Is it worth it?
Is what worth it?
Moving to Bakersfield.
Anyone he's willing to leave Denver for
- has got to be amazing. - Thank you.
To whom it may concern.
"You are in ownership of property
"along the official route of California's new
high-speed rail system."
MRS. BASKETS: Seizing the rodeo?!
I think we should fight this.
Let's fight it. I love that.
- MRS. BASKETS: I'm in. - CHIP: I'm in. -DALE: I'm in.
- (Tires screech) - DALE: City hall, here come the Baskets!
*BASKETS* Season 04 Episode 09
Episode Title: "Mrs. Baskets Goes to Sacramento"
MRS. BASKETS: 802...
803... 801?
Now it's going down.
Oh, I'm so confused.
It's a classic big government tactic.
Confuse the proletariat.
CHIP: Hey, Mom and Dale, I found it. It's down here.
Oh, here it is.
Oh... oh, finally, a human.
Oh, that's me.
I'm here to see Assemblyman Brian Von Vogel.
- Yes. - Oh, well,
he's not in his office now.
But if you look here
- on his website... - Uh-huh.
- Just press that button. - Oh.
Well, we want to see him in person.
We're here to take some names
and, uh, bust some skulls, right?
Well, not right now. We just want to speak to him.
Oh. Oh, okay.
Let me try to find him for you.
- Okay. - Okay.
"Contact Brian Vogel."
Dear Brian. B-R-A-I-N.
CHIP: Ma'am, it's kind of urgent that we talk to him.
We own one of the properties
that the government wants to destroy
so it can build the bullet train.
We're trying to save our family rodeo.
Oh, neat.
You know, they're having a hearing in Sacramento
- on the 15th. - MRS. BASKETS: Oh.
You should go protest there.
That's tomorrow.
Oh, I know. This year has just flown by. (chuckles)
You know what?
We should go.
- Sacramento? - Mm-hmm.
Oh, it's so beautiful there this time of year.
Let's go to this.
We have to.
Oh, that's wonderful.
Hey, Facebook Live, this is Dale.
Welcome to the proletariat rise.
Um, I'll show you a few things.
I got a bunch of flags here... American flags...
To make some protest suits out of.
Check out my shirt. "Kiss My Caboose."
Oh, I want to show you the... the exterior...
of my house.
(horn honks)
DALE: What the hell are you wearing a suit for, Chip?
Well, I thought we should look professional.
Are you filming me?
Yeah, there's cameras everywhere.
You better get used to it, old man.
Turn that off, please. That's terrible music.
DALE: Don't touch that.
- Now, say hello to my followers. - (sighs)
DALE: Hey, Mom, what's in the Tupperware?
It's a Cindy Evans pie.
It's for the government officials.
- Everybody's got a sweet tooth. - DALE: Beautiful pie, Mom.
- Will you take it? - Sure.
- Were you gonna get out? - I'll get out.
- Good. - I'll let you sit in here, Mom.
- Oh, I love... - Hey, honey,
you know what I'm thinking?
- What? - I better pee one more time
- before we go. - DALE: Oh, God.
Oh, it's so nice to have all the family together.
You know, fighting for our legacy.
- Yeah. - I do have a question, though.
- Who's gonna speak at the hearing? - DALE: You know what?
I nominate myself. I think I have the best speaking skulls.
Skills.
But, you know, I'm the CEO. I don't know.
Should I... should I do it?
DALE: If you do it, you'll just get up there
(laughing): and drool all over the microphone. Right, Mom?
No. I'll tell you what. I think I should do it.
'Cause I am the face of all the commercials for the rodeo,
and I own it.
Plus, I've got a great opening line, you guys.
Yeah? What is it?
"The bullet train has come off the rails."
I can't beat that.
That's really good, Mom.
- Do you like it? - Yeah.
Also add, though, that in 2006,
the-the budget for the bullet train was 35 billion.
And now it's skyrocketed to 98 billion.
Is that right?
Yep. Yep.
Oh, my God.
Good for you, Chip. Listen to you.
I've never thought of you like this.
- Like what? - Well, you're so smart.
I mean, I've always thought you were smart,
- don't get me wrong. - No, he's never been that smart.
- But that sounded smart. - No, I-I mean,
but you're really applying yourself here.
Well, I just, you know, I'm just trying to
- act like a CEO. - Very nice.
Very nice.
220 miles to go!
Ah, that's a lifetime.
♪ 99 bottles of beer on the wall ♪
- ♪ 99 bottles of beer ♪ - ♪ 99 bottles of beer ♪
- ♪ Take one down and pass it around ♪ - ♪ Take one down and pass it around ♪
- ♪ 98 bottles of beer on the wall ♪ - ♪ 98 bottles of beer on the wall ♪
♪ 98 bottles of beer on the wall ♪
- ♪ 98 bottles of beer ♪ - ♪ 98 bottles of beer ♪
♪ You take one down, you pass it around ♪ ♪ You take one down, you pass it around ♪
- ♪ 97 bottles of beer on the wall ♪ - DALE: Keep up.
MRS. BASKETS: You know, you would think that was more popular.
I'm glad to be out of that behemoth. Okay.
Lady Liberty!
- We made it. - Yeah.
- Come on, girl. - Oh, it's so beautiful.
My tax dollars at work!
We made it to the capitol!
- DALE: Be a killer place for a selfie. - (siren chirps)
(over P.A.): This is a "no parking" zone, ma'am.
Oh, honey, move the camper. You can't park here.
- Not it. Not it. - Yeah,
- I heard you, Dale. Take the pie. - Thank you.
Ah, what is this, Neoclassical Californian?
- (engine starts) - I have no idea,
- but it is breathtaking. - MRS. BASKETS: Oh, my God!
ATTENDANT: Whoa, whoa, whoa.
You can't park that thing here, man.
It's way too high.
Okay, sorry.
Here we go.
(brakes squeak)
(tires screech)
Dale...
DALE: Hey, here we are on the steps of the State Capitol!
Hi, everybody. I'm Dale Baskets,
and this is the lady of the hour.
- Are we live? - Yeah, this is live, Mom.
Oh, hi to my church group. Hi, Maggie.
- Okay, let's... - We're in the, uh, State Capitol.
What else, Mom? What else do you want to say?
Oh, I love America, and I love justice.
Okay, so watch this, we're gonna do the Statue of Liberty pose.
- Go ahead, Mom. - Oh!
The Statue of Liberty!
Yeah, there you go. A little higher.
There you go. Okay, let me just back up a little,
get this a little... Oh, God!
(both crying out)
MRS. BASKETS: Oh, my God.
I'm all right, sir, thank you.
You okay, Mama?
- Okay. - WOMAN: Oh, my God, are you okay?
Yeah, we're okay. It happens often, actually.
- (groans) - Is she okay? - Yeah, she'll be fine.
- (stammers) We fall down a lot as a family. - Oh.
Hey, uh, the pie's okay, Mom.
- That's good, honey. - Yeah, let me give you a hand.
OFFICER: Please relieve yourselves of all electronic items.
Cell phones, car keys, loose change.
Okay, we're right here in the, the belly of the beast.
We're getting ready to go through security.
There we go. There goes Mama.
- (buzzing) - Okay. It's okay. - Oh, my God, I'm buzzed.
Come here, arms out.
DALE: And, uh, there's the apple pie.
A little damaged, but that's okay.
- Sir, please stop filming... - Thank you.
And please put the phone in the container.
Stop filming? Okay.
- OFFICER: Thank you, sir. - There you go.
And just...?
- (buzzing) - MRS. BASKETS: Hey, who can I
talk to about those stairs?
- Has anyone else tripped on those? - (buzzing)
- (chuckles) Well, that thing's active, isn't it? - Come on through.
Okay, I don't have a belt buckle on or anything.
- Arms out. - Where's... where's the pie going?
- It's over to the side. It's fine, sir. - Yeah, but where's...
Can I have the phone, please? Can I have my phone?
- OFFICER: Oh, sir, please remove your boot. - Mom, film this!
- All right, I'll turn it on... Oh, my God. - Remove your boot.
- DALE: Well, I will when you tell me where my pie is. - It's looking at me.
- Honey? Why didn't you tell me I look like this? - Mom, keep filming!
- Pay attention, please! - God, I look like a drunk.
- (wand beeping) - Sir, please remove your boot.
- What? - Please remove your boot.
Remove my boot? For what reason?
These are American cowboy boots!
- OFFICER 2: Your ankle section, sir. - (exhaling): Oh, God!
MRS. BASKETS: What's in the boot?
DALE: What is going on? I mean... Oh, this thing?
- It's just a switchblade. - Whoa! -MRS. BASKETS: Oh, honey!
- It was a gift from my cousin Douglas. - Hold on.
- OFFICER: Sir, you are coming with us. - What are you doing with a s...
Are you in a gang?
They're arresting me! M-My hands are behind my back!
Where are you taking my son?
DALE: I can't bring an American knife to a U.S. Capitol building?!
MRS. BASKETS: We've got to do the bullet train thing.
DALE: Mom, it's up to you now! Stop the bullet train, Mom!
(brakes squeak)
Hey, telephone?
Directions to State Capitol, please.
Hello?
(quietly): Directions.
(mutters)
- (chimes) - 30 minutes?
(mutters, exhales)
(harmonica playing)
Chip... parked 30 minutes away? Where are you?
Oh. Ah.
Is this the line to be heard on the Senate floor?
- Uh, sure is. Yeah. - Oh...
I wish I would've thought to bring a chair.
Hmm. Hmm. Yeah.
(sighs)
(playing harmonica)
(phone ringing)
Hey, Christine, how's it going?
Oh, I don't know. It's all topsy-turvy.
Dale got arrested and Chip's wandering around
who knows where in Sacramento, and...
and I can't remember what I'm gonna say up there.
I hate to say this, but...
it is a lot of money they're offering you.
Money? K-Ken, we're fighting this.
I mean, think about it, really.
Who is the rodeo benefiting?
Chip loves the rodeo.
Come on, does he?
I mean, really, think about it.
- (sighs) - You'll do the right thing, Christine.
- Well... - I have faith in you.
(exhales): Oh!
Okay, here we are. I am being told
that my First Amendment rights, because I'm filming,
uh, are in jeopardy.
- Is that what you're saying? - You can film
as much as you want, sir. We-we just want to know why
- you brought a weapon into the building. - Oh! He wants to know
why I brought a weapon into the building.
So I don't have my Second Amendment rights, either.
Is that, is that what you guys
are telling me? I mean, the message boards
are gonna light up on this thing.
So, my First Amendment rights are in jeopardy,
- my Sec... - (beeps)
Oh, gosh. Low battery.
I'm losing the charge here.
- Do you have a power cord that I could borrow? - No.
- Ma'am? - I left mine in my car.
Well, go get it.
Never mind, that'll take too much time.
Okay, uh... all right, where was I?
I was saying s... It's dead.
Phone's dead.
Battery's gone.
Hey, do you have a auxiliary hole in that body cam?
I am being illegally held here in Sacramento at the, um...
What is the name of this building?
- State Capitol. - At the State Capitol!
This is an SOS situation.
I'm almost cuffed!
- (indistinct chatter) - (sighs)
- Ooh! - Oh!
- God, I'm sorry. - Oh, my God, are you okay?
- I'm sorry. - Oh, I'm so sorry.
That's a great ensemble you got there, though. (chuckles)
- Oh, thank you. I sewed this myself. - Oh.
Are-are you leaving?
My feet hurt. My family's supposed to be here.
We have a business and...
they're gonna do with that train what they want anyways.
Not necessarily.
- No? - I'd love to hear your story
if you'd like to share it.
Christine Baskets.
(chuckles): Hi. Come with me.
- Nice to meet you. - Our group has an area up front.
- Oh, up front? - Up front.
- (gasps) You're a godsend. - (chuckles)
- (phone chimes) - AUTOMATED VOICE: You have
arrived at your destination.
CHIP: State Capitol Coffee?
Ma'am, do you, do you know where the, uh, State Capitol is?
Uh, yeah, it's a couple miles that way.
Couple miles?
(mutters)
(chimes)
Okay, Mom. Okay.
(bicycle bell dinging)
Hey! Excuse me!
- Is your tricycle for hire? - Yeah.
Great. I need to go to the, uh, State Capitol building.
PROTESTER: Every morning. Every morning I wake up to it.
Ah, what's going on in here?
PROTESTER: This is what's happening in Fresno.
- Oh, is this the hearing? Oh. - It's louder than a nuclear explosion.
- What's her deal? - The air is unsafe to breathe.
This is what's happening in Fresno!
- Good day! - SENATOR: Thank you.
- (scattered applause) - (grunts)
We will now hear from Robert Shockley of Palmdale.
Oh, God.
Hello.
- (quietly): Oh, I know him. Yes. - My name is Robert Shockley.
And, yes, I currently live in Palmdale. However, uh,
my entire family lives in Gilroy.
And, uh, I had to move to Palmdale after I...
lost the use of both my legs
because there was a cheaper rehabilitation center there,
and it's all my insurance would cover.
- Oh. - I can't drive.
A high-speed rail would allow me to go home every weekend
to be with my family.
(quietly): Hey, don't worry about going up there, okay?
You're gonna be great.
Just... here's some talking points.
- Just work them into your speech. - Oh.
You'll be golden.
- Look at these. - ROBERT: Do it for everyone
who wants to stay in touch with their families.
- Well, I hope my kids make it. - No matter how far away...
- You know, they're on their way. - From the Central Valley they live.
- (bicycle bell dinging) - Oh, look at that. We're so close. There it is.
Oh, actually, that's a one-way the wrong way.
You can't go that way. You got to go around.
I'll just get out here, then.
Fine, no problem.
That'll be 97 bucks.
$97? I don't have $97.
- Plus tip. - Tip?
- ROBERT: I thank you for your time. - MRS. BASKETS: Oh.
(applause)
Thank you. And now, we will hear
from the California Bus Lobby.
- That's us. - Th-That's us?
- Mm-hmm. Yep. - We're the Bus Lobby?
What the hell is going on here?
(camera clicking)
Thank you, Senator.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you
to a very important small business owner
from Bakersfield, California.
Her name is Christine and she owns a rodeo.
A rodeo that would be destroyed
by the bullet train.
So, without further ado,
Christine Buckets.
What? What's this?
"Sunset... Coach Lines"?
(whispers): Oh, my God.
(exhales sharply)
MRS. BASKETS: Anyway, I'm here...
uh, as owner of the Baskets...
Family Rodeo with my two sons
and, uh...
the bullet train is off the rails.
(man coughs)
MRS. BASKETS: Uh...
"The bus is a better alternative
than a bullet train, so the bus stops here"?
What is this about?
Who wrote this?
Oh, my God. Your Honor, hold on, Your Honor.
This is not...
I-I'm not affiliated with him.
- Um... - SENATOR: Three minutes, ma'am.
Three minutes?
Oh, God, hold on. Let me start again.
You know, we were minding our own business
in Bakersfield, California.
I'm Christine Baskets,
owner of the Baskets Family Rodeo.
- And we got a flyer. - Sir.
A letter, really.
And they said a bullet train was coming.
And that they'd give us some money for our property
but we didn't have nothing to say about it.
And I guess that's how we ended up here,
we have something to say and now I'm here and...
I...
I loved what Robert said about his family.
It was beautiful.
And I guess I started thinking...
I bought my rodeo to be closer to my family.
And it was wonderful for a while,
but I have to be honest with you.
I think I was fighting the train for selfish reasons.
And maybe it's not fair of me to stop a train
that's gonna connect other families.
You know, because really, in my heart,
- I should be in Denver. - CHIP: Wait, what?
MRS. BASKETS: Huh?
Oh. Sorry, Senators.
This is Chip, who I was talking about, my son.
He, he doesn't know any of this; I haven't discussed it with him.
This is... Chip, I just... I had a revelation.
You've got to hear Robert's story.
- Who's Robert? - He's right here.
He needs his family
and that train's gonna put him in contact with it
- every week if he wants. - Hi, Robert.
Chip, maybe we should let the train come through there.
I think we've, we've done everything we can
- with that rodeo. - (sighs) I mean, I be...
- I became a CEO. - And you did a terrific job, honey.
Yeah, but w-we had a plan.
I think the train will help
people like Robert and other families connect.
And isn't that what we've been trying to do?
Haven't we been trying to connect?
And that's why I bought the rodeo, I wanted to connect.
But now my home is... And my life, Chip...
It's in Denver with Ken.
And I listened to somebody on the way up here,
on the radio,
"The one change in life is constant."
- What? - MRS. BASKETS: What'd they say?
No. No. "The only constant in life is change."
That train's coming.
That change is happening.
And my granddaughter is bi.
- What? - Yes.
I came here with him to protest
the train, but I'm, I'm...
I'm leaving here...
in favor of it. I'm leaving here in favor of it.
- Okay. - Chip, wait. You don't...
Oh, my God.
So sensitive.
Oh... well, I'd like to thank
the great state of California...
for your time...
and for being my home for many, many years.
I'll be thinking of you when I'm in the Mile High City.
- MRS. BASKETS: Chip? - (sighs) I'm just gonna go
- get the RV. - Honey, you have to realize I...
DALE: Denver sounds like a blast because I hear
the thin air makes you all freaky.
You okay up there, Chip?
I'm sorry I flip-flopped on you, honey.
I should have told you.
I thought you were a great CEO for our rodeo.
It's nothing on you.
People just don't want cowboys falling off bulls
as much as they want their lickety-split commute.
You know?
CHIP: I need to figure
- this out. - TAMMY: You were supposed to make
- a life plan. - I-I... I-I tried.
I did and... but I-I-I just couldn't finish it.
Things got too crazy in my life.
Do you know how many people
- have said that to me? - I don't know. A lot.
(stammers) The rodeo was, you know,
a thing I put my energy into and I thought,
"Okay, this could be a good thing, the rodeo."
And now it's gone. The rodeo's gone.
And the-the clowning endeavor, I-I have no... I mean,
my artistic endeav...
Life is gone. (hyperventilating)
(stammers)
I'm lost.
- (panting) - I want to help you.
I, I really do.
- (exhales sharply) - And I know that I can,
it's just that you have to make a real commitment.
Do you understand?
Yeah. I-I realize that now.
I-I do.
Okay. Then just...
sign...
right there.
CHIP: Okay. What is this?
This is the best day of your life.
From now on,
everything changes.
(Tammy laughs)
(sighs)
You could be happy.
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH
Sync corrections by srjanapala