SPORTS NIGHT

(pilot)

Aaron Sorkin

1/12/98

SPORTS NIGHT

(TEASER)

FROM THE DARKNESS WE HEAR:

WOMAN'S VOICE

Stand by audio, stand by tape.

MAN'S VOICE

Georgia Dome's hot.

ANOTHER WOMAN

You're hot, Atlanta.

MAN'S VOICE

Somebody: Arrowhead, then back to
Mile High, is that how it goes?

FIRST WOMAN

We're live in 60 seconds.

SECOND WOMAN

Arrowhead bounces to Mile High.

FADE UP ON:

INT. STUDIO/CONTROL ROOM

WE'RE IN THE BROADCAST STUDIO FOR SPORTS NIGHT, A NATIONAL NIGHTLY
CABLE SPORTS SHOW, MADE POPULAR BY ITS TWO HOSTS, DAN ROSEN AND
CASEY MCCALL.  THE DUAL ANCHOR DESK IS FLANKED BY FOUR CAMERAS AND
THE SET PROMINENTLY FEATURES BOTH THE SPORTS NIGHT AND SNN (SPORTS
NEWS NETWORK) LOGOS.  IN THE CONTROL ROOM, VARIOUS ENGINEERS AND
PRODUCERS (MOST OF WHOM WE'LL GET TO KNOW) TAKE THEIR PLACES
BEHIND TWO CONSOLES OF MONITORS, BUTTONS, DIALS, SWITCHES, ETC.  A
NEON DIGITAL DISPLAY TELLS US TEHRE ARE NOW 59 SECONDS TO AIR AND
COUNTING, AND MONITORS ON THE WALL SHOW REPORTERS POISED TO GO ON
THE AIR IN PLACES LIKE ATLANTA, KANSAS CITY, GREEN BAY AND DENVER.

RUNNING THE SHOW IS DANA WHITAKER, A WOMAN IN HER 30'S AND THE
PRODUCER OF SPORTS NIGHT.  HER ASSOCIATE PRODUCER IS NATALIE
RYDELL, EARLY 20'S AND A LITTLE NEW TO HER JOB.  ISAAC JAFFEE,
50'S, THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, STANDS IN BACK WITH HIS ARMS FOLDED.

A GLASS WALL SEPARATES THEM FROM THE STUDIO WHERE CASEY AND DAN,
BOTH IN THEIR 30'S, ARE CLIPPING ON THEIR MICROPHONES AND EAR
PIECES AND ARRANGING PAPERS ON THE DESK.  ELLIOT, AN INTERN, FLIES
IN AND OUT WITH SOME PAPERS AND THEN SITS OFF CAMERA AT A LAP-TOP.

THE ATMOSPHERE IS CALM, PROFESSIONAL CHAOS, AND WHILE WE MAY NOT
ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WE KNOW THAT THEY
DO.

DAN

(TO CASEY)  I think you should start
getting out of your house, I think
it's time.

DANA

(INTO MIC) Casey, we're going to
Atlanta first, then Arrowhead.

CASEY

(TO DANA) Got it.

DAN

(TO CASEY) Just out of your house.

CASEY

(MARKING COPY)  I am out of my house.
I've been out of my house for six
months.  I don't live at my house.

DANA

15 seconds to tape, we're live in
45 seconds.

CASEY

(RE: A SCRIPT PAGE) What's this?

NATALIE

(SHOUTING INTO A MICROPHONE) Dan, did
you get that change on Atlanta and
Arrowhead?

DAN

(NICELY) Natalie, if you shout into a
microphone while I'm wearing an earpiece,
it poses the question: Is there a decibel
level at which the human head will just,
you know, explode.

NATALIE

Sorry.

CASEY

Excuse me--

DANA

Roll tape in five--

ISAAC

Good show, everybody.

DANA

Roll tape.

NATALIE

We're live in 30 seconds.

SFX: THE TAPED SPORTS NIGHT INTRO BEGINS.  ITS THEME MUSIC AND
STORY TEASERS CAN BE SEEN AND HEARD ON MONITORS THROUGHOUT THE
STUDIO AND CONTROL ROOM.

CASEY

Excuse me.

DANA

Casey's got his hand raised.

CASEY

Why are we quoting high-level sources
inside the Swiss Olympic Committee on
Helsinki's bid for the 2010 Olympics?

DANA

I know it's twelve years away, Case,
but--

CASEY

Helsinki's in Finland.

DANA

What?

CASEY

Isaac, Helsinki's in Finland.  It's
okay, I'll just--

NATALIE

He says Helsinki's in Finland.

DANA

I heard him.  (TO CASEY) Are you sure?

CASEY

Yes I'm sure.

ENGINEER

I thought it was in Sweden.

NATALIE

It says "Swiss officials".

ENGINEER

It should say Swedish Officials.

INTERN

Graphics, which is it, Sweden or
Switzerland?

DAN

This is confidence inspiring, huh.
(TO THE CONTROL ROOM) It's in
Finland!

NATALIE

Elliot, get somebody on the phone.

ELLIOT

What do you need?

NATALIE

We think Helsinki might be in Finland.

CASEY

We think there's a pretty good
chance.

DANA

We're live in ten.  Isaac, is Helsinki
in--

ISAAC

(SHAKING HIS HEAD) Yes, you
unbelievable idiots.

DANA

Isaac needs a hug, everybody.
(INTO MICROPHONE)  We'll change it
on the TelePromTer.

CASEY

You don't have to change it on
the TelePromTer.

DAN

We can go out after the show, you can
stay at my place.

CASEY

Danny, you know what?  I'm getting a
divorce, I don't need a cruise
director.

DAN

Right.

DANA

In three, two--

A RED LIGHT GOES ON OVER A CAMERA--

DAN

Good evening, everbody.  From New
York City I'm Dan Rosen alongside
Casey McCall.  Those stories and more
plus highlights and interviews center
ice from the Garden coming up after this.
You're watching Sports Night on SNN so
stick around.

DANA

We're out, up in 60.

ELLIOT

(LOOKING UP FROM HIS LAP-TOP) Yep.
Finland.  Their national bird is the
Pheasant.

CASEY

Thank you.

SMASH CUT TO:

MAIN TITLES

ACT ONE

(A)

INT. NEWSROOM

A LARGE ROOM WITH 30 OR 40 CUBBY HOLES, EACH WITH A COMPUTER AND
PHONE.  OFFICE DOORS, MOST OF WHICH ARE OPEN, LINE THE PERIMETER OF
THE NEWSROOM, AS DO TELEVISION MONITORS.  A GLASS-ENCLOSED
CONFERENCE ROOM IS THE CENTER-PIECE AND THE NEW YORK SKYLINE CAN
BE SEEN THROUGH A WALL OF GLASS.

THE PLACE IS IN FULL HUSTLE AND BUSTLE AS STAFFERS WORK THE PHONES
AND THE COMPUTERS WHILE ELLIOT AND KIM, AND ASIAN-AMERICAN INTERN
SHOUT ACROSS THE ROOM TO EACH OTHER.

ELLIOT

(HOLDING A PHONE AND SHOUTING) I've got
the lawyer on the phone, Kim, she's
gonna give me a quote, and the
receptionist's on hold.

KIM

The lawyer?

ELLIOT

A spokesperson for the lawyer.

KIM

A spokesperson, Elliot, or--

ELLIOT

(OVER)  The lawyer's wife--

KIM

--cause that's what I thought.

ELLIOT

I'm trying.

DAN ROSEN ENTERS.  IT'S MORNING AND HE'S WEARING STREET CLOTHES.

DAN

What's up, I heard something's on
the wire.

ELLIOT

Jayson Grissom was arrested at a strip
bar in Houston last night.

DAN

He hit somebody?

ELLIOT

He hit a guy over the head with a
cognac bottle.

KIM

There'll be a closed circuit press
conference at noon.

DAN

I don't want to wait 'till noon,
let's get something now.  Is Casey
here yet?

KIM

I think he slept here.

DAN

Really?

KIM AND ELLIOT TRY TO MAKE SUBTLE GESTURES WITH THEIR HANDS AND
THAT SAY "YEAH THIS IS PRETTY BAD BUT I GUESS IT'S NONE OF OUR
BUSINESS".

DAN

Are you guys miming something?

ELLIOT

(SOTTO) No, we just think that
Casey might be going through
some tough--

DAN

Forget about that.  Let's go. Do
we have a quote from the lawyer?

KIM

We've got a quote from the lawyer's
wife and the lawyer's receptionist is
on hold.

DAN

(PAUSE) No, seriously.

KIM

We're trying.

DAN

When you've got the lawyer's pool
man on the phone, let me know.

CASEY COMES OUT OF HIS OFFICE--

CASEY

(SHOUTING) Elliot--

ELLIOT

Right here.

DAN

(TO CASEY)  Did you sleep here?

CASEY

I came in early.

DAN

You came in yesterday.

CASEY

Don't worry about it.  Elliot--

DAN

Let me say also that you don't look
that good.

CASEY

Then let me point to recent data
that suggests that a considerable
portion of viewers think that I'm
the cute one.

DAN

A considerable portion of our viewers
are men.  And God knows I agree with
each and every one of 'em.  My point was
that this particular morning--forget it.
Have I told you about my New York
rennaissance?

CASEY

A lot.  You've told me about it
a lot.

DAN

What do we know?

CASEY

He shot 12 for 15 from the field,
and went to the Silver Key in
Houston.  Somebody called him a
dumb sonofabitch red-neck and he
hit the guy with a cognac bottle.

DAN

Elliot, call Stuart Fisher in Houston,
tell him it's for me.

ELLIOT

You want me to do it now, it's still--

CASEY

Yeah, he wants you to do it now,
Elliot.  When he says he wants you
to--

DAN

(CALMING HIM)  Casey, Casey...

CASEY

Sorry.  (BEAT) Sorry, Elliot.

CASEY STARTS TO HEAD INTO THE CONFERENCE ROOM. DAN MAKES A GESTURE
AT THE INTERNS, MIMING "IT'S OKAY, IT'S A PHASE THAT WILL PASS".
THE INTERNS MIME BACK: "HOW LONG ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH
THESE MOODS?" DAN GIVES THEM A GESTURE THAT SAYS "JUST ROLL WITH
IT".  THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT CASEY HAS STOPPED, TURNED AROUND, AND
IS LOOKING AT THEM.

CASEY

'Scuse me, I'm standing here.

AS THEY HEAD TOWARD THE CONFERENCE ROOM--

DAN

Yeah, it's a mime thing.  They're
okay.

CASEY AND DAN STOP TO GET SOME DONUTS IN THE BACKGROUND--

ELLIOT

Casey hasn't told him yet?

KIM

No.

CUT TO:

ACT ONE

(B)

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - CONTINUOUS

THE SENIOR STAFF IS GATHERING OUTSIDE - HELPING THEMSELVES TO
DONUTS, ETC.  DANA AND ISAAC ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PRIVATE CHAT.

ISAAC

Dana, if you had to guess, what
would you say my opinion is of
how the show's been going the
last few weeks?

DANA

You think we're doing a heck of
a job and you're really proud of
me?

ISAAC

I think the show's going to hell
in a handbasket and I'm ready to
fire the whole bunch a you.

DANA

(BEAT)  Yeah, but you won't 'cause
we're all family here and I'm like
a daughter to you.

ISAAC

No, this is a television show here
and you're very much like an employee
to me.

DANA

Isaac, Casey's been having some
personal--

ISAAC

I know all about Casey's personal
problems.  You know why?  Because
they've become my problems. And
I'm telling you, that at the very
most, I want them to be your
problems.

DANA

Got it.

ISAAC

Is he quitting, is he staying, is
he in, is he out, is he sleeping in
his office, has he told Danny that
he's quitting... the show we're
doing back here's better than the
show we're doing out there!  And
the show we're doing back here's
not that good!!

DANA

I understand.
I'll talk to him later.

ISAAC

Let's get started.

DAN WALKS IN DRINKING HIS COFFEE--

DAN

It's a genuine renaissance, Casey.
I've lived in New York all my life.
This is the time when I should be
sick of it.  But I'm not.

CASEY

Really?

DAN

Yeah.

CASEY

Nobody cares.

DAN

The restaurants, the theatre--

NATALIE

Museums.

DAN

Oh we got museums up the whazoo.

ISAAC

And Dana, how do we avoid these
little Helsinki mishaps in the future?

DANA

The interns are over-worked.  Natalie
screened some new people last week.
I'm meeting her finalist today.

NATALIE

You guys, he is so cute and sweet
and funny...

NATALIE feels DANA and ISAAC staring at her...

NATALIE (CONT'D)

...and smart.  And a hard worker. I
like him.

ISAAC

Yeah?

NATALIE

(SOBER)  Yeah.

ISAAC

Let's talk about Jayson Grissom.

DAN

The Metropolitan Opera under tha
baton of Mr. James Levine.

ISAAC

(RE: DAN) Is he okay?

CASEY

Yeah.

ISAAC

Good.  So we got Jayson Grissom.

STAFFER (J.J.)

How 'bout we take the athlete's side
for once.  This is a sports program.

DANA

It's a news program, we don't take
anybody's side.

ISAAC

It's a news program staffed by
people who can't find Finland on
a map.

DANA

You know what, Isaac?  Maybe give that
a rest.

ISAAC

I'm sayin' it's the kinda thing
that tends to eat away at our
credibility as a news organization.

DANA

And I hear 'ya.

CASEY

Are you suggesting we congratulate
Jayson Grissom for beating a man
over the head with a bottle?

J.J.

I'm suggesting, Casey, that a man's
just played and won a professional
basketball game on the road--

CASEY

Yes...

J.J.

--he goes to local bar to have
a few beers--

CASEY

Yes...

J.J.

--it's a drunken, hostile crowd who's
team just lost--

CASEY

Right...

J.J.

--there's some taunting, some words
are exchanged.  Our guy grabs a bottle
and hits somebody.

CASEY

That's where I get tripped up.

DAN

When did he become our guy?

CASEY

He's not our guy.

J.J.

Is there a law against going to a
strip bar?

CASEY

Nope.  No law against getting drunk.  No
law against calling somebody a red
neck.  No law against breaking a bottle
over their head.  No, wait, it's that
last one again.

J.J.

No one's saying he didn't break the
law.

DAN

Well it's still pretty early.

CASEY

(TO DAN) You wanna help me out?

DAN

Plaza Hotel.  Oak Bar.  Dry Martini.
New York at night, my friend, the
city never sleeps.

CASEY

Come on back.

DAN

J.J., you're idea is stupid.

CASEY

Thank you.

J.J.

The guy called him a red-neck and
probably called him worse.  What
would you do, Dan, what would you
do if a guy walked up to you on
your date last night and called
you an Ivy League Jew?

ISAAC

Alright, c'mon--

DAN

Well so far, he hasn't insulted me.

J.J.

Yeah, but he won't get offa you.
He knows everything about you, or
he thinks he does 'cause he reads
the papers and listens to the
call-in shows, and he's in your
face and he's drunk and you're
with this girl and he won't let
up.  What do you do, Dan?

DAN

I show some discretion. (BEAT)  This
is a twirpy little man who's showing
off in a bar.  He's embarrasing himself
and he's embarrasing his friends.  If his
girlfriend didn't break up with him
yesterday, she's going to tomorrow.
This is a loser.  It doesn't take
a lot of wit to overcome that obstacle.
I show some discretion, J.J.  And I show
some class.  And if I don't, I would
expect, in some measure, the wrath of
a civilized people.

CASEY

Isaac, please listen to Danny.  He's
one of the few sane voices left in
sports.

DAN

You ever ride the subway all day long,
I mean just for the fun of it?

CASEY

Danny--

ISAAC

Dana?

DANA

J.J.'s insane and I can't believe
this conversation's gone on as
long as it has.  I want to do a
feature on Ntozake Nelson.

J.J.

Yeah, let's do more features on
Third World soccer players, 'cause
you know, that's what people are
talking about.

DANA

Ntozake Nelson's a South African
distance runner.  15,000 Meters.

NATALIE

As a 22 year old school teacher in
Jamestown, he led protests against
the white majority--

J.J.

Here we go.

DANA

He was beaten up, thrown in jail,
his legs were broken, doctors said
he'd never walk without a cane.  He's
41 years old, you know what he's doing
tonight?

ISAAC

Going to a strip bar in Houston?

DANA

He's running in the Goodwill Games.
If that's not a feature segment--

J.J.

That's a happening story for our
audience.  A 41 year old South African
with two broken legs.  Don't get me
wrong, Dana, I admire his spunk, but
logic says Ntozake Nelson can't
go 15,000 meters in a golf cart, I
don't care how courageous he is, can
we please talk about sports?

NATALIE

This is a genuine hero, no one expects
him to win.

J.J.

Forget winning, can he finish?

NATALIE

J.J.--

ISAAC

At eleven o'clock, I've gotta turn heads
away from Ted Koppel, I've gotta turn
heads away from 400 re-runs of MASH,
and I've gotta turn heads away from ESPN.
Ntozake Nelson's not gonna do it.

J.J.

Who's gonna be watching the Goodwill
Games?

DANA

Anybody watching our networks.  We're
carrying it live.

DAN

So that's 17 or 18 people right
there.

CASEY

Fewer if there's a good MASH re-run.

ISAAC

So you see my problem.  Moving on--

ELLIOT POPS HIS HEAD IN THE DOOR--

ELLIOT

Dan, I've got Stuart Fisher on the
phone.

DAN

(GETTING UP)  I'm gonna take this in
my office.

DAN DISAPPEARS OUT THE DOOR--

NATALIE

(TO CASEY)  When are you gonna tell
him?

DANA

(TO NATALIE)  Leave it alone.

NATALIE

(TO CASEY) You gotta tell him.
He's your best friend, he's your
partner.

CASEY

I mentioned this to you in confidence,
Dana.  Friend to friend.  It's what we
call a secret.  Between you and me.
Entre nous, you know what that means?

DANA

It means--wait, in the feminine
form of--

CASEY

It means "between you and me".

DANA

Yes.

CASEY

I said tell no one.  Especially
Natalie.  And what did you do?

DANA

I told Natalie.

CASEY

Yes.

DANA

But you had to know that was gonna
happen.

CASEY

Who told Isaac?  (BEAT) Isaac, who told
you that--

NATALIE

It's a big office, anybody could've--

DANA

(RE: NATALIE) She did.

NATALIE

You turned on me.

DANA

Well that was bound to happen as
well.

CASEY

Alright. Everyone.  Please. This is
obviously a difficult thing to tell
him and I'd like to do it in my own
way and in my own time.

DAN COMES BACK IN THE ROOM--

DAN

We're going to conference him at two
o'clock.  He's gonna have a quote,
Grissom's gonna have a quote, we
think we're gonna hear from the
guy in the bar.  I told him J.J.
was gonna do a puff piece, he
dropped the phone.  Anyway, I think
tonight is gonna be a hot show if
only you people would stop staring
at me and tell me what the hell is
going on!

(THERE'S ANOTHER LONG SILENCE IN THE ROOM)

ISAAC

There's some news that Casey has.
It inadvertantly started making its
way through the office grapevine,
but out of respect for you, and
out of respect for Casey--

DAN

What?

CASEY

I'm leaving the show.

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO

(C)

INT. CASEY'S OFFICE

CASEY IS SITTING AT HIS COMPUTER MONITOR TYPING WHEN DANA TAPS ON
THE OPEN DOOR.

CASEY

Hey.

DANA

Casey--

CASEY

I need you to take ten seconds off the
NFL Injury Report and give it to me for
the intro on ACC recruiting violations.

DANA

Fine.

CASEY

Thanks.

DANA

You're screwing up my show, Casey.

CASEY LOOKS UP...

CASEY

(BEAT)  Keep the ten seconds.

DANA

That's not what I mean.

CASEY

I know. I was joking.

DANA

I know you were joking.

CASEY

I could tell by the way you didn't
laugh at all when I said it.

DANA

That's 'cause I'm mad at you.  Also
it wasn't that funny.

CASEY

I know.

CASEY CAN SEE THAT DANA'S SERIOUS.

DANA

I love this show.  I do it really
well, and believe me, it's the
only thing I do well.  Now I know
you think there are 200 people
in this business who could produce
this show as well as--

CASEY

I don't think there are 200 people
who could--

DANA

Yes you do.  And you're probably right.
But I'm the one who has the job.  And
I do it well.  And I love it, I love
producing Sports Night.  I live from
eleven from eleven-thirty and the rush
is so huge I don't come down until
three in the morning.  (BEAT)  I told
the others about your wanting to quit
'cause I hoped somebody could talk you
out of it. I didn't tell Dan 'cause I
thought that was stepping over the
line, but now Dan's my last hope and
you know how much I like relying on
Dan.  I came by to apologize.  I came
by to tell you that I'm gonna miss you.
I like you a lot and I think you know
how much respect I have for your talent.
But mostly I cam by to tell you that
you're screwing up my show.

CASEY SIMPLY NODS THAT HE UNDERSTANDS...DANA SHOUTS INTO THE
NEWSROOM--

DANA (CONT)

(SHOUTING) Natalie!  Let's meet with
this guy.

NATALIE (O.S.)

Yay.

CUT TO:

(D)

INT. DANA'S OFFICE

JEREMY, A NERVOUS YOUNG MAN IN A JACKET AND TIE SITS AND WAITS AS
DANA AND NATALIE ENTER.

DANA

Hi, I'm Dana Whitaker, you've already
met Natalie.

JEREMY

(SHAKING HANDS) Yes.

DANA

You've got an impressive resume.  Let.
me ask you some questions.

NATALIE

You look nervous.

JEREMY

I'm okay.

NATALIE

Would you like a glass of water?

JEREMY

No thank you.

NATALIE

A soft drink?  We have Fresca.

DANA

If you're taking orders, I'll have
the angel hair pasta and a glass of
of cold Chardonnay.

NATALIE

I'm just--

DANA

Can we interview the man?

NATALIE

I'm just trying--

DANA

I know.

NATALIE

Just trying to make him comfortable.

DANA

A little professionalism is all I'm
saying.

JEREMY

I could come back another time if--

DANA

What's your favorite sport?

JEREMY

I beg your pardon?

DANA

Where are you strongest?

JEREMY

Football, I guess.

DANA

Great, let's talk about basketball.

JEREMY

I said football.

DANA

I heard you. Let's talk about
basketball.

JEREMY

(HOPING)  We could talk about baseball.
Or hockey.

DANA

You're pretty strong in baseball and
hockey are you?

JEREMY

Not as strong as football, but--

DANA

Great, let's talk about basketball.

JEREMY

I'm not gonna get the job, am I?

NATALIE

Relax.  Would you like a cupcake?

DANA

Natalie?

NATALIE

Sorry.

DANA

(TO JEREMY)  You grew up in California,
went to UCLA, you must've followed the
Lakers a little.

JEREMY

A little, but--

DANA

Good, let's talk about the Knicks.

JEREMY

Oh come on--

NATALIE

A shot of bourbon?

JEREMY

Please.

DANA

(TO NATALIE)  Sit.  (TO JEREMY)  Name
three things the Knicks have to do
this season to make it to the finals.

JEREMY

(BEAT) Like I said--

DANA

You want the job?

JEREMY

Very badly, yes.

DANA

Name three things.

JEREMY

(SEARCHING)  Improve their free-throw
percentage?

NATALIE

Yes.

JEREMY

(SEARCHING)  Run the floor?

DANA

Okay.  One more.

JEREMY

Get Spike Lee to sit down and shut up?

DANA

Right!

NATALIE

Excellent!

JEREMY

(GAINING CONFIDENCE) Okay.

DANA

(TO NATALIE) You're doing well,
Jeremy.  I've gotta tell you, though,
the job is very tough.  Endless games,
endless highlights, your life is
nothing but sports and television.

NATALIE

And your direct superiors would be
Dana and me.

DANA

Can you handle working for two women?

JEREMY

You're offering me a job where I do
nothing but watch sports on
television and the down side is
I'd be working for two women?

DANA

That's right.

JEREMY

Due respect, Miss Whitaker, but
throw in a bag of Doritos and I'll
pay you the 350 bucks a week.

CUT TO:

(E)

INT. STUDIO

DAN SITS IN SILENCE, ALONE AT THE ANCHOR DESK. AFTER A MOMENT,
CASEY WALKS IN.

CASEY

Okay, good, you're here.
(SILENCE) I thought we could talk.
(SILENCE) I know you're feeling
hurt and betrayed, but if we can
just remember that we're friends
and talk calmly, I'm sure--

DAN

I'd like you to imagine a line
running down the middle of the
studio dividing it, and the
anchor desk, in two equal halves.
There, where you are, is
Casey-Land--

CASEY

Danny--

DAN

Here, where I am, is Danny-World.
Once again--

CASEY

(STEPPING TOWARD HIM)  Look, let's--

DAN

Whoa, whoa, whoa!  Let's call this
area here The Sphere of Safety.
Cross it, and--

CASEY

Would you knock it off.

DAN

You decided to leave the show?
And you decided to tell
everyone--and I mean everyone--
you work with but me?!

CASEY

Danny, that's not what happened.

NATALIE ENTERS WITH JEREMY IN TOW.

NATALIE

Guys, I want you to meet Jeremy
Goodwin, our new production intern.
Jeremy, this is Dan Rosen and
Casey McCall.

JEREMY

Wow.

DAN

Don't bother getting to know
Casey, he's leaving the show.

JEREMY

I heard.

CASEY

Natalie, Dan and I need to talk
for a minute.

NATALIE

(TO JEREMY)  This is the time of
day when Dan and Casey usually
fight.

JEREMY

Cool.

CASEY

(WALKING OVER) Out, let's go!

DAN

(TO CASEY) You are in Danny-World
without a visa pal, so--

CASEY

Shut up.  Jeremy, welcome aboard, I'll
see you in a few minutes.

NATALIE

(ON HER WAY OUT)  30 minutes to air.

NATALIE AND JEREMY EXIT.  AFTER THEY ARE OUT OF EARSHOT, CASEY
WAITS A MOMENT BEFORE SAYING...

CASEY

I'm tired of it, Danny.

DAN

What?

CASEY

I said I'm tired of it.  Really.

DAN

I don't--tired of what?

CASEY GOES TO THE ANCHOR DESK AND PICKS UP ONE OF THE SCRIPT PAGES
DAN WAS WORKING WITH--

CASEY

(READING) "But first this: Sacramento
Kings back-up power forward Jayson
Grissom was released by a judge in
Houston this morning after posting
a $5000 bond--" (PUTTING DOWN THE
COPY) -- which, by the way, he paid
in cash that he happened to have in
his pocket.

DAN

Casey--

CASEY

This isn't an abberation, this is
every God damn night, and I'm tired
of it.  Assault, Sexual Assault,
Battery, Wife Beating, Prostitution,
Drugs, and I'm not even talking about
what goes on during the damn games.
A batter shows you up with a home
run?  Next time at the plate, whip
a baseball at his head.  That's
gamesmenship?  Isn't it also assault
with a deadly weapon, to say nothing
of unsportsmanlike?  I'm tired of it.
When was the last time something good
happened in sports?  When's the last
time we reported something sportsworthy?
I'm a P.R. man.  I'm a P.R. man for
punks and thugs.  I'm a P.R.
man for the Corleone Family.  Who's
supposed to be his male role model
now?

DAN

Casey--

CASEY

Who am I telling him to cheer for?
Some idiot with a crow bar breaks
a skater's leg? A Goalie who gets
arrested at LAX with a .38 in his
gym bag?  (LONG PAUSE)  These
are his heros.  I have an eight
year old son I get to see on
Wednesdays and alternate weekends,
and these are his heros.  And I'm
tired of it.

DAN

(BEAT) Well... quitting your job
oughta do the trick.

CASEY

Hey look--

DAN

No, I mean it, you're showing a
helluva a lot of wisdom.  You should
definitely quit your job, 'cause
that way, sports'll be good again,
your wife'll take you back, and
you can be a role model for your
son.  Children often look up to the
bitter and unemployed.  Are you
insane?

CASEY

(STARTING TO LEAVE) I'll see you
at airtime.

DAN

Yeah, one thing you definitely
don't want to do is talk to your
friends, I wouldn't do that.

CASEY

(TURNING AROUND)  You know, I know
you're pissed, but canning the
sarcasm wouldn't be outa line.

DAN

I've been here every day, Casey.
Every day!  And I've kept my
mouth shut, 'cause that's what
you asked me to do.  But if
you'd asked me, I'd have told
you.  I'd have told you that
Lisa's an angry, unhappy,
punishing woman who doesn't
love you.  She doesn't even
like you.  And someone who makes
you unhappy, Casey, shoots right
to the top of my "Don't-Mess-With-
Me" list.  The people here like
you.  Me, Isaac, Dana, Natalie,
Elliot, Kim... I don't know who
this new guy Jeremy is, but he
seems to like you fine.  These
are people who love you and know
what you've been--

KIM RUNS INTO THE STUDIO--

KIM

Guys--

DAN

--what you've been going through,
and for six months--

KIM

Guys--

DAN

--for six months you've shown
us the back of your hand.  And
now you're gonna show us the
door.  Wise move, Casey.

KIM

Excuse me, fellas?

DAN

Yeah, I'm pissed.  And I'm tired of
it.

KIM

DAN! CASEY!

DAN/CASEY

WHAT!!!???

KIM

There's something going on you're
gonna wanna see.

KIM LEAVES THE STUDIO... DAN AND CASEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER, THEN
WALK/RUN AFTER HER.

CUT TO:

(E)

INT. NEWSROOM - CONTINUOUS

AS KIM TROTS IN, FOLLOWED BY DAN AND CASEY, THEY JOIN DANA,
NATALIE, ISAAC AND THE ENTIRE OFFICE STAFF, SOME 30 OR 40 PEOPLE,
ALL STARING UP AT THE BANK OF TV MONITORS.

CASEY

What's going on?

DAN

(SHOUTING) Can we get some audio?!

CASEY

(RE: THE SCREEN)  That time can't be
right, Danny--

DANA

He's been leading from the start.

CASEY

Danny, can that time be right?!

DAN

(SHOUTING) We need audio!

SFX:  WE HEAR A STADIUM FULL OF SCREAMING PEOPLE AND THE VOICES OF
TWO ANNOUNCERS WHO ARE SHOUTING THEIR LUNGS OUT TO BE HEARD OVER
THE NOISE.

ANNOUNCER #1 (VO)

--never seen anything like it!  This
stadium is going absolutely crazy!

ANNOUNCER #2 (VO)

 With 900 meters left, at 41 years old,
Ntozake Nelson is on a pace to
absolutely shatter the world record!!

ISAAC

(TO THE SCREEN) Well you go ahead boy.

AND ISAAC'S QUIET ADMONITION IS A CUE FOR EVERYONE TO UNLEASH
THEIR PASSION AT THE SCREEN--

DAN/DANA/NATALIE, ET AL

RUN! DIG! GET IT! GO! ETC.!

CASEY

(TO DAN)  Is he gonna do this?

DAN

Does it look to you like he's
planning on slowing down?
(TO THE SCREEN) RUN!!!

AS THE STADIUM CROWD, THE ANNOUNCERS AND THE STAFF CONTINUE THEIR
FRENZY, CASEY PICKS UP A TELEPHONE AND DIALS...

CASEY

(INTO THE PHONE) Lisa, it's me.
Can I talk to him?...Charley, hey,
it's dad.  You finish your
homework?... Turn on your TV,
I want you to watch this.

ISAAC, WHO'S STANDING NEXT TO CASEY, TURNS HIS HEAD SLIGHTLY...

ISAAC

(TO CASEY) Welcome back.

CASEY SMILES.  AMIDST THE SHOUTING, DANA HANGS UP A PHONE--

DANA

(SHOUTING)  They're gonna bounce to
us for a 15 second promo at the
end of the race, I need the first
team in the studio.  Now!  Casey,
we gotta move!

CASEY

(INTO PHONE)  I gotta go, pal,
if you wanna stay up and watch
the show, you gotta ask your
mom, okay?

NATALIE

(HURRYING HIM) Casey--

CASEY

I love you, Charley, I'll talk
to you tomorrow.

MOST OF THE CROWD HAS ALREADY STREAMED INTO THE STUDIO AND CONTROL
ROOM WHERE MONITORS ARE STILL SHOWING THE END OF THE RACE. CASEY
HUSTLES TO JOIN THE OTHERS AS WE

CUT TO:

(F)

INT. STUDIO/CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

DAN IS ALREADY AT THE DESK AS CASEY HURRIES IN--

DANA

I need a 15 second promo, no
time for copy, who wants it?

CASEY

I got it.

DANA

We're live in 30, on the light.

CASEY

(TO DAN) Excuse me, do you mind if
I pass through Danny-World on my way
to Casey-Land?

DAN

Oh you're feelin' pretty good now,
aren't you?

CASEY

Look.  I was wrong.  You were right.
I apologize.  It won't happen
again.

DANA

15 seconds.

CASEY

You wanna do something tonight
after the show?

DAN

Hey, well I was gonna ride the
Staten Island Ferry for a while.
Eat a hot dog.  You wanna come?

CASEY

Yeah, Dan, it's 17 degress outside
with the wind chill, so what I
wanna do is stand on a boat in the
middle of New York Harbor at
half-past midnight.

DAN

You got a better idea?

CASEY

We could go to a bar, find some
people we don't like, beat the
crap out of 'em...

DAN

(RE: THE CAMERA)  Heads up--

DANA

In three, two--

CASEY

(INTO CAMERA)  I'm Casey McCall
alongside Dan Rosen.  Lakers-Sonics,
Pistons-Heat and Ntozake Nelson
takes the Gold at the Games.  Stay
tuned for Sports Night comin' at
the top of the hour.  You'll be
glad you did.

DANA

We're out.

EVERYONE STARTS MOVING AROUND--

NATALIE

We're up in nine minutes.

CASEY

Dana, come here a second.

DANA

What do you need?

CASEY

Come here.

DANA WALKS OVER TO CASEY.

DANA

What?

CASEY TAKES HER ARM AND SAYS, DIRECTLY IN HER EAR--

CASEY

There's no one can produce this show
but you.

DANA'S QUITE TAKEN WITH THIS AS CASEY KISSES HER GENTLY ON THE
CHEEK.

DANA

You've got nine minutes.  Change
your shirt.  My mascara's on your
collar.

CASEY

Okay.

DANA

(SHOUTING)  Elliot, let's not take
any chances with the satellite feed
from Buenos Aires.  Get somebody
on the phone and make sure we're
cool.

ELLIOT STARTS TO RUN OUT--

CASEY

Elliot!

ELLIOT

(STOPPING) Yeah.

CASEY

Argentina.

ELLIOT

Got it.

HE STARTS OUT--

CASEY

Elliot!

ELLIOT

(STOPPING) Yeah?

CASEY

Um...double check.

FADE TO BLACK