28

                       DOROTHY
       Yes, ma'am!  Management will have a
       hard time justifying keeping The 
       Dandridge Sisters at the bottom of 
       the bill when there're twelve-hundred 
       new fans talking us up.
                (AUNTIE MAMA pulls an
                 incredulous look at her)  
       Like they say, Auntie Mama, "It's the 
       buzz in the streets that puts those 
       booties in the seats!"

She flashes a winning smile.  AUNTIE MAMA gapes at her, speechless, as AUDIENCE LAUGHTER COMES UP LOUD on the SOUNDTRACK.

INT. HOWARD THEATRE—STAGE—CLOSE ON. DAY.

MOMS MABLEY, Center Stage in front of the curtain, regaling the LAUGHING AUDIENCE with a comic gem.

                         MOMS
       …That's right.  You know Moms is 
       tellin' ya'll the truth.  I'm like 
       ol' George Washington—I never tell 
       a lie.
                (LAUGHTER)
       My late boyfriend was older than
       Washington.  That's a fact.  That 
       man was so old that when he was 
       born Methuselah was still in 
       diapers!  Now that's old!

The AUDIENCE bursts out LAUGHING.