A documentary now streaming on Amazon is shining a spotlight on one of New Orleans’ strangest business arrangements. Dirty Dogs traces how a 1970s hot dog pushcart feud in the French Quarter went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and how the Court’s ruling cemented a city-sanctioned monopoly that excluded most would-be vendors.

Narrated by singer and “Gem of the Vieux Carré” Alicia Renee, also known as Blue Eyes, the 95-minute film blends archival footage with street-level storytelling to make the case for culinary equity and economic justice in one of the city’s most iconic neighborhoods while exposing the skullduggery of local politics.

The monopoly of Lucky Dogs was ultimately ended by the New Orleans City Council in November 2023, which then allowed a limited number of food vendors to operate within the French Quarter—which continues to this day.

Dirty Dogs marks the directorial debut and final project of Daytime Emmy-winning producer and writer Mark “Tye” Turner, known for Talk Soup and Blind Date. Turner began work on the film in 2017 with producing partner Brad Bohannan. After delays during the pandemic, filming wrapped in March 2024 and was fully edited by May.

Turner died unexpectedly in his sleep at age 62, shortly after submitting the film to more than 30 festivals. Co-producers Bohannan, Renee and Adrian Sosebee are now leading efforts to share the film with the public.

Dirty Dogs is now streaming on Amazon.