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Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Premiered: September 21, 2003
[replays]
Synopsis
James Carville joins new firm member Francisco Dupré (Roger G. Smith) at a Branford Marsalis performance at the Ritz-Carlton. After the show, Marsalis talks to them about the threat that music file sharing poses to musicians.
The next morning, Francisco introduces himself to Tommy Flannegan (John Slattery) and Maggie Morris (Mary McCormack) at the firm. He gives Maggie an autographed copy of Branford Marsalis' new CD. Carville announces to the staff that he wants the firm to pitch their public relations services to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). While Carville scoffs at Maggie's concern that this might conflict with an ISP they represent, Francisco quickly arranges a meeting with RIAA president Mitch Bainwol. Carville asks how he knows Bainwol--"Ultimate frisbee."
Maggie, Tommy and Francisco have lunch at Butterfield 9. Francisco's idea about using a shopping mall kiosk to get the RIAA message out is rejected and he counters with a pitch for a pro-RIAA political ad featuring rapper Ice Cube.
Maggie is having trouble getting someone to return her messages. In the firm's kitchen, Tommy and Maggie discuss their suspicions about Francisco's background. Maggie thinks he is a "completely passive-agressive, whispering freak!"
Mary Matalin calls Carville from the Dallas airport and he tells her about the RIAA pitch. Tommy visits Rep. Mary Bono to discuss the music file sharing problem and she brings up the limitations of the Copyright Millenium Act. Maggie talks to Sen. Orinn Hatch about the issue. Hatch sides with the artists, one of whom--Bono--was just in his office, he notes. Maggie asks about Hatch's own musical projects and gives him the Marsalis CD that Francisco gave her earlier.
Tommy runs into Washington Post columnist Howard Kurtz in a Starbucks and tries to get him to write about the RIAA story in his next column. Kurtz rebuffs him: "I'm not going to launder your propoganda this time." Tom then catches a ride with Rep. Dreir and asks him about the issue.
Maggie meets TV producer Tamara Haddad for coffee and pitches the idea of having Bono appear on one of her shows speaking on behalf of the RIAA. Haddad wants to know the details of a rumor she has heard that someone in Maggie's firm is speaking with Prince Bandar (of Saudi Arabia).
Maggie runs into "Gail" dining outside of Bobby Van's Steakhouse and curses her for not returning her phone calls. Gail's lunch companion asks if Maggie was an ex-girlfriend. "I wouldn't say that," Gail replies.
Members of the firm watch a test RIAA political ad. Francisco hedges when asked to defend the ad and Maggie pointedly asks him if he has met with Prince Bandar. Later, Maggie, Tommy and Francisco observe as employees of a political research company conduct a focus group session with teenagers about music file sharing. Tommy (who seems pensive) sees a woman in a red outfit sitting behind the focus group. He looks again--she is gone.
The morning of the pitch. As Wesley Clark announces his presidential bid on TV, the firm members argue about their lack of focus just an hour away from RIAA president Bainwol's arrival. Maggie suggests a "ticketing" policy for illegal downloads and Carville thinks it's a great idea, one they should not give away, but instead sell to the RIAA. Francisco has bad news--Bainwol has to cancel. Carville wonders if Francisco may have been bluffing about the appointment all along. Matalin calls and confirms that the appointment had been set but the imminent arrival of Hurricane Isabel played a part in the rescheduling. She chides the others for their hasty judgement.
Maggie leaves an apologetic phone message to someone (Gail?). Tommy watches Francisco make a cellphone call while standing outside in the storm. He sees the woman in red outside his office, goes to his doorway--she is gone.
Guest Starring:
Talia Balsam as Gail
Featuring:
Kristin Carter (Carville's Assistant)
Jennice Fuentes (Woman in Red)
Karen Williams (Dupré's Girlfriend)
Appearing as themselves:
Robyn K. Bennett
– Writer/Director/Executive Producer for inkFoot, an independent film
company based in Silver Spring, Maryland [site]
Tony Black
Joseph Bondi
Rep. Mary Bono
– Congresswoman for California's 45th District [site]
Frank Cullen
Linda Divall
– President and CEO of American Viewpoint, a public opinion research firm [site] [bio]
Rep. David Dreier
– Congressman for California's 26th District [site]
Trevor Gibson
Lory Gray
Tamara Haddad
– Veteran TV executive producer; creator and longtime Executive Producer
of "Larry King Live"; consultant to People magazine for editorial and
television development.
Elizabeth Haxthowsen
Sen. Orrin Hatch
– Republican Senator from Utah [site] [music by Hatch]
Sam Kaufman
Greg Kline
– Director of Health Care Research for American Viewpoint, a public
opinion research firm [site] [bio].
Julie Y. Loeber
Howard Kurtz
– Host of CNN's "Reliable Sources"; media reporter for the Washington
Post ("Media Notes") [bio]
Branford Marsalis
– Grammy award-winning saxophonist; his latest CD, "Romare Bearden Revealed" was issued in conjunction with "The Art of Romare Bearden", a
retrospective organized by the National Gallery of Art.
Wendy Mastin
Jennifer Mastin
– Research analyst for American Viewpoint, a public opinion research firm [site] [bio]
Dean E. McGillivary
Matthew Ribbins
Gina Scime
– Production manager for American Viewpoint, a public opinion research
firm [site]
[bio]
Locations: (all Washington, D.C., unless otherwise noted)
The Ritz-Carlton, 1150 22nd St. NW
– Posh hotel where Branford Marsalis concert is held.
Butterfield 9, 600 14th St. NW
– Restaurant (new American cuisine) where Tommy, Maggie and Francisco eat lunch.
Bobby Van's Steakhouse, 809 15th St., NW
– Restaurant where Maggie runs into Gail, eating outside.
Procedural Terms & Trivia:
"Are you from Massachusetts?"
– When Tommy (John Slattery) asks Dupré if he is a Democrat, Dupré avoids the question by asking Tommy if he is from Massachusetts. Actor Slattery was, in fact, born in Boston.
Prince Bandar
– Tamara Haddad wants Maggie (Mary McCormack) to find out what someone in her firm (Maggie thinks it is Francisco) is talking to Prince Bandar about. Prince Bandar bin Sultan has been the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the U.S since 1983.
Bergstrom Lowell
– Name of fictional political consulting firm that Carville and Matalin head in the show. (Name is seen on binders in this episode.)
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