3/06/01

LC010306

VAL>> GOOD EVENING. I'M VAL ZAVALA, LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT ANCHOR AND VICE PRESIDENT OF KCET NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS. TONIGHT KCET IS PRESENTING A SPECIAL EDITION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

DURING THE COURSE OF ITS AWARD-WINNING EIGHT YEARS ON THE AIR, THIS SERIES HAS FEATURED A LOT OF STORIES THAT HAVE LEFT REAL LASTING IMPRESSIONS ON OUR VIEWERS. NOW THIS WEEK WE ARE CELEBRATING BY THANKING OUR FOUNDATION FRIENDS AND YOU, OUR VIEWERS, FOR YOUR SUPPORT. SO ENJOY A SAMPLING OF CLASSIC STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN GATHERED FROM THE BEST OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

WE'RE ALSO PROUD OF THE CONSISTENT QUALITY OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT AND ITS SUCCESS IS DUE LARGELY TO YOU AND YOUR ONGOING FINANCIAL SUPPORT. EACH AND EVERY CONTRIBUTION DOES HELP KCET IN PROVIDING ENRICHED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING LIKE THIS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN AND STAY TUNED TONIGHT AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT CREATIVITY IN LOS ANGELES FEATURING JAZZMAN, BUDDY COLLETTE, AND SONGWRITER, RANDY NEWMAN. THAT'S COMING UP NEXT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF THE BEST OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON AT LIFE AND TIMES IS TAPPING INTO THE TREMENDOUS CREATIVITY THAT THRIVES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. TONIGHT YOU'LL MEET THREE CREATIVE MINDS. JAZZ GREAT, BUDDY COLLETTE, SONGWRITER, RANDY NEWMAN, AND WE'LL TAKE YOU TO A NIGHT SPOT WHERE POETRY IS KING.

VAL>> BUT FIRST, RANDY NEWMAN. HE WROTE WHAT HAS BECOME L.A.'S THEME SONG, "I LOVE L.A.", BUT HE ALSO WROTE HUNDREDS OF OTHER SONGS AS WIDE-RANGING AS L.A. FREEWAYS. AMONG THEM, "SHORT PEOPLE" AND "SAIL AWAY". WELL, I HAD THE CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH RANDY NEWMAN AND LEARN WHAT'S BEHIND ALL THAT CREATIVE ENERGY.

[AT THE PIANO]

VAL>> RANDY NEWMAN HAS BEEN WRITING FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS, EVERYTHING FROM SATIRICAL SONGS TO MOVIE SCORES.

RANDY NEWMAN>> MUSICALLY, I DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT STUFF. I'M GLAD. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN MY LIFE THAT I'M WRITING WELL WHEN I'M TRYING TO WRITE.

VAL>> HE'S WON A GRAMMY, AN EMMY AND 13 OSCAR NOMINATIONS. 

DO YOU SAY, WOW, I'VE GOT IT GOOD, I'VE REALLY --

RANDY NEWMAN>> NO, I DON'T, BUT I KNOW THAT I GOT A JOB IN SHOW BUSINESS, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, I KNOW THAT BASICALLY I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT WHEN I CAN'T THINK OF SOMETHING TO DO.

[AT THE PIANO]

VAL>> FOR RANDY NEWMAN, MUSIC IS IN THE BLOOD.

[AT THE PIANO]

VAL>> BORN IN LOS ANGELES IN 1943, NEWMAN GREW UP IN A FAMILY OF MOTION PICTURE COMPOSERS. HIS UNCLE ALFRED WROTE THE THEME FOR 20TH CENTURY FOX. THE YOUNG NEWMAN BEGAN STUDYING MUSIC AT AGE SIX. BY HIS 20'S, HE WAS CRANKING OUT HITS FOR SINGERS LIKE JACKIE DESHANNON, JUDY COLLINS, GENE MCDANIELS, AND THE FLEETWOODS. IN 1968, NEWMAN MADE THE TRANSITION FROM SONGWRITER TO SINGER. ONE OF HIS EARLY HITS IS "I THINK IT'S GOING TO RAIN TODAY".

BEAUTIFUL SONG. HOW DID THAT ONE COME ABOUT?

RANDY NEWMAN>> UH, I DON'T REMEMBER. YOU KNOW, I WAS YOUNG AND DEPRESSED. I DON'T KNOW, I WAS LIKE 24 OR 25 THEN.

[AT THE PIANO]

VAL>> AND WHILE LOVE SONGS ARE THE STAPLE FOR MOST SONGWRITERS, FOR NEWMAN, THEY WERE TOO CONFINING.

RANDY NEWMAN>> I STARTED WRITING ABOUT THE WORLD OUTSIDE OF "RELATIONSHIPS". IT WASN'T ME ANYMORE SAYING I LOVE YOU, I WISH YOU LOVED ME, THIS IS BREAKING ME UP.

[AT THE PIANO]

VAL>> IN THE EARLY 70'S, NEWMAN MADE ANOTHER TRANSITION. HE GOT INTO THE FAMILY BUSINESS COMPOSING FOR TELEVISION AND MOVIES SUCH AS "RAGTIME", "THE NATURAL", "PARENTHOOD", "TOY STORY", "A BUG'S LIFE" AND "AWAKENINGS".

RANDY NEWMAN>> WHEN DE NIRO MEETS HIS MOTHER IN "AWAKENINGS", WHEN HE SORT OF CAME ALIVE AND THEY SEE EACH OTHER, I WORKED VERY HARD ON IT. IT'S GOOD, BUT COULD PROBABLY BE BETTER. I DON'T KNOW WHY.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> NEWMAN SAYS MOVIE MUSIC SHOULD ALWAYS ENHANCE, BUT NEVER DOMINATE, A SCENE.

RANDY NEWMAN>> IT'S SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU THINK THAT "AWAKENINGS" IS MAYBE A BETTER PICTURE THAN IT WAS, OR MAKE YOU FEEL SOMETHING WHERE MAYBE IT ISN'T THERE ON SCREEN, TO ENHANCE SOMETHING THAT IS THERE ON THE SCREEN.

[FILM CLIP]

RANDY NEWMAN>> I INTENDED TO WORK FOR THE FILM 100 PERCENT. I DON'T CARE WHETHER THE -- I DO CARE, BUT I MEAN IT'S INCIDENTAL WHETHER IT HAS A LIFE OUTSIDE OF IT.

VAL>> ASPIRING SONGWRITERS OFTEN SEND THEIR WORK TO NEWMAN. HE TELLS THEM, IF THEY LOVE IT, KEEP DOING IT.

RANDY NEWMAN>> I'M NOT GOING TO SAY YOU'VE BEEN WASTING YOUR TIME. YOU KNOW, GO INTO TEXTILES. I MEAN, IF YOU LOVE TO WRITE, THAT'S A GREAT THING. I DON'T LOVE TO WRITE.

VAL>> YOU DON'T LOVE TO WRITE?

RANDY NEWMAN>> NO. NEVER HAVE.

VAL>> TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE AT THE PIANO, YOU START A SONG, IS IT IN YOUR HEAD? DOES IT COME FROM YOUR FINGERS?

RANDY NEWMAN>> NO, IT COMES WITH (AT THE PIANO) SOME KIND OF FIGURE ON THE PIANO. YOU KNOW, AND I'LL SING [AT THE PIANO] YOU KNOW, NONSENSE SYLLABLES LIKE THAT. I MEAN, IF THAT WOULD -- IF I HAD TO WRITE SOMETHING, I MIGHT START LIKE THAT, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN MY HEAD. I'D JUST PLAY IT.

VAL>> BECAUSE A LOT IS IN -- THE TUNES ARE IN THEIR HEAD, THEY JUST HAVE TO WRITE IT, BUT NOT YOU?

RANDY NEWMAN>> REMIND ME TO COPYRIGHT THAT. IT COULD BE VERY VALUABLE.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER)

[AT THE PIANO]

RANDY NEWMAN>> WHEN I'M WRITING, I GET UP IN THE MORNING AND PUT IN SONGWRITING FOR FOUR HOURS AND THAT'S THE MOST I CAN DO.

VAL>> STILL TODAY?

RANDY NEWMAN>> NO, ALL MY LIFE, YES. I SET ASIDE TIME AND HAVE TO SHOW UP.

[AT THE PIANO]

RANDY NEWMAN>> I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF PALSY...(LAUGHTER)

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, NEWMAN HAS FOUND A NEW LOVE, THEATER. IN 1995, HE WROTE THE MUSICAL "FAUST" AND HIS LATEST PRODUCTION IS "THE EDUCATION OF RANDY NEWMAN", A COLLECTION OF OVER 40 OF HIS SONGS.

RANDY NEWMAN>> I THINK IF I COULD DO THEATER ALL THE TIME, I MIGHT LIKE THAT BETTER BECAUSE I CAN DO EVERYTHING I KNOW HOW TO DO. I COULD WRITE FOR ORCHESTRA, I COULD WRITE SONGS, I COULD WRITE DIALOG, BUT IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME FOR A PERSON LIKE ME. THAT FIELD. THEY'RE NOT DOING COMEDY MUCH.

VAL>> I DO RECALL READING YOU DIDN'T HAVE MANY KIND WORDS FOR "CATS".

RANDY NEWMAN>> I DIDN'T HAVE ANY WORDS. I JUST WENT..

VAL>> AT AGE 56, AFTER ABOUT A DOZEN ALBUMS AND HUNDREDS OF SONGS, RANDY NEWMAN ISN'T WORRIED ABOUT LEAVING HIS LEGACY. HIS SATIRE HAS EVEN EARNED HIM COMPARISONS TO MARK TWAIN.

RANDY NEWMAN>> I'VE YET TO SEE ANYTHING MENTION BEETHOVEN IN CONNECTION WITH ME, BUT I THINK THAT DAY IS FAST APPROACHING. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. I'M LOOKING FOR "NOT SINCE BEETHOVEN," AND THEN A STORY ABOUT ME.

JESS>> WE TURN NOW TO A JAZZ GREAT, BUDDY COLLETTE. BUDDY COLLETTE HAS MASTERED THE FLUTE, THE CLARINET AND THE SAXOPHONE. HE'S PLAYED WITH CHARLIE MINGUS AND CHICO HAMILTON AND HE WAS A MAJOR PART OF THE WEST COAST SOUND DURING ITS HEYDAY IN THE 50'S. WE MET HIM FIVE YEARS AGO AS HE WAS TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE AT AN INNER CITY HIGH SCHOOL HOW TO APPRECIATE THE MUSIC THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE. VAL HAS HIS STORY.

[PERFORMING]

VAL>> HE'S 75 NOW, A LIFELONG JAZZMAN WITH AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION AND LOTS OF LAURELS TO REST ON, BUT HE ISN'T RESTING. INSTEAD, HE SETS ASIDE SEVERAL AFTERNOONS OF EVERY BUSY WEEK TO PLANT THE SEEDS OF LOVE OF MUSIC IN THE STUDENTS OF A HOLLYWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL.

BUDDY COLLETTE STARTED COMING HERE TO LE CONTE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN 1995 AT THE INVITATION OF LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCILWOMAN, JACKIE GOLDBERG. HERSELF A FORMER TEACHER AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, GOLDBERG WAS BUILDING UP A MODEL AFTER-SCHOOL ARTS AND TUTORING PROGRAM TO KEEP KIDS OFF THE STREETS. COLLETTE WAS WILLING TO HELP.

BUDDY COLLETTE>> I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF PROGRAM I WOULD HAVE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO WE'D BE TEACHING. ALL I KNEW WAS THERE WAS A SCHOOLROOM WITH INSTRUMENTS. SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD, BUT IF YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE COLD AND YOU'LL BUILD A LITTLE HOUSE OR SOMETHING. SO I FIGURED IF I GET STUDENTS, WE'LL TEACH THEM TO BE MUSICIANS.

VAL>> COLLETTE RECRUITED SEVERAL FELLOW MUSICIANS TO JOIN HIM. THEY FOUND THE SCHOOL'S MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS COVERED WITH DUST. THEY HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR A DECADE SINCE CUTS IN FUNDING HAD PUT AN END TO THE SCHOOLS ONCE-THRIVING MUSIC PROGRAM.

NOW A DOZEN PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS JOINED COLLETTE IN VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME.

>> ONE LOW ONE AND THEN REST. OKAY, IT'S ONE AND THREE AND THIS IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.

VAL>> SOME OF THE STUDENTS ARE A LITTLE GREEN, WHILE OTHERS ALREADY SHOW PROMISE. SIXTH-GRADER, [MAHESH BALASERIA], WHOSE FAMILY IS FROM SRI LANKA, HAS NEVER TAKEN A FORMAL MUSIC LESSON, BUT HE HAS TAKEN TO JAZZ LIKE A BIRD TO THE AIR.

BUDDY COLLETTE>> TAKE A BREATH. TAKE A BREATH. IT'LL MAKE YOU SING MORE AND YOU'LL BE MORE RELAXED WITH BREATH. YOU PLAYED THE WHOLE SCALE IN ONE BREATH. IT'S OKAY, BUT IT'S LIKE SPEAKING WITHOUT TAKING A PAUSE AND HAVING A PERIOD, YOU FOLLOW? SO THIS TIME, TAKE A BREAK. IT'LL SOUND MUCH MORE MUSICAL. ONE, TWO, THREE, PLAY.

HE'S EXTREMELY TALENTED. ONE DAY WE WERE PLAYING A SONG AND HE DIDN'T KNOW IT AND HE JUST WANTED TO GET IN THERE AND PLAY. I SAID, WAIT, I'LL WRITE IT UP FOR YOU NEXT WEEK AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PLAY IT, AND YOU COULDN'T STOP HIM. HE WAS JUST -- SOMETHING HAD HIM FINDING THE NOTES. SO WHEN IT GETS TO YOU LIKE THAT, IT'S A WONDERFUL FEELING.

VAL>> FOR BUDDY COLLETTE, FINDING HIMSELF AT LE CONTE WAS AN AMAZING COINCIDENCE.

BUDDY COLLETTE>> IT'S A WHOLE BIG STORY THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME. I'M MEETING JACKIE GOLDBERG, SHE'S SAYING, "HEY, I GOT A SCHOOL FOR YOU. IT'S LE CONTE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THAT SCHOOL?" HAD I HEARD OF THE SCHOOL? SHE'S ASKING ME ABOUT THE SCHOOL WHERE IT PLAYED SUCH A ROLE IN MY LIFE, YOU KNOW? IN 1949, I WAS HIRED FROM THIS STAGE, AFTER I PLAYED ON THIS STAGE, WALKED DOWN THOSE STEPS AND JERRY FIELDING HAD SAID, "HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ON THE GROUCHO MARX SHOW?" IT WAS ONE OF THE BETTER SHOWS AT THE TIME. IT WAS A HIT SHOW AT THE TIME, AND I SAID, WELL, I'D LOVE TO.

VAL>> COLLETTE BECAME THE FIRST BLACK MUSICIAN TO INTEGRATE A WHITE BROADCAST STUDIO ORCHESTRA. WHEN HE WAS DISCOVERED IN LE CONTE'S AUDITORIUM, COLLETTE WAS PART OF AN INTER-RACIAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA THAT HE HAD HELPED FOUND AS PART OF A FIGHT TO END SEGREGATION IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS. AT THAT TIME, WHITE AND BLACK MUSICIANS HAD SEPARATE UNIONS.

BUDDY COLLETTE>> THERE WERE NO BLACKS THAT COULD JOIN THE WHITE UNION THEN AND NO WHITES WHO COULD JOIN THE BLACKS. THAT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WAS SET UP. SOMETIMES THEY TRIED. LIKE THEY'D SAY, I'M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN JOIN THE WHITE UNION. WE'D GO OVER THERE AND THEY'D SAY, YOU CAN'T JOIN HERE. YOUR UNION IS OVER ON ... YOU KNOW? SO WE KNEW THAT, WE LIVED WITH THAT, BUT IT KIND OF BOTHERED US, ESPECIALLY ONCE YOU'VE BEEN IN THE SERVICE WITH THEM, AND WE SAID ONE DAY WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO CHANGE THAT.

VAL>> COLLETTE AND THE OTHERS WHO WORKED WITH HIM WON THEIR FIGHT IN 1953 WHEN THE BLACK AND WHITE UNIONS MERGED.

BUDDY COLLETTE>> "PERDIDO". THIS IS A DUKE ELLINGTON AND JUAN CAESAR COMPOSITION, AND WE'LL START OFF WITH OUR PIANIST, MR. MARTY HARRIS.

[PERFORMING]

VAL>> EVERY MONDAY AFTERNOON FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL LESSONS, COLLETTE AND HIS FELLOW TEACHERS PERFORMED FOR THE STUDENTS. THE AFTER-SCHOOL OPPORTUNITY IS ONE THAT MOST SCHOOLS USED TO PROVIDE AS PART OF THEIR REGULAR CURRICULUM. COLLETTE HIMSELF HAD HIS FIRST SAXOPHONE LESSON AT HIS LOS ANGELES JUNIOR HIGH. THAT DIDN'T PLEASE HIS GRANDMOTHER, WHO TOOK HIM TO PIANO LESSONS WITH THE HOPE THAT HE WOULD BECOME A CLASSICAL PIANIST. BUT BUDDY RESISTED THE PIANO. HE WANTED TO PLAY THE SAXOPHONE. WHEN HIS GRANDMOTHER SAID NO, HE TURNED TO HIS SCHOOL'S INSTRUMENTAL CLASSES. BEFORE LONG, HE HAD HIS OWN BAND.

BUDDY COLLETTE>> I THINK IT'S A SHAME THAT, IN MANY CASES, A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE CUT OUT OF THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, NO FUNDS.

WE'RE OUT DOING WHAT IT REALLY TAKES. THE GIVING BACK, I THINK, IS AS IMPORTANT THAN -- IN FACT, IT MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT -- THAN JUST RECEIVING HELP.

SO THE PROGRAM IS VERY FREE, VERY LOOSE. YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF THEM WHO WORK HARD AT THIS BEING FINE MUSICIANS IN TWO OR THREE YEARS. THIS TEACHES YOU DISCIPLINE. IT TEACHES YOU BALANCE. IT TEACHES YOU RHYTHM AND STRUCTURE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL COULD USE MORE OF, YOU KNOW? BECAUSE WHEN YOUR BODY'S MOVING TO THE MUSIC OR YOU DANCE A LITTLE BIT OR YOU SING A LITTLE BIT, YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO AUTOMATICALLY BE MUCH MORE HAPPIER. IT REALLY WILL. IN OTHER WORDS, IF THERE'S NOTHING TO SING ABOUT AND DANCE AND TALK ABOUT, WELL, WE'RE ALL IN TROUBLE. IT'S BEEN VERY MAGICAL, IF WE COULD CALL IT THAT. IT'S JUST MUSIC, PERIOD.

JESS>> WE TURN NOW FROM MUSIC TO WORDS. POETRY MAY HAVE BEEN THAT STUFF IN HIGH SCHOOL YOU TRIED DESPERATELY TO AVOID. BUT ONCE A WEEK, IN A SMALL THEATER IN THE CRENSHAW DISTRICT, POETRY IS KING. POETS AND POETRY LOVERS COME FROM RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO TO TAKE PART IN WORKSHOPS WHERE POEMS ARE APPLAUDED AND CRITIQUED. TONIGHT WE TAKE YOU INSIDE THE WORLD STAGE WRITERS WORKSHOP IN LEIMERT PARK.

GAY YEE>> TUCKED NEAR THE CRENSHAW DISTRICT IN BALDWIN HILLS IS A VILLAGE KNOWN AS LEIMERT PARK. IT'S HOME TO THE WORLD STAGE WRITERS WORKSHOP, A GRASS ROOTS PROGRAM DEDICATED TO PRODUCING SERIOUS POETS.

MICHAEL DATCHER>> POETRY FOR US HERE IS A MEDIUM FOR TELLING THE TRUTH, WHATEVER YOUR TRUTH MAY BE. NOT THE TRUTH, BUT A TRUTH AS IT COMES FROM THE HEART OF THE POET. UNLIKE MOST OF US WHO LIVE IN THE WORLD AND ARE GOING THROUGHOUT OUR DAY AND PUTTING ON OUR MASKS, THE PEOPLE COME TO THE WORLD STAGE TO PULL THEIR MASKS OFF.

"TWO POETS STAND BEFORE DOOR NUMBER ONE LIKE INDECISIVE LET'S MAKE A DEAL CONTESTANTS, THEIR GROTESQUE PRIZES A WEEPING EPILOGUE OF VICIOUS SOUNDTRACK TO A HOUSEMATE BEATING HIS WOMAN".

GAY YEE>> MICHAEL DATCHER IS DIRECTOR OF LITERARY PROGRAMS AT THE WORLD STAGE. HE HAD BEEN ON THE CORPORATE TRACK AS A STUDENT AT UC BERKELEY UNTIL A LITERATURE COURSE CHANGED HIS LIFE. NOW POETRY IS HIS PASSION.

MICHAEL DATCHER>> FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ARTICULATE OUR HUMANITY, VERY OFTEN POETRY SERVES AN INCREDIBLE FUNCTION. IT'S A CHANCE TO SAY, "THIS IS WHO I AM. HERE'S HOW I DEFINE MYSELF", AND TO DO SO IN A HIGH ART FORM.

>> "WHERE IS MY SISTER? WHO ARE MY BROTHERS?"

GAY YEE>> ONE OF THE WORKSHOP REGULARS IS DEE BLACK. HE WORKS WITH CHILDREN DURING THE DAY AND BEGAN WRITING POETRY TWO YEARS AGO.

DEE BLACK>> "I ROLL THE CARPET OUT FOR THREE CHILDREN LOOKING FOR SPADES IN A DECK OF POKEMON CARDS, USING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TO COMB PASSION THROUGH THEIR HEADS."

MICHAEL DATCHER>> PEOPLE DON'T REALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO ENGAGE EACH OTHER AT A VERY INTIMATE LEVEL. WHAT POETRY PROVIDES IS A VEHICLE, A VERY IMMEDIATE VEHICLE, TO REALLY ENGAGE SOMEONE'S PERSONAL LIFE IN A DIRECT FASHION.

>> "NOTHING CAN BE SAID AND, ALTHOUGH NOTHING CAN BE SAID, WE GOT TO KEEP ON TALKING."

MICHAEL DATCHER>> I THINK IF NOTHING CAN BE SAID, THEN WHY HAVE THE POEM, YOU KNOW? I THINK THE PIECE IS A VERY STRONG PIECE FOR THE MOST PART, BUT THE OPENING IS NOT VERY STRONG. MY JOB IS TO GIVE POETS THE TOOLS, THE REALLY BASIC AND PRACTICAL TOOLS, TO MAKE THEIR WORK SING, AS WE LIKE TO SAY IN THIS WORKSHOP, USE OF METAPHORS, USE OF JUST BASIC KIND OF POETRY TOOLS THAT CAN MAKE A PERSON'S WORK BETTER OR MORE PUBLISHABLE.

>> "I SAW THE BABY IN THE GLOW OF YOUR FACE."

>> TO ME, THE WORLD "GLOW" IS UNNECESSARY. I THINK THAT IT IS MUCH MORE ELEMENTAL AND MUCH MORE BRACING TO HAVE THE BABY IN THE FACE OF THE MOTHER BECAUSE THE GLOW IS SOME REFLECTION.

MICHAEL DATCHER>> THE CROWD CAN BE A VERY DIFFICULT CROWD FOR THOSE WHO REALLY AREN'T SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR CRAFT. WHAT THAT DOES, IT GIVES THE WORLD STAGE A CHANCE TO REALLY ENCOURAGE WRITERS TO TAKE THEIR CRAFT VERY, VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.

WILLIAM ARCHILLA>> "THE GROUND CRACKED LIKE THE ROUGH PIT OF A PEACH."

GAY YEE>> LIKE WILLIAM ARCHILA, A SCHOOL TEACHER WHO WAS RECENTLY AWARDED A PRESTIGIOUS POETRY FELLOWSHIP.

WILLIAM ARCHILLA>> "INSTEAD, WE SHINE BOOTS OF U.S. TROOPS AND SILENCE OUR LANGUAGE IN A SPIT DEAD AND DULLED LIKE THE MARROW OF A BONE CAUGHT IN THE YELLOW JAW OF A DOG."

GAY YEE>> SOME POETS ACTUALLY MAKE A LIVING WRITING, LIKE JASON EDMONDS, A GRADUATE STUDENT AT UC SAN DIEGO.

MICHAEL DATCHER>> WE REALLY BELIEVE IN STUDYING AND READING POETS. WE THINK THE BEST POETS ARE THOSE WHO READ POETS AND LEARN WHAT THEY CAN FROM THOSE WHO'VE COME BEFORE THEM, AND THEN TO ADD ON TO THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THEN TRY TO KIND OF COBBLE TOGETHER DIFFERENT INFLUENCES THROUGH YOUR OWN PERSONAL FILTER AND THEN, FROM THAT, DEFINE YOUR OWN STYLE, SPEAK YOUR OWN TRUTH, FIND A WAY TO BE YOURSELF ON THE PAGE AND BE YOURSELF IN PERFORMANCE.

>> "I WANT A GROWN WOMAN IN MY BED, C'MON. TO INCH EVERY SKIN OF HER WITH REVERENCE ON MY FACE. HER TOUCH CALIBRATED BY WEIGHTLESS LAUGHTER. WE WILL SHAKE WRONG OUT THE SHEETS."

>> "YOU ARE A GENERIC LABEL ON AN OUTDATED PACKAGE. HAVE BECOME SPOILED. I'M TOO LAZY TO THROW YOU OUT, LET YOU TAKE UP SPACE AND COLLECT DUST IN HEART CLOSETS. AFRAID OF MY OWN SKELETONS, I LET YOURS DANCE LIKE GHOST ANGELS ON TABOO SANDS, CALLING SELF-LOVE, BURNING HOLES AND FORKED TONGUE LICKING YESTERDAY'S WOUNDS TO PREPARE FOR TODAY'S LACERATIONS."

>> "I LIVE IN NICKERSON GARDENS, WINDSOR TERRACE AND LINCOLN COURTS. SURELY NATIVE SON LIVES JUST AS RICH OR RIGHT WAS. I MEAN, BIGGER THOMAS IS STILL A NIGGER. GET JIGGY WITH IT. EVEN WHEN THEY WRECK OUR PJS, REDEVELOP OUR GHETTOS INTO INNER CITY BROWNSTONES. MOVE ME OUT, PAY US $50 DON'T COME BACK CASH."

MICHAEL DATCHER>> IN A PLACE LIKE LA, A TOWN THAT'S INCREDIBLY POLARIZED ON THE CLASS LEVEL AS WELL AS ON THE LEVEL OF RACE, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ENGAGED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEY ARE.

JEYNONE ADAMS>> "KEEP ME. WHEN I AM NAKED AND CANNOT CLOTHE MY SPIRIT IN SMILES, WHEN PAIN FEELS BIGGER THAN BLESSING, FAMILY LIKE A BED OF STRANGERS AND YOU, GOD, ARE NOT THE FRIEND I WANT TO TALK TO."

GAY YEE>> JEYNONE ADAMS WAS WORKING AT XEROX WHEN SHE BEGAN WRITING A NOVEL. SHE RECENTLY SOLD IT TO SIMON & SCHUSTER FOR SIX FIGURES AND HAS BECOME A FULL-TIME WRITER.

JEYNONE ADAMS>> "BE MY EVERYTHING, EVEN WHEN I FORGET THAT YOU ARE, AND KEEP ME."

MICHAEL DATCHER>> IT'S A VERY TIGHT-KNIT GROUP OF ARTISTS WHO COME TO THE WORLD STAGE. THE RESULT IS AN AMAZING COLLECTION OF ARTISTS WHO ARE VERY, VERY BEHIND EACH OTHER AND SUPPORTIVE OF EACH OTHER, WHO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT BECAUSE THEY KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS JUST TO STAND UP IN FRONT OF SOMEONE AND TO TELL THE TRUTH TO ANYONE, NOT TO MENTION STRANGERS.

MICHAEL DATCHER>> "DON'T COME BETWEEN A MAN AND HIS WOMAN, DON'T COME BETWEEN A MAN AND HIS WOMAN, DON'T COME BETWEEN A MAN..."

VAL>> SO ARE YOU A CLOSET POET? WELL, HERE'S THE NUMBER TO CALL IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORLD STAGE WRITERS WORKSHOP.

[323-293-2451]

JESS>> GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US FOR THIS EDITION OF THE BEST OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT. UNTIL NEXT TIME, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

TO REACH US AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, CALL 323-953-5555. SEND US AN E-MAIL TO LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG OR LOG ONTO OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG TO SEND MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS OF TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.