7/17/02

LC020717

JESS MARLOW>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

IT MAY BE THE MOST EXPENSIVE SCHOOL IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY, A ONE-OF-A-KIND BOOT CAMP WHERE THE STATE HAS SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON JUST A HANDFUL OF TROUBLED KIDS.

SGT. MAJOR RAY DUMAS>> THEY'RE TOUGH KIDS COMING FROM TOUGH BACKGROUNDS, DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES, SO FORTH AND SO ON. BUT THE THING THAT WE STILL TRY TO DRIVE HOME HERE IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE KIDS.

JESS>> IT IS ONE OF THE MOST PERFORMED SURGERIES IN AMERICA AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE INSIST IT RELIEVED THEIR ACHING KNEES, BUT DOES ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY REALLY DO ANY GOOD? A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS NO. TONIGHT WE'LL GET THE FACTS FROM A LEADING ARTHRITIS SPECIALIST.

AND THEY CALL HIM "MR. L.A. THEATER". GORDON DAVIDSON HAS RUN THE MARK TAPER FORUM FOR 35 YEARS, BUT NOW HE'S TALKING ABOUT STEPPING DOWN. TONIGHT DAVIDSON IS HERE TO LET US IN ON HIS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

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.

AND 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.

JESS>> GOOD EVENING, I'M JESS MARLOW. VAL HAS THE NIGHT OFF.

IT HAS COST CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS MORE THAN $12 MILLION DOLLARS, BUT IN TWO YEARS, IT HAS PRODUCED ONLY TEN GRADUATES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TURNING POINT ACADEMY, A STATE-RUN REFORM SCHOOL NEAR SAN LUIS OBISPO. IT'S A SPECIAL BOOT CAMP FOR TEENAGED BOYS WHO'VE BEEN EXPELLED FOR CARRYING GUNS TO SCHOOL. BUT CRITICS CALL IT A BOONDOGGLE AND THEY'VE HAMMERED AWAY AT GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS FOR WANTING TO GIVE THE PROJECT EVEN MORE MONEY. TONIGHT PHILIP BRUCE TAKES US FOR A FIRST-HAND LOOK AT WHERE SO MANY OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS HAVE GONE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> HE ARRIVES IN HANDCUFFS AND LEG IRONS, A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD GANG MEMBER FROM LOS ANGELES WHO GOT INTO TROUBLE FOR BRINGING A GUN TO SCHOOL.

>> LET'S GO! WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT HERE, HE'S JUST ANOTHER FORMER TOUGH GUY WHO'S MET HIS MATCH.

>> STAY FOCUSED! ONE STEP BACKWARD!

PHILIP BRUCE>> THIS IS TURNING POINT ACADEMY, A PLACE WHERE TROUBLED KIDS GET A SECOND CHANCE TO TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND AND AVOID JAIL, BUT ONLY IF THEY'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES. THE FIRST TEST IS A BOOT CAMP-STYLE HAIRCUT.

>> WHILE YOU ARE HERE, YOU WILL BE TESTED PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.

SGT. MAJOR RAY DUMAS>> WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY WALK IN THIS DOOR INTO THIS ACADEMY WHO'S IN CHARGE AND, BY ALL MEANS, THE ACADEMY STAFF AND THE ACADEMY IS IN CHARGE. WE'RE IN CONTROL AND WE'LL REMAIN IN CONTROL FROM THE TIME THEY COME IN THE DOOR UNTIL THE TIME THEY LEAVE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> IT'S A BRAVE NEW WORLD LOCATED ON WHAT USED TO BE A NATIONAL GUARD TRAINING CAMP JUST OUTSIDE SAN LUIS OBISPO. BEFORE HE GOT HERE, THIS YOUNG MAN MAY HAVE NEVER MET A RULE HE COULDN'T BREAK. BUT HERE, HE'S TOLD WHEN TO EAT, WHEN TO SLEEP, EVEN WHEN TO USE THE BATHROOM, AND ON THAT NOTE, PERSONAL HYGIENE IS STRICTLY BY THE BOOK.

>> WERE YOU CLEAN AT HOME?

>> YES, SIR.

>> YOU MADE YOUR BED EVERY DAY?

>> YES, SIR.

>> I DON'T BELIEVE YOU.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THE LOS ANGELES PROBATION OFFICER WHO BROUGHT HIM HERE SAYS TURNING POINT WORKS WONDERS, ESPECIALLY STACKED UP AGAINST THE ALTERNATIVE, A TOUR THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY, THE STATE'S VERSION OF HARD TIME FOR TEENAGERS.

>> THEY CAN READ BETTER. THEY CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS A LOT BETTER. YOU CAN SEE IT JUST IN THEM. IT'S VERY RARE THAT, WHEN YOU TAKE A KID, PUT HIM IN A PLACE LIKE THIS, FOR A MINOR TO TELL YOU I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO LEAVE. I WISH I COULD STAY HERE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> IT'S HARD TO FIND FAULT WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE UNTIL YOU LOOK AT WHAT IT ALL COSTS. THAT'S BEEN TURNING POINT'S BIG DOWNFALL: THE PRICE TAG. IN TWO YEARS, THE ACADEMY HAS ENROLLED A TOTAL OF JUST 33 STUDENTS AND, FOR THAT, THE STATE HAS SPENT MORE THAN $12 MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD AND OPERATE THE MILITARY-STYLE REFORM SCHOOL.

IN FACT, WHEN TURNING POINT FIRST OPENED IN THE SPRING OF 2001, THIS FACILITY, WHICH WAS BUILT TO ATTRACT 360 STUDENTS, GOT JUST ONE, A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD WHO DRILLED ALONE, STUDIED ALONE AND SLEPT ALONE, EXCEPT FOR THE 45 STAFF MEMBERS AND TEACHERS ON HAND TO KEEP THE PLACE RUNNING. THE TEENAGER WAS PROMPTLY DUBBED "THE $9 MILLION DOLLAR KID". THAT'S WHAT THE STATE SPENT ON TURNING POINT WHILE HE WAS THERE.

COL. MIKE NEVIN>> WELL, THAT'S WHAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID. OF COURSE, IT NEVER WAS TRUE. I USE THE ANALOGY THAT, IF GENERAL MOTORS SPENT $100 MILLION BUILDING A PRODUCTION PLANT, THEY WOULDN'T CALL THE FIRST CAR OFF THE LINE "THE $100 MILLION DOLLAR CAR".

PHILIP BRUCE>> COL. MIKE NEVIN IS A CAREER SOLDIER WHO FLEW HELICOPTERS IN VIETNAM. HE CREATED TURNING POINT FROM SCRATCH AND WATCHED IT GROW FROM THE DILAPIDATED OLD BARRACKS.

COL. MIKE NEVIN>> I THINK VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE BUILDINGS YOU SEE HERE WERE BUILT IN THE EARLY PART OF WORLD WAR II, 1942, 1943, MAYBE AS LATE AS 1944.

PHILIP BRUCE>> YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT USED TO BE AND WHAT COL. NEVIN AND THE STATE TURNED THE PLACE INTO. MONEY WELL SPENT, HE SAYS, CONSIDERING THAT A COMPLETE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP. BUT CRITICS CALL IT AN EXPENSIVE BOONDOGGLE WITH TOO MANY EMPTY DORMS AND TOO MANY PEOPLE ON THE PAYROLL. EVEN NOW, WITH THE NEW ARRIVAL FROM LOS ANGELES, TURNING POINT HAS A STAFF OF 32 TO WATCH OVER JUST TWENTY YOUNG BOYS.

COL. MIKE NEVIN>> YOU KNOW, AT FIRST BLUSH, THAT SEEMS KIND OF OUT OF LINE, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. AT NIGHT TIME, BY THE BOOK, I WOULD ONLY HAVE TO HAVE ONE STAFF MEMBER HERE AT NIGHT. BUT I WOULD BE PROFESSIONALLY IRRESPONSIBLE IF I DID THAT BECAUSE, IF ANYTHING HAPPENED, THAT ONE PERSON WOULDN'T HAVE ANY KIND OF BACKUP.

PHILIP BRUCE>> AND THE COLONEL SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE READY FOR ANYTHING, SINCE THESE BOYS ALL HAVE A TROUBLING PAST. THEY'VE EACH BEEN SENTENCED HERE BY A JUDGE FOR BRINGING A GUN TO SCHOOL. IT'S THE MAIN REQUIREMENT FOR GETTING IN. THREATENING SOMEONE WITH A KNIFE, A FIST OR A BROKEN BOTTLE ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH. IT MUST HAVE BEEN A GUN. THAT NARROW CRITERIA SET BY STATE LAWMAKERS IS THE MAIN REASON TURNING POINT ACADEMY HAS SUCH A SMALL ENROLLMENT AND COL. NEVIN SAYS IT'S WHY HIS COSTS PER STUDENT ARE SO HIGH. MEANWHILE, MOST OF THE KIDS WHO HAVE GOTTEN IN HAVE DONE WELL.

>> IT WILL BE TOUGH, BUT I KNOW I CAN MAKE IT. AS LONG AS I JUST KEEP GOING TO SCHOOL, I CAN DO IT.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT CRITICS SAY GOOD RESULTS DON'T HAVE TO COST SUCH BIG BUCKS. JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM TURNING POINT, ANOTHER PROGRAM, THE GRIZZLY YOUTH ACADEMY, HAS GRADUATED HUNDREDS OF AT-RISK YOUNGSTERS FOR A FRACTION OF WHAT TURNING POINT SPENDS AND THEY'VE DONE IT WITHOUT FANCY NEW BUILDINGS. GRIZZLY USES THE OLD BARRACKS AS-IS WITH LITTLE OR NO RENOVATION. THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR SAYS SHE SPENDS MONEY WHERE IT COUNTS MOST: ON THE KIDS.

>> THIS IS NOT A PLUSH FACILITY AND IT'S NOT A PLUSH ENVIRONMENT FOR THE STUDENTS EITHER. ONCE THEY'RE CADETS, THEY ARE TREATED LIKE MILITARY.

PHILIP BRUCE>> AND THEN YOU HAVE THE MORE UPSCALE ENVIRONMENT AT TURNING POINT. CRITICS HAVE BEEN GUNNING FOR THE PLACE ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING. THE ONLY REASON IT'S SURVIVED THIS LONG IS THAT IT'S BEEN THE GOVERNOR'S PET PROJECT.

COL. MIKE NEVIN>> I TALK WITH THE GOVERNOR'S STAFF, YOU KNOW, EVERY NOW AND THEN AND, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THE GOVERNOR STILL IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT THIS WEEK, THE COLONEL GOT ANOTHER PHONE CALL. IT WAS THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAYING THEY'D DECIDED TO PULL THE PLUG. TOO MANY CRITICS IN SACRAMENTO AND NOT ENOUGH HOPE OF GETTING LAWMAKERS TO SPEND MORE MONEY, NOT WITH THE STATE FACING A RECORD DEFICIT. TOO BAD, SAY THE PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE. THEY KNOW THEY WERE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

SGT. MAJOR RAY DUMAS>> THEY'RE TOUGH KIDS COMING FROM TOUGH BACKGROUNDS, DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES, SO FORTH AND SO ON. BUT THE THING THAT WE STILL DRIVE HOME HERE IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE KIDS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> INSTEAD OF KILLING THE PLACE, THE STAFF WONDERS WHY LAWMAKERS DIDN'T BROADEN THE RULES TO INCLUDE MORE THAN JUST GUN OFFENDERS. THAT MIGHT HAVE BOOSTED ENROLLMENT AND LOWERED TURNING POINT'S OVERALL COST. INSTEAD, THEY'VE GOT THIRTY DAYS TO PACK THEIR BAGS AND MOVE OUT. AND AS FOR THE KIDS, THEY'RE ALL HEADED BACK HOME WHERE LOCAL AUTHORITIES WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, PHILIP BRUCE FOR LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

JESS>> THE STATE POURED AT LEAST $7 MILLION DOLLARS INTO RENOVATING THOSE OLD BARRACKS AT CAMP SAN LUIS OBISPO. LATER THIS YEAR, AFTER TURNING POINT ACADEMY IS FINALLY CLOSED, THE FACILITIES MAY BE TURNED OVER TO ANOTHER BOOT CAMP PROGRAM OR THE BUILDINGS MAY SIMPLY SIT THERE EMPTY UNTIL THE STATE CAN AGREE ON WHAT TO DO NEXT.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, WE'LL MEET L.A.'S NEW URBAN PIONEERS. THEY LOVE THE THRILL OF LIVING DOWNTOWN, BUT JUST TRY TO FIND A PLACE THAT SELLS TOILET PAPER LATE AT NIGHT.

>> ADAPTABILITY. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS, TO BE A SWISS ARMY KNIFE TO WHATEVER COMES YOUR WAY. PERSON STEPS IN YOUR WAY, YOU WALK AROUND HIM. HOLE DROPS IN THE GROUND, STEP OVER IT. JUST BE ADAPTIVE TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS.

>> AND IF YOU CAN'T?

>> IT'S NOT FOR YOU.

JESS>> THE STORY DREW HEADLINES IN NEWSPAPERS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. A KNEE OPERATION DONE ON MILLIONS OF ARTHRITIS SUFFERERS WAS A SHAM. RESEARCHERS COMPARED PATIENTS WHO HAD THE SURGERY WITH OTHERS WHO UNDERWENT "PRETEND" OPERATIONS AND FOUND NO DIFFERENCE. HOW CAN THAT BE? TONIGHT WE'RE JOINED BY DR. STUART SILVERMAN. HE'S A CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT UCLA AND AT CEDAR SINAI MEDICAL CENTERS AND HE IS A LEADING SPECIALIST ON ARTHRITIS AND PAIN.

THIS WAS NOT JUST A SHAM, BUT IT PERHAPS WAS A SCAM?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> WELL, CERTAINLY IT WAS AN IMPORTANT FINDING, BUT THIS STUDY WAS THE FIRST STUDY TO TELL US ABOUT ONE OF THE TWO APPROACHES FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS. THERE IS CERTAINLY A MEDICAL APPROACH AND A SURGICAL APPROACH, BUT THE SURGICAL APPROACH DOESN'T SEEM TO INDICATE IN THIS STUDY TO OFFER ANY BENEFIT OVER A PLACEBO APPROACH, WHICH IS NOT DOING THE SURGERY AT ALL.

JESS>> TO THE LAY PERSON, IT SEEMED THE PERFECT SOLUTION. ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY WHICH DOESN'T INVOLVE A LOT OF GENERAL ANESTHESIA, ONE WOULD ASSUME, AND A THIN INSTRUMENT INSERTED IN THE KNEE JOINT AND YOU CAN PICK OUT PIECES OF BONE AND YOU CAN RESHAPE PARTS OF IT. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT OUGHT TO RELIEVE PAIN.

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> IT CERTAINLY SOUNDS INTRIGUING. SMOOTHING OUT CARTILAGE, REMOVING THE JUNK INSIDE THE JOINT, SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD BE A GOOD START TOWARD RELIEVING PAIN. BUT WE LEARNED IT DID NOT IN COMPARISON TO PATIENTS WHO HAD SIGNED AN INFORMED CONSENT AND DONE A SHAM PROCEDURE. ILLUSTRATING AGAIN, WE NEED TO BE THINKING, IN THIS CASE IN OSTEOARTHRITIS, MORE ABOUT MEDICAL APPROACHES.

JESS>> BUT YOU DON'T DISPUTE THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY. IT WAS AT THE BAYLOR MEDICAL CENTER IN HOUSTON?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> YES. IT WAS ACTUALLY AT THE VA MEDICAL CENTER SPONSORING THE TRIAL. IT'S IN MEN, NOT IN WOMEN. I DON'T DISPUTE THE TRIAL LOOKING FOR THIS PATIENT GROUP, WHICH IS A GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PAIN DUE TO KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS. HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE OTHER PATIENTS WHO MIGHT BE SELECTED WHO MIGHT HAVE PARTICULAR PROBLEMS THAT THE SURGERY MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL IN THEM AS WELL.

JESS>> SOME OF US ARE LOOKING AT IT AND SEEING THE TERM "PLACEBO SURGERY". THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO MAKE AN INCISION EVEN THOUGH THEY DID NO CORRECTIVE REPAIR, RIGHT?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> RIGHT. WELL, WE WANTED THE PATIENTS TO BE BLINDED AND THESE PATIENTS WOULD SIGN CONSENTS AGREEING TO THIS TRIAL. ACTUALLY, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE. INSTEAD OF THE FLUIDS BEING WASHED THROUGH THE KNEES, THEY HEARD SOUNDS SPLASHING IN THE BACKGROUND.

JESS>> SO THESE WERE VA PATIENTS WHO WENT INTO THIS KNOWINGLY AND AGREED TO ACCEPT PLACEBO SURGERY IF THAT WAS THEIR LUCK OF THE DRAW?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> YES. ABOUT HALF THE PATIENTS, BECAUSE THERE WAS AN INFORMED CONSENT, DID NOT AGREE TO PARTICIPATE AT THE BEGINNING.

JESS>> I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAD THE PLACEBO SURGERY, BUT STILL INSISTED THEY HAD PAIN RELIEF?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> WELL, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON IN A TRIAL FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT THEY HAD SOME PAIN RELIEF. WE'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE. BUT IT SHOWS YOU THE POWER OF ANY INTERVENTION IN MAKING YOU FEEL -- IF THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE AGREED TO TO GET THEM BETTER, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THEY TEND TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE GETTING BETTER. THE PROBLEM IS, THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GROUP THAT GOT THE SURGERY AND THE GROUP THAT DIDN'T.

JESS>> SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW? WILL SURGEONS SIMPLY QUIT PERFORMING THAT SURGERY?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> I'M NOT SURE THEY'LL QUIT PERFORMING, BUT THEY CERTAINLY NEED TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THEIR PATIENTS AND THEY MAY WANT TO MAKE IT BASED ON CERTAIN SPECIFIC INDICATIONS, AND I WOULD EXPECT INSURANCE COMPANIES TO WANT TO APPROVE SUCH SURGERIES IN THE FUTURE.

JESS>> NOT JUST INSURANCE COMPANIES, BUT THE VA AND MEDICARE. THE COST FOR THESE SURGERIES HAS BEEN OVER A BILLION DOLLARS, WE UNDERSTAND.

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> RIGHT. IT, AGAIN, SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING PLACEBO CONTROL TRIALS SUCH AS THIS ONE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER SOME OF THE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED. SURGERIES, AS OPPOSED TO MEDICATIONS, DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS VIGOROUS TRIAL PROCESS THAT WE HAVE FOR MEDICATIONS OR DEVICES. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO DO STUDIES SUCH AS THIS ONE TO LET US KNOW WHAT THE REAL BENEFITS ARE AND POINT US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, TO DEVELOP BETTER MEDICATIONS TO HELP RELIEVE PAIN AND IMPROVE FUNCTION.

JESS>> YOU INDICATED THIS WAS A MEN-ONLY RESEARCH PROJECT AND YET MOST OSTEOARTHRITIS SUFFERERS ARE WOMEN, ARE THEY NOT?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF ARTHRITIS, BUT VERY OFTEN WE SEE WOMEN WHO ARE HAVING MORE PAIN THAN MEN.

JESS>> IF THIS SURGERY IS ABANDONED, WILL THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE RHEUMATOLOGISTS BE ABLE TO PROVIDE DRUGS THAT WILL RELIEVE PAIN?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> YEAH, I'M KIND OF EXCITED, MR. MARLOW, BECAUSE WE'RE ENTERING A PERIOD WHERE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE EFFECTIVE DRUGS, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT MANY NEW DRUGS THAT NOT ONLY ARE EFFECTIVE, BUT WILL BE SAFE AS WELL. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS OF OUR OLDER DRUGS, THE NON-STEROIDS SUCH AS NAPICIN OR MOTRIN, WERE EFFECTIVE IN MANY PATIENTS, BUT THEY HAD GIANT SIDE EFFECTS, EFFECTS ON THE GUT. ON SOME OF THE RECENT DRUGS, THERE ARE EVEN QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT HEART EFFECTS.

I'M HERE TODAY TO MENTION THE TARGET TRIAL, WHICH IS AN ACRONYM FOR THE LARGEST ARTHRITIS TRIAL AVAILABLE, WHICH IS LOOKING AT ARTHRITIS NOT ONLY OF THE KNEE, BUT AT OTHER LOCATIONS --

JESS>> -- YOU'RE ACTIVELY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT PROGRAM?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> YES, I AM. YES, I AM. WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING AND WHO HAVE ARTHRITIS OR ARE INTERESTED IN MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS TO CALL A TOLL-FREE NUMBER OF 1-866-4-OA-TRIAL. OA IS ACTUALLY THE LETTERS FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS AND THIS IS ABOUT THE TARGET TRIAL, WHICH IS AN ACRONYM FOR THIS TRIAL.

JESS>> AND HOW LARGE WILL THIS STUDY BE?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> IT'S ACTUALLY INTERESTING. IT'S THE LARGEST TRIAL WORLDWIDE ON ARTHRITIS. IT'S BEING DONE IN 300 COUNTRIES, OVER 18,000 PARTICIPANTS.

JESS>> AND THERE ARE NEW DRUGS BEING TESTED?

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> THERE ARE NEW DRUGS BEING TESTED ALL THE TIME. WE'RE GOING TO GET BETTER. HOPEFULLY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EFFECTIVE DRUGS THAT ARE SAFE AND HELP TO RELIEVE THE PAIN AND IMPROVE THE FUNCTION AND THE LOSS OF MOTION THAT SOMETIMES HAPPENS WITH ARTHRITIS.

JESS>> DR. SILVERMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US AND WE WISH YOU SUCCESS WITH YOUR TARGET PROGRAM.

DR. STUART SILVERMAN>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THE OSTEOARTHRITIS STUDY DR. SILVERMAN TALKED ABOUT, YOU CAN CALL 1-866-4-OA-TRIAL. THE NUMBER IS ON YOUR SCREEN NOW.

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

JESS>> THEY CALL HIM "MR. L.A. THEATER". GORDON DAVIDSON EARNED THAT NAME AS THE MAN IN CHARGE OF THE MARK TAPER FORUM AND THE AHMANSON THEATER. THAT'S WHY THE THEATER COMMUNITY WAS ROCKED WHEN DAVIDSON RECENTLY ANNOUNCED HIS PLANS TO STEP DOWN, BUT DON'T COUNT HIM OUT JUST YET. HE'LL REMAIN AT HIS POST THROUGH 2004 AND GORDON DAVIDSON STILL HAS PLENTY OF PROJECTS WAITING. HE'S HERE TONIGHT, BUT LET'S START WITH A LOOK AT HOW LOS ANGELES THEATER HAS THRIVED UNDER HIS REIGN.

PHILIP BRUCE>> GORDON DAVIDSON LEFT BROOKLYN, NEW YORK IN 1964 TO WORK WITH A SMALL COMPANY AT UCLA CALLED THE THEATER GROUP. THREE YEARS LATER, DOROTHY CHANDLER INVITED THE GROUP TO MOVE INTO THE BRAND NEW MARK TAPER FORUM AND NAMED DAVIDSON IT'S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR. HIS FIRST PRODUCTION WAS "THE DEVILS", A PLAY ABOUT A PRIEST, A NUN AND THEIR SEXUAL FANTASIES. DESPITE PROTEST FROM THE CHURCH AND LOCAL OFFICIALS, THE SHOW OPENED AND THE STAGE WAS SET FOR THE TAPER'S SUCCESSFUL, BUT OFTEN CONTROVERSIAL, FUTURE.

GORDON DAVIDSON HAS SINCE CREATED A STRONG LOCAL THEATER SCENE AND MADE LOS ANGELES A SERIOUS NATIONAL PLAYER. TIME MAGAZINE CALLED HIM "THE REIGNING GODFATHER OF THE AMERICAN REGIONAL THEATER MOVEMENT", AND L.A. WEEKLY GAVE HIM THE NAME OF "MR. L.A. THEATER". SINCE 1967, DAVIDSON HAS OVERSEEN MORE THAN 200 PRODUCTIONS. TOGETHER THEY'VE WON EIGHTEEN TONY AWARDS AND THREE PULITZERS AND MORE THAN THIRTY-FIVE PRODUCTIONS HAVE GONE ON TO BROADWAY. TWO OF THE PULITZERS CAME BACK TO BACK, THE FIRST IN 1992 FOR "THE KENTUCKY CYCLE".
[FILM CLIP]

PHILIP BRUCE>> AND THEN THERE WAS "ANGELS IN AMERICA". THE PULITZERS WERE THE FIRST AWARDED TO PLAYS PRODUCED OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK. IN 1994, THREE OF THE FOUR TONY NOMINEES FOR BEST PLAY WERE FROM THE TAPER. BESIDES "THE KENTUCKY CYCLE" AND A SECOND INSTALLMENT OF "ANGELS IN AMERICA", "TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES 1992" WAS NOMINATED.

[FILM CLIP]

PHILIP BRUCE>> OTHER NOTABLE PRODUCTIONS FROM THE TAPER'S HISTORY INCLUDE THE WORLD PREMIERS OF "ZOOT SUIT" --

[FILM CLIP]

PHILIP BRUCE>> "CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD", DIRECTED BY DAVIDSON. "JELLY'S LAST JAM" --

[FILM CLIP]

PHILIP BRUCE>> "QED", ALSO DIRECTED BY DAVIDSON, AND THE NEW BOOK OF THE MUSICAL, "FLOWER DRUM SONG".

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE MARK TAPER FORUM AND THE AHMANSON THEATER, GORDON DAVIDSON. LET ME START BY REMINDING OUR AUDIENCE THAT GORDON DAVIDSON HAS WON EIGHTEEN TONY AWARDS, THREE PULITZERS, THIRTY-FIVE OF HIS PRODUCTIONS WENT ON TO BROADWAY. BUT EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT, HE OUTLASTED, AS SOMEONE WROTE, FIVE L.A. TIMES THEATER CRITICS (LAUGHTER).

GORDON DAVIDSON>> (LAUGHTER) THAT'S THE TEST.

JESS>> THAT'S THE ULTIMATE ACCOMPLISHMENT, I GUESS. WHEN YOU CAME HERE, WHAT WAS L.A. THEATER LIKE?

GORDON DAVIDSON>> WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, JESS. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GREAT BEING HERE. I'M A BIG FAN OF LIFE AND TIMES, PARTICULARLY.

JESS>> GOOD. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT.

GORDON DAVIDSON>> MOST OF L.A. THEATER WAS WHAT THEY CALL A KIND OF SHOWCASE THEATER WHICH LATER EVOLVED INTO THE WAVER THEATER, WHICH I THINK WAS A HEALTHY CHANGE BECAUSE --

JESS>> -- THE EQUITY WAVER? THAT'S THAT SMALL THEATER JUST A FEW PEOPLE --

GORDON DAVIDSON>> -- WELL, THEY'RE 99-SEAT THEATERS --

JESS>> -- 98, 99, YEAH.

GORDON DAVIDSON>> BEFORE, IT WAS INEFFICIENT TO PERFORM THERE. ACTORS CHANGED THEIR NAMES, THEY'D KICK BACK THEIR DUES AND THE WAVER ALLOWED FOR THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN THE SMALLER THEATER BY WAIVING EQUITY RULES UP TO 99 SEATS.

JESS>> IT WAS A REAL CHALLENGE FOR YOU. HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO OVERCOME THAT?

GORDON DAVIDSON>> WELL, PART OF IT -- YOU KNOW, I CAME HERE FIRST TO UCLA. THERE WAS A PROFESSIONAL THEATER THERE. I CAME IN '64 AND IT HAD BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE '58. JOHN HOUSEMAN WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS AND HE WAS MY MENTOR AND HE ASKED ME TO COME OUT TO HELP ON A PRODUCTION AND I NEVER LEFT, SUITCASE IN HAND, BECAUSE THEY OFFERED ME THE OPPORTUNITY OF RUNNING THE THEATER THERE. I DID THAT FOR TWO YEARS AND THEN MRS. CHANDLER INVITED ME SO GRACIOUSLY TO COME DOWN AND OPEN THE MARK TAPER.

I SENSED THAT THERE WAS AN AUDIENCE HERE THAT WAS HUNGRY FOR GOOD THEATER, AND AN INCREDIBLE TALENT POOL. ACTORS WHO WERE WORKING IN TELEVISION AND FILM WHO WERE TRAINED ORIGINALLY IN NEW YORK CAME OUT HERE WHEN THINGS BEGAN TO CHANGE IN NEW YORK AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERIES AT THAT TIME LIKE "BONANZA" AND SUCH. SO I THOUGHT IT WAS RIPE GROUND AND I JUST KNEW IT WAS THE PLACE TO BE.

JESS>> WELL, YOU CERTAINLY PROVED THAT TO BE TRUE. THEATER CRITICS SUGGEST THAT YOU HAVE ALLOWED REGIONAL THEATER TO BECOME REALLY IMPORTANT IN THIS COUNTRY AND IT HAD NOT BEEN BEFORE, APPARENTLY.

GORDON DAVIDSON>> WELL, I FEEL VERY LUCKY. WE WERE THERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DECENTRALIZATION OF THE AMERICAN THEATER. YOU KNOW, REGIONAL CAN BE SOMETIMES USED AS A PEJORATIVE. I DON'T THINK -- IT DOES DESCRIBE THAT THIS IS A BIG COUNTRY.

JESS>> ANYTHING BUT NEW YORK IS REGIONAL (LAUGHTER).

GORDON DAVIDSON>> (LAUGHTER) I THINK WHAT IT IS IS THAT IT'S A MOVEMENT WHICH WE CALL THE NOT FOR PROFIT, THAT THESE THEATERS ARE IN COMMUNITIES, DIGGING ROOTS INTO COMMUNITIES. ACTORS ACTUALLY HAVE HOMES AND LIVE IN COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE AND LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY AND MIAMI, FLORIDA AND HERE. WE JUST ARE BLESSED WITH A SIZE OF A CITY AND A DIVERSITY IN A CITY THAT I THINK MAKES IT UNIQUE.

JESS>> WHAT ABOUT THE TAPER'S OTHER PROGRAMS?

GORDON DAVIDSON>> WELL, IN A SENSE, THE TAPER -- I ALWAYS DESCRIBE THE WORK THAT WE DO ON THE TAPER STAGE AND ON THE AHMANSON STAGE IS LIKE THE TIP OF AN ICEBERG. THEY'RE FINE AND WE REACH A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE GIVE THEM VERY VARIED FARE FROM BROADWAY MUSICALS TO TOTALLY ORIGINAL.

BUT NONE OF THAT WOULD HAPPEN WITHOUT THE FERTILIZING OF THE EARTH WITH NEW WORK AND NEW TALENT. WE HAVE HAD PROGRAMS RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. ONE WAS CALLED "NEW THEATER FOR NOW" AND ANOTHER WAS CALLED "NEW WORKS FESTIVAL". THEY'RE ALL DEDICATED TO NEW WORK. BUT WHAT'S MOST RECENT IN THE LAST TEN YEARS -- YEAH, YOU'RE SEEING A READING OF A NEW PLAY --

JESS>> -- THIS IS "NEW WORKS".

GORDON DAVIDSON>> WHAT WE'VE EMPHASIZED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS IS A PROGRAM IN WHICH WE'VE EMPHASIZED DIVERSITY OF ALL KINDS, RACIAL AND PHYSICAL DIVERSITY. WE HAVE A LATINO THEATER INITIATIVE, AN ASIAN WRITERS' WORKSHOP, A PROGRAM CALLED "BLACKSMITH" WHICH IS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE PROGRAMS IS CALLED "OTHER VOICES" WHICH IS DEDICATED TO GIVING VOICE TO DISABLED PEOPLE, WHICH INCLUDES PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE, AND SOME EXTRAORDINARY WORK IS COMING OUT OF IT. WHAT I LIKE MOST IS NOT JUST SIMPLY DOING THAT TO HELP PEOPLE EXPRESS THEMSELVES, BUT BY MIXING IT ALL TOGETHER, I THINK THE BROADER AUDIENCE GETS A BETTER PICTURE OF WHO THEY ARE IN THIS CITY.

JESS>> AND MIXING IT ALL TOGETHER, YOU DO, IN ADDITION TO, SOME WOULD SAY, AVANT-GARDE THEATER AND CERTAINLY EXPERIMENTAL THEATER ON OCCASION AND NEW WORKS --

GORDON DAVIDSON>> -- YEAH, WE'RE NOT AFRAID OF THAT.

JESS>> YOU'RE NOT ABOVE ALSO REWORKING VERY SUCCESSFUL OLD BROADWAY MUSICALS. "FLOWER DRUM SONG" IS DOING VERY WELL.

GORDON DAVIDSON>> WELL, WE WERE VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR. WE HAD PLANNED TO DO A PRODUCTION OF "FLOWER DRUM SONG" WITH A BRAND NEW BOOK BY HENRY DAVID WANG --

JESS>> -- NOT JUST A REVIVAL THEN?

GORDON DAVIDSON>> NO, NOT AT ALL, BUT A NEW LOOK, SAME MUSIC, BUT A DIFFERENT WAY OF TELLING THAT STORY BY A VERY, VERY GIFTED AWARD-WINNING LOS ANGELES-BASED ORIGINALLY PLAYWRIGHT NAMED DAVID HENRY WANG WHO HAD DONE A BEAUTIFUL PLAY CALLED "M.BUTTERFLY". HE WROTE THIS NEW BOOK, WE PRESENTED IT AT THE TAPER AND, LO AND BEHOLD, I WOULD SAY IT'S ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL THINGS WE'VE EVER DONE. SO SUCCESSFUL THAT WE KEPT IT RUNNING A WHOLE OTHER SLOT AND MOVED THE NEXT PLAY OVER TO THE DOOLITTLE TO PERFORM.

JESS>> AND BROADWAY LOVES IT TOO, BUT SINCE YOU'RE GOING TO BE --

GORDON DAVIDSON>> -- IT'S COMING TO BROADWAY THIS FALL.

JESS>> SINCE YOU'RE GOING TO BE WITH US AT LEAST UNTIL 2004, YOU'LL BE HERE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE ONE OF YOUR PET PROJECTS, AN OLD CULVER CITY MOVIE HOUSE TURNED INTO SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL.

GORDON DAVIDSON>> THAT'S THE MOST EXCITING PART OF THE FUTURE, I THINK, AND WHAT I FEEL IS MY LEGACY. IT'S A BRAND NEW THEATER --

JESS>> -- KIRK DOUGLAS THEATER.

GORDON DAVIDSON>> -- AND, BY GOD, KIRK DOUGLAS AND ANNE DOUGLAS ARE TWO OF THE MOST REMARKABLY GENEROUS PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES AND GOOD FRIENDS. THEY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND DONATED $2.5 MILLION DOLLARS FOR A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO COST ABOUT CLOSE TO $11 MILLION DOLLARS.

JESS>> SO YOUR WORK IS FAR FROM FINISHED HERE AND WE'RE DELIGHTED THAT YOU'LL BE AROUND TO SEE IT FINISHED.

GORDON DAVIDSON>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> GORDON DAVIDSON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

GORDON DAVIDSON>> I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND I'M GLAD TO PASS IT ON TO AN EXCITING GENERATION OF NEW TALENT. I STARTED WHEN I WAS 33. WHY SHOULDN'T THE NEXT GROUP COME ALONG AND TAKE OVER?

JESS>> LET SOMEBODY ELSE TAKE OVER.

GORDON DAVIDSON>> RIGHT.

JESS>> THANKS VERY MUCH. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE MARK TAPER FORUM OR THE AHMANSON THEATER, CHECK THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW [213-628-2772] OR LOG ONTO THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.TAPERAHMANSON.COM.

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT'S BROADCAST. VAL IS BACK WITH US TOMORROW. FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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