Nicole MossbacherI just think it's funny that I'm a role model to strangers. But...
Nicole Mossbacher
Most people admire people who achieve things, but you somehow look at it as if it's a personality disorder.
Making shit happen all the time is a compulsion. It staves off feelings of emptiness. Or whatever. Ok, the real question is, what exactly are you getting done? Putin is an overachiever. He's impressive, also evil.
Liv, your mother is not Putin.
And I just sometimes feel like... I worry that his orbit is, is stronger than mine and that, like, I don't know, that like his gravitational pull is gonna like just suck me in and, um...
Nicole Mossbacher
Like you'll become a moon to his planet?
Dad, what's wrong with you?
Nicole Mossbacher
Your father got some very upsetting news last night.
Nicole Mossbacher
No. He doesn't have cancer. He found out something about his father that he never knew before.
Nicole Mossbacher
Your grandfather died of AIDS.
Nicole Mossbacher
Apparently, Paula, he was having sex with other men.
Nicole Mossbacher
Your dad's dad.
Because he liked it. Why else? He was probably closeted.
Dad, why are you so upset, though? You're like catatonic.
Nicole Mossbacher
Well, it was a secret that was kept from him his entire life, Liv. So now, whatever image he had of his father, of his childhood, has been pulverized.
You know, he was probably a bottom. That's how you mostly get it. Receiving. Dad, do you feel like your father was less of a man or something?
He might have not been gay. A lot of straight guys like ass-play.
Yeah! Maybe he was just too embarrassed to ask Grandma to use a dildo on him.
Can we not, please? Uh...
Even if he wasn't a top, it doesn't mean he was femme. He could've still been butch, Dad.
Maybe he was a bossy bottom.
Yeah, maybe Grandpa was a power bottom. [to her dad] Does that make you feel better?
No. That makes me wanna throw up.
Dad, you don't wanna say that.
Nicole Mossbacher
Well, he can say whatever he wants. You know, if he's having a negative visceral reaction to his father having gay sex, it's valid. It's fine.
Well, it comes off as homophobic.
Nicole Mossbacher
Well, it's not.
Well, that's how it comes across.
Nicole Mossbacher
Well, luckily, he's in a safe space and he's here with our family so he can come off however he wants.
Nicole Mossbacher
Or what? You'll cancel him? Dox him? Sic the K-Pop fans on him?
Mom, good news. I'm looking around the hotel, and it seems like all of the white, straight men are doing just fine. They're still thriving.
Nicole Mossbacher
Point taken. I just think it's funny that now it's okay to reduce everybody to their race and gender, but isn't that the kind of thinking that we've been fighting against all these years?
I agree. I mean, for years, I was the good guy, you know? I was the one in the room, saying, like, "Hey, that's not cool," to all the chauvinists and bigots. But now I'm the bad guy, or at least, I shouldn't say anything on account of my inherited traits. I mean, why do I need to prove my anti-racist bona fides? It seems wrong.
It's someone else's turn to eat.
Yeah. It's not all about you, Dad. It's time to recenter the narrative.
That's fine by me. I don't wanna be the center of the narrative. Believe me. Let's center the narrative around, uh, Paula.
Okay. Yeah. What do you know about her?
Do you know anything about Paula?
I know that she goes to college with you. And that she's a very intelligent and appealing young woman.
But you've never really asked her one thing about herself.
Well, we're not on a job interview. We're on vacation. So... I mean, besides, what do- What does Paula know about me?
Nicole Mossbacher
Girls! All right, girls, let's get breakfast. The buffet is expensive, and we've already paid for it.
Mom, Paula can't keep eating this much fruit.
Nicole Mossbacher
Why not?
I have fructose malabsorption.
Nicole Mossbacher
Oh, my God.
She keeps getting diarrhea.
Nicole Mossbacher
Eat some meat, Paula. Eat a sausage. I don't know. Did Quinn sleep on the beach again last night? This is not okay. You've got to be more protective of your younger brother, Olivia. You can't just make him sleep on the beach where he can be washed away with the tides.
Yeah, Olivia, he could've been kidnapped by butt pirates.
Or end up in a bukkake with a pod of dolphins.
Nicole Mossbacher
Hey, can I ask you girls a favor? Can you try to include Quinn a little bit more in your voodoo ceremonies and whatever else you do?
Mom, he's scuba diving in the kiddie pool.
Nicole Mossbacher
No, I know, just in general. You know, I just... I don't think you appreciate how tough things are for kids like Quinn right now.
Why? Because of the Asperger's?
Nicole Mossbacher
He doesn't have Asperger's, Olivia. But he is a straight, white, young man. And nobody has any sympathy for them right now. And I just feel like we should. Yeah, in a way, they're the underdogs now.
Nicole Mossbacher
Well, for instance, young guys like Quinn, who are just getting out of college, I don't care how incredibly impressive they are, it is almost impossible for us to hire them.
Well, isn't that because up until now, they're the only people that you've ever hired?
Yeah, don't you have enough of them on staff?
Nicole Mossbacher
Trust me, I get it. I'm just saying, I understand how guys like Quinn can feel a little alienated from the culture right now.
Nicole Mossbacher
And I don't think it's fair to him.
Nicole Mossbacher
Olivia, he's my son, okay?
I think he's gonna be okay, Nicole.
Nicole Mossbacher
Thank you, Paula.
Nicole Mossbacher
Paula, are you feeling better? Your migraine?
Yeah. Much better. Thanks.
Nicole Mossbacher
Is that why you couldn't stay for dinner last night?
Paula was disturbed by the entertainment.
Nicole Mossbacher
The hula dancing?
Oh, you're, you're allergic to fire?
It bothers her to watch Hawaiians have to dance for a bunch of white people.
Nicole Mossbacher
Oh. I think it's just a way for them to honor their culture. And they seemed to be having a really good time.
Look, obviously, imperialism was bad. Shouldn't kill people, steal their land, and then make them dance. Everybody knows that. But it's humanity. Welcome to history. Welcome to America. I mean, what are we gonna do, huh? Really. Nobody cedes their privilege. That's absurd. And it goes against human nature. We're all just trying to win the game of life. How are we, how are we gonna make it right? Hmm? Should we give away all our money? Would you like that, Liv? Hmm? Yeah, that's what I thought. Mm-hmm. Maybe we should just feel shitty about ourselves all the time for the crimes of the past? Wear a hair shirt and not go on vacation?
Nicole Mossbacher
Mark, your truth changes from minute to minute. You're up, you're down. One minute, you're dying. The next minute... it's a wonderful life.
Okay. Well, maybe I should be more like you then. But even if I could be some self-protective corporate robot out in the world, I still couldn't pull it off at home.
Nicole Mossbacher
Do you ever edit yourself at all? Even when you're apologizing, you're so insulting.
The White Lotus · 68 quotes
