Up Close & Personal (1996) - full transcript

Let's get ready to rock and roll.

Tally Atwater, affiliate promo,

stand by, take 1.

Ok, people, let's get it together.

Gimme Tally on 1.

I want to hear the announce.

We'll take the announce and Tally.

Let me hear the announce...
Testing 1, 2, 3.

This is Tom Orr.

Testing 1, 2, 3.

We got Tally on 1.



You know those faces. You
remember those stories.

They were the men and women
who made IBS news...

Ok, ok, that's enough on Tom Orr.

Let's go to Tally.

Tally, could you give us a
level on your Mike, please?

What we in the news business
can never forget...

one second. Raise
her gain a little bit.

Again, Tally.
Testing 1, 2, 3.

What we in the news business
can never forget...

You're picking up shadow on her face.

Tally, I need to see you right
at camera here, please.

I'll make sure we get food in here.

Add some side light, please?

What we in the news business
can never forget



is we're only as good
as the stories we tell.

Guys, guys, you still got the shadow.

A little more fill, please.

If you could just talk a little bit
about how you got started, Tally.

A few bio bites that, you
know, we can play with.

Let's...
let's shoot this.

Let's see.

I guess I always pretty much
knew what I wanted to do.

Sally Ann knew exactly what she wanted.

And what she wanted
was to be number one...

In neon lights.

The sister comes down to 2 bites, Max.

Something cute about
how you got started...

What, you went to college?

I temped, waited tables...

The minute I was old enough,
I dealt craps.

Craps.

I wanted to deal baccarat, because
you could make more money on tips,

but where we were living...

in a little mining town in the west...

you have to be connected
to deal baccarat,

and the only person I was connected to

was my little sister luanne.

I was going to community
college at night,

doubling up on communications courses,

making up for lost time...

Everyone said, "you want to
get a job in television",

you have to make
a demo tape."

So I made a demo tape.

You might ask, out of the
thousands of young women

that send you tapes, why hire Sally?

I sent it to 37 stations.

Wmia Miami, was the only answer I got.

So I said good-bye to luanne

and got on a connection to Dallas
with a 4-hour layover to Miami.

I wanted it to be 4 days... I
was so scared of getting there.

So... You're Sally.

Sally Atwater.

That's Sally with an "s," right?

Do you think I'm overdressed?

No.
Not in the least.

I didn't know if they'd
be dressy or cool...

Warren, miss Atwater is here.

Ok. Go up those stairs,

and Warren's in the control booth.

Hey... I'm Ned.

I'm Sally.

You majored in communications.

Yeah, Vic, listen...

Wrap Patty, go to Rob.

Rob, back to you in the studio.

Thank you, Patty, for that report.

You, over here.

Rob, you're running long.

Further developments as they occur

on the situation at
tamiami middle school...

Further developments as they occur

in the situation at
Tamiami Middle school...

13-year-old still holds his math
class hostage with an a-k...

Still holds his math class hostage...

Full coverage at 6:00 from the
award-winning channel 9 news team...

Full coverage at 6:00
from the award winning...

This is Rob Sullivan...
with his touchy-feely tag...

good-bye.
Be of good cheer.

Good-bye.
Be of good cheer.

I might get sick.

Get me the 6:00 report.

Come on.

Warren, about the Anders thing...

coming, sweetheart?

I think the way we play it

is by calling attention
to a public servant

violating the voters' trust.

No, Harvey, we play it straight...

Harvey Harris reporting from
the dade county courthouse

where today seminole school
principal Lee Anders

was found guilty of banging the
10th grade class president.

No more, no less.
Got it?

More on that accident in homestead...

sweetheart, will you keep up?

Sally.

Excuse?

I said Sally, not sweetheart.

Got it.

Vic, Sally.

Sally's our new desk assistant.

Do not call her sweetheart.

There's got to be a kid
trapped in the wreckage

before we do a break-in.

No kid. Dad, mom,
grandma in one car.

The driver, his wife or
girlfriend in the pickup.

There's some discrepancy there.

Run that discrepancy by me.

Lady calls, says the
woman in the pickup

was her husband's whore, quote, unquote.

Warren, Trish again on 2.

Trish?

Yeah. We'll send you references.

Yes.

Weren't you and Trish...

You know, if you don't mind my asking...

I do mind. Who you got on homestead?

Nobody... unless you want to fire Trish.

We... we don't,
we don't usually wear

our credentials in the newsroom.

Sorry.

I'm so sorry.

That's good.

I'm sorry.

Ahem.

I'm from Nevada.

Ok. Here's the rundown.

Ahem.

We'll have the kid hostage story live...

no, not live. By 6:00 it'll
be "what does it all mean?"

Have Lou do it.

Ok. Consuela's doing the PBA endorsing
the mayor for a second term.

Bury that before the first commercial.

Harvey's doing Anders,

and there's the cocoa plum
housekeeper killing.

Lead with that.
Because...

Come on, let's have it.

The golden rule of local news... if it...

I don't... bleeds, it leads.

Your predecessor... Trish.

Trish didn't think the desk
had a whole lot to teach her.

How 'bout you?

I think the desk can teach me.

What?

Everything.

Everything?

So that later when I'm...

So when I'm ready, I'll
be able to do a story.

Excuse me a second.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

This is a great honor, and...

Already a seasoned newswoman.

She covered the crucial
California youth forum...

crucial California youth forum election?

You might ask, out of the thousands
of young women that send you tapes,

why hire Sally?

Because I'm Sally,

and I'm going to be a star.

If this is to tell me
I have a lot to learn,

I already know that.

I'm going to learn it.

Noted.

Meanwhile, you answer the
phones, work the database,

get the reporters what they need...

addresses, numbers, who,
what, when, where...

and you see that Mr.
Coffee machine over there?

I like it strong.

Ileana, cancel my dinner.

We're gonna have to go late.

You used to cover the white house.

Are you gonna tell me you
watched me in high school?

No. You were the one who asked George
Bush how, as former CIA director,

he didn't know noriega
was on the CIA payroll.

And bush said, "no
questions at photo op,"

and marlin fitzwater
said, "pull the lights,"

and you put the whole thing on the air.

It was in a course I took.

Y... right. You still
get the coffee.

I could probably get the coffee.

Good.

Otherwise, you just had
the shortest career

in wmia channel 9 history,

news heartbeat of the American riviera.

Sugar, no cream.

Do you always wear that much makeup?

Turning to the weather front...

Newsroom.

Can I have your name, please?

What is the name of the hospital?

Does this person have a name?

No... I am trying
to help you.

No, ma'am, I do not remember Miami

before there were Haitians.

Thank you, ma'am.

Happy Halloween to you, too.

Looks like you're getting the hang of it.

I am. Yes.

Actually, I've been getting the
hang of it since at least July.

Here you go, Warren.

Thanks. Good, Ned.

This is not a criticism.

It's... More of
an observation.

You don't have a weather person.

I fired her.

I don't like weather persons.

But having the anchor do the weather

reduces his credibility as anchor.

Credibility? Rob?

If you wanted someone to do it...

you think you might be ready to...

take on a little more... responsibility?

Exactly.

Heh... I'm ready.

You know what you are ready for?

Stop tomorrow morning on your way in...

my cleaning...
shun li.

You want a ride home?

Otherwise I have just had
the shortest career

in the history of wmia channel 9,

news heartbeat of the American riviera.

The ride home is optional.

I opt no, thank you.

You want Rob to wear that?

You know, weather is a sponsored spot.

Well, what if it's not raining, Dan?

Any other costume ideas on tap?

I was thinking maybe big sunglasses.

Shit. Warren,
3 has happy weather.

Do you know what kind
of an operation 3 is?

The night the Gulf war started,

they led with the bal-harbor

winter wonderland shop-a-thon.

And 3 was then and still is the
top-rated station in this market.

What could it cost
to try this? Come on...

It would cost you nothing.

Gimme a second.

I said I wanted them boxed.

They still don't come boxed.

Listen, I was watching
the news last night...

is that unusual?

And I have an idea about something.

I was rethinking the weather spot.

Yeah. Everybody is.

I could do it.
I could do the weather.

I could do the desk and
the weather, same salary.

If I could restate my point...

I got your point.

Salary to one side, Sally.

I did some weather in Reno.

I wanted to hire a regular weather,

an Arnie poole type.

San Francisco's got Arnie Poole.

We've got Rob.

All I ask is to let Rob try this.

The weather in Reno...

Let's see they... they must
get some genuine weather?

Big-time.

Warren, you prove me wrong, I'm easy.

Dan... meet our new weather person.

Really?!

Really?

This is Dan Duarte, our station manager

and my boss.

I go through life with a smile,

try to spread a little goodness.

Some people in this business get jaded,

because it's always
the same awful stories.

And it is the same stories,

but they're happening
to different people.

Our new weather gal seems
to be under the weather.

30 seconds, Rob.

Ok, now we're clearing...

focus on spreading that goodness, Rob?

Uhhhh...

What is this?

Ok, come on, get up.

Come on... Now... now, what is it?

I can't do it.

Come on, you've done this before.
What's wrong?

If you're Sally, I want you
in makeup now, please.

Not now.

Stay outside.

Hey... say "Sally Atwater."

Sally... Sally... Say it.

Sally At...
again.

No, I can't do it!

Then don't do it.

You don't have to do it.

Yes, I do.

What?

Yes, I do.

Ok. I'll get you through it.

Hello, miss. My name is Octavio.
I'm your floor manager.

You're going to be
in camera the entire time.

Welcome to Mia. Ok, everybody,
happy weather in 15, 14...

Ok, everybody, keep on your toes.

Let's do this one for Uncle Dan.

Can we have it quiet in here, please?

Rob, check the prompter.

And now with the weather,
here's Sa... Tally Atwater.

Tally?

Come on, that's your new name... Tally.

It's easy to say. Don't look
at me, look at the camera.

You got 29 seconds to commercial.

Look straight into the camera,

talk straight into the red light.

You'll find you've got a new best friend.

Tally?

Come on, baby.

Tally... Thanks, Rob.

How long was that?
We need to take...

You won't need this.

What an idea.

You will want these...

Another good idea, Dan.

We're looking at
an expected high of 98...

Those glasses don't seem silly on 7.

Does she come out next with a banana?

Look for a balmy low of 86.

Pick it up.

More high pressure moving in

means that this system is
definitely staying with us.

Pace yourself.

Don't look at me.
Look at the camera.

And so the 5-day forecast is
more, more, more, hot, hot, hot.

Stay...

stay inside, cuddle up.

Cuddle up and enjoy
the air conditioning, Rob.

Thanks, Tally... You
made your point, Warren.

This is a nonstarter.

She eats the lens.

That does it for now.
This is Rob Sullivan saying,

for Adela Simms and myself and all
of us here at channel 9 news,

good night.
Be of good cheer.

Won't want this.

Will need these.

Not to worry, Dan.

Uncle Rob was there to
step in if it got any worse.

Good job, Sally.

I was betting she'd pee on the air.

Ok, guys, we'll do it again
tomorrow, ok? Thanks.

You don't have to put up with him, lu.

Luanne... I... I... I hear it,
I hear it.

No, it is not the guy
from the sweepstakes.

Nobody but you believes in the
guy from the sweepstakes.

It's like the tooth fairy.

Don't hang up. I want to talk to you.

Still feeling sorry for yourself?

What are you doing here?

Nbc's million dollar
baby and how she got there.

No Miami Herald,
no Washington Post,

no Wall Street Journal?

You getting a cheap rush from this?

You know the demo tape I sent you?

Yeah.

I faked it.

I didn't do any of those
things I said I did.

I went to East Reno
community college at night.

I wasn't valedictorian.

I didn't even graduate.

I faked the whole graduation.

I rented a cap and gown,
I did the camera myself,

I even threw the confetti myself.

No crucial California
youth forum elections?

Big-time weather?
Freelance?

Once when I was working at, Cal-neva,

it got snowed in, and a Reno
station asked for some...

Reports... phone reports,
and I did one.

It was 40 seconds long.

I know all that.

You think I didn't check it out?

So fire me.

I figure if you're hungry
enough to fake it,

you might be hungry enough to do it.

The weather is not gonna work.

You don't think I know that?

You come across on camera.

You made a save.

I'm giving you a shot as a reporter.

That's what I came by to tell you.

Thought I came by
to fuck you, didn't ya?

Lu.

I think I just got promoted.

Actually, this is a set-aside.

Harvey's belle-glade
piece tells me a story.

Yours doesn't.

Miami's beautiful people
got an eyeful today...

What's the story?

The story is...

the fashion industry
comes to South beach.

It came... It went.

We did that story.
It's gone.

Ok, now, let's lay in b-roll.

See if we can't salvage this thing.

Some of the finest
cigarmakers exiled from Cuba

are making profitable businesses
here in little Havana.

As I quickly learned, it's
not as easy as it looks...

What's the story here?

Is it the Cuban, or are you
getting cute with the cigar?

This is Tally Atwater, channel
9 news, little Havana.

The Cuban, of course.

Then you should have found out

that this particular exiled cigarmaker

is not a cigarmaker from Havana,

but a Batista officer.

Just do it better.

Right.

Harvey's truck is down.

What?

On his way to...

How long would it take us
to get to Miami beach?

I thought we'd be doing
this bullshit boat show

until you detoured onto Connie's jewelry.

No, no, no. This is a much better story.
How long?

Half an hour.

Vic, yeah, Tally.

Listen, Ned and I are moments
from this Harvey story.

Yeah...

Harvey's truck is down.

I know it's down.

I'm covering till
he gets here. Ned?

But if he doesn't get here, you'll
need an on-camera reporter.

What? You've never
done a live feed.

You don't even know what the story is.

Get the boat, get the
cables, get the balconies,

Get the spokesman...

Then tell me what the story is.

Ok.

Show me what you got.

Get in there.

Jam the damn Mike in his face.

Wait a minute... positive I.D. First.

And... and how do you
do that, sheriff?

Metro dade, missy.

I said how do you make
a positive I.D.?

I know she's never done a live feed, Vic,

but I've done live feeds,

so if she can't cut it, I'll do it, ok?

We can call this one Juan Doe.

His name is Juan Doe?

Or is that your way of suggesting

that this particular John Doe,

or unidentified person,
is or was Spanish speaking?

Cute, missy.

All right, now, listen,

I'm gonna ask you all just to bear
with us and be patient here...

First thing... stay upwind.

Which way is upwind?

Away from the stink.

Floaters stink because their
stomachs fill with gas.

That's what brings them up.

Sometimes they pop.

We can shoot right here.

But... but they're
over there.

Ok. Raul Sota,
Domingo Katz.

Colombians. Deckhands on
the S.S. Bolivar

out of Berenchia.

They jumped ship.

I called the harbormaster.

Calling the harbormaster
is what reporters do.

They just don't show up on the scene.

Raul Sota and Domingo Katz.

We're still too close.

The storm that slammed
into Miami yesterday...

not yesterday.
Yesterday's history.

News happens today.

Today.
Forget yesterday.

Today. Ok.

Show her face in camera...

I think I'm gonna faint. Where's upwind?

Not where you're at.

Vic, are you with me?

How much time have we got?

Ok.

A minute and 12 seconds
to come up with a lead-in.

Ok. Now, wh-what
are you doing?

This isn't about lipstick.

This is about them...

Raul Sota, Domingo Katz.

2 guys jump ship for the land of plenty,

and they drown 25 feet from getting it.

People like Raul Sota and Domingo Katz

don't get taught how to swim.

That's what this story's
about, not makeup.

Vic? One minute.

Ok. In the blue water
off Miami today...

Miami beach today.

Raul Sota, Domingo Katz...

what did they die for,
what did they want?

In the blue water off Miami beach today,

divers... hold the divers.
Hold the divers.

Lead with Raul Sota and Domingo Katz.

I'll tell you what to say.

I know what to say.

Well, then say it!

Raul Sota and Domingo k...

Raul Sota and Domingo...

25 feet from the big enchilada.

25 feet from the promised land.

25 feet from walking down Collins Avenue

and a job bussing dishes at the blue.

Do you have any idea what it's
like to want something that bad?

10 seconds, Warren.

Answer me. Do you?

Yes.

Then show me.

Rob can't stretch.

She's on in 7 seconds...
6... 5...

Tell me a story.

4... 3... 2...

2 men drowned today off Miami beach.

Raul Sota and Domingo Katz

did not belong in the luxurious cabanas

that line this stretch of the beach.

They jumped ship.

They wanted to come to
America, and they died...

25 feet from what they must
have seen as the promised land.

Were these men seeking asylum, Tally?

All we know, Rob, is that
a pilgrimage to El norte

that began in berenchia, Colombia,

spelled death today for
Raul Sota and Domingo Katz.

This is Tally Atwater on Miami beach.

Yes!

Girl's got chops.

Thank you.

I was wondering if you could say that.

That was nice work on the aliens.

Thanks.

It made me reflect on

how many of them every
day actually get in.

Food for thought.

I've never thought of it that way, Rob.

A little advice from Uncle Rob.

Watch Warren.

Don't let him bring you along too fast.

You feel you need a mentor... Rob-erino.

Thanks.

Ok.

On tonight's assignment earth...

Selling dirty air.

Entiende usted... Entiende...

Me falta practica.

When oriana falacci
interviewed fidel Castro,

she did it in Spanish.

Well, before you set up
your one-on-one with fidel,

you might want to get
a new jacket or two.

We have a consultant that we use...
Inez cifuentes.

Ok.

We have a budget for it.

We don't want the look to get in the way.

Now, Warren said to keep a little edge.

Thank you.

It's a "when did you stop
beating your wife" kinda deal.

Diaz isn't going to
admit he's taking money,

so if you can get him not
answering the question on camera,

well, then you've told the story.

And another thing... well, that's nice.

Edgy enough for you?

Inez, you can do something
about the hair?

I'm not cutting my hair.

Ned, come on.
Get ahead of me.

Sorry. Excuse me.

We'll win, we'll win.

Congressman, how do
you answer allegations

that you profited from drug money?

That is no longer an issue.

Isn't it true that your campaign

received sizable contributions

from at least one
foreign-based individual?

Congressman.

Congressman.

Would you like to take this opportunity

to clear up these allegations?

Just tell him I got the
mother of the sex change boy.

Probably because donahue
was a sex change boy.

Yeah, I know she's a second-tier.

I also know she's available.

200 years of a free press,

and we're down to the
mother of a sex change boy.

No, there's no point in trying
to get local color here.

Tell him that. Just get me
into Havana on Thursday.

3, 2, 1.

Behind those smoke-glass windows
in downtown Miami today...

Bet that one's yours.

You win.

Got it?

Asshole Diaz.

Tally Atwater, Joanna kennelly.

Joanna's my ex-wife.

Well, one of them.

The one that left me in Washington

as opposed to the one that
left me in New Orleans.

Joanna's on her way to Havana.

Why don't you come with me?

Well, you could think about it.

Do you really expect to get
a statement from Diaz?

Tally, let me show you the
beauty of television news.

I expected to get him
on camera, and I did.

Of course you did.

Get plenty of ambient noise, ok?

And balloons.

How would you do it?

Perfectly.

I love balloons.

Here, look at this.

Congressman, congressman.

Watch this.

And you dissolve from the window...

To you, like this.

Then... Lay in the sound.

Behind those smoke-glass windows
in downtown Miami today

is congressman Jorge Diaz, who was...

So, you and Joanna... Joanna...

Thought I was a capitol hill insider,

which at the time I was.

We were a cute couple on the
Sunday shows for a while.

But being around in the morning...

Isn't my long suit.

See, you got your questions,

got your ambient noise at the rally.

Can't imagine it's
your long suit, either.

Maybe not.

So we keep it loose, we keep it open,

and if we get lucky...

Gold.

We hear you.

You and Joanna have any children?

No.

Iris and I had... Iris?

Yeah, my first wife.

We had a little girl.

She lived a week, 8 days.

You have family?

A sister.

You close?

I raised her after my mother died.

Our mom totaled the car
on mount Rose highway.

She always wanted to sing in a lounge,

but she never did.

She had this whole Patti page set.

She was ok.

Look... I've been here before.

So have I.

Newsroom. Justice.

Just a minute.

For you.

For me?

This is Tally.

Hi.

I'll call you when I get home.

I need to take a few days off.

Something wrong?

No. Nothing's wrong.

But you have to take some days off.

It's personal, ok?

It's ok. It's ok.

It's gonna be all right, luanne.

I'll get the money.
I'm here.

It's not about economic chaos

or political uncertainty.

Tonight at 6:00, the
channel 9 news team...

About that omega-7 story...

yeah. Did it make a
seventh parole hearing?

Let Steve do it.

And if Tally's back tomorrow afternoon,

she can do an action wrap-up.

I wouldn't count on that.

You want me to get accounting
to wire her the cash advance?

No.

I'll take care of it.

Tell Dan I hear Arnie poole's
contract's up in San Francisco,

and I just might get him
a new weatherman.

1, 20, 40, 60, 80, 2... 75.

It's not my problem if her
boyfriend skips out on her

and steals her money.

I want the rent n-o-w, now.

I'll get it to you tomorrow.

I mean in full.

I told her that or else I
gotta get the marshal in.

I'll get the rest of it tomorrow.

Tomorrow's today. Pay
up or out luanne goes.

How much?

What are you doing here?

I'm on my way to San Francisco

to buy Dan some happy weather. How much?

She's 550 short.

Extra goes on account.

Let's go.

Did you interview you any celebrities?

Come on.

You still get a rush
out of humiliating me.

I didn't come here for a rush.

Then what did you come here for?

I had a hunch.
You had a hunch?

You had a hunch you could walk in here

and get the story on me and my sister.

I have no interest in your sister.
I don't even know your sister.

I just met her a few minutes ago.

Why don't you get her in depth

washing her underwear
in the bathroom sink

next to the chemical toilet?

Look, you asked for cash. I provided it.

Over and out.

You provided it?

What exactly do you take me for?

No, wait a minute.
You come here

and you spread bills around

like you picked me up in
some bar off fremont street

in front of that asshole!

You have no business here.

Hold a minute.
Hold on.

You work for me.

You announce you're taking off.

You forget about the
part if it's ok with me.

You shoot off a fax demanding cash.

I'm not allowed to wonder why?

And you figured you'd
do me this big favor

and I'd owe you.

Well, that was my mistake.

Every girl I grew up with

ended up thinking she owed some guy.

This doesn't interest me.

I was gonna get us out of here.

I remember telling luanne

we'll get an apartment
on the upper West Side

because I read in some magazine

that said Diane Sawyer lived there.

I didn't know the upper
West Side of what.

I just knew I had to get us there.

That's what happens.

Some guy comes along and...

No more upper West Side.

Does that interest you?

That interests me.

I need another couple of days

to make sure she's all right.

If that's ok with you.

It's perfectly ok with me.

Attention, passengers,

this is the final boarding call

for flight 804 to San Francisco.

All remaining passengers
should board now.

So take as long as you need.

I didn't want you to see any of this.

So what?

Warren, on video: We've
completely ignored the fact

that this is a society
divided by fear, hatred,

and violence.

Not true.

We haven't discussed...

"promises and pie crusts
are made to be broken,"

Jonathan swift once said.

And the president's
environmental package today

resembled so much cherry pie crust.

A South vietnamese plane struck
the wrong target here today...

their own village.

Napalm burned a group of civilians

running for their lives.

Here is what we do not know

on this day where over 200
U.S. marines were killed

with the death toll still rising.

We do not know why there was
no perimeter defense set up

that might have stopped
the suicide bomber.

We do not know what role

these marines were supposed to play

in this war-ravaged city.

We do not know why
they were even here.

And so at the end of this terrible day,

what we do know is that
over 200 marines died

without knowing why.

This is Warren Justice,
IBS news, Beirut, Lebanon.

Warren Justice stepped down today

as chief white house
correspondent for IBS.

An award-winning journalist,

Justice has been a prominent
figure at IBS...

So, what is it like
working at the network?

You think you get to the network

and look back at everybody
that made you eat it

and say, "up yours,"

but it's not like that.

What is it like?

It's hard.

Fun.

Why did you leave?

It stopped being fun.

Tell me about these dumb contests

you used to enter with, tawny.

Tawny button.

Why don't you tell me why
it stopped being fun.

You like a contest?

The contest.

Contest.

Miss state line, miss truckee,

miss Tahoe, miss Sierra Logger.

I'll tell you a secret.

I'd keep Sierra Logger a secret.

No. The secret is
in not one of them

did I finish in the top 5.

So what'd you do for talent?

Did you by any chance sing feelings?

No. For
your information,

I did not by any chance sing feelings.

Phone sex is on the rise.

Yeah, let hard copy do it.

Warren won't touch that.

Alaskan wolves.

As in the slaughter of?

We have tape of a wolf caught in a trap.

You got tape on that?
Yes.

Run it at 6:00.

Well, Metro-dade reports

tourists robbery complaints are up 8%.

It's not a story this town's
talking about.

Dan and I were... correction.

It's not a story this
town wants to talk about.

I don't think Tally has her pulse
on the finger of the community

the way I do, Warren.

I think you mean finger on the pulse

of the community, Rob.

Anyway... Let's get
people talking about it.

Harvey, why don't you get into that?

Look at it as your first step
towards the peabody award.

Somebody gonna make me happy?

Wait, wait.

Here's a cross-dresser from Tallahassee

who gets all the way to the finals

in the miss Florida contest.

Boring.

Tally, maybe you want to handle that.

No.

No, I have a hunch you...

you could do a real in-depth piece on it.

I think I'll pass.

But think of it, a
cross-dresser from Tallahassee

who you cannot be trusted.

Ok... Anything else?

So, this is where I live.

It's...
what?

Possible 502.

Vehicle registered to skylight limo.

Do you keep this on all the time?

I find it soothing.

The sound of human iniquity.

Know what a 502 is?

D.W.I. Driving
while intoxicated.

Skylight limo's the one the rockers use.

Probably a drug bust.

Controlled substances.

Tally Atwater reporting live.

You better get going.

The night we did the Diaz story

in the editing room...

I didn't know you then.

I'm not gonna be the guy that goes...

No more upper West Side.

So how 'bout it?

First on the scene,

one-on-one with the lead guitar?

It's what you want, isn't it?

What do you want?

I knew you'd go.

Tally Atwater saying happy new year

from wmia channel 9,

news heartbeat of the American riviera.

You give us 30 minutes,
and we give you Miami,

y El mundo.

We're back in Times Square...

Have you ever met Bucky Terranova?

Agents are for babes, tal,
not for grunts.

He's coming to Miami
next week for a panel.

So is Joanna kennelly.

You know, you and Warren...

You guys aren't having a...

You know...
Thing, are you?

No.

That's what I thought.

The usual deal is
somebody ends up crying.

Nobody's going to end up crying.

And it's usually not Warren.

Happy new year to all of you.

Ok, did you got the baby?

Ok, now... now,
you get me, ok?

Ok.

Fernando, you were convicted in July

of armed robbery,

your third felony conviction.

No. 4.

So, you get free baby clothes,

toys, diaper service for a year,

all for... what are you
calling the baby?

Fernandito.

I always really wanted to name him

Fernando after me.

Lo felicito por su hermoso bebe.

Gracias.

And so Fernando buttanda

heads north to holmsberg prison,

leaving behind his wife Augustina
and their 5 children...

Here's something from the booth.

And rosalio bota,
who at 12:02 this morning

gave birth to his son
Fernando Jr.,

Miami's first baby of the new year.

Sad story, Tally.

It is, Rob.

One with a new year's twist.

I was just informed

that the local merchant's association

decided that because of the
unusual circumstances,

the firstborn layette

should be awarded instead
to little Tiffany polachek.

Born 12:59 A.M.
at kaiser hospital...

You might have cleared this with me.

Back to
the 2-shot. Take.

Tiffany was the second born, Rob.

The layette was supposed
to go to the first.

I think I see the merchants' point.

Arguing on the air.

I'm not surprised you do, Rob.

Happy new year.
Go to commercial.

No go. 30 seconds till the credits.

After all, Mr. buttanda
is an habitual offender,

and the woman has had 2 other
children out of wedlock.

After all what, Rob?

Guys, cut it out.

I don't think we need
to go into that, Tally.

You got 2 cameras on them.
Get one on something else.

What else is there.

It's a runaway train.

Rob, in the spirit of the new year

and the whole idea of firstborn,

I'm sure wmia would be delighted

to honor Miami's true firstborn,

fernandito buttanda.

She can't do that.

She just did it.

15 seconds to credits.

That's all for tonight.

I'm Rob Sullivan.

Tally will surely join me in saying

be of good cheer and happy new year,

from all of us at
the channel 9 news team.

Go. Add it.

Well, that tears it.

All right, we gotta hold this for 15.

Kill their Mikes.

This is the last time you sit here.

I didn't know you'd been appointed
commissar of public morality.

He's a criminal, and she's a whore.

If you can't understand that.

Only whores have babies out of wedlock?

Warren, your protégée is out of line.

Protégée. Does that
mean whore, too?

Tally, shut up and smile.

Rob, we're still on air.

Keep smiling.

Warren, we've got to talk.

You saw tonight.

She doesn't have the maturity.

You're pushing her too fast.

Your protégée doesn't have the maturity.

Is that what you mean?

If you think that pompadour
gives you maturity,

you need professional help, Rob.

That's enough, Tally.

Rob, handling the unexpected

is what we call television.

She has no right... to
what, tell the truth

or change copy to something safe?

Warren, you know as well as I do

she's off the reservation.
And it's up to you to...

to what, rope her in? Cut
her down to size, Dan?

What size do you
want her? Your size?

Warren, I'm warning you.

- That's a wrap.
- Thank you.

That's unbelievable.
Unbelievable!

I've never seen such childlike,
amateurish behavior.

They would have fired her
when I was in St. Louis.

Right, Rob.
Tough shop, St. Louis.

I'm taking this to Dan.

If you don't, I will.

Listen...

Next time you want to
embarrass the station,

quit first.

You want me to quit?

Yeah, that's what I want.

You'd better get it through your head,

you don't go around changing
station policy on air!

I'm the one that has
to get it through my head?!

This is a team!

But I'm not part of the team, am I?

Because no matter what I do,
I will always be written off

as the news director's protégée!

So, fine!

I am perfectly capable of finding a job

where I am nobody's protégée.

Feliz año nuevo.

You're right.

My sister has a baby.
Her live-in has a record.

That make her a whore?

Right again.

He's just stupid.

He's an anchor.

Mr. Terranova,
Mr. Terranova.

Mr. Terranova,
one photo, please.

Joanna kennelly.

Mr. Terranova.

Tally.

Bucky, one last shot.

Joanna kennelly.
We've met before.

Yes. Hello.

Excuse me, miss kennelly sure.

This way, Mr. Terranova.

Have you known Bucky for long?

No, I don't actually know him.

But you want to.

Bucky, come here.

Excuse me.

Very good.

Tally Atwater,
Mr. Bucky Terranova.

News heartbeat of the American riviera,

you give us 30 minutes,
we'll give you El mundo?

I was wondering when
you'd walk into my life.

Please.

I'm gonna need a suite at the Wilshire

and a floor pass at the forum.

It hasn't got to do with that.

Just tell him it's for the day

that the Lakers play the Phoenix...

What... what are they... suns.

Suns. No,
I'll call you back.

Sex and drugs, the downside of
basketball's instant millionaires.

A Joanna kennelly in-depth report.

Well, those tall millionaires
in shorts will love you.

You still got a nice ass.

But it's not this year's ass, is it?

Not even last year's.

I am 7 years and 3 dozen asses back.

The next time I see you...
It'll be 4 dozen.

Unless you're gonna tell me
this one's different.

Wait a minute...

Has somebody finally got to you?

This is not what you think.

Just good friends.
That is novel.

What's it feel like?

It feels... Good.

You gonna go with her
when she makes her move?

You need a year or two in a major market.

Preferably at an o-and-o.
Heavy face time.

What's your feeling about Philadelphia?

What?

A large city in Pennsylvania.
I can put you there.

It's the number 4 market.

It's doable.

They're looking for a fresh face.

Lucky timing.

Your voice is full of money.

Anybody ever tell you that?

I was having... I know where you were,

and I know where you're going.

I'll bet he said your
voice was full of money.

It's what he always says.

He's famous for it. He
even said it to Joanna.

You know, it's actually
not even his line.

It's from a novel.

"Her voice was full of money.

"That was the inexhaustible charm

that Rose and fell on it."

Hemingway, right?

F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Cheap shot.

It's the right move.

Nobody ever called Bucky dumb.

I guess it's even the right time.

We had some fun, you and I.

Didn't we?

What is it you want?

You know what I want.

You want to go to Philadelphia.

No.

So, he says to me, "if
you need a mentor..."

Rober-ito.

Rober-ito?

Rober-ito.

Will you do me a favor?

Rober-ito, but he was serious.

Don't ever say that again.

You could come with me.

First prize, a week in Philadelphia.

Second prize... 2 weeks in Philadelphia.

It's an old joke.

I've already been where you're going.

You could go back.

No.

Why not?

I already told you.

Yeah, all you told me is
that it stopped being fun.

It was a good run while it lasted.

Then I made a mistake.

What kind of mistake?

I had a source, and
I trusted the source,

and I went with the
story, and I got burned.

The source did what sources do.

I should have picked up the
signals, and I missed them.

You're allowed to make
a mistake once in a while.

Not really.

If you choose not to play on the team,

you can't afford mistakes.

Why didn't we do this before?

Because it was always going
to be this hard to stop.

You know, we have
some time before you go.

I don't want to go.

Sure, you do.

You know something,
I never got a chance...

what do you got here?
For me?

Miss Sierra Logger.

My God.

You better go.

Go.

Up next, shocking new information

about a nursing home sex scandal.

Stay with us.
We'll be back in a moment.

John...

Whoever wrote that copy about the
nursing home should be fired.

It's silly, it's wrong,
and I won't say it.

Well, then wing it, Marcia,

you're up to speed on the story.

Real war horse, Marcia.

I thought we'd get together
for a drink after the show

so you two kids could
get to know each other.

John.

Would you mind having your guest move?

She's in my eye line.

I'm sorry.

Here we go again.

John, have you any idea
how little coverage

we actually devote
to substantive discussion

of public policy?

You, you an issues wonk, too, Tally?

I agree, it's an important point.

What is?

The need for substenant...
Bucky told me...

Bucky? Bucky who?

Bucky Terranova, my agent...

Said that Tom Orr told him that... Tom?

You know Tom?

Well, not exactly,
but according to Bucky...

well, Tom is just about
the worst offender.

Well, I have 2 charity
auctions to attend tonight.

That actually a banana daiquiri?

Yeah.

Spring break, lauderdale.

Good night, Tally.

Good night.

Ready, V.T. One...

Time again for 90 years young.

Today we're blessed with twins.

Go, v.T. One.

It's a cute segment.

What's cute about it, Dan?

To the active things they
did in their younger days.

These lovely ladies
grew up in the mountains...

You think it's cute to be
condescending to people

just because they happen
to be older than you?

You gonna think it's cute when you're 98,

fighting to hang onto your dignity,

and there's Rob Sullivan out of the blue

with some cheap birthday cake

calling you a beautiful youngster?

I don't want to argue about this, Warren.

There are people fighting
out there for this spot.

And any time I have a spot

that advertisers
are willing to fight for,

then, no problema.

This is a good spot.

Is that what we're doing?

Is that how we're programming
evening news now, Dan?

Asking the advertisers what they want?

Say an advertiser wants a laugh
track on the evening local,

what about that, Dan?
No problema?

Like it or not, Warren,
this is a business.

Yeah, it's a business.

The entertainment business.

The hell with the news.
The hell with the truth.

Where have all the good times gone?

Philadelphia.

Off this ambulance driver's strike,

we could get into the whole
crisis in emergency care.

Emergency rooms are so crowded,

hospitals are turning ambulances away.

They don't have the beds.

What hospitals, Tally?

County general, for one.

Queen of angels?
St. Matthew's?

How many hospitals?

Tal, you said "hospitals," plural.

Which hospitals? When?

How many people
turned away? Why?

I, I have a call in to the, the...

Paramedics association.

Well, when you have the statistics,

I think you should
definitely reintroduce it.

Ok.

Shall we move on?

If you could find him, ileana,

I only have
a minute. Thanks.

Warren!

So, I saw on the weather
channel it's 95 down there.

Actually, I... I just
didn't want to forget

what your voice sounded like.

No, I haven't forgotten
what you look like.

Stop right there.
We have to feed.

I miss you, too.

Rape has become an ugly fact
of life in Philadelphia,

and in just a moment,

we'll be hearing from Tally
Atwater on that subject.

Some statistics may
convey the idea, Marcia.

According to recent studies,

the median age of men who commit
rape in Philadelphia is 23.

Half have a prior arrest record.

9% of these have been
previously arrested for rape.

Sobering, but don't you think, Tally,

that statistics can seem,

in the face of real human outrage,

worse than irrelevant?

Right, Marcia.

Coming up next,

Bernie platt with the weather.

Ahem.

You want some coffee or something?

Well, I thought I owed you a talk.

We've got these marketing
consultants upstairs.

They run focus groups...

You know, say they invite 20
citizens in for cold cuts,

see what they like and don't like.

And I thought it might be constructive

if we had a look-see

at what they had to say
about Tally Atwater.

Very helpful, John.

I don't like her.

I hit the refrigerator when she comes on.

You know, she looks like...

A bush-league Marcia.

If you ask me, it's her hair.

Why is it women always go with the hair?

Hair is character.

Nobody from nowhere.

Well, that's enough of that.

Tally, I hired you.

I still think you have real potential,

but there's a feeling that you're not...

Making... contact.

Right.

Yeah.

Well said.

But I want to leave this
on a positive note.

I think what you ought to do

is talk to the consultants
who run these deals

and just see what they have to say, ok?

Ok.

Great.

Something up?
Anything wrong?

No, no reason at all.

I just, I mean...

I mean, why should anything be wrong?

I just happen to be so busy,
and I just hit a break.

So, been busy?
You need a break?

Well, I saw these consultants...

consultants on what?

I... I had a makeover.

A makeover? What
do you mean, a makeover?

It seems that I was
a little too edgy for Philly,

but, Marcia couldn't be nicer.

She's a... Super girl.

Super?

Marcia mcgrath?

Tal, you ok?
Anything I can do?

No, everything's great.

It's just that I... It's just that I...

I...

Wanted to say hi.

Hi.

Hi.

You want to say hi again, I'm here.

Bye.

Hablo inglés?

Bucky Terranova.

So, Warren, how long's it been?

R.F.K. Stadium.
Owners' box.

Redskins, giants.

I wanted to leave Washington.

You said you didn't handle
people on the way down.

Redskins won.

So what brings you to Miami?

Stone crab?

Try again.

Well, the fact is, Warren,

I have a client in a certain
amount of distress.

A client with whom you have
a special relationship.

It occurred to me, you
might want to be up there

for a period of time.

Last I heard, I still had a job here.

Yes, and I see that
it keeps you very busy.

What if I can arrange a leave?

Wait a minute.

I'm seeing daylight out of this.

I bring Mel Casey down from
Atlanta to sub for you.

He's got a young wife,

and he wants the spot jobs.

Meshugena.
But it's his life.

You already laid this
on Dan, haven't you?

You, too, could use the time off.

This isn't about you and me.

She's in trouble.

Think it over.

What's up?

I was just wishing I was driving
down the keys with you,

and we were already picking
up Havana on the radio.

How long can you stay?

Long enough.

Hey, what the...

John. Long time
no see.

Warren.

John and I covered
the D.E.A. together

in New Orleans.

Just... Left
my appointment book here,

and I'm on my way.

I didn't think you were coming back.

I think he figured that out, tal.

Tally. Warren.

Fabian, here you are,
back home in the town

where you were discovered
on your own front steps

when you were only 14...

Everybody loved that piece.
We got a huge response.

How do you justify... I mean...
Considering.

What about that guy who chose to murder

that... that... that woman?

That was a terrific idea.

It just wasn't...
contemporary music today...

It wasn't... quite... executed.

You and your children have been here

for 7 weeks now.

Well... When... Yeah. I was...

I was really off that day,
but there is some good stuff

with her children... I... I...

The, S.R.O.
Housing corporation

of course, being the city
agency responsible...

no, no. You didn't get to the
stuff with the children.

I don't need to.

No, but it's good.

It's shit.

It was what?

It was all shit.

Why was she in the hospital?

The social worker told her

she couldn't get her
kids back unless what?

Did you listen to one word
that woman was saying,

or were you too busy worrying
about impressing the viewers

with how much policy
jargon you could spout?

Come here.

Who is that?

Who the hell is this?

What the hell happened to you?

Where's Tally Atwater?

You tell me.
You should know.

You invented her!

Well, I did one lousy job.

You come up here, you take one look

at Marcia mcgrath's uptown eastern act,

and you fold.

If I was into inventing
people, believe me,

I would have invented somebody

a hell of a lot tougher
than you turned out to be.

I am exactly the way you made me.

Do it this way; do it that way,
do it my way,

until I don't even know
how to do it without you!

Bullshit! I dressed you, I
pointed you toward the camera,

but you did it.

You told the story, and
you know how to do it,

and you're going to start
doing it on your own.

I can't.

Look at this, because when
you get to the network...

don't even talk to me about...

I said when you get to the network,

20 million people are going
to be depending on you...

I don't care.

You goddamn well will care

because before they trust you,

they have to know you're
listening to them.

And you can't listen to them
unless you damn well know

who you are.

You see?

It's not all Marcia
mcgrath country up here,

so give them Tally Atwater.

When I asked you
how long you could stay

and you said long enough...
How long is that?

When we're not together...

everything shuts down.

As councilman for this district,

you were influential in securing
the permits and waivers

that allowed patriot hill

to begin construction.

Yes, yes. I cut through some of
the red tape for the developers.

That was me.

When patriot hill

was still called dog bottom,

these same developers
bought up the neighborhood

for dog bottom prices.

Well, they also are in business.

Big business,
from what I understand.

Evacuations continue at the Holly ball,

the scene of the suspicious fire.

Tally, what's the latest?

Whether the chandelier went down

before or after 911 got called,

nobody is saying.

But this has to be one of
the most incendiary affairs

of what social register types

here call "the season."

Well, Tally, the Holly ball

is one of our prettiest
and most traditional events.

How do you suppose such a thing happened?

Just kids with too much time

and nothing to do with it, Marcia.

Bored silly and dressed to kill.

Is that your opinion, Tally?

No, Marcia.
That is observable fact.

Thank you, Tally.

Bucky...

John, can I talk to you a minute, please?

Right.
She is looking good.

I'd like to sit down with you

sometime this week.

So, the ratings are up,

the research says it's Tally.
I owe you one.

I hadn't thought

that she was going to
need her hand held.

Bucky, you make your
living off of people

that need their hands held.

She can go all the way, can't she?

Assuming she doesn't go wiggy again.

Does a first-rate job,

makes a few breaks for herself...

lbs is the shot.
Very fluid lineup.

Plus Wendy chan shows more
than she's been showing.

How long?

A year, 2 years, 18 months.

Time out to decode.

You up for the duration?

No comment, read yes.
Miami know this?

Dan and I don't put each
other on speed dial.

Yeah, if Dan hears you're
even thinking about it,

you've seen your last moon over Miami.

From the point of view of the
guys who do the hiring, Warren,

you don't exactly read user-friendly.

You left too much scorched
earth on the last pass.

What is this, Bucky?
Tough love?

Try Pete Raymond.

Last time I saw Pete Raymond,

I told him the only story

I'd be interested in watching him cover

was his own retirement.

Funny. That's funny.

But you see the problem.

I got it.

IncidenTally, I didn't mention to Tally

I was seeing you tonight.

Still doing it your way, I see.

You got leverage
now. Tell Merino

if he wants to keep her happy,

there's a cameraman in Miami.

He's a good man.

Hey, Tally.

Ned!

Hey.

What are you doing here?

Warren pulled a few strings.

Really?

It's me.

Hell of a temptation, Warren,
having you back on the market.

Never thought you'd leave Miami.

But, end of the day,
you're a hard-news guy.

We recently did a 5-parter on nannies.

5-parter on nannies.

Right off the charts, response-wise.

Is that right?

Ok.

You don't do nannies.

You don't take prisoners.

You ought to pitch somebody

you don't have a history with.

There's a hot young kid
at 4 in Baltimore.

Cord otavio.

Hold all my calls.

So... Tell me something about yourself...

"Warren."

You first... "Cord."

Talked to Bucky today,

mentioned your being here.

He already knew it.

Asked how you were.

So, how are you?

I never thought a partial eclipse

would get to be my
idea of a good time.

You know what I wish?

That this eclipse would move faster.

I wish you didn't
have to go back to Miami.

It's Warren Justice

calling for Pete Raymond again.

No, no, not Mr. Warren.
Mr. Justice.

Look at it this way. If, Mr.
Raymond doesn't know who I am,

he doesn't have to call me back.

Marcia, you may be overreacting.

She takes my broadcast,

a broadcast with which I am identified

and for which I am responsible,

and she makes my broadcast,
and by extension, me,

the object of vulgar innuendo.

The object is not you.

It's me.

If you want to talk
about the d.J., nobody...

just forget about the D.J.

We've got an election coming up here.

I'd hate to waste Marcia.

She knows more about state
politics than the pols do,

so I offer her senior
political correspondent

and director of campaign
coverage, I don't know,

whatever the hell title she wanted,

and she... Well, passed.

I want you to take over
some of her duties.

Is that what this is all about?

Yeah.

Is she staying?

She has an offer in Cincinnati.

Anchor.

It's a nice market for her.

You don't use 20?

My red 28.
You should use 29.

This and a quick comb-out

and I'm ready to go on air

tomorrow night in Cincinnati.

Quelle irony.

I was offered a job at wmia this week.

Yeah. Chris Rice wanted me

to come in and coanchor
with Rob Sullivan.

Chris Rice?

Yeah, Chris Rice of Chicago.
Dynamite news guy.

What's he doing at Mia?

Getting along with Dan,

which is more than Warren
ever bothered to do.

Well, I'm reasonable.

A chiquita banana for me, but...

Chris is really shaking
things up down there.

I actually considered
blowing off Cincinnati,

streaking my hair, and...

Going down to work with Chris,

but you get to be 42,
you know what it costs

to jump off the high board.

You didn't know it was
Chris who replaced Warren?

What does it take
to jump off the high board?

You get to be 42, you don't have to ask.

It's not your fault.
You know that.

It's not anybody's fault.

This is the way it works.

Actually... I'm 44.

Not even Bucky knows that.

It's been a while, buford.

Good times.

Good times.

You're looking for a job, aren't you?

Shit, Warren, you got a habit

of calling a horse's ass a horse's ass.

We got some folks around that shop

just don't appreciate that.

You mean like Gabe Lawrence,

vice president of infotainment?

Yeah. What was it
you said

about Gabe's Grenada coverage?

Blood, sweat, and Perrier.

He never even made the invasion.

It coincided with an unbreakable
periodontal appointment.

The flossers are in charge now, Warren.

I'm just a noble fucking savage

they trot out to the affiliate meetings.

Are your sources at the
Pentagon still good?

I think so. Why?

You might want to ask them
about South of here.

Yeah?

1999, we got to give
back the Panama canal,

and I just can't see that happening

without a whole bunch of people
running a whole lot of blades.

This intuition, or you hear something?

I heard the usual people were interested.

You got anybody on it?

Ol' Gabe don't think there's a story.

You go down there, you'd own it.

Kind of wanted to stay
around here for a while.

Is she worth it?

Deep down, she wants
to shoot up the town.

Hell, I'm always good for lunch.

You've heard all my stories, buford.

Take care of yourself.

You, too.

Hey.

I've been trying to call you all day.

I should've let you know.
I went up to New York.

To do what?

Nothing much. You
should've been up there.

There's a street fair

on one of these incredible New York days.

See anybody you know?

All these little kids running around

with cotton candy on their face.

What?

Anything happen up there?

Yeah. Yeah.
Here's a news break.

I got a cabdriver that
could find penn station...

wait a second now.

What?

Is there something you
don't want to tell me?

You ask a lot of questions.

I don't get a lot of answers.

A lot of reporters think
their job in Washington

is to cover their bets.
Warren didn't.

He thought he was there
to tell the story,

which didn't make him widely popular.

He ever tell you why he left the network?

He said he... Made a mistake on a story.

He trusted the source,
and he shouldn't have.

That's what he told me.

He trusted the source

because I was the source.

I took a year off
from the Washington bureau

to run briefings for state.

Warren and I had a deal.

I did what I had to do,
he did what he had to do.

Never dreamed for a minute
he'd buy that story.

But he did.

Yeah, he did.

In the overall scheme of things,

it shouldn't have mattered,
but it did matter,

because the network
was looking for an excuse,

and now they had an excuse.

They saw him as a wild
card to begin with.

They got him to sit down at
lunch at 21 with buford sells.

Buford sells put it to him,

play it the network's way
or take the highway,

and our Warren took the highway.

Buford used to be his best friend.

So, you see, it took a lot for him

to ask bu for a job.

You do a lot of things
for a lot of people.

There can't be many people
in this business

who don't owe you a favor.

Now you're going to collect one.

You're going to collect it for me.

What am I doing?

You did this to me, Terranova!

Put my back against the wall,

tell me I got to hire these guys.

I don't have to hire these guys!

I already worked with Warren Justice.

He worked down in new
Orleans with the d.E.A.

Almost got me killed...
not now!

Whatever's good for the governor,

I'll, make myself available.

We do a series of backgrounders

on the news before it becomes news.

We start with the governor

hanging his re-election
campaign on prison reform.

McBride's up 24 points in the polls

because the public thinks

cutting inmate privileges
is the tough way to go.

We ask the questions.

"We"?

You and me.

Look, it's "we," why don't
you ask me how I saw it?

How do you see it?

See what the prison professionals think,

you talk to the warden,
you talk to the guards.

McBride thinks he's being tough,

my bet is he's just being butch.

Then you'll do it?

We could see each other all day long...

God, you want something,
you don't give up.

There's something else I want.

You've already got me doing
one thing I don't want.

What other things you got in mind?

Marry me.

What?

Marry me.

I've been married.

Twice. Bad idea.

Twice.

I want you around in the morning.

You already have me
around in the morning.

How, I don't know, but you do.

I want to know you're legally
required to be there.

By the power vested in me,

I now pronounce you man and wife.

You may kiss your bride.

Thanks.

Going into some office

and getting the rotary lunch
speech from the warden

won't do it.

But if we could show
how McBride's reforms

are affecting just one
inmate in one prison,

a day in the life...

That would tell the story.

You listening to me or not?

I thought this was supposed
to be our night off.

My wife the candy ass.

Does our night off end at midnight?

Remember Fernando buttanda?

What?

The father of the new year's baby.

Miami. Layette.

Rob and I fighting on the air?

Hey... They
sent him up here.

From holmsberg.

He's the day in the life.

Full-screen headline... "governor
signs prison reform act."

Cut to McBride. Smash
into his campaign bites.

"Holmsberg is a prison.
It's not a resort.

"Holmsberg works," etcetera,
etcetera, etcetera.

Meantime, over each bite,

we show the jump that
he gets in the polls.

And then we have this one prisoner...

And the effect on him

when McBride orders all
the TV sets and laptops

taken out of each cell.

And also defunded all rehab
and vocational training.

What else?

What do you mean, "what else"?

Well, I just get the sense

you may be coming down heavy on McBride.

If you think it's heavy to say

that McBride has been peddling nitro

to get himself re-elected,

then we're coming down heavy.

Look... Do I think
the crime issue

is manipulated for political ends?

Absolutely.

Then what are we talking about?

Do I think that large numbers of people

want to hear this?
Not necessarily.

John's concern is...

I know what John's concern is.

John's feeling is that...

He wants us to tell the viewers

what he thinks they want to hear.

Did you ever entertain any idea

you didn't get from a focus group, John?

Shit.
You know, Warren,

you stake out the moral high ground,

everybody else gets altitude sickness.

John... You think I
want this kind of shit,

think I even wanted this project?

John!

She wanted it.

You know, you talk about what you want,

she's the one who's out
there on the line,

and the only reason she's out there

is to give you something to do!

Actually, I've got something to do.

Look, Tally, he'll show up...

You move down...
It's a great story...

He's a professional.
Fine stuff like that.

Let's go in and set up.

Warren Justice for colonel Peters.

Barry?

Are you... Long time, right.

Barry, you still covering
Panama for the Pentagon?

Oyeme...

I was working in the infirmary all day

with... I don't know, how do you say...

Los locos?

The disturbed.

And... I like it,

and they go and Chuck out the program...

And when they shut down this gym,

like they say they will do...

Put your hands down!

Everybody in here, man,
is going to be a...

A loco... Disturbed.

Actually, I'll be
in Washington later today.

Maybe we could just...

No, no, maybe we could just
sit down, chew the fat.

About this and that.

Specifically?

I'll call you when I get there.

If you need anything more,

this TV is light duty, so call me.

Thank you so much.

Ok, thank you.

You get over there!
Don't go out!

All units, especially
those in the vicinity

of holmsberg prison,

the prisoners have taken control of
the gymnasium and 2 cell blocks.

Unconfirmed,

they're holding 10 to 12 hostages.

A crew from channel 7

apparently had been filming
when the riot broke out.

Hey!

I got guards in there.

You tell the public, they're dead.

I'm telling you, stop
chickenshitting around and go in.

The warden's got...
governor's got...

what's the governor got to do with it?

The mayor and the commissioner...

get the commissioner on the phone!

Anything on the channel 7 news crew?

Gary Logan, IBS.

The warden's going to be briefing me.

Warden keele?

Yes.

Warden...

Warden, I have information there's
a channel 7 reporter still inside.

Can you confirm whether
or not she's alive?

We won't know until we go in.

I'm getting something on the line.

It may be Tally trying to feed.

Is Ned shooting this?

Somebody is. Roll a production tape.

Tal?

Are you there?

Tal?

Tal, it's me. Are you there?
Are you hearing me?

Tal, can you hear me?

I hear you!

Stay against the wall.
Watch your back.

Ok, you've got one thing going for you.

You've got the camera.

Whatever you do, do it on-air.

It's the only weapon you've got.

You're their chance to tell the world

what's going on in there.

Use the camera.

I'm not on-air!

They don't know that, and
before they do, you will be.

Keep it out there. It's
gonna protect you.

Keep it in his face.

Or you got something to say?

4, 3, 2, 1...
Holmsberg prison!

This is Tally Atwater, live from
the gymnasium at holmsberg...

Man, just tape it. It's
not gonna be perfect.

Yeah, yeah!
First of all,

we demand all our TV back!

We're feeding.
They can see us.

We're now feeding live.

We'll try now to go to Tally Atwater

for a channel 7 exclusive report. Tally?

This is Tally Atwater reporting live...
In holmsberg prison.

At approximately
4:15 this afternoon,

the whistle sounded...

That, all across this country,

means "guard
in trouble."

Tally, can you tell us what
precipitated this incident?

Ok, Warren, coming back in 30.

Tal, in 30 seconds, you're back on-air.

There's something happening in "c" block.

We're gonna try and get closer
after this next feed.

How you doing?

I'm so tired.

You know what I keep thinking about?

That time you tried to teach me

to bone fish in the keys.

I was really terrible, wasn't I?

You were ok.

10 seconds.

Tal, the tac teams are here.

They're taking up positions.

Back
to the studio. Doug?

Thank you, Rhonda. As you know,
channel 7's Tally Atwater

and cameraman Ned Jackson
remain inside holmsberg,

where they have been reporting...

Merino.

The channel 7 news team
was inside the prison,

interviewing inmates for a special
report, when the riot broke out.

The network wants to go live, national.

It's your show.

Let's try to go live once
again to Tally Atwater.

Tally, what can you tell us?

We have been told that
tactical assault teams

are taking up positions
outside even as I speak.

Should there be
an onslaught, prisoners...

Tal? Tal,
can you hear me?

Goddamn it!

What's going on?

Signal's gone.

Come on.

Warren? Warren,
what's happening?

Tal, are you there?
Do you hear me? Tal?

They're gone.
Can't raise them at all.

We're right here in front
of holmsberg prison

where the s.W.A.T.
Team has come in...

Philadelphia, hang on.
New York, yeah, what?

No, not yet. No. I don't
have audio, either.

Stand by. When we do, we'll
let you know. Stand by.

Tom... look, if we get it,
when we get it,

we're gonna go national.
That's right.

Civil rights attorney

and prisoner advocate, Gary mandanak.

Gentlemen, thank you for joining
us at this very late hour.

Did the warden give the green light...

Wait a minute. We're get...
I got something.

Tal?

Fernando?

That's her.
Tal, can you hear me?

Where is she?

Open this door!
Open it! Open it!

Tal, can you hear me?

Are you ok?

I'm ok.

Fernando, can I talk to you?

Do you have this situation under control?

Under control.
How is that possible?

Tom, they're claiming control.
Ask her about that.

Tally, we're getting word

that the situation there
is under control.

You're feeding live,
tal... national.

Well, it's under control, Tom,

but the inmates have control...
Which inmates?

Or, more accurately, one group
of inmates has control.

This has not been good news
for other inmates.

Of the 8 men I can confirm
have been killed today,

none... repeat...
none have been guards.

One...
Of the 8 dead inmates,

one was, apparently,
shot by tower guards.

The other 7, it appears, were victims
of continuing racial vendettas here...

No! No more
gang shit, Tally.

Fernando, how much more time do
you have left on your sentence?

Madre...

I got 15 months, and then
I come up for parole.

You know what's going to happen
when the guards come in.

You could end up dead.

I could end up dead
on biscayne boulevard.

It is now 2 A.M.

The riot has been underway

for close to 10 hours.

We're back live with wfil
Philadelphia's Tally Atwater,

who is inside holmsberg prison.

Tally's been keeping us informed

from her bird's-eye view of the riot.

What's the mood?

Describe the scene, can you, Tally?

The mood here, Tom, is ominous.

Inmates are prepared for what they
believe will be the final assault,

probably before dawn.

Are they armed? These
inmates have weapons.

They give every indication
they will fight

because to fight is a way of life.

It's a way of life
learned on the streets.

To see the faces inside
this prison is to remember

that on such streets,

crime is just a way of
taking care of business.

This is Tally Atwater
inside holmsberg prison.

Shut it down.

Go! Go! Go! Go! Go...!

You're watching live footage

of the riot that broke out
earlier at holmsberg prison.

Wfil's Tally Atwater
and cameraman Ned Jackson

are inside the prison.

As you can see by these dramatic
pictures that we're getting,

the tac team has entered the prison.

In the next minutes and hours,
the matter will be resolved.

The only question is...
How high the price?

Tal?

Can you hear me, tal?

You can see they're
chaining them in the area.

Hold onto that shot, guys.

Stand by.
We've lost tal.

We're still feeding. When we get
her back, we'll let you know.

24 hours ago, I came to holmsberg prison

to report on how governor George McBride's
new "get tough" prison policies

were affecting one convict.

It was meant to be a day in the
life of Fernando buttanda.

Fernando buttanda

was not a good man
by society's standards.

He was not even a good man
by his own standards.

Recently, however, in a job
training program here at holmsberg,

Fernando began to learn nursing skills.

He volunteered to work
in the prison hospital,

at some risk to himself,
with violent patients.

He was good at it.
He liked doing it.

A month ago, governor George McBride...

who is campaigning for reelection

on the pledge to reform
other Pennsylvania prisons,

as he has reformed holmsberg...
canceled this program.

"A prison
is about punishment."

He added, "it is not
about another chance."

During the next hours and
weeks, we'll hear a lot

about what prisons
should and should not be:

A lot of opinions
as to why this riot occurred

in this place at this time.

Many fixes will be proposed,
many answers formulated.

Inside holmsberg prison last night,

answers were hard to come by.

What we do know
is that 15 prisoners died,

including Fernando buttanda.

This is Tally Atwater,

wfil news, holmsberg prison.

Thank you, Tally.
And we'll be recapping...

You were good.

No. You were great.

Tally Atwater for Mark lindner.

This is as far as I go.

One floor up, first door on your left.

Ms. Atwater,
I'm Mark lindner.

It's good of you to come and see us.

Would you like some coffee,
a soft drink, mineral water?

No, thank you.
I'm fine.

Karen, you know
what calls to put through.

This is buford sells.

How do you do?
It's a real pleasure.

Hello.
And Gabe Lawrence.

How are you?

Have a seat.

For better or worse,

we're the 3 musketeers who
run the news division.

That was quite a job you
did for us at holmsberg.

Thank you.

Don't get up.

So.

So.

Tell me what they said.

Washington bureau...

Weekend anchor, evening news.

I said I'd think about it.

Can I help you?

We'll wait.

Sure.

Weekend anchor?

What's to think about?

Well, actually, what I think
is we make a pretty good team.

It's no good that way.

We tried it.
It doesn't work.

We did holmsberg.
It worked.

No. You did holmsberg.

And you did it yourself,
and you were terrific.

I've been making some calls,

and I think there's a story
in Panama nobody's telling.

I have a hunch that some people

would like to see us get
into a war down there

because they're not that enthusiastic

about turning over the canal in '99.

We can do Panama.

Networks aren't interested.

We can make them interested.

I can go into Panama City,

spend a few days, pick up a local crew...

And head out.

You already set this up.

Tally...

I've gotta do this by myself.

Do you see that?

Wasn't the whole idea
for us to be together?

It was,

but it can't be me putting wine on ice

while you wrap up the evening news.

And it can't be you turning down a story

because you don't wanna
leave me at loose ends.

Do you wanna be with me?

So much it hurts.

I don't wanna be anywhere

where I can't see you or touch you.

I don't wanna be anywhere

where I can't hear your voice

or tell you a story and
see this great smile.

But I've got a narrow-but-very-definite
window of opportunity...

And... If I can get this... And if...

If you get lucky... Gold. Gold.

Do you really want this?

You made me want it.

Flight 811 to Miami, Belize, and Panama

is in its final boarding process.

All passengers should be aboard.

We haven't had enough time.

Hey...

Every day we have is one
day more than we deserve.

I'm gonna tell you the best
story you've ever heard.

Darling?

Been a while since I've done this.

Have fun.

Hey!

Stay upwind.

To explore possible
repercussions to our economy.

Meanwhile, the dollar
continued its free fall

against the yen and the deutsche Mark.

We'll be discussing this
latest run on the dollar

tomorrow night on American notebook

with treasury secretary Willis Barry.

This is Tom Orr.
I'll see you then.

Tally, how are you?

Go on, sit down.
It won't bite.

And, Tally...

Don't get too attached to that chair.

You know,
I call it "home."

Have you got the uplink?

We're gonna try out a new stringer.

Just chat him along. We
got a couple of minutes.

That one?

Satellite time costs money, boys!

Run him out here.

Here he is.

That has to be the dirtiest,

scruffiest-looking excuse for a reporter

I have ever seen.

My God... It's
the anchor person.

New hairdo, I'll bet.
Shoes shined...

Hey, buford, get the hell outta there.

I wanna talk to my wife
without you listening in.

Miss me?

Occasionally.

When are you coming home?

I got a few more days in the boonies...

Then I can wrap this up.

Did you get it?

Yeah, I got it.

I nailed it.

You look so good.

Sorta glad I can't see you.

The mind... it's a
wonderful, dirty thing.

Wait.

Just one more thing I wanted to tell you.

God, I'm having fun.

Speech! Speech! Speech! Come on.

Ok. First of all...

Ok. I'm gonna
try not to cry.

This is for Warren,

who couldn't quite make the party,

but is definitely on his way back home

from what he calls
"hog heaven."

To Warren. To Warren. To Warren!

And Ned, who is one of two people

who knows what I really
look like in the morning.

Where is he?

Ned?

What are you doing?

Reports are sketchy,

but we are receiving word that
in a remote section of Panama

near the Colombia border,

a freelance news crew came under
heavy fire within the past 24 hours.

The group included at least one American.

We still don't know if the survivors...

I've liberated the hard liquor!

We can now confirm by this
startling unedited footage

that the American
traveling with this crew

is former IBS newsman Warren Justice.

He's not... it's ok. Come on. I'm not...

Get down!

It's now definitely been confirmed that
at least 2 crew members survived...

He's ok.
He made it.

We are trying to technically
enhance these pictures

so we can confirm exactly
what we are seeing.

We still don't know what
motivated this attack.

Information is contradictory,

but it appears to indicate
that an ambush took place

at this remote airstrip near the
Colombian border in Southern Panama.

We are hearing via telephone
hookup with sources in Panama

that Justice was investigating
reports about the arming of groups

violently opposed to turning
over the Panama canal.

His shoes... Excuse me.

We've now confirmed that the
American traveling with this group,

former IBS newsman Warren Justice,

was killed today in Panama.

Warren Justice was a seasoned
journalist and a good friend.

No, he can't be dead...

As we continue...
To sort this out,

we'll take a short break

to allow our stations
to identify themselves.

We'll have more on this breaking
story in Panama when we return.

No...

This is the IBS evening news.
I'm Tom Orr.

Questions emerging from information

uncovered by former IBS newsman Warren
Justice before his death in Panama

are beginning to seem
uncomfortably close to home

to some people in Washington.

This network is just now editing tape

obtained by Justice
in the days before his death.

Information in this tape
seems to change the face...

You know those faces.

You remember those stories.

They were the men and women
who made IBS news, this year,

number one in 5 of your 12 top markets.

Next year, you can count on this:

We're going to be even better

because the IBS news team just
acquired a stealth weapon.

You may not have caught her at wmia,

you may have missed her at wfil,

but none of us will soon forget
her award-winning coverage

of the riots at holmsberg prison.

What we in the news business
must never forget is

we are only as good
as the stories we tell.

She arrived in our business
from smalltown, U.S.A.

You could say that Sally Ann
knew exactly what she wanted,

and what she wanted was to be number one.

And "Sally Ann"... as her
family liked to call Tally...

wouldn't take no for an answer.

Everyone said, "you want
a job in television",

you have to make
a demo tape."

So... I made a demo.

Why hire Sally?

Because I'm Sally, and
I'm going to be a star.

So she walks into my office
that first day in Miami...

skinny, God-awful clothes,
not much going for her,

wanting to be anybody but herself...

and I make her get my shirts,
I make her get the coffee...

I shoot down all of her stories...

But she was tougher than me.

She was already something.

She was already the sun and the moon...

All by herself.

We at IBS hold a special
place in our hearts

for that honored handful
of newsmen and women

whose lives and careers, in the
course of bringing home the news,

have been cut tragically short.

We salute them.

Ladies and gentlemen,

it's time to begin
a new generation at IBS...

Tally Atwater.

Panama turned out to be
a big story for IBS.

It didn't start that way.

It... Started with one reporter
who... Had a hunch.

He had a hunch, and he went out alone,

and he did all the legwork,

and at the end of the day, he got it.

Which is what doing this is all about.

I... I didn't always think

that I thought if I ever stood
up at something like this,

it would be about glory
or, Showing people.

It's different.

I know that now.

I'm only here for one reason:

To tell the story.

My husband told me that not so long ago.