At a variety show, blackface entertainer Tom Baron passes out drunk, and Al goes on in his place. Two theatrical entrepreneurs, Oscar Hammerstein and Lew Dockstader, are in the audience. Dockstader realizes that it was really Al who was on stage, and hires him to join his minstrel show. Meanwhile, Hammerstein, who has not seen Baron work before, offers him a job at his theatre. Jolson doesn't wish to leave Steve Martin, but Steve thinks it is a perfect opportunity for him, and deliberately leads him onto the wrong train. Jolson enjoys his new job, and Dockstader is impressed by his abilities, but Jolson wants to add some new songs to the repertoire. He tries to discuss it with his boss, but Dockstader constantly fobs him off. One night, Jolson is out walking when he hears a band playing new, exciting jazz music; he enjoys it so much that he forgets that he has a show that night. Dockstader fires him, but wishes him luck for the future.