3/11/02

LC020311

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PUT UP WITH MORE TRAFFIC IN EXCHANGE FOR BETTER SHOPPING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? RESIDENTS NEAR THE FARMERS MARKET ARE ABOUT TO GET BOTH.

PHILIP BRUCE>> WHY WOULD RESIDENTS OF THE FAIRFAX DISTRICT BE ANGRY ABOUT A BEAUTIFUL NEW SHOPPING CENTER? JUST LOOK AT THE GRIDLOCK ON THEIR STREETS, THAT'S WHY.

DIANA PLOTKIN>> YOU GOT TO GET THROUGH THESE STREETS. THEY ARE JAMMED TO CAPACITY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS LIVING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.

VAL>> IF YOU'VE NEVER HAD TO WORRY ABOUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU AREN'T OLD ENOUGH.

GAY YEE>> IF YOU'RE 55 OR OLDER, YOUR CHANCES OF DEVELOPING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE ARE EVEN HIGHER THAN DOCTORS THOUGHT.

DR. RAMACHANDRAN VASAN>> HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS THE PREMIER RISK FACTOR FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE INCLUDING HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES.

JESS>> THEY CALLED HIM "THE KEYSTONE KID". COY WATSON, JR. MADE HIS MOVIE DEBUT WHEN HE WAS NINE MONTHS OLD. HE WENT ON TO APPEAR IN MORE THAN SIXTY MOVIES. HIS EIGHT YOUNGER SIBLINGS GOT IN ON THE ACT AS WELL. WE'LL TALK WITH COY WATSON, JR. ABOUT GROWING UP IN HOLLYWOOD'S FIRST FAMILY.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

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

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.

THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

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

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

THERE IS HARDLY A COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT DOESN'T HAVE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF A BIG NEW SHOPPING CENTER COMES TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THINGS GO FROM BAD TO WORSE?

VAL>> THAT'S THE COMPLAINT OF SOME WHO LIVE IN L.A.'S FAIRFAX DISTRICT, HOME OF THE LEGENDARY FARMERS MARKET. A NEW SHOPPING CENTER THERE IS BRINGING NICE NEW STORES AND MORE JOBS. BUT AS PHILIP BRUCE REPORTS, ALL THAT PROGRESS COMES AT A HIGH PRICE, ESPECIALLY FOR DRIVERS IN A HURRY.

PHILIP>> FARMERS MARKET IS A LOS ANGELES ICON, A ONE-OF-A-KIND PLACE THAT BRINGS TOURISTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR SHOPPING AND EATING AND JUST PLAIN HANGING OUT. SINCE THE 1930'S, IT'S BEEN THE MAIN ATTRACTION AT THIRD AND FAIRFAX. BUT NOW A NEW NEIGHBOR HAS ARRIVED AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. IT'S CALLED THE GROVE. IT'S AN UPSCALE, OPEN AIR SHOPPING CENTER FEATURING A NORDSTROM AMONG ITS EIGHTY STORES PLUS RESTAURANTS AND A FOURTEEN-SCREEN MOVIE THEATER. THE IDEA IS TO COMBINE THE BEST OF THE PAST AND THE PRESENT IN A PARK-LIKE SETTING.

RICK CARUSO>> IT'S GOING TO HAVE GREAT SHOPPING, GREAT DINING, A GREAT THEATER, GREAT ENTERTAINMENT AND IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE. THAT IS THE GOAL.

PHILIP>> DEVELOPER RICK CARUSO HAS PUT $160 MILLION DOLLARS INTO THE GROVE AND SAYS THE CITY SHOULD BE WELL-REWARDED.

RICK CARUSO>> ONCE WE OPEN, WE'RE EXPECTING SALES IN EXCESS OF $300 MILLION A YEAR, PROBABLY CLOSER TO $400 MILLION A YEAR, SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A LARGE TAX BASE THAT GOES INTO THE CITY THAT WASN'T HERE BEFORE.

PHILIP>> BUT SOME PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DOWNSIDE OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, ALL THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THAT WILL BE FUNNELED INTO THIS ALREADY CONGESTED AREA.

DIANA PLOTKIN>> IF YOU LOOK AT THESE STREETS RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT THE GROVE, YOU WILL SEE THEY ARE JAMMED. WE COULDN'T GET ANOTHER PERSON ON THESE STREETS. NOW WE'RE RAISING CHILDREN HERE. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF SENIOR CITIZEN POPULATION HERE. THEY ALL COME AND THEY SHOP IN THIS AREA. WHAT IS THAT GOING TO DO TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE? THE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE TREMENDOUS.

PHILIP>> CARUSO SAYS HIS COMPANY IS SPENDING ABOUT $5 MILLION DOLLARS ON LOCAL TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS.

RICK CARUSO>> I THINK, IN THE BEGINNING, IT'S GOING TO BE BUSY. PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS. THEY'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME TO SEE IT. BUT WE'RE COMMITTED TO DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE WANT NOT TO BE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE LOCAL AREA, WE WANT TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND WE WILL BE. I ALSO WANT OUR CUSTOMERS TO HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE COMING HERE, SO WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC JAMS.

PHILIP>> THE AREA'S NEWLY-ELECTED COUNCILMAN, TOM LABONGE, SAYS HE'S TRYING TO WORK WITH THE DEVELOPER, THE NEIGHBORS AND THE CITY BUREAUCRACY TO MAKE SURE THAT TRAFFIC DOESN'T OVERWHELM NEARBY STREETS.

TOM LABONGE>> I WANT THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I WANT THIS SHOPPING CENTER ACROSS THE STREET TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I WANT THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. SO I HAVE TO BALANCE ALL THOSE DEEDS AND MAKE SURE THINGS GET DONE.

PHILIP>> BUT DIANA PLOTKIN, WHO'S LIVED HERE FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS, ARGUES THAT THE CITY HASN'T DONE WHAT IT SHOULD HAVE DONE SO FAR AND THAT OFFICIALS WILL HAVE TO BE PUSHED HARD BEFORE THEY DO.

DIANA PLOTKIN>> WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LEFT-HAND TURN ARROWS ON THIRD AND FAIRFAX HERE GOING NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST. NOW WE'RE TOLD WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THEM. WE ONLY HAVE THEM GOING SOUTH. NOW THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE TO THIS COMMUNITY. WE TURN LEFT, WE GOT TO GET THROUGH THESE STREETS. THEY ARE JAMMED TO CAPACITY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS LIVING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.

PHILIP>> ANOTHER POINT OF CONTROVERSY IS AN UPGRADE FOR THE AREA'S COMPUTERIZED TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM. PLOTKIN SAYS SHE'S FURIOUS THAT THE LIGHTS HAVEN'T BEEN MODIFIED TO HANDLE ALL THE EXTRA TRAFFIC. THE DEVELOPER, RICK CARUSO, IS ALSO PUZZLED SINCE HE'S GIVEN THE CITY MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR THE UPGRADE. BUT CITY TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS SAY THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM WON'T BE IMPROVED UNTIL THE PROJECT IS FULLY FUNDED. THEY HAD HOPED THE COUNTY WOULD PICK UP PART OF THAT TAB, BUT SO FAR, THE MONEY ISN'T THERE. IN THE MEANTIME, THE SHOPPING CENTER IS HIRING TRAFFIC OFFICERS TO DIRECT CARS THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY.

RICK CARUSO>> WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO TO HELP THE IMMEDIATE AREA IS WE'RE GOING TO PAY TO HAVE DOT TRAFFIC DIRECTORS, ACTUALLY PEOPLE, IN THE INTERSECTIONS TO HELP MOVE TRAFFIC, BASICALLY DOING WITH HUMANS WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE WITH A COMPUTER.

PHILIP>> THE OWNERS OF THE FARMERS MARKET AND MANY WHO HAVE BUSINESSES HERE SAY THE GROVE CAN PROVIDE THE ECONOMIC BOOST THE NEIGHBORHOOD SORELY NEEDS, BUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEARBY STILL HAVEN'T DECIDED WHETHER THE GROWTH IS WORTH THE COST THEY'LL PAY IN GRIDLOCK AND MISERY. FOR LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, I'M PHILIP BRUCE.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS DEBORAH BELGUM. SHE'S A CORRESPONDENT FOR THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL. SHE'S BEEN FOLLOWING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GROVE.

WITH 50,000 CARS A DAY, I BELIEVE THE FIGURE IS, USING FAIRFAX AND THIRD STREET, THAT INTERSECTION ALONE, HOW COULD THIS NOT HAVE HAPPENED? (LAUGHTER)

DEBORAH BELGUM>> IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I MEAN, THE GROVE IS EXPECTING 25 MILLION SHOPPERS A YEAR TO COME TO THEIR AREA. THAT AVERAGES OUT TO ABOUT 68,000 PEOPLE A DAY BEING ADDED TO THE ROADS AROUND THAT AREA. IT'S BASICALLY GOING TO DOUBLE TRAFFIC AROUND THERE.

VAL>> NOW IF THIS IS GOING TO BE SUCH A HUGE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, THE QUESTION IS ALWAYS HOW DID IT GET APPROVED WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE TRAFFIC MITIGATION ALONG WITH IT?

DEBORAH BELGUM>> WELL, THERE IS A TRAFFIC MITIGATION PROGRAM THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THE L.A. CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. RICK CARUSO AND OTHER DEVELOPERS AROUND THE AREA, SUCH AS THE BEVERLY CENTER AND THE CEDAR SINAI MEDICAL CENTER WHICH IS ADDING A DIAGNOSTIC CENTER TO THEIR COMPLEX OVER THERE, HAVE BEEN OBLIGATED TO SPEND $850,000 TO UPGRADE THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEMS ON THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

BUT THE CITY WAS HOPING THAT THEY COULD EXTEND THIS COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM TO A LARGER AREA. THEY ORIGINALLY WANTED TO UPGRADE THE SYSTEM THAT WOULD INCLUDE 120 SIGNALS, BUT TO DO THAT, THEY NEEDED BASICALLY THE COUNTY TO COME IN WITH SOME FUNDS. THE COUNTY DID NOT COME IN WITH THE FUNDS, SO THE CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.

VAL>> BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT FEWER TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS THAN THERE REALLY SHOULD BE FOR THIS PROJECT?

DEBORAH BELGUM>> THERE ARE, THERE ARE. AND HOW IT GOT APPROVED, I DON'T KNOW. THE ONLY THING THAT THEY HAD AGREED UPON WAS THAT THEY WOULD IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC SYSTEM IN THAT AREA BY PUTTING A BETTER COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM IN. THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN FOR ANOTHER YEAR BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HASN'T GOTTEN AROUND TO DOING IT.

JESS>> AS MS. PLOTKIN SAID, THEY'RE LIVING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. WOULD YOU AGREE?

DEBORAH BELGUM>> WELL, MS. PLOTKIN IS NOT VERY HAPPY (LAUGHTER) WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

VAL>> WELL, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY.

DEBORAH BELGUM>> SHE DEALS WITH THEM A LOT.

JESS>> LET ME ALSO ASK, YOU'RE ASKING HOW THIS MANAGED TO GET APPROVED. RICK CARUSO IS POLITICALLY ACTIVE, HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE POLICE COMMISSION APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR. WERE THE SKIDS GREASED FOR SOMEBODY?

DEBORAH BELGUM>> WELL, AT THE TIME, HE WAS NOT HEAD OF THE POLICE COMMISSION WHEN THIS WAS APPROVED AND HAHN WAS NOT MAYOR AT THAT TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO APPROVE THAT PROJECT AT ALL. THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE I STARTED TO STUDY THIS. BUT I'M SURE CONNECTIONS DOES HELP.

VAL>> AND RICK CARUSO DID MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OF $350,000. I'M SURE THAT HELPED AS WELL.

DEBORAH BELGUM>> YES. WELL, THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION IS GETTING $350,000 FROM RICK CARUSO TO BASICALLY --

JESS>> -- HE'S SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY HIRING PEOPLE TO DIRECT TRAFFIC FOR HIM.

DEBORAH BELGUM>> YES, YES, HE IS, BUT HOW LONG THAT WILL HAPPEN, I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, THEY HAVE TO -- PROBABLY IN THE FIRST INITIAL DAYS, THE TRAFFIC WILL BE DIRECTED BY TRAFFIC DIRECTORS, BUT LET'S SAY A MONTH OUT, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAYING TRAFFIC DIRECTORS.

VAL>> DEBORAH BELGUM FROM THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL, SORRY WE'RE OUT OF TIME. GREAT TOPIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE APPRECIATE THAT.

DEBORAH BELGUM>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

VAL>> TOMORROW NIGHT, WE BRING YOU THE BEST OF LIFE AND TIMES BY REPRISING OUR MOST MEMORABLE FEATURES ON LOCAL HISTORY, BEGINNING WITH A RARE LOOK INSIDE THE FAMOUS AMBASSADOR HOTEL. IT WAS A PLAYGROUND OF THE STARS BEFORE IT BECAME THE SCENE OF A NATIONAL TRAGEDY, AND A WOMAN WHO GREW UP AT THE AMBASSADOR SHARES HER MEMORIES OF ITS GOLDEN DAYS. THAT'S TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES.

JESS>> A NEW STUDY OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE HAS FOUND THAT THE OLDER YOU GET, THE MORE LIKELY YOU ARE TO HAVE HYPERTENSION. IN FACT, RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THAT IF YOU'RE 55 OR OVER, THERE IS A NINETY PERCENT CHANCE YOU WILL DEVELOP HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN YOUR LIFETIME.

VAL>> HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS THE MAJOR FACTOR LEADING TO STROKES AND THE NUMBER ONE KILLER IN AMERICA, HEART ATTACKS. THE GOOD NEWS IS, FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED. GAY YEE HAS MORE.

GAY>> KAREN LITTLE IS HEALTHY, PRETTY AND PRETTY SAVVY WHEN IT COMES TO MEDICAL ISSUES. SHE WAS A NURSE IN HER FORMER LIFE BEFORE SHE AND HER HUSBAND OPENED UP THEIR OWN TRAVEL BUSINESS IN NEWBERRY PARK. IN RECENT YEARS, SHE'S NOTICED HER BLOOD PRESSURE GETTING HIGHER AND EVEN WENT TO HER DOCTOR ABOUT IT.

KAREN LITTLE>> YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S TRANSIENT AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY AGE-RELATED.

GAY>> KAREN'S HUNCH MAY BE RIGHT. A NEW STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION SAYS THE RISK OF HYPERTENSION AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AMERICANS IS MUCH HIGHER THAN EVERYONE THOUGHT. IT FOUND NINE OUT OF TEN ADULTS AGED 55 AND OLDER WILL DEVELOP HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. IF THEY DON'T HAVE IT NOW, RESEARCHERS SAY MOST OF THEM WILL EVENTUALLY.

DR. RAMACHANDRAN VASAN>> INDIVIDUALS IN OUR STUDY WHO WERE AGE 55 OR AGE 65 AND HAD REACHED THAT AGE FREE OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE HAD A NINE IN TEN CHANCE OF DEVELOPING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE DURING THE FOLLOW-UP PERIOD.

GAY>> DR. RAMACHANDRAN VASAN IS A SENIOR INVESTIGATOR WITH THE HISTORIC FRAMINGHAM STUDY, THE OLDEST HEART STUDY IN THE WORLD. IT REVEALED DECADES AGO THAT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE CAN LEAD TO OTHER MORE LIFE-THREATENING PROBLEMS LIKE A HEART ATTACK, A STROKE OR KIDNEY DISEASE.

DR. RAMACHANDRAN VASAN>> I STUDIED ALL THE LITERATURE GOOD. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS A POWERFUL RISK FACTOR FOR A NUMBER OF DISEASES, SPECIFICALLY CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. SO THIS NINE IN TEN CHANCE OF DEVELOPING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE FORCES INDIVIDUALS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING ALL THESE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE-RELATED COMPLICATIONS.

GAY>> FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS, RESEARCHERS HERE HAVE BEEN STUDYING THE FATHERS, SONS, MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS, CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN OF THE PEOPLE OF FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, A QUIET, MIDDLE-CLASS SUBURB OUTSIDE OF BOSTON. RESIDENTS PERIODICALLY HAVE THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED AND OTHER TESTS. THEN THEY'RE TRACKED TO SEE IF THE PERSON SUFFERS A HEART ATTACK OR OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. OVER THE YEARS, RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT SEVERE CASES OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE HAVE ACTUALLY DROPPED IN FRAMINGHAM, THANKS TO BETTER TREATMENT. THEY ALSO DISCOVERED MEN TO BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE THAN WOMEN.

DR. RAMACHANDRAN VASAN>> WEIGHT AND OBESITY ARE POWERFUL CORRELATIONS OF THE RISK OF DEVELOPING HYPERTENSION. WE BELIEVE THAT THE INCREASE IN BODY MASS IN MEN MAY BE ONE POSSIBLE EXPLANATION WHY WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN RISK OF DEVELOPING HYPERTENSION IN MANY OF OUR SAMPLES WHEN THE SAME THING IS NOT EVIDENT FOR WOMEN IN OUR SAMPLES.

GAY>> BUT HE SAYS THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS PREVENTABLE. AMERICANS LIKE KAREN LITTLE CAN ACTUALLY PROTECT THEMSELVES BY ADOPTING HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES.

DR. RAMACHANDRAN VASAN>> AND THIS WOULD MEAN WATCHING THE DIET THAT YOU EAT, WATCHING ITS FAT CONTENT, EXERCISING MORE REGULARLY AND GETTING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED PERIODICALLY WITH YOUR DOCTOR.

GAY>> SO, FOR KAREN, THE INCENTIVE IS UP AND THE PRESSURE IS ON TO MAKE A FEW CHANGES THAT WILL PUT HER ON THE ROAD TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE. IN NEWBERRY PARK, GAY YEE FOR LIFE AND TIMES.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS DR. DAN EISENBERG, CHIEF OF CARDIOLOGY AT PROVIDENCE ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL IN BURBANK. SO WE CAN'T USE THE EXCUSE THAT, OH, I HAVE A GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TO HYPERTENSION?

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> NO. IT'S THE SAME EXCUSE THAT PEOPLE WOULD SAY ABOUT CHOLESTEROL, THAT IT'S IN MY GENES, BUT --

JESS>> -- I'VE USED THAT FOR YEARS. (LAUGHTER)

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> (LAUGHTER) WELL, I'LL BET YOU'RE ON A MEDICINE FOR CHOLESTEROL BY NOW.

JESS>> YOU BET.

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, AS WITH HIGH CHOLESTEROL, THESE THINGS ARE VERY MODIFIABLE IN OUR DIET. YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS AN AMALGAM OF A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU DO IN YOUR LIFE OR A LOT OF THINGS YOU DON'T DO. FOR INSTANCE, EXERCISE OR WATCH THE INTAKE OF FATS THAT MAKE YOU OVERWEIGHT.

THERE IS AN EPIDEMIC IN THIS COUNTRY OF THREE AREAS, BUT THEY ALL END UP WITH HEART DISEASE AT THE END. BUT DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION, OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE WHICH IS ANOTHER WORD FOR HYPERTENSION, IS SKYROCKETING IN EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS. I MEAN, NINE OUT OF TEN AMERICANS AFTER THE AGE OF 55 --

VAL>> -- BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PIN DOWN WHY IT'S SKYROCKETING?

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS "PINNED DOWN". IT'S MULTI-FACTORIAL, BUT IT'S REALLY MORE THAT OUR SOCIETY IS GAINING MUCH MORE WEIGHT AS TIME GOES BY. OBESITY IS INCREASING, NOT DECREASING.

JESS>> WHAT ABOUT EMOTIONAL STRESS?

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> YOU KNOW, EMOTIONAL STRESS MAY IN FACT, IF YOU HAVE HEART DISEASE, CAUSE A HEART ATTACK, PRECIPITATE A HEART ATTACK. BUT IN GENERAL, EMOTIONAL STRESS ITSELF ISN'T THE REASON THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE HYPERTENSIVE, HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. IT'S MOSTLY, AGAIN, THINGS THAT WE CAN PREVENT.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT I AM A BIG EXERCISER, BUT IF I WERE A BIG EXERCISER, I WOULD PREVENT A GREAT DEAL OF THOSE PROBLEMS. OR IF I WAS A DIETER WHO STAYED AWAY FROM RED MEATS AND HIGH FATTY FOODS, MY LIKELIHOOD OF DEVELOPING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE WOULD DECREASE OR MY LIKELIHOOD OF DEVELOPING CORONARY HEART BLOCKAGE FROM FATS AND SO ON.

VAL>> NOW THE SUBJECTS IN THIS PARTICULAR STUDY WERE ALL CAUCASIAN, VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEM WERE ANGLO. THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS THAT HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF HYPERTENSION?

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> YEAH, THERE ARE OTHER POPULATIONS THAT ARE AT HIGHER RISK. PARTICULARLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES HAVE A VERY HIGH RISK, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY AT RISK EARLIER OF NOTING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. IF YOU NOTICED FROM THIS STUDY, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AFTER THE AGE OF 55. THE THING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS KIND OF STUDY -- FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS THE MOTHER OF ALL STUDIES. IT'S THE FRAMINGHAM STUDY WHERE MOST OF AMERICAN MEDICINE AND ACTUALLY THE WORLD MEDICAL COMMUNITY HAS OBSERVED, OVER FIFTY YEARS, 5,000 PEOPLE AND THEIR NEXT OF KIN AND SO ON.

VAL>> SO IT DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THIS IN TERMS OF SCIENCE?

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> IT DOESN'T GET BETTER IN TERMS OF OBSERVATION, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THEN SAYING WE'RE GOING TO TREAT THESE CERTAIN PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IN TERMS OF OBSERVATIONALLY, WHEN YOU CAN SAY THAT NINE OUT OF TEN PEOPLE AFTER THE AGE OF 55 WILL HAVE DEVELOPED HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, THAT'S AN ASTOUNDING NUMBER.

JESS>> AND IT'S STILL EXERCISE AND DIET. SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MEDITATION AND YOGA?

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> ACTUALLY, THERE IS SOMETHING CLEAR THAT, IF YOU COULD GET PEOPLE TO MEDITATE AND DO YOGA ON A REGULAR BASIS, IT VERY CLEARLY WILL HELP THEM, BUT IT'S A MATTER OF KEEPING UP WITH IT. IT'S SORT OF LIKE THE PERSON WHO SAYS I'M GOING TO START EXERCISING THIS YEAR. THEY GET THE COUPON FOR THE LOCAL GYM AND THEY MAYBE GO ONCE OR TWICE.

JESS>> IT'S REALLY CROWDED AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR (LAUGHTER) FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> (LAUGHTER) RIGHT.

VAL>> NOW YOU CAN OPT FOR MEDICATION?

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> ABSOLUTELY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF MYTHS ABOUT MEDICATION. THERE'S ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MEDICATIONS THAT, IF I COULD, I WOULD PUT MOST AMERICANS ON AFTER THE AGE OF FORTY AND --

VAL>> -- AFTER THE AGE OF FORTY?

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> AFTER THE AGE OF FORTY.

VAL>> WOW.

JESS>> AND THEY ARE?

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> THEY ARE AN ASPIRIN TABLET, A BABY ASPIRIN TABLET, OR A HALF OR FULL ASPIRIN IF THEIR STOMACH CAN TOLERATE IT. SOME KIND OF STATIN DRUG WHICH LOWER CHOLESTEROL AND HAVE BEEN PROVEN, EVEN WITH NORMAL CHOLESTEROL, TO MAKE THEM LIVE LONGER. AND ACE INHIBITORS WHICH ARE MEDICATIONS ALSO FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND YOU START THEM AT A YOUNG AGE. MAYBE IT WOULD BE A NICE COCKTAIL TO LIVE LONGER.

VAL>> GOOD. I'LL START POPPING ASPIRIN TOMORROW. DR. DAN EISENBERG, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN. THAT WAS GREAT INFORMATION.

DR. DAN EISENBERG>> MY PLEASURE.

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

JESS>> IF HOLLYWOOD IS MADE UP OF STARS, THE WATSON FAMILY WAS A VIRTUAL CONSTELLATION. MOM, DAD AND NINE CHILDREN ALL MADE THEIR MARK IN EARLY FILMS. IN FACT, THE WATSONS WERE DUBBED HOLLYWOOD'S FIRST FAMILY.

VAL>> COY WATSON, SR. WAS A STUNT MAN, ANIMAL TRAINER AND SPECIAL EFFECTS PRO DURING THE SILENT MOVIE ERA. THE NINE KIDS APPEARED IN OVER A THOUSAND FILMS. THE OLDEST WAS COY, JR., HOLLYWOOD'S FIRST CHILD STAR. COY WAS CALLED "THE KEYSTONE KID" FOR HIS MANY ROLES IN THE "KEYSTONE KOPS" COMEDIES AND HE CONTINUED ACTING UNTIL ADULTHOOD WHEN HE SWITCHED TO THE OTHER FAMILY PROFESSION, PHOTOJOURNALISM. NOW COY WATSON, JR., AT AGE 89, HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT HIS DAYS IN EARLY HOLLYWOOD. HE SHARES HIS STORIES AND PHOTOS WITH PATT MORRISON.

PATT>> COY WATSON, JR., AUTHOR OF "THE KEYSTONE KID: TALES OF EARLY HOLLYWOOD". YOU WERE EARLY HOLLYWOOD.

COY WATSON, JR.>> I GUESS I WAS, PATT. I GUESS I WAS, IF YOU CALL 1913 THE BEGINNING OF MOTION PICTURES IN HOLLYWOOD.

PATT>> I THINK THAT'S PRETTY EARLY. YOUR FAMILY LIVED IN EDENDALE RIGHT NEXT TO THE MACK SENNETT STUDIO AND PEOPLE CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW WILD AN ERA IT WAS.

COY WATSON, JR.>> WELL, THERE WAS JUST -- WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT MOTION PICTURES WOULD BEGIN IN A LITTLE PLACE CALLED EDENDALE? IT WASN'T THAT BIG A PLACE. IT WAS ACTUALLY -- IT WASN'T EVEN A TOWN OR A CITY. IT WAS A LITTLE COMMUNITY. BUT IT WAS IN THAT LITTLE CITY THAT SELIG BUILT THE FIRST PERMANENT STUDIO ON THE WEST COAST TO MAKE MOTION PICTURES.

PATT>> AND THE WATSON FAMILY LIVED SO CLOSE THAT YOU WERE ALL DRAFTED INTO THE SERVICE OF MOVIES.

COY WATSON, JR.>> RIGHT, RIGHT. BEFORE WE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON, I MIGHT SAY.

PATT>> YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF YOUR FATHER WITH DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, THE GREAT SWASHBUCKLER OF THE MOVIES.

COY WATSON, JR.>> YEAH, THAT'S DOUG AND MY DAD. THEY WERE GOOD FRIENDS, I MIGHT SAY --

PATT>> -- AND YOUR MOTHER AND MARY PICKFORD.

COY WATSON, JR.>> RIGHT, THE TWO OF THEM. THEY WERE PIONEERS, THOSE FOUR PEOPLE. THEY REALLY STARTED THE MOTION PICTURE BUSINESS. AND THERE'S THE OLD KEYSTONE COMEDY LOT.

PATT>> THERE IT IS, WITH MACK SENNETT'S NAME ON IT.

COY WATSON, JR.>> I WAS BORN THE SAME YEAR THAT MACK SENNETT STARTED TO MAKE "THE KEYSTONE KOPS" MOVIES.

PATT>> AND EIGHT MONTHS LATER, WE SEE YOU MAKING YOUR DEBUT IN THE MOVIES. THERE YOU ARE.

COY WATSON, JR.>> THERE IT IS. AND IF MY MOTHER HAD KNOWN THAT THE STORY CALLED FOR ME TO BE THE ILLEGITIMATE BABY OF THE TWO STARS IN THE MOVIE, BECAUSE SHE WAS A SALVATION ARMY LASS AND THAT WAS THE LAST THING THEY'D WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH. (LAUGHTER)

PATT>> THAT'S SHOCKING. (LAUGHTER) WELL, AT THE TIME, PEOPLE CAN'T IMAGINE NOWADAYS WHEN WE HAVE AGENTS AND CONTRACTS, BUT IT WAS VERY CASUAL. THEY JUST CAME NEXT DOOR AND BORROWED A WATSON BABY.

COY WATSON, JR.>> THAT'S RIGHT, AND THERE WERE NO STUDIOS OR SETS WHEN THEY BEGAN. THEY SHOT EVERYTHING ON THE STREET. IT WAS ALL ACTION, THINGS PASSING, WHATEVER WAS GOING ON NATURALLY, AND THEY USED THE HOMES THAT WERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR EXTERIORS. THE WHOLE EDENDALE AREA WAS JUST ONE GREAT BIG MOTION PICTURE STUDIO.

PATT>> AND YOU ENDED UP IN SOMETHING LIKE, WHAT, SIXTY FILMS?

COY WATSON, JR.>> FINALLY, THEY COUNTED UP TO ABOUT SIXTY, MAYBE MORE. SOME THAT I DON'T REMEMBER BECAUSE ALL OF THESE PICTURES -- MY MOTHER WOULDN'T EVEN COME TO THE STUDIO WITH ME WHEN THEY TAPED THE BABY. (LAUGHTER)

PATT>> BUT YOU DID GET FIVE DOLLARS FOR YOUR FIRST DAY OF WORK. BUT HERE'S SOMETHING LATER. WE SEE "A NICK-OF-TIME HERO".

COY WATSON, JR.>> THESE WERE THE FIRST KIDS PICTURES MADE WITH A LITTLE GIRL, MYSELF, A DOG AND A MONKEY. THIS IS THE THING (LAUGHTER) WHERE SOMEBODY GOT THIS IDEA OF THIS ROCKET TAKING OFF AND DOREEN TURNER, A LOVELY LITTLE LADY, SHE AND I WERE THE LEADS IN THREE OF THESE FIVE PICTURES THAT WERE MADE IN 1920. THE DOG AND THE MONKEY ALSO WERE A BIG PART OF THIS. (LAUGHTER)

PATT>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN THE WORLD WAS WORSHIPING DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS AND THERE YOU WERE ON THE SCREEN TOO?

COY WATSON, JR.>> IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. WHEN I LOOK BACK AT IT NOW, IT'S LIKE YOU TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT YOU WERE DOING WHEN YOU WERE FOUR YEARS OLD. I WAS WITH THESE PEOPLE IN THE MOVIES. THEY WERE LIKE PEOPLE YOU WOULD KNOW THAT WERE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS GOING TO BE IN THIS PICTURE WITH THIS PERSON WHO WAS GOING TO BECOME A STAR, LIKE GLORIA SWANSON OR ANY NAME THAT YOU WANT TO NAME THAT STARTED OUT IN MACK SENNETT'S STUDIO. I WORKED WITH THEM. THEY WERE JUST PEOPLE. WE PLAYED TOGETHER. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN TOGETHER.

PATT>> NOW WE'VE ALSO GOT YOUR BROTHERS, OF COURSE, AND SISTERS WERE IN THE FILMS. THERE YOU HAVE IT. YOUR HANDBILL ADVERTISING ALL OF YOU.

COY WATSON, JR.>> YOU SEE MYSELF AT THE LEFT. THEN I HAD THREE SISTERS AND THEN FIVE BROTHERS. WELL, IT WASN'T UNTIL I WAS NINE YEARS OLD THAT I HAD MY BROTHER, HARRY, THAT MY DAD WOULD ALLOW ANYBODY ELSE TO WORK IN MOVIES. HE DIDN'T LIKE THE SISTERS --

PATT>> -- WELL, LET'S SEE HARRY WITH FRED ASTAIRE.

COY WATSON, JR.>> HE PLAYED ALBERT IN "A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS". HE HAD TO CURL HIS HAIR AND HE HAD TO LEARN TO USE A COCKNEY ACCENT, WHICH HE DID VERY, VERY WELL.

PATT>> OH, YOU WATSONS. AND BILLY WITH KATHRYN HEPBURN?

COY WATSON, JR.>> BILLY HAD TO LEARN THE SCOTCH ACCENT TO PLAY WITH KATHRYN HEPBURN IN "THE LITTLE MINISTER".

PATT>> AND DELMAR HAD TO PLAY A LITTLE GOATHERD WITH SHIRLEY TEMPLE.

COY WATSON, JR.>> YES.

PATT>> WELL, YOU GOT THE INTERNATIONAL TOUR WITHOUT LEAVING HOME.

COY WATSON, JR.>> THAT'S RIGHT.

PATT>> AND HERE YOU ARE WITH -- NO, THIS IS BOB -- WITH SPENCER TRACY AND MICKEY ROONEY.

COY WATSON, JR.>> THAT'S BOB AGAIN WITH SPENCER AND MICKEY IN "BOY'S TOWN".

PATT>> AND YOU WERE ALL IN "MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON", WITH GUY KIBBEE THERE.

COY WATSON, JR.>> OH, YEAH. WE WERE ALL THERE TOGETHER. YEAH, THAT'S HARRY AND DELMAR AND BILLY. AND HERE WE ARE IN A PUBLICITY PICTURE MADE AT WARNER BROS.

PATT>> EVENTUALLY, YOU ALL MOVED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAMERA AS PHOTOGRAPHERS, BUT MOVIES STILL STAYED IN YOUR LIFE IN THE SENSE THAT THESE WERE THERE IN YOUR LIFE AND YOUR FAMILY HAS A STAR ON THE WALK OF FAME. PROBABLY THE ONLY FAMILY WITH ONE, ISN'T IT?

COY WATSON, JR.>> WELL, WE ALL FELT THAT THE STAR ON THE WALK WAS GREAT FOR THE FAMILY, BUT LET'S UNDERSTAND THAT DAD AND MOM WERE THE FAMILY AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT REALLY DESERVED THAT STAR. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WE ALL THINK OF AS REPRESENTING THAT STAR. TWO GREATER PEOPLE NEVER LIVED THAN MY MOM AND DAD AND, WHEN YOU FIGURE HOW THEY RAISED NINE CHILDREN AND WE ALL TURNED OUT, MOM WOULD SAY, "PRETTY GOOD". (LAUGHTER)

PATT>> (LAUGHTER) COY WATSON, I'M SORRY THOSE DAYS ARE GONE. THANKS SO MUCH FOR TELLING US THE STORIES OF THE KEYSTONE KID IN EARLY HOLLYWOOD.

COY WATSON, JR.>> WELL, I'M REAL PLEASED TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

PATT>> THANKS VERY MUCH.

COY WATSON, JR.>> KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, KID.

JESS>> THE NAME OF COY WATSON, JR.'S BOOK IS "THE KEYSTONE KID".

VAL>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. REMEMBER, YOU CAN CHECK OUT TRANSCRIPTS OR LISTEN TO RECENT SHOWS ON OUR WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG.

JESS>> NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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

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.

THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

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 WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG TO SEND MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS OF TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.