I'm Glad My Mom Died

At another television shoot, Jennette is dressed for a show pilot about Depression-era children. Her mother is very excited about this, unlike Jennette. They’ve put a substance on her teeth to make them look dirtier, and it’s uncomfortable. Jennette has been unable to use the bathroom out of fear of being labeled “difficult.” Finally, she asks an adult if she can use the bathroom and apologizes to her mother who wipes her at the toilet. Now eight years old, Jennette has protested that her mother still does this, but she insists. Back on set, the Assistant Director tells Jennette she can go home because she has been used in a “key shot” and now has a principal role in the pilot. She was chosen for her “great sad face” (55), which Jennette’s mother now celebrates, even though she criticized Jennette for not smiling enough earlier. As they drive home, Jennette’s mother tries to push for a “principal performer” spot at Academy Kids for Jennette, but the agency is not yet prepared to offer it. Angry, Jennette’s mother insists that soon enough she will be a star.