August 25. 2010
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V I Ml I I AISHIM
New Orleans’ Woes Explored
)Ulixl S easons j
and Cannon's Rib Express Present:
REGGIE HOUSTON’S C’EX ALL STARS
Sundays 5-8pm
at Cannon’s
Rib Express
5410 NE 33rd Ave
(Next to New Seasons)
Sunshine, BBQ and a FREE,
all-ages, outdoor show by a New
Orleans’ sax legend, Grammy
nominated pianist JANICE
SCROGGINS, bass virtuoso
BEN JONES & powerhouse
drummer TYRONE HENDRIX.
Phyllis Montana-Leblanc wears a New Orleans Saints football
jersey in a scene from the Spike Lee documentary, ‘If God is
Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise. ’
June 6
June 13
June 20
July 4
What could be better?
Spike Lee
••• •
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surprise guest musician will sit in!
u I y
Ju ly 18
Ju ly 25
Aug 1
Aug 8
Aug 15
Aug 22
Aug 29
S ep t 5
S ept 12
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Spike Lee returns to Gulf Coast for new documentary
(AP) — Spike Lee’s new HBO
documentary starts on a high note:
Super Bowl Sunday 2 0 10, when the
New Orleans Saints claim victory
over the Indianapolis Colts.
Saints fans, many still reeling from
Hurricane Katrina’s aftershocks, are
deliriously happy.
“It’s a rebirth,” says an over
joyed New Orleans native.
“It’s divine intervention, man,”
says another local.
But cautionary words are voiced
as well. The Saints are world cham
pions, but in the real world there are
bills to pay and neighborhoods to
rebuild.
Then, only 17 minutes into “If
God Is Willing and da Creek D on’t
Rise,” the BP oil spill enters the
narrative.
The party is over.
Lde, the gifted director and docu-
mentarian, had long planned a re
turn to the G ulf Coast for a five-year
follow-up to his acclaimed “When
the Levees Broke: A Requiem in
Four Acts.”
He began shooting Feb. 7, when
the Super Bowl was played. The
triumph by the Saints seemed a glo
rious conclusion for his new film.
“We thought we had our ending
on the first day,” Lee said in a recent
interview. “Little did we know.”
By the time the offshore oil rig
Deepwater Horizon exploded on
April 20, killing 11 workers and re
leasing a gusher o f oil, Lee had
wrapped production and was well
into the editing process.
“But I knew we had to make that
a part o f the piece," he said.
He does, dwelling on the BP di
saster for roughly 40 minutes o f the
four-hour, two-part “If God Is Will Mayor Mitch Landrieu, formerNew
ing,” which premiered Monday and Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, as well
Tuesday on HBO.
as Pitt and fellow celebrity activist
But there is much more on his Sean Penn.
mind and in his film.
To his credit, former FEMA Di
The stage is set with painful, all- rector Michael Brown is among
too-familiar images o f Katrina's im those who participate.
mediate wrath in 2005.
Like other interview subjects who,
Then, as the film goes on, the when it counted, fell short, Brown
government’s failure to protect New points fingers. He says former Home
Orleans from the storm surge is com land Security Secretary Michael
pounded by seemingly endless fail Chertoff “didn’t know what he was
ures to aid the recovery. Former doing. Let's be frank.”
residents who want to come home
The date was Sept. 2, 2005, in
remain displaced. Public education Mobile, Ala., and, prior to the live
continues to struggle. Health care TV appearance, “I had been de
needs are still unmet. The police scribing to the president how bad
department is in shambles. And on things were. Telling him what I
and on.
needed. Why things weren’t work
The five years didn’t pass with ing. ... And then we walk out and he
out successes, and the film covers makes that [Brownie] comment, and
those as well. They include a legal I'm like, ‘What the hell!” ’
victory against the Army Corps of
Hayward is well represented by
Engineers for shoddy maintenance the infamous clip where he states
o f a navigation channel that resulted his regret for the oil spill, promises
in some o f the worst flooding. And to make it right and adds his thanks
there are nonprofit reconstruction "for the strong support o f the gov
efforts such as Make It Right, led by ernment."
actor Brad Pitt, that have built af
But it goes beyond “strong sup
fordable, storm-resistant homes in port,” said Lee, who believes BP has
the Lower 9th Ward.
been allowed to call the shots in its
But then, just months after the own interest, and often counter to
Super Bowl win, the BP disaster the public good.
struck.
“What has been puzzling people,
“The story was changing every and I include myself, is how much
day,” Lee recalled. “We had to keep BP has had control o f the situation,”
adapting, to stay on top o f it as best he said, echoing a sentiment heard
as possible.”
from many in his film.
Scores o f people share their sto
Heartbreaking but defiant, “IfGod
ries on-camera, including ordinary, Is Willing and daCreek Don’t Rise”
often overlooked local figures. picks up where “Levees” left off, as
There are also experts and advo a catalog o f plagues that largely
cates, plus familiar faces such as could have been averted.
former Louisiana Gov. Kathleen
Why they weren’t is not so puz
Babineaux Blanco, New Orleans zling, said Lee. “It’s greed.”
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