Queen Sugar (2016) s02e12 Episode Script
Live in the All Along
1 VIOLET: Previously on "Queen Sugar" My family doesn't even care that I'm getting married.
- Well, how long has it been? - Years.
I don't remember Mom ever saying anything bad about Lorna.
I think I got this feeling about her from you.
Seeing you makes me think about him more than I want to.
I really did love him.
I know that.
I'm tired of trying to figure out how this ends.
I'm tired of pushing you away.
I'm right here.
Well, you're always welcome here, Mom.
I really loved seeing you.
I know Micah did, too.
Hmm, definitely.
I will send pics.
Oh! Excuse me! I'll post, then.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- Yes, I promise.
I love you, Mom.
Thank you for, um for just for understanding.
For being here, for, um for everything.
Okay.
Yes.
Bye.
I loved meeting your mom.
Gave me a lot of insight into you.
- Oh, yeah? - Mm-hmm.
What did you learn? I'm gonna keep that to myself.
I might need it later.
- Mmm.
- [CHUCKLES.]
What else might you need later? Are you coming on to me? Well, I'm trying.
Well, come on, then.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
Oh, I should just get it Trials and terrors in my years I should be wiser now Oh, I wouldn't have it any other way.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
Dreams never die, take flight, as the world turns Dreams never die, take flight, as the world turns Keep the colors in the lines, take flight Dreams never die Keep the colors in the lines Keep the colors in the lines, take flight.
Shall we go over it one more time? ROBERT: Of course.
The most likely frameworks for their questions are Zika as a national health concern, Zika as a localized threat to the Ninth Ward, and the criticism of our town hall as an exercise in hyperbole.
If they do that, we strike back.
Why has the Ninth been neglected by the media and the government for so many years? And now death and disease are accepted as the norm.
Zika allows us to equate the local concerns of the Ninth As a global concern for all of us.
It's a microcosm of a national health concern that demands a national emergency-level response.
Any which way they come at us, we tag team, we logically lead the conversation back to our goals.
Hopefully, we'll get some action, some traction on social media.
And, hopefully, we get what we need attention, resources.
WOMAN: Hey, guys, we'll be ready in five.
Thank you.
I got something for you.
Um Something for your close-up.
So, uh, open it up, and I hope you like it.
Robert.
I'm not sure this is gonna go with what you have on, but, um [DOOR OPENS.]
RALPH ANGEL: What's up, Aunt Vi? You got some money for me? [BOTH CHUCKLING.]
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
Y'all got a glow about you.
We just got our marriage license.
[VIOLET LAUGHING.]
Oh, Ralph Angel, that's good, baby.
Ha, ha, ha! Good for y'all.
Ah, it expires in 30 days.
You gonna do it at the church? 'Course, you can have the reception at my place.
We, um we decided to make an appointment with the judge.
An appointment to get married? See? Aunt Vi's saying we should have a proper wedding.
No, Aunt Vi ain't.
That's between y'all.
But if you change your mind, you know where I live.
NOVA: How we doing? WOMAN: You're a natural, Nova.
What's wrong? No online chatter.
I expected at least a few tweets.
- WOMAN: Okay, guys.
- [BELL RINGS.]
We're back in five, four, three - [JINGLE PLAYING.]
- And welcome back as we continue our informative conversation with Dr.
Robert DuBois, epidemiologist with the Center for American Progress, and activist Nova Bordelon, a reporter with the 'New Orleans Daily News,' who share concern about Zika.
Nova, you were describing current conditions in the lower Ninth.
Yes.
The destruction caused in 2005 by Mother Nature has been made worse by Father Neglect since 2005.
Sorry.
Father Neglect? Father Neglect is my attempt to articulate the white patriarchal structures that habitually devalue black life and have turned New Orleans into a petri dish for Zika.
That's quite a powerful statement.
One could even say hysterical.
- You calling me hysterical? - Not you, your statement.
See, I believe the way to engage people in need or those who could really use help is by being accurate and factual.
And, furthermore, cute sound bytes like 'Father Neglect,' they don't they don't clarify.
They confuse.
Seems to me that in your mansplaining, you've dismissed what I have to say in the same way that the poor folks of New Orleans are being dismissed, unless those concerns and issues somehow affect the elite.
And that's where Zika comes in, because it's an illness that knows no socioeconomic bounds.
Precisely.
Let me ask Dr.
DuBois a question.
And, please, be accurate and factual.
I'll do my best.
Could you say that a possible Zika outbreak could affect everyone, regardless of where they are or who they are? Yes.
Yes, it can.
Thank you.
Looks like you can rest your case.
Well, we're going to let these two experts retire to their corners of the ring.
I'm Larkin Gray.
Thank you for joining us.
- [JINGLE PLAYING.]
- WOMAN: And we're out.
- LARKIN: That was great.
- ROBERT: Pleasure to meet you.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
- What the hell was that? - ROBERT: What? You ambushing me on national TV.
We were having a conversation that was polite, it was informative, and boring.
Nova, I took a bullet for us.
I'm the guy who called you hysterical, and now we're trending.
Could have warned me you were gonna switch it up.
It would have looked staged.
Your intelligence and your passion, that's what has people fired up! - We're supposed to be a team.
- We are.
Not if you're using a different playbook! Okay.
Okay, I'm sorry, but we got our message out there to an audience that's still buzzing about it.
Please, can we just get a bite to eat and celebrate? Then get some rest.
We have an early flight tomorrow.
You're not coming with me to Louisiana.
Please.
You just trivialized how I'm trying to help the people in my community.
I don't want you around any of us.
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[CHAIR THUDS.]
DAVIS: Hold on a second.
So you're saying surgery's the only option, and I'm supposed to just fly out to Los Angeles tomorrow? My advice is I wouldn't wait on this.
Really.
[SIGHS.]
How long will I be out? Well, we can re-evaluate after surgery.
Come on, Doc, don't.
How long? Six to eight weeks.
That's nearly all of training camp.
It's an estimate, Davis.
An optimistic estimate, okay? [SIGHS.]
We know that your body's taking a little bit longer to heal now.
So I could be out for the season.
Let's take this one day at a time, okay? Now, if you'll give me a moment, I'm gonna step out for a second.
Be right back.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
[PHONE CHIMES.]
[LINE RINGING.]
Need to take that? Uh, no.
No, it's fine.
CHARLEY 'S VOICE: Hi.
You' ve reached Charley Bordelon.
I can't get to the phone right now, so please leave a message.
Thanks.
[VOICEMAIL BEEPS.]
Ferris wheel.
Ferris wheel will go here.
Carnival games and food booths will be lined up here, and we'll crown the Brown Sugar Queen on the stage, which is Mr.
Winston, nice to see you.
We were just going over the, uh the layout.
WINSTON: Remy.
Look, Miss Bordelon, the field's no longer available.
- Wait, we have an agreement.
- Yeah, uh, you can't have your party here.
It was a scheduling mistake.
She had a deal, Edward.
That was a handshake deal.
Sorry my little auction's gonna put y'all out.
But there's a whole mess of equipment to put on the market.
I'm just trying to help out the local farmer.
[SCOFFS.]
Let me tell you something, Sam, that maybe you can get to people who don't have a spine.
But I have a backbone.
And I am not going away.
You will.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Thank you.
[SIGHS.]
I called everybody on my list.
- I got one more.
- [LINE RINGING.]
Uh, yes, this is Remy Newell.
I'm calling on behalf of Ernest Bordelon's daughter.
She's bringing back the Brown Sugar Festival, but we had a snag with the venue.
Yes, sir, all outdoors.
It's actually for tomorrow.
Oh.
Okay.
Thank you.
[SIGHS.]
Yes.
Yes.
- Yes, we are in business.
- [LAUGHS.]
$4 a bushel for soybeans this season.
It's like growing money out the ground.
I never had so much money in my life before.
You still gotta budget.
Combine, grain cart lease, thresher, water testing.
This is your bottom line.
What's this right here? You're gonna break even.
That's good news for your first year.
I don't understand a life, breaking my back working - just to break even.
- Ralph Angel.
Son, I had seven straight years of losses.
If I had broken even just once things may have been different for me.
But in the end, they broke my land lease.
I didn't know that.
[SIGHS.]
Mr.
Prosper, truth is I just want to give Darla a nice wedding.
She deserves it.
I think she think I just can't afford it, so she worried.
Look like I can't.
[SIGHS.]
- REMY: Aw, no.
- You don't know.
No, I got a feeling this is gonna be painful.
- [MUSIC PLAYING.]
- Bag? Uh-huh.
- [CHUCKLES.]
Oh, no.
- Wait for it.
- Bagasse? - Mm-hmm.
You didn't even know that word last year.
That is two double word bonuses, plus 50 points for using all my tiles.
Plus another six, what is that? - Is that 96? - Oh, my gosh.
I thought you'd be more of a gracious winner, you know.
Normally, I would be, but we already beat Landry today, so I'm kind of on a roll.
[CHUCKLES.]
And I go slow I wanna fill the space between - Hi.
- Hi.
Feeling like a new machine And if you're living how you're living for me I wanna hear the floorboards squeak - And, baby, won't you - Am I doing something wrong? - Not at all.
- [DOOR OPENS.]
- All right, Dad, peace.
- All right.
All right, good night.
What's up? Hey, young brother.
What's goin' on, y'all? Davis? You remember Remy.
Hey.
CHARLEY: You got a message earlier today about the change of venue.
You'll be picking Micah up from a different location tomorrow.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, what happened? Long story.
The short version is Remy saved the day.
Cool.
Wait, you called me before I called you today.
What's up? [PHONE RINGS.]
I'm gonna take this.
Excuse me.
- Sure.
- Hello? This is Remy Newell.
So what is it? Why'd you call? Oh, uh, I just wanted to confirm the drop time for Micah.
- For today? - Yeah.
Yep.
[SIGHS.]
Excuse me.
Uh, bad news.
Turns out First AME can't host after all.
What? Why not? Apparently the pastor got a call from Landry, and that got him worried about his insurance.
That was the last site big enough for the rides.
Why does Landry care so much about destroying my festival? Honey, he's just trying to get under your skin.
DAVIS: So don't let him.
Forget the rides.
CHARLEY: It's a carnival, Davis.
I know.
Look, you remember Spring Crush, sophomore year.
Destiny's Child canceled at the last minute, and we found that karaoke guy, and we had a party anyway.
You're saying scale back.
Yeah, why not? Whack-a-Mole and Pop-a-Shot is just as much fun as a Ferris wheel.
- But I don't have a venue.
- How about the farm? Well, we're getting ready to harvest.
But, hey, maybe Vi's.
Hmm.
Couldn't hurt to ask.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I know how you roll, Charley.
It's gonna be great.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
- All right.
- [MUSIC PLAYING.]
My gosh! Aunt Vi! What? [CHUCKLES.]
Here we go.
Wow.
A Brown Sugar Queen needs a crown.
Yes, she does.
- Ooh! - It's really something, Aunt Vi.
Hey, TV star! Oh, baby.
I love seeing you where you deserve to be, in the spotlight, in your element.
Thanks, Aunt Vi.
- It really is beautiful.
- Don't! [NOVA CHUCKLES.]
This here is my element.
Hmm? Brown sugar paste, royal icing.
I just need to add the sugar roses.
All right, so now I assume I can trust you girls to leave it be.
Nah.
Leave it be while I get dressed.
- Aunt Vi, we are grown.
- Love you.
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
[THUNDER RUMBLING.]
Hope the weather holds for you.
Yep, me, too.
So? Where's he at? Told him not to come.
Wait, what? Oh, no.
Wait, what happened? I take it you didn't watch.
I did.
You were great.
A little dry in the beginning, but you you drove it on home.
You didn't think he was dismissive and disrespectful? I thought it was good TV, and it was right for the setting.
I mean, people don't tune in to see a bunch of talking heads agreeing with each other.
And I was actually impressed that you knew to play it that way.
I didn't.
He switched up the talking points after the commercial break without telling me.
Well, that's not playing nice.
And I'd tell him if I ever met him.
But big picture? He got folks listening so you could get your point across.
MICAH: I didn't realize putting up little stringy things would be so hard.
I can tell.
You haven't done this before, have you? What are you, a professional DAVIS: Hey.
MICAH: Hey.
Hey, what are you what are you doing here? I had to come by and talk to your mom.
[THUNDER RUMBLING.]
Hey, this is, uh this is Keke.
Nice to meet you, Mr.
West.
Please, call me Davis.
No, I'm gonna call you Mr.
West.
Okay, well, it's really nice to finally meet you.
Micah can't stop talking about you.
I'm gonna run inside, and, uh, you know.
- Nice to meet you.
- You, too.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
What do you mean, bumper-to-bumper? - [TV PLAYING.]
- What are you doing here? What's the big deal? I brought a couple of teammates to support the festival.
You've gotta be kidding me.
Well well, I understand that.
No.
No, I got it.
- It's fine.
- REPORTER: seven inches of rain.
- What are you talking about? - [SIGHS.]
- Road closure.
- [THUNDER RUMBLES.]
All of my trucks out of New Orleans are blocked.
VIOLET: And they can't go another way? That don't make no sense.
It's gotta be Landry.
Why won't that man leave us be? We can still have a party.
Are you kidding? We have no catering, no activities, no Skee-Ball, no Whack-a-Mole.
I'd like to whack a Landry.
We should just tell everyone that it's canceled.
It's raining anyway.
It's a certified disaster.
Charley, we can make a way out of no way.
That's what we do.
Now, it won't be like what you had in your mind exactly - [DOOR CLOSES.]
- but we can celebrate our harvest.
It's the best way to show Landry he ain't gonna stop us.
We'll put the word out that it's a potluck.
REPORTER: The governor is urging people to take cover.
Have it at the mill.
It looks like we're gonna get rained out here anyway.
RALPH ANGEL: I can set some games up.
You know, maybe we could play some H-O-R-S-E or something.
DAVIS: Yeah, and I don't know how you're gonna feel about this, but I think I could get Tamar Judith down here to sing, too.
- [COUGHS.]
- How could you swing that? - RALPH ANGEL: She's tight.
- NOVA: She's dope.
- RALPH ANGEL: Yeah, she is dope.
- NOVA: Yeah, bring her! - The community would love that.
- RALPH ANGEL: That's perfect.
And this is for them.
[EXHALES.]
You buying that grass? Farm ain't bringing in what I hoped.
Enough to get by, though, right? Barely.
What I'm supposed to do if something come up? How do you mean? Like, get sick? I'm getting married.
Darla deserves a nice wedding.
[SIGHS.]
Well, you could get a second job.
No shame in that.
Ain't that easy, 'Wood.
[MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO.]
I got a guy working on my crew.
Did a little time.
He works graveyard, processing shrimp.
Man, I heard about that place.
Break your back, stink you up real good.
I'm cool.
Ralph Angel, you're stuck between a rock and a hard place.
You want to do good for that woman? Sometimes, man, it takes sacrifice.
I've been there.
Look, I'm gonna get that number for you, all right? You can do whatever you want with it.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
REMY: All right, gentlemen, let's keep it clean.
- [GIGGLING.]
- You know the rules.
[CHATTER.]
Come on, why you do that to me, boy? You got him leaning, D! - [GRUNTING.]
- Get it! Get it! Yes, sir! Yes, sir! I told you about him! Prosper Denton is still the champion! Yes, sir.
MAN ON P.
A.
: All right, this is Tamar Judith's last song, so let's give her a warm round of applause and say, 'Thank you, Tamar.
' [CROWD APPLAUDS, CHEERS.]
Don't have much to bring Just a lot of sad songs I used to have everything Gave it up for the simple things I moved on Past the pain Folks are enjoying themselves.
Everyone is making the best of it.
Selling yourself a little short, aren't you? People are really having a good time.
- Suppose so.
- NOVA: What are y'all doing over here? Being antisocial.
- [CHEERING, APPLAUSE.]
- It's just it's just I, uh I had a different vision for today.
I wanted this to be memorable, and look around, Landry won.
Charley, ain't nobody thinking about a Ferris wheel or a dunk tank.
And don't nobody care about no poop-butt carnival games neither.
Can 't you see, that's not what this is about? What I see is a community being forced to settle once again.
NOVA: Charley, you just got here.
And just when I thought you figured out what this is really about, you prove you're still What? Look, we don't have to have a sugarcane festival like theirs for it to matter.
Look around you.
You brought the community together.
REMY: Nova's right.
You breathed new life into something most people around here had long since forgotten.
Just because it didn't have all the bells and whistles doesn't take away its power.
This thing got whittled down and whittled down, but look around you, baby.
This community is fed.
And I'm not talking about its belly.
I'm talking about its spirit.
doing this thing for a long, long time And I ain't about to stop I don't know what to say.
Say you'll dance with me.
yeah, yeah, yeah Handling my own business All right, now, y'all make way.
We coming through here.
Here we come.
Make some room in here! Yeah, yeah, yeah Handling my own business Yeah! Come on.
[REMY CHUCKLES.]
[DARLA WHISPERS.]
Um Darla, baby, what's wrong? [CRYING.]
My parents called.
They haven't answered my calls or reached out to me in six years.
They're coming.
[LAUGHING.]
Well, that's that's good news.
That's beautiful news, baby.
That's beautiful news, Darla.
I'm really nervous.
Oh, baby, they probably feel the same.
But they'll see who you've become and what a wonderful mother you are to Blue.
I don't know.
My dad sees what he wants.
Well, then that's on him.
And don't you hide on a count of it.
[SIGHS.]
You know, I met my first husband at this festival back in the day.
Too young and foolish to know better.
Oh, but that man, I didn't know God made that kind of glory.
[CHUCKLES, SNIFFLES.]
And one day, he hit me, hard, right across my jaw.
Wasn't long before that became a regular thing.
I'm so sorry.
It's okay, baby, and long over.
But I remember even after Ernest ran his butt out of town folks looked at me a certain kind of way.
I wanted to hide.
But then I realized if I don't shake this off me, that's all they're gonna see.
Now, I know that you are planning to have a courthouse ceremony.
But if you change your mind and you want to celebrate with your family and friends, my offer still stands.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[ALL CHEERING.]
Hi, everyone.
ALL: Hi! Thank you all for coming today.
St.
Jo has been waiting for a Brown Sugar Queen for too long.
I, uh I want to thank my family for pulling together today.
Y'all had my back, and I love you.
And I want to thank Davis West and the Stingers for supporting us by being here today, along with Tamar Judith.
You know, there's one person who has really been by my side and supporting me in this from the very beginning.
And that is Remy Newell.
Come on up here, Remy.
- No.
- Come on.
ALL: Whoo! MAN: Yeah, boy! Get her, Remy! CHARLEY: All right, it is time to introduce our Brown Sugar Court and to crown our queen.
A committee of local sugarcane farmers chose these extraordinary young women based on their academic achievement and their community service.
So please give a hand to Alicia Beaumont, Keke Raymond, Orli Mentone, Genevieve Woodruff, and Mayweather Perkins.
[CHEERS, APPLAUSE.]
It was close, but this year's Brown Sugar Queen is Keke Raymond.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
Mm! Wouldn't be a special occasion without your pies, Violet.
Ah! Too kind as usual.
What can I get you, Prosper? Well, I haven't had your butterscotch shoofly.
Ah, that's a good choice.
- Recognize that hat band? - [CHUCKLES.]
Don't tell me that's from your wife's apron from the Brown Sugar court.
NOVA: The court didn't drop that antiquated notion of making aprons to symbolize a woman's place in the kitchen baking with sugar until I staged a revolt in the '90s.
It was fine for us back then, wasn't it? - Fine by me.
- [VIOLET LAUGHS.]
Move it in, move it out What can I get you? A moment of your time.
You got me so sick Here in this discotheque Girl, you're movin' me Girl, you're groovin' me I know I messed up back at the studio.
I have no problem admitting that freely.
I will do whatever I need to do to fix this.
Nova.
Can we fix this? If we're gonna do this we have to be in it together.
As partners.
I'm not trying to be anybody's chess piece.
That's not how I see you.
Everything I want for me, I want for us.
I want to do this side by side.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
You are exceedingly brilliant and special.
And I think yesterday's appearance was just the beginning.
I feel like if we play our cards right, we could be the face of a movement.
- [THUNDER RUMBLING.]
- I love you, baby I don't think the movement needs a face.
And I've never wanted to elevate myself above anybody else.
All our lives are worth the same.
Of course we're all equal.
We both know that.
Not everybody is in a position to shoulder the burden of leadership.
That's a big part of the reason why.
I got things to do on my own That's why I love you.
You get what it takes, and you're still committed.
Nova, be honest with me.
Do you really see yourself staying in the Ninth for the rest of your life? Excuse me? I get why you would feel guilty about leaving, but you can't let that stop you from taking the main stage that you deserve.
Your work that's the next step.
That's the big picture.
Why does the picture have to be what you say it is? Why does everything have to be - the way you think it should be? - No, hold on.
You been trying to get me to step outside myself ever since the day you met me.
I shouldn't have to disappear into you to make this work.
And if you thought I ever wanted to leave my home you never knew me.
No.
I know you.
And I know what you could be.
That's the problem.
I think you're a very good man but you're no good for me.
Don't do this.
I don't need you to dream for me.
I like what I got.
Can you ever love somebody? I think you should leave now.
Can you ever love somebody? Let's just talk about it.
There's nothing else to say.
Can you ever love somebody? Keep that space And not push it away Can you ever love somebody? Truly tell me Can you ever love somebody? [SIGHS.]
Blue had fun today.
And how about you? [GRUNTS.]
I've been thinking about us all day.
My mom called me today.
[SIGHS.]
It wasn't hard to talk to her.
And it makes me think [SIGHS.]
if she can come around maybe my dad can, too.
Come here.
- I'm happy for you, baby.
- Thank you.
It made me realize you're right.
[RALPH ANGEL CHUCKLES.]
We should celebrate each other.
For real.
Everybody there.
You still want to? Of course, I do.
Yeah Ooh Yeah [TAPPING.]
Hey.
Um, the team and Tamar are gone, so I should go, too.
[THUNDER RUMBLING, RAIN PATTERING.]
You know, you did a lot of good today.
Between the Stingers and Tamar.
And you.
It meant a lot.
I appreciate that.
I, um I leave for L.
A.
in the morning.
Okay.
You're not gonna ask why I'm going? No.
No, I'm not gonna ask why.
It's not for me to ask anymore.
Right.
Hey, look, tomorrow's not really a big deal or anything.
Remy is.
He's a big deal.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
It's a really good sign That you hope my mind is true And I've been thinking of what to say - Charley? - Yeah? I'm sorry.
So you wanna be a man about it, do you? For all of it.
And have you figured out all you wanted Have you? When your heart becomes a million different pieces That's when you won't be able To recognize this feeling That's called tough love That's called tough love That's called tough love That's called tough love - Tough love - That's called tough love - Tough love - That's called tough love - Tough love - That's called tough love [VOCALIZING.]
- Well, how long has it been? - Years.
I don't remember Mom ever saying anything bad about Lorna.
I think I got this feeling about her from you.
Seeing you makes me think about him more than I want to.
I really did love him.
I know that.
I'm tired of trying to figure out how this ends.
I'm tired of pushing you away.
I'm right here.
Well, you're always welcome here, Mom.
I really loved seeing you.
I know Micah did, too.
Hmm, definitely.
I will send pics.
Oh! Excuse me! I'll post, then.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- Yes, I promise.
I love you, Mom.
Thank you for, um for just for understanding.
For being here, for, um for everything.
Okay.
Yes.
Bye.
I loved meeting your mom.
Gave me a lot of insight into you.
- Oh, yeah? - Mm-hmm.
What did you learn? I'm gonna keep that to myself.
I might need it later.
- Mmm.
- [CHUCKLES.]
What else might you need later? Are you coming on to me? Well, I'm trying.
Well, come on, then.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
Oh, I should just get it Trials and terrors in my years I should be wiser now Oh, I wouldn't have it any other way.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
Dreams never die, take flight, as the world turns Dreams never die, take flight, as the world turns Keep the colors in the lines, take flight Dreams never die Keep the colors in the lines Keep the colors in the lines, take flight.
Shall we go over it one more time? ROBERT: Of course.
The most likely frameworks for their questions are Zika as a national health concern, Zika as a localized threat to the Ninth Ward, and the criticism of our town hall as an exercise in hyperbole.
If they do that, we strike back.
Why has the Ninth been neglected by the media and the government for so many years? And now death and disease are accepted as the norm.
Zika allows us to equate the local concerns of the Ninth As a global concern for all of us.
It's a microcosm of a national health concern that demands a national emergency-level response.
Any which way they come at us, we tag team, we logically lead the conversation back to our goals.
Hopefully, we'll get some action, some traction on social media.
And, hopefully, we get what we need attention, resources.
WOMAN: Hey, guys, we'll be ready in five.
Thank you.
I got something for you.
Um Something for your close-up.
So, uh, open it up, and I hope you like it.
Robert.
I'm not sure this is gonna go with what you have on, but, um [DOOR OPENS.]
RALPH ANGEL: What's up, Aunt Vi? You got some money for me? [BOTH CHUCKLING.]
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
Y'all got a glow about you.
We just got our marriage license.
[VIOLET LAUGHING.]
Oh, Ralph Angel, that's good, baby.
Ha, ha, ha! Good for y'all.
Ah, it expires in 30 days.
You gonna do it at the church? 'Course, you can have the reception at my place.
We, um we decided to make an appointment with the judge.
An appointment to get married? See? Aunt Vi's saying we should have a proper wedding.
No, Aunt Vi ain't.
That's between y'all.
But if you change your mind, you know where I live.
NOVA: How we doing? WOMAN: You're a natural, Nova.
What's wrong? No online chatter.
I expected at least a few tweets.
- WOMAN: Okay, guys.
- [BELL RINGS.]
We're back in five, four, three - [JINGLE PLAYING.]
- And welcome back as we continue our informative conversation with Dr.
Robert DuBois, epidemiologist with the Center for American Progress, and activist Nova Bordelon, a reporter with the 'New Orleans Daily News,' who share concern about Zika.
Nova, you were describing current conditions in the lower Ninth.
Yes.
The destruction caused in 2005 by Mother Nature has been made worse by Father Neglect since 2005.
Sorry.
Father Neglect? Father Neglect is my attempt to articulate the white patriarchal structures that habitually devalue black life and have turned New Orleans into a petri dish for Zika.
That's quite a powerful statement.
One could even say hysterical.
- You calling me hysterical? - Not you, your statement.
See, I believe the way to engage people in need or those who could really use help is by being accurate and factual.
And, furthermore, cute sound bytes like 'Father Neglect,' they don't they don't clarify.
They confuse.
Seems to me that in your mansplaining, you've dismissed what I have to say in the same way that the poor folks of New Orleans are being dismissed, unless those concerns and issues somehow affect the elite.
And that's where Zika comes in, because it's an illness that knows no socioeconomic bounds.
Precisely.
Let me ask Dr.
DuBois a question.
And, please, be accurate and factual.
I'll do my best.
Could you say that a possible Zika outbreak could affect everyone, regardless of where they are or who they are? Yes.
Yes, it can.
Thank you.
Looks like you can rest your case.
Well, we're going to let these two experts retire to their corners of the ring.
I'm Larkin Gray.
Thank you for joining us.
- [JINGLE PLAYING.]
- WOMAN: And we're out.
- LARKIN: That was great.
- ROBERT: Pleasure to meet you.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
- What the hell was that? - ROBERT: What? You ambushing me on national TV.
We were having a conversation that was polite, it was informative, and boring.
Nova, I took a bullet for us.
I'm the guy who called you hysterical, and now we're trending.
Could have warned me you were gonna switch it up.
It would have looked staged.
Your intelligence and your passion, that's what has people fired up! - We're supposed to be a team.
- We are.
Not if you're using a different playbook! Okay.
Okay, I'm sorry, but we got our message out there to an audience that's still buzzing about it.
Please, can we just get a bite to eat and celebrate? Then get some rest.
We have an early flight tomorrow.
You're not coming with me to Louisiana.
Please.
You just trivialized how I'm trying to help the people in my community.
I don't want you around any of us.
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[CHAIR THUDS.]
DAVIS: Hold on a second.
So you're saying surgery's the only option, and I'm supposed to just fly out to Los Angeles tomorrow? My advice is I wouldn't wait on this.
Really.
[SIGHS.]
How long will I be out? Well, we can re-evaluate after surgery.
Come on, Doc, don't.
How long? Six to eight weeks.
That's nearly all of training camp.
It's an estimate, Davis.
An optimistic estimate, okay? [SIGHS.]
We know that your body's taking a little bit longer to heal now.
So I could be out for the season.
Let's take this one day at a time, okay? Now, if you'll give me a moment, I'm gonna step out for a second.
Be right back.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
[PHONE CHIMES.]
[LINE RINGING.]
Need to take that? Uh, no.
No, it's fine.
CHARLEY 'S VOICE: Hi.
You' ve reached Charley Bordelon.
I can't get to the phone right now, so please leave a message.
Thanks.
[VOICEMAIL BEEPS.]
Ferris wheel.
Ferris wheel will go here.
Carnival games and food booths will be lined up here, and we'll crown the Brown Sugar Queen on the stage, which is Mr.
Winston, nice to see you.
We were just going over the, uh the layout.
WINSTON: Remy.
Look, Miss Bordelon, the field's no longer available.
- Wait, we have an agreement.
- Yeah, uh, you can't have your party here.
It was a scheduling mistake.
She had a deal, Edward.
That was a handshake deal.
Sorry my little auction's gonna put y'all out.
But there's a whole mess of equipment to put on the market.
I'm just trying to help out the local farmer.
[SCOFFS.]
Let me tell you something, Sam, that maybe you can get to people who don't have a spine.
But I have a backbone.
And I am not going away.
You will.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Thank you.
[SIGHS.]
I called everybody on my list.
- I got one more.
- [LINE RINGING.]
Uh, yes, this is Remy Newell.
I'm calling on behalf of Ernest Bordelon's daughter.
She's bringing back the Brown Sugar Festival, but we had a snag with the venue.
Yes, sir, all outdoors.
It's actually for tomorrow.
Oh.
Okay.
Thank you.
[SIGHS.]
Yes.
Yes.
- Yes, we are in business.
- [LAUGHS.]
$4 a bushel for soybeans this season.
It's like growing money out the ground.
I never had so much money in my life before.
You still gotta budget.
Combine, grain cart lease, thresher, water testing.
This is your bottom line.
What's this right here? You're gonna break even.
That's good news for your first year.
I don't understand a life, breaking my back working - just to break even.
- Ralph Angel.
Son, I had seven straight years of losses.
If I had broken even just once things may have been different for me.
But in the end, they broke my land lease.
I didn't know that.
[SIGHS.]
Mr.
Prosper, truth is I just want to give Darla a nice wedding.
She deserves it.
I think she think I just can't afford it, so she worried.
Look like I can't.
[SIGHS.]
- REMY: Aw, no.
- You don't know.
No, I got a feeling this is gonna be painful.
- [MUSIC PLAYING.]
- Bag? Uh-huh.
- [CHUCKLES.]
Oh, no.
- Wait for it.
- Bagasse? - Mm-hmm.
You didn't even know that word last year.
That is two double word bonuses, plus 50 points for using all my tiles.
Plus another six, what is that? - Is that 96? - Oh, my gosh.
I thought you'd be more of a gracious winner, you know.
Normally, I would be, but we already beat Landry today, so I'm kind of on a roll.
[CHUCKLES.]
And I go slow I wanna fill the space between - Hi.
- Hi.
Feeling like a new machine And if you're living how you're living for me I wanna hear the floorboards squeak - And, baby, won't you - Am I doing something wrong? - Not at all.
- [DOOR OPENS.]
- All right, Dad, peace.
- All right.
All right, good night.
What's up? Hey, young brother.
What's goin' on, y'all? Davis? You remember Remy.
Hey.
CHARLEY: You got a message earlier today about the change of venue.
You'll be picking Micah up from a different location tomorrow.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, what happened? Long story.
The short version is Remy saved the day.
Cool.
Wait, you called me before I called you today.
What's up? [PHONE RINGS.]
I'm gonna take this.
Excuse me.
- Sure.
- Hello? This is Remy Newell.
So what is it? Why'd you call? Oh, uh, I just wanted to confirm the drop time for Micah.
- For today? - Yeah.
Yep.
[SIGHS.]
Excuse me.
Uh, bad news.
Turns out First AME can't host after all.
What? Why not? Apparently the pastor got a call from Landry, and that got him worried about his insurance.
That was the last site big enough for the rides.
Why does Landry care so much about destroying my festival? Honey, he's just trying to get under your skin.
DAVIS: So don't let him.
Forget the rides.
CHARLEY: It's a carnival, Davis.
I know.
Look, you remember Spring Crush, sophomore year.
Destiny's Child canceled at the last minute, and we found that karaoke guy, and we had a party anyway.
You're saying scale back.
Yeah, why not? Whack-a-Mole and Pop-a-Shot is just as much fun as a Ferris wheel.
- But I don't have a venue.
- How about the farm? Well, we're getting ready to harvest.
But, hey, maybe Vi's.
Hmm.
Couldn't hurt to ask.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I know how you roll, Charley.
It's gonna be great.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
- All right.
- [MUSIC PLAYING.]
My gosh! Aunt Vi! What? [CHUCKLES.]
Here we go.
Wow.
A Brown Sugar Queen needs a crown.
Yes, she does.
- Ooh! - It's really something, Aunt Vi.
Hey, TV star! Oh, baby.
I love seeing you where you deserve to be, in the spotlight, in your element.
Thanks, Aunt Vi.
- It really is beautiful.
- Don't! [NOVA CHUCKLES.]
This here is my element.
Hmm? Brown sugar paste, royal icing.
I just need to add the sugar roses.
All right, so now I assume I can trust you girls to leave it be.
Nah.
Leave it be while I get dressed.
- Aunt Vi, we are grown.
- Love you.
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
[THUNDER RUMBLING.]
Hope the weather holds for you.
Yep, me, too.
So? Where's he at? Told him not to come.
Wait, what? Oh, no.
Wait, what happened? I take it you didn't watch.
I did.
You were great.
A little dry in the beginning, but you you drove it on home.
You didn't think he was dismissive and disrespectful? I thought it was good TV, and it was right for the setting.
I mean, people don't tune in to see a bunch of talking heads agreeing with each other.
And I was actually impressed that you knew to play it that way.
I didn't.
He switched up the talking points after the commercial break without telling me.
Well, that's not playing nice.
And I'd tell him if I ever met him.
But big picture? He got folks listening so you could get your point across.
MICAH: I didn't realize putting up little stringy things would be so hard.
I can tell.
You haven't done this before, have you? What are you, a professional DAVIS: Hey.
MICAH: Hey.
Hey, what are you what are you doing here? I had to come by and talk to your mom.
[THUNDER RUMBLING.]
Hey, this is, uh this is Keke.
Nice to meet you, Mr.
West.
Please, call me Davis.
No, I'm gonna call you Mr.
West.
Okay, well, it's really nice to finally meet you.
Micah can't stop talking about you.
I'm gonna run inside, and, uh, you know.
- Nice to meet you.
- You, too.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
What do you mean, bumper-to-bumper? - [TV PLAYING.]
- What are you doing here? What's the big deal? I brought a couple of teammates to support the festival.
You've gotta be kidding me.
Well well, I understand that.
No.
No, I got it.
- It's fine.
- REPORTER: seven inches of rain.
- What are you talking about? - [SIGHS.]
- Road closure.
- [THUNDER RUMBLES.]
All of my trucks out of New Orleans are blocked.
VIOLET: And they can't go another way? That don't make no sense.
It's gotta be Landry.
Why won't that man leave us be? We can still have a party.
Are you kidding? We have no catering, no activities, no Skee-Ball, no Whack-a-Mole.
I'd like to whack a Landry.
We should just tell everyone that it's canceled.
It's raining anyway.
It's a certified disaster.
Charley, we can make a way out of no way.
That's what we do.
Now, it won't be like what you had in your mind exactly - [DOOR CLOSES.]
- but we can celebrate our harvest.
It's the best way to show Landry he ain't gonna stop us.
We'll put the word out that it's a potluck.
REPORTER: The governor is urging people to take cover.
Have it at the mill.
It looks like we're gonna get rained out here anyway.
RALPH ANGEL: I can set some games up.
You know, maybe we could play some H-O-R-S-E or something.
DAVIS: Yeah, and I don't know how you're gonna feel about this, but I think I could get Tamar Judith down here to sing, too.
- [COUGHS.]
- How could you swing that? - RALPH ANGEL: She's tight.
- NOVA: She's dope.
- RALPH ANGEL: Yeah, she is dope.
- NOVA: Yeah, bring her! - The community would love that.
- RALPH ANGEL: That's perfect.
And this is for them.
[EXHALES.]
You buying that grass? Farm ain't bringing in what I hoped.
Enough to get by, though, right? Barely.
What I'm supposed to do if something come up? How do you mean? Like, get sick? I'm getting married.
Darla deserves a nice wedding.
[SIGHS.]
Well, you could get a second job.
No shame in that.
Ain't that easy, 'Wood.
[MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO.]
I got a guy working on my crew.
Did a little time.
He works graveyard, processing shrimp.
Man, I heard about that place.
Break your back, stink you up real good.
I'm cool.
Ralph Angel, you're stuck between a rock and a hard place.
You want to do good for that woman? Sometimes, man, it takes sacrifice.
I've been there.
Look, I'm gonna get that number for you, all right? You can do whatever you want with it.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
REMY: All right, gentlemen, let's keep it clean.
- [GIGGLING.]
- You know the rules.
[CHATTER.]
Come on, why you do that to me, boy? You got him leaning, D! - [GRUNTING.]
- Get it! Get it! Yes, sir! Yes, sir! I told you about him! Prosper Denton is still the champion! Yes, sir.
MAN ON P.
A.
: All right, this is Tamar Judith's last song, so let's give her a warm round of applause and say, 'Thank you, Tamar.
' [CROWD APPLAUDS, CHEERS.]
Don't have much to bring Just a lot of sad songs I used to have everything Gave it up for the simple things I moved on Past the pain Folks are enjoying themselves.
Everyone is making the best of it.
Selling yourself a little short, aren't you? People are really having a good time.
- Suppose so.
- NOVA: What are y'all doing over here? Being antisocial.
- [CHEERING, APPLAUSE.]
- It's just it's just I, uh I had a different vision for today.
I wanted this to be memorable, and look around, Landry won.
Charley, ain't nobody thinking about a Ferris wheel or a dunk tank.
And don't nobody care about no poop-butt carnival games neither.
Can 't you see, that's not what this is about? What I see is a community being forced to settle once again.
NOVA: Charley, you just got here.
And just when I thought you figured out what this is really about, you prove you're still What? Look, we don't have to have a sugarcane festival like theirs for it to matter.
Look around you.
You brought the community together.
REMY: Nova's right.
You breathed new life into something most people around here had long since forgotten.
Just because it didn't have all the bells and whistles doesn't take away its power.
This thing got whittled down and whittled down, but look around you, baby.
This community is fed.
And I'm not talking about its belly.
I'm talking about its spirit.
doing this thing for a long, long time And I ain't about to stop I don't know what to say.
Say you'll dance with me.
yeah, yeah, yeah Handling my own business All right, now, y'all make way.
We coming through here.
Here we come.
Make some room in here! Yeah, yeah, yeah Handling my own business Yeah! Come on.
[REMY CHUCKLES.]
[DARLA WHISPERS.]
Um Darla, baby, what's wrong? [CRYING.]
My parents called.
They haven't answered my calls or reached out to me in six years.
They're coming.
[LAUGHING.]
Well, that's that's good news.
That's beautiful news, baby.
That's beautiful news, Darla.
I'm really nervous.
Oh, baby, they probably feel the same.
But they'll see who you've become and what a wonderful mother you are to Blue.
I don't know.
My dad sees what he wants.
Well, then that's on him.
And don't you hide on a count of it.
[SIGHS.]
You know, I met my first husband at this festival back in the day.
Too young and foolish to know better.
Oh, but that man, I didn't know God made that kind of glory.
[CHUCKLES, SNIFFLES.]
And one day, he hit me, hard, right across my jaw.
Wasn't long before that became a regular thing.
I'm so sorry.
It's okay, baby, and long over.
But I remember even after Ernest ran his butt out of town folks looked at me a certain kind of way.
I wanted to hide.
But then I realized if I don't shake this off me, that's all they're gonna see.
Now, I know that you are planning to have a courthouse ceremony.
But if you change your mind and you want to celebrate with your family and friends, my offer still stands.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[ALL CHEERING.]
Hi, everyone.
ALL: Hi! Thank you all for coming today.
St.
Jo has been waiting for a Brown Sugar Queen for too long.
I, uh I want to thank my family for pulling together today.
Y'all had my back, and I love you.
And I want to thank Davis West and the Stingers for supporting us by being here today, along with Tamar Judith.
You know, there's one person who has really been by my side and supporting me in this from the very beginning.
And that is Remy Newell.
Come on up here, Remy.
- No.
- Come on.
ALL: Whoo! MAN: Yeah, boy! Get her, Remy! CHARLEY: All right, it is time to introduce our Brown Sugar Court and to crown our queen.
A committee of local sugarcane farmers chose these extraordinary young women based on their academic achievement and their community service.
So please give a hand to Alicia Beaumont, Keke Raymond, Orli Mentone, Genevieve Woodruff, and Mayweather Perkins.
[CHEERS, APPLAUSE.]
It was close, but this year's Brown Sugar Queen is Keke Raymond.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
Mm! Wouldn't be a special occasion without your pies, Violet.
Ah! Too kind as usual.
What can I get you, Prosper? Well, I haven't had your butterscotch shoofly.
Ah, that's a good choice.
- Recognize that hat band? - [CHUCKLES.]
Don't tell me that's from your wife's apron from the Brown Sugar court.
NOVA: The court didn't drop that antiquated notion of making aprons to symbolize a woman's place in the kitchen baking with sugar until I staged a revolt in the '90s.
It was fine for us back then, wasn't it? - Fine by me.
- [VIOLET LAUGHS.]
Move it in, move it out What can I get you? A moment of your time.
You got me so sick Here in this discotheque Girl, you're movin' me Girl, you're groovin' me I know I messed up back at the studio.
I have no problem admitting that freely.
I will do whatever I need to do to fix this.
Nova.
Can we fix this? If we're gonna do this we have to be in it together.
As partners.
I'm not trying to be anybody's chess piece.
That's not how I see you.
Everything I want for me, I want for us.
I want to do this side by side.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
You are exceedingly brilliant and special.
And I think yesterday's appearance was just the beginning.
I feel like if we play our cards right, we could be the face of a movement.
- [THUNDER RUMBLING.]
- I love you, baby I don't think the movement needs a face.
And I've never wanted to elevate myself above anybody else.
All our lives are worth the same.
Of course we're all equal.
We both know that.
Not everybody is in a position to shoulder the burden of leadership.
That's a big part of the reason why.
I got things to do on my own That's why I love you.
You get what it takes, and you're still committed.
Nova, be honest with me.
Do you really see yourself staying in the Ninth for the rest of your life? Excuse me? I get why you would feel guilty about leaving, but you can't let that stop you from taking the main stage that you deserve.
Your work that's the next step.
That's the big picture.
Why does the picture have to be what you say it is? Why does everything have to be - the way you think it should be? - No, hold on.
You been trying to get me to step outside myself ever since the day you met me.
I shouldn't have to disappear into you to make this work.
And if you thought I ever wanted to leave my home you never knew me.
No.
I know you.
And I know what you could be.
That's the problem.
I think you're a very good man but you're no good for me.
Don't do this.
I don't need you to dream for me.
I like what I got.
Can you ever love somebody? I think you should leave now.
Can you ever love somebody? Let's just talk about it.
There's nothing else to say.
Can you ever love somebody? Keep that space And not push it away Can you ever love somebody? Truly tell me Can you ever love somebody? [SIGHS.]
Blue had fun today.
And how about you? [GRUNTS.]
I've been thinking about us all day.
My mom called me today.
[SIGHS.]
It wasn't hard to talk to her.
And it makes me think [SIGHS.]
if she can come around maybe my dad can, too.
Come here.
- I'm happy for you, baby.
- Thank you.
It made me realize you're right.
[RALPH ANGEL CHUCKLES.]
We should celebrate each other.
For real.
Everybody there.
You still want to? Of course, I do.
Yeah Ooh Yeah [TAPPING.]
Hey.
Um, the team and Tamar are gone, so I should go, too.
[THUNDER RUMBLING, RAIN PATTERING.]
You know, you did a lot of good today.
Between the Stingers and Tamar.
And you.
It meant a lot.
I appreciate that.
I, um I leave for L.
A.
in the morning.
Okay.
You're not gonna ask why I'm going? No.
No, I'm not gonna ask why.
It's not for me to ask anymore.
Right.
Hey, look, tomorrow's not really a big deal or anything.
Remy is.
He's a big deal.
[MUSIC PLAYING.]
It's a really good sign That you hope my mind is true And I've been thinking of what to say - Charley? - Yeah? I'm sorry.
So you wanna be a man about it, do you? For all of it.
And have you figured out all you wanted Have you? When your heart becomes a million different pieces That's when you won't be able To recognize this feeling That's called tough love That's called tough love That's called tough love That's called tough love - Tough love - That's called tough love - Tough love - That's called tough love - Tough love - That's called tough love [VOCALIZING.]