JARED: I'’M JARED BOWEN.

TONIGHT, A CONVERSATION ONCE THOUGHT UNIMAGINABLE.

THIS WEEKEND, DESCENDANTS OF ROBERT E. LEE WILL SIT DOWN WITH DESCENDANTS OF PEOPLE ENSLAVED BY THE LEE FAMILY AT THE HISTORIC ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA HOUSE TURNED MEMORIAL WHERE THAT HISTORY IS GROUND INTO THE SOIL.

I AM JOINED BY ONE OF THOSE DESCENDANTS AND A WOMAN WHOSE LIFE'’S WORK HAS BEEN SPENT MAKING THESE CONVERSATIONS AROUND RACE HAPPEN.

LATER, COMEDIAN ALEX EDELMAN JOINS ME ON HIS BOSTON ROOTS, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE JEWISH, AND WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO ATTEND A MEETING OF WHITE NATIONALISTS, ALL GRIST FOR HIS ONE-MAN BROADWAY SHOW "JUST FOR US," PLAYING NOW IN BOSTON.

160 YEARS AGO, ARLINGTON HOUSE WAS HOME TO 100 ENSLAVED AFRICAN AMERICANS.

THEY WERE FORCED TO SERVE THE FAMILY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON PARK CUSTIS, STEP GRANDSON OF THE FIRST PRESIDENT.

HE BUILT THE HOME IN THE EARLY 1800S.

IT WAS PASSED DOWN TO HIS DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND, CONFEDERATE GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE.

THE ENSLAVED DIDN'’T RECEIVE FREEDOM UNTIL THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR, WHEN MANY OF THEM REMAINED CLOSE TO ARLINGTON HOUSE, PLANTING ROOTS ON THE LAND THEY WERE ONCE FORCED TO WORK.

THIS WEEKEND FOR THE FIRST TIME, DESCENDANTS OF THE LEAF FAMILY AND THOSE THEY ENSLAVED WILL GATHER FOR A PUBLIC CONVERSATION AT THE LOCATION THEIR ANCESTORS LIVED TOGETHER 200 YEARS AGO.

I AM JOINED BY ONE OF THOSE DESCENDANTS, STEPHEN HAMMOND, A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY WHOSE ANCESTORS WERE ENSLAVED BY THE LEE FAMILY, AS WELL AS SUSAN GLISSON, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF THE GLISSON GROUP, A FIRM THAT FOCUSES ON CULTIVATING HEALING RELATED TO RACISM.

SHE IS THE FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WILLIAM WINTER INSTITUTE FOR RACIAL RECOGNITION.

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WELCOME STEPHEN: PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

JARED: STEPHEN, LET ME START WITH YOU.

THIS DIDN'’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

THIS IS CENTURIES OF HISTORY THAT YOU WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS WEEKEND.

I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN MORE INTENSE CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BUT WHAT DID IT TAKE TO ARRIVE AT THIS MOMENT?

STEPHEN: IT'’S TAKEN A LOT OF PATIENCE TO GET HERE.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING OUR FAMILY HISTORY.

I HAVE BEEN DOING OUR FAMILY HISTORY FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH P -- WITH THE LEES HAS BEEN ON MY TO DO LIST FOR MANY YEARS.

THE FACT THAT THE HOUSE WAS RENOVATED AND OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT REOPENED TO ALLOW US TO START TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS REALLY CREATED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET TOGETHER.

WE BEGAN TALKING ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND NOW WE ARE GOING TO GET TOGETHER FACE-TO-FACE.

JARED: YOU ARE DOING THIS PUBLICLY.

THERE WILL BE PRIVATE PARTS OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL.

WHY IS THE CONVERSATION NECESSARY AND WHY A PUBLIC CONVERSATION?

STEPHEN: I THINK THERE IS A COUPLE OF PIECES HERE.

IT'’S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE OUR ANCESTORS EXISTED IN THIS SPACE TOGETHER.

FOR ME AS A FAMILY HISTORIAN WHO WANTS TO HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF OUR HISTORY, BRINGING OUR FAMILIES TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT OUR INDIVIDUAL EXISTENCES AS OUR LIVES WENT DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND HAVE COME BACK TOGETHER, I THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

THE OTHER THING IS WE OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COUNTRY TO SEE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE TOGETHER BUT SEPARATE IN THE 19TH CENTURY AND TO HAVE COME BACK TOGETHER TO SAY, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB SPEAKING TO ONE ANOTHER AND WE HOPE TO CHANGE THE DIALOGUE IN THE COUNTRY AS WE ARE WORKING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND COME TOGETHER.

JARED: SUSAN, I MET YOU ON A RECENT TRIP TO THE SOUTH OUTSIDE THE TALLAHASSEE COURTHOUSE IN MISSISSIPPI, A PLACE WHERE YOU HOPED TO FACILITATE THE APOLOGY THAT THAT COUNTY GAVE TO THE FAMILY OF EMMETT TILL.

YOU ARE WORKING TO BRING THE FAMILIES TOGETHER IN THIS SITUATION.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOMENT IN THIS COUNTRY TO SEE THESE TWO FAMILIES?

THE ROBERT E. LEE NAME IS VERY HEAVY.

COME TOGETHER.

ALEX: IT IS A BRIGHT SPOT IN AN OTHERWISE POLARIZED ENVIRONMENT.

IT IS A SIGN OF HOPE, A SIGN THAT THIS KIND OF WORK, IT CAN BE DONE AND THE REWARDS OF PUSHING PAST THE STORIES THAT HAVE SEPARATED US, THAT HAVE ALLOWED STEREOTYPES TO DEVELOP, THAT HAVE ALLOWED US TO STAY APART FROM EACH OTHER AND PERPETUATE MYTHS AND SYSTEMS THAT ARE NOT HELPFUL TO EVERYONE, WE CAN MOVE PAST THAT IF WE FACE IT TOGETHER.

JARED: YOU EXPLAINED SOMETHING TO ME THAT I THOUGHT WAS SO PROFOUND, I HAVE NOT STOPPED TAKING ABOUT IT, WHICH IS THAT WE AS HUMAN BEINGS RELATE BETTER TO SOMETHING SHARED AS STORYTELLING MORE SO THAN FACTS AND FIGURES.

THERE IS A NEUROLOGICAL BASIS TO THIS.

WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, THE WELCOME TABLE, WHEN YOU BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND THEY JUST START TALKING?

ALEX: INITIALLY PEOPLE ARE SKEPTICAL.

I COULD PAY MY STUDENT LOANS IF I HAD A DOLLAR FOR EVERY TIME I HEARD, TALK IS CHEAP.

BUT WE CHANGE THE WAY WE TALK WITH EACH OTHER.

WE SIT IN A CIRCLE, A LEADER IN EVERY CHAIR.

WE HAVE CONVERSATIONAL NORMS ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO TALK WITH EACH OTHER THAT INCLUDE THINGS LIKE, WHEN THINGS GET DIFFICULT, TURN TO WONDER, IDENTIFY ASSUMPTIONS, SUSPEND JUDGMENT.

MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY.

WE HAVE WAYS OF HOW WE TALK ABOUT THINGS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE SAY.

WE MOVE QUICKLY INTO ASKING FOLKS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES, BECAUSE NEUROLOGICALLY WE KNOW OUR BRAINS RESPOND MORE TO NARRATIVE THAN FACTS.

IN THOSE SPACES, WE GET TO SEE EACH OTHER IN NEW AUTHENTIC WAYS.

WE GET TO SEE EACH OTHER THROUGH OTHERS'’ EYES, SHIFT PERSPECTIVES AND SEE EACH OTHER IN ANOTHER PERSONS SHOES.

THAT IS A PATHWAY TO EMPATHY AND WHEN WE HAVE EMPATHY, WE CAN HAVE A REVOLUTION BASED ON LOVE.

JARED: STEPHEN, IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN HOW YOU ARE GOING INTO THIS CONVERSATION WHERE MANY PEOPLE HERE ROBERT E. LEE AND THINK STATUES, THE CONFEDERATE FLAG, HOW COULD ONE POSSIBLY COME TOGETHER?

DO YOU HAVE THAT CONCEPTION ANYMORE NOW THAT THE TWO FAMILIES HAVE BEEN COMING TOGETHER OVER THIS TIME?

STEPHEN: ABSOLUTELY, THOSE ARE REALITIES THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH IN OUR COUNTRY AND OUR NARRATIVE IS INGRAINED IN A LOT OF THESE THINGS.

I THINK AS WE HAVE BEGUN TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR VARIOUS NARRATIVES, OUR INDIVIDUAL LIVES, IT HAS HELPED US TO APPRECIATE WHAT WE HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH.

IN THE CASE OF THE LEES, THEIR ANCESTORS DID CERTAIN THINGS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY HOW MANY OF US BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEHAVED, AND THEY HAVE HAD TO CARRY THAT WITH THEM FOR GENERATIONS.

THEY ARE NOT THE ONES WHO LIVED THAT SPACE, BUT THEY HAVE TO CARRY THAT WITH THEM.

ON THE OTHER HAND, FOLKS IN THE SYFAX FAMILY HAVE LIFTED UP OUR LIVES AND WORKED TO CHANGE SOCIETY BY DOING THINGS THAT CAN HELP OTHERS AND TRY TO BRING PEOPLE INTO CIRCLES LIKE THIS.

I THINK AS WE BEGIN TO SHARE OUR VARYING LIFE EXPERIENCES, WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE ONE ANOTHER SO WE CAN HEAR WHAT THE OTHER SIDE IS SAYING, AND THEN BEGIN TO WORK ON PROJECTS AND THINGS TOGETHER THAT WE BELIEVE ARE IMPORTANT FOR HELPING TO MAKE OUR LIVES RICHER AND PERHAPS CHANGE THE WORLD.

JARED: SUSAN, WHEN YOU FACILITATE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND PEOPLE GO TO THAT RAW SPACE, THE HISTORY IS NOT GOING TO BE REMOVED, IT IS STILL PRESENT, BUT FAMILIES, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH IT.

WHAT DO YOU SEE COME OUT THE OTHER SIDE?

AS YOU MIGHT FIND THIS WEEKEND IN VIRGINIA, OR AS YOU SAW IN MISSISSIPPI?

ALEX: -- SUSAN: THE PAST CAN FEEL CONFINING BECAUSE WE CAN'’T CHANGE IT, BUT WE CAN CHANGE OUR RELATIONSHIP TO IT, CAN LEARN FROM IT.

I SAY THE PAST SHOULD NOT BE AN ANCHOR, IT SHOULD BE A BUOY THAT GUIDES US TO A BETTER PLACE.

THAT IS WHAT I HAVE GOTTEN TO SEE IN PLACES WITH THE MOST NOTORIOUS HISTORIES OF RACIAL VIOLENCE, THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO SPEAK AUTHENTICALLY, THEY BUILT TRUST THAT ENABLES THEM TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT HISTORY.

SOMETHING MIRACULOUS UNFOLDS IN COMMUNITIES AND THEY COME ALIVE AGAIN.

JARED: WE SEE THIS HAPPENING ON A MACRO LEVEL.

IS THERE A PATH FORWARD FOR THE NATION AT LARGE TO UNDERSTAND THERE ARE LESSONS THEY CAN TAKE FROM THIS?

SUSAN: ABSOLUTELY.

PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT PROBABLY DON'’T KNOW THEY ARE PART OF A MOVEMENT YET BECAUSE THEY DON'’T KNOW EACH OTHER, BUT I HAVE WORKED IN OVER 25 STATES.

THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO WANT THINGS TO BE BETTER, WHO ARE TIRED OF THE POLARIZATION, AND WHO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD BUT MAYBE DON'’T KNOW HOW.

SOME FOLKS ARE JUST TRYING SOME THINGS.

WE WANT FOLKS TO KNOW THERE IS A PATHWAY.

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE ON THAT PATH AND WE WANT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO WALK THAT PATH AND MAKE A BETTER FUTURE.

WE OWE IT TO OUR KIDS.

JARED: STEPHEN, I WANT TO ASK YOU TO ANSWER THAT THROUGH THE PRISM OF THIS IS HAPPENING IN A SYMBOLIC LOCATION AT ARLINGTON HOUSE IN WASHINGTON.

AS YOU POINTED OUT, A PLACE THAT OVERLOOKS OUR NATION'’S CAPITAL, NOT ONLY A PLACE WITH A FRAUD HISTORY, BUT A VERY CONSPICUOUS PLACE.

WHAT'’S THE SYMBOLISM THERE?

STEPHEN: THE SYMBOLISM OF THIS HOUSE REFLECTS A HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY.

IT WAS BUILT BY ENSLAVED LABOR.

ENSLAVED LABOR HELPED IT TO RUN.

OUR COUNTRY SENT TROOPS THERE TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY ONCE THE CIVIL WAR STARTED.

THERE ARE A LOT OF ASPECTS OF THE HISTORY THAT ARE IMPORTANT.

FOR ME, THE ANALOGY I HAVE BEEN STARTING TO USE -- SUSAN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A COUPLE TIMES -- IS I FEEL LIKE WE ARE IN A FISHBOWL.

THIS IS A VERY ICONIC SPACE, OVERLOOKING THE CAPITAL, AND IT OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THIS GROUP OF DESCENDANTS COME TOGETHER AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY AND HOW DID YOU COME TO THIS SPACE?

AND FOR US TO SAY HERE ARE THE THINGS WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY FOR US BUT RINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHING A MORE COMPLETE VERSION OF OUR COUNTRY AND GETTING PEOPLE TO ENTER SPACES LIKE THIS IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN EDUCATE THEMSELVES AND PERHAPS THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW THEY INTERACT WITH OTHERS.

JARED: I WISH YOU BOTH THE BEST THIS WEEKEND.

YOU DON'’T NEED ME TO WISH YOU THE BEST, YOU ARE ON SUCH A FABULOUS PATH.

I HOPE THE COUNTRY IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THESE TWO FAMILIES.

ALEX: AND I SAID, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

IT MEANS YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY.

JARED: THE BROOKLINE NATIVE ALSO SHARES MASSACHUSETTS, HIS OLYMPIAN BROTHER, AND HIS JEWISH IDENTITY.

HE IS BRINGING THE SHOW HOME BEFORE TAKING IT TO BROADWAY IN JUNE.

WELCOME.

ALEX: THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

JARED: I SAW YOU PUT YOUR HEAD IN YOUR HANDS FOR THE INTRO.

WE ARE NOT JOKE WRITERS.

ALEX: YOUR COPYWRITERS, I WANT TO BUY THEM AN ICE CREAM.

JARED: I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY THOUGH.

ALEX: IT WAS.

I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE MATERIAL.

I WAS UNEMPLOYED AND FLOATING AROUND AND THIS IS A THING I DO.

JARED: I WASN'’T GOING TO LAUNCH RIGHT INTO -- ALEX: WE CAN DO IT IN WHATEVER ORDER YOU WANT.

JARED: WE WILL GO THERE NOW.

HOW MUCH THOUGHT DID YOU GIVE TO THIS?

YOU WERE WRITING FOR A RADIO SHOW, YOU HAD A STRING OF ANTI-SEMITIC COMMENTS AND YOU TOOK IT UPON YOURSELF TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM ONLINE, YOU FOUND THIS WHITE NATIONALIST MEETING IN QUEENS.

HOW MUCH THOUGHT DID YOU GIVE ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO?

ALEX: I DON'’T WANT TO GIVE AWAY TOO MUCH ABOUT THE SHOW BECAUSE IN THE SHOW I REALLY GET INTO IT.

I DON'’T TOTALLY UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WHO DON'’T WANT TO GO.

I AM SURE YOU MEAN JUST AS A PART OF YOU, BUT NOT EVEN PROFESSIONALLY.

I WANT TO GO TO THINGS AND SEE THINGS SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THE WORLD BETTER AND UNDERSTAND MY PLACE IN THE WORLD BETTER.

PEOPLE ASK ME CONSTANTLY WHY I WENT OR IF I WENT.

I WENT BECAUSE I AM CURIOUS ABOUT THE WORLD I LIVE IN, ESPECIALLY A WORLD NOW FASCINATED WITH THE INTERSECTION OF JEWS AND WHITENESS OR NON-WHITENESS AND HOW SOME OF THAT SEEMS TO BE INTERNAL AND SOME IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.

I AM CURIOUS ABOUT THE PLACE I OCCUPY IN AMERICA IN THE 21ST CENTURY, AND 22ND.

I GO TO LOTS OF STUFF THAT I THINK WOULD BE WORTH TALKING ABOUT.

JARED: IS IT THE NATURAL COURSE OF ACTION THAT COMEDY BECOMES THE WAY YOU PROCESS IT?

ALEX: TO ME INTENTION AND COMEDY ARE BROTHERS.

YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS CHOOSE TO MINE ONE FOR THE OTHER BUT THERE IS TENSION IN EVERY COMEDIC SITUATION OR AT LEAST A DARK IRONY IN EVERY COMEDIC SITUATION.

EVEN, WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?

DO YOU KNOW WHY THAT'’S FUNNY?

IT'’S A SUICIDE JOKE.

JARED: I DID NOT KNOW THAT.

ALEX: BECAUSE THE CHICKEN GETS HIT BY THE CAR, IT GOES TO THE OTHER SIDE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'’T KNOW THAT.

FROM THE SECOND WE HEAR OUR FIRST JOKE, WE ARE UNDERSTANDING TENSION AND TRAGEDY.

MY FRIEND PJ SAYS EVERY JOKE IS A VARIATION OF PEEKABOO.

I DON'’T EXIST, THEN ACTUALLY I DO.

SO YES, COMEDY HELPS ME DEAL WITH THINGS.

IT'’S LIKE I WAS TELLING MY BUDDIES FOR THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, AND THEN MY DIRECTOR ADUMBRATES, I TOLD HIM THE STORY.

WE WERE DRINKING AT A HOTEL IN LONDON AND HE SAID, THAT'’S GOING TO BE GOOD STAND UP.

MY FRIENDS ADAM AND DANNY AND CHLOE, I WAS TELLING THE STORY AND IT MAKES ITS WAY INTO STANDOUT.

JARED: IT IS ABOUT EXPLORING YOUR IDENTITY AND IT COMES TOGETHER.

I WAS WATCHING AND THINKING THIS IS SOMETHING SOMEBODY WORKS THEIR LIFETIME TO UNDERSTAND, WHAT IT MEANS TO GROW UP JEWISH IN BOSTON.

WERE YOU ALREADY WORKING TOWARD THAT OR WAS THIS A CATALYST?

ALEX: FIRST THE STORY WAS THE STORY.

OVER THE PANDEMIC IT BECAME A USEFUL WAY, GIVEN PEOPLE'’S REACTION TO THE STORY AND OTHER PEOPLE'’S REACTION TO ELEMENTS MENTIONED IN THE STORY, I THOUGHT MAYBE THIS IS A USEFUL SPRINGBOARD INTO -- THE SHOW ISN'’T ABOUT JUSTICE, IT'’S ABOUT IDENTITY IN THE UNITED STATES.

IT'’S NOT A SHOW FOR JEWS.

MOST OF OUR AUDIENCES ARE NOT JEWISH.

THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO LIKE COMEDY, WHO LIKE THEATER, AND IT RESONATES BECAUSE THE STORY IS NOT JUST ABOUT, JEW GOES TO A MEETING OF WHITE NATIONALISTS, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO YOUR WONDERFUL COPYWRITERS.

IT'’S ALSO ABOUT THE WAY PEOPLE CONSIDER THEMSELVES OUTSIDERS AND INSIDERS IN SOCIETY, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT LONG LINE FOR A COMEDY SHOW.

AND IT IS JOKES, IT'’S ALL STANDUP COMEDY THAT WILL WORK IN A COMEDY CLUB.

JARED: HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START?

YOU CAME TO IT LATER THAN MANY PEOPLE IN TERMS OF CRAFTING YOUR COMEDY.

AS I SAID ON AIR, I WAS STRUCK BY HOW MATHEMATICAL YOU ARE.

EVERYTHING IS SO PERFECTLY TIMED, CONSTRUCTED.

YOU KNOW PERFECTLY HOW A JOKE WORKS.

ALEX: I DON'’T KNOW PERFECTLY BUT I LOVE THE TRIAL AND ERROR.

I DON'’T LIKE THEATER SHOWS WHERE THERE IS NO LAUGHTER.

I'’M SORRY, YEAH, NO, I DON'’T LIKE SHOW THERE'’S -- SHOWS WHERE THERE IS NOT AT LEAST SOME FUN AND I DON'’T LIKE FUN SHOWS WHERE THERE IS NOT SOME HEFT.

THIS IS MY FIRST SOLO SHOW IN THE UNITED STATES.

I HAVE DONE OTHER ONES ABROAD BECAUSE I LIKE THE BALANCE, A SHOW YOU CAN TAKE A DATE TO ON A NIGHT OUT OR WHEN YOU WANT A FULSOME EVENING OF THOUGHTFUL ENTERTAINMENT.

THE INTENTIONALITY OF MAKING SOMETHING LIKE THAT HELPS BUT I AM STILL LEARNING.

WHEN SEINFELD CAME TO THE SHOW, STEVE MARTIN, OR ANY OF THESE GREAT COMEDIANS, I ALWAYS ASK FOR NOTES.

I WOULD PRESS THEM UNTIL THEY GIVE ME SOMETHING.

THE NOTES WERE ALWAYS INVASIVE -- ALWAYS INCISIVE OR THOUGHTFUL.

JARED: LIKE WHAT?

I LOVE WATCHING JERRY SEINFELD'’S SHOW COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE BECAUSE IT'’S FASCINATING HOW ONE WORD CAN CHANGE A JOKE ENTIRELY.

ALEX: HE IS THE BEST COMEDIAN.

HE SAID, YOUR GENERATION SOMETIMES ADDRESSES THE RESPONSE A JOKE GETS.

HE POINTED THAT OUT AND HOW IT WAS PULLING PEOPLE OUT OF THE SHOW, AND HE WAS RIGHT.

SO I STOPPED DOING IT.

THE SHOW WAS FOR THE BETTER.

AS A COMEDIAN, YOU ARE TRAINED TO PUT ALL THESE JOKES IN.

SOMETIMES THE LAUGH FROM A JOKE IS NOT WORTH THE MOMENTUM YOU LOSE MOVING THROUGH THE NARRATIVE.

A LOT OF NOTES I GET FROM SMART PEOPLE.

BILLY CRYSTAL CAME TO SEE THE SHOW AND I WAS USING A HANDHELD MICROPHONE.

THIS WAS MORE THAN A YEAR AGO.

I USE ONE OF THESE NOW BECAUSE HE WAS LIKE, USE ONE OF THESE.

I WAS LIKE, I DON'’T WANT TO.

HE WAS LIKE, IT WILL FREE UP YOUR HANDS, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO EMBODY THE CHARACTERS.

HE WAS RIGHT.

BILLY CRYSTAL WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE COMEDY NOTE.

IF YOU HATE THE SHOW, IT WAS COWRITTEN BY JERRY SEINFELD AND BILLY CRYSTAL.

JARED: YOU ALSO WORKED AT THE RED SOX AND SAT NEXT TO JUSTICE STEPHEN BREYER.

NOW I WANT TO KNOW IF HE PAID FOR HIS TICKETS.

STEPHEN: ACTUALLY THEY WERE A DEMOCRAT SUPER DONOR -- NO.

WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT?

JARED: WE HAVE A CRACK RESEARCH STAFF.

ALEX: I MET THE COOLEST PEOPLE, DAVID ALBERTSON, STEPHEN BREYER, CAMERON DIAZ, ALL THE GREAT INTELLECTS.

IT WAS REALLY COOL.

STEPHEN BREYER HAD JUST WRITTEN A BOOK AND I HAVE A SIGNED COPY AT HOME.

WE TALKED BASEBALL.

I MET SOME FASCINATING PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AS NOTABLE, BUT THE RED SOX WAS MY FIRST ENTRÉE INTO A DIFFERENT WORLD.

I WAS RAISED ORTHODOX U.S.

IN BROOKLINE, SO GOING TO RED SOX GAMES, I WAS MEETING PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THE MOST PROMINENT BOSTONIANS, THE UBER WORKING-CLASS AND UBER WEALTHY.

IT WAS A GREAT MELTING POT FOR ME.

I LOVE THE MIX -- I THINK OF BASEBALL AS AN AMERICAN RELIGION.

FAMILY IS LIKE THE BEST CHURCH THERE IS FOR IT.

JARED: WE ALL CHANGE TO SOME DEGREE WHEN WE GO INTO THE PARK.

WE ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

ALEX: I THINK BASEBALL IS BEAUTIFUL FOR THIS EFFECT IT HAS.

THE GAMES I DON'’T CARE FOR AS MUCH ANYMORE BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE MIXTURE, URBAN AND AGRARIAN, LIKE A CIRCLE AND A SQUARE.

IT'’S A COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL EFFORT.

THERE IS A NATURAL RHYTHM TO IT LIKE BREATHING OR THE OCEAN.

THERE IS SOMETHING FUN AND PEACEFUL ABOUT THAT.

EVERYONE IS FACING THE SAME DIRECTION AND YOU CAN FOCUS ON YOUR NEIGHBOR OR TALK ABOUT WHAT'’S HAPPENING.

THE GAME WAS INVENTED FOR DADS WHO DID NOT WANT TO TALK TO THEIR CHILDREN.

AND IT DRAGS FOREVER WHICH IS GREAT IF YOU WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH SOMEBODY.

JARED: THEY TIGHTENED IT UP.

ALEX: THE GAME I WENT TO ON SUNDAY WAS TWO HOURS.

I LEFT EARLY BECAUSE I HAD TO GET TO THE THEATER.

I LOVE BASEBALL AND I LOVE THE RED SOX.

IT WAS THE FIRST PLACE I CAME OF AGE AS A BOSTONIAN.

JARED: NOW YOU ARE GOING TO NEW YORK, BROADWAY HOUSE, NAME ON THE MARQUEE, EVERY CHILDHOOD DREAM COME TRUE.

ALEX: IT SOUNDS TRITE, BUT I NEVER DREAMED IT.

IF SOMEONE WAS LIKE, DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE MOON?

YEAH, I WILL GO -- WAIT, WHAT?

YEAH, I WILL GO TO THE MOON.

PEOPLE WOULD BE LIKE, YOU MUST HAVE DREAMED OF GOING TO THE MOON.

YEAH KIND OF, BUT I DREAMED OF BEING THE QUEEN OF BELGIUM OR SOMETHING.

IT FEELS UNLIKELY AND IT IS A BLESSING BECAUSE IT STARTED AS A SMALL COMEDY SHOW.

FOR IT TO GET SUCH A SALUBRIOUS UPGRADE IN TERMS OF SETTING IS CRAZY.

THE SHOW IS -- NOT TO SET MYSELF UP TO BE EMBARRASSED, THIS SHOW HAS GENERALLY BEEN WELL RECEIVED.

CRITICS AND AUDIENCES HAVE BEEN KIND AND PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS SEEM TO ENJOY IT.

THAT DOESN'’T ALWAYS HAPPEN.

I HAVE DONE DIFFERENT THEATRICAL OFFERINGS AND I KNOW BETTER THAN TO TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED.

IT'’S REALLY COOL.

I AM GOING TO GET TO DO AT THE EMERSON COLONIAL, THIS BEAUTIFUL VENUE I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO PERFORM IN.

JARED: SO THAT'’S THE CHILDHOOD DREAM.

ALEX: THE CHILDHOOD DREAM IS TO PERFORM AT THE ORPHEUM WITH BEN FOLDS BUT I DON'’T KNOW HOW TO PLAY MUSIC.

IS THE ORPHEUM STILL AROUND?

JARED: YEAH, SO IS BEN FOLDS.

ALEX: WHEN I GOT TO PLAY COMICS COME HOME AT THE GARDEN THIS PAST FALL, THAT WAS THE FIRST COMEDY SHOW I EVER SAW, SO I HAVE HAD A BUNCH OF FULL CIRCLE MOMENTS THAT ARE CRAZY.

IT'’S THE BEST.

JARED: I LOVED THE SHOW.

GRADUATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS.

CONGRATULATIONS ON PLAYING THE COLONIAL THEATER.

ALEX: I'’M SORRY IF THIS WAS A LITTLE ACADEMIC.

JARED: I PROBABLY DID THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO, TALK ABOUT COMEDY, DISMANTLE IT.

ALEX: I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT COMEDY, LOTS OF PEOPLE DO.

JARED: WE ARE PBS.

ALEX: VERY ACADEMIC.

JARED: ALEX EDELMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU CAN CATCH ALEX IN "JUST FOR US" AT THE CALDERWOOD PAVILION NOW THROUGH THE 23RD AND THE EMERSON COLONIAL THEATRE ON MAY 20.

FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFO, BOSTONTHEATRESCENE.COM.

TOMORROW, FORMER JUDGE CAROL ERSKINE WILL JOIN US ABOUT THE FAILURES THAT ALLOWED HARMONY MONTGOMERY TO BE PLACED IN THE CARE OF HER FATHER, NOW CHARGED WITH HER MURDER.

PLUS, THE ADOPTIVE FATHER OF HARMONY'’S BROTHER ON HOW HE IS DOING NOW.

THAT AND MORE TOMORROW AT 7:00.

EXTRA WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.