'The White Lotus' Season 3, episode 5 monologue is already becoming a meme

That reaction shot...
 By 
Sam Haysom
 on 
A man sits in a bar at night.
Sam Rockwell makes an appearance in "The White Lotus" Season 3. Credit: HBO

The White Lotus has never been afraid to go to some strange places, but we're not sure "strange" quite sums up the monologue given by Sam Rockwell's character, Frank, in Season 3, episode 5.

Frank is introduced to us in Bangkok as an old friend of White Lotus guest Rick (Walton Goggins), who the latter meets up with during his pursuit of hotel owner Sritala (Lek Patravadi) and her husband, Jim Hollinger.

The two meet in a bar, where Frank gives Rick a mysterious briefcase before discussing his newfound sobriety. The discussion leads to Frank explaining how he came to be sober, resulting in the delivery of a monologue in which he describes — in detail both graphic and wildly offensive — how he came to stop drinking.


You May Also Like

"When I got here, oh, I was like a kid in a candy store," says a deadpan Frank. "If you got money, no attachments, nothing to do. I started partying. It got wild."

That is pretty much the only part of the monologue that's even vaguely PG, and the whole thing lasts for several minutes. It's the type of monologue that can really only be summed up with a facial expression, and fortunately Rick's face says it all.

At this stage Rick's expression is surely destined for meme territory.

The White Lotus is streaming now on Max, with new episodes dropping weekly at 9 p.m. ET Sundays on HBO.

Mashable Image
Sam Haysom

Sam Haysom is the Deputy UK Editor for Mashable. He covers entertainment and online culture, and writes horror fiction in his spare time.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Everything we know about 'The White Lotus' Season 4
Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Sam Nivola in "The White Lotus."

Nikki Glaser's Golden Globes monologue brutally roasts both celebrities and the government
Nikki Glaser speaks onstage during the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards. Overlaid quote: "The Golden Globes: without a doubt, the most important thing that's happening in the world right now."


Conan O'Brien throws shade at AI, Timothée Chalamet in Oscars monologue
Conan O'Brien opens the 2026 Oscars

Tina Fey's first ever 'SNL UK' monologue features some big surprise guests
A man and a woman stand on a stage.

More in Entertainment

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

What's new to streaming this week? (April 3, 2026)
A composite of images from film and TV streaming this week.


Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!