All language subtitles for Nathan.for.You.S03E05.Smokers.Allowed.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

My name is Nathan Fielder,

and I graduated from one of
Canada's top business schools

with really good grades.

Now I'm using my knowledge

to help struggling
small business owners make it

in this competitive world.

This is "Nathan for You."

Life isn't easy for smokers
these days

as smoking bans
throughout America have made

the outdoors the only option
for lighting up.

But hit worst of all
has been the bars.

And proprietors
like Ellen Sancer

of the 1881 Club
in Pasadena, California,

claim that smoking restrictions

have caused her profits
to plummet.

We lost a lot
of our customers.

Our business went down
by half.

As a smoker herself,
she's not happy.

So I paid Ellen a visit
with a way

she might be able to return
to those profitable glory days.

In my opinion,

smokers shouldn't be treated
like second-class citizens.

Absolutely.

If anything,
they should be treated better

than the rest of us because
they're gonna die so young.

Or at least as well
as the rest of them.

Right, so you think
people should be allowed

- to smoke in here?
- Yeah.

Well, I might have a way
to make that happen.

Okay.

Right now,
California state law

prohibits smoking in a business
unless it happens to be

part of a theatrical production

where smoking is integral
to the plot.

So if Ellen added a small
audience section to her bar

and then classified
every patron

as an actor
in a free-form play,

the 1881 Club would become
the only drinking hole in town

where people
could legally smoke.

That could be possible.

I never thought about turning it
around that way.

Well, most theater
is terrible.

I have seen
a few bad ones, yeah.

Yeah, so who's to say
a bar filled with smokers

can't be a boundary-pushing
theatrical experience?

- Right.
- In the eyes of the law.

It's an idea.

It's definitely an idea.

Ellen was thrilled
at the prospect

of bringing smokers back
to her bar, so the next day,

I had my team bring in
a couple of theater seats

to create
a small audience section

and then threw up a curtain
to complete

the theater experience.

I also chose a title
for the play,

"Smokers Allowed"
that would conveniently double

to attract clientele,
then put up a sign on the door

informing patrons
that by entering the bar,

they're legally agreeing
to be actors

in a theatrical production.

So when nighttime came,

I headed to some other bars in
the area to get word spreading

about L.A.'s hottest new
smoking destination.

You got to smoke
outside here, huh?

Yeah, have you been
to 1881 Club?

They allow you
to smoke there.

Yeah, a loophole.

Theater law.

Yeah.

My promotional efforts
seemed to be working...

All right, smokers unite.

Because, within minutes,
customers began arriving

at the 1881 Club for a night
of legal indoor smoking.

As a final precaution,

I had two women recruited
from the theater district

who were interested
in seeing an exciting new play.

- So for two?
- For two.

Okay, you're in luck.

We have two front-row seats
still available.

Very cool.

I knew an audience
would be the final piece

to legitimize my production
in the eyes of the law.

So with the women
in their seats,

it was time
to begin the show.

All right, welcome.

Thank you so much
for coming.

So it took a lot of work to get
this play off the ground.

I don't want
to say too much

'cause I don't want to spoil
anything, but all I'll say is,

I hope you enjoy this as much
as we enjoyed making it.

So without further ado,
"Smokers Allowed."

My plan was working great.

People could now smoke freely
without the bar

having to worry
about any legal repercussions.

And with the audience
shoved away in the corner,

hardly any customers seemed
to notice they were there.

Best of all, I had never seen
Ellen look happier.

So after an hour and 20 minutes

when the bar crowd
started to dwindle,

I decided to close the curtain
and say the play was over.

All right, so that's it.

Thank you so much
for coming.

I hope you enjoyed
"Smokers Allowed."

It was a successful evening,

but then something happened
that I never expected.

The audience actually
seemed to enjoy the play.

Oh, man,
they were awesome.

- Yeah, yeah, they were.
- They were awesome.

It's so funny
'cause it's, like,

so nothing in a way
but incredibly profound.

It reminded me
of Sam Shepard.

I didn't really know
what to make of this.

After all, these ladies
could be total kooks.

But if what happened
in there somehow

had genuine theatrical value,

it could be a whole new source
of revenue for the 1881 Club.

So later that week, I arranged
a meeting with the chair

of the theater department
at Glendale Community College

to find out if I was
actually onto something

with my play,
"Smokers Allowed."

The guy by himself
stands out to me

because he looks lonely.

The couple stands out to me
because it tells a story

that maybe
they're in a new relationship...

Uh-huh.

And I think that curiosity

is what makes me want
to continue to watch.

Do you think
this has theatrical merit?

Yeah, you know,
this is "slice of life" theater,

and for that aspect,
I think it's important.

Wow.

I was amazed that Jeanette
saw value in my play...

It's reminiscent
of playwrights

like John Patrick Shanley.

And even compared it
to the work of who I assumed

were famous playwrights.

It was clear
something happened that night

that I couldn't ignore.

So the next day,
I returned to the 1881 Club

to see if Ellen was interested
in adjusting our approach.

I don't know what it was,

but people really responded
to this thing.

I didn't get to pay
much attention.

I was busy.

I mean,
you can make good money

having people smoke in here.

Right.

But you could make millions
with a hit play.

That's possible, yeah.

I mean, at this point,

it's hard to know if the play
would actually be a success,

but I think we'd be idiots
not to give it a shot.

Yeah, we should.

I was happy to have Ellen
on board with my new plan,

but as I spent the next day

going over the footage
from that night,

I was no closer to figuring out
what made this play

so interesting.

That was until I noticed
a few exciting moments

that may have gripped
the audience.

At one table, there was
a couple that shared a kiss,

so I knew there was
a romantic story line.

There was also a moment

where a man
showed off his skateboard deck

while, at the same time,
a three-person selfie

was happening at the bar,

the perfect climactic
action scene.

I didn't see it before,

but this night had all
the ingredients of a hit play.

So I figured the surest way
to guarantee success would be

to re-create every moment
exactly as it happened.

So I spent the afternoon
compiling all the audio

and video footage
we had from that night

and then hired a team
of professional transcribers

to write down every word
that was spoken.

It was a lengthy,
multi-day process,

so I tried to make sure
their working environment

was as comfortable
as possible.

Want some apple juice?

No.

Do you want
some apple juice?

- I'm fine, thank you.
- Okay, sure.

When the transcription
was finally done,

I had the dialogue compiled
and converted into a script

and then blew up images
from our footage,

so I could cast professional
actors to play each role.

But since it was crucial

that they were able
to embody the exact essence

of the original person,

I set up auditions with my top
picks for later that week.

But for Ellen's role,

I thought it would be simplest
if she could just play herself,

so I paid her a visit to see
if she was right for the part.

So you're reading for the role
of female bar owner.

- Okay.
- All right.

Do you want to just slate
with your name first?

My name's Ellen.

Okay,
whenever you're ready.

You did not just say that.

Yes, he did.

All right, here you go.

Thank you.

Excuse me, sweetheart.

All right, great.
Well, we'll be in touch.

- Okay, great.
- Okay.

- Thank you.
- Thanks.

I thought
Ellen did a pretty good job,

but it was only fair
to hold off on my decision

until the rest of the auditions
I had scheduled were done.

So you're reading for the part
of bar patron number six.

Mm-hmm.

All right,
so whenever you're ready.

Bud Light, please.

- All right.
- Cool.

That's great.
You got the part.

Awesome.

As more and more actors
came in,

the roles
were filling up nicely,

and I was especially
blown away

by an actress
who nailed the part of Ellen.

You did not
just say that.

Yes, he did.

All right, here you go.

Thank you.

Excuse me, sweetheart.

Wow,
that was really good.

With every role now cast,
I gave all my actors a week

to familiarize themselves
with the script

and then brought them
to a church I rented

for three days
of intense group rehearsal

over a holiday weekend.

So ready and action.

It seemed like
most of my actors

had a pretty good handle
on their lines,

and with a little bit
of practice,

they were getting
closer to nailing the blocking

of key action sequences that
happened on the original night.

But as the rehearsal
went on, I became concerned

about the performances
of my romantic leads.

Their chemistry was the glue
holding this play together,

but so far,
I wasn't buying it.

So after the rest of the group
left that day,

I kept the pair behind to work
with them one on one.

I'd wanna, like,

personally give
your daughter a sibling.

Now, I know
she'd be like, "Dad."

I would love
to do that for her.

I love you.

I love you too.

All right, stop.

I really want this
to feel like a real connection,

a real love story
between you guys,

but I'm not getting
that sense right now.

How about we try
an exercise, okay?

Okay.

- Is that okay?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So, Gabriel,
you stand up here.

So let's try this.

Look into my eyes and say,
"I love you."

Okay.

I love you.

Okay, now I'm not
believing that at this point,

- so say it again.
- Okay.

I love you.

Again.

I love you.

Again.

I love you.

Again.

I love you.

Again.

I love you.

Again.

I love you.

- Again.
- I love you.

Again.

I love you.

Again.

I love you.

Again.

I love you.

Again.

You have tears
in your eyes, so...

Oh, really?

Yeah.

Oh, my God.Sorry.

Um, okay.

See, that--
that felt real to me.

Good.

Did it feel more real
when you did it with me

than when you did it
with him?

Um, well,
I did it more times with you.

Right, but it did?

Well, so yes, yes.

Okay, so it did,
more than with him.

Okay, so...

You understand?

Yeah.

And what did you learn
by watching that?

That she loves you.

Well, I mean, she's--
she's acting.

Yeah.

- So that's good.
- Yeah.

So that's what we want
from the scene.

- We want that type of connection.
- Okay.

- I mean, does that make sense?
- Yeah.

Great.
So let's, uh, let's try that.

With my expert guidance

and a few more hours
of rehearsal,

the chemistry between them
was now all too real.

I love you.

I love you too.

With the actors
in good shape,

my crew and I
returned to the 1881 Club

to prepare
for the big premiere.

Along with expanding
the audience section

to seven seats,

I added a selection
of branded merchandise

to maximize our revenue

and increased
the cost of drinks

to reflect theater prices.

And after
a bit of promotion...

It's a new play called
"Smokers Allowed."

It's kind of
a slice of life.

- Okay.
- Okay, hope to see you there.

- Maybe, I don't know.
- Okay.

It was finally time
for opening night.

I had no idea
if we'd get an audience,

but as show time neared,
it looked like

we might have a sellout
on our hands,

as a line comprised mostly

of family and friends
of the actors

began filling up the seats.

Meanwhile, backstage was abuzz
with my cast running lines

and getting
some final touch-ups.

But before we could begin,
I still had the tough task

that I'd been putting off
of breaking the news to Ellen

that she didn't
get the part.

- So opening night.
- Yeah.

- Are you excited?
- Yeah, I am.

I'm looking forward to it.

Before we begin, I just want
to say your audition was great.

Thank you.

Unfortunately, it wasn't quite
what I was looking for,

for the role
of female bar owner.

Right, no problem.
I understand.

Okay, so that being said,

I'd like to introduce you
to Amy.

She's the actress
that will be playing you.

All right.

And I think you'll find
she really honors the character.

Amy, do you want to show her
a bit of your Ellen?

Nice to see you.
Can I get you a drink?

Yeah,
that sounds good.

All right,
so you guys want to switch out?

Okay.

Even though
Ellen wouldn't be in the play,

I still wanted her
to enjoy the show,

which is why
I had a front-row seat

in the audience reserved
especially for her.

With just a few minutes
until show time,

I had a final look-over
to ensure that every prop

and every actor was
in the exact right position,

and once the scene was set,
we were ready to begin.

- Hello, everyone.
- Hello.

Thank you--
thank you so much for coming.

We're very excited.

I'm always hesitant
to say too much

'cause I don't want
to spoil anything,

but I'll just say
I hope you enjoy this play

as much as we enjoyed
making it.

So, without further ado,
"Smokers Allowed."

It was
such an amazing feeling

to see my play finally launch,
and 20 minutes in,

it was clear
our rehearsals had paid off,

as my actors were able to stay
faithful to the original night,

matching the dialogue
and actions

as closely as possible.

But instead
I stay at home,

and I watch "The Real Housewives
of New York City."

Have you ever seen that?

And I could sense
that the audience

was really connecting
with their performance.

My romantic leads
had finally found a chemistry

that felt as genuine
as the love

that real-life couple
they were playing shared.

But all this
would mean nothing

if the play's climax
didn't land,

the guy showing off
his skateboard deck

while a three-person selfie
happened at the same time.

The audience was on the edge
of their seats,

craving something to put this
over the top,

and I'm happy to say
we delivered.

It was a strong first showing
for the entire cast,

and I was hopeful this would be
a real money-maker

for the 1881 Club.

So once the play was done
and the cast took their bows,

I felt compelled
to express my gratitude

for everyone's support.

Ah.

Thank you so much
for coming out.

On behalf of the cast
and myself,

we're so amazed
at this turnout.

Now even though
a lot of the characters

you saw in the play tonight
were smoking,

it's important
to remember that smoking

does kill over 400,000 Americans
per year.

Another 8.6 million
live with a serious illness

that was caused by smoking
or secondhand smoke.

So think before you light up.

Thank you so much
for coming out, and good night.

My play was
a bona fide success,

and I was so proud of my cast

for giving
such a memorable performance

the audience
would never forget.

I would probably not
recommend it to anybody

as far as saying
it's a really good show.

The response
was overwhelming,

but the only opinion that
really mattered was Ellen's.

So once the bar cleared out,

I nervously checked in with her
to get her thoughts.

So, um...

what did you think
of the play?

It was okay.

It was a little boring as far
as I was concerned, but...

So you didn't like it?

Not particularly.

It wasn't--it just wasn't--

they were
just sitting there.

Nobody was really
doing anything.

So does that mean you're not
going to keep doing it here?

I doubt it.

Seriously doubt it.

Our customers come in here
to watch sports, watch TV,

not just to sit and watch
somebody sit there smoking.

All right, well...

I appreciate your honesty.

I appreciate you trying.

Ellen saying she didn't want
to do my play anymore

was the ultimate blow.

After all my hard work,
I felt sad and rejected.

But I realized that maybe
there was still a way

to get the feeling
I was hoping for.

So...what'd you think
of the play?

- I thought it was brilliant.
- Really?

Yeah, I really did.

And you're gonna
keep doing it here?

Without a doubt.

So you really liked it?

I loved it.

Say that again.

I loved it.

Again.

I loved it.

Say it again.

I knew this wasn't real,
but her looking at me

- in the eyes...
- I loved it.

And saying these words
was strangely satisfying.

Like, I know it's fake,

but it feels really good
to--to hear.

It's not fake.

I loved it.

They say reality
is what you make of it,

so in a world
that's cruel and hurtful,

who's to say
mine can't be nice?

Okay, thanks.

Well, congratulations
and good luck.

Hit me--hit me
in the back with it, dude.

- Seriously, come on.
- I just want to be home.

Neither were we.

We actually saw some guy
with a PBR grip tape.

- Really?
- Yeah.

Awesome.

He was just talking
about that too.

Hanging out
with a mail-order bride?

Oh, look,
this one's doing them too.

At least you know
you have a place.