The Slammin' Salmon 2009

Slammin’ CLEON SALMON (Michael Clarke Duncan), the once legendary Heavyweight Champion, is a fierce, tumultuous man who finds himself in a precarious situation, owing $20,000 to the head of the Japanese Yakuza. To avert disaster, he decides to host an audacious challenge at his upscale, boxing-themed seafood restaurant, The Slammin’ Salmon, located in bustling Miami. He dares his waitstaff to surpass their previous sales records in a thrilling contest that promises both significant rewards and harsh penalties: the top performer will be awarded $10,000 in cash, while the one who falls short will face a pummeling from Cleon himself.

The stakes are high, and the ensuing competition spins a chaotic web, affecting each member of the staff in unexpected ways. MIA (April Bowlby) is a sultry, self-assured ballerina who has relied on her allure to secure sales until an unfortunate accident leaves her with a scalded face from boiling soup, turning her once-captivating presence into a reason for customers to avoid her table. Meanwhile, GUY (Erik Stolhanske), the opportunistic waiter, finds himself struggling as his prime customer, the Lone Diner, is engrossed in reading War & Peace without ever placing an order.

In a bizarre twist of fate, CONNOR (Steve Lemme), a former actor who was initially the star of CFI: HOTLANTA, returns to The Slammin’ Salmon only to wait on the very cast he used to perform alongside. Then there’s NUTS (Jay Chandrasekhar), a deeply subdued English teacher battling multiple personality and obsessive-compulsive disorders, who, having neglected his medication, begins to spiral into madness as the pressure mounts. TARA (Carla Gallo), the level-headed med student among the chaos, tries to maintain her sanity until a disturbing disappointment—a 0% tip on her largest bill—shakes her resolve.

Adding to the madness, RICH (Kevin Heffernan), the spineless manager, accidentally swallows an engagement ring belonging to a famous celebrity, just as the infamous proposal looms. Lastly, there’s DONNIE (Paul Soter), the rookie busboy, who, having just joined the team, is trying to catch up after falling two hours behind sales. The weight of the impending beatdown from Cleon hangs heavy over him.

As time elapses, the atmosphere intensifies, and Cleon makes his presence felt, arbitrarily changing the rules to heighten the tension. Driven by greed and fear, the waiters navigate a minefield of sabotage, bribery, and even scandalous propositions, culminating in a hair-raising finale where chaos reigns and the heavyweight champion delivers a legendary beatdown!