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“Survivor’s Remorse” recap (1.4): Standing on Faith

Reggie was wrong. Nike didn’t call. But Under Armour did. And while Cam and Uncle J played video games and M-Chuck and Mama Cass debated the worthiness of the Georgia Peach, Reggie set up a meeting on with the sportswear company to secure a possible endorsement deal.

The next day, the Calloways go to church. As the Calloway family is ushered to their seats, Cassie asks M-Chuck about her date who is limping down the aisle in broken heels and wearing the same dress she wore the night before.

Cassie: What’s this one’s name? M-Chuck: I’m not sure. Cassie: She slept over-night and you don’t even know her name? M-Chuck: If I had to guess, I’d go with Judith. Cassie: Why would you invite her to church? M-Chuck: I didn’t. When you said, “Get in the car. We’re going to church,” she got in. So you invited her. Cassie: I am so glad we are getting back to praising God and thanking him for our blessings. M-Chuck: His blessings were few and far between for a long time.

But Cam wants to believe. He tells his uncle that the church a man chooses says a lot about him. It seems he is still trying to figure out what he wants to say.

As the church service begins, M-Chuck holds Judith’s (?) hand, which is noticed by the Pastor on the pulpit. He is distracted for a moment but recovers to deliver a powerful message about giving glory to God for all your achievements. Cam is feeling it.

After the service ends, the family gathers around the refreshment table. Judith offers Uncle Julius a donut, but he refuses because donuts are made with molasses.

“I refuse to eat anything my ancestors have been bartered for,” Julius says.

“Then you goin’ get skinny.” M-Chuck replies.

The pastor chases Cam down before he leaves. He wants Cam to know that he understands that he is visiting a lot of churches in order to find the right fit for him and his family, and he wanted to urge him consider his community. Having Cam among the fellowship would bring a lot of other wayward and searching souls to the church. Cam assures the pastor that his search is over. He and his household will be returning next week.

The pastor is pleased but has one request. He asks Cam to tell his sister to cease and desist on the PDA. He doesn’t have a problem with it, of course. He knows he is living in “modern times”. Yet, he must think about his congregation. Cam agrees to talk to her.

Back at the house, Cam broaches the subject with M-Chuck, and she is rightfully offended.

M-Chuck: Fuck him and his woman-hating church. Uncle Julius: You met the girl last night in a club. Who cares? M-Chuck: I won’t tolerate discrimination. Cassie: Look, he don’t want straight people pawing at each other in the pews either. It’s church. Chill. M-Chuck: We may not live on Mars, but one Venus should be able to love another Venus without criticism. Uncle Julius: No, we live on Earth. So you can’t finger fuck people in church. M-Chuck: I wasn’t doing anything crass. I was holding her hand! (to Cam) He’s a hater. I’m not going to let you join a church that hates. That preacher’s lucky that I showed the restraint that I did. Ya’ll saw her ass! That is hard evidence of God on earth right there. Cassie: Just like Niagara Falls. M-Chuck: Look, I love that we were all together this morning, but I ain’t gonna join a church that won’t let me be myself.
As she storms off, Cam looks pensive.

Cut to Cam and Reggie at the Under Amour meeting. The CEO is retelling Cam’s inspirational story. How he rose up from the streets to go to college, worked hard to get some attention for his basketball skills, was given nothing, but earned everything. Cam’s story shows his great character and because of that he wants to sign Cam at 35 million dollar for 5 years. When the CEO hands over a 10 million dollar advance check, Cam is ready to sign on the dotted line, but Reggie urges him to wait. He has set up a meeting with Nike next week and doesn’t want Cam to jump into anything too soon. Cam can’t imagine a deal better than the one he was offered.

“What do you think is out there?” Cam asks.

Reggie responds, “What we’re worth.”

And even as someone who thinks sports players make a ridiculously outrageous amount of money, I was standing up with my fist in the air shouting “Hell yeah!” OK, not really. I mean I have roommates. That would’ve been embarrassing. But metaphorically I was giving Reggie a fist bump.

Cam obviously took M-Chuck’s words to heart and decided to visit the pastor of the church he intends to join. He tells the minister that he would like for his church to be a place that helps guide people on the right way to live. Then he offers the pastor his tithe (a check for 10% of his earnings) as a way to show his gratitude for all of his blessings. The pastor shakes Cam’s hand, but Cam isn’t done yet. Cam goes on to talk about concerns he has over laws in the Old Testament that discuss selling off one’s daughter and putting those who work on Sunday to death. The Pastor reassures Cam that those are ancient laws for a bygone time and that the New Testament did away with all of that. He tells Cam that the resurrection of Christ took his followers out of those dark times and into the light. Cam is relieved and says that he believes that the pastor can bring his congregation out of dark times where gays and lesbians are persecuted and lead them into the full light of God’s love. The pastor nods, understanding what Cam is asking him to do.

Meanwhile, Missy ropes Reggie into applying for membership at the Oakwood Country club so that they could have something in their life that doesn’t revolve around basketball. They visit the club and while Missy is given a tour, a light salad and a lecture on silver patterns of the American South, Reggie plays golf with three members. Once out on the green, Reggie realizes that this black-owned country club was much different than he thought it would be. He enjoys himself and gets a little bit too comfortable joking around with the other members including, white sportscaster from TNT, Ernie Johnson.

A few days pass and Missy gets word that their application to Oaskwood has been declined. It seems that Reggie’s good-natured teasing toward Ernie were not welcomed. Ernie had no problem with it, but the only guys that Reggie was with felt embarrassed for him. Fortunately, Missy’s well-connected father has a plan B for them.

A week later, The Calloways are back at church. Uncle J is high as a kite after sampling the local marijuana merchandise in order to secure the best connect. The minister come to the pulpit and begins the message by telling the closeted members of his congregation that they don’t have to hide who they are anymore. He asks all the gay people in the audience to stand up. People are hesitant at first. But the pastor insists claiming that he knows they are out there, afterall he has seen Glee. Good one, creator and showrunner, Mike O’Malley (aka Kurt’s dad). I see you!

M-Chuck stands up and Cassie looks up at her proudly. Cam takes her hand. Soon others follow her lead. Uncle Julius stands up too and begins dancing and swaying in the pew. As members of the congregation, members of the choir, and ushers stand up to affirm that they are gay, the pastor tells the church that they must recognize that these worshipers are people too.

Then he tells them to get the fuck out!

Everyone is shocked, but he repeats his command insisting that you have to speak to demons in their own language.

“Did he just call me a demon?” M-Chuck asks.

Cam stands up to defend her. “Hold up, Rev! That’s my sister!”

But the pastor won’t back down equating gay people to zoo animals and telling them that although he is forced to love them, he is going to love them from afar. As the gay members of the church scurry out, M-Chuck will not be dismissed so easily. M-Chuck yells back at him, cursing and throwing bibles toward him.

She tries to bum rush the altar, but Cam pulls his her back down the aisle and out the door. The pastor tells Cam that he isn’t Judas and can’t be bought. He tears up the check that Cam had given him. Cassie admonishes the pastor for his bigotry and takes a plant to compensate for all the money she had given to the church.

“I hope you aren’t paying tithes to this crooked Christian motherfucker!” Cassie tells the church on her way down the aisle.

M-Chuck breaks out of Cam’s arms and makes one more dash toward the minister, running up the aisle and flinging bibles and hymnals at his head. As Cam restrains his sister and successfully gets her out of the church, the pastor persists, telling them to close the door behind them as they leave.

That night, Cam and Uncle J are smoking out on the patio and laughing about the fact that Uncle Julius stood up in church. Reggie comes over in green chinos and a checkered shirt. Turns out, Plan b is another, much whiter country club that Reggie hates.

Reggie says, “Hey Uncle Julius, I heard you’re no longer on the D.L! I love you no matter what.”

Uncle J laughs at his teasing and heads inside. Reggie has a seat.

Reggie: Want to talk about what happened at church? Cam: Look, man, let’s leave it at this: Brand building has no place in a spiritual conversation Reg. Reggie: Amen Cam: Man, that preacher was just trying to make a name for himself. His church is probably going to get bigger and bigger too. Reggie: Haters gonna hate. People like to join places where their hate seems to be endorsed by God. Makes their hate not their fault. Cam: Walked right into that trap. Set it up myself. Reggie: Fuck ’em and feed ’em beans.
Then Reggie and Cam change topics to discuss the endorsement deal offer. Cam says he wanted to believe in something, but now church is off the list. Instead, he is going to try believing in himself. Cam tells Reg that he will follow Reg’s lead on this one. It’s Reg’s call. Reg ponders for a moment and then takes out a lighter and burns the check.

Cam panicks for a moment, realizing that nothing is guaranteed and he has to stand up on faith. He laughs it off, leans back looks out at the Atlanta skyline and passes Reg the joint.

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