Hello Herman (2012)

Fight, Mustangs! Let's fight!
Come on, crowd! Red!
Fight, Mustangs! Let's fight!
Come on, crowd! Red!
Fight, Mustangs! Let's fight!
Come on, crowd! Red!
Fight, Mustangs!
Let's fight! Yeah!
Hey, Michael.
Spare some change?
What?
I'm the one asking the
questions now, fuck face!
This was Michael Ray?
Yeah, Michael Ray.
Not fast enough.
What went through your mind
as you pulled the trigger?
I thought there'd be more blood.
Streaming live, it's time to
"Check Your Morals At The Door",
'cause it's the
"Lax Morales show. "
The question I've been hearing is
what the hell are we
gonna do with these kids?
We've given you a fast-food,
downsized, techno-driven world,
and it's cold and you can't
make any sense of it.
So, kids, let's take some calls.
- Hi. What's your name?
- Hi. My name's Sandy.
I just caught my best friend
sexting my boyfriend.
Well, that blows.
Isa, what are you hearing?
Do we have a new body count?
39 students, 2 teachers,
and a police officer
were shot today before Herman Howards
was apprehended at 12:40 P.M.
What do you remember
of the shooting?
Just shooting.
There wasn't anyone around.
All of the doors were locked.
Everyone was just running
from inside, trying to get out.
I tried dialing my phone,
but my hands were shaking
so bad, I just couldn't.
I'm with the vice
principal of the school.
And I'd like to ask you, do you
have any message for the parents?
Yes, uh, we're working
as fast as we possibly can
to get you back together
with your children.
This morning,
when I dropped him off at school,
we were talking about
my mom's birthday dinner,
and he was gonna help plan it.
But not anymore.
Did you think that something
like Herman Howards was possible?
I just thought he was mad,
real angry at something,
but I didn't know he was gonna
shoot the whole school up.
Please let me through.
Mrs. Howards, do you have any idea why
Herman might do something like this?
Herman is a happy, healthy
teenager with a promising future.
I don't know what's
wrong with his mother,
but it's got to be something
for her not to see the signs.
Mrs. Howards, your son was just
arrested for shooting over 40 people.
- No. Let me go inside.
I don't know. Some people
are just angry. That's the way it is.
Yeah, I talked to him.
I mean, the kid was
pretty much all fucked up.
How did he get the guns?
Did your husband
keep guns in the home?
I'm divorced.
How did your son
get the pipe bombs?
I can't understand why
he would do such a thing.
Mrs. Howards!
One more statement!
Republican senator Joan Cox
issued this statement to
the press this morning.
Herman Howards is not
a common criminal.
He is a terrorist.
He's a troubled child in desperate
need of psychiatric treatment.
You know, I think there are
reasons for these type of actions,
and we need to
figure out those reasons
to make sure that these kind of
tragedies don't happen again.
He is a monster and he should
be treated as one.
Thank you all very much.
God bless America.
There remains no clear
motive for these killings.
Disturbing.
You're watching "Chet chat".
We'll be right back.
Yeah, you're the one
that's disturbing, dude.
Yeah, you know it.
Ha! Nice.
I want to tell my story
on your show.
Police! Put your weapon down!
The responding deputies
arrived on the scene
and could hear shots still
being fired within the school.
Those deputies also reported
explosions inside the building.
There are many fatalities.
He shot a girl. There were bombs
and shotguns going off.
And then he asked if
we all wanted to die.
People started
running and screaming.
- I'm sure that everyone...
- It's terrible, isn't it?
If you could sign here
for me, please, sir.
Thomas Joseph King!
You bump into that
man one more time...
This is Isa Luz reporting live
from West Broome High School.
Why don't you take a seat over there.
Your car will be ready in a moment.
Thanks.
Just wait till we get home.
You're gonna be sorry
I ever gave birth to you.
Mama! Mama!
You're gonna go and save
the world all by yourself, huh?
I guess... or I could
sell out, like Chet.
You're so bad.
You know, you're lucky
you got such a hot girlfriend.
That's definitely a bonus.
Lax, this story is important.
It can put you in the game.
You're gonna come back
to me in one piece.
I promise.
Your car, sir.
Thank you.
Did you know Herman?
Yes, actually, he was
in our science class.
- But he was so, like, weird.
- He never really talked.
He was always quiet and stuff.
I don't really remember him,
but I do remember he was weird.
Hi, Mr. Morales.
I got your call.
Uh, let me show you where some
of the students are, okay?
Um, just give me a second?
It seems like something like
Herman was...
He was very stoic and
he just... he never reacted.
Can I talk to you for a minute?
- I'm sorry. You were saying?
- Uh, yeah.
Well, no, I never pictured
Herman doing this.
Herman was always alone.
Yeah, at lunch,
he would always sit alone.
Do you remember
anyone picking on him?
Yes.
Hello, Herman.
Uh, should we begin?
Is everything all right?
You do want to be
on the show, right?
Why did you bash that black kid
with a bat back in Georgia?
Where did you hear that?
Why don't we start by
you saying your name, hm?
This freak, Howards...
He sent clips of the massacre
to that even crazier liberal
blogger Lax Morales.
Now, believe it or not,
Morales plans
to broadcast an interview
with this criminal.
If this left-wing nutjob has
any intention of giving this kid
a platform to preach his insanity,
his sick twisted beliefs,
then I think that Morales
ought to be executed
right next to Howards.
No.
Uh, can I get a scotch?
Hey, aren't you that Morals guy?
- It's, uh, Morales. But, yeah.
- Keep the change.
Come on. One drink. Come on.
How was your first day
with... with Herman?
- You should know better than that.
- Better than what?
Asking a fellow journalist
about his exclusive.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I thought you were
just a blogger.
Ouch.
People are saying this is gonna
be your capote moment.
You're famous now.
Wow.
I want to know what happened.
I know you left me to do a
piece on The Klan in Georgia
and you said you were gonna
come back to me in one piece.
Not a phone call, nothing.
- How could you do that to me?
- I couldn't come back.
Why not?
Just couldn't.
I loved you, and you said
you loved me back.
And even after all this time,
you still can't give me a reason
why you never came back to me?
Not a phone call,
not an e-mail, nothing.
I'm sorry.
I never, ever
stopped loving you.
So, this colored boy...
He comes up on us.
Stares me straight
in the face and says,
"you think you're
better than me?"
So I spat at him.
Right in his face.
So, um, tell me something,
Dougie-dog...
How you expect me
to make you captain
when you're faced
with an opportunity
to show the colored why the
white race is superior,
and all you can do is
waste your spit in his face?
Dumb kids.
That's what you are,
both of you... dumb kids.
- Uh, excuse me, Mr. Gall?
- What?
I- I've been waiting a long
time to meet you, and, um,
I didn't think I'd get a better
opportunity than right now.
Why do you want to
talk to me, Yankee?
Well, it's, uh...
It's, uh... it's your book.
I've been reading it.
I think you just might be a prophet.
If that's so.
So, what can I do for you, boy?
You could start by signing my book.
- What's your name, son?
- It's Vic, sir.
Vic.
My celebrity.
Lax.
- What's that on your shirt?
- It's a dodo bird.
Why are you wearing a
dodo bird on your shirt?
Because they look stupid,
but they're actually really smart.
Oh. That's cool.
Well, it sounds like
I got the seal of approval.
Should we begin?
Well, how much money do
I get for talking to you?
You don't get any money.
The money goes to the
families of the victims.
Besides, I thought you
wanted to tell your story.
Yeah, this is part of my story.
How much?
I don't know what the standard rate
for a story like yours would be.
That's 'cause there are
no standards for what I've done.
Come on.
Herman, you killed 42 people.
Somewhere in the world,
that happens every week.
What makes you so special?
I'm just a 16-year-old kid born
into a white, middle-class family.
I'm not some broke arab sucker
who grew up kicking pebbles
and thinks he's gonna become
a martyr when he grows up
and lay 99 virgins in heaven.
I mean, if that's heaven,
then Islam is even more
fucked up than Christianity is.
- Are you religious?
- God is dead.
- Where'd you read that?
- Something I figured out.
You want to talk about your sister?
No, I don't.
Did you get picked on
at school, Herman?
What's that got to do
with God being dead?
It doesn't.
It has to do with you killing
these people, though.
Why... what did they
tell you at that school?
Did you?
Did you get picked on?
- Hello, Herman.
- How you doing, buddy?
Oh, you're playing games again.
Let's go play.
Let's go play.
No.
- No. Seriously.
- No, you're fine.
Let's play, uh...
Let's play a new game, okay?
All right?
You like that?
Come on. Come on.
You gonna cry?
Pansy.
Guys, guys, come on. Let's go.
- Come on.
- Come on.
You got to man up
one of these days, Herman.
Would you thought to do, what you did,
if they didn't do it in combine first?
- Yeah, but they did.
- But pretend they didn't.
Oh, come on.
They became real famous afterwards.
Everybody knows who they are now.
Do you think of them as heroes?
They said "fuck you"
to the assholes.
After that, the freaks started
getting some respect.
But now that I've hit the scene,
I give them a weapon.
They'll be running the schools.
So you think you're part
of a revolution, is that it?
You'll see.
Kids all over the country are
gonna start doing what I did
until you assholes finally
realize that we're here.
We matter, Lax.
What about the kids
you shot in cold blood?
Are they not part
of your revolution?
You sure don't speak like
the average 16-year-old.
Didn't I just explain this to you?
Do kids still, uh...
still play "The Hunt"?
Yeah, of course.
Well, what would you say
the point of that game is?
Well, you try to shoot everybody
and get lots of points.
What about "Post Shooter"?
Do you play that game?
Yeah, I own it.
- It's pretty hard to find, that game.
- Yeah, it is.
I've never played that one.
How do you play?
You go into the
post office one day
and you've had
enough of people's crap
and you shoot everybody
until they're all gone.
Sounds pretty easy.
There's a time limit.
And you get more points for
shooting people in the face
than you do the legs, stomach,
or the back of the head.
Wow. Do you, uh... do you shoot up
women and children, too?
I actually think you get
less points for them.
- That's nice.
- Yeah.
Does your mom, uh...
What does she think
- of you playing games like this?
- I don't think she knows about it.
Well, she bought
them for you, didn't she?
No, I downloaded it off the web.
Hmm, do you think that
playing games, uh,
like the ones you're playing...
They numb you to violence?
I don't understand the question.
Do they make it easier
for you to go in your school
and shoot your peers?
Uh, yeah, of course it did.
How do you think I became
such a good shot?
I remember, at one point,
this girl was running
right towards the door.
50 feet away.
- So, it was a game.
- It's all a game, Lax.
I mean, wasn't it a game when
you bashed that kid with a bat?
It's not my interview.
Why don't you stay focused.
Yeah, down in Georgia,
when you bashed that kid...
Did that seem real to you?
- That's not what happened.
- Oh, really?
Well, the three people that
were there said you did.
Where did you hear that?
Thekkk. Com, Georgia faction,
when you won that award.
They had a few things
to say about you, Lax.
What else do you think you
know about me, Herman?
Do you find it a habit to surf hate sites?
Is that what you do?
I have respect for anybody who is
willing to stand up for their beliefs.
And, besides, people's websites
are where you really learn stuff.
The web is the truth,
the way people really are.
You should know
that by now, Lax.
Lax Morales.
It sounds puerto rican.
It really does.
It's Mexican. I'm an eighth Mexican.
You want to kill me now, too?
No, I just...
I just think it's funny.
I think we're done for today.
What do you think?
I think he's being treated
like the damn guest of honor.
Hmm, someone should
do something about it.
Yeah, you can say that again.
Someone should do
something about it.
You know what I think?
I think you're a damn nigger lover.
What?
I said... I think Vic Bishop
is a goddamn nigger lover!
What do you say to that?
Come on!
Stop!
I said, stop!
What the hell is going on?
Vic was beating
the piss out of J.C.
- Why?
- He called Vic a nigger lover.
Vic, in my office now.
Now, Vic.
Now, I seen the way
you beat on J.C. There.
I heard what he called you.
Don't you think that was
a little bit excessive?
I snapped.
It won't happen again.
Snapped. Bullshit.
When someone insult you,
you show them what happens.
I respect that.
I got big plans, Vic.
That day we always
dreaded has finally come.
Who would have ever thought there'd
be a nigger in the white house?
We must all be crazy.
Do you know the minorities make up
53% of this country's population?
And they're driving
white people off land.
And most good white folks
don't even know the difference.
So what we gonna
do about that, Vic?
There's a storm coming.
We got chapters in seven counties
in each of these states.
And when Georgia strikes,
there will be identical
strikes in each one of these.
And these strikes will inspire
people to stand up and face
what's been coming since
Lincoln pissed on the constitution
and declared war on us.
Now, are you ready, son?
Fuck yeah, I'm ready.
That's why I came here, sir.
Well... I got something
I got to say to you.
Congratulations.
You're the new captain
of the B.O.A.S.S.
Now, you say it with me.
The Brotherhood of America S.S.
How's it feel, son?
How you feeling, Lax?
Lax? Hello?
Oh.
Memories can really
fuck with you, can't they?
Yeah.
I block them out with music.
Yeah?
What's your favorite band?
- I like Eminem.
- Why?
Because he is all fucked up in the head
and he's got the balls to say it.
Yes, he does.
So, what, uh... what went through
your head that morning?
The morning I did it?
Yeah.
That was a Monday.
I hate mondays.
I had a test that day.
Are you saying that if
you didn't have a test,
- you wouldn't have done it?
- Don't put words in my mouth.
What I was implying was that
I may not have done it that day,
but there was no way in hell
those people weren't gonna
get what they deserved.
What did you do first?
I waited till everyone
was at second period.
Then I went around and put
chains and locks on all the exits.
Second period is when the
security guards take their break.
Then I went to the computer
lab and I told my friend Timmy
to change the message of the day,
to make the pep rally earlier.
And then I went to my locker
and I got my guns and pipe bombs.
- Where'd you get the pipe bombs?
- I made them.
Wow. Was it easy?
It was once I, uh,
googled the instructions.
I got half the stuff
at a hardware store
and I got the other half
at another store.
What about the guns?
A guy I know that works at a
malmart downtown sold it to me.
Wow, don't you have to be 18,
though, to buy guns in America?
Do you have any idea how many
people own guns in America?
I'll tell you...
It scares me.
There are more ways of getting a gun
and being under 18 than I can count.
Everyone and their brother
has a gun.
It's "everyone and their mother. "
- What?
- That's where it comes from.
Everyone has a mother.
Everyone doesn't have a brother.
So it's "everyone and their mother. "
Whatever.
You are aware that everyone
has a mother, right?
Jesus Christ.
You ask the stupidest questions.
I thought you were supposed
to be some hot-shot reporter.
This is a very important
story, you know.
- You're not gonna have a bigger one.
- Let's cut to the chase.
You are aware that everyone
has a mother and a father
when you shot those kids
in the face, right?
- No.
- Really?
You didn't think that anyone had a mother
and a father that cared about them?
- No.
- Why not?
What about your mother?
What would have happened
to her if you were killed?
Well, it would have taken her a
few days to realize I was even gone.
- Come on.
- No, Lax.
I go three, four days
without even seeing her.
Why?
Well, we don't have a
whole lot to talk about.
I mean, she works all the time.
And I have my life.
Yeah, but your life consists of playing
video games and making pipe bombs.
I mean, didn't she have a clue?
She's a busy lady.
What about your father?
I'm out of here!
I'm not gonna put up
with this anymore.
I swear to God, if you leave one
more time, don't ever come back!
Don't worry!
I'm not coming back!
Then you go ahead...
You tell the kids! You tell them!
You tell them!
You wanted them!
He lives in Chicago
with his new wife.
Did you call your
mother that morning?
What?
The morning with your sister...
Did you call your mom?
Did it feel good when you took
that bat to that boy's head?
- I'm asking the questions, not you.
- No.
- No, what?
- No, I didn't call her.
- Why not?
- Because I didn't think of it.
What would she have done, anyway?
Well, I imagine she would
have rushed home.
- You really don't get it, do you?
- Don't get what?
I'm done talking
to you today, okay?
Whatever.
You're quitting.
Is that what it is?
Lax... this story
is important for you.
It's important to all of us.
I'd kill to be in your shoes.
This kid is gonna be executed on TV.
You know what that means?
You need this.
You need this.
I mean, your online show
is, like... it's fine, okay?
It's all right, but...
but you can do so much more.
- You can do... you...
- What do you know?
While the parents of the
formerly peaceful community of
West Broome grieve the
tragic loss of their children,
parents all across
suburban America
are wondering if their
town is gonna be next.
They all blame me.
Every last one of them looks
at me like it's my fault,
as if I told him to do it,
as if I never gave
him any guidance,
as if I wanted this.
No, I'm not blaming you.
I'm just trying to give you an opportunity
to tell your side of the story.
That... that's all.
He was my little boy once.
He was my little boy
who had a sweet smile.
We were a happy family.
My husband left when
Herman was 8, Julia was 5.
Herman's whole concept of the
world was ripped away from him.
It's not my fault.
I didn't leave.
Frank and I had a decent
sex life. It was good.
You think I'm a cold woman,
that I don't care what happened
to all those children?
No one understands until
they're put in this position.
Look, I'm not a doctor.
My official statement is that
I don't know why he did it.
All I know is that
one minute he's happy,
and then the next minute,
he's depressed.
The next minute,
I'm asking a friend
about a doctor,
you know which kind...
And before I blink, he's gone
completely insane, my child.
Do you have any children?
No.
I didn't think so.
What do you, um, do for
work now that Frank isn't around?
I'm vice president of marketing
at Compunet's main branch here.
Eight years since Frank left.
Vice president of marketing at
Compunet just after eight years.
- That's pretty impressive.
- I made it my top priority.
Did, uh... did Herman give you
any clues as to what he was up to?
No. Nothing.
Did you, uh, monitor
his Internet usage
or keep him from watching
rated movies, maybe?
If I had forbid those kinds
of movies in my house,
he would have gone
to a friend's house,
and I would have
seen him even less.
Same deal with the Internet.
If you had a kid, you'd know that.
You know, I apologize.
I have to keep
the curtains closed
because the cameramen
keep popping up to take a shot.
The first time a flash suddenly
went off in my bedroom at night,
I nearly had a heart attack.
Yesterday, I threw a
frying pan at one of them.
I'm not kidding.
When is this nightmare gonna end?
I just want to wake up.
I want to wake up, wake up,
wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up!
- I should go.
- Oh, no. No, no.
Don't go.
As pathetic as it sounds...
I don't have
anybody else to talk to.
The office told me not
to come in, you know,
because the press is
hounding the building.
Something about their image.
Frank won't have anything
to do with me.
He says it's my fault.
My friends... they won't
speak to me because, you know,
they're also friends
of the victims.
And there's only one me,
and then there's 50 of them.
You do the math.
It's a logical equation.
Excuse me?
You know, logical equations
for real-life scenarios.
That's what I do.
You know, that's what
I did for a living.
- It sounds interesting.
- Most of it was bullshit.
Do you want to talk about
what happened with Julia?
Was Herman home
when that happened?
I don't think I want
to talk to you anymore.
- I didn't mean to...
- You get out of my house.
- I'm sorry. I...
- Get out.
You know, maybe you can answer
a question for me... Mr. Morales.
It's a logical equation
I can't seem to crack.
If you take one woman living
in the middle of America,
break her family apart,
force her to work harder
to get ahead in her career
than any man would
force her to live
with the knowledge
that her daughter was killed
while she was at work,
trying to make money
to pay for food,
and then have her
son lose his mind
and massacre 42 people,
massacre children,
and make sure that
nobody talks to her,
nobody listens to her,
and then fire her...
In an equation like that,
how long would it be
until she would go completely
insane all alone in here?
All alone in here...
Gall's looking to start a war.
A war?
I got everything you
need to put him away...
Paperwork, photographs,
dates, everything.
Are you aware of the risks you'd be
taking by supplying those documents?
What's the worst that
can happen? I can die?
There are a lot worse things
in this world that can happen
to you than dying.
The ones you love
will be in danger.
Promise me.
Please.
Aah!
Get him!
Isa.
Isa, it's Lax.
Isa, I need to talk to you.
Isa.
I don't know what I'm doing.
So, what's your
favorite movie, Herman?
That's tough.
Don't you dare say
"Natural Born Killers," either.
That's an awesome movie, but
I guess my all-time favorite...
Would have to be "Kids. "
"Kids"?
Well, that's unexpected. Why?
Well, for one thing,
that's really what it's like.
I mean, kids do things that
parents don't have a clue about,
and they don't want to
have a clue about it.
Like what?
Like screwing without
condoms, smoking pot,
drinking 40s, taking "x",
you name it.
That movie's about kids growing
up in New York in the '90s.
You think kids are
like that everywhere?
Kids are the same all over, Lax.
We always do what you think we're
incapable of doing until you notice us.
But that's not why
it's my favorite movie.
Why, then?
It's because the main
character says, "what's up?"
Oh. What's up, Herman?
See, when you're a kid,
you have to find that one thing
that you care about and stick to it,
'cause that's all you got.
- What's your one thing?
- I don't know.
I'll tell you when I grow up.
You know what I miss
more than anything?
What's that?
Just my Xbox.
Man, if I could just get that one
more game in, I would be happy.
- You follow politics at all?
- No.
- Do you know who your governor is?
- No.
Does anyone in your school know?
- They know who I am.
- Well, for now.
Forever.
What's the worst thing that
ever happened to you in school?
That's a hard question.
Oh! You're killing me, dude.
This is horrible.
You have to go to
the party tonight.
Oh.
Hello, Herman.
Any, uh, spare change?
Hey, just leave me alone, man.
Just leave you alone?
Not today.
Bitch.
Listen, let's do this so we don't have
to listen to him bitch and moan.
Come on.
Come on, take a deep
breath, faggot.
Take a nice, deep breath.
What in the devil do you
boys think you're doing?!
Nothing.
Right?
What are your names?
- Michael.
- Michael.
Michael and Michael what?
- Green.
- Michael Ray.
Is that their real names, Herman?
Let me see some I.D.
Do you boys realize how many
different strains of bacteria
reside in those toilet bowls?
If Herman inhaled enough water,
he could have been killed.
Do you understand?
You two go to the principal's office
and tell her what you've done.
You should be ashamed to call
yourselves Broome students.
Picking on a boy younger than you?
Now!
Straight to the office.
I'll be right there.
You're a sophomore,
right, Herman?
I remember when I was your age.
The older boys would
do the same thing to me.
Don't worry about it.
In a few years, things like that will
all be fond memories of high school.
You'll probably be friends
with those boys next year.
I know it sounds crazy, but
some of the greatest friendships
start as fights.
Me and my best friend,
when we first met...
Hey, Mr. Phelps?
Can I please go?
Sure. Okay.
Thank you.
The domestic-terrorism
tribunal convenes this afternoon
to decide the fate
of Herman Howards.
And it is my firm belief
that his execution ought to be
televised nationally so that
America's children can witness
first-hand what happens when
you disregard the value of life.
What kind of message does it
send the rest of the world if
America starts executing
its own children?
Now, I have to say that the
speed with which this case
has moved is nothing
short of extraordinary.
Now, there are some
who feel that this is
a bastardization of the system,
we shouldn't allow it.
I don't think that those words are coming
from the families of the victims.
The next time that your
heart goes out to poor,
poor Herman Howards,
I want you to take a minute
and I want you to imagine
that it was your child
that he brutally murdered
for no reason.
And then I want you to imagine
what you would want done
to that little maniac.
Think about it.
You're watching "Chet Chat".
We'll be right back.
Well, look what we have here.
How you doing, buddy?
Vic. Get over here.
Yeah.
Beat the boy.
Yeah! Whoo!
That little piece of shit?
He ain't worth it.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Your loyalty's under
question here, Vic.
That's right.
Now, you beat this boy or it'll be your
yankee ass tied up on the ground.
And that's the God's honest truth.
Get in there!
Whoo! Whoo!
- Vic, come on.
- Come on.
Whoo!
You know where you're going for
what you did to me, don't you, Vic?
You're a superstar.
Yes, you are.
Yes, you are.
Good night, superstar.
So, let's talk about
what happened that day.
What?
You rounded up everyone
in the gymnasium.
Then what happened?
After I shot Michael Ray
and that girl,
I ran up on top of the
bleachers and I pulled out
my uzi and I fired a couple
shots into the ceiling
and I told everyone to get down.
They knew what was going on,
but they heard the shots
and they got down.
I decided to call Paul Schrewber,
the captain of the football team.
"Paul, today is your lucky day.
Since you're so valuable to this school,
you actually get to live.
So, would you be so kind as
to come up here and take a bow
and get the fuck out of my gym?"
He began to walk
towards the door.
Then when he got closer,
he started running.
"Paul, you forgot to take a bow. "
So I shot him in the knee.
I pulled out one of my pipe
bombs from my back pocket
and I said, "the next
person who moves
without me telling them to,
gets this up their ass. "
I walked over to Paul.
His bone was sticking out.
And he was crying.
So I told him to shut up
and I shot him in the gut.
It sounds like you hated him.
He must have had quite
an effect on you.
I just wanted him to shut up.
Then what happened?
Get down!
Herman, please.
Mr. Phelps came towards me slowly.
Put the gun down. Herman.
I don't want to kill you.
Give me the gun.
I had to shoot.
He would have grabbed
me if I didn't.
I clipped him right
in the collarbone.
You know, he was
an allright teacher, man.
I mean, he actually
gave a fuck, kind of.
Are there any other
teachers in this room?
If you're a teacher, would you be so kind
as to come up here and take a bow?
I knew that Ms. Cribb was there.
Nobody came forward.
So I called up three people that were
laying right down in front of me.
Susan, get up here!
It was Susan, this bitchy
girl that nobody liked...
James, follow her! Come on!
- James Hankley...
- Move it!
The editor of
the school newspaper...
Marsha, get up here!
And Marsha Dixon.
- Hello, Herman.
- Uh, hi, Marsha.
What are you doing?
Oh, I'm just making
a program for a game.
- A game?
- Yeah, like a video game.
You ever played one?
No, I've... I've never played
a video game before.
Duh. Of course.
- Duh?
- Stop it.
Stop what?
- Stop making fun of me.
- I wasn't making fun of you.
- Yes, you were.
- No, I wasn't.
- Yes, you were.
- No...
All right, I was.
I just... I just didn't...
What?
I just didn't expect "duh" to be a word
that came out of Marsha Dixon's mouth.
- Why not?
- I don't know.
So, do you do this all the time,
make video games?
You're not gonna be laughing
when I'm rich and famous
because of this game.
- You really think you can sell it?
- Oh, yeah, definitely.
No way. That's awesome.
Yeah.
Like, how much could
you get if you sold it?
Enough to be one of
the youngest billionaires around.
I didn't even know you could talk.
That's because you've
never talked to me before.
Don't get snotty.
I got to go.
What are you doing
Friday after school?
Nothing.
- We could see a mo...
- What the hell?!
I don't know.
Let's talk about it later.
Okay.
Oh, my God.
Were you really talking
to freak show?
Yeah.
Ew. What are you? Into him?
No. Ew.
I just wanted to hear what
his voice sounded like
to see if he's the one leaving
me dirty messages.
- Mm-hmm.
- Dirty messages?
- Ugh!
- Fretard is leaving you messages?
Okay, see you later, freak show.
Whatever.
I want you, Marsha.
I've always wanted you.
I want you so bad.
So, so, so, so bad.
I want you so bad.
So, so, so, so bad.
Okay.
Good night, superstar.
Aww.
Yeah, I just saw it.
I want you so bad.
It's gone viral.
So, so, so, so bad.
That was so funny.
Uh-oh.
Ooh, you gonna cry?
Oh, what a poor little baby.
All right, people, we have
classes to get to, yes?
Let's get there.
"Get to class. "
Oink! Squeal!
Jesus, please protect me.
Jesus, please protect me.
Jesus, please protect me!
Not today.
I made damn sure to go in there and
kill more people than anybody else.
You want to know why, Lax?
Because I had to
reset the precedent.
I wasn't gonna settle for
some rinky-dinky shit, Lax.
But I was never going
to kill James Hankley.
I wanted him to live so he could write
about me in his precious school paper.
No!
Stop, Herman, stop!
I shot Ms. Cribb in the mouth.
Have you seen her?
No, I haven't seen her.
Yeah, but have you heard anything?
Well, I heard they had to amputate
her jaw... What's left of it.
She has to be fed intravenously.
Let's take a little break.
These posters look
really good, Sean.
You did a good job,
Vic. You're a good man.
Come and take these files.
You make sure you know
every detail in them.
What the hell's going on?
Vic, give me the files.
Give me the files!
FBI!
- Nobody move!
- Hands behind your head!
- Don't move, Gall!
- Put that gun down!
You don't know how this works, boy!
You don't know how this works!
I'm gonna see you again!
Don't you worry your
pretty little head about that.
- You're under arrest, Sean gall.
- Fuck you!
You have the right
to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be
held against you in a court of law.
You have the right to
speak to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney,
one will be appointed for you.
Do you understand the rights
as I have read them to you?
You're a dead man.
I tell you something, Vic... you got
the taste of blood in your mouth.
That ain't ever gonna go back
to what it was, brother.
Do you think I'm
afraid of dying, Lax?
- Yeah. Yeah, I do.
- Why do you say that?
'Cause you weren't man enough to
do yourself in, like all your heroes.
Hey, I'm prepared to pay
the price for what I did.
I think that takes way more balls
than just offing yourself.
- What about karma?
- You know what I think?
I think when you die,
it's game over, nothing, blackness.
What about reset?
When you hit the reset,
the game you've played before
doesn't have shit to
do with the next one,
and all the characters
just come back to life.
That's not how it works in reality.
Once a kid dies,
he doesn't come back to life.
Do you want to hear
what else happened or not?
Sure. Sure.
Eh, where was I?
- Right, so, I shot Susan, but...
- You said that already, Herman.
Fuck. What... I don't remember
what happened next.
I think I started
firing into the cro...
No, no.
That happened after the police
came through the door.
Yeah, the police
came through the door,
and everyone was screaming
because I threw a pipe bomb
right in the middle of the crowd,
and everybody scattered.
And everyone was running
towards the door
and the police came into the gym
and I was just running around
shooting people left and right.
There were only three cops at first,
and I was able to pick them off
right when they stormed the gym.
They only got one door open.
Everyone was trying to get out.
No cops could get in.
It was anarchy.
I ran up behind Marsha.
I put a .45 right to her back,
and I said, "are you
ready to die, prom queen?"
Then I shot someone who was
running towards the door.
No, no, no.
Please, Herman, please.
Please.
Please don't do this to me, Herman.
I'll do anything.
I'll do anything, Herman.
Please.
I want to see my mom again.
I want to see my little brother.
Please, Herman, please.
Isn't that funny?
She was ashamed to be
talking to me before that.
Do you know what it's like to
have that kind of power, Lax?
We're not interviewing me, Herman.
We have to take
him to his cell now.
- So, what'd you do next?
- I was out of control.
I bashed her nose in
with the butt of my gun
and I left her there to bleed.
Why's that?
Because I wanted her to learn
what life's like when you're not
the prettiest girl at school.
- So you're a teacher, is that it?
- People needed a fucking lesson.
Hello, Herman.
How can you be here?
Why didn't you come
let him help me, Herman?
I was scared.
You know where you're going,
Herman, don't you?
Do you think I'm going to tell you?
You're going to hell.
Julia, I love you.
Honestly, I was so sad
when you died, I just...
I didn't have anyone I could show.
I hurt, Herman.
I hurt all the time.
Yeah, but that's not my fault.
I didn't kill you.
- I know why you did it, Herman.
- Why? Why did I do it, Julia? Tell me.
I'm in hell, Herman.
Yeah, but you never
did anything wrong.
- You did.
- What?
No. I'm sorry, Julia.
I should have gone outside.
I really should have.
- Poor Herman.
- Wait, Julia. Don't go.
Wait. Tell me why I did it.
Julia, wait.
The verdict came in today on
the people vs. Herman Howards.
Howards will be the first
minor executed by electric chair
in the United States of America.
Now, the bigger controversy,
however, is whether or not
this execution is
gonna be televised.
Joining us via satellite, we have
republican senator Joan Cox
and children's representative
Lyle Ferguson.
I'd like to welcome
you both to the show.
Senator Cox, what you
say of the verdict?
I think that the good people
of this town, state, and country
have the right to see for themselves
and to show their children
what happens when you give in
to the urge towards violence.
- What say you, Mr. Ferguson?
- What the senator and you,
Mr. Clarkson, are actually
saying is a life for a life.
And if we all live by that principle,
what does that make the world?
Safe, Mr. Ferguson.
That's what that makes the world.
So, your sister
was killed, right?
Right.
- Were you close to her?
- We had our moments.
- What was she like?
- She was like my best friend.
You guys, uh, play together
and stuff like that?
You know, I don't think it's
nice to talk to a stranger
about dead people
you cared about.
So you cared about her.
Yeah, she was my sister.
Of course I did.
Did you call your mom
when it happened?
- No.
- Why not?
- I didn't think of it.
- You didn't think of it?
- You really don't understand, do you?
- Well, help me understand, Herman.
It wasn't my fault.
I didn't do anything.
- Come outside and play.
- No, I'm good.
- Don't go too far.
- I know.
No, Julia, I mean it.
Don't go too far.
Someone call 911.
- It's Gail Howards' daughter!
- She's in my science class!
- Wait. Don't touch her.
- I didn't see her.
Don't touch her.
Call 911 quick.
Call it!
Hello, you've reached
Gail Howards at Compunet.
I can't get to my
phone right now,
but please leave
your name and number
or feel free to e-mail me
at ghowards@compunet. com
or try the office at 555-6808.
Thank you.
Hello, welcome to the Compunet
phone answering system.
Hello? Hello?
Is anybody home?
The following is a list of options to
maximize the efficiency of your call.
Hello? Please answer.
Anybody home? Hello?
Press 2.
Mrs. Howards?
Anybody home?
We know your time is valuable.
Your estimated
wait time is 17 min...
I didn't do anything.
I didn't do anything.
Yeah. What could you have done?
- You haven't been sleeping, hmm?
- Are you interviewing me now?
Lax, it's okay.
You can talk to me.
Come on, you have
to talk to someone.
Is it Jerome Johnson?
I dream about that
kid every night.
He asks me how I...
How I live with myself,
and I lie to him
every single time.
And he just laughs and says
he'll see me tomorrow.
And Herman...
Every time I talk to him,
- I start thinking that...
- You don't think he's a victim.
He killed 42 people.
He's just a disturbed kid,
just like we all are.
Oh, come on.
I think you've had a lot to drink,
and you need to get some sleep.
- Come on.
- All right.
Unh-unh-unh-unh.
Lax.
Don't.
Killing people does not stop...
Welcome back.
If you're just joining us,
today's execution is the first
ever broadcast live in America.
And from what they're
telling me right now,
this will be the highest-viewed
event in television history.
74% of all sets are
tuned in as Herman Howards
is strapped down to
the electric chair.
Killing people does not stop
people from killing people!
Killing people does not stop
people from killing people!
You're a smart kid, Herman.
Why didn't you just go to college,
make friends there?
Well, it worked, didn't it?
What worked?
You're here, aren't you?
You did it for this?
It was the only way to make
anybody pay attention to me.
You're gonna be killed.
You inflicted pain
on innocent people.
You affected hundreds of lives.
You threw your own life away.
Why? To be on this show?
What about my life?
Nobody cares.
Nobody would ever listen to me.
Why would anybody listen to you?
You should care about me.
You're about to be a footnote on
a long list of forgotten footnotes.
Google me in 20 years, Lax,
and we'll see who's right.
No one's gonna remember your name.
Maybe we should just take
you out and lock you up
and throw away the key.
I didn't think you'd be the one to
advocate treating a minor like an adult.
If you're old enough to plan
and carry out an attack
and kill 39 children and three adults,
then you're old enough to know
what kind of a person it takes
to do something like this.
Yeah? What kind
of person, Lax? Tell me.
An evil person, Herman.
Were you evil when you bashed
that kid with a bat?
Yes. Yes, I was. I had to be.
I was saving lives.
It was one kid to die
to save thousands.
That's why I did it.
That's why I allowed
myself to do it.
Why did you allow yourself
to become so evil?
Because it felt good!
Because for one moment
in my nothing life,
I actually got to know what
it feels like to have power.
You did it to feel powerful?
I know you understand.
You tasted it.
You think we're alike?
We're not the same, Herman.
People should care about you?
You don't deserve that.
You don't even deserve
to die, Herman.
You don't deserve recognition.
You don't deserve pity.
You sure as fuck
don't deserve love.
- Don't say that!
- What? Love?
- You think you deserve love?
- Yeah.
After everything you did,
you think you deserve love? Why?
- Because...
- Because why?
I'd like to know.
Why, Herman?
Why would you deserve love?
Say it!
Because I'm a human being,
like the rest of them!
I'm a human being, too.
I'm... I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
- Tell my mother I love her.
- Yeah.
Let's go live to Isa Luz,
who is standing by
with senator Joan Cox.
Would you share your thoughts
about tonight's events with us?
America will be watching tonight,
and they will see that
the government of
the United States
will not allow our children
to be in danger any longer.
Killing people may not stop
people from killing people,
but seeing the execution live
sure as heck will.
Thank you, senator.
More than 3/4 of the nation have
their eyes on the screen as w...
What?
They're ready.
This is it.
We are just about to witness the ex...
I... cut it. I can't do it.
Herman Howards, you're
about to be executed
by means of the electric chair.
Do you have any last words?
- What's up, Herman?
See, when you're a kid,
you have to find that one thing
that you care about and stick to it,
'cause that's all you got.
What's your one thing?
I don't know.
I'll have to tell
you when I grow up.
Some people seem to think
that the question is,
"what the hell are we
gonna do with these kids?"
Well, they're wrong.
The real question is,
"what the hell are we gonna
do with us adults?"
So, today, take your eyes off
the computer screen, log out,
unplug, go outside, and exercise
your right to breathe.
You're still allowed
to do that, you know.
Take a momentary break from,
"buy this, sell that, feel this. "
But do it after the show,
because today,
we're gonna talk about what happens
when you devalue human life.
Okay, let's take some calls.