Sparkle

---

--Protest U. S. involvement

in the Vietnam War.

Muhammad means "worthy of all praises"

and Ali means "most high."

With Marvin Gaye on WD...

- You guessed it, The Beatles...

- The astronauts of Apollo 11...

. - . began their ritual-like

preparations for this blastoff.

Something is happening in our world.

Detroit's number one radio station

sponsoring--

Open Mike Night

at the Discovery Club.

If you have a voice,

we want to hear it.

Come on down and see if you can

knock Big Black off his block.

Come on.

I wrote this one just for you.

I don't know why I let you

talk me into coming.

I think I'm the oldest sardine

in this can.

- Well, you don't look it.

- Well, that's true.

But it's your song.

You go up and sing it.

- You're the singer in our family.

- Honey, you sing.

Yeah, but you know

how to hold people's attention.

People love to just hear you talk.

Imagine how you're gonna knock it out

when you get up there.

All right, now.

Fellas. Fellas.

Nice.

Keep that applause going.

Give it up one more time for Black.

If you guys are having a good time,

say "oh, yeah."

Oh, yeah!

Please.

I went over everything with the band.

Please. I just want

to hear my song. Please.

Are you sure you want to do this?

- You, are you sure?

- That man is Black!

You hear that?

That's the sound of success, baby.

What you doing?

Wait a minute.

Let's get a room.

Wait a minute. Bro, you see her?

Good God, woman.

What's wrong with you?

Coming up to the stage right now

is a beautiful young lady.

She's just as fine as she wants to be.

Now, this lady is a Detroit native...

...and she's never been

to the Discovery Club...

...so I want everybody

to show her some extra love.

Strutting up on-stage right now...

...is Sister Anderson!

Thank you.

So, what's up, Mr. Manager?

We gonna do some business or what?

Black, you got to lose

some weight, baby.

Man, you must be crazy.

Man, all the ladies love me.

And besides, this old belly

is what helps me sing.

TV's getting bigger-

- Clothes getting smaller.

- Yeah.

- You know, you'd be good on radio.

- Man, that's cold, man. That's cold.

Lord have mercy!

All right.

I see you looking. Sure, you're right.

You were so great.

But we have to hurry.

We have five minutes

to catch the bus.

Give it up one more time

for Sister Anderson.

My goodness gracious.

Excuse me. Excuse me.

It's Sister, right?

You gotta forgive me for earlier.

I was all wrong about you.

You were foxy up there.

Promise me you'll come back next week.

Maybe. Maybe not.

- But, baby, I gotta...

- Excuse me. Excuse me.

I really don't date younger men.

- No, no, please, you were so--

- I'm sorry, but we have to go.

Where can I find you?

Next time it's your turn.

Hi.

Hi. Thank you.

You were so good.

That was so fun!

Yeah, it was.

Next time, can you get through

the chorus before you do your solo?

Miss Thing, next time?

Yeah. I have a lot more songs.

Then you better get a lot more confident

and learn to sing them yourself.

Slavery is over.

Really? You're not gonna

sing anymore?

No.

Assume the position. What?

Y'all are late, and she's up.

- Sparkle. Hush.

- Sorry.

Hurry.

What y'all doing in there?

My babies.

But I know y'all don't

love each other that much.

Sister and Sparkle, curl your hair.

Church in the morning.

You hear me?

Dolores, why is my window open?

I'm not trying to heat the outside.

Close it.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Is she gone?

Y'all heifers sneak out,

and I get fussed at?

Laugh at-- Laugh at that.

Is that funny?

Peace be with you.

And also with you.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

You know, the Lord loves a church

full of happy, good-looking black folk.

Amen!

I know y'all happy

this morning, right?

Yes!

Ain't no frowns in this

church today, is there?

No frowns, no clowns,

not in church.

And look at the choir.

- How y'all doing this morning?

- Good!

- Levi, there she go.

- What? What?

Seven Sundays, seven churches,

and $7 later, and I find her.

- That light-skinned girl?

- There.

Oh, man.

Well, that's Tammy Anderson.

Yeah, man, she is smoking hot.

- Tammy.

- Two sisters. They all fine.

- They can all sing too.

- Is that right?

Sure, you're right.

But they mama crazy, though.

Y'all know better.

I know I can't sing,

but I can love to hear singing.

'Yes!

'Right?

I'll see you next week, right?

Okay. See you later.

Excuse me. You was at the Discovery

a few weeks ago.

- Bible study's at your house this week?

- Yeah, it is.

You know, you bad at this.

Just act natural.

Hi. My name's Stix.

Sparkle.

Sara.

- Who is my baby talking to?

- Nineteen ain't no baby no more, Emma.

What? No need in eyeballing me.

I tells the truth.

It's in my contract as your friend.

I'm telling you,

you hold on too tight to that one...

...she'll be unmarried

and back on your doorstep like Sister.

That's just temporary, okay?

Well, New York just spit her

right on back out, huh?

- No.

- You know what?

You worry about your daughter,

I'll worry about mine.

- I'm just saying.

- Yeah, what?

- Mom, I need some money.

- What?

They selling dinners in the basement,

and they going fast.

- Mom?

- Don't do it.

- Mama, please.

- Come with me.

- Now you stop.

- See y'all later.

Sparkle.

Let's go.

So I will see you

at Bible study, Sparkle?

Maybe.

Another one of my white friends

came to me the other day and said:

"Where's the best place

to hide something from a Negro...

...and he'll never find it?"

I told him, "A work boot. "

Y'all know he talking about us, right?

People are always asking me...

- Where is she?

- I don't know.

- Ms. Anderson, where's the bathroom?

- Down the hall, second door to the right.

Second door.

- Thank you.

- Yeah, second door.

Ladies and gentlemen, Satin Struthers.

Let's give him a hand.

Great job. Thanks for coming.

Isn't he funny?

There you are.

Why you not in Bible study?

Haven't you heard?

I'm a heathen. Don't want to sit in there

and be a hypocrite.

Well, we already

got something in common...

...because I only came

just so I could ask you out.

The other door. To the right.

Other door. Sorry.

Oh, y'all like that, huh?

Funky dance, huh? You like that.

You like that music? Funky, huh?

It make you want to dance.

Come on.

Get it, Mama.

Yeah, Mama gonna get it.

Mama gonna get it.

And you will too.

You keep dancing like that,

you'll bring home a baby you can't feed.

Let's open our Bibles.

The deal was color television

for an hour of Bible study.

I lived up to my end,

now you live up to yours.

So let's go to Psalms 10--

Reverend Bryce called.

Says he need you to check the books.

The numbers are not adding up.

All right.

What are you watching?

Oh, I love this song.

No, no. Too many hormones

unattended in here.

Let's go. Get out. Come on.

Sister, turn that TV off.

Thank you. Come on, let's go.

- Bye, Sparkle.

- See you.

- Good night, Mama.

- Good night, baby.

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