Merry F***ing Christmas

"Merry F\*\*\*ing Christmas" is the tenth episode and finale of the first season of *Morning Show,*a segment of *It's All Been Done Radio Hour*. It was first performed on December 12, 2020 as the second segment in Show LXVI. It was released as podcast episode 331.

Written by Jerome Wetzel

Directed by Chase McCants

Previous episode: "Evaluation"

Next episode: "Conflict of Interest Part 1"

## **The Story**

It's Christmas Eve morning, and four people sit spaced out at the bar of a local pub while a lone employee, Kevin "Kev" Blair, serves them. Kev asks if they're had a rough day, and Pat Shock replies that it was pretty bad. Lea Zichi apologies, and while Pat defends her, Shelly Meyers disagrees. Gus Goodall jumps into the bickering. Kev tries to get them to move to a table, and they decline. Kev is fine with that, as long as they move if someone else comes in, as he doesn't want his customers scared away. The *Morning Show* staff are his regulars, and he listens to them every morning.

   Shelly asks for another drink and switches to the cheap stuff. Gus pokes fun at her, saying she's going on a government Shelly, and tries to get Pay to buy her a shot, which Shelly refuses. Shelly tells Lea to go home and Pat defends the show's new intern, with Gus saying she might as well get a baptism by fire on her first day at the job. Shelly asks Pat if he thinks Lea is pretty, a question that Pat dodges while Gus tries to goad him into saying Shelly is pretty. Kev says they're all pretty and that Lea is getting in with a good group.

Shelly orders another shot. Pat and Shelly start to bicker about her leaving and why she hadn't told him, but Brooks Dylan enters and motions to the three people still working for him to have a quick meeting. Left alone at the bar, Shelly admits to Kev that Brooks isn't her boss, which he knows from listening to their show today. Shelly confirms breaking the news on-air was not her decision, and Kevin congratulates her on her new career. As Shelly keeps drinking, she confirms to Kev that she's not driving.

Meeting over, the other three return to the bar with Brooks leaving, telling Shelly that his secretary will be in touch. Pat admits he's mad at Shelly, and Shelly returns she should be mad at him. At Kev's urging, Shelly and Pat go to the back room. Shelly rails into Pat for reporting her new job on the radio, accusing him of being petty and upset. Shelly says this wasn't personal, though he feels abandoned. Shelly accuses him of being jealous and insults the 'little' show, and Pat says she's just picking a fight. He decides to leave before he says something he'll really regret and departs the bar.

Gus isn't happy when Shelly sits down alone, and the two of them go into the back room to have it out. Kev comforts Lea, assuring her that she and the show will be fine. Kev and Lea formally introduce themselves, and he pours her a drink. She tells Kev where she's from and why she came to Columbus. Gus angrily comes back and storms out, saying Shelly will cover his tab.

Shelly isn't happy Lea is still there, but Kev defends her right to be, while claiming to be neutral in all this. Lea works up the courage to ask Shelly for career advice, and Shelly angrily tells her not to out her boss on-air, or pass anything to the hosts that she isn't sure about. Shelly pays for herself, Gus, and Pat, then leaves. Lea asks for her own bill, and Kev tells her not to worry about it.

Later, Shelly is crying in her apartment when Gus knocks. He is furious, but is disarmed to see her so upset. Shelly admits to having stopped drinking, then starting again, and is very upset about hurting Pat. Gus tries to cheer her up, seeing she's beaten herself up enough. Shelly says she didn't plan to leave the show, but she couldn't pass this up, and she thought she'd have time to tell them in her own way. Gus points out this was kind of Shelly's fault for leaving her email logged in. Gus apologizes, congratulates her on her position, and says he'll miss her. This takes Shelly aback.

The two share an awkward moment. It seems he doesn't want to leave, and she might not want him to, both being lonely on Christmas. Shelly grabs Gus and kisses him. He's surprised, but kisses her back. She jumps on him and he carries her to the couch, where the episode - and the season - ends.

## **Guest Starring**

* Ryan Yohe as Brooks Dylan.
* Ashley Collins as Lea Zichi.
* Shane Stefanchik as Kevin Blair.

## **Trivia**

* Kristin Green helped hone the dialogue in the final scene of the episode, which Jerome was struggling with.
* Shane chose to make Kev Scottish. That was not part of the original script.