Photo by Parrish Lewis / IFC
Last night, part three of R. Kelly's endless R&B opera "Trapped in the Closet" finally saw the light of day. (We got a chance to spend some time with Kells at a pre-screening of the new chapters earlier this week.) IFC's website will post a chapter per day starting on Monday. Here's what happened (with minimal spoilers):
At the beginning, all of the characters receive a mysterious phone call. Then, throughout part three, they give confessionals about their lives on a mysterious reality TV show called either "TE" or "Out of the Closet With Larry".
Cathy and Rufus visit a therapist, Dr. Perry (played by R. Kelly), to try and salvage their relationship. We never learn what "the package" is, and Chuck is nowhere to be seen. Where are you, Chuck?
Pimp Lucius (also played by R. Kelly) gets way more screen time in these chapters. He's fallen on hard times, so he goes and hits up his mom and dad for money and a place to live. Also, God's voice booms from the heavens and speaks directly to the stuttering pimp (!!!).
Tina and Roxanne have a falling out. Randolph (R. Kelly in old man makeup and a fat suit) talks about his penis for a full chapter to his wife, Rosie the Nosy Neighbor. There's another En Vogue joke.
Sylvester and Twan visit Beeno, a gang boss with a dead eye and pointy fake teeth (played, yes, by R. Kelly). It starts out as a crooked business proposal, but then guns are drawn (duh). Big highlight: R. Kelly sings the complicated directions to Beeno's office.
At the end of the hour, we're still left with plenty of questions and see almost nothing of Gwen, James the police officer, Bridget, or Big Man. Here's chapter 23: