[UPDATE, 8/22/06: For the latest, up-to-date commentary on Spike Lee’s film — which I was in — please visit my homepage or my Katrina category.]
Sorry for the lack of updates. I’ve been busily taking care of odds-and-ends in Connecticut: ripping my CD collection into MP3 form, searching for various old archived files that I need for Bloypedia entries, giving my parents a wedding slideshow, etc.
About my interview with Spike Lee yesterday… it was fun. When I walked into one of the conference rooms at the Park Central that the production company had reserved, I expected to be greeted by an assistant producer or something; instead, I was greeted by… Spike Lee! He was very pleasant and friendly. Immediately noticing my USC sweatshirt, he asked if I’d been to the Notre Dame game and what I thought about the Bush Push. Heh. We later chatted about Notre Dame’s struggling men’s basketball team and the restructured, massive Big East. (Spike thinks 16 teams is too many.)
Another picture of Spike Lee and me.
When it came to the actual interview, I was pretty satisfied with Spike’s questions and my answers. I have no idea what (if anything) he’ll use for the film, of course, but I thought the best parts were when I chronologically described what happened from my perspective during the days leading up to Katrina’s landfall, and when I answered his question about what lessons we should learn from Katrina. (I emphasized the importance of adequately preparing for predictable, ultimately inevitable disasters before they happen, e.g., a San Francisco earthquake, a Mount Rainier eruption, an East or West Coast tsunami, etc.) I also think I did a pretty good job pointing out how much worse Katrina could have been for New Orleans, if not for the “dumb luck” of a last-minute eyewall replacement cycle and a miniscule (but massively important) right-hand turn.
I touched on the racial aspect as well, explaining that I don’t believe there was any “racial animus” involved in Katrina — that the slow federal response was a symptom of incompetence, not malice. I said I think it’s preposterous to claim that the feds responded slowly because Bush “doesn’t care about black people.” And I pointed out that there’s simply no reason to buy into the idea that the government blew up the levees; the floods are perfectly well explained by what we now know about the levees’ shoddy construction. Again: incompetence, not malice.
Of course, I also emphasized the failures of the local and state governments. I was, as always, hard on Mayor Ray Nagin, explaining that I believe his administration’s failure to implement a timely and effective evacuation plan before the storm hit is worse than any of the multiple government failures after the storm, because, again, it was only dumb luck that prevented the storm’s immediate impact from being so horrifyingly severe and deadly that the slow response would have been almost a non-issue. There wouldn’t have been thousands of people waiting for days at the Convention Center, because the vast majority of those people would have died in the storm itself instead of being able to get themselves to higher ground while their city slowly drowned. And if those thousands of people had died, the focus of the blame game would have (quite rightly) centered on the local government’s failure to adequately prepare instead of the federal government’s failure to adequately respond. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and Mayor Nagin could have prevented a lot of the misery in the aftermath of Katrina if he had heeded the sound advice of those who knew better and ordered a mandatory evacuation earlier — and used the resourses at his disposal (like those drowned school buses) to help people get out.
In addition to interviewing me, Spike had me read several of my blog entries aloud on camera. He picked five posts: New Orleans in peril, Humbled by Katrina, Evacuate, The mayor of New Orleans is an idiot, and NHC urges N.O. mayor to issue mandatory evacuation. In reading the last one, I got to say the f-word. Hehe. :)
Anyway, because I was reading these posts off my computer screen, I used WireTap Pro to audio-record myself doing my dramatic readings. :) Here’s a clip of me reading “Evacuate,” including my infamous “get the hell out” line:
I don’t know what Spike will do with the hour-plus of footage that he shot of me. I presume only a minute or two will be in the film, if that. I just hope my opinions and statements are treated fairly and accurately. Spike seemed like a really nice, intelligent guy in person. Here’s hoping his treatment of me in the film lives up to the high opinion I had of him yesterday.
Incidentally, as I was leaving, a member of the crew stopped me in the hallway and said words to the effect of, “I’m going to check out your blog when I get home. I haven’t heard of it before, but I really like you — you seem to be all about the truth. You don’t have an agenda, you’re just about the truth.” That was nice.
In other news, before meeting with Spike, I met up with Vicki, fellow former Trojan Hall resident and Becky’s ex-roommate from sophomore year. I hadn’t seen her in, oh, I don’t know, maybe five years? So it was great to see her and catch up. Here’s a picture of Vicki and me outside the Park Central:
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Categories: Hurricane Katrina, Audio clips
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January 28th, 2006 at 8:59:12 pm
WOW 4 and 1/2 hours… what can I say about this? I mean really it is just SO COOL! I hope you do end up in the film because frankly you belong in this story. I give Spike credit for interviewing you and listening to your thoughts because to me any way, it means he is trying to understand and document the entire story not just what politicians and news media want known about this story.
It is funny in a way, that a small Blog by a student, could make such an important impact on a story for the ages, but it is not a coincidence that it has happened and that you are being taken seriously.
It is (in my humble opinion) just the beginning of the impact you will ultimately have on many many people.
Just as I said during the Katrina Storm, that I thought some day there would be a movie of the week about Katrina and it would begin with a scene of a red headed guy typing furiously at this lap top… I now predict that this documentary will indeed have your story and thoughts, and Spike will be on Ohpra and Ohpra will mention your Blog and your Blog will become overwhelmed and you will have a voice that talks for a generation.
January 29th, 2006 at 8:44:54 am
It’ll be in my Netflix Queue.
January 29th, 2006 at 8:48:12 am
I don’t think “Bush hates black people” either.
But do I think the pre-storm response and level of preparation would have been different if the same disaster had been predicted for other urban centers or areas of the country?
Hell yes.
January 29th, 2006 at 8:52:53 am
Brendan,
Also congratulations on your good fortune to be involved with a Spike Lee project.
I hope your agent negotiated a decent contract.
;-)
January 29th, 2006 at 9:38:17 am
A Nun Mouse, considering that the “pre-storm response” is almost exclusively the responsibility of the local and state governments (the feds get involved in the aftermath, but it’s the locals who decide whether to evacuate, etc.), I think you’re right, but not for the reasons I suspect you are thinking of. If the storm had been predicted for other urban centers or areas of the country, the pre-storm response would have been better if Katrina had been aiming elsewhere (assuming for a moment there is an “elsewhere” with an equivalent hurricane calamity risk to that of New Orleans, which there isn’t really) because the local and state governments would have been less incompetent then the New Orleans and Louisiana governments.
If, however, what you’re suggesting is that the feds would have responded differently to the same disaster in another location because they care more about that location than they do about New Orleans… I call bullshit. I mean, okay, if it was D.C., yes, because that’s the seat of government. If it was New York, yes, because that’s the financial capital. If it was L.A. or Chicago, maybe, because of the sheer size and prominence of those cities. But if it was Seattle? Miami? Houston? San Francisco? Phoenix? Cleveland? Denver? (Again, assuming that an equivalent disaster could somehow strike those cities, ignoring the geographical realities.) I don’t see any reason whatsoever to believe that there would have been an appreciable difference.
January 29th, 2006 at 2:26:21 pm
Brendan, I’m smiling here. After the work I watched you do here on your blog the night of Katrina’s landfall, and in the days afterwards….it’s SO appropo that your voice be heard as part of the story of Katrina and it’s impact on the Gulf area.
As I remember, you didn’t even sleep much for what 2-3 days?
I’m personally grateful that I found your blog, for a number of reasons, but primarily because you pulled in the BEST information from many sources and used that computer brain of yours like the CHAMP you are.
I’m CONVINCED that paying attention to YOUR words instead of some others helped me to have a much better understanding of what was REALLY happening there.
(I also found my missing brother in record time, comparative to others. Some folks were not so fortunate.)
Go Brendan…..~!
Go Spike~!….I’m anxiously waiting to see the outcome of this project.
PS..Congratulations to you and Becky, I saw some of the wedding pics. All I can say is “Awwwwww, y’all made an adorable wedding couple” :-D
January 30th, 2006 at 4:43:55 am
Brendan,
Actually, there are a number of issues that you just don’t address in your response.
For example, what we have to remember is that Katrina is POST-9/11. This doesn’t seem like much. But keep in mind that we’ve funnelled tens of billions of dollars into Homelamd Security, which FEMA was absorbed into, and the communications system after Katrina was an utter failure. So that is almost unforgiveable on the part of the Bush administration. Richard Clarke points out that if New Orleans had suffered a terrorist attack, the response would probably have been better because the FBI would have been in charge of responding: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/storm/interviews/clarke.html
But as for the quality of response, there definitely WAS a difference between how FEMA responded to Katrina and how FEMA respnded to the hurricanes in Florida in 2004, JUST PRIOR to the election of 2004. By late September 2004, Jeanne became the FOURTH hurricane to slam into Florida. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09/0927_040927_jeanne.html
FEMA had no problem responding with ice, water, food, etc., when an election was looming in Florida 2004.
January 30th, 2006 at 11:07:21 am
In reading the last one, I got to say the f-word. Hehe. :)
I can see Spike’s voice-over now … “For this weather-nerd, nothing pleases him more than being able to say ‘f*ck’ on camera.” Then an incessant replay of Brendan saying the word.
Seriously, though, this is all awesome.
January 30th, 2006 at 11:36:10 am
Mouse, the post-9/11 investment in Homeland Security was a mixed blessing for FEMA and natural-disaster preparedness. So much money and energy was put into preparing for terrorist attacks, it has been argued that we actually became less well-prepared for natural disasters. I’m not certain how true that is, but it makes some sense.
You might be right about Florida in 2004 getting a better response for political reasons, BUT… 1) those hurricanes were also much, much, much “easier” to respond to than Katrina; they were “normal hurricanes” that didn’t submerge entire cities and destroy the whole infrastructure of an entire region; and 2) even if you are correct, it doesn’t prove that New Orleans got a shoddy response because it’s New Orleans, it merely proves that Florida got a better response because of politics.
But I’m not trying to excuse the federal government’s poor performance with Katrina. I just want it placed in the proper context and spared unfair criticism. There is plenty of grounds for fair criticism, so there’s no need to resort to this b.s. about how they didn’t care because it was New Orleans. What we saw here was incompetence at all levels, made worse by cronyism of the worst kind, leading to an utter failure to adequately grapple with the enormity of this unique (but entirely predictable, and indeed predicted) catastrophe.
January 30th, 2006 at 11:40:24 am
As my dad put it, “With malice toward none and incompetence for all…” :)
January 30th, 2006 at 12:59:39 pm
Malice was obvious. You wouldn’t know though. You’ve never experienced it. Furthermore, Spike Lee adamantly agrees that there was bias and the evidence that will be presented before Congress at the hearings will be convincing.
January 30th, 2006 at 3:04:48 pm
A Nun Mouse…you seem to be very unclear on the concept. Pre-Katrina lack of action and post-Katrina lack of response were both problems. Pre-Katrina lack of action was obviously the more problematic, because had the NOLA government acted with competence there wouldn’t have been such a need for the response. (this, of course, is not to suggest that the post-Katrina failure is acceptable by any stretch)
As for the malice–did Mayor Nagin act with malice towards blacks when he refused to evacuate the city? Probably not, considering he’s black. So why do you assume that the federal government acted with malice? Both were similarly incompetent–but you attribute malice towards the feds and not the locals. That doesnt seem consistent or fair (minus some other evidence, which you cannot point to).
February 2nd, 2006 at 10:48:04 pm
Brendan, were you aware that Emily Parry lives in NYC too? She’s still doing musical theatre and Broadway stuff.
May 26th, 2006 at 10:21:35 pm
man, you were set up by spike lee! don’t you know that most people in new orleans have no way out? you sound like a stereotypical white boy nerd that spike lee is looking for. you’re his caricature. i can’t wait to see his film and how he presents you! member of the upper class, law school at notre dame, soon to be lawyer preaches “get out of new orleans!” are you completely unaware of your status, class, and privilege? do you really think that the majority of people in new orleans even have access to the interet? you are living a life that is completely different and seperate from the majority in NO. i don’t know who i dislike more: you, because of how easy you let yourself be set-up and because you speak with such incompetent confidence about something which you know nothing about, or spike lee for picking a straw-man… i guess both of you.
May 27th, 2006 at 12:53:25 am
“Dude,” you have no idea what you’re talking about. You don’t know me, so you’re judging me on the basis of a caricature that has no basis in reality. You are completely wrong about my perspective, my beliefs, my ideas and, well, everything you just said. Please shut up and go away.
May 27th, 2006 at 12:59:18 am
P.S. Of course I know that many New Orleanians don’t have access to the Internet or private transportation. Nothing I said contradicted that. Indeed, I have repeatedly and consistently criticized the government for failing to take adequate measures to help those without private transportation!! As for the Internet access issue, what exactly are you suggesting — that I shouldn’t have made ANY effort to convince people to evacuate, because the MAJORITY would be unable to hear my message? That makes no sense!! If even ONE person hears it, that’s better than nothing! And the fact is, I know of several people who I did actually help convince to evacuate. Again, if I convinced even ONE person to leave, that’s ONE person who’s better off than if I hadn’t said anything. So, how exactly does that prove I don’t understand anything about New Orleanians because I’m “privileged” or whatever? Please, enlighten us!! I’d LOVE to hear your explanation of how and why someone who “understands” the plight of New Orleanians would have stayed silent as disaster approached, and that would have somehow been better.
I also love how you assume that anyone who is white and in law school must be “privileged.” I’m certainly not poor, but I’m not a child of “privilege” either. I’m solidly middle-class. My law-school education is paid for entirely with grants and loans. And how did I get into law school? With an undergraduate degree that was paid for through a combination of academic merit scholarships and loans. Yet you assume that I’m some sort of New England blue-blood. What an ignorant, arrogant ass you are! Not like any of this should matter at all anyway; my “class” has no relevance whatsoever to this topic. None. But if you’re going to engage in class-baiting and race-baiting, at least be accurate. As I said, you clearly don’t know the first thing about me, and your attack on my character is unbelievably ignorant. “Incompetent confidence about something which you know nothing about”? Ha! Look in the mirror, buddy!
August 7th, 2006 at 7:56:39 am
Katrina opened the minds and hearts of the American people and it has been enlightening. Instead of focusing on all of the charitable contributions of Americans, white, black, Asian, Hispanic and all others, I am amassed at the depth of racial ignorance.
I think we all need to look in the mirror and judge ourselves rather than each other. Without a doubt incompetence is the biggest reason Katrina had such a devestating effect on NO. This whole experience uncovered the need for self reliance and new strong leadership at the local, state and national levels.
“At the end of the day…NO is a choclate city? How racist and embarassing!!
August 18th, 2006 at 6:44:36 pm
It’s all Bush’s fault OF COURSE ! He planned for Katrina to hit New Orleans. He planned for the city to be built below sea level, and for the local government to be totally unprepared and for no one to heed the warnings to evacuate. Bush is at fault for everything. He should have flown in on Air Force One and personally directed the rescue efforts and rebuilt the Chocolate City with his bare hands and all the money that Big Oil has sucked from the poor downtrodden citizens of the USA. This is America, land of the free and the not responsible for their own actions. Blame someone else, and if no one is feeling sorry for you, call them a racist. If only Bush had not been in office, everything would be perfect. Bill Clinton would have stopped the storm with his superpowers, if Al Gore had been President it would have never happened because he would have outlawed global warming. Did Spike Lee come to Houston and interview any of the people who did so much to help the evacuees? Did he focus on all the crime that the NOLAs have brought to other cities. How they have been living in free housing or how they took the money that FEMA gave them and spent it on things besides food, clothing, or shelter? Mayor Nagen, please come get all your NOLAs and take them back to the Chocolate City and the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairies.
August 20th, 2006 at 12:53:47 pm
Spike Lee is a racist! His entire film focuses on what happened to the poor blacks,
I am here to say that is not true. I am native white New Orleanian and I know
many friends and family members who have lost everything. Their homes that they
worked so hard for were completely destroyed. The Ninth ward where many poor blacks
lived was not the only area affected. Spike Lee left areas like Chalmette, Lake
View, Lake Vista, Lakewood south and many areas Uptown out of his film. He did not
give a complete and honest portrayal of New Orleans. The crime is at a all time
high, thugs are taking advantage of this tradgy. We need to have more military here
trying to combat this horror that we going through due to Katrina. This not just a
Chocolate city this is the peoples city. Racism has got to stop, starting with our
mayor, it is embarrassing. People need to pull themselves up by their own boot
strapes and not continue to look for handouts. And I want to know where Mr Lee
is? Why is he not down here helping his people? For example, the black community
will not allow the white to help them. Where is affluent black community here
before and after the storm? When the poor blacks need a positive example to teach
how to live on their and enjoy life like they did. There have been thousands
of volunteers from around the country who have only been white, helping both
communities(black/white) get back their feet. Those people are heros in my eye.
Again, another example, the National Library Assoc. chose to come to NO to have
their convention to help our city and volunteered their own time and donated
money to get the Libraries up and running, where as the “Essense Festival”
chose to go to Houston for the first time in 15 years because they thought
it would be as fun as before because of the city’s devastion. And needed “we” their
support.
August 23rd, 2006 at 6:25:58 pm
Mimi, I dont know if you actually watched the show, but Spike did interview
a variety of folks of all colors and social standing. I am a woman of color
my mom is white, so I have unique perspective on these issues. My mom loved the program as did many of the fair minded people I live and work around in Seattle, WA.
No one else has been speaking up on the behalf of NO, so I would think any dialgog
would be appreciated by residents.
I am sure there were many areas that could not be represented due to time
constraints.
Why shouldnt he focus on the Chocolate people when they made up the majority of
of the population.
I didnt see anyone asking for a handout except to get what is owed to them from
insurance companies.
September 3rd, 2006 at 12:21:22 am
Jericho Road
This evening I spent four hours watching “When the Levees Broke” and it was very well done. This movie tells the story by the people who live here. Lee also adds a good many engineering and broadcast professionals and politicians…