“Talk To Me” Don Cheadle is Petey Greene: How To Eat Watermelon TV
Don Cheadle’s latest movie “Talk To Me” was released in select cities last week - had to give that Harry Potter kid the lane. The nationwide release is this Friday. Don Cheadle takes on the life of Ralph “Petey” Greene, a guy who scammed his way out of prison and went on to become a popular Washington DC TV and radio personality.
I kinda put a tag on him with that scammed thing, but it’s what he did. Petey Greene dropped out of high school in the 11th grade, enlisted in the Army, and found himself on a plane headed to the battlefield of the Korean War. He was discharged in 1953 for drug abuse. In 1960 he was arrested for robbing a grocery store, which earned him a ten year bid. In prison he found his ‘calling’ when his gift of gab got him a spot as the DJ for the prison’s radio station. Not a DJ in the sense of mixtapes and spinning records, more so as a personality, mixing talk in with the music.
Petey Greene’s thing was to keep it real at all times. Nothing but the way things are and should be.
Five years into his sentence he talked another inmate into a lil scheme. The guy would climb to the top of a water tower and Petey Greene would save the day. The guy agreed. So one day he’s standing at the top of this tower, screaming that he would commit suicide. Prison officials didn’t know what to do. Petey Green came out and talked him down in five minutes. That heroic act, along with not shanking, raping or causing havoc within the prison walls, got him a big “Get Out of Jail Early” card from the parole board.
The first stop after he hit the streets was to find Dewey Hughes, a DC radio executive that regularly visited his incarcerated brother at the jail. Hughes thought Petey Greene was a hack and jokingly told him to come see him about a job when he got out.
The rest .. is in the movie.
BET gave Don Cheadle a best actor award of some sort this year. I wonder how many of BET’s viewers have actually seen him at work. Think Hotel Rwanda, Devil in a Blue Dress, hey, you can even toss in the Ocean movies. Some kinds of movies people will just not sit through if explosions aren’t popping off like a Baghdad summer or one-liners aren’t coming one after the other. It has something to do with age (not everything) - because I used to be one of those people.
Oscar time would come around and it’s like, “Why are these movies nominated? Where’s Fridays? Where’s Back to the Future? Raging Bull? It ain’t no Rocky.”
This is a movie likely to slip into that category for this young generation, but it’s a not a ‘boring’ biopic.
Mike Epps and Cedric the Entertainer have small roles.
“Out of town shooters”.. Chiwetel Ejifor is Dewey Hughes.
Taraji P. Henson plays Don Cheadle’s girlfriend Vernell. She keeps things alive early in the film.
Don Cheadle explains why you should spend $10, plus popcorn and treats..
”.. It’s not a straight bio pic.. We’re NOT trying to tell the Petey Green story or the Dewey Hughes story. It was really a story about the friendship between these two men and the triumvirate being Vernell as well… with a backdrop of the times and what this friendship had to come through and what they had to face and deal with..”
“I would hope that not just black audiences but definitely the black audiences show up, but that all audiences show up because it?s really a celebration of that friendship.”
“I think everyone who’s seen it and comes out of it has an experience that’s not relegated merely to race or any real political issue. I just think it?s a very entertaining film that encompasses a lot.”
Petey Greene’s most notable accomplishment was stopping the DC riots when Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. In the heat of the moment, he got on the radio and asked people the obvious question.. “Why destroy your own property?”
There aren’t many archived tapes of Petey Greene’s radio show, most of them have been erased. However along the way to almost becoming a national figure he had a local TV show.
One of his guests was a young Howard Stern. During the interview Howard Stern reportedly told him, “I’ve learned more from your show - I listen to your show, and I go on [the radio] and use your material.” Petey Greene replied, “They might not like us, but they don’t change the dial.”
Don’t have a clip of that show, but here is another one, showing the realness (and unintentional comedian) which was Petey Greene.
How to Eat Watermelon - Petey Greene’s Washington
Character wise, Don Cheadle nailed him, but don’t expect this kind of stuff in the movie.
☼ What's Your Opinion? ☼
Nice review. Dude seems like a character, I wonder if he’s still living. Yessir, I’m in VA and there’s nothing like some watermelon with a bit of salt on it, lol.
Don Cheadle was outstanding, the whole cast was good together. The movie made you feel like you were actually there in the sixties. Good work, good movie hopefully it will get the recognition it deserves.
Houston,TX
This movie and its actors was really good! I need an OSCAR for Don Cheadle’s acting. You know that man can act in anything. Earlier on, he caught my eye. Quite interesting!He keeps you wanting to know what’s next.FANTASTIC! FANTASTIC! All of the
cast. Iwas quite astonished at MArtin Sheen’s role. Good!
My friend and I went all the way to NJ to see this movie. I am very upset that they only have this movie in 3 movie places. I feel it should get more play and advertisment. Every DJ should be talking about this movie everyday. Don Cheadle what can I say you have done it again you took this roll and mastered it. It really shows. I love you, you care about your acting this movie is great! I hope you get some type of acknoweglement from it even if it is them putting this in all movies
Philly,PA
this movie is fantastic!!! its only playing at 2 theatres in the dallas area, but it was worth the trip. sometimes we need to be reminded of the hardships of the past and the people who overcame the struggle. the costumes were so on-point, you just want to buy some bellbottoms and let your hair go natural 😊 great job to don cheadle, he’s done it again.
Excellent movie. Don Cheadle is fantastic and all of the other cast as well. My husband and I definitely came away having a Petey Green experience as a result of Don Cheadle’s awesome portrayal of the radio star. I highly recommend the movie. I’m usually offended by a lot of profanity in a movie, but I realized that Don was playing a role. I two was disappointed that I had to travel a distance to the only theatre showing the film, but was encouraged to see the theatre was packed. Excellent movie. Everyone must see it.
What a great movie. Although it played at only 3 theaters in Chicago, my husband and I traveled 20 miles to see it with no regrets. The acting was outstanding and the script was well crafted.
I am confident that with wider distribution, this movie will be a block buster. I call it a “must see” for Blacks or Whits.
This movie really took me “back in the day”. I was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and I remember Petey Green on the radio and on Television. Don Cheadle’s portrayal was great, he was right on target. I recommend everybody to go and see this movie. If you lived in D.C. During the “60s” you will have a real dejavu experience.
GREAT MOVIE! great reflection of the times and don cheadle was fantastic….why is it only playing in one theater in all of san francisco? too much of a political story…an intelligent film….go see it and spread the word
Don Cheadle was excellent in this film. Its worth checking out. Viewing the 60’s in the eyes and life of Petey Green was hilarious, heartwarming and with out a doubt full of history. Im from Maryland but i was too young to remember these times. Its an Independent Film im assuming thats why its in selected theaters, Producers/directors have to pay theaters to have there movie played in them. Damn all i have to say is the real movies are independent films these days. GO SEE IT… GOTTA SEE IT….GONE SEE IT YALL.
I drove abut 25 miles from my home to see the movie because Don Cheadle was so sexy in the dance scene on the commercial, but what I got was sooo much more! The movie was very enlightening, motivating, sincere and will make people want to take courage! It brought me to tears at many points, but when Dewey apologized to his brother,umph! Made me want to say “I’m sorry” to somebody, anybody! Don Cheadle is sexy as “all get out”, but this movie is altogether a must see! Everyone did a great job!
If the world could see this as a good movie and not just a “black” movie it could win an oscar. This movie was more than a comedy it was history - BLACK HISTORY. This is something I never knew about. I listen and watch Radio One stations all the time but never knew any of the history. It was very interesting.
THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE.KEEPIN IT REAL IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT.AFTER ALL PETEY’S HARDSHIPS HE STAYED FOCUS AN ACHIEVE TOPS IN BROADCASTING AND SOCIAL SERVICES.DON CHEADLE IS A WONDERFUL ACTOR EVERYONE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.POWER TO THE PEOPLE.
This movie took me back in time. I am wish that I was in DC @ that time. Don Cheadle did a excellent job. What ever happen to Petey’s girlfriend? Talk to me EXCELLENT. Don please do more we need our history.
Im trying to find if theres a DVD on this Movie so I may purchase it does anybody know ?
Check Amazon. They have it.