M.J. has decided that she’s been patient long enough. When she wants something, God bless anyone who gets in her way. Cece was sorely missed, but I’m digging the less loathsome, happier M.J. whose resilience is pure badassery.
Greg wants to continue with Marisol in M.J.’s coveted spot. Since M.J.’s meeting with Greg didn’t go well, she makes that call to the Rainbow Coalition on some “I’m being treated unfairly because I’m black” tip. Yes, she went there. The Rainbow Coalition threatens Greg with going public if M.J. isn’t put back on the air. They negotiate for her to be back on within three to six weeks, which is not good enough for M.J., especially since she donated $5,000 to the organization. Best believe M.J. reversed the charge to get her five grand back.
When the press asks her why Rainbow Coalition is at SNC, she stares into the camera to announce that she’ll be back on the air on Monday. M.J. just started a war.
When Patrick stops by on his lunch break, Niecy gives him much attitude. He’s fed up and tells her she is ungrateful, rude and running his parents ragged with her two kids. You know a black man is mad when the word “ragged” is being tossed around.
Kara has M.J. on speaker phone with Greg when M.J. blurts out, “I don’t want to talk to his fat ass.” Greg hears this and wants to see her immediately. Greg gives a spiel about him not being racist. Then he rags on M.J. about always being late, sassy and not doing what’s asked. I wonder if white women get called sassy or if that’s reserved for women of color? Hmmm. Despite his annoyance with her, she’s back on the air Monday. Her plan worked, for now, anyway. Time for a new hairdo.
Niecy’s mom, Jackie (Jill Scott), comes to town bearing handbags as gifts. The two bond, but Niecy wants her to be around more. Jackie’s a hairdresser for Nicki Minaj. But check Mama Patterson’s shade: “I heard you do hair for a stripper.” Gotta love a black mama who’s not really feeling you. Jackie wants Niecy to consider doing hair as a career instead of as a side hustle. Hopefully this is the inspiration she needs to get her life together.
M.J. takes her new bob out on the town with Mark to a club where the “no cameras or paparazzi” rule has folks doing lines of coke and straddling each other like they’re in the privacy of their bedrooms. M.J. contemplates if Cutty Buddy could be more than a booty call. Mark advises her to leave well enough alone: “Spend the rest of the time on you. Read. Travel. But let the one find you.” And in case you were wondering, Mark is a top, and M.J. isn’t into anyone entering her booty. These are the kinds of conversations friends have with a few drinks in them.
The teleprompter malfunctions on M.J.’s first day back in the middle of her voter-suppression segment. By all accounts, she should’ve stumbled, but M.J. goes off the top of the dome and nails it. The burning question is if Greg purposely messed with the teleprompter to sabotage the show. If that was the plan, it was an epic fail.
Kara praises M.J. for a flawless performance. M.J. has no one to celebrate with, so she heads home and checks the tweets and her congratulatory texts from friends and family. Because she can’t get Greg’s critiques out of her head, she shows up to work before everyone else to prep. For two nights in a row, she scores. This time, Kara can go out to celebrate.
Patrick is pissed that Niecy wasn’t home by 9 to put her kids to bed so her grandparents had to stay up late to do it. Niecy doesn’t see the big deal. Jackie takes Patrick’s side and lets Niecy know that her behavior is not cute at all.
Jackie and Patrick have a heart-to-heart about their daughter. Jackie tells Patrick to stop letting Niecy walk all over him, and he tells Jackie to come around more. Jackie’s life is not so glamorous. She does Nicki’s dancers’ hair, not Nicki’s. These two wanted more than to chat about their daughter. “Brothers always thinking ’cause they hit it once, they can hit it again,” says Jackie. But she doesn’t stop him.
M.J. is at the club by herself waiting on Kara, but Kara flakes. Luckily, a tall glass of milk comes over to lead her to the dance floor. M.J. is all up in the club tonguing down this vanilla man.
“I kind of feel like I let the ancestors down,” M.J. tells Mark the next day at work about her first kiss with a white man. The numbers from last night are in, and they’re in last place. Kara is happy because they’re always in last place, so nothing has really changed. But M.J. can’t get Greg’s pesky voice out of her head. Kara tells her to accept that she won.
At home, M.J. has a celebratory cigar paired with red wine as she dips her feet in her pool. This M.J., who I imagine smirks to the tune of Hov and Kanye’s “Who Gon’ Stop Me,” is a much more enjoyable woman. I hope she stays.