Roger & Me Page #10

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it's my pleasure to introduce...

the chairman of General Motors

with his annual Christmas message...

Mr. Roger B. Smith.

You know, the thing that strikes me

about Christmas...

is that it's such a total experience.

For a few weeks out of our year...

our whole environment is transformed.

There are the lights, of course...

that lift us out of winter's cold and gloom.

This b*tch got his money

and sent my motherfucking sh*t out.

They remind us

of the warmth of human companionship...

and of the spring that's never far behind.

Try to lay it down.

The wind will blow it over if you don't.

We listen for jingle bells in the country.

We smell the pine needles on the trees...

and the turkey on the table.

We even dream of a white Christmas...

in the hope that nature will accommodate

our longing for a total experience.

Where are the motherfucking keys?

- That motherf***er got his money.

- They're setting us out on the street!

I paid this man his rent. Give me my sh*t.

... the individual dignity

and worth of each human being...

the more fully human

each of us will become.

He's got his money!

I showed you the paper!

All I owe that man is $150.

Now let me close with an observation...

that I consider

by a real leading authority on Christmas:

Charles Dickens. Here's what he said:

"I have always thought of Christmas...

"as a good time..."

Get your goddamn coats on!

"...a kind, forgiving,

charitable, pleasant time..."

Set my sh*t out, and I done paid the b*tch!

I only owed the b*tch $150, and

I was going to give it to her stinking ass.

"...the only time I know of,

in the long calendar of the year...

"when men and women

seem by one consent...

"to open their hearts freely.

"And therefore...

"though it has never

put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket...

"I believe that it has done me good...

"and will do me good.

"And I say, God bless it!"

Mr. Dickens, I couldn't agree more.

So I say, "God bless Christmas,

and God bless all of you."

Thank you for coming.

Thank you, Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith, we came from Flint...

where we filmed

a family being evicted from their home...

the day before Christmas Eve.

A family that worked in your factory.

Would you be willing to come with us

to see the situation in Flint?

I've been to Flint, and I'm sorry for them,

but I don't know anything about it.

Families being evicted on Christmas Eve...

General Motors didn't evict them.

- Talk to the landlord...

- They used to work for GM.

- Now they don't work there anymore.

- 'm sorry, but...

- Could you come to Flint?

- No, I cannot. I'm sorry.

What's Christmas going to be like

for you this year?

I get a couple of days off.

That's the good part.

I get a chance to rest.

But come Tuesday morning, I'll be back.

I failed to bring Roger to Flint.

As we neared the end

of the 20th century...

the rich were richer, the poor poorer...

and people everywhere had a lot less lint...

thanks to the lint rollers

made in my hometown.

It was truly the dawn of a new era.

If you're espousing a philosophy,

which apparently you are...

that the corporation owes employees...

cradle-to-the-grave security,

I don't think that can be accomplished...

under a free enterprise system.

Many of us are proud to be here...

and it will continue to be a good place

to live and raise a family...

and have a good place to work.

- Where are you going?

- am going to Tel Aviv.

Why?

Maybe someday

I'll be the Ministress of Tourism.

I mowed the lawn with my shirt off,

made my back stiff.

My wife asked me to mow the lawn

with my pants off next time.

I'm planning on going back to school

in January...

for veterinary assistance,

and also for dog grooming...

'cause there's a lot of animals

that need taking care of.

It's great to have you guys here.

It's been fun having you around.

You see all the craziness that goes on.

If you decide to go for it, you'll make it.

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