5/23/01 (repeat 07/04/02)

LC010523

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> FORGET WHAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY. THINGS ARE CHANGING HERE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> SANTA ANA IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE CHANGE THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS MUCH OF ORANGE COUNTY, MAINLY IN THE NORTHERN SECTION WHERE MINORITY NUMBERS HAVE NEARLY DOUBLED OVER THE PAST DECADE.

RAYMOND RANGEL>> IN MY TIME, THE ANGLO POPULATION WOULD CONTROL THE LATINOS BECAUSE WE ONLY HAD MAYBE ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN BARRIOS.

VAL>> IN TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS, FROM MODEST BEGINNINGS IN ANAHEIM TO THE CORRIDORS OF POWER. MEET CONGRESSWOMAN, LORETTA SANCHEZ.

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> I'M HISPANIC, I'M A WOMAN, I'M A DEMOCRAT, I'M FROM CALIFORNIA AND I BEAT A GUY WHO WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST CONSERVATIVE GUY EVER.

JESS>> AND IT'S THE GUITAR OF CHOICE FOR THE WORLD'S GREATEST ROCKERS AND WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT CAME FROM ORANGE COUNTY? WE'LL TAKE YOU TO THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE FENDER GUITAR, INSTRUMENT OF CHOICE FOR JIMI HENDRIX, ERIC CLAPTON AND "THE BOSS".

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON A SPECIAL EDITION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, ON THE ROAD IN ORANGE COUNTY.

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>> HELLO, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, ON THE ROAD IN ORANGE COUNTY.

VAL>> WE'RE HERE IN DOWNTOWN SANTA ANA, A CITY THAT HAS GONE THROUGH CHANGES THAT REFLECT CHANGES ACROSS THE COUNTY.

JESS>> WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING THE NEXT HALF HOUR LOOKING AT A COUNTY THAT'S LONG BEEN DESCRIBED AS RICH, WHITE AND REPUBLICAN, BUT IT NOW HAS A NEW IMAGE.

VAL>> IN FACT, THE CITY OF SANTA ANA IS 75 PERCENT LATINO AND, AS PHILIP BRUCE REPORTS, THAT SHIFT HAS NOT COME WITHOUT CONFLICT.

PHILIP>> IN THE OLD DOWNTOWN OF SANTA ANA, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF LANDMARKS. HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, SPANISH ART AND THEN THERE'S RAYMOND RANGEL. JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS HIM AND THE WESTERN WEAR STORE HE'S RUN FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS.

RAYMOND RANGEL>> THAT'S CROCODILE.

PHILIP>> HE JOKINGLY TELLS PEOPLE THAT HE WAS HISPANIC BEFORE IT BECAME POPULAR, BUT IN ORANGE COUNTY, THAT WASN'T ALWAYS EASY, ESPECIALLY WHEN RAYMOND WAS A BOY.

RAYMOND RANGEL>> WE HAD A LOT OF DISCRIMINATION IN OUR TIME. I KNOW WHEN WE USED TO GO TO THE MOVIES, WE USED TO HAVE TO GO UP TO THE SECOND DECK BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW NO MEXICANS ON THE FIRST DECK.

PHILIP>> THE WEST COAST THEATER WHERE RAYMOND SPENT MANY MATINEES IN THE BALCONY IS STILL AROUND, BUT IT STOPPED RUNNING MOVIES A LONG TIME AGO. IT'S NOW A CHURCH. AND THAT'S NOT ALL THAT'S CHANGED IN SANTA ANA. ACCORDING TO THE LATEST CENSUS, THE CITY IS NOW 75 PERCENT LATINO. SEGREGATION IS JUST A BAD MEMORY AND, AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS OF BEING TOLD WHERE TO SIT, RAYMOND RANGEL NOW BELIEVES LATINOS HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE IN ORANGE COUNTY. A BIG CHANGE, HE SAYS, FROM WHEN THIS TOWN WAS MOSTLY WHITE AND WHEN MOST LATINOS CHOSE NOT TO ROCK THE BOAT.

RAYMOND RANGEL>> WELL, OF COURSE, IN MY TIME, THE ANGLO POPULATION WOULD CONTROL THE LATINOS BECAUSE WE ONLY HAD MAYBE ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN BARRIOS WHICH WAS ALL IN ORANGE COUNTY AND THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN, A LOT OF THEM, I MEAN, THEY COME IN TO WORK.

PHILIP>> SANTA ANA IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE CHANGE THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS MUCH OF ORANGE COUNTY, MAINLY IN THE NORTHERN SECTION WHERE MINORITY NUMBERS HAVE NEARLY DOUBLED OVER THE PAST DECADE. LOOK AT THE COUNTY'S OVERALL POPULATION. IN 1990, IT WAS MORE THAN 80 PERCENT CAUCASIAN. TODAY THE WHITE POPULATION HAS DROPPED TO JUST OVER 70 PERCENT. NOW LOOK WHERE THE NUMBERS HAVE SURGED OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS. LATINOS UP BY 90 PERCENT. ASIANS UP BY 93 PERCENT. AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICANS, THE GAINS ARE LESS, BUT STILL SIZEABLE, UP 48 PERCENT. CHRISTIAN COLLET, A POLITICAL SCIENTIST AT UC IRVINE, SAYS THOSE NUMBERS SHATTER THE OLD STEREOTYPE THAT ORANGE COUNTY IS ONLY A LAND OF WHITE SUBURBANITES.

CHRISTIAN COLLET>> WHAT WE SEE IN THE CENSUS DATA ARE REALLY SOMETHING QUITE THE OPPOSITE AND THAT WE ARE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY WITH LATINOS AND ASIAN-AMERICANS REALLY COMING TO, I THINK, CONSTITUTE A VERY SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THE COMMUNITY.

PHILIP>> COLLET POINTS TO THE BURGEONING VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY, LITTLE SAIGON, AS ONE PLACE WHERE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH AND UPWARD MOBILITY ARE BOTH TAKING PLACE. AND WITH THAT, HE SAYS, COME NEW DEMANDS FOR A GREATER VOICE IN THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT.

CHRISTIAN COLLET>> I THINK WHAT WE'LL SEE, PHILIP, IS AN INCREASE IN REPRESENTATION FROM MINORITY COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THE VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN COMMUNITY WHICH IS JUST NOW BEGINNING TO ESTABLISH A VOICE POLITICALLY AND UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE PROCESSES OF AMERICAN POLITICS, AND I THINK THAT THAT WILL TRANSLATE INTO MORE REPRESENTATION. WHAT, OF COURSE, WE'RE SEEING NOW ALREADY IS THE ASSERTION OF THE LATINO POLITICAL VOICE.

PHILIP>> IN SANTA ANA, LATINOS HAVE NOT ONLY MOVED OUT OF THE BARRIO, THEY'VE MOVED INTO THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF POWER HERE INCLUDING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. BUT IN THIS THRIVING OLD DOWNTOWN DISTRICT WHICH HAS SUCH A STRONG LATINO FLARE, SOME BUSINESS OWNERS FEAR THEY'RE BEING SOLD OUT BY THE HISPANIC REPRESENTATIVES THEY HELPED ELECT. THE BUZZ WORD HERE IS "DELATINIZATION". THAT'S HOW SOME LATINO MERCHANTS DESCRIBE WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS AN EFFORT BY THE OLD ANGLO POWER BASE TO RECLAIM THIS DISTRICT.

COURTNEY PERKS>> I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THE CITY FIRMLY SAYS IS NOT THE CASE.

PHILIP>> COURTNEY PERKS COVERS SANTA ANA FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. SHE SAYS SOME LATINO MERCHANTS FEEL THEY'RE NOT GIVEN ENOUGH CREDIT FOR REVIVING THE OLD DOWNTOWN, AND MANY BELIEVE, NOW THAT THE AREA IS BOOMING, ANGLOS WANT TO STEP IN AND TAKE IT BACK.

COURTNEY PERKS>> THERE ARE SOME IMMIGRANTS AS WELL AS SOME BUSINESSES HERE ON FOURTH STREET THAT FEELS AS IF THEY AREN'T GIVEN ENOUGH OF A PRIORITY HERE, BUT THEN THERE WOULD BE OTHERS IN THE CITY WHO WOULD ARGUE THAT FOURTH STREET SHOULD BECOME MORE OF A DIVERSE PLACE.

PHILIP>> SANTA ANA'S MAYOR, MIGUEL PULIDO, DECLINED OUR OFFER TO BE ON THIS PROGRAM, BUT HIS SUPPORTERS HERE SAY HE'S DETERMINED TO BE MAYOR OF ALL THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST LATINOS, AND THEY GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR MUCH OF THE PROGRESS THAT'S OCCURRED IN THIS TOWN INCLUDING THE RECENT ESTABLISHMENT OF A FOREIGN TRADE OFFICE WITH MEXICO. BUT CRITICS SAY CITY HALL HAS BEEN TOO QUICK TO CRACK DOWN ON SMALL LATINO MERCHANTS, LIKE THE RECENT BATTLE WITH PUSHCART VENDORS. SOON A NEW ORDINANCE WILL REQUIRE ALL THE CARTS TO BE PAINTED IDENTICALLY AND ALL THE VENDORS WILL HAVE TO TRADE THEIR T-SHIRTS AND TENNIS SHOES FOR COLORFUL LATIN COSTUMES.

COURTNEY PERKS>> IT WOULD BE A TRADITIONAL MEXICAN SHIRT, BUT THAT WAY EVERYONE WOULD BE WEARING THE SAME THING RATHER THAN THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL WARDROBES, SO I DON'T KNOW IF PERHAPS THAT'S INTENDED TO BE KIND OF A TOURIST DRAW AS WELL, BUT THAT'S THE PLAN.

PHILIP>> SAM ROMERO SAYS, FOR ALL THE GAINS THAT LATINOS HAVE MADE IN ORANGE COUNTY, THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO. HE'S AN OWNER OF A CHRISTIAN BOOK STORE AND A FREQUENT CRITIC OF WHAT HE CALLS THE "GOOD OL' BOY" NETWORK WHICH HE CLAIMS IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL AT CITY HALL AND ACROSS THE COUNTY.

SAM ROMERO>> THERE'S GOT TO BE CHANGES WITHIN ALL ASPECTS OF GOVERNMENT AND YOU HAVE TO OPEN THOSE DOORS FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY AS EQUAL PARTNERS. LOOK AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE'VE GOT FIVE DISTRICTS THERE AND NO HISPANICS. THEY'RE ALL REPUBLICANS AND I DON'T THINK IT'S HEALTHY.

PHILIP>> BUT IS IT A BETTER PLACE THAN IT WAS 50 YEARS AGO? YOU BET, SAYS RAYMOND RANGEL. AND IN A TOWN THAT'S NOW THREE-FOURTHS HISPANIC, THE KEY, HE SAYS, IS PUTTING ALL THE OLD PROBLEMS BEHIND AND LOOKING AHEAD.

RAYMOND RANGEL>> MY MAIN THING IS, I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S EDUCATION. THAT IS THE FORCE THAT IS GOING TO BRING THE LATINO INTO BEING. FORGET ABOUT THE PREJUDICES THAT WE USED TO HAVE AND CONCENTRATE ON TRYING TO BE GOOD CITIZENS AND PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.

PHILIP>> IN SANTA ANA, I'M PHILIP BRUCE FOR LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

JESS>> IN TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS, THE PERSON WHO PERSONIFIES THE CHANGES IN ORANGE COUNTY, LORETTA SANCHEZ.

VAL>> SANCHEZ, OF COURSE, IS THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN WHO DEFEATED ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE, BOB DORNAN. THAT WAS BACK IN 1996.

JESS>> SHE'S NOW IN HER THIRD TERM AND HAS PICKED UP CLOUT ALONG THE WAY. VAL RECENTLY HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH THIS NEW POWER IN POLITICS, CONGRESSWOMAN LORETTA SANCHEZ.

VAL>> LORETTA SANCHEZ WALKS DOWN GARDEN GROVE'S MAIN STREET IN THE HEART OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT SHE CALLS HER OWN. IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO SEE THAT CONGRESSWOMAN SANCHEZ IS A NATURAL POLITICIAN. YET THERE'S NOT MUCH IN HER BACKGROUND THAT WOULD PREDICT SHE'D BE WIELDING POWER IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL.

THIS IS WHERE SHE GREW UP, A MODEST HOME IN ANAHEIM. SHE WAS THE SECOND OF SEVEN CHILDREN, THE OLDEST GIRL IN A TRADITIONAL MEXICAN-AMERICAN IMMIGRANT FAMILY WHERE A POLITICAL OFFICE WAS AS REMOTE AS A CHAUFFEUR. 

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> MY MOM STAYED AT HOME AND SHE COOKED THREE MEALS A DAY AND MY DAD WORKED ALL THE TIME.

VAL>> AND WHAT DID HE DO?

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> MY DAD WORKED IN A RUBBER AND PLASTICS FACTORY AND HE WOULD RETOOL WHEN NEW LINES CAME IN, SO WE WOULD ALWAYS GET THINGS LIKE SUPER BALLS AND HULA HOOPS, ANYTHING MADE OF PLASTIC. WE USUALLY HAD TONS OF THEM IN OUR HOUSE. (LAUGHTER) MY DAD PROBABLY MADE ABOUT $16,000 A YEAR WHICH, FOR A FAMILY OF NINE, WAS PROBABLY AT THE POVERTY LEVEL.

VAL>> GROWING UP IN ORANGE COUNTY IN THE 50'S, POOR AND MEXICAN-AMERICAN ALSO MEANT DISCRIMINATION, THOUGH LORETTA WAS SHIELDED FROM MOST OF IT.

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> MY PARENTS ALWAYS KEPT US AWAY FROM ANY DISCRIMINATION OR STEREOTYPING. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY PUT A POOL IN OUR BACK YARD SO THE KIDS WOULD COME AND PLAY IN OUR YARD AND SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE PUBLIC POOL WHERE THERE WERE LIMITS TO WHEN YOU COULD GO SWIMMING.

VAL>> BECAUSE YOU WERE MEXICAN, THEY LIMITED YOU --

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> -- YES, YES.

VAL>> LORETTA GRADUATED FROM CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY AND WENT ON TO GET HER MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., BUT HER POLITICAL EDUCATION HAPPENED MORE GRADUALLY AND WOULD TAKE HER ACROSS PARTY LINES. IT BEGAN BY REGISTERING REPUBLICAN.

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> WHEN I FIRST REGISTERED TO VOTE, I PROBABLY REGISTERED TO VOTE AS A REPUBLICAN BECAUSE MY CIVICS PROFESSOR SAID, "YOU KNOW, IF YOU REGISTER AS A REPUBLICAN, YOU GET TO VOTE IN THE PRIMARY WHEREAS THERE ARE NO PRIMARY CHALLENGES ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE". I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT MEANT TO BE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT OR ANY PARTY AFFILIATION, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH. I JUST KNEW THAT I WANTED TO VOTE.

VAL>> SHE WENT ON TO WORK IN MUNICIPAL FINANCE FOR ORANGE COUNTY. LATER SHE STARTED HER OWN CONSULTING BUSINESS. BEING REPUBLICAN FIT WELL INTO THE WORLD OF ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS, BUT AS SHE BECAME MORE INTERESTED IN POLITICS, SHE FOUND HERSELF INCREASINGLY AT ODDS WITH REPUBLICAN VIEWS.

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> ONE OF THE THINGS I SAW WAS PAT BUCHANAN iN THE '92 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION ON TELEVISION SAYING, YOU KNOW, THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE BAD AND PULL UP THE DRAWBRIDGE AND WOMEN ARE BAD AND WOMEN SHOULD BE JUST IN THE HOME, AND I THOUGHT, GOSH, AND I SAW MY MOM IN THE HOME ALL DAY LONG AND THE ONE THING SHE WOULD TELL ME IS, "MAKE SURE YOU GET AN EDUCATION SO YOU CAN GET OUT OF THE HOME."

I JUST THOUGHT THAT ANY GUY THAT WOULD SAY THIS IS NOT REALLY THE TYPE OF PARTY I WANT TO BELONG TO. SO I WENT DOWN AND I CHANGED MY REGISTRATION AS A DEMOCRAT AND I STARTED GIVING MONEY TO DEMOCRATS, I STARTED GETTING MORE INVOLVED, I STARTED GOING TO POLITICAL EVENTS AND THEN I REALIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST GOING TO HAVE TO RUN TO CHANGE SOME THINGS IN ORANGE COUNTY.

VAL>> SO IN 1995 WITH VIRTUALLY NO POLITICAL EXPERIENCE, SHE SET HER SIGHTS ON THE SEAT HELD BY ARCH-CONSERVATIVE, BOB DORNAN. DORNAN WAS SO CONSERVATIVE THAT EVEN SOME FELLOW REPUBLICANS CONSIDERED HIM A LIABILITY. LORETTA, HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS LAUNCHED A GRASS ROOTS CAMPAIGN THAT GAINED SPEED.

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> I TOOK THE MONEY FROM SELLING MY CONDOMINIUM. I TOOK THAT MONEY AND I INVESTED IT IN MY RACE AND MY HUSBAND AND I AND MY FAMILY WALKED DOOR TO DOOR EVERY DAY ASKING PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR US, AND THAT'S HOW WE BEAT THEIR CANDIDATE.

VAL>> THEN IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS OF NOVEMBER '96, LORETTA PULLED OFF WHAT HAD BEEN DUBBED A DAVID AND GOLIATH VICTORY OVER REPUBLICAN, BOB DORNAN. IT WAS A NARROW VICTORY, BUT A VICTORY NONETHELESS, AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS AN UPCOMING LATINA DEMOCRAT FROM, OF ALL PLACES, ORANGE COUNTY.

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> BUT IT REALLY SURPRISED ME HOW EXCITED PEOPLE WERE, WHAT ATTENTION CAME AFTER I BEAT HIM.

VAL>> WHEN WE WENT TO HER CHILDHOOD HOME, HER FATHER CAME OUT BRINGING WITH HIM THE MAGAZINE THAT FEATURED HIS WASHINGTON-BOUND DAUGHTER.

VAL>> SHE SAYS YOU DEMANDED STRAIGHT A'S.

FATHER OF LORETTA SANCHEZ>> I WAS VERY HARD ON THEM. WHEN SHE WENT TO KATELLA HIGH SCHOOL, I MADE HER TAKE MATH AND SCIENCE AND ALL THAT.

VAL>> NOT THE EASY COURSES, THAT'S RIGHT.

FATHER OF LORETTA SANCHEZ>> NOT THE EASY COURSES. (LAUGHTER) IT PAID OFF.

VAL>> NOW IN HER THIRD TERM, LORETTA DESCRIBES HERSELF AS A MODERATE DEMOCRAT AND SHE'S ALSO CAREFUL NOT TO LET HER LATINO IDENTITY DOMINATE.

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO THE LATINO COMMUNITY AND I CARE ABOUT THEM, SURE, BECAUSE I AM ONE OF THEM. I THINK IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THEM INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS AND I HOPE THAT OTHER GROUPS DON'T THINK, BECAUSE OUR GROUP IS EXCITED TO SEE US RUN, THAT SOMEHOW WE'RE GOING TO BE EXCLUSIONARY TOWARD THE OTHER GROUPS. IF ANYTHING, WE BEND OVER BACKWARD TRYING TO WORK WITH THE OTHERS TO SHOW THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING PREFERENCE TO OUR OWN.

>> WE ALWAYS VOTED FOR THE DEMOCRATS IN ORANGE COUNTY. I KNOW, I'VE LIVED -- WELL, I'M OLD --

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> -- YOU'RE NOT OLD. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE WRINKLE --

VAL>> AS FOR THE FUTURE, WELL, FOR THE MOMENT, SHE'S BUSY WORKING ON EDUCATION AND DEFENSE COMMITTEES AND FLYING BACK AND FORTH EACH WEEKEND.

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> I'M GOING BACK TONIGHT, YES.

VAL>> AND THERE IS ONE THING LORETTA SANCHEZ DREAMS OF DOING. YOU WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO GO UP IN A SPACE SHUTTLE? (LAUGHTER)

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> OH, WOULDN'T THAT BE GREAT? OF COURSE. IN FACT, WHEN DAN GOLDEN FIRST CAME TO VISIT ME -- HE WAS THE NASA ADMINISTRATOR UNDER CLINTON -- I SAID, "WHEN DO I GET TO GO UP IN THE SPACE SHUTTLE?"

VAL>> ARE YOU SERIOUS?

LORETTA SANCHEZ>> OH, ABSOLUTELY. IF I HAD A CHANCE, I WOULD GO. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS YOUNG, MY DAD ALWAYS MADE ME TAKE MATH AND SCIENCE BECAUSE HE WANTED ME TO BE A MADAME CURIE IN A SPACESHIP. HE WANTED ME TO BE A RESEARCH SCIENTIST UP IN SPACE. SO I'VE ALWAYS HAD A FASCINATION WITH SPACE AND JUST WHAT GOES BEYOND OUR OWN WORLD.

VAL>> AND DON'T SELL THIS WOMAN SHORT. IF THERE'S ONE THING LORETTA SANCHEZ ISN'T AFRAID OF DOING, IT'S SHOOTING FOR THE MOON.

OUR ORANGE COUNTY ROAD TRIP TAKES US NEXT TO FULLERTON. NOW YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THIS, BUT FULLERTON IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE ELECTRIC GUITAR.

JESS>> LEO FENDER, THE FATHER OF THE FENDER GUITAR, WAS BORN HERE. HE DEVELOPED HIS TELECASTERS AND STRATOCASTERS RIGHT HERE IN FULLERTON.

VAL>> AND NOW THE FULLERTON MUSEUM CENTER HAS AN EXHIBITION ENTITLED "A SHOWER OF BRILLIANCE: LEO FENDER AND HIS ELECTRIC GUITARS". JESS MARLOW INTRODUCES US TO THIS HOMETOWN HERO.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> RICHARD SMITH, WHO HAS WRITTEN MUCH ABOUT LEO FENDER AND CURATED THIS SHOW, IS THAT THE FACE THAT LAUNCHED ROCK AND ROLL?

RICHARD SMITH>> YEAH, IT'S FUNNY, ISN'T IT? HE STUDIED AS AN ACCOUNTANT. IT WAS HIS FIRST JOB, WORKED FOR THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AND THEN REPAIRED RADIOS. AFTER THE DEPRESSION, HE LOST THE JOB IN THE 30'S AND CAME BACK TO FULLERTON FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO AND STARTED A REPAIR SHOP RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN FULLERTON IN 1938.

JESS>> AND THIS FENDER'S RADIO LED TO THE FENDER'S GUITAR?

RICHARD SMITH>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. DURING THE WAR, YOU COULDN'T GET NEW MANUFACTURED ELECTRONIC GOODS, SO HE HAD PEOPLE COMING IN ALL THE TIME TO HAVE THEIR STUFF, THEIR EQUIPMENT, WHATEVER, REPAIRED. ONE OF THE GUYS THAT CAME IN WAS DOC KAUFMAN WHO WAS A LOCAL MUSICIAN. DOC PLAYED GUITAR AND GOT LEO INTERESTED IN GUITAR MANUFACTURING.

JESS>> THE GUITAR HAS BEEN AROUND FOR CENTURIES --

RICHARD SMITH>> -- CENTURIES, THAT'S RIGHT.

JESS>> -- WHY THE NEED FOR ELECTRIFICATION?

RICHARD SMITH>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IN THE EARLY PART OF THE 19TH CENTURY, OR, EXCUSE ME, THE 20TH CENTURY, THE HAWAIIAN MUSICIANS HAD COME TO THE UNITED STATES TO PERFORM AND THEY PLAYED A STEEL GUITAR. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE GUITAR REALLY BECAME A MELODY INSTRUMENT AND THE HAWAIIAN MELODY IS VERY LYRICAL. SO THERE WAS A NEED RIGHT AWAY FOR A HAWAIIAN GUITAR TO BE LOUDER.

[FILM CLIP]

RICHARD SMITH>> THIS IS THE FIRST FENDER SOLID BODY GUITAR. THERE WERE SOME EARLIER REALLY PRIMITIVE ELECTRIC GUITARS IN THE 1930'S THAT DIDN'T REALLY PERFORM AS WELL AS THE ELECTRIC GUITAR WOULD PERFORM, BUT LEO STANDS FOR PRODUCING THE FIRST COMMERCIALLY SUCCESSFUL SOLID BODY.

JESS>> WHY A SOLID BODY INSTEAD OF A BOX?

RICHARD SMITH>> WELL, THE BOX RESONATES AND, WHEN YOU HAVE THE SOUND RESONATING THROUGH THE PICKUP, IT VIBRATES EVERYTHING AND IT CAUSES A FEEDBACK AND IT'S PRETTY ANNOYING. NOW JIMI HENDRIX MADE THE FEEDBACK ON PURPOSE, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE FEEDBACK THAT'S UNINTENTIONAL, IT'S HARD TO MANAGE AND IT'S VERY ANNOYING. LEO TOOK THAT CONCEPT AND IT REALLY -- THE ESSENCE OF THE FENDER GUITAR WAS THE SOLID BODY.

[FILM CLIP]

RICHARD SMITH>> SO IN 1949, THEY STARTED WORKING ON WHAT WOULD BECOME THE TELECASTER. THIS IS A VERY EARLY ONE. IT WAS ACTUALLY CALLED THE ESQUIRE ORIGINALLY AND THEN THE NAME CHANGED TO BROADCASTER. THEN FROM BROADCASTER, IT WENT TO TELECASTER BECAUSE ANOTHER COMPANY BACK EAST HAD A REGISTERED TRADEMARK FOR THE BROADCASTER DRUMS. WHAT LEO REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE WHOLE THING WAS TO MAKE THE GUITAR SO EFFICIENT AND WORK SO WELL THAT YOU COULD PLAY IT REALLY AS LOUD AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE, MUCH LOUDER THAN NECESSARY PROBABLY, IN SOME PEOPLE'S MINDS.

BUT WITH THE LOUD GUITAR AND SOMETHING THAT WORKED REALLY WELL, IT BECAME THE CHOICE OF THE MUSICIANS. THE MUSICIANS SAID, OKAY, WELL, YEAH, IT'S LIKE HAVING A BETTER CAR OR A BETTER AIRPLANE. WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR THAT. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL PLAYING THE OLDER INSTRUMENTS THAT THEY'RE AFTER PROBABLY A NUANCE OR SOMETHING SUBTLE IN THE TONE THAT THEY'RE AFTER. BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM, THE BUYING PUBLIC AND MUSICIANS, I THINK THE FENDER GUITAR IS REALLY WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> AFTER THE TELECASTER CAME THE STRATOCASTER?

RICHARD SMITH>> THAT'S RIGHT. LEO'S IDEA WAS TO MAKE THE TELECASTER OBSOLETE, SO IN DOING THAT HE REDESIGNED ALMOST EVERY DETAIL OF THE GUITAR. HE CONTOURED THE BODY TO MAKE IT SNUG. HE ADDED A SIX-POSITION BRIDGE WHICH MADE IT POSSIBLE TO TUNE THE STRINGS PRECISELY. HE ADDED THIS LITTLE WHAMMY BAR WHICH WAS USED TO CHANGE THE PITCH OF THE STRINGS ACTUALLY AND MADE IT A THREE-PICKUP GUITAR INSTEAD OF JUST TWO PICKUPS AND CHANGED THE OVERALL LOOK OF THE GUITAR. HE MADE IT REALLY MODERN FOR 1954, BUT STRANGELY ENOUGH, THE DESIGN REALLY HOLDS UP. IT'S ALMOST A TIMELESS DESIGN.

THIS IS A 1958 PRECISION BASS, WHICH IS THE FIRST ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR. NOW IN THE EXHIBIT, WE HAVE FOUR OR FIVE OF THE BASSES. IT REALLY WAS THE FIRST. IT FINALIZED AND COMPLETED THE WHOLE ROCK AND ROLL COMBO. YOU HAD THE ELECTRIC GUITAR WHICH WAS LOUD, YOU HAD DRUMS THAT WERE LOUD, AND NOW YOU HAD AN ELECTRIC BASS THAT WAS LOUD, SO YOU COULD DO ALMOST ANYTHING. REALLY, THE HALLMARK OF ROCK MUSIC WAS THE VOLUME.

[FILM CLIP]

THE INTERESTING THING, JESS, IS THAT HE DIDN'T PLAY GUITAR. YOU KNOW, LEO HAD TAKEN SOME SAXOPHONE LESSONS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, BUT HE LOVED THE GUITAR. HE LOVED THE TONE OF IT AND HE LOVED GUITAR PLAYERS. SOME OF THE GUYS THAT HE WAS BEST FRIENDS WITH WAS JIMMY BRYANT AND STEVIE WEST IN THE 50'S. THEN INTO THE 60'S, SOME OF THE YOUNGER MUSICIANS GOT TO KNOW HIM REALLY WELL, JAMES BURTON WHO HAD PLAYED WITH RICKY NELSON AND THEN ELVIS. JAMES BURTON IS REALLY PROBABLY A KEY BECAUSE, AFTER PLAYING WITH RICKY NELSON, THE GUYS IN ENGLAND LIKE JEFF BECK AND ERIC CLAPTON AND JIMMY PAGE, THEY ALL BOUGHT TELECASTERS TO BE LIKE JAMES BURTON. THE BEATLES USED THE FENDER GUITAR BECAUSE ONE OF THE GUYS IN THE SHADOWS HAD A STRATOCASTER AND IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE LIFETIME LOVE AFFAIRS WITH THE INSTRUMENT.

[RICHARD SMITH PLAYING GUITAR]

RICHARD SMITH>> AND THE CROWD WENT WILD. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> YOU CAN CALL THE FULLERTON MUSEUM CENTER OR CHECK THE WEB SITE ON YOUR SCREEN FOR MORE INFORMATION. THE EXHIBIT IS "SHOWER OF BRILLIANCE: LEO FENDER AND HIS ELECTRIC GUITARS" AND IT RUNS THROUGH JANUARY 2003.

[714-738-6545]
[WWW.CI.FULLERTON.CA.US/MUSEUM]

JESS>> TELL US WHAT YOU THINK. HAS WHAT WE'VE SHOWN YOU CHANGED YOUR PERCEPTION OF ORANGE COUNTY? WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. HERE ARE THE WAYS YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG.
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> FROM FULLERTON IN ORANGE COUNTY, THANKS FOR WATCHING. HAVE A GOOD 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.