3/12/02

LC020312

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> WE TAKE YOU INSIDE A FAMOUS LOS ANGELES LANDMARK KNOWN FOR A GLAMOROUS PAST AND ONE TRAGIC NIGHT. IT'S THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL, A PLACE FILLED WITH SPECIAL MEMORIES.

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> IT'S THE HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES. I MEAN, WE TEAR EVERYTHING DOWN IN LOS ANGELES. WE DON'T KEEP ANY OF THE WONDERFUL OLD THINGS. I THINK MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO REALIZE THAT WE HAVE DESTROYED SO MUCH THAT IT'S BECOMING LIKE "LOST ANGELES" INSTEAD OF LOS ANGELES. THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.

VAL>> HE WAS HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND SOME SAY COVERTLY RACIST, BUT HE WAS ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. TONIGHT RICHARD REEVES EXPLORES THE CHARACTER OF RICHARD NIXON, A MAN HE DESCRIBES AS ALONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

RICHARD NIXON>> "ALWAYS GIVE YOUR BEST, NEVER GET DISCOURAGED, NEVER BE PETTY. ALWAYS REMEMBER OTHERS MAY HATE YOU, BUT THOSE WHO HATE YOU DON'T WIN UNLESS YOU HATE THEM, AND THEN YOU DESTROY YOURSELF."

JESS>> BEFORE THERE WAS JANE FONDA, BEFORE THERE WAS RICHARD SIMMONS, THERE WAS JACK LALANNE.

ANNOUNCER>> "IT'S TIME FOR THE JACK LALANNE SHOW FROM HOLLYWOOD STARRING THE WORLD-FAMOUS NUTRITIONIST, AUTHOR, LECTURER AND PHYSICAL CULTURE EXPERT ON YOUR FIGURE AND BEAUTY."

JESS>> HE'S BEEN URGING AMERICANS TO PUMP UP AND TRIM DOWN FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY AND HE IS LIVING PROOF THAT IT WORKS. TONIGHT YOU'LL SEE FOR YOURSELF. JACK LALANNE IS HERE LOOKING JUST AS GREAT AS EVER.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON THE BEST OF 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.

WELCOME TO THE BEST OF LIFE AND TIMES. WE'RE STARTING TONIGHT WITH A STORY ABOUT A FAMOUS LOS ANGELES HOTEL THAT WAS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AMBASSADOR, ONCE A PLAYGROUND FOR HOLLYWOOD'S ELITE.

VAL>> THE AMBASSADOR'S GLAMOUR WAS LEGENDARY. BUT ONE NIGHT IN 1968, IT EARNED A TRAGIC PLACE IN HISTORY AS THE PLACE WHERE SENATOR ROBERT KENNEDY WAS ASSASSINATED. TONIGHT GAY YEE TAKES US ON A RARE TOUR INSIDE THE AMBASSADOR AND INTRODUCES US TO A WOMAN WHO HAS SOME SPECIAL MEMORIES OF THE OLD HOTEL.

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> I WAS BORN IN MAY OF 1921 AND THE HOTEL OPENED. THE FIRST DAY WAS JANUARY 1921, SO WE WERE BOTH BORN IN THE SAME YEAR AND WE'RE BOTH ON OUR WAY TO BEING 81.

GAY>> CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN REMEMBERS THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL IN A WAY FEW OTHERS DO AND THEY SHARE MORE THAN JUST A BIRTHDAY. THE AMBASSADOR WAS CARLYN'S HOME.

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> AND THIS IS A WONDERFUL BROCHURE OF THE HOTEL. IT SHOWS ME -- THIS IS ME.

GAY>> HER FATHER AND GRANDFATHER SERVED AS THE HOTEL'S FIRST GENERAL MANAGERS AND THE FAMILY HOME WAS A SECOND FLOOR SUITE, A RINCON BUNGALOW.

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> SIGNING CHECKS FOR FOOD, ORDERING ROOM SERVICE, BEING A HORIZONTAL ELOISE, RUNNING THE ELEVATORS. YOU KNOW, ALL THE STUFF THAT A KID DOES AROUND A HOTEL. IT WAS WONDERFUL. I LOVED IT.

>> THE HOTEL WAS DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT, MYRON HUNT....

GAY>> THESE DAYS, THE GLAMOROUS HOTEL FROM CARLYN'S CHILDHOOD IS NOWHERE IN SIGHT. THE AMBASSADOR HAS BEEN OUT OF BUSINESS SINCE 1989. IT'S NOW OWNED BY THE L.A. SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND THIS RARE TOUR IS ONE OF THE FIRST GLIMPSES THE PUBLIC HAS GOTTEN OF THE HOTEL'S INTERIOR IN WELL OVER A DECADE.

>> THERE WAS A LARGE RETAIL AREA THAT INCLUDED A POST OFFICE, BANK, DIFFERENT RETAIL ELEMENTS....

GAY>> THE AMBASSADOR WAS DESIGNED TO BE A MINI-CITY EQUIPPED WITH ANYTHING ITS GUESTS COULD NEED. CARLYN REMEMBERS.

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> THERE WAS A FLORIST, THERE WAS A CUSTOM TAILOR WHERE MY FATHER HAD HIS CLOTHES MADE, THERE WAS A POST OFFICE WHERE PEOPLE COULD RENT A POST OFFICE BOX, THERE WAS THE FOUNTAIN ROOM WHICH WAS THE COFFEE SHOP, BUT MUCH MORE THAN A COFFEE SHOP.

GAY>> THE AMBASSADOR'S LUXURY WAS REFLECTED IN ITS MENU: RUSSIAN CAVIAR, BEER FOR THIRTY CENTS AND A SPECIAL SUPPER FOR JUST $1.50.

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> WE USED TO EAT TURKEY SANDWICHES WITH REAL RUSSIAN DRESSING AFTER SCHOOL. I'D BRING MY FRIENDS HOME AFTER SCHOOL AND WE'D GO TO THE FOUNTAIN ROOM AND WE'D ORDER TURKEY SANDWICHES AND CHOCOLATE SODAS, BUT THE TURKEY SANDWICHES HAD REAL CAVIAR IN THE RUSSIAN DRESSING.

GAY>> IT WAS TAILOR-MADE FOR HOLLYWOOD'S ELITE WHO LIVED AT THE HOTEL AND COULD BE SPOTTED POOLSIDE.

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> JOHNNY WEISMULLER USED TO COME AND SWIM AT THE POOL AND DUKE KAHANAMOKU CAME AND SWAM AT THE POOL AND BUSTER CRABBE.

GAY>> AND THE HOTEL'S FABLED NIGHTCLUB, THE COCOANUT GROVE, WAS WHERE THE STARS CAME OUT.

ANNOUNCER>> "YES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HERE TRULY IS MUSIC BY MARTIN. FREDDIE MARTIN, HIS SINGING SAXOPHONE AND ORCHESTRA, BROADCASTING FROM FASHIONABLE COCOANUT GROVE IN THE WORLD-FAMOUS AMBASSADOR HOTEL LOCATED ON WILSHIRE BOULEVARD IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA."

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> THIS IS JOHN BARRYMORE, WHO DID STAY AT THE HOTEL. WHAT A PROFILE, HUH? AND THIS IS MY FATHER WITH JOAN CRAWFORD WHEN SHE BECAME JOAN CRAWFORD.

GAY>> CARLYN'S FAMILY LEFT WHEN HER FATHER AND THE HOTEL PARTED WAYS IN 1938. BY THE 1960'S, THE AMBASSADOR WAS ALREADY LOSING SOME OF ITS LUSTER. THEN TRAGEDY STRUCK.

PROBABLY IN MOST RECENT MEMORY, THE AMBASSADOR IS BEST REMEMBERED FOR WHAT HAPPENED HERE. THIS IS THE PANTRY WHERE BOBBY KENNEDY WAS SHOT. ON JUNE 5, 1968, SENATOR ROBERT F. KENNEDY HAD JUST COMPLETED HIS ACCEPTANCE SPEECH AFTER WINNING THE CALIFORNIA PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY. HE LEFT THE BALLROOM AND WAS MAKING HIS WAY TO A NEWS CONFERENCE IN ANOTHER ROOM. SENATOR KENNEDY NEVER MADE IT.

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> IT WAS A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE THING. IT MAKES ME VERY SAD TO THINK THAT THAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, IN MY HOME.

GAY>> THE LOBBY AND ITS FOUNTAIN ARE EMPTY NOW, THE LARGE BALLROOM SILENT AND THE 500 ROOMS UPSTAIRS VACANT. L.A. UNIFIED NOW PLANS TO BUILD A HIGH SCHOOL ON THE 23-1/2 ACRE SITE, BUT THE DISTRICT STILL HASN'T DECIDED HOW THAT WILL AFFECT THE HOTEL.

CARLYN FRANK BENJAMIN>> I JUST KEEP THINKING HOW THOSE KIDS WOULD FEEL TAKING A CLASS IN LOS ANGELES HISTORY AND SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF LOS ANGELES HISTORY. I WOULD LOVE TO GO AND GIVE A LECTURE, YOU KNOW, AND TELL THEM HOW THE PLACE WAS. IT'S THE HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES. I MEAN, WE TEAR EVERYTHING DOWN IN LOS ANGELES. WE DON'T KEEP ANY OF THE WONDERFUL OLD THINGS. I THINK MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO REALIZE THAT WE HAVE DESTROYED SO MUCH THAT IT'S BECOMING LIKE "LOST ANGELES" INSTEAD
OF LOS ANGELES. THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.

JESS>> AS GAY NOTED, THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED BY THE LOS ANGELES SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THERE ARE PLANS TO BUILD A MUCH-NEEDED HIGH SCHOOL THERE. SOME HAVE SUGGESTED IT BE NAMED AFTER ROBERT KENNEDY, BUT KENNEDY FAMILY MEMBERS OPPOSE THE IDEA OF MEMORIALIZING THE PLACE WHERE THE SENATOR WAS SHOT. IN THE MEANTIME, THE DISTRICT STILL HASN'T DECIDED WHETHER IT CAN PRESERVE PART OF THE OLD HOTEL.

VAL>> TOMORROW, A CONVERSATION WITH FILM DIRECTOR, RON HOWARD, ABOUT PORTRAYING THE LIFE OF A MENTALLY ILL GENIUS IN THE MOVIE "A BEAUTIFUL MIND".

RON HOWARD>> THE MOVIE OFFERED SOME GREAT DIRECTORIAL CHALLENGES, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF SORT OF GETTING INSIDE THE MIND OF SOMEBODY GOING ON THIS PARTICULAR KIND OF JOURNEY.

VAL>> OSCAR NOMINATED DIRECTOR, RON HOWARD. THAT'S TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, ON LIFE AND TIMES.

JESS>> OUR NEXT PIECE OF HISTORY COMES COURTESY OF PRESIDENTIAL BIOGRAPHER, RICHARD REEVES. HE'S WRITTEN A NEW BOOK ABOUT RICHARD NIXON. IT TELLS THE STORY OF NIXON'S EARLY YEARS AS A BOY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, BUT THE BOOK BREAKS SOME NEW GROUND WITH DETAILS ABOUT NIXON'S LIFE BOTH AS A POLITICIAN AND AS PRESIDENT.

VAL>> NIXON WAS A MAN FULL OF INTERNAL CONFLICTS, CONFLICTS THAT MADE HIM ONE OF OUR MOST INTRIGUING LEADERS.

RICHARD NIXON>> "AND I INTEND TO CONTINUE TO EXPOSE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOLD THIS COUNTRY DOWN THE RIVER UNTIL WE HAVE DRIVEN ALL THE CROOKS AND THE COMMUNISTS AND THOSE THAT...."

VAL>> NOW AUTHOR, RICHARD REEVES, SHEDS NEW LIGHTS ON THE ONLY PRESIDENT TO HAVE RESIGNED THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL OFFICE. THE COMPELLING STORY IS FOUND IN "PRESIDENT NIXON: ALONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE".

JESS>> RICHARD REEVES IS WITH US TONIGHT TO TELL US ABOUT THAT. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES, AND THE KEY WORD IN THE TITLE SEEMS TO BE "ALONE".

RICHARD REEVES>> ALONE, YES. IN A BUSINESS, YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO, WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T STAND TO BE ALONE. POLITICIANS ARE TO BE THE CENTER. SUDDENLY WE GET THIS GUY AS PRESIDENT WHO CAN'T STAND PEOPLE AND WHO STOOD AT THE OVAL OFFICE WINDOW THERE LOOKING OUT INTO THE ROSE GARDEN AND SHOWED HIM SAYING, "YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT JOB IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE PEOPLE". BUT HIS SOCIAL SKILLS WERE SO DAMAGED. HE WAS SO INTROVERTED.

MUCH OF THE BOOK IS BASED ON MEMOS, DIALOGUES WITH HIMSELF. HE WOULD STAY UP ALL NIGHT WRITING TO HIMSELF ON HIS YELLOW PADS OR DICTATING, AND THOSE WERE IN BOXES THAT WERE TAKEN FROM HIS DESK. AS YOU REMEMBER, HE DIDN'T LEAVE UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THEY REMAINED CLOSED FOR ALL THESE YEARS AND THEN SUDDENLY THERE'S THIS PICTURE OF THIS FELLOW WHO IS ALMOST HIGH-LEVEL AUTISTIC. HE'S THIS INCREDIBLY FUNCTIONING MAN WHO CAN'T READ SOCIAL SIGNALS AND WHO LEARNS HOW TO TRIUMPH THROUGH SHEER WILL AND INTELLIGENCE. INCREDIBLE INTELLIGENCE AND WILL TO TRIUMPH IN A BUSINESS HE NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN IN THE FIRST PLACE.

VAL>> BUT YOU REVEALED SOME PRETTY STUNNING THINGS ABOUT RICHARD NIXON. I'M READING HERE THAT NIXON THOUGHT A RACE WAR WAS INEVITABLE BETWEEN WHITES AND ASIANS?

RICHARD REEVES>> NIXON HAD A VERY TRIBAL GENETIC VIEW OF THE WORLD. HE THOUGHT THAT BLACK PEOPLE WERE INFERIOR AND THAT ASIANS WERE SUPERIOR TO CAUCASIANS AND THAT --

JESS>> -- AND HE JUST DIDN'T LIKE JEWS.

RICHARD REEVES>> WELL, JEWS WERE A TRIBE. I MEAN, THERE WERE TRIBES THAT WERE FOR HIM AND AGAINST HIM. THE JEWS WERE A TRIBE AGAINST HIM. THEY VOTED THE OTHER WAY. BUT HE THOUGHT THAT EVENTUALLY THERE WOULD BE A RACE WAR AND THAT THE JOB OF LEADERS OF THE WEST WAS TO POSTPONE THAT FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. NOW HE TOLD ME THIS -- I MEAN, I KNEW HIM -- AND AFTER HE WAS PRESIDENT, I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT. I DIDN'T BELIEVE HE REALLY BELIEVED THAT AND I WOULDN'T HAVE USED IT EXCEPT, WHEN I CAME ACROSS HIS PAPERS, HE HAD A GOOD DEAL OF THAT INSIDE HIS DESK AND HE WOULD HAVE CONVERSATIONS BACK AND FORTH PARTICULARLY WITH PAT BUCHANAN ABOUT THAT.

JESS>> ALMOST AS REMARKABLE WAS THE NOTION THAT HE THOUGHT THERE SHOULD BE A PARTY FOR HIM TO GET RID OF THE DEMOCRATS AND THE REPUBLICANS, A SEPARATE PARTY THAT HE COULD LEAD.

RICHARD REEVES>> WELL, HE TRIED AND, PERHAPS, IF WATERGATE HADN'T COME, HE MIGHT HAVE SUCCEEDED. HE WANTED TO FORM A PARTY OF THE CENTER WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED THE NEW PARTY. ITS NOMINEE IN 1980 WOULD HAVE ALMOST CERTAINLY BEEN HIS FRIEND, JOHN CONNELLY. HE WANTED TO COMBINE THE MIDDLE OF THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PARTIES AND PART OF THAT WAS TO GET RID OF GEORGE WALLACE BECAUSE NIXON WAS ELECTED WITH ONLY 43 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND WALLACE AS AN INDEPENDENT HAD 16. SO THAT, AMONG THE OTHER THINGS THAT TURNED UP, WAS THAT NIXON ACTUALLY FINANCED WALLACE'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS BECAUSE THEY WERE WEAPONS TO DESTROY THE DEMOCRATS AND BUILD THAT NEW PARTY OF HIS.

VAL>> AND DESPITE THAT PARTICULAR INTEREST HE HAD IN PARTISAN POLITICS, IT'S CLEAR APPARENTLY THAT HE BELIEVED, SO YOU SAY, HE BELIEVED THAT THE COUNTRY COULD FUNCTION DOMESTICALLY WITHOUT A PRESIDENT. IN OTHER WORDS, HE WANTED TO JUST FOCUS MAINLY ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE COUNTRY COULD RUN ITSELF?

RICHARD REEVES>> WELL, THEY ALL DO. THEY ALL DO, AS WE SEE NOW WITH PRESIDENT BUSH. I MEAN, BECAUSE OUTSIDE THE BORDERS, THE PRESIDENT IS THE UNITED STATES. HE'S THE HEAD OF STATE. HE'S THE HEAD OF GOVERNMENT. AND NIXON'S DESCRIPTION FOR THAT WAS, "I DIDN'T COME HERE TO BUILD OUTHOUSES IN PEORIA." HE WOULD OFTEN, FOR WEEKS AT A TIME, NOT DISCUSS DOMESTIC POLITICS. HE DID THINK THE COUNTRY COULD RUN ITSELF AND HE DIDN'T MUCH CARE ABOUT PROBLEMS LIKE THAT. HE WANTED TO BUILD WHAT HE SAW AS A NEW WORLD OF POWER BALANCED IN A WAY THAT WOULD PRESERVE SPEECH. HE WAS A MAN OF HIGH AMBITION. NOT ALWAYS NOBLE PERSONALLY, BUT HE HAD HIGH AND NOBLE AMBITION AS A LEADER.

JESS>> HIS LEGACY, MOST PEOPLE WOULD AGREE, WAS FOREIGN POLICY. HIS LEGACY WAS A SUCCESS THERE, AND THAT WAS ALMOST ENOUGH TO REHABILITATE HIS PRESIDENCY, WASN'T IT?

RICHARD REEVES>> I THINK IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO. IT DOESN'T REHABILITATE IT WITH ME. I COME ACROSS ABOUT 50-50 AND THE -- I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT'S JOB IS -- WE DON'T HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE GREATEST EQUIPPED PRESIDENT IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, BUT THE PRESIDENT'S JOB IN A DEMOCRACY IN THE END IS TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN THE PEOPLE AND LET THEM BRING OUT THE BEST IN HIM, WHICH IS WHY BUSH IS SUCCEEDING RIGHT NOW AND IT'S WHY NIXON IN THE END FAILED BECAUSE HE BROUGHT OUT THE WORST IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE WORST IN HIMSELF.

VAL>> IN FACT, WHEN WE SAW THE CLIP EARLIER WHERE HE'S SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULDN'T BE PETTY AND IF YOU HATE OTHERS, IT'LL ONLY DESTROY -- HE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T LISTEN TO HIS OWN WORDS BECAUSE THAT WAS PART OF HIS DOWNFALL.

RICHARD REEVES>> WELL, HE COULD TELL A LIE OR TWO (LAUGHTER). BUT WHAT IT WAS, THE MAN CONSTRUCTED HIMSELF AND RECONSTRUCTED AND RECONSTRUCTED BY MIMICKING OTHER PEOPLE. HE WOULD WATCH OTHER PEOPLE WHO SUCCEEDED IN POLITICS, JOHN KENNEDY AND CHARLES DEGAULLE BEING THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT, THAT HE WOULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND TRY TO DO IT HIMSELF AND GENERALLY GET IT WRONG BECAUSE HE MIRROR-IMAGED PEOPLE AS IF EVERYONE WAS LIKE HIM, BUT VERY FEW PEOPLE WERE LIKE HIM.

SO HE ALWAYS THOUGHT THEIR MOTIVATION WAS, I WOULDN'T SAY EVIL, BUT WAS SELF-SERVING. HE WAS MORE MACHIAVELLI THAN HE WAS THE PRINCE. SO THIS ODD NEW NIXON WOULD CONSTANTLY POP UP BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAD SEEN OTHER PEOPLE DO AND, IN THE COURSE OF THAT, HE MEMORIZED EVERY WORD HE EVER SAID IN PUBLIC AND MOST OF WHAT HE SAID IN PRIVATE BECAUSE HE WAS SO NERVOUS IN TERMS OF BEGINNING CONVERSATIONS, IN TERMS OF ANY KIND OF SOCIAL INTERCOURSE.

JESS>> SO BOB DOLE WAS CORRECT WHEN HE, AS YOU QUOTE HIM IN YOUR BOOK, SUGGESTED THAT "IT'S NOT SO MUCH HOW NIXON'S PRESIDENCY ENDED, BUT THE FACT THAT HE EVER BECAME PRESIDENT."

RICHARD REEVES>> THAT HE EVER BECAME PRESIDENT. ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY HUMAN ACHIEVEMENTS. IT WAS AS IF HE DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO BE A CENTER IN THE NBA (LAUGHTER) BECAUSE HE HAD EXACTLY THE SAME BASE SKILLS FOR THAT THAT HE HAD FOR BEING PRESIDENT, YET HE WAS ABLE TO CONSTRUCT THIS PERSON CALLED RICHARD NIXON WHO BECAME THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD AND THEN DESTROYED HIMSELF.

VAL>> FASCINATING, FASCINATING CHARACTER AND, NO DOUBT, PLENTY OF MATERIAL THERE FOR A FASCINATING BOOK.

RICHARD REEVES>> WELL, I DID THE BEST I COULD BECAUSE SHAKESPEARE'S NOT AROUND. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) THANK YOU SO MUCH, RICHARD REEVES, FOR COMING BY AND SHARING THAT WITH US. AGAIN, THE NAME OF THE BOOK IS "PRESIDENT NIXON: ALONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE". IT PROVIDES A VIEW OF NIXON THAT'S LARGELY BEEN MISSING UNTIL NOW.

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

JESS>> THE YEAR WAS 1954. WHILE JACK BENNY AND RIN-TIN-TIN WERE KEEPING PEOPLE ENTERTAINED, ONE MAN WAS TRYING TO KEEP US FIT. HIS NAME WAS JACK LALANNE.

JACK LALANNE>> "I HAVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT OUR LITTLE TERMINOLOGY THAT WE HAVE. THIS IS THE FRONT PORCH, THIS IS A SIDE PORCH, AND THIS IS THE BACK PORCH. YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED FOR EQUIPMENT? I FORGOT TO TELL YOU. AN ORDINARY CHAIR SUCH AS THIS...."

VAL>> THE SHOW ORIGINATED FROM CHANNEL 11 IN HOLLYWOOD AND MADE JACK LALANNE A HOUSEHOLD NAME. LALANNE WAS A SICKLY TEENAGER, BUT HE UNDERWENT A CONVERSION AND HAS BEEN PREACHING FITNESS EVER SINCE. TODAY HE IS 87 YEARS OLD AND STILL GOING STRONG.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW, THE FOREVER YOUNG, JACK LALANNE.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> JACK, FOR THOSE US OF A CERTAIN AGE, WE ARE --

JACK LALANNE>> -- JESS, BEFORE WE GET GOING --

JESS>> YES?

JACK LALANNE>> I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M HERE WITH YOU. YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY IDOL. I LIKE YOU OLDER FELLOWS.

JESS>> SINCE YOU WERE A KID. (LAUGHTER)

JACK LALANNE>> YEAH. LISTEN, GOOD SEEING YOU.

JESS>> GOOD SEEING YOU.

VAL>> WONDERFUL HAVING YOU HERE. OH, WOW.

JACK LALANNE>> KISSING, NO CALORIES.

VAL>> THE AGE OF CHIVALRY.

JACK LALANNE>> NO, I'M VERY FLATTERED THAT YOU HAVE ME ON YOUR SHOW.

JESS>> DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE, AND HOW ABOUT THOSE OF US OF THAT CERTAIN AGE? ARE WE BEGINNING TO PAY ATTENTION TO DIET AND EXERCISE?

JACK LALANNE>> FORGET ABOUT AGE. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO? THEY'VE TAKEN PEOPLE IN THEIR 90's NOW, AND THEY PUT THEM ON A SUPERVISED PROGRAM OF WEIGHT TRAINING, THEY DOUBLE THEIR STRENGTH AND DOUBLE THEIR ENDURANCE IN SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS. THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN TEN OR FIFTY DIFFERENT TESTS ALL OVER THE WORLD. SEE, YOU DON'T GET OLD FROM CALENDAR YEAR. YOU GET OLD FROM INACTIVITY. THAT IS THE KEY.

JESS>> NO MORE ROCKING CHAIRS.

JACK LALANNE>> NO. ABSOLUTELY, PEOPLE KILL THEMSELVES SITTING AROUND DOING NOTHING -- INACTIVITY. SEE, YOU'VE GOT TO DO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF STRENGTH TRAINING, ESPECIALLY AS YOU GET OLDER. SEE, THE MEDICAL DOCTORS -- NOW I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING THIS FOR OVER SEVENTY YEARS FOR PEOPLE FORTY, FIFTY, SIXTY, EIGHTY YEARS OLD TO BUILD MUSCLE. NOW THE MEDICAL PROFESSION -- EVERYTHING, BUILD MUSCLE, BUILD MUSCLE. THIS IS THE KEY. FAT IS THE KILLER. AWFUL, TERRIBLE FAT.

VAL>> YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S SO CONFUSING THOUGH ABOUT FITNESS IS FIRST YOU FIND OUT SOMETHING'S GOOD, AND THEN YOU FIND OUT SOMETHING'S BAD, THEN YOU SHOULDN'T DO THIS, AND THEN YOU SHOULD DO NOT TOO MUCH OF THAT, AND THEN YOU SHOULD EAT THIS, AND YOU SHOULDN'T EAT THAT. WHAT ARE THE BASICS THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED OVER ALL THE DECADES?

JACK LALANNE>> THE THING IS EXERCISE. YOU HAVE 640 MUSCLES, RIGHT?

VAL>> YEAH.

JACK LALANNE>> EVERY DAY, OR THREE OR FOUR TIMES A WEEK, YOU NEED STRENGTH TRAINING, RIGHT? YOU NEED CARDIOVASCULAR FROM 12 TO 17 MINUTES. THIS STUFF ABOUT STAYING ON THE TREADMILL FOR AN HOUR OR AN HOUR AND A HALF, THAT'S RIDICULOUS. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO KEEP THAT UP? SEE, EXERCISE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE GOT TO DO THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, SO IT'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL FIT YOUR LIFESTYLE.

VAL>> IS TWENTY MINUTES A DAY ENOUGH?

JACK LALANNE>> YEAH, TWENTY OR THIRTY, IF IT'S DONE VIGOROUSLY, AND THEN YOU SHOULD CHANGE YOUR PROGRAM EVERY THIRTY DAYS COMPLETELY.

VAL>> OH, REALLY?

JACK LALANNE>> SEE, THE MINUTE YOU GET USED TO SOMETHING, THE MUSCLES, THEY DON'T RESPOND, SO YOU HAVE GOT TO CHANGE IT, THEN THE BODY RESPONDS.

JESS>> NOW HERE YOU ARE. THERE'S NO GYMNASIUM THERE. THERE'S NO EXPENSIVE FITNESS EQUIPMENT.

JACK LALANNE>> EXACTLY RIGHT.

JESS>> YOU'RE JUST WORKING OUT WITH A KITCHEN CHAIR.

JACK LALANNE>> YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT WAS ON 34 YEARS. WE JUST MADE THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS. I WAS ON OVER TWENTY YEARS IN EUROPE AND 34 YEARS HERE, FIVE DAYS A WEEK. FOR A WHILE WE WERE ON SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, A HALF AN HOUR.

VAL>> AND PEOPLE COULD DO EVERYTHING THEY NEED WITH JUST SIMPLE --

JACK LALANNE>> -- ABSOLUTELY. AFTER ALL PEOPLE DON'T HAVE WEIGHTS AT HOME. AT LEAST THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T, BUT NOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE WEIGHTS? BUT YOU CAN DO IT RIGHT WITH A CHAIR.

VAL>> IN FACT, YOU CAN SHOW US --

JACK LALANNE>> -- YOU WANT TO SEE SOMETHING?

VAL>> YEAH. YEAH, DEFINITELY.

JACK LALANNE>> I CAN SHOW YOU SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, OKAY? WHILE YOU FOLKS ARE SITTING AT HOME RIGHT NOW, INSTEAD OF EATING ALL THAT JUNK DURING THE COMMERCIAL, PRETEND YOU'RE RIDING A BICYCLE. COME ON AND GO WITH ME. THIS GETS YOUR THIGHS. IT HELPS YOUR HIPS. IT GETS RID OF THE WAISTLINE. YOU'RE BURNING UP FAT. YOU'RE BURNING CALORIES. ANOTHER GOOD ONE IS LIKE THIS. FOR YOU PEOPLE WHO -- YOU KNOW, THE FOOD YOU EAT, TEN SECONDS ON THE LIPS, A LIFETIME ON THE HIPS, RIGHT?

AND PEOPLE ACCUMULATE BIG GUTS. SIT ON THIS CHAIR. IF YOU'RE A BEGINNER JUST DO ONE KNEE INTO YOUR CHEST, LIKE THAT. THEN IF YOU'RE ADVANCED, DO BOTH LEGS. TRY TO TOUCH YOUR KNEES TO YOUR FOREHEAD. IF YOU CAN, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE LONG KNEES, EXCELLENT. YOU INHALE AND YOU BLOW OUT AS YOU CONTRACT AND YOU INHALE. SEE, ANOTHER ONE FOR THE INNER PART OF YOUR THIGHS AND THE OUTER PART OF YOUR THIGHS, FOR A LOT OF YOU GIRLS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE IN YOUR SHORT DRESSES, YOU GET ALL THAT UGLY FAT AROUND HERE.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER)

JACK LALANNE>> LOOK HERE. SEE. ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR. THESE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO DURING THE COMMERCIAL. WHY WASTE THAT TIME? SO MANY OF YOU ARE GOBBLING UP FOOD AND TAKING A BUNCH OF FATTENING DRINKS. DO SOMETHING FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE WORLD: YOU. WHEN HAS GOD EVER COME DOWN AND DONE YOUR EXERCISE FOR YOU? YOU HAVE TO DO IT. YOU GOT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. ANOTHER GOOD ONE, JUST SITTING IN YOUR CHAIR. JUST STAND UP LIKE THIS, RIGHT? UP AND DOWN. THAT'S TERRIFIC FOR YOUR THIGHS AND YOUR HIPS. I'LL JUST COME RIGHT OVER HERE AND JOIN MY BUDDIES.

VAL>> THAT'S GREAT. YOU KNOW, I MUST SAY FOR THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT THE AVERAGE FAMILY WATCHES TELEVISION, I'M SHOCKED. IT'S LIKE THREE OR FOUR HOURS. IF THEY EXERCISED --

JACK LALANNE>> -- THAT'S WHAT I SAY, EVERY COMMERCIAL, THAT'S THREE MINUTES THAT THEY COULD BE DOING AND DURING AN HOUR THAT'S SIX OR SEVEN MINUTES. WHAT THEY DO IN THE DAY, THEY CAN DO TEN OR FIFTEEN MINUTES JUST SITTING IN THE CHAIR DOING THIS STUFF.

VAL>> THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

JACK LALANNE>> THEY'RE BUILDING UP THEIR HEALTH ACCOUNT.

VAL>> AND THEN THEY CAN REST DURING THE PROGRAM.

JACK LALANNE>> SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

VAL>> WHAT A GREAT USE FOR COMMERCIALS.

JACK LALANNE>> YOU KNOW, I TELL YOU, I HATE TO EXERCISE. I WORK OUT TWO HOURS EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. I WOULD RATHER TAKE A BEATING, BUT I LIKE THE RESULTS.

VAL>> YOU DO. WAIT, HOLD ON, SAY THAT AGAIN. YOU STILL WORK OUT --

JACK LALANNE>> -- TWO HOURS EVERY DAY. I TRY TO HIT THE GYM AROUND SIX IN THE MORNING, OR A LITTLE BIT BEFORE, WORK OUT FOR TWO HOURS. I ROLL OUT, MY WIFE ROLLS OVER. (LAUGHTER) NO, BUT SHE WORKS OUT, AND THE MINUTE I'M THROUGH ABOUT SEVEN OR WHATEVER, THEN SHE STARTS. SHE WORKS OUT EVERY DAY.

JESS>> NOW HERE, YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED A BIT. LOOK AT THAT GUY.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> THAT'S PERFECT.

VAL>> WERE THOSE YOUR MUSCLE BEACH DAYS?

JACK LALANNE>> OH, YEAH.

VAL>> SO YOU WERE PART OF THE MUSCLE BEACH CROWD?

JESS>> HE WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINATORS.

VAL>> THAT IS SO AMAZING.

JACK LALANNE>> THAT WAS IN MY PROBABLY LATE 40's THEN, MAYBE 50'S.

VAL>> OH, REALLY?

JACK LALANNE>> OH, YEAH.

VAL>> WOW.

JACK LALANNE>> IT'S AMAZING SEEING THAT. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY DO THAT. I STILL DO THAT. THERE I'M MAYBE 85 OR 86 YEARS OLD.

VAL>> OH, MY GOSH.

JACK LALANNE>> YOU PUT YOUR ARMS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU. STIFF ARM, YOU KNOW, NOT BENT, STRAIGHT AND YOU DO PUSH-UPS.

JESS>> I REMEMBER THE BIRTHDAY YOU SWAM ACROSS TO ALCATRAZ TOWING A BOAT.

JACK LALANNE>> ON MY 70TH BIRTHDAY, I TOWED SEVENTY BOATS WITH SEVENTY PEOPLE IN THE BOATS. MY FEET AND HANDS WERE TIED FROM A MILE AND A HALF IN LONG BEACH HARBOR.

VAL>> THAT SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE.

JACK LALANNE>> THEN ANOTHER BIRTHDAY I WAS HANDCUFFED, AND I ESCAPED FROM ALCATRAZ. THE ONLY PERSON WHO EVER ESCAPED FROM ALCATRAZ, AND I WAS HANDCUFFED.

VAL>> SUCCESSFULLY. (LAUGHTER)

JACK LALANNE>> TO GIVE THE PRISONERS HOPE.

VAL>> YOU AND HOUDINI. (LAUGHTER)

JACK LALANNE>> YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE SAY GOODBYE, I HOPE THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU FOLKS OUT THERE THAT ARE WATCHING US WILL DO SOMETHING FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE WORLD. MAKE THIS THEIR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION, YOU'RE GOING TO START EATING RIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET RID OF THOSE POUNDS, START EATING MORE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, NATURAL GRAINS, AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE, AND IF YOU'RE NOT IN SHAPE, YOU CAN'T BE HAPPY.

YOU GO THROUGH THIS LIFE ONCE, SO WHY NOT BE HAPPY? IF YOU'RE NOT IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION, YOU CAN'T SEPARATE THE MIND AND THE BODY. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. SO TAKE CARE OF YOU AND I HOPE YOU HAVE THE BEST NEW YEAR'S AND HOLIDAYS YOU'VE EVER HAD IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. MAKE IT HAPPEN.

VAL>> JACK LALANNE, YOU ARE GOING TO BE DOING JUMPING JACKS FROM THE GRAVE.

JACK LALANNE>> I HOPE SO. I CAN'T AFFORD TO DIE. IT'LL WRECK MY IMAGE. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) THANK YOU SO MUCH.

JESS>> JACK, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

JACK LALANNE>> YOU GUYS ARE GREAT.

VAL>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> FOR MORE ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIANS WHO PIONEERED THE FITNESS MOVEMENT, CHECK THE JANUARY ISSUE OF "LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE." YOU'LL SEE A BIG PICTURE OF JACK LALANNE THERE ALONG WITH AN ARTICLE BY WRITER, DAVID DAVIS.

VAL>> HE IS FANTASTIC.

JESS>> ISN'T HE, THOUGH? HE MENTIONED HIS WIFE WHOSE NAME IS ELAINE LALANNE.

VAL>> ELAINE LALANNE, AND THEY'VE BEEN MARRIED FOREVER AND BOTH OF THEM ARE STILL GOING STRONG. SHE'S IN GREAT SHAPE TOO.

JESS>> JACK LALANNE AND HIS WIFE, ELAINE, HAVE A WEBSITE WITH EXERCISE TIPS AND RECIPES, ALONG WITH OTHER THINGS. THE WEB ADDRESS IS WWW.JACKLALANNE.COM.

VAL>> THAT'S L-A-L-A-N-N-E. AND YOU CAN FIND TRANSCRIPTS OF OUR PROGRAMS OR LISTEN TO ABOUT A WEEK'S WORTH OF LIFE AND TIMES PROGRAMS ON OUR WEBSITE. CHECK US OUT AT KCET.ORG.

JESS>> THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS EDITION OF THE BEST OF LIFE AND TIMES AND WE HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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