren't you?" "Did I tell you that she writes her own music?" "Here she is." "Here we go." "You ready to show off?" "Chili, look, I'm so sorry, but my damn replacement didn't show up." "I ended up stuck in the drive-through." "It's all right." "Calm down, calm down." "Edie, Linda." "Linda, this is Edie Athens." "This is Tommy's widow." "Hi." "Nice to meet you." " Look, I'm really sorry about being late." " Don't worry about it." "So Chili tells me you've got a great voice." "Really?" "Well, you do." "That is so sweet." "Thank you." "Is this where you play?" "I can't really afford my own piano, so they let me play here." "Come on, let's go hear you." "Yeah?" "Let's go." "Life is what you make it" "At least that's what they say" "Well, I think I'm gonna make it" "Fulfill my dreams someday" "I feel this fire growing" "Deep inside of me" "I'm so inspired knowing that it's my destiny" "I breathe like a champion" "I dream like a champion" "I see I'm a champion" "It's meant to be" "My will's getting stronger" "I can't wait any longer" "I'm singing a song that's inside of me" "'Cause I'm a believer" "I know that I can make it no matter what they say" "'Cause I'm a believer" "The future is now" "It starts today" "I'm impressed." "Did you write that song?" "Yeah." "It's called I'm A Believer." "Just tell us you got nine more just like it." "Forty more." "But as long as I can do 'em my way." "I like that." " Let's get you in the studio." " All right." "Good girl." "You weren't kidding." "I mean, the girl's got something." " She's amazing." " I told you." "I mean, the only thing is, you know, it costs a lot of money to break someone, you know?" "I mean, we gotta pay a mixer, a publicist." "Hey, look." " Steven Tyler's in town." " Yeah." "Aerosmith playing at the Staples Center." "Tell me Dream On is not the greatest rock 'n' roll song you ever heard." "You know what we oughta do, we oughta call him." " Call who?" " Steven." "Why?" "So he could listen to Linda's music, he could see for himself it's terrific, and maybe he'll help us launch her at his concert." " That's a great idea, Chil." " Yeah." "Hey, and maybe Bono and Sting'll come down and we could all cut a Christmas album." "You know him, don't you?" "Know him?" "Steven Tyler." "Chili, I know his socks!" "He's never gonna remember me." "Edie, you have a tattoo of Aerosmith on your ass." "You can't get a meeting with him?" "We want Steven Tyler, we get Steven Tyler." "I would let the music do the talking to me to tell me what lyrics to sing." "And even when I got caught up in not having anything pre-written." "which I never did." "I would scat to it." "It's just the music." "it's the funk." "It's the sound. it's the words." "it's the rhyme. it's the shit." "You can 't be creative unless you step outside a little bit." "It's..." "A little early, aren't you?" "Open house is on Sunday." " Yeah." " Hey, it's Chili Palmer." " Yo." "Chil." " How soon can you get here?" "2:00 A.M. and there's traffic on the 405." " Who's your friend?" " I don't know." "I come home and he's bleeding all over my one-sheet." "Is this the guy that did Tommy Athens?" "Nah." "That guy had a black eye and was wearing a rug." "This ain't no rug, pal." "This guy's got plugs." "I hate plugs." "It looks like doll's hair." "Personally, I think grafting's the only way to go." "The look's more natural." "That's, of course, 'cause they use your own hair." "Very interesting." "Now are you gonna help me out with him?" "Is that why you called me here?" "Yeah." "You're a big guy." "I don't want to do it alone." "Come on, up." "Get this wallet outta here before the cops come." "All right, set him down." "Here we go." "Ivan Surva" "He's Russian." "Been here for five months." "The guy that killed Tommy, he saw you, right?" " Yeah." " So you could l.D. him." "Then he sees your picture in the paper, then he sends doll hair guy here to take you out." "So while he was waiting for me, he got depressed and shot himself in the back?" "Good point." "Who are all these people trying to kill you?" "I don't know." "But I'm in the music business now." "It could be anybody." "Mugambo, my brother, you check out the Chicks?" "I told you, bro." "This Linda Moon--she's a belter." "Mugambo, I gotta jump." "Love you, bro." "Get me Raji on the phone." "What's up?" "It's Raji." "Hey." "Lowenthal." "Joe Loops was supposed to kill Chili Palmer." "Instead. he killed some goddamn Russian." "For real?" "You two better work this shit out or your ass is next." "Stupid-ass." "I gotta tell you the truth." "I never seen a hit like this before." "I mean, you actually gotta get in line to whack this guy." "How many men have you whacked, Joe?" "Why, you wanna be next?" "I'm asking you because you hit the wrong guy." "They serve one hell of a stuffed cabbage here, you know that?" "The thing that you wanna remember though is don't eat it too late because it tends to stay with you." "Yeah." "I'll definitely keep that in mind." "Where we at, Joe?" "We ain't nowhere." "I now gotta go find the right guy." "The thing is it'll cost you another five grand." "What are you talkin' about?" "Man, I already paid you." "You're the one who did the wrong guy." "Well, whose fault is that?" "It's your fault." "Tough shit." "That's the cost of doing business." "Look, you tell Nicky that there's now a new contract, and I need another five grand." "I can talk the deal with you, 'cause it's my contract, all right?" " That's why I'm here with you." " You can't talk shit." "You're Nicky's girl." "Me and Nick are partners." "We discuss all facets of the business together." "Be it music, be it underworld, girls." "Let me ask you a question." "Nice get-up you got." "How come he calls you his bitch?" "What?" "His bitch." "Why does he call you his bitch?" "What, mother--?" "!" "Did I stutter?" "What if I called you a fat, stupid guinea bee-yatch?" "Bee-yatch!" "I'd take this baseball bat that I got out in the back of my Cadillac, and I'd swat you across the mouth with it." "I said what if I called you that." "Hypothetically, just a scenario." "I wasn't actually saying it to you." "I'm always lookin' out." "I gotta operate." "I wanna make sure I got the right guy." "Now I need the right guy to get the right guy." "Now I want the five grand up front." "Tonight at the Mayan." "What?" "The what?" "Take the wax outta your goddamn ears." "The Mayan, downtown." "I never happen to have heard of the Mayan, so I was making sure I knew where it was." "You mean there's something you haven't heard of?" "Okay, man." "All right, take off." "Are we cool?" "Come on, man." "J. Leazy!" "What's up?" "My man!" " All right." "I feel that." " Take off." "Mad respect for not giving respect." "I feel you." "Let me tell you something." "Don't do that "J. Leazy" shit." "That's what your name is." "I don't like that." "Don't do it." "I'll see you at the Mayan club, my man." "Mad respect to you, Loop." "Stone-face killer." "Next time try to find something red to wear." "The future is now" "It starts today" "How about that?" "Yeah, that girl's voice is off the chain." "But I gotta say, she needs a sound." "What are you saying?" "That she can't sing?" "No." "Chili, that girl can totally sing." " What do you mean?" " But is she a star?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "Okay." "Take American Idol. okay?" "All those girls, they can sing, right?" "But who cares, right?" "Who are they?" "And then you take, like, J.Lo, and it's like that shit's been remixed so much," "I could be Jenny from the block." "Are you gonna produce this or not?" "Well, leave it to Tommy." "I mean, the last of the great spenders." "No wonder he kept the books locked up." "All right, because they're empty." "We don't own any of this stuff." "We're broke." "How can that be?" "I mean, you must have made a pile off of Dub MD's alone." "That's Weapons of Mass Destruction." "I know who they are." "Yeah, well, whatever we made off them, I can't find it in the books, which means we can't afford to record her, which means no masters, which means no CDs, which sure as hell means no more NTL Records." "Hello?" "So, what'd you think?" "I would love to produce your record." "And because I am going to produce it, it will rock." "That's great." "So Capitol can miss you for a few days?" "I think we can negotiate that." "Wait, you were with Capitol?" "I was supposed to meet an AR guy over there, but then I signed with Nick Carr." "Excuse me, Linda." "Did you just say you're under contract with Nick Carr?" "No, not anymore." "Actually, Chili told Raji that it was cancelled." "Linda?" "Why don't you take a break, honey?" "All right." "Chili, it doesn't work like that, okay?" "I mean, you've gotta get the contract back from him." "Otherwise, he still runs the show." "Edie, I was a shylock." "I know how these things work." "I've known Nicky for years." "You'll get your contract." "Slight problem." "This could be ugly." " Why is that?" " That's Sin LaSalle." "He manages and produces the Dub MD's." "Tommy owe him money?" "I would say yes." " Tiffany, man the phones." " Okay." "Hy, get in the office." "Look like you know what you're doing." "Edie, I want you behind the desk." "You're still the boss." "These guys need to see that NTL is still in business." "Okay." "Where should I hide the books?" "Leave them on the desk." "And whatever you do, don't mention the Russians." "Don't mention the Russians." "Okay." "No." "No, we're totally booked." "But that would've been good." "Hang on one second." "Sin, honey!" "How are you?" "Enough with the pleasantries." "Where's our money, Edie?" "Sin." "Sin LaSalle." "Man!" "What's up?" "!" "Come on!" "No?" "Okay, you know what?" "I totally get it, man." "I totally get it." "First of all, welcome to NTL." "Second of all, I wanna introduce myself." "Hy Gordon." "I know who you are." " See?" " Capitol Records." "Eight years ago, you turned down our demo, Hyman." "You know what, Sin?" "You know Capitol, man." "It's like art by committee over there, okay?" "Personally, I totally, totally dug all y'all's sound, all right?" "Seriously, I'm thinkin' about leavin' Capitol." "Look, Sin, you know, Tommy left his will a mess." "You know, if you just give us a few weeks" "Right." "Then I'd call up and the phone is disconnected." "Why don't you write us a check for 300 grand and we'll kindly be on our way." "Sin, you know we don't have that kind of money on hand." "Then I need to check your books." "Be cool." "Be cool?" "You don't know me." "I know you a whole lot better than you think I do." "Ivy League rich kid." "Goes to Wharton." "Gets an MBA." "Puts on some Timberlands and a throwback and suddenly you got street cred?" "Look, I'll tell you the truth, okay?" "The Russians took it." "The what?" "The Russians." "With one of those insurance scams." "You know, like "give us half a mil and we won't kill you"?" "And, Sin, you knew Tommy, right?" "I mean, he never wanted any trouble." "I mean, he gave him everything we have, but these Russians, okay, these monsters, they're animals." "They kept on coming back for more and more, so Tommy told 'em get lost." "To make a long story short I'm a widow now." "Oh, my God." "Excuse me, Chuckles." "It's my wife's cousin." "I really enjoyed that story, Edie." "I mean, Russians." "Russians." "I know it's hard, but" "I'm a highly educated man." "Sincerely, you don't expect me to believe a story about some Russians." "Now, I suggest that you open up those books or things gonna get real ugly up in here." "Sin, the books are none of your business." "You'll get the money when NTL has it." "Dabu." "Thank you." "Thank you!" "Poppin' me is not gonna do you any good." "But if you wait till Friday, I get you your money plus the vig." "Plus the vig." "All right." "All right, okay." "Everybody cool out." "Everybody calm down." "Calm down, calm down." "Wait, so you sayin' plus the vig?" "Plus the vig." "All right." "Okay." "All right, all right, cool." "All right, we gonna do this." "Dabu." "Bu!" "Never get to shoot nobody!" "Never!" "Don't never let me do what I wanna do!" "You know, it's a long day, man." "You'll get a chance to kill somebody, all right?" "Calm down." "We got some other stops to make today." "All right, so I'm not gonna kill y'all today." "Now, I'll be generous." "But come Friday, if you don't have my money, the next meeting I arrange will be between you and Tommy Athens, if you get what I'm sayin'." "I feel ya." "You feel me." "You" "Dabu." "Player." "The vig." "I mean, what's a vig?" "Oh, my God." "What are we gonna do?" "You're gonna give him your fancy equipment, okay?" "Or you're gonna have a garage sale." "We're not selling anything." "Hey, where are you goin'?" "Gotta see Nicky Carr." "Black Eyed Peas are playing tonight, if you're interested." "You say there's a dark parking lot by the Mayan, right?" "Why you trippin' on me, Elliot?" "Are you still crying over that Chili Palmer shit?" "No." "He just--he said he was gonna call me, that's all." "And did he call you back?" "He's just messing with your head, man!" "Ain't no Samoan faggot going by the name Elliot Wilhelm is gonna make it to the big screen." "Raisin' a goddamn eyebrow." "I understand shit like this 'cause I ain't a homo." "Once you turn faggot, you lose all self-respect." "You're not wired right." "Man, what the hell you stoppin' the car here for?" "Man, you crazy?" "You move the car, we can all get to work." "Man, why you stopping the car here, man?" "What are you doin'?" " Get your ass back in the car." " I'm gonna kick your ass." "Steering wheel's in the front of the car, fool." "What's up?" "What?" "You say it again and I quit." "What'd I say?" "The faggot thing?" "The homo?" "Man, I'm walkin'." "I ain't even trippin', man." "I'm--What'd I say?" "What'd I say?" "Okay, Elliot, I know you frustrated with all this bodyguard shit and whatnot." "I smell you, man." "I feel you pain." "This shit's temporary." "Stop crowding' my shit." "When I signed you four years ago," "I said, "Man, that man can sing."" "I said, "He's gonna be a big star." A big star, man." "That's why I laid out all the paper to put you up in a video." "I put paper down, man, to put you in a video." "Right?" "No one else on this damn beach has a video." "Man, I love you like a brother." "I used to bag on you all the time." "Man, you trippin'." "Why you doin' that, man?" "Wanna take a shot at me, kid?" "Do it." "Do it!" "I'm just sayin' if that's what this is gonna be, then it's gonna be that." "But I would prefer to stay on the same page." "Man, let your voice be your ladder." "Man, I'm serious." "This acting shit got you acting crazy, man." "What's up?" "You know I love you, man." "Come on, man." "E. Weazy!" "Come on, baby!" "E. Weazy!" "Come on, baby." "E. Weazy." "Come on, I'm clowning', baby." "You know I'm clowning'." "Turn around 'cause you know I'm clowning'." "Come on, player, stop hatin'." "Stop hatin'." "Start participating'." "Start participating', star." "Come on, twinkle, twinkle, baby." "Twinkle, twinkle." "Come on, Larry." "You sound like an AR guy." "I'm bangin' the phones like a goddamn wild man." "Larry, I'll call you back." "I heard Sean Penn lives up here." " You see him much?" " Not as much as I'd like." "How'd you get in here?" "Your maid left the back door open." " I don't have a maid." " I can tell." "Come on." "Get out of here before I have to shoot you." "Nah, Nicky, sit down and stop being such a hard-on." "So, Mr. Red Hot Chili Pepper." "I heard you were at the Viper Room." "So Raji told you about Linda Moon." "She's something else, huh?" "The heart and soul of that group." "I'm telling you, bro, the Chicks are gonna be big." "How's that?" "By singing songs from the '70s?" "Don't laugh." "You see, you're a movie guy, so you don't know, but the music biz, it goes in cycles." "It's like Linda." "When I signed her, girl power was dead." "It was the era of the singer-songwriter." "But now the market's flooded." "What do the labels want?" "Girl groups." "Nicky, look at me." "I am." "I want Linda's contract." "If you want to produce Linda's album, great." "I'm sure you can even get a buck a record." "But I got her booked into some major gigs, bro." "And I'm two seconds away from getting her a deal." "You mean you've had Linda for two years and you've never gotten her a record deal?" "Chili, a trio is not born overnight." "I've had her for three days, and I already got her a label." "So it looks like we don't need you, Nicky." "Let's get something straight." "This isn't the movies." "You can't tell everyone you're a wise guy and charm their pants off." "This is the music business." "We're all wise guys." "All right, wise guy, I'll make you a deal." "Carosell, which is the dumbest name I've ever heard for a company, gives me Linda Moon's contract, and if you ever threaten her in any way, you'll regret it for as long as you live, if that." "That's some deal." "What's in it for me?" "I'll just make-believe that that dead Russian that I found in my house had nothing to do with you." "You don't know what you're doing, Chil." "What makes you even think Linda could make it on her own?" "She's got me." "He's gonna cry till I tell him that I'll never roam" "So, Chattanooga Choo-Choo, won't you choo-choo me home?" "So, you're like a rapper now?" "Sniff Doggy Doo-doo." "You clownin' my gear again?" "You know you like this, Joe." "Come on, Joe!" "You know my style makes the ladies smile." "They just started Chattanooga Choo-Choo." "I love that song." "I can't believe they did that." "Damn, man." "I wish I coulda heard that." "I like a good choo-choo song." "Look, do you want your money or what, my man?" "First off, I ain't your man, you asshole." "You remember my driver Elliot." "Elliot, give this man the envelope." "Ain't you gonna count it?" "Nick ain't got the balls to stiff me." "I like that idea you had about having a bat in the car." "I had my man Elliot go out and get one." "A red bat!" "You don't send a queer to get a bat." "They like these shiny queer things." "What you want--It's not your fault" "What you want is a wood bat." "See, like a Louisville Slugger." "Let me see." "Hold this for me, please." "Thank you." "You see, a bat like this, it messes up a kid's swing." "You gotta take too long of a swipe across the plate, you see?" "He never develops those fast hands you're gonna need for the majors, you understand?" "I don't know how fast it's gotta be for my needs, you know what I'm sayin' to you?" "I ain't gonna be up in no majors-- You like that one, huh?" "Here's your sandwich." "What's up?" "Raji, I think he's chokin'." "You clownin' me?" "Joe, are you clownin' with me?" "You don't ever disrespect me!" "One!" "Raji, Raji, Raji." "Damn." "He's dead." "Man!" "Talk all that shit, man." "This right here, this was the cost of doin'... business!" "All I want is some appreciation, Elliot." "Chili Palmer don't realize how hard I work for Linda Moon." "I tried to make her a superstar!" "What do I expect in return?" "What do I expect in return?" "My name on the damn CD so small you can barely read the damn thing!" "And where's that at?" "Where's that always at?" "On the back, at the bottom." ""Produced by Raji."" "In tiny little letters, man!" "And I will not let him take that from me!" "Now it's time I got some respect!" "I will straight smoke Chili Palmer!" "I didn't take you for a Black Eyed Peas fan." "Well, when they hooked up with Sergio Mendes, they won me over." "Do you ever think about becoming a singer?" " A singer?" " Yeah." "Me?" "Nah." "But I was a real live Vegas showgirl once." " Really?" " Yeah." "As soon as I was done washing clothes, I got lucky." "One of those Tropicana revues, you know?" "Thanks." "Chili, I worked so hard starting NTL." "I'm a bit too old to go back to Vegas." "I want you to stop worrying." "We're gonna meet Steven Tyler." "You know, I would've liked to seen you dance." "Yeah?" "Well, you still can." "Yeah?" "How's that?" "Do you dance, Chili?" "Me?" "I'm from Brooklyn." "Okay, so we walk in the Staples Center with Linda's CD." " Right." " And then what?" "We put a gun to Steven's head and say, "Linda's playing with Aerosmith."" "You really like the music business, don't you, Chil?" "Love it." "Me, too." "Tommy and me, we had a few records on the air, but I'd just like one time to turn on the radio and say, "That's my song." "I produced that."" "Somethin', somethin' with soul." "You know?" "Your hair's different, huh?" "Yeah." "I had it trimmed." "Good night, Chili." "All right." "Drive safe." "That's the pawn shop my friend from the OC told me about." "It's surrounded by the Feds." "They're watching these Russians." "There he is." " Oh, yeah." " His name's Roman Bulkin." "What are you doin'?" "Are you crazy?" "They know what you look like." "What are you gonna tell 'em?" "No more than I have to, if that." " One twenty-two." "George." " That's 4-8-8 Sunset." "Subject's approaching northwest corner." "You've got a lot of balls." "I wouldn't do that if I were you." "There's half a dozen undercover cops outside." "Don't give 'em a reason to come in." "Nyet!" "Now, did you take this picture?" "Go to hell, you greasy wop son of a bitch." "Now you're the one that's gonna need protection." "You go now." "Is that chest hair real?" "Roman, look at me." "The next time you send someone over to kill me, make sure I'm home." "Have a nice day." "Yes!" "Like that?" "Scorchin'!" "Mr. Palmer." " How are you doin', Marla?" " All right." " You got a second?" " Sure." "So, what are you doing here, Mr. Palmer?" "Well, you know, when I was a kid, I went to a Jimi Hendrix concert and this pawn shop here has got a '68 Stratocaster, the same guitar he used to play." "And the guy won't sell it to me." "This guy look familiar to you?" "Maybe from back in your Brooklyn days?" "Yeah." "That's Joe Lupino." "Joe Loop." "Is that his head shot?" "Couple's in Griffith Park last night, two dudes pulled in, one of them's wearing one of those pimp hats, they pop the trunk, toss out a body that's been worked over by a baseball bat." "It's Joe Loop." " Baseball bat, huh?" " Baseball bat." "Yeah, and they pulled a Mama Cass on him, too." "The coroner found half a ham sandwich stuffed down his throat." "You wouldn't happen to know what Joe was up to, now, would you?" "No, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was in the record business." "Think it coulda been a mob hit?" "Maybe." "Except for the ham sandwich." "There he is." "Right there." "See the two seats next to him?" "That's where we are." "Come on." "Chil." "Do you think Steven's gonna remember me?" "Edie, believe me, you're hard to forget." "Come on." " Edie, over there." " Got it." " How'd you get these seats?" " I have a friend." "They're incredible." "Your attention. please." "At the conclusion of tonight's game." "listen for the Laker wrap-up show on your Laker flag..." "Oh, my God!" "Look at you!" "Baby, you look gorgeous." "Oh, my God!" "You look incredible!" " How are you?" " I'm great!" "Well, look at you." "Look how those legs go up and make an ass out of themselves." "You still got that Aerosmith tattoo on your ass?" "Where would it go?" "It's working." "Well, I tell you what, why don't you park that right there?" "Tell me something." "What was that stuff you put in our clothes?" "Do you mean the lavender water?" "Yeah, the lavender water." " I can't believe you" " I'll never forget that smell." "Joe Perry's still talking about that." "Oh, my God!" "Steven, I want you to meet my very good friend." "It's an absolute honor to meet you." "The shylock." "Yeah." "I saw you on Larry King." "It was you and..." " Ariel Sharon." " That was a hell of a show." " Yeah, thanks, man." " Yeah." "Robert, listen to me." "There's no problem." "No one's left the Chicks." "We're gonna play the gig, bro." "Ciao." "Linda's gonna play the gig?" "What do you think?" "Where the hell is Joe Loop?" "I haven't seen him." "Not since I paid him." "Gave him what he had coming." "Christ." "I'm bangin' the phones from dawn till dusk." "Bobby finally wants the Chicks to play Last Samurai, but we don't have Linda." "I feel you, man." " My man." " My man." "You guys will never guess who I saw today." "Chili Palmer." "Has anyone not seen him?" "I'm at the Boot Barn on Sunset, and I see him talking to this cop in a Crown Vic." "You guys remember the pawn shop by the bakery?" "Yeah, I know that place." "Stolichnaya?" "It's thick with Russians." "Well, one of 'em walks out, points his fingers like a gun at Chili." "Jesus Christ." "The guy in Chili's house, the dead guy?" "I read in the paper he was Russian." "So?" "So these Russians are probably the ones that killed Tommy Athens." "And they know Chili can identify 'em." "Why you trippin', man?" "Why am I trippin'?" "I'm trippin', G, 'cause there is actually someone who wants Chili Palmer dead more than me." "I say we help him get what he wants." "Bam!" "I'm a believer" "The future is now" "It starts today" "Damn, she's good!" "She sings, she writes her own stuff." "She got it going on." "Not only does she write her own stuff," "I mean, she's got the voice, she's got the look." "This girl's the whole package." "She wanted me to put her in a movie." " You know, struggling singer" " That makes it big." "Exactly." "Look, she sounds cool, don't get me wrong, but I gotta tell you guys," "I'm not one of those singers who shows up in movies." "I made it this far without having to do it." "No, Steven." "We don't want you to be in a movie with her." "Then what's this all about?" "I know that look, Chili." "I mean, what are you thinkin'?" "I'm thinkin' of a song." "One of yours, Steven." "Sweet Emotion." "Sweet Emotion." "I love that song." "I mean, it's a classic." "Do you mind my asking you, what were you thinking when you wrote that?" "What was I thinking about?" "Man, at that point in my life, Chil, we were neck deep in Toys in the Attic." "I mean, I had this high." "This buzz was going on, see?" "This incredible emotion like I never felt before." "Or maybe it was just the rock 'n' roll." "That is interesting." "Would you like to know what I think?" "I don't think it was the rock 'n' roll." "I think it was your daughters." "My daughters?" "Mia, Liv." "Nah." "They were babies back then." "That's right." "And you were a father for the first time, feeling things you had never felt before." "It's different than music and tours." "This was pure." "You wanted to be with them, you wanted to protect them." "No." "This high you were feeling, that wasn't rock 'n' roll." "It wasn't?" "It was the love you felt for your girls." "That sweet emotion." "It was." "You're right." "I never thought about it like that." "You see, Steven, you and me, we're not that different from each other." "That's why you can understand why we care about this girl Linda Moon." "I'll give it some thought." "Yes!" "You know what else..." "I can't believe Linda's gonna play with Aerosmith." "How about this idea?" "We get Linda to do a duet with Steven and use his name to promote her CD." "Oh, my God, that's genius, Chil." "You know, there's something I've been wanting to do for a long time." "Yeah?" "What is that?" "Don't move." "Did you put the TV on?" "No." "I didn't think so." "Stay here." "He took a second look at you" "But he's in love with me" "Well." "I don't know where that leaves you" "Oh. but I know where I stand" "'Cause you ain't woman enough to take my man" "Elliot, what are you doing?" "I've been waiting on your ass all night." "Got so goddamn bored, I made some tea, I put in my video." "You broke into my house?" "You told me you were gonna call me." "I left you a message two days ago." "Elliot, I said I would get you the audition, and I will." "When?" "When?" "!" "What the hell are you waiting for?" "If you don't mind my saying, I don't like your attitude one bit." "Now apologize." "I'm sorry, Chili." "All right." "It's..." "I bought a brand-new suit, I bought new shiny red boots," "I got my new headshots done." "I even prepared a monologue from Bring It On." "Well, then do it." "Well." "I don't know where that leaves you" "Oh. but I know where I stand" "I said" "You guys have to go to nationals!" "What is this, hush money?" "We don't need you." "Why are you so mean?" "I'm just trying to be strong for my squad." "And I'm trying to make it right." "You wanna make it right?" "Then when you go to nationals bring it!" "I'll bring it!" "Don't worry." "I never do." "Scene." "Is that the only monologue that you got?" " Yeah." " Okay." "Well, that wasn't bad, but you gotta remember, when you're doing a monologue, you don't do both parts of the conversation." "You choose one continuous speech." "And you might think about doing a part that's written for a man." "Right." "Now, you sing, right?" "Yeah." " Raji directed the video, though." " Well, I like it, I like it." "But you might think about singing a man song." "Okay." "Yeah." "Thanks." " Thanks." "Thank you." " All right." "Come on, give me that eyebrow thing." "Look at that." "I mean, that's somethin'." "When are you gonna call me?" "When your phone rings." "Okay." "All right." "You guys can keep the tape." "I got another one." " Thank you." " All right." " Thank you." " See you, Elliot." "Red aluminum." "I hear we can help each other." "So I've got ten seconds alone with Madonna, right, and I'm like, "Look, I sat front row at Blonde Ambition tour." "I am not intimidated by your sexuality--"" "What's up?" " We heard about Aerosmith." " How about that?" "Where the hell was I, you guys?" "I mean..." " Where's Linda?" " I don't know, man." "Linda hasn't shown up." "I haven't seen her since yesterday." "What do you mean she hasn't shown up?" "I'll call her." "Linda." "Do I sound like Linda. bitch?" "Who is that?" "Yo, Vanilla Ice, just put her on the damn phone." "Miss Moon's about ready to go on stage right now." "You wanna talk to her." "you best wait till after the show." "Bee-yatch!" "What are we gonna do?" "They're making her perform." "I'll handle this." "Itchi gitchy ya-ya da-da" "Mocha-choca-latta ya-ya" "Creole Lady Marmalade" "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?" "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?" "We come through with the money and the garter belts" "Let 'em know we 'bout that cake, straight out the gate" "We independent women, some mistake us for whores" "I'm sayin', why spend mine when I can spend yours" "Disagree?" "Well, that's you, and I'm sorry, I'ma keep playin'..." "This ain't no damn negotiation." "We got a contract." "You're making a mistake here, believe it." "You want your money, you better get your ass out there on stage." "I ain't doing this." "You gonna perform or not?" "How about not?" "Hi, honey." "Hiya, Chil." "We were just talking to your friend Linda here about the kind of Spice Girl cash she can make if she stays with the Chicks." "Well, I can see by the dressing room that it's just a preview of good things yet to come." "At least we can afford to record her." "Don't think I don't know that NTL is broke." "Come on, honey." "Let's go." "You know what?" "This is bullshit." "You wanna go?" "After all I did for you?" "Fine." "But let me tell you something, sweetheart." " You're a dime a dozen." " That's right." "We got gigs lined up, recording sessions scheduled." "There are dozens of girls who are dying to take your place." "Here." "You want her so bad, you're gonna need this." "What is this?" "It's where Linda's contract is." "Are you trying to set me up, Nicky?" "I don't go by that name anymore." "Then why don't I call you Joe Loop?" "Seeing how he doesn't use his name anymore, either." "What are you talking about?" "Nicky, look at me." "Do you even know where Joe Loop is?" "How the hell do I knowwhere he is?" "Why don't you ask Sisqo?" "Man, we can handle this shit like gentlemen, or we can get into some gangsta shit!" "You shouldn't talk shit about what you don't know." "What?" "Do you mean that you beat Joe Loop with a bat and dumped his body in Griffith Park?" "Raj, what the hell is he talking about?" "He's just talkin'." "It's impossible that you're this stupid." "That's probably his gun you got stuck in your waist there." "Look, all I know is Raji told me to come here if I wanted my money for the Viper Room gigs." "Now, are you gonna pay me or not?" "Am I gonna pay you or not?" "Are you gonna honor your goddamn contract or not?" "!" "Then you get paid!" "This man can't do shit for you!" "Oh, yeah?" "Then why is she playing with Aerosmith this weekend?" "What?" " Yeah!" " Oh, my God!" "We'll leave some tickets for you at will call." " You didn't tell me!" " Yeah!" "You hit the goddamn hit man." "The man was bad at his job, man!" "Yeah." "Just like you, stupid-ass." " Look, you know what?" " What?" " I'm so sorry, Chil, for real." " Why is that?" "Because I didn't even wanna come here." "Raji said he was gonna pay me the money he owes me, and I'm broke, so..." "Look, at least we can get my contract back." "Believe me, honey, there is no contract." "This whole pawn shop thing's a set-up." "It's Nicky Carr's way of getting my head blown off." "What's this?" "Well, now imagine my surprise." "We out getting Mongolian barbecue, and we come across your little weak-ass ride." "Did you leave any food in Mongolia?" "What do you get on those Hummers, about, what, 12 miles to the gallon?" "Nine." "Thank you, Mr. Goodwrench." "Now, I told you you had till Friday." "Your time is running out." "I know how the days-of-the-week thing works." "You'll get your money." "Well, consider this a courtesy call." "Because come tomorrow, my nine gonna be a lot less courteous." "Since you are being so courteous, I'd like you to meet Linda Moon." "Linda, this is Sin." "And Dabu." "Yeah, I know who you are." "You did the remix on Samurai Soul's album, right?" "Linda Moon." "You the girl with" "Could you make your dining experience a little less obtrusive?" "So, you the girl with that big voice I've been hearing so much about." "If you ever decide to get out the bargain basement, maybe I can remix a song for you." "No." "You're too pricey for us, Sin." "A brother gotta get paid, right?" "Miss Moon." "Chop, chop." "Yeah." "Dabu." "Player." "Damn." "Can you stop playing with that thing?" "You ain't gonna figure out your two-way, Elliot." "Why don't you take a break and daydream about things that you like, man?" "Like, you know, flying on a unicorn with chocolate-covered cherries raining." "I'm not the one who disrespected you, Raji." "Nick did." "Not me." "Nick." "Man, Nick ain't even my boss." "How's he gonna do me like that?" "We're supposed to be partners." "Damn." "Raji, Nick left a message for you." "If you go near Linda, he'll see that you suffer excruciating pain and never walk again in your life." "In other words, he'll break your legs." "Why's he gotta say it all poetic like that?" "Why can't he just say "I'm gonna break your legs," man?" "Nice ass won't get you through your whole life!" "When you turn 30, you better have a personality." "You don't need him anymore, Raj." "I say it's time you took Nick out." "What about Chili Palmer, genius?" "Man, you can't even work your pager, you sittin' there scheming'." "You'll get to Chili in good time." "Don't worry about Chili." "Nick's the problem." "Man, if I take Nicky out, all roads lead to me, Elliot." "You don't think about shit, man." "Not if it ain't you who does it." "I'm talking about a set-up, bro." "Hello." " Sin LaSalle?" " Yeah." "Who wants to know?" "Shut your punk-ass mouth!" "NTL owes you 300 large. right?" "Chili Palmer was gonna pay you, but Nick Carr says, "Sin LaSalle?" "Man, I wouldn't give my money to that Alabama porch monkey."" "Alabama porch mo-- Nick Carr said that?" "Man. you heard me. fool!" "He told Chili to give him the 300 grand instead, in exchange for some contract and whatnot." "Look, man, you want your chips?" "Do you want your chips?" "Then you best see Nick Carr." "C-A-R." "If I want my chips?" "Yeah, I want my chips." "Who is this?" "I'm the one schooling' you, son." "That is beautiful." "You did it." "Man, let's get some Roscoe's up in this bitch." "You want some chicken breast?" "Some collards?" "Some yams?" "Some waffles, man?" "Extra syrup." "I love Roscoe's." "You know, I never told you this." "You know what I love about Roscoe's?" "I could take one drumstick and put it in my mouth and suck all the meat off it at one time and then just pull out that bone." "Don't be puttin' your sucked-on drumstick with my chicken breast." "You better keep that shit-- I'm serious, man." "You better keep that shit separate." "The only thing wet on that shit better be the syrup." "What's up?" "It's Raji." " Hey, baby." " Hi, Daddy." " How you doin'?" " Good." "Yeah." " School was good?" " Yeah." "You had a good day at school?" "You know what, we gonna skip ice cream today." "Let's drop her off real quick." "Yeah." "Detective, my husband was an amazing man." "Please." "But he didn't leave NTL in the best financial position." "Well, we spoke with his assistant Tiffany, and she told us about an incident involving an insurance salesman?" "Yes." "Are you okay?" "Yeah." "Fine." "Mrs. Athens." "Please, call me Edie." "Well, Edie, we have reason to believe that this gentleman was not an insurance salesman at all." "Really?" "I don't understand." "Do you think it's possible that your husband was involved with the the Russian mafia?" "The Russian mafia?" "I mean, not that I know of, but..." "I did find something." "Maybe this will help." "I found it in Tommy's desk drawer." ""Nick Carr." It's a pawn ticket." "Pawn ticket." "I wanna pick this up." "Get your black ass out of here." "You know what you tell a man with two black eyes?" "Nothin'." "He's already been told twice." "Now, are you gonna get me what I came for or are we gonna have a problem?" "Da." " An envelope?" " That's it." "They bought it." "You're up." "How much can I get for this?" "And don't worry, your hair looks fine." "Damn!" "I'm walkin', man!" "I'm walkin'!" "Have you lost your" "Sit yo' ass down." "I'm fine, I'm fine!" "Hang up the phone, Nick." "Stop it!" "Shit, man." "Good-bye, Marty." "Sin, good to see you, bro." "Sit yo' ass down." "Sin, I can explain it to you." "You best hope you didn't lie to us." "I'm just sayin' if I could explain what happened, we could maybe get on the same page here." "You know what I'm sayin'?" "Jesus Christ." "What the hell's going on?" " It's a misunderstanding." " Shut yo' ass up!" "Your man here says you got our money." "I can explain it to you." " Raji said that?" " It's a misunderstanding." "Would you shut it up?" "!" "...excited here, man." "Let me tell you something." "NTL owes us 300 grand." "Now, from my understanding," "Chili Palmer took that money, gave it to you for some contract." "Raji said that?" "He's full of shit." "Watch what you say, 'cause we will drop his ass." "Take him outside." "Fine." "Come on, man, easy!" "Don't land on my Porsche." "Man!" "This ain't cool, man!" "Come on, man." "Pull me up, man!" "You can't hang me like this!" "Stop this shit, man!" "It's a long way, man!" "Come on, man." "Pull me up, man!" "Come on." "There's cameras all over this bitch, man." "You're gonna be all over the surveillance, man." "I'm asking you, please!" "Help!" "Help!" "Stop playin', man!" "Stop bullshitting', man!" "Man, there's a law office down there, man!" "I'ma wake the lawyers up." "Lawyers, what's up?" "Lawyers, can you see me?" "It's Raji from Carosell." "C-A-R-O" "I'm gonna drop yo' ass." "You can't hit me, man." "You can't hang me over a thing and hit me!" "Pull my ass up!" "Sin, my bro." "Would you cut the "my brother" shit?" "You're insulting my mother." "I'm not in business with Chili Palmer." "I'm the one trying to get him out." "The piece of shit stole my act." "You son of a bitch." "You set me up." "Who the hell are you?" "I give you ticket, and you tell me Chili Palmer come to my store and I kill him." "But nyet." "No Chili come." "Yo, Tolstoy." "Take a number." "The cops come with ticket." "Cops?" "What cops?" "Excuse me, Vladimir?" "I don't know how they do it in the Ukraine, but I believe I was here first." "Be cool, nigger." "Nigger?" "Look, you don't understand." "This is how Chili Palmer operates." "It's like a game between us." "He knows I tried to set him up, so he did it right back to me." "Then game is over." "No more set-ups." " No more..." " You know that video's got you!" "nigger cops." "Have you lost your mind?" "I mean, how is it that you can disrespect a man's ethnicity when you know we've influenced nearly every facet of white America, from our music to our style of dress, not to mention your basic imitation of our sense of cool" "walk, talk, dress, mannerisms." "We enrich your very existence, all the while contributing to the gross national product through our achievements in corporate America." "It's these conceits that comfort me when I'm faced with the ignorant, cowardly, bitter and bigoted who have no talent, no guts, people like you who desecrate things they don't understand when the truth is you should say, "Thank you, man,"" "and go on about your way." "But apparently, you're incapable of doing that." "So..." "My bad, dawg." "And don't tell me to be cool." "I am cool!" "Racial epithets." "Why does it always come down to that?" "Makes me sad for my daughter." "You need money?" "I got you!" "I got you." "Focus." "Sin, I'm the one who promoted you." "I'm the reason you're even owed 300 grand." "I'm telling you, you want Chili Palmer." "Pull my ass up!" "Bring his ass back inside." "All right, I want y'all to give it up and lay it down for a good friend of mine--Linda Moon!" "There was a time when I was so broken-hearted" "Love wasn't much of a friend of mine" "The tables are turned, yeah" "'Cause me and them ways have parted" "But that kind of love was the killing kind" "Yeah" "All I want is someone I can't resist, yeah" "I know all I need to know by the way that you kiss" "I was cryin' when I met you" "Now I'm tryin' to forget you" "Your love was sweet misery" "I was tryin' just to get you" "Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you" "Do what you do down on me" "Baby" "'Cause what you got inside" "It ain't where your love should stay, yeah" "Our love, sweet love, ain't love till you give your heart away" "Yeah" "I was cryin' when I met you" "Now I'm tryin' to forget you" "Your love was sweet misery" "Baby" "I was tryin' just to get you" "Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you" "Do what you do down on" "Baby, baby, baby" "Baby, baby" "She's a diva." "Told you." "She's gonna be huge." "Ain't that right, Joe Perry?" "Baby, yeah" "I was cryin' just to get you" "Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you" "Do what you do, what you do down on" "Baby, baby, baby, baby" "Baby, baby" "Yeah" "Linda Moon!" " Linda Moon!" " That's right." "Give it up, L.A.!" "I said Linda Moon!" "You expect me to follow that?" "That was incredible." "I feel like I can't even breathe right now." "Well, 20,000 people will do that to you." "Oh, my God." "Listen, you were great." "Good luck." "And you know, the crowd's only gonna get bigger for you." " Thank you." " See ya." "Linda Moon!" "Careful what you wish for." "What about our girl, huh?" " She was amazing!" " Amazing." " To Linda Moon." " To Linda Moon." "To you." "You know, you said something when Elliot was here, that you wanted to do something." "What was that?" "I think it might've been something like this." "Are you just using me to get into the music business?" "Edie, I like you." "Good." "Wake up." " What is it?" " Listen!" "What's wrong?" "I didn't leave the stereo on." "It sounds like Knockin' On Heaven's Door." "All right, I'll check it out, I'll check it out." "Evening, gentlemen." "Interesting choice of music." "That cold black cloud's comin' down." "Gotta love Dylan, man." "Biograph." "It's a great album." "You know, we wouldn't have this song without it." "But we would've." "Because, you see, Dylan wrote that originally for that Peckinpah movie with James Coburn." "You're in no position to correct me." "It was to a soundtrack." "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid." "Yup." "Same song they played when Slim Pickens died in his wife's arms." "Right?" "This man knows his westerns." "Good movie." "Gentlemen, thank you very much for that VH1 moment in music history." "Time's up." "I want my money." "All right, well, tomorrow you come by the office and we'll deal with it." "How bad you want this?" "Knowwhat that is?" "It's Linda Moon's contract." " Nick Carr give you that?" " Much to his dismay." "Now, that 300 grand you owe me?" "I just doubled it." "And you got one minute to come up with my money." "And at the end of that time," "I wanna smell money or smell blood." "It's your choice." "Sin, I want you to hear something." "I don't wanna hear shit." "You call that a minute?" "You don't even have to say nothin'." "I already know." "I know." "I can't help it, man!" "Don't give me no gun, then." "You know what I'm gonna do." "Look, Sin, you're a music producer." "You gotta hear this." "Look, shoot me later, but hear this now." "Like you've been left alone." "but you know deep down you're wrong" "I wonder. have you ever. ever felt a little unsure" "But then again secure?" "Tell me. have you ever felt just like letting go?" "What the hell is going on here?" "Ain't no reason" "I'm playing Sin the CD." "Yeah." "I noticed." "Sorry to wake you, Edie." "But your girl here's got a good voice." "I mean, the first song was nice, but this one-- powerful lyrics-- just resonates with me." "You know what Sin said, he said it's all there, he just needs to put his touch on it." "That's it." "That's exactly what I said." "So, how is Sin proposing to do this?" "Let me produce her." "I'll fatten up her sound, give her some edge." "Maybe even add in a little--a little a little blues guitar." "Yeah, huh?" "Man's got a point, Edie." "Nothin' against Hy Gordon, but the man is white." "That's true, Sin." "But what's that gonna cost me?" "Well, just a producer's credit." "And a little something on the back end." "Which could end up being millions." "Only if I make it a hit." "Tea?" "What's with the finger?" "What's that?" "That's not gangsta." "That's not gangsta." "Got you." " What do you want." "Raj?" " Sin LaSalle produced her single." "So?" "Man, that bitch hung me out a window!" "Now he gets to be a producer?" "I ain't having' it." "At least he's not hanging out at strip clubs in the middle of the day." "Listen to me." "Chili called." "He said Linda played with Aerosmith and killed." "Tried to offer me some kind of a back-end bullshit deal to promote her." "Can you believe the balls on this guy?" "So what you sayin'?" "He's gonna make her a big star?" "Not if he's dead." "Are you sayin' we can smoke him?" "I'm saying you and Elliot take care of him." "And I'll forget you tried to take me out." "Elliot, you home?" "Elliot?" "Chili Palmer." "I got you an audition on a Nicole Kidman picture." "It's next Tuesday at 3: 00." "Give me a call." "No, he ain't." "Delete that shit." "I love that blues guitar." "It's nice." "I mean, it's lyrical, but it's tough now." "I could almost see the video." "We should get Shotgun to do the video." "Now, he tight." "We'll never get him." "The man's the Scorsese of music videos." "It won't happen." "The man was my production assistant on Get Leo." "I'll get him." "Linda!" "It was beautiful." "but when you do the hip thing." "I need like a--more hip." "Like a...sexier hip." "Like a bigger. sexier hip." "You--you'll do it." "I'll be back." "Okay?" "Right on action." "It's late." "Shouldn't you and Baby Huey be sleeping?" "That's it?" "No "Hey, Nick"?" ""Good to see you, man"?" ""Did you lose weight?"" "She's good, bro." "You get Miss Bangkok in there and you've got something." "Well, you always had an eye for talent, Nick." "I think it's time you, me, and Edie had a little talk." "You wanna talk business, you talk to me." "You leave Edie out of this." "I'm already in negotiations with Edie." "I'm just coming to get you." "Is that right?" "Well, if it isn't Flea Diddy." "It's P. Diddy." "Don't be comin' up in here like you know anything about rap." "I bet I know more than you do." "You probably don't even know who the Sugar Hill Gang is." "But I know who the Bust A Cap In Yo' Ass Gang is." "Let me tell you something, Chil." "When I told you I wanted us to work together, I was being genuine." "I could tell." "But now that Linda's making a name for herself, she's gonna need a real professional managing her career." "So I'm gonna need that contract back." "You know, just take it." "It's yours." "It takes a big man to realize a bigger man swings a bigger dick." "Nobody's a bigger dick than you, Nick." "So what the hell is this?" "That's Linda's contract." "We thought you'd appreciate the irony." "You know how turnabout's fair game." "Fair game." "I like that." "That could be the name of my next girl group." "Take care, Chil." "You disrespected me." "Move yo' ass." "It's a damn shame, Chili." "'Cause now what you're gonna do is have to go commit suicide up in a dark alley, man." "There goes your audition." "What audition?" "I left you a message." "Stop bullshitting', man." " At home and on your two-way." " You didn't leave me a message." "I checked my messages." "Nobody called me." "Sounds like maybe somebody erased your messages." "Check your two-way." "Go ahead." "Stop this shit." "We got business to take care of." " You need help?" " All right." "There you go." "Is that it?" "Just hit that button?" "How could you do that, Raj?" "What are you talking about, man?" "Why am I standing' here?" "You've been erasing my messages?" "I have an audition on Tuesday." "What?" "!" "Ain't no damn message on that thing." "Green light's on, man." " How could you do that, man?" " Why you trippin' on me like that?" " E. Weazy!" " Elliot, be cool, man." "Cap easy in yo' ass!" " How could you do that?" " You actin' crazy, man!" "Put the gun back where it belongs, man!" "You never wanted to see me in movies!" " Come on, sugar tank." " After all these years, "sugar tank"?" " Come on, man." "Check in." " You afraid of the big gay man?" "I'm your ace, man!" "I've been your ace!" "What?" "They got me!" "Get 'em!" "They got me, Elliot!" "They got me, man!" " Tuesday, right, Chili?" " That's right." "Sorry about your comrade, comrade." " What the hell is this?" " Don't know." " What the hell?" " Nick Carr!" "You're under arrest for the murder of Joe Loop." "And now, the final nominee for MTV's Best Video of the Year." "Linda Moon, with her performance of her smash hit Ain't No Reason." "Tell me, have you ever felt like the sky was falling down" "But the sun is gonna shine again?" "Tell me, have you ever felt like you've been left alone" "But you know deep down you're wrong?" "I wonder, have you ever, ever felt a little unsure" "But then again secure?" "Tell me, have you ever felt like you've been left alone?" "But you can't 'cause you know" "Ain't no reason to" "No, no, no, no" "No, no" "Have you ever felt like giving up" "But you know you love him way too much?" "I wonder if you've ever felt" "Yeah" "To" "No, no, no" "Ain't no reason to" "No, no, no, no" "Somethin', somethin'" "Somethin' goin' down" "Yeah, yeah, yeah" "No, no, no, no, no" "Ain't no reason to" "No, no, no" "Ain't no reason to" "No, no, no" "Ain't no reason to" "No, no, no, no" "Ain't no reason to" "No, no, no" "Tonight, you've heard the five nominated songs." "Dabu." "Yeah, I'm Dabu the Great, you know what I'm sayin'?" "We got the Dub MD's in the house." "Yeah." "The Best Music Video Award goes to..." "Tell 'em, Dabu!" "First Believer, and now this." "Ain't No Reason To." "Linda Moon." "Fourth award of the night!" "Yes!" " Sin." " Linda Moon, what up?" "Thank you." "Thanks." "This is amazing." "First, I would like to thank my producer Edie Athens." "I'd also like to thank Hy Gordon and Sin LaSalle." "Thank you." "And last, but not least, I would like to thank the guy who has believed in me from the very beginning." "He made all of this happen-- Chili Palmer." "Thank you." "Thanks."