Treme Season 1, Episode 4

Season 1, Episode 4

In “Treme’s” latest episode, Creighton calls us out. The furloughed college professor avoids writing his novel and becomes a listless homebody, until his daughter’s use of YouTube inspires him to post his own rant celebrating New Orleans and lashing out at cities that received more federal aid or argued against the rebuilding of the Crescent City. “Like my hairy balls!” he snaps at Atlanta and Houston, dinging us for having not a fraction of New Orleans culture.

Whoa there, big guy. Apart from the usual rivalries of big Southern cities, what did Atlanta ever do to New Orleans? Except for welcoming hundreds of Katrina-displaced citizens, that is. Creighton’s tirade sounds reminiscent of New Orleans’ Poppy Z. Brite’s eloquent outbursts (which have occasionally targeted Atlanta). On the show, Creighton discovers that his stem-winder has gone viral, making him a local celebrity and bringing a smile to face.

The catalyst for Creighton’s diatribe was a YouTube clip of George W. Bush’s Jackson Square speech, which he watched with such stunned disgust, it was as if Creighton were about to sneeze his lungs out. The villains of “Treme,” so far, have primarily been impersonal institutions, like the insurance company that denies Albert his claim; the adjuster, rather than being a white-collar demon, miserably tows the company party line. The N’Orleans natives unite in their contempt for gas company Entergy, which fails to adequately repair the burners at Janette’s restaurant, and leaves a giant pothole that practically engulfs Davis’s car. (Having a common enemy is not enough to get Davis and Janette back in bed, however.)