Welcome to Me 2015

Alice Klieg (character), a mentally ill single woman living off disability benefits and an ardent fan of Oprah Winfrey, stuns everyone by claiming the California Stack Sweepstakes lottery jackpot of $86 million. As she takes to the local TV news to celebrate her windfall, her carefully crafted speech is abruptly cut short after she mentions using masturbation as a coping mechanism - much to her chagrin. Defying the advice of her psychiatrist, Daryl Moffat (character), Alice forgoes her medication and moves into a luxurious casino hotel with her best friend Gina Selway.

During a vitamin supplement infomercial hosted by Gabe Ruskin, Alice, who is part of the studio audience, seizes an opportunity to hijack the broadcast. She attempts to recite her speech once more, only to be cut off again by the director. The co-owner and manager of the studio, Rich Ruskin (character), introduces himself and arranges a meeting with Alice to discuss her idea for a TV show. Enthused by her vision, Alice writes a check for $15 million to fund 100 live-broadcast, two-hour episodes of her vanity show, titled “Welcome to Me”.

Gabe is taken aback by the show’s aimless premise, but after Alice takes him on a date, they share a romantic connection and begin a relationship. As the first episode unfolds, Alice announces she has abandoned her medication and includes a poignant five-minute segment featuring herself indulging in meatloaf cake with mashed sweet potato icing, as well as a live re-enactment of a pivotal moment from her past (with actors donning name-cards portraying her and a former friend who had betrayed her in high school).

Upon viewing the recording, Alice decides that the show’s production values appear too modest and writes another check to upgrade the show’s aesthetic. The studio set is revamped to include a rotating stage and a replica of her own home.

As “Welcome to Me” gains popularity, Alice’s friends and family become increasingly alienated by her unflattering portrayals of them in her sketches. Rainer Ybarra, a graduate student and ardent fan of the show, conducts an interview with Alice about her rising stardom, and the two share a date that culminates in a passionate tryst in her limousine. Their encounter is later revealed on air, much to Gabe’s outrage.

While recovering from burns sustained during a cooking mishap on the show, Alice decides to introduce a new theme of neutering dogs on the program, drawing upon her six years’ experience as a veterinary nurse. Fed up with her erratic behavior, Gabe finally quits in frustration.

As tensions between Rich (character) and the studio escalate, Alice’s unwavering support begins to waver, threatened by a plethora of lawsuits ranging from slanderous accusations to egregious health code violations. In a dramatic turn, Rich bursts onto the set, his ire palpable as he demands Alice cancel the veterinary procedures that have become an integral part of her show. The broadcast is abruptly cut short, with Alice abandoning her program 40 minutes early and subsequently settling the lawsuits at a substantial cost: $7 million.

The pressure takes its toll on Alice, who descends into a nervous breakdown, wandering naked through the casino’s main floor in a desperate bid for clarity. Hospitalized and resuming her medication, she eventually regains her footing and reaches out to Dr. Moffat, apologizing for past transgressions. With Rich, she arranges a grand finale for Welcome to Me: a lavish telethon aimed at finding forever homes for her neutered dogs and making amends with those she has wronged.

As the curtain closes on her show, Alice takes a poignant moment to apologize to Gina, praising her enduring patience and presenting her with a check for the remaining $7 million of her lottery winnings. With her life restored to its former equilibrium, Gabe guides Alice back home, bestowing upon her a camcorder as a thoughtful gift. As she drifts off to sleep, Alice finally switches off the television that has remained on continuously for over 11 years, a testament to the redemptive power of closure and new beginnings.