The Last Night of a Jockey
Encyclopedia
"The Last Night of a Jockey" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
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. All he ever wanted was to be respected. He argues with his alter-ego, trying to justify his life and his actions, but the alter-ego knows better. Grady is offered the chance to change his life with one final wish. Grady says his greatest wish is to be big. After Grady wakes from his nap he finds his wish has been granted. He's instantly grown feet taller. He's "big".
Ecstatic, Grady calls his ex-girlfriend over the phone just to prove to the alter-ego that size actually does matter. She angrily wants nothing more to do with him. The conversation gets heated. He screams at her. She rejects him, but Grady remains undaunted. He boasts that he can find more girls that will actually appreciate him because of his newfound height. The alter-ego remains unimpressed, feeling Grady hasn't made good on any of his promises.
Grady however is confused, and asks the alter-ego what he really is, and what his business is all about. The alter-ego tries to explain it to Grady in the most simple way possible. He's "the last gasp". The alter-ego then criticizes Grady for his dumb and "cheap" wish, and gives him better ideas and suggestions for what Grady would've really wanted. The ego implies that Grady could've wished to win the Kentucky Derby
, or perform a heroic act, but as it stands, Grady wished to be a "big man". Grady objects, defending his wish.
A telephone call from the racing commission informs Grady that he has been given another chance - he has been reinstated and can jockey again. We hear the alter-ego laughing mockingly. Why? Because now it's too late: unbeknownst to Grady, he has grown even larger — he is now not only too tall to ride a horse, but barely fits in his own apartment! Grady screams "I'm too big! I can't ride!" Devastated, the now-giant Grady wrecks his room and pleads with the alter-ego, "Please! Please! Please make me small, please! I'll never ask for anything again. Please make me small!"
The alter-ego replies, "You are small, Mr. Grady. You see, every time you won an honest race, that's when you were a giant. But right now, they just don't come any smaller."
's Program Practices department criticized this episode for use of the word "dwarf" in a negative context, suggesting that instead the terms "half-pint", "runt" or "shrimp" could be used.
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
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Synopsis
A jockey named Grady is sitting alone in his room after he's found out he's been banned from horse racing for life for fixing races by horse dopingEquine drug testing
Racehorse drug testing began in the early 1900s. It is the longest established, broadest in scope, and possibly the most sensitive drug testing program in existence. Racehorse drug testing is performed within an extremely stringent regulatory context...
. All he ever wanted was to be respected. He argues with his alter-ego, trying to justify his life and his actions, but the alter-ego knows better. Grady is offered the chance to change his life with one final wish. Grady says his greatest wish is to be big. After Grady wakes from his nap he finds his wish has been granted. He's instantly grown feet taller. He's "big".
Ecstatic, Grady calls his ex-girlfriend over the phone just to prove to the alter-ego that size actually does matter. She angrily wants nothing more to do with him. The conversation gets heated. He screams at her. She rejects him, but Grady remains undaunted. He boasts that he can find more girls that will actually appreciate him because of his newfound height. The alter-ego remains unimpressed, feeling Grady hasn't made good on any of his promises.
Grady however is confused, and asks the alter-ego what he really is, and what his business is all about. The alter-ego tries to explain it to Grady in the most simple way possible. He's "the last gasp". The alter-ego then criticizes Grady for his dumb and "cheap" wish, and gives him better ideas and suggestions for what Grady would've really wanted. The ego implies that Grady could've wished to win the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
, or perform a heroic act, but as it stands, Grady wished to be a "big man". Grady objects, defending his wish.
A telephone call from the racing commission informs Grady that he has been given another chance - he has been reinstated and can jockey again. We hear the alter-ego laughing mockingly. Why? Because now it's too late: unbeknownst to Grady, he has grown even larger — he is now not only too tall to ride a horse, but barely fits in his own apartment! Grady screams "I'm too big! I can't ride!" Devastated, the now-giant Grady wrecks his room and pleads with the alter-ego, "Please! Please! Please make me small, please! I'll never ask for anything again. Please make me small!"
The alter-ego replies, "You are small, Mr. Grady. You see, every time you won an honest race, that's when you were a giant. But right now, they just don't come any smaller."
Censorship
CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's Program Practices department criticized this episode for use of the word "dwarf" in a negative context, suggesting that instead the terms "half-pint", "runt" or "shrimp" could be used.