The deep-water port of Texas City has long been known for its refineries, shrimp boils, and the longest human-made fishing pier in the world at 5.3 miles. But it now also lays claim to one of the most bonkers Southern characters on TV: Judy Gemstone, as played by native Edi Patterson in HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones. The show’s writer, producer, and actor grew up in Texas City and draws inspiration for her character from her hometown. “I’ll always love Texas City,” Patterson says. “It made me who I am.”
In the series, Judy is the daughter of a wealthy, corrupt Southern televangelist named Eli Gemstone (John Goodman) and sister to associate pastor Jesse (series creator Danny McBride) and youth pastor Kelvin
