The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia

This was my second year attending the Memphis Independent Film Festival and the only thing I have to say is "Thumbs Up." I cannot begin to explain the The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia. The only thing that comes to mind is Ghetto Ass White People. There isn't a drug that they don't do and they have sex with just about anybody. They are the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of D Ray and Bertie Mae White. Jesco, Maime, Poney, Sue Bob, and Bo are the children of D Ray and Bertie Mae. Bertie Mae also raised children who were left my their parents or their parents died.

The White family gained notoriety after the documentary the Dancing Outlaw was released. The documentary focused on Jesco who learned the art of mountain dancing from his daddy D Ray. Throughout the documentary I never saw another one of the family members moutain dancing. Therefore, I assume no one else knew how to do the jig. The rest of the family is basically famous for being bad. Jesco supposedly has a huge hole in one side of brain from huffing gasoline. There was not one White who lived in Virigina who did not do drugs, except for Bertie Mae. The others smoked weed, sniffed oxycotin, drank alcohol, popped pills and did whatever else they could get their hands on. My fault, Kirk, Bo's daughter, stated that she never did angel dust. Sue Bob's son, Brandon, got extremely high one night and tried to kill his Aunt Mamie's boyfriend, set a car on fire, and had a shoot out with the police. When he was interviewed in jail he commented on how the judge liked him and would probably give him an alternative sentencing, such as house arrest. Brandon was eventually sentenced to 50 years in prison. Mamie's daughter Mousie was being released from jail during the documentary and trying to hook back up with her husband Charles, who previously slept with her cousin Kirk.

I know what you are thinking. I can tell you everything about this documentary and it still won't be the same as watching it on the screen. While watching this film, I was constantly thinking how it relates to Memphis. Well, I know some moms and dads who smoke weed with their kids. I know at least two bank robbers. I know plenty of baby momas and baby daddys. I have known people who pop x-pills and viagra. I know people who love to fight just to fight. Basically, I have known and still know some "Whites" in Memphis, Tennessee. If the Whites were to move to Memphis, they would be a perfect fit. If someone had told me about the Whites before I saw the movie, I would swear up and down they were black. Okay, I have one more thing to tell you about this film. During one part of the film, Derrick, Bo's son, asked if you wanted to hear the Boone County mating call. He then holds up a prescription pill bottle and starts to shake it. That was the funniest thing I have ever seen.

All and all this film was hillarious, yet sad at the same time. The Whites make you laugh, but you wonder what is really going on with them. I began to think maybe they all were bipolar and no one had diagnosed them. There has to be something missing. However, I cannot lie and say that I did not enjoy each and every minute that I had with the Whites.