And the Fun Factory

And the Fun Factory
Season 4, Episode 8

Air date	January 5, 2015
Cupcake Total	$13,945.00
Writer	Michael Rowe
Director	Don Scardino
Rating	9.08 Source
Episode Guide
previous And a Loan for Christmas	next And the Past and the Furious

And the Fun Factory is the eighth episode of the fourth season of 2 Broke Girls.

Summary[]

Max and Caroline select a factory to produce their cupcake T-shirts, but become suspicious of the work conditions at the factory after meeting the overly enthusiastic employees.

Plot[]

Han thanks everyone for staying late to learn their new iPad order system. Earl reminds him that they had no choice - Han locked the door from the outside. Caroline asks why they'd update the order system when their uniforms and paychecks are so outdated. Han suggests he and Max role play as a customer and a waitress. Han pretends to order a burger, and Max asks him if he'd like it with or without salmonella. Caroline interrupts to tell Han she got her first iPad lesson from Steve Jobs, he tells Caroline that she doesn't know more about gadgets than he does - formerly rich doesn't beat currently Asian. He moves away from the counter, into the main area of the diner, and tells them all to look at their iPads. When he turns back to them the iPads have gone. They all play ignorant; there were no iPads, they don't even know what iPads are. Han asks where they went, and Max replies that they're probably on eBay. Han gets upset, demanding they give them back; especially his, he's in a casual flirtation with a woman in Australia. He leaves, still upset. Max and Caroline turn around to the pick-up window to reveal their iPads tucked into the back of their apron strings.

Max heads over to Earl with the checks with a grin on her face. Earl asks what's wrong, she's happy. She tells him that she's still on a high from getting the $10,000 bank loan. Earl still can't believe they got a loan, and that there wasn't a single hostage involved. Caroline tells Max she doesn't have ten thousand dollars, she doesn't even have Netflix - the money is to pay a factory to make their cupcake t-shirts, so far Caroline has narrowed it down to three. Han walks in from his office holding a stack of paper. Someone has been using his printer, and he's guessing it's Caroline since it's about business, and not another one of Earl's Angela Bassett collages. Caroline thanks him and explains she's been researching factories, she wants their t-shirts to be American made. Han says he has an American maid and all she's good at is eating his granola bars. Han walks away as Max and Caroline move through to the kitchen. Caroline tells Max about one of the factories - American Ace - which is right there in Brooklyn, the founder is devoted to treating his workers well. But not in a creepy way. Max asks if she's saying none of his workers have ever found an Ace in their hole. The two head into the walk-in freezer as Max tells her she's worked in a lot of factories and knows what really goes on. She worked in a coat factory, which is why her lungs are coated in asbestos. She worked in an underwear factory, where she was underpaid. And the worst factory of all - the cheesecake factory. As they head back into the diner Caroline suggests they do a walk through tomorrow to make sure it's up to snuff. Sophie walks in, loudly shouting a greeting to everyone as usual. She has great news, she's just been carded at Buffalo Wild Wings, Max says she got carted out of there once. She has even more great news, she's starting her own new business and she wants to borrow the money from Max and Caroline's loan. Oleg comes out of the kitchen telling them they should invest, Sophie's idea is genius. They begin to explain that she's selling wigs for vaginas. Caroline tells her no. Sophie tells them that they haven't even heard the name yet; Sophie Kaczynski's Vagina Wigs. Caroline says they're really out. Sophie tells them it's real hair, and Caroline says they've never been further out.

Max and Caroline are shown to the main floor of the factory, where people are getting massages and playing foosball. Caroline says that she feels like they're in the Willy Wonka factory, the woman from the factory says 'I know, right?' The American Ace motto is that work is fun. Caroline explains to her that Max was expecting the workers to be tortured, not playing foosball - the woman again replies with 'I know, right?' Caroline asks Peggy - the woman - what her position is there, is she the 'I know right' person? Peggy replies once again with 'I know, right?' before explaining that she's one of the owners. She also dyes t-shirts. Every employee gets a percentage of the company after six months of working there. She tells them Ace - the boss - is expecting them, and tells them to go ahead into his office. Max tells Caroline not to be fooled by what's on the surface, Caroline looks rich but Max knows her underwear is in shreds. Caroline corrects her, not shreds, shred. There's only one. And it goes from front to back. The two of them head into Ace's office. Caroline asks if it's okay to just walk in, since the door is open. He says it is, and that the door is always open because doors create boundaries which are a bummer. He asks them if they know what else is a bummer, and Max replies tall guys with small penises. No, it's that they just missed the gelato and designer coffee cart. He offers them his gelato, Max turns it down but Caroline takes it. After Max makes a comment about him taking advantage of people and using them, Caroline explains that Max has trust issues about factories. He comments that Caroline's pretty much eating cardboard, since she's scraping at the bottom of the gelato cup with her spoon still. He asks if she's wants him to get her another one, although he has just spotted the prosciutto cart, he asks if they want some and Caroline says she does. Ace asks if they know what's cool, Max replies with short guys with big penises, Ace laughs and comments that she's fun. Ace says that their business belongs there at American Ace, and invites them through to meet the family. Max tells Caroline that Ace creeps her out, but on the plus side - she finally gets to meet her family. Ace tells them he designed the space for open energy and open conversation. He shouts 'what's up other owners?' to the workers, and they all reply with 'what's up Ace?' He tells the workers that the sales are by 400% and they all cheer. He heads over to the cart, and calls Caroline over. He's going to just get a quick five minute chair massage but Caroline can enjoy the prosciutto while he's gone. Max suggests they sneak out while Ace is distracted. Two muscular guys come over, the taller one introduces himself as Rico and tells Caroline she's really really really pretty. He's part owner, like everyone else, and he also cleans the bathrooms. Caroline is too distracted by the food to pay much attention. Max asks them where the secret room is with the toddler slaves. The second, shorter, guy introduces himself as Raul - he's also part owner, and the security guard. He asks if they want to grab a drink sometimes. Friday after work they all hang out next door at Tortilla Flats. Max asks Caroline if that was her stripper name. Caroline tells her she's just jealous because her one is taller and thinks she's really really really pretty. Max tells her good luck with the tall guy scenario she mentioned earlier.

Max and Caroline arrive at the diner and apologize for being late - they were busy with their other business, the one they actually care about. Han asks how he could be mad when they offered such a sincere apology. Caroline asks who wants to see their sample t-shirts. Earl wants to see but he wants to see a lot of things, he has cataracts, all he can do is look towards it and get a milky idea. Sophie walks in from the bathroom area and says she wants to show them some new styles she's got for her 'Everybody's Merkin for the Weekend' collection. Han asks what a merkin is, and Sophie tells him it's a vagina wig. He tells her that's dirty. She wants Han's input - she's working on an Asian line, she wants to know if she got the texture right. He goes over to her and she begins stroking his hair commenting on the feeling of it. He asks her to go slower. Then slower still. Max comments it's like watching your gerbil humping a pencil - not really sexual but it still grosses you out. Han tells Sophie to stop, telling her he hasn't felt that sensation since third grade when Madam Ye checked him for head lice. He rushes off. Caroline tells Max to remind her to pick up a 'What's Happening to My Body?' book for Han tomorrow. Sophie calls over to them that she'll be over in her booth working on her African-American line. Caroline opens the shirt box up and tells Max they look amazing. Max says she was wrong about the factory, like how she was wrong about Caroline making it through the first winter. A note falls out and Max grabs it - the note says 'Help Us' on it, Max says she knew it - underpaid workers are trapped in the factory. Caroline says if you don't see it, it doesn't exist. Max says they can't just look away, they need to talk to the workers. She tells Caroline to call the guy that thinks she's pretty, Caroline says she only knows one that called her really really really pretty. Caroline suggests meeting them at the Mexican place. Sophie says she forgot about the Latina market, she asks them to ask around to see if they'd be interested in hair south of the border.

At the Mexican place Rico tells them that they weren't sure if they'd like beers or margaritas so they got them beergarittas which cost five dollars, but they're worth it. Raul tells Max he loves a girl with a healthy appetite, watching as she eats tortilla chips. Max says if that's the case, he'll be on one knee by the end of the appetizers. Caroline asks what it's like working at the factory, but Rico doesn't want to talk about work. Max asks if they're not allowed to talk about work. Raul asks what the two of them like to do, Max says she likes watching waiters make guacamole at her table. Caroline tries to steer the conversation back to the factory, but the two men leave to check on the beergaritas. Peggy comes over along with another woman, Caroline asks if they'd like to join them and talk about work. The second woman tells them to get out. Peggy introduces her as Carmen, she also works at the factory, they're BFFs and she's also one of the owners. Carmen says that Peggy is the 100% owner of Rico, so Caroline has to keep her hands off him. Peggy says that Rico's pit bull doesn't like other girls. As Carmen and Peggy go to leave Max points at Carmen and says that she's guessing that's his pit bull. Carmen hears this and comes back, telling her to keep away from Raul - they have a love that's deep and real, and when he finds out about it it's going to be magic. Peggy and Carmen leave.

Max and Caroline go down in a service elevator into the factory part of American Ace. Max says it's exactly what she expected. Two people come out of the dye room and Max and Caroline immediately start talking with Brooklyn accents, pretending they work there too. The two people walk into a room opposite. Max compliment's Caroline's fake accent, to which Caroline replies that she played Rizzo in Grease, she was supposed to be Sandy but she let the girl with the limp have it. The two grab some grey overalls and head into the dye room. Max says they have to just pretend they work there, like they do at the diner. Carmen and Peggy are there, Caroline wants to leave. Carmen mentions how convenient it is that they were hanging out with Raul and Rico last night and now they work there. Max tells Caroline they need to show them who's boss, like they did with the mouse in their toaster. Caroline asks if that means they'll scream and then spray Windex at them. Max goes over to them and shows them a scar on her neck, telling them that she got it during a knife fight with five catholic school girls over a slushie. Caroline says it's a misunderstanding, Rico isn't into her. Max tells them they're not interested in the two men at all but Carmen and Peggy don't believe them. Peggy asks if they think something is wrong with them. So Caroline panics and lies that they're lovers. Peggy and Carmen don't believe them but they go back to work. Max and Caroline start dying shirts too, Caroline notices a woman go through a locked door and asks Max what she thinks is behind it. Max immediately concludes that it's toddler slaves. Caroline suggests they go over there, and goes to throw one of the freshly dyed shirts into the dryer - but hits Peggy with it by accident, not noticing she'd moved there. Peggy gets mad and hits Caroline with a shirt too. Max throws one back but hits Carmen, who throws one back at Max. Caroline tries to explain that they're there to help the workers, but she gets hit by another shirt from Peggy. It's carnage as they all start grabbing dripping wet shirts and throwing them, until Caroline grabs an armful and dumps them on Carmen's head. Max yells at her that she's getting carried away. Carmen picks up Caroline and tries to shove her in the dryer as Max comments that now she's really getting carried away. Caroline yells that she used to be rich and is dry clean only. Max goes over to help and pushes Carmen out of the way to help Caroline down, Carmen stumbles backwards and falls into one of the two vats of green dye. Now she's furious. Max comments that Carmen and Peggy are tougher than the catholic girls. Ace comes in with Raul, asking what's happening. Max says that they know what's happening here and they're there to bust them. Max mentions the 'help us' note. Ace pulls a note out of his wallet and asks if they read the back. Max takes hold of it, laughing, and reads out what it says, "help us," then she flips it over, "help you to your full potential at American Ace." Ace says they put one in every box they ship. Max comments that she needs to learn to read more than the first sentence on stuff.

At the diner Max apologizes to Caroline but Caroline tells her not to feel bad, Max thought someone needed help and she cared, that makes her a good person and that Caroline is proud of her. Max says she said sorry and that Caroline doesn't have to be mean. Sophie comes in, announcing that she just got her first shipment of wigs. She walks down the stairs, and Caroline asks why she's walking so strangely. Sophie tells them she's not just the president she's also a client, she moves her legs apart and the wig falls out. Caroline tells Sophie that she dropped something, unless they have those giant Persian roaches again. Earl announces that even a milky version of that was too much. Sophie looks around and then kicks it under the table before rushing off. Caroline tells Max that maybe one day someone like Max will come into the diner and rescue them. Max asks her what she's writing on the checks. Caroline says she's writing 'help us.' Max tells her they work there, the 'help us' is implied.