Israel Fandi is a supporting character in the FX series Justified first season episodes "Fire in the Hole" and "The Hammer". Fandi was once the pastor at a church in Lexington, which was blown up by Boyd Crowder, whom the former fails to identify when the U.S. Marshals bring him in for questioning. Fandi is portrayed by guest star Doug E. Doug.
Biography[]
Background[]
Israel Fandi was the pastor of a church in Lexington which according to Art, "believed that marijuana is a way to spirtuality". The church was blown up by Boyd Crowder in "Fire in the Hole". Fandi spoke in a faked Jamaican accent, and seemed to be a very jittery and nervous man.
Season 1[]
Fandi is first seen in the premiere episode "Fire in the Hole". Fandi is seen talking to some people outside of his church when Boyd and Jared arrive and park nearby. Boyd exits the vehicle and yells out his catchphrase, "Fire in the hole!", then proceeds to blow up Fandi's church with a rocket launcher. The Marshals arrive the next morning to question Fandi, who doesn't cooperate until Raylan handles the situation with a well-timed Peter Tosh reference and gets Fandi to agree to identify Boyd. However, Fandi fails to identify anyone when he is brought in for questioning, causing Boyd to walk away from the situation freely.
Fandi's final appearance is in the episode "The Hammer". Raylan begins to look for him for his help in putting Boyd back in prison after Raylan's affair with Ava caused Boyd to be released. Raylan manages to find out his whereabouts from a smoke store clerk named Bunny Higgins after dropping a few glass bongs on the floor. It turns out that Fandi is now going by the alias of "Otis," doing free landscaping at Higgins's grandmother, Mrs. Davis's house. Raylan manages to find him and tries to talk him into testifying against Boyd since he just got out of prison, however Fandi refuses and even guesses that Raylan is the one that screwed up and caused Boyd's release. Raylan visits Fandi a final time and tells him that he knows Fandi has been planting marijuana in the yards that he landscapes and threatens him saying "We can get a warrant, search your basement and your garage, or you can do your civic duty." Fandi shoves Raylan, but Raylan manages to get the upper hand and ultimately Fandi agrees to testify against Boyd saying, "Tell me what he looks like and I'll say whatever you want me to say!" Raylan realizes that Fandi REALLY didn't see Boyd's face that night, Fandi's nervousness and jitters were because he was a marijuana distributor in a room full of cops.
Relationships[]
- Mrs. Davis - Employer (While he was doing landscaping for her in "The Hammer".)
Memorable Quotes[]
- "You assume because I'm black and have a Jamaican accent, I like reggae?" ("Fire in the Hole")
Appearances[]
Season one appearances | ||||
Fire in the Hole | Riverbrook | Fixer | Long in the Tooth | The Lord of War and Thunder |
The Collection | Blind Spot | Blowback | Hatless | The Hammer |
Veterans | Fathers and Sons | Bulletville |