Denise's Secret
Master of None (2015)
YouTube captions are often inaccurate. The transcript below is verified for accuracy.
Characters
Catherine
Denise
Teen Denise
Teen Dev
Transcript
[Teen Dev]
You gonna tell your mom?
[Teen Denise]
Being gay isn't something black people love to talk about.
[Catherine]
I'm just glad you in college and you ain't pregnant and on drugs.
[Denise]
You don't gotta worry about me getting pregnant. I'm not... gonna get pregnant because... I don't like having sex with men.
[Catherine]
Have you tried it?
[Denise]
No.
[Teen Denise]
Alright, you know Erica?
[Teen Dev]
White Erica or black Erica?
[Teen Denise]
Nah. Mixed Erica.
[Teen Dev]
Oh yeah, I know mixed Erica. She's cute.
[Teen Denise]
I like her. I have a crush on her.
[Teen Dev]
Wait, are you trying to tell me that you're... You know...
[Teen Denise]
Lebanese?
[Teen Dev]
Wait, you're from Lebanon?
[Teen Denise]
No, I just— I don't know how to— I'm not comfortable with the word... Lesbian.
[Teen Dev]
Alright, so we'll say you're Lebanese.
[Denise]
Ma... I'm gay.
[Catherine]
You what?
[Denise]
I'm gay. I've always been gay. But... I'm still the same person. I'm still your daughter. Nothing's changed.
[Teen Denise]
Me being gay is like tarnishing her trophy. Some black people think being gay is a choice. And when they find out that their kid is gay, they try to figure out what they did wrong.
[Catherine]
I just... I don't want life to be hard for you. It is hard enough being a black woman in this world, now you wanna add something else to it.
[Denise]
It's not like this was my choice.
[Teen Dev]
I think it's cool you're a Lebanese trophy.
[Teen Denise]
Thanks, dude.
[Teen Dev]
Damn, this has been an intense talk.
Clip Context
Denise reveals her secret to her mother on Thanksgiving.
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Vocabulary
Read each word out loud.
gay
/ɡeɪ/
adjective
not straight; used for any person who is part of the LGBTQ+ community
Example:
Denise is gay, and she has a crush on a girl in her class.
lesbian
/ˈlɛzbiən/
noun
a woman who is attracted to other women
Example:
My cousin is a lesbian, and she has a girlfriend.
Lebanese
/ˌlɛbəˈniz/
adjective
from Lebanon, a country in the Middle East
Example:
My neighbor is Lebanese, and she speaks Arabic and French.
crush
/kɹʌʃ/
noun
a strong feeling of love for someone that you often keep secret
Example:
She has a crush on a boy in her class, but she is too shy to tell him.
trophy
/ˈtɹoʊfi/
noun
a prize you get for winning, usually a metal cup; also a person or thing you are very proud to show others
Example:
Our team won the trophy, and we put it on a shelf at school.
pregnant
/ˈpɹɛɡnənt/
adjective
when women carry a child inside them that is not yet born
Example:
My sister is pregnant, and she is excited to welcome her first baby.
choice
/tʃɔɪs/
noun
decision between two or more possibilities
Example:
At the restaurant, I faced a difficult choice between pizza and pasta.
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Conversation Practice
Working with a tutor? Try asking or answering these questions out loud with them.
Working alone? Try speaking your answers out loud or write them in the lesson discussion below.
1. Did you ever have a crush on a movie star or a TV character when you were younger? What did you like about them?
2. Catherine says she doesn’t want life to be hard for her daughter. In your country, how do parents show they care about their children’s future?
3. What is a big choice that people your age make, like a job, a city, or a school? Is it easier to make a choice alone or with other people?
4. Denise tells Dev first, before she tells her mom. Why do you think it was easier to tell a friend? Who do you usually talk to first when you have big news?
5. Have you ever eaten Lebanese food, or do you know anything about Lebanon? What would you like to try or learn?
Lesson updated:
November 5, 2026
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