Elsbeth

And this is where the magic really happens.

If you look to your right, you will see the office

of the man himself,

our host, Scotty Bristol.

He's probably in there right now, going over material,

preparing for tonight's show, which tapes in a few hours.

What do you say we say a quick hello?

Actually, I-I think I'll keep my job instead.

A-And right next door is the writers room,

where, uh, Scotty's hilarious monologues

and comedy bits are born.

The writers are waiting to hear

if their material made the final cut.

- He hated it. -

Monologue or the mayor bit?

All of it. Every line.

But we stayed late last night. That was good stuff.

Are you sure you pitched it right?

Yes, Ronan, I know how to pitch.

I come from a comedy background.

- Improv. - Improv.

Look, he just didn't like it. It happens.

Okay, but what kind of mood was he in?

Because you also have to pick the right moment.

Because it's our job as women to always

ascertain a man's emotional state before speaking.

Look, go ahead and blame me, I'm used to it.

But the material isn't going in the show.

And we know where it is going.

Ugh, yes, the dulcet tones of Mickey Two.

Okay, so, our stuff went in the shredder.

What'll he use instead?

He's going to the packets.

- - For the love of comedy! - Oh, no!

- This is your fault. - Oh, no, come on!

- - Whose side are you on?

Hi, Sheryl.

I'm Laurel, head writer, executive producer of Way Late.

- Are you nervous? - Oh, God,

is it that obvious?

It's just... network television.

I'm old enough that still means something.

Well, our audience feels the same.

- Oh. Okay. - So, here are some questions

that Scotty may or may not ask.

Do you think that he'll be nice to me?

I mean, I know sometimes he can be a little bit acerbic...

That's a lie! I'm always nice.

Oh, my God! You're... so much taller in person.

Well, that depends on the size of your screen.

- Hi, Sheryl. Nice to meet you. - Hi.

Hey, listen, it's gonna be a lot of fun.

Just relax and be yourself.

I actually brought a friend for support.

Elsbeth? Elsbeth!

What?! Oh. Hi! Yes, I'm here.

Uh, Elsbeth was my journey partner

at one of the wellness centers

- I wrote about. Hi, Elsbeth.

I hope I'm saying that right,

'cause I won't be saying it again.

Oh, my gosh, it's you.

I can't believe it.

Oh, I am such a fan.

You're so tall.

Yeah, we established that while you were unconscious.

Yeah... Oh, right.

Sorry. Um...

I came straight here from the airport.

I was in Scotland visiting Angus.

Uh, my boyfriend.

Uh, actually... I am not sure

I should call him that, but, um, anyway.

I am jet-lagged, which is why I seem a little loopy,

although some people think...

I always seem a little loopy.

You know what's fascinating about that story?

I didn't ask.

- See you out there. Okay.

Uh, okay. Okay.

- Oh... - You got this.

- Is there coffee? - Yeah.

Get her a decaf!

Hey, everybody. Welcome back to Way Late.

We are talking to Sheryl Jacobs,

the author of Unwell on My Way.

So, Sheryl, it says in here that

you went from wellness center to wellness center

for four full years.

Four years and three months.

You must have had a lot of junk mail when you came home.

Oh. Yeah, I...

I mentioned that in the book.

Didn't you read it?

Well, I have to read a lot for this job, Sheryl.

Oh, right. Is that hard for you?

Mickey, Sheryl's being mean to me.

Hey, did you meet Mickey Muntz?

Oh, no, but I-I know him from the show.

Good to meet you, Sheryl. I loved your book

- and I read every word of it. - Oh...

- Hey, uh, listen, let me ask you something. - Mm-hmm?

Uh, what wellness treatment do you think

would be good for Mickey over there?

I mean, obviously, he needs all of 'em,

but what would you start with first...

the weight or the air of desperation?

Well, um,

I think focusing

on the, um, spiritual,

uh, being is always first,

and then the physical.

Well, that's good to know, 'cause we don't want to focus

on Mickey's physical being.

Yes, and my spirit is definitely broken.

Anyway, this has been, uh, great, Sheryl.

Would you please come back?

Is that it?

- That's it. - Um, sure...

Go to sleep, everybody.

- Bye-bye. -

Well?

- He said no. - Are you kidding me?

Sweetheart.

Did you tell him what the doctor said?

- I did. - Word for word?

- Honey. - Mickey, your heart

is in bad shape. If you don't get a break

from the stress... taking his abuse every night...

who knows what could happen?

Look, you push me to get a mammogram once a year, and I do,

and I love you for taking care of me.

Now, I'm asking you to take care of yourself.

He said it was impossible.

The ratings are down and he's got Ronan

waiting in the wings to take his place.

This is the job I signed up for.

God, he's killing you.

How dare he?

I'll be fine.

Look, we owe Scotty so much.

We'd be nothing without him.

Oh, I don't believe that.

No, you're right.

I'd be nothing without him.

I mean, you could be anything.

Oh, Mickey. You're such a good person.

Yeah, but I wanted to be in show business.

Get changed and go home.

I'm gonna watch the edit.

Not that they know I'm there.

What would you start with first...

the weight or the air of desperation?

- Bump me that close-up. - Yep.

I figured he would send you.

He told you what the doctors said?

Doctors? Are we still doing doctors?

Scotty, this show is literally killing him.

But we'll miss it when it's gone.

Yeah, yeah, I know.

This show is what the three of us dreamed about,

- and we have to live with the choices that we made... - Right,

- and you chose Mickey. - I did.

Any regrets?

Only when I watch the show.

Cute. What about kids?

No, no, no, you were right about that.

You know, we would have never have gotten this far

if we had to split our focus.

Drink?

Uh... yeah.

I was thinking about that night the scout came

from the network to see our show for the first time

and someone from the audience called out "Renaissance fair"

as a suggestion.

So we're walking down memory lane now.

And you had that Renaissance fair bit

from the week before that killed.

It was ready to go, making you look like a star.

Now, the guy who called it out was a plant, right?

Laurel, good luck comes from preparation.

Yeah. You know, it's funny...

I think I chose Mickey over you that night.

Your ambition scared the hell out of me.

Gosh, what was I so afraid of?

- Laurel. - Mm-hmm?

- What are you doing? - Just

making it look better, you know? Sexier.

Are we...

Are we really gonna do this?

Doing what? I'm just having a drink

with an old friend.

Don't you miss the way it felt, before all this?

- Well, of course. - Mm.

I mean, some nights, I...

look over at you and...

and I'm right back there,

the three of us on stage, making it up

- as we go along, you know? - Yeah.

So in tune with each other.