Paula quotes from The White Lotus

Where'd you go to school?

SUNY Potsdam.

Paula

Hmm.

Uh, and then I... I moved to the city to change the world and make a name for myself and pay off my loans. All of which I have yet to do, so...

Won't he pay off your loans?

[taken aback] Shane? I...

Paula

But he could?

Well, uh, yes. Yeah. Yeah, he could.

Paula

Yeah, of course, 'cause he's super rich.

Well, his family is wealthy compared to my family—I mean, compared to most families. Yeah.

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Dad, what's wrong with you?

Your father got some very upsetting news last night.

He does have cancer?

No. He doesn't have cancer. He found out something about his father that he never knew before.

I'm listening.

Your grandfather died of AIDS.

Paula

How did he get AIDS?

Apparently, Paula, he was having sex with other men.

Who was?

Your dad's dad.

Why?

Because he liked it. Why else? He was probably closeted.

Paula

Or bisexual.

Dad, why are you so upset, though? You're like catatonic.

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?

Paula

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.

Quinn Mossbacher

Oh, Jesus!

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.

Paula

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.

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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.

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.

Paula

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?

What do you mean?

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?

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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.

Why not?

Paula

I have fructose malabsorption.

Oh, my God.

She keeps getting diarrhea.

Paula

And cramps.

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.

Paula

Yeah, Olivia, he could've been kidnapped by butt pirates.

Or end up in a bukkake with a pod of dolphins.

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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.

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?

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.

Paula

Go on.

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.

Paula

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?

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.

Mom, cringe.

And I don't think it's fair to him.

Mom, cringe.

Olivia, he's my son, okay?

Paula

I think he's gonna be okay, Nicole.

Thank you, Paula.

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Paula, are you feeling better? Your migraine?

Paula

Yeah. Much better. Thanks.

Is that why you couldn't stay for dinner last night?

Paula was disturbed by the entertainment.

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.

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?

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Paula

I just- You won't understand.

Yes, I will. I'm not my parents, Paula.

Paula

But you are. Actually, you are. And you think you're like this rebel, but in the end... this is your tribe. Your family, the people here.

That's really manipulative, Paula. You're the one who stole, yet I'm the bad guy?

Paula

Don't give me that. You've stolen, too.

[exasperated] What did I steal?

Paula

Well, I guess it's not stealing when you think everything's already yours. Just stop pretending to be my friend. I'm just some prop you use for some weird cred.

Whatever you did, Paula, it was really fucked up. My mom could've gotten really hurt. Something bad could've happened.

Paula

Something bad did happen.