The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021) Movie Script

(SOFT INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC PLAYING)
HUGH DOWNS:
Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker
were the most famous
televangelist couple in America,
and, by far,
the most prosperous.
AL DALE: Ken and Barbie
of televangelism.
And they seemed honest.
REPORTER 1: They brought encouragement
and hope to lots of people.
GERALDO RIVERA:
He's the president
of a multi-million dollar
religious organization
called
the Praise The Lord Club.
REPORTER 2: PTL also
operates Heritage Village
in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
REPORTER 3:
...Christian Disney World
where PTL members
can vacation with inspiration.
They are among
the best-known figures
in the world
of television evangelism.
But tonight they are
out of business.
...following
the scandal that led
to founder Jim Bakker's
resignation last week.
There's debate about how much
the Bakker scandal will hurt
all the television ministries
and quiet concern...
Modern warfare
among the TV preachers.
In this electronic age,
the stakes are high
- with millions of followers...
- ...and recriminations.
And caught up in the fighting
are their fellow evangelists
Jimmy Swaggart,
Oral Roberts, Jerry Falwell.
Now, about what
some people around here
are calling "pearly-gate."
Pearly-gate is the story
of Jim and Tammy Bakker.
It's remarkably
like Watergate,
which tainted
the name "politician,"
and such an episode is bound
to taint the name "preacher."
REPORTER 4: The Bakkers couldn't
even get out of their car.
There were so many people
waiting to see them
after three months
of seclusion.
REPORTER 5:
...busloads of tourists,
hoping to get a glimpse
of the elusive evangelists,
but they had no better luck
than the waiting newspeople.
WOMAN: Okay, I'm gonna start
by taking some of this off.
TAMMY: Okay.
WOMAN: Gonna take
your foundation off.
TAMMY: M'kay.
WOMAN: And then
we'll start fresh.
Can you take
your lips off?
- Okay.
- Do you want a little remover?
Oh, no. That's it.
That'll be all.
They're permanently lined.
WOMAN: Oh.
And my eyes
are permanently lined
and my eyebrows
are permanently on,
so there's not a whole lot
you can do. (CHUCKLES)
WOMAN: My goodness,
- I... I didn't know.
- Mm.
Have you never done pictures
without those eyelashes?
Nope, and I never will
because that's my trademark.
And, you know, if I take that
away, then it's not me,
and no one's gonna wanna look
at me without my trademark.
So, I hold onto that.
Even if we softened
'em up and kept...
No. No, you can do
anything you want,
but my eyelashes stay
right where they are.
WOMAN: That's really you.
TAMMY: Mm.
Oh, yeah, this is who I am.
(CHUCKLES)
(CAMERA CLICKING)
PREACHER: I didn't know what the
words "glory" or "hallelujah" be
because the devil
is all around us!
- (PIANO PLAYING)
- Oh, yes, he is!
And it's up to you to resist
his temptations. Hallelujah!
(CONGREGATION EXCLAIMING)
If you're not saved by Jesus,
you open yourself up to demons
and the devil
will make a home in you!
WOMAN: Glory to God!
When God spoke peace
to my heart,
I didn't know how to say
glory or hallelujah,
but I got saved!
I leapt upon that altar.
Jesus told me He loved me,
and He will love you.
(WOMAN EXCLAIMING)
He speaks through her.
Say, "Hallelujah!"
CONGREGATION: Hallelujah!
PREACHER: She is with
the Holy Spirit right now!
Feel the spirit! Say, "Glory.
"Glory to God."
CONGREGATION: Glory to God!
PREACHER: You too, sister!
Feel the spirit.
Raise your hands up, folks.
LITTLE TAMMY: I was here.
Here the whole time.
Little girls go to Hell
for lying.
Honest and true.
I wanna be saved.
If you let me
come in with you,
God'd love me
like He's supposed to.
There's reasons you can't
be seen in church, Tam.
Grown-up reasons.
Is it because everyone thinks
you're a harlot?
And I come from a time
before Fred made you
respectable and stuff.
Only reason they let me back
is 'cause nobody but me
can play the piano.
But you remind them
I was divorced.
They see you,
all of us is going
to be banished.
The souls of all your brothers
and sisters
burning in Hell
because you don't listen
and you can't
sit still.
(SNIFFLING)
Stop performing.
(IN PUPPET VOICE)
You're going to Hell, Tammy.
You don't belong here.
You don't belong anywhere.
You're ugly.
You've got
a demon inside you.
(IN NORMAL VOICE)
But I don't wanna go to Hell.
(IN PUPPET VOICE)
If they loved you,
they wouldn't leave you here.
(IN NORMAL VOICE)
They love me.
(IN PUPPET VOICE)
They love you not.
(IN NORMAL VOICE)
Jesus, come into my heart
and forgive me my sins.
I don't know what this is
everybody's getting,
but if it's real,
then, please, Jesus,
give that to me.
- (PIANO PLAYING)
- PREACHER: Amen!
Be strong in the Lord
and His mighty power.
Put on the armor of God
so that you can
take your stand
against the devil's schemes.
For our struggle isn't
against flesh and blood,
but against the powers
of this dark world!
Casting down imaginations
on every high thing
that exalts itself.
- Do you feel love?
- CONGREGATION: Yes.
PREACHER: You feel it, sister!
I know you feel it!
You too, brother?
If you feel the love,
- say, "Hallelujah!"
- CONGREGATION: Hallelujah!
- PREACHER: Say, "Glory to God!"
- CONGREGATION: Glory to God!
PREACHER: Accept the blood!
Feel love forever!
CONGREGATION: Hallelujah!
WOMAN: Praise the Lord!
Are you ready
to accept the love?
Yes.
(CONGREGATION CLAMORING)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
Tammy Faye!
I'm so sorry.
I'm so, so sorry.
(CONTINUES
SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
No, Tammy!
Tammy, get up.
He is with us!
She's peeing herself!
Praise God!
Yes!
- Tammy, I said get up.
- WOMAN: Shush now.
This baby is a miracle.
Don't you take her from us.
(CONTINUES
SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
MAN: Mr. Bakker?
JIM: Yes, sir?
(JIM CLEARS THROAT)
Thank you.
(JIM BREATHES DEEPLY)
(JIM CLEARS THROAT)
Um, sorry.
I would like to start
with a verse.
"Beloved, I wish above all
things that thou mayest prosper
"and be in health,
even as thy soul prospereth."
That is John 3, verse 2,
and it's written right here
in the good book.
He gave me this verse
last night.
God, He came right down
and He whispered it in my ear.
He said, "Jim Bakker,
"I intend for you to thrive,
"to live, and to love
"in this life."
He said it to me.
But us Christians,
we've been taught
that we're supposed to
expect failure.
(JIM CHUCKLES)
- (SIGHS)
- When Jesus calls you home,
you think you're going
to get a bonus
if you make
yourself miserable?
(CHUCKLES)
You think if you deny yourself
indoor plumbing,
or if you don't have shoes
- on your feet...
- (BOOK CLATTERS)
(SOFTLY) I'm... I'm sorry.
Go ahead.
You know, Heaven,
Heaven is heaven,
that is for sure.
But God's hope
for us
is that we live and we thrive
and we love here
in the promised land.
Here and now.
Here and now,
and in this very, very moment.
(EXHALES HEAVILY) Hallelujah!
God does not
want us to be poor!
(LAUGHS) Oh, no!
He will gift the faithful
with eternal life,
eternal love,
and eternal wealth!
Hallelujah! Praise God!
Praise Him!
(EXHALES DEEPLY)
Be right
to remember,
"Blessed be the poor,"
Mr. Bakker.
Doesn't sound
very blessed to me.
(LAUGHING)
You two are here to learn the ways
of the Lord through scripture, yeah?
Yes, sir.
And to spread
the word of God.
Oh, yeah. You know,
I'm gonna sing the word in every
tent, in every church.
You know, God told me that
that's what He wants for me.
With makeup on your face?
- MAN: (SOFTLY) Ahem. Jezebel.
- (WOMAN LAUGHS)
(TAMMY CHUCKLING)
"I do my best
to maintain always
"a blameless conscience,
"both before God
and before men."
"A man who keeps company
with harlots
"wastes his wealth."
Proverbs 29:3.
"Your stature is like that
of a palm and your breasts
"like clusters of fruit.
"I will take hold
of the palm tree."
"And I will take hold
of the fruit."
That's the Song of Solomon.
7:7.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
JIM: I'm sorry I couldn't
drive you someplace nice.
Oh, this is
someplace nice, Jim.
Tell me something.
Tell me a secret.
Something that no
one else knows about.
Oh, I have no secrets.
I'll tell you anything
you wanna know.
We'll start
with everything.
(LAUGHS)
- Okay.
- (LAUGHS)
I'm the oldest
of eight children
and I'm a very
practical person.
And what you see
is all there is of me.
You know, I don't pretend
to be something I'm not
because what you see
is all you get.
And I love people.
I have a genuine,
genuine love for people.
And I hurt
when people hurt,
and probably a little more dramatic
than people would like me to be.
But I enjoy that.
That's just who I am.
I've never met anyone
quite like you, Tammy Faye.
(CHUCKLES)
(LAUGHS)
Okay.
So, um, do you have
any secrets, Jim?
(LAUGHING)
Well, one or two.
Well, tell me.
Well, before God found me,
I wanted to be a radio deejay.
(GASPS)
- No.
- Yes.
I used to love
to make people dance.
Have fun.
- Little Richard.
- (CHUCKLES)
And Buddy Holly and...
Oh, and Fats Domino.
What happened?
Why didn't you do it, Jim?
Ah.
Never mind that.
Tell me.
Um, I don't think...
Well, all right.
I'll tell you, Tammy. Um...
(SIGHS) Two years ago,
I was on a date
with my girlfriend,
Sandy, and...
- (SOFTLY) Mm.
- Oh, no,
with my girlfriend
at the time.
- Mm.
- But, anyhoo,
I borrowed my daddy's car
to take her out,
and there was all this snow
on the ground
and Fats was singing
Blueberry Hill
so loud
and I...
I was having these urges
that only the devil
would approve of
and I lost control of the car.
And I ran over a little boy,
- little Jimmy Summerfield.
- (GASPS SOFTLY)
I ruptured
Jimmy Summerfield's lung...
- (SIGHS)
- ...with my daddy's tire.
I didn't sleep
all night.
I was just up worried sick
about that boy dying.
So, I...
I made a bargain with God.
I said to Him,
"I will forsake my dream
of being a deejay.
"I will stop peddling
in rock and roll
"and I'll dedicate my life
to Him and Him alone.
"If He sees fit
to save that boy's life,
"He will win two souls
right then and there."
And what happened
to Jimmy Summerfield?
He lived.
- Oh.
- Yes.
- Praise be to God.
- Yes, praise Him.
(TAMMY SIGHS IN RELIEF)
So...
You still like me?
Oh, sure, I do, Jim.
Oh, even more now that
you were honest with me.
I'll tell ya,
I do miss dancing.
I found my thrill
On Blueberry Hill
(JIM CHUCKLES)
I found my thrill
When I found you
(WHISPERS) You're so loud.
Dance with me, Jim.
Here? No, I can't.
In front of all these people?
Like, no...
Please?
(CHUCKLING)
The moon stood still
On Blueberry Hill
- And lingered until
- (SNICKERING QUIETLY)
My dreams came true
(ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC
PLAYING ON SPEAKER)
Oh, we can't.
I know.
(TAMMY GASPING)
- We can't.
- I know.
(JIM GASPS, MOANS)
Oh. Oh, we can't.
I know.
(MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY
ON SPEAKER)
Yeah!
What'd you do?
Hello, Mother.
This is Jim Bakker,
my husband. (CHUCKLING)
JIM: Hello, Mother.
(CHUCKLES)
Oh, it's such a blessing
to finally meet you.
TAMMY: No.
No, Mother,
we can't go back to school.
They have a rule against
students marrying one another.
Did you know they had
that rule when you did this?
If I know the two of you,
you're just gonna love Jim.
Oh, he's so motivated.
He has so many big ideas.
Did you know?
(MUFFLED CONVERSATION)
(JIM CHUCKLES)
Well, you can educate yourself right
out of a relationship with God.
He has a plan for us.
- God or that Jim boy?
- God.
What'd He tell ya
to do this time?
Come spring, me and Jim are
going to be traveling preachers,
bringing God's love
to all people.
Anyone who's hurting or they
feel like they've been left out.
Jim will preach and I'll sing.
And we'll be like
Oral Roberts and his wife.
Oral Roberts went to college.
- (SIGHS)
- He has one named for him.
God said that we're supposed
to have a good life.
That way, we can help
bring his love to all people.
There's a limit
to God's love, Tammy Faye.
TAMMY AND JIM: No.
No, there's no limit to God's
love, Mrs. Grover,
and there's no limit
to Tammy Faye and I either.
We're soldiers
in Christ.
We've been called to serve
in a very real way.
God smiles
on a husband and wife.
"As a young man
marries a young woman,
"so will your Builder
marry you;
"as a bridegroom
rejoices in his bride,
"so will your God
rejoice in you."
Isaiah 62:5.
(TAMMY, JIM,
AND FRED CHUCKLING)
JIM: It's something we do.
(TAMMY SNIFFLES)
Fred said that we could stay
until the weather changes.
Got some bubbles
at the swap meet.
(JIM CHUCKLES)
I'm sorry, Tam.
I feel like
I'm letting you down.
She doesn't like me.
- No, Jim.
- No, she doesn't.
Of course she likes you.
(JIM MOANING AND SIGHING)
TAMMY: Oh.
It makes Tammy sad
to see you so sad.
(BOTH CHUCKLING)
How's there supposed
to be bubbles
if there isn't enough water
to work up the bubbles?
Oh, I can work up
the bubbles, Jim.
All I gotta do
is dunk my hand.
And I swirl...
(JIM MOANS SOFTLY)
- And swirl.
- (MOANS)
- (WATER LAPPING)
- (JIM INHALES SHARPLY)
- (MOANS)
- Am I doing that all right?
JIM: (SOFTLY) Uh-huh.
(TAMMY GASPS)
(ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC
PLAYING ON RADIO)
(IN PUPPET VOICE)
Well, hello there, Tammy Faye.
Hello, Mommy.
What are you doing
with those things?
Well, we're gonna use these
puppets as part of our sermon
and show the kids
how wonderful God is.
And if we can get enough
children to come,
they'll bring their mothers
and their fathers.
And before you know it,
we'll have our own church.
(IN PUPPET VOICE) Have you counted
your blessings today, Tammy Faye?
(IN NORMAL VOICE)
No, not yet, Susie.
Time to count your blessings,
for they are plentiful.
Okay, well,
thank you for my husband.
Oh, you're so welcome, Tammy.
And thank you for Mother's understanding,
even if she doesn't understand.
Oh. (WHISPERS) You're welcome.
And thank you, God, for love.
(CHUCKLES)
(CAR HORN HONKING)
(HONKING CONTINUES)
Hmm.
- (HONKS HORN)
- (MUSIC PLAYING ON STEREO)
- (HONKING HORN)
- (TAMMY GASPING)
(CHUCKLES IN AWE)
Jim! Whose car is this?
No.
- (GASPS)
- Get in. Get in. Come on.
TAMMY: Okay.
Roll that window up.
I got the heat on.
This fine vehicle
with the leather interior
and the chrome on the wheels
is a gift from God
for us to do His work.
(TAMMY GRUNTS SOFTLY)
(IN SUSIE'S VOICE) But how
can we afford it, Jim Bakker?
(JIM CHUCKLING)
Who is this?
I'm Susie Moppet.
Aren't you cute?
Well, do you know about God, Susie?
Oh, I do.
Well, God has cancelled
the claim of poverty
and deprivation in our lives
and He has placed
all the powers of heaven
and the First Bank
of International Falls,
Minnesota,
at our disposal.
Oh. (GASPS)
Oh, this is the nicest car
I've ever seen, Jim.
"Everything works for good
for them that love God."
Everything.
But you have
to have faith in Him
and in me and in us,
'cause if you don't,
I don't know
what I'm doing here.
- Oh, I do, Jim.
- You do?
Does she, Susie?
(IN SUSIE'S VOICE)
Oh, she do, Jim!
- She really, really do!
- (LAUGHING)
(ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC PLAYING)
(BOTH LAUGHING)
JIM: You sure...
It's all right here.
In Psalm 37:4.
"Take delight in the Lord
"and He will give you
your heart's desires."
God starts turning
those wheels in your life!
SUSIE: You better believe it!
- JIM: Oh, now who is this?
- Oh, I'm Susie Moppet.
Well, hello there,
Susie Moppet.
SUSIE: Hi! Nice to meet you!
(BOTH CHUCKLING)
- She jumped up.
- (CHILDREN LAUGHING)
SUSIE:
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
BOTH:
The Bible tells me so
Hitch up your wagon to God.
He's greater than any problem.
Us Christians, we're just
stuck in the mud
like that old game.
Remember that old kids' game?
God wants us
just to run free.
(LAUGHTER)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Well, this is a fun song,
boys and girls.
So, hit it, Allie.
(IN DEEP VOICE)
Jesus loves me
This I know
For the Bible tells me so
(IN SUSIE'S VOICE)
Yes, Jesus loves me
ALLIE: The Bible tells
me so (JIM LIP-SYNCING)
ANNOUNCER: You're watching
Pat Robertson
on the Christian
Broadcasting Network.
JIM: Come on.
Season all your
grain offerings...
Oh, come on!
- Okay, okay, okay.
- ...with salt.
Do not leave the salt
of the covenant of your God
out of your grain offerings.
Add salt
to all your offerings.
You know, he's not terribly
dynamic for a charismatic.
JIM: I know, but people
just eat him up.
...focus on the foundation.
- Tammy, did you see that?
- Hmm?
Watch close.
Every now and again,
he glances up at the camera.
It is upon Him that you can
place your strong...
- See that?
- (GASPS) You're right.
He's talking right to you in
the comfort of your living room.
Well, if I could have
watched a preacher
on TV in my own home
telling me about God,
that would've made
such a difference.
JIM: Mm. Amen.
Especially from someone who
preaches as good as you do, Jim.
- (JIM CHUCKLING)
- (INHALES DEEPLY)
- You think?
- Oh, yeah.
...blow your home over?
You know, we could do that.
You're so much more
handsome than he is.
Keep calling.
JIM: Gotta do
my homework, baby.
The numbers
are on your screen.
Mmm. Stop it.
You're distracting me.
...voices of angels.
I hope you enjoy them,
and we have a variety...
Well, we'll have to call
the preacher down in Raleigh
and let him know we got
a better gig down here.
Don't make him
cross at you, Jim.
We wanna have
him want us back.
JIM: Hold on.
TAMMY: What?
JIM: The car.
I...
I... I parked it here.
Yep, you sure did. Uh-huh.
Well, must've got stolen...
What?
JIM: (GASPS) Oh.
Oh, maybe it got towed.
No, I know
I made the payments, so...
I think
I made the payments.
Oh, Jim.
Maybe they didn't get
the payments or maybe...
Oh, no.
I don't think I forgot.
- I think I...
- Okay.
- Oh, Tammy, I don't know...
- We need to pray.
Oh, did I?
Yes, yes, yes.
TAMMY: Oh, Lord,
we are good soldiers.
- We are here for good.
- Oh, I'm sorry, Tammy.
- We are here for your good.
- I'm so, so, so sorry.
And we ask
that you shine your light...
JIM: I shouldn't have put
so much faith in that bank.
God, I'm so sorry.
Jesus, I'm so sorry.
Tammy, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- Jim.
- (SIGHS)
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
MAN: Hey.
Hey, I saw you preach
last night.
Those puppets of yours
filled me. Deeply.
TAMMY: Oh, thank you.
(CHUCKLING)
JIM: Thank you.
I'm staying
in the room next door.
- Can I help you with that?
- (CHUCKLES) No!
Well, that's
very kind of you...
(BOTH CHUCKLE DRYLY)
...but we don't rightly know
where we're carrying it to.
I work at a local
television station
with a minister by the name
of Mr. Pat Robertson.
(CHUCKLES)
He'd get a kick outta you two.
(UPLIFTING MUSIC PLAYING)
WOMAN 1: Yes, honey,
and that's $25 a pledge.
- (PHONES RINGING)
- WOMAN 2: CBN.
Can I take your pledge?
JIM: Well,
I'm trying to focus.
And you're just
distracting me.
You make me laugh.
I was happy to find...
(MAN CHUCKLING)
JIM: You're so funny,
Graham.
- Jim?
- Hey, honey.
Hi, I got a new outfit
for the show.
Oh, yes, I love it.
- (CLICKS TONGUE) Jim.
- JIM: Yeah?
You didn't even look at me.
JIM: Oh.
(CHUCKLING) I'm sorry, Tam.
Have I ever told you
that I am the luckiest man
on the face of this planet?
- (TAMMY GIGGLING)
- Have I ever told you that?
- Not today.
- Not today, no?
I'm going to tell you
something, too,
but I'm not gonna
tell you right now.
You're gonna have to wait.
- No, no, no! (CHUCKLES)
- Yeah.
You just have to.
And there he is.
Every time I try
and talk to him,
he just keeps making excuses
not to see me.
Well, my surprise is gonna
make you feel so much better.
I'll be right back.
No, Jim,
- the show's about to start.
- JIM: Hey, Pat!
- PAT: Jim! Hey!
- JIM: You got a second?
Have you given more thought
to our show idea?
MAN: All right,
let me get you set up.
PAT: Don't you already
have your hands full
with those puppets?
Biggest earner we got.
You stay focused.
JIM: Well, yes, of course,
but you shut down CBN
at 10 p.m.
Why not do
a late-night show?
Just kind of like Johnny
Carson for Christians?
No, Christians don't
stay up that late.
Oh, I do.
- I don't sleep at all.
- PAT: What about Tam?
Well, she's gonna
miss you at night.
- JIM: Tammy loves the idea.
- MAN: Tammy, we're on.
MAN 2: Okay, we're live
in five, four, three.
(PAT AND JIM CONTINUE
CHATTERING)
Oh, hello, everybody!
CHILDREN: Hi, Tammy!
Well, Jim is
a little bit late today,
so, um, the theme
of today's show,
how about we make it
all about the importance
of being places on time, hmm?
- (CHUCKLING) Oh, no! Oh, no!
- (CHILDREN LAUGHING)
- I'm sorry, kids!
- There he is.
I'm sorry, Tammy!
I'm sorry, everybody.
I was just having a
little, fun little chat
with Uncle Pat
just behind the barn.
Oh, yeah, and what'd you two
fellas get up to without me?
Oh, well, it's actually
something all you kids...
- Mm-hmm.
- ...are gonna wanna
tell your parents about.
It's a brand-new show
just for them
right here on CBN!
- (CHILDREN CHEERING)
- Well, amen!
JIM: And it's gonna be
called The 700 Club.
TAMMY: Now,
isn't that happy news?
Hallelujah! Yes! Yes!
- SUSIE: Hi, kids.
- Oh.
- (CHILDREN LAUGHING)
- ALL: Hi, Susie Moppet.
Hi, Jim.
Today's a happy day.
Isn't it, kids?
And you know why, Jim?
(CHUCKLES)
Why, Susie?
Well, you're gonna have
a new show, kids.
- JIM: Yes.
- (ALL CHUCKLE)
SUSIE: And Jim is gonna have
a baby.
- (CHILDREN EXCLAIM)
- (JIM CHUCKLES LIGHTLY)
Look at Tammy,
she's right behind you.
(APPLAUSE)
We're gonna have a baby?
Isn't the world just
full of blessings, Jim?
- (CHUCKLING)
- Huh?
- (PHONE RINGING)
- That's right, folks!
(BOTH CHUCKLING)
We're gonna
have a baby!
- (CHILDREN CHEERING)
- Oh-ho-ho!
JIM: It's not a drag
to be saved.
It's not a boring thing.
That's religion.
See, you got 'em mixed up.
Religion is boring and dull,
- but Jesus is life.
- (APPLAUSE)
Now, my next guest is
a new friend to The 700 Club,
and I can smell
his chicken, yes. (LAUGHING)
The Colonel, Colonel Sanders
in The 700 Club!
- (ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC PLAYING)
- (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Oh, the crowd appreciates you.
I think they like you.
I think they're wanting
some of that chicken.
JIM: I guess
the housewives of America
are thanking you
for fixing dinner...
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
TAMMY: Oh, hi, Mom.
Do you know what time it is?
Why are you calling so late?
Well, Jim says that I need
to rest for my pregnancy,
but, oh, you know me.
I can't rest,
so thought I'd call my mother
to keep me company.
I never got a rest.
Oh, I miss working, though.
You know?
It's so lonesome at home
all by myself.
Wow! Oh, wow!
And he barely
touches me anymore.
And when he does,
it's not enthusiastic.
Well, it's up to the wife to make
herself desirable for her husband.
I do that. Oh, I do.
He's just really busy.
- JIM: Really?
- (LAUGHTER ON TV)
So, are you watching
Jim's show?
That new talk show
of his is on.
Serving God don't feel like
it should be
a money-making opportunity.
TAMMY: Yeah.
You know,
I wanna do what he's doing.
And I wanna sing
and not in a puppet voice.
And I wanna talk about issues
that affect people's daily lives.
And there's so much
that we don't talk about.
There's so many secrets,
and, you know, everyone says
I'm supposed to be tired,
but I just wanna love people.
You got me out of bed
to talk to me about
how you're not tired.
Does that make sense to you?
No.
- Sorry.
- Night night, Tam. Take care.
TAMMY: Good night, Mom.
I love you.
Bye.
Okay, bye-bye.
FRED: Who was it?
RACHEL: That was Tam.
FRED: How is she?
RACHEL: Well, it seems like
she's having some trouble
with the pregnancy.
What'd I miss?
JIM: ...a second childhood.
FRED: I don't know.
The sound was off.
You love kids, don't you?
- You love children.
- COLONEL SANDERS: I do.
I have five grandchildren
and 14 great-grandchildren.
- Wow!
- (APPLAUSE)
I bet they're spoiled.
Do you spoil them?
(SIGHS)
Oh, dear Lord God.
What doors are you gonna open
up for me to walk through?
What can I do for happiness?
(SIGHS)
Oh, I wanna get back on TV.
I'm going back
to work for you.
(TRADITIONAL POP MUSIC
PLAYING)
- (MUSIC CONTINUES)
- (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Well...
What do you think
he pays himself?
Oh. (SIGHS)
I should have worn
the other dress.
JIM: You look fine,
honey.
Oh.
JIM: There he is.
TAMMY: Dede's wearing a mink.
That's a real mink!
And it's warm outside.
You know, we...
we paid for all this, Tammy.
You and me, from the swimming
pool to the hot tub,
and Dede's dead animal.
We paid for it.
Well, the fruit isn't dropping our
way, that's for sure.
- (POLITE CHUCKLE)
- My little stars!
Hello. Hey, Pat!
- What a beautiful place!
- How are you?
- Oh, thank you, thank you!
- Paradise!
Look at that little baby, too.
Positively a chipmunk.
Thanks.
Hey, that's a nice coat.
Oh, thank you, dear.
Must be hot though.
No, not in the least.
Oh. (CHUCKLING)
PAT: Hey, Jim,
I've been thinking.
- JIM: Mm-hmm?
- Have you given any thought
to taking some time off
to be with your family?
These times
do not come back.
- No.
- Trust me,
they are precious,
precious times.
- PAT: No, sir.
- JIM: Mm.
I can do The 700 Club
for a time.
We can air reruns of
Jim and Tammy for a few weeks.
- TAMMY: Hmm.
- A couple of months even.
What do you think?
(SNIFFLES)
It's very...
It's very kind of you, Uncle Pat.
Thank you.
But, you know, I got that bond
going with my audience, you know?
We're on the up-and-up.
I couldn't think of
abandoning them right now.
- Well, we'll think about it.
- Oh, Pat, Pat, Pat!
- PAT: Oh.
- He came.
TAMMY: (GASPS)
Oh, my goodness!
(TRADITIONAL POP MUSIC
PLAYING)
- PAT: Hello! Hello!
- Honey.
- I see, I see him.
- Go say hi!
I know, I see him.
We'll sit down, we'll sit down.
PAT: Was your drive in okay?
- Jim, go say hi!
- I don't wanna say hi.
I'm fine.
We'll say hi later.
PAT: You remember
Jim and Tammy Faye?
- Hey, now, the puppet people!
- (BOTH CHUCKLING)
Oh, my goodness, just...
What a pleasure,
Mr. Falwell.
A pleasure
and a blessing.
You are truly an inspiration to me.
It's an honor.
Nice to meet you, Jerry.
I'm Tammy.
JIM: Tammy Faye
and this is Sissy.
- (TAMMY LAUGHING)
- Aren't the three of you
as cute
as a button?
- TAMMY: Aw!
- PAT: Yes, sir!
JERRY: It's a moral issue...
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
...feminist revolution.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
DEDE: You know it was fate.
It was when my youngest
was being baptized,
she was such
a little-bitty thing
that we had to put
a little milk crate
in the baptismal
for her to stand on.
Come on, let's go see Daddy.
(PANTING) Hi!
Could I sit down? (LAUGHS)
I have the baby,
you know.
It's kinda hard to eat
and, you know...
JIM: Sure. Um, yeah.
Using the fork and the knife
at the same time
and, you know,
get the food to my mouth.
Well, why don't...
- I think...
- And I wanna hear
all this interesting stuff.
- PAT: Yeah, but...
- Honey...
TAMMY: Well,
I'll be right back.
- Tam.
- Oh.
(CHUCKLES DRYLY)
She's a firecracker, Jim.
(LAUGHTER)
(CHAIR DRAGGING
AND KNOCKING LOUDLY)
- Jim.
- Yes.
Come on.
- SWAGGART: Okay.
- (BOTH CHUCKLING)
SWAGGART: Okay.
Well, very nice.
(SIGHS) As you were
saying, Jerry?
(TAMMY CHUCKLES)
Let's call me
Reverend Falwell.
Of course.
JERRY: Young people today
are raised on television.
It's taught them
an immorality.
But now, we are on television.
(PAT CHUCKLES)
When I created The 700 Club,
all I needed was 700 people
to keep us going.
A year later, we're in
six markets and growin'.
Hundreds of thousands of folks
are hearin' the word.
Now, God has a voice
in this fight.
- SWAGGART: Amen.
- PAT: Mm-hmm.
Mm. Who's He fighting?
JERRY: The liberal agenda.
The feminist agenda.
Homosexual agenda.
It's time for a reversal
of these trends.
The only hope's
in saving America.
SWAGGART: Get back
to the good old days.
- JIM: Mm. Mm.
- (TAMMY CHUCKLES)
Well, I love our country,
but America is for them, too.
- Uh... Well...
- (TAMMY CHUCKLES)
- Oh, Tam?
- Mm?
Will you mind
getting me another Coke?
Jim, let your wife speak.
Debate. I think it gets us
all back to unity.
Oh, I don't want to debate you, Jerry.
I love you.
- I love all of you guys.
- Reverend Falwell.
PAT: Um...
We love you, too,
Tammy Faye.
MAN: Yes, we do.
JERRY: God as my witness,
I made a pledge to continue to
expose the sins in this country.
The Bible explicitly
forbids homosexuality.
There's no gray area.
TAMMY: Mm.
Well, you know,
I don't think of them as homosexuals.
I just think of them as other
human beings that I love.
You know, we're all just people
made out of the same old dirt.
And God didn't
make any junk.
Right, honey?
(TAMMY CHUCKLES)
- JIM: Tammy?
- Hmm?
(BABY SISSY COOING)
- Tam.
- Hmm?
You can't...
What are you doing?
TAMMY: I'm changing
the baby, honey.
JIM: You can't talk
to him like that.
That's the big boss man.
We need him to like us.
- Jim.
- No, Tammy.
Look, listen to me.
I'm trying to build something here.
I'm not messing around.
God told me He wants me
to have what Pat has.
But if you keep acting like that,
if you keep talking to Falwell that way,
I'm not gonna
ever get there.
Well, God's been talking
to me, too, you know, Jim?
And He said
that I gotta speak up.
So, here goes.
You can't leave me
at home all alone,
feeling unloved, and useless.
And He said that I belong on
TV just as much as you do.
And that I should sing
and I should be funny.
And I should talk about
real things for grown-ups.
Just, you know,
just the way you do.
And...
He says I'm not gonna tell
people who's going to Hell, Jim.
We're in the business
of healing people.
Yes.
Jerry Falwell's
a powerful man, Tammy Faye.
Jim Bakker
is a powerful man.
- Jim Bakker.
- (EXHALES DEEPLY)
(INHALES SHARPLY, STOMPS)
Yes, he is,
Tammy Faye Bakker.
(INHALES DEEPLY)
I'm so, so sorry.
I forgot my own strength...
and my manly duties.
It's okay. (CHUCKLES)
You know,
we built CBN in four years
and we could build
our own in half that.
Yes, I think we can.
- Oh, yeah, we can.
- (LAUGHS)
- Yes.
- (CHUCKLING)
Jim Bakker is gonna
be a builder for Christ.
Oh, yes, he will.
- (CHUCKLING)
- And Tammy Faye Bakker
is gonna sing her gospel
all around the world.
We are gonna spread His word.
Oh, my!
(BOTH LAUGHING)
(TV MUSIC PLAYING)
ANNOUNCER: Coming to you
from Praise The Lord studios
in Charlotte, North Carolina,
broadcasting live
across this great nation.
Praise The Lord
television network
presents our five-year
anniversary Christmas special,
the Jim and Tammy Show!
TAMMY AND SINGERS:
Ooh we're blest
We are blest
Yes, we've got shelter,
clothing and strength
We are blest
We're blest, we're blest,
we're blest
We are blest
We don't deserve it
but yet we are blest
We don't deserve it
but yet we are blest
- (APPLAUSE)
- Hi, everybody!
Nice to see you.
Hi! How are you?
Look at all of you! Wow!
My land!
What a beautiful audience!
Hi, how are you doing?
God has worked miracles!
I want miracles for all of us!
We've got a marvelous show
for you today.
Little Richard is here!
God loves you.
He really does!
REPORTER: They are doing God's work
teaching skills to the homeless.
Providing housing
for unwed mothers
and handicapped children.
(SONG CONTINUES PLAYING)
PTL brings the word of God
and Jesus Christ
- to the whole world.
- That's it.
God bless you,
honey.
It's a powerful thing!
REPORTER 2: Five years ago,
the PTL network
was little more than
a prayer and a dream.
Today, the nation's
fourth largest network.
We don't deserve it
but yet we are blest
We don't deserve it
but yet we are blest
Yes, people.
We truly are blessed
because there is no
condemnation for them
which are
in Jesus Christ.
Therefore, if God is for us,
who could be against us?
Blessed are they that hunger
and thirst for His glory,
for they shall
be filled.
Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.
We have gathered us into His kingdom
and made us priests of God his Father.
Give unto Him everlasting
glory, He rules forever! Amen!
- (MUSIC ENDS)
- Amen!
Wow!
My land!
Tammy Faye,
ladies and gentlemen,
Tammy Faye Bakker!
And it's the happiest time
of the year, it's Christmas!
And remember,
never forget it.
You know what I'm gonna say.
God loves you.
He really,
really, really does.
Merry Christmas,
everyone!
- Merry Christmas!
- Bye-bye, everybody!
I'm Fletcher,
Jim's right-hand man.
Jim and Tammy are gonna be
so happy to see you.
I can't believe you've never made
it down to the studios before.
Well, the Carolinas are a long
way from International Falls.
Have you always been involved
with the church, Mr. Fletcher?
I've done
all sorts of things.
Once, I was
even a party clown.
You don't believe me,
but it's true.
Come, this way.
Show's about to start.
FRED: Party clown?
We'll get you set up.
MAN: But the penile implant
of the inflatable type
is the one that we see here.
Mm-hmm. And this is
the newest one?
Well, it is. And when the man
wants to become erect,
he simply
reaches down
and he squeezes
that several times
and the man becomes firm.
(LAUGHS) I think
that's fantastic.
(WOMEN GASPING)
- Go ahead, audience, go ahead.
- (APPLAUSE)
Well, you know something else
that's fantastic?
I'm so excited
I'm just beside myself.
I would like to introduce you
to my mother and her husband,
Rachel and Fred Grover.
Stand up, everybody, stand up.
Come on. Stand up,
that deserves
a big ol' round of applause.
Stand up, Mom.
TAMMY: Thank you.
So, here's the house.
Isn't it beautiful?
I just think it's so neat.
Our ministry's building lots
of houses on the PTL property.
There's one with pregnant teens
and one for kids with needs.
It's all part of our mission
to help people.
FRED: This is
just wonderful, honey.
Yeah, I'm so glad
you guys are here.
I got you set up
in the guest room
and you can stay there until
your new house is ready.
Come on.
Let me give you a tour.
This is the relaxation room.
(CHUCKLING)
Oh, now that you're here,
I'm just gonna bug you any time I want to.
Oh, yeah, I'm gonna wake you
up any hour of the night.
I'm just so glad to have you here
in the PTL property with me, Mom.
(SIGHS)
All those people
looking at me and clapping.
Oh, no.
RACHEL: I don't appreciate
being bamboozled like that.
It's love, Mom.
Oh, yeah,
that's God's love.
Every day, I have rapture.
RACHEL: Rapture?
You just spent an hour
talking about pumping penises.
(FRED SNICKERS)
Well, these things
happen to people
and I'm just being honest
about the way that life is.
And I'm providing solutions
to make marriages better.
- Tam, where's the privy?
- On the left.
Okay.
Sit down, Mom.
Who paid for
this house, Tammy?
Well, the ministry
makes lots of houses.
We've got one
for unwed mothers.
(GASPS) Wait till
you see Kevin's House.
Oh, yeah, that one's
for kids with special needs.
And it's named after a sweet
little boy named Kevin.
Oh, he's 13 years old
and he is the sweetest,
tiniest little thing you ever saw.
His hands are attached
to his shoulders
and he has no arms at all.
Bless his little heart.
Let me show you to your room.
Okay, everyone,
let's see if I can do this.
So, now, you're gonna
go in a circle. (LAUGHS)
Oh, mine looks a little bit
like it had an explosion.
- (AUDIENCE LAUGHS)
- You know what I'm gonna do?
'Cause normally when I use
frosting, it's not this thick.
I'm just gonna do that.
- I think it's gonna be pretty.
- (INAUDIBLE CONVERSATION)
You know, next time,
I'm gonna make you guys my fudge.
That's the best.
I think I've only made that,
you know, on the show,
like, a couple times. Mmm.
I know! I wish
we had smell-o-vision,
- so you could smell this.
- (LAUGHTER)
This is really nice.
(CHUCKLING)
Oh!
That one.
How much time do we have?
MAN: 10 minutes, Tammy.
Oh, goodness!
Hey, Mom. Did you see the show?
(CHUCKLES)
Wasn't that fun?
I'm not sure what's so Christian
about decorating a cupcake.
(LAUGHS) Oh, Mom,
you're so funny.
- Have you seen this?
- TAMMY: Hmm?
From The Observer.
Picture of you and Jim
on the front.
Ah.
"PTL's Bakker
diverts ministry funds
"for new building project."
What's that about?
Well, you can't
believe everything
that you read
in the newspapers, Mom.
How's Fred doing?
Is he settling in okay?
Smoke and fire idn't just
the providence of Hell, girl.
You know when I saw that
clipping with my face on it,
I thought for a second
that you were proud of me.
I'm hearing there are articles
like this in the paper every day.
The secular press hates us
because we're winning
millions of souls for Jesus.
Oh, Tammy Faye.
You follow blindly.
In the end,
all you are is blind.
JIM: I don't know
how to do it.
I just need it done.
That is your job.
Yes.
Yes.
God bless you.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
(TAMMY SNIFFING)
You wonder why
I don't snuggle you.
Maybe it's all
that goopy stuff on you.
(CHUCKLING) Well, it's better than
spending the night with an alligator.
Oh. (SIGHS)
That newspaper.
She saved it like
it was a little treasure.
It made me feel so rotten.
Well, your mother's never
been all that nice to you.
Yeah.
Some people
just don't change.
We're not doing
anything wrong, though.
(SCOFFS)
Is that a question?
No.
- (PHONE RINGING)
- (GASPS AND SIGHS)
(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
(JIM SIGHS)
Tammy, sometimes, I fear
that what God wants of me
is beyond my abilities.
I'm building
so much for Him
in His name
and for His people.
- Yeah.
- And...
And He's giving me
more visions every day.
Giving me more orders
all the time.
And then, every day,
these creditors...
(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
...and the people who are
asking me to save them.
(PHONE STOPS RINGING)
(SIGHS HEAVILY)
- I'm only one man.
- (WATER TRICKLES)
I'm only one man, Tammy.
TAMMY: Oh, Jim.
Well, I only need one man.
You're enough, honey.
(JIM LAUGHS)
Okay, come on.
Come to bed.
Honey, it's been two months,
and we said we were gonna
try to have another baby.
Tammy,
I need your help.
I need you not
to get in my way.
And I need you to not ask
more of me than I can give.
Okay.
Do you wanna talk some more?
- (PHONE RINGING)
- (SCOFFS)
- Can you...
- (PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
Can you talk to God?
- I'm so tired and...
- (PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
Yes?
I'll call you right back.
I'll take it downstairs.
(UPBEAT GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYING)
TAMMY AND CHORUS:
Don't give up
You're on the brink
Of a miracle
Don't give up
Remember you're not alone
(LAUGHS)
People, don't give up
You're on the brink
Of a miracle
(OVER SPEAKER)
Don't give up on the brink
- Of a miracle
- (TAMMY CHUCKLES)
Don't give in
God is still on the throne
He's on His throne
- Don't give up
- (VOLUME DECREASES)
You nailed it.
Really?
This is sublime.
This is top drawer.
You really think so,
Gary?
I know so.
Your opinion means
so much to me.
I haven't been this excited
about working with an artist
since I produced Monster Mash.
That's really sweet.
We could get a Grammy.
- Really?
- Really.
(KNOCKING)
(TAMMY CHUCKLES)
(MUFFLED) Tammy, it's time to go.
Time for the shoot.
Come on. We're...
(OVER SPEAKER) Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
- Yeah.
- We've been looking for you,
so, let's go.
We're live in 15 minutes.
Hey, hey, Jim,
how are ya?
Blessed, Gary, blessed.
I'm sorry, Jim. You know,
I got lost in the music.
Gary here, he just
makes it all so awesome.
- (BOTH CHUCKLE)
- Wait till you hear it.
You're going to love it.
No, it's her voice, Jim.
I just turn the knobs here.
She sings like an angel.
(CHUCKLES)
Well, I'm never giving you
back to Nashville, oh, no!
It's such a beautiful way
to connect, Jim.
It's God's voice
through my voice.
To the world's ears.
The things you say, Gary.
Tammy!
You're not camera ready.
You know everybody's waiting
for you and it's a big day.
We gotta do 400 K today.
Can we shake a leg, please?
Thank you. I'm sorry
to drag her away, Gary.
Okay! (CHUCKLES)
Shake a leg, please.
Sure thing, Mister.
Thank you.
- GARY: Jim.
- Thank you, Gary.
- Tam?
- Mm?
- TAMMY: Ta-da! I made it!
- (JIM SIGHS)
MAN: 30 seconds, everyone!
WOMAN: Light on one, please!
Hmm. How's that?
MAN 2: Yeah.
(JIM SIGHS DEEPLY)
MAN 3: And we're live
in five, four,
three, two...
Tammy and I are undergoing
the most vicious attacks
in the history
of this ministry.
By now, perhaps you think that we
should be used to these attacks.
But it's been going on
for a long time, Tammy.
Oh, yeah,
that's right, Jim.
It's been going on
a long time.
We are being persecuted
by the secular press
who simply do not want you
to receive the word of God.
JIM: It is a witch hunt.
And on top of this, we have
numerous past due bills...
that must be paid
if we want to save
the entire network
and stay on the air delivering
the word of God every day.
So, now is the time
for our prayer warriors
to rise up because
we are in a war.
You know, Tammy and I,
we just hate to do this,
but if every person watching
could double their pledge
right now,
that way, we can save
the word of God.
I'm talking about salvation.
Yours, mine, PTL's,
the entire world's.
So, together,
if we agree together,
let's give the devil
a black eye.
(PHONES RINGING)
Oh, the phones
are ringing. Oh.
- Praise Jesus and praise you!
- (APPLAUSE)
And God bless you!
God bless you!
TAMMY: Hallelujah!
And don't forget,
remember, God loves you.
- He really, really does.
- He really does. (CHUCKLING)
MAN: Cut! Very good, everyone.
That was not bad.
How was that?
- How was it?
- Uh, that was good, Jim.
- We need to talk. Now.
- Jim, it was great.
FLETCHER: We're still gonna
be over budget on that...
(FLETCHER CONTINUES
TALKING INDISTINCTLY)
TAMMY: I just want the sleeves
a little shorter.
Everything's about proportion.
(TAMMY CHUCKLING)
Okay, you ready to see?
Close your eyes.
- I love it, Mother.
- (CHUCKLES)
Oh, Sissy, you look
so beautiful, baby.
- Thank you.
- (CHUCKLES)
RACHEL: Golly Moses,
this thing weighs a ton.
Oh, goodness.
RACHEL: Why do you have to do
so much shopping, Tam?
Well, I have to get
my exercise somehow.
And, plus, I don't wanna balloon
up with the new baby coming.
(SOFTLY) Hey, everyone,
come here, come here.
Now, when she comes out,
make sure you all tell her
how great she looks, okay?
You know, she hasn't had
enough love in her life,
and it's time
that we all change that.
(ALL ASSENT)
Go on.
(ALL GASPING)
Good grief.
You look so good! Come here.
(CHUCKLES) You do.
Right?
Okay, get up
on the pedestal.
I am not getting up
on the pedestal.
- Come on, Grandma.
- Come on.
- Come on.
- Don't push me.
Oh! (CHUCKLES)
Isn't it fun?
We look like triplets.
I look like a bear.
You look like
a beautiful bear.
- Oh. It's too much.
- No.
RACHEL: I already
have a coat.
I don't need it.
Why are you so unwilling to accept
the love that God has for you?
Can you pay for this?
The pledges
are rolling in, Mom.
People really like the show
and they're very happy
to accept the love.
Take the coat, Mom.
Just take the coat.
RACHEL: Well...
TAMMY: Please, for me.
Well, it is attractive,
and it's very, very warm.
JIM: I just feel
like a million dollars.
- WANDA: It looks great, Jim.
- JIM: You think?
Yeah, very subtle.
I didn't feel a thing.
Not a thing.
And I played golf
the next day.
So, we'll have
a girl's night.
We'll go to Maciano's,
get some pasta.
SISSY: Yes, yes.
- I love that place.
- Yeah? Oh, wait.
You know, why don't you go
ahead, I'm gonna catch up.
- I'm gonna go give Jim a kiss.
- Okay.
See ya.
And that reporter from
The Charlotte Observer
- been poking around.
- (JIM SIGHS)
Calling some of our secretaries,
asking for comments.
I'm gonna put a picture
of that guy's butt...
- (FLETCHER LAUGHS)
- ...on a punching bag
and I'm gonna
use it for practice.
(LAUGHTER)
FLETCHER: We need
to talk about the deficit
we are running
on the expansion to studio...
JIM: Phooey! Fletcher, no,
you're such a worrywart.
We're gonna do
a telethon next week.
The partners
will not let us down.
Wanda, my nose is shiny.
- WANDA: Mm-mm.
- JIM: Yes, it is.
- WANDA: No.
- I'm telling you, Wanda.
- It's fine.
- A little more powder, please.
FLETCHER: Your nose
isn't shiny, Jim.
You're just being fussy.
- Oh. (SNICKERS)
- FLETCHER: Wanda, tell him he's fussy.
You're fussy,
Pastor Jim.
JIM: Oh, how dare you.
You're wearing as much
as Tammy these days.
(JIM LAUGHS)
Careful, you'll end up
looking like a clown.
(JIM SNICKERING)
- Stop it! You can't talk...
- But you know it's true.
- You know it's true.
- JIM: Fletcher.
You got Wanda laughing.
FLETCHER: She's not laughing.
What are you laughing at?
- (WANDA LAUGHING)
- It's not funny.
(LAUGHING) It's not funny.
JIM: (LAUGHING) You guys!
Oh, I got a new one.
Penny, cover your ears.
What did the leper say
to the prostitute?
- Oh, boy.
- What?
"You can keep the tip."
- (SCOFFS)
- Oh, shit.
(LAUGHTER)
Jim, you mean jerk!
You're gonna
pay for that.
JIM: I went too far.
I went too far. I'm sorry.
(BOTH EXCLAIM)
- I got you now. I got you now.
- JIM: Wanda! Wanda!
FLETCHER: Wanda, come here.
Come here and powder his nose.
- JIM: No! No!
- FLETCHER: "Wanda, help.
- "Wanda. Wanda.
- (BOTH LAUGHING)
"My nose is shiny."
Let me powder your nose.
Let me powder your nose.
(LAUGHTER CONTINUES)
(SAD MUSIC PLAYING)
(PLAYING SOFT MUSIC)
Somebody touched me
Hallelujah
Somebody touched me
Oh, I was blind
But praise His name
I now can see
(TAMMY VOCALIZES)
I was in darkness
When Jesus found me
But since He touched me
I now am free
- (TAMMY CHUCKLES)
- Wow.
That was beautiful.
That was lovely, Tam.
Gary.
Aren't you glad
He touched you?
Truly. Yeah.
Hmm. (CHUCKLES)
Well, this is perfect.
I love this.
(CHUCKLES) Well, it's all
you, Tam, it's all you.
Oh, no. No, no.
You know I couldn't do this without you.
You know, your voice
makes me feel closer to Him.
Like He's right here.
He is.
Tam... (GRUNTS SOFTLY)
when was the last time
that you were touched
in the way that a woman
like you should be touched?
Oh, well...
I'm eight months
pregnant, Gary,
so back it up from there.
(CHUCKLES)
Does his touch tell you
how talented you are?
Gary.
Do his eyes tell you
how beautiful you are?
Does he listen to you?
Does he hear
how amazing you are?
Tammy.
Yes.
Can I touch you
like that?
In that way that
you should be touched.
(GASPS) You can kiss me
- on my neck.
- Okay.
- Don't leave a mark, okay?
- Yeah.
- (TAMMY GASPING)
- (KISSING)
- (BREATHING HEAVILY)
- (GARY MOANS)
Come here.
I wanna hold you.
(BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY)
- Oh, no. Oh, no.
- What?
- Leave them on.
- All right.
Oh, you're
so beautiful, Tammy.
Oh, you're so big.
Oh, yeah.
I like this.
Yeah.
(BOTH MOAN)
(MOANING STOPS)
What? What's wrong?
My water broke.
TAMMY: Mm.
(SOFTLY) You're so beautiful.
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)
- (BABY FUSSES)
- (CHUCKLES)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
(CHUCKLES)
He's so precious, Jim.
GARY: Congratulations, Jim.
(SOFTLY) I understand
that Gary drove you here?
GARY: We called the studio,
Jim, but you were on the air.
Tammy was real upset
that you weren't here for it.
No... (FUMBLES)
I'm just wonderful, Jim.
I'm... I'm so wonderful.
We announced
his birth on air.
We got a real surge
in pledges.
Praise the Lord.
We're gonna get
that expansion in Studio 3,
thanks to this little miracle.
GARY: Hmm.
Congrats, Jim.
This is such
a day of joy.
A day of celebration,
but I just can't help the feeling
that something else is going on here.
(JIM BREATHES DEEPLY)
That something depraved
taints this day.
GARY: Depraved is
a very big word, Jim.
But it's a fitting word,
isn't it, Tammy?
(CRYING)
Yes, Jim.
(CONTINUES CRYING)
Well, Fletcher's
waiting outside
and he'll get this man back to
Nashville, where he belongs.
- Oh, no. Jim, please, no.
- JIM: Tammy.
- TAMMY: Please.
- JIM: Tammy, I suggest
you don't talk right now.
(CONTINUES CRYING)
Tammy.
Tammy, I hope you're not
gonna let him do this.
- (TAMMY CONTINUES CRYING)
- Tammy?
I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
Sorry.
- (BABY FUSSING)
- (GARY SIGHS)
(BABY CRYING)
I'm so sorry, Jim.
(BABY AND TAMMY
CONTINUE CRYING)
I'm so sorry.
Can you take the baby away
from her, please?
NURSE: Okay. All right.
Let me get you something to
help you sleep, okay, honey?
(BABY COOING)
(BELL JINGLING)
JIM: (MUFFLED) Yes.
That's exactly what I told you.
Formal living quarters
for some of the staff.
MAN: Wow!
- JIM: Yes.
- So ornate.
JIM: Inspired
by European architect.
And over here,
that's the first
Christian water park.
"We are fishers of men."
That's the bait.
- (JIM LAUGHS)
- That's good.
JIM: I wanted
to show you this, too.
See, over here... Yes.
This is Old Jerusalem.
And it's a stunning replica.
Oh, it looks beautiful, Jim.
- Yeah.
- So detailed.
You know what they say about details?
God is in 'em.
- (LAUGHING) Yes.
- That's right.
You know, for as long
as I can remember, Roe,
I've dreamed of a vacation destination
for Christian families to come to.
A place where
they can, um...
Hey, Tam.
A place where they know
that their children are gonna be
safe, you know?
ROE: Sure.
We're selling
partnerships to fund it.
And that way,
the partners,
they feel
the sense of ownership
and a pride
in this Christian paradise
that they've built.
Uh... Um, how many partnerships do
you have to sell in order to fund it?
JIM: Hmm. Well...
a lot. (LAUGHING)
Yes.
You know, because the
partnerships we've already sold,
they've had to go
to funding other projects.
- I see.
- Yes.
But I've been
praying on it.
I've been hoping
that you could advance PTL
just a little bit of credit.
Just to get the bulldozers
moving, you know?
Hi, honey.
Uh, this is
Roe Messner.
He's the developer
of Heritage USA.
Well, I'm not
the developer yet.
JIM: (LAUGHING) Yeah.
Hi.
(JIM SIGHS QUIETLY)
(SOFTLY) The doctors have had
her on so many loopy things
since Jamie Charles was born.
Pills to make her normal.
Pills to make her sleep.
Um, as long
as she's feelin' better.
Yes. Amen.
I love what you're
trying to do here, Jim.
- JIM: Mm.
- ROE: I do.
I spent some summers
with my wife
at Knott's Berry Farm.
Every year the jellies
got less and less fresh.
- JIM: Mm.
- And I'm convinced
it's 'cause they started hiring
the wrong kinds of people
to make the preserves.
I knew you were my man, Roe.
ROE: (CHUCKLES) But, uh...
I'm not a gambler, Mr. Bakker.
- Oh, well...
- Oh, this isn't gambling, Roe.
Oh, no, it's faith.
I have seen
him perform miracles.
ROE: Huh.
I haven't had anyone claim to
be a faith healer to my face
since I was about
six years old. (LAUGHS)
Well, buildings are miracles.
Aren't they, Roe?
Well, it's amazing anything ever
gets built, that's for sure.
Yeah.
This is beautiful.
We must take
a leap of faith for God.
Especially when the Devil
is makin' us doubt.
God's on our side, Roe.
Every time we fall,
God proves His love again
and we come back.
(CHUCKLES, SNIFFLES)
We come back bigger,
and stronger, and better.
"All things work for good
to them that love God,
"to them who are called
according to His purpose."
And I called you, Roe.
(CHUCKLES)
(WATER RUNNING)
(JIM CLEARS THROAT)
- (SNIFFLES)
- You're welcome.
You're owed a "thank you"?
He was nowhere near saying yes
until I sat down.
Oh, yes, to flirt with him.
Are you gonna divorce me, Jim?
I don't know.
I should.
But God hates divorce.
It ruined your mother.
It'll do the same to you.
You stopped paying
attention to me, Jim.
You broke faith
with me, Tammy!
Gary, he told me that I was
beautiful and that I was talented.
- And he wanted me, Jim.
- (SIGHS DEEPLY)
JIM: (LOUDLY)
Don't touch me!
Gary wanted me, Jim,
in ways that you don't.
JIM: Oh, my goodness.
He was my friend.
You know, I got a letter this
week, Tammy.
From the President.
The President
of the United States,
Ronald Reagan himself,
wrote me a personal letter
thanking me for my support
in his election!
I'm an important man,
Tammy Faye!
And people don't treat important
men the way that you treated me.
- (BOOK THUDS)
- (JIM SIGHS)
I'm gonna clear my head,
I'm gonna pray.
I'm gonna think
about what I want.
(CRYING)
Jim?
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
TAMMY: (TEARFULLY)
Oh, God. How can I fix this?
God?
Where'd you go?
Where are you?
Why can't I feel you?
(CRYING)
Where are you?
Oh... (SOBS)
Where are you?
Tammy? Tammy,
it's all right.
- Jim.
- I'm here. I'm here.
It's all right.
Shh. It's all right.
Um...
- Tammy, I, um...
- (GASPS)
I prayed on it.
And, um...
What?
You know, maybe
I've been a better builder
than I've been a husband.
- Yeah.
- Yes.
But I know for certain
(TEARFULLY) that you are
the only woman on Earth
who understands me.
(SNIFFLES)
- (CRYING)
- Oh, honey.
It makes me so happy
that you're saying that.
- (CONTINUES CRYING) Tammy.
- Baby.
- (CHUCKLES AFFECTIONATELY)
- I'm sorry.
- (JIM SIGHS DEEPLY)
- Oh...
You really hurt me.
I know, Jim.
And I think you have
to apologize.
I'm sorry.
Oh, I am so sorry, Jim.
To the partners.
- Mm?
- On air.
Today.
Oh.
(TEARFULLY) I learned the
best lesson in my whole life
because of something
terrible that I did
that I cannot take back.
I learned how much
I love my husband,
how much I care
for my husband.
(PHONE RINGING)
And I learned a lesson
of loneliness
such as I never experienced
in my whole life.
(PHONE RINGING)
All of a sudden,
I realized
that there was
a lot more to marriage
than just the sparkles.
(CRIES)
- (PHONE RINGING)
- (JIM EXHALES DEEPLY)
- WOMAN: We're with you, Tammy!
- (CRYING)
- WOMAN 2: PTL.
- MAN: PTL.
- How can I help you?
- WOMAN 3: Ah. Bless you.
(CONTINUES CRYING)
(UPBEAT SOUL MUSIC PLAYING)
JIM: Because of our satellite,
from this moment on,
the PTL Television Network plans
to broadcast 24 hours a day
till the second coming
of Christ.
Jesus keeps on
takin' me higher and higher
SINGERS: Higher and
higher Higher and higher
Jesus keeps on takin' me
higher and higher
SINGERS: Higher and
higher Higher and higher
- Hi, everybody!
- (APPLAUSE)
God has a fixed law of giving.
He gives me a shove
Yeah
JIM: If you're not giving,
you cannot expect to have
abundancy coming back to you.
- (PHONE RINGING)
- If you aren't giving,
you're gonna have
a harvest of misery!
- (PHONE RINGING)
- You're gonna have
- a harvest of pain!
- PTL.
You're gonna have
a harvest of sickness!
If you can't go to Jerusalem,
you could come to Heritage
and you could go
to the Upper Room.
Exactly what you could
see in Jerusalem.
Except you don't have
to get on a plane.
You know,
if everyone watching
could double their pledge
just for one month...
If you haven't sent
your pledge for $15 a month,
do it now and I want to send
you Susie Moppet puppets.
God becomes your source
when you give
and you sow in his kingdom.
It works.
SINGERS:
Higher, higher, higher
Whoo
Wow
Whoo
The PTL TV network is
carrying out a master plan...
opening centers
all across the country
to provide food, clothing,
furniture, and job bank centers.
TAMMY: Jesus keeps on
leadin' me higher and higher
SINGERS: Higher,
higher Higher, higher
- Hi, everybody.
- (APPLAUSE)
SINGERS: Higher,
higher Higher, higher
Higher, higher
Whoo
Higher, higher, higher
Whoo
Jesus keeps on leadin' me
higher and higher
JIM: I've seen the rich
and I've seen
people with little
who are more blessed
than the millionaires that
I've known who are worried sick
'cause the stock market
doesn't know what it's doing!
It's going up,
it's going down!
But people who have sown seed
in the word of God,
their stock is always up!
Higher and higher
- (SINGERS VOCALIZE)
- (MUSIC ENDS)
JIM: That's why
we chose this plot.
And with the help
of your investment,
we could build a shopping
complex around the hotel
and then we're going
to have a trolley.
JERRY: Mm.
It's gonna wrap around
the whole place,
making stops at everywhere there at
Heritage Island, the Heritage Grand,
and then here at what is
going to be our coliseum.
We're gonna have a coliseum.
- JERRY: Coliseum.
- (LAUGHING) Yes.
You planning
on sacrificing Christians?
(CHUCKLING) Oh, no. No.
(LAUGHING) Oh, Jerry, no.
We rise again in our coliseum.
This is, uh, gonna be
Christian rock concerts.
Something for the kids.
I really wish you wouldn't
encourage these blasphemers.
- Isn't it beautiful?
- It really is. Mm-hmm.
JIM: (IN DISTANCE)
The trees, the oxygen is...
Are you cold?
Are you...
Stupid question. (CHUCKLING)
Of course you're not cold.
- Sorry.
- (CHUCKLES) Oh, I'm super.
(TAMMY CHUCKLES)
JIM: So, what do you think,
Reverend?
We would be tickled pink
to have your support.
- JERRY: Jim? (SIGHS)
- Yes?
JERRY: The coalition
that we delivered to Reagan,
Vice President Bush...
well, he's counting on us doing
the same thing for him in '88.
Um...
You know that Pat called me
and he told me that he's thinking
about making a bid for President.
Pat Robertson's a good man.
But if he runs,
he'll peel away vital Republican votes.
We're in a fight here, Jim.
This gay cancer is affecting our
country, our families.
Republicans can't win
without us.
You need to understand
how powerful we are
in this fight
for our nation's soul.
JIM: Mm.
We should just stay out of it and
keep politics out of the church.
Too much on the line.
Democrats are already trying to strip
away our churches' tax exempt status.
(JIM SIGHS)
Oh, this time, we'll keep
the evangelicals in the tent.
When's lunch?
TAMMY: Well, hello, everyone,
it's just so nice
to have you here with us.
We have an experience today
that really is touching to me.
Right here on my right,
I have a young man named Steve Pieters,
and I'd like to
introduce you to Steve.
(VOICE QUIVERING)
Steve is a patient of AIDS
and he's so generously allowed
us to talk to him today.
He is presently taking chemotherapy
and is unable to travel.
So, we have a satellite hookup
live from LA.
- Hello, Steve! (CHUCKLES)
- Hi, Tammy.
We're so glad to see you.
I'm so happy I could be here.
Okay, Steve.
At what time in your life
did you feel like
you were different?
Did you feel like maybe you weren't
like some of the other guys?
I realized I was gay
when I was about 11 or 12.
I talked with a pastor in
the church where I grew up
and, um, he was freaked out.
Mm.
He told me,
"Don't tell anybody."
Never tell anybody
anything about it
and it will go away,
but it didn't go away.
Okay, I have another question.
JERRY: So, the satellite
is directly above us?
JIM: Yes, it orbits us.
That's how we're able to reach so
many folks just simultaneously.
Let me ask you, Jerry,
what's your viewership
over at
Liberty Broadcasting?
Oh, well, I'm proud to say that we
reach three million viewers a day.
My goodness. Praise God.
That's just wonderful.
And you?
Well, we here at PTL, we reach
20 million viewers a day
in 56 countries just
because of that miracle
- up there in the sky.
- (TV CONVERSATION CONTINUES)
Oh, let's see
who Tammy's talking to.
TAMMY: And, Steve,
because of this feeling,
did you try to make friends
with girls?
And did you try to be
around girls and everything
so no one
would think anything?
Oh, sure, I dated girls.
I tried to "program" myself
to be straight
and it never worked.
TAMMY: So,
what made you feel...
And what's this, Jim?
TAMMY: ...like there was
no way for you to be straight?
I don't know.
- This is not...
- It was from meeting
other gay people who were
happy with the way they were
that made me realize I could
be happy with the way I am.
- Now, I find this problematic.
- (JIM SIGHS)
Yes. Well, you know Tammy,
she... she connects
in her own way and...
Okay, Steve.
What did you feel
when you first heard
the word AIDS?
Was it just a word
to you, Steve?
Well, yes. Why would it hurt me?
I was a good Christian pastor.
I... I can't
look at this.
JIM: No.
She must have programmed it
last minute or...
You need to get
her under control.
No, no. Let me help.
Believe you me, I will be
having words with her.
- She's been acting very...
- Jim.
Yes?
We have our differences.
People forget sometimes
a pastor needs a pastor.
STEVE: (ON TV)
As Jesus says in Mark 5...
Reach out.
Yes.
What happened when
you told your mom and dad
that you were
feeling this way?
- Well, my mother cried.
- Uh-huh.
And my father held my hand
and told me that I was
his son, no matter what.
Ah, thank God.
You know, thank God
for a mom and dad
who will stand
with a young person.
I think that's so important
because no matter what happens
to a young person in their lives,
they're still your boy,
they're still your girl
no matter what happens
in their life.
And I think
it's very important
that we as mom and dads
love through anything.
And that's the way with Jesus,
you know?
Jesus loves us
through anything.
Jesus loves me
just the way I am.
Jesus loves
the way that I love.
And have you found it
to be true
that people
wanna stay away
and that they're afraid to be
in the same room as you
and breathe the same air
that you breathe?
Yes, Tammy.
(VOICE BREAKING)
And how sad is that?
That we as Christians
who are supposed
to love everyone
are afraid so badly
of an AIDS patient
that we will not
go up to them
and put our arm around them
and tell them that we care?
(SNIFFLES)
(PHONE RINGING IN DISTANCE)
This is an emotional interview
for me.
I just met Steve
and it's like meeting him
in person for the first time.
I wanna put
my arm around you.
And I wanna put my arms
around you, Tammy Faye.
(CHUCKLES)
- (PHONES RINGING)
- (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
- WOMAN: PTL.
- MAN: PTL.
WOMAN: That's very good. Yes.
WOMAN 2: (WHISPERS) Every time she
calls, she screams,
"Jim and his buddy
had sex on me."
- FLETCHER: Okay. Shh.
- "Now, I'm gonna kill myself.
"Jim Bakker'll have my gosh
darn blood on his hands."
FLETCHER: Now...
WOMAN 2: Never heard
so many curse words.
Not even from
my brother Pete.
FLETCHER: Right.
- Did a caller upset you, dear?
- FLETCHER: Tammy...
Yes.
Oh, I'm so sorry. You know,
when we do shows like this,
really, we're challenging
Christians to open their hearts.
- And some don't take it that well.
- Tammy, I will handle this.
Oh, no, I have this, Richard.
It wasn't about the AIDS man.
It was about Jim.
She's called before.
We all call her "The Shrieker."
She says Jim and his buddy
had sex on her.
Tammy,
you're needed on stage four.
Gosh, we've been having
these pranks for a long time.
And some people,
they're just hurting so bad
and we just need to love them.
(CHUCKLES)
Anyway, Jim doesn't have that in him.
Believe me.
I know him
better than anyone.
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(UNNERVING MUSIC PLAYING)
Join the PTL Club,
and Tammy wants to send you
a copy of her book...
about how to
overcome fear.
(MUFFLED) If you haven't
sent in your pledge...
$15, that is all,
$15 a month,
it'll change
your life
and, uh, we could all use
a little bit of that.
So, Tammy, I think you
oughta sing a song for us.
Oh, I'm back here
looking at the boat, Jim.
Isn't this
a magnificent thing?
JIM: Yes.
Right here in our beach.
JIM: Looks brand new, I bet.
One of the local boat companies
- loaned it to us, I bet.
- I'm gonna take my shoes off.
I'm gonna wade
in the water.
JIM: I don't think
that boat's ever seen water.
Oh, it's fake. That's...
That's why.
(JIM LAUGHING)
"That's why" what, Tam?
TAMMY: That's why
I can't hear Him.
JIM: Oh.
How can I hear Him
when the sky is fake?
JIM: You want
to stand up, honey?
We're trying to do
a TV show here, baby.
You wanna come
give me some help?
No? Well...
(CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY)
I guess it's a good time
as any to work on the tan.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHS)
Well, if Tammy's not going
to sing, I guess I am.
Oh, we're blest
We're blest, we're blest
JIM: We just got her home.
She's doing okay,
she's fine.
No, yeah. We'll be taking her to the
Betty Ford Center in the morning.
She just needs to rest.
No shows for a while.
(WHISPERS) What's happening
with the other thing?
(WHISPERS) Can I just say
I love you so much?
- (CHUCKLES)
- I love you.
My friends are gonna be so excited
when I tell them that I met you.
(NURSE CLEARS THROAT)
RACHEL: Tammy?
You had enough drugs in your
system to kill a truck driver.
I did?
The doctor told us
if you'd waited a day longer,
you would have
had brain damage.
You could have died.
You can't take
all those pills, honey.
They're addictive.
I didn't know that. I'll stop.
The doctors
didn't tell me that.
I'm not a drug addict.
I'm only addicted
to Diet Coke.
You have to stay right here.
God doesn't want you yet.
I have always prayed to Him
that He would allow you to save
the souls that I wasn't able to.
And He has.
You do.
So, you have
to stay right here.
Okay?
Okay, Mom.
(HUMMING)
JIM: Tammy.
Oh. Hi, Jim.
The Devil's coming
for me, Tammy.
Can we talk about Satan later?
(SIGHS) You know, I'm trying
to feel like myself again.
JIM: There was a woman...
Fletcher set it up
after you did
what you did with Gary.
I did it to prove something to
myself, I think. I... I don't know.
I hated it.
(SIGHS) I ended up just
crying in the bathroom.
(JIM SIGHS DEEPLY)
I fell...
(SIGHS)
a long way.
I'm so sorry.
Say something.
I've been hurting so bad, Jim.
For years.
And there's never
any release to the pain.
There's never anything
to make it stop hurting.
And when I get up
in the morning,
I feel like I'm just
gonna throw up...
and throw up, and throw up.
And I have to self-talk myself,
"You can make it, Tammy.
(VOICE BREAKING)
"You can make it.
"Don't give up."
(CRYING)
Damn it, Jim!
I'm so sick
from my faith in you!
Well, I'm sick of you, too.
You try being married
to Tammy Faye.
All I've been doing is trying
to keep our marriage together,
keep the ministry together,
working night and day
while you're just buying minks
and drinking soda pop
and cheating on me
with that ape!
You used to take care
of me, Tammy.
You stopped taking care of me.
I don't wanna
take care of you, Jim.
I don't wanna be your mother.
A woman needs a man
in a relationship!
- I am a man!
- You're a boy.
I built all of this.
I built you an empire.
You built you an empire.
No man could ever
give you enough.
You're a bottomless pit.
And you keep on
asking me for more
with that whiny,
grating Betty Boop voice!
(JIM GRUNTS
WITH FRUSTRATION)
(JIM BREATHING HEAVILY)
I thought
you liked Betty Boop.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry, Tammy.
Me, too, Jim.
(SNIFFLES) Um...
There's another thing.
The woman...
I gave her money
to stay quiet, but she didn't.
And, um...
And the money
came from PTL donors.
Jim.
And Charles Shepard has
the story from The Observer.
And he's gonna
print it tomorrow.
Oh, my God.
(BREATHING SHAKILY)
- JIM: I just... I know...
- Jim. Oh, my God.
I destroyed
everything.
Our life's work, Jim.
I know.
Tammy.
Tam, my sweetheart,
if anyone falls,
it's gonna be me.
You can let me be the man that
I was meant to be for you.
You don't know anything.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Oh, they're here.
Who's that?
It's all right.
These are the men that are
gonna help me fix this.
Oh, no, Jim.
- No, no.
- Reverend. Thank you so much.
- Thank you so much for coming.
- JERRY: Jim.
Oh, it's love that
carried me here today.
- JIM: (SIGHS) God bless you.
- JERRY: Tammy Faye.
Jerry.
JIM: Come in, please.
Please come in. Welcome.
Thank you. Thank you
for coming, fellas.
All right.
Well, here we are.
JERRY: We think it's best
that we create a distance
between you
and the ministry.
It'll only be
for a couple of weeks.
Then, gradually,
we'll bring you back on the network
after all this
unpleasantness settles down.
Jerry, you're a Baptist.
You know, you're not a charismatic.
And our audience
won't like that.
- Right, Jim?
- Audience?
I thought
they were parishioners.
They are.
They're our partners.
We call them partners.
JERRY: Mm.
20 million souls a day
touched by The Word.
Thanks to PTL.
JIM AND TAMMY: Mm.
JERRY: You go back there
right away, and...
Well, bless your hearts.
Look at the two of you right
now, so very pitiful.
They see you,
and they'll change the channel.
Jim,
all those souls you won
for Jesus...
I'm here for you.
- JIM: Thank you, Reverend.
- JERRY: Mm.
(HESITATES)
Just make sure
you take care of our partners.
That is the only thing
that matters now.
(NETWORK MUSIC PLAYING)
ANNOUNCER:
You're watching PTL,
The Inspirational Network.
Tammy and I
are so very glad
that we've been granted the
opportunity to talk with you today,
and, um...
Say hello.
Hello, everybody.
And...
we want to say to you
that we are so very,
very sorry.
And to thank the people who
are standing with us all over,
saying, "Jim,
we do forgive you.
"We forgive Jim and Tammy
of all of their sins."
And we're so thankful
that God has forgiven us.
We don't know
what the future holds,
but I believe, Tammy.
'Cause the God I know
is still God.
I believe that the sun
will shine again.
Oh, I do, too, Jim.
Do you wanna sing it?
Can you do it?
- I sure will.
- All right.
All right, Tammy Faye is
going to sing a song for us.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
TAMMY: Well,
maybe you're hurting,
and you need
this song today, too.
So I'll sing it
for both of us, okay?
FEMALE CHORUS:
The sun will shine again
Now, if you are facing
a mountain so high
That just won't move away
JERRY: We've heard
about your sinful behavior.
If you tell us what we need
to know about Jim Bakker,
we can protect you.
TAMMY:
Oh-ho, listen, my brother
We don't want
them destitute.
They're children of God.
We want to make sure
we don't leave them stranded
in the desert.
Write it down,
what you make,
what you need,
every little thing.
While you're in your time of healing,
he wants you to be safe and provided for.
I told him
how fragile you are.
He wants to help.
He told me so himself.
(JIM SIGHS)
JIM: You wanna
start us off, honey?
- What should I write, Jim?
- JIM: Start with everything.
Start with what you need
for clothes.
What's your salary, Jim?
JIM: One second.
I'll try calling Jerry again.
He hasn't returned
any of my calls.
TAMMY: The other
side whose storm
Is going to end
Well, your midnight's
almost over
- (CAMERAS CLICKING)
- "Jim's salary for a lifetime
"at 300,000 per year.
"Tammy's salary for a lifetime
at 100,000 a year.
"Secretary for one year.
Phone bill.
"House on the lake.
Security. Personal maid."
(CAMERAS CONTINUE CLICKING)
I don't see
the repentance there.
I see the greed.
I see the self-centeredness.
I see the avarice
that brought them down.
Jim, I have sat
across the table
from men who have told me
about your homosexual advances.
And since then,
I have learned of fiscal irregularities.
It would be a disservice
to God, Jim...
(SIGHS) It's all over.
...and to the church at large
if I allowed you to come back.
I've been had.
How could you have trusted
people like that? (SNIFFLES)
You understand that I can't
allow you to stay here.
Your home, and everything in
it, belongs to the ministry.
Your midnight's almost over.
And thank God, the sun
is going to shine again.
Praise, praise in the name
of the Lord.
The charges being made
against you right now
are, in effect,
that you stole PTL blind.
While PTL was suffering
through months after months
of $2 million
negative balances,
you were paying
yourself bonuses,
you were paying Tammy
Faye bonuses. No.
I don't know if you ever have a
positive balance in a ministry, Jim.
I've never known anyone
to have a positive one.
We're... We're always
playing catch-up.
NEWSCASTER 1:
Jim Bakker went on trial
on charges of fraud today.
The prosecution called Bakker,
"A man corrupted
by love of money and luxury."
The founder of
the now-bankrupt PTL ministry
swindled followers
out of millions of dollars
to support a lavish lifestyle.
NEWSCASTER 2:
One couple showed up
in Jim and Tammy Faye masks.
NEWSCASTER 3: ...couple
million dollars in PTL cash
for their personal use.
TED: How much money
did you earn last year?
Salary, bonuses, and
dividends, and royalties...
No idea?
You're starting...
I don't have
the exact figure.
- TED: Not exactly.
- I honestly, honest...
I do not know how much I make.
I never thought about it.
- She don't. (CHUCKLES)
- I really don't.
NEWSCASTER: To raise
desperately needed cash,
PTL is auctioning off
opulent personal items
deposed Evangelists Jim
and Tammy Bakker
bought with church donations.
They also brought new charges
of moral failure.
NEWSCASTER 2: ...having sex
with Reverend Jim Bakker.
NEWSCASTER 3: Jessica Hahn,
Bakker personally directed
the payment of PTL hush money.
We grieve for the impact
all of this has had
upon the entire
Christian community.
TED: As for the homosexual
advances going back to 1956,
- you're saying that's a lie.
- Yes. Yes.
Yes, that's...
that's... that's true.
(WHISPERS)
What are you saying?
That's... That's a lie.
Yes. Yes. And, you know,
people need to know
that God loves
homosexuals.
Preachers have to be
awfully pious.
And when they fall from grace,
they fall harder.
People laugh.
Tammy, we have
a bit of goop on our face.
- (AUDIENCE LAUGHS)
- You've taken her makeup off.
- (JAY LENO EXCLAIMS)
- (AUDIENCE LAUGHS)
I saw his wife.
I heard the accusations,
wife-swapping,
homosexuality.
Have you seen
this (BLEEP) woman?
I'd swap her
for a can of soup.
REPORTER: National news,
special report.
Jim Bakker was found guilty on
all 24 counts of wire and...
- Guilty.
- Guilty.
He now faces
up to a 120 years in prison
and $5 million in fines.
TAMMY: Ted,
can I say something?
TED: Sure.
I just wanna say,
remember, God loves you.
I wanna say that, too.
God loves you.
- He really does. Bye-bye.
- He really, really does.
TED: All right. Thank you both
very much for being with us.
WOMAN: We're clear.
(JIM SIGHS DEEPLY)
(TAMMY CRYING)
It's all right, honey.
Don't cry.
(PEOPLE CLAMORING)
(CRYING) No.
I didn't do anything. Please.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
TAMMY: I have a song for you.
On Christ
The solid rock I stand
All other ground
is sinking sand
All other ground
is sinking sand
(MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING)
(CAMERAS CLICKING IN DISTANCE)
TAMMY: God...
I followed you ever since
I was a little girl.
I loved you.
I served you.
And I worked for you.
God...
where have you gone?
- It's not over till it's over.
- (CAMERAS CLICKING)
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
(SIGHS)
(DOOR OPENS)
Hey.
Sorry I'm late.
TAMMY: Oh.
(LAUGHS POLITELY)
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Nice to meet ya. I'm Tammy.
- Nice to meet you. Stephen.
All right. You need
a water or anything?
- Oh, no, I'm good.
- Okay.
My new headshot.
(CHUCKLES)
Yeah, all right. Nice.
All right. So...
I hear you're here
to pitch me something.
Oh. (LAUGHING) So I should...
I'll... Yeah.
So, I have two ideas
for you, Stephen.
And then I'd like to hear
what you see me doing.
Okay.
Okay. Um, the first one
is about puppets.
I mean, it's serious,
but it's also funny.
It's a talk show
but with puppets. (CHUCKLES)
And it's for kids
and also for adults.
And it's a way for people
to talk about their problems,
but with puppets.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
Okay.
Okay, I have something else
for you, Stephen.
- Oh, okay, another one.
- It's for teenagers.
You know, the biggest problem
that they say is,
"How can we get people
to listen to us?"
And I would really love
to give them that chance
and, you know,
go where they go.
I'd love to go to the
piercing parlors with them,
I'd love to go to the tattoo
places with them, and...
And you would call
this show, what?
- "Tammy's Terrific Teens."
- Oh, yeah.
I thought that would be,
you know, a fun title.
I was just curious.
Well, what do you
see me doing, Stephen?
I mean,
you're the expert.
Well, have you reached out to any
Christian networks or anything?
Well, they won't have me.
Okay. Well, what I've learned
from doing these shows,
and I think you've
learned as well, is,
you know, it is dangerous
to wanna be seen just for
the sake of it. You know?
Well, I do love
the camera, but...
Why?
Well, because it's a person.
It's someone
to talk to.
It's... It's God's love
through me.
So what do you think, Stephen?
You know, would you like
to do a show?
(SIGHS)
I don't know, Tammy.
I just don't think it's a
good fit for us right now.
Okay?
Well, well, I... I...
- I really appreciate...
- Thank you for coming in.
- Thank you.
- Thanks for coming through.
We'll take care
of your parking validation.
- Thank you.
- TAMMY: Okay.
You have a good one.
(TAMMY CHUCKLES)
- Bye.
- Bye.
TAMMY: Oops.
(BOYS LAUGHING)
BOY 1: Oh, man.
BOY 2: What'd she do
to her face?
(BOYS LAUGHING)
BOY 1: I told you she lived here.
What a freak.
(LAUGHTER CONTINUES)
- Oh, man.
- Hi.
BOY 2: Oh, shit.
She's comin' over here.
- You guys just hangin' out?
- BOY 2: Yeah.
So, you can talk about me.
That's all right.
But, you know,
you gotta shake my hand,
and you gotta say hi first.
- Hi.
- Hi, nice to meet ya.
I'm Tammy.
What's your name?
- Um, Max.
- Hi.
But, you know,
we're not strangers.
I live right there.
We're neighbors.
Oh! Let me show you guys
what I just got.
Who would like a picture?
(TV AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
Jolene, I cannot believe
that you have eaten
almost an entire jar
of peanut butter.
JOLENE:
Well, I'm sorry, Susanne.
I happen to be eating for two.
Don't beg.
- (DOG WHINING)
- (PHONE RINGING)
Okay, you're being so good.
SUSANNE: I say, have at it.
JOLENE: You know, Susanne,
since you're having
so much trouble collecting
money for your benefit,
I might be able
to help you out.
- SUSANNE: You, how?
- (PHONE CLICKS)
TAMMY: God bless you.
You've reached Tammy.
Leave me a message.
(PHONE BEEPS)
Hello, Mrs. Bakker.
This is Linda Thomas
from Oral Roberts School
of Divinity.
You probably don't remember
but I volunteered at PTL.
You were always so nice to me.
Anyway, I'm calling
to invite you to sing
at this year's festival
of Praise and Redemption.
I think you'd be a wonderful
addition to our program.
We'll check back with you to
find out if you're interested.
Thanks very much.
(PHONE CLICKS)
(PHONE BEEPS)
(SIGHS DEEPLY)
- JIM: Hi.
- (CHUCKLES) Hi.
So, what's new? (CHUCKLING)
Oh. I don't know.
I got an invitation
from Oral Roberts to sing.
- Wow.
- Yeah.
That's wonderful.
- I'm not gonna do it though.
- You should.
No, I haven't been
in church for years.
Well, that's where you belong.
No, I don't belong with them.
They're gonna laugh.
(CHUCKLES DRYLY)
I'm not gonna go.
It's my fault
you feel that way.
I'm sorry for that.
All of it.
I pray for you, Jim.
And I pray that God
will use you again.
Yes.
I appreciate you signing
the divorce papers, Jim.
I didn't want to, Tam.
I know.
But, you know, we've just been
through too much together
and, you know,
there's been too many hurts
that have happened
over the years.
And that poor girl, Jim.
I know, I know. I know.
I'm ashamed of that.
I've been getting some real
me and God time in here
and everything looks
very, very different
when you're looking at it
from the bottom up.
- Well, yeah.
- Yeah.
And I've just
been thinking,
were we preaching
that God doesn't love you
if you're poor?
Well, you know
that I grew up poor.
It's not what
you have in stuff,
it's the people that count.
- Amen.
- Amen.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
(GRUNTS)
RACHEL: Tammy.
Mom?
(SOFT ORGAN MUSIC PLAYING)
PASTOR: "We therefore
were buried with him
"through baptism into death.
"In order that,
"just as Christ was raised
from the dead
"through the glory
of the Father,
"we too may walk
in newness of life."
MAN: Such a good service.
FRED: Hello, Tom.
Thanks for comin'.
There you are.
Aren't you gonna come in,
have somethin' to eat?
I don't belong
in there with them.
Yeah.
One good thing about your mum
kicking the bucket is
I never have to go
to church again.
(TAMMY CHUCKLING)
No, I shouldn't
laugh at that.
(SNIFFLES)
- Oh, I did something terrible.
- Oh?
Oh. (CHUCKLES)
- (WHISPERS) You're forgiven.
- (CHUCKLES, SNIFFLES)
Ooh. Wow, she really
was blind, wasn't she?
Mm-hmm.
I got somethin' for ya.
You recognize this?
I thought Falwell
took everything.
She hid this.
She stole it.
Well, she said
she'd be damned
if she was gonna hand over
this precious thing
her daughter
worked so hard for
- to the fat Baptist.
- (LAUGHING)
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
WOMAN: (ON PA) We're opening
the house now, Ms. Bakker.
People are taking their seats.
(IN DEEPER VOICE)
Well, hello there, Tammy.
(CHUCKLES)
(IN NORMAL VOICE) Hi, there.
I'm scared.
Jesus, come in to my heart,
and forgive me my sins.
I know I cared about things
that I shouldn't have.
And I know I got lost...
and I forgot
who you are to me...
but that's done now.
Yeah, I won't go forward
looking in the rearview mirror
of my life.
MAN: (ON PA)
On stage in 10 minutes.
(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)
(GRUNTS SOFTLY)
Thank you.
Here, this is
for the piano player.
Okay.
(MUFFLED AUDIENCE CHATTERING)
ANNOUNCER:
Ladies and gentlemen...
(SIGHS)
...please welcome
tonight's special guest,
Tammy Faye.
- (CLEARS THROAT)
- (APPLAUSE)
(CHUCKLING NERVOUSLY)
TAMMY: Aw.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
(CHUCKLES LIGHTLY)
I am genuinely, I am so happy
to be back where
I once belonged.
This morning when I was
in need of some comfort,
I turned to
my favorite scripture,
Psalms 91.
"He that dwelleth
in the secret place
"of the most high
"shall abide under the shadow
of the Almighty."
And this is my favorite part.
(CHUCKLES)
(CHUCKLES, SNIFFLES)
(VOICE BREAKING) "He shall
cover thee with His feathers
"and under His wings
"shalt thou trust."
(CHUCKLES AND SNIFFLES)
Well, I haven't had a concert
in almost a decade
and I am a little nervous.
(CHUCKLES DRYLY)
But I'll do my best
to deliver Him to you folks
tonight. Okay?
(PIANO PLAYS)
Mine eyes
Have seen the glory
Of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out
the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath
are stored
He hath loosed
The fateful lightning
Of His terrible, swift sword
His truth is marching on
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
His truth is marching on
- (CHOIR VOCALIZING)
- I have read His fiery gospel
Writ in burnished rows
of steel
"As ye deal
with my condemners
"So with you
my grace shall deal"
Let the Hero, born of woman
Crush the serpent
with his heel
Since God is marching on
Come on, everybody!
Feel his miracle!
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
His truth is marching on
Oh, how thankful I am
for the amazing grace of God.
Because without
that beautiful grace,
I wouldn't even be here today.
That grace that
reached down and said,
"Tammy Faye, I love you.
"And I love you
just the way you are."
You know God's grace is sufficient
enough for you today, too.
And He loves you
just the way you are!
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
His truth is marching on
Our God is
Marching
On
Thank you, Lord,
for the United States of America.
We thank you, Lord,
that we live
in this wonderful country.
God bless America. Hallelujah.
Oh, yeah.
(UPBEAT GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYING)
It's not over till it's over.
(SOFT GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYING)