And Everybody Takes the Credit

I'm nominated, for this award
I got--you know, nominated
And--all of a sudden
I'm getting e-mails
Which, I mean, I expected
From people--like, people I haven't talked to in--
Years, so--basically strangers at this point
So I just ignored them
I deleted an entire inbox full of shit
I wasn't even going to see who sent it

I see the people I wanna see, you know?
In my life?  I'm not missing anybody
But then I start getting--or, like, seeing
These clippings and shit
Because, you know, I'm on Facebook and stuff
Just because I'm--like, people know me
I do movies
That doesn't mean I'm abnormal
I'm on Facebook

So I start seeing all these people
Some of them I don't even know
Because Facebook, for some reason
Which used to only tell you about your friends
Now wants to let you know about
What's going on in the lives of people you're never even going to meet
And so I'm seeing all these people talk about me
And like, kind of take credit for me, you know?
Like, I mean--

Like, there was this one kid
Talking about how he's so proud that he goes to the high school
Where I went to high school
And I wanted to tell him--

'Kid, I fucking hated that high school
I sure as fuck didn't learn anything about acting there
So, best of luck to you, but you and I--we're not connected.'

That's the big word, you know?
Connected
Like, all these people
Want to be connected to me
In some way
And they want to say that connection elevates them

Like, they lived in my neighborhood
Or they went to college with me
Or I acted at some bullshit community theater
Where they're doing Guys and Dolls
And that's supposed to say something about them

That's supposed to say that suddenly that neighborhood
Or that college or that lousy fucking church basement theater
Is somehow great now, or that greatness is created there
Just because I once fucking graced it with my presence

I'm not saying 'graced it with my presence' like that
I'm just--you know, I'm mocking the whole thing, because--
It's just fucking insane, you know?

You achieve something in this world
Like, you actually make something out of yourself

And everybody takes credit

For you
For what you did

Not that you didn't get help
Not that nobody helped you
But I know who fucking helped me, you know?

I know who was there
And who wasn't

And that kid who thinks he's somebody now
Just because he has the same drama teacher that I did?

That kid hasn't earned shit yet
I hate that fucking kid

I mean, I don't hate him, but--

Just do your own thing, man, you know?

Don't take credit for my thing

I grew up, I had--
I mean everybody's got it rough
But I had nothing, okay?

Like, I had nothing

And there were times
In high school
In college
Doing little acting gigs here and there
When I was alone, you know?

When I was all alone

And all these strangers
All these people who want to say
That a connection with me
Means something about them?

You know I could have used a connection

Back then, when I didn't have all that much
When I was all alone
I could have used somebody to connect with

So it's like--

Don't try connecting with me now, you know?

Because I don't need it anymore

All I need is me now
Me and what I've done
And the people who were there
To help me do it

Everybody else needs to find their own thing

They need to find somebody as alone as I was
And connect with them

Not with me

Because I'm good, you know?

I'm doing good
Without any of that