TV Recap: FX’s “Clipped” Episode 5 – Everyone’s Talking About the Clippers and Donald Sterling

After last week’s insightful clip show, FX’s Clipped resumes its forward momentum in Episode 4. With Donald Sterling’s tape now the center of media attention, we see how it affects everyone. From Donald’s wife Shelly and mistress V., to Doc Rivers and the Clippers team, one man’s rant becomes everyone else’s headache.

Episode  – “The Best Words” – Written by Gina Welch

V. Stiviano (Cleopatra Coleman) hosts a Social Worker (Sandra Thigpen) at her duplex, being interviewed after an inspection. V. answers questions about her criminal record, with shoplifting and DUI offenses brought up. When the Social Worker mentions Donald Sterling’s letter of recommendation, V. is quick to say she no longer works for him, presuming the interviewer is aware of the tape. Since V. just revealed that she’s no longer employed, the Social Worker asks about her future career plans. “I’m building a brand,” V. says, holding up a black trucker hat with her name on it as evidence. As the Social Worker leaves, she walks past the red Ferrari Donald gave V.

The Clippers office is surrounded by protesters and press as Doc Rivers (Laurence Fishburne) pulls into the parking garage. The organization’s PR manager, Seth Burton (Rich Sommer), helps shoe the press away to help Doc into the office, telling the coach about how sponsors are dropping the team and season ticket holders are threatening to boycott. Doc senses how stressed Seth is, asking how he’s doing. He feels complicit.

VP of Operations, Gary Sacks (Blaise Miller), is ready to quit, but Doc talks him out of it, telling him that Donald Sterling will be gone soon and telling him that the players need his support. Doc inspired Gary to field the abuse so the players can focus on winning a championship in spite of Donald. When Gary leaves the office, Seth asks Doc if he knows something he doesn’t about Donald leaving. Doc made it up to get Gary to stay. Seth focuses on hiring a crisis counselor to help the team.

That night, Chris Paul (J. Alphonse Nicholson) visits Doc’s condo, passing protestors downtown and commenting on how it’s the anniversary of the L.A. Riots. Chris tells Doc that he and some of the players feel bad about playing in Oakland. He spoke to Steph Curry and the Warriors are planning to walk off the court at tomorrow’s game. If the Clippers join, they will look weak since they weren’t the first to boycott. Doc tries to convince Chris that he plays for himself, not Donald Sterling. But Chris points out that the trophy is handed to the owner first.

Alone, Doc Rivers goes to the rooftop of his building and takes a deep breath. Pulling out his phone, he calls NBA commissioner Adam SIlver and asks for help.

The next day, Shelly Sterling (Jacki Weaver) meets with her lawyer, Pierce O'Donnell (Corbin Bernsen), and one of Hollywood’s most successful crisis managers, Glenn Bunting (Jason Butler Harner), supported by her best friend Justine (Harriet Sansom Harris). Glenn encourages Shelly to do an interview condemning her husband’s racist remarks. Shelly says her husband isn’t racist, but Glenn points out that she’s not on speaking terms with Donald and they aren’t even living together. “You’re very marketable,” he says, “your voice, your face, kind of like a Fairy Godmother thing.” He tells her that viewers will take her side if she opens up to them. Their meeting is paused when they get an alert that the NBA is about to hold a press conference.

Adam Silver (Darin Cooper) announces that the NBA has determined that it was Donald Sterling’s voice on the tapes, contradicting the statement the Clippers put out. Donald Sterling has been banned for life from attending any and all NBA games and events. He has been fined $2.5 million, the maximum allowed by the NBA’s constitution, and the board of governors will force Donald Sterling to sell the team.

Shelly is in disbelief. Pierce reminds her that she’s 50% owner of the team and didn’t do anything wrong. Glenn once again recommends that she do an interview. But first, she decides to go to the office to talk to Andy Roeser (Kelly AuCoin) to beg him to do something. He calls Seth in and they ask him for ideas to help Donald’s reputation. Seth tells them that without Donald making an apology, there’s nothing he can do for him. He is instead focused on helping the players through this with a “We Are One” poster and t-shirt campaign.

Andy has another idea, calling a contact at The Post and telling them that Donald Sterling has prostate cancer and has been undergoing treatments for the past two years, saying he hasn’t been himself during that time. Moments after hanging up, Andy gets a call from Adam SIlver placing him on indefinite leave to ensure that Donald Sterling isn’t using their friendship to have any influence on the team.

Donald Sterling (Ed O’Neill) calls V., seemingly unable to keep track of his medication schedule without her. She tells him she can’t talk, a car service is waiting for her. She arrives at a fancy hotel, putting her visor down as she enters so paparazzi can’t take her photo. A Makeup Artist (Paulette Mihale) prepares V. for the cameras as her lawyer, Mac Nehoray (Jack Topalian), reminds her of what not to say to avoid any issues with Shelly’s lawsuit against her. Donald comes in looking for V. This interview was supposed to be a trio, with him and Magic Johnson joining her, but Magic was seemingly never confirmed and Donald tells V. he can’t be seen with her due to the optics. He begs V. to say she doctored the tape. Mac tries to intervene and Donald is hostile towards him, tossing a bowl of salad at V.’s lawyer. Donald says he doesn’t believe V. wanted to ruin his life, promising to help take care of Shelly’s settlement and financially support V. and her boys for the rest of their lives. When V. refuses, Donald calls her a “Media whore,” pulling out a wad of cash and shoving it in her face, saying it’s for the boys. He fumbles to hide his desperation when the interviewer, Barbara Walters (Carolyn Mignini), enters the room. Donald tells Barbara and her producer, Marty (Juan Monsalvez), that V. will be the only interviewee today.

V. is awkward throughout the interview, wearing a forced smile the entire time and speaking with an unusual rhythm. When Barbara Walter’s asks about her relationship with Donald Sterling, she calls herself “His silly rabbit.” Asked if she loves Donald, V. says “I love him like a father figure.” Barbara asks about V.’s salary and V. talks about being paid off the books. Barbara asks about their age difference and V. seems confused why a 50 year gap would be of concern. Back in the car, V. complains to Mac about how none of the Clippers players follow her on Instagram.

The Clippers win Playoffs Round 1 – Game 5, their morality boosted by the “We Are One” posters and shirts worn by the fans in attendance. The team celebrate in the locker room, excited that Donald Sterling won’t be the team’s owner for much longer. But Jamal Crawford (Darryl Wesley) questions Adam Silvers’ ability to be consistent with other team owners.

Justine tells Shelly that the story about Donald’s cancer didn’t help because it was accompanied by a ten-year-old controversy about how Donald refused to pay for a Clippers coach to have surgery for the same ailment. Instead, four players pooled their money together to help the coach. Shelly feels bad for pushing Justine away when she was trying to warn her about her husband’s toxic nature. Together, they watch Barbara Walters’ interview with V.

V. is at home cooking dinner for the boys when the interview goes live, her phone blowing up. She goes to the bathroom to listen to audio of Donald Sterling complaining about her obsession with trying to appear more white. She accidentally drops her phone in the toilet, returning to the kitchen to put it in a bag of rice.

Shelly travels by private jet for her own interview with Barbara Walter’s, Glenn doing his best to prepare her for her first interview ever. They arrive at a nondescript auto garage, Barbara Walters’ secret hideaway to avoid her competition trying to poach important interview subject like Shelly. On camera, Shelly tells Barbara that she was shocked by the things her husband said and that hearing the tape made her sick. Just like V., Shelly is asked about her relationship with Donald. “I don’t love him,” she reveals, “I pity him. I feel sorry for him.” She shares that she has been looking into divorce on and off for twenty years, but signed a petition today. Barbara asks what was the last straw. “This last few weeks were the worst. I couldn’t take anymore.” Barbara asks about V. “I really don’t want to go there,” she diplomatically answers. The interview closes with Shelly sharing her desires to be strong for the team, vowing to fight for her half of ownership.

The next thing Shelly knows, she’s pulled into a meeting with Adam Silver, who informs her that she isn’t co-owner of the team. The Clippers are owned by the Sterling Family Trust, a single entity. He also calls her divorce announcement a bluff. She reminds him that he also decided to part ways with Donald after thirty-three years. Shelly accuses Adam of sexism, saying that if she were the one who had a leaked tape of racist remarks, Donald wouldn’t be forced to sell the team. Pierce asks if he and Shelly can arrange for the sale of the team. Adam gives them ten days to find a buyer or they put the team up for auction. Shelly is confused and frustrated with Pierce, but Glenn reminds her that by capitolizing on the public’s adoration of her, they can use that to arrange for her to own the team.

The Clippers win Playoffs Round 1 – Game 7 against the Warriors. But backstage, a fight breaks out between the teams, with the Warriors accusing the Clippers players of dancing for their racist owner. Assistant coach Tyronn Lue (Mike Miller) pulls Chris back to ask what happened.

Shelly brings the divorce papers to Donald, and he tells her he saw the Barbara Walters interview. “Poor V.,” he tells his wife, “Barbra made her into a fool. You looked pretty though, even with your stupid divorce papers.” Shelly tells Donald that the NBA has given them ten days for find a buyer and the divorce allows her to receive offers for the team. Donald doesn’t understand why he’s being villified, claiming to be sympathetic towards discrimination as someone who once changed their last name from Tokowitz. Shelly admits that things have changed. Donald signs the divorce papers.

“Quite the week, Ms. Viviano,” a Judge (Gilda Elena Vazquez) tells V. in court as she sits with her foster boys, Daniel (Esai Pierre-Louis) and David (Logan Carter), waiting to hear the result of her adoption request. To her surprise, the judge produces two congratulatory teddy bears for the boys, giving V. custody. On their way to the car, a man recognizes V. and calls her a slur.

Doc Rivers goes to his condominium’s sauna to relax and finds his new friend there, LeVar Burton (LeVar Burton). LeVar applauds Doc for leading the players through rough waters. Doc says he’s glad he won’t have to see Donald Sterling at the games anymore.

Donald is all alone and bored in his mansion. He tries to call a few friends, but nobody will answer his calls. For the past several days, a group of professionally dressed women have been waiting at the bottom of his driveway, trying to book him for talk shows. He has avoided all media requests up until now, but with nobody else interested in talking to him, he goes to his front porch in his bathrobe and flashes the lights to get their attention. “I want to talk,” he says.

Clipped concludes next Tuesday, July 2nd, on Hulu with Episode 6, “Keep Smiling.”

Donald isn’t going to give it up that easy.