>> HI, I'M ERIC FORD FROM MADE HERE.

MIKE'S FILM WHO MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO BEGAN A CREATIVELY OBSESSIVE CORRESPONDENCE WITH MUSIC ICON ANI DI FRANCO BELIEVING HER REPLY LETTERS WERE ENCODED IN THE LYRICS OF HER SONGS.

THIS FILM IS AN ODYSSEY OF MUSIC, ART, OBSESSION AND SELF-AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.

YOU CAN WATCH OTHER GREAT MADE HERE FILMS THROUGH THE PBS APP.

ENJOY THE FILM AND THANKS FOR WATCHING.

>> DEAR ANI, IF YOU'RE READING THIS, IT'S A MIRACLE.

BUT THOSE HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.

>> ANY MEMORIES, IMPRESSIONS, FEELINGS, THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS GUY, KEITH WASSERMAN.

>> I'M KEITH.

>> I NEVER IN ALL MY YEARS WORKING WITH ARTISTS HEARD A STORY LIKE THIS.

>> FROM THEATER IN A SPACE TO THEATER IN THE WORLD.

THIS IS MY TRUE STORY.

>> I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!

[LAUGHTER] >> WHEN I WAS A COLLEGE STUDENT MY PROFESSOR PUT A BOOK IN MY HANDS CALLED LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET BY RAIN ERMARY RIDICULE KA.

HE TALKS ABOUT THE NEED TO BE IN ISOLATION AND GET REALLY STILL SO THAT YOU COULD FULLY KNOW YOURSELF AND BECOME AN ARTIST.

SO I DECIDED TO TAKE A SEMESTER OFF FROM COLLEGE AND MOVE UP TO A CABIN BY A LAKE IN NORTHERN MAINE AND TRY TO FIND MY VOICE AND WRITE MY GREAT NOVEL.

OF COURSE WHEN I GOT UP THERE, TOTALLY FROZE.

WHAT STORY DO I HAVE TO TELL?

RATHER THAN WRITING EVERY DAY I WOULD GO TO THE EDGE OF THE LAKE AND I WOULD SIT IN THIS FOLDING LAWN CHAIR AND STARE OUT OVER THE WATER AND SAY TO THE UNIVERSE, I BELIEVE IN YOUR MAGIC AND YOUR MAJESTY.

JUST SHOW ME A SIGN.

SEND ME A STORY WORTH TELLING.

A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT, I GOT A PACKAGE IN THE MAIL FROM THIS PERSON WHO I REALLY WAS NO MORE THAN AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH.

IN THE PACKAGE WAS A MIXED TAPE OF ANI DI FRANCO.

A NAME I LITERALLY NEVER HEARD OF.

SUFFICE IT TO SAY THIS TAPE CHANGED THE COURSE OF MY LIFE.

>> ANI DECIDE FRANCO SAYS RECORD COMPANIES HAVE BEEN NIPPING AT HER HEELS FOR YEARS NOW BUT SHE'S HAPPY WHERE SHE IS, ON THE RIGHTEOUS BABE RECORDS.

UNENCUMBERED, SHE GETS TO BE HER FOLK, PUNKY BISEXUAL SELF-AND COMMUNICATE WITH HER FANS DIRECTLY.

>> I IMMEDIATELY JUMP IN THE CAR, THROW THE TAPE IN THE CASSETTE PLAYER AND HEAD INTO THE WINDY ROADS OF NORTHERN MAINE.

BEAUTIFUL FALL FOLIAGE ALL AROUND.

I'M LISTENING TO THE TAPE.

I'M LISTENING TO THE TAPE.

!

BUM!

IT WAS THE SONG ASKING TOO MUCH.

>> I WANT SOMEBODY THAT SEES THE POINT LIKE ME, STILL KEEPS THEIR PURPOSE IN MIND.

I WANT SOMEBODY WHO HAS NO TORTURE AT ALL.

I WANT SOMEBODY WHO WILL PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY.

OR MAYBE JUST PUT IT ALL INTO WORDS, YOU KNOW, I NEVER HEARD IT SAID THAT WAY.

>> I HEARD THAT SONG, AND I THOUGHT, OKAY, I CAN DO THAT.

I WROTE A 14-PAGE LETTER TO ANI DI FRANCO ABOUT THE NATURE OF COSMIC COINCIDENCE AND SUGGESTED WE BECOME PEN PALS.

TWO MONTHS LATER ON THE DAY BEFORE I LEFT MAINE TO RETURN TO NEW YORK CITY AND GO BACK TO MY LIFE, WHEN I WENT TO RETURN THE P.O.

BOX KEY TO THE POST OFFICE, I GOT MY LAST PIECE OF MAIL.

A GREEN SEASONS GREETING HOLIDAY POSTCARD FROM ANI DI FRANCO WITH FIVE WORDS WRITTEN ON IT.

STAY -- AWAY FROM ME!

[LAUGHTER] THAT'S IT.

LET THAT LINGER.

WHAT DID IT SAY?

WHAT DID IT SAY, RIGHT?

>> OKAY, WHY DON'T YOU DO A VERSION WHERE YOU ACTUALLY SAY WHAT THE LETTER SAID.

>> THE THING IS WHAT IT SAID WAS THANKS FOR THINKING THE WORLD IS A LOT.

WHICH WAS A LINE FROM THE LETTER BURIED DEEP ON PAGE 8.

SO I KNEW SHE READ IT.

AND IT WAS GAME ON.

>> TWO DAWES AFTER CHRISTMAS I GOT ON A GREYHOUND BUS HEADED FOR NEW YORK CITY.

I HAVE BEEN SITTING STILL FOR SO LONG THAT IT WAS LIKE ENERGY JUST STARTED POURING OUT OF ME.

AT THAT POINT I HADN'T SLEPT IN ABOUT TWO DAYS.

WHILE I WAS LIVING IN MAINE I WAS READING A LOT OF BOOKS ABOUT MYSTICISM AND SHAMANISM AND THE WHOLE IDEA OF HAVING A VISION QUEST IN WHICH YOU RETURN FROM THE WILDERNESS WITH THE MAGICAL ELIXIR TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE COMMUNITY THROWS YOU A PARTY TO CELEBRATE YOUR RETURN, TO HONOR THE FACT THAT THE BOY HAS BECOME A MAN THAT YOU HAVE TACKLED YOUR DEMONS AND CHASED YOUR BLISS AND YOU HAVE EMERGED SUCCESSFUL.

AND AS I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE THIS MANIC SY COTIC EPISODE AS A VISION QUEST I WAS LOOKING FOR THE PARTY.

WHERE WAS I GOING TO END UP?

WHO WAS GOING TO BE THERE?

WAS ANI GOING TO BE THERE?

WERE MY PARENTS INVITED?

I WAS LOOKING FOR THE PARTY EVERYWHERE I WENT AND EVERYWHERE I WENT I FELT LIKE I WAS GETTING CLOSER TO IT.

>> I STARTED WALKING UP THE AVENUE LOOKING FOR THIS PARTY.

I REMEMBER SEEING SOMEBODY WITH A GUITAR WALKING INTO AN APARTMENT BUILDING.

THE NEXT THING I KNOW, THE VERY NICE DOORMAN IS TAPPING ME ON THE SHOULDER.

APPARENTLY I'M SCARING THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE APARTMENT BUILDING AND HE'S BEEN GETTING CALLS THERE'S A YOUNG MAN CRAWLING ON HIS HANDS AND KNEES LISTENING UNDER THE DOOR OF PEOPLE'S APARTMENTS FOR MUSIC ALL WHILE LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY AND SINGING SONGS TO HIMSELF.

THE POLICE COME AND SAY TO ME, DO YOU THINK YOU WANT TO COME WITH US?

IF YOU GUYS WANT ME TO COME WITH YOU I'LL COME WITH YOU BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD COME WITH YOU BUT IF YOU TELL ME I SHOULD, I WILL.

THE OFFICERS PUT ME IN THE BACK OF THEIR CRUISER.

IT PASSED BY THE SIGN, BELLVUE HOSPITAL.

WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE IS THE NAME OF THE STREET THAT I GREW UP ON?

BELLEVUE ROAD.

WHEN I SAW BELLEVUE I THOUGHT, OH, MY GOSH, I'M GOING HOME.

I JUMP OUT OF THE CAR AND RUN STRAIGHT INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

WHERE I WOULD SIGN MYSELF IN UNDER A FAKE NAME.

THEY PUT ME IN A ROOM AND I REMEMBER GETTING UP ON TO THE BED AND SLIPPING MY HANDS INTO THE RESTRAINT CUFFS.

IT'S IN THAT MOMENT THAT I REALIZED THIS IS MY STORY.

FIVE YEARS UNTIL MY NEXT MANIC EPISODE, WHEN THE ALBUM TO THE TEETH CAME OUT.

IT WAS ABOUT 96 HOURS SINCE I SLEPT AND I WAS LISTENING TO THE RECORD FOR THE 50th TIME.

BUT THIS TIME THERE WAS A LINE, THE AN JELLS WERE ON HAND TO STAND IN FOR EVERYTHING.

I REMEMBERED THAT THERE WAS THIS WHOLE RIFF IN THE LETTER I SENT HER FIVE YEARS AGO ABOUT ANGELS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I STARTED TO HEAR REFERENCE AFTER REFERENCE IN HER MUSIC TO MY LETTER.

I THOUGHT, HOLY -- HAVE ANI DI FRANCO BEEN TRYING TO WRITE BACK?

>> THE KEY TO MUSICIAN/AS I SOON FOUND OUT RENAISSANCE MAN, NOT ONLY IS HE TALENTED HE'S OUT THERE.

>> YOU DOG.

>> HE IS SO OUT THERE HE IS DELUSIONAL.

>> I BELIEVE DON ANY WAS WRITING TO ME THROUGH THE LYRICS OF HER SONGS AND I RESPONDED IN TIME BY SENDING HER MUSIC AND ELABORATE PACKAGES OF ART MAIL.

>> NOT NORMAL TO SPEND, YOU KNOW, WEEKS AND WEEKS, HOURS AND HOURS CREATING A PACKAGE OF LAYERED, INTERACTIVE, MIXED MEDIA, CDs BASED ON HER SONGS.

I'M SITTING THERE THINKING, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYBODY LIKE THIS.

THIS GUY'S PASSION WENT BEYOND ANYBODY I HAVE EVER MET IN TERMS OF TRYING TO REACH OUT TO THE FAMOUS MUSICIAN IN A WAY THAT WAS COMPLETELY FROM A HEART-MIND-SOUL, THAT BECAME LIKE HIS MUSE.

HE HAD THIS BELIEF THAT SHE WAS TALKING AND WRITING LYRICS TO HIM BASED ON HIS AMAZING GIFTS, STAYING UP FOR DAYS AT A TIME, KIND OF CATHARTIC CREATIVITY THAT HIS BRAIN WOULD NOT LET HIM RELAX.

WHAT WAS THE ENDS GAME OF THIS?

IN 2010 AS I WAS DRYING OUT IN THE HOSPITAL FROM MY RECENT MANIC SY COTIC EPISODE, WHETHER IT'S A GOOD IDEA OR NOT I WAS LISTENING TO A LOT OF ANI DI FRANCO.

ONE OF HER LYRICS CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, THE ONE THAT GOES, PEOPLE USED TO MAKE RECORDS, AS IN A RECORD OF AN EVENT.

THE EVENT OF PEOPLE MAKING MUSIC IN A ROOM.

AND I THOUGHT, THAT WOULD BE A COOL THING TO DO.

UP TO THIS POINT SHE HAS ONLY HEARD SONGS WITH MY VOICE AND A GUITAR AND NEVER REALLY SEEN ME.

WHAT IF I WERE TO PUT AN BAND TOGETHER AND RECORD A FILM IN ONE TAKE TO MAKE MUSIC IN HER ROOM.

[SINGING] ♪ I WANT TO MAKE OR TAKE YOUR SKIN AND TEAR YOUR FLESH APART ♪ >> HE HAS THIS MAGNETIC PULL THROUGH ITS PERSONALITY.

>> KEITH HAS THIS UNIQUE ABILITY TO GET YOU TO WORK ON A PROJECT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT.

WITH THE FILM IT WASN'T UNTIL I SAW THE BOX THAT I REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE INTENTION WAS.

>> IT WAS THE SIZE OF A CIGAR BOX BUT DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE A NOVEL.

THERE WAS A LOCK ON THE BOX.

THE KEY TO THE LOCK WAS HIDDEN IN A SLEEVE THAT YOU HAD TO DISCOVER BY FOLLOWING A TWINE THAT WAS WRAPPED AROUND.

WHEN YOU FINALLY GET THERE, AND YOU AND REALIZING THIS WAS ALL FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE.

I WAS NEVER GOING TO GET TO SEE HER REACTION.

I WAS NEVER GOING TO EVEN KNOW IF SHE EVER WATCHED IT.

DIDN'T MATTER.

>> IN 2012 ANI WAS COMING TO BOSTON TO PLAY AT THE ORPHEUM THEATER.

BECAUSE OF SOME RANDOM LYRIC OF HERS I THOUGHT THAT THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO SHOW UP WOULD BE 5:00 A.M. OF COURSE THE MOMENT YOU APPROACH THE TOUR BUS AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING IDLING BEHIND THE THEATER YOU THINK TO YOURSELF, WHAT THE -- AM I DOING HERE?

THIS IS RIDICULOUS?

WHAT AM I HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH?

THIS IS A RIDICULOUSNESS BASED ON A DILUTION BASED ON A FANTASY.

JUST LEAVE.

GO HOME.

SO AT 12:31 I RETURNED TO THE THEATER.

AT THIS POINT NOW THERE'S ROPES SET UP.

I GET TO WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE ILLS STANDING.

SURE ENOUGH, THIS WOMAN WHO I RECOGNIZE AS THE MISTRESS OF MERCHANDISING, HEIDI, WALKS OVER TO ME AND SHE SAYS, ARE YOU KEITH?

>> I SAID, YEAH.

SHE SAID, GOOD.

LISTEN.

ANI REALLY WANTS TO MEET YOU BUT THE THING IS SHE'S LOST HER VOICE.

I SAY, OH, MY GOD!

COME ON.

DON'T MAKE TROUBLE OVER ME.

I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE -- >> NO, NO, NO, NO, SHE SAYS, JUST WAIT HERE.

I SAID OKAY.

NOW I KNOW.

NOW I KNOW THAT ANI WANTS TO MEET ME.

I'M STANDING THERE AND WAITING.

HEIDI COMMENTS BACK OVER AND SHE GOES, COME ON, COME ON.

I'M WALKING TOWARD THE BUS AND THE DOOR OPENS AND ANI COMES OUT, GIVES ME A LITTLE WAVE AND WE APPROACH AND WE APPROACH AND WE APPROACH AND BEFORE I KNOW IT SHE'S JUST HUGGING ME AND I'M HUGGING HER.

JUST SO, YOU KNOW, DEEP AND COOL AND, YEAH!

WE BACK AWAY.

AND SHE PULLS OUT A LITTLE NOTE AND I READ THE NOTE.

THE THING IS THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO STAND THERE STARING AT THE NOTE.

I'M SCANNING IT, LOOKING, SCANNING IT, I GET THE GIST OF IT.

NOW THINKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO NEXT I FEEL LIKE THE OBVIOUS THING TO DO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAKE OF THEATER IS TO CRUMBLE UP THE NOTE AND EAT IT.

NO WORDS WERE SPOKEN.

THEN THE CAB PULLED UP AND SHE GOT IN AND DROVE OFF.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT FLOW STATE AS ANOTHER WAY TO SAY MASTERY, FLOW STATE, JAZZ YOUTICIAN SITUATIONS ARE IN A FLOW STATE.

THERE'S THE LEXICON, THE LANGUAGE, THE VOCABULARY, THE STRUCTURE.

YOU CAN FREE OUT WITHIN THAT AND THEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT MANIA OR MY MANIA.

WHERE IT'S ALMOST LIKE A FLOW STATE.

OVER THE 20 YEARS I HAVE BUILT A LEXICON, A VOCABULARY, A SYMBOLOGY, AN IMAGERY.

IT'S MY CONNECTION, MY GATEWAY DRUG INTO ONE LOVE, INTO UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS INTO THE GOD SPARK WITHIN ME, INTO LIFE WORKING THE ENERGY UP.

>> THERE'S THIS THING CALLED THE DEEP WINK.

I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT ANI AND I CONNECTED INSIDE THIS DEEP WINK.

IT WAS ALL UNSPOKEN.

IT WAS ALL REVERENTIAL, SECOND LEVEL SUB TEXTUAL STUFF.

FOR ME I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO SAY LET'S TALK ABOUT IT!

LET'S BRING THAT SUB TEXTUAL UP TO THE SURFACE AND CHOP IT UP AND CUT IT AROUND AND MAKE JOKES AND LAUGH.

SAY, OH, GOD, YOU DID THAT AND I DID THAT.

[LAUGHTER] THAT ONLY WORKS IF IT'S TRUE.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER IT'S TRUE.

ONE DAY AFTER HAVING MET HER ON TH STREET, SHE WAS BACK IN BOSTON, SO IT WAS A YEAR OR TWO LATER.

AS I APPROACHED THE STAGE DOOR WOULDN'T YOU KNOW SHE AND A FRIEND WERE RETURNING TO THE STAGE DOOR, MAYBE FROM LUNCH.

THERE WE WERE COINCIDENTALLY ARRIVING AT THE STAGE DOOR AT THE SAME MOMENT.

I TRIED TO HOLD IN MY -- AHH!

BECAUSE AS SOON AS SHE SAW ME SEE HER, I WAS LIKE, OH OH, I DON'T THINK SHE WANTS TO SEE ME.

THEN SHE SAID TO ME, WHY ME?

WHY AM I THE BEEN FACTOR OF ALL THIS LOVE AND ART MAKING?

AND I SORT OF DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

BECAUSE DON'T YOU KNOW?

ISN'T IT -- I THOUGHT THAT -- IT'S LIKE -- LIKE THAT LINE FROM THE MATRIX WHERE MORPHEUS SAYS, I HAD A DREAM, THAT DREAM HAS LEFT ME NOW.

I HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT MOMENT DIFFERENTLY THROUGH THE YEARS, BUT IT WAS LIKE HAVING THE WIND TAKEN OUT OF YOU IN A MOMENT.

I REALIZED THAT I WASN'T GOING TO BE INVITED BACKSTAGE.

THIS WASN'T THE PARTY.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY LIKE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE DOING THIS.

SO I FUMBLED THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE I CAN'T TELL YOU NOW, YOU KNOW, IN 30 SECONDS STANDING OUTSIDE THE STAGE DOOR, BUT GIVING IS FOR THE GIVER, THE RECEIVER IS JUST EXTRA.

SHE'S LIKE, OH, OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, ENJOY THE SHOW.

AND SHE WAS GONE.

I WAS CRUSHED.

UNTIL I WASN'T.

IN 2015, I GOT AN EMAIL SAYING, HEY, THIS IS ANI DI FRANCO.

THANKS FOR ALL THE ART YOU SENT ME OVER THE YEARS.

I'M GOING TO BE IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME AFTER A SHOW AND HANG OUT?

WORDS THAT I HAD LONGED TO HEAR FOR 20 YEARS.

>> AT THE TIME THAT HE HAD IT I WAS LIKE, THIS GUY IS LIKE IN A DREAM WORLD.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT'S NOT HAPPENING.

THIS IS NOT TRUE.

YOU'RE IMAGINING THINGS.

I MEAN I HAVE HELD THAT THOUGHT, BELIEF UP UNTIL WHEN THEY STARTED TO ACTUALLY COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

BECAME FRIENDS.

>> AS SOON AS THAT HAPPENED, MY ENTIRE ATTITUDE CHANGED ABOUT KEITH.

I ADMIRED KEITH ALL OF A SUDDEN.

HE BROUGHT ME TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF POSSIBILITIES.

>> WELL, IT'S BEEN OVER 20 YEARS, BUT IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS ANI DI FRANCO IS COMING OVER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS FILM, TO HANG OUT, TO SHARE HER EXPERIENCE OF WHAT THIS ALL WAS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE PARTY THAT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HOPING FOR.

[SINGING] >> FOR MANY YEARS I WAS INTIMIDATED BY THE INTENSITY OF HIS -- YOU KNOW, LOVE THAT HE WAS POURING BACK AT ME FROM THE ETHER.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE NEARLY THE MEMORIES THAT HE DOES.

>> IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU I WANTED TO ASK YOU A BROAD QUESTION.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH FANS?

>> RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING I HAD SUPER FANS.

I GUESS WHEN I JUST HAD VERY FEW LISTENERS AT ALL IN THE BEGINNING I WAS LIKE, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?

WHY IS THIS COMING OUT, MAN?

THEN I REALIZE BECAUSE I'M DOING THAT TOO.

COMING VERY INTENSELY AT THE WORLD.

THERE WAS A TIME IN THE LATE '90s, EARLY AUGHTS, IT WAS TOO MUCH.

I WAS A SYMBOL THAT REPRESENTED SOMETHING AND THEY WERE THERE, YOU KNOW, WITH NO AWARENESS OF MY HUMANITY OR -- NO REAL -- IT WAS LIKE SOUVENIR.

THEY WANTED A THING OR A THING OR A THING OR MORE THINGS.

I SORT OF FELT JUST CONSTANTLY EVISCERATED AND DRAINED.

DISREGARDED.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO GIVE BACK, NOT JUST WANT AND WANT AND WANT MORE.

>> DO YOU HAVE A MEMORY OF THE FIRST TIME KEITH WAS ON YOUR RADAR?

>> I BELIEVE THAT HIS ARTWORK HIT MY RADAR AT SOME POINT EARLY ON BECAUSE IT'S SO EXCEPTIONAL.

YOU KNOW.

JUST THE BEAUTY OF HIS OFFERINGS.

AGAIN, THOUGH, LIKE HOW MANY HOURS WENT INTO CONSTRUCTING THIS VERY DETAILED -- THE EXPERIENCE, YOU OPEN IT AND THE THING COMES OUT AND THAT GROWS INTO A THING AND I HAPPEN TO HAVE ONE RIGHT HERE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN THESE TYPES OF THINGS, BEAUTIFUL WORKS OF ART, OH, THIS IS THAT SAME PERSON.

IT'S THAT OTHER THING FROM -- THEN HE, I DON'T KNOW IF HE INTUITED THAT SENDING TO THE OFFICE WAS NOT QUICK.

SO THINGS WOULD COME TO VENUES.

THEY WOULD ARRIVE -- SO I WOULD WALK INTO A DRESSING ROOM AND THERE WOULD BE A THING.

OH, THERE'S THAT GUY AGAIN.

MY FRIEND HEIDI, WHO WAS MY MISTRESS OF MERCH, SHE BECAME AWARE OF KEITH AND WHO THIS ARTIST ACTUALLY IS AND WHEN THEY ARE TURNING UP.

I THINK MY FIRST MEMORY OF MEETING KEITH I WAS SICK AS A DOG.

I THINK IT WAS HEIDI WHO SAID, KEITH IS OUTSIDE THE BUS.

I WAS LIKE -- I'M GOING TO GO SAY HI TO THIS CRAZY PERSON.

BUT I COULDN'T SAY HI BECAUSE I COULDN'T TALK.

I COULDN'T SAY ANYTHING.

I WENT OUT AND I WROTE I CAN'T TALK AND I CAN'T DO THE SHOW TONIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GIFTS.

HE TOOK IT AND HE CRUMPLED IT UP AND ATE IT, THE NOTE.

EVER MEMORABLE IS HE.

I WOULD SAY THE MESSAGES I HEARD THEM ALONG THE WAY.

THEY TOLD ME THAT HE WAS REALLY HEARING MY MUSIC.

HE WOULD SAY LITTLE MESSAGES BACK TO THE LITTLE MESSAGES I SEND OUT IN SONGS.

I FELT SEEN, YOU KNOW.

HEARD.

HE'S RIGHT, YOU KNOW.

HE'S RIGHT.

I WAS TALKING TO HIM.

IT'S NOT TRUE IN THE CONTEXT THAT HE WAS DEVISING BUT IT'S TRUE, VERY TRUE IN ANOTHER WAY.

I AM VERY MUCH TALKING RIGHT TO ANYONE WHO CHOOSES TO LISTEN OR HAS THE EARS TO HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING.

THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP THERE THAT EXISTS IN THE ETHER.

IT IS INTIMATE.

I AGREE WITH ALL OF THAT.

ON SOME LEVEL MAYBE WE ARE MEETING IN OUR DREAMS.

MAYBE WE DO KNOW EACH OTHER.

MAYBE WE ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION ON SOME LEVEL I BELIEVE, YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING WITH MY ART.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD TURN UP IN MY BEDROOM.

I HAD A BIPOLAR, MAYBE SCHIZOPHRENIC PERSON TURN UP IN MY BEDROOM.

A STRANGER.

>> DID YOU EVER FEEL THREATENED BY KEITH?

>> I REMEMBER MY HEIDI HAD TIPPED ME THAT HE WAS COMING SO I PUT THIS POEM PARAMETERS THAT I WROTE ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE OF HAVING A FAN WAIT FOR ME AND BREAK INTO MY HOUSE.

WAIT FOR ME TO COME HOME ALONE AND BE UPSTAIRS IN MY BEDROOM IN THE DARK.

BETWEEN ME AND THE DOOR FOR A PERILOUS AMOUNT OF TIME.

A DUDE, YOU KNOW, WHO KNEW CLEARLY THAT WE HAD BEEN SPEAKING THROUGH MY SONGS AND THAT I HAD CALLED HIM.

I PUT THAT POEM ON THE SET LIST AND I JUST REMEMBER DELIVERING THE POEM TO KEITH.

THAT WAS ACTUALLY ME SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO KEITH WASSERMAN FROM STAGE SAYING THIS IS WHY I DON'T WRITE YOU BACK.

I FEEL THE EXPECTATION IS BUILDING AND I NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND.

A MAN YOU DON'T KNOW WHO CAME A LONG WAY TO DELIVER ONE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC MESSAGE.

HOWEVER IMAGINE YOURSELF TO BE.

>> I DO REMEMBER WHEN HIS PACKAGES STARTED TO INCLUDE THE WORD OR IMAGES OF WIFE AND THEN DAUGHTER.

THAT I JUST FELT, OKAY.

I THINK THAT WAS WHEN I CONSIDERED OPENING THE DOOR THEN I DID.

♪ YOU GOTTA MEET MY LITTLE GIRL ♪ ♪ SHE'S REALLY JUST SO SWEET ♪ >> YES, SO FINALLY WE MET AND IT WAS FANTASTIC.

WE HAD A LITTLE VISIT AFTER A SHOW ONE NIGHT WHEN I FINALLY JUST PUT DOWN THE DRAWBRIDGE.

[LAUGHTER] HE CROSSED OVER AND WE HUNG OUT.

OF COURSE HE'S COMPLETELY CAPTIVATING AND CHARMING.

HE BESTOWED HIS MADGE UPON MY KIDS.

WE WENT AND VISITED AND HE HAD CONSTRUCTED THIS TREASURE HUNT ON THE BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY THAT THEY WERE LIVING ON.

I DON'T KNOW IF MY KIDS APPRECIATED NEARLY AS MUCH AS ME, BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF MAGIC THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN EVERYONE AND DOESN'T COME ALONG EVERY DAY.

>> WHEN ANI DI FRANCO FIRST E-MAILED ME SHE SAID SOMETHING LIKE YOU'VE GIVEN ME SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS.

IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN GIVE YOU IN RETURN?

I SAID REALLY THE ONLY THING I WANT IS TIME TO TELL YOU THIS EPIC STORY THAT I HAVE WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN AND MAYBE HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF WHY I HAVE BEEN SENDING YOU THIS ART FOR 20 YEARS.

OF COURSE IT WAS THE STORY OF MY MANIC EPISODE BUT WE NEVER REALLY FOUND THAT TIME.

SEVERAL YEARS LATER, I HAD ANOTHER MANIC EPISODE AND DURING THAT EPISODE I THOUGHT THAT ANI WAS TRYING TO REACH OUT TO ME, TRYING TO CALL ME.

SO I DECIDED I WOULD CALL HER INSTEAD.

I HAVE HER NUMBER.

WE HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE.

EXCEPT IT WAS 3:00 IN THE MORNING.

THE NEXT DAY MY WIFE GOT A VOICE MAIL FROM ANI DI FRANCO.

>> HEY, HEIDI, IT'S ANI CALLING.

HI.

LAST NIGHT AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING I GET A FEW TEXTS IN SERIES FROM KEITH SAYING SOMETHING OR OTHER THEN CALL ME.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP, LET ME KNOW.

>> NO, I JUST FELT EMPATHY.

THIS IS MY FRIEND NOW WHO IS IN TROUBLE.

IF I DIDN'T HAVE LIKE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH MANIA, MAYBE I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE FREAKED OUT BUT FOR ME IT'S LIKE, AH, HE NEEDS TO BE TIED TO THE EARTH.

THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE PEOPLE OFTEN, YOU KNOW?

PEOPLE WHO CREATE THEIR OWN WORLDS.

THAT'S MOST ARTISTS.

I FEEL LIKE I CAN RELATE VERY MUCH.

I FEEL WAY MORE THAN I WANT TO FEEL MOST OF THE TIME.

AND THERE'S A PRICE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT GIFT.

YOU CAN PUT BEAUTY AND MAGIC IN THE WORLD AND YOU CAN AMPLIFY BEING ALIVE FOR PEOPLE AROUND YOU.

YOU CAN SET PEOPLE FREE.

YOU PAY A PRICE.

YOU KNOW?

I UNDERSTAND IT'S LIKE, YES, IF ANYTHING I JUST FELT EMPATHY.

EMPATHY, NOT SYMPATHY.

I FELT EMPATHY FOR THE PRICE THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY WHEN YOU'RE THAT GUY.

>> I WOULD BRING MY STUFF AND WE COULD COLLAGE AND WE COULD PAINT.

THERE WAS THIS PEACE WHERE SOMEBODY MIGHT SEE SOMETHING THAT I MADE BEFORE I SENT IT AND WOULD WANT TO KNOW, OH, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD BACK?

I'M LIKE, NO.

HOW CAN YOU -- IT'S LIKE MORE ABOUT THE WORK.

AND PERSONALLY, I FEEL LIKE EACH ALBUM THAT I MAKE UP BETTER, EACH ARTWORK I MAKE MORE INTERESTING, MORE FUN.

IF I WAS EVER GOING TO ACTUALLY TRY TO IMPRESS YOU, TICKLE YOUR FANCY, PIQ UE YOUR INTEREST IT WOULD BE THROUGH THE WORK WAS SORT OF MY FEELING.

THE DECADE OR MORE OF, NOT YET, I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK YET -- >> NOT YET.

>> OKAY, I GOT TO KEEP WORKING.

>> LOVE IT.

I LOVE IT.

>> I GOTTA KEEP WORKING.

IT'S GETTING BETTER.

YOU KNOW IN MY OWN BRAIN I WOULD HEAR ENCOURAGEMENT.

I WOULD HEAR MM, I DIG IT.

I WANT TO.

I CAN'T.

>> SHE LOVED THAT ONE.

BLOWING MY MIND ALL OVER AGAIN.

ALL THE LENGTHS YOU WENT TO.

>> THAT WAS THE IDEA, YOU KNOW.

HOW DO YOU BLOW SOMEONE'S MIND?

I WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BLOW SOMEONE'S MIND.

>> YOU SUCCEEDED.

>> AWESOME.

I MET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BIG DREAMS BUT DON'T KNOW HOW TO REACH THEM.

KEITH, HE KNOWS HOW TO REACH HIS DREAMS.

>> HIS AGENDAS WERE NOT ABOUT THE ART WORLD.

YES, HE WANTED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS AN ARTIST BUT HIS AGENDA WAS ABOUT COMMUNICATING WITH ANI AS AN EQUAL.

AS A FRIEND.

I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE AND MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T, BUT KEITH MADE THAT HAPPEN.

AFTER THAT,ITY I WANTED TO JUST JOIN KEITH.

>> I'M NOT A JEALOUS PERSON AND I'M NOT THREATENED.

I TRUST IN HIS LOVE FOR ME, YET I KNOW THAT HE HAS A DEEP LOVE FOR ANI.

SO DO I. I REALLY RESPECT THE LESSONS SHE HAS GIVEN HIM.

I THINK SHE'S MADE HIM A BETTER MAN.

I JUST WANT HIM TO LIVE HIS LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND I WANT TO BE PART OF THAT JOURNEY.

>> I ACTUALLY BELIEVE IN MAGIC.

IT'S LIKE WHATEVER HE WAS IMAGINING WAS REAL IN 1998 HAS BECOME REAL IN THE WORLD.

WHETHER IT WAS ACTUALLY REAL THEN OR NOT, HE MADE IT REAL OR IT BECAME REAL.

AND THAT'S THE MIRACLE, THAT'S THE MAGIC, AND WE'RE RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

>> WE ARE ABOUT TO FILM ME WATCHING ANI'S INTRODUCE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR VARIOUS THINGS TO GO.

[SINGING] >> THAT'S A FUNNY WAY TO PUT IT.

HELLO?

>> SORRY.

>> THE BALLOON WAS STILL EMPTYING OUT THERE.

[LAUGHTER] ♪ WE HAVE BEEN ALL THE WAY ROUND AND COME BACK TO LOVE ANEW ♪ ♪ I'M SO LUCKY TO BE HOME WITH YOU ♪ >> LOOK, GUYS, IF I GET A CEASE APPEARED DESIST LETTER I WILL TOTALLY STOP.

>> IN MY DIRECTION.

>> REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM OF KEITH HAS A HYPOMANIC EPISODE.

THANK YOU FOR COMING AND GET HOME SAFELY.

>> VERMONT PUBLIC, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL FILMMAKERS TO BRING YOU STORIES MADE HERE.

FOR MORE VISIT VERM