The Polka King

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1

[man] When I was little boy in Poland,

all the times, I dreaming of America.

So I come, I work hard...

and I climb to the highest stars.

Oh, la, la

Ole, ole, ole, ole

O la-di, o la-la

Ole, ole, ole, ole

O la-di, o la-la

- Let's go!

- [music continues]

Ole, ole, ole, ole

O la-di, o la-la

Ole, ole, ole, ole

O la-di, o la-la

[cheering]

You are such best audience. Thank you!

Now, please say hello to light of my life,

my wife, my one and only, Marla.

[music playing]

Marla is decorated

in authentic Polish amber

from the Jan Lewan Masterpieces

of Elegance collection.

If you like, come after show to buy.

Or at Jan Lewan Show Gifts in Hazleton,

open Monday to Saturday, nine to five.

Ziggy-zaggy, ziggy-zaggy!

- Oi, oi, oi!

- That's what I'm talking about!

- [playing solo]

- [Jan] Wow!

Mickey Stutz got fire fingers tonight!

[polka music playing]

There she goes, my wife.

I love you, my wife, Marla.

Ole, ole, ole, ole

I just wanna tell you,

that was a wonderful show.

Thank you.

Uh, is it "Yan Levan" or "Jan Lewan"?

Whatever you like.

Nobody say the same way.

Oh, my father was from Poland.

No one ever got his name right, either.

Is small price to pay

to live in land of opportunity.

I come with nothing, not even English.

- [man yelling]

- I work every bad job.

I not give up.

And then I meet this guy.

He is music genius. He change everything.

I waited in line for an hour

for a hot dog.

Guy in front of me got the last one.

You name music instrument,

Mickey Stutz can play it.

Not the accordion.

- Nice to meet you.

- Mickey and me, we play everywhere.

Churches, parades,

grand openings, roller rinks...

In 1981, we play 427 picnics.

[singing "Miala Baba Koguta" in Polish]

And I keep building band to get big sound.

And now, this nobody from Poland

is King of Pennsylvania Polka.

Jan.

Hi.

- The van has a flat.

- Oh, I go change.

I just telling this nice pretty lady

my whole life story.

It is so inspiring.

- Did he tell you how we met?

- Not yet.

- You tell.

- You tell.

- It was my big make-or-break mom...

- I'll tell.

After high school,

I won Junior Miss Hazleton, and so...

being a local celebrity,

the Cancer Telethon asked me

to be part of their phone bank.

I saw Jan, and I'll be honest...

I felt really bad for him.

[Jan] I was most nervous.

First time on TV.

I work so hard to get to the big time,

and if I blow,

who knows if I get next chance?

- [woman] Quiet, people. Here we go.

- [bell rings]

Next, we'd like to welcome to the stage

a new act that's been blazing

quite a trail across the greater

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton area.

Ladies and Gentleman,

the Jan Lewan Orchestra!

- [music playing]

- You know what to do.

Call now.

We gonna cure all the cancer today!

Okay.

Strike up the music

The band has begun

The Pennsylvania Polka

Pick out your partner

And join in the fun

The Pennsylvania Polka

Oh, my.

It started in Scranton

It's now number one

Come on!

It's bound to entertain ya

Everybody has the mania

To do the polka from Pennsylvania

[music continues]

[Jan] The minute I see her, I know.

This is my future. This is my Marla.

[Marla] I was infatuated.

Here was this ethnic entertainer,

and he had this charm, sophistication,

he's such a classy performer...

and that accent.

This goes on and on until the dawn

That is so romantic.

Can I get a picture with you?

- Sure!

- Of course!

Okay.

Ahem. You know, I never know

how to work these things.

Hey, Lon! Can you, um...

Oh, sure.

Say "cheese!"

[camera shutter clicks]

My room was freezing last night.

I piled ten blankets on me,

and I still couldn't get warm.

- We gonna fix.

- [woman] When?

Soon. I just had big engine

to repair on tour van.

- But it is good as fixed.

- [woman] Jan.

It seems like once you pay for the van,

the gas, the musicians...

Ma, will you ease up?

Jan just played back-to-back shows,

and then he drove all night

so we could have breakfast

with you and David.

Mama, we so happy you move in

to help us with David.

It means so much, when we on road, to know

that our little boy in Grandma hands.

[voice quavers]

Watching that precious boy...

is the greatest joy of my life.

- [mother sniffles]

- Oh, Ma, that is so sweet.

And he is why I think it's time

to get realistic.

You need a stable job.

Plumber, electrician.

Every night, I'm up worrying.

Well, she doesn't need to worry.

Right, Jan?

I think Mama and Marla please not worry.

I working and working.

I always thinking bigger.

I build empire.

- Empire?

- Empire.

Something to leave behind.

For David, my prince.

And for Marla, my queen.

- [chuckles] See? We don't need to worry.

- Why do you need to build an empire?

You're already over-extended

with that knickknack shop.

I'm talking about dealing with reality.

What is wrong with him building an empire

if he wants to build an empire?

- He plays polka music.

- So it will be a polka empire.

And when I am fancy man on top of world,

I buy you Cadillac, Barb.

I buy you hot tub.

I buy you Cadillac with hot tub.

Hmm.

Thank you, Jan,

for not going to bed last night

so that you could prepare

this beautiful breakfast for us.

[Barb] Yes.

Thank you, Jan.

So we be there at 24th, 25th, and 27, yes?

- [bell jingles]

- Okay. We can play there 26th.

Okay, thank you. Bye.

Okay, thank you.

Mickey Stutz!

You are surprise for sore eyes!

I'm quitting the band.

- What? Mickey Stutz, you are the band.

- Not anymore.

Mickey Stutz, you and me, we are team.

You give people love for life

with sounds you make.

I give people love for life

with Jan Lewan.

We don't make enough money, okay?

I'm done. I'm out.

Nope. I not let you go.

Okay, all business books say, "Have plan."

I make 25-year plan.

We start here, at salt shaker.

Now, we are on napkin with good crowd.

On our way to what?

Parmesan cheese. We all get rich.

- I still bring home chump change.

- Mickey,

I will work harder. I will find a way.

Nobody works harder than you, Jan.

That's what's so sad.

- You know my Aunt Lois in New Castle?

- The one who wear the purple sweater?

Yes. She loves coming to see us play.

Her and her friends,

it's their favorite thing.

- That's very nice.

- So I say,

"Come see us at BeerFest.

We're playing two sets."

She says, "Is it free?"

I say, "Wait a second.

You can't pay $3 to come see

your nephew and your favorite band?"

She says, "I don't like to pay.

Maybe I'll pay a dollar."

I say, "Wait. I drive four hours

to get down there, play for five,

and four back home,

and you can't pay three bucks?"

- You know, what we do...

- "What about your friends?

Are they as cheap as you, Lois?"

She doesn't blink. She says,

"They'll pay $3 for a kielbasa,

but the music should be free."

This woman changed my diapers!

Okay, so, you know, maybe we leave

some free tickets for Aunt Lois.

Lots of other people gonna pay $3.

Three dollars is not enough.

Lonny and Steve

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