Grace Under Fire: A Dialogic Analysis

by Ann Vogel

A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

Master of Arts

College of Fine Arts and Communication

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Stevens Point

May, 1996 FORMD

Report on Oral Defense of Thesis

TITLE: Grace Under Fire: A Dialogic Analysis

AUTHOR: Ann M. Vogel

Having heard an oral defense of the above thesis, the Advisory Committee:

_llA) Finds the defense of the thesis to be satisfactory and accepts the thesis as submitted, subject to the following recommendation(s), if any:

____B) Finds the defense of the thesis to be unsatisfactory and recommends that the defense of the thesis be rescheduled contingent upon:

Date: April 29. 1996 Committee:

_W_~_·=-=-=·.,._;;__~;:,.._..:.-@:::l_:,._;~"---• , ______,, Advisor \ Abstract

Researchers have conducted content analyses of female television characters and reveal that the medium often stereotypes sex roles and sex traits. Viewers may base their opinions concerning men's and women's roles on these stereotypes. Those who study television rhetorically also argue that viewers learn attitudes from the medium. Theories concerning women's traditional roles in society, women's financial statuses, and the changing roles of men and women have rarely been addressed on television. Six episodes of the situational comedy Grace Under Fire were dialogically examined, and these research questions were explored: How does Grace's role as a single mother compare with traditional roles? How does the program portray Grace's financial status as a single mother with three children? Does Grace encounter difficulties at work? The author concluded that characters on Grace Under Fire sent mixed messages to viewers. While issues such as single parenthood, women's financial struggles, and sexual harassment were addressed, characters often joked about these very serious issues. However, it is important to understand that viewers glean their own meanings from television programs, depending on their societal positions. Therefore, not all viewers will be negatively affected by Grace Under Fire.

iii Acknowledgements

This thesis is dedicated to my husband, Micah Digman, and to my parents, Tony and Joyce Vogel. I deeply appreciate their support, encouragements, and threats.

Thanks also to Bill Deering, who guided me with patience and understanding as we explored this topic together. I'm glad you didn't forget about me when I moved to Milwaukee, Bill!

Finally, I dedicate this study to my faithful redheaded friend who stuck with me day in and day out as I wrote this. This one's for you, Blitz!

IV Table of Contents

Page

Abstract...... iii Acknowledgements ...... iv Chapter

I. Introduction to Television Criticism and Feminist Theory...... I The Importance of Studying Television...... 2 The Importance of Feminist Theory...... 6

2. An Overview of Feminist Television Criticism...... 12 Content Analyses: Women's Television Roles ...... 12 Rhetorical Analyses: Television as the Artful Persuader...... 21 Research Questions ...... 34

3. Examining Oialogism ...... 3 7 Dialogism...... 3 7 Coding Terms: Verbal ...... 42 Coding Terms: Nonverbal ...... 46 Coding Applications ...... 49

4. Applications ...... 50 Episode Synopses...... 50 Verbal Coding...... 53 Nonverbal Coding...... 80

5. Diset,1ssion, Conclusions, and Suggestions for Future Research .. 94 Research Questions ...... 96 Dialogism's Effectiveness ...... 112 Conclusions ...... 115 Suggestions for Future Research ...... 118

References ...... 120 Appendix A ...... 128 Appendix B...... 145 Appendix C ...... 162 Appendix D ...... 178 Appendix E...... 1 94 Appendix F...... 211 V Grace I

Chapter I

Introduction to Television Criticism and Feminist Theory

"I'm a rapidly aging single mother. There's never been a good time to be that." Grace Kelly, the title character on the ABC situation comedy, Grace

Under Fire, voiced many American women's concern when she made this statement on the September 26, 1994 episode. Like Grace, women have long strived for equal rights, and while they have made gains, the struggle continues. As women secure more footholds up the mountain of equality, examining how, and if, television reflects these gains is important for a number of reasons. This issue has been investigated primarily through content analyses of the roles of men and women in television. More recently, rhetorical analyses have been used to explore these roles in more detail, with emphasis on interactions and the dynamics of character development. After addressing the importance of studying television, this dialogic analysis offers an explanation for studying television from a feminist perspective. This study then examines content analyses of women's roles in television and rhetorical analyses. Research questions are employed for studying current women's roles in prime-time, specifically examining the ABC situation comedy Grace Under Grace 2

Fire. After applying the method of dialogic analysis to the specified texts, conclusions are drawn, and suggestions for future research are addressed.

The Importance of Studying Television

Examining the roles of women in television is important, due to the

peivasiveness of the medium. Allen ( 1 992) states that 92 million homes in the United States have at least one television set, suggesting that 98% of the total population watches television. The A.C. Nielsen Company (1990)

indicates that in the United States, people view about four hours of television

a day. Kubey and Csikszentmihalyi ( I 990) argue that this figure may be exaggerated and suggest people watch television about two and a half hours a day. Based on this more conseivative estimate, the average American spends

more than seven years of the average 70 year life span in front of the television. This is astounding when considering that Kubey and

Csikszentmihalyi (1990) have found that people only have 16 years to spend

at leisure activities in an average 70 year life-span.

Further, television reaches more people than any other medium, with

89% of 18 to 54 year olds and 94% of people over 55 years old watching it

any given day (Television Bureau of Advertising, 1990). Also, two-thirds of

households own more than one television set, and 60% of households have Grace 3 cable (Television Bureau of Advertising, 1991 ). The average home receives more than 28 stations, and at least one set is on more than seven hours a day

(American Demographics, February, 1990, p.4).

Stewart, Stewart, Friedley and Cooper (1990) concur that Americans spend many hours a day watching television, also noting that viewers are exposed to the same programs over and over. Thus, viewers repeatedly receive the same messages, whether the messages are that men should be the primary wage earners in families, or that women should not work outside of the home.

Additionally, the researchers state that viewers have a casual reaction to television because the medium is in their homes and they are so accustomed to watching it. Because of this familiarity, viewers are not as likely to think critically of the messages they receive from television programs, and viewers'

perceptions of various issues are unwittingly shaped.

Parenti ( 1992, p.197) writes that television is a cultural industry in that it illustrates cultural ideals. Thus, television "exercises an influence upon

public consciousness." Meehan ( 1983, p.114) expands on the idea of television influencing public consciousness, stating, ''The significance of television .. .is that it impacts on the real world, establishing expectations, validating preconceived notions, and providing viewers with models of

behavior for their own lives." Parenti and Meehan argue that television Grace 4 conveys images of how people should act, and viewers often absorb these images without thinking critically. Because approximately 92% of the

American population watches television on any given day, it is important to study messages the medium sends.

Specifically, studying women's prime-time television roles is important because little research has been conducted concerning women in prime-time as opposed to the portrayal of women in daytime serials and in advertising.

Researchers have studied the depiction of women in daytime serials and demonstrate that women are better represented numerically in soap operas whose settings are predominately domestic. In a landmark study, Downing

(1974) found that women appear in almost equal numbers as men in soap operas, and women are often the centers of plots. Not only are they more visible, but women also often hold esteemed positions in their families and immediate social circles.

On the surface, these findings appear positive, but daytime serials also depict women in stereotypical ways. During the summer of 1973, Downing conducted a content analysis of 300 episodes from 15 serials and demonstrated a pattern of sex-segregated role divisions in which women were most concerned with personal appearance and marital relationships, while men were still mainly absorbed in their fields of employment. Grace 5

Not only are women stereotyped in daytime serials, but also examinations of women in television commercials suggest that advertisements depict women as little more than sexual objects. Regarding sex-role messages in television commercials, Riffe, Place, and Mayo ( 1 993) analyzed the treatment of women in Sunday football advertising and television advertising in general. All national advertisements that aired during the Sunday NFL football games were recorded, as were commercials shown during 10 hours of daytime serials and 15 hours of prime-time programming. 998 advertisements were studied, and the researchers found that women were equally portrayed as sexual objects during Sunday football and everyday advertising. Provocatively dressed females were shown less than expected by the researchers, but it was still evident in one out of 10 advertisements. Further, if there is a female primary character present in a Sunday football commercial, she is three times more l~ely than a man to be provocatively attired. Thus, sex-role stereotypes exist in both daytime television programs and television commercials.

More research is needed concerning the portrayal of women in prime­ time television as questions remain to be answered. Specifically, issues such as women's traditional roles in society, women's financial statuses, and women's changing roles can be examined. Therefore, the ABC prime-time situational comedy Grace Under Fire is the product of analysis for this thesis because the Grace 6 title character is a single, working mother of three children who faces many of the challenges that women address in American society. Grace Kelly, the title character, is a blue collar worker who cannot depend on her abusive, alcoholic ex-husband for emotional or financial support. Few programs have depicted a working class single mother, and this is the only program of its kind on television at this time. Further, Grace works on an all male crew at an oil refinery and few programs have depicted women doing such typically masculine work.

Brett Butler, the actor who plays Grace, is a stand-up comedian who once was poor and suffered through an abusive marriage. Grace Under Fire originated from Butler's stand-up act in which she addresses these topics. It is produced by Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner, who also produce Roseanne

(Waters, I 993 ). Also, the program consistently ranks among the top ten most viewed television programs, so it is important to note the messages the program's creators and characters send to viewers. Not only is studying women's television roles necessary, the development of feminist theory in general is valuable as well.

The Importance of Feminist Theory

Creating a body of knowledge by and about women has become Grace 7 necessary because for hundreds of years, women were not granted the most basic human rights. In classical Greece, women were perceived as subversive to the public good because they participated more in the private sector rather than the public sector. They were thought of as subversive because they possessed very strong feelings for those close to them (Okin, 1990). Plato

( 1968) described the female sex as "disordered" and as "generally predisposed by its weakness to undue secrecy and craft." Women were given such little respect in Plato~s time that male homosexuality was not only accepted, but encouraged, because men were thought to be much more beautiful and intelligent than women.

More recently, philosophers have been equally unaccepting of women as men's equals. Hegel ( 1977), like Plato, recognized that women had strong family ties and were home-oriented, but gave differing reasons for these tendencies. Plato ( 1968) stated that women stayed in the home because they were secretive, but Hegel taught that women must stay in the home, not by choice, but by nature and by law. Because the state was ruled by human law, with men as its guardians, women were forced to be guardians of their homes.

Hegel further argued that true citizens contributed to the private and public spheres, and if a person did not participate in both these areas, he/she was not an ethical, law-abiding citizen, and thus, did not have rights. As women were Grace 8 forced to stay in the home and out of the public sector, they could not participate fully in both sectors. Because they could not participate in both sectors, they were not ethical, law-abiding citizens, and were not given the same rights as men.

Ideas such as these continued into the 20th century, and their residue remains today. Unlike earlier theorists, Freud (Rowley and Grosz, 1990) gave a specific explanation concerning his beliefs about the nature of women and their roles in society. Freud postulated women do not have as strong a conscience as men, because their super-egos are not fully developed. The super-ego is developed when a boy abandons the sexual urges he has for his mother and thus enters the patriarchal culture where the power and authority of the father are embodied--a power he wishes to have himself. Because a girl does not have to work through these feelings for her mother, she never becomes a truly moral and just person, and therefore, should not be granted equal rights.

Because society accepted the views of men such as Plato, Hegel, and

Freud, men who were acknowledged as among the greatest thinkers of their times, women began to assert their rights. Women demonstrated their right to vote at the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in

1848, and won the vote in 1920 (Zinsser, 1993 ). However, it was Betty Grace 9

Friedan's book The Feminine Mystique ( 1 963) that challenged the American dream to which most middle-class, white men were so accustomed. She spoke for thousands of women who were not satisfied with their gleaming kitchens filled with the latest appliances, nor with devoting their lives to fulfilling their husbands' and children's needs.

In an effort to give women a clear political, social, economic, and cultural voice, Friedan helped found the National Organization for Women in

1966. Freeman (1989, p.545) writes that many of NOW's early founders were

members or staff of the President's and State Commissions on the

Status of Women. The Women's Bureau held annual conferences

for Commission members , and it was at the third such

conference that NOW was proposed. The immediate stimulus

was the refusal of the Bureau to permit a resolution urging the

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to enforce

the provision of the 1 964 Civil Rights Act prohibiting sex

discrimination in employment.

While there are a number of different feminist approaches today, the most moderate is liberal feminism, which is the basis of this study. Liberal feminists believe that men and women have learned different value systems, Grace 10 and also believe in the importance of recognizing both. Steeves (198 7, p. l O1 ) writes

Liberal theory assumes that rational mental development is the

highest human ideal and that the state should act to assure equal

opportunities for all pursuing this goal. Most liberal feminists

therefore focus their efforts on creating and changing laws to

promote women's intellectual growth and professional success.

Issues of great importance to liberal feminists include equal pay and equal employment opportunities. Kaplan (1992, p.252) states that they "remain largely reformist rather than revolutionary and are content merely to assert women's rights to whatever our society has to offer them."

In summary, gaining further understanding of the depiction of women in television is important because a television set is on for an average of seven hours a ~ay in the average home, and the medium shapes viewers' opinions

(American Demographics, February, 1990, p.4). Studying television, and the portrayal of women in prime-time television, is necessary because many more questions can be examined. While research has been conducted concerning the depiction of women in daytime serials and commercials, more studies can be conducted about women in prime-time programs. Content analyses reveal that television often stereotypes sex-roles and sex-traits, but more research is Grace 11 needed to examine the traditional roles society places on women, woments financial statuses, and the changing roles of men and women. Grace 12

Chapter 2

An Overview of Feminist Television Criticism

Researchers have conducted content analyses of female television characters and reveal that the medium often stereotypes sex roles and sex traits. Viewers may base their opinions concerning men's and women's roles on these stereotypes (Tedesco, 1974; Signorielli, 1989; Davis, 1990; Atkin,

Moorman, and Lin, l 991; Wood, l 994), and those who study television rhetorically also state that viewers learn attitudes and behaviors from television, through hegemony (Hall, l 980; Brown, 1990). Theories concerning women's roles in a patriarchal society, women's financial statuses, and the changing roles of men and women have rarely been developed in television characters (MacKinnon, 1990; Code, 1991; Kelly, 1991; Wolf, 1991). After examining content analyses and rhetorical research, literature concerning women's traditional roles, women's financial statuses, and the changing roles of men and women is presented. Finally, research questions are employed to guide this study.

Content Analyses: Women's Television Roles

Sex-Role Stereotyping. Societal attitudes towards which roles are appropriate for women have been changing, in part because of the women's Grace 13 liberation movement of the 1960s and 1970s, but research suggests that television does not adequately reflect these changes. Television programs stereotype sex roles by showing women as inordinately absorbed with their marriages and families, and disproportionately portraying them at home rather than at work (Tedesco, 1974; Lichter, Lichter, and Rothman, 1986;

Signorielli, 1989).

While women usually have a wide range of interests, television drama often portrays them as interested only in marriage and parenthood. Television programs place far greater emphasis on the marital status of female characters than male characters. Tedesco ( 1974) analyzed dramatic prime-time network programs over a four year period and found that marital status could be identified for 51 % of female characters, but for only 32% of male characters.

The researcher states that this sends the message that women's main priority should be to get married, or if they are already married, they should devote all their time to their husbands.

Signorielli ( 1989) examined data on television characters in annual week-long samples of prime-time dramatic programs from 1 969 to 1985, including demographics such as age, sex, race, marital status, and occupation.

Analysis revealed that marital status was identified for 87% of female characters, while 69% of male characters' marital status was revealed. Further, Grace 14 more than 50% of women were depicted in a romantic relationship, while 33% of men were.

Atkin, Moorman, and Lin ( 1 991 ) studied prime-time television series in which a primary character is an adult working woman, whether single or married. They conclude that only 11 % of television programs depict married women who work. Usually, only single women work. The researchers argue that such television programs promote the idea that women should stay in their homes if they are married. Further, Atkin, Moorman, and Lin state that prime-time television programs suggest that men need to be taken care of domestically, because they work diligently outside of the home.

Not only does it appear more important for female characters to be married than for male characters, but women are also disproportionately shown confined to a home life dominated by caring for their families and personal relationships. Studies of dramatic television content illustrate that not only are women usually depicted in domestic settings, but they also seem to be more concerned about family and personal matters as well. McNeil

( I 9 7 5) indicates that personal relationships associated with romance or family problems accounted for 7 5% of female interactions, but only for 18% of male interactions.

Lichter, Lichter and Rothman ( 1 986) echo this opinion and argue that Grace 15 television portrays only two kinds of women, good women and bad women.

Good women focus on homelife and their families, and devote their lives to caring for others. Bad women are depicted as cold, unfeeling, and aggressive.

They usually are not married because they are so devoted to their jobs. In short, good women stay home and bad women work.

Examples of occupational role stereotyping in American television drama have been reported in several other studies (Tedesco, 1974; McNeil,

1975; Signorielli, 1989; Davis, 1990). The overall pattern suggests an under-representation of female characters in employment relative to male characters. Davis (1990) and Lichter, Lichter, and Rothman (1986) state that women may be underrepresented because men usually write and produce television programs.

Tedesco ( 1974) analyzed major characters in non-cartoon prime-time progra~s, describing the characters by demographics and physical descriptions. They were rated on 15 five point semantic differential-type personality scales. Tedesco concluded that 66% of female characters were unemployed, and 1 7% of those employed were professionals compared with

14% who were managers or clerical workers. Only 36% of male characters were unemployed, and 24% of those employed were depicted as professionals.

Mc Neil (1975) sampled content from all fictional prime-time series for Grace 16 one month and found that almost 75% of male characters were depicted as employed, but only 44% of female characters were. Further, among married characters, 78% of men were employed outside of the home, while the percentage of women who were employed dropped to 21 %. McNeil ( 1975, p.263) states, ,iSignificantly, all but one of these were comedy characters, and in no instance was their employment substantially portrayed. Only one of 13 married mothers held a job, and her child was past adolescence."

Signorielli (1989) also argues that television has not kept pace with reality, and underrepresents employed women. In analyzing television characters' occupational roles, the researcher found that 7 5% of male characters have an occupation, compared with 50% of single women. Also, less than 33% of married women on television have paid occupations.

Further, Signorielli demonstrates that often female characters cannot be classified by occupation, while male characters almost always are. Although the researcher states that male characters are almost always classified by occupation, she does not specify if men's professions are part of storylines.

However, 40% of women on television cannot be labelled by occupation, while only 18% of men have unknown professions.

During Spring, 1987, Davis (1990) taped ABC's, CBS's, and NBC's entire weekly schedule to study the portrayal of women. After coding 50 Grace 17 hours of programming, the researcher postulates that there are few changes concerning women's roles on television. Davis argues that women are not adequately represented because 90% of television writers are white males who do not relate well to women. Lichter, Lichter, and Rothman (1986) report that 5% of television writers, executives and producers are women and this may be why women's sex roles are not only stereotyped, but sex traits are stereotyped as well.

Sex-Trait Stereotyping. Women have gained many more opportunities for advancement in society as a whole, but television generally does not reflect these changes. While television continues to stereotype women's and men's societal roles, the medium also stereotypes sex-traits such as women's emotionality and subordination, and men's domination over women (Reep and Dambrot, 1987; Davis, 1990; Atkin, 1990).

Women are often stereotyped as being more emotional than men.

Some researchers argue that television perpetuates the idea of the fragile, highly strung woman (Meehan, 1983; Wood, 1994). Wood (I 994) postulates that there is a significant sex-bias in the way behaviors have been labelled emotional. The author maintains that emotionality refers most often to reactions that are attributed to women, such as fearfulness, anxiety, and moodiness, but less often to overt responses, such as aggression and Grace 18 dominance. These are regarded as male traits, not female traits.

Findings indicate that women are inclined to show more emotion than men, at least after childhood. Frieze et al. (1978) report that males are socialized to hide their fears as they grow up, whereas women are expected to openly admit their feelings. Therefore, men may generally be less willing to report their weaknesses than women are. Thus, women may appear more emotional than men, when they are just displaying more feelings.

Women television characters not only appear more emotional than men, but also they are significantly younger. Reep and Dambrot (1987) studied six prime-time programs that depict single professional women who work with male partners. After examining the programs for one prime-time season, they report that women still tend to be younger than their male counterparts, but women are now shown more in professional occupations.

These programs illustrate that women have more career options than they did in the past, but that marriages and careers greatly conflict. Reep and Dambrot state that by emphasizing how hard it is to be successful in a man's world, the program's creators are sending the message to women that the benefits of succeeding in the workplace may not outweigh the problems.

Women may be depicted as weaker than men in part because women are generally ten years younger than their male counterparts (Davis, 1990). Grace 19

Davis (1990, p.330) writes, "The television female's existence still seems to be largely a function of her youth and beauty." While most roles for men exist in the 35 to 49 year age range, most women's roles call for females who are younger than 35. The researcher further supports this claim, stating that most women on television have blond or red hair, while men usually have brown or gray hair. Davis states that people generally associate blond or red hair with feminine beauty, while brown or gray hair is thought to be more masculine.

Thus, women must be younger and more beautiful than men to earn roles in television.

In compiling yearly trends on selected traits on television programs,

Atkin ( 1990) demonstrates that television has chronicled some women's professional progress, but women are still shown as subordinate to men. The researcher studied 102 programs that depicted single women, from 1 966 to

1990. The parameter 1966 was selected because it was the year that NOW was founded, and That Girl premiered as a prototype for many future women's series. Atkin concludes that television has reflected women's professional advances over the years, but female characters still defer to male characters in the workplace.

Women are shown in the workplace more on television now than in the past. After studying 1 980s network series that featured female leads, Atkin, Grace 20

Moorman, and Lin ( 1 991 ) argue that this may appear encouraging, but women still fill lower status occupations. They state that women fill 60% of clerical roles and 90% of household roles on television. Men play 93% of managerial roles, and 95% of doctor roles.

Another example of how men are depicted as strong and women are portrayed as weak is the extent to which they seem to be in control of their lives. Hodges, Brandt, and Kline ( 1981) studied the frequencies with which male and female characters in prime-time television shows and daytime serials made statements that could be classified as "origin-like" or "pawn-like." The term "origin-like" refers to the feeling of having personal control over events, and "pawn-like" refers to the feeling of helplessness, or not having control over events. The researchers found that in violent prime-time programs and in family prime-time programs, female characters made fewer origin statements than di4 male characters. These differences were especially pronounced in violent programs where females made twice as many "pawn-like" statements as

"origin-like" statements, while the male character pattern was of the same degree but in the opposite direction. The researchers argue that women make up half of these programs' audiences, and these women might identify with these weak characters, thus affecting their self-esteem. This may be the case, but regardless, Hodges, Brandt, and Kline stress that these ideas cannot be Grace 21 proven empirically based on this study.

Even professional women are depicted as being less powerful and less competent than their male counterparts (Reep and Dambrot, 1987). The researchers studied six programs for one prime-time season in which single professional women worked with men of equal or lesser status than them.

Female characters who were professionally superior to their male colleagues often deferred to them.

Many researchers have conducted content analyses and demonstrate that television stereotypes sex-roles and sex-traits and viewers often unwittingly adapt these stereotypes to their lives. Other researchers use rhetorical methods in an attempt to explain why viewers practice what they see on television. In doing so, these writers have coined the medium "the artful persuader."

Rhetorical Analyses: Television as the Artful Persuader

People learn by watching others, and the more they are exposed to a certain behavior, the more likely they are to adapt the behavior to their own lives. Bandura ( 1977) refers to this tendency as social learning, and argues that people watch a wide range of behaviors on television. In what the researcher refers to as the attentional process, viewers voluntarily see many Grace 22 behaviors on television, and because they choose to watch the medium, they are more likely to adapt the behaviors they see to their own lives. But people do not learn behavior if they do not remember it, and Bandura again refers to the power of television when he states that viewers watch the same type of television programs, and may even watch the same episode of a program many times. The retention process refers to the act of remembering a behavior, and when viewers watch the same program over and over, they start retaining information. Finally, the verification process occurs when viewers see other people imitating a behavior. The more people behave in a certain way, the more others follow their lead, and the behavior snowballs.

Television is not only persuasive in regard to social learning theory, but critics of the medium argue that television reflects the views of the dominant class, those who produce television texts. Researchers estimate that 90-95% of television writers, executives and producers are men (Lichter, Lichter, and

Rothman, 1986; Davis, 1990). Gramsci (1978) employs the term "hegemony" to describe the many ways in which the dominant class exerts control over society. The dominant class is made up of those people who define the particular rules and laws for their particular society. Although society is composed of many different classes and their opinions, Gramsci argues that the ruling class exercises hegemony because its interests are recognized as most Grace 23 important. White ( I 992) suggests that while television texts display different interests and different beliefs, most of the time dominant interests will be shown as "correct" and may limit opposing views. Thus, the creators of television texts exercise hegemony in that they harness the power and resources in deciding not only what to show on television, but how issues will be shown.

Althusser ( 1971) developed views parallel to hegemony, and he coined the term "Ideological State Apparatuses," or ISAs. ISAs are seemingly unconnected social institutions, such as the family, religion, language, the political system, and the media, that all reinforce dominant ideology. These institutions appear to have separate agendas, but they advocate similar beliefs, which in tum influence people to behave and think in socially acceptable ways. Brown ( 1990) contends that television serves such a function.

Brown ( 1990, p.17) states that television is "produced by a combination of technical, industrial, political, and ideological events in society." Because men tend to be the creators of dominant ideology in

American culture, women have not often been accurately represented in television, and this repetition of similar perspectives through television is used to enforce and perpetuate the ideology of the dominant group (Brown, 1 990;

Kaplan, I 992). However, Brown also notes that these ideas are already Grace 24 accepted by people before they are viewed on television. The writer argues that television is used to reinforce the dominant ideologies that people already believe, and that people must have constant reinforcement if they are to keep following the ideas of those in power. Because people spend about 45% of their leisure time watching television, use of the medium as an ISA is an effective method in constantly reinforcing dominant ideology (Kubey and

Csikzentmihalyi, 1990).

While some researchers argue that television is used as an ISA to reinforce dominant ideology, viewers glean different meanings from programs.

Hall ( I 980) postulates three reading strategies: dominant reading, negotiated reading, and oppositional reading. The term reading refers the viewing of, and production of meaning from, a television program. Further, the word text refers to the entire program. Viewers produce dominant readings of a text if they are inclined to believe in the dominant ideology, while a negodated reading comes from a viewer who generally believes in the dominant ideology, but questions it occasionally. Last, viewers produce oppositional readings when they are in direct opposition to the dominant ideology. Because most viewers are not creators of dominant ideology, they usually fall in the category of negotiated readers.

Hall ( I 980) argues that television programs do not contain one Grace 25 meaning, but that they are read different ways by different people. However, the author also suggests that people read a text based on their positions in the societal hierarchy. Because the text reflects the views of the dominant ideology, a viewer may be at odds with the message. Therefore, viewing the text becomes a process of negotiation for the viewer.

While television reflects the dominant ideals that are postulated by the creators of ideology, free will among viewers is at work. Because men are usually in the position of deciding what to show on television, mainly a male viewpoint will emerge from a program. Even though television works as an effective ISA, viewers negotiate readings of the programs they view (Hall,

1980; Brown, 1990).

When television is used as an artful persuader, hegemony results. Issues such as women's roles in society, women's financial statuses, and the changing roles of_ men and women are not usually reflected in television, although research has been conducted relating these subjects to real life. Researchers suggest that women's traditional societal roles were to care for the home and to satisfy men's sexual appetites (Code, 1991; Atkin, Moorman, and Lin, 1991;

Wolf, 1991). Grace 26 Women's Roles in Society

The patriarchal society's use of women as guardians of the home still prevails, as does the objectification of women. Code ( l 991) writes of the rise of the middle class, and the consequent rise of housewifery in the l 950s. The author argues that in an effort to appease the women who had worked outside the home during World War II, housekeeping was reconstructed as a full-time profession. Thus, women were given the impression that housework was a serious, all-consuming activity that demanded their full-time attention.

Women's power has been channeled away from public pursuits and public knowledge, and has been directed toward the seemingly important decision of what detergent to buy, and what to feed one's husband. Code (1991, p.207) writes, "Lurking beneath these complex and interwoven prescriptions is a stereotyped conception of women as unbalanced and fundamentally out of control, and of motherhood and femaleness as pathology."

The belief that women are unbalanced has existed for thousands of years. Tavris and Wade (1984) employ the example of Adam and Eve, and the belief that woman was made to tempt man. The researchers write that men have argued for the control of women since Biblical times because women's seductiveness could overwhelm society.

Even if some men in power do not believe women's sexuality will bring Grace 27 society to its knees, Levin (I 987) states that women are not allowed to enjoy intimate relationships like men can. The researcher reports that women are led to believe they must be chaste in order to make good choices for wives.

Once women are married, it is their primary duty to keep men's homes in order.

A double standard exists, however. While women keep the home fires burning, who keeps men's sexual fires burning? The other role of women in a patriarchal society is to satisfy men's sexual appetites, and women as anonymous sex objects are everywhere, from television to advertising, and from magazines to radio (Wolf, I 991; Riffe, Place, and Mayo, 1993 ).

Atkin, Moorman and Lin ( I 991) identify television programs, including

China Beach and Baywatch, that caricature women as sex objects to be used solely for men's pleasure. China Beach featured a nurse and a prostitute, and while these professions seem very different at a glance, there were many similarities in the program. The nurse's job was to keep her predominantly male patients happy at all costs, while the prostitute's job required the same.

She had to keep her male customers satisfied or else she would not have any business. Both characters constantly put men's needs ahead of their own, but they had different reasons for doing so.

Baywatch also objectifies women, though it ostensibly illustrates how to Grace 28 enjoy a safe day at the beach, and also how to perform first aid in emergencies.

However, the main objective of the program is to flaunt as many surgically enhanced, bikini-clad women as possible. Riffe, Place and Mayo ( 1 993) similarly identify television commercials that continue to use women's scantily or tightly clad bodies to sell everything from beer to cars to soap.

Because of the advances women made since the 1 960s, many men argue that American culture shows women's sexuality as healthy and natural. Wolf

( 1991, p.136) argues that none of women's natural sexuality is made public, writing

Our culture censors representations of women's bodies, so that only

official versions are visible. Rather than seeing images of feminine

desire or that cater to feminine desire, we see mock-ups of living

mannequins... that reveal little about female sexuality.

Again, Wolf demonstrates that the men in power have decided what is, and what is not, acceptable.

Schwoch, White, and Reilly ( 1 992) argue that the portrayal of women in media is changing, but not necessarily improving. Focusing primarily on films of the 1970s and 1980s, they cite examples of how women's roles are changing focus. For instance, films of the 1970s often depicted women as obsessed with their careers. These women usually were not married or were Grace 29 divorced, so they appeared liberated, but in actuality people who do not have personal lives are usually very lonely. Films that depicted women in this way include Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, An Unmarried Woman, and My Turn.

Films of the 1980s changed focus in that women characters could again enjoy personal relationships, but they had professional fulfillment also. However, the researchers argue that women in movies such as Romancing the Stone,

American Dreamer, and Thief of Hearts depended too heavily on men to make their lives complete.

The myth of the dependent female assumes that women not only depend on men for personal fulfillment, but they also depend on men economically. However, as many traditional women have learned, they may experience financial troubles if they divorce or become widowed. Researchers demonstrate the dangers of depending on men for financial security (Marini and Brinton, 1984; MacKinnon, 1990; Malveaux, 1990; Wood, 1994).

Women's Financial Status

Since many women have been consigned to the home, women's financial situations are often tenuous if marital troubles arise. MaclGnnon

( 1990) illustrates the effects of the different treatments men and women receive. Often women are not included in the financial matters of their Grace 30 marriages, and have no control over financial dealings. Therefore, not only are many women unable to support themselves, many are not even granted the power to manage the money their husbands earn. When referring to the nuclear family, men often look like the better parent in a divorce proceeding because they make more money and have thus initiated "the building of family units" (p.218). In effect, men are granted preference because society advantages them before they go into divorce court, and societal standards value men's social advantages above women's social disadvantages.

Because of the difficult task of having a career and managing a household, often women choose to work part-time, or do not work, in order to more effectively take care of their families. Malveaux ( I 990) states that men are still thought of as the primary wage earners, and if a wife works, her income is thought of as secondary. Therefore, it is not necessary to pay women _as much as men, because women do not need the salary as much. If a couple in this situation divorces, the woman has little job experience, or a lower•paying job, to utilize in supporting herself. Marini and Brinton (1984) echo these views and add that when married women work outside of the home, their occupations are usually female-type jobs, such as clerical work or childcare, and therefore do not earn as much as those in male dominated professions. Grace 31

Two out of three adults in poverty are women, in part because of the idea that women do not need to earn as much as men (Notman and Nadelson,

1 991). This notion is a rationale for ignoring women's equal rights, and people who believe this ignore the fact that many women never marry, or are divorced, and do not have men to support them. Ehrenreich ( 1983, p.147) discusses the apparent rights antifeminist women believe they have as married women. She writes that if one of these women

did some thinking about her chances of making a living as a

self-supporting wage earner... she would form a terrifying sense of

her own vulnerability. The slightest outward ripple from the

sexual revolution or the human potential movement could be

enough to dislodge a husband from his marriage and catapult his

ex-wife into sudden, midlife downward mobility.

Wood ( I 994) states that reentering the labor force is difficult for anyone, but it is especially difficult for women who have not worked in many years, or who possibly never held a paid position. These women seldom have any preparation or any options when they are thrust into the workforce. Moving abruptly from dependence to independence is difficult, and in addition, a living wage is needed to survive. Displaced homemakers are in even worse straits than unemployed men or women Grace 32 because they are usually older and have no recent paid work experience.

They are also ineligible for unemployment benefits because their housework was unpaid. Many will never qualify for social security benefits because they divorced the family wage earner too early.

Although many women fall between the cracks because of their numerous years of homemaking, more younger women than ever are earning an education and are learning to be independent (Wood, 1994).

When educated and/or employed women marry, they learn that while they have more freedom than their mothers did, they also have many more responsibilities because of the changing roles of men and women in American society.

Changing Roles of Men and Women

Advances in the women's movement have made it possible for women to pursue full-time careers. While this is a positive move, this change inevitably brings about other changes that many people have difficulty accepting. For example, now that women have the option to work outside the home, roles within the home shift. But instead of men taking up some of the housekeeping responsibilities, many women are expected to contribute an income and run the home. Kelly ( 1991) refers to "sex-role spillover" in that Grace 33

80% of women who are of childbearing age work outside of the home. These women juggle the demands of work and domestic chores, and Kelly ( 1 991,

p.78) states that they suffer from two conditions. The author writes, "Role overload is the result when a person is expected to fulfill more roles than he or

she can handle, and role strain results from conflict between two or more

roles." Lopata (1994) also states that shared homemaking is not being practiced in great numbers, and thus women often experience role conflicts, because they have too many varied responsibilities.

Referring to men's lack of domestic duties, Freeman (1989, p.100) writes, "As much quantitative research has shown, domestic work, across race and class, remains women's work. Husbands 'help.' But they do far less than their wives." In addition, Freeman stresses that as many boys grow up, their mothers do almost every domestic chore for them, from cooking and cleaning, to doing the laundry and making their clothes. Thus, when these boys become men, they are unable and unwilling to complete the most basic household chore. They expect their wives to care for them as their mothers did, regardless of how hard the wives work outside the home.

Further, if a woman gives up her career, or does not pursue one in order to care for her family at home, other difficulties may arise. As with the opportunity to have a job outside of the home, working within the home often Grace 34 proves to be a double-edged sword. Malveaux ( 1 990) argues that not only do women in this situation stand the chance of falling into poverty if something happens to their husbands, these women are often regarded as weak or unambitious. While many husbands enjoy having their wives do all the household tasks, these same husbands often feel pressure being the only wage-earner in the household, and also regard their spouses as boring because of their menial positions. Freeman (1989, p.356) states that domestic work is an unpaid job "that is unending and uncontrollable .... One cannot predict when a child will get ill or throw dinner on the floor. Moreover, housework has little prestige." If a man does not want to do housework, he may not be interested in a woman who does housework for a living.

Research Questions

A review of literature suggests a number of questions regarding women's roles in television fictional broadcasting, and this study will attempt to answer these questions. Grace Under Fire is the product of analysis for this thesis because the title character is a single, working mother of three who faces many of the challenges that women address in American society.

One question to be explored is: How does Grace's role as a single mother who is the head of her household compare with traditional roles? Grace 35

Studies reveal that traditionally, mothers perform the majority of domestic chores and also care for their children. Wives perform 7 5% of all domestic work, and researchers have also found that employed wives average 30 hours of housework a week, while women who do not work outside of the homes spend about 50 hours a week doing household chores (Coverman, 1989).

Little research has been conducted on how many hours single mothers spend on housework, but this study assumes they have even less time to work around the house. It will also be of interest to this study to see how Grace handles the roles of mother and father to her children, because they rarely see their father.

While mothers are often their children's disciplinarians and fathers are seen as more fun because they are not home much, Grace has to be both a strong disciplinarian and a fun-loving person with her children.

Another question that will be explored is: How does the program portray _Grace's financial status as a single mother of three? Two out of three adults in poverty are women because of the notion that women do not need to earn as much as men (Malveaux, 1990). People who believe this assume that all women are married to men who are able to support them, but this is often not the case. Grace Under Fire is one of the first television programs to portray a single mother who works to support her family. If the program accurately illustrates Grace's struggles as a working class single mother, people in similar Grace 36

situations who watch it may be encouraged.

A final question to be addressed is: What difficulties, if any, does Grace

encounter at work? Since she works in a male•dominated oil refinery, she may

experience greater problems than women who work in more gender•neutral

jobs. Kelly (1991, p.55) writes, "In the last half of the 20th century, women who sought career success often found great tension between the childhood

socialization they received to become women and the behavior it required to

become successful in a male•centered workplace." This study examines specific

barriers Grace finds at work, such as socialization difficulties, and issues

including sexual harassment and pay inequities.

Researchers have conducted content analyses of women in television,

and have also applied rhetorical criticism to women's traditional roles, women's financial status, and the changing roles of men and women. However, the

aforementioned issues have rarely been applied to television programs.

Dialogism will be employed to study six episodes of Grace Under Fire. The lead character, Grace Kelly, will be examined dialogically as she fulfills her traditional roles in society, struggles with financial problems, and works in a

male.oriented occupation. Grace 37

Chapter 3

Examining Dialogism

Researchers have conducted content analyses of women's television

roles, concluding that sex-role stereotyping and sex-trait stereotyping exist.

While these studies have proved valuable, rarely has the method of dialogism

been applied to women in television. Bakhtin ( 1 981) argued that the purpose of dialogism is to recognize the dialogic nature of all forms of communication.

Thus, dialogism will be employed in addressing how the lead character in Grace

Under Fire struggles with the traditional roles that society has imposed upon

her, her financial difficulties, and her unusual occupation. After examining

dialogism, this research method is applied to television in general, and further,

to Grace Under Fire. Last, a coding scheme is outlined to specifically study this television program.

Dialogism

The Elements of Dialogism. Russian literary critic Bakhtin developed the term dialogism, which is based on the concept of hegemony. Hegemony

suggests that many forms of communication that are taken as spontaneous are actually socially and politically motivated. Hegemony also recognizes that

people glean different meanings from a text, and Hall ( 1 981) argues that Grace 38

people employ three reading strategies: dominant reading, negotiated reading,

and oppositional reading. If one is inclined to believe dominant ideology, one

produces a dominant reading of a text, while a person who generally believes

in dominant ideology will produce a negotiated reading. Finally, if one opposes dominant ideology, one will produce an oppositional reading.

Dialogism is the process of analyzing dialogue between or among

individuals. The basis of the dialogic process is "heteroglossia," which Bakhtin

( 1981) defined as the recognition of the many languages present in any communication. The word "language" refers not only to spoken words, but to occupational categories, age groups, religious groups, and social circles. Used

in this way, "language" also refers to racial, ethnic, and class dialects, and

finally, gender distinctions. People speak many different "languages" based on their races, religions, occupations, genders, and social circles.

Dialogism may be used to satisfy two objectives. First, it may be employed to study the interaction of languages spoken between or among people, for languages interact with one another and form particular meanings.

Second, using dialogism, a researcher can study how a listener receives the languages of a speaker. Each listener brings different complexities to a situation and thus gleans a different meaning than other listeners. Newcomb

( 1984) reports that a listener may "hear" a sentence as a member of a Grace 39 particular political party, or as a member of a religious group, each group having its own "language." Moreover, the languages of different groups are not in total harmony with each other, making conflicts inevitable.

Not only can dialogism be employed to study dialogue in literature or in everyday life, but it also lends itself to the study of television dialogue. The very nature of television is dialogic. Storylines are enacted and proceed through the use of dialogue. Situational comedies rely primarily on dialogue to further storylines, while television dramas also use action sequences to further plots. Because television programs rely so heavily on dialogue, much can be learned about characters and stories using the dialogic method.

Dialogism and Television. Television critics Parry-Giles and Traudt

( 1991 ), Fiske ( 1987), and Newcomb ( 1984) borrowed the concept of dialogism from Bakhtin, and have adapted it to study television dialogue.

Parry-Giles and Traudt (1991, p.144) describe the method as "a guide to the larger ideological messages that we extract from [a television text.] The method assumes the presence of conflict in the television text and seeks to unpack and decipher the various languages expressed in a text to better understand that conflict." Further, the researchers state that the method can be understood in two ways, as a link between the text and the viewer, and as a study of the text alone. Parry-Giles and Traudt ( 1 991, p.14 7) write, Grace 40

The theory maintains that... the critic must recognize the socially

constructed meaning of texts as it is refracted by the languages of the

viewer .... The critic utilizing dialogism recognizes that the character

languages conflict in the unfolding textual fiction, resulting in a

hegemony of intention that emanates from the text.

Fiske ( 1987, p. 90) echoes the concept of viewers bringing their own language to television texts, and refers to the dialogic aspect of language, writing, "All language can be spoken with different accents, that is, it can be inflected differently according to the social context in which it is used and the social situation of the people using it."

Newcomb (1984, p.41) also stresses the importance of studying television from a dialogic viewpoint because any episode of any program is structured by the different viewpoints of the characters. The author states that eac;h character represents a language, and each language represents an ideology. In effect, each character responds to ideologies from a different perspective. Further, as television is a visual medium, viewers can see different ideologies presented by characters even before these characters begin speaking.

Because dialogic critics believe characters are the image of languages, these images can be powerful. Viewers not only understand a character from what he or she says, but also from the way he or she appears and dresses. Grace 41

Characters personify what Newcomb refers to as "character zones" and they carry many meanings based on their total languages. The languages of one character in tum interact with the languages of other characters. Because of this, Newcomb ( 1984, p.41) states, "in a single frame we may find layers of ideological content presented instantly."

Specifically, this study employs dialogism in analyzing six episodes of the ABC situation comedy Grace Under Fire that aired during the 1994-1995 season. The main character, Grace, is a single mother of three and supports her family by working in an oil refinery. Grace very seldom receives financial support from her ex-husband, an alcoholic who beat her, and has sole custody of their two sons and daughter.

Dialogic analysis allows the researcher to study the ideologic questions of how gender is portrayed on television. Specifically, in studying Grace's relationships with her children, the traditional roles of men and women in

American society can be analyzed dialogically. Moreover, this method will further understanding concerning Grace's financial situation, as a woman supporting herself and her children on a blue-collar worker's salary. Finally, dialogic analysis permits the researcher to understand how the character of

Grace is able to survive in the traditionally male occupation of oil refinery worker. Grace 42

Coding Tenns: Verbal

In studying the dialogue spoken between or among characters in Grace

Under Fire, discursive acts are coded according to the function they perform in interactions. Ten discursive acts are coded and these include demands and requests, instructions, compliments and insults, retorts, commands, disclaimers, jokes, and interruptions. Further, examining nonverbal behaviors aids in analyzing dialogue. Therefore, nonverbal behaviors including postures and body movements are coded.

Demands and Requests. Perinbanayagam ( l 991) defines demands as forceful imperative askings, while prayers and invitations are referred to as requests. When people make demands, they create an unequal power structure in their relationships, often promoting conflicts. However, when people make requests, they usually create a more friendly environment, and the people from whom they are requesting are more likely to respond favorably. Still, whatever environments that are promoted remain the responsibilities of those who are making requests. Therefore, this affords these people more power than the recipients.

Instructions. One who instructs typically has been granted the power to do so. Perinbanayagam ( l 991) states that an instructor has power because he or she shapes the minds of those whom he or she is teaching. The act of Grace 43 instructing creates an unequal environment in that the instructor decides what to say, to whom to speak, how long to speak, and whether anyone else will be given the opportunity to speak.

Compliments and Insults. Compliments are positive judgements and evaluations about some aspect of another person. Further, the receiver's view of the complimenter is critical to the success of the statement. If the complimenter often makes insincere statements, the respondent probably will not listen as closely as he/she would to someone who makes considered and measured remarks. Status also makes a difference in how the receiver will take a compliment. For example, if a coach compliments a player's athletic abilities, the player will most likely listen more closely than if another player pays a compliment (Burke, 1987).

Conversely, insults devalue people, and are discursive acts meant to undermine the recipient's well-being. Burke (1987) reports that an insult must be understood to be effective, so to insult someone, one must have an idea of what would hurt the other person. Further, insults to superiors are different than insults from superiors. An underling is almost expected to insult his/her superiors behind their backs in an effort to gain some semblance of power and control. However, a superior should not deliberately insult an employee because that would be an abuse of power. They do not need to be insulting Grace 44 because they already possess power.

Retorts. A retort is a discursive strategy to deflect an insult. If an instigator insults a respondent and the respondent does not utter a defensive retort, the insult is left as a label for the respondent. Further, the instigator is granted more power because the other person did not defend him/herself.

Often though, insults and retorts are hurled as jokes, and the acts become a game to see who can be most original in their utterings (Lyotard, 1988).

Commands. Commands, like demands and instructions, reflect the power of the person who is commanding. Perinbanayagam ( I 991, p.123) writes, ''They are given and accepted within organizations constituted by a system of roles, relationships, and rules and therefore are readily accepted as long as the relevant roles, relationships and rules are in force." Commands are most often given in a militaristic setting and usually do not require the use of additional force.

Disclaimers. Hewitt and Stokes ( I 975) formulated the concept of disclaimers, stating that people use the discursive act to prevent negative reactions to what was just said. Disclaimers are a way of controlling a person's response to a situation, and a way of manipulating a particular reaction. For example, if a person fears an audience will not accept what he/she is arguing, he/she could say, "I could be wrong, but.... " In doing this, the speaker Grace 45

prevents the audience from attacking him/her and pointing out that he/she

may be wrong. Women are more likely than men to use disclaimers, because

they are thought to be more concerned with appearing nonthreatening and

noncombative (Tannen, 1990).

Jokes. A joke is a discursive act meant to provoke laughter, and one

must be familiar with another person to feel comfortable enough to make a

joke (Perinbanayagam, 1991 ). Further, the two parties' status affects if and who makes a joke. Arliss ( l 991 ) argues that one usually tells a joke if one is

the superior, as opposed to the subordinate. Also, Arliss states that men tell

more jokes than women because men usually possess more power than women.

Joking is not only used to elicit mirth among listeners, but it is also used to

insult people, and so in this aspect, the act of joking sometimes overlaps with

the act of insulting. However, in this study, insults will be coded as the deliberate devaluation of someone in a nonhumorous way, and jokes will be coded as the act of eliciting mirth, or sometimes subtly devaluing someone in the guise of humor.

Interruptions. Conversation usually consists of people taking turns

speaking to each other. When one person speaks while another person is

already speaking, this is referred to as interrupting (Perinbanayagam, 1991 ).

Not only is the conversation that is being interrupted a discursive act, but so Grace 46 are interruptions. Interruptions are a discursive act that tell much about the relationship between the communicators and how the interrupter feels about the conversation. Researchers report that men interrupt more than women because men usually possess more power than women, and studies indicate that men are the interrupters in 66% of instances where interruptions occur

(Tannen, 1990; Arliss, 1991 ). However, Tannen also reports that interruptions are not always perceived as rude displays of power. In certain

Southern European countries such as Italy and Greece, interruptions are commonplace and are thought of as indicators that all participants in a conversation are interested and are actively taking part in the discursive act.

Coding Terms: Nonverbal

Leathers ( I 986) states that analyzing nonverbal communication in the contexts of particular situations prov~s valuable in furthering listeners' understanding of the situations. Postures and body movements will be examined in relation to specific situations depicted on Grace Under Fire to gain a deeper understanding of the program's messages.

Postures. One can communicate a positive or negative attitude about a situation through posture (Mehrabian, I 981 ). Inclusive and noninclusive postures include or exclude people from a group. For example, if three Grace 47 individuals are deep in conversation, their bodies may tum toward each other, forming a barrier that prevents others from joining in the discussion. This is referred to as inclusive posture.

When two people converse, they usually adapt face-to-face or parallel body orientation. Standing face-to-face can indicate two reactions that the people are experiencing. This posture may be an indication of a formal or professional interaction, or it may demonstrate a more active interaction.

Parallel postures usually demonstrate a neutral or passive interaction (Hickson and Stacks, 1985).

Last, congruent postures refer to two people who share a similar stance.

A marked difference in body positions is typically known as incongruent body positioning. Congruent postures indicate equality and friendliness between the two conversers. However, incongruent postures demonstrate individuals' status differences. A higher status individual usually adapts a more relaxed posture, while the lower status person usually maintains a more formal posture, facing the higher status person, and leaning toward this person

(Leathers, 1986).

Body Movements. According to Norton ( 1983), different body movements give form to the content of verbal messages. Telling body movement styles include the dominant style, the relaxed style, and the open Grace 48 style. Dominant communicators use dramatic nonverbal cues to dominate listeners. Expansive body posture and movements that fill space are used by dominant communicators. Approaching someone quickly is another example of dominance, as well as sweeping gestures. Someone who communicates this way is usually thought of as confident, conceited, or threatening, depending on the situation.

Conversely, relaxed communicators typically put their listeners at ease, because they are so calm and collected. Their body movements are steady and nonthreatening, encouraging people around them to communicate in a relaxed manner as well. Also, communicating in the relaxed style lends an air of self­ assurance to the communicator.

An open style of communicating is similar to the relaxed style in that it encourages people to share their feelings with the communicator. However, it differs from the relaxed style because open communicators use more expansive, extroverted gestures. Through their gregariousness, open communicators send the message that they wish to share with others. They lean toward people and maintain steady eye contact to demonstrate that they are listening attentively

(Norton, 1983). Grace 49

Coding Applications

Using verbal and nonverbal coding terms, the researcher will dialogically examine six episodes of Grace Under Fire in an effort to answer the aforementioned research questions. In viewing the programs, the researcher will note if and when characters commit the discursive acts of demands and requests, instructions, compliments and insults, retorts, commands, disclaimers, jokes, and interruptions. Nonverbal communication such as postures and body movements will also be analyzed, and dialogue will be cited to demonstrate the discursive acts. Applying the method in this way should enable the researcher to study characters' "languages," and thus, their ideologies. Further, transcripts of the programs are included in appendixes to additionally support the researcher's findings. Grace 50

Chapter Four

Applications

Dialogism has rarely been applied to women's television roles.

However, this study employs it in analyzing six episodes of the ABC

situational comedy Grace Under Fire. After offering synopses of the examined episodes, the verbal and nonverbal coding terms outlined in Chapter Three are

applied to the dialogue. These coding terms include the discursive acts of demands and requests; instructions; compliments and insults; retorts; commands; disclaimers; jokes; and interruptions. Nonverbal communication

such as postures and body movements will also be examined, again, using dialogue to shed light on possible meanings behind the nonverbal communication.

Episode Synopses

Episode One: Flooding in Town. When their town was flooded, various characters in Grace Under Fire were affected. Grace's ex-husband, whom she left because he drank too much and physically abused her, appeared on her doorstep to help her and their children during the emergency.

Meanwhile, Grace's sister, Faith, moved into a new apartment during the flood, and the insulin she needed to control her diabetes was lost in the storm. Grace 51

Her boyfriend, Russell, and their friend, Wade, argued over who should brave the weather to obtain insulin for Faith. Ultimately, Grace told her ex-husband that she is doing fine without his help, and bookish Russell outsmarted athletic Wade in finding insulin for Faith.

Episode Two: Sex Discrimination. Grace was the only woman on an all male crew at CBD oil refinery, but another woman was hired in this episode. Men on the crew made inappropriate jokes about Tracy, their new crew member, and Grace realized that she had grown used to all the innuendos that were directed toward her. When Tracy complained to Bill, their boss, he' demoted her, rather than reprimand the men who were offending her. Bill believed that demoting Tracy was easier than reprimanding the guilty parties, because these men also did excellent work. In response to her demotion,

Tracy filed a sex discrimination grievance against Bill, and he was fired.

Episode Three: Financial Troubles. When Grace's rent was raised, she did not know how she could continue paying her bills, and looked for ways to cut her expenses. She asked for money from Jimmy, her ex-husband, and was surprised when he helped her financially. Grace's ten year old son,

Quentin, suggested that she let him and his seven year old sister, Libby, go home after school, rather than going to a daycare center. Her friends Russell and Nadine took care of the kids for a while, and finally Grace decided to let Grace 52 them stay alone. She was proud when everything went all right. Her new boss, John Shirley, was also featured in this episode, and his crew discovered that he was not a good communicator.

Episode Four: Credit Woes. Grace was plagued by credit problems when a grocery store employee, Mr. Rudder, mistakenly turned her name into a credit bureau for nonpayment. After she fixed his chair for him, he agreed to update her file, thus fixing her problem. Further, Jimmy's girlfriend, Ramona, approached Grace concerning his temper. When Grace admitted that she left

Jimmy because he was abusive, Ramona left him as well. Jimmy angrily confronted Grace about what she told Ramona, but Russell and Wade arrived and defused the situation. Wade's hobby, ceramics, was highlighted in this episode as well.

Episode Five: Pregnant and Alone. John Shirley's estranged daughter,

Julia, auived unexpectedly at the oil refinery to tell her father that she was pregnant. She begged an uncomfortable Grace to bridge the gap between her and her father, and Grace talked to John. Thanks to Grace, Julia and John patched their relationship. However, Grace had problems with her own son in this episode. Quentin started to exert his independence and ignored his mom and Nadine when they saw him and his friends at the mall. Later, Quentin was angered when his mom teased him in front of his friends. But when he Grace 53

fell off his bike and went to Grace for sympathy, both he and Grace realized

that he was not yet as independent as he seemed.

Episode Six: Accident at the Refinery. Grace's co-worker died in an

explosion, and her crew was temporarily assigned to the secretarial pool. She

came to terms with two issues: the dangerousness of her job, and its

limitations. At first, Grace welcomed the chance to work in the safe

environment of the secretarial pool, but once she was there, she was quickly

bored. By the end of the episode, she decided she liked working in the

refinery enough to risk her safety, but she also questioned whether she could

do more with her life.

Verbal Codin,g

Demands and Requests. Perinbanayagam ( I 991) defines demands as

forceful imperative askings, while invitations are referred to as requests. When

people make demands, they create an inequality in their relationships, which

may promote conflicts. Requesting something usually creates a friendlier

atmosphere. On these episodes of Grace Under Fire, female characters better

obtained what they desired from male characters through demands rather than

·requests, while male characters usually achieved what they wanted from female

characters through requests. Grace 54

As the title character, Grace spoke many lines, and also made many demands. In Episode Two, Grace's new co-worker, Tracy, was offended when her male co-workers continually made sexually suggestive remarks to her. She filed a sex discrimination grievance when Bill, her boss, demoted her rather than reprimand the men. At first, Grace was upset with Tracy, because Grace believed Bill was a fair supervisor. She demanded an explanation from Tracy, shouting, 'Why in hell did you get a job at an oil refinery? I mean, you remind me of those women sports writers who go into the locker room and go,

'Oh! He's naked!"'

Further, Grace made demands that affected her financial stability. She experienced financial difficulties in Episode Three, when her landlord raised her rent. Thinking of ways to save money, Quentin, Grace's ten year old son, suggested keeping him and his seven year old sister out of daycare, because they were old enough to stay home ~one. However, Grace did not believe they were old enough to stay alone, and requested a shift change so she could be with them after school. Because John Shirley, Grace's new boss, denied this request, she called Jimmy for money as a last resort. Instead of requesting his help, as she had with John Shirley, Grace demanded assistance from Jimmy.

Confidently, she stated, ''This is important. I need money. I need it now. I need it for a babysitter, and I'm not going to listen to one more excuse that.... " Grace 55

Jimmy cut Grace off here and readily agreed to give her money. Grace was stunned, but pleased, at his willingness to help his family.

In Episode Five, Grace again made the mistake of requesting a favor of

John Shirley. When Julia, his daughter, arrived at the oil refinery to talk to him about her unexpected pregnancy, John refused to see her. Julia begged

Grace to speak to him on her behalf and Grace reluctantly agreed. As usual,

John spoke very tersely when Grace entered his office. He said, "Make it snappy, Grace, I'm busy." Thus, Grace was forced to speak quickly, but she still managed to request that he talk to his daughter, rather than demand that he talk to her. She stated rapidly, "OK, your daughter's young, in trouble, she's alone, she needs you, I know it's a small hindrance in your life, but you should deal with it immediately. I'm finished." John refused to listen to Grace, telling her that all Julia wanted was money and that Julia had caused only trouble for him and hjs wife.

It was apparent that John would not speak with Julia, so Grace changed her request to a demand. In a more forceful tone of voice, she stated, "Talk to your daughter." Apparently, John responded more to demands than to requests, because he listened to Grace's demand and talked to Julia. Thanks to

Grace, father and daughter were reunited and laughing together at the end of the episode. Grace 56

Throughout these episodes, Grace got more results from demands than requests, and Nadine learned that making requests is often ineffective. She and her husband, Wade, were trying to conceive a child, but were experiencing difficulties. When Wade refused to go to a fertility clinic in Episode Two, an argument ensued. Eventually, Nadine requested that he go to a fertility clinic, asking, "I made an appointment at the fertility clinic ....Are you gonna go with me?" Even though Nadine asked politely, Wade still refused, stating angrily,

''No, Nadine, I'm not goin'. I told you, I don't need to hear those little nerds in lab coats tellin' me I got a problem with the rifling in my barrel."

While requesting favors was not usually productive for the female characters in these texts of Grace Under Fire, demands usually produced better results. Conversely, the male characters usually better obtained their desires through requests, rather than demands. For example, in Episode One, Jimmy arrived at Grace's to help during the flood. Soon after he arrived, he said,

"Well, I'm happy to see you. Alright if I give you a hug?" Because he politely requested the hug, as opposed to demanding one, Grace let him hug her.

Similarly, when Grace met his new girlfriend, Ramona, in Episode Four, he made another request. Fearful that Ramona would discover his abusive past,

Jimmy told Grace, ''The thing is, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't talk to

Ramona too much about our past." In response to his request, Grace stated, Grace 57

"... there's some things in my life that I'm not too proud to talk about."

Because Jimmy made a polite request, rather than demanding that Grace do as he told her, she wanted to grant him his request.

While Grace intended to honor Jimmy's request not to discuss their past with Ramona, later in this episode Ramona came to Grace with her own request. Jimmy had verbally abused her and she asked Grace if he acted the same way when he and Grace were married. Ramona asked, "Grace, can I ask you a question?" When Grace said yes, Ramona inquired about Grace's relationship with Jimmy. Because Ramona asked directly, but politely, Grace answered her inquiries.

When Ramona learned of Jimmy's past abuses, she left him. Jimmy went to Grace's house to confront her, but when he became upset, Wade and

Russell came in the room. Their arrival defused the situation, and Jimmy calmed _down. When Wade and Russell left, Jimmy again requested that Grace keep out of his personal life. Because he was polite and respectful, Grace again stated that she would try not discussing their marriage with other people anymore"

Instructions. Perinbanayagam ( 1991) states that instructors possess power because they shape the views of those whom they instruct. Further, the act of instructing creates an unequal relationship between the instructor and Grace 58 those who are following instructions. In the examined texts, the main character, Grace, instructed her children, female friends, and ex-husband, while she received instructions from her boss and her ex-husband.

Grace gave her children many instructions when they stayed home alone for the first time in Episode Three. When their rent was raised eighty dollars, Quentin suggested that he and his seven year old sister, Libby, go home after school, rather than go to a daycare center. Grace reluctantly agreed when she could not think of any other option, and she gave both children many instructions. As Grace and the children were leaving the house on the day they were going to stay alone for the first time, Grace gave last minute instructions. She said, "OK you guys, everything's written down on two pieces of paper. One upstairs, one downstairs. You got Aunt Nadine's number at work, my number at work. OK? And if there's an emergency, we dial ... " At this point Quentin and Libby interrupted, and recited in unison,

"911." When Grace continued instructing them, stating, "And if there's not an emergency, we ... " the children interrupted again and recited together, "sit on the couch, watch TV, and don't touch anything." Immediately following this conversation, Grace spoke to Quentin privately, and told him to be nice to his sister that afternoon. By doing this, Grace acknowledged that Quentin has more power than his sister because he is older. Grace 59

Grace not only instructed her children, but she also instructed her girlfriends. Her best friend, Nadine, was having difficulties conceiving a baby in Episode Two, and said in a desperate tone, "We've been trying for six months now, and we are still not pregnant." Grace exclaimed, "Girlfriend, WE will never be pregnant. WOMEN get pregnant. When I see a man in silver stirrups with his ankles touchin' his ears, pantin' like a dyin' pony, then WE will be pregnant." After this comic statement, Grace also urged Nadine to relax and not get too upset while trying to conceive.

Julia, John Shirley's pregnant young daughter, asked Grace for guidance in Episode Five. John was angry at Julia, and refused to speak with her. Julia sought out Grace and appealed to her for instructions on how to speak to her father. Grace instructed her, ''Just tell him how you feel. You know, something like, 'Dad, I know this isn't the life you would have chosen for me, but you raised me to be a free thinker, even if that means making my own mistakes .... and I want you to be a part of whatever life I have left.... "'

Although Julia never mustered the courage to speak to her father, Grace spoke to him for her, and Julia and John were reunited by the end of the episode.

When Tracy, Grace's new co-worker, was offended at how the male members of the crew treated her in Episode Two, Grace instructed her to talk to their supervisor, Bill. Tracy confided in Grace, "I love this job, but those Grace 60 guys really talk. . .I mean it's like the name callin'. They called me Muffin Butt.

It bothers me ... .I just wish they'd cut it out." Grace responded, ''Yeah, maybe

I'm just used to it or something. Look if it really bothers you, why don't you talk to Bill, he's a really good guy." Tracy took Grace's advice and talked to

Bill. However, instead of talking to the men on his crew, he demoted Tracy.

When she filed a sex discrimination grievance against him, Bill was fired.

Interestingly, although Tracy was reinstated on the crew and Bill was fired, the men did not seem to learn from the experience. At the end of the episode,

Vic, Doug, Tony, and Grace were talking. Vic said, "... when I retire, I'm goin' to Naked City, Indiana. Oh, you know, it's a real place, everybody's naked.

You go into a pancake shop, these waitresses come over, they got these really, huge jugs ... " At this point Tracy walked into the room, and Vic ended his sentence saying sarcasticly, "... of syrup. They put it on this big stack of pancakes because pancakes are really good for you. They're healthy." Tracy thanked Vic for ending his sentence the way he had.

Grace not only gave instructions to her children and female friends, but she also instructed her ex-husband on how to live a better life. Jimmy's girlfriend left him in Episode Four after Grace admitted Jimmy's past abuses.

Grace found Jimmy at a bar, drowning his sorrows and feeling sorry for himself. He cried, "Grace, I know I ain't never been worth nothin'." This Grace 61 statement prompted Grace to tell him, ''Then here's the deal. You gotta get off the sauce. You fathered the three best kids I know and they need you. Now, if you want Ramona, you just go get her." Although Grace offered these instructions, it did not appear that Jimmy was going to follow them, for he stated, "Grace, everything's always so easy for you, cuz you got all the answers."

Grace received many instructions from her boss, John Shirley, in

Episode Six. After a man died in an oil refinery explosion, Grace and her co­ workers were reassigned, and John guided them. When a. company therapist tried talking to Grace's reluctant crew, John prompted them. He stated,

"Alright, let's cut through the touchy-feely bushwa and get into our mental problems." Later in this episode, John also gave instructions concerning the crew's reassignments. He dictated, "Alright, now, here's the deal. We're shutting down for inspection. You can stay at home at a 50% pay cut.... Or you can be temporarily assigned to the secretarial pool on full salary.... Now the rest of you can make up your minds and leave your choice for someone who cares on my desk."

Grace not only received instructions from her boss, but she also received instructions from her abusive ex-husband. However, Jimmy arrived unexpectedly at Grace's house in Episode One to help his family during a Grace 62 flood. Soon after arriving, Jimmy gave instructions to his children, saying,

"Now, why don't you two kids hustle on upstairs and get some towels." When the children left the room, Grace told Jimmy, ''You know, we're not exactly helpless here." He ignored this remark and gave her further instructions, asking, ''Ya remember to disconnect all the appliances--the refrigerator, the washing machine, TV?" Grace had not, and followed Jimmy's instructions, running around unplugging electrical appliances.

Compliments and Insults. Compliments are positive evaluations of another person, and the receiver's view of the complimenter is critical to the success of the statement (Perinbanayagam, 1991 ). For example, if the complimenter has a higher status than the receiver, the receiver may appreciate the compliment more than if the complimenter has lower status

(Burke, 1987). Conversely, insults are statements spoken to devalue people.

An insuJt must be understood to be effective, so one must have an idea of what can hurt the other person (Burke, 1987). Grace gave compliments more often than she received them, and she even complimented Jimmy, her ex­ husband. However, she also insulted him on occasion, while she was insulted by him, and by her two bosses, Bill and John.

Grace gave compliments more often than she received them. When

Russell felt sorry for himself in Episode Two, Grace complimented him to Grace 63

bolster his self esteem. He complained, "Friday night, 7:30, and I'm sittin'

here snappin' beans in a cheap lawn chair like somebody's sad old aunt. I

might as well be wearing support hose and a jersey dress." In an effort to cheer

him up, Grace stated, ''You're one of the most successful people I know. I.

mean, you dispense medicine and wisdom and kindness and a sense of stability

for our small town, and you sponsor little league and bowling and at the

Shriner parade, they let you drive the tiniest car."

Grace and Nadine complimented Nadine's husband, Wade, when his

friends made fun of his body in Episode Three. After Nadine assured him that

he had "a great butt," Grace jokingly said, "When y'all play basketball down in

the park, do you wear high heels like those girls in that commercial?" At this,

Wade exclaimed, "No. Great, great. I come in, I'm feelin' a little insecure, and

I get ridiculed. No, me and my butt are out of here." Grace immediately felt

badly, and yelled to him, 'Wade, look at my butt! Why would I make fun of your butt?!" Nadine and Grace then reassured him that he had "a great butt."

Grace even complimented her ex-husband in Episode Four, when his

girlfriend left him. Jimmy had been trying to overcome his drinking problem,

but when Ramona left him, he went back to his old ways. Grace went to the

bar where he was drinking to cheer him up, and he told her, "Well, Ramona

won't even take my phone calls. She's afraid I'm gonna hit her. Man, you Grace 64 make one mistake, it just dogs your tracks for the rest of your life, so what's the point?" To cheer him up, Grace responded, "You got a lot goin' for you,

Jimmy. I shared a bunch of my life with you. Every time I meet a guy, I compare him to you, and a lot of times, in a lot of ways, you come out on top. 11 This comment seemed to make Jimmy feel better, because he smiled and said, "I was your first, wasn't I?" But then he paused and became depressed again, stating, "Oh, who am I kidding? I'm just roadkill in street shoes." Grace made a final attempt at complimenting Jimmy when she stated, "Aw, knock it off, Jimmy. I mean, you're smart, good lookin', people like you~ Lord knows, you could charm a dog off a meat wagon."

Although Grace attempted to lift Jimmy's spirits in Episode Four, she insulted him in other instances. Grace was wary when he went uninvited to her house to help her and their children during the flood in Episode One.

Jimmy said hello to his children and commented on how much Quentin had grown, to which Grace replied, ''Well, it happens every six months or so. I guess you showed up to take them to the zoo. Dam, it's raining. See ya in another half a year." Grace made these comments hoping they would hurt

Jimmy because he was well aware that he had not seen his children in six months.

Further, Grace insulted Ramona, Jimmy's new girlfriend, in Episode Grace 65

Four. Grace appeared jealous when she met Ramona and learned that the children would be spending the weekend with her and their father. Ramona was young, blond, and slender, and she told Grace, concerning her spending time with Grace's kids, "If it's not cool with you, Grace, you say the word, and

I'm gone." Grace smiled slyly at her and replied, "Nah, give me your earrings and babysittin' money and we're even." Ramona did not consider the comment as an insult but Jimmy realized that it was.

Jimmy did not appreciate Grace's other insult later in the episode, and told her. Jimmy had brought the children home to Grace's, and he and Grace were talking about the weekend. Grace asked if the kids liked Ramona, and

Jimmy responded, "Especially Libby. She was all over her like pretty on a pup.

Even helped her out with her homework." Grace insulted Ramona a second time when she said, "Well, Libby likes helping her fellow classmates." At this remark, Jimmy told Grace that she was acting jealous, and Grace admitted that she was.

Jimmy not only deflected Grace's insults, but he occasionally insulted her as well. In Episode One, he became angry when Grace reminded him of his abusive past. He yelled at Grace, "Hey, I'm trying to change. Trying to tum my life around, but you won't let me. You just keep bringing up the past and kickin' me in the teeth with it. So you tell me Miss holier than thou, Grace 66 blond out of the bottle, Dixie bitch, who the bad guy is!" Grace's fear and hurt were apparent through her cowering stance during this tirade, and Jimmy regretted the insults he hurled at her.

Bill, Grace's first boss on the series, insulted her in Episode Two, when

Tracy, Grace's co-worker, filed a sexual discrimination charge against him.

Tracy complained that her male co-workers constantly aimed sexual innuendos toward her, and Bill demoted her rather than punish the guilty parties. Grace went to him and asked, ''What the hell's the matter with you, putting Tracy back down on the green crew?" Bill grew defensive and insulted Grace, imploring, "Now, don't go girly on me, Grace." This was insulting because he implied that Grace was supporting Tracy simply because they were both women, and not because Grace believed he was breaking the law by discriminating against his employee.

Bill was fired because of his discrimination against Tracy, and Grace's new boss, John, was introduced in Episode Three. In this episode he, too, insulted Grace. Grace went to his office to ask if she and co-worker could swap shifts with each other, but he refused to speak with her. Grace went to

John's closed office door and called his name twice. Instead of answering her, he disguised his voice and stated that John was not there. Grace asked for the shift change and was refused her request, and again, this dialogue took place Grace 67 through the closed door. When Grace's request was refused, she persisted, explaining the situation to John, who insulted her a second time, saying,

"Grace, this is starting to tum into a conversation." This may seem like a mild insult, but John would not even grant Grace the courtesy of opening his door and asking her into his office. Further, he made it clear that he did not care that she had to change shifts so she could get home to her young children.

Retorts. A retort deflects an insult, and if a respondent does not offer a defensive retort to an instigator, the insult labels the respondent. Moreover, the respondent grants the instigator more power in not responding to an insult

(Lyotard, 1988). Characters on Grace Under Fire did not often make retorts when they were insulted. Grace was the only character who offered retorts as defined in this study. Further, she did not defend herself with retorts when her ex-husband insulted her, but made retorts to both of her bosses when they devalued her.

Grace did not defend herself with retorts when Jimmy insulted her in

Episode One. He wanted to reunite with her, but she refused, reminding him of all the times he hit her. Jimmy resented hearing about his past abusiveness, and yelled at her, ''You just keep bringing up the past and kickin' me in the teeth with it. So you tell me Miss holier than thou, blond out of the bottle,

Dixie bitch, who the bad guy is!" Normally, Grace was very confident and Grace 68 does not let people treat her badly, but in this instance, she stood cowering and silent.

Bill insulted Grace by calling her "girly" and implying that she did not have an intelligent opinion of his actions against Tracy in Episode Two. Grace refused to let the insult go unchecked when he told her, "Don't go girly on me,

Grace." She retorted, "Well, don't go man-piggy on me. She's a good worker, she did her job." With this retort, Bill was denied the additional power he would have had if Grace had not defended herself and her position. Not only did she neutralize his insult, she also reiterated the reasons why she believed he was wrong in demoting Tracy.

Grace also deflected John Shirley's insults with a witty retort in Episode

Three, when she needed to change shifts with a co-worker so that her children would not have to stay home alone. John initially insulted her by pretending to be out of his office, when he was actually hiding behind his closed door.

Grace was not dissuaded by this insult, and called her request through the closed door. .When he refused her request, Grace pleaded with him, imploring,

"John, it's really important. I gotta pull my two oldest out of daycare, and I've got friends watching them for me, but nobody can on Thursday, so I.. .. " At this point, John interrupted Grace and insulted her again, saying through the closed door, "Grace, this is starting to tum into a conversation." Grace was Grace 69 not dissuaded and retorted, "No it's not. A conversation is when people talk face to face, not separated by a pane of glass. This is visiting day at Sing

Sing." Her retort worked, because John opened his door and invited her into his office. However, while Grace's retorts deflected John's insults, ultimately, he still possessed more power than her as her supervisor. After he invited her into his office, he used this power to refuse her request, and try as she did, he would not authorize a shift change.

Commands. Commands reflect the power of the person who is commanding, and they are given and accepted when a system of rules is in place. However, unlike demands or instructions, commands are most often given in a militaristic setting (Perinbanayagam, 1991 ). Only two commands were perceived in these texts of Grace Under Fire.

When Grace experienced financial difficulties in Episode Three, her friends babysat Quentin and Libby occasionally, so the children did not have to go to a daycare center. Russell, Grace's friend, took care of them at his pharmacy one afternoon, and seven year old Libby drove him over the brink.

She sang, "I'm Henry the Eighth I am, Henry the Eighth I am, I am. I got married to the widow next door. She's been married seven times before, and every one was a Henry, Henry!!" At this point, Russell commanded, "Stop it!"

Similarly, John Shirley was driven to the brink in Episode Five when his Grace 70

estranged daughter, alone and pregnant, unexpectedly arrived at the oil

refinery. Julia, John's daughter, and Grace discussed Julia's predicament, and

this angered John. When he refused to see Julia, she asked Grace, "Do you

think I'm awful?" Grace responded, "No. You know, he's a d~d. It kills dads to

see their daughters in pain, and the way they express their sympathy is by

growling and barking. They're men." John overheard this remark, and

exploded, "Back to work! I don't pay you to sit here and discuss my personal

life."

Aside from these two instances when men were pushed to their limits

and yelled commands at females over whom they had some form of control,

commands were not apparent in these episodes of Grace Under Fire.

Disclaimers. Speakers use disclaimers to prevent negative reactions to

something they just said or are about to say (Hewitt and Stokes, 1975).

Disclaimers are used to manipulate a particular reaction from respondents.

For instance, if a person fears an audience will react negatively to something

- he/she is going to say, this person can prevent a verbal attack by stating, "I

don't know if I'm right, but.... " By offering this disclaimer, the audience

cannot attack the speaker, because the speaker has stated that he/she may be

incorrect. Disclaimers were rarely used in these episodes of Grace Under Fire.

Only three disclaimers were spoken, and these were uttered in Episode Grace 71

One. When Jimmy appeared at Grace's house to help her and their children during the flood, he wanted to get back together with her. He told her how he had read a book, and when Grace teased him about it, he told her, 'The point is, Grace, that I'm changin', I'm trying to. I don't know if it's just because I'm gettin' older or 'cause I ain't been happy one day since you kicked my sorry ass out." Although Jimmy claimed he was changing, he offered the disclaimer, "I'm trying to." In adding this statement, he effectively stopped Grace from denying that he was truly trying to change. Had he just said that he was changing, Grace could have brought up any number of faults he still had, thus demonstrating that he was not changing.

After Jimmy told Grace that he was trying to change, she asked him,

"Where we goin' with this?" He answered her, "Just this. I've stopped drinkin', mostly." Again, Jimmy claimed that he was improving himself, but added the disclaimer "mostly" to protect himself against any possible criticism. If he had only said that he had stopped drinking, the next drink he took would have made him a liar.

Grace did not succumb to Jimmy's charms, and later in the episode she told him that he should not have come to help them. This angered him and he shouted that he was trying to improve his life, but that Grace would never let him forget the bad times. His outburst frightened Grace, and she cowered Grace 72 in a comer. When Jimmy calmed down, he told her that he had not been going to hit her, and she said forcefully, "It doesn't even matter. You and me just ain't doing this right. I mean, you haven't been here a day and we're just right back in that place where we always go and I don't want to be there anymore." Jimmy appeared to want to change her mind, and said in a wheedling tone, "Grace .... " At this, Grace said, "No. Maybe you oughta go."

She told him to leave her house, rather than asking him. Nevertheless, she prefaced the statement with "maybe." By offering this disclaimer, Jimmy would not have completely disregarded her request had he refused to leave.

Jokes. Jokes are meant to provoke laughter, and one must be familiar with someone to know what will make that person laugh. Further, the two parties' status affects if, and who, makes a joke (Perinbanayagam, 1991 ).

Superior parties usually joke more than subordinate parties, and men usually tell mor~ jokes than women (Arliss, I 99 I). Because the program is a situation comedy, many jokes were told on these episodes of Grace Under Fire.

Moreover, Grace, the main character, usually told more jokes than other characters even though she is a woman. Her jokes primarily made light of the hardships she and her friends faced. Surprisingly, she even aimed jokes at her boss, John Shirley, and not surprisingly, he did not appreciate them.

Conversely, Grace's supervisors rarely made jokes. Grace 73

Grace joked to get through difficult times. During the flood in Episode

One, she informed Jimmy, ''You know how you always said you wanted a pool in the back yard .... We got one now. There's a car and a swing set in it."

Making light of the flood damage in her yard seemed to relieve some of the pressure Grace was feeling as a woman trying to keep her family safe.

Grace made jokes about her blue collar job in Episode Two. When the new employee, Tracy, told her how much better her new position at the refinery was, compared to her former responsibilities, Grace laughed. ''Yeah," she answered, ''beats runway modeling doesn't it? Walk, turn, smile. Fuss, brush, fuss, binge, purge, binge, purge ... .If you like it here, you must have had some cruddy jobs." Tracy replied, "Oh, well, I was a janitor in a women's prison." Grace exclaimed, "That's bad. Stand back. I was a beautician at a mortuary in Alabama. One time I had to give a beehive to a circus fat lady that got split in two by a train!" When Tracy did not believe her, Grace joked,

"Alright, it was a bearded lady and a perm, but you get my point." Joking like this made the women feel better about their jobs. They commiserated, letting the other know that both could be in more dire straits.

Grace made light of her financial difficulties in other instances. Her rent was raised $80 in Epjsode Three, and she did not know how she would get the extra money every month. As Grace balanced her budget at the Grace 74

kitchen table, Russell asked what she was doing. She answered, "It's my

monthly budget. Somewhere in here I've got enough for rent and a stove, I

just have to find it. It's kinda like Where's Waldo for the food stamp set."

Russell seemed puzzled and replied, "Grace, I don't get it. You have a good

job, where does it all go?" To this Grace exclaimed, "Well, Russell, I waste it.

On things like rent, and food, and clothes, and taxes, and then there's that

damn record club, 14 records for a penny, then they own your soul!"

Grace also used humor in an embarrassing situation concerning her

finances in Episode Four. Her grocery store manager mistakenly reported her

to a credit agency for nonpayment of a bill, and a clerk at the grocery store

told her she could not open a store credit account. Not understanding the

situation, Grace asked the clerk, "What is it? They still don't want me for that

Patty Hearst kidnapping, do they?" When he told her that her credit was no good, Grace told Libby, ''You know what; girl? I don't even want this credit

account. You know what he did? He seduced me with easy terms, and then he didn't deliver. He ain't nothin' but a credit tease!"

Humor also allowed Grace an emotional release when her children tried

her patience. When Libby refused to go to bed in Episode Two, Grace did not

lose her temper. She amused herself by making light of the situation. She exclaimed, "Look, Mommy's gonna write you a check. Oh, look!! $ I ,000 Grace 75 dollars. Now, I'm gonna date it in the year 2022. That means I'll be too old to care and all you have to do is go to sleep right now and not tell your brother

I gave it to you. OK, precious?"

In Episode Five, Quentin asserted his independence by ignoring or insulting Grace. He informed her that he was going out to ride his bike, and implored, "Please don't shout down the street like I'm some kind of baby."

Grace joked with him, suggesting, "Hey, I got a better idea. I got 10 bucks.

Why don't you just go the bus station, get a room there." When he sniped

,"''You're so hysterical," Grace told Nadine, ''Yep, we're pretty proud of him at

Smartie Pants University. Captain of the Smirking Team three years running."

Grace also joked with Nadine in Episode Six when Quentin and Libby reacted inappropriately to the news that one of her co-workers had been killed. After Grace told Quentin and Libby the sad news, Libby asked, "If you blow up, can I get the TV?" At this remark, Quentin exclaimed, "Libby!"

Grace reassured Quentin, telling him that Libby did not understand the situation. Quentin replied, "She sure doesn't, and I'm older, I get the TV."

The two children challenged each other, and took turns making statements such as, ''Then I get the VCR." ''Then I get the stereo." ''Then I get the jewelry." ''Then I get the car." ''Then I get the house." At this point Grace left the room and went into the kitchen to talk to Nadine. When Nadine asked Grace 76 how the talk went, Grace replied, "Hmm. I'm changin' their names to Lyle and

Eric."

Grace usually laughed at life's hardships with her good friends and contemporaries, and they shared in her good humor. However, she occasionally tried to joke with people she did not know well, and they did not often appreciate her humor. For example, her use of humor did not help when she spoke to the grocery store manager to clear up the credit misunderstanding in Episode Four. She told Mr. Rudder, the store manager, that he had mistakenly reported her to a credit bureau, and he challenged her, stating, "A mistake in our report? I doubt it.... Let me tell you a little credo that I live by.

Credit is a privilege, not a right." Grace tried to kid him into better humor, replying, "I bet you have that tattooed on you somewhere, don't you?" Mr

Rudder did not find this inquiry humorous.

Likewise, her humor was not appreciated when she went to a fertility clinic with Nadine in Episode Two. As Nadine waited to see the doctor, she thanked Grace for waiting with her, because she did not want to be alone.

Grace looked at the other women who were in the waiting room and pointed out that they were alone. Then she told the women, "Unless y'all are together.

And if you are, I'll tell you why you're not pregnant." She was the only one who thought her remark was funny, but she did not give up. When Nadine Grace 77 worried that "rotten eggs" was the reason· she could not get pregnant, the other women reassured her. One said, ''You can be implanted with someone else's eggs. I'm canyin' my sister's eggs." Another women stated, "I'm carrying my mother's." Yet another exclaimed, "I've been implanted with my daughter's and my granddaughter's eggs." Grace joked with them, saying, "Y'all don't even need Friends and Family. You can just reach out and touch yourselves."

Again, the women did not think she was funny.

Grace's boss, John, did not find her jokes funny. Not only is he Grace's boss, and therefore in a position superior to her own, he is also humorless.

Therefore, he did not appreciate it when Grace joked with him. When a co­ worker died in Episode Six, John told the crew their options. He said he had an announcement to make, and Grace commented, "If it's about you and your wife, I don't want to hear it." She was alluding to sexual difficulties he had been experiencing, and he replied, "I think you should forget that you ever heard it." Grace assured him that she was trying. John continued his announcement, stating, "Now, we're not sure how long it'll be 'til we're fully operational again." At this, Grace exclaimed, "Well, then see a doctor, but leave us out of it, John!" John did not laugh and told Grace to "can it." Grace had tried to bring humor to his meeting when it was not her place to do so.

Characters other than Grace made jokes. Her co-workers Vic, Doug, Grace 78 and Tony, joked with each other, and their humor was usually of a sexual nature. For instance, Vic did a crossword puzzle in Episode Two, and kiddingly asked Grace to help him. He said, "Grace, help me double-check this crossword answer will ya. Four letters, second letter is i, fourth letter s, and the clue is, women's are usually bigger than men's." When Grace told him the word was "hips," he exclaimed, "Damn, you got an eraser?"

Also in Episode Two, the crew worked unusually hard, in the hopes of getting a bonus. Tony informed his co-workers, "I hope we get that bonus in.

I already spent mine on phone sex." Vic suggested, "You can probably call

Tracy for free.'' Tracy, the new crew member, did not find this funny. Tony spoke up again, saying, "I'm gonna spend my c-note on something the old lady really needs," and Doug said, "What's that? An alarm clock to keep her awake during sex?" Vic added to the conversation, informing them, "She never falls asleep when I'm there." At this point Bill, their boss, spoke up and reminded them that there were women present, but it did not stop them. Vic said,

"Now Tracy, don't get the wrong idea. I'm not sleeping with Tony's wife.

Doug and Billy are." While the men thought these comments were funny,

Tracy was offended.

Interestingly, Grace's two supervisors rarely made jokes. John Shirley, her current boss, had little sense of humor, and Bill, her former boss, joked Grace 79 only occasionally. In Episode Two, when Bill announced to the crew that their new co-worker was named Tracy, the men shouted, "Oh, no! Not a chick!" Bill replied, ''The manual says she's not a chick. She's an occupational associate.

So treat her with all the respect that a chick deserves." Bill made another joke in this episode. When his crew was discouraged from the hard work they were doing, Vic asked him, "Hey, we gotta get the union on this. I mean, Bill, we're not actually supposed to work for a living, are we?" Bill answered, "I'm not sure, why don't you wake up the shop steward and ask him?"

Interruptions. When people speak to each other at the same time, this is referred to as interrupting (Perinbanayagam, 1991 ). Interruptions are a discursive act that lend insight into the relationship between the communicators and how the interrupter feels about the conversation. Men interrupt more than women and Arliss ( I 991) argues that this is because men usually possess more power than women. Characters rarely interrupted each other on these episodes of Grace Under Fire. The children were interrupted by

Russell in Episode Three, and they interrupted their mother in the same episode.

Grace's rent was raised in Episode Three, and she took her children out of daycare to save money. Russell, her good friend, offered to take care of them two days a week at his pharmacy. The children were bored at the Grace 80 pharmacy, and to pass the time, Libby sang loudly, "Second verse, same as the first. I'm Henry the Eighth I am, Henry the Eighth, I am, I am. I got married to the widow next door. She's been married seven times before, and every one was a Henry, Henryf" Russell interrupted her, and yelled, "Stop it!" He calmed down immediately and asked Libby and her brother how they were doing.

Later in the episode, Quentin and Libby stayed alone for the first time.

When the day arrived, Grace gave them last minute instructions, but it was apparent that the children were well rehearsed in what they should and should not do. Grace told them, "OK you guys, everything's written down on two pieces of paper. One upstairs, one downstairs." You got Aunt Nadine's number at work, my number at work. OK? And if there's an emergency, we dial ... " Quentin and Libby interrupted her here, and recited in unison, "9 I I."

Grace continued quizzing them, saying, "And if there's not an emergency, we ... " The children finished the sentence, stating, "sit on the couch, watch tv, and don't touch anything." It was apparent that the children were capable of staying home alone, and were not afraid to do so.

Nonverbal Coding

Postures. When conversing, people usually orient their bodies so that Grace 81 they are face-to-face or parallel to one another. Conversing face-to-face indicates a professional interaction or an active interaction. Parallel postures demonstrate a neutral or passive conversation (Hickson and Stacks, 1985).

Further, congruent or similar postures indicate equality and equanimity between two speakers, while incongruent postures demonstrate individuals' status differences. A higher status individual usually adapts a more relaxed posture, while the lower status individual usually maintains a more formal posture, facing the higher status person, and leaning toward this person

(Leathers, 1986). Although storylines were furthered mainly through dialogue on these episodes of Grace Under Fire, body postures offered clues to characters' emotions.

Conversations that featured face-to-face body postures indicated professional or active interactions in these texts. When Bill demoted Tracy in

Episode Two, Grace went to his office to talk to him about reversing his decision. He refused to put Tracy back on his crew even though Grace told him that Tracy would drop her sex grievance against him if he did. The conversation took place as Bill sat behind his desk, and Grace sat in front of the desk. The desk was a barrier between them, and their positions at the desk symbolized their unequal professional relationship.

The ways Grace and her boss sat at his desk setved as such a symbol in Grace 82

Episode Three, when Grace talked to her new boss about authorizing a shift change. Grace had talked to John through a closed door for half of the conversation before he reluctantly invited her into his office. John told her to sit down, and Grace sat in front of his desk. Rather than sitting and talking eye-to-eye with her, John stood behind his desk, saying, "Grace, I've been with this company for a long time. When I started, I was an eager young man, worked my way up, new challenges every day, personal satisfaction at every tum. Frankly, I'm sick of it. But on June 15, 1997, I retire ... .l'm not about to make any waves." What John said, and the posture in which he said it, reminded Grace that he had more power than her, and that he would not let her change shifts.

Grace again sat in front a dominant male's desk in Episode Six, when her co-worker, Joe, died in a refinery explosion. Ted Larkin, a company psychol~gist, provided counselling, and Grace went to his office to talk to him about Joe's death. Grace did not wait for an invitation, but sat in front of

Ted's desk on her own accord. They faced each other across the desk as they discussed the explosion, and Grace's feelings about working in a dangerous profession. Moreover, Grace sat on the edge of her chair, and leaned forward throughout the conversation. Conversely, Ted sat in a more relaxed position, leaning back in his chair, and occasionally stretched his arms over his head. Grace 83

Face-to-face conversations also indicated active interactions between characters. In Episode Two, Grace quickly grew to like her new co-worker,

Tracy. She went to Tracy, and as the two stood face-to-face, she said, "Hey.

Tracy, I just have to tell you what a difference it's made having you on the crew. Thanks for everything." Tracy then confided in Grace that she liked her new responsibilities, and the two women shared stories of their past jobs. This face-to-face posture demonstrated that the two characters were actively involved in the interaction.

Similarly, when Grace gave her children important final instructions for staying home alone for the first time, the interaction took place face-to-face.

Quentin and Libby stood, and Grace kneeled in front of them so that she was eye level with them. Later, Grace got home from work and found that they had done their homework and even cleaned the livingroom. When she put them to bed, she kneeled by Quentin's bed so that they were eye-to-eye again.

They shared an active interaction in which Grace thanked him for doing such a good job staying alone. Quentin remarked, "Someone's gotta do this stuff. I mean, dad's not coming back." Grace replied, "Oh, Quentin, I never heard you say that before," and he answered her, "Well, he's not. Is he?" Grace said,

"Well, I wish I could tell you different, but I'd be lying .... lt's a tough thing to let go of." Quentin assured her maturely, "It's just the way things are." The Grace 84 interaction seemed more personal and intense with the characters facing each other.

Parallel conversation postures usually indicate neutral topics, or that the communicators know and like each other so well that their postures are congruent. Further, many conversations take place in parallel positions on television programs so that viewers clearly see both characters. Therefore, this study only addressed parallel and congruent conversations that furthered audience understanding of the characters' feelings toward each other.

Although Grace and Jimmy are divorced, they enjoyed reminiscing about the good old days in Episode One. After the children were put to bed,

Grace and Jimmy sat side by side on the couch in similar relaxed positions.

Jimmy asked Grace, "Say, Grace, you remember that place back home we used to go to for breakfast to try to sober up?" Grace answered, ''Ya. Uh, Spanky's.

Out on 17th." She smiled when Jimmy continued, "That's it. Spanky's. Well, it's a gay leather bar now." Grace informed him that it always had been a gay leather bar, and they laughed together. The conversation continued with

Grace talking about her break-up with her latest boyfriend, and Jimmy told her a man would be crazy to leave her. Their congruent postures throughout the conversation illustrated the characters' closeness.

Similarly, Grace and Nadine's warm feelings toward one another were Grace 85 apparent through congruent postures in Episode Two. Nadine and her husband, Wade, were trying unsuccessfully to conceive. She sat at the kitchen table with Grace and said, "We've been trying for six months now, and we're still not pregnant.. . .I don't know, maybe I will never get pregnant. Think there's something wrong with me?" Grace tried to ease her fears by saying,

"Honey, you guys have only been tryin' for six months. Relax, give it some time." Throughout the dialogue, the two women sat in similar positions and leaned toward each other, which befitted the intimate topic they were discussing.

Grace and her new co-worker, Tracy, formed a fast friendship in

Episode Two. Grace told her what a difference she made on the crew, and as the conversation progressed, the women continually maintained congruent positions. At first, they stood face-to-face as they made jokes about their former jobs. However, the conversation took a serious tum when Tracy said that she did not like the comments that her male co-workers were directing toward her. As the women became serious, their postures went from face-face to parallel but congruent. Perhaps the seriousness of the topic embarrassed them, and they unconsciously turned away from each other. At the same time, they still felt a kinship, and their postures remained congruent.

Grace's conversation with John concerning a shift change in Episode Grace 86

Three not only illustrated face-to-face postures, but also incongruent postures.

John told Grace to sit down, but he remained standing behind his desk as he lectured her on why he would not authorize shift changes. He gazed down on

Grace as he spoke, while her gaze was directed upward at him. Although the dominant party usually maintains a more comfortable stance, in this instance,

John, the supervisor, appeared less comfortable. However, it was he who told

Grace to sit while he chose to stand, thus demonstrating his superior status.

Further, standing over Grace enhanced his dominance over her.

Another example of incongruent postures occurred in Episode Two.

Nadine became worried because she was not pregnant yet, and made an appointment at a fertility clinic. As she sat at Grace's kitchen table, she asked

Wade, "I made an appointment... are you gonna go with me?" Wade was standing next to the table, and remained standing throughout the conversation. At this inquiry, he leaned in toward Nadine and said angrily,

"No, Nadine, I'm not goin'. I told you, I don't need to hear those little nerds in lab coats tellin' me I got a problem with the rifling in my barrel." Nadine and Wade's incongruent postures during this conversation illustrated their incongruent stances on getting help from fertility experts.

Body Movements. Body movements give form to the content of verbal messages (Norton, 1983). Telling body movement styles that were Grace 87 apparent in these episodes of Grace Under Fire included dominant and relaxed styles. Dominant communicators dominate listeners with expansive body postures and movements that fill space. Sweeping gestures and approaching people quickly are examples of dominant communicators. This style may make one appear confident, conceited, or threatening, depending on the situation. Conversely, relaxed communicators' body movements are steady and nonthreatening. Relaxed communicators usually put others at ease because of their calm style, and they encourage people to communicate in a relaxed manner as well.

Male characters made more dominant body movements than female characters in the examined texts. When Grace told Jimmy that he should not have come over in Episode One, he became angry. He said, "Now hold on, baby, I risked my life to get here to help you and the kids." Grace informed him, "I ~ow, but that doesn't give you the right to use them to get to me."

Jimmy exploded at this remark, yelling, "Hey, I'm trying to change. Trying to tum my life around but you won't let me. You just keep bringing up the past and kickin' me in the teeth with it. So you tell me Miss holier than thou, blond out of the bottle, Dixie bitch who the bad guy is!" Jimmy rapidly advanced toward Grace in a threatening manner as he spoke these words, and he leaned toward her and yelled in her face. Also, he slammed his fist on the Grace 88

table as he finished speaking, for added emphasis. Grace responded to these

words and body movements by cowering in a comer, and Jimmy seemed

surprised by her reaction, saying, "I wasn't going to hit you... .I swear, I wasn't."

Thus, Jimmy was either unaware of, or unwilling to change, his

- dominant and threatening nonverbal behaviors, much to his disadvantage.

Grace had divorced him because of his abusiveness, but he did not learn from

that experience. In Episode Four, Jimmy's new girlfriend also left him when he

lost his temper in a restaurant. Ramona was frightened by his behavior, and

confronted Grace as to why they divorced. When Grace admitted that he had

been abusive, Ramona left him.

However, when Jimmy made threatening dominant movements toward

Grace in the same episode, Grace subtlely defended herself. Jimmy stormed

into her kitchen as Grace sat at her table and stood over her saying angrily,

"Just had to go and do it, didn't you?" Grace asked him why he was there, and

he told her that Ramona left him. Grace apologized, but Jimmy would not

accept it, persisting with his anger. He replied, ''You're sorry. You told her I

have a bad temper and that I could never change. That's what she said."

Grace defended herself by standing up and looking levelly at Jimmy. She

faced him and said, "Hey, you know, you're the one who gave her reason to Grace 89 wonder. Don't blame me 'cuz she smelled smoke, OK?" Because she stood up to him, Jimmy started to calm down. Soon Russell and Wade arrived to see if

Grace needed help, and by the time Jimmy left, he was no longer angry with

Grace.

Further, Bill, Grace's first boss, displayed dominant body movements as they conversed in Episode Two. He demoted Tracy rather than reprimand his male subordinates for sexual harassment, and was ultimately fired because he refused to reinstate her. He became unreasonable when Grace tried to talk with him. She told him that Tracy would drop her complaint if he reinstated her, and Bill responded, "No way. I'm sick to death of trying to get along. Of tryin' to be sensitive. I tried, I tried with Peggy .... " When Grace informed him that Tracy's complaint had nothing to do with his wife, his body movements grew dominant as he yelled, "Oh, I gave up gambling and smoking and hard liquor, and now, I've got to talk and listen and touch for the sake of touching, and oh, I can't even eat veal, because the poor little cows don't get to run free.

What, they should run free with the big cows before they get hit on the head with a hammer?!" As he shouted this diatribe, Bill made wild gestures with his arms and paced the room. Grace was not frightened as she had been when

Jimmy yelled and displayed dominant body movements. Instead, she made light of Bill's outburst, saying, "Bill, come back! Walk towards the sound of Grace 90

my voice!"

Grace also used dominant body movements in Episode Two, when she

initially heard about Tracy's sex grievance against Bill. She confronted Tracy,

and leaned toward her angrily as she asked why Tracy had filed the grievance.

When Tracy told her it was none of her concern, Grace answered, "Oh, it is my

concern. Bill gave me a job when no one else would, he let me be crew chief

after six months.'' As the conversation continued, Tracy told Grace that Bill had refused to talk to his male employees about their language, and Grace

implied that she still should not have filed the complaint. Tracy stood her ground as Grace kept leaning threatenly toward her, and she told Grace, "Hey,

I'd love to be able to handle the guys like you do, but I am not like you."

Grace's nonverbal movements were still dominant as she yelled, "Well, why in hell did you get a job in an oil refinery? I mean, you remind me of those women sports writers who go into the locker room and go, 'Oh! He's naked!"'

Her dominant body movements stopped when Tracy told her that she had

filed the complaint because she had been demoted, not because of her co­ workers' language. Grace stopped leaning toward Tracy in a threatening way, and she imperceptibly straightened as she said, "Hey, Tracy, I don't know what to say. I mean, that's wrong."

Grace's body movements were usually relaxed in the examined episodes, Grace 91 in that her movements were slow and steady. Additionally, she usually leaned toward whom she was speaking, and this demonstrated that she was interested in the conversation, and she supported the person to whom she was speaking.

For example, in Episode Two, she and Russell sat outside as they snapped beans. Grace leaned toward him as she asked him if anything was wrong. She continued leaning forward in this supportive manner as he told her how sad life was. Grace said, "Is this where I'm supposed to give you that big 'I'm your best friend' speech?" When he asked her to, she continued, ''You're one of the most successful people I know. I mean, you dispense wisdom and kindness, and a sense of stability for our small town, and you sponsor little league and bowling and at the Shriner parade, they let you drive the tiniest car. My God,

Russell, what else could a man want?" When this speech did not cheer up

Russell , Grace continued leaning toward him in a calm, supportive manner as she asked him to describe a time when he was happy. He eventually seemed cheered by Grace's company.

Similarly, Grace calmly and supportively leaned toward Ramona as she talked to Grace about Jimmy's temper. Although Grace did not want to tell her that Jimmy had abused her, she remained supportive as Ramona talked.

Ramona asked, "Did you and Jimmy have problems?" Grace jokingly said that they had not had many problems since they divorced, but Ramona persisted, Grace 92

''The reason I'm asking about Jimmy is his temper." Again, although Grace did not want to divulge the details of her marriage with Ramona, her body movements still signaled Ramona that she could discuss her fears with Grace.

Ramona indeed unburdened herself as she told Grace, ''The other night we went out to dinner, and um, I guess the waitress was kinda new 'cuz she messed up my order, and Jimmy got really mad and he started yellin' at her.

And I told him that it was alright, and then he started yellin' at me. And, eventually, he calmed down, but I was scared."

Further, Grace's movements were calm and supportive when Julia; John's pregnant daughter, appealed to her for help in Episode Five. Julia sought out

Grace and asked her, "Has my dad said anything to you about me, because he still won't talk to me. I mean, he didn't even offer me money like he usually does. Do you think I'm wasting my time even trying?" Grace leaned in attentiv~ly as Julia spoke, and then asked her if she wanted money or love from her father. When Julia said she just wanted him to be her dad, Grace told her to talk to him, and at Julia's urging, even told her what to say. Grace eventually agreed, albeit reluctantly, to talk to John for Julia. Therefore,

Grace's body movements were consistent with her true feelings. She not only appeared supportive, but she actually was supportive.

Finally, Grace's body movements were steady and slow in Episode Six Grace 93 when she told her children that her co-worker had been killed in an explosion.

She knelt down so that she was eye-to-eye with Quentin and Libby as she told them, 'There was an accident at work today, an explosion, and um, somebody died, and everybody's really sad that it happened, and I just don't want you guys to be worried or scared, 'cuz I promise you that your mom is really, really careful at work. Y'all have any questions or anything?" As Grace reassured her children, she attentively leaned toward them, encouraging them to share their thoughts.

In summary, dialogism has rarely been applied to television texts.

However, it proved beneficial in examining Grace Under Fire, using the coding terms outlined here. After reiterating the importance of studying women's television roles, three research questions are posed and answered in Chapter

Five. Data from Chapter Four was utilized in answering these questions, which include: How does Grace's role as a single mother who is the head of her household compare with traditional roles? How does the program portray

Grace's financial status as a single mother with three children? Does Grace encounter difficulties at work? Finally, dialogism's effectiveness is debated, conclusions are examined, and suggestions for future research are identified. Grace 94

Chapter 5

- Discussion, Conclusions, and Suggestions for Future Research

Examining women's roles in television is important because the medium is pervasive. 92 million homes in the United States have at least one television, and 98% of the total population watches television (Allen, 1992).

Further, Kubey and Csikszentmihalyi (1990) state that in an average 70 year life-span, people spend seven years watching television. Not only do people watch the medium every day, viewers watch the same programs over and over.

Thus, viewers constantly receive the same messages, and are not likely to think critically of the messages because of their casual reactions to television

(Stewart, Stewart, Friedley and Cooper, 1990). Parenti (1992) and Meehan

( 1983) also state that television conveys ideas of how people should act, and viewers often absorb these images without thinking critically. Because 92% of the American population watches television on any given day, it is important to study the messages that the medium sends.

Specifically, studying women's prime-time television roles is important because little research has been conducted in this area. Most researchers have focused on women's roles in daytime serials and advertising. After studying the depiction of women in daytime serials, Downing (1974) postulates that women are better represented numerically in soap operas whose settings are Grace 95 predominately domestic. Also, women appear in almost equal numbers as men, and women are often the centers of plots. However, Downing adds that women are more concerned with personal appearance and marital relationships, while men are still mainly absorbed in their occupations.

While daytime serials portray women as concerned with their appearances and relationships, researchers suggest that advertisements depict women as sexual objects (Riffe, Place, and Mayo, 1993). After analyzing sex­ role messages in 998 advertisements, the researchers state that one in ten commercials shows a provocatively dressed woman. Further, if there is a female primary character present in a Sunday football commercial, she is three times more likely than a man to be provocatively attired. Thus, sex-role stereotypes exist in both daytime serials and television programming.

More research is needed concerning the portrayal of women in prime­ time television as questions remain to be answered. Therefore, Grace Under

Fire was the product of analysis for this thesis as the title character is a single, working mother who faces many of the challenges that women address in

American society. The program consistently ranks among the top ten most viewed television programs, so it is important to examine the messages its characters send to viewers. Research questions that guided this thesis are:

How does Grace's role as a single mother who is the head of her household Grace 96 compare with traditional roles? How does the program portray Grace's financial status as a single mother with three children? Does Grace encounter difficulties at work?

Research Questions

How does Grace's role as a single mother who is the head of her household compare with traditional roles? Studies reveal that women traditionally perform the majority of domestic chores and care for their children. Women perform 75% of all domestic work, and wives who are employed outside of the home average 30 hours of housework a week

(Coverman, 1989). There has been little research on how many hours single mothers spend on housework, but they presumably have even less time to clean than married women. Further, women traditionally discipline their children while fathers are thought of as more fun. After all, mothers usually spend more time with their children than fathers, so women are more likely to see what behaviors need improvement in their children.

While the amount of housework Grace performs could not be ascertained from the examined episodes, these texts offered examples of how she juggles the roles of mother and father to her children. Grace was rarely shown doing housework in these episodes, so in this aspect she could not be Grace 97 compared with traditional wives. However, much dialogue took place in the kitchen and Grace was occasionally shown cooking at the stove or preparing food at the table. In Episode Two she was depicted snapping beans with her friend, Russell, in the backyard. Aside from this example, there could be two reasons why she was not shown cleaning, and was rarely shown cooking. First, the creators of Grace Under Fire may wish to demonstrate to viewers that Grace is too busy working full time and mothering the rest of the time to worry about the neatness of her house. Interestingly, Grace's house usually looked fairly clean and neat. Objects such as toys may have been scattered around the livingroom, but that is to be expected with three children. Otherwise, the rooms, including the children's bedroom, were orderly. Second, Grace may not have been depicted cleaning her house simply because plots usually revolved around her relationships with other characters, and housekeeping would npt have furthered these plots. In a situation comedy such as I Love

Lucy, plots centered on Lucy's mishaps and failed attempts to accomplish objectives, so house cleaning would have been an appropriate subject in this program. Examples were offered depicting Grace's roles ofmother and father.

In the examined episodes, Grace used humor to discipline her children, so she acted fun loving like fathers usually are, while still performing the role of disciplinarian, as mothers usually do. For instance, Grace was humorous in Grace 98

Episode Two, when Libby refused to go to bed. Grace made Libby an offer she could not refuse when she exclaimed, "Look, Mommy's gonna write you a check. Oh, look! $1,000 dollars. Now I'm gonna date it in the year 2022.

That means I'll be too old to care and all you have to do is go to sleep right now and not tell your brother I gave it to you. OK, precious?" Although

Grace ordered Libby to go to bed, she did it in a such a way that Libby could not disobey.

While Libby had simply refused to go to bed in Episode Two, Quentin acted more disrespectful to Grace in Episode Five. In trying to be more independent, he pushed Grace away by ignoring or insulting her. When he was going to ride his bike, he implored her, "Please don't shout down the street like I'm some kind of baby." Grace joked with him, suggesting, "I got 10 bucks. Why don't you just go to the bus station, get a room there." Quentin sniped, ''You're so hysterical," and left. After his departure, Grace told Nadine,

''Yep, we're pretty proud of him at Smartie Pants University. Captain of the

Smirking Team three years running."

Interestingly, Grace had talked to Quentin about his rude behavior earlier in the episode. After he had talked back to her a number of times,

Grace discussed the issue with him. She said, "I know you're embarrassed to have a mother," and Quentin replied, ''Yeah, go on." Grace continued, ''Well, I Grace 99 just wanted to tell you that it's really natural to feel that way. You're supposed to think your mom is, like, the biggest jerk in the world. And it's really easy to act like one when you treat her like one. So I'll try very hard not to take it personally if you can try very hard not to rip your mother's heart out." While

Grace had to perform the roles of both parents in these episodes, this example demonstrated that she performed traditional mothers' duties in a decidedly feminine manner. A traditional mother most likely would have responded to a son's disrespect by spanking, yelling, or punishing in another way, such as grounding the child. Grace disciplined Quentin by talking to him as an adult, and treated him respectfully, even though he was not acting respectful and mature with her. As his sarcastic comments illustrated later in the episode, he did not seem to learn much from their discussion. That Quentin did not listen to his mother and continued being rude to her illustrates that perhaps Grace needed to use more traditional discipline techniques with him. Perhaps she allows more disrespect from her children than traditional mothers because she . feels guilty that they do not often see their father.

How Does the Program Portray Grace's Financial Status as a Single

Mother with Three Children? Two out of three adults in poverty are women, in part because of the idea that women do not need to earn as much as men (Notman and Nadelson, I 991). Women's salaries are often thought to Grace 100 be a secondary source of income, and therefore, not as important as men's incomes. Thus, single women may struggle to support themselves, and Grace

Under Fire addressed this issue in two of the examined episodes. Initially, it was heartening to see a prime-time program portray a single mother supporting her family, but after analyzing these texts, I changed my opinion because Grace made light of her situation too many times, trivializing her plight. Further, the creators of the program sent mixed messages concerning

Grace's financial situation.

Grace struggled with a rent increase in Episode Three and credit problems in Episode Four. When Grace's rent was raised $80, she did not have enough money to cover this increase. As she sat at her kitchen table and tried to think of how to get an extra $80 every month, her friend, Russell, asked why she was worried. He inquired, "I don't get it. You have a good job, where does it all go?" She joked, "I waste it. On things like rent, and food, and clothes, and taxes, and then there's that damn record dub, 14 records for a penny, then they own your soul!" At first, I applauded the writers of Grace

Under Fire for addressing this issue, because real people face financial problems such as this every day. Perhaps they would be encouraged to see a character on television dealing with this dilemma, and might even learn from the character. However, Grace made light of her financial problems. As she did Grace 101 her monthly budget she quipped, "Somewhere in here I've got enough for rent and a stove, I just have to find it. It's kinda like Where's Waldo for the food stamp set." Viewers could interpret these remarks two ways. They could be heartened to see a television character experiencing realistic problems, and may not feel so alone. Viewers could see that Grace had problems similar to theirs and she was optimisticly solving them on her own, as a independent woman. Conversely, viewers could think that they should not be as concerned as they are about their financial situations and perhaps should just accept them, as Grace appeared to do when she made light of her financial shortcomings. The creators of Grace Under Fire sent the message to viewers not to take everything so seriously, to accept their situations, whether they are satisfactory or not. Things could be worse.

Grace also joked her way out of a credit problem in Episode Four, when her grocery store manager mistakenly turned her name into a credit agency for nonpayment. When a clerk at her grocery store told her she could not open a store account, she joked, "What is it? They still don't want me for that Patty

Hearst kidnapping, do they?" When he told her that her credit rating was poor, she quipped, "I don't even want this credit account. You know what he did? He seduced me with easy terms, and then he didn't deliver. He ain't nothin' but a credit tease!" Grace may have made jokes in this instance to Grace 102 cover her embarrassment at being refused store credit as she stood in the checkout line surrounded by other shoppers. However, I was surprised when she made light of the situation later in the episode, when an uncooperative store manager, Mr. Rudder, was rude to her and implied that she was a liar.

When Grace told Mr. Rudder that there must be a mistake in his report, he stated, "A mistake in our report? I doubt it. Let me tell you something. Let me tell you a little credo that I live by. Credit is privilege, not a right." Grace jokingly asked him, "I bet you got that tattooed on you somewhere, don't you?" After saying this, Grace assured him that she paid her bills, and he said that he doubted this, telling her, "Look, credit has been my life for 1 7 years and 93% of the time the person sitting across from me has no intention of paying her bills." Grace replied, ''You want me, don't you?" These light remarks did not help Grace with the difficult Mr. Rudder. If anything, her care_free manner seemed to irritate him, and made it appear that she did not care if she had a poor credit rating. Ultimately, Grace cleared up the problem when she fixed Mr. Rudder's broken chair for him, but this episode could send viewers mixed messages. While Grace persisted with Mr. Rudder and eventually solved her credit troubles, she also seemed to deal with the problem lightheartedly, even jokingly. In real life, a poor credit rating can make the difference between buying a home or having to rent because one Grace 103 cannot get a mortgage loan. A poor credit rating can affect whether one can get a school loan or a car loan. It is not the laughing matter that Grace thought it was. Again, she could send viewers the message that one should face life's problems with an optimistic attitude and everything will work out for the best, or viewers could glean the lesson that financial troubles are not terribly important and can be a laughing matter.

Grace made jokes about her seemingly dire financial straits in these instances, but her financial situation did not always seem so dire. Grace referred to herself as a member of the food stamp set in Episode Four, and also talked about being uneducated in Episode Six, but her children were well dressed and had many of the latest toys. Quentin and Libby always had on stylish, new clothes in the examined episodes. Libby especially had pretty clothes, as she was usually shown wearing dresses or feminine play sets. The children were also depicted riding their bicycles, holding beautiful dolls, and playing expensive video games. All of these possessions could have been gifts, but their origins were not identified.

While the children seemed to want for nothing materially, they wanted their parents to remarry. Libby told Quentin that she wished their parents would reunite in Episode One, but Quentin doubted that they would. When

Grace's rent was raised in Episode Three, Quentin suggested that he and Libby Grace 104 stay home alone after school rather than go to an expensive daycare center.

After the kids stayed home alone for the first time, Grace thanked Quentin for being good. Quentin replied, "Someone's gotta do this stuff. I mean, dad's not comin' back." This statement revealed Quentin's understanding of Grace's financial problems as a single mother. While he and his siblings had nice

-clothes and toys, he still realized that their father rarely helped support their family, and their mother had to do the work of both mother and father. That

Quentin suggested he and Libby stay home alone, and that he behaved with such maturity illustrated that he wished to help his mother support their family. Thus, Grace's financial status as a single mother sent mixed messages to viewers. She made jokes about being poor while her children appeared to want for nothing. And although they seemed satisfied with their possessions,

Grace's children realized that their mother had financial difficulties, and believed that if their parents were married, there would not be so many financial problems. This belief could give viewers the idea that women should stay with their husbands for the sake of their children, and for financial stability, no matter what the circumstances.

Does Grace encounter difficulties at work? Few prime-time television programs have portrayed women employed in blue collar, male­ dominated work environments, and I initially applauded the creators of Grace Grace 105

Under Fire for depicting Grace's work at the male-dominated oil refinery.

However, after conducting this research, my opinions of the depiction of

Grace's job are mixed. While it was encouraging to see a female television character interacting with others in a work environment, some of Grace's experiences in the examined episodes were disturbing. Grace encountered difficulties at work in some instances, and did not in others. First, Grace's supervisor had little sympathy for her role as a single mother. Second, Grace discovered that she enjoyed working with her all-male crew in the refinery more than working in the secretarial pool. Finally, while Grace did not believe that she was harassed by her co-workers, another female character, Tracy, would not accept the constant sexual innuendos that her co-workers directed towards her.

Grace had trouble changing shifts because of her unsympathetic supervisor in Episode Three. Her rent had been raised, and to save money,

Quentin and Libby were not going to daycare after school. When Grace attempted to speak to her supervisor, John, about changing shifts so that she could be home with her children, at first he would not even open his office door, let alone listen to her dilemma. John said through the door, "Grace, this is starting to tum into a conversation." Grace deflected this insult by retorting, "No it's not. A conversation is when people talk face to face, not Grace 106 separated by a pane of glass. This is visiting day at Sing Sing." After cajoling him to open his office door with this retort, Grace requested a routine shift change. John informed her that he was retiring soon and that he did not want to make waves. Grace persisted, telling him that granting her a shift change would not rock the boat. However, her persistence was not effective, because

John said that he was an uncaring man, and he did not care that Grace's children would be home alone. When Quentin and Libby were alone for the first time, Grace's male co-worker asked John if she could leave work early so she could be home with her children and again, John refused the request.

When first examining this scene, I was impressed that the writers of

Grace Under Fire addressed the issue of a single parent's struggles with career and family because few programs do so. However, the outcome of the scene sent negative messages to viewers. When John refused to even let Grace leave early to be with her children, viewers absorbed the idea that single parents are on their own in trying to keep their families together and safe. Another message implicit here was that juggling jobs and children are the price that single parents must pay, and employers are not obligated to ease these parents' struggles. Thus, when viewers face the same dilemma, they may remember

John's refusal to help Grace, and will not even ask for help from their employers. Also, viewers may conclude that it is easier to stay in a bad Grace 107 marriage rather than struggle on one's own. While I was disappointed by

John's behavior and the message it sent viewers, it was encouraging to see

Grace's friends help her. Russell watched the children at his pharmacy while

Grace worked, and Nadine babysat when she could. Even Jimmy gave Grace money when she demanded it. Perhaps viewers who concluded that it is easier to stay in a bad marriage were heartened to see Grace's network of friends supporting her when she needed it.

Although Grace encountered work difficulties such as these, she enjoyed working in the male-dominated oil refinery more than even she realized. She experienced work difficulties when she was temporarily assigned to the secretarial pool in Episode Six. However, her difficulties were of a different nature than those in Episode Three. After a co-worker died in an explosion, the plant was shut down for inspection, forcing Grace's crew to work in the secreta~al pool for full salary, or stay home on half salary. She looked forward to the relative safety of the secretarial pool, as she questioned whether she should work in the dangerous environment of the refinery anymore. However,

Grace quickly became bored in the secretaries' office, while Doug, her co­ worker, was a natural secretary. He loved his temporary occupation, exclaiming, "My mom always wanted me to be a pink collar worker, that would be like a dream come true for me." Grace entertained herself by Grace 108 answering the phone with a British accent and did not even know whose phone she was answering, while Doug thoroughly enjoyed answering his phone and taking messages for many different people. Grace was disgusted with him and said scornfully, "You are the biggest suck up." Doug was not insulted by the comment and replied excitedly, "Grace, it's like I've been preparing for this moment my entire life."

This scene was entertaining and interesting because it attacked the stereotypes of "men's work" and "women's work." Viewers may have assumed that Grace would be a better secretary and enjoy secretarial work more than

Doug because she is a woman and 98% of secretaries are women. Further, most viewers would assume that Doug would be a fish out of water in an office full of women, answering phones, making copies, and sending faxes. So while

Grace encountered work difficulties in this episode, it was because she did not conform to the stereotypical ideal of a secretary, while her very masculine male co-worker did.

Grace also experienced work difficulties in this episode when she questioned the safety and validity of her occupation. Not only had a co­ worker died, she told the company psychologist, but "he died wearing those stupid blue overalls and that ugly yellow hardhat." When the psychologist reminded her that the dead man had been a refinery worker, she exclaimed, Grace 109

'Well, see, now you're just categorizing him. I mean, maybe he could have been a whole lot more, maybe he just never had the chance." This remark revealed that Grace wanted more for herself than a blue collar job. This was a positive message because Grace attended college in later episodes, thus seeking to improve her station in life. Viewers in similar circumstances may have been encouraged to do the same. It was admirable for the writers of Grace Under

Fire to address this issue because not many programs do.

Grace did not encounter work difficulties in Episode Two, but her new crew member, Tracy, did. The issue of sexual harassment was broached when

Tracy filed a sexual discrimination suit against their supervisor. While Grace was not insulted by her male co-workers' sexual bantering, Tracy was. When she asked Bill, their supervisor, to talk to the men about toning down their remarks, he demoted her rather than reprimand his male subordinates.

Tracy initially approached Grace with her concerns about their male co­ workers' remarks. She confided, "I love this job, but those guys really talk. ... Yeah, I mean it's like the name callin'. They called me muffin butt. It bothers me." Grace joked with Tracy, replying, "I know, it bothers me. That used to be my nickname! I mean these guys think harass is two words." Tracy persisted, saying, "I just wish they'd cut it out." Grace instructed Tracy to talk to Bill if it really bothered her. She also admitted that perhaps she was used Grace llO to the remarks directed towards her. But Grace's idea of talking to Bill was not effective, because he demoted Tracy rather than talk to his male workers.

When Grace found out what he had done, she attempted to talk to him, but he insulted her, saying, "Now, don't go girly on me, Grace." Grace deflected the insult, retorting, "Well, don't go man-piggy on me .... All she wanted was for the guys to clean up their act." Bill defended the men, saying, "Look, those guys were bustin' their butts out there. Now, alright, every once in a while they made a couple of cracks, some jokes. It kept their spirits up, kept morale high. Now I had to make a decision. Either I tell 1 9 productive workers to change, or I transfer one Tracy Lind. That's not sex discrimination, it's math."

Grace continued telling Bill that he had discriminated against Tracy, but he would not rehire her. Ultimately, Tracy was reassigned to Grace's crew and Bill was fired. The writers of Grace Under Fire illustrated that sexual discrimination suits can be successful. Also, they showed both sides of the argument, in that they portrayed Bill as genuinely perplexed at Tracy's concerns. He was not depicted as some lecherous misogynist. Conversely,

Tracy was not a humorless man-hater. She liked her new job and wanted to do well. She also wanted to get along with her co-workers.

Grace's role in the episode was important because she realized that she had grown used to the comments directed towards her, and worried that they Grace 111 did not bother her. The episode began with Vic asking Grace to help him with a crossword puzzle. He said, "Grace, help me double-check this crossword answer.... Four letters, second letter is i, fourth letter s, and the clue is, women's are usually bigger than men's." She quickly realized his sexual humor when she said, "hips," and Vic said, "Damn, you got an eraser?"

Initially, I was impressed with the content of the show and the message the characters conveyed. However, Bill's last scene troubled me. After he was fired, he said goodbye to Grace, and his last comment was, "You have the finest rack of goods on you I have seen in years, " and Grace replied, "Well, for a middle-aged white guy, you gotta pretty cute little caboose yourself."

Further, in the last scene, Grace read a postcard from Bill, in which he wrote,

"Dear Guys .... Give Tracy a big wet one from me. I can say that now that I'm fired." This demonstrated that either he had not learned from the experience, and still did not understand why he was fired, or that he did not care if his remarks were insulting. The fact that he addressed the crew, including Grace, as "guys" illustrated that he thought of Grace as one of the guys, and that she would not be offended by his jokes. Apparently Grace's male co-workers thought of her as one of them too, because Vic made a telling remark after

Grace read Bill's postcard. He told his co-workers that when he retired he was going to Naked City, Indiana, because it is a nudist colony. He continued, Grace 112

''You go into a pancake shop, these waitresses come over, they got these really huge jugs ... " At this point Tracy walked into the room, and Vic ended his sentence, saying, "of syrup. They put it on this big stack of pancakes ...." Vic knew not to make sexual comments around Tracy, but he still felt comfortable making them around Grace. The fact that Grace laughed at Vic demonstrated she was not offended by his comments. I was left with the final impression that Tracy was a humorless trouble-maker, and the guys were just misunderstood, fun loving men.

Dialogism's Effectiveness

Using dialogism, I studied what the characters on Grace Under Fire said, and also examined how other characters responded. Each character represented a language, and each language represented a character's ideology.

Further1 characters brought different experiences to situations and thus, reacted differently based on their own experiences. Individual experiences guided characters as they spoke their own "languages," which included not only their words, but what they looked like and how they dressed. Dialogism enabled me to examine the interactions between characters as they engaged in discursive acts with their individual languages.

Using dialogism was helpful in realizing that Grace was forced to speak Grace 113 the languages of mother and father with her children. Quentin reacted negatively at times, and did not listen to his mother because she was communicating the way fathers usually communicate. Quentin's experiences had taught him that children should have a mother and a father, so perhaps he resented Grace trying to take the place of his father. However, Quentin also told his mother that he realized his father was not coming back to help them, so he did not always appear to resent Grace.

Russell's experiences as a self-employed pharmacist prevented him from understanding that Grace had financial troubles in Episode Three. Dialogism helped me understand his viewpoint, but Grace joked with him about being poor, and this may have made the situation appear less dire to him. A similar situation occurred in Episode Four. When Grace joked about her poor credit rating to Mr. Rudder, the credit manager, he thought that she was not serious about solving her credit problem. His experiences taught him that most people who claimed there was a mistake with their credit were lying, and thus he believed that Grace was lying.

Further, characters' languages conflicted in Episode Two, when Tracy was offended by her male co-workers' comments. The men's experiences had taught them that women did not mind if sexual jokes were directed towards them, because Grace did not mind. As the only female on their crew, Grace Grace 114 had set the precedent that it was acceptable to make sexual banter with each other. As white men who had not experienced sexual harassment, the crew members and Bill, their supervisor, could not understand Tracy's reaction to their sexist comments.

Not only did various characters' languages conflict at times, but also

Grace's language contradicted itself at times. While she spoke verbally of the financial difficulties she was experiencing as a single mother, other aspects of her language were contradictory. For instance, her children always had on stylish clothes, and were seen playing with expensive toys. I could not understand how a parent in such dire straits could afford the clothes and toys that Grace's children possessed. Perhaps they were gifts, but where or who the clothes and toys came from was never mentioned.

Dialogism was helpful in identifying the opposing languages of various characters, and in detecting discrepancies in characters' languages. However, dialogism was limiting in that it was difficult to distinguish between insults and jokes. I defined an insult as a discursive act meant to devalue someone, and a joke was defined as a discursive act meant to provoke laughter. I occasionally walked a thin line as I tried to distinguish between jokes and insults on Grace Under Fire, because often a joke was told to provoke laughter, but the joke was also meant to subtly devalue someone. To avoid confusion, I Grace 115 added to the definition of an insult by stating that it was the deliberate devaluing of an individual in a nonhumorous way. However, dialogism was limiting in this instance. Further, the nonverbal communication that I coded in Chapter Four did not aid me in answering my research questions. While it was interesting to study how various characters' body languages betrayed what they were thinking and feeling, examining postures and body movements was not significant to my analysis.

Conclusions

The characters in Grace Under Fire represented many different points of view in the stories presented, but viewers may have received mixed messages from these stories. While the character of Grace embodied positive steps for viewers in similar circumstances to take, she often sent the message that people should accept their lots in life. However, viewers negotiate their own readings of television texts, and thus glean different meanings from the same programs.

It was encouraging when Grace discussed issues that are rarely addressed on television. While she earned a seemingly meager living working at the oil refinery, she had greater ambitions for herself. She was obviously bright and in Episode Six she discussed going to college, having expressed the wish to be a Grace 116 teacher. Not only was she trying to improve herself with education, she had already taken steps to better herself by quitting drinking and divorcing her abusive husband. While other television characters have struggled with alcoholism, including Murphy Brown and two major characters on NYPD Blue, few characters have a history of being battered. Grace sent positive messages to viewers by discussing her abusive past. If she could quit drinking and find the courage to live life on her own, perhaps viewers in similar circumstances can too. Finally, when Grace stood up for what she believed in, she sent the message to all women to do the same. When Bill discriminated against Tracy,

Grace tried to make him see why Tracy was upset. Further, when her ex­ husband tried to intimidate her at times, Grace stood up to him, even though she was visibly frightened of him. And though she joked about having credit problems in Episode Three, she still persisted with the uncooperative Mr.

Rudder until he improved her credit rating.

Although Grace sent viewers positive messages about how to live their lives, she often sent negative messages to female viewers. I thought I would find consistent encouragement to working class or female viewers to keep fighting for what they wanted in life, but Grace's actions often suggested that people should just accept their situations without trying to change them. The writers of Grace Under Fire exercised hegemony in that their dominant views Grace 117 were shown more than other people's views. For instance, when Grace's supervisor would not let her change shifts so that she could get home to her children, viewers received the message that they could not depend on their employers for any understanding. Further, when Grace's children discussed their wishes that their parents were still married, it was usually in the context th~t they would be better off financially if their father lived with them. This may very well be true, but the writers should not have implied that it is better to be in an abusive but financially stable marriage for the sake of the children.

Instead, Grace's children should have seen how admirable it was for their mother to leave her husband and take care of her family by herself.

Although viewers may have received mixed messages from these episodes of Grace Under Fire, it is important to remember Hall's reading strategies. Hall ( I 980) argues that television programs do not contain one meaning,· but that they are read differently by different people. The author postulates that people read a television text based on their positions in the societal hierarchy. If viewers believe in the dominant ideology, they will produce a dominant reading of the television text they are viewing. A negotiated viewing comes from people who generally believe in the dominant ideology, while viewers who are in direct opposition to the dominant ideology produce oppositional readings. Most viewers produce negotiated readings Grace 118 because they do not create dominant ideology. Therefore, no matter what the writers' intentions were when they wrote these episodes, viewers most likely gleaned their own meanings, based on their positions in society. Hopefully, viewers enjoyed some laughs while receiving encouragement from gutsy Grace.

Whether she was pushing pipes around with the guys at the oil refinery, trying to get her children to bed, or standing up to her ex-husband, she was a picture of grace under fire.

Suggestions for Future Research

Many different areas of research remain to be conducted on Grace Under

Fire. Analyzing the program quantitatively might yield more exacting answers to the questions I posed in this thesis. Further, examining the series in its entirety could lead to more exhaustive conclusions because so many more storylines could be examined dialogically. Also, comparing different seasons with each other would enable a researcher to study characters' growth.

Characters' languages would most likely change and evolve as they experienced different life circumstances. Finally, I would be curious to see Grace Under Fire compared with other television sitcoms. For example, do Grace and Murphy

Brown experience similar difficulties as single, working mothers? How is

Murphy Brown's financial freedom portrayed compared to Grace's financial Grace 119 limitations? Comparing older sitcoms such as Father Knows Best or Leave it to

Beaver with Grace Under Fire would be interesting because these sitcoms primarily depicted the father as the dominant parent, while Grace is the dominant parent on her program. Whatever direction future researchers take in examining Grace Under Fire, more questions and answers remain to be analyzed. Grace 120

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Appendix A (Transcribed by author)

Episode One: Season Opener

GRACE'S LMNG ROOM Libby It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring. Something has wet your bed and the raining is pouring, it's pouring.

Faith Grace, I don't know how I'm ever gonna repay you for lettin' me stay with you all this time.

Grace All this time. Well, honey it's just been since Christmas. The original Christmas.

Faith I know you're just smart mouthin' to hide the hurt. You're gonna miss me as much as I'm gonna ---

Wade Man, it is hellacious out there. Faith, maybe you better think about movin' tomorrow.

Grace No!!

Wade I'm tellin' ya, I've seen my share of Asian monsoons and they can be deadly. One time I was in the Quai Cheng Province and we got hit with one of these beauties -- I'm tellin' ya I saw an old man drown in his own hat.

Nadine Come on, I've always heard it's good luck to move in the rain.

Faith No, No, No, it's good luck to get married in the rain.

Russell No, I heard it's good luck to get buried in the rain.

Nadine How could that be good luck, Russell, if you're dead?

Russell Well, because while they're all standing up there in that cold drizzle you're down there in that warm, snuggly, dry little box. You'll see.

BREAI< Grace 129

GRACE'S LIVINGROOM Grace (Talking to baby) And there, you just saw it. A pig, a balloon, there's a baby boy. (Wade comes in)What a mess. Are you all - still moving?

Wade Ya, we're trying. It's terrible out there. Visibility is down to zero. The only way I could see anything was to roll the window down, tum my wipers off and stick my head out.

Grace We used to have a Dalmatian that did that until he got a dog lobotomy on a telephone pole.

Wade I'm serious here, Grace. Maybe I shouldn't even mess with this last box. Ya know, flash floods are the number one weather­ related killer in the United States?

Grace Yes, I know. Well, what's the river at?

Wade To 12'. But this rain's not letting up. Ya know, I think I oughta just leave Russell over there with Faith and I'll stay here with you and the kids. That way we can divide up our potent male resources in case this thing turns into an all out flood.

Grace Well, yes, 'cause everybody knows water's natural enemy is man. Go on, we'll be fine.

Wade Ya sure?

Grace Positive.

Wade All right. I'm goin' over to that apartment, I'm getting Nadine and I'm coming back for you. Now, I know ya think I'm being over protective here but that's what I do. I'm a caretaker.

Grace Well, take care!

Wade Alright, see ya.

Grace So long. I'll be fine, I'll be fine, real fine. (Answers phone) Hello. Grace 130

Nadine Grace, is Wade is still there?

Grace No honey, he just left.

Nadine Oh, God. We've been watching TV. They just issued a flash flood watch. Why didn't he just stay there?

Grace Well, he went to get you. We'll be all right. It's just a couple feet of water. Besides, Nadine his name is Wade.

Russell Let me speak with her. Grace - Russell. Here's what I want you to do. Are you listening?

Grace Yes.

Russell Okay. Is the phone cord long enough to reach over to the window overlooking the driveway?

Grace Uhhh-ya.

Russell Okay - good. Can you make out the driveway?

Grace Just barely. Wow, Russell it's coming down in sheets.

Russell Now, don't panic on me Grace. Can you see where my car is?

Grace Uhh, ya.

Russell Can you tell if the windows are rolled up? Hello, Hello?

Announcer The phone and power lines are down around the county. Over 5" of rain have fallen in the last hour alone and the watch has been upgraded to a flash flood.

Grace Quentin and Libby come down!

Announcer And let me remind you flash floods are the number one weather­ related killer in the United States.

Grace I know, I know! Grace 131

Kids What momma?

Grace Ahh, listen you guys. Come here. I gotta tell you something pretty important. Okay.

Quentin You're not pregnant again are you?

Grace No, I'm not gonna have a baby. Thanks for the perspective. Ah, about the rain. I was watching TV and they said they don't know when it's gonna stop, so ....

Libby Are we gonna be okay, momma?

Grace Hey kiddo. Aren't we always okay?

Quentin No, you're always saying how we're just hanging on by a thread.

Grace There's nothing to be afraid of.

Quentin Except for the looters.

Grace Quentin!

Quentin I saw it on the TV. They come out when there's a disaster and they steal because the cops are too busy.

Libby Mama, there's a strange man out there. (Looking out window)

Grace Look what you did, scarin' her. It's just Uncle Wade. He probably couldn't get through, Honey.

Libby It's a looter.

Grace It's not a looter but you are close. (Looking out window)

Jimmy Have no fear, your daddy is here. Hey Grace. I miss that Jimmy Kelly what in the hell do you think you're doin' now look.

Grace How did you get in? Grace 132

Jimmy Used my key.

Grace I changed the lock.

Jimmy Ya, well, this here key works on just about any lock. Hey, how ya all doing? Look at you Libby girl. All this rain has made your hair even curlier. Give daddy a kiss.

Libby We thought you were a looter, daddy.

Jimmy Really.

Grace Couple hours too early for that isn't it, Jimmy.

Jimmy Not really, no. How ya

Grace Well it happens to us every six months or so. I guess you showed up to take them to the zoo. Dam it's raining. See ya in another half a year.

Libby Daddy, did you come here to save us?

Quentin He can't save us, I know what to do.

Jimmy Sure ya do son. I'm just here to follow your lead. Now Grace, ya happy to see me?

Grace Happy.

Jimmy Well, I'm happy to see you. Alright if I give you a hug?

Grace Sure, if it's the kind of hug you'd like - ya know - give your cousin if you weren't already engaged to her.

Jimmy Hey, where's little Jimmy Jr. Huh?

Grace He's asleep upstairs - his name's Patrick.

Jimmy Ya, I know. Boy I can't wait to see him. My mama says he's the spit out of my mouth. Grace 133

Grace Why your mother is not the poet laureate is a mystery to me. What are ya doin here?

Jimmy Well, I'm making a run with my truck about 20 miles from here. I heard what was happening on the radio and knowing how rivers run south like they do and that you were right in the path of it, I figured I'd come by and give you a hand. That is if it's okay with you, Quentin.

Quentin Well, I guess so.

Jimmy Good. Now why don't you two kids hustle on upstairs and get some towels. Huh.

Quentin You mean to put under the door?

Jimmy You got it son, now scoot.

Grace Ya know what. We're not exactly helpless here.

Jimmy Ahuh. Ya remember to disconnect all the appliances -- the refrigerator, washing machine, TV.

Grace Yup.

Jimmy Good. Cause you don't want to be touching them standing in 3' of water. You'd go up like Gary Gillmore.

Grace You're still not over that, are you Jimmy?

Jimmy Not entirely, no. BREAK

GRACE'S LIVING ROOM Grace I fixed you some coffee, Jimmy.

Jimmy Thanks.

Grace Ya, know how you always said you wanted a pool in the back Grace 134

yard?

Jimmy Umhum.

Grace We got one now. There's a car and a swing set in it.

Jimmy Say Grace, you remember that place back home we used to go to for breakfast to try to sober up?

Grace Ya. Uh, Spanky's out on 17th.

Jimmy That's it. Spanky's. Well, it's a gay leather bar now.

Grace It always was Jimmy.

Jimmy That explains the name. I always thought it had something to do with The Little Rascals. Anyway, are you still seeing that Sparks guy?

Grace No, we broke up about a month ago.

Jimmy Any man who would break up with you is a fool.

Grace Well, he wanted new kids and I'm kinda partial to the old ones, so that's how it goes.

Jimmy Well, I'm sorry. Hey, guess what. I been reading some.

Grace Well. You'd just about got where you could finish a whole cereal box before breakfast was over.

Jimmy No, what happened was I was on this long haul and I got stuck in this motel with a broken TV and somebody left this book on the night table called Of Mice and Men. You ever heard of it?

Grace Ya, I did.

Jimmy Ya know there wasn't one mouse in that whole damn book? But I liked it anyway. Grace 135

Grace I gotta Steinbeck around here someplace. The Red Pony.

Jimmy And I bet there ain't one pony in it neither, right? Oh, I'm on to this Steinbeck feller!

Grace Ya.

Jimmy The point is, Grace, that I'm changin; I'm trying to. I don't know whether it's just because I'm gettin older or cause I ain't been happy one day since you kicked my sorry ass out.

Grace Where we goin with this?

Jimmy Just this. I've stopped drinking, mostly. If I had a really good reason to, I'd stop altogether.

Grace Um um. You're not pinning this on me. It's your thing.

Jimmy Well sure. But if I wasn't drinking, then I wouldn't be raising my hand to you.

Grace Ya know, it never was the raising of the hand that bothered me, Jimmy. It was the contact. How'd I know your aim just wouldn't be better?

Jimmy I just did that 'cause I didn't know no other way to win an argument.

Grace Well, that's funny. Got to be where the only way I thought I could win an argument was to get you to hit me, so there we are.

Libby Mama!

Jimmy Hey, let me get this one Grace. My tum.

Grace Oh, I get it. The heavens have opened up, the rivers are swelling, and Jimmy Kelly's being sweet. Oh God, it Armageddon! BREAK Grace 136

FAITH'S HOUSE Announcer This is as big a storm as we've had in these parts in years and as you can see, the streets have become virtual rivers, the parks are small lakes ....

Nadine Russell, where's your pocket knife? Oh. Wade, thank God you're back. What's it like out there?

Wade It's raining horizontal, enough said?

Russell Welcome back, pal. Hey, we're thinking of ordering a pizza.

Wade Russell, do you think they're gonna come out in this kind of weather?

Russell Well, that's my plan, see. They'll never make it here in 30 minutes and then we'll get the pizza for free.

Nadine Wade, we've gotta go back and get Grace and the kids. The phone is out.

Wade No, we're not goin anywhere. We're gonna hunker down right here and set up a command post.

Faith Wade, that box you went back to Grace's for.

Wade Forget it, I got backwashed by a big rig. By now your toiletries and doodads are probably 20 miles down river.

Faith Well, that's not good.

Nadine Oh come on, we've all seen you without makeup.

Russell Well, I haven't. No makeup, no pizza. This really is a disaster.

Faith My insulin was in that box and I'm due for an injection - oh, half hour ago.

Nadine Well, can you eat something sweet, some candy or something. Grace 137

Faith No, no. That's when you've had too much insulin. No, I'll just exercise. Sorta keep my metabolism going. I'll be alright.

Russell Like hell. My pharmacy is just a few blocks from here. You want insulin, I'll get you insulin.

Wade Oh, no, no. I can't let you go pal. You'd never survive out there. If anybody's gonna go, it's gotta be me. Out there you need wit and cunning.

Russell Listen to me Wade. I'm a small business man struggling for a share of the market in the ruthless battleground of sundries and notions. Don't talk to me about wit and cunning. Great, now you've broken the doorknob.

Wade I didn't break it. (Russell runs out) BREAK

GRACE'S HOUSE-KIDS BEDROOM Grace Say goodnight to your daddy.

Libby Goodnight daddy.

Jimmy Goodnight sweetheart.

Quentin Goodnight daddy.

Jimmy Goodnight Quentin. Remember son, don't hog all the bed-bugs, give some to your sister.

Grace You guys were mighty good to me today. Thank you. (G and J leave the room)

Libby Do you think daddy's come back for good?

Quentin Don't be dumb. They're not married anymore. Dad didn't go away because he wanted to. He went away because they don't like each other. Grace 138

Libby Then why did they get married if they didn't like each other?

Quentin Well, they did then but now I guess they don't.

Libby Maybe they can change their mind. I'm gonna wish for that.

Quentin I used to wish for it, too, and it never happened.

Libby Maybe if we both wish for it, it will.

Quentin Maybe.

GRACE'S LIVINGROOM Grace I got towels and blankets, pillows downstairs. You're probably pretty tired.

Jimmy Ya. Ya, it's been a long day. Well, goodnight. Sorry I haven't been around more.

Grace I know.

Jimmy Well, goodnight.

Grace Goodnight, Jimmy.

Jimmy Sweet dreams.

Grace Same to you. Damn it, you are killing me. I mean you ride in here on a white pickup truck like a knight in shining armor and you ain't. You've been gone a really long time and when you were here you were kinda mean and hell, it's weird. I'm sitting here thinking ... Jimmy. (They kiss)

BREAI(

FAITH'S HOUSE Announcer In the past hour the rain does not appear to be letting up.

Wade Boy, this is incredible. They just closed the interstate and they're expecting record crests on both the rivers. Grace 139

Faith God, I hope Russell's alright.

Wade Oh ya, he's fine. They just showed him floating down main street hangin' on to one of those big Barney pool toys that he hangs up down at the pharmacy. He was so cute-- he was kicking off. He's gonna be fine, Faith, you'll see.

Faith Lord, I hope so. Wade, would you hold my ankles? (Does sit­ ups)

Wade Sure. How much longer do you have to do this?

Faith Until my insulin gets here or until I'm down to a size 4. How many is that?

Wade One.

Nadine Wade, can I talk to you for a sec?

Wade No, not right now, I'm helpin Faith. That's two.

Nadine Honey, I just took my temperature, ya know, the way the fertility doctor told me to.

Wade You said the doctor. You feeling sick? Come on, that's 2-1/2.

Nadine No, I'm not feeling sick. I think it's time to walk the dog.

Wade What dog? Keep moving.

Nadine Honey, if we want peaches, we're gonna have to shake the tree. Mr. Phelps has a package for you.

Wade Oh, you're ovulating. Why didn't you just say so? Faith, when you get up to the top of that you gotta really crunch that muscle otherwise you're not doing yourself any good.

Nadine Honey.

Wade What? Nadine we can't really do anything about that now, we Grace 140

can't get back to our house.

Faith Oh, don't you tell me that's the only place you can do it, Wade Swaboda!

Wade Hold on lady. Now look, I can do it in a lot of different places. Why, once I even did it in a fun house on a potato sack. I've done it on a railroad handcar, I've done it up in mid-air in my chopper, I've done in the back seat of every American-made car there is. I mean 2-door, 4-door, station wagon, convertible, and sports utility vehicle!

Nadine Don't forget the shrimp boat.

Wade That wasn't me.

Russell Faith, I did it, I really did it. Ah, I was brave, braver than I've ever been in my whole life. I had the stench of fear in my flaring nostrils but I battled the elements and overcame incredible odds, not to mention my own deep-seated cowardice, to procure for you 2 mils. of insulin -- generic brand, of course. No matter how good you feel when you plunge that syringe into the creamy white thigh of your choice, it's nothing compared to the buzz I'm feeling right now.

BREAI<

GRACE'S KITCHEN Nadine Hey, Grace, Grace. Hey, Jimmy.

Nadine Jimmy!!

Jimmy Hey, Nadine.

Nadine What're you doing here? Where's Grace, where're the kids?

Jimmy Upstairs asleep. Where's Wade?

Nadine He's next door asleep. Grace 141

Jimmy Nows our chance Nadine. You still want me?

Nadine I never wanted you.

Jimmy You said you did at the homecoming dance.

Nadine No, I said someday you would be wanted. What're you doin' here?

Jimmy Came here last night to check on my family.

Nadine Now the flood watch is over and you've come back for breakfast?

Jimmy Noooo .... (Grace walks in)

Nadine Grace? Thank God you're all right. Are the kids okay?

Grace Yes, I'm fine, why you hollering?

Nadine Oh, I saw a little spider in the kitchen, it turns out to be your ex-husband. Grace, tell me right now, did you, didn't you?

Grace No, I didn't sleep with Jimmy.

Nadine Oh, thank God.

Grace But I really wanted to.

Nadine But nothing happened, right?

Grace Well, a kiss. A really incredible long forget my middle name, get my thigh caught on a hot car seat kiss. And then, I sent him downstairs and I went into my room and cried myself to sleep. In very many ways it was a typical date for me.

Nadine Okay honey, this is alright, this is just a backsliding, it was just a slip. Ya know, you fell off the Jimmy wagon, you got to jump right back on it. That was a bad analogy. Grace 142

Grace Nadine, he's really trying to change, I mean, he's working again and he quit drinking and when this all happened he came to see how we were. I mean, his family.

Nadine Grace, I heard all of that before.

Jimmy Get your butt in here woman, breakfast is ready.

Grace Now, ya see. He's cookin' while speaking to me in a demeaning manner. I think that's progress.

Nadine I'll be across the yard if you need me.

Grace Jimmy, you made meat. A lot of meat.

Jimmy Yup, breakfast meat. You can help yourself to the syrup.

Grace No, I'm good with coffee. Thank you.

Quentin Dad, you gonna stay around for a while?

Jimmy Well son...

Grace Quent, you're daddy's gotta get back out on the road. I imagine somebody somewhere is looking for him.

Libby Stay here with us, daddy, please.

Jimmy Honey, I'm afraid that's entirely up to your mother.

Libby Mama?

Grace Libby and Quentin, go upstairs and check on your baby brother. Now, please, thank you.

Quentin Ya know, dad. If it were up to me, you'd get to stay.

Grace What're

Jimmy What? Grace 143

Grace Making me the bad guy, the one who kicked their dad out again.

Jimmy Well, it is your decision, Grace.

Grace You are so full of it. Is that why you stayed gone so long. Cause "well, if I'm gone, she'll forget everything that ever happened." Ya know, Jimmy, there's a big difference between forgiving and forgetting.

Jimmy Oh man, you ain't never gonna let me live that down are you?

Grace Jimmy, I was part of it.

Jimmy Ahh, you finally ready to take some responsibility then?

Grace It's about responsibility? You ain't even seen them in six months. You haven't sent child support in a year and a half. Christmas I had to put your name on presents so they'd think their dad remembered them. You should have just stayed in your truck and kept driving 'cause that you were always really good at.

Jimmy Now hold on baby, I risked my neck to get here to help you and the kids.

Grace I know, but it doesn't give you the right to use them to get to me.

Jimmy Hey, I'm trying to change. Trying to tum my life around but you won't let me. You just keep bringing up the past and kicking me in the teeth with it. So you tell me Miss holier than thou, blond out of the bottle, Dixie bitch who the bad guy is. (Grace cowers as he walks toward her and slams his fist on the table) I wasn't gonna hit you.

Grace Ya.

Jimmy Grace, I swear it, I wasn't ...

Grace It doesn't even matter. You and me just ain't

mean, you haven't even been here a day and we're just right back in that place where we always go and I don't want to be there anymore. I'm so much less when I'm there.

Jimmy Grace ....

Grace No, maybe you oughta go.

Jimmy All right. I'll say goodbye to the kids.

Grace Jimmy, thank you for comin' by to check on us last night. Grace 145

Appendix B

Episode Two: September 26. 1 994

OIL REFINERY Vic Grace, help me double-check this crossword answer will ya. Four letters, second letter is i, fourth letter s, and the due is, women's are usually bigger than mens.

Doug Easy, huh.

Grace Hips.

Vic Damn, you got an eraser?

Grace What are you doing? 39 across. The president before FDR. Herbert Hooters?

Vic Hey, I do this to relax. Leave me alone, huh.

Grace Vic, 16 down, the second planet from the sun is Venus.

Tony Hey, Grace. All this across and up and down's made me hot. What do you say we go behind the tank for a little ....

Grace What, so that way I can pour you a cup of coffee and say, ''That's all right, it happens to all the guys once on a while?!"

Tony Hey, I don't want to toot my own horn, but it happens to me more than once in a while.

Boss (Bill) Alright, everybody, listen up. We got a big job ahead of us. We gotta off-load some steel from an overhead crane to repair holding tanks 9, 11, and 18. If we do the work in 5 days, there's a $100 bonus for each and every one of you.

Others Oh, yeah, etc.

Bill And in a related area, I've decided to add a person to your happy yet marginally productive little unit. I'm gonna promote Grace 146

someone from the green crew to give you a hand on this.

Others Alright, etc.

Bill Her name is Tracy Lind.

Others Oh, no, not a chick!!

Grace Not a chick! Wait, I'm a chick.

Bill The manual says she's not a chick. She's an occupational associate. So treat her with all the respect that a chick deserves. (Tracy comes in)

Tracy Hi, guys.

Vic Oh, hubba, hubba, hubba.

Tony Hi, Tracy, I'm Tony. I'm not a male chauvinist, I'm just male.

Tracy Wow! Stop that.

Vic Oh, not the ole' palm tickle, Toni

Doug I want the old palm tickle, do me, Tony!

Grace Tracy, first this is Dougie; looks quite debonair with his whiskers, doesn't he? Like he's in the middle of eatin' a deer.

BREAI<

GRACE'S HOUSE Grace Quentin Carson Kelly, if you don't get in here right now, I'm gonna start givin' you big, sloppy mama kisses in front of your delinquent comrades. One, two, three, four, five .... Hold it, buster. I've been callin' you for 10 minutes. Where have you been?

Quentin Well, I just wanted to be alone for awhile. Grace 147

Grace Yeah.

Quentin To think about how hard it is for a boy my age to live in a single parent home.

Grace Bull. What have you been doing? Cutting worms in two with a broken bottle?

Quentin Well, you won't let me bum them anymore.

Grace Just like your daddy. 'Cept you're gonna bathe before you sleep. Go on up, I'll see you in a minute.

Libby Mama, I.. ..

Grace Libby, I kissed you goodnight 10 minutes ago; go to sleep now, no excuses.

Libby Mama, I...

Grace Libby, guess what, look, Mommy's gonna write you a check. Oh, look!! $1000 dollars. Now I'm gonna date it in the year 2022. That means I'll be too old to care and all you have to do is go to sleep right now and not tell your brother I gave it to you, OK precious?

Libby Wow, thanks!

Grace Mmmm. Good night, angel! (Nadine comes in)

Libby Good night, Mama.

Grace Good night.

Nadine Hey, baby! I need the porridge over here. Geez, Grace, whataya got, like 19 cans of cream of mushroom soup?

Grace Nadine, sometimes things struggle in the skillet and mushroom soup subdues them. ------

Grace 148

Nadine Whatcha readin'? Poetry?

Grace No, it's science fiction. Crazy, it's about a drug-store redhead whose been married 4 times and has a big bass on tier shirt.

Nadine This is a king salmon, you fish-ignorant fool. OK, I borrowed soup.

Grace OK, I'll see you later.

Nadine I'll go home.

Grace OK, bye-bye.

Nadine I see you're reading, and you really don't want to talk to me, so I'll just go on back home. Thank you. (pause) OK, we've been trying for 6 months, now, and we are still not pregnant.

Grace Girlfriend, WE will never be pregnant. WOMEN get pregnant. When I see a man in silver stirrups with his ankles touchin' his ears pantin' like a dyin' pony, then WE will be pregnant.

Nadine I don't know, maybe I will never get pregnant. Think there's something wrong with me?

Grace Honey, you guys have only been tryin' 6 months, relax, give it some time.

Nadine Yeah, I know. It's really not fair, is it? I've had so much sex, and I don't have any kids.

Grace You want fair? I've got three children and I just had sex twice. It's just not right!! BREAK

OIL REFINERY Doug Ohh, I'm beat! Man, that is tough world I feel like my heart is sweating! Grace 149

Grace Yeah, I can't believe they make girls work that hard.

Vic Hey, we gotta get the union on this. I mean, Bill, we're not actually supposed to work for a living, are we?

Bill I'm not sure, why don't you wake up the shop steward and ask him?

Tony I hope we get that bonus! I already spent the money on phone sex.

Vic You can probably call Tracy for free.

Tracy Oh, that's very funny.

Doug You know, if we get that $100 bonus, I'm gonna have my mom's thigh master rebuilt.

Grace You know, you could probably get a new one for about half that, Dougie.

Doug Well, she doesn't want a new one. She says she likes the smell of the old one.

Tony I'm gonna spend my C-note on something the old lady really needs.

Doug Yeah, what's that? An alarm clock to keep her awake during sex?

Vic She never falls asleep when I'm over there.

Doug OH ....

Bill Alright, alright, lighten up, we have a couple of ladies present here.

Vic Now, Tracy, don't get the wrong idea. I'm not sleeping with Tony's wife. Doug and Billy are. Grace 150

Grace It's kinda like an evening with Noel Coward, ain't it?

Bill Listen, you didn't pay last time, did you Dougie, 'cuz I paid for both of us.

Doug Wait a minute, I did pay. Hey, your wife is rippin' us off, man! BREAK

OIL REFINERY Tracy Oh, Grace!

Grace Hey. Tracy, I just have to tell you what a difference it's made having you on the crew. Thanks for everything.

Tracy Mmm. Well, I never got a chance to do anything like this on the green crew. All we did was sweep and scrape crud off the pipes. Oh, this is so much better.

Grace Yeah, beats runway modeling, doesn't it? Walk, turn smile. Fuss, brush, fuss, binge, purge, binge purge.... If you like it here, you must of had some cruddy jobs.

Tracy Oh, well, I was a deep fry cook.

Grace You can do better than that.

Tracy OK, I was a janitor in a women's prison.

Grace That's bad. Stand back. I was a beautician at a mortuary in Alabama. One time I had to give a beehive hairdo to a circus fat lady that got split in two by a train.

Tracy You're lyin'!

Grace Alright, it was a bearded lady and a perm, but you get my point.

Tracy Oh, you know, Grace, like I said, I...I love this job, but those guys really talk. .. yeah, I mean it's like the name callin'. They called me Muffin Butt. It bothers me. Grace 151

Grace I know, it bothers me. That used to be my nickname! I mean, these guys think harass is two words.

Tracy I just wish they'd cut it out.

Grace Yeah, maybe I'm just used to it or something. Look, if it really bothers you, why don't you talk to Bill, he's a really good guy.

Tracy I don't know.

Grace You know how I survive this? I pretend that I'm on an anthropological expedition. Like Jane Goodall, Diane Fosse, and the guys are gorillas in the mist. These are men, that when they watch TV shows about monkeys on PBS, they have to leave the room in tears, cuz Koko knows more words than they do! BREAK

GRACE'S BACKYARD Russell Grace, how do you know when you're done snappin' beans?

Grace When the bowl's empty, Russell. You alright?

Russell No, I'm not alright. Friday night, 7 :30, and I'm sittin' here snappin' beans in a cheap lawn chair like somebody's sad old aunt. I might as well be wearing support hose and a jersey dress.

Grace I'd pay $10 to look at it.

Russell I'm serious, Grace. You know, the bars are hoppin', Faith's out of town, I'm free as a bird, I could do anything I want. Why, I could go over to St. Louis, go up one of those tall buildings with the revolving restaurant, be sippin' a green drink, with some woman, who has the face of a goddess and a body that's h-h­ harder than a truck bumper.

Grace This where I'm supposed to give you that big "I'm your best friend" speech?

Russell Please. Grace 152

Grace You're one of the most successful people I know. I mean, you dispense medicine and wisdom and kindness and a sense of stability for our small town, and you sponsor little league and bowling and at the Shriner parade, they let you drive the tiniest car. My God, Russell, what else could a man want?

Russell Someone to hold him and rock him like a baby? Come on, I just want to be happy.

Grace Well, tell me about a time when you were really happy.

Russell Well, let's see. I was about 11 years old. I'd sit with my mom on the back porch. It was a beautiful autumn evening. You could smell the fresh-cut grass and bumin' leaves in the air, and we were just sittin' around shelling peas talking about how disappointing life was. Man, those were the days.

Grace No way we could recreate that.

Russell No, Grace, you can't go back home.

Grace Where ya goin'?

Russell Home.

Nadine If Wade comes over here, I'm not talkin' to him. I'm freezin' him out. We're havin' a fight.

Grace Regular fight, or one of them big pay-per-view jobs?

Nadine Oh, he's just bein' so pigheaded.

Grace Not our Wade.

Nadine He won't go to a fertility clinic.

Grace Well, trick him. Tell him your taking him to one of those new theme restaurants.

Nadine I mean it, Grace. My biological clock is tick, tick, tickin'. I want Grace 153

a baby, and I want it now.

Grace You're becoming uterus obsessed, Nadine.

Nadine I know, but I have to have somethin' or I'll go back to bitin' my nails.

Wade Nadine.

Nadine Hmm!

Wade I guess you're on her side, huh?

Grace Have to be, Wade. Signed the I 927 Female Mutual Defense Pact when we were 14, you know that.

Wade Don't give me that cold-shoulder routine, Nadine. You know that really chops my hash.

Grace Uhh.

Nadine I made an appointment at the fertility clinic, Friday at 2:30, are you gonna go with me?

Wade No, Nadine, I'm not goin'. I told you, I don't need to hear those little nerds in lab coats tellin' me I got a problem with the rifling in my barrel. Look, the time was, you wanted to have a kid, you had sex. And you kept havin' sex until you had the kid. And after a while, if you couldn't have a kid, you got a dog. And that was nature's way of findin' homes for all the puppies.

Grace Puppies! I could'a had puppies!

BREAI<

OIL REFINERY Vic One hundred extra smackers. Benjamin Franklin, give me a big, wet kiss.

Doug Oh, this is gonna make mother's thighs very, very happy. Grace 154

Grace Doug, have you ever read anything by Sigmund Freud?

Doug No.

Grace Don't.

Vic Gentlemen, and gentlelady, to the best damn crew at CBD Oil.

Doug Here, here.

Tony Wanna here the new rumor in Personnel?

Grace What kinda rumor?

Tony Tracy filed some sex grievance thing against somebody.

Doug What? I wasn't even here that day. What day was that, did she?

Tony I'm in the clear, she isn't even my type.

Vic I've brushed up against her on the stairs, but it was an accident.

Grace Well, don't look at me!

Bill Guys, you're not gonna believe this. Our friend Tracy filed a sex discrimination grievance.

Grace Yeah, Bill, but against who?

Bill Me. She filed it against me, Grace.

BREAI<

OIL REFINERY-BILL'S OFFICE Grace You're jokin', right, Bill?

Bill I wish I was.

Grace You're the last one here anybody would expect to get hit with a Grace 155

sex grievance. All right, maybe me. No, you.

Vic Well Bill-bo, what'd you do?

Tony Hey, he's the boss, Tracy's single. They can't date? I don't get it.

Grace This just in, Tony doesn't get it. 'Course, he doesn't get oxygen, but, uh....

Bill The only thing I did wrong was promote her to this crew. She did nothin' but complain since she got here. Honestly, I don't have a clue what this is all about. But I'll tell ya this: if it sticks, I'm in big trouble.

Grace Where's Tracy now?

Bill She's out by 1 9. ( Grace leaves)

Doug Hey, Bill, did ya see her feet? I mean, did ya see h_er tiny, little feet?

BOILER ROOM Grace Tracy.

Tracy Grace.

Grace Sex grievance against Bill, this is serious, why?

Tracy Oh, it's really none of your concern, Grace.

Grace It is my concern. Bill gave me a job when nobody else would, he let me be crew chief after 6 months. He's really a good guy, Tracy.

Tracy Yeah, well, when I went to talk to him about getting the guys to clean up their language like you suggested, he shot me down.

Grace So you went up to corporate and filed a complaint. Grace 156

Tracy Hey, I'd love to be able to handle the guys the way you do, but I am not like you.

Grace Well, why in flaming hell did you get a job in an oil refinery? I mean, you remind me of those women sports writers who go into the locker room and go, "Ohl He's naked!"

Tracy You finished?

Grace Yeah, I'm finished.

Tracy Good. I did not file the complaint because of the way the guys were talking, I filed it because, because when I told Bill it bothered me, he demoted me back down to the green crew.

Grace He did what?

Tracy Yeah, I was willing to work things out, you know, compromise with the guys, but he wouldn't hear of it, so he got rid of me.

Grace Hey, Tracy, I don't know what to say. I mean, that's wrong.

Tracy Thank you.

Grace I just assumed.

Tracy What? I'm some whiny, uptight, pseudo-feminist?

Grace No. That you were a militant, humorless, shrieking backporch harpy. Look, I really am sorry. Will you let me talk to Bill after my shift, see if I can straighten it out?

Tracy OK, thanks.

Grace OK, see ya.

BREAK

FERTILITY CLINIC Nadine Well, here's the baby! Look at this little baby! Oh, my god! Grace 157

Grace, oh you're here. Thank you. Thanks for comin', honey. I really didn't want to have to do this alone.

Grace They're alone. Unless y'all are together. And if you are, I'll tell you why you're not pregnant. So, how ya doin'?

Nadine OK. I'm a little nervous. I hope they don't make me teedle in a cup. Why do they always make us teedle in a cup? No matter what is wrong with a woman, they make her teedle in a cup. If I was havin' a heart transplant, they'd probably make me teedle in a cup first!

Grace Look, Nadine. It says Kathy Lee has so many fertile eggs, she's starting to sell them at night on home shoppin' network.

Nadine You think it's my eggs? I bet I have rotten eggs!

Other Oh, don't worry about eggs. That's simple. You can be implanted with someone else's eggs. I'm carryin' my sister's eggs.

Another I'm carrying my mother's.

Another I've been implanted with my daughter's and my granddaughter's eggs.

Grace Y'all don't even need Friends and Family." You can just reach out and touch yourselves.

Nadine Wade! What are you doin' here?

Wade I changed my mind. I don't want you to go through this alone.

Nadine Well, what have you been doin'?

Wade Uh, I got here a little early, and they said I could start without you.

Nadine What are these?

Wade Those are educational videos. Grace 158

Grace Very educational.

Wade Mmm.

Grace Ya got "Stockholm Triplets," and "A Streetcar Named Temptation," and ... "Stagecoach."

Wade A John Wayne classic. That's the one that brought me home. Uh, look, Nadine, I'm sorry I was so pigheaded. I love you, and I'll do anything you want. I'll, I'll freeze my s-s-spermies, I'll wear ice in my undies, I'll, I'll, in-vitro, out-vitro. I love you. Let's make that baby.

Grace All this talk about eggs make anybody want breakfast? BREAK

OIL REFINERY-BILL'S OFFICE Grace Bill.

Bill Sure you wanna be alone with me? I might harass you.

Grace What the hell's the matter with you, putting Tracy back down on the green crew?

Bill Now, don't go girly on me, Grace.

Grace Well, don't go man-piggy on me. She's a good worker, she did her job.

Bill Yeah, but she's part of a crew of 20. And I need them to work together to get the job done.

Grace All she wanted was for the guys to clean up their act.

Bill Look, those guys were bustin' their butts out there. Now, alright, every once in a while they made a couple of cracks, some jokes. It kept their spirits up, kept moral high. Now, I had to make a decision. Either I tell I 9 productive workers to change, or I transfer one Tracy Lind. That's not sex discrimination, Grace 159

that's math.

Grace It is sex discrimination. You transferred her 'cuz she's not one of the guys, Bill.

Bill So what? If I had done this to a man, no one would even blink.

Grace She's willing to drop the complaint if you just put her back on our crew.

Bill No way. I am sick to death of trying to get along. Of tryin' to be sensitive. I tried, I tried with Peggy...

Grace This has nothin' to do with your ex-wife.

Bill Oh, I gave up gambling and smoking and hard liquor, and now, I've got to talk and listen and touch for the sake of touching, and oh, I can't even eat veal, because the poor little cows don't get to run free. What, they should run free with the big cows before they get hit in the head with a hammer?

Grace Bill, come back! Walk towards the sound of my voice!

Bill Grace, I'm a middle-aged white guy at the only time in history when it's a bad thing to be middle aged, white, or a guy.

Grace I'm a rapidly aging single mother. There's never been a good time to be that. Give her her job back.

Bill Grace, I'm the boss. I'm supposed to be able to fire and hire whoever I want. I know you think I'm wrong on this, but I'm gonna take a stand here.

Grace Bill, she's gonna win, I'm tellin' you.

Bill Yeah, probably.

Grace You could lose your job.

Bill I know. Grace 160

Grace Nothin' I can say to talk you out of this?

Bill No.

Grace You know, I've always admired how you took a stand and stuck to it? That's what made you a good boss. I don't know. It's also gonna be what takes you down, you unrepentant son of a ....

Bill Grace. Since I'm goin' down anyway, mind if I say somethin'?

Grace Shoot.

Bill You have one of the finest rack of goods on you I have seen in years.

Grace Well, for a middle-aged white guy, you gotta pretty cute little caboose yourself.

BREAK

GRACE'S KITCHEN Russell Well, we sure haven't seen much of Wade and Nadine lately.

Grace Yeah, but you can hear them. About 4 times a day, the house starts shakin' and you hear Wade yelling, "Incoming!"

Russell Oh, they're usin' the old fashioned method, huh?

Grace Yeah, and if that don't work, they'll have to start usin' those fertility pills. You know that kind that pretty soon, the next thing you know they'll end up with a big ole squalling batch of little peanut babies and end up on Geraldo saying, "Well, we don't even have names for all of 'em, yet!" You know the kind, the ones you can fit about 500 of 'em in your pocketbook, and everyone of them comes out lookin' like Dick Cavett.

Russell Bet they're doin' it now?

Grace You know, Russell. I think everybody's doin' it right now. 'Cept for you, me, and Lyle Lovett. Grace 161

BREAI<

OIL REFINERY Vic Hey, we just got another postcard from Bill.

Doug Aw! Well, where's this one from?

Vic Loughlin, Nevada.

Doug All right.

Grace "Dear guys: I have found heaven. Single deck blackjack. Steak and eggs $1.99. Free scotch, and I can smoke where I want. Now get back to work. P.S. Give Tracy a big wet one from me. I can say that now that I'm fired."

Tony Lucky dog! I wish someone would force me into early retirement.

Grace I ·wish someone would force you into the trunk of a car, Tony.

Doug Boy, I really miss Bill.

Grace Yep, we all do.

Vic You know, Loughlin is nice, but when I retire, I'm goin' to Naked City, Indiana. Oh, you know, it's a real place, everybody's naked. You go into a pancake shop, these waitresses come over, they got these really huge jugs (TRACY COMES IN) ... of syrup. They put it on this big stack of pancakes because pancakes are really good for you. They're healthy.

Tracy Thank you Vic. Grace 162

Appendix C

Episode Three: October 4, 1994

OIL REFINERY Vic You're nuts, Dougie!

Doug I'm tellin' ya, Vic, I know about these things.

Vic Alright, you're the resident expert around here on "things."

Doug You, my friend are just jealous.

Tony Hey, hey, what's goin' on?

Vic Oh, the new boss starts today, and Dougie thinks he knows the best way to handle him.

Doug Alright, call me old fashioned. I say, sucking up, that's the way to go.

Vic No, no, no, no. You take the offensive and show him who's boss. Grace, where do you stand?

Grace I think Dougie's right. He could be some old hard ass, suckin' up's the only thing to do. If he's a clueless yuppie, he must be smacked about the face and neck, and if he's young, handsome and smart, back off, baby, he's mine!

John Alright everybody, listen up! My name's John Shirley, and I'm the new Area Manager around here. Just gotta few quick things to say to you and then I'll be out of your hair. Blah, blah, blah, call me John, honor to be here, look forward to working with you, blah, blah, blah. Let's pull together, thing-and-a-thing and a blah, blah, blah. We're one big happy... family. And blah, blah, blah. My door is always open. (HE SLAMS HIS DOOR SHUT)

BREAI< Grace 163

GRACE'S KITCHEN Nadine Oh, OK, if it's a boy, how about Emile?

Grace No, a meal is something you eat, you don't name your boy that.

Wade (Working on stove) Nadine, I want that baby as much as you do darlin', but we just went to the doctors, we're not out of the woods yet. Quentin, give me the screw driver. You know, you start namin' him and get your hopes up, I'm afraid you're gonna be cruisin' for a heartache.

Nadine Thank you, Wade, that is so sweet. What do you think of Lance?

Grace I used to go out with a guy named Lance. He said he felt safe around me. And then he ran off with a boy named Emile. Damn it, damn it, I do not believe this.

Nadine What's wrong?

Grace My landlord raised my rent - 80 bucks - that son of a ... Quentin, go outside and play, honey.

Quentin Why?

Grace 'Cuz mama might say some words you don't need to hear her say.

Quentin I know all those words.

Grace I know you know all those words. You probably know more than me, so why would I display my inferior cussing ability around you? Scoot! He cannot raise my rent 80 bucks just like that.

Wade Well, actually he can, Grace. He owns the property, he can charge you whatever he wants. That's the American way. I fought a war to protect it, and I'd do it again. 'Course, could get a couple of my buddies to go over and beat the crap out him for ya! That's the American way, also. Grace 164

Grace (On phone )Glenn, this is Grace. Why'd you raise my rent 80 bucks, I cannot afford this kind of increase to live in this leaky piece of crap. Leave, why would we leave? We love it here, Glenn. Alright, alright, bye. Oh, wait, you can afford call waitin', that's nice. Bye.

Nadine Honey, are you all right?

Grace Oh, I'm fine. Wade, give me good news about that stove.

Wade They don't make it in this color anymore.

BREAI<

GRACE'S LIVINGROOM Russell One more load, and I'm on the road. Ah, I don't know why,

Grace Barbara never did your laundry, Russell.

Russell Well, then maybe it's that I always fantasized that I could put her in, hit the spin cycle, and watch her go 'round and 'round. What 'cha doin' there?

Grace It's my monthly budget. Somewhere in here I've got enough for rent and a stove, I just have to find it. It's kinda like Where's Waldo for the food stamp set.

Russell Grace, I don't get it. You have a good job, where does it all go?

Grace Well, Russell, I waste it. On things like rent, and food, and clothes, and taxes, and then there's that damn record club, 14 records for a penny, then they own your soul!

Quentin I know how you can save money. Cut out day care for me and Libby.

Grace I already have that all figured out. I'm going to have you and your little sister frozen. You'll be my very own Eskimo pies. Grace 165

Quentin Mom, I mean it.

Libby Ohhh, mama! The knife cut me.

Quentin Mom, I'm old enough to take care of us. We have money problems.

Grace Quentin, this isn't a good time to ask to be left alone, honey.

Russell She OK?

Grace Yeah, it's just a nick. She won't get any real damage until her warranty runs out. OK, sit up here honey. Libby, what are you doin' playing with knives, girl?

Libby I'm sorry, mama. I wanted a sliced apple, and the knife told me to do it myself, so I said mama says I'm not allowed, but the knife called me a wimp and then it cut me, bad knife!

Grace Libby, you did not have a conversation with a knife.

Libby How do you know?

Grace Because it's a ginsu knife, and it only speaks Japanese. OK, you're all set, sweetheart; too bad you're not a stove. Get out of _ here. No more playin' with knives, or I'll ground you!

Russell No more knife play? Well, she'll have no childhood at all.

Grace The budget Russell, help me.

Russell Well, ah, you know, you could lose the day care. I mean, you know, think about it.

Grace I have thought about it. They're 7 and 10, they're too little.

Russell Well, it's only a couple of hours in the afternoon. I mean, you can leave the baby where he is, and Quentin and Libby could come over to the pharmacy and hang out with me some days and Nadine could cover some days ... Grace 166

Grace Russell, I'm fine.

Russell You're fine. Let me tell you about fine. OK? You remember Mrs. Hinnett?? The woman that has a goiter on the side of her neck? Well, I tried to help her; I prescribed several different therapies, but no, she told me she was fine. She was too proud and stubborn to accept my help. And you know what happened to her?

Grace Yeah. She won the lottery, dumped her husband, and opened a SCUBA shop in Maui.

Russell Right! And if she'd listened to me, she could have had all that, and a smooth neck too. Grace, I mean, my point is, you've got friends. Let us help you.

BREAK

OIL REFINERY-OUTSIDE JOHN'S OFFICE Grace John, John.

John John's not here.

Grace John, it's me, Grace. Me and Peterson on the night shift. want to swap hours, and our old boss used to make us clear it with him beforehand. Cool?

John Uh, no changing shifts. Company policy.

Grace No, it's not.

John Did I say company policy? I meant "no".

Grace John, it's really important, I gotta pull my two oldest out of daycare, and I've got friends watching them for me, but nobody can on Thursday, so I...

John Uh, Grace, this is starting to tum into a conversation.

Grace No, it's not. A conversation is when people talk face to face, not Grace l 67

separated by a pane of glass. This is visiting day at Sing Sing.

John Come on in. Sit down. Grace, I have been with this company a long time. When I started, I was an eager young man, worked my way up, new challenges every day, personal satisfaction at every tum. Frankly, I'm sick of it. But on June 15, 1997, I retire. That means I am two years, eight months, and 16 days away from full benefits. So I am not about to make any waves.

Grace I don't want you to make any waves. I'm just asking for a routine shift change, please.

John Routine change? No. Routine same. Change, bad. Routine, good. Different, bad. June 15, 1997, good.

Grace Grace understand. You know, I never ask for special treatment. You can ask anybody. It's just kind of different this time; I mean, I don't have a choice. I'm a single mother and my little ones are quite ill.

John Grace, please. I'm not an unfeeling man. I'm an uncaring man. Now you may ask yourself, what's the difference. Well, I feel bad that I don't care. But, I don't care.

Grace These talks - good.

BREAK

GRACE'S KITCHEN Grace OK, I'm callin' Jimmy, they're his babies too, I need some money, and I'm really tired of his excuses. They're getting more gothic and obscure at every tum. It'd be like if Steven King wrote country music. The Stand - By Your Man. Jimmy, this is Grace. This is important. I need money, I need it now. I need it for a babysitter, and I'm not going to listen to one more excuse that... Thank you, Jimmy. Alright. Goodbye.

Nadine What did he say? Is he gonna send you the money?

Grace Um hum. Grace 168

Nadine So you can get a babysitter.

Grace Mmmm.

Nadine That's good. What's wrong with you?

Grace It's just that for a very long time I've depended on Jimmy to be undependable. And damn if he didn't let me down.

Wade Hey!

Nadine Hey!

Wade Nadine, does my butt look too big?

Grace Too big for what?

Wade Hey. I, I was playing basketball over at the park, and some of the guys said these shorts make my butt look too big.

Nadine Oh, those mean old boys. Who said that to you?

Wade Frank.

Nadine Well, Frank. Frank's got no butt.

Grace He's got one of those flat, slatmark, bus station bench bottoms.

Wade No, I think Frank's got a fine shape to his butt.

Nadine Wade!

Wade Hey, I'm secure enough in my masculinity, I can say these kind of things. You know, Mel Gibson, great butt. Kevin Costner, overrated.

Grace Regis Philbin.

Wade Exquisite! Grace 169

Grace Wade.

Wade What?

Grace When y'all play basketball down in the park, do you wear high heels like those girls on that commercial?

Wade No. Great, great. I come in, I'm feelin' a little insecure, and I get ridiculed. No, me and my butt are out of here.

Grace Wade, look at my butt! Why would I make fun of your butt!!

Nadine Come on, honey. You've got a great butt.

Grace You do.

Wade Yeah, thanks. (Starts walking out door)

Grace Wade.

Wade What?

Grace Use the garage door, it's wider. Something very weird is happening. Wade has taken a sudden interest in the fannies of other men. That's fine. Jimmy is sending me money without benefit of law enforcement. And, and, Michael Jackson married Elvis Presley's daughter. Nadine, I'm a'scared!

Nadine My name's not Nadine.

Grace Ahhhhhh!!

Quentin Mom, Libby and I talked it over. And if it's just one day a week, we think you should let us stay by ourselves.

Grace Honey, it's OK. I got the money comin' in. We're going to get a babysitter.

Quentin Mom, why? Grace 170

Grace Honey, I told you. You're too young.

Quentin Mom, you always say we gotta pool together. The kids of divorced parents have to take responsibility and all that stuff.

Grace Well, Quentin, I didn't know you were listening. I was just trying to get you to take out the garbage, honey.

Quentin My friends don't have sitters.

Grace I told you not to pull that old my friends thing. This is yours and mine, OK? Give me one good reason why I should let you do this.

Quentin Because I'm old enough. And because I won't let you down. Because I'm asking you to trust me.

Grace I just asked for one reason. OK, for one day. No sitter. But if you screw up, I'm gonna shave your head, give you a tambourine, and give you to those people at the airport.

BREAI<

PHARMACY Libby Second verse, same as the first. I'm Henry the Eighth I am, Henry the Eighth, I am, I am. I got married to the widow next door. She's been married 7 times before, and every one was a Henry, Henry!

Russell Stop it! How are you kids doin'?

Libby We're so bored. Isn't there something we can do?

Russell Yes. Why don't you come over and help me fill some prescriptions.

Quentin Yeah! Cool.

Russell Get outta here. You're just kids. Sit down. Grace 171

Faith Hey, kids, ready to go?

Libby Yes, God, yes.

Faith OK, just let me say hi to Russell, and then I'll take you home. Hey, puddin' boy.

Russell Ah, bean dip. I thought Grace was comin' to pick up the kids.

Faith Well, I offered to do it, 'cuz I wanted to see you. Sugar doodle.

Russell Nicest thing you ever said to me. My frothy little confection.

Faith All right, cut it out. Don't tum around, Russell, it's your ex-wife.

Russell That's impossible. Her kind can't survive in sunlight.

Barbara Hello, Russell. (She's with a much younger man)

Russell Hello, Barbara! Pool boy.

Barbara And you are?

Faith Becky Jean Babcock. Miss Teen America, 1972.

Russell Barbara, you've met my girlfriend.

Barbara Oh, yes. The middle-aged dog groomer. How refreshing for you to go against the tide Russell. A perky, nubile, young blonde would be so predictable.

Faith Oh, well, I make great bemaise sauce. And I'm multi-orgasmic.

Russell Often at the same time.

Barbara Do you have my prescription, Russell?

Russell Your prescription, your prescription. Uh, oh, yes, here it is. One motion sickness patch at $39.95. Going on a trip, Barb? Grace 172

Barbara Well, you know, business has been going so well, I suddenly have all this disposable cash. So, Skippy is flying me to Vegas.

Skippy I thought someone named Delta was flying us.

Faith Is he inflatable?

BREAI<

GRACE'S KITCHEN Grace (Nadine walks in) Quentin! You fightin' welter weight this year?

Nadine Oh, you're so funny! So today's the big day, huh? Kids are gonna stay by themselves. I bet you're worried.

Grace I can hardly get those little plastic things off the cheese slices.

Nadine You know, if it bothers you so much, I think you should just hire a babysitter. You got the money.

Grace No, I can't do that to Quentin. He's walking around with his chest all puffed out like he built the house himself. And. because, well, it's just for a couple of hours. This is my stuff. I'll be OK, we'll all be OK.

Nadine You're right, Grace.

Grace On the other hand, you know, I mean anything could happen while I'm gone; they're just babies.

Nadine They're not babies. They're old enough to marry Jerry Lee Lewis.

Grace No more java for you, fuzz head. (Kids walk in) OK you guys, everything's written down on two pieces of paper. One upstairs, one downstairs. You got Aunt Nadine's number at work, my number at work. OK? And if there's an emergency, we dial ...

IGds 911. Grace 173

Grace And if there's not an emergency, we ....

Kids Sit on the couch, watch TV, and don't touch anything.

Grace And what channel do we watch?

Kids PBS.

Quentin Mom, we know all this. We gotta go or we'll be late for school.

Nadine OK, bye, y'all. Good luck.

Grace See ya later. OK, I'm gonna get your baby brother from Mrs. Berry's at 6:00, which means I'll return home between 6:15 and 6:17, roughly 6:16-ish. Shall we? Um, where's your sweater, honeypop?

Libby Upstairs.

Grace Why don't you run and go get it? Quentin.

Quentin What?

Grace I need to talk to you. OK. I had you a house key made yesterday.

Quentin Cool.

Grace Well, wait. Before I give it to you, I just want to tell you a couple things, OK? First, do not boss your sister around this afternoon, OK, you be sweet to her.

Quentin Mmm.

Grace And, um. I know you think I'm really mushy about things sometimes, but, this is like a big deal to me. I never wanted y'all to be latch-key kids. You know, I just wanted to be the kind of mom that was, you know, here all the time and handled things all the time. Grace 174

Quentin You do handle things. We handle them together.

Grace OK. You're gettin' big. You sure are turnin' into a fine young man.

Quentin Well, I had some good help.

Grace Und vat a little kisser upper you are becoming!

BREAK

OIL REFINERY Grace Anybody call for me?

Doug No, why?

Grace My kids have been alone for an hour. You think I'm being overprotective if I call?

Doug No. My mom still calls me when I've been home an hour.

Grace Dougie, she's in the next room.

Doug Oh, yeah.

Grace Still busy. Should I have the operator break in?

Doug No. That would be overprotective. I hate when my mom does that.

Vic Well, they're probably just talking to their little friends.

Grace I know, they're probably fine. It's just the first time I've ever left them alone.

Vic Well, it doesn't get any easier, Grace. My oldest just joined the Navy. All I can think about is the drinking, the barroom brawls, the tattoos.

Grace I know, Maryanne's what, 18? Grace 175

Vic Yeah. They grow up so fast. It seems just like yesterday she was going to the senior prom.

Grace It was yesterday.

Vic Um.

Grace Well, I guess you gotta let them grow up. It's part of life.

Vic Yeah.

Doug Look, they're just fine. I mean, really, what's the worst that could happen?

Grace Yeah. What's the worst that could happen?

GRACE DAYDREAMS

Libby I don't know.... (Quentin's being a knifethrower)

Quentin Come on. It'll be fun. Trust me. (He throws knives at her)

Libby It's OK. I have my happy thoughts. I can fly.

Quentin OK. (Pushes her off the roof while she's in her wagon)

BOTH Blessed Satan. True master of the universe. Guide us through this path of foul righteousness .... (Dressed in black, chanting around a fire)

John All right, break's over.

Vic Hey, John. What do you say you let Grace go home early? She's worried about her kids. Grace 176

John Grace, I'll tell you what I told my own daughter when she was worried about her kids. I said, "Blah, blah, blah, it's a perfectly normal thing, it's a part of life, ya-da ya-da, you gotta let go, buh, buh, bah, and you'll look back and laugh, ha, ha, ha. Get back to work.

Grace Imagine him on his honeymoon. Was it good for you, blah, blah, blah, the best I ever had, blah, felt good, ya-da, ya-da, the earth moved, good night.

BREAK

GRACE'S LIVING ROOM Libby Hey, mama.

Grace Hey, pigeon. VVho ya talking to on the phone?

Quentin Uh, she just got in. Bye, Nadine. It was Aunt Nadine.

Grace Well, you know, 'cuz I been tryin' to call about 128 times and the phone:s been busy every single time!

\A/ell, all your friends kept calling to check on us.

Grace \Vell, did you Jo your homework?

Quentin Yeah.

Libby VVe cleaned the living room, too.

Grace Oh, well, did you, uh, floss?

Quentin No, it's not bedtime yet.

Grace What do you think this is, Lord of the Flies, where you can run around shirtless, creating anarchy with your little oreo gristle?

Quentin Hey, look, mom.

Grace Exit. (Talks to baby) Did mommy say oreo gristle? What's the Grace 177

matter with mommy? Y'all can stop flossin', I'm sorry, I lost my temper. I was just kinda stressed at work. You did a good job. Thanks. Libby, you can stop flossing.

Libby No, now I gotta brush.

Grace Libby, it's not even bedtime.

Libby I'll do it both times. I'm on the hygiene bus!

Grace Is she related to us? Quentin, you did great. Thanks for not lettin' me down.

Quentin Someone's gotta do this stuff. I mean, dad's not comin' back.

Grace Oh, Quentin, I've never heard you say that before.

Quentin Well, he's not. Is he?

Grace Well, I wish I could tell you different, but I'd be lying.

Quentin It's OK.

Grace You sure? It's a tough thing to let go of.

Quentin It's just the way things are.

Grace You know, I think that's what I was worried about today, about you growin' up really fast, and y'all wouldn't need me anymore.

Quentin I'll always need you. You know, for money and stuff.

Grace I could cut the chain on your bike and no one would know. I'm trying to remember this moment forever. You know why? 'Cuz before I know it, you'll be stayin' out late and worryin' me with girls cryin' on the phone, their daddies hollerin' in the background, and you gettin' tattoos in places I don't even want to know about. Just don't be in a big hurry for it to happen, OK? Grace 178

Appendix D

Episode Four: October 18, I 994

GROCERY STORE Cashier Grace, you've been coming here for awhile, why don't you open up a store credit account?

Grace Nah. Cuz I might, like, charge up 'bout $200 of whipped cream and run off with that little bag boy out there.

Cashier Oh, come on. You get 10% off today's purchases.

Grace 10%? OK, Libby, go get the real Lucky Pops honey! All right, let's do it.

Cashier Oh, great, I just need your driver's license and your social security number. I had to take a class on how to do this.

Quentin You mean, like in college?

Cashier No, I didn't go to college, son.

Quentin See, mom, they don't all end up pumpin' gas.

Grace Are you about finished there, Bob?

Cashier And, uh, 536, and the authorization code comes up.

Grace What is it? They still don't want me for that Patty Hearst kidnapping, do they?

Cashier Uh, Grace, the, uh, computer says your credit's no good.

Grace How come?

Cashier Well, I'm sure it's just a mistake. These things happen all the time. These computers, you know. The information highway is often a road to nowhere. Grace 179

Grace Hey, you know what, girl? I don't even want this credit account. You know what he did? He seduced me with the 10 percent discount and reeled me in with easy terms, and then he didn't deliver. He ain't nothin' but a credit tease! Alright, I'm gonna write a check like I was goin' to.

Cashier A check. What is she nuts? BREAK

GRA~E'S KITCHEN Grace (On phone) Remember when you could actually talk to a real person? Russell.

Russell Oh, sorry. I thought you were talking on the phone.

Grace I'm listening to a computer tell me my options.

Russell Mmm.

Grace Yeah, I'm callin' about.... I've been trying to talk to a real person for 20 minutes.

Russell Boy, I remember I had credit problems. You wouldn't believe the mumbo jumbo and red tape I went through....

Grace I'm on the phone, I'm sorry, Russell. Yeah, no, what I need is ... don't put me on hold, please, don't... Russell, what's on your mind? Russell, what's on your mind?

Russell Oh, you talking to me, now? I'll tell you what's on my mind. If the world is 2/3 water, how come ocean-front property is so expensive? It should be the cheapest.

Quentin Mom, can I bring my Game Boy to play in dad's car?

Grace Well, honey, I bet he'd rather you play with your acrylic paint set you just got. You guys all packed?

Quentin Almost. Grace 180

Grace OK, get your toothbrush and pajamas.

Quentin OK,OK.

Russell Where are they going?

Grace Jimmy's.

Russell Jimmy's? As in the ex-husband Jimmy?

Grace No, Jimmy Carter. They gonna build houses all weekend.

Russell Five bucks says it's near water. So, they're goin' with Jimmy, huh, that's a big deal.

Grace I think it's great. He's sober, he's had a job for awhile, it's cool.

Russell Is he comin' to his senses?

Grace He thinks me and him are going to get back together. (doorbell) Do me a favor. Keep my place in line, OK, and if they get on, you just hum Musak and make them think they're on hold.

Grace Hello.

Jimmy Hey, Grace. This here's Ramona. She's my girlfriend, and I wanted to bring her in here introduce her to you right up front. I was thinkin' about hidin' her in the trunk, even put a little sheepskin in there so she could nap. Well, you can back me up on this, can't you, Ramona?

Ramona No way he was going to get me in that trunk!

Grace Good girl!

Jimmy Look, Grace, I hope you don't mind that this is my first time alone with the kids and all, we been datin' a while and I figure it always helps to have another adult around.

Grace Yeah, that's what I hear Jimmy. Grace 181

Ramona If it's not cool with you, Grace, you say the word, and I'm gone.

Grace Nah, give me your earrings and your babysittin' money and we're even. Kidding! Hey, guys, come on down.

Jimmy Hey, kids, say hi, to Ramona. This is Quentin, and this here's Libby.

Ramona Hello.

Jimmy Well, we're bumin' daylight. Let's go.

Grace See you guys. I love you. Be good, mind your pa. You understand?

Kids I love you!

Jimmy Don't worry, Grace, I'll take good care of them.

Ramona It was nice to meet you.

Grace You, too. Don't let Jimmy drive with his leg out the window.

Russell Hey, Grace, the computer wants to know your mother's maiden name, your birth weight and your favorite Elvis movie.

Grace I lived with that man for 9 years. I gave birth to 3 live children that are all his. I washed them, so that they could go off with him today, and he walks in here with a little 20 year old that doesn't have a stretch mark on her. Hmm!

Russell She'll call you back.

BREAK

GRACE'S KITCHEN Grace The kids doing pretty good Jimmy? Ah, I told Quentin not to bring those paints over there. Uh-huh. Oh he got it all over the walls, I'm sorry. Okay, thanks for calling, call you back in 15 minutes. Grace I 82

Nadine What did you do this weekend? I didn't see you one time.

Grace I started to come over there but I heard a bunch of hollering and door slamming, so ....

Nadine Ah well, ya. We were having a fun time. Trouble. I don't know, everything I say to Wade, he takes it the wrong way and so everything we do turns into a big ole fight.

Grace Oh, you got to work it out.

Nadine You'd think so but then we had a big ole fight about what it means to work it out.

Grace What do you think it means?

Nadine I don't know.

Grace What does Wade think?

Nadine He doesn't have a clue.

Grace Maybe you all worked it out and you don't know it yet.

Nadine What about the hostile gesture he just made?

Grace What hostile gesture.

Nadine He put cream in my coffee.

Grace Nadine, you take cream in your coffee.

Nadine Ya-huh, but not like this. Look at this. What color is that?

Grace I don't know. Beigeish.

Nadine Beigeish? This is ivory. Come on, he knows I like my coffee taupe.

Grace Did you hear what you just said? You said, I like my coffee Grace 183

taupe.

Nadine Well, taupe is the tastiest color.

Grace You about finished?

Nadine Ya, I think I am.

Grace Get out of my house.

Nadine Alright, fine.

Grace Jimmy, I thought you left.

Jimmy No, I was just about to. IGds all asleep?

Grace Yup.

Jimmy They had a real good time. I took them down to that water park. You know, they shut those things down during the winter.

Grace Ya, but then the line won't be as long.

Jimmy Ya. And even without the water it's still a slide.

Grace Sure. Did the kids get on with Ramona?

Jimmy Real good. Especially, Libby. She was all over her like pretty on a pup. Even helped her out with her homework.

Grace Well, Libby likes helping her fellow classmates.

Jimmy Now Grace, there's that little green-eyed monster.

Grace Ya, I'm all right. Just glad you didn't drag home one of those lap dancers with a gold front tooth and penciled-in eyebrows.

Jimmy Nah, I fished that pond dry.

Grace Ramona seems sweet, ya know, good for you. Fresh start, clean Grace 184

slate. Tabularassa!

Jimmy Tabularassa! Like Yul Brenner in that movie. Real great. The thing is I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't talk to Ramona too much about our past.

Grace You know, Jimmy. The baby can say a new word and I'll blab it to everybody and on occasion I've been known to complain when something tiny doesn't go right, but there's some things in my life that I'm not too proud to talk about.

Jimmy I appreciate it. Well, I'd better get going. It was real good talking to you like this.

Grace Hey Jimmy, next time you brings the kids home, bring the right ones.

MR. RUDDER'S OFFICE Mr. Rudder Yes.

Grace Mr. Rudder.

Mr. Rudder Oh, Miss Kelly. Please have a seat. (He struggles with his seat) So what can I do for you today?

Grace Well, there's been a mistake. Your store turned my name over to the credit bureau for nonpayment.

Pause because Mr. Rudder has trouble with his chair and has trouble with it through out the show until Grace fixes it for him.

Mr. Rudder A mistake in our report? I doubt it. Let me tell you something. Let me tell you a little credo that I live by. Credit is a privilege, not a right.

Grace I bet you got that tattooed on you somewhere, don't you?

Mr. Rudder Doubt it.

Grace I pay my bills in full and on time. Grace 185

Mr. Rudder Doubt it.

Grace Did anybody ever bend your fingers the other way when you did that?

Mr. Rudder Look, credit has been my life for 17 years and 93% of the time the person sitting across from me has no intention of paying her bills.

Grace You want me, don't you?

Mr. Rudder Look, why don't I get.... Why don't I bring up your file. I walk the thin gray line that separates the general public from -- from people. Ya. Oh, red alert, red alert. Do the words "Barbie Dream Van" mean anything to you?

Grace I returned it.

Mr. Rudder Doubt it. Do you have the receipt?

Grace You know, Mr. Rudder - it's faceless gray bureaucrats like you who gum up all the accomplishments of the world and render human work null and void! You are the embodiment of all that is putrescent and evil!

Mr. Rudder Nevertheless, we still have to see a receipt.

GRACE'S KITCHEN Grace Since when do you knock, Nadine? Come in.

Nadine Hi Grace. It's me Ramona. Libby left this over at Jimmy's.

Grace Oh, you didn't have to come all this way to bring it.

Ramona Oh, yeah, I work over at the mall, so it's not that far out of the way.

Grace Oh, well, you wanna sit down and have a cup of coffee?

Ramona Yeah .... Grace 186

Grace So, uh, what do you do over at the mall, Ramona?

Ramona I'm a floral arranger over at Midway Florist. What is it that you do?

Grace Well, I push pipes around at the oil refinery. I guess that means Jimmy doesn't like 'em as butch as he used to.

Ramona I bet the only thing we have in common is Jimmy Kelly.

Grace That and we're both carbon based.

Ramona Grace, can I ask you a question?

Grace Sure.

Ramona Did you and Jimmy have ... problems?

Grace Not since the divorce.

Ramona Uh, the reason I'm askin' about Jimmy is his temper.

Grace Well, everybody's got a temper. You want some coffeecake?

Ramona Oh, no, thanks. You know, the other night we went out to dinner, and um, I guess the waitress was kinda new 'cuz she messed up my order, and Jimmy got really mad and he started yellin' at her. And I told him that it was alright, and then he started yellin' at me. And, eventually, he calmed down, but I was scared.

Grace Yeah, I know what you mean.

Ramona Yeah? Does he get mad often?

Grace Ramona, you're puttin' me on the spot, girl.

Ramona I want to know, Grace.

Grace Look, me and Jimmy were together for a long time. I mean, Grace 187

some of it good, some bad, some worse, you know, and, uh, I think both of us tried to fix it. I kinda thought it was my fault and, you know, tried to change him; that doesn't work, by the way, that changing people thing? But, uh, you know, I really do believe it's possible that y'all could come up with something different.

Ramona How bad did it get?

Grace Pretty bad, Ramona. He, he didn't talk to you about any of this? You want some coffeecake now?

BREAK

POTTERY SHED Russell Hey, Wade, why do you do that pottery stuff, anyway?

Wade Very relaxing. It's very soothing, Russell, it's a release thing.

Russell I still don't get it.

Wade Well, for example, the other night, I had a big fight with Nadine. I came out here to the shed, and within 10 seconds, I felt better.

Russell Really. Just by mushing your hands in some kind of mud?

Wade No, from

Russell So it's a Zen kind of a thing, huh?

Wade Exactly.

GRACE'S KITCHEN Jimmy Just had to go and do it, didn't ya?

Grace What are you doin' here, Jimmy?

Jimmy Ramona left me. Grace 188

Grace I'm sorry.

Jimmy You're sorry. You told her I had a bad temper and that I could never change. That's what she said.

Grace Hey, you know, you're the one who gave her reason to wonder, don't blame me 'cuz she smelled smoke, OK?

Jimmy What is it that's really bothering you? That I'm seein' someone and you're not?

Grace I'm seein' .. .l've gone out some!

Jimmy That maybe I can get my life together without you?

Grace Without me? Jimmy, you're in my kitchen. Why don't you go someplace without me where I'm not?

Jimmy You know when you talk that way, you give me a headache.

Grace Good, Jimmy, 'cuz that indicates brain activity!

Jimmy There you go with that smart mouth again. Now, that is the difference between you and Ramona.

Grace Yeah, that and 80 pounds.

Russell Grace? What's goin' on?

Jimmy Who the hell are you?

Russell Who the hell am I? You want to know who the hell I am? He wants to know who the hell I am? I'm a good friend of this big guy here.

Jimmy Hey, Wade.

Wade Hello, Jimmy. Long time no see. You OK?

Grace Yeah. Grace 189

Russell Well, so you're Jimmy. And, I'm Russell Norton, the town pharmacist. I know 50 ways to kill a man without leaving a trace. Happy to meet ya.

Jimmy This is kind of a private conversation.

Russell Really. Grace, you want us to stick around? Jimmy, how about you, you want us to stick around?

Wade If you need us, we'll be right out back in the shed.

Russell That's right. Right out back in the shed. Real close. Right out back in the shed. Right ....

Grace Hey, Jimmy, I'm sorry about Ramona, and a minute ago. It's late, you all done? Let's call it a night.

Jimmy Yeah, yeah. Just listen, Grace, all I meant to ask you was, I'd appreciate it if in future you just stay out of my personal business.

Grace OK.

Jimmy Thank you.

Grace Bye.

Jimmy Oh, and one more thing.

Grace Yes.

Jimmy What's the story ,vith Wade and that little drugstore cowboy? I mean are they, uh ... ?

Grace You could always spot 'em, couldn't ya, Jimmy?

Jimmy Wade, Wade, Wade....

BREAK Grace 190

MR. RUDDER'S OFFICE Grace I don't care if he's on an important phone call, I'm tired of waitin'! Here's your damn receipt Mr. Rudder. What else do you want? How about the heel print from my first born? How about my Lost In Space lunchbox? How about a hank of hair, a shaft of bone 7 Wait, no! The results of my Minnesota Multi­ phased Personality Inventory! I'm schizophrenic!

Rudder Did you fill out a 10-0-4B form?

Grace Get up out of the chair right now.

Rudder I assure you that physical violence, or the mere threat of physical violence .... (Grace fiddles with chair)

Grace There, now, swivel.

Rudder Wow! This is great! Wow, it's been months since I've been able to do this.

Grace It's gotta be worth somethin'. And it's only the beginning.

Rudder Yes, yes, of course. I'll update your file. Miss Kelly, consider it done.

Grace Great. Now, are you doing this because you're really grateful for what I did or 'cuz you're scared of me.

Rudder A little of both.

Grace Good. BREAK

GRACE'S LIVING ROOM Grace (Watching television) Oh, why does the sound always go out on the best part?!

Russell Oh, don't worry, Grace, I'll fill in the blank for you. Uh, hello, have you seen any pesky ra .... Uh, dudeya.... You bring that back Grace 191

here .... Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. (sings)

Grace Russell, quit, it, we're watching Guns of Navarone! (Phone rings)

Russell If that's Faith, tell her I washed the sponges and put them in the freezer.

Grace Hello? Hey, Nadine. What? Oh, OK, OK. I'll be right over. Bye. Do me a favor. Watch the kids for a little bit cuz I gotta go.

Russell Is anything wrong?

Grace Oh, it's, you know, Nadine's havin' a wet t-shirt contest down at the bar, and I go for the 10 bucks.

BREAK BAR Nadine I almost didn't call you. He's tipping me really well.

Grace Y'all mind if I join you?

Jimmy Hey, hey. Bartender, red wine for the lady! That is what you like, isn't it?

Grace Yeah, a decade ago. Have some coffee, Jimmy.

Jimmy Nah, I'm too drunk to drink coffee.

Grace So, uh, what happened there, slick? You were

Jimmy Well, Ramona won't even take my phone calls. She's afraid I'm gonna hit her. Man, you make one mistake, it just dogs your tracks for the rest of your life, so what's the point?

Grace You got a lot goin' for you, Jimmy. I shared a bunch of my life ·with you. Every time I meet a guy I compare him to you, and a lot of times, in a lot of ways, you come out on top.

Jimmy I was your first, wasn't 17 (pause) Oh, who am I kiddin', I Grace 192

wasn't anyone's first, I'm just roadkill in street shoes.

Grace Aw, knock it off, Jimmy. I mean, you're smart, good look.in', people like you. Lord knows, you could charm a dog off a meat wagon. (Whispers to Nadine) If any of this were true, we would still be married.

Jimmy Grace, I know I ain't never been worth nothin'.

Grace Then here's the deal. You gotta get off the sauce. And off your pitypot. You fathered the three best kids I know, and they need you. Now, if you want Ramona, you just go get her.

Jimmy Grace, everything's always so easy for you, cuz you got all the answers.

Grace Yeah, that's why I'm think.in' after 10 years, you know, a drink would be pretty good right now.

Jimmy Well, then, why don't you just have one, huh? Hey!

Grace Cuz it wouldn't be just one, Jimmy, you know that, knock it off!

Jimmy That's too bad, cuz you were a pretty good drinker, Grace. As I recall, you could knock 'em back with the best of 'em.

Grace Yeah? You weren't any slouch yourself, Jimmy. Remember that time in Pensacola when we outdrank that whole fighter squadron?

Jimmy Hey, didn't we win a cargo plane, or somethin'?

Grace Yeah. And then when we went back and tried to get it, they started shootin' at us.

Jimmy Sore losers.

Grace Long time ago, wasn't it?

Jimmy Yeah, here we are. I'm still drink.in' and you're not. You're all Grace 193

right, Grace.

Grace I am all right. It took a lot of time, Jimmy, you know. I mean, this is called a slip. People have them. It happened to me.

Jimmy Can't do it, Grace, I just can't do it. It's too much, can't get out from under it.

Grace Yeah, soberin' up's hard. But I have faith in you. Come on, do it, so we can share all that flowery recovery literature. You need help gettin' started, you know, just give me a call, Jimmy.

Jimmy You'd do that for me?

Grace Well, sure. You know I can't stay out of your personal life.

Jimmy Thanks, baby. Grace 194

Appendix E

Episode Five: November 15. I 994

MALL Nadine Hey, you know what I heard? I heard they pump these malls full of pure oxygen. Keeps you alert, keeps you stimulated, keeps you shoppin'. It's all a big conspiracy.

Grace Yeah, Nadine. And they put saltpeter in the nachos so the children don't propagate in housewares.

Nadine Hey, look at this sweater, you like this sweater?

Grace Yeah, that'd be cute on you.

Nadine No, I mean for you.

Grace God, no. There you go, Nadine. There's a sexy outfit for you.

Nadine Oh, for pete's sake. That's the kind of thing Wade would want me to wear.

Grace I thought you liked dressin' up like a camouflage deer running really fast.

Nadine Yeah, well, no more. I'm sick of packaging myself for male consumption. From now on, I'm just going to wear drab, colorless, sack-like clothes.

Grace But crotchless.

Nadine But of course. I think that's Quentin. Hey, Quent!

Kid Hey Quentin, is that your mom?

Quentin No, man, that's some lady talkin' to someone else, let's get outta here!

Grace Quentm. · I C ome.... What ' s WI.th h.1m. ? ------

Grace 195

Nadine Wow, Grace, he just dissed you. Isn't that just like a man? Always dissin' the sisters.

Grace Not a word to his motha.

BREA!<

OIL REFINERY Doug Hey, you all right?

Vic Ah, I may be comin' down with somethin'. Do I seem feverish to you?

Doug Well, let me check the way my mom checks me. (Puts his face by Vic's)

Grace Y'all know people's gonna talk.

Doug Well, it's not what you think, Grace. Vic is hot.

Grace I know....

Vic I may be sick. I made the mistake of asking Dougie if I felt warm.

Grace Look, I love a factory romance as much as anybody, I just think you could both do a lot better. (A pregnant girl walks in)

Vic Ho!

Julia Hi.

Doug Ho.

Julia Um, I'm looking for John Shirley.

Grace His office is in there.

Julia Thanks. Grace 196

Vic So, uh, Grace, what do we think?

Grace I think somebody's ya-da ya-da got a little close to the thing-a­ the-thing-a-the-thing.

John Oh, you.

Julia Hi, daddy.

John Come back again, huh? And this time you're pregnant. Nice touch.

Julia (crying)

Grace So how's it goin'?

Julia I just spent 15 hours on a bus to get here to have my father slam his door in my face.

Grace You know, give him time. I know John, he's not good with surprises.

Julia Oh, he knew I was coming.

Grace I mean the baby, that's a big thing to spring on a guy.

Julia (cries)

Grace No, what I meant was .... Hi!, I'm Grace.

Julia Hi, I'm Julia.

Grace Hey, nice to meet you. You want some water? You need anything?

Julia No, I'm fine.

Grace Anybody with you?

Julia I'm not married, if that's what you mean. Grace 197

Grace No, I just meant like, a, you know, a boyfriend, or responsible party, or, I, uh, just....

Julia There is no boyfriend, either.

Grace Oh, well, I just, you know, .... Hi, rm Grace.

Julia Do you think I'm awful?

Grace No. You know, he's a dad. It kills dads to see their daughters in pain, and the way they express their sympathy is by growling and barking. They're men.

Julia I don't know, Grace.

John What are you still doing here? And you! Back to work. I don't pay you to sit here and discuss my personal life.

Grace Ruff, ruff, ruff. See, now he's gonna go mark his territory.

BREA!(

GRACE'S KITCHEN Libby Mama, is hair beautiful?

Grace Sure, sweetie.

Libby Cuz I don't like the ones in grandpa's ears.

Grace 'Specially when he braids it.

Quentin Hey, mom!

Grace Well, you can see me now.

Quentin What are you talking about?

Grace And he can hear me, too! My boy's been cured! It's a miracle!

Quentin Were you at the mall today, because I thought I saw you, but I Grace 198

wasn't sure it was you. And, you know, you're always telling me never to talk to strangers.

Grace Ahhh. Yeah, I was at the mall. Listen, when you thought you saw a woman who was like me, did she sound like me when she said "hi," and was she travelling with a redhead that looks just like Aunt Nadine?

Quentin Yeah.

Grace Well. You know what? I was at the mall. I saw a little boy there I thought was you, but then I thought, well, that couldn't be my son, because if it was, he'd be grounded. Was that you?

Quentin No, that wasn't me.

Grace Oh, it wasn't me, either. Sit down, Quentin. I knew this would happen. I just thought it would be a few more years from now. You know. I pictured you all dressed up in leather, leaning against your Harley hog, shining your nose ring, pinchin' chicks, dissin' me. I just thought maybe you'd give me 3 or 4 years before it started happenin', and I was just wonderin', could one of those tattoos say "I love my mama?"

Libby Does grandpa really braid his ear hair?

BREAI< BAR Grace What I want to know is, why doesn't Tim Allen just tear down that fence and look at that guy's face?

Doug Hmmm.

Nadine You know what I want to know? Why didn't Mr. Spock ever just kill Captain Kirk and take over the ship? Then he could have given O'Hura a good job. What is she, the intergalactic receptionist?

Grace Good afternoon, final frontier. I'm sorry, Captain Kirk is busy Grace 199

overacting.

Doug And why wouldn't Darin let Samantha at least use her witchcraft, to you know, like clean the house?

Nadine Yeah.

Doug Vic, wouldn't it be great married to a witch?

Vic I'm the wrong guy to ask, Dougie. (Julia walks in)

Grace Hey, Julia, here to pick up guys?

Julia No. I went to the refinery, but they told me you were here. Can I talk to you for a sec?

Grace Oh, sure. We'll be back in a minute. Hey, you want something to eat? She's got a bunch of pickles back there or something....

Julia No, I'm fine.

Grace So, what's going on?

Julia Has my dad said anything to you about me, because he still won't talk to me. I mean, he didn't even offer me money like he usually does. Do you think I'm wasting my time even trying?

Grace Well, what are you askin' for from him, love or money?

Julia I just want him to be my dad.

Grace Well, just tell him.

Julia What do you mean?

Grace Me, me and my dad used to fight all the time.

Julia That's the same with me.

Grace Yeah, and then we got so mad, we quit talking to each other Grace 200

completely.

Julia That's the exact same thing with me.

Grace And then my dad died before we patched things up, and he never met his grandkids.

Julia What can I do?

Grace Just tell him how you feel. You know, something like, "Dad, I know this isn't the life you would have chosen for me, but you raised me to be a free thinker even if that means making my own mistakes. Even if it means marrying the wrong guy, and I want you to be a part of whatever life I have left, even if it means all new mistakes .... " Or, you could tell him something relevant to your life.

Julia Grace, that was perfect. Will you talk to him for me?

Grace What?

Julia Oh, come on. I can't say all that as good as you just did.

Grace All right. But go on before I change my mind.

Julia Thank you, Grace.

Grace You're welcome, Julia. Fine, I'll talk to John. Then I'll just call up Ronald Reagan and say, "Hey, your kids really love you!"

Vic What was that all about?

Grace Julia's dad's not talking to her. She wants me to try to bridge the gap.

Doug You know, I don't get that? I mean, parents and children not talking. I know you guys think it's a little weird that I still live with my mom, but I'll tell ya, she's my best friend. We help each other with our problems, we like spending time together. We talk, we hang out. Grace 201

Grace I think that's sweet, Dougie. Especially that you're not afraid to just say so.

Doug Yeah, well, she's a great old broad. (beeper) Oh, time to go. Gotta tum her.

BREAK

PHARMACY Wade Well, Russell, you really think there's a market for my pottery?

Russell Well, look at it this way, my handy pocket dictionaries didn't exactly bring home the bacon. And, my electric bird warmer wasn't a hit either. So, I do have room in my sundry section.

Wade What exactly are sundries, anyway?

Russell Oh, well let me take a look here in one of these handy pocket dictionaries.

Wade You know, ever since Nadine moved out of the house, it's been great therapy making these. I think I've done some of my finest work ever. I can see my soul in some of these.

Russell Your soul, yeah, right. Here we go, sundries: small, miscellaneous items of little or no value. Why, Wade, your pots are the very definition of sundries.

Wade That is a cheap dictionary.

Quentin Hey, mom, can I get the Spiderman comic?

Grace Sure. Hey, Russell.

Russell Hey, Grace.

Grace Please fill this for me now?

Russell Oh, this is one of my favorite second-generation sefula-sporums. And also very effective for hospital pseudomonis. I'm sorry, Grace 202

Grace, I know you didn't finish high school, and this pharmaceutical jargon's all I got, so I cling to it.

Grace I know.

Russell Uh, I tell you what. Why don't you take a look at Wade's pots? This'll take me a minute, I'll be right back.

Grace Hey, honey, did you get the one you wanted?

Quentin What?

Grace The Spiderman book.

Quentin Spiderman, get real. What planet are you from? I don't want that.

Grace Sorry, my mistake.

Quentin Yeah, guess so.

Grace Hey, you about ready to go to Sears?

Quentin What?

Grace Well, they got that sale on the little boy's pajamas, the Winnie the Pooh kind you love so much. With the little footsies in 'em and the little back seat that drops down, and they go so fast. Say bye-bye to your friends. Bye-bye.

BREAI<

GRACE'S KITCHEN Grace Hold on, Quentin, come here. Sit down. We need to talk. Sorry I embarrassed you in front of your friends.

Quentin You are not, you did it on purpose.

Grace Well ... you made me mad. Grace 203

Quentin Why?

Grace Because you took a starring role in the "Let's be mean to mama" show.

Quentin Well, why d'ya have to come over and talk to me?

Grace Well, cuz we're related. I wouldn't say anything to you otherwise, there's laws against that.

Quentin Can I go now?

Grace Why are you lookin' at me like you did when I weaned you? I'm just trying to have a conversation with you.

Quentin Then just say what you're gonna say.

Grace I know you're embarrassed because you have a mother.

Quentin Yeah, go on.

Grace Well, I just wanted to tell you that it's really natural to feel that way. You're supposed to think your mom is, like, the biggest jerk in the world. And it's really easy to act like one when you treat her like one. So I'll try very hard not to take it personally if you can try very hard not to rip your mother's heart out. Do we have a deal?

Quentin I guess.

Grace All right, I'll call you when dinner's ready. Go. Go. (pause) How many people live inside me?

BREAK

OIL REFINERY Grace Oh, man, I don't want to do it.

Vic That's how I feel about most things. Grace 204

Grace No, I keep puttin' this off. I'm supposed to talk to John for his daughter. I don't know what to say.

Vic Yeah, poor guy. Pregnant, single daughter. You know, my Maryanne's the same age as Julia, there is no way I'd let her get involved with a man.

Grace Maryanne's the one that just joined the Navy, right?

Vic Yeah. It's a good thing, too, you know, keeps her mind off boys.

Grace Vic, she's on a ship with 1400 men.

Vic Yeah, but you know, it's only for 2 years.

Grace I'm sayin .... (Goes in John's office) Hey, big John!

John Make it snappy Grace, I'm busy.

Grace OK, your daughter's young, in trouble, she's alone, she needs you, I know it's a small hindrance in your life, but you should deal with it immediately. I'm finished. Hey, that wasn't so bad.

John Hey, Grace. It's all very simple for you, isn't it? I mean it's black and white. Julia's all good, so suddenly I'm all evil.

Grace Wait a minute, I thought you were evil before I...ever saw her.

John Let me tell you something about my precious daughter, Grace. She ran away from home when she was 15 years old. Right after I paid $500 to get her off a shoplifting charge. Last year, her mom was sick, she wouldn't even come back to see her. Nah, she was too busy selling flowers for Father Gwynn's House of Enlightenment and Taboolee, ya-da, ya-da, ya-da.

Grace Did she ignore you at the mall?

John I just don't know what more I can do. I mean, I've tried everything. Soft love, tough love, nothin' helped. I give up. She's only back this time because she needs money. Grace 205

Grace You don't know that.

John That's all she ever comes back for.

Grace You know, life is full of humbling experiences. I mean, for example, I work for you. There's no such thing as a perfect parent. There's no such thing as a perfect kid. I saw this, I saw this show on TV today. They put these baby rhesus monkeys in a cage with an ironing board. Strapped a milk bottle to the ironing board. Not only did the little monkeys nurse from it, they bonded with the ironing board.

John I saw that. I thought it was vacuum cleaners. What's your point, Grace?

Grace I'm just saying any ironing board can be a parent. It takes a real monkey to ... I don't know, John. Talk to your daughter.

BREAK

PHARMACY Russell You know, Remondo, you're a very unique individual.

Remondo I am, thank you. Why?

Russell Well, it's not very often you see a borderline schizophrenic who has foot odor problems who happens to collect barmitzvah cards.

Remondo Gimme my stuff.

Russell Not so fast. A man of your unique talents should take a look at my remarkable sundries display.

Remondo Well, I'm not interested. Give me my stuff.

Russell Whoa, whoa, slow down a bit. Here, here, take a look here. You know, much like your barmitzvah cards, these pots will appreciate in value. This particular pot, for example, was found in the desert of Roswell, New Mexico, near the famous UFO Grace 206

crash of I 94 7. The story goes, it was transported and fell out of an alien as he was being transported to Wright Patterson Air Force Base by top secret government officials, and there interrogated in the secret Hangar 18. Of course, he was ultimately released and given a job in the private sector as a high-level postal employee, but the pot remains!

Remondo I already have one. Give me my stuff.

Nadine Hi. Hi, Russell.

Russell Hey, how's it goin', Red?

Nadine Good, I understand you've gone into the ceramics business.

Russell Umhmmm.

Nadine How are Wade's pots sellin'?

Russell What's the opposite of hot cakes?

Nadine You haven't sold any of them?

Russell No, not a one.

Nadine Gee, I'll buy a couple.

Russell Really, which ones?

Nadine I don't know. This one's kinda pretty, it's weird with that little neck, and, well, I like that one. That one would go in Grace's bathroom. Oh, God, this has always been my favorite one. Well, that's Wade's favorite one. If he thought nobody wanted this one, it would just kill him. Oh, for God's sake, just give me all of them.

Russell Why are you doing this, Red?

Nadine I don't know. Just don't tell Wade. I don't want him thinkin' that I care. Grace 207

Russell Yeah, you wouldn't want him to think that, would you? (Wade walks in)

Wade Uh... hi.

Nadine Hi.

Russell Wade, great news! Some woman came in and bought all the pots. I, I don't know who she was ....

BREAK

OIL REFINERY Grace Hey, kid, how ya

Julia Hey, Grace. I just came to say goodbye, I'm gonna head back up north.

Grace OK, I don't know where your dad is.

Julia Well, I didn't come to say goodbye to him, I came to say goodbye to you. Listen, I know you tried talking to him, and even though things didn't work out, I'm really thankful.

Grace Listen, good luck, OK?

Julia Thank you.

Grace Let me know what happens with the baby. You'll be alright.

Julia I will.

John Oh, uh, here. Maybe this'll help. (Hands her money)

Julia Why?

John Well, I just thought you might need it. Give your mother a call sometime. Grace 208

Julia I don't want your money, dad. I mean, maybe I did when I first came here, but I don't now.

John Well, I don't want it.

Grace Well, if neither y'all wants it....

John Well, you want to come to dinner tonight?

Grace Sure.

John Not you! Do ya?

Julia Sure. Is mom cooking?

John Yeah.

Julia Maybe I should get us some takeout.

John Yeah, good idea. Thanks, Grace.

Grace You're welcome, John. Grandpa.

BREAK GRACE'S KITCHEN Nadine Come on, Grace, I feel great. Let's do somethin' fun. What can we do that's reallv., fun?

Grace Stir this.

Nadine OK. Why is this fun?

Grace Cuz you're doin' it and I'm not.

Quentin Mom, I'm gonna ride my bike. I'll be home in time for dinner.

Grace Kay.

Quentin And mom, please don't shout down the street like I'm some kind of baby. Grace 209

Grace Hey, I got a better idea. I got 10 bucks. Why don't you just go the bus station, get a room there.

Quentin You're so hysterical. (He leaves)

Nadine Wow! He's got some attitude.

Grace Yep, we're mighty proud of him at Smartie Pants University. Captain of the Smirking Team for 3 years running. Nadine, he doesn't need me anymore.

Nadine Well, then, you've done your job.

Grace How come I feel so crummy?

Nadine Cuz, you have a crummy job.

(Quentin enters)

Grace Quentin, what happened?

Quentin I fell from my bike.

Grace Are you OK?

Quentin Yeah, I'm fine, mom, I'm fine.

Grace Well, your jeans are tom. You think it might be tom under that?

Quentin Maybe.

Grace So, uh, maybe we should go upstairs and have a look at it?

Quentin Sure.

Grace Will you allow me to go with you?

Quentin I guess. Grace 210

Grace Tough day in the hood, kid? Yeah? Come on, Quentin, let's go. Upstairs.

Nadine Mmm. This is fun. Grace 211

Appendix F

Episode Six: November 29, I 994

OIL REFINERY Vic Dougie. You hear what happened?

Doug What?

Vic There was an explosion on the night shift.

Doug No kiddin'. Anybody get hurt?

Vic Joe Slocum.

Doug Ahhh.

Vic I can't believe it. Guy comes in to work like it's any other day. Says hi to his coworkers ....

I Grace H1,. guys.

Vic/Doug Hi, how ya doin'?

Vic Goes over to his locker. Puts his stuff inside. Puts his lunch on the shelf, grabs his hardhat, heads out to work. Next thing you know, he's dead.

Grace What?

Vic Guy on the night shift. He was workin' out by one of the heaters? There was a malfunction, and ka-boom!

Grace Oh, no, that's terrible. Who was it?

Doug Joe Slocum.

Grace Oh. The red-haired guy with the birthmark that looks like Osaka? Grace 212

Doug No, no, he's the tall blonde guy from Kentucky.

Vic No, he was from Chicago. He was a skinny guy with a limp.

Grace No, no. He had red hair and he was heavy. Right, John?

John Right, what?

Doug Joe Slocum. Tall blonde guy.

Vic Skinny guy with a limp.

John No, no. He was short, fat, and loved to eat cheese sandwiches.

All Ohhh. Oh.

BREA!(

GRACE'S KITCHEN Wade Nadine?

Nadine Wade?

Wade Hey, I've been

Nadine Oh, you have? Me, too. How about Friday?

Wade Perfect. OK, now, I got some options.

Nadine Um hum?

Wade Plan A: early movie, and dinner at the Lobster Can. Plan B: twilight bowlin', and dinner at the Lobster Can. And Plan C: dinner at the Lobster Can.

Nadine Or we could go to the Lobster Can.

Wade That's perfect!

Nadine OK, that's fine. You actually look pretty adorable in that bib. Grace 213

Wade Ohh, maybe I can pick up an extra one for later.

Nadine OK, let's do dinner. One step at a time, Wade, I don't think we're ready for naughty waitress and bad bib boy yet.

Wade Alright, alright. It's your evening, Nadine, we'll do whatever you want.

Nadine OK, pick me up at 7:30 and we'll just take it from there.

Wade OK, 7:30.

Nadine OK.

Wade OK, see ya.

Nadine I'll see ya then. (pause) What are you doin'?

Wade I can't wait. I am so happy.

Nadine Me, too. Get out of here, you big jar head!

Wade I love it when you call me jar head. Hey, Grace.

Grace Oh, hey, Wade. Where are the kids?

Nadine Oh, the little boy and girl are doing their homework and the baby is sleepin' like an angel.

Grace Great. He is such a good little kid.

Nadine Yeah, he is.

Grace I'm just not looking forward to this.

Nadine Looking forward to what?

Grace Nadine, we had an accident at work today and somebody died, and I just gotta tell the kids before they see it on the news or something. Grace 214

Nadine Oh, my God! Who died?

Grace Joe Slocum.

Nadine Oh, my God, Joe Slocum? The little bald headed guy who loved grilled cheese sandwiches?

Grace You knew him?

Nadine Not really.

Grace Hey, what am I gonna say to the kids? I mean, how do you think they're gonna feel if they know their mommy has a job where you can, like, get killed? I mean, they're gonna go through hell over this. It's freakin' me out. Here goes nothin'.

Nadine Well, good luck, honey.

Grace Hey, you guys, why don't y'all take a break, I need to talk to you.

Libby I'm finished anyway. I always finish first.

Quentin Shut up.

Grace Come on, come on. This is, uh, serious. Quentin and Libby, um, there was an accident at work today, an explosion, and um, somebody died, and everybody's really sad that it happened, and I just don't want you guys to be worried or scared, cuz I promise you that your mom is really, really careful at work. Y'all have any questions or anything?

Libby If you do blow up, can I get the 1V?

Quentin Libby!

Grace It's all right, Quentin, she doesn't understand.

Quentin She's sure does, and I'm older, I get the 1V. Grace 215

Libby Then I get the VCR.

Quentin Then I get the stereo.

Libby Then I get the jewelry.

Quentin Then I get the car.

Libby Then I get the house.

Nadine How'd itgo?

Grace Hmm. I'm changin' their names to Lyle and Eric.

BREAK

OIL REFINERY John OK, let's knock off all the chatter. Now, as you know, we had an accident yesterday, and we lost somebody. Joe Slocum. He was a good man, we're all gonna miss him. He'll be tough to replace. Blah, blah, blah, sis-boom-bah. So, the company has a licensed oil refinery therapist. I'd like you to say hello to Ted Larkin.

Vic How ya

John All of you.

All Hi.

Ted Hello. Well, I'm here because the company is concerned.

Grace Why don't you tell us what the company really thinks, that we're all just a bunch of fleas on the back of a capitalist dog whose life and death mean nothing, but if we're collectively depressed about the death of a colleague, it might slow down production. I'm sorry, I watched Norma Rae last night.

Ted Let me see. Mmm. A highly intelligent woman working in an oil refinery in a small town, probably raising a passel of kids on Grace 216

your own because your absentee husband is obviously intimidated by you.

Grace Well, lucky guess. Alright, my turn. Highly intelligent black man goes to college for 4 years, grad school for 3 and the field for 2 just so goobers like us can call you a credit to your race.

Ted Right on!

John Alright, let's cut through the touchy-feely bushwa and get into our mental problems.

Ted Fine. Anybody want to start us off?

John OK, I'll kick it off. The wife is complaining that I'm not performing my... husbandly duties properly. I say we should just do it and get on with it. You know, zip-i-dee-do-da and out! That the kind of thing you're looking for?

Grace Hey, anonymous sex with a loved one, I think that's at the top of all our wish lists, right?

Vic I'm next.

Ted Yes.

Vic When I was a kid, a bunch of us used to ride our bikes down this hill at like, a thousand miles an hour. Now one day, my friends, Billy, Joey, Beans and I started down the hill. Now Billy got to the bottom first. This big tractor trailer came rumbling down main street. By the time the driver saw Billy, too late. Slammed on his breaks ....

Doug Hey, hey, that's my story.

Vic What?

Doug That story, that story happened to me. I mean, the truck crashed into a grain elevator and Billy narrowly escaped with his life. That's my story, you stole my story. Grace 217

Vic Oh, yeah. Sorry!

Ted Let's try someone else. How about you?

Grace Well, I remember one day. I was drivin' my tractor trailer rig down main street really fast ....

Ted Fine, fine. None of you wants to talk, it's all the same with me. I get paid either way. Not enough, but that's what I talk about in therapy.

Grace Why don't you go tell the company not to send anybody else down here to tell us how we feel about the death of a colleague? Pretty sure we all know exactly how we feel.

Ted Hey, no problem. But if any of you do want to see me, I'll be in my office.

John And where would that be,Ted?

Ted Uh, it's upstairs, in, in the back. Next to the one with the door. So, do you want to, just drop by or should I make an appointment for you?

Grace What makes you think I want to make an appointment with you?

Ted Well, everybody else left, you're still here.

Grace I was finishing my sandwich.

Ted You know what Freud said about sandwiches?

Grace Za really messy vones should be eaten over za zink.

BREAK

PHARMACY Grace Hey, Russell. Grace 218

Russell Hey, Grace. Hey, I heard.

Grace Yeah, bad news travels fast.

Russell No faster than that Slocum guy, from what I'm told. Sony Grace, you know, those of us in the medical profession tend to take death a little more lightly. It's an occupational hazard. Course, who am I to tell you about occupational hazards.

Grace Russell, I've worked by that same heater like a thousand times. Man, it could have been me.

Russell You know, I nearly died once.

Grace You never told me that.

Russell Yep. At a pie eating contest.

Grace What, did you like choke or somethin'?

Russell No, no, no. I fell off the platform head first into the world's third largest pumpkin.

Grace Is that how your hair got to be that color? I almost died, too, once.

Russell Really?

Grace Yeah. Me and Jimmy were on a raft in a river, and it capsized and I went under for a really long time, and my whole life flashed before my eyes; I saw the white light and the tunnel, and when I got through, all my relatives were standing there, and then I walked up to them, and they all started criticizing what I had on. It's true, my great aunt Lena came up to me and said, "A five dollar hooker wouldn't wear that dress to the pearly gates!"

Russell Well, as I often say to my customers when they come in here, "Live for the moment, because one day we're all gonna get our ticket punched at Club Dead!" Grace 219

Grace I say let's cheat 'em out of the pleasure of punching our ticket at Club Dead. Let's just, I know, I got it, let's, let's have a murder­ suicide pact. I'll do you first.

Russell No, no. I already fell for that once. No ....

BREAK

OIL REFINERY John Alright, alright. I have an announcement to make.

Grace If it's about you and your wife, I don't want to hear it.

John I think you should forget you ever heard it.

Grace I've been trying to.

John Now, we're not sure how long it'll be til we're fully operational again.

Grace Well, then see a doctor, but leave it us out of it, John!

John Can it, Grace. Alright, now, here's the deal. We're shutting dmvn for inspection. You can take the time off and stay at home at a 50% pay cut.

Grace Hey, wait a minute. Come on, it's hard to live on what we make now.

John Or you can be temporarily reassigned to the secretarial pool on full salary.

Doug Ooh, John, could I go for that? My mom always wanted me to be a pink collar worker, that'd be like a dream come true for me.

Vic Sittin' home gettin' paid for

John Instamatically. Grace 220

Vic Perfecto.

John Now the rest of you make up your minds and leave your choice for somebody who cares on my desk.

Grace Well, workin' someplace safe, you know, it's just not answerin' phones and puttin' faxes in backwards and refusing to get people's coffee, I can do that.

Doug Well, it could be fun. I mean, white-out and post-its and stamps ... Oh, my. White-out and post-its and stamps, oh my. White-out and ....

Grace 111 call you in the morning, and make sure we don't wear the same outfit.

BREAI<

OIL REFINERY SECRETARIAL POOL Grace (English accent)Good afternoon, CBD Oil, Mrs. Daley's office, may I be of assistance?

Daley What are you doing? That is not your voice.

Grace They don't know that. It's for you.

Daley Did you ask who's calling?

Grace No, I.. ..

Daley Always ask who's calling. Alice Daley. Yes. Yes. Yes. Alice Daley. Yes.

Grace That was quite good, you might try doing it in an English accent. I'm sorry, I was just trying to have fun, you know, just to keep from, from, totally losing consciousness.

Daley Miss Kelly, this type of behavior might have been acceptable in the nether regions where you previously worked, but not here. Grace 221

Grace (Phone rings) Uh, I'll be gettin' that. Good afternoon, Mr. Warner's office. What, oh, I'm sorry, you're right, it is Mr. Thorpe's office, uh, uh, I don't know if he's here. I mean, hell, I didn't even know this was his office. Yeah, I'll look, sure OK, yeah, OK, I'll take the message, alright, bye.

Jane Grace? Is it Grace?

Grace Yes.

Jane Hello, Grace, I'm Jane. On behalf of our little family of administrative assistants, I'd like to say, (sings) ''There's a welcome here for you, there's a welcome here for you... Grace."

Grace You're happy, aren't you, Jane?

Jane So, how's it goin'? I know sometimes Miss Daley might seem like a little bit of a witch, but really, she's like a fancy bon-bon. She's got a hard cover, but a creamy inside.

Grace Go back to your desk, please, Jane.

Jane Oh, well, before I go, um, lunch is at I.

Grace Good, four more hours.

Jane Oh, no, no. We go at one. You have to cover for us cuz you're new, but we'll bring you back a yogurt.

Grace Forget the yogurt and bring me back a gun.

Jane Okey-dokey, but there's a five-day waiting period!

(Grace pretends to stab herself with letter opener)

Daley That is a very expensive letter opener. Miss Kelly, if you are having trouble assimilating, you might do well to emulate Douglas. He is adapting beautifully to his new surroundings.

Doug Hello, Mr. Medosa's office. I'm sorry, Mr. Medosa's away from Grace 222

his desk right now. Yes, I'll see that he gets the message. Thank you. Hello, Mr. Rooney's office. Oh, Mrs. Rooney! Yes. Mr. Rooney said he'll meet you at Lamaze class as planned. Bon jour.

Grace You are the biggest suck up.

Doug Grace, it's like I've been preparing for this moment my entire life.

Grace Dougie, have you heard of sick building syndrome? People were getting sick that worked in buildings and they checked the air ducts and the carpet glue but it wasn't any of that stuff. Know what it was Dougie? They were bored, they were bored to death.

Daley Ms. Kelly, feigning death will in no way relieve you of your duties.

Grace It worked in my marriage.

BREA!(

PSYCHOLOGIST'S OFFICE Grace Hi, can I come in? I'm on my 3:00-3:15 coffee break.

Ted It's a quarter to four.

Grace So, I'm in a time warp. I mean, you said that we could come in and talk to you if we were having some problems.

Ted What do you think of these?

Grace Great, you get right to it. Okay, the one on the left is Ernest Borgnine doing the Watusi with a bunt cake and the one on the right are lobsters mating underneath the Tallahatchee bridge.

Ted Hmmm, interesting.

Grace Well, what does it say about me? Grace 223

Ted Nothing, these are wall paper samples. My wife wants me to pick one.

Grace And that makes you feel emasculated and enraged. Work with it.

Ted Is there a purpose to this visit because otherwise I've got swatches to look at.

Grace Oh, I'm sorry. Did Joe getting blown up like increase your workload this week?

Ted As a matter of fact, it did. So if there's something on your mind let's get on with it.

Grace I'm all stressed out and I think it's affecting my natural charm.

Ted You know, your reaction is really intense. How long you been working up here?

Grace All day.

Ted But this secretary assignment is temporary, right?

Grace Ya, but I'm thinking about making it full time because, I mean, it's safer and everything but is safety worth my sanity? I hate this!

Ted Let me ask you something, Grace. When did these symptoms start. Today?

Grace No, a couple days ago because I know where you're going with this. You think it's because that guy died and everything.

Ted Well, all I know is that if the man who did this job before me blew up while he was sitting in this chair, I'd think twice before planting my keester in it.

Grace Exactly! I mean, I like the tanks, but I don't know if the risks are worth it. I just don't know. Grace 224

Ted What scares you most about going back?

Grace A guy died ... it could have been me.

Ted Come on, you can do better than that.

Grace What, my stress isn't fascinating enough for you?!

Ted Not yet, but go on.

Grace I mean, he died wearing those stupid blue overalls and that ugly yellow hardhat.

Ted He was a refinery worker, Grace.

Grace Well, see now you're just categorizing him. I mean, maybe he could have been a whole lot more, maybe he just never had the chance.

Ted He could have been more, or you could have been more.

Grace Hmm, can you not follow this?

Ted Okay. I'm clocking in. Now you pay attention because I'm only going to say this once. You're the type of person who eventually wants to move beyond refinery work. This accident just set that off for you. Grace, you got a lot left to achieve in life but you're going to have problems until you figure out when and how to do it.

Grace You know, you should probably take your own advise cause, you know, you could probably do better than being a shrink at a refinery. You know, as long as you're here maybe we could have, like, another appointment or something.

Ted Oh, I don't know. No one's ever asked me that before, but we still got some time left now.

Grace You know what, I can't, I left six people on hold. Grace 225

BREAI< GRACE'S FRONT DOOR Nadine Well, I had a great time.

Wade Yeah, me too. I forgot how much fun you were on a date.

Nadine No, I forgot how much fun you are on a date.

Wade Me, you're the one who put the fun back in fun.

Nadine This is like one of those pointless, meaningless, nervous conversations that you have at the front door because you don't really want the evening to end, isn't it?

Wade Ya, but it's fun.

Nadine Want to do this again next week?

Wade Ya.

Nadine 7:30?

Wade Umhum, I'd like that.

Nadine Ok.

Wade Goodnight. (Kiss)

Nadine Goodnight.

Nadine Call me when you get home.

Wade I'm home.

Nadine Okay. (Goes in house)

Grace Hello.

Nadine Hi. Grace 226

Grace So, how was your date?

Nadine It was great. We're going to do it again next Friday. Oh, Grace, I think that we're really moving forward.

Grace Moving forward. Nadine, you're moving backwards. You've left a marriage so you could go out with your husband. Next thing you know you'll be asking me to introduce you to the good looking blond guy next door.

Nadine What've you been doing?

Grace I'm looking for new career opportunities. According to this there's a huge demand for girls, girls, girls.

Nadine What, aren't you going to go back to your old job at the refinery?

Grace Ya, I'm going back to the tanks. I mean, it pays the bills, I'll be able to put the kids through school. Now I'm just thinking about doing something, like, for my life, for me.

Nadine Put that down, you're not going to find a career in there, you're just going to find a job. What is it you really want to do, young Sirnba?

Grace Ya know, like there's - go back to school.

Nadine Yes, there's plenty of time for that.

Grace I thought about teaching once.

Nadine You would be such a great teacher.

Grace I just want to write a book.

Nadine You can do anything you want to do Grace.