12/18/02

LC021218

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

THE COST OF FREE SPEECH. DID A PAKISTANI BUSINESSMAN LOSE EVERYTHING BECAUSE HE CRITICIZED HIS FELLOW MUSLIMS?

TASHBIH SAYYED>> TO ME, IN AMERICA, EVERYONE WHO LOVES AMERICA IS AN AMERICAN AND ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE AMERICAN VALUES IS AN ENEMY OF AMERICA. IN MY VIEW, THERE ARE NO SHADES OF GRAYS. THERE ARE ONLY BLACKS AND WHITES.

VAL>> IN A PREDOMINANTLY CHRISTIAN CULTURE, IT CAN BE HARD TO BE A PAGAN.

MORGAN GREEN>> PAGANISM IS, I THINK, ONE OF THE OLDEST RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD, THOUGH IT HAS BEEN ADDED TO AND IT’S MUCH CHANGED SINCE IT WAS ORIGINALLY. IT’S MOSTLY ABOUT NATURE AND WORSHIPING THE WORLD AROUND YOU.

VAL>> AND THEN WE’LL GO OUTSIDE OUR STUDIOS HERE IN HOLLYWOOD FOR ANOTHER OF OUR SPECIAL HOLIDAY CONCERTS ON THE KCET PLAZA.

[MUSICAL PERFORMANCE]

VAL>> TONIGHT TWO YOUNG PERFORMERS FROM USC GET US IN THE MOOD WITH SOME HOLIDAY CLASSICS.

IT’S ALL COMING UP NEXT ON TONIGHT’S 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 HAS THE NIGHT OFF.

WE BEGIN WITH A STORY OF A MAN WHO SPEAKS HIS MIND, EVEN WHEN IT MAKES LOTS OF PEOPLE ANGRY. HE’S A PAKISTANI JOURNALIST WHO ONCE RAN A THRIVING NEWSPAPER HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, BUT THEN HE STARTED QUESTIONING THE PATRIOTISM OF SOME MUSLIM-AMERICANS. NOW HIS BUSINESS HAS ALL BUT DRIED UP. THE MAN CLAIMS HE’S BEING PUNISHED FOR ROCKING THE BOAT IN THE LOCAL MUSLIM COMMUNITY, BUT IS HE A VICTIM OR JUST ANOTHER CONSPIRACY THEORIST? YOU DECIDE. GAY YEE HAS OUR REPORT.

GAY YEE>> TASHBIH SAYYED AND HIS WIFE, FATIMA, WORK DAY AND NIGHT OUT OF THEIR RENTED FONTANA HOME PUBLISHING A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER CALLED PAKISTAN TODAY. SAYYED IS A VETERAN JOURNALIST AND SERVED AS A NEWS PRODUCER FOR PAKISTAN TELEVISION BEFORE IMMIGRATING TO AMERICA IN 1981.

TASHBIH SAYYED>> I WAS THE FIRST HEAD OF CURRENT AFFAIRS ON PAKISTAN TELEVISION. WHY DID I HAVE TO LEAVE SUCH A SUCCESSFUL LIFE? BECAUSE OF ISLAMISTS WHEN THEY TOOK OVER PAKISTAN.

GAY YEE>> HE IDENTIFIES HIMSELF AS A DEVOUT MUSLIM, BUT SAYYED SAYS HE COULD NOT LIVE AMONG THE MUSLIM EXTREMISTS WHO WERE SOWING SEEDS OF TERRORISM IN HIS NATIVE LAND.

TASHBIH SAYYED>> PAKISTAN CALLS ITSELF ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN. IF THAT IS ISLAMIC, I WOULD RATHER BE NO ISLAMIC.

GAY YEE>> AFTER ARRIVING IN CALIFORNIA, SAYYED STARTED PAKISTAN TODAY. IT WAS A DECADE AGO AND, FOR A WHILE, HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM IN LAGUNA HILLS.

TASHBIH SAYYED>> MY CIRCULATION HAD BEEN VERY HIGH IN TERMS OF ETHNIC NEWSPAPERS, BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS VERY LOW. CERTAINLY THAT’S WHY I AM TRYING TO FIND SUPPORT OUTSIDE THE ISLAMISTS GROUPS.

GAY YEE>> HIS CIRCULATION IS LOW AND HIS BUSINESS IS FALTERING, HE SAYS, BECAUSE HE DARED TO SPEAK OUT. THAT’S WHAT HE RECENTLY TOLD THE JEWISH JOURNAL WHEN THEY PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE ABOUT SAYYED’S STRUGGLE TO KEEP HIS PAPER AFLOAT. HE CLAIMS HE’S PAYING THE PRICE FOR BEING AN OUTSPOKEN CRITIC OF AMERICAN-MUSLIMS’ LEADERSHIP. ON MANY OCCASIONS, SAYYED REGULARLY QUESTIONED THEIR MOTIVES AND EVEN THEIR LOYALTY TO AMERICA.

TASHBIH SAYYED>> IT REALLY BECAME IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO LIVE WITH THE HYPOCRISY, THE BIGOTRY, THAT IS REPRESENTED BY ISLAMIST LEADERSHIP IN THIS COUNTRY.

GAY YEE>> SUDDENLY, SAYYED’S ONCE SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS WAS IN TROUBLE. HIS REVENUE FELL AND HE HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SELLING A HOUSE HE LOVED AND HIS NEWSPAPER.

TASHBIH SAYYED>> WHAT IS ONE HOUSE? I AM READY TO LOSE MY LIFE, BUT I’M NOT READY TO LOSE ONE TOOL THAT I HAVE IN MY HANDS TO CHALLENGE THE TERRORIST MIGHT.

GAY YEE>> SAYYED IS A TRUE BELIEVER THAT EVEN MODERATE MUSLIM ORGANIZATIONS IN AMERICA OFTEN ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.

TASHBIH SAYYED>> WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS, THEY’RE DOING ONE THING IN THE PUBLIC JUST FOR THE SAKE OF KEEPING SOME KIND OF A CIVILIZED FACE, BUT BEHIND DOORS, THEY ARE CONTINUING CONVINCING MUSLIMS THAT AMERICA IS NOT A FRIEND OF ISLAM OR MUSLIMS.

GAY YEE>> THEIR GOAL, HE ARGUES, IS TO TURN MUSLIMS HERE AGAINST AMERICA AND TO PERSUADE THEM THAT THE WAR ON TERRORISM IS ACTUALLY A WAR AGAINST ISLAM. BUT TALK TO THE PEOPLE SAYYED HAS CAST DOUBTS UPON AND YOU HEAR CLAIMS THAT HE’S A LOOSE CANNON. SALAM AL-MARAYATI IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSLIM PUBLIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL.

SALAM AL-MARAYATI>> HE’S RELATIVELY UNKNOWN IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AND I’M SURPRISED, ALSO, FOR SOMEBODY WHO CALLS HIMSELF A JOURNALIST TO MAKE SUCH ACCUSATIONS WITHOUT EVER INTERVIEWING ANYBODY FROM THIS ORGANIZATION.

GAY YEE>> ASLAM ABDULLAH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF A MONTHLY AMERICAN-MUSLIM MAGAZINE, THE MINARET, SAYS SAYYED IS TRYING TO BLAME HIS BUSINESS PROBLEMS ON SOME GRAND CONSPIRACY THAT DOESN’T EXIST.

ASLAM ABDULLAH>> NEWSPAPERS COME AND GO, DEPENDING ON THEIR POPULARITY, SO I HAVE NOT FOUND THE GENTLEMAN TALKING TO ME OR TALKING TO ANYONE ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SUBSTANTIAL PIECE OF JOURNALISM IN HIS PAPER ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS THAT HE IS PLACING AGAINST MUSLIMS.

GAY YEE>> AND SAYYED’S ANSWER?

TASHBIH SAYYED>> WHY WOULD I CALL THEM AND FIND OUT I HAVE MY JUDGMENT ABOUT THEM.

GAY YEE>> AL-MARAYATI SAYS THE MUSLIM PUBLIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL HAS BEEN CLEAR IN ITS STAND AGAINST TERRORISM.

SALAM AL-MARAYATI>> I THINK THAT OUR MESSAGE REALLY IS BALANCED. I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT SOME PEOPLE DON’T AGREE WITH OUR POLITICS AND THE POINT IS THERE SHOULD NOT BE A POLITICAL LITMUS TEST ON DETERMINING WHO’S MODERATE OR WHO’S NOT.

GAY YEE>> MEANWHILE, ABDULLAH QUESTIONS THE MOTIVES OF THE JEWISH JOURNAL FOR PUBLISHING SAYYED’S STORY.

ASLAM ABDULLAH>> I THINK THAT PROBABLY THE JEWISH JOURNAL HAS CERTAIN ULTERIOR MOTIVES BY PROMOTING THIS KIND OF THING AND PROBABLY THEY WANTED TO USE THAT INDIVIDUAL OR THAT PERSON TO PROMOTE THEIR OWN HATRED AGAINST ISLAM AND MUSLIMS.

GAY YEE>> SAYYED SAYS, FOR HIM, THE ISSUE IS AMERICA AND HE FEARS THE MUSLIM LEADERSHIP ACTUALLY WANTS TO DESTROY THE COUNTRY BY SPREADING DISCONTENT WITHIN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY.

TASHBIH SAYYED>> TO ME, IN AMERICA, EVERYONE WHO LOVES AMERICA IS AN AMERICAN AND ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE AMERICAN VALUES IS AN ENEMY OF AMERICA. IN MY VIEW, THERE ARE NO SHADES OF GRAYS. THERE ARE ONLY BLACKS AND WHITES.

VAL>> BOY, THAT IS INTERESTING. NOW WHAT DOES THE JEWISH NEWSPAPER SAY IN RESPONSE TO THE MINARET?

GAY YEE>> WELL, IN THE PIECE, THE MINARET IS VERY CRITICAL OF THE JEWISH NEWSPAPER. WE DID CALL THE EDITOR AND HIS RESPONSE WAS, NO, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ULTERIOR MOTIVE. WHAT WE ARE DOING IS COVERING STORIES THAT ARE INTERESTING AND OF VALUE TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND THE GREATER COMMUNITY THAT WOULD ALSO AFFECT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. THEY DID INDEED GO TO OTHER NEWSPAPERS, PERHAPS NOT THE MINARET, BUT TO OTHER PAKISTANI AND MUSLIM NEWSPAPERS AND DID INTERVIEW THEM AND THEY FEEL THEY DID DO A BALANCED STORY.

VAL>> SO ALTHOUGH THE JEWISH JOURNAL MAY SAY THEY DIDN’T HAVE AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE, CERTAINLY THE IMPACT THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE IS PROBABLY FAIRLY PREDICTABLE IN THAT THIS WAS GOING TO STIR UP CONTROVERSY WITHIN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY. BUT THEN YOU COULD SAY, WELL, WE’RE JOURNALISTS, SO WHAT?

GAY YEE>> YOU WITNESS IN THE PIECE THAT THERE’S LOTS OF SUSPICION ON BOTH SIDES. IT’S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT NOT TO READ INTO EVERYTHING THERE BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH BAGGAGE ON BOTH SIDES, AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE SEEING. IT’S A SITUATION WHERE ONE JOURNALIST FEELS THAT HE’S BEEN WRONGED AND OTHER JOURNALISTS SAY HE SIMPLY HASN’T DONE HIS JOB.

VAL>> VERY INTERESTING INSIGHT INTO THAT COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GAY.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, ARE HIGH-SPEED POLICE CHASES ABOUT TO BECOME A THING OF THE PAST IN LOS ANGELES? WE’LL FIND OUT WHAT THE RANK AND FILE HAS TO SAY ABOUT A NEW PLAN THAT COULD PUT THE BRAKES ON PURSUITS AND PUT MORE OF THE BURDEN ON THE COPS. THE DETAILS TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES.

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE STORIES WE’VE BEEN RUNNING THIS WEEK ON THE SPIRITUAL LIVES OF TEENAGERS. SO FAR, WE’VE HEARD FROM A YOUNG MAN WHO’S CONFLICTED OVER HIS JEWISH ROOTS AND FROM ANOTHER TEEN WHO’S QUESTIONING CATHOLICISM. BUT TONIGHT, SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, A YOUNG GIRL WHO’S EMBRACING A RELIGION CALLED PAGANISM. HER STORY IS PART OF A NEW DOCUMENTARY CALLED “WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?”.

MORGAN GREEN>> IT WOULD BE KIND OF DISTURBING TO BE RAISED IN A RELIGION WHERE EVERYTHING IS MALE. THAT’S WHY I ENJOY BEING IN A RELIGION WHERE THERE IS BOTH FEMALE DEITIES AND MALE DEITIES. PAGANISM IS, I THINK, ONE OF THE OLDEST RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD, THOUGH IT HAS BEEN ADDED TO AND IT’S MUCH CHANGED SINCE IT WAS ORIGINALLY. IT’S MOSTLY ABOUT NATURE AND WORSHIPING THE WORLD AROUND YOU AND IT’S MORE ABOUT LOVE THAN SINS OR WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO RIGHT AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO BE LOVED. IT’S ALL ABOUT THIS IS JUST THE WORLD, WE LOVE YOU, EVERYBODY LOVES YOU, AND YOU SHOULD LOVE OTHER PEOPLE.

PAGANS BELIEVE THAT THE EARTH IS A MAGICAL PLACE AND THAT EVERYTHING IN IT IS MAGICAL. I THINK PRETTY MUCH ALL PAGANS BELIEVE THAT THE GODS AND THE GODDESSES TOGETHER CREATED THE EARTH AND THE UNIVERSE. SOMETIMES IT’S HARD TO BE A PAGAN BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE’S NOT TOO MANY OF US OUT THERE AND PEOPLE HAVE ALL KINDS OF BELIEFS ABOUT PAGANS, LIKE THEY’RE SATANISTS, AND SOMETIMES IT FEELS KIND OF UNCOMFORTABLE, LIKE I HAVE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF AND EXPLAIN MY BELIEFS TO EVERYBODY THAT DOESN’T ALREADY KNOW ABOUT PAGANISM.

I THINK MY MOM DISCOVERED PAGANISM WHEN SHE WAS IN HER TWENTIES. I WAS BORN WHEN SHE WAS THIRTY. SHE KNEW ALL THE PAGAN THINGS THAT SHE KNOWS NOW WHEN I WAS BORN. IF YOU LOOK AROUND OUR HOUSE, IT’S NOT JUST PAGAN GODS THAT SHE LOOKS UP TO. SHE LIKES TO LOOK AT ALL RELIGIONS. SHE’S REALLY A BELIEVER IN EVERY RELIGION, BUT SPECIFICALLY PAGANISM. I JUST LIKE TO STICK TO PAGANISM. IT’S KIND OF OVERWHELMING IF I LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD.

THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY CANDLES ON MY ALTER JUST BECAUSE I LIKE LOOKING AT FIRE. I THINK FIRE IS VERY COOL, AS ARE ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT A FLAME, IT SEEMS LIKE IT’S NOT REAL. I TRY TO GET INTO THE RITUALS WHILE I’M DOING IT. I DON’T THINK I’M JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF THE RITUAL BECAUSE I’M REALLY TRYING TO BELIEVE AND THERE ARE MOMENTS WHEN I DO BELIEVE, BUT THEN THERE ARE ALSO MOMENTS WHEN I DON’T BELIEVE AT ALL. USUALLY I JUST PRAY FOR HAPPINESS AND HEALTHINESS AND FOR EVERYBODY TO REALLY BE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR LIVES.

THIS IS THE PENTACLE AND I THINK IT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE, BUT MOSTLY I THINK OF IT AS THE CIRCLE OF LIFE. SO THERE WOULD BE LIKE BIRTH, BEING A KID, BEING AN ADULT, THEN GETTING OLDER AND THEN DEATH, AND IT JUST STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.

THERE IS A HOLIDAY EACH TIME OF THE YEAR. LIKE DURING WINTER, WE HAVE THE WINTER SOLSTICE. IN THE SUMMER, WE HAVE THE SUMMER SOLSTICE. EACH OF THOSE HOLIDAYS REALLY REPRESENT SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IT’S ABOUT HUMAN LIFE. HALLOWEEN ACTUALLY IS AN ALTERED PAGAN HOLIDAY. IT TAKES A LOT OF THE TRADITIONS OF CELEBRATING THE DEAD AND GOING AROUND IN COSTUME. IT’S ALL VERY PAGAN AND PEOPLE JUST DON’T REALIZE IT. THERE IS ALSO PARTS OF CHRISTMAS WHICH TAKE PARTS FROM THE WINTER SOLSTICE, LIKE THE TRADITION OF BRINGING A TREE INTO THE HOUSE. IT’S A PAGAN TRADITION AND PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE THAT EXACTLY.

[FILM CLIP]

I’M SHY AROUND BOYS, BUT I DO LIKE THEM. SOMETIMES THEY SEEM LIKE TOTAL JERKS TO ME, BUT I LIKE THEM ANYWAY. IT’S KIND OF UNEXPLAINABLE. IN PAGANISM, SEX IS JUST ANOTHER RITUAL. IT’S PART OF LIFE. IT’S PART OF REPRODUCTION. IT’S NOT SOMETHING TO BE REALLY THAT MUCH ASHAMED OF. WHEN A GIRL GETS THEIR PERIOD, THERE’S SOME KIND OF PARTY AND WOMEN, USUALLY FRIENDS OF THE MOTHER AND SOME FRIENDS OF THE GIRL, ALL GET TOGETHER AND THEY TALK ABOUT BEING WOMEN. THEY REALLY PASS DOWN STUFF TO THE GIRL AND IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE CELEBRATED.

PAGANS HAVE A LOT OF TOLERANCE REALLY FOR EXPRESSING YOURSELF AND I’M JUST BEING MYSELF. IF I WAS IN A TOTAL ENVIRONMENT JUST MADE OF PAGANS, NOBODY WOULD CARE THAT I KIND OF LOOK WEIRD AND DO STRANGE THINGS. BASICALLY, WE ARE A CHRISTIAN SOCIETY AND SO IT’S VERY, VERY HARD TO BE A PAGAN OR BE ANYTHING BUT CHRISTIAN HERE. BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THERE IS TOLERANCE FOR OTHER RELIGIONS, IT’S NOT REALLY ACCEPTED HERE.

I DON’T KNOW REALLY WHAT’S OUT THERE AND I’M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT I’M RIGHT AND SOMEBODY ELSE IS WRONG. I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF THERE IS A HIGHER POWER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, SO I’M NOT GOING TO PRETEND LIKE I DO. BUT I THINK IT GIVES ME CONFIDENCE TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING AND I DON’T LIKE THE IDEA OF JUST BELIEVING IN SCIENCE AND SAYING THAT, WHEN I DIE, I’M JUST GOING TO ROT. I MEAN, IT MAKES ME HAPPY TO HAVE A RELIGION. I KNOW A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE DON’T NEED TO HAVE A RELIGION, BUT I FEEL LIKE I DO.

VAL>> “WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?” IS PRODUCED BY INDEPENDENT FILMMAKER, SARAH FEINBLOOM, AND YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE FULL DOCUMENTARY BY LOGGING ONTO WHATDOYOUBELIEVE.ORG.

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

VAL>> THIS WEEK WE ARE TAKING OUR CAMERAS OUTSIDE THE STUDIO AND ONTO THE KCET PLAZA HERE IN HOLLYWOOD. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GETTING A REAL TASTE OF THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT, THANKS TO SEVERAL TALENTED LOCALS WHO'VE BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO PERFORM FOR US. TONIGHT WE'VE GOT A REAL CLASS ACT, A HARP AND FLUTE DUET FROM USC. AND WITH THEM IS THE EQUALLY TALENTED KITTY FELDE FROM KPCC PUBLIC RADIO.

KITTY FELDE>> HELLO, I'M KITTY FELDE AND I AM JOINED BY A PAIR OF WONDERFUL MUSICIANS, JENNIFER OLSON, OUR FLUTIST, AND MEGAN SESMA, OUR HARPIST. THEY ARE BOTH PURSUING ADVANCED MUSIC DEGREES AT USC'S THORNTON SCHOOL. THEY HAVE A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ALREADY. THEY HAVE PLAYED WITH EVERYBODY FROM QUINCY JONES TO DIANA KRALL TO JOHN WILLIAMS, AND NOW THEY ARE PLAYING FOR US. TO GET US SORT OF IN THE MOOD, THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY SOMETHING A LITTLE OLD, A VERY TRADITIONAL ENGLISH SONG, "GREEN SLEEVES". MEGAN AND JENNIFER, ARE YOU READY? HERE WE GO.

[MUSICAL PERFORMANCE]

KITTY FELDE>> OH, HOW PRETTY THAT IT. YOU GUYS MAKE ME SO JEALOUS. I HAVE NO MUSICAL TALENT WHATSOEVER. BUT NOW, MEGAN, YOU SORT OF WERE DRAFTED RECENTLY, I UNDERSTAND, BY OUR ARMED FORCES?

MEGAN SESMA>> YES, I RECENTLY WON A POSITION WITH THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD BAND.

KITTY FELDE>> DOES THAT MEAN YOU ALSO HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND RESCUE SAILORS AND THINGS? (LAUGHTER)

MEGAN SESMA>> (LAUGHTER) NOT QUITE.

KITTY FELDE>> JUST THE IDEA OF YOU OUT THERE WITH THE COAST GUARD IS JUST SORT OF A WONDERFUL THOUGHT. NOW THE TWO OF YOU MET AT THE MANCINI INSTITUTE AND, JENNIFER, EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS EXACTLY.

JENNIFER OLSON>> WELL, THE MANCINI INSTITUTE IS AN ORCHESTRA PUT TOGETHER FOR MUSICIANS TO EXPLORE ALL THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF MUSIC THAT THERE ARE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY. SO THEY DO JAZZ, MOVIE SCORES, CLASSICAL MUSICAL, AND PUT IT ALL TOGETHER IN ONE BIG MONTH-LONG SESSION.

KITTY FELDE>> WHAT DID YOU LIKE THE BEST?

JENNIFER OLSON>> THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE ARE GREAT. ALL THE PEOPLE YOU MET, THE FACULTY AND THE STUDENTS, JUST COLLABORATING TOGETHER TO MAKE MUSIC.

KITTY FELDE>> AND YOU TWO DECIDED TO MAKE A LITTLE MUSIC TOGETHER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE NEXT SONG YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY, THE ONE THAT IS OFFICIALLY CALLED "THE CHRISTMAS SONG", BUT THE ONE WE ALWAYS CALL "CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE". THIS IS ONE THAT YOU GUYS ACTUALLY DID THE ARRANGEMENT FOR, MEGAN?

MEGAN SESMA>> YES, WE WORKED ON IT TOGETHER.

KITTY FELDE>> YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A SONG YOU USUALLY HEAR WITH A FLUTE AND THE HARP.

MEGAN SESMA>> NO, IT USUALLY IS NOT. IT'S A COMPILATION OF JAZZ AND CLASSICAL TOGETHER.

KITTY FELDE>> WELL, LET'S HEAR IT. THIS IS "THE CHRISTMAS SONG". JENNIFER OLSON AND MEGAN SESMA.

[MUSICAL PERFORMANCE]

KITTY FELDE>> OH, MY GOODNESS. NOW I KNOW IT'S COLD OUT HERE, BUT IT WAS THE MUSIC THAT WAS MAKING JACK FROST NIP AT MY NOSE. BEAUTIFUL ARRANGEMENT. CONGRATULATIONS. AGAIN, JENNIFER OLSON AND MEGAN SESMA, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH. WE CAN ALL THINK OF A HUNDRED AND ONE DIFFERENT WAYS TO SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU BOTH AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO.

VAL>> OUR THANKS AGAIN TO KITTY FELDE OF KPCC RADIO. AS ALWAYS, YOU CAN FIND TRANSCRIPTS OF LIFE AND TIMES OR LISTEN TO RECENT EDITIONS OF OUR BROADCAST ON OUR WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, THANKS AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

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

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

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.

TO REACH US AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, CALL 323-953-5555. SEND US AN E-MAIL TO LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG OR LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG TO SEND MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS OF TONIGHT’S PROGRAM.