Episode 8 - Paradigm Shift

ANNOUNCER

Even though the full course of treatments can cost over $100,000, Tenebra continues to be a record-breaking drug for Cadmus. Congress authorized legislation that requires insurance companies to cover the cost of the drug.

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SENATOR HARRIS:

I think it’s important that we make Tenebra as broadly accessible as possible.  

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GAME SHOW THEME MUSIC

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ANNOUNCER (cont). 

The new French government continues to resist repaying its so called “dishonorable debt” - refusing to return sixty billion euros extorted from Haiti between 1825 and 1947. This comes after negotiations between Haiti, the United States, and France’s new right-wing government ground to a halt.

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GAME SHOW MUSIC PLAYS

HOST

Welcome back. We have K here playing for the $32,000 prize. All lifelines still intact. How are you feeling K?

K

Pretty good, pretty good! I honestly didn’t think I’d get this far.

HOST

(laughs)

All right, let’s play “Do You Want To Win a Million Dollars?”

DRAMATIC THEME

HOST

Here we go. In 1803, Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States for three million dollars. Why did he do that?

A: To pay off France’s national debt.

B: France lost profitable sugar colonies in Santo Domingo.

C: To finance his wars in Europe.

D: All of the above.

K

(long beat)

Let’s see. 1803 was before Waterloo, so I think Napoleon would have needed the money.

(long beat)

I’ve never heard of Santo Domingo. That sounds like a Spanish colony.

(long beat)

I’ll  say C.

HOST

Are you sure?

K

I’m sure. C.

DRAMATIC PAUSE

WRONG ANSWER sfx

HOST

I’m sorry, B was the right answer.

K

Aww, are you serious? Man … damn.

HOST

Santo Domingo is the other name for Haiti.

K
Ahh, I see.

HOST

France made a lot of money from its sugar colonies there. It was pretty brutal to the slaves though.

K

Wait, they used slaves to grow sugar?

HOST

Yes. At huge profits too. If France had managed to keep Haiti, Napoleon would probably have never sold Louisiana.

K

I guess it worked out for all of us? (laughs)

HOST

Yeah. You managed to win $16,000! That’s pretty-

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NEWSREADER

Our final story before you head out to get those Black Friday deals regards Tenebra, the drug sold by controversial pharmaceutical giant Cadmus. Valerie Hawkins explains.

HAWKINS

Two years ago I reported the story of Kevin Fields, a man whose life came to a tragic end in part due to the phenomenon we have come to call “Black Friday.” Now the drug that could have reversed his transformation, and maybe even saved his life, has been shown to have an effect on people of African descent. Here is CEO John Cambyses explaining.

CAMBYSES

When we developed Tenebra we did it to reverse the activation of a random melanization mutation in the human genome. If you were affected by the Black Friday phenomenon, this would effectively reverse that change.

AARON (over the TV)

BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW YOU TESTED IT.

MILES

Shhh. This is interesting.

HAWKINS

But you’re saying that in people of African descent that this drug would … turn them white?

CAMBYSES

Put bluntly yes.

HAWKINS

Has the FDA approved this use?

CAMBYSES

We are seeking FDA approval, and we expect to get it given that it’s been shown to be safe over the last several months it has been on the market.

HAWKINS

Have there been any cases of people taking the drug for this new purpose?

CAMBYSES

I’m not at liberty to discuss the methods we used to test Tenebra, or confidential patient information.

AARON (over the TV)

That’s what this drug was always FOR.

MILES 

Hang on, let me pause this.

(pauses the TV)

(beat)

What do you mean?

AARON

Don’t you GET it? This WHOLE Black Friday thing was just a CONSPIRACY to push this drug out. Next they’ll be making BLACK people take it.

MILES

Why would they do that?

AARON

Because that’s the ONLY way America can have a “post-racial society.” By drugging the BLACKNESS out of us.

MILES

If they wanted to turn us into white folks, they’d have just laced the stuff into our water.

AARON

How do you THINK this whole Black Friday thing spread? The FIRST thing they did was turn white people black. Every week they’d dose the water in a couple of cities and boom. White people are FREAKING OUT. Then they want Congress to do something.

Enter JEFFREY

JEFFREY

What are you two arguing about now?

MILES

Aaron thinks that Black Friday is a government conspiracy against black people.

AARON

Jeff, man back me up. It wouldn’t be the first time America decided to experiment on black people.

JEFFREY

It’s not a government conspiracy, Aaron.

AARON

It CAN’T be a coincidence though! I mean, they’re selling a PILL that says it will turn you into a WHITE GUY.

JEFFREY

So? People can take it if they want. Won’t

change what they are on the inside.

MILES

Hold up Jeff. Are you saying that you’d take this stuff?

JEFFREY

No, I’m saying it’s no one’s business whether or not I will take it. My life, my body, my decision. Same rule applies to everyone. You have the right to choose.


AARON

But what about your obligation to your fellow black men?

JEFFREY

(sighs)

Why would taking this drug make me less of a black man?

MILES

(sarcastically)

The drug that turns you into a white dude? That drug? I wonder why …

AARON

Yeah, I mean, I agree with you that it’s your choice, but why would you turn your back on your identity? Your people?

JEFFREY

Yeah, well, ‘my people’ turned their back on me a long time ago, so.

MILES

Jeff, that’s the old folks. It’s the 21st century. No one cares that you’re … you know.

JEFFREY

Gay?

(long beat)

Plenty of people care. Especially the people who count.

Miles, your mom is always playing those Terry Calwell tapes whenever I visit. Terry fucking Calwell! The Curse of Ham guy! Who betrayed black people more? Me, or your mom who listens to that racist fucking homophobe?

MILES

The old folks grew up on that shit. They went through a lot. They don’t know any better-

JEFFREY

So you think they know better on how I, or you, or anyone should live their lives?

AARON

Hey, wait. They sacrificed a lot for us. We owe them something-

JEFFREY

(angry)

Owe them what? What the fuck do I owe them?

(beat)

Just because they sacrificed a lot I owe them? I did everything right! I got good grades, went to a good college, got a good job, started my own business, never got in trouble and-

(beat)

They threw me out. Like I was trash.

AARON

Jeff, man …

JEFFREY

Fuck if I’m going to let them tell me how to live.

MILES

Jeff, we’re sorry. We didn’t mean it that way.

AARON

Yeah. Look, sorry man.

(long beat)

JEFFREY

I wouldn’t take it.

MILES

I know.

JEFFREY

I mean, it would make my romantic life a lot easier to be honest.

AARON and MILES

Yeah?

JEFFREY

What? Don’t you both look at me all indignant like that.

AARON

(laughs)

I’d only take it if it came with a GIANT reparations check.

MILES

Aaron, that was a terrible joke.

AARON

What? Look, America is NEVER going to stop being racist. That is what this drug is. It is an ADMISSION by America that says  “look, we’re always going to be SCARED of you negroes. So take this pill. It’ll make you look like US on the outside.”

That’s WAY better than pretending we’re a “post-racial society” if you ask me.

JEFFREY

What happened to the obligation we have to black men, Aaron? Where did that go?

AARON

I’m not obligated to get a beatdown from the police while they yell SIR STOP RESISTING! SIR STOP RESISTING. You’re telling me I take this pill and all of that shit goes away?

MILES

Aaron you are the flippiest floppiest motherfucker that ever walked the Earth.

AARON

I’m just saying that … for some people, maybe Tenebra gives them a reprieve from all the other shit they have to deal with on a day-to-day basis?

(beat)

 Like an antidepressant. In the end, I’m still me. Just … you know … less likely to get an ass kicking from the police.

MILES

Does it turn your hair into like … white people hair?

JEFFREY and AARON

Probably

AARON

Or just get it RELAXED, man. The old folks used to do it back in the day.

(beat)

You never saw those pictures of Malcom X with his perm?

JEFFREY

Aaron, I’ve known you since you were two years old. You didn’t have hair then. You sure as fuck don’t have any now. What the fuck do you know about hair?

AARON

You think they can’t FIX that? Here’s a magic pill that can turn you into a white guy but, I’m sorry sir, there’s nothing we can do about your hair?

JEFFREY

Lack of hair.

AARON

Nigga, we are talking about a paradigm shift. Hair is but a footnote.

MILES

I can’t believe either of you would even consider it.

AARON

I can’t speak for Jeff, but I’m NOT going to do it.

(beat)

At least I’m probably not.

(beat)

But yeah. There’s a world where I definitely would.

(beat)

Having the option is nice, is all I’m saying.

MILES

I’d never do it.

AARON

Never?

MILES

Never.

AARON

Yeah, your mom would have your hide.

MILES

No. Actually, I think my mom would … she would want me to take it. I think she would take it.

JEFFREY

Don’t look so shocked, Aaron. Miles’ mom is into White Jesus.

AARON

Miles, your mom and grandmother MARCHED for civil rights! There is no WAY any of them will be in line for Tenebra.

MILES

Yeah. Well.

(beat)

Did I ever tell you about my mother’s half-sister? She died a few years ago.

AARON and JEFFREY

No

MILES

She was really light-skinned. Like, pass the paper bag test light skinned. She would often pass for white, and she basically lived as a white woman. Married a white dude. Their kids look white. It’s a whole lot of family drama around that.

AARON

I have a great uncle that went incognegro to cover lynchings way back when.

(beat)

But that was a different time.

MILES

I mean, it was. But how is it different than this pill, right? It’s just going incognegro in a pill.

JEFFREY

Aaaron, a minute ago Miles was saying that he’d never take it.

AARON

Yes Jeff, I remember him saying that.

MILES

And I never will. I’m just saying that … maybe we’ve always taken it? Or something like it? That being able to “look white” is something that black people have always done. Often they did it to survive.

JEFFREY

But it’s the 21st century, right? We do more than survive now.

(beat)

Right?

AARON

 That first dude - what was his name? - Kevin Fields.

MILES

What about him, Aaron?

 

AARON

They said on the news that, if they had Tenebra around, he probably would never have gone through what he did.

(beat)

So, I mean … the lack of this drug probably meant life or death for him.

JEFFREY

Aaron, what kind of choice is that though? Insulin is life or death because your body needs it. Tenebra doesn’t fix anything that’s wrong with you.

AARON

I don’t know, Jeff. This shit is confusing.

(beat)

Can we talk about something else?

JEFFREY

Look. We can sit here spinning our wheels all night. Or we can go get some doorbusters on this Black Friday.

MILES

After this discussion we just had, going shopping on Black Friday feels really weird.

AARON

Yeeaahh.

(beat)

We’re still gonna go, right? Jeff’s the one with the truck AND the space.

JEFF

And the only reason I came was to pick you guys up so ...

MILES

(sighs)

Let me get my shoes on.

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ANNOUNCER

Tenebra is a new medication designed to halt and reverse the effects of the BLACK FRIDAY phenomenon.  

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HAWKINS 

You’re saying that in people of African descent this drug will … turn them white?

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FASCISTS CHANTING

YOU WILL NOT REPLACE U-

JEFFREY

Tenebra doesn’t fix anything that’s wrong with you.

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ANNOUNCER

Tenebra continues to be a record-breaking drug-

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CALWELL

Then Noah said, may the children of Ham be the slaves of Japheth-

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PRESIDENT HENSLEY

The question before us is simple. Does American justice, American liberty, and American law protect us all?

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GREGOR/FIELDS

A feeling. I guess. Something in the world, maybe in the universe changed. I’m just one way it showed up.

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NEWSREADER

Thanks Valerie. The FDA might not get a chance to even look at the drug. Right before the Thanksgiving recess, Congress voted to ban sales of Tenebra to people of African descent effective immediately. The President is likely to veto the bill, but has not issued a statement.

To date, the EU, Australia, Zambia, Kenya, and Rhodesia all have similar bans in effect. The ban is expected to be challenged in court, and could go all the way up to the Supreme Court.

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CALLER

Whatever they’re calling it, I think it’s God’s will-

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NEWSREADER

This has been the news on this Black Friday.

Have a great weekend.

END