KENNY
written by
Ryan Sarnowski and Dave Cohn
with ideas from
Wes Tank & Kelly Anderson
Based on characters and stories by Dave Cohn
INT. APARTMENT, DULUTH, MN - DAY
In a near empty, economy apartment Kenny Dennis (70) sits on the edge of an unmade bed, his back to the camera. He picks up a tape recorder and clicks the record button. Rambling into the recorder he locks onto the phrase: “Don’t get jammed up”. He repeats it, over and over, rising to his feet, yelling this mantra into his tape recorder.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. CITY STREET, CHICAGO - DAY
It’s a gorgeous green early summer day full of sun. A figure stands on the sidewalk talking into a payphone.
SUPERIMPOSE: 15 years earlier
It’s the classic Kenny Dennis, just younger. Big glasses, even bigger mustache. Blue collar work shirt. Name patch on his chest: “The Deacon”. He’s full of positive energy. He’s talking to his wife Jueles. Kenny asks when Jueles is coming home. He takes down list of things she needs him to pick: nails, wigs, wheels. Sweetly, he’s tells her he misses her. When she gets back to Chicago he’s gonna make her hot toddies, give her foot massages. A horn honks. A voice calls Kenny back to the beer truck. He says good-bye to Jueles and hangs up.
BEGIN MONTAGE:
The song “Dennehy” starts to play. Its first line of, “This is for Jueles” is punctuated by a flat of beer hitting the ground.
Kenny hauls beer down the sidewalk. A black, private taxi drives by. The side of the car read: S-CAR-GO. Below that, a slogan: “Join the Slow Ride Movement”. CURTIS (55), a large African-American man yells out to Kenny from the driver’s seat. Kenny happily shouts back, “Looking good Curtis”. Kenny takes the beer into a bar.
The beer truck drives past a strip club called Roger’s. On the marquee: “Performing tonight, LaTanya”.
Kenny is moving cases of beer down a sidewalk. He passes a salon. MAUREEN (45) a short Asian woman calls to Kenny from a nail salon chair. She yells at Kenny through the glass window. She tells him to pick up chops for the picnic.
Inside a grocery store, Kenny makes a deal with a butcher. They trade a case of beer for some chops. Kenny asks the guy throw in a few brats too.
Outside, Kenny stops to take a turn at bat with some kids playing whiffle-ball in an alley. He cracks a homer. Kids cheer Kenny’s name. The horn on the beer truck rings out.
The beer truck drives past a boarded up building roped off with police tape. The sign above it reads Bubbles ’n’ Fun.
Inside a dark tavern Kenny drops cases of beer on the bar. JOJI (50), a Japanese man worn down from years of partying and substance hangs off the bar. Joji tries to hand Kenny some pills. Kenny tells Joji he doens’t need no stinking drugs, just baseball gloves and food. Kenny tells Joji to join him at the Memorial Day picnic. Joji passes out.
Kenny pushes an empty cart across the street. A green Geo Tracker comes to a screeching halt, inches from hitting Kenny. The driver, EDDIE (50), looking very similar to Kenny leans out the window and laughs. Eddie makes fun of Kenny for still working on the beer truck. Eddie tells Kenny he’d be winning at life if Kenny had only invested his fortunes.
Eddie calls Kenny a perennial loser. Kenny shoots back that it’s gonna be Eddie losing when they square off at the picnic.
Kenny heads back to the beer truck as the sun begins to set behind the Chicago skyline.
INT. BEER TRUCK - DAY
A sweaty Kenny gets in the truck to find the driver, TONY KIM (27) scribbling down notes in a little journal. Kenny asks Tony why he doesn’t help out more. Tony argues that he’s the one with the CDL license, plus he’s not content living the blue collar live. Tony is gonna be a rapper someday.
Kenny advises Tony that rapping won’t pay the bills. Rappin’ ain’t the key to happiness. Tony argues that Kenny is a washed-up has-been, who only rapped about stupid simple things. The truck drives down busy city streets. Other cars pass-by seeing these grown men trade barbs, their fingers getting into each others face. At a red light, Tony and Kenny’s squabbles turns into an epic rap battle.
When the light turns green horns honk. Tony falls silent, frustrated. He drives on. Kenny declares himself the winner. Kenny pops in a tape as he continues to mock Tony. The song “Wheels” starts up. The beer truck drives into the sunset as Tony proclaims that Kenny doesn’t know shit about good music, to fuck off, and find another beer truck to work on.
BEGIN VIDEO INSERT:
Nepali music news program. A narrator speaks Nepali. She explain how international pop sensation STACE has been FOUND! A montage of stills and video present Stace as a thirty- something diva, decked out in wild costumes that would make Lady Gaga blush. A quick wrap-up of her career details how this promising young orphan from the streets of Chicago became a sensation around the world.
While Stace never found success back in the USA, she did set a world record for recording her hit single “Lets Duet” in over 450 different languages. For the past twenty years Stace has continued to perform this one hit while amassing fame and fortune like few others have ever seen.
Then just after her 278th sold-out show of her 5th consecutive world tour Stace went missing. Rumors abound. Some believe Stace is secretly recording her follow up single. Tributes and vigils have been held as others think Stace is being treated for a terminal disease. A few even speculation she’s being held for ransom.
The narrator tells us that now, a year after Stace’s disappearance, a fan in the Svalbard has cellphone video believed to be of Stace. Hand-held amateur footage shows Stace in a small airport terminal. POTTERY (50’s), a white hippie chick with dreadlocks and a witchy aura, escorts Stace to a car. Pottery shields Stace from the crowd. A fan gets close enough with their cellphone to capture pop off a question. “Where are you headed, Stace?” The only thing Stace replies is: “Kenny, Kenny Dennis.”
END VIDEO INSERT.
INT. NEPALI TV STUDIO, KATHMANDU, NEPAL - DAY
Nepali TV studio. Music journalists, editors, and producers finish watching the clip we just saw. They think it’s great, Everyone starts shouting their lunch orders to WESLEY (30), a young American intern. Wesley, speaking Nepali, recites the orders back, continually screwing up each order.
SHAKYA (60’s) an suited executive producer silence everyone. Wes ducks out to get lunch. Shakya is angry. He feels that the video is not complete until they uncover who this Kenny Dennis person is and why Stace is looking for him? The young Nepali music journalists joke about who Kenny Dennis might be, most of them think it’s not important, but Shakya insists it must be someone important, maybe someone back in Chicago.
None of the journalists want to go to America to track down the answer. They make excuses. America is too crime ridden. They don’t like the food. Their English is not that good.
An English speaking voice pipes up. The voice belongs to DEREK (50’s). His face is obscured by shadows. His voice is soft, but sinister. “Why not send Wesley?” At that very moment Wesley stumbles through the door spilling lunch orders.
Shakya asks Wesley if he’d like to return to America. Wes pleads not to go. He’s just an intern. Derek reminds Wes that he’s been an intern for eleven years. Together Shakya and Derek agree, Wesley will go find out who is Kenny Dennis.
INT. DENNIS’ HOME, CHICAGO - EVENING
Kenny sips an O’Doul’s while he talks on a phone mounted to the wall. With frustration fueled by hunger Kenny shouts his order into the phone: One large pizza with onion, onions, onions. Lots of onions.
Kenny’s much younger brother, TANYA (25) is fixated on a television program. The host of the local TV show is interviewing a woman who offers aerobic pole dancing classes. Tanya marvels at the woman’s pole control.
Interrupting Kenny, Tanya asks his brother if he thinks he should take this woman’s class. Kenny asks the pizza shop to hold. Kenny walks Tanya to a stripper pole installed in their living room. Kenny gives Tanya a pep talk. Tanya begins pole dancing. Kenny goes back to the phone. He starts to give the pizza shop employee and insanely long list of directions:
”You go right, you go right, you go left, you go right, you go right, you go right, you go left, you go right, a right, a left, you go right, a right, a right, you go right, you go left, you go right, you go left, you go right, you go left, you go left, you go up, you go down, you go down…”
There’s a knock at the door. Kenny yells at Tanya to answer the door. Tanya collapses from the stripper pole, picks himself up, and answers the door.
Wesley stands at the door. He clutches a video camera. Nervously, he asks if this is the home of Kenny Dennis. Tanya, seeing the camera, asks what this is about. Wesley explains he has been sent here to finish a video piece about Stace. Tanya’s eyes light up at the mention of Stace. Tanya steps outside slightly closing the door behind him. We can still hear Kenny on the phone, loudly going on and on with these direction.
EXT. DENNIS’ HOME - CONTINUOUS
Tanya asks Wesley about Stace, how she is, where she is, how is she. Tanya assumes Wesley knows Stace personally. Wesley explains Stace is a huge superstar, he’s just an intern. He corrects himself, a video journalist.
Wesley divulges that Stace might be looking for a Kenny Dennis. He wonders if Tanya knows why Tanya lies, expresses disappointment and worry. Wesley peers through a crack in the door, asks again if he can just get a few words with Kenny, all he wants is a quick interview. Tanya says now is not be a good time. Kenny is really hungry, really grouchy. Wesley offers to take them all to a rib shack he saw up the street.
INT. DENNIS’ HOME - CONTINUOUS
Kenny hearing the word “shack” drops the phone. Kenny starts yelling to the semi-closed door, “Who’s out there Tanya?
Who’s talking about Shaq? Who wants to know about Shaq O’Neal and the KDz? Shaq stepped to the Deacon and that jolly green giant got cut.” Kenny’s tirade goes on. The phone is just dangling by its chord. The voice on the other end of the phone is trying to repeat back the lengthy directions Kenny just gave them.
EXT. DENNIS’ HOME - CONTINUOUS
Tanya insists this is not a good time, Wes has upset Kenny. Wesley doesn’t know what he said to upset Kenny. Tanya suggests that maybe Kenny will have calmed down by the Memorial Day picnic. Maybe Wesley can try again then. Tanya slips inside, closing the door behind him. Wesley listens through the door as he hears Tanya calming Kenny.
Wesley walks away from the house and takes a seat on the curb. He pulls out a cellphone and calls Shakya in Nepal. Shakya asks if Wes has found Kenny. Wesley states that he talked to Kenny’s brother. At least he thinks Tanya might be Kenny’ brother though he is a bit younger. Maybe it’s his son or just a roommate.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
INT. WARDROBE DEPARTMENT - DAY
ANDERS HOLMS (37) is being fitted for a ridiculous looking superhero costume. Wesley watches as Ders talks loudly into his cell phone. He’s complaining to his agent, saying he thought his agent got him a part in a Marvel movie. Ders starts yelling into the phone: Carvel? Like the ice cream company? So, this isn’t even a movie, it’s just a commercial?
When Ders sees Wesley he snaps his fingers at him and says, “You look familiar? Where do I know you from?” Wesley gets nervous. Ders snaps at him, “Hey dick-ass, Didn’t I give you my drink order?” Ders asks where the hell his Harmless Harvest coconut water is?
Wesley tries to explain he’s not a PA. Wesley tells him he’s a friend of Chitose. Ders immediately tells his agent he’s gotta go.
Ders gets out of costume, instructs Wesley to walk ’n’ talk with him. As they walk and take golf carts across the studio lot Ders continues making business calls while he praises Chitose and asks if Wesley knew how she helped him get his first break out of sketch comedy and into indie films.
Ders rattles of a series of phony indie film titles. Wesley hasn’t seen any of them. He speculates they never played in Nepal. Ders asks what Wesley is doing in Hollywood. Wesley says he’s actually working out of Chicago, trying to do a documentary about Kenny Dennis. Ders stops suddenly and says, “Kenny Dennis?”
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
Ders explains how he first met Kenny Dennis back in Chicago at the Sharper Image on Michigan Avenue. A middle school aged Der is looking at a Lazer Tag set when he over hears a raucous coming from the back of the store.
SUPERIMPOSITION: 1986
Kenny is at the customer service counter trying to return a fogless shaving mirror that he says keeps fogging up. The manager will only give Kenny store credit. On his way out Kenny sees Ders, offers to use the store credit to buy Ders a shower radio unit, gave Ders his phone number and wishes Ders a Merry Christmas.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. - RACQUET BALL COURT - DAY
Ders is in an intense game of racquetball and he starts telling Wesley all what a sports nut Kenny was, real competitive. That’s how Kenny became fast friends with their family.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. - SOFTBALL FIELD - DAY
Kenny and Ders’ father are playing softball. Ders explains that in the late 80’s Kenny got his dad to play softball, Ders was the bat boy. Kenny hits a home run, the team wins the game. Kenny gives Ders a birthday present, it’s a new mitt. Kenny wishes him a happy birthday.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. GYM SHOWERS - DAY
Wesley and Ders are shower. Wesley says Kenny sounds like a really nice guy, Ders agrees, asks Wesley to give him a moment, there’s someone else in the showers that Ders has been trying to reach about a TV deal. Ders confronts another guy in the showers, wanting to know how come they hired some other actor, some dude from a toothpaste commercial to be Mr. Drummond in a re-boot of Different Strokes.
Ders returns to where Wesleys was showering. Wesley goes back to saying that Kenny seems like a pretty nice guy. Ders stops cleaning himself and says, “Well, there’s two sides to Kenny.”
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. LAX AIRPORT - DAY
Ders waits in a convertible outside the arrivals doors. Kenny comes outlugging suitcases. Ders talks about how years before PERFECTPO he invited Kenny out to LA for his 50th birthday.
SUPER IMPOSITION: 2010
Ders helps Kenny get all his bags into the car. Kenny is already complaining about the dry heat. Der’s voice over tells us that things back around Kenny’s 50th birthday is when he saw the darker side of Kenny during Perfecto.
EXT. DRIVING THROUGH LOS ANGELES - DAY
Ders is driving Kenny through the Los Angeles, pointing at landmarks as they pass-by. In his voice over Ders explains that things were going good for Ders, Workaholics was picking up steam, money was coming in from commercials, so he thought he’d treat his old friend Kenny Dennis a trip to Los Angeles. Maybe even introduce Kenny to some people, because you know they were all loving Dennehy. Maybe Ders could get some sort of project going, something to help Kenny out.
Kenny spends most of the drive complaining about the city, not being built on a grid, about the heat again. He just wants to know where they filmed Hunter. None of the Star maps have anything about Hunter. Ders gives up on the tour of LA.
INT. DERS’ APARTMENT - DAY
Kenny is on the phone talking with Jueles, he wishes she was out there with him. He understands she’s still working for a better future Kenny tells Jueles that, no, he did not see Tom Sellack.
Ders pops his head from another room and asks Kenny to hurry up they gotta leave now if they are gonna make it on time for their reservation.
Kenny hangs up on Jueles. Then he says, “what are you talking about, our reservation is in an hour, I still have time to finish another episode of Hunter.” Kenny goes back to watching Hunter on the TV.
Ders’ doesn’t understand why, but Kenny had brought all these VHS tapes of Hunter with him. It’s 2010, Ders had a hard time finding anyone that even owned a working VCR, so Kenny could watch those tapes, but those tapes helped Kenny calm down and that’s good because Ders had this big surprise waiting for Kenny at Ruth Chris’.
Der’s tells Kenny they gotta go now or the traffic on the freeways will be impossible. Kenny again tells hims they should have built the city on a grid.
INT. RUTH’S CHRIS - NIGHT
Kenny and Ders are at the bar awaiting their seat. Der’s voice over explains that they made it in time and before Kenny’s special guests have arrived. Ders has arranged for Michael Dudikoff from the American Ninja films and Nitro from American Gladiators to be at dinner. He knows them through his gym and he just knows it’s gonna blow Kenny’s mind.
Before Dudikoff and Nitro arrive STEVE, a friend of a friend shows up wearing a Shaq jersey. Kenny thinks this is some sort of practical joke. Steve’s buzzed on cocaine and goofing on Kenny, asking Kenny if Ders taught him how to rap, if Kenny raps about wizards and shit. Kenny loses his cool.
Starts calling Steve, Le Steve. Ders tries to deescalte the fight. Kenny says he’s gonna go to the bathroom.
Kenny storms off to the bathroom. While he’s in there Nitro and Michael Dudikoff show up. Ders waits and waits, but Kenny never comes out of the bathroom. Ders goes to check on him, but Kenny is no where to be found.
END FLASHBACK.
EXT. BOAT - DAY
Ders is the captain of a small sailing ship, women in bikinis lie about sun bathing.
Wesley explains that is so weird because Kenny has flipped out on him for mentioning Shaquille O’Neal.
Ders begins to put on as wet suit.
Ders just says, ya those two have beef from way back in the day. But, after the incident with Kenny at Ruth’s Chris he didn’t see much of Kenny until Perfecto!
Der’s puts his snorkel in and plunges into the water. BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. CHICAGO ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN - DAY
Ders is back in Chicago, swimming in Lake Michigan. Ders explains in voice over how he hit this thin patch of work in LA, so decided to go back to Chicago for the summer.
SUPERIMPOSITION: 2012
Ders ends his swim, exits the water, catches his breathe and pulls a cellphone out of his Speedo. He calls Kenny. Ders wants to know what Kenny is up-to. We go to a split-screen.
INT. DENNIS’ HOME / EXT. CHICAGO ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN - DAY
Kenny on the phone in his house, on the couch, watching television. Ders still catching his breath jokes that Kenny probably ain’t doing shit. Kenny says he’s doing shit, lots of shit. Ders says they should start a little group, start rapping together. Kenny agrees. Him and Ders are going to “Bet big, win big. Bet big, lose big. No even Stevens.”
CUT TO:
INT. DENNIS’ HOME - DAY
Ders is ringing the doorbell. Kenny answers. He immediately starts playing some new beats he acquired. They sound like early 90’s, C&C Music Factory, Technotronic beats. Ders is confused, not what he expected, but he goes with it, thinking it’s some sort of nostalgia trip, throw-back music. Then Kenny announces the band name: “PERFECTO!”.
Ders says it is funny and Kenny takes offense. Kenny lays into Ders about rap music not being a joke. He mentions how Ders made some video where Ders was rapping about wizards and shit.
Ders explains that was years earlier when he was just getting started in comedy, before he became a serious indie film actor, but Kenny just didn’t get that it was a joke. Sure, the thing got a ton of likes, a ton of views, but Kenny didn’t believe it. He couldn’t see anyone liking it.
Ders says, so you know he kinda thought I was a joke of a rapper and I kinda thought Perfecto was a joke, but hey we started getting gigs.
EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DAY
Kenny and Ders and Larold are all performing as part of some youth talent program. Ders’ voice over explains that after they recorded the Perfecto tracks they got this gig thanks to some connection Larold had or his uncle had. Anyways they were are way older than any of the other acts, but this promoter spots them, questions their age, but he says he can get them gigs at malls, roller-rinks rec centers across the mid-west.
BEGIN MONTAGE:
A series of still photos show us the different places PERFECTO played while Ders names the cities.
Decatur, Quincy, Dwight, Rantoul and
Rockford, where Ders said they shut the place down, won a battle of the bands. We see glimpses of this show.
END MONTAGE.
INT. LINCOLNWOOD TOWN CENTER - DAY
PERFECTO is playing the Lincolnwood Town Center. Ders admits it was cool because that was his hometown and his old friends and family came out. But most of all it was cool because Kenny was happy and Ders knows things can get dark with Kenny
END FLASHBACK.
EXT. PATIO CAFE - DAY
Ders and Wesley are looking at menus. A waiter comes over and Ders starts asking all these real specific, dietary questions about menu items. After the waiter takes their order Wesley tries to get in a question about Kenny’s darkness, but before he can finish some young flirtatious women quote some lines from the Ders’ indie flick hit “Foie Gras” and ask to take a selfie with him.
Wesley checks his bank account again. It’s huge. His viral video is continuing to bring in the big bucks. Ders apologizes to Wesley humbly bragging about this being why he doesn’t eat out in public much. Wesley tells him he knows what it’s like to be famous. Ders laughs at him and rolls his eyes. The waiter returns with the bill and Wesley offers to pay it. But then Wesley wants to know what Ders means by things can get Dark with Kenny.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
INT. MALL - DAY
Perfecto is playing a suburban mall. Ders is decked out in mall attire; Aeropostale, Hollister, etc. Kenny is rockin’ neon bike shorts.
Ders voice over comes in and tells us how things were going well, too well. But, he doesn’t care, they are ahead of the curve on this mall rap thing. Kenny thinks they even got teens and hot moms that are following them, but really they are just doing their back to school shopping.
There is this one older Japanese fellow, Joji. He keeps popping up. He’s wanting Kenny to party with him. They’re always sneaking off, doing bennies in the food court. Shows start getting worse. Kenny’s ego started flaring up. They start tussling and tugging over the mic chord.
EXT. WENDY’S DRIVE-THRU - NIGHT
Ders and Kenny are in Kenny’s Aurora. When they pull up to get their order Kenny refuses to pay. He’s belligerent with the guy at the drive-thru window. Kenny’s acting like a real prima Donna, expecting free meals. Ders is trying to tell him that he’s not famous, but the mall fame has gone to Kenny’s head. Kenny argues with Ders. Kenny throws his Frostie back at the drive-thru guy. Police sirens in the distance. Ders pulls off into the night.
INT. RUN DOWN MOTEL - NIGHT
Kenny is on the phone talking with Jueles, telling her about all the money they are making, how he’s gonna wire her some money so she can help some needy kids. Kenny then says he hasn’t been hanging with Joji. Wonders why Jueles would say that. Ders grabs his cellphone, slinks out of the room. As he departs Kenny yells, “Ders, Ders, have you been telling Jueles I was back hanging out with Joji?”
EXT. RUN DOWN MOTEL - NIGHT
Ders steps out of the hotel room, takes a deep breath, paces about. His voice over tells us how Kenny is now fighting with Ders all the time, about everything. Ders tries calling his manager, but he can’t get through. Starts cursing about that, about wanting to get off this tour.
Kenny pops his head out from the room, all excited he proclaims that Perfecto just got offered a huge deal!
INT. MALL OF AMERICA - DAY
Kenny and Ders wait backstage, while much younger acts perform rather poorly on a big stage in the center of the mall.
Kenny goes on and on about Joe Simpson being one of the judges. This is gonna be big. They are gonna have a time.
Ders’ phone rings. His agent wants him to come back to Los Angeles and try out for the role of Mr. Drummond in this re- boot of Different Strokes.
While he’s on the phone Kenny is antagonizing Ders, telling him he’s gotta get his head in the game, this is no time to be on the phone, this is it. This is big time.
Ders hangs up. Before they even take the stage Ders breaks it to Kenny that he’s leaving. He’s catching the next plane back to LA, because this Different Strokes thing is real and Perfecto is not real, it’s a joke. Ders never wanted to do this mall rap. He wanted to do real rap, like Tha Grimm Teachaz, like what Kenny used to do.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. STUDIO TRAILER - DAY
Ders is getting make-up and hair done. He’s dressed in very sporty attire. As he finishes up, Ders’ stylist asks for an autograph. Ders whips out a pen, but they want one from Wesley. The sytlist thanks Wesley for his courage. Ders suddenly makes the connection. Wesley is the dude from the salvia video. Suddenly he’s impressed.
Wesley tries to be humble, turns the conversation back to Ders. Wesley asks what the heck is Grimm Teachaz. Ders pulls out his phone and brings up an unreleased Grimm Teachaz track about Hot Dogs. Wesley listens.
Ders springs up and starts stretching. He gives Wesley some simple details about Tha Grimm Teachaz. It was a 90’s rap group Kenny was in with Price Midnight Dark Force, but now he goes by his god given name, Lamont. Ders thinks he lives out in Arizona somewhere, teaching at some liberal arts college.
Ders turns the conversation to back Wesley. He asks “so, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna go talk to Lamont or ya know maybe you should stay here. I’d really like to take your life story, turn that into a movie. We could probably get an Oscar, people love that underdog shit.” Ders is getting called to set.
Ders bounds out of the trailer. Wesley watches him go.
EXT. COMMERCIAL SET - DAY
A crew waits as Ders makes his way to the set. Wesley watches from the trailer door. Ders yells out to the director to just go a head and call action, call action! Ders breaks into a full sprint and starts parkouring all over the set.
INT. AIRPORT LOUNGE - NIGHT
Wesley sits in an VIP lounge watching the series of videos where Ders is a parkouring spokesman for a energy drink. The music of Perfecto is featured in these spots.
The video on Wesley’s phone is interrupted by a phone call from Nepal. Wesley picks up. We go to split screen.
INT. HOTEL BAR NEPAL / AIRPORT LOUNGE - NIGHT
Derek is calling to check in on Wesley. He has not heard from him in sometime. Wesley explains he’s in Los Angeles. Derek is furious, exclaiming that while Wesley is off in Los Angeles Stace could be returning to Chicago this very instance.
Wesley tells Derek he’s not so sure why Derek is obsessed with Stace. It’s clearly more than this video Nepal TV called for. Wesley’s just not so sure that Derek has Stace’s best interests in mind. Derek tells Wesley he’s meddling with the wrong guy.
Wesley states that he’s not worried, after the salvia video there is little Derek could do to him. Derek threateningly says, “Just wait and see. It’s been a long time since you had friends Wesley, real friends.”
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. BEACH BY LAKE MICHIGAN - DAY
Maureen and Curtis are cooking out on the beach. Kenny is playing some game against Eddie. Those two are at each’s other’s throat. Jueles is lying on a blanket, her face covered by an umbrella.
SUPERIMPOSITION: 1992
Lamont rolls up on the beach and tell Kenny they have been looking all over for him. It’s just weeks until the Jive Records Showcase. They need to practice. They need to cut new songs.
Eddie laughs at Kenny for thinking he can be a rapper. Eddie tells him that he should have him come do some songs. Kenny gets angry at Eddie says that what is he gonna have everyone riding his coat-tails? Who is next Curtis, Maureen, Jueles? Kenny leaves to practice. Jueles complains about his leaving.
EXT. RECORDING STUDIO - NIGHT
Kenny and Lamont are cutting new tracks in the studio. There’s a small shrine honoring Fresh Greg on the mixing board. Kofi is no longer producer. It’s some no name person Kenny can push around.
The studio door opens up a voice cries out to Kenny. It’s LEE (35), a large dude on crutches. He looks out of place, but excited. Lamont asks who the hell is this guy and Kenny explains Lee’s gonna do a song or two on the new Grimm Teachaz album. Lamont’s uncertain about this plan, Lamont suggests they bring in Jueles, he’s heard her voice. It’s good. But Kenny explains Lee has money. He’s helping cover production costs.
Kenny tells the producer to get ready to record Lee. Kenny again vouches for Lee saying he’s gonna be the next big thing, he’s a genius, doing things like no one else is doing. The producer, sets Lee up in the recording booth, having to explain the whole process to a very uncertain Lee.
Lee starts recording this song with all these strange animal sex references in it. The producer stops him and asks what the heck is he doing. Lee thinks this is gonna be a club hit. The producer argues no one wants to hear this. The producer looks at Kenny.
Kenny suggests they just do Bubbles ’n’ Fun. Lee starts rapping this jingle for a laundry mat called Bubbles ’n’ Fun. The producer, even more confused, asks what the hell is Bubbles ’n’ Fun. Lee starts to explain his dream of owning a laundry mat called Bubbles ’n’ Fun.
BEGIN VIDEO INSERT:
It’s the actual Bubbles ’n’ Fun video with Lee’s completed jingle. As the video plays on we hear Curtis explain how this clown Lee got all this money when he got hit by a bus during a Bulls victory parade. That money combined with some of the money Kenny got from his appearance on American Gladiators helped launch Bubbles ’n’ Fun.
END VIDEO INSERT.
INT. BUBBLES ’N’ FUN - DAY
Kenny and Lee are amazed at the number of people using the laundry mat. Lee’s showing Kenny catalogs for boats, talking about him and his uncle sailing around the coast of Africa. Kenny is asking when he’s gonna get his seed money back, saying how he had promised Jueles a new car with that money, how this investment was gonna increase his American Gladitor winnings ten-fold.
Kenny asks about all the folks just just loitering about, the graffiti on the walls. Lee confronts some of them and they threaten to kill him and his uncle if they don’t back off and just let them launder their goods.
Suddenly, cops, including Curtis, come tearing into the building. It turns out drug lords in the neighborhood have been using Bubbles ’n’ Fun as a crack house.
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
Lee plays dumb to the whole operation. The judge doesn’t believe that, lectures Lee and Kenny about ruining the neighborhood. Curtis vouches for Kenny and Kenny gets off with probation.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. CURTIS’ CAB - DAY
Curtis ends the flashback by saying he thinks that all along Kenny was just trying to make more money to make Jueles happy. Maureen argues that Kenny only cared about Kenny.
Curtis shoots back at Maureen. What is she talking about Kenny cared deeply for Jueles. He gave up a chance to be an American Gladiator, The Deacon, for that woman!
Maureen counters that Kenny never let Jueles live out her dreams. He knew she wanted to sing. They always heard her singing in the shower. She had a beautiful voice. Kenny was probably jealous.
Curtis asks Maureen if this is really about her and the drums. The two of them start squabbling about Maureen’s dream to play drums at a Bulls. Maureen is mad because Curtis wouldn’t drive her to Rockford every night when she got a gig playing for the CBA team the Rockford Lightning. Curtis argues that the car is for business. Maureen says he just spends all that money on snails. The argument goes on and on with poor Wesley trapped in the back seat.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. CHICAGO STREETS 1993 - DAY
A beer truck rolls down the street. Curtis’ voice over explains that Kenny had to go back being a mule on the beer truck. His criminal record cost him his job with the phone repair company. Kenny spent his days on the truck and his night at home with Jueles, when Jueles was there.
INT. DENNIS HOME - NIGHT
Kenny is in the living room asking Jueles if she wants to watch the Tom Berenger flick he rented from the video store or if she wants to watch American Ninja 2. Jueles, unseen, in the other room isn’t really answering. We only see brief glimpses of her getting fixed up. Kenny is asking if she wants a hot toddy. We catch a flash of Jueles, decked out, heading out the door. Kenny hears her leave and says to himself, fine then American Ninja 2 it is. He settles into the couch. The movie starts.
EXT. MOVIE THEATER
Maureen waits in line outside the theater. The marquee reads: Opening Tonight - Mister Baseball.
SUPERIMPOSITION: 1992
A crowd of reporters and photographers make a scene as an unseen celebrity moves past the line and into the theater. Maureen’s voice over tells us how she watched as Tom Sellack made a surprise appearance at the Chicago premiere of his new film. Maureen turns and cries out for Jueles, but we just see a fleeting glimpse of Jueles dashing after Tom Sellack.
INT. MOVIE THEATER - NIGHT
Maureen sits alone at the movie theater, eating popcorn. BEGIN 2ND FLASHBACK:
INT. ST. LOUIS CAR SHOW 1981 - DAY
Maureen tells us how Jueles was Tom Sellack crazy. She guess’s Jueles has always been that way since she first saw Tom Sellack at a car show in St. Louis in 1981. He was their promoting Magnum PI. Jueles gets his autograph. She tells him how one day she wants to be a big star like him. He replies, “Give it your best.”
BACK TO FIRST FLASHBACK:
Maureen still seated alone at theater. She tells us shed doesn’t understand it, but to each their own. To Maureen, Tom Sellack is no Craig Hodges. Maureen stops watching the movie, pulls out a pair of headphones and puts them on. Faintly we hear the sounds of a Bulls basketball game.
INT. MOVIE THEATER BATHROOM - NIGHT
Tom Sellack is in the bathroom stall complaining to his agent who is washing his hands and waiting for Tom to finish up.
Tom says he’s done doing movies. Sure, Three Men and A Baby was a hit, but ever since he had to turn down Raiders of the Lost Ark it’s been too many misses and not enough hits. He should have been Indiana Jones, not Mister Baseball. Maybe he should just go into another field, maybe music. If only he could find his muse.
Maureen’s narration comes in telling us how Jueles was in the ladies room, over hearing this all through the vent, so she just popped in her demo tape, started singing, pouring her heart out and Tom heard it.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. CURTIS’ CAB - DAY
Maureen turns to Wesley in the backseat. Explains how Sellack rushed out, forgetting to wash his hands, and immediately decided to sign Jueles to Sellica Records. And, can you blame Jueles for taking this opportunity, especially after the shit Kenny pulled at the Jive Record Showcase?
Wesley says Lamont told him all about that. Maureen asks if Lamont told him how Kenny broke his parole by going to that show? That fool could have gone to jail. That might have been the last straw for Jueles.
Curtis argues Kenny had to do it. That show could have launched the Teachaz. Mauren argues that Curtis is cop. He shoots back, ex-cop and anyways Kenny was just trying to make a future for himself and provide for Jueles.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. PHONE BOOTH - NEW YORK CITY
Kenny is on the phone. It’s ringing and ringing. SUPERIMPOSITION: 1992, MOMENTS AFTER THE JIVE RECORDS RIOT
Kenny mumbling to himself. Come ‘on Jueles. Come ‘on, pick up. The answering machine clicks on. Kenny explains things got out of hand. He wants Jueles to contact Curtis, smooth over things with is parole officer. We hear Jueles leave the house, maybe hear her say good-bye Kenny and slam the door behind her.
INT. RECORDING STUDIO - NIGHT
PRESTO STEVENS, an experienced and grizzled man sits at a mixing board chomping on a cigar. Jueles in a recording booth, her face hidden by a pop filter singing a song. Tom Sellack and Presto are congratulating themselves on a sure- fire gold record. They tell Jueles to take it from the top one more time. We hear the beginnings of “Butterflies”.
EXT. DENNIS HOME - DAY
Kenny returns home and he finds a for sale sign on his house, on his Fiero. His belongings are thrown all about the yard.
INT. DENNIS HOME - DAY
Kenny goes inside the house, calls out for Jueles, but no one answers. Kenny starts pleading to no one, much like the track “Response” on the album Butterflies. The scene ends with Kenny emotionally exhausts, pulling his coat off the banister, and exiting the house.
EXT. CHICAGO STREETS - DAY
Kenny wanders the street crying out for Jueles. The main chorus of “Butterflies” is playing. “It’s a cold, cold city. Full of broke heart. Dry your tears with confetti. This love has grown apart…”
Curtis’s voice comes in and says, “She really crushed him.” Maureen claims Jueles was the real victim. Curtis and Maureen agree it was tragic all around.
END FLASHBACK.
EXT. MOTEL AND DIVE BAR - DAY
They pull up to the motel Wesley used to stay at but now, there is a FOR SALE sign on the motel and bar, it looks vacant. Curtis says it looks like Wesley is gonna need to find somewhere else to stay. Wesley asks Curtis to drop him off at Dee Dee’s place.
CUT TO:
INT. RETIREMENT HOME - DAY
Dee-dee welcomes Wesley into her apartment. The small room is stacked with crates and crates of records. Wesley looks at pictures on the wall of Kenny. He asks Dee-dee if she has any pictures of Kenny and Jueles. Dee-Dee’s warm demeanor turns cold. Dee-dee says she got rid of all those pictures after Jueles did her boy wrong.
Like a protective mother Dee-dee tears down Jueles and builds up her boy, Kenny. Dee-dee asks if Wesley knew that even after Jueles left Kenny he looked after Jueles younger sister Stace, made her a star? Wesley drops a record.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. CHICAGO STREETS - NIGHT
Lamont and Kenny are walking down a street. SUPERIMPOSITION: 1993
Kenny is trying to convince Lamont that they need to get back in the studio and finish up their sophomore effort Da End Iz Near. Kenny has big plans for them to get out and tour. Kenny is driven by a desire to not be overshadowed by Jueles and Tom Sellack. Lamont thinks Kenny did too much damage at the Jive Records showcase. Kenny thinks their beef with Shaq is good for their image. Maybe he should start some shit with Sellack too.
Kenny and Lamont spot Stace being hassled by some dudes. They are trying to get her to join them in some sort of music act. One guys keeps saying he’s the other half of Right Said Fred. The other guy claims to have connections to the English Beat. Stace is cold and showing no interest.
Kenny crosses the street. Kenny gets in these dudes’ faces. He’s standing up for Stace, telling them she’s already part of the Teachaz crew. One of them takes a swing and knocks Kenny down. Stace springs into actions. Kenny wants to get back in the fight. Lamont says, “Kenny let ‘em fight”. They both watch as Stace stomps the shit out of these fools.
Kenny brushes himself off. Stace asks is he was serious about her being part of the Teachaz crew and hands him a demo tape.
INT. KENNY’S CAR - NIGHT
Kenny and Lamont are driving, Kenny pops in the tape. It’s the same tape we heard way earlier in the beer truck. Kenny is excited by the tape. Lamont is not feeling it. He reminds Kenny that he’s getting out of the rap game. He wants to pursue personal interests, expand his mind, be all those things Fresh Greg said he was, but really wasn’t.
Kenny tells Lamont he’s a fool. They could stop being rappers, be producers and still be in the game. Lamont says Kenny is just making up for losing Jueles and he best be careful with Stace. Kenny is trying to correct the past.
Lamont is thinking about the future. The two argue as the car drives into the night.
INT. RECORDING STUDIO - DAY
Kenny is working with Stace on a song. He’s hyping this show he landed for her, but she’s got cold feet about performing in front of an audience. She’s worried no one will show.
Maybe they’ll think she’s just riding her sister’s coat- tails. Maybe they’ll think she’s the LaToya Jackson to Jueles’ Janet Jackson. Kenny psyches her up saying she can do this. Kenny promises it’ll be a packed house. Stace wonders if her sister is gonna make it to the show. Kenny ensures her that she’ll be there. He’s gonna patch things up with Jueles.
BEGIN MONTAGE:
Kenny is on the phone calling everyone: Lamont, Kofi, Ders (as a kid), Curtis, Maureen, even Shaq. He’s trying to get them all to come to the show. No one answers his call. He just leaves pleasing messages on their machines as they ignore Kenny.
Between calls we see ads and promos for Jueles’ album.
Kenny attempts to get through to Selliac records. He’s calling from different pay phones. Using fake voices. He even has Dee Dee trying to call, pretending to be Jueles’ mom, but they know Jueles’ mom is dead. Dee-dee wraps up the montage by saying it was a good album, but it would have been better if she’d let Kenny produce it like he did with Stace’s demo.
END MONTAGE.
INT. RETIREMENT HOME - DAY
Dee-dee pulls out the Beretta GT test pressing and puts it on the record play. She drops the needle. She explains that night was a huge success and it is a shame more people didn’t turn out, but her and Tanya where there to support Kenny and Stace.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
INT. CLUB, 1993 - NIGHT
Stace back stage and Kenny is talking her up. Telling her she can do this. She’s gonna be bigger than her sister. Bigger than anything.
Stace goes on stage and performs “Duet”. While she’s performing Dee-dee and Tanya are on the side of the stage dancing and cheering. Kenny moving about the crowd wondering where all his friends are.
Derek slithers out from the darkness of the club. He toys with Kenny, asking if Kenny is going to find a way to screw this up, like he did with Discoken, his country album, the Grimm Teachaz, Jueles. The mention of Jueles causes Kenny to lose it. He tells Derek not to talk about Jueles, don’t even look at Jueles. Derek lets Kenny know that he knows Jueles left him, Jueles is with Tom Sellack now. Kenny says it’s only a matter of time before he wins her back. When she see how he’s helped Stace she’s bound to return. Dereke informs Kenny that Jueles is on her way to to Brazil, the start of world wide tour. Kenny freaks out and exits the show, hoping to catch Jueles.
As Kenny runs off Stace wraps up her song and exits the stage. She greats Tanya with a kiss on the cheek and ask Dee Dee where Kenny is. She responds that he went to find Jueles. Stace wanders back to her green room. Derek slides in and compliments her, acts like a friend, but he’s buttering her up he’s preparing a drink and slipping a mickey into it.
Stace passes out. END FLASHBACK.
INT. RETIREMENT HOME - DAY
Dee-dee is passed out. The record is over. Wesley gently picks the needle up off the record. Dee-dee immediately wakes up and tells him not to touch her equipment. Wesley apologizes and asks what she remembers after the concert. She says, not much. Stace became a star overseas, but we ain’t heard from her in years. Kenny went off and won back Jueles.
Dee-Dee says that her and Tanya would get postcards, those two lovebirds were just traveling the globe, helping people out. She wish Jueles would have been as dedicated to Kenny as she was to all that charity. But, she didn’t have time to worry about those two. She had to get to raising Tanya.
EXT. DENNIS HOME - NIGHT
Wesley is knocking on the door. No one answers. He walks next door to Curtis and Maureen’s house. He’s pulling a suitcase behind him.
INT. CURTIS AND MAUREEN’S - NIGHT
Curtis answers the door and invites Wesley in. He says he’s just in time for Maureen’s world famous cacciatore.
Maureen isn’t paying attention to them. She’s watching old Bulls games on a TV, reciting along with the play-by-play announcers.
Curtis invites Wesley to come look at his snail sanctuary in the basement while Maureen finishes dinner.
INT. CURTIS AND MAUREEN’S BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS
Walking down stairs Wesley finds a subterranean den filled with glorious terrariums. Wesley marvels at all the different snails and asks Curtis where he got them all. Curtis says it’s all thanks to Kenny and Tanya.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
INT. CURTIS AND MAUREEN’S BASEMENT, 2003
Tanya, now about 13 years old, is in tears. Curtis is working on his first terrarium and listening as the poor kids sobs about how he doesn’t know what he’s gonna do. Dee Dee is getting forced into retirement from her job at the slaughter house. Too many people are going vegan and she’s accepted a buyout. It’s not enough to keep living in there house. She’s got a lead on a good retirement community, but they won’t allow Tanya to live there with him. Tanya really wants his big brother Kenny to come back.
Curtis admits he misses his buddy Kenny. All that shit in the past is water under the bridge. But he has no clue where Kenny could be. Tanya pulls out a postcard from Nigeria.
Curtis looks at it and says it’s a good lead. He asks Tanya if he has ever heard of the Lissachatina fulica aka the Giant African Land Snail. Curtis would really like to see one of those. He makes a deal with Tanya. Now that Curtis has retired from the force he’ll go look for Kenny. Tanya can stay in their upstairs room, so long as he promises to take care of Curtis’ snails while Curtis is gone.
BEGIN MONTAGE:
Curtis talks about how he went to Nigeria and found his Giant Land Snail and proof that Kenny had been there. The tribesmen had painted the large snail shells like Zubaz that Kenny used to wear and they showed him the one pay phone in town that Kenny fixed.
From there Curtis traveled from distant country to distant country finding more and more evidence that Kenny had been there. Huts with working refrigerators, women who had learned to grown mustaches like Kenny’s. A town in Serbia that at Chicago style hot dogs, but they called them Kenny dogs. All along the way Curtis also tracked down rare snails to bring back to his sanctuary.
END MONTAGE AND FLASHBACK.
INT. CURTIS AND MAUREEN’S BASEMENT - NIGHT
Wesley asks how he got all that foreign fauna back into the State. Curtis, with a straight face, asks Wesley if he’s ever heard of a “man purse”. Before Wesley can respond Maureen is calling them to dinner.
INT. CURTIS AND MAUREEN’S - CONTINUOUS
Curtis and Wesley take a seat at the table. Maureen begins to serve them Wesley compliments her on the caccitore, says he loves the taste of the chicken. She corrects him. It’s turkey. There is a moment of confusion about why turkey and not chicken.
INT. CURTIS AND MAUREEN’S - LATER
After dinner Curtis and Wesley and Maureen retire to the living room. Maureen insists they watch this crucial Bulls game from ’93. Within minutes she’s totally consumed by the game. Wesley asks a rather sleepy Curtis’ where he found Kenny. Curtis begins the tale.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
INT. KENNY’S CAR - DAY
Kenny and Stace in the Fiero to get supplies for the picnic.
Kenny is playing Stace her own demo tape, but she’s still having a heard time remembering “Let’s Duet”. He’s telling her they should get back in the studio again.
INT. GROCERY STORE - DAY
They get to the store and Kenny sends Stace to get O’Doul’s. “Get the green kind.” Kenny reminds her to get a receipt.
Always get a receipt. “I forgot to get a receipt one time, Jueles never let me hear the end of it.”
Kenny is shopping. Stace finds O’Doul’s and it triggers a flashback to the song O’Doul’s that Jueles wrote.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
INT. DENNIS HOME, 1991 - DAY
Party in Kenny’s house. Kenny’s entertaining a group of his friends. He’s barking orders in to the kitchen to an unseen Jueles. He’s wanting food. He’s wanting O’Doul’s.
END FLASHBACK.
The flashback is broken by Eddie, who is trying to get some Red O’Doul’s. Eddie remembers Stace. He starts asking about Jueles. Kenny interjects tells Eddie to not talk about Jueles. Reminds Eddie he’s going to see him on the softball field later. Kenny tells Stace they need to get going, don’t worry about Eddie, he’s no one. They gotta get back to the crew.
EXT. PARK, 4TH OF JULY SOFTBALL - DAY
Everyone is there, Curtis, Maureen, Stace, Dee-Dee, Tanya, Pottery, Chitose, Joji, Larold, Kenny all cooking out and playing softball. Eddie has his own crew, almost a bizarro world version of Kenny’s friends and family. Wesley is on the bench, filming from the side.
Kenny is talking up his team on the bench. How he wants to show up Eddie in front of everyone. Wesley says to Kenny it would be nice if Jueles was here. Kenny thinks Jueles will make it out to this cook out. Kenny tries to explain that she’s not coming back, not until she solves all the worlds’ hunger. All of it. This bums out Stace. She wants to see her sister. She needs to just except that and get ready to play left field. Then, seeing Stace upset this makes Kenny upset.
Dee-Dee is putting on catcher’s gear and she scold Wesley for mentioning Jueles. Her and Tanya begin to explain how thoughts of Kenny falls into these funks. It’s best to just let him enjoy the softball, the cookout, the good things.
They explained how they learned to do this years ago when Dee-Dee got sick.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
INT. RETIREMENT HOME, 2006 - DAY
Dee-Dee lies sick in bed. Kenny stands over her. In voice- over Tanya tells us how Kenny didn’t move for days. Kenny says he’s afraid to take his eyes off Dee-Dee. Tanya tells Kenny that all this worry isn’t doing him or Dee-Dee any good. Tanya begs Kenny to do something creative, something productive. He encourages him to sing about positive things, things that being him joy. Kenny argues that is stupid. Who is gonna listen to that. Rap is supposed to be tough, about the problems of life.
INT. DENNIS HOME
Kenny is still listless and depressed. Tanya persists and forces Kennya start listing the things he loves. We begin to hear the starts of Dennhey.
INSERT VIDEO: DENNEHY VIDEO
As the Dennehy video raps up, Dee-Dee’s narration tells us how that video was getting shared all over. People were emailing it and emailing it and emailing it. But, ya know Tanya and Kenny weren’t getting any money from that video.
Wesley chimes in saying he knows how that is. Then, like a proud momma, Dee-Dee proclaims that hearing the joy her son’s video was bringing to people must have healed her, because next thing you know she’s out of bed and back to normal.
Tanya explains how the next few years, things were good in the Dennis family. Dee-Dee was healthy, Tanya was able to get Kenny work doing syncs for commercials.
BEGIN MONTAGE:
We see a series of commercials Kenny did, sometimes we even see out-takes where he’s arguing with the director or Tanya or the business owner about the the commercial should go.
END MONTAGE.
We watch Kenny stuffing cash into envelopes and Tanya mailing it off to Jueles. Dee-Dee says that the money was pretty good, even with Kenny always taking a portion and sending it to Jueles. She even replies that Kenny probably could have bought Jueles that lake house up in Wisconsin that Jueles used to talk about, but she’s not even sure if that would bring Jueles home. Jueles is a changed woman, says Dee-Dee, but Kenny he never changed. If he’s never gonna give up on that girl.
END FLASHBACK.
EXT. PARK, 4TH OF JULY SOFTBALL - DAY
The disruptive yelling of Eddie and Kenny breaks up the flashback. Dee-Dee mentions how she wishes they won’t fight. It’s jut not right for brothers to fight like that. Wesley thinks she means Kenny and Tanya,. She says, no “Eddie and Kenny” revealing they are brothers front different dads. Dee- Dee looks at Wesley as says, “I got around. So what?”
Wesley is confounded by the fact that Eddie and Kenny are related. Kenny returns to the dugout. Wesley apologizes for mentioning Jueles absence. Kenny says it’s no big deal. One day she’ll return. If they could just end hunger, she’d come home on the next flight.
Looking at his bank account Wesley realizes his video is still earning him money. He shows Kenny, offering to make a donation. Kenny says, thanks kid, but that’s not enough.
They’d have to throw like a benefit concert or something if they were gonna end hunger and bring Jueles back.
We can see the gears turning in Kenny’s head. That’s it! He’s gonna throw a benefit to end hunger. The concert is gonna feature Perfecto and Stace will write a new song, the whole world will come to hear it…and the Grimm Teachaz are going to reunite!
Stace is gonna get to see her sister again. Kenny is gonna get his wife back. Wes has a sure fire ending for his documentary.
BEGIN MONTAGE:
Everyone is getting ready for the big show. Between each moment we see another moment where Tanya and Stace are growing closer together as they are out promoting the show.
Chitose is on the phone already arranging permits and contracts with each act.
Tanya in the studio with Stace, Maureen, Curtis, and Larold.
Lamont arrives from Arizona. Kenny and him have a heart-to- heart reconciliation at Fresh Greg’s grave.
Stace putting on Tanya’s make-up and Tanya is dancing at Roger’s with a sandwich board that promotes the concert.
Larold is sneaking into offices and printing up flyers.
Tanya and Stace are hanging up flyers. When Tanya accidentally staples his finger, Stace kisses it.
Curtis is using his snails and a replica of the festival grounds to plan out security details.
Tanya getting arrested for putting a flyer under a car’s windshield wiper. Stace begging the cops to let him go.
Maureen is planning what food they need.
Tanya is jail telling people about the concert.
Ders is on a talk show where he’s supposed to be hyping his new Carvel spot, but instead he wants to talk about Perfecto playing this benefit concert.
Stace waiting outside the jail as Tanya comes out. Her car has a huge sign on-top promoting the concert.
Pottery and Joji are arguing over drugs, collecting herbs and dreaming of chill-out tent.
Tanya and Stace driving around promoting the show through a speaker in the car (like Blues Brothers).
INT. DENNIS HOME - NIGHT
Tanya is not so sure about the show. His doubts are overshadowed by Kenny’s excitement. Kenny tells him to stop worrying and help Stace with a new song. Don’t worry brother, it will be great.
INT. RECORDING STUDIO - NIGHT
Tanya watches as Curtis plays bass, Maureen plays drums, Larold is on keyboards, and someone else (good cameo spot) plays guitar. Stace is singing a new song.
Stace tells the band to take 5, they are talking among themselves. Stace slips outside the studio. So does Tanya.
EXT.RECORDING STUDIO - NIGHT
Stace thanks Tanya for helping her with this new song. She gushes on and on about how excited she is for this event. He tries to tell her something, something that’s weighing on him, a fear he’s got. She asks what it is. He’s about to tell her, but the he just says, “Kenny has a tendency to screw things up. I just don’t want him to screw this up.” Stace laughs at his fear and kisses him.
The exit door opens and Maureen asks if the love birds are done fooling around. Tanya is embarrassed. Stace tells everyone to go home and get some sleep. She tells Tanya she’ll see him later. Everyone but Tanya leaves.
INT. RECORDING STUDIO - NIGHT
Tanya returns to the studio to close it down for the night. He hears the door open. He calls to Stace, thinking she forgot something. When he turns around he finds Derek creeping from the shadows.
Tanya asks who the heck are you. Derek replies, “I’m Derek.”
Derek corners Tanya. In a cool, cold, threatening way Derek tells Tanya that Stace is his and he’s not going to let anyone else have her. Tanya tells Derek he knows all about how Derek manipulated and controlled Stace. He knows the truth.
Derek replies, “And does Stace know the truth about her sister, about all that money you haven’t been sending her?” Tanya freezes with fright.
Derek gives a huge super villain monologue explaining how Kenny Dennis has twice ruined his career and he’d be a damn fool if he let Tanya and Kenny take his cash cow from him now. Derek threatens to ruin everything is Tanya does not let him take Stace with him. He also knows Tanya has been hiding away millions of dollars that Kenny has been sending to Jueles. Derek wants it all or Derek will destroy Tanya’s one chance of having true love.
INT. REC CENTER - DAY
Wesley is filmming Kenny as he’s on the phone with Jueles. He’s so excited because of the big concert and we can tell Jueles has promised to return to see the show and hopefully end all world hunger. Kenny is going on and on about Stace and how great she is and how the Grimm Teachaz are gonna kill it and how Jueles should come sing a song with the Teachaz.
Kenny hangs up and Lamont and Kenny go back to working on Grimm Teachaz songs from Da End Iz Near. Lamont is wanting Kenny to learn to forgive people, he wants no scenes, no beef this time around.
Kenny asks why Lamont is putting this on him. Lamont tells him its because he’s seen Kenny do it before. Ders is there observing, just in awe of the Teachaz. He agress with Lamont. He’s seen Kenny shoot himself in the foot multiple times.
Once Kenny agrees that he’ll keep his ego in check Lamont and Ders surprise Kenny with a guest. It’s Shaq. We never see his face, but we hear his voice. He apologizes to Kenny for the comment about his mustache. He says it was probably just jealousy. Then he asks if he can get a spot on one of the Teachaz songs.
Shaq tries to make something work. Kenny says he doesn’t think it’s working. Maybe Shaq can just stand there and look intimidating, but not to look at Jueles or even talk to her.
INT. DENNIS HOME, TANYA’S ROOM - NIGHT
Stace is waiting for Tanya. She wants to be romantic, but Tanya looks as if he’s seen a ghost. Stace just thinks he’s nervous about the show. She tries to relax him. He breaks down in tears, mumbling how he’s afraid to lose Stace. How Kenny could fuck this all up again. She tells him to not worry about Kenny, to be his own man. They end up making love.
INT. DENNIS HOME, TANYA’S ROOM - EARLY MORNING
Tanya is passed out on the bed. Stace is looking around the room, admiring pictures of Dennis Dennis and Tanya. She opens a small box on Tanya’s dresser. Inside the box are picture postcards Kenny has sent back from his time overseas with Jueles. She’s looking through them when suddenly she shrieks.
The postcards fall to the ground. Tanya wakes up. Stace is shaking. He asks her whats wrong. She holds up a postcard to him. We can’t see it. “What is this?,” she asks. In the postcard we see Kenny embracing a corpse of Jueles. He’s grinning, acting like she’s alive. Tanya desperately tries to explain. He was just a kid when he got that card. He didn’t know what it meant. He thought it was a costume, like the picture of his dad. It took him years to figure out what happened.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. BRAZIL - DAY
We watch a small prop engine plane spiraling to the ground. We see Kenny watching from a distance as the plane goes down. Kenny is running through the amazon toward the crash site.
Kenny is pulling Jueles body from the plane. He’s saying over and over that Jueles is going to be okay. She’s obviously lifeless.
Kenny is in a hotel room. He’s on the phone with Dee-Dee. Jueles corpse is on the bed, cleaned up, wearing sunglasses. He’s telling his mom that he’s okay. He won Jueles back. They are gonna quit music. It’s a dead-end lifestyle. Jueles and him are gonna help the less fortunate, build houses for the needy, fix their appliance. Dee-Dee asks Kenny to put Jueles on the phone. Kenny lies and says Jueles is napping. He promises to send postcards.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. DENNIS HOME, TANYA’S ROOM - DAY
Tanya, in tears, telling Stace not to be mad. There’s nothing he could do to bring Jueles back. When Curtis brought Kenny back, Tanya was just so happy to have his brother home that he kept it all a secret. He let Kenny live this lie. He took all the money Kenny was saving and put it in a bank account because he knows Kenny is sick and he needs help, but right now Kenny is happy. Everyone is happy. Stace simply says, “What about you? Were you happy? What about us?” Stace leaves.
EXT. MUSIC FESTIVAL GROUNDS - DAY
It’s the big show and it’s packed. There’s a huge stage, lots of tents, and people, tons and tons of people from all over the world here to see the debut of Stace’s first new song in over 20 years. The international fans make it look like the opening ceremonies to the Olympic games, but they are mixed with mall-rap fans there to see see Perfecto and old-school 90’s rap fans looking to see tha Grimm Teachaz.
All of Kenny’s gang are there. Maureen has a food tent called Incredi-Bull Edibles. Dee-Dee is DJing between acts. Larold is selling copies of his book. Pottery is mixing up Ayahuasca and other natural medicines. Curtis is taking donations for his snail sanctuary.
Wesley and a team of documentary filmmakers are capturing bits and pieces of it all. Perfecto is on stage killing it with the whole crowd, but just off-stage Tanya is worrying about Stace. She’s no where to be found. He’s frantically asking everyone.
When Tanya returns to Stace’s trailer he finds Derek inside. Derek wants to know where Stace is and thinks Tanya is lying when he says he doesn’t know. Derek again threatens to tell Stace the truth, but Tanya informs him that Stace already knows. She knows everything.
Derek then asks, “What about your brother, does he know?”
Derek and Tanya race to the stage. Tanya gets to the stage first and flashes his all access pass. When Derek tries to get backstage he is stopped by Chitose. She grills him. She obviously know him and his intentions for Stace. She won’t let him pass and tells her father Joji to keep an eye on Derek. Joji won’t let Derek on stage and instead hands Derek a drink he has spiked. Derek passes out.
Tanya gets to the stage just in time to see Kenny and Ders exiting on the other side of the stage. Tanya and Wesley stand on the side of the stage, Wesley is filming. On the other side stands Stace. Kenny passes her and Stace tells Kenny that she’s not angry with him and to not live his life with regrets. He doesn’t understand what she means, but tells her that he knows she’s gonna knock ‘em dead.
Stace comes on stage, Maureen and Curtis and Larold are all there waiting. They start playing her new song, before she begins to sing she signals for them to stop. They do. Stace walks up to the mic and delivers this impassioned speech about the inspiration of her life, her sister Jueles. As the speech goes on Tanya watches in freight. Kenny appears behind Tanya. He thinks this speech is great. Wesley asks Kenny if Jueles has arrived yet. Kenny searching the crowd hoping Jueles has made it here in time to hear the speech.
Stace ends her speech by saying, “may she rest in peace.” Then she begins playing “Wildflowers” a brand new song that somehow the band magically knows how to play. Meanwhile, Kenny is on the side of the stage losing it, “What did she say? What? What did she say? No. No. No.” Wesley’s camera is capturing it all.
Kenny is again forced to face the fact that Jueles is dead. Tanya tries to calm his brother down. Tanya tries to tell him it’s going to be okay. Kenny can’t handle it. He takes of running and he just keeps running. Tanya tells Wesley to turn the camera off.
INT. BOOK STORE, DULUTH - NIGHT
A sign advertises a book reading by Wesley who promoting his memoir about surviving life as an internet sensation. The sign also advertises a book signing by Larold. Wesley is going a Q&A where someone asks him about what he’s done since the video and before writing this book. Wesley explains he thought he was gonna make a name for himself with this documentary about a rapper named Kenny Dennis, but both that documentary and his viral video experience taught him that it’s right use other people’s pain for your fame or fortune, plus he lost track of Kenny before he could finish.
INT. DIVE BAR, DULUTH - NIGHT
Wesley is drinking at the bar. A guy comes up next to him and orders a drink. While the guy waits for his drink he turns to Wesley and says that was a good talk Wesley gave. Wesley thanks him. The guy then mentions this Kenny Dennis documentary and says it’s too bad that never happened. When the guy then uses a familiar Kennyism, Wesley looks up shocked.
INT. APARTMENT HALL WAY - NIGHT
The guy from the bar lets Wesley into the building and points to mailbox that says 6E DENNIS. As the guy takes Wesley up the stairs he explains how he’s just a contracted janitor hired to clean apartments. This past week he’s been cleaning this one apartment and listening to the guy next door as he’s ranting and yelling all day long.
We start to hear the mad rambling from down the hall. It’s clearly Kenny’s voice. When Wesley and this janitor knock the door opens and there is 6E stands Kenny Dennis, minus the mustache. When Wesley says “Kenny? Kenny Dennis” The man in 6E responds, “No. My names Dave. Dave Cohn.”
FADE OUT.
THE END.