1 00:00:13,303 --> 00:00:14,271 I'm B. J. Novak. 2 00:00:14,673 --> 00:00:16,208 Movies are too long. 3 00:00:16,677 --> 00:00:18,413 TV shows are even longer. 4 00:00:18,446 --> 00:00:20,383 You hear about a new show, it turns out you're 5 00:00:20,417 --> 00:00:21,787 400 episodes behind everybody else. 6 00:00:22,655 --> 00:00:24,726 I would never do that to you. 7 00:00:27,799 --> 00:00:31,272 This next story takes us to Victory High, where pop star 8 00:00:31,305 --> 00:00:33,844 Jesse Wheeler returns and makes a promise 9 00:00:34,245 --> 00:00:36,315 that will change some young lives. 10 00:00:36,817 --> 00:00:40,490 I hope you enjoy "The Ballad of Jesse Wheeler." 11 00:01:07,745 --> 00:01:08,112 Is that him? 12 00:01:08,146 --> 00:01:09,048 Yeah. 13 00:01:09,081 --> 00:01:11,553 Oh my God. "The Wheels!" 14 00:01:12,187 --> 00:01:13,557 Jesse Wheeler. 15 00:01:14,224 --> 00:01:16,495 Don't worry about that machine, come on through 16 00:01:16,529 --> 00:01:18,801 That thing is basically there for show anyways dude. 17 00:01:18,834 --> 00:01:19,836 Oh my God. 18 00:01:19,869 --> 00:01:22,107 The prodigal song is here. 19 00:01:22,407 --> 00:01:24,478 The pride of Victory High and 20 00:01:24,511 --> 00:01:27,117 the biggest pop star on the planet. 21 00:01:27,384 --> 00:01:28,219 All for love. 22 00:01:28,252 --> 00:01:29,221 Oh my God. 23 00:01:29,254 --> 00:01:30,490 I'm Cooper, Jesse's manager. 24 00:01:30,523 --> 00:01:32,160 This is my assistant, Kailey. 25 00:01:32,562 --> 00:01:34,566 Fred over there is shooting for CNN Heroes. 26 00:01:34,599 --> 00:01:37,437 Jesse I want you to meet our Phi Beta Kappa club. 27 00:01:37,805 --> 00:01:41,112 That's a GPA of over 3.0. 28 00:01:41,512 --> 00:01:42,447 That's a B. 29 00:01:42,481 --> 00:01:46,556 This is Susie Xu and that's Susie's friend. 30 00:01:47,592 --> 00:01:49,596 Susie was allowed to bring a friend. 31 00:02:00,951 --> 00:02:02,354 Look who came to school. 32 00:02:02,622 --> 00:02:03,891 I come to school sometimes. 33 00:02:04,324 --> 00:02:05,561 Sometimes, yeah‐‐ 34 00:02:14,445 --> 00:02:16,750 Ok, ok, alright y’all. 35 00:02:17,685 --> 00:02:20,390 Thank you for that wonderful reception. 36 00:02:20,423 --> 00:02:21,192 Uh... 37 00:02:21,860 --> 00:02:22,762 You suck, Wallace. 38 00:02:23,363 --> 00:02:24,833 Are you ready for "The Wheels?" 39 00:02:25,835 --> 00:02:26,737 Jesse‐‐ 40 00:02:26,770 --> 00:02:27,605 Jesse‐‐ 41 00:02:27,839 --> 00:02:30,578 Jesse Wheeler! 42 00:02:31,646 --> 00:02:32,682 "The Wheels." 43 00:02:33,650 --> 00:02:34,552 Thank you. 44 00:02:44,706 --> 00:02:45,473 Thank you. 45 00:02:48,479 --> 00:02:49,081 Wow. 46 00:02:49,682 --> 00:02:51,452 From the bottom of my heart, 47 00:02:51,485 --> 00:02:54,425 it feels unbelievable to be back here at Victory High. 48 00:03:01,539 --> 00:03:04,311 Man, it's a humbling feeling being here. 49 00:03:05,447 --> 00:03:07,417 Actually, it's not a humbling feeling. 50 00:03:08,319 --> 00:03:10,290 You're not making me feel humble, 51 00:03:10,323 --> 00:03:11,960 you're making me feel incredible. 52 00:03:15,734 --> 00:03:16,603 Seriously? 53 00:03:18,674 --> 00:03:19,843 Yeah, so‐‐ 54 00:03:21,278 --> 00:03:24,251 I'm here today because I've decided to donate 55 00:03:24,284 --> 00:03:26,322 a million dollars to Victory High 56 00:03:26,355 --> 00:03:27,592 to build a new library. 57 00:03:34,371 --> 00:03:35,540 But that's not all. 58 00:03:37,444 --> 00:03:40,751 To one hard‐working student‐‐ 59 00:03:41,385 --> 00:03:43,991 What do you call the student at the end of the year who ah‐‐ 60 00:03:44,024 --> 00:03:45,561 uh, has the best grade? 61 00:03:45,928 --> 00:03:46,963 You call them a name? 62 00:03:46,997 --> 00:03:47,832 It's not a mean name. 63 00:03:47,865 --> 00:03:48,399 Valedictorian. 64 00:03:48,432 --> 00:03:49,234 Valedictorian. 65 00:03:49,268 --> 00:03:51,640 So, to whoever is the valedictorian, 66 00:03:52,742 --> 00:03:55,981 you win an all‐expense paid trip‐‐ 67 00:03:56,750 --> 00:03:59,354 to my next concert in Los Angeles, California. 68 00:03:59,388 --> 00:03:59,889 Yes! 69 00:04:02,394 --> 00:04:05,768 And then, we'll go backstage and chill together. 70 00:04:08,674 --> 00:04:09,843 And then, 71 00:04:09,876 --> 00:04:14,284 I will personally give you a tour of the Wheeler mansion 72 00:04:14,619 --> 00:04:15,487 Awoo! 73 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,825 up at the top of the Hollywood Hills. 74 00:04:18,025 --> 00:04:18,894 ALRIGHT! 75 00:04:20,898 --> 00:04:21,700 Yes. 76 00:04:21,733 --> 00:04:22,501 YES! 77 00:04:23,804 --> 00:04:24,672 And then, 78 00:04:24,973 --> 00:04:26,041 if you want, 79 00:04:27,511 --> 00:04:28,580 I'll fuck you. 80 00:04:52,460 --> 00:04:55,533 He can't offer sex as a prize. 81 00:04:56,168 --> 00:04:57,437 I got to go study. 82 00:04:58,674 --> 00:05:00,811 We got to walk back what you said back there. 83 00:05:00,845 --> 00:05:02,380 Oh, about the donation? 84 00:05:02,582 --> 00:05:05,520 Right, yeah, that didn't get that much love. 85 00:05:05,554 --> 00:05:08,492 No, about fucking a student, Jesse. 86 00:05:10,698 --> 00:05:12,500 Are you being for real right now? 87 00:05:12,534 --> 00:05:14,104 That's the part that they liked. 88 00:05:14,137 --> 00:05:16,610 What did you always tell me that my gift was? 89 00:05:17,845 --> 00:05:19,883 I hear things other people can't hear. 90 00:05:20,551 --> 00:05:21,853 I hear energy. 91 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:23,356 I hear feelings. 92 00:05:24,358 --> 00:05:26,462 I hear vibrations and I put that into music. 93 00:05:27,097 --> 00:05:29,769 That was the sound of the school coming alive. 94 00:05:30,069 --> 00:05:32,507 What if the winner is underage, Jesse? 95 00:05:32,540 --> 00:05:34,011 Then it's after they turn 18. 96 00:05:34,612 --> 00:05:35,948 What if the winner's a dude? 97 00:05:39,889 --> 00:05:42,562 I'd really like to give this opportunity to a woman. 98 00:05:42,595 --> 00:05:44,899 Can we clarify that it's like, a woman's scholarship? 99 00:05:45,433 --> 00:05:46,402 Nope. 100 00:05:48,139 --> 00:05:48,941 Fine. 101 00:05:50,578 --> 00:05:51,512 Yeah. 102 00:05:53,182 --> 00:05:55,588 Here's our website and if you scroll down, 103 00:05:55,621 --> 00:05:56,890 you'll see the message board 104 00:05:56,923 --> 00:05:58,492 where the student messages are. 105 00:05:58,727 --> 00:06:00,163 Okay. Mm‐hmm. 106 00:06:00,664 --> 00:06:01,766 What’s an "ussy?" 107 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,104 "U‐S‐S‐Y." 108 00:06:04,706 --> 00:06:08,580 Ussy, is that like a selfie with a bunch of people? 109 00:06:09,916 --> 00:06:10,818 Read the sentence. 110 00:06:10,851 --> 00:06:13,122 It says, "I'm going to win the contest, 111 00:06:13,155 --> 00:06:15,928 then I'm going to make him lick my ussy real good." 112 00:06:16,128 --> 00:06:17,430 Ussy, what's "ussy?" 113 00:06:17,464 --> 00:06:18,834 I think that's maybe a typo. 114 00:06:18,867 --> 00:06:19,936 They forgot a P. 115 00:06:22,875 --> 00:06:23,710 No. 116 00:06:23,977 --> 00:06:25,446 This is not good. 117 00:06:27,718 --> 00:06:28,954 Ah, superintendent. 118 00:06:28,987 --> 00:06:31,660 Wallace, what the hell just happened in your school? 119 00:06:31,693 --> 00:06:34,498 This is a religious school board, you understand? 120 00:06:34,799 --> 00:06:36,736 Man, you know these kids, it was a goof. 121 00:06:36,770 --> 00:06:38,205 You better hope it was. 122 00:06:38,239 --> 00:06:39,942 If this contest becomes a big deal, 123 00:06:39,976 --> 00:06:40,811 They won't. 124 00:06:40,844 --> 00:06:41,880 you'll be fired before you can 125 00:06:41,913 --> 00:06:44,051 ‐ cash that first pension check. ‐ Superintendent‐‐ 126 00:06:44,084 --> 00:06:45,186 I already know who's going to win. 127 00:06:45,219 --> 00:06:47,190 She's not going be a problem. 128 00:06:47,223 --> 00:06:49,729 Ain't nobody bonking nobody. 129 00:06:52,167 --> 00:06:53,837 Study with us. 130 00:06:53,870 --> 00:06:55,039 Fuck "The Wheels." 131 00:06:55,073 --> 00:06:55,607 Ma‐‐ 132 00:06:55,641 --> 00:06:56,843 Study with us. 133 00:07:04,659 --> 00:07:06,028 Study with us. 134 00:07:06,228 --> 00:07:07,497 Fuck "The Wheels." 135 00:07:14,979 --> 00:07:17,083 Mom, they don't say that to people here. 136 00:07:20,123 --> 00:07:23,262 I just think it would be such a statement if I won. 137 00:07:23,295 --> 00:07:25,233 Oh, is that why you want to win? 138 00:07:25,266 --> 00:07:26,201 People think you're a transfer student. 139 00:07:28,372 --> 00:07:30,611 You haven't even been to school since you were like 13. 140 00:07:30,644 --> 00:07:31,946 What do you care? 141 00:07:31,980 --> 00:07:33,550 What do you not care? 142 00:07:34,919 --> 00:07:36,055 That's not a phrase. 143 00:07:36,890 --> 00:07:38,159 Then why did it hurt? 144 00:07:38,660 --> 00:07:40,931 I'm going to win, and I'm going to film it. 145 00:07:42,935 --> 00:07:43,937 Bye. 146 00:07:47,110 --> 00:07:49,247 I don't see how it's all that different 147 00:07:49,281 --> 00:07:51,586 from the standard meet and greet stuff. 148 00:07:51,619 --> 00:07:52,822 Like a selfie or a hug. 149 00:07:52,855 --> 00:07:55,093 Jesse the difference is you offered sex. 150 00:07:55,126 --> 00:07:57,765 Exactly, when is the last time 151 00:07:57,798 --> 00:07:59,936 that sex actually mattered to people? 152 00:08:00,604 --> 00:08:03,008 People have sex for dumb ass reasons all the time. 153 00:08:03,209 --> 00:08:04,077 That's true. 154 00:08:04,111 --> 00:08:05,012 You included? 155 00:08:05,046 --> 00:08:05,948 Oh yeah. 156 00:08:05,981 --> 00:08:07,885 Why can't I do it one time, 157 00:08:08,787 --> 00:08:10,189 to change people's lives? 158 00:08:10,891 --> 00:08:12,127 Look, people are going to say‐‐ 159 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,699 I don't listen to people, I listen to God. 160 00:08:21,713 --> 00:08:24,719 Revolutions create by destroying, 161 00:08:25,888 --> 00:08:28,660 and destroy by creating. 162 00:08:29,595 --> 00:08:31,800 Who is this guy? He's awesome. 163 00:08:31,833 --> 00:08:32,968 Mr. Holmes? 164 00:08:33,002 --> 00:08:33,804 Ah... 165 00:08:35,306 --> 00:08:37,243 So, you two love birds get that? 166 00:08:37,778 --> 00:08:38,747 Sorry, sorry. 167 00:08:55,246 --> 00:08:57,551 Listen, pastor. 168 00:08:58,185 --> 00:09:01,325 The voice I'm hearing is not telling me what other people 169 00:09:01,358 --> 00:09:02,995 tell me it should be saying. 170 00:09:03,663 --> 00:09:04,264 For sure. 171 00:09:04,732 --> 00:09:05,634 I hear that. 172 00:09:07,070 --> 00:09:09,207 Can you hit me with one of those parables? 173 00:09:12,013 --> 00:09:12,848 For sure. 174 00:09:16,890 --> 00:09:18,025 There was this village... 175 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:19,829 years ago. 176 00:09:20,798 --> 00:09:22,935 And in this village, there lived a chemist. 177 00:09:23,302 --> 00:09:26,375 Every day the chemist, he would wander the fields, 178 00:09:27,410 --> 00:09:29,181 picking flowers for his potions. 179 00:09:30,049 --> 00:09:32,755 One day, he picked this beautiful poppy, 180 00:09:33,055 --> 00:09:35,594 and he crushed it up and put into one of his potions. 181 00:09:36,763 --> 00:09:38,600 And do you know what poppies turn into? 182 00:09:39,034 --> 00:09:39,969 Poppy juice? 183 00:09:40,838 --> 00:09:42,073 Also known as opium. 184 00:09:43,342 --> 00:09:46,348 Now, the chemist, he put some of it on his lips to taste it. 185 00:09:46,950 --> 00:09:48,753 He felt totally amazing‐‐ 186 00:09:48,787 --> 00:09:50,356 and he rushes back to the village 187 00:09:50,389 --> 00:09:51,960 completely overcome with joy, 188 00:09:51,993 --> 00:09:54,164 and he asks this woman if he can kiss her. 189 00:09:54,364 --> 00:09:56,703 And then she too felt the surge. 190 00:09:57,136 --> 00:10:00,109 First on her lips, and then all through her body. 191 00:10:00,343 --> 00:10:00,611 Fire. 192 00:10:01,846 --> 00:10:04,752 Now hand in hand, they lept together through the village 193 00:10:04,785 --> 00:10:06,054 back to the chemist's house 194 00:10:06,088 --> 00:10:08,025 where they laughed and they danced. 195 00:10:08,058 --> 00:10:09,829 Do you know what the chemist did then? 196 00:10:10,396 --> 00:10:12,033 He put it on his dick. 197 00:10:12,066 --> 00:10:13,369 That's exactly what he did. 198 00:10:14,805 --> 00:10:16,208 He put it on his dick. 199 00:10:21,753 --> 00:10:23,355 Word spread through the village and the chemist, 200 00:10:23,389 --> 00:10:24,324 you know, all of a sudden, 201 00:10:24,357 --> 00:10:26,094 he's got all these women lining up 202 00:10:26,128 --> 00:10:27,130 to lay with him. 203 00:10:27,163 --> 00:10:28,800 Woof. That's a top story. 204 00:10:28,833 --> 00:10:29,835 It's not over. 205 00:10:29,869 --> 00:10:30,704 Fire. 206 00:10:30,737 --> 00:10:32,942 Some people, they questioned 207 00:10:32,975 --> 00:10:34,979 if it was fair that the chemist had 208 00:10:35,012 --> 00:10:36,181 this opium dick. 209 00:10:37,183 --> 00:10:40,256 Did the women want him or his opium? 210 00:10:43,630 --> 00:10:45,868 It's all him because he made the opium. 211 00:10:47,270 --> 00:10:48,807 Your talent Jesse... 212 00:10:49,909 --> 00:10:50,844 your fame, 213 00:10:51,779 --> 00:10:54,117 the light music that shines through you. 214 00:10:55,419 --> 00:10:56,890 That's my opium dick. 215 00:10:56,923 --> 00:10:58,459 And opium is powerful. 216 00:10:58,492 --> 00:11:01,431 You know, some say that opium is a religion of the masses. 217 00:11:01,966 --> 00:11:04,037 But even when it's your opium, 218 00:11:05,006 --> 00:11:07,010 it's still not totally yours, is it? 219 00:11:09,281 --> 00:11:10,349 It's God's. 220 00:11:15,493 --> 00:11:16,729 Welcome. 221 00:11:17,965 --> 00:11:21,204 I see a lot of new faces here at the end of the semester, 222 00:11:21,238 --> 00:11:22,473 which is great. 223 00:11:22,507 --> 00:11:27,116 For those of you just joining us, this is values and ethics. 224 00:11:27,150 --> 00:11:28,419 Tell us what's on the test. 225 00:11:28,452 --> 00:11:30,523 It's not really about tests in here. 226 00:11:30,557 --> 00:11:33,128 Hi, uh, I'm Abbi‐‐ 227 00:11:33,362 --> 00:11:35,366 Um, haven't been to school in a while, 228 00:11:35,399 --> 00:11:37,805 but eager to engage in ethics and values. 229 00:11:37,838 --> 00:11:38,472 Welcome, Abbi. 230 00:11:38,505 --> 00:11:39,942 Who's this bitch? 231 00:11:39,976 --> 00:11:42,447 There's a more fundamental issue at play here. 232 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,152 The central challenge is that you're teaching a curriculum 233 00:11:45,186 --> 00:11:47,791 that centers on a tradition formed by thousands of years 234 00:11:47,825 --> 00:11:50,296 of religious worship, but you're teaching it in an era 235 00:11:50,329 --> 00:11:52,133 where we worship celebrity. 236 00:11:52,333 --> 00:11:55,306 Oh, I like this, is everyone listening to Abbi? 237 00:11:55,339 --> 00:11:57,845 And, celebrity worship is better. 238 00:11:58,145 --> 00:11:59,481 It's an evolution. 239 00:11:59,514 --> 00:12:01,351 Okay, let's put a pin in evolution. 240 00:12:01,385 --> 00:12:04,491 Pop culture is a religion, it has its own deities, 241 00:12:04,524 --> 00:12:05,627 hymns, rituals, 242 00:12:05,661 --> 00:12:08,833 mythologies, except it's not based on make‐believe and 243 00:12:08,867 --> 00:12:10,102 it hasn't started any wars. 244 00:12:10,136 --> 00:12:13,175 By definition, popular culture means that the common populace 245 00:12:13,208 --> 00:12:16,248 gets to play a part in defining it and changing it in real‐time. 246 00:12:16,448 --> 00:12:20,389 Except that democratization doesn't mean it's superior. 247 00:12:20,423 --> 00:12:22,160 It can just be a shallow reflection 248 00:12:22,193 --> 00:12:24,297 of those same unjust structures. 249 00:12:24,331 --> 00:12:26,970 Case in point, a white savior figure 250 00:12:27,370 --> 00:12:29,240 coming into a majority‐minority 251 00:12:29,274 --> 00:12:33,215 school and making a promise in which the prize itself escalates 252 00:12:33,248 --> 00:12:36,355 a value system that places himself firmly at the top 253 00:12:36,388 --> 00:12:37,891 of the social hierarchy. 254 00:12:37,925 --> 00:12:41,098 Okay, let's move back towards ethics and values. 255 00:12:41,131 --> 00:12:44,371 I'm sorry, does social justice not count under ethics & values? 256 00:12:44,404 --> 00:12:45,941 Oh, no, no, that's not what I meant. 257 00:12:45,974 --> 00:12:47,410 It's not a rhetorical question. 258 00:12:47,443 --> 00:12:49,882 It's about whether you see ethics and values 259 00:12:49,915 --> 00:12:51,853 through a societal lens 260 00:12:51,886 --> 00:12:54,124 or an individualistic one. 261 00:12:54,391 --> 00:12:57,196 Both valid but extremely different points of view. 262 00:12:58,532 --> 00:13:00,971 And, I'll connect them for him. 263 00:13:01,471 --> 00:13:05,112 Every day around the world as a maladaptation 264 00:13:05,146 --> 00:13:08,620 of late‐stage capitalism, countless sex workers survive 265 00:13:08,653 --> 00:13:11,859 by economizing their sexual value through the enjoyment 266 00:13:11,893 --> 00:13:13,162 of the rich and powerful. 267 00:13:13,195 --> 00:13:18,472 Today, notably, we see a person who is powerful and privileged 268 00:13:18,505 --> 00:13:20,543 acknowledge his body as something 269 00:13:20,577 --> 00:13:22,548 of sexual value to others. 270 00:13:22,581 --> 00:13:26,021 He offers this of his own free will as a systemic incentive 271 00:13:26,054 --> 00:13:28,860 for the collective benefit of the disenfranchised. 272 00:13:28,893 --> 00:13:30,964 In that way, it's an act of social justice 273 00:13:30,997 --> 00:13:33,502 with repercussions far beyond school. 274 00:13:34,170 --> 00:13:36,943 As a step towards destigmatizing sex work, 275 00:13:36,976 --> 00:13:39,949 revolutionizing the lives of millions of people 276 00:13:39,982 --> 00:13:41,886 and treating the aesthetic appeal 277 00:13:41,919 --> 00:13:43,890 of status as a collective resource 278 00:13:43,923 --> 00:13:46,294 belonging to the people who created it. 279 00:13:59,154 --> 00:14:00,456 This is some bullshit. 280 00:14:01,659 --> 00:14:03,328 I'm going to lose my patience. 281 00:14:04,330 --> 00:14:06,101 These fucking kids are reading. 282 00:14:07,103 --> 00:14:08,005 Stop reading! 283 00:14:08,606 --> 00:14:09,575 Get on TikTok, 284 00:14:09,608 --> 00:14:11,244 Get your phones out right now. 285 00:14:13,515 --> 00:14:14,652 Susie Xu... 286 00:14:16,088 --> 00:14:17,558 my favorite student. 287 00:14:17,591 --> 00:14:18,258 Listen up. 288 00:14:18,292 --> 00:14:20,429 All our interests are aligned. 289 00:14:21,164 --> 00:14:24,070 The religious school board has been on my ass every day 290 00:14:24,104 --> 00:14:25,339 about this contest. 291 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,245 Now, all you got to do is ace that history fair. 292 00:14:28,479 --> 00:14:30,382 Become valedictorian. 293 00:14:30,984 --> 00:14:32,453 Give a nice, normal speech, 294 00:14:32,487 --> 00:14:35,226 just a regular speech and then we're going to move on. 295 00:14:36,161 --> 00:14:37,363 I've been thinking. 296 00:14:37,396 --> 00:14:38,967 Well, thinking is good. 297 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:40,469 What is any of this for? 298 00:14:40,503 --> 00:14:42,473 No, not that kind of thinking. 299 00:14:43,610 --> 00:14:46,047 Am I doing everything for other people? 300 00:14:46,448 --> 00:14:47,517 Hell yeah. 301 00:14:48,185 --> 00:14:49,688 You're doing it for the school. 302 00:14:49,722 --> 00:14:52,160 You're doing it for uh, your parents, 303 00:14:52,460 --> 00:14:54,130 job market, the community. 304 00:14:54,430 --> 00:14:56,301 Yeah, but do I want what I want 305 00:14:56,334 --> 00:14:59,207 because other people tell me I want it? 306 00:14:59,541 --> 00:15:02,614 And why do they want what they want for me? 307 00:15:03,348 --> 00:15:05,219 Someone else must have made them want. 308 00:15:05,252 --> 00:15:06,087 Right? 309 00:15:07,089 --> 00:15:08,660 I mean, where does it stop? 310 00:15:09,494 --> 00:15:10,396 How does it stop? 311 00:15:11,231 --> 00:15:12,500 Who decides to stop it? 312 00:15:14,003 --> 00:15:16,241 Why did Jesse Wheeler make that promise? 313 00:15:16,441 --> 00:15:18,479 I don't know, just to fuck up my life. 314 00:15:19,147 --> 00:15:19,815 Do me a favor. 315 00:15:19,849 --> 00:15:22,955 Just ace the history fair, okay? 316 00:15:23,222 --> 00:15:24,224 Get into college. 317 00:15:24,491 --> 00:15:26,596 Smoking doobie in your dorm room, 318 00:15:27,296 --> 00:15:29,467 then you ask the wacky questions. 319 00:15:31,071 --> 00:15:33,041 He's the biggest pop star on the planet. 320 00:15:33,242 --> 00:15:35,379 Who's next for Jesse Wheeler? 321 00:15:35,412 --> 00:15:39,320 Our hush hush inside sources at Victory High tell us the contest 322 00:15:39,354 --> 00:15:42,393 for valedictorian is down to three. 323 00:15:42,426 --> 00:15:45,466 Susie Xu, reigning Phi Beta Kappa. 324 00:15:45,499 --> 00:15:49,207 Abbi Miller, who apparently was one day shy of expulsion 325 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:50,644 for non‐attendance, 326 00:15:50,677 --> 00:15:52,548 or Caleb Rose. 327 00:15:52,581 --> 00:15:54,284 You know who I'm rooting for. 328 00:15:54,317 --> 00:15:57,558 Listen, let's just apologize and cut our losses. 329 00:15:57,591 --> 00:15:58,458 I can't. 330 00:15:58,793 --> 00:15:59,762 Why not? 331 00:15:59,795 --> 00:16:02,601 Because I don't think I did anything wrong. 332 00:16:03,268 --> 00:16:05,372 That's not how apologies work anymore. 333 00:16:06,274 --> 00:16:07,343 Alright, it's hard‐‐ 334 00:16:07,644 --> 00:16:09,113 to get to number one. 335 00:16:09,582 --> 00:16:11,384 It's even harder to stay number one. 336 00:16:11,652 --> 00:16:14,725 I'm not number one because I work so hard to be number one. 337 00:16:15,526 --> 00:16:18,600 I'm number one, because I work so hard to be myself. 338 00:16:22,073 --> 00:16:23,075 Listen to me. 339 00:16:24,310 --> 00:16:26,314 This thing that we built, 340 00:16:27,350 --> 00:16:28,653 we built it together. 341 00:16:29,153 --> 00:16:30,557 And if this comes down, 342 00:16:32,093 --> 00:16:34,130 it comes down on all of us. 343 00:16:37,303 --> 00:16:37,971 All right. 344 00:16:38,005 --> 00:16:39,708 Let me talk to God real quick. 345 00:16:39,742 --> 00:16:41,411 You haven't done that yet? 346 00:16:41,444 --> 00:16:42,714 No, just Pastor Jack. 347 00:16:43,181 --> 00:16:44,384 Please talk to God. 348 00:16:44,585 --> 00:16:46,354 Talk to God. 349 00:16:46,388 --> 00:16:47,189 Alright. 350 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:56,709 Mm‐hmm 351 00:16:58,312 --> 00:16:59,213 Yeah man. 352 00:17:01,819 --> 00:17:02,688 Mmm 353 00:17:04,223 --> 00:17:06,829 God says to ask you about an $800,000 check 354 00:17:06,862 --> 00:17:08,265 from the Dubai gig. 355 00:17:13,241 --> 00:17:15,312 That came in today. 356 00:17:16,649 --> 00:17:18,820 Let him know we're processing it. 357 00:17:19,354 --> 00:17:20,155 Okay. 358 00:17:22,861 --> 00:17:25,099 And so, this crazy competish‐‐ 359 00:17:25,132 --> 00:17:27,536 all comes down to the history fair. 360 00:17:27,738 --> 00:17:32,079 We are live with the man who decides it all, Mr. Holmes. 361 00:17:32,346 --> 00:17:34,217 So, what can we expect at the fair? 362 00:17:34,517 --> 00:17:36,154 It's anybody's guess Andy. 363 00:17:37,223 --> 00:17:38,525 History is wild‐‐ 364 00:17:39,561 --> 00:17:42,868 beheadings, gladiators, concubines, sick stuff. 365 00:17:43,936 --> 00:17:46,374 So, do you find it surprising that students are 366 00:17:46,408 --> 00:17:48,713 actually interested in history? 367 00:17:48,746 --> 00:17:50,684 It's surprising they weren't before. 368 00:17:52,219 --> 00:17:53,723 Skipping to the fun part, 369 00:17:53,756 --> 00:17:55,827 who do you think is going to spend the night 370 00:17:55,860 --> 00:17:56,762 with "The Wheels?" 371 00:17:56,796 --> 00:17:59,200 Who's going to get a prize Andy huh? 372 00:17:59,233 --> 00:18:01,739 The prize is that for a few short years, 373 00:18:02,574 --> 00:18:06,749 their only task is to hear the most brain‐meltingly twisted, 374 00:18:06,949 --> 00:18:10,422 true stories of the planet they're born on. 375 00:18:10,857 --> 00:18:14,464 Said they treat school as nothing more. 376 00:18:15,299 --> 00:18:19,775 The preparation for lives so boring and meaningless 377 00:18:20,677 --> 00:18:26,488 that they actually look forward to watching your stupid show. 378 00:18:27,189 --> 00:18:29,695 Now, that actually hurt my feelings. 379 00:18:36,776 --> 00:18:37,844 Mm‐hmm 380 00:18:50,837 --> 00:18:51,672 What's this? 381 00:18:52,306 --> 00:18:53,175 America. 382 00:18:53,810 --> 00:18:54,678 America? 383 00:18:56,281 --> 00:18:57,216 America? 384 00:18:57,249 --> 00:18:57,784 Yup. 385 00:18:57,818 --> 00:18:58,886 Where are the witches? 386 00:18:58,920 --> 00:18:59,688 Hmm? 387 00:18:59,722 --> 00:19:00,657 The witch trials. 388 00:19:00,690 --> 00:19:01,826 Where are the witches? 389 00:19:01,859 --> 00:19:02,861 Trail of tears? 390 00:19:02,894 --> 00:19:05,165 Genocide of a continent, slavery, 391 00:19:05,366 --> 00:19:06,769 the adulation of slavery... 392 00:19:06,802 --> 00:19:08,405 telephone, electricity. 393 00:19:08,438 --> 00:19:10,677 Rocket ships, war... 394 00:19:11,010 --> 00:19:13,683 Elvis Pressley dead on a toilet! 395 00:19:14,450 --> 00:19:18,325 Oh God, this is the most pathetic project I've ever seen. 396 00:19:19,460 --> 00:19:20,897 B minus baby. 397 00:19:21,398 --> 00:19:22,433 Whoo. 398 00:19:24,905 --> 00:19:28,378 The story of the world is that chains of oppression, 399 00:19:28,679 --> 00:19:31,619 morph into chain links of progress. 400 00:19:32,386 --> 00:19:34,892 Everyone who has been disconnected from society and 401 00:19:34,925 --> 00:19:38,866 systems of power, has rebelled, intersectional progress. 402 00:19:38,900 --> 00:19:40,703 This guy is unbelievable. 403 00:19:40,737 --> 00:19:41,705 Keep it up. 404 00:19:41,739 --> 00:19:43,008 He got an A plus. 405 00:19:45,012 --> 00:19:45,947 Thank you, sir. 406 00:19:48,285 --> 00:19:49,220 Well, who are you? 407 00:19:49,454 --> 00:19:50,422 I'm Abbi. 408 00:19:50,456 --> 00:19:51,524 Abbi, yeah. 409 00:19:51,559 --> 00:19:52,493 Here you go. 410 00:19:52,526 --> 00:19:53,763 You've made your wands? 411 00:19:53,796 --> 00:19:55,432 Yes, those are your magic wands. 412 00:19:55,466 --> 00:19:57,470 MR.Oh really, yeah. That better fit. 413 00:19:57,503 --> 00:19:58,973 You're going to use them when I put this on you. 414 00:19:59,006 --> 00:19:59,741 Oh! 415 00:20:00,075 --> 00:20:00,877 Ohhh. 416 00:20:04,517 --> 00:20:05,720 Oh my God. 417 00:20:05,754 --> 00:20:09,026 The fundamental scandal of every institution is to pretend 418 00:20:09,060 --> 00:20:11,866 it is built out of the very force capable of destroying it. 419 00:20:11,899 --> 00:20:13,603 Government claims community, 420 00:20:13,636 --> 00:20:15,339 Religion claims spiritual wonder, 421 00:20:15,372 --> 00:20:17,510 and history, the running record of rebellion 422 00:20:17,543 --> 00:20:20,984 against every concept and system, is claimed by school. 423 00:20:21,017 --> 00:20:23,923 School hides the world's most dangerous ideas in plain sight 424 00:20:23,956 --> 00:20:26,327 by using them to bore the shit out of people. 425 00:20:26,361 --> 00:20:28,398 Until potential rebels to the system reject the tools 426 00:20:28,431 --> 00:20:29,568 that could take it down. 427 00:20:29,601 --> 00:20:30,870 MR.Oh my God. 428 00:20:31,337 --> 00:20:32,373 Which is why sex‐‐ 429 00:20:32,406 --> 00:20:34,410 the force most capable of inspiring both infinite 430 00:20:34,443 --> 00:20:37,584 selfishness and infinite bonding is appropriated by all systems 431 00:20:37,617 --> 00:20:39,655 of power and must be liberated. 432 00:20:40,990 --> 00:20:42,761 If you want to matter to history, 433 00:20:42,794 --> 00:20:45,667 you must be as disloyal to its structures as you are loyal 434 00:20:45,700 --> 00:20:46,735 to its spirit. 435 00:20:46,769 --> 00:20:49,273 the world is watching, Mr. Holmes. 436 00:20:49,575 --> 00:20:51,545 Do you belong to history’s buildings, 437 00:20:51,579 --> 00:20:53,549 or the people who blow them up? 438 00:20:56,689 --> 00:20:59,561 Jesse Wheeler. 439 00:21:05,439 --> 00:21:06,775 ‐ Okay, thanks. ‐ Thank you. 440 00:21:09,648 --> 00:21:10,550 ‐ Hey. ‐ Hey. 441 00:21:11,017 --> 00:21:12,086 Hey, I'm Jesse. 442 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:13,021 Hi, I'm Abbi. 443 00:21:13,054 --> 00:21:15,325 ‐ Nice to meet you. ‐ Nice to meet you. 444 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:17,564 Thanks for doing that contest, it's really cool. 445 00:21:17,831 --> 00:21:20,737 Yeah, that was no problem. 446 00:21:20,770 --> 00:21:21,805 Um... 447 00:21:21,839 --> 00:21:23,809 You know, education is important. 448 00:21:23,843 --> 00:21:24,778 Uh... 449 00:21:25,078 --> 00:21:26,615 I am grateful to know you. 450 00:21:27,383 --> 00:21:29,888 It's good to be here. 451 00:21:29,922 --> 00:21:30,790 ‐ Yeah. ‐ Awesome. 452 00:21:30,823 --> 00:21:33,028 Cool, well if you want, you can just‐‐ 453 00:21:33,428 --> 00:21:34,565 wait in there for a sec‐‐ 454 00:21:34,598 --> 00:21:35,667 Okay, cool. 455 00:21:37,069 --> 00:21:38,038 Peace. 456 00:21:38,873 --> 00:21:40,108 Hey, you want a photo? 457 00:21:42,614 --> 00:21:43,883 So, this is my home. 458 00:21:44,450 --> 00:21:46,789 I've lived here for, I guess like a year. 459 00:21:47,557 --> 00:21:48,525 Still kinda new. 460 00:21:48,559 --> 00:21:49,728 Oh my God. 461 00:21:49,761 --> 00:21:51,531 It's a bit overwhelming at first, 462 00:21:51,565 --> 00:21:53,769 but people tell me I'm going to grow into it. 463 00:21:54,136 --> 00:21:55,640 Wow. 464 00:21:56,942 --> 00:21:59,080 This is my favorite room in the house is where I come to read. 465 00:21:59,648 --> 00:22:02,086 These are my yellow books. These are my red books. 466 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:03,556 These are my purple books, 467 00:22:03,589 --> 00:22:04,725 my green books and... 468 00:22:05,593 --> 00:22:07,429 of course, you know, my blue books. 469 00:22:08,633 --> 00:22:10,535 Yeah, I love reading. 470 00:22:15,445 --> 00:22:16,649 What's it like being smart? 471 00:22:17,449 --> 00:22:18,653 Being the valedictorian? 472 00:22:21,725 --> 00:22:22,026 Uh... 473 00:22:22,459 --> 00:22:23,528 Um... 474 00:22:23,563 --> 00:22:26,735 Sometimes, I wonder what my life would have been like 475 00:22:27,002 --> 00:22:28,639 if I had stayed in school, 476 00:22:28,673 --> 00:22:29,808 how smart I'd be. 477 00:22:30,610 --> 00:22:31,679 Things like that. 478 00:22:32,012 --> 00:22:33,816 You're not really missing anything. 479 00:22:34,050 --> 00:22:36,689 Hmm, you don't care about school? 480 00:22:36,889 --> 00:22:38,726 I mean, I loved it when I was little. 481 00:22:39,026 --> 00:22:40,028 Then what happened? 482 00:22:41,097 --> 00:22:43,001 I read all the books they assigned. 483 00:22:43,970 --> 00:22:45,472 And if you really read them, 484 00:22:45,505 --> 00:22:46,909 they're just saying, fuck school. 485 00:22:47,777 --> 00:22:49,581 Right. Wait, really? 486 00:22:50,215 --> 00:22:51,819 Yeah, fuck school and‐‐ 487 00:22:52,186 --> 00:22:53,488 everything like school. 488 00:22:55,025 --> 00:22:56,562 Like with the F word. 489 00:22:57,196 --> 00:22:58,498 In spirit, yeah. 490 00:23:01,037 --> 00:23:01,972 Huh. 491 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:07,016 You want to read right now? 492 00:23:09,120 --> 00:23:11,524 No, I'm cool with just hanging out with you. 493 00:23:11,558 --> 00:23:12,761 Cool. I'm cool with that. 494 00:23:12,794 --> 00:23:13,596 Yeah. 495 00:23:14,865 --> 00:23:16,735 I'm comf‐‐ I'm cool either way. 496 00:23:22,781 --> 00:23:24,885 What's it like being famous? 497 00:23:26,187 --> 00:23:28,158 And then coming back like that? 498 00:23:29,795 --> 00:23:30,863 It was wild. 499 00:23:31,197 --> 00:23:33,602 Because when I was up there, 500 00:23:33,869 --> 00:23:37,777 I remembered all of the people 501 00:23:39,246 --> 00:23:40,750 who were mean to me. 502 00:23:41,952 --> 00:23:45,960 And who made me feel small and stupid. 503 00:23:48,866 --> 00:23:51,739 And how badly they made me want it. 504 00:23:51,772 --> 00:23:52,774 To make it. 505 00:23:54,043 --> 00:23:56,715 And then to come back and just give them two middle fingers, 506 00:23:56,749 --> 00:23:57,651 you know? 507 00:23:58,686 --> 00:24:00,022 Why didn't you do that? 508 00:24:01,558 --> 00:24:03,829 Because I wasn't the same person. 509 00:24:05,767 --> 00:24:07,871 I wish I were so I could have. 510 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:10,710 I just spoke from the heart. 511 00:24:11,712 --> 00:24:12,647 That's all. 512 00:24:14,150 --> 00:24:17,557 Maybe that's a bigger two middle fingers in a way. 513 00:24:21,064 --> 00:24:21,932 Hmm. 514 00:24:28,278 --> 00:24:29,113 So... 515 00:24:29,581 --> 00:24:30,917 You don't like school, 516 00:24:32,921 --> 00:24:35,258 and you don't know my music, 517 00:24:36,628 --> 00:24:38,799 why did you become valedictorian? 518 00:24:40,603 --> 00:24:41,572 Uh... 519 00:24:49,755 --> 00:24:50,288 Wait‐‐ 520 00:24:52,059 --> 00:24:55,132 that's me with you? 521 00:24:55,633 --> 00:24:57,604 I've never seen this photo before. 522 00:24:58,171 --> 00:24:59,273 How is that possible? 523 00:24:59,306 --> 00:25:01,310 I know it's just, it's just mine. 524 00:25:02,312 --> 00:25:04,083 They used to print pictures, 525 00:25:05,218 --> 00:25:07,857 and there were only like one or two. 526 00:25:08,692 --> 00:25:11,097 So, that day my‐‐ 527 00:25:11,899 --> 00:25:14,638 that day my parent's gave us money to go to McCool's. 528 00:25:14,905 --> 00:25:17,009 We were walking through Victory Park and people were 529 00:25:17,042 --> 00:25:18,111 sledding and‐‐ 530 00:25:18,979 --> 00:25:20,883 we didn't have sleds. 531 00:25:20,917 --> 00:25:21,885 So, you... 532 00:25:23,956 --> 00:25:26,795 you took a garbage bag out of the garbage can and 533 00:25:26,829 --> 00:25:28,933 shook all the garbage out of it. 534 00:25:29,968 --> 00:25:30,703 Really? 535 00:25:30,736 --> 00:25:31,805 Yeah, it was the‐‐ 536 00:25:32,974 --> 00:25:35,145 it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. 537 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:36,849 You just‐‐ 538 00:25:37,316 --> 00:25:39,588 always had this faith 539 00:25:40,690 --> 00:25:42,126 in whatever you were feeling 540 00:25:43,796 --> 00:25:46,602 that it is worth doing 541 00:25:48,204 --> 00:25:49,340 or saying. 542 00:25:56,220 --> 00:25:57,624 I don't know what‐‐ 543 00:25:58,358 --> 00:26:00,195 I don't know what to do with this feeling. 544 00:26:00,228 --> 00:26:02,332 Should we make it into a music video? 545 00:26:02,366 --> 00:26:03,201 No. 546 00:26:04,370 --> 00:26:06,107 No, it's just‐‐ 547 00:26:07,376 --> 00:26:09,146 No, it's just for us. 548 00:26:11,083 --> 00:26:13,087 That was the best day of my life. 549 00:26:15,893 --> 00:26:17,196 Better than today? 550 00:26:22,239 --> 00:26:23,041 Yeah. 551 00:26:25,847 --> 00:26:26,682 Hmm. 552 00:26:36,267 --> 00:26:38,238 So, what do you want to do now? 553 00:26:42,146 --> 00:26:45,686 And now, some words of wisdom from our valedictorian, 554 00:26:47,389 --> 00:26:48,926 Um, can I uh... 555 00:26:49,928 --> 00:26:52,667 Let me get the check first, then the speech. 556 00:26:53,168 --> 00:26:53,869 Hmm? 557 00:26:53,903 --> 00:26:57,209 Our valedictorian, Abbi Miller! 558 00:27:03,421 --> 00:27:04,758 Congratulations. 559 00:27:25,766 --> 00:27:26,869 I fucked him. 560 00:27:27,169 --> 00:27:28,271 Woo! 561 00:27:31,043 --> 00:27:32,246 My check! 562 00:27:40,495 --> 00:27:41,798 Wooo!