10/11/02

LC021011

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> SECESSION FEVER MUST BE CATCHING. IT HAS ALREADY SPREAD TO SANTA BARBARA COUNTY WHERE FARMERS AND THEIR RURAL NEIGHBORS SAY THEY’VE HAD IT WITH CITY FOLKS.

WILLY CHAMBERLAIN>> WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON A WIN-WIN SITUATION WITH THE SOUTHERN PART OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY ALL OF MY LIFE AND IT’S NOT WORKING.

VAL>> THEN A LOOK AT HOW A BEST-SELLING BOOK BECOMES A MOTION PICTURE. WE’LL MEET JANET FITCH, THE AUTHOR OF “WHITE OLEANDER”, AND ASK HER IF THE STORY THAT’S ON THE SCREEN MATCHES THE ONE ON HER PAGES.

JESS>> PLUS, THE STORY OF A LOS ANGELES TALK SHOW HOST WHO’S BRINGING A NEW VOICE AND A NEW ATTITUDE TO NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO.

TAVIS SMILEY>> I’VE GOT TO BRING MY BLACKNESS WITH ME AND HOST AND PRODUCE A SHOW THAT IS AUTHENTICALLY BLACK, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN’T BE TOO BLACK BECAUSE YOU’RE ON NPR.

JESS>> TAVIS SMILEY IS A MAN WITH A MISSION AND, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WE’LL FIND OUT WHY HE HATES ELVIS.

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 SHAPING UP AS A BATTLE BETWEEN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH AND IT’S HAPPENING IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. THAT’S WHERE THE LATEST BATCH OF SECESSION FEVER IS SIMMERING.

VAL>> THE TWO SIDES COULDN’T BE MORE DIFFERENT. IT’S A FEUD BETWEEN CITY DWELLERS AND COUNTRY FARMERS AND, AS GAY YEE REPORTS, THERE’S NOTHING CIVIL ABOUT THIS WAR.

WILLY CHAMBERLAIN>> I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE ON THIS RANCH.

GAY YEE>> WILLY CHAMBERLAIN LIVES IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. CAMILLE YSEBRANDS ALSO LIVES HERE, BUT THE TWO COULDN'T BE FROM MORE DIFFERENT WORLDS. YSEBRANDS OWNS A DAY SPA IN AFFLUENT URBAN SOUTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. CHAMBERLAIN IS A RANCHER IN RURAL NORTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. TWO LIFESTYLES, TWO VERY DIFFERENT CULTURES. IT'S WHY NORTH AND SOUTH DON'T ALWAYS SEE EYE TO EYE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL.

WILLY CHAMBERLAIN>> THEY WANT TO HAVE ABSOLUTE CONTROL. BE IT OAKS, BE IT BRUSH, BE IT ANYTHING TO DO WITH AGRICULTURE, THEY WANT TO CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT COMPLETELY.

CAMILLE YSEBRANDS>> THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME INTERESTS ENVIRONMENTALLY TO SAVE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE DO. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PUT ANY EFFORT FORWARD TO TRY TO PRESERVE WHAT'S THERE AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING.

GAY YEE>> SINCE THREE OF THE FIVE SEATS ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE CONTROLLED BY THE SOUTH, CHAMBERLAIN SAYS GETTING LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND TO HIS NEEDS HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

WILLY CHAMBERLAIN>> IT'S GOTTEN NOW SO THAT THE BUREAUCRACY WILL NOT EVEN LISTEN TO US. YOU CAN GO TO A MEETING AND THEY'LL SAY I DON'T ACCEPT THAT IDEA. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WE ARE THE CITIZENS. WE ARE THE COUNTY.

GAY YEE>> THE FRUSTRATION FACTOR HAS GOTTEN BAD ENOUGH THAT CHAMBERLAIN IS BEGINNING TO TALK LIKE FOLKS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND HOLLYWOOD. HE SAYS IT'S TIME FOR A BREAK-UP.

GAY YEE>> SO YOU'RE FEELINGS ABOUT THIS COUNTY SPLIT IDEA? FOR IT OR AGAINST IT?

WILLY CHAMBERLAIN>> I FAVOR IT. I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE A MISSION COUNTY, AS THEY ARE PLANNING ON CALLING IT, THE ELECTORATE WILL ELECT LEADERS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY, OR WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY, ON HOW MUCH GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT RUNS OUR LIVES.

GAY YEE>> IF THE SECESSION MOVEMENT SUCCEEDS, YSEBRANDS ENVISIONS RUNAWAY DEVELOPMENT, OIL REFINERIES ON THE COASTLINE AND INCREASED POLLUTION. SHE'S ALSO WORRIED ABOUT WATER. LAKE ACHUMA IS LOCATED IN THE NORTH, BUT PROVIDES WATER TO SOUTHERN CITIES LIKE SANTA BARBARA.

CAMILLE YSEBRANDS>> I MAY NOT LIVE THERE, BUT I'M IMPACTED BY THE AREA WHERE THEY WANT TO CUT OFF. THEY WANT TO CUT OFF THE TOPS OF THE MOUNTAINS AND THAT WATER IS MY WATER. I ENVISION THAT THEY'LL DEFINITELY BE OPENING UP, YOU KNOW, MORE BIG HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, DEFINITELY BE SELLING OFF THEIR PROPERTY, PROBABLY FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO OIL REFINERIES BECAUSE OF THE MONEY IT BRINGS IN.

GAY YEE>> CHAMBERLAIN SAYS HE DOESN'T WANT RUNAWAY DEVELOPMENT ANY MORE THAN YSEBRANDS DOES, BUT HE DOES WANT SOME SAY OVER HIS OWN LAND.

WILLY CHAMBERLAIN>> THEY LOOK AT AGRICULTURE AS THEIR OPEN SPACE. THEY THINK IT'S THEIR OPEN SPACE. IT'S NOT THEIR OPEN SPACE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, IT BELONGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE. IT IS OUR PRIVATE PROPERTY AND IT'S PART OF OUR BUSINESS.

GAY YEE>> CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS CONTROVERSY? THE LUSH VINEYARDS IN THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY SEEN AS THE UP AND COMING NEW WINE COUNTRY TO RIVAL FAMOUS NAPA AND SONOMA COUNTIES. A MISSION COUNTY NAME ON THE LABEL JUST WON'T CARRY THE SAME WEIGHT THE NAME SANTA BARBARA COUNTY DOES. AN ECONOMIC FORECASTER, BILL WATKINS, SAYS THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE. RESIDENTS IN THE NORTH COULD END UP HAVING TO PAY MORE TAXES.

BILL WATKINS>> THEY'RE CURRENTLY A NET BENEFICIARY OF TAX TRANSFERS. THAT IS, THE PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH PAY MORE TAXES THAN THE PEOPLE IN THE NORTH AND SOME OF THOSE TAXES ARE SPENT IN THE NORTH, SO THOSE FUNDS WOULD GO AWAY FROM THEM.

GAY YEE>> AND WATKINS SAYS THE BREAK-AWAY EFFORT MAY EVEN BE PREMATURE.

BILL WATKINS>> ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE CHANGE IN DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE COUNTY. NORTH COUNTY IS GROWING MUCH FASTER THAN SOUTH COUNTY IN TERMS OF POPULATION. I BELIEVE AT THE NEXT CENSUS THAT RESTRUCTURING WILL RESULT IN A THREE-TWO SPLIT IN THE COUNTY THE OTHER WAY.

GAY YEE>> THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT THE NORTH HAS TRIED TO BREAK AWAY. OTHERS TRIED IT IN 1978. IRONICALLY, CHAMBERLAIN WAS AGAINST IT BACK THEN.

WILLY CHAMBERLAIN>> THERE WERE A LOT OF US IN THE NORTHERN COUNTY THAT SAID, NO, LET'S MAKE THIS WORK.

GAY YEE>> IN RECENT YEARS, CHAMBERLAIN HAS INVESTED IN MULES AND HE SAYS THE ANIMALS HAVE TAUGHT HIM A LOT.

WILLY CHAMBERLAIN>> I LAUGHINGLY SAY I'VE HAD TWO WIVES AND I'VE GOT TWO MULES. IF I'D HAD MY TWO MULES FIRST, I'D PROBABLY STILL HAVE MY FIRST WIFE. THE REASON FOR THAT IS YOU LEARN TO WORK OUT A WIN-WIN SOLUTION WITH MULES.

GAY YEE>> SECESSION IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS A DIVORCE AND CHAMBERLAIN SAYS, JUST AS SOMEONE WOULD IN A TROUBLED MARRIAGE, HE'S TRIED TO WORK OUT HIS DIFFERENCES WITH THE COUNTY LEADERSHIP.

WILLY CHAMBERLAIN>> WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A WIN-WIN SITUATION WITH THE SOUTHERN PART OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY ALL OF MY LIFE AND IT'S NOT WORKING.

JESS>> DOES THIS ALSO REPRESENT A LITTLE CONFLICT BETWEEN CONSERVATIVES AND LIBERALS?

GAY YEE>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE ARE THE AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS AND FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE NORTH COUNTY AND IT’S MUCH --

JESS>> -- MOSTLY CONSERVATIVE?

GAY YEE>> MOSTLY CONSERVATIVE, NOT QUITE AS WEALTHY AS SANTA BARBARA, THE CITY DOWN SOUTH, SO THERE IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENCE IN PHILOSOPHY AND PERSONALITIES.

VAL>> SO WHAT ACTUALLY HAS TO HAPPEN? I MEAN, WHAT’S THE ACTUAL POSSIBILITY OF THE CITY ON THE BALLOT?

GAY YEE>> NUMBER ONE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND, TO GET THAT, THEY NEED TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE SIGNATURES FOR THE AREA THAT’S INVOLVED. THAT’S THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.

VAL>> SO THE PART OF THE COUNTY THAT WILL SECEDE, THEY NEED --

GAY YEE>> -- THEY NEED 23,000 SIGNATURES --

VAL>> -- ON A PETITION?

GAY YEE>> ON A PETITION BY DECEMBER 31. NOW MAYBE IN SOME VIEWS, THAT COULD BE MOOT BECAUSE THERE’S GOING TO BE A RECALL VOTE NOVEMBER 5.

VAL>> RECALL OF WHOM?

GAY YEE>> OF A SUPERVISOR IN DISTRICT THREE, AND THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF THE PIVOTAL VOTE ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

VAL>> YOU MEAN, IF THIS PERSON IS RECALLED, THEN --

GAY YEE>> -- THERE WOULD PERHAPS BE ONE LESS LIBERAL VOICE ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

JESS>> WOULD THEY THEN ABANDON THE SECESSION MOVEMENT?

GAY YEE>> THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF THE MOVEMENT SAY NO. THEY WILL BLAZE AHEAD, NO MATTER WHAT. BUT THEY’RE CONCERNED THAT SOME OF THE VOTERS MAY THINK IT’S NO LONGER NECESSARY, WE GOT WHAT WE WANT, WE WANT MORE OF A CONSERVATIVE VIEWPOINT, MORE OF A BALANCE IN THEIR FAVOR ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND IT MAY BE MOOT IN THEIR EYES, BUT THE FOLKS BEHIND IT ARE STILL MOVING AHEAD.

JESS>> BUT, AS IN LOS ANGELES, IT TAKES A VOTE -- FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SECEDE -- IT TAKES A VOTE NOT ONLY FROM THE VALLEY, BUT THE CITY AT LARGE HAS TO APPROVE SECESSION. IS THE SAME TRUE IN THE SEPARATION OF A COUNTY?

GAY YEE>> IF THEY GET TO THAT POINT. THEY FIRST NEED THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY AND, IF THEY GET THE SIGNATURES AND THEY GET WHAT THEY WANT THERE, THEN THEY MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PHASE. AT THAT PHASE, THEY NEED A SIMPLE MAJORITY, BUT IT HAS TO BE TWO-TIERED. THEY NEED A SIMPLE MAJORITY IN THE NORTH COUNTY AND THEY ALSO HAVE TO HAVE A SIMPLE MAJORITY FOR THE COUNTY AT LARGE, SO THAT’S NORTH AND SOUTH COUNTY.

VAL>> IT SOUNDS LIKE WE’RE LOOKING AT A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, MAYBE TWO YEARS AWAY FROM ANY REAL VOTE ON THAT.

GAY YEE>> THEY’RE HOPING FOR 2004 TO GET THAT VOTE ON, BUT WE’LL SEE.

VAL>> GOT IT. AND IN THE MEANTIME, THERE ARE MORE AND MORE WINERIES AND VINEYARDS GOING IN.

GAY YEE>> RIGHT, AND THERE’S A CONFLICT AMONG THE WINERIES AS WELL. SOME DO WANT A CHANGE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS, BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO NEED THAT SANTA BARBARA COUNTY NAME AND FEEL THAT LOSING IT WOULD HURT THEIR BUSINESS.

VAL>> WE’LL BE WATCHING THAT ONE. GAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MONDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES, THE TWO MAIN CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR ARE REACHING OUT TO LATINOS AND YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT THEY’RE SAYING TO TRY TO WIN SOME VOTES.

[FILM CLIP]

>> THERE IS THIS NEW CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IN TERMS OF CAMPAIGNING TO LATINO VOTERS. THERE’S A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO ACCESS THEM.

JESS>> ONE OF THE GREAT BEST-SELLING NOVELS IN RECENT YEARS WAS WRITTEN BY A LOS ANGELES NATIVE WHO IS OUR NEXT GUEST. THE BOOK IS “WHITE OLEANDER”. IT’S THE STORY OF A LITTLE GIRL WHO LOSES HER MOTHER AND BEGINS A TROUBLING JOURNEY THROUGH A SERIES OF FOSTER HOMES.

VAL>> THE WRITER IS JANET FITCH AND SHE JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW MOTION PICTURE BASED ON HER BOOK. “WHITE OLEANDER” OPENS TONIGHT AND HERE’S A BRIEF LOOK AS ASTRID, THE MAIN CHARACTER, GETS SOME BAD NEWS FROM ONE OF HER MANY FOSTER MOTHERS.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> WHAT PROMPTED THE SUBJECT MATTER FOR THIS FIRST NOVEL OF YOURS?

JANET FITCH>> NOVELS START ANYWHERE AND THEN THEY FIND THEIR SUBJECT. YOU KNOW, I DIDN’T KNOW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT FOSTER CARE. I JUST STARTED --

VAL>> -- BUT IT STARTED AS A SHORT STORY?

JANET FITCH>> IT STARTED AS A SHORT STORY SET IN THE SANTA ANAS DURING FIRE SEASON, OLEANDER TIME, AND A WOMAN ON A ROOFTOP IN THE WIND. THEN I HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHO THAT WOMAN WAS AND WHAT SHE WAS ALL ABOUT.

VAL>> BUT THE BASIC PREMISE IS THAT A MOTHER BECOMES A MURDERER AND IS SENT OFF TO PRISON AND THE DAUGHTER IS LEFT TO GO THROUGH OUR HORRENDOUS FOSTER CARE SYSTEM ESSENTIALLY?

JANET FITCH>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

JESS>> BUT YOUR STYLE OF WRITING, YOU SAID YOU JUST WRITE.

JANET FITCH>> WELL, YOU DISCOVER AS YOU’RE WRITING, SO IT’S MORE LIKE GROPING AROUND IN A DARK ROOM AND FALLING OVER THE FURNITURE. YOU KNOW, OH, THERE’S A COUCH THERE.

JESS>> NOT A LOT OF OUTLINES, NOT A LOT OF PLOTTING?

JANET FITCH>> NO OUTLINE, NO OUTLINE. YOU KNOW, IT’S ALL INTUITION AND LISTENING TO THE WORK AS IT’S COMING OUT AND SEEING WHAT IT’S ABOUT AS IT EMERGES.

JESS>> WELL, IT’S RECEIVED CONSIDERABLE PRAISE. OPRAH WAS A BIG HELP TOO. BUT NOW THAT HOLLYWOOD HAS IT, WERE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE WAY HOLLYWOOD HANDLED YOUR BOOK?

JANET FITCH>> I WAS SO EXCITED AND SO PLEASED AT HOW THEY HANDLED THE BOOK. THEY REALLY CREATED A WORK OF ART FROM MY WORK OF ART, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR, NOT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A DOGGED RENDITION OF SOMETHING, BUT A WORK THAT STANDS ON ITS OWN.

JESS>> A GREAT CAST DOESN’T HURT EITHER.

JANET FITCH>> (LAUGHTER) NO.

VAL>> A GREAT CAST, AND YOU GOT A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO FILMMAKING. YOU VISITED THE SET WHILE THEY WERE FILMING? YOU WERE INVITED ON?

JANET FITCH>> OH, IT WAS SO EXCITING BECAUSE, GROWING UP IN L.A., YOU ALWAYS SEE THE TRUCKS PARKED AT THE CURB AND YOU KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING, BUT YOU CAN’T EXACTLY WALK IN AND SIT IN SOMEBODY’S CHAIR AND SEE LOCATIONS THAT I’D ONLY IMAGINED IN MY HEAD. IT’S LIKE WALKING INTO A DREAM.

VAL>> AND WHEN YOU SAW IT FINISHED, WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST THOUGHT? LIKE, OH YES, IT’S TRUE TO THE BOOK, OR IT’S A MOVIE AND DIFFERENT FROM THE BOOK, BUT STILL GOOD?

JANET FITCH>> YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT I’M A MOVIE LOVER, SO MY REACTION TO THE MOVIE WAS, YOU KNOW, THERE! THAT WAS A MOVIE! I REALLY LIKED IT.

VAL>> BUT WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE LANGUAGE. IN FACT, YOU TAKE YOUR INSPIRATION FROM POETRY BEFORE YOU WRITE. THAT’S SOMETHING THAT’S VERY HARD TO CONVEY IN ANY KIND OF MOVIE FORMAT, NO?

JANET FITCH>> YEAH. I THINK THAT THE CAMERA HAS TO SUPPLY THE POETRY IN FILM BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE OF POETRY IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE CAMERA.

JESS>> BUT MAKING FILM WAS NOT ENTIRELY ALIEN TO YOU. YOU’D STUDIED FILM DIRECTING AT USC?

JANET FITCH>> YEAH, FOR LIKE HALF A SEMESTER (LAUGHTER). I LEARNED HOW HARD IT IS. I LEARNED THAT I WAS A WRITER AND NOT A FILMMAKER.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) AND YOU WERE ESPECIALLY PLEASED, I UNDERSTAND, WITH MICHELLE PFEIFFER’S ROLE AND WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK NOW AT A CLIP FEATURING MICHELLE PFEIFFER. HERE IT IS.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> OH, THIS MOTHER’S IN PRISON AND SHE IS NOT A VERY SYMPATHETIC CHARACTER, SOMEONE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE KIND OF PERSON MICHELLE PFEIFFER USUALLY PLAYS.

JANET FITCH>> YEAH, IT’S REALLY INTERESTING. I THINK, IN GENERAL, AS WOMEN, WE TRY TO PLEASE PEOPLE AND WE WANT TO BE LIKED AND IT IS SORT OF LIBERATING TO HAVE A CHARACTER, TO WRITE A CHARACTER OR PLAY A CHARACTER WHO DOESN’T CARE WHETHER PEOPLE FIND THEM APPEALING.

VAL>> IN FACT, A LOT OF THE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES ARE PLAYING OUT OF TYPE, DIFFERENT FROM HOW WE USUALLY SEE THEM.

JANET FITCH>> YEAH, YEAH. IT LOOKS LIKE ALMOST EVERYONE IS AND I THINK THAT’S, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE SURPRISES OF THE MOVIE, SEEING PEOPLE PLAYING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT THEY’RE NOT KNOWN FOR.

JESS>> AND THESE WERE TRUE TO YOUR CHARACTERS THEN?

JANET FITCH>> YEAH, THEY ARE.

JESS>> HOW DO FOSTER HOMES FARE IN YOUR BOOK?

JANET FITCH>> WELL, BEING THROWN INTO A STRANGER’S HOME IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT --

JESS>> -- AND A SUCCESSION OF THEM.

JANET FITCH>> -- AND, YOU KNOW, THAT’S THE EXPERIENCE OF MOST FOSTER KIDS IS A SUCCESSION OF THEM.

VAL>> BUT WILL THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM SAY, OH, IT’S NOT THAT BAD, THIS IS NOT AN ACCURATE RENDITION OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM?

JANET FITCH>> NO, THEY HAVEN’T. I MEAN, I’VE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE SYSTEM. I MEAN, THEY’RE NOT IN IT BECAUSE THEY’RE BAD PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, THEY GO INTO THAT KIND OF WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE CARING PEOPLE. THEY’RE JUST OVERLOADED AND OVERWHELMED AND PEOPLE TAKE IN CHILDREN FOR ALL KINDS OF REASONS AND THE SYSTEM NEEDS ALL OF THEM.

JESS>> AND YOU RESEARCHED PRETTY CAREFULLY THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, DIDN’T YOU?

JANET FITCH>> WELL, IT’S FUNNY. AS A NOVELIST, I’M SORT OF AN IDIOT SAVANT. I’M INTERESTED NOT IN THE SYSTEM. I’M NOT INTERESTED IN ANY KIND OF ABSTRACTION. I’M ONLY INTERESTED IN WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE TO BE IN THAT SYSTEM, SO I INTERVIEWED WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN FOSTER CHILDREN. I WENT AND SAW MCCLAREN HALL. I DID RESEARCH ON THE PRISONS, AS WELL, AND TALKED TO SOCIAL WORKERS AND PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN THE SYSTEM. BUT I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO BE IN THAT SYSTEM.

VAL>> YOU DIDN’T DO IT WITH ANY SORT OF REFORM-MINDED CAUSE?

JANET FITCH>> ABSOLUTELY NOT. ASTRID’S EXPERIENCE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE AVERAGE FOSTER KIDS --THE DAUGHTER IN THE MOVIE -- BECAUSE SHE HAS MORE INTERACTION WITH ADULTS THAN MOST FOSTER KIDS DO. MOST OF THEM TRY TO LIE LOW AND, YOU KNOW, FLY UNDER THE RADAR.

JESS>> WITH YOUR LOVE OF THE LANGUAGE, WITH YOUR LOVE OF POETRY, DO YOU HAVE AN EQUALLY STRONG LOVE OF FILM NOW?

JANET FITCH>> I ALWAYS HAVE, I ALWAYS HAVE. I WAS A TERRIBLE MALINGERER AS A KID (LAUGHTER). WHENEVER I COULD STAY HOME FROM SCHOOL AND READ AND WATCH MOVIES BECAUSE, IN THOSE DAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD WATCH MOVIES ALL DAY LONG. THE TEN O’CLOCK, THE NOON MOVIE, THE TWO O’CLOCK MOVIE. SO I’VE ALWAYS IN NARRATIVE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT’S FICTION OR FILM.

JESS>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE AND NO THANKS FOR TELLING ALL THESE LAYABOUTS THAT ARE HOME WATCHING MOVIES THAT THEY’RE DOING THE RIGHT THING TO BE A DISTINGUISHED NOVELIST (LAUGHTER). THANKS AGAIN.

JANET FITCH>> (LAUGHTER) THANK YOU.

VAL>> THANK YOU.

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JESS>> TALK RADIO. IT CAN BE INSPIRING OR MIND-NUMBING. IN EITHER CASE, THERE’S LOTS OF IT OUT THERE, BUT TONIGHT YOU’RE ABOUT TO MEET SOMEONE WHO’S TRYING TO BREAK SOME NEW GROUND.

VAL>> TAVIS SMILEY IS WELL-KNOWN IN SOME PARTS OF LOS ANGELES, BUT ON NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, HE’S BRAND NEW AND, AS GAY YEE REPORTS, SMILEY IS TRYING TO CARVE OUT A NICHE FOR HIMSELF AND FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

TAVIS SMILEY>> "FROM NPR IN LOS ANGELES, I'M TAVIS SMILEY."

GAY YEE>> IT'S FOUR A.M. IN LOS ANGELES AND TAVIS SMILEY IS ON THE AIR LIVE TALKING TO A NATIONWIDE AUDIENCE.

TAVIS SMILEY>> "WHEN HE WAS A RUNNING BACK FOR THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, RICKY WILLIAMS BECAME KNOWN FOR A LOT OF THINGS BESIDES BEING..."

GAY YEE>> NEVER MIND THE DARK CIRCLES UNDER HIS EYES. SMILEY IS WIDE AWAKE AND ABLE TO CATCH A MISSING DETAIL IN THE SCRIPT.

TAVIS SMILEY>> CHERYL, THIS COPY DOESN'T MENTION WHERE RICKY IS TODAY. IT'S LIKE HE RETIRED...

GAY YEE>> IT'S PRETTY CLEAR HE HATES MISTAKES.

CHERYL>> I'LL KEEP MY FINGERS CROSSED THAT IT'S IN THERE.

TAVIS SMILEY>> I HOPE IT IS TOO.

GAY YEE>> THIS IS WHAT TAVIS SMILEY DOES: TALK.

TAVIS SMILEY>> "THE LIST SHOWS THE SUCCESSES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT..."

TAVIS SMILEY>> I THINK MY MISSION IS REALLY WHAT I CALL THE THREE "E'S". I WANT TO ENLIGHTEN PEOPLE, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE AND I WANT TO EMPOWER PEOPLE.

GAY YEE>> IF YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF TAVIS SMILEY, PLENTY OF OTHERS HAVE.

TAVIS SMILEY>> "MR. PRESIDENT, NICE TO SEE YOU. THANKS AGAIN FOR SITTING DOWN AND TALKING TO ME."

GAY YEE>> HE'S INTERVIEWED WORLD LEADERS AND WORLD-RENOWNED CELEBRITIES ON AN ALPHABET SOUP OF NETWORK TELEVISION OUTLETS FROM ABC TO BET TO CNN.

TAVIS SMILEY>> "THIS IS TALK BACK LIVE. I'M TAVIS SMILEY..."

GAY YEE>> BUT HE'S JUST AS BUSY ON RADIO. TAVIS SMILEY HAS BUILT A CAREER ON BEING LOTS OF THINGS. HE'S PART POLITICAL ANALYST, PART SOCIAL COMMENTATOR AND EVERY BIT THE ENTREPRENEUR. AS SOMEONE ONCE PUT IT, SMILEY ISN'T JUST ENTERPRISING. HE IS AN ENTERPRISE. THIS YEAR, SMILEY IS TRYING SOMETHING NEW: NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO. A PLACE WITH DIVERSE ATTITUDES, BUT A DISTINCTLY WHITE SOUND AND NO ONE HAS EVER ACCUSED TAVIS SMILEY OF SOUNDING WHITE.

TAVIS SMILEY>> "IT'S TWENTY-NINE MINUTES PAST THE HOUR."

GAY YEE>> SMILEY ISN'T NPR'S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOST. HE'S ONE OF THE FEW, BUT HE IS THE FIRST NPR TALENT OF A PROGRAM TARGETING PEOPLE OF COLOR.

TAVIS SMILEY>> I'VE GOT TO BRING MY BLACKNESS WITH ME AND HOST AND PRODUCE A SHOW THAT IS AUTHENTICALLY BLACK. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN'T BE TOO BLACK BECAUSE YOU'RE ON NPR.

>> SO DO WE WANT TO COVER ELVIS TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH?

TAVIS SMILEY>> HELL, NO. IS THAT A JOKE?

GAY YEE>> IN PRODUCTION MEETINGS, SMILEY LOOKS FOR TOPICS OF INTEREST TO BLACK LISTENERS AND HE HOPES TO EDUCATE THE WHITE AUDIENCE ABOUT A FEW THINGS, LIKE ELVIS.

TAVIS SMILEY>> THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF WHITE FOLK WHO HAVE NO IDEA THAT BLACK FOLK HAVE -- I'M TELLING YOU I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF WHITE FOLK WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT BLACK PEOPLE HAVE A HATE ON ELVIS PRESLEY.

IT'S NOT THE MONEY THAT NPR PAYS ME, TRUST ME, THAT GETS ME UP AT 2:30 EVERY DAY AND IN THIS STUDIO. WHAT GETS ME UP EVERY DAY IS THE FACT THAT I LOVE WHAT I DO. I LOVE EMPOWERING PEOPLE, I LOVE ENLIGHTENING PEOPLE, I LOVE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE, I LOVE BEING A PART OF THE DEBATE.

GAY YEE>> TAVIS SMILEY MAKES A GOOD LIVING, BUT PASSION SEEMS TO BE THE THING THAT DRIVES HIM AND IT ALL STARTED WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG STUDENT IN INDIANA TRYING TO GET AN INTERNSHIP WITH ONE OF THE GREAT BLACK LEADERS OF THE DAY, THE LATE MAYOR TOM BRADLEY. SMILEY LOBBIED HARD AND EVEN CAME TO LOS ANGELES ON HIS OWN DIME, BUT GOT TURNED DOWN WITHOUT EVEN MEETING BRADLEY. THAT MADE HIM ANGRY.

TAVIS SMILEY>> I SAT DOWN AND WROTE THE MAYOR A HANDWRITTEN NOTE. I WAS CRYING TEARS WHILE I WAS WRITING THE LETTER, SO THE BLUE INK WAS ACTUALLY SMEARING ON THE PAGES OF THE LETTER. THAT ONE LETTER, THAT HANDWRITTEN NOTE, ACTUALLY MADE IT TO TOM BRADLEY'S DESK. WHEN HE SAW THAT LETTER AND READ IT PERSONALLY, HE PICKED UP HIS PHONE AND CALLED ME. HE SAID, OF COURSE, YOU CAN HAVE AN INTERNSHIP.

GAY YEE>> ON THE RADIO, SMILEY ATTEMPTS TO INTRODUCE NEW VOICES AND NEW VIEWS. HE SAYS TOO OFTEN THE MEDIA DRAFTS THE SAME CAST OF CHARACTERS TO SERVE AS SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, AS IF ALL AFRICAN-AMERICANS THINK ALIKE.

TAVIS SMILEY>> I'M JUST TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, USE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I HAVE TO LET A DIFFERENT VOICE, A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW, A DIFFERENT IDEOLOGY BE PRESENTED WHICH TOO OFTEN ONE DOES NOT HEAR, READ OR SEE IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA.

GAY YEE>> TAKE THE RECENT INGLEWOOD POLICE BEATING. SMILEY SAYS IT WAS AN ABERRATION NOT BECAUSE IT HAPPENED, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS CAUGHT ON VIDEOTAPE.

TAVIS SMILEY>> AND IF IT COULD HAPPEN TO BLACK KIDS IN THE INNER CITY BECAUSE IT'S PART OF POLICE CULTURE, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR WHITE KIDS IN THE SUBURBS START BEING SUBJECTED TO THIS KIND OF MISTREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF COPS BECAUSE IT IS A CULTURE?

TAVIS SMILEY>> "HELLO. FROM NPR NEWS IN LOS ANGELES, I'M TAVIS SMILEY."

GAY YEE>> SMILEY HOPES HIS NPR SHOW WILL BREAK NEW GROUND, BUT SO FAR, IT'S ONLY BEEN A FLEDGLING SUCCESS. OUT OF SIX HUNDRED PUBLIC RADIO STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ONLY THIRTY HAVE PICKED IT UP, BUT SMILEY KEEPS THE FAITH.

TAVIS SMILEY>> YOU CAN LIVE FOR A CAUSE OR YOU LIVE JUST BECAUSE, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND FOLK WHO LIVE JUST BECAUSE. I THINK YOU GOT TO FIND SOMETHING FOR WHICH YOU ARE WILLING TO FIND THE COURAGE AND THE CONVICTION AND THE COMMITMENT EVERY DAY TO GET UP AND DO SOMETHING TO MAKE LIFE INTERESTING.

TAVIS SMILEY>> "I'M TAVIS SMILEY. THIS IS NPR. KEEP THE FAITH."

VAL>> I LIKE THAT. JUST BECAUSE AND FOR A CAUSE. THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. FOR STREAMING AUDIO OF RECENT PROGRAMS, GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG.

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

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