This Is How I Talk

Jay Pharoah

Venessa Bayer

Donald… Louis C.K.

Brenda… Leslie Jones

Aidy Bryant

Kate McKinnon

[Starts with Sprint phone shop]

Jay: So, that’s pretty much how the job works, Donald. Welcome aboard.

Venessa: When you’re here at Sprint, you’re a framily.

Donald: Well, thanks again. Like I said, I really need this job. I haven’t worked for a long time and I don’t want to blow another opportunity.

Jay: Well, if you care about keeping this job, word of advice, don’t piss off Brenda.

Brenda: Oh, I’m sorry. Am I running the charity here? Coz the last time I checked, I’m paying your asses to work. Okay? Which means your asses better be working or else, you’re done!

Jay: Yes, ma’am!

[Brenda leaves]

[Cut to Donald]

Donald: I’m guessing that’s Brenda. Wow, is that how she really talks?

[Brenda comes back]

[mocking Brenda] I’m paying your asses to work. Which means your asses better be working.

[Cut to Jay and Venessa. Venessa is warning Donald about Brenda.]

Venessa: Okay, dude. Don’t!

Brenda: Excuse me? I’m sorry. [Cut to Donald and Brenda] Is that how you think I talk? Is that your little impression of me?

[Donald looks around]

Donald: [trying speak like Brenda as if he speaks like that all the time.] Why you fronting on me? I ain’t talking like you. I’m talking like my damn self!

[audience laughing]

And your ass better back up coz otherwise you’re gonna be clowned on this fellow, umm!

Brenda: So, you’re saying this is how you actually talk?

Donald: I’m talking like my mama taught me to talk. And if you clowning on my mom then you’s about to get bounced!

Brenda: Okay. If that’s how you really talk then we ain’t got a problem.

Donald: Um-hmm. Well, okay then. [snaps]

[Brenda leaves]

[Cut to Jay and Venessa]

Jay: Dude, what the hell was that?

[Cut to Donald]

Donald: [speaking normally] I don’t know. I just got caught and I panicked.

[Cut to Jay and Venessa]

Venessa: What are you gonna do now?

[Cut to everybody]

Donald: I mean I need this job. [Brenda walks behind Donald] I just gonna have to stay this way.

Jay: Like, forever?

Donald: [Donald starts acting again] Like, I was saying. Who you think you is? Angela bastard! I ain’t tryna’ front on no chicken hog.

[looking at Brenda] Oh, damn, Brenda! Where did you get those nails did. They on fleek!

[Brenda walks away quietly]

That was close. I don’t know how long I can keep this up.

[Cut to Sprint- One Year Later]

[Cut to Donald and a customer]

Aidy: So, basically I can’t text outdoors, which seems pretty bad.

Donald: Ah! Well, that’s not ideal but I think I can probably help.

[Brenda walks in]

[Donald starts speaking like Brenda again] And you can start by taking that fake ass weave out of your head!

Aidy: Excuse me?

Donald: Showing up here like you looking like you late for church. Okay? Coz I keep it 100.

[Brenda nods her head to Donald]

Aidy: Okay, what is happening here?

Donald: Woman! I still see you! You gone!

[Aidy leaves]

[Cut to Brenda and Donald]

Brenda: Damn, Donald! You’s a crazy bitch.

Donald: I just get angry sometimes, you know?

Brenda: You know what? I feel you. I feel you. But you right here, I need you right here. [showing she needs him to be a little lower] You putting too much two on the 10. You know what I’m saying? I need you to pump your brakes just a little bit, okay?

Donald: Okay, I respect that from my heart. Real talk, good looking.

Brenda: You welcome, boo!

[Brenda leaves]

[Cut to Sprint- Five Year Later]

[Cut to Donald and a customer]

Donald: [speaking like Brenda] Well, I ain’t gonna sell yo no iPhone 10 cozĀ  you ain’t a 10, honey. You’s a straight up four. Coming in here with your 3G clothes and your 3G purse.

Kate: I just wanna buy a charger.

Donald: You gone!

[Kate leaves]

Brenda: Donald! Can I talk to you for a second?

Donald: Sure enough. What’s up, sugar?

Brenda: Listen, at first I doubted that was your real voice. But, no one fronts for five whole years! So, I promise boo, we good okay? We good now.

Donald: Yeah, you do. I be me.

Brenda: But I actually have a confession to make. This is my real voice. [speaking calmly] This is how I really talk.

Donald: Whaaaat?

Brenda: See, I went to a good college, but when I showed up for my interview, they thought I was straight out of Compton so I just went with, you know, that voice and hid my real one for all these years.

Donald: [speaking in real voice] Oh, my god! Well, this is how I really talk. So, I guess I don’t have to keep pretending like I talk like you.

Brenda: [yelling] Bitch, I knew you was faking. Get your broke ass our of here you fake ass fronting for five years. You go!

Donald: Dammit!

Brenda: Old job at a hut looking white bitch!

[The End]

Author: Don Roy King

Don Roy King has directed fourteen seasons of Saturday Night Live. That work has earned him ten Emmys and fourteen nominations. Additionally, he has been nominated for fifteen DGA Awards and won in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

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