Treme (2010–2013): Season 1, Episode 6 - Shallow Water, Oh Mama - full transcript
Toni tracks down a former cop in search of clues about Daymo; Davis raises his profile on the streets and on TV; Delmond tours while Antoine toils; Janette considers suspending operations; Albert vents about the lack of tribe lodging; and more.
♪ city council, district c ♪
- ♪ DJ Davis ♪
- Davis: ♪ vote for me ♪
♪ we all have this feelin'... ♪
Ladies and gentlemen,
D.J. Davis in the house!
Remember, Davis can save us.
Watch the candidates' forum
tomorrow night on w.Y.E.S.
Remember my platform:
Pot for potholes,
Hos for schools,
always for pleasure,
Break all the rules!
Give me that ass. Slap it.
Pat pat pat pat.
Right here stripper spank.
Ooh, I almost forgot my
newest campaign promise:
If elected, I will
introduce legislation
That will rename Lee circle.
From this day forth it
will no longer be in honor
Of that sainted Robert e. Lee.
"walking with mister lee" circle
Will honor Mr. Lee Allen,
The greatest tenor sax-man
this city has ever produced.
So buy my c.D.
- That's right.
- For sale right here.
Ooh, and for all my friends
in the gay community--
And district "c" is the
gay district,
Uh-huh--
Remember, all crimes
against nature
Will be naturalized
in the Crescent city.
I give you my sacred oath.
We will reform the
Napoleonic code.
♪ vote for me... ♪
♪ hangin' in the treme ♪
♪ watching people sashay ♪
♪ past my steps ♪
♪ by my porch ♪
♪ in front of my door ♪
♪ church bells are ringin' ♪
♪ choirs are singing ♪
♪ while the preachers groan ♪
♪ and the sisters moan in
a blessed tone ♪
- ♪ mmm-hmm ♪
- ♪ yeah ♪
♪ down in the treme ♪
♪ just me and my baby ♪
♪ we're all going crazy ♪
♪ while jamming and
having fun ♪
♪ trumpet bells ringing ♪
♪ bass drum is swinging ♪
♪ as the trombone groans ♪
♪ and the big horn moans ♪
♪ and there's a saxophone ♪
♪ down in the treme ♪
♪ it's me and my baby ♪
♪ we're all going crazy ♪
♪ while jamming and
having fun ♪
♪ down in the treme ♪
♪ it's me and my baby ♪
♪ we're all going crazy ♪
♪ while jamming and
having fun. ♪
Whoo!
Make Sofia some leftovers.
There's a half a meatloaf
on the top shelf.
This gray thing in saran wrap?
You can pop it in the microwave
Or slice it cold for
sandwiches.
Do we have any more
creole mustard?
- Who puts creole mustard on meatloaf?
- I do.
I put creole mustard
on everything.
Where are you going again?
Port sulphur?
- Port Arthur.
- That's in Texas.
No, you swore a solemn oath.
I didn't.
What's Sofia up to?
Oh, she's working
on her costume.
Make sure she does her
homework too.
Promise?
Cray, listen,
I-- I gotta drive here.
I'll see you tomorrow. Love you.
You too.
♪ you never would call ♪
♪ while I had the blues you
were having a ball ♪
♪ you thought that I'd be
here to run to ♪
♪ now I'm gonna do to you
what I was done to ♪
♪ too bad about you,
my friend ♪
♪ it could've been great ♪
♪ but I was a little
too lonely ♪
♪ and you were a little
too late. ♪
♪ won't you come
along with me... ♪
Yeah, dance, white boy.
♪ to the Mississippi? ♪
♪ we're going down to
the land of dreams ♪
♪ from down the River
down to new Orleans... ♪
- Yeah, you know why?
- Man: Why?
Because...
♪ basin street is a street ♪
♪ where all them white and black
characters from them first precinct
meet ♪
♪ in new Orleans... ♪
- ♪ the land of dreams... ♪
- man: High as a kite.
♪ you never know
how nice it seems ♪
♪ until you get down
South to new Orleans ♪
♪ I'm proud to be, yes siree ♪
♪ rebel rebel free, baby ♪
♪ Orleans with me, right? ♪
Learn the words, motherfucker.
Et toi? Give it up, Phoenix.
- Man #2: Oh, yeah!
- Man #3: Yeehaw!
Now that's traditional.
The banjo ain't my bag,
but this dude can play.
Don Vappie? Oh, yeah.
I've always been down
with traditional myself.
Yeah, I noticed,
but you old school
And cutting edge
at the same time.
That's new Orleans, young man--
Many styles, many traditions.
Yeah, but for me
traditional is bird and Diz
Playing "salt peanuts"
at Massey hall
With bud Powell and x roach.
- And Charles Mingus on bass.
- Right, exactly!
One, two, three. Yeah!
Come on, y'all. Come on,come on!
I'll tell you what,
let's go up here and do our set,
But end with a little
something from home.
Like what?
"iko," "Mardi gras mambo,"
"saints."
You gotta give the
good people of Arizona
A little of what
they came to hear.
Just play our set, man.
Mr. Dietrich?
Jim Dietrich? I'm Toni Bernette.
I'm a lawyer from new Orleans
And I need to talk to you
for a minute if I may.
It's not about n.O.P.D.
I'm looking for
somebody who's missing,
And I drove all this way
Hoping you'd be able to help me.
- Hey, Angie.
- Hey, Antoine.
- How you doing?
- Good, baby.
- How are you?
- I'm good.
What you got there? - It's a
little something for your daddy.
- Oh, yeah? He's inside.
- Both: Mwah!
That's a real fine hn.
To replace the one you
lost in the flood.
It's beautiful, daddy.
I can't.
This must have cost a fortune.
See, I didn't buy it.
Somebody bought it for you.
Yeah, a jazz fan. Japanese cat.
Come through town, looking to do good
for new Orleans musicians, right?
I told him about your situation
and he knew all about you.
Yeah, big fan.
He said it was the
least he could do,
- An honor.
- I don't know.
I ain't felt much like
blowing, you know?
That's because you
ain't had one to blow.
Now look here, maestro,
that thing needs to make noise.
I don't know what to say.
Like you always told me--
Straight ahead and
strive for tone.
Spoken to every officer
from the second district
Who worked the midnight
to 8:00 shift that Sunday.
Well, everybody except for you
And Bobby Foskett.
why second district?
A young man I'm looking for
lived on valence street,
And the restaurant he worked
at is at Laurel and Webster.
Okay.
Well, his boss asked him to
do something at the restaurant
That morning just before
the storm blew in.
He never showed.
My best guess-- he was
stopped on the way there.
That's thin.
That's what I've got.
So you talked to everyone
else in the 12:00 to 8:00,
And it's down to me
and Bobby Foskett.
- And Bobby Foskett's dead.
- You heard?
Ate his gun a month
after the storm.
Still don't know
how you found me.
You had your last check sent to
your sister's here in port Arthur.
After that it was easy.
I just called the
utility company.
Only had a couple of
traffic stops that morning.
When the storm blew in,
we had our fuckin' hands full.
I pulled over a black
male about this guy's age,
Blew through the light at
Nashville and Tchoupitoulas.
Blew through it right
in front of me,
So I had to hit the blue tops,
Give him a ticket.
This young man?
Could be. I don't know.
This matters.
I need a positive I.
D. For the habeas.
I need you to be sure.
That was five months ago.
And let's be honest--
He looks like a lot of guys
I've written up over the years.
I'm sorry.
I wish I could help.
But that was another life.
I'm done with n.O.P.D.
Done with new Orleans too,
for what it's worth.
That's me.
You don't have to take that.
- Cray, it's on wheels.
- No problem.
We're just across the way,
short-term parking.
You didn't need to pick me up.
- I'd have taken a cab.
- Don't be silly.
My Agent comes all the
way from New York...
I'm so glad to see you, Cray.
You should come to
New York more often.
How long has it been?
Carla, level with me, will ya?
They want their advance back,
don't they?
I know they haven't
forgotten about it.
I know it's just gnawing the
guts out of some Bean counter.
There are a couple of things
I wanna talk to you about,
But it's all good.
- Oh.
- I love the band.
The best airport music ever.
Why'd you quit?
If you don't mind my asking.
Ma'am, I worked eight straight
days after that storm,
All of it out of my car.
I wore the same uniform,
stank like a dog.
I ate and drank what
I could scavenge.
At some point I just
had to wonder why?
My house was underwater,
everything I owned with it.
It ain't like I'm too old to
do something else, you know?
Mm.
I just had enough.
What are you going to do now?
My brother's in
corpus with the union,
Gonna get me some work offshore.
- Good luck.
- You to
Sorry I can't put a face
to that Tchoupitoulas stop.
I feel bad it was me who got
your friend lost in the sauce.
The young man on Tchoupitoulas
who ran a red light--
You said you wrote him
a ticket. - I had to.
He blew through the light
right in front of me.
But you didn't lock him up,
right? - Yeah, he got locked up.
Wait wait.
You arrested him for
running a red light?
No, for the warrant.
The warrant?
Guess we're not done.
Carla, I thought random house
wrote me off a long time ago.
Maybe they did to a
certain extent,
But Katrina has put new Orleans
Back on the map
in a certain way.
It nearly wiped it off
the map, actually.
The near-death of
an American city
And now my publisher's
hot for a book
They couldn't care less
about six months ago.
Actually, they're not only
interested in bringing
Your novel out on next
fall's list,
But they want you to do something
contemporary before then.
Contemporary? - Yeah,
those passionate editorials
That you've been doing
on the Internet?
I showed a couple to your editor
And, uh, Lisa loves
that voice from you.
"fuck you, you fucking fucks"-
nice title.
From serious novelist to cartoon
In one single volume.
No, they'd bring the
novel out after.
And if you can manage to
make the novel contemporary,
Maybe set part of it in
post-Katrina--
The novel is about
the 1927 flood.
It speaks to the present
situation only as metaphor.
Well, perhaps if you could
bookend some older material--
Jesus Christ, Carla.
I thought you said they wanted the book.
They do,
But in the voice
that you have become.
You're a spokesman
now for this city.
I'm not trying to be the
spokesman of the city.
New Orleans speaks for itself.
And the novel is what it is.
If they still want it, fine.
You haven't published
in eight years, Cray.
And now because of the storm--
Yes, because of it--
Your publisher wants this
book desperately.
This is an opportunity.
I'll finish the damn novel.
When? What can I tell them?
I need a month, six weeks maybe.
But it's a novel
about the '27 flood.
That's what they bought.
That's what I'm writing.
I checked for warrants
On David when I first
began looking for him.
There is nothing on
record with a court.
You think I want to lock the
man up with a hurricane coming?
I was gonna let him roll
with the traffic ticket.
But how am I gonna
cut a guy loose
When he's got a warrant on
him for failing to appear?
So you arrested him and took him to o.
P.P.? - Radioed for the sergeant
To meet me back at I.P.C.
, sign off on the paperwork.
I waited for-- must've
been an hour, maybe more.
Finally, I make phone
contact with him.
Says he's out of pocket,
shit's hitting the fan.
He'd come down at the end
of the shift and sign off.
So I left the guy there. They said
they'd hold him for the sergeant.
And whatever paperwork
you left for the prisoner
Goes under 10' of water
when the jail floods, huh?
The affidavit from
your citation book--
There'd be a carbon of it.
- Left it in the car.
- At second district?
- Lake Charles.
- Lake Charles?
When I left,
I just crawled in my unit
- And drove out of town.
- Why Lake Charles
You think I was gonna take an n.
O.P.D. Unit out of Louisiana?
I was in enough trouble
taking it out of town,
Never mind across state line.
I drove it onto the
Lake Charles p.D. Lot,
Left the keys at the front desk,
Told them to call new Orleans,
let 'em know.
Then I got my brother-in-law
to drive over and get me.
Take another look, please?
Sorry.
I can't be sure it's him,
I mean, if you want me
to be honest about it.
You gave him a drink?
All he wanted was a Barq's.
It goes with everything.
Jacques, what am
I gonna tell him?
I can't run a
restaurant without meat.
I don't even know how I'm
gonna pay staff today.
You can't make payroll?
Oh, shit. Who's that? - Seafood.
fuck me.
Give him a Barq's too.
What's up, Jacques?
Uh, Janette had to run
out for a few minutes.
It's funny how everybody
all of a sudden
Got all these errands
they gotta run today.
She has a very busy afternoon.
But if you'd like to wait...
I don't want to, but I will.
What would you like to drink?
Scotch.
You too, huh?
Hey, daddy.
Heard them talking about your
Youtube stuff on the radio.
You're famous.
I'm mentioned.
There's a difference.
Was that your mom on the phone?
She said she'd be home
tomorrow morning for sure.
Are we out of milk again?
Right.
"Davis can save us.
" what is that?
Oh, it's the Davis
bumper sticker.
He's running for city council.
Davis Mcalary?
Our Davis who's teaching
you boogie-woogie--
That bozo's running for council?
♪ vote for me, I am fakin' ♪
♪ I won't lose my shit
like mayor Nagin. ♪
- Hey.
- Mom's not here.
It's not your language.
This isn't funny.
What's happening in new
Orleans now is not a joke.
We're fighting for our lives,
for our way of life.
People are dying.
People are homeless.
People are stuck
all over the place.
They can't get back.
Everything is not a
joke all the time.
You mean like krewe Du vieux?
That's political satire.
This-- it's a long tradition.
This is just wrong.
Where's the gaffer?
- Can I help you?
- Yeah.
Davis Mcalary, here for
the candidates' forum.
Mcalary, you are indeed
a registered candidate.
Paid the fees with cash money.
Come with me.
Hold that. Enjoy that.
- Sonny: It's pretty good.
- Yeah.
Getting me a shitload
of those, you know?
That sounds good.
- He's in Chicago now? Palmer house?
- Phil Frazier: Yeah.
- And Troy's playing trumpet?
- Like I told you, man.
- You're sure?
- Yeah, I got you.
- All right, I'll call him right now.
- Sure.
Thanks.
- Honey, it's your turn to--
- shh shh. Hold on now.
The Palmer house. - Can I speak
to one of your guests?
Sure. What's the name?
- Yeah, uh, Dr. John.
- Dr. John?
- The musician Dr. John.
- Is there another name he goes by?
Another name? I don't know.
That is his name.
Oh, I know what you're saying.
It's, um, Mac...
Uh, Mac...
- Aw shit.
- Sorry, sir.
- No, pardon me.
- No Mac.
- You ain't got a Mac?
- Not registered.
hey, you remember
his real last name?
- Rebennack.
- Rebennack.
- How do you spell that?
- Like it sounds, shit.
One moment.
you're welcome.
- Dr. John: Yeah?
- Yeah, uh, Dr. John,
It's Antoine batiste
calling from new Orleans.
Hey, Antoine. What's happening?
Uh, yeah, Philip Frazier
told me I oughtta call you.
You might need a trombone to
fill in on a tour you're making?
Look, Antoine, I'd love to have
you with the aggravation,
But we already got Troy
playing slide.
I thought Troy was
playing trumpet.
Charlie Miller is
playing that...
- Charlie Miller, that motherfucker.
-...This time around.
Wish I could hook you up.
Yeah.
Well, that's all right. Thanks.
Hey, keep me in mind, you know?
- I could--
- yeah, you bet.
Don't worry, yeah.
You'll find something.
And, Peggy, that is why
I'm the best candidate
For city council, district c.
- Mr. Mccleary.
- Mcalary.
My apologies. Mr. Mcalary.
Oh, um...
Well, first I'd like to sing
some of my campaign song.
♪ so just-- ♪ - I have to ask
you to stay within the format.
No singing.
You have two minutes for an
opening statement.
Okay.
Thank you, Houston!
Oh, man. Loved that, man.
Loved that.
Donald's homage to bird, man.
- Yeah, you know it?
- You better believe it, baby.
- All right.
- Beautiful!
Thanks, don. You guys
did a great set too.
- Looks like an encore.
- Hey.
"iko."
- You ain't gonna quit?
- You know you like it.
Aw.
One more time, y'all.
Come on, let's hear it again.
♪ hey now, hey now ♪
♪ oh-oh... ♪
You want me to lock up?
I don't know.
So it's official now.
I'm now on c.O.D.
With every one of our suppliers.
C.O.D. Plus five with Harvey.
C.O.D. Plus 10 with Cusimano.
I can't write rubber checks
and I can't cook without food.
The bank?
I owe them a huge
balloon payment.
And I can't go to
my parents again.
And the thing is we're
still putting out
A menu every night
that I'm proud of.
I mean, we're short,
we're tight,
But push comes to shove--
- You killed those chefs.
- I buried 'em, didn't I?
Oui.
You think the staff can
hang in for a week?
Till I can figure out
how to deal with this?
Come up with it somewhere?
Without pay?
You can ask.
One of my cornerstone
programs is called
Greased palm Sunday.
If we're gonna have corruption,
Let's just be honest about it.
So one Sunday a month,
We will have an official
televised session
In which the money be delivered
and the deals made.
"real bribes in real time" will my
motto. - You're right, bro.
Let's have some straight-up
honest double-dealing.
Sunlight-- it's the
best disinfectant.
- Well, I'm on.
- Peggy: Interesting.
Mcalary, you're whack.
"sunlight is the
best disinfectant"?
Yeah, I read that somewhere.
- What, it's not true?
- Coco: Kill the t.V., Janice.
Well, it sounds true.
♪ when the time is right
on a night in June ♪
♪ all the hoodoo dance
underneath the moon ♪
♪ what goes on, child,
you better believe ♪
♪ way down in new Orleans on st.
John's eve. ♪
Three damn hours on the phone.
I'm ready to play the
goddamn zoo for elephants.
I might have something for you.
- You can read, right?
- I can read flyshit on staff paper.
you're gonna need a tux.
Carnival time, bro.
- Balls and all.
- The Mardi gras ball?
- Yeah, like the bunch club.
- Really?
Well, Ladonna bought me a tux,
You know, for that tribute
for Duke dejan and Olympia.
- Yeah. Still got it?
- Must be in a box somewhere.
Who else is on this gig
besides me and you?
Nah, man, I ain't on.
But you'll be cool.
Ah.
I played the m.O.M.S ball once,
Sitting in with the radiators.
It was wild, man,
I'm telling you.
The band was playing, you know.
Everybody was screwing
every which way.
I guess I could use
a little fun myself.
You know what I'm saying?
- Happy Mardi gras, batiste.
- Happy Mardi gras.
There's no fuckin' reason
why we gotta have potholes
That can swallow your
whole fucking car.
You feel me? - He's
obsessive about potholes.
Somebody's gotta call
these motherfuckers out.
I agree. You're right.
You agree? Really?
Jacques morial, scion of a great
political dynasty, agrees with me.
Man, that shit is funny.
Greased palm Sunday.
Pot for potholes.
Don't forget that one.
That's satire. That's good.
But you have a chance to
raise some serious questions
That none of these other
motherfuckers are gonna touch.
I do?
Look, looking ahead here we
got some serious challenges:
We got public housing;
we got expropriation of people's homes;
We got when they're gonna
reopen charity hospital.
And we got this
big nasty question
About who can come home and
who can't come home. - Right.
Here's an idea: Why don't
you be my campaign manager?
Not gonna happen.
But look, what I can
do is I can hook you up
With some real effective
public exposure
So we can get these
issues on the table.
That's if you really
wanna kick it up a notch.
- Hell, yeah.
- You should go for it, Davis.
Do you really think
I can win this?
The election?
No fuckin' way.
Right.
I was just checking.
It's about time
they sent someone.
We've been calling n.O.
P.D. About that vehicle
For three months now,
maybe longer.
The department's still in disarray,
to say the least.
I mean, how does a
cop leave his post
And abandon his vehicle
and just walk away?
If it was up to me,
they'd throw his ass in jail.
You had to be there, I guess.
After Katrina we got hit
with Rita and we didn't loot,
Complain, go crazy or
run away like y'all did.
it's open. Keys are inside.
Have a nice trip.
What, you're not taking the car?
Not my job, I'm afraid.
No? What the hell is it you do?
Well, I'm from, uh,
document retrieval.
Vehicle retrieval will be re
And get that car, no problem.
Your whole damn town's crazy,
you know that?
You're preaching to the choir, officer.
Preaching to the choir!
Got back in my house,
This was the only thing left.
This floated.
I took it as a sign, chief.
We gotta mask this year.
I started that one
right before the storm.
Still don't got nowhere
to hook up my suit though.
My daughter asked me to
come back to Atlanta.
But what am I gonna
do in Atlanta, Albert?
You can park your
van right here.
We can do an extra
practice this week.
Who else back?
George, Troy.
Ronnie coming from Memphis.
Ronnie? He don't have nowhere.
- Calliope closed.
- Yeah, I know.
I was over there.
Well, he can stay with me too.
So we're masking for
Mardi gras, right?
You're damn right.
- Did we have a job that night?
- That's not the point.
Oh, yeah? What is the point?
I'm saying that
if you're playing
With every fucking band
on Frenchmen street,
It dilutes what we are doing.
It's just a gig at
the spotted cat.
I want to play, Sonny.
You're not hearing a fuckin'
word I'm saying. - I hear you.
You're saying I can't play
any gigs except your gigs.
No, I'm not saying that.
I'm supposed to watch
you get high all day
And then say no when
people want me on real gigs
Because you're worried it might
ruin what we're doing on the street?
Passing around a fucking
hat for spare change?
Ann.
So good to be back in
new Orleans. -
Yo, d., let's finish with a
little something from home.
Nah, too easy.
I'm feeling like Coltrane,
"giant steps." - okay.
You go back to Paris.
You couldn't even get me...
I need something to
blow up real soon.
- Or a car Chase.
- Shh shh!
- Hello?
- Dominique: Ladonna?
- Dominique? What's wrong?
- Your mama not doing well.
I-- I dropped by to
look in on her--
What do you mean
"not doing well"?
She's having trouble breathing.
Did you call the ambulance?
I thought to call you first.
Call the 911 now.
- Can she talk?
- Yes.
She asked me for some water
and I gave it to her--
Call the goddamn ambulance.
Have them take her to touro.
I'll be there as soon as I can,
okay? - All right.
Dominique, call them now,
As soon as I hang
up the phone, okay?
I will.
It's mama.
We gotta seriously talk about
Moving her up here, Ladonna.
I'll call you when I
get to the hospital.
Drive safe.
This was a great night.
I really felt like we were
all working as a team.
We've all been through a lot
And I know how hard everyone
in this room has been working.
I'm gonna have to
ask something now
That I never thought
I'd have to ask.
I know how hard it is right now.
I need to ask if you all
Would be willing to go a week...
I can't do it, Jacques.
I mean, even if I did,
even if everyone agreed,
It wouldn't solve
the problem, right?
I'd just be putting it off,
kicking it down the road.
I can't make expenses
And 're gonna have to
suspend operations.
Maybe for a couple of weeks,
maybe--
Maybe for good.
I'm not gonna ask you
to work without pay.
I can't.
I know y'all will find
jobs again right away.
Everyone needs help.
I'll hope that when we get
back up and running again
You'll be able to come back.
I think I'm gonna be sick.
Excuse me.
The first set was on fire.
Hey, doing the best we n.
You know my daddy, right?
Big chief Albert.
Big chief Donald, yeah.
Man, I had such a great
time playing with your son,
Baby boy.
Yeah, y'all sound good
together, real good.
- Oh, you was listening?
- I heard every note.
Chief, you coming out this year?
Well, whoever makes it,
we'll be out there.
Mm, I'm in the same boat as you.
I know you're making that
walk with your dad this year.
I leave first thing Monday.
All right.
All right, cool cool.
Holler you ready?Ck in New York.
Yeah, let's do it, man. Chief.
- And you, baby.
- I'm looking for you.
Practice is at 8:00
tomorrow night.
You ain't gonna stay
for the next set?
I got work to do.
I'll see you then.
Hey, d. Good to see you back.
- I felt like I couldn't stand up.
- She knows that.
We're trying to find out
what other medicines you--
She was on the
diabinese for diabetes.
Diabinese-- was she
taking that daily? - Yes.
- Where's Dominique?
- I sent her home. It's late.
How late is it?
A quarter to 3:00.
We can go as soon as
we finish here, mama.
They said you might have just
had a little low blood sugar.
- You're all right.
- We can go?
- Just a while.
- Does your pharmacy
Have any record of your
mother's medications?
They're closed.
I don't know if
they're coming back.
Hi. May I take your order,
please?
Café Au lait and beignets,
please.
Café Au lait and beignets?
Thank you.
Excuse me, please.
Thank you.
Well, that's good news, right?
I don't see how they
can deny the writ now.
They'll have to find him.
The bureaucracy loves
paper evidence, forms.
They get really wet
if it's a triplicate.
- Ladonna must be thrilled.
- I haven't spoken to her yet.
I left a message,
but I think maybe
She went to Baton
Rouge for the weekend.
Pretty great, huh?
Wow! That's quite the getup.
She finished that
costume yesterday. - Aw.
- Guess what I am.
- Um, a space alien.
- No.
- Oh, a pearl.
You're part of a pearl necklace.
- Nope. I have a tail, see?
- Um, do you know?
Dad thought of it.
He planned the whole float.
Guess again.
That's all I got, sweetie.
I'm sorry.
I'm a sperm. See?
When we walk our tails move
back and forth like sperm.
The centerpiece of the
krewe Du vieux parade
Is a giant paper mâché replica
of our illustrious mayor
In a semi-recumbent
position pleasuring himself.
It's great. And we all walk in front,
waving our tails.
You're joking. - It's political
commentary. The mystic krewe of
spermies.
- The sperm lead the way.
- Yeah, as sperm so often do.
And at what point did
you decide to abdicate
As the parent of a
15-year-old girl?
She knows everything.
You know everything, right, Sof?
- Uh-huh, of course.
- Creighton, this is over the top.
Considering the circumstances,
I think we're showing
admirable restraint.
But this is just... Offensive.
The mayor's performance
is offensive.
The indifference of the state
And federal government
is offensive.
Fuck 'em if they
can't take a joke.
You parade as sperm
on Saturday night
And come Monday morning I have
to go in to the city attorney
And talk with him about
what's going on at the jail
Or with the police,
and all they want to talk about
Is how you used the mayor
as a Mardi gras gag.
Don't take the fun out
of everything.
We're making you one too.
We'll be the family of sperm.
Y'all do what you want.
You can count me out.
Suit yourself.
Annie?
Listen, all I wanna know
is are you all right?
I don't even know what
that means anymore.
I'm so sorry for yesterday.
That wasn't me.
I was high.
That's no excuse. I'm sorry.
It'll never happen again,
promise.
Whoo! Sound good, maestro.
Embouchure is shot.
Got no wind at all.
Well, you know, keep shedding.
You'll be fine.
- I can't play no gig, Antoine.
- Sure, you can.
It ain't till next
week or the week after.
- Where'd you say it was?
- The airport.
It's one of them
musicians' clinic gigs.
I'm putting together
a good group,
Greeting folks as they're
coming into town.
Hey, it's a bill a man.
All right,
you talked me into it.
Ah.
The thing is to get the gig,
We gotta go in for a check-up--
Both of us this afternoon.
I figure as long as I was here,
We might as well run over.
All right, but you
let me pay the cab.
How about we split it, huh?
I think renaming the
circle after
A local musician is
a marvelous idea.
Please, Mimi,
don't be appalling.
All we need is for someone
to point out the hypocrisy.
Well, Davis,
you yourself are named
For the confederate president
to whom we are directly,
If distantly, related.
I tell people it's for miles,
Sammy, Ossie or Angela.
- Hah!
- Man: I loved Sammy Davis.
"candy man."
But the question is,
my darling boy:
Do you want people to take you
as a serious individual or not?
Why would I do something
that would violate
The entire logic of my life
as I have conducted it so far?
You stick to your guns, Davis.
- Thank you, aunt Mimi.
- Thank you, aunt Mimi.
But I also feel compelled to
take exception to the idea
That there's nothing serious
about what I can do with this.
Jacques Morial says that I have
a chance to talk about issues
That nobody else is
talking about.
A Morial? What's next?
- Get over it, Ramona.
- Ramona: The point is
We finally have a chance
to turn new Orleans around,
Now that certain
elements are gone.
But raising money
from selling marijuana
Is not the way to do it.
Your carefully euphemized
racist sentiments
Are duly noted,
my darling mother,
But even you might agree
that the city needs
Every stream of
revenue it can get.
The city is broke and
the city is broken.
And it can't stay broke
and get fixed.
It's a contradiction in terms.
I always thought
they oughtta have
Blackjack tables
on the streetcars.
Wait-- Blackjack on the track.
Excellent idea.
Ooh, I think it'time
for another Martini.
How about a short
one this time, Mimi?
Oh, don't be vulgar,
Bro, I'll keep your mom out.
What time you want me to
bring her back? -
I'll need to write
you a prescription
- For your blood pressure.
- Yes, ma'am.
And I just need to
speak with your friend.
He's out of shape too.
Antoine.
- Hey, miss Cathy.
- You need to drop 20 lbs.
- Woman, you always say that.
- And it's always true.
It would lower your
blood pressure though.
More gigs I get
lower my pressure.
How's he doing?
Well, I'll know exactly when
his blood work comes back,
But he's not well and I
think he's depressed.
Ain't we all?
Darius is coming to
practice tonight.
Well, the Indian thing
is not for everybody.
But if it's for you,
it can make you strong.
I know he's interested.
It seems like they're
trying to make it impossible
For folks to come back.
What folks?
My gang.
They need someplace to live.
My second chief,
he got no place to stay.
Living out there in his van.
Ronnie got a place
in the projects.
It didn't flood,
but they won't let him back in.
Half my gang living
like refugees
In their own country.
Somebody needs to make
a stand, you know?
Draw a line.
Can I do something to help?
You know what I really
need you to do...
Tell me.
...Is cut.
Cut cut cut while I sew sew sew.
Ah, that was a nice nap.
- Did you like that?
- Mm-hmm!
I liked it so much,
I was thinking
We might wanna catch
another 40 winks.
- I thought you had a gig.
- Mm-hmm.
What about 10 winks?
- Mm.
- Go on, get outta here.
Mwah. Where's the tux?
- I hung it on the closet door.
- All right.
Hey, Desiree,
why is the tux wet?
It's just a little damp.
I didn't wanna let
it set in the dryer.
You washed the tux?
Well, how else am I supposed to
get the mess out of the front?
Big dried ugly stain like
somebody threw up on it.
A tuxedo's supposed
to be dry-cleaned.
Where am I supposed to find
a goddamn dry-cleaner open?
- Pssh.
- It's the goddamn weekend
And we out here in the middle of
who-gives-a-fuck nowhere. - Shit.
How the fuck did Kermit
hear about this gig?
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ I talked to my baby,
go down way ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ up in the heavens,
that'll be the thing ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ I'm a bad motherfucker,
I roll like that ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ I talk to my mommy
and baby boy ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ say, man, your pa,
he the real McCoy ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ they got a minuteman comin'
and a minuteman go ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ a spy boy jumpin'
at your front door ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama... ♪ - hold
it over your head. There you go.
No no. You got to wave it.
♪ shallow water, oh mama... ♪
They got to see you.
They got to see you. Hold it up.
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ tell your mom that
nobody's home ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
Big chief! - ♪ big chief ran
for the Mardi gras ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ got second chief coming, he's jumping
off, oowah... ♪ - oowah!
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪ - ♪ oh,
second chief on Mardi gras ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ hey, lordy, have mercy,
pour down rain ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ on Mardi gras day,
the guardians of the flame ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama... ♪
Hoo-rah! Let it come.
♪ shallow water, oh mama... ♪
Sounds like "take
the z train" to me.
Little shiny-dome motherfucker.
Check it out.
Blow your horn, son.
That's how we do it in tremé.
That's right, motherfucker.
Where's this from?
The arresting
officer's ticket book.
"David m. Brooks." there it is.
And from that ticket, Renée,
I was finally able to pull up
A complaint history
from the police computer
Which shows that David
was arrested-- arrested--
And locked up at o.P.P.
Just before the storm.
- So what do you want me to do?
- Based on this new evidence,
I'm filing for an
emergency rehearing.
Okay, yeah.
You could do the right thing
and make it a joint motion.
We'll certainly sign
the no objection.
Listen, Renée, you haven't
even heard the topper.
The bench warrant that
got David locked up--
That was a mistake.
That was an old warrant that was left
in the police computer for months
After David had satisfied his
obligations to the court.
Everything that could
fucking go wrong
Went wrong for this guy.
I could really use a
joint motion here.
No joint motions on emergency
hearings for the time being.
- Eddie's policy.
- Eddie's policy?
An innocent man
lost in the system
For nearly six months.
- Albert: Who that?
- Chie
Mr. Newsome.
How you doing today, sir?
I'm good. How you doing?
I'm real good, real good.
Looks like you all are gonna
mask for Mardi gras, huh?
- That's right.
- I'll be damned.
What can I do for you, sir?
Well, I come by to let you know
We were able to work a few
things on your behalf.
The councilman hadn't
forgot about you, sir.
- Well, that's good to hear.
- Yes, sir.
Now don't spread
this around too much.
We don't want half the
city beating down our door,
But, uh, we were able to
get a trailer for you, sir.
- A fema trailer?
- Yes, sir. Brand new.
- How many trailers you got?
- Just the one, sir.
I believe I asked your boss
about housing projects.
I believe that's what we
discussed - no, chief.
The projects-
that's not gonna happen.
Now, all of that is federal.
That's out of our control.
Now the councilman
went the extra mile
To make sure you got
what you needed.
A trailer?
Y'all want me to put my gang
In one fema trailer?
Get the hell out this bar.
Chief...
Have it your way, chief.
I'd have took the trailer.
Then I'd have kicked his
ass to the curb, me.
I'd have took it if
it came with cable. -
Whoo!
Oh, yes yes!
Ashley Morris, I salute you!
Great human being,
A true bohemian in every
sense of the word.
I think that is a
splendid idea, honey.
Can buy me back anytime.
Vive la France!
Batiste!
I dig the tux,
bro! De-constructed!
Hey, daddy. Pop!
- Dad!
- Hey.
- Hey, baby.
- Daddy.
How you doing,
Brantrell? How you doing?
Doing good? - Yeah,
I'm fine, man. You know.
- How's your mama?
- She's good, she's fine.
Yeah? Tell her I said hi,
your sister too.
- Yeah yeah. Come see us.
- I will, I will.
- All right, sweet then.
- See you later.
Hey!
Oh, thank you.
One of my students.
May I see that? Oh my goodness.
You never know. On a night
like this I might get lucky.
Might?
- You make a lovely sperm.
- Thanks, I think.
May I ask what
changed your mind?
"fuck those fucking fucks."
I second that emotion.
Whoohoo!
Where else could
we ever live, huh?
No place else.
- ♪ DJ Davis ♪
- Davis: ♪ vote for me ♪
♪ we all have this feelin'... ♪
Ladies and gentlemen,
D.J. Davis in the house!
Remember, Davis can save us.
Watch the candidates' forum
tomorrow night on w.Y.E.S.
Remember my platform:
Pot for potholes,
Hos for schools,
always for pleasure,
Break all the rules!
Give me that ass. Slap it.
Pat pat pat pat.
Right here stripper spank.
Ooh, I almost forgot my
newest campaign promise:
If elected, I will
introduce legislation
That will rename Lee circle.
From this day forth it
will no longer be in honor
Of that sainted Robert e. Lee.
"walking with mister lee" circle
Will honor Mr. Lee Allen,
The greatest tenor sax-man
this city has ever produced.
So buy my c.D.
- That's right.
- For sale right here.
Ooh, and for all my friends
in the gay community--
And district "c" is the
gay district,
Uh-huh--
Remember, all crimes
against nature
Will be naturalized
in the Crescent city.
I give you my sacred oath.
We will reform the
Napoleonic code.
♪ vote for me... ♪
♪ hangin' in the treme ♪
♪ watching people sashay ♪
♪ past my steps ♪
♪ by my porch ♪
♪ in front of my door ♪
♪ church bells are ringin' ♪
♪ choirs are singing ♪
♪ while the preachers groan ♪
♪ and the sisters moan in
a blessed tone ♪
- ♪ mmm-hmm ♪
- ♪ yeah ♪
♪ down in the treme ♪
♪ just me and my baby ♪
♪ we're all going crazy ♪
♪ while jamming and
having fun ♪
♪ trumpet bells ringing ♪
♪ bass drum is swinging ♪
♪ as the trombone groans ♪
♪ and the big horn moans ♪
♪ and there's a saxophone ♪
♪ down in the treme ♪
♪ it's me and my baby ♪
♪ we're all going crazy ♪
♪ while jamming and
having fun ♪
♪ down in the treme ♪
♪ it's me and my baby ♪
♪ we're all going crazy ♪
♪ while jamming and
having fun. ♪
Whoo!
Make Sofia some leftovers.
There's a half a meatloaf
on the top shelf.
This gray thing in saran wrap?
You can pop it in the microwave
Or slice it cold for
sandwiches.
Do we have any more
creole mustard?
- Who puts creole mustard on meatloaf?
- I do.
I put creole mustard
on everything.
Where are you going again?
Port sulphur?
- Port Arthur.
- That's in Texas.
No, you swore a solemn oath.
I didn't.
What's Sofia up to?
Oh, she's working
on her costume.
Make sure she does her
homework too.
Promise?
Cray, listen,
I-- I gotta drive here.
I'll see you tomorrow. Love you.
You too.
♪ you never would call ♪
♪ while I had the blues you
were having a ball ♪
♪ you thought that I'd be
here to run to ♪
♪ now I'm gonna do to you
what I was done to ♪
♪ too bad about you,
my friend ♪
♪ it could've been great ♪
♪ but I was a little
too lonely ♪
♪ and you were a little
too late. ♪
♪ won't you come
along with me... ♪
Yeah, dance, white boy.
♪ to the Mississippi? ♪
♪ we're going down to
the land of dreams ♪
♪ from down the River
down to new Orleans... ♪
- Yeah, you know why?
- Man: Why?
Because...
♪ basin street is a street ♪
♪ where all them white and black
characters from them first precinct
meet ♪
♪ in new Orleans... ♪
- ♪ the land of dreams... ♪
- man: High as a kite.
♪ you never know
how nice it seems ♪
♪ until you get down
South to new Orleans ♪
♪ I'm proud to be, yes siree ♪
♪ rebel rebel free, baby ♪
♪ Orleans with me, right? ♪
Learn the words, motherfucker.
Et toi? Give it up, Phoenix.
- Man #2: Oh, yeah!
- Man #3: Yeehaw!
Now that's traditional.
The banjo ain't my bag,
but this dude can play.
Don Vappie? Oh, yeah.
I've always been down
with traditional myself.
Yeah, I noticed,
but you old school
And cutting edge
at the same time.
That's new Orleans, young man--
Many styles, many traditions.
Yeah, but for me
traditional is bird and Diz
Playing "salt peanuts"
at Massey hall
With bud Powell and x roach.
- And Charles Mingus on bass.
- Right, exactly!
One, two, three. Yeah!
Come on, y'all. Come on,come on!
I'll tell you what,
let's go up here and do our set,
But end with a little
something from home.
Like what?
"iko," "Mardi gras mambo,"
"saints."
You gotta give the
good people of Arizona
A little of what
they came to hear.
Just play our set, man.
Mr. Dietrich?
Jim Dietrich? I'm Toni Bernette.
I'm a lawyer from new Orleans
And I need to talk to you
for a minute if I may.
It's not about n.O.P.D.
I'm looking for
somebody who's missing,
And I drove all this way
Hoping you'd be able to help me.
- Hey, Angie.
- Hey, Antoine.
- How you doing?
- Good, baby.
- How are you?
- I'm good.
What you got there? - It's a
little something for your daddy.
- Oh, yeah? He's inside.
- Both: Mwah!
That's a real fine hn.
To replace the one you
lost in the flood.
It's beautiful, daddy.
I can't.
This must have cost a fortune.
See, I didn't buy it.
Somebody bought it for you.
Yeah, a jazz fan. Japanese cat.
Come through town, looking to do good
for new Orleans musicians, right?
I told him about your situation
and he knew all about you.
Yeah, big fan.
He said it was the
least he could do,
- An honor.
- I don't know.
I ain't felt much like
blowing, you know?
That's because you
ain't had one to blow.
Now look here, maestro,
that thing needs to make noise.
I don't know what to say.
Like you always told me--
Straight ahead and
strive for tone.
Spoken to every officer
from the second district
Who worked the midnight
to 8:00 shift that Sunday.
Well, everybody except for you
And Bobby Foskett.
why second district?
A young man I'm looking for
lived on valence street,
And the restaurant he worked
at is at Laurel and Webster.
Okay.
Well, his boss asked him to
do something at the restaurant
That morning just before
the storm blew in.
He never showed.
My best guess-- he was
stopped on the way there.
That's thin.
That's what I've got.
So you talked to everyone
else in the 12:00 to 8:00,
And it's down to me
and Bobby Foskett.
- And Bobby Foskett's dead.
- You heard?
Ate his gun a month
after the storm.
Still don't know
how you found me.
You had your last check sent to
your sister's here in port Arthur.
After that it was easy.
I just called the
utility company.
Only had a couple of
traffic stops that morning.
When the storm blew in,
we had our fuckin' hands full.
I pulled over a black
male about this guy's age,
Blew through the light at
Nashville and Tchoupitoulas.
Blew through it right
in front of me,
So I had to hit the blue tops,
Give him a ticket.
This young man?
Could be. I don't know.
This matters.
I need a positive I.
D. For the habeas.
I need you to be sure.
That was five months ago.
And let's be honest--
He looks like a lot of guys
I've written up over the years.
I'm sorry.
I wish I could help.
But that was another life.
I'm done with n.O.P.D.
Done with new Orleans too,
for what it's worth.
That's me.
You don't have to take that.
- Cray, it's on wheels.
- No problem.
We're just across the way,
short-term parking.
You didn't need to pick me up.
- I'd have taken a cab.
- Don't be silly.
My Agent comes all the
way from New York...
I'm so glad to see you, Cray.
You should come to
New York more often.
How long has it been?
Carla, level with me, will ya?
They want their advance back,
don't they?
I know they haven't
forgotten about it.
I know it's just gnawing the
guts out of some Bean counter.
There are a couple of things
I wanna talk to you about,
But it's all good.
- Oh.
- I love the band.
The best airport music ever.
Why'd you quit?
If you don't mind my asking.
Ma'am, I worked eight straight
days after that storm,
All of it out of my car.
I wore the same uniform,
stank like a dog.
I ate and drank what
I could scavenge.
At some point I just
had to wonder why?
My house was underwater,
everything I owned with it.
It ain't like I'm too old to
do something else, you know?
Mm.
I just had enough.
What are you going to do now?
My brother's in
corpus with the union,
Gonna get me some work offshore.
- Good luck.
- You to
Sorry I can't put a face
to that Tchoupitoulas stop.
I feel bad it was me who got
your friend lost in the sauce.
The young man on Tchoupitoulas
who ran a red light--
You said you wrote him
a ticket. - I had to.
He blew through the light
right in front of me.
But you didn't lock him up,
right? - Yeah, he got locked up.
Wait wait.
You arrested him for
running a red light?
No, for the warrant.
The warrant?
Guess we're not done.
Carla, I thought random house
wrote me off a long time ago.
Maybe they did to a
certain extent,
But Katrina has put new Orleans
Back on the map
in a certain way.
It nearly wiped it off
the map, actually.
The near-death of
an American city
And now my publisher's
hot for a book
They couldn't care less
about six months ago.
Actually, they're not only
interested in bringing
Your novel out on next
fall's list,
But they want you to do something
contemporary before then.
Contemporary? - Yeah,
those passionate editorials
That you've been doing
on the Internet?
I showed a couple to your editor
And, uh, Lisa loves
that voice from you.
"fuck you, you fucking fucks"-
nice title.
From serious novelist to cartoon
In one single volume.
No, they'd bring the
novel out after.
And if you can manage to
make the novel contemporary,
Maybe set part of it in
post-Katrina--
The novel is about
the 1927 flood.
It speaks to the present
situation only as metaphor.
Well, perhaps if you could
bookend some older material--
Jesus Christ, Carla.
I thought you said they wanted the book.
They do,
But in the voice
that you have become.
You're a spokesman
now for this city.
I'm not trying to be the
spokesman of the city.
New Orleans speaks for itself.
And the novel is what it is.
If they still want it, fine.
You haven't published
in eight years, Cray.
And now because of the storm--
Yes, because of it--
Your publisher wants this
book desperately.
This is an opportunity.
I'll finish the damn novel.
When? What can I tell them?
I need a month, six weeks maybe.
But it's a novel
about the '27 flood.
That's what they bought.
That's what I'm writing.
I checked for warrants
On David when I first
began looking for him.
There is nothing on
record with a court.
You think I want to lock the
man up with a hurricane coming?
I was gonna let him roll
with the traffic ticket.
But how am I gonna
cut a guy loose
When he's got a warrant on
him for failing to appear?
So you arrested him and took him to o.
P.P.? - Radioed for the sergeant
To meet me back at I.P.C.
, sign off on the paperwork.
I waited for-- must've
been an hour, maybe more.
Finally, I make phone
contact with him.
Says he's out of pocket,
shit's hitting the fan.
He'd come down at the end
of the shift and sign off.
So I left the guy there. They said
they'd hold him for the sergeant.
And whatever paperwork
you left for the prisoner
Goes under 10' of water
when the jail floods, huh?
The affidavit from
your citation book--
There'd be a carbon of it.
- Left it in the car.
- At second district?
- Lake Charles.
- Lake Charles?
When I left,
I just crawled in my unit
- And drove out of town.
- Why Lake Charles
You think I was gonna take an n.
O.P.D. Unit out of Louisiana?
I was in enough trouble
taking it out of town,
Never mind across state line.
I drove it onto the
Lake Charles p.D. Lot,
Left the keys at the front desk,
Told them to call new Orleans,
let 'em know.
Then I got my brother-in-law
to drive over and get me.
Take another look, please?
Sorry.
I can't be sure it's him,
I mean, if you want me
to be honest about it.
You gave him a drink?
All he wanted was a Barq's.
It goes with everything.
Jacques, what am
I gonna tell him?
I can't run a
restaurant without meat.
I don't even know how I'm
gonna pay staff today.
You can't make payroll?
Oh, shit. Who's that? - Seafood.
fuck me.
Give him a Barq's too.
What's up, Jacques?
Uh, Janette had to run
out for a few minutes.
It's funny how everybody
all of a sudden
Got all these errands
they gotta run today.
She has a very busy afternoon.
But if you'd like to wait...
I don't want to, but I will.
What would you like to drink?
Scotch.
You too, huh?
Hey, daddy.
Heard them talking about your
Youtube stuff on the radio.
You're famous.
I'm mentioned.
There's a difference.
Was that your mom on the phone?
She said she'd be home
tomorrow morning for sure.
Are we out of milk again?
Right.
"Davis can save us.
" what is that?
Oh, it's the Davis
bumper sticker.
He's running for city council.
Davis Mcalary?
Our Davis who's teaching
you boogie-woogie--
That bozo's running for council?
♪ vote for me, I am fakin' ♪
♪ I won't lose my shit
like mayor Nagin. ♪
- Hey.
- Mom's not here.
It's not your language.
This isn't funny.
What's happening in new
Orleans now is not a joke.
We're fighting for our lives,
for our way of life.
People are dying.
People are homeless.
People are stuck
all over the place.
They can't get back.
Everything is not a
joke all the time.
You mean like krewe Du vieux?
That's political satire.
This-- it's a long tradition.
This is just wrong.
Where's the gaffer?
- Can I help you?
- Yeah.
Davis Mcalary, here for
the candidates' forum.
Mcalary, you are indeed
a registered candidate.
Paid the fees with cash money.
Come with me.
Hold that. Enjoy that.
- Sonny: It's pretty good.
- Yeah.
Getting me a shitload
of those, you know?
That sounds good.
- He's in Chicago now? Palmer house?
- Phil Frazier: Yeah.
- And Troy's playing trumpet?
- Like I told you, man.
- You're sure?
- Yeah, I got you.
- All right, I'll call him right now.
- Sure.
Thanks.
- Honey, it's your turn to--
- shh shh. Hold on now.
The Palmer house. - Can I speak
to one of your guests?
Sure. What's the name?
- Yeah, uh, Dr. John.
- Dr. John?
- The musician Dr. John.
- Is there another name he goes by?
Another name? I don't know.
That is his name.
Oh, I know what you're saying.
It's, um, Mac...
Uh, Mac...
- Aw shit.
- Sorry, sir.
- No, pardon me.
- No Mac.
- You ain't got a Mac?
- Not registered.
hey, you remember
his real last name?
- Rebennack.
- Rebennack.
- How do you spell that?
- Like it sounds, shit.
One moment.
you're welcome.
- Dr. John: Yeah?
- Yeah, uh, Dr. John,
It's Antoine batiste
calling from new Orleans.
Hey, Antoine. What's happening?
Uh, yeah, Philip Frazier
told me I oughtta call you.
You might need a trombone to
fill in on a tour you're making?
Look, Antoine, I'd love to have
you with the aggravation,
But we already got Troy
playing slide.
I thought Troy was
playing trumpet.
Charlie Miller is
playing that...
- Charlie Miller, that motherfucker.
-...This time around.
Wish I could hook you up.
Yeah.
Well, that's all right. Thanks.
Hey, keep me in mind, you know?
- I could--
- yeah, you bet.
Don't worry, yeah.
You'll find something.
And, Peggy, that is why
I'm the best candidate
For city council, district c.
- Mr. Mccleary.
- Mcalary.
My apologies. Mr. Mcalary.
Oh, um...
Well, first I'd like to sing
some of my campaign song.
♪ so just-- ♪ - I have to ask
you to stay within the format.
No singing.
You have two minutes for an
opening statement.
Okay.
Thank you, Houston!
Oh, man. Loved that, man.
Loved that.
Donald's homage to bird, man.
- Yeah, you know it?
- You better believe it, baby.
- All right.
- Beautiful!
Thanks, don. You guys
did a great set too.
- Looks like an encore.
- Hey.
"iko."
- You ain't gonna quit?
- You know you like it.
Aw.
One more time, y'all.
Come on, let's hear it again.
♪ hey now, hey now ♪
♪ oh-oh... ♪
You want me to lock up?
I don't know.
So it's official now.
I'm now on c.O.D.
With every one of our suppliers.
C.O.D. Plus five with Harvey.
C.O.D. Plus 10 with Cusimano.
I can't write rubber checks
and I can't cook without food.
The bank?
I owe them a huge
balloon payment.
And I can't go to
my parents again.
And the thing is we're
still putting out
A menu every night
that I'm proud of.
I mean, we're short,
we're tight,
But push comes to shove--
- You killed those chefs.
- I buried 'em, didn't I?
Oui.
You think the staff can
hang in for a week?
Till I can figure out
how to deal with this?
Come up with it somewhere?
Without pay?
You can ask.
One of my cornerstone
programs is called
Greased palm Sunday.
If we're gonna have corruption,
Let's just be honest about it.
So one Sunday a month,
We will have an official
televised session
In which the money be delivered
and the deals made.
"real bribes in real time" will my
motto. - You're right, bro.
Let's have some straight-up
honest double-dealing.
Sunlight-- it's the
best disinfectant.
- Well, I'm on.
- Peggy: Interesting.
Mcalary, you're whack.
"sunlight is the
best disinfectant"?
Yeah, I read that somewhere.
- What, it's not true?
- Coco: Kill the t.V., Janice.
Well, it sounds true.
♪ when the time is right
on a night in June ♪
♪ all the hoodoo dance
underneath the moon ♪
♪ what goes on, child,
you better believe ♪
♪ way down in new Orleans on st.
John's eve. ♪
Three damn hours on the phone.
I'm ready to play the
goddamn zoo for elephants.
I might have something for you.
- You can read, right?
- I can read flyshit on staff paper.
you're gonna need a tux.
Carnival time, bro.
- Balls and all.
- The Mardi gras ball?
- Yeah, like the bunch club.
- Really?
Well, Ladonna bought me a tux,
You know, for that tribute
for Duke dejan and Olympia.
- Yeah. Still got it?
- Must be in a box somewhere.
Who else is on this gig
besides me and you?
Nah, man, I ain't on.
But you'll be cool.
Ah.
I played the m.O.M.S ball once,
Sitting in with the radiators.
It was wild, man,
I'm telling you.
The band was playing, you know.
Everybody was screwing
every which way.
I guess I could use
a little fun myself.
You know what I'm saying?
- Happy Mardi gras, batiste.
- Happy Mardi gras.
There's no fuckin' reason
why we gotta have potholes
That can swallow your
whole fucking car.
You feel me? - He's
obsessive about potholes.
Somebody's gotta call
these motherfuckers out.
I agree. You're right.
You agree? Really?
Jacques morial, scion of a great
political dynasty, agrees with me.
Man, that shit is funny.
Greased palm Sunday.
Pot for potholes.
Don't forget that one.
That's satire. That's good.
But you have a chance to
raise some serious questions
That none of these other
motherfuckers are gonna touch.
I do?
Look, looking ahead here we
got some serious challenges:
We got public housing;
we got expropriation of people's homes;
We got when they're gonna
reopen charity hospital.
And we got this
big nasty question
About who can come home and
who can't come home. - Right.
Here's an idea: Why don't
you be my campaign manager?
Not gonna happen.
But look, what I can
do is I can hook you up
With some real effective
public exposure
So we can get these
issues on the table.
That's if you really
wanna kick it up a notch.
- Hell, yeah.
- You should go for it, Davis.
Do you really think
I can win this?
The election?
No fuckin' way.
Right.
I was just checking.
It's about time
they sent someone.
We've been calling n.O.
P.D. About that vehicle
For three months now,
maybe longer.
The department's still in disarray,
to say the least.
I mean, how does a
cop leave his post
And abandon his vehicle
and just walk away?
If it was up to me,
they'd throw his ass in jail.
You had to be there, I guess.
After Katrina we got hit
with Rita and we didn't loot,
Complain, go crazy or
run away like y'all did.
it's open. Keys are inside.
Have a nice trip.
What, you're not taking the car?
Not my job, I'm afraid.
No? What the hell is it you do?
Well, I'm from, uh,
document retrieval.
Vehicle retrieval will be re
And get that car, no problem.
Your whole damn town's crazy,
you know that?
You're preaching to the choir, officer.
Preaching to the choir!
Got back in my house,
This was the only thing left.
This floated.
I took it as a sign, chief.
We gotta mask this year.
I started that one
right before the storm.
Still don't got nowhere
to hook up my suit though.
My daughter asked me to
come back to Atlanta.
But what am I gonna
do in Atlanta, Albert?
You can park your
van right here.
We can do an extra
practice this week.
Who else back?
George, Troy.
Ronnie coming from Memphis.
Ronnie? He don't have nowhere.
- Calliope closed.
- Yeah, I know.
I was over there.
Well, he can stay with me too.
So we're masking for
Mardi gras, right?
You're damn right.
- Did we have a job that night?
- That's not the point.
Oh, yeah? What is the point?
I'm saying that
if you're playing
With every fucking band
on Frenchmen street,
It dilutes what we are doing.
It's just a gig at
the spotted cat.
I want to play, Sonny.
You're not hearing a fuckin'
word I'm saying. - I hear you.
You're saying I can't play
any gigs except your gigs.
No, I'm not saying that.
I'm supposed to watch
you get high all day
And then say no when
people want me on real gigs
Because you're worried it might
ruin what we're doing on the street?
Passing around a fucking
hat for spare change?
Ann.
So good to be back in
new Orleans. -
Yo, d., let's finish with a
little something from home.
Nah, too easy.
I'm feeling like Coltrane,
"giant steps." - okay.
You go back to Paris.
You couldn't even get me...
I need something to
blow up real soon.
- Or a car Chase.
- Shh shh!
- Hello?
- Dominique: Ladonna?
- Dominique? What's wrong?
- Your mama not doing well.
I-- I dropped by to
look in on her--
What do you mean
"not doing well"?
She's having trouble breathing.
Did you call the ambulance?
I thought to call you first.
Call the 911 now.
- Can she talk?
- Yes.
She asked me for some water
and I gave it to her--
Call the goddamn ambulance.
Have them take her to touro.
I'll be there as soon as I can,
okay? - All right.
Dominique, call them now,
As soon as I hang
up the phone, okay?
I will.
It's mama.
We gotta seriously talk about
Moving her up here, Ladonna.
I'll call you when I
get to the hospital.
Drive safe.
This was a great night.
I really felt like we were
all working as a team.
We've all been through a lot
And I know how hard everyone
in this room has been working.
I'm gonna have to
ask something now
That I never thought
I'd have to ask.
I know how hard it is right now.
I need to ask if you all
Would be willing to go a week...
I can't do it, Jacques.
I mean, even if I did,
even if everyone agreed,
It wouldn't solve
the problem, right?
I'd just be putting it off,
kicking it down the road.
I can't make expenses
And 're gonna have to
suspend operations.
Maybe for a couple of weeks,
maybe--
Maybe for good.
I'm not gonna ask you
to work without pay.
I can't.
I know y'all will find
jobs again right away.
Everyone needs help.
I'll hope that when we get
back up and running again
You'll be able to come back.
I think I'm gonna be sick.
Excuse me.
The first set was on fire.
Hey, doing the best we n.
You know my daddy, right?
Big chief Albert.
Big chief Donald, yeah.
Man, I had such a great
time playing with your son,
Baby boy.
Yeah, y'all sound good
together, real good.
- Oh, you was listening?
- I heard every note.
Chief, you coming out this year?
Well, whoever makes it,
we'll be out there.
Mm, I'm in the same boat as you.
I know you're making that
walk with your dad this year.
I leave first thing Monday.
All right.
All right, cool cool.
Holler you ready?Ck in New York.
Yeah, let's do it, man. Chief.
- And you, baby.
- I'm looking for you.
Practice is at 8:00
tomorrow night.
You ain't gonna stay
for the next set?
I got work to do.
I'll see you then.
Hey, d. Good to see you back.
- I felt like I couldn't stand up.
- She knows that.
We're trying to find out
what other medicines you--
She was on the
diabinese for diabetes.
Diabinese-- was she
taking that daily? - Yes.
- Where's Dominique?
- I sent her home. It's late.
How late is it?
A quarter to 3:00.
We can go as soon as
we finish here, mama.
They said you might have just
had a little low blood sugar.
- You're all right.
- We can go?
- Just a while.
- Does your pharmacy
Have any record of your
mother's medications?
They're closed.
I don't know if
they're coming back.
Hi. May I take your order,
please?
Café Au lait and beignets,
please.
Café Au lait and beignets?
Thank you.
Excuse me, please.
Thank you.
Well, that's good news, right?
I don't see how they
can deny the writ now.
They'll have to find him.
The bureaucracy loves
paper evidence, forms.
They get really wet
if it's a triplicate.
- Ladonna must be thrilled.
- I haven't spoken to her yet.
I left a message,
but I think maybe
She went to Baton
Rouge for the weekend.
Pretty great, huh?
Wow! That's quite the getup.
She finished that
costume yesterday. - Aw.
- Guess what I am.
- Um, a space alien.
- No.
- Oh, a pearl.
You're part of a pearl necklace.
- Nope. I have a tail, see?
- Um, do you know?
Dad thought of it.
He planned the whole float.
Guess again.
That's all I got, sweetie.
I'm sorry.
I'm a sperm. See?
When we walk our tails move
back and forth like sperm.
The centerpiece of the
krewe Du vieux parade
Is a giant paper mâché replica
of our illustrious mayor
In a semi-recumbent
position pleasuring himself.
It's great. And we all walk in front,
waving our tails.
You're joking. - It's political
commentary. The mystic krewe of
spermies.
- The sperm lead the way.
- Yeah, as sperm so often do.
And at what point did
you decide to abdicate
As the parent of a
15-year-old girl?
She knows everything.
You know everything, right, Sof?
- Uh-huh, of course.
- Creighton, this is over the top.
Considering the circumstances,
I think we're showing
admirable restraint.
But this is just... Offensive.
The mayor's performance
is offensive.
The indifference of the state
And federal government
is offensive.
Fuck 'em if they
can't take a joke.
You parade as sperm
on Saturday night
And come Monday morning I have
to go in to the city attorney
And talk with him about
what's going on at the jail
Or with the police,
and all they want to talk about
Is how you used the mayor
as a Mardi gras gag.
Don't take the fun out
of everything.
We're making you one too.
We'll be the family of sperm.
Y'all do what you want.
You can count me out.
Suit yourself.
Annie?
Listen, all I wanna know
is are you all right?
I don't even know what
that means anymore.
I'm so sorry for yesterday.
That wasn't me.
I was high.
That's no excuse. I'm sorry.
It'll never happen again,
promise.
Whoo! Sound good, maestro.
Embouchure is shot.
Got no wind at all.
Well, you know, keep shedding.
You'll be fine.
- I can't play no gig, Antoine.
- Sure, you can.
It ain't till next
week or the week after.
- Where'd you say it was?
- The airport.
It's one of them
musicians' clinic gigs.
I'm putting together
a good group,
Greeting folks as they're
coming into town.
Hey, it's a bill a man.
All right,
you talked me into it.
Ah.
The thing is to get the gig,
We gotta go in for a check-up--
Both of us this afternoon.
I figure as long as I was here,
We might as well run over.
All right, but you
let me pay the cab.
How about we split it, huh?
I think renaming the
circle after
A local musician is
a marvelous idea.
Please, Mimi,
don't be appalling.
All we need is for someone
to point out the hypocrisy.
Well, Davis,
you yourself are named
For the confederate president
to whom we are directly,
If distantly, related.
I tell people it's for miles,
Sammy, Ossie or Angela.
- Hah!
- Man: I loved Sammy Davis.
"candy man."
But the question is,
my darling boy:
Do you want people to take you
as a serious individual or not?
Why would I do something
that would violate
The entire logic of my life
as I have conducted it so far?
You stick to your guns, Davis.
- Thank you, aunt Mimi.
- Thank you, aunt Mimi.
But I also feel compelled to
take exception to the idea
That there's nothing serious
about what I can do with this.
Jacques Morial says that I have
a chance to talk about issues
That nobody else is
talking about.
A Morial? What's next?
- Get over it, Ramona.
- Ramona: The point is
We finally have a chance
to turn new Orleans around,
Now that certain
elements are gone.
But raising money
from selling marijuana
Is not the way to do it.
Your carefully euphemized
racist sentiments
Are duly noted,
my darling mother,
But even you might agree
that the city needs
Every stream of
revenue it can get.
The city is broke and
the city is broken.
And it can't stay broke
and get fixed.
It's a contradiction in terms.
I always thought
they oughtta have
Blackjack tables
on the streetcars.
Wait-- Blackjack on the track.
Excellent idea.
Ooh, I think it'time
for another Martini.
How about a short
one this time, Mimi?
Oh, don't be vulgar,
Bro, I'll keep your mom out.
What time you want me to
bring her back? -
I'll need to write
you a prescription
- For your blood pressure.
- Yes, ma'am.
And I just need to
speak with your friend.
He's out of shape too.
Antoine.
- Hey, miss Cathy.
- You need to drop 20 lbs.
- Woman, you always say that.
- And it's always true.
It would lower your
blood pressure though.
More gigs I get
lower my pressure.
How's he doing?
Well, I'll know exactly when
his blood work comes back,
But he's not well and I
think he's depressed.
Ain't we all?
Darius is coming to
practice tonight.
Well, the Indian thing
is not for everybody.
But if it's for you,
it can make you strong.
I know he's interested.
It seems like they're
trying to make it impossible
For folks to come back.
What folks?
My gang.
They need someplace to live.
My second chief,
he got no place to stay.
Living out there in his van.
Ronnie got a place
in the projects.
It didn't flood,
but they won't let him back in.
Half my gang living
like refugees
In their own country.
Somebody needs to make
a stand, you know?
Draw a line.
Can I do something to help?
You know what I really
need you to do...
Tell me.
...Is cut.
Cut cut cut while I sew sew sew.
Ah, that was a nice nap.
- Did you like that?
- Mm-hmm!
I liked it so much,
I was thinking
We might wanna catch
another 40 winks.
- I thought you had a gig.
- Mm-hmm.
What about 10 winks?
- Mm.
- Go on, get outta here.
Mwah. Where's the tux?
- I hung it on the closet door.
- All right.
Hey, Desiree,
why is the tux wet?
It's just a little damp.
I didn't wanna let
it set in the dryer.
You washed the tux?
Well, how else am I supposed to
get the mess out of the front?
Big dried ugly stain like
somebody threw up on it.
A tuxedo's supposed
to be dry-cleaned.
Where am I supposed to find
a goddamn dry-cleaner open?
- Pssh.
- It's the goddamn weekend
And we out here in the middle of
who-gives-a-fuck nowhere. - Shit.
How the fuck did Kermit
hear about this gig?
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ I talked to my baby,
go down way ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ up in the heavens,
that'll be the thing ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ I'm a bad motherfucker,
I roll like that ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ I talk to my mommy
and baby boy ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ say, man, your pa,
he the real McCoy ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ they got a minuteman comin'
and a minuteman go ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ a spy boy jumpin'
at your front door ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama... ♪ - hold
it over your head. There you go.
No no. You got to wave it.
♪ shallow water, oh mama... ♪
They got to see you.
They got to see you. Hold it up.
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ tell your mom that
nobody's home ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
Big chief! - ♪ big chief ran
for the Mardi gras ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ got second chief coming, he's jumping
off, oowah... ♪ - oowah!
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪ - ♪ oh,
second chief on Mardi gras ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ hey, lordy, have mercy,
pour down rain ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama ♪
♪ on Mardi gras day,
the guardians of the flame ♪
♪ shallow water, oh mama... ♪
Hoo-rah! Let it come.
♪ shallow water, oh mama... ♪
Sounds like "take
the z train" to me.
Little shiny-dome motherfucker.
Check it out.
Blow your horn, son.
That's how we do it in tremé.
That's right, motherfucker.
Where's this from?
The arresting
officer's ticket book.
"David m. Brooks." there it is.
And from that ticket, Renée,
I was finally able to pull up
A complaint history
from the police computer
Which shows that David
was arrested-- arrested--
And locked up at o.P.P.
Just before the storm.
- So what do you want me to do?
- Based on this new evidence,
I'm filing for an
emergency rehearing.
Okay, yeah.
You could do the right thing
and make it a joint motion.
We'll certainly sign
the no objection.
Listen, Renée, you haven't
even heard the topper.
The bench warrant that
got David locked up--
That was a mistake.
That was an old warrant that was left
in the police computer for months
After David had satisfied his
obligations to the court.
Everything that could
fucking go wrong
Went wrong for this guy.
I could really use a
joint motion here.
No joint motions on emergency
hearings for the time being.
- Eddie's policy.
- Eddie's policy?
An innocent man
lost in the system
For nearly six months.
- Albert: Who that?
- Chie
Mr. Newsome.
How you doing today, sir?
I'm good. How you doing?
I'm real good, real good.
Looks like you all are gonna
mask for Mardi gras, huh?
- That's right.
- I'll be damned.
What can I do for you, sir?
Well, I come by to let you know
We were able to work a few
things on your behalf.
The councilman hadn't
forgot about you, sir.
- Well, that's good to hear.
- Yes, sir.
Now don't spread
this around too much.
We don't want half the
city beating down our door,
But, uh, we were able to
get a trailer for you, sir.
- A fema trailer?
- Yes, sir. Brand new.
- How many trailers you got?
- Just the one, sir.
I believe I asked your boss
about housing projects.
I believe that's what we
discussed - no, chief.
The projects-
that's not gonna happen.
Now, all of that is federal.
That's out of our control.
Now the councilman
went the extra mile
To make sure you got
what you needed.
A trailer?
Y'all want me to put my gang
In one fema trailer?
Get the hell out this bar.
Chief...
Have it your way, chief.
I'd have took the trailer.
Then I'd have kicked his
ass to the curb, me.
I'd have took it if
it came with cable. -
Whoo!
Oh, yes yes!
Ashley Morris, I salute you!
Great human being,
A true bohemian in every
sense of the word.
I think that is a
splendid idea, honey.
Can buy me back anytime.
Vive la France!
Batiste!
I dig the tux,
bro! De-constructed!
Hey, daddy. Pop!
- Dad!
- Hey.
- Hey, baby.
- Daddy.
How you doing,
Brantrell? How you doing?
Doing good? - Yeah,
I'm fine, man. You know.
- How's your mama?
- She's good, she's fine.
Yeah? Tell her I said hi,
your sister too.
- Yeah yeah. Come see us.
- I will, I will.
- All right, sweet then.
- See you later.
Hey!
Oh, thank you.
One of my students.
May I see that? Oh my goodness.
You never know. On a night
like this I might get lucky.
Might?
- You make a lovely sperm.
- Thanks, I think.
May I ask what
changed your mind?
"fuck those fucking fucks."
I second that emotion.
Whoohoo!
Where else could
we ever live, huh?
No place else.