Dr. John Berates Those Who Abandoned New Orleans, From the Upper East Side

MANHATTAN, New York — With the release of his new album “The City that Care Forgot,” Dr. John, the Night-Tripper, nee Mack Rebbenack spews venom at the various institutions he believes have abandoned the Big Easy in her time of need.

The Creole-Tomato caught up with The Doctor in his luxurious penthouse apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan to talk about the album.

“It’s really time for a change,” said John, sipping a Belvedere vodka bloody mary with cocktail shrimp out of a goblet made of solid gold.

“I just can’t stand the hypocrisy of all these people who say they stand with the city and then walk away.”

And who are these people exactly? John’s new album takes aim at plenty of people, from government to corporations.

“It’s a land grab,” said Rebbenack, as he surveyed his substantial New York real estate holdings while reclining in a hammock made of silk on his 1,000-square foot marble terrace with 180-degree views of Central Park.

“They use their money to take things away from the little people, you know?”

According to The Doctor, money has had a corrupting influence on those who pretend to care about the city he so loves.

“But we got to keep on goin,” said The Night-Tripper, as he surveyed his extensive collection of rare Picasso, Monet, and Rembrandt paintings, each of which is stored in hermetically sealed glass with argon gas to prevent deterioration of the paint.

But Rebbenack doesn’t want the focus to be on him. In fact, all the after-tax, post-royalty proceeds from the album will be donated to charity.

“If I don’t do it, nobody else will,” he replied with a smile, showing a platinum tooth covered with diamonds.