In an episode of NBC’s newest comedy Truth Be Told, titled “Adult Content,” issues come to the surface when Russell (Tone Bell) scores some free tickets to the Adult Film Awards. Asking his neighbor (and best pal) Mitch (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) to go with him, the first question is one of honesty vs. lying about going to the event. Deciding that honesty is the best policy, the guys go to tell the wives.
It’s a “work thing,” you see, since Russell is a celebrity – an up and coming comedian with a large Twitter following – the organizers of the porn awards want Russell to go to the event and tweet it for publicity. Angie (Bresha Webb) comes to understand it’s a good thing for his career and is further convinced by Mitch’s wife, Tracy (Vanessa Lachey). As Tracy says, who would want to miss that freak show?
And, oh yeah, the event organizers would like a lot of coverage on Twitter because they want porn to be considered “mainstream.” Cultural indoctrination, anyone?
Russell: Whoa, look at you. You actually know what you're doing in there, or what?
Mitch: Of course I do. I'm just trying to get my hands around this ball cock.
Russell: [Straining] - I'm an adult. Not gonna swing at the low-hanging fruit. But, on a related note, guess what I got for us on Saturday night? A VIP invite to the Adult Film Awards.
Mitch: Are you serious? The Oscars of porn?
Russell: The only awards show where the trophies take batteries.
[Laughter] I think one of the categories is best ball cock. Damn it, I swung at it.
Mitch: Yeah, you did. Why'd they invite you? Are you one of the five people that's still paying for porn?
Russell: Irrelevant. I got it because my Twitter is blowing up. They sent invites to a bunch of comedians so we'll go and tweet about it. It's part of porn's attempt to go mainstream.
Mitch: Silly porn. You'll never be real movies.
Russell: I got four passes. You, me, Jim, Hudson, we'll make a night of it.
Mitch: Yeah, that's sweet. Maybe we should all wear vests. Kidding, unless you think we should.
Angie: What are those two idiots doing up there?
Tracy: Oh, Mitch is fixing the toilet.
Angie: Oh, I didn't know Mitch was handy.
Tracy: He is not. But here's another marriage hack for you. Let him fix it, and then call a plumber to actually fix it when he's not around. I get a working toilet. Mitch gets a working ego. Win-win.
Russell: So, Marital GPS, what's our cover with the wives? Batting cages? Go-cart racing? Laser tag?
Mitch: First off, we should do all those things, maybe in vests. Second, never lie! Have you learned nothing from, "Do you think Katie's hot?" Let's just talk to our wives. See what they say. You know, tell the truth.
Russell: Seems risky.
Mitch: Just watch.
Russell: Whoa, now? GPS, reroute! Reroute!
Mitch: Guess who fixed the toilet?
Tracy: My handy hero.
Mitch: Well, first responders are the real heroes.
Tracy: Thanks so much, honey.
Mitch: Hey, just something to run by you.
Russell: Ease into it.
Mitch: Russell got tickets to the porn awards on Saturday.
Russell: I specifically said, "Ease."
Angie: And why do you want to go to that?
Russell: It's--it's not so much that I want to go. They want me there tweeting to promote it. It's a huge opportunity. Babe, your man is taking off. My star is rising, and nothing can stop me. So I told them maybe. Soft--soft maybe.
Angie: Do people really care enough about Twitter for you to do this?
Russell: Yes, babe, not everyone still has that little egg as their profile picture.
Angie: I like the egg.
Mitch: Anyway, we just wanted to run this past you before we commit.
Tracy: Isn't this that thing that's like, the ridiculous variety show with a bunch of half-naked "Performers," trying to give heartfelt speeches about having sex?
Russell: Well, it's more prestigious-- - That's the one.
Tracy: Sounds hilarious. Have a good time.
Both: Really?
Tracy: Yeah. Who wouldn't want to go to that freak show?
The guys are on their merry way to the event. Tracy and Angie hang out and Angie confesses to following Russell on Twitter so that she can keep an eye on the situation. As the evening progresses, Angie decides to check Russell’s Twitter account for pictures and sees a boob shot sent from a fan. Conversation continues between the women and Angie comes to accept that it’s ok for strangers to send pictures of their breasts to her husband, because "it’s for work."
Do you know any woman that would be ok with that? Not in my world. Is it the intention of the writers to make boob shots ok in the line of work and, you know, mainstream?
At the end, Russell has the Uber driver turn the guys around on the way to the event – they enjoyed dinner before heading to the award ceremony. Why? He wants to come clean with Angie about the Twitter porn. She’s a little buzzed on wine so she’s cool with it. All’s well.
Russell: Hey, babe.
Angie: Hey, I saw you out here and I just wanted to come tell you to have a good time, and I love you.
Russell: Is this you or the wine talking?
Angie: Yes. You're the best.
Russell: I get boobs!
Angie: What?
Russell: I mean, not like I understand boobs, I mean, I do understand boobs, but I get them. I mean, I receive breasts. Fans who are female sometimes tweet me pictures of their breasts, and I just wanted to let you know.
Angie: Well, that seems like a work thing, right?
Russell: Right, exactly. Ang, any woman could make my night. I found the woman that makes my life.
Angie: Aww!
James: Oh, I'm so jealous of what they have.
Angie: Well, have fun, guys. But when you get home, I'd like to do some stuff with you.
Russell: Uh, guys?
Guys: Yep. - Course.
Russell: See you tomorrow. - All right!
Mitch: Okay, I lied. I'm willing to admit that. But you have to admit that there is something special about the fact that I know you so well, and you know me so well, or else you wouldn't have hired that plumber, and I get it. I am fine with it. Is he here a lot? [Car horn honking] How do you really feel about this porn thing?
Tracy: Honestly?
Mitch: Slide over, gentlemen.
All: Yeah! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn--
Tracy: Hi, guys.
James: I was chanting, "Corn!"
Mitch: Russell texted me. Apparently he and Angie are making their own movie. So Tracy's gonna take his spot.
James: So she's going to the, uh...
Tracy: Porn! Porn! Porn! Porn!
All: Porn! ! Porn! Porn!
See, we can all go! It’s a work thing! Porn is now mainstream! Porn, porn, porn!
Sigh. All this in early primetime television on a Friday night. The freak show is real.
