9/16/02

LC020916

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> THEY’VE ALREADY WRECKED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF CALIFORNIA GRAPE STOCK, SO WHY IS SOMEONE BREEDING A BUG WINEMAKERS ARE TRYING TO KILL?

JAKE BLEHM>> THAT WHITE SPOT ON HER SIDE TELLS US THAT SHE’S PREGNANT, OR GRAVID, AND THAT SHE’S READY TO LAY EGGS, SO THAT’S A GOOD ONE.

VAL>> HIS VOICE, NAME AND FACE ARE WIDELY RECOGNIZED, BUT NOW CHEECH MARIN IS GAINING RECOGNITION FOR MORE THAN HIS PERFORMANCES. HE IS A LONG-TIME CHAMPION OF CHICANO ART AND HE IS NOW SHARING THAT PASSION THROUGH A NEW BOOK. WE’LL TALK WITH THE ACTOR AND ART COLLECTOR, CHEECH MARIN.

JESS>> WITH ALL THE CEREMONY AND CELEBRATION SURROUNDING THE NEW LOS ANGELES CATHEDRAL, IT’S EASY TO OVERLOOK THE ONE THAT CAME FIRST. THIS OLD CATHEDRAL WAS THERE WHEN L.A. WAS LITTLE MORE THAN A CROSSROADS AND NOW IT’S FUTURE IS GUARANTEED WELL INTO THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. SO WHAT IS NEXT FOR ST. VIBIANA’S?

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.

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.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I’M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I’M JESS MARLOW. IT’S A TINY BUG WITH A MULTI-SYLLABIC NAME AND IT’S SPREADING DEVASTATION FROM ORANGE COUNTY TO SACRAMENTO. THE GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER IS ONE OF NATURE’S LITTLE NIGHTMARES, A DISEASE-CARRYING INSECT THAT HAS DESTROYED ACRES AND ACRES OF CALIFORNIA VINEYARDS.

VAL>> A TASKFORCE OF SCIENTISTS, GROWERS AND AGRICULTURAL OFFICIALS IS DOING BATTLE AGAINST THE SHARPSHOOTERS AND, TO THE AMAZEMENT OF MANY, ONE LOCAL MAN IS BREEDING THEM. BUT AS GAY YEE REPORTS, HE’S DOING IT WITH GOOD REASON.

GAY YEE>> JAKE BLEHM AND RICHARD FARRELL ARE GOING HUNTING.

RICHARD FARRELL>> OKAY, LET'S START SCOUTING THESE TREES HERE, JAKE.

GAY YEE>> THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR DEER, DUCKS OR PHEASANTS. NO, JACK AND RICHARD ARE OUT TO BAG A BUG, THE GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER, PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE IN CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE.

JAKE BLEHM>> THAT WHITE SPOT ON HER SIDE TELLS US THAT'S PREGNANT, OR GRAVID, AND THAT SHE'S READY TO LAY EGGS, SO THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

GAY YEE>> THE STATE HAS HIRED JAKE'S COMPANY, BUENA BIOSYSTEMS IN SANTA PAULA, TO COLLECT SHARPSHOOTER EGGS. THE SANTA CLARA RIVER VALLEY IS A HOT ZONE FOR THE PESTS.

JAKE BLEHM>> THESE ARE CALLED CHAEONOMELES JAPONICA AND THESE ARE THE GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTERS. YOU SEE LOTS OF DEAD ONES ON THE FLOOR.

GAY YEE>> THE SHARPSHOOTER IS BROUGHT TO THE INSECTARY TO LAY ITS EGGS, ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO TWENTY, WHICH THE BUG INJECTS UNDER THE SKIN OF A LEAF.

RICHARD FARRELL>> THERE'S A SMALL ONE RIGHT THERE.

GAY YEE>> RICHARD COLLECTS THE LEAVES AND, ONCE A WEEK, SENDS THEM TO A RESEARCH STATION AT UC RIVERSIDE. RESEARCHERS TAKE THE EGGS AND INTRODUCE THEM TO THESE TINY WASPS. THEY'RE BARELY LARGER THAN THE TIP OF A PEN. HARMLESS TO HUMANS, BUT DEADLY TO SHARPSHOOTERS.

JAKE BLEHM>> SO THEY'LL TAKE THE PLANTS WITH EGGS, PUT THEM INTO THOSE CAGES WITH THE PARASITES AND THEN THOSE PARASITES IN TURN WILL DEPOSIT THEIR EGGS INSIDE THE SHARPSHOOTER EGGS, KILL THE SHARPSHOOTER AND REPRODUCE THEIR OFFSPRING AT THE SAME TIME.

GAY YEE>> AND THE OFFSPRING IS A NATURAL-BORN KILLER OF SHARPSHOOTERS.

JAKE BLEHM>> THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SHARPSHOOTER EGGS. THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN APHID. THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN SMALL WORMS. ALL THEY'RE BIOLOGICALLY CONDITIONED TO DO IS HUNT AND KILL SHARPSHOOTERS.

GAY YEE>> IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM, AS THE SAYING GOES. AND IN THIS CASE, PEOPLE ARE JOINING GOOD BUGS TO FIGHT BAD ONES. TWO MILLION DOLLARS HAS ALREADY BEEN SUNK INTO THIS MICRO-WAR AND MILLIONS MORE TO KEEP THE SHARPSHOOTER FROM MOVING FURTHER NORTH BECAUSE WHAT'S AT STAKE IS THE STATE'S $2 BILLION DOLLAR WINE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING THE PREMIER WINE-PRODUCING AREAS OF NAPA AND SONOMA COUNTIES.

THE INSECT HAS ALREADY HAD A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE WINE-MAKING BUSINESS IN TEMECULA COUNTY. MORE THAN A THOUSAND ACRES OF TEMECULA VINEYARDS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY PIERCE'S DISEASE, A BACTERIA SPREAD BY THE SHARPSHOOTER WHICH CLOGS THE PLANT'S ARTERIES AND KEEPS IT FROM GETTING WATER AND NUTRIENTS.

BRAD BEWERS>> THE CDFA, THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, HAS IMPLEMENTED A ZERO TOLERANCE, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE EGG ON ONE PLANT AND GO INTO A NON-INFESTED AREA. THAT IS AN EGG. THAT'S ALL IT TAKES TO PREVENT US FROM SHIPPING THAT LOAD TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

GAY YEE>> BRAD BEWERS WORKS FOR VALLEY CREST TREE NURSERY IN FILLMORE AND 99.9 PERCENT OF THE HALF MILLION TREES IN HIS INVENTORY ARE INFESTED. EVEN THOUGH THE TREES AREN'T PHYSICALLY AFFECTED, THE INFESTATION MEANS HE CAN'T SHIP THEM NORTH.

BRAD BEWERS>> WE'VE OPTED AS A COMPANY NOT TO TAKE THAT RISK, SO WE DON'T SHIP TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR. THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT $3 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN SALES THAT WE'VE LOST.

GAY YEE>> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DECLARED THIS AN AGRICULTURAL STATE OF EMERGENCY. NURSERIES MUST INSPECT EVERY LEAF ON EVERY PLANT BEFORE IT'S SHIPPED OUT. THAT COSTS EVEN MORE MONEY AND, AS FAR AS A SOLUTION GOES, BEWERS BELIEVES FIGHTING A BUG WITH ANOTHER BUG IS THE BEST BET.

BRAD BEWERS>> CHEMICAL CONTROLS BY THEMSELVES ARE LARGELY INEFFECTIVE, SO THE WASP IS PROBABLY THE BEST ALTERNATIVE THAT'S ON THE HORIZON.

GAY YEE>> BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM.

JAKE BLEHM>> THE BOTTLENECK RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, IS GETTING ENOUGH SHARPSHOOTER EGGS. THE WASP IS RELATIVELY EASY TO PRODUCE IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH EGGS.

GAY YEE>> SO THE HUNT GOES ON AND, TO BLEHM, WHAT'S EXCITING IS THIS IS A SOLUTION WITHOUT PESTICIDES.

JAKE BLEHM>> IF WE CAN GET NATURAL ENEMIES ESTABLISHED, HOPEFULLY THEY CAN KEEP THE PEST BELOW AN ECONOMIC INJURY LEVEL SO THAT, IN THE FUTURE, WE WON'T HAVE TO USE AS MANY PESTICIDES OR OTHER HARSH CONTROLS.

GAY YEE>> TO BLEHM, THAT WOULD BE A HUGE VICTORY IN A BATTLE WHERE THE BAD BUGS ARE STILL WINNING.

JESS>> GAY JOINS US NOW. PESTICIDES. WHY ARE THEY LARGELY INEFFECTIVE?

GAY YEE>> WELL, THE ACTUAL BUG LAYS ITS EGGS INSIDE THE LEAF, SO WHEN YOU SPRAY THE AREA WITH PESTICIDES, THE PESTICIDES DON’T GET INTO THE LEAF WHERE THE EGGS ARE.

VAL>> SO THAT’S WHY THEY HAVE TO GO THE WASP ROUTE, WHICH IS TERRIBLY COMPLICATED.

GAY YEE>> IT’S SEEMS TO BE. IT’S BIOLOGICAL WHERE THE WASP WILL LAY ITS EGGS ON THE BUG EGGS AND THEN, WHEN THEIR EGGS HATCH, THEY KILL OFF THE SHARPSHOOTER’S EGGS.

JESS>> WHAT’S THE FORECAST? HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO OVERCOME THIS?

GAY YEE>> IT COULD TAKE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME. IT’S SPREADING RAPIDLY. THE LAST REPORT --

JESS>> -- HOW FAR?

GAY YEE>> AS FAR AS RANCHO CORDOVA, WHICH IS RIGHT OUTSIDE SACRAMENTO. SACRAMENTO IS JUST EAST OF THE WINE COUNTRY OF NAPA AND SONOMA.

VAL>> ALSO, YOU SAY IT WAS SPOTTED IN PALO ALTO?

GAY YEE>> SPOTTED IN PALO ALTO, WHICH IS JUST OUTSIDE OF SAN FRANCISCO.

JESS>> THE REAL CULPRIT IS PIERCE’S DISEASE?

GAY YEE>> PIERCE’S DISEASE IS DEVASTATING FOR VINEYARDS. HOWEVER, IT’S NOT AS DEVASTATING. IT DOESN’T SEEM TO AFFECT CITRUS AND CITRUS IS THE HOST TREE. SO THAT’S WHY WE SEE THIS TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF SHARPSHOOTERS IN VENTURA COUNTY BECAUSE THEY GROW SO MUCH CITRUS. OTHER AREAS, SAY, KERN COUNTY, DON’T HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM. SANTA BARBARA HAS ALSO HAD SIGHTING THERE. THEY DON’T HAVE AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE THE CITRUS, BUT THERE IS OLEANDER AND THERE ARE OTHER HOST TREES, BUT THE BIG CULPRIT IS CITRUS.

VAL>> BOY, THAT’S AMAZING. SO IT WILL BE A FEW YEARS BEFORE WE FIND OUT IF THEY’RE SUCCESSFUL?

GAY YEE>> YES, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE DOING QUITE WELL.

VAL>> LOT AT STAKE. GAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, A STORY OF A DEVOUT DODGER. BASEBALL GREAT, SANDY KOUFAX, BECAME FAMOUS ALMOST AS MUCH FOR REFUSING TO PLAY ON A RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY AS FOR HIS AMAZING CAREER AS A PITCHER. THAT STORY TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES.

JESS>> MOST OF US KNOW HIM AS AN ACTOR, DIRECTOR, WRITER, MUSICIAN, BUT CHEECH MARIN IS ALSO A LONG-TIME CHAMPION OF CHICANO ART.

VAL>> NOW MARIN IS SHARING THAT PASSION THROUGH A TRAVELING EXHIBITION AND ACCOMPANYING BOOK. IT IS TITLED “CHICANO VISIONS: AMERICAN PAINTERS ON THE VERGE” AND IT INCLUDES NINETY-SIX PAINTINGS BY OVER TWENTY ARTISTS. MOST OF THE WORKS COME FROM MARIN’S PERSONAL COLLECTION, THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND. TOGETHER, THE PIECES REFLECT THE CHANGING ROLE OF MEXICAN-AMERICANS OVER THE PAST THIRTY YEARS. AND JOINING US WITH MORE IS CHEECH MARIN. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

CHEECH MARIN>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

JESS>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY “ON THE VERGE”? IT HASN’T QUITE MADE IT, HUH?

CHEECH MARIN>> YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT’S A VERY AMBIGUOUS TERM. ALL GREAT ART HAS SOME DEGREE OF AMBIGUITY IN IT. THEY CAN BE ON THE VERGE OF A LOT OF THINGS. YOU KNOW, EMOTIONAL BREAKTHROUGH, ON THE VERGE OF A NEW SCHOOL THAT THEY’RE ESTABLISHING, ON THE VERGE OF A LOT OF THINGS. I LIKE TO --

JESS>> -- THE VERY TRENDY TERM “EDGY”?

CHEECH MARIN>> YES, “EDGY” (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> BUT CHICANO ART HAS COME A LONG WAY AND, IN A WAY, IT IS ON THE VERGE OF, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, FINALLY BEING ACCEPTED INTO SORT OF MAINSTREAM AMERICAN ART?

CHEECH MARIN>> YEAH, THAT’S WHAT THIS TOUR IS ALL ABOUT. IT’S TO PLAY THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRY. WE’RE AT THE SMITHSONIAN RIGHT NOW. WE’RE JUST FINISHING THERE.

JESS>> THAT’S PRETTY GOOD.

CHEECH MARIN>> THAT’S PRETTY DANG GOOD (LAUGHTER). WE OPEN UP IN THE SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF ART. WE’LL GO TO FIFTEEN CITIES IN FIVE YEARS, ALL MAJOR ART MUSEUMS.

JESS>> BUT LOS ANGELES IS NOT AMONG THOSE FIFTEEN CITIES?

CHEECH MARIN>> YES, IT WILL BE AMONG THOSE IF WE CAN GET LACMA TO COOPERATE (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) SO IT WILL BE, BUT IT’S NOT SCHEDULED YET. AS SOON AS IT IS, WE’LL LET PEOPLE KNOW. WE’RE GOING TO GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE IDEA OF WHAT THIS ART LOOKS LIKE AND A LOT OF IT IS FROM YOUR PERSONAL COLLECTION WHICH YOU STARTED COLLECTING WHEN?

CHEECH MARIN>> ALMOST TWENTY YEARS AGO, YEAH.

VAL>> NOW WHY? WHAT FIRST ATTRACTED YOU?

CHEECH MARIN>> WELL, I WAS ALWAYS A COLLECTOR OF, YOU KNOW, BASEBALL CARDS OR BUTTONS OR MATCHBOOK COVERS OR WHATEVER. THEN WHEN I GOT A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, I STARTED COLLECTING ANTIQUES AND --

VAL>> -- YOU UPGRADED.

CHEECH MARIN>> YEAH (LAUGHTER). BUT I TRAINED MYSELF IN ART. I EDUCATED MYSELF IN ART FROM A VERY EARLY AGE. FROM THE FIFTH OR SIXTH GRADE, I USED TO GO TO THE LIBRARY AND CHECK OUT ALL THE ART BOOKS, SO I COULD TELL A MANET FROM A MONET, BUT I DIDN’T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT CONTEMPORARY ART UNTIL I GOT MARRIED TO A PAINTER. SHE STARTED TAKING ME AROUND TO THE GALLERIES.

VAL>> THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

CHEECH MARIN>> IT’S WONDERFUL. THIS IS A LEO RAMON.

JESS>> LOOKING AT THIS WORK, THE WORD THAT COMES TO MIND IS VIBRANT.

CHEECH MARIN>> YES, VERY VIBRANT. WHAT THIS PARTICULAR ONE -- HERE’S A FRANK ROMERO LANDSCAPE OF L.A. NOTICE THE CITY HALL RIGHT IN THE FOREGROUND THERE IN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS A JOHN VALADEZ OF CARS SHOWS. WHAT BINDS THESE PAINTERS TOGETHER AS A SCHOOL IS WHAT THEY DO IS EXPRESS THE CHICANO EXPERIENCE. IT’S NOT NECESSARILY ANY STRICT STYLISTIC CONCERNS, BUT EVERY ARTIST HAS A DIFFERENT ANGLE OF THE CHICANO EXPERIENCE, WHETHER IT’S HISTORICAL OR EMOTIONAL OR PHILOSOPHICAL OR RELIGIOUS OR ABSTRACT. WHEN YOU PUT THESE PAINTERS ALL TOGETHER, YOU GET A WHOLE 360 OF THE EXPERIENCE.

JESS>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE EDGE OR THE VERGE, IT’S NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH MEXICAN PAINTERS. THE MEXICAN MASTERS HAVE BEEN WIDELY RECOGNIZED AND HONORED ALL OVER THE WORLD.

CHEECH MARIN>> THESE ARE CHICANOS AND, BY DEFINITION, THEY’RE AMERICAN PAINTERS. A CHICANO IS MEXICAN-AMERICAN. IT USED TO BE A TERM OF DERISION TO CALL SOMEBODY A CHICANO, BUT --

JESS>> -- THAT’S WHY YOU EMBRACED IT (LAUGHTER).

CHEECH MARIN>> (LAUGHTER) JOHN VALADEZ, ONE OF THE GREAT PAINTERS, HE’S WONDERFUL. WE WERE DOING THE SYMPOSIUM AND SOMEBODY ASKED HIM, WELL, JOHN VALDEZ, DO YOU STILL CONSIDER YOURSELF A CHICANO PAINTER? HE SAID, ONLY IF IT BOTHERS YOU (LAUGHTER). THAT’S PART AND PARCEL OF THE CHICANO ATTITUDE, YOU KNOW? IT’S VERY IN YOUR FACE (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHICANO ART AND GRAFFITI?

CHEECH MARIN>> THERE ARE SOME ARTISTS THAT DO EMBRACE THE ASPECTS OF GRAFFITI, CERTAINLY CARLOS ALMAREZ AND CHAZ BOJORQUEZ, SPECIFICALLY HAS EVOLVED GRAFFITI ART AND MELDED IT WITH CALLIGRAPHY WHICH HE STUDIED EXTENSIVELY.

JESS>> ALMAREZ REALLY IDENTIFIES SORT OF EAST L.A. CULTURE WITH THE CARS AND THE --

CHEECH MARIN>> YEAH, HE GAINED NOTORIETY THROUGH HIS SERIES OF CAR CRASH PAINTINGS, OF WHICH ALL THE BEST ONES ARE IN THE SHOW (LAUGHTER), AND IT’S REALLY EXPRESSED AS AN ANGST OF CITY LIFE. YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, RURAL MEXICANS BY TRADITION WERE FORCED INTO CITIES, SO THAT CLASH OF MEXICAN PASTORAL CULTURE VERSUS URBAN ANGST AND WHERE THOSE TWO THINGS MET IS WHAT CREATED THE SCHOOL.

JESS>> ALMAREZ ALSO DID ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR OLYMPIC POSTERS FOR THE L.A. GAMES TOO, DIDN'T HE?

CHEECH MARIN>> YES, HE DID. HE ALSO USED TO WORK FOR CESAR CHAVEZ IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE UFW.

JESS>> SOMEONE SAID HE WAS A SIGN PAINTER THEN (LAUGHTER).

CHEECH MARIN>> (LAUGHTER) YES, HE WAS.

VAL>> NOW I'M ALWAYS CURIOUS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE THESE PERSONAL ART COLLECTIONS. DO YOU HAVE THEM, LIKE, IN YOUR HOUSE OR DO YOU RENT A WAREHOUSE OR --

CHEECH MARIN>> -- A LOT OF THEM I HAD IN MY HOUSE BEFORE WE WENT ON THE TOUR, BUT AT SOME --

VAL>> -- BUT YOU'VE GOT TO RUN OUT OF ROOM AT SOME POINT.

CHEECH MARIN>> OH, VERY QUICKLY (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> YOU HAVE LIKE HOW MANY PIECES?

JESS>> NOT WHEN YOU'RE MARRIED TO A PAINTER. IT'S OKAY.

CHEECH MARIN>> WELL, YOU HAVE TO MAKE ROOM FOR HER PAINTINGS (LAUGHTER). AT SOME POINT VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS, I REALIZED I WAS GOING TO PUT THIS SHOW TOGETHER, SO I STARTED BUYING BIG PAINTINGS. ALL THESE PAINTINGS IN THE SHOW ARE LARGE SCALE. I HAD THEM IN VARIOUS HOUSES AND THEN I HAD THEM IN STORAGE.

VAL>> AND HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY DECIDE, OH, I'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT PAINTING? WHAT HAPPENS FOR YOU TO SAY THAT'S ONE I WANT?

CHEECH MARIN>> IT'S REALLY STRICTLY AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE. I STAND IN FRONT OF A PAINTING AND I GO, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY EMOTIONAL RESPONSE. I KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE ARTISTS AND THIS IS A REALLY GOOD WORK BY THEM BECAUSE I'M FRIENDS OF ALL THESE ARTISTS -- I THINK -- AND I'VE FOLLOWED THEIR CAREERS ALMOST SINCE INCEPTION.

VAL>> BUT IT IS EMOTIONAL. SOME PEOPLE COLLECT BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE ARTIST'S REPUTATION OR THEY THINK, OH, THIS IS GOING TO APPRECIATE, SO I'LL BUY IT. IT'S MORE OF A STRATEGIC DECISION.

CHEECH MARIN>> NO, I STARTED THIS COLLECTION PURELY ON AESTHETIC VALUES BECAUSE I RELATED TO THE ART NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE THEMES. I MEAN, BEING CHICANO MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I RELATED TO ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE PAINTING, BUT I WAS EDUCATED IN ART. SO I RECOGNIZED THE STATUS AND THE TECHNICAL ABILITY OF THESE ARTISTS. PEOPLE IN THIS SHOW ARE GREAT PAINTERS. THEY'RE PROBABLY THE BEST AMERICAN PAINTERS WE HAVE GOING BY FAR.

JESS>> WHAT IS IT WITH COMEDIC ACTORS SUCH AS YOU AND STEVE MARTIN, WHO HAS AN EXTRAORDINARY ART COLLECTION?

CHEECH MARIN>> WELL, COMEDIANS ARE BY FAR THE SMARTEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) THEY'RE VERY CULTURED UNDERNEATH. THEY HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR ALL THE --

CHEECH MARIN>> -- WELL, EDWARD G. ROBINSON WAS A COLLECTOR OF IMPRESSIONISTS IN HIS DAY. VINCENT PRICE WAS A BIG ART COLLECTOR. HE WAS THE FIRST ONE TO COLLECT ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM IN HOLLYWOOD. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ANOTHER ARTIST AND YOU'RE HANGING AROUND WITH OTHER ARTISTS.

JESS>> CAN WE ASK YOU A BIT ABOUT YOUR OTHER CAREER?

CHEECH MARIN>> SURE.

JESS>> FOR A LONG TIME, YOU DIDN'T APPEAR IN FILMS AFTER THE "CHEECH AND CHONG" MOVIES.

CHEECH MARIN>> WELL, IT WASN'T MY FAULT (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) BUT YOU DID -- WE HEARD YOUR VOICE OCCASIONALLY. "THE LION KING"?

CHEECH MARIN>> YEAH, I STARTED TO DO --

JESS>> -- YOU WERE, WHAT, THE HYENA?

CHEECH MARTIN>> YEAH, BANZAI, ONE OF THE HYENAS.

VAL>> ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR.

CHEECH MARIN>> BOY, THAT CAME ALONG RIGHT IN THE NICK OF TIME (LAUGHTER). HELP, HELP. YEAH, TO TURN AROUND FROM BEING "CHEECH AND CHONG", HOW DO YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE AFTER YOU DO THAT, YOU KNOW? IT'S LIKE A BIG SUPERTANKER TURNING AROUND AND IT'S A BIG LONG ARC. SO FROM THE DEMISE OF "CHEECH AND CHONG" TO, LET'S SAY, "TIN CUP" WAS TEN YEARS. IT TOOK ME THAT LONG TO KIND OF A SUCCESSION OF SMALLER ROLES UNTIL FINALLY --

VAL>> -- WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO? ACTING OR ANIMATION VOICES OR WHATEVER ELSE?

JESS>> OR PLAY GOLF?

CHEECH MARIN>> GOLF (LAUGHTER). IF I COULD BE A PRO GOLFER, I'D REALLY DO THAT. I'D NEED TO CUT ABOUT THIRTY STROKES OFF MY GAME (LAUGHTER), BUT I COULD DO IT.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) WELL, GOOD LUCK TO YOU ON THE GREEN THEN. CHEECH MARIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

CHEECH MARIN>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY PLEASURE.

VAL>> THE BOOK IS "CHICANO VISIONS: AMERICAN PAINTERS ON THE VERGE".

JESS>> TIME FOR A SAMPLING OF OUR VIEWER MAIL AND WE BEGIN WITH A RESPONSE TO OUR STORY ON LOCAL POLICE HANDLING OF DNA EVIDENCE IN RAPE CASES. ONE VIEWER WRITES:

"THE LAPD IS MORE INTERESTED IN PROTECTING ADULT POTHEADS FROM THEMSELVES THAN PROTECTING WOMEN FROM RAPISTS. THE LAPD MUST REFORM ITSELF TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM REAL CRIME."

VAL>> OUR INTERVIEW WITH STATE ASSEMBLYMAN, GIL CEDILLO, TOUCHED A NERVE WITH SOME VIEWERS. CEDILLO IS CO-AUTHOR OF A MEASURE TO ALLOW UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS TO GET CALIFORNIA DRIVER'S LICENSES. WELL, ONE VIEWER WRITES:

"IT IS ILL-CONCEIVED TO OPEN UP LOOPHOLES TO WEAKEN THE LAWS THE INS HAS TO ENFORCE. THIS POLITICIAN SHOULD NOT BE SELF-SERVING FOR POLITICAL GAIN AND SHOULD BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE."

JESS>> AND WE HAVE ONE VIEWER WHO ENJOYS LIFE AND TIMES SO MUCH THAT HE MISSES US DURING OUR BREAKS BETWEEN SEGMENTS:

"I GET VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THE AMOUNT OF PAUSES DURING YOUR SHOW. SOME PAUSES JUST SHOW YOUR ADDRESS AND HOW TO MAKE CONTACT. I FIND THESE EXCESSIVE, FRUSTRATING AND UNNECESSARY."

JESS>> SORRY, BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN, SO WE CAN SHOW ALL OF YOU HOW TO REACH US.

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VAL>> IT WAS ABANDONED BY L.A.'S CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE BECAUSE OF EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE. THEN THE CHURCH TRIED TO DEMOLISH THE 123-YEAR-OLD ST. VIBIANA'S CATHEDRAL. BUT CONSERVATIONISTS CHALLENGED THE ARCHDIOCESE IN COURT AND STOPPED THE WRECKING CREWS.

JESS>> NOW THE OLD CHURCH IS ABOUT TO GET A NEW LEASE ON LIFE AS A COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PLAZA CALLED, APPROPRIATELY ENOUGH, "CATHEDRAL PLACE". TONIGHT PATT MORRISON LEADS US ON TOUR OF THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF ST. VIBIANA'S.

PATT MORRISON>> BARELY FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE LIVED IN LOS ANGELES IN 1869 WHEN THE CORNERSTONE WAS LAID FOR ST. VIBIANA'S, A BAROQUE SPANISH CATHEDRAL MODELED ON A CHURCH IN BARCELONA. LOS ANGELES WAS A YOUNG CITY, SO IT GOT A YOUNG SAINT, VIBIANA, WHO WAS THIRTEEN OR FOURTEEN WHEN SHE WAS MARTYRED IN ROME ON AUGUST 31 IN AN UNKNOWN YEAR IN THE THIRD CENTURY. HER REMAINS TURNED UP IN 1853 IN CATACOMBS BENEATH THE PAPAL VINEYARDS AND, BY 1856, SHE HAD BEEN BROUGHT AROUND CAPE HORN TO CALIFORNIA AND EVENTUALLY TO A GLASS AND GILT CAGE ABOVE THE HIGH ALTER IN THE CATHEDRAL BEARING HER NAME.

LINDA DISHMAN IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LOS ANGELES CONSERVANCY WHICH FOUGHT LONG AND HARD TO SAVE THIS PLACE.

LINDA DISHMAN>> THIS IS THE OLDEST BUILDING DOWNTOWN. IF WE WEREN'T GOING TO FIGHT FOR THE OLDEST BUILDINGS, THEN WHAT WERE WE GOING TO FIGHT FOR? THIS WAS BUILT IN 1876. IT WAS THE LARGEST BUILDING IN THE CITY AT THAT POINT. TEN PERCENT OF THE POPULATION OF LOS ANGELES COULD FIT INSIDE THESE WALLS AND THAT WAS A THOUSAND PEOPLE, SO IT REALLY TALKS ABOUT OUR ASPIRATIONS AS A CITY WHEN WE WERE STILL A LITTLE DUSTY COWPOKE TOWN.

AS WE BEGAN TO WORK WITH THE ARCHDIOCESE AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY WANTED TO TAKE THE BUILDING DOWN TO BUILD A NEW CATHEDRAL, WE WERE SO FIRM IN OUR BELIEF THAT THIS BUILDING HAD TO BE SAVED BECAUSE WE REALLY SAW IT AS PART OF THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN AND REALLY LINKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CIVIC CENTER, THE HISTORIC CORE AND LITTLE TOKYO.

PATT MORRISON>> VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HERE LATELY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN CONDEMNED BECAUSE OF EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE. IT WOULD BE CONSECRATED AT THE FOUNDING OF THE SITE OF THE NEW CATHEDRAL UP THE HILL IN LOS ANGELES, AND THIS BUILDING CAME THAT CLOSE TO BEING GONE ONE WEEKEND IN JUNE IN 1995. WHAT HAPPENED?

LINDA DISHMAN>> THE ARCHDIOCESE MADE PLANS TO TAKE DOWN THE TOWER OF THE CATHEDRAL AND STARTED WORK WITHOUT A PERMIT. WE WERE ABLE TO COME THE DAY OF THE DEMOLITION. ACTUALLY, THE ANGEL WAS IN THE PARKING LOT, SO THE ANGEL WAS ACTUALLY REMOVED --

PATT MORRISON>> -- THE ROOFTOP ANGEL?

LINDA DISHMAN>> FROM ATOP THE CUPOLA AND IT'S STILL RESTING FOR HER PLACE TO COME BACK. WE WERE ABLE TO GET A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND THEN WENT TO COURT TWO DIFFERENT TIMES TO ACTUALLY STOP THE DEMOLITION.

PATT MORRISON>> AND NOW IT'S PAID OFF BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO SHARES YOUR VISION?

LINDA DISHMAN>> WELL, THAT WAS PART OF OUR GOAL, TO FIRST KEEP IT STANDING AND THEN FIND SOMEONE THAT WOULD BE THE WIN-WIN SOLUTION AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT WITH TOM.

PATT MORRISON>> TOM GILMORE HAS COME IN LIKE THE GUY IN SHINING ARMOR OR AT LEAST THE GUY WITH THE SHINING CHECKBOOK. THIS IS A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE CATHEDRAL AND ITS PROPERTY, ITS PREMISES?

TOM GILMORE>> WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CAL STATE L.A. RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE HOPING TO USE THIS AS A PERFORMANCE AREA, AS A CULTURAL CENTER AND BRING CAL STATE L.A. IN ON THEIR CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM AND PERHAPS THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS HERE. MOSTLY, YOU'LL SEE CONCERTS IN HERE. THERE WILL BE SOME THEATER AND THEN, AFTER WE COMPLETELY FINISH RENOVATING, WE'LL ALSO DO A PART TWO WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE BUILDINGS AROUND US AS WELL.

PATT MORRISON>> SO, TOM, YOU WANT TO MAKE THIS A USABLE SPACE WITHIN THE PRESERVATION STANDARDS OF IT. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THE WINDOWS, FOR EXAMPLE?

TOM GILMORE>> THE WINDOWS USED TO BE STAINED GLASS. THOSE WERE ALL REMOVED AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE AND WILL PROBABLY RESIDE IN THE NEW CATHEDRAL --

PATT MORRISON>> -- THE EARTHQUAKE OF 1994. WE'VE HAD SO MANY.

TOM GILMORE>> RIGHT, YEAH, 1994, THE BIG ONE. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A CENTRAL LOCATION, IT'S IN THE SHADOW OF CITY HALL, IT'S REALLY IN THE HEART OF THE CITY. WE'LL PROBABLY DO A COMPETITION FOR NEW STAINED GLASS SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME ARTISTS INVOLVED. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO LINK UP WITH THE EXISTING ARTIST COMMUNITY THAT'S REALLY A LARGE PART OF THE DOWNTOWN POPULATION RIGHT NOW AND START TO USE THEM FOR SOME OF THESE INTERIOR DETAILS AND REALLY COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT EXPRESSES L.A. TODAY IN THE FRAMEWORK OF A BUILDING THAT WAS ABOUT YESTERDAY.

THE PROPERTY ADJOINING THE CATHEDRAL IS THE PART OF THE DEAL THAT MAKES SAVING THE CATHEDRAL POSSIBLE. THE CATHEDRAL ON ITS OWN IS GOING TO JUST BE AN ENORMOUS EXPENSE AND NOT A LOT OF INCOME OUT OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE PIECES ADJACENT TO IT ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. THERE IS THE OLD RECTORY, THERE IS THE OLD SCHOOL BUILDING AND THEN THERE ARE THE TWO LOTS THAT USED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE OLD UNION RESCUE MISSION WHICH ARE JUST EMPTY LOTS NOW SOUTH OF THE PROJECT. WHAT WE'VE DONE IS CREATED THE PLAN THAT TURNS THE OLD RECTORY INTO A BOUTIQUE HOTEL, A RESTAURANT ON THE GROUND FLOOR. THE SCHOOL WILL BE REHABILITATED AND ADDED ON TO.

PATT MORRISON>> NOW WHAT'S TO BE DONE WITH THE BELL TOWER?

TOM GILMORE>> WELL, THE BELL TOWER IS A COMPLETE RESTORATION. ALL THE EXTERIOR OF THE CHURCH EXCEPT FOR THE SEISMIC PIECES WILL BE ALL COMPLETELY RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION.

PATT MORRISON>> THE ARCHDIOCESE TOOK OUT ALL THE ECCLESIASTICAL PROPERTY WHEN YOU TOOK OVER AND THE BELLS WILL BE LEAVING TOO? THE 1881 DOMINGUEZ BELLS, EVERYTHING THAT --

TOM GILMORE>> -- THE BELLS WILL BE LEAVING TOO. EVERYTHING I THINK THAT IS SPECIFIC TO ST. VIBIANA OR THE, YOU KNOW, THE RELIGIOUS ASPECT OF IT IS GOING TO END UP IN THE NEW CATHEDRAL.

PATT MORRISON>> WILL THERE BE A SIGN, THOUGH, AT LEAST AND A HISTORY ON DISPLAY SO PEOPLE CAN --

TOM GILMORE>> -- OH, YEAH. I THINK WE'LL MAKE A LOT OF REFERENCES TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT WAS AND WHAT WAS WHERE AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN ONE SENSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS MUCH STUFF REMAINS HERE AS POSSIBLE, BUT IN ANOTHER WAY, IT'S ALSO PART OF THE LEGACY OF THE ARCHDIOCESE. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE A LOT OF THIS CARRIED TO THE NEW CATHEDRAL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE CONTINUITY OCCURS, SO I THINK IT'S RIGHT THAT THAT HAPPENS.

PATT MORRISON>> POPE JOHN PAUL II, ON HIS 1987 TRIP TO CALIFORNIA, STAYED HERE AT ST. VIBIANA'S. I COVERED HIS VISIT AND, FROM MY HOTEL ROOM, I SAW THE LIGHT BURNING LATE INTO THE NIGHT AND WONDERED IF THE POPE HAD JET LAG? WAS HE HAVING A SANDWICH? A NEW CATHEDRAL IS RISING UP NOT FAR FROM HERE. AS FOR THIS RECONSECRATED ONE, IT WILL TAKE ALMOST AS LONG TO RESTORE IT AS IT TOOK TO BUILD IT. BUT ONE DAY IT WILL OCCUPY A DIFFERENT ROLE IN THE HEART OF A CITY SO VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE THAT FIRST HEARD THE MUSIC OF ITS BELLS.

JESS>> TOM GILMORE SAYS WORK WILL BEGIN THIS FALL ON RENOVATING THE CHURCH, INCLUDING SEISMIC REPAIRS AND RESTORING THE CUPOLA. THEN HE'LL SPEND THE NEXT SIX TO TEN MONTHS GETTING THE REST OF THE PROJECT FUNDED. IT WILL EVENTUALLY INCLUDE APARTMENT STRUCTURES, A NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY AND CONVERTING THE OLD RECTORY INTO CLASSROOMS.

VAL>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE IF YOU WANT MORE OF US AT KCET.ORG FOR TRANSCRIPTS AND PREVIEWS OF UPCOMING STORIES.

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

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