>>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, AND BY -- >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

YOU KNOW, DURING THIS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, PBS LOOKING BACK AT SOME OF THE UNDERAPPRECIATED BUT EXCEPTIONAL FIGURES IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

A NEW DOCUMENTARY PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPERIENCE TITLED "THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT" EXAMINES THE CAREERS AND LEGACIES OF THREE GROUND-BREAKING AFRICAN-AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE MEMBERS, EDWARD DUDLEY, TERENCE TODDMAN AND CARL ROEN.

ALL THREE WITH HIGH RANKING POSITIONS DESPITE THE FACT THE STATE DEPARTMENT THAT EMPLOYED THEM WAS UNIVERSALLY CONSIDERED ONE OF THE LEAST DIVERSE AND MOST ELITIST GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN THE COUNTRY.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT EXAMINES HOW THE COURAGE AND PATRIOTISM THAT EACH OF THESE MEN DISPLAYED TRULY HELPED AMERICA MOVE FORWARD.

HERE'S A PREVIEW OF THAT DOCUMENTARY.

>> ON AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, THE STORY OF THREE BLACK DIPLOMATS.

>> THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAD THE WELL DESERVED REPUTATION OF BEING EXTREMELY ELITIST.

>> PALE, MALE AND YALE.

>> BROKE RACIAL BARRIERS.

>> COULD NEVER CONCEIVE A BLACK MAN COULD BE AN AMBASSADOR.

>> IT'S HARD TO DO THE WORK OF AMERICA WHEN YOU'VE BEEN JIM CROWED BY YOUR OWN GOVERNMENT.

>> "THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT" ON AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

>> AND JOINING US NOW TO DISCUSS THE DOCUMENTARY AND THE LIVES AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THESE EXTRAORDINARY MEN IS THE DIRECTOR OF "THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT."

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

>> THANK YOU.

>> LEOLA, FIRST QUESTION.

AS I SAID IN THE INTRODUCTION, YOUR FILM FOCUSES ON THREE THESE EXTRAORDINARY AFRICAN-AMERICAN DIPLOMATS.

HOW DID YOU COME TO LEARN ABOUT THESE MEN AND WHAT MOVED YOU TO MAKE A DOCUMENTARY OF THEM?

YOUR FIRST DOCUMENTARY?

>> WELL, THE STORY REALLY CAME TO ME AS A CONVERSION OF THINGS.

MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS PART OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE FAMILY.

MY HUSBAND IS A DIPLOMAT.

WE'VE BEEN IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE WORLD FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS NOW, AND WE'VE OFTEN BEEN ONE OF THE FEW, ONLY SOMETIMES, FAMILIES OF COLOR OVERSEAS AND WE GO TO POST.

AND WOULD OFTEN SORT OF QUESTION WHY THAT WAS SO.

THAT COUPLED WITH THE FACT MY HUSBAND HAD ALWAYS, ALWAYS MEETING THIS OLDER GENERATION OF BLACK DIPLOMATS THAT WOULD TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AND EARLY CAREERS.

AND HE WOULD LAMENT THE FACT THESE WERE UNKNOWN STORIES THAT WOULD LIKELY KIND OF, THE DETAIL PASSED AWAY ONCE THOSE DIPLOMATS DID.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, I RECEIVED A COPY OF A BOOK CALLED "LOST DIPLOMACY" BY MICHAEL KRENN AND IT'S LIKE THE CONVERGENCE OF THESE THINGS LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD BE AN INTERESTING AND COMPELLING HISTORY TO EXAMINE ON FILM.

AND SO, YEAH.

>> IT CERTAINLY WAS.

AS I WAS TELLING YOU, I LOVED THE FILM.

BUT ANYWAY, IN THIS FILM, YOU CLEARLY SHOW HOW ELITIST AND EVEN RACIST THE STATE DEPARTMENT THAT EMPLOYED THESE THREE MEN WAS AND WAS WAY BEFORE THEM, EVEN MORE RACIST AND SEGREGATIONIST THAN THE REST OF THE GOVERNMENT.

WHY WAS THAT THE CASE?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I CAME TO UNDERSTAND WHEN RESEARCHING THE FILM IS THAT, YOU KNOW, EARLY STATE DEPARTMENT, EARLY DIPLOMATS WERE POLITICAL APPOINTEES.

THEY WERE OFTEN FROM WEALTHY FAMILIES.

THERE WASN'T A SALARY NECESSARILY INVOLVED WITH THE JOB.

SO AS A RESULT, IT BECAME A JOB THAT YOU COULD DO IF YOU WERE WEALTHY AND CONNECTED, AND AS A RESULT, IT WAS A CLOSED, VERY ELITIST WORLD.

IT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS PALE, MALE AND YALE.

THEY TRIED TO PROFESSIONALIZE THE FOREIGN SERVICE THAT DOORS STARTED TO BE OPEN BUT THAT CULTURE OF ELITISM WAS STILL PRECIPITOUS.

>> IT REMAINED AS THE DOCUMENTARY SHOWS IN HOW THESE THREE MEN WORKED TO UNDO IT, BUT WE'LL GET TO THAT.

ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING ASPECTS OF THE DOCUMENTARY.

ALL OF THESE THREE MEN CARRIED OUT THEIR CAREERS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE DURING THE COLD WAR.

TWO OF THEM, ALL DURING THE COLD WAR, AND WHAT YOUR DOCUMENTARY SHOWS IS HOW MUCH OF THAT WAR WAS A PR WAR, A WAR TO WIN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE REST OF THE WORLD.

THE REALITY OF RACISM, OF OPPRESSION AND RACIAL VIOLENCE IN THIS COUNTRY, HOW MUCH DID THAT HURT THE UNITED STATES IN THEIR COLD WAR AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION?

>> I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS REALLY DAMAGING.

THE UNITED STATES WAS QUESTIONED ON AN INTERNATIONAL STAGE IN TERMS OF ITS COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY, TO EQUALITY.

SO WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING TO COUNTRIES THAT, ENCOURAGING THEM TO FOLLOW A DEMOCRATIC LINE, TO APPEAL TO THEM THAT DEMOCRACY IS THE BEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT, THE BEST TYPE OF SOCIETY THAT YOU CAN CREATE FOR YOUR COUNTRY, TO THEN HAVE, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS OF YOUR OWN COUNTRY NOT FULLY ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRACY, RIGHT, TO NOT REALLY FOLLOW THE IDEALS THAT YOU'RE ESPOUSING ON THAT INTERNATIONAL STAGE WAS DAMAGING TO THE U.S. AND ITS LEGITIMACY OVERSEAS.

>> THE SOVIET UNION REALLY KNEW HOW TO EXPLOIT THAT.

SO LET'S TURN TO THE THREE DIPLOMATS THAT YOU FEATURE.

LET'S BEGIN AS YOU DO WITH EDWARD DUDLEY, THE MAN WHO WOULD BECOME THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES EVER.

WHAT LED HIM TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE?

>> ACTUALLY, HE WAS A LAWYER AT THE NAACP, AND PRESIDENT TRUMAN WAS IN OFFICE AND WAS LOOKING TO REALLY BOLSTER SUPPORT WITHIN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

HE WAS COMING UP AGAINST A TOUGH ELECTION.

AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK HE WAS ALSO HAVING HIS OWN SORT OF AWAKENING ABOUT THE REALITY FOR BLACK CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE VIOLENCE THAT THEY WERE FACING, AND HIS TEAM REACHED OUT TO THE NAACP FOR SUGGESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES FOR THIS POST, AND WALTER WHITE, WHO WAS HEAD OF THE NAACP AT THE TIME, PUT FORWARD EDWARD R. DUDLEY'S NAME AND WHAT HE SAID IN THE ORAL HISTORY IS HE AND HIS WIFE DID NOT THINK THEY WOULD BE IN LIBERIA VERY LONG.

THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THINKING TRUMAN WOULDN'T WIN THAT ELECTION AND BECAUSE IT WAS A POLITICAL APPOINTMENT, HE KNEW HIS TIME IN LIBERIA WOULD MOST LIKELY BE SHORT BUT TRUMAN WON THE ELECTION.

SO RATHER THAN STAY A FEW MONTHS, THEY ENDED UP STAYING FIVE YEARS AND THAT'S WHAT LED HIM INTO THIS BRIEF BUT, I THINK, IMPACTFUL CAREER.

>> AND BY THE WAY, ANOTHER ONE OF TRUMAN'S MOTIVATIONS TO REACH OUT TO DUDLEY WAS TO DEAL WITH THAT PR WAR, THE WAR OF HEARTS AND MINDS BECAUSE HE WANTED TO BEGIN TO HAVE AFRICAN-AMERICANS REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES.

SO IT'S AN INTERESTING WAY THAT THE COLD WAR KIND OF HELPED A LITTLE BIT IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE, WHICH IS SOMETHING I HAD NEVER THOUGHT OF BEFORE.

BUT IN ANY EVENT, SERVING FIRST IN LIBERIA AND THEN AS AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES, DUDLEY REALIZED THAT HIS AFRICAN-AMERICAN STAFF AT THE EMBASSY, NOT ONLY THEM BUT ALL FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS WHO WERE AFRICAN-AMERICAN WERE BEING LIMITED IN THEIR ASSIGNMENTS TO A FEW COUNTRIES IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND TO A FEW OTHER PREDOMINANTLY BLACK COUNTRIES.

THIS WAS CALLED THE NEGRO CIRCUIT.

HE DISCOVERED THE NEGRO CIRCUIT.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN ATTEMPT TO LIMIT THE CAREERS OF THESE PEOPLE AND HE DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

HOW DID HE TRY TO FIGHT BACK ON THIS?

>> WELL, I THINK ONE THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT EDWARD R. DUDLEY IS THAT HE WAS A LAWYER, AND SO HE HAD SAID, MY ENTIRE CAREER AT THE NAACP AND I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO.

SO HE AND HIS TEAM IN LIBERIA BASICALLY LEAD THE EFFORT IN CREATING WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A RESEARCH MEMO THAT TAKES A LOOK AT THE BLACK FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS THAT WERE WORKING AT THAT TIME AND COMPARING THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH A CLASS OF WHITE FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS THAT WERE ALSO WORKING AT THE TIME, AND SHOWING THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION THAT BLACK OFFICERS WERE RELEGATED TO A HANDFUL OF POSTS THAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE NEGRO CIRCUIT, WHILE WHITE OFFICERS WERE CONSISTENTLY BEING POSTED TO A DIVERSE ARRAY OF COUNTRIES BECAUSE THE POLICY OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS TO ROTATE OFFICERS EVERY TWO TO THREE YEARS, BUT YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE RUPERT LLOYD WHO IS IN LIBERIA FOR I BELIEVE 8 TO 10 YEARS AND THIS IS PROFESSIONALLY LIMITING IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVE SERVED AROUND THE WORLD.

>> SO THE STATE DEPARTMENT WAS VIOLATING THEIR OWN RULES.

IN FACT, VIOLATING THE LAW AND DUDLEY, THE GUY WHO WORKED WITH THURGOOD MARSHALL FOR FIVE YEARS BASICALLY SAID VERY NICELY, WE MIGHT HAVE TO SUE YOU.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND SUDDENLY CHANGED.

>> RIGHT.

AND HE'S MADE THAT FIRST BLOW AGAINST THE NEGRO CIRCUIT AND WITHIN SIX MONTHS, TWO OF THE OFFICERS THAT WERE IN MONROVIA WERE STATIONED OR POSTED TO FRANCE OR TO SWITZERLAND AND BEATRICE CARSON, WHO WAS A SUPPORT STAFF EMPLOYEE AT THE EMBASSY WAS SENT TO ROME.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, DUDLEY SAID IN HIS ORAL HISTORY ARCHIVE THAT THIS WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING HE ACCOMPLISHED.

>> HE HAD ONLY ABOUT TWO OR THREE MINUTES.

I WANT TO GET TO THE OTHER MAN, THE SECOND MAN YOU COVER IS TERENCE TODDMAN.

HE SERVED IN JAPAN AT THE END OF THE WAR.

HE LEARNED JAPANESE AND HE WAS GENIUS.

HE LEARNED JAPANESE.

AND BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EVERYBODY, ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES, HE LEARNED HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS, HOW LITTLE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT EACH OTHER AND HOW GOOD HE WAS AT COMMUNICATING.

THAT'S WHAT GOT HIM INTO THE FOREIGN SERVICE.

HE'S, OF THE THREE MEN, HE'S THE ONE TO SPEND HIS WHOLE PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE AND HE WAS AN AMBASSADOR SIX TIMES, HE WAS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE AND ULTIMATELY, HE HAD THE DISTINCTION OF CAREER AMBASSADOR.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TIME AND HOW SIGNIFICANT WAS THAT.

>> IT WAS REALLY SIGNIFICANT.

CAREER AMBASSADOR IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE IS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, FOUR STAR GENERAL MAYBE.

IT'S ONE, IT'S THE HIGHEST RANKING THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE.

AND TERENCE TODDMAN, THEY HAD A BEAUTIFUL CEREMONY ON SUNDAY CELEBRATING HIS LEGACY AND HE WAS A DIPLOMAT THAT SAW VALUE IN DIPLOMACY, UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE THAT DIPLOMACY BRINGS A COUNTRY AND KNEW THAT HE COULD HAVE A VOICE IN IT.

AND CREATED SPACE FOR HIMSELF AND LIKE MY HUSBAND COMING UP BEHIND HIM AND SO HE REALLY HAS CREATED A SUBSTANTIAL LEGACY.

>> SO WE HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT, LESS THAN A MINUTE.

CARL, I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE HIM OUT.

KENNEDY, NATIONALLY KNOWN JOURNALIST.

ONE OF THE THREE I KNEW FROM TV AND HE HAD A BUNCH OF POSTS WITH KENNEDY AFTER THE ASSASSINATION.

LBJ NAMED HIM THE HEAD OF THE UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY, IN CHARGE OF THAT PR WAR.

IN 20 SECONDS, HE KIND OF DID NOT LIKE THAT JOB ULTIMATELY.

HE STEPPED BACK.

IN 10 SECONDS, WHY?

>> I THINK CARL ROWEN BELIEVED IN WHAT HE WAS DOING, WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, WANTED TO HAVE A VOICE IN THAT REALM.

I THINK BY THE END OF HIS TIME AT USIA, GOT A LITTLE DISILLUSIONED.

>> SORRY, I HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF.

IT'S A WONDERFUL FILM.

HOPE EVERYBODY SEES YOU.

>> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THIS.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I AM JACK FORD.

THOUGH IT PREMIERED OVER 20 YEARS AGO, "THE SOPRANOS" REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AND INFLUENTIAL SHOWS IN TELEVISION HISTORY.

THE STORY OF MOB BOSS AND FAMILY MAN TONY SOPRANO CATAPULTED HBO TO THE TOP OF THE INDUSTRY AND SET A NEW STANDARD FOR WHAT GOOD TELEVISION COULD LOOK LIKE.

COUNTLESS BOOKS AND PODCASTS HAVE BEEN CREATED ABOUT THE SERIES AND NOW, FANS CAN ATTEND A LIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SHOW FEATURING THREE FORMER CAST MEMBERS RIGHT HERE IN NEW YORK CITY AT THE MARVELOUS ST. GEORGE THEATRE IN STATEN ISLAND.

STEVE, COMING TOGETHER TO PRESENT IN CONVERSATION WITH THE SOPRANOS.

A 90 MINUTE LIVE TALK SHOW ABOUT SOPRANOS AND AUDIENCE Q&A SESSION.

JOINING THE FORMER STAR OF THE SOPRANOS AND MEMBERS OF IN CONVERSATION WITH THE SOPRANOS, STEVE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

I WILL SAY, I'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL.

SUCH A BIG FAN OF "BLUE BLOODS," I LOVE YOUR ANTHONY MARCO CHARACTER.

>> A LOT WORSE THAN THAT.

>> I SUSPECT SO, I SUSPECT SO.

I WANT TO GET TO THIS SHOW YOU'RE ALL DOING IN A SECOND BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.

I'M SURE YOU'VE BEEN ASKED THESE QUESTIONS A NUMBER OF TIMES BUT WHEN YOU ALL STARTED DOING THE SOPRANOS, DID YOU HAVE A SENSE THAT IT WAS GOING TO BECOME AS BIG AS IT ACTUALLY DID?

>> I CAME ON THE SECOND EPISODE OF THE SECOND SEASON.

SO IT WAS BIG, BUT NOT, NOWHERE NEAR WHAT IT WAS.

AND AS I TALKED TO THE OTHER GUYS, LIKE JIM AND MICHAEL, THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD DO THE PILOT AND THAT WOULD BE IT.

IT WOULD GO NOWHERE AND THEY WOULD GO HOME.

YOU KNOW, MICHAEL AND HE TALKS ABOUT IT DURING THE SHOW, HE KIND OF WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS A SPOOF OR A COMEDY, DIDN'T QUITE GET IT.

AND THEN AFTER THEY GOT INTO THE FIRST SEASON, KIND OF THOUGHT, WOW, THIS IS GREAT, BUT IS ANYONE GOING TO WATCH IT?

IS IT TOO GOOD?

SO NO.

WHEN I CAME ON, IT WAS IN JUNE OF '99 AND THEY HADN'T YET GOT NOMINATED FOR THE 16 EMMYS.

THEY WERE THE FIRST CABLE SHOW TO GET NOMINATED.

THAT'S KIND OF WHEN A MONTH LATER OR SO, REALLY KIND OF BLEW UP.

NOW PEOPLE STARTED FOCUSING AND WATCHING IT.

BUT NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA WHATSOEVER.

EVEN TOLD US, CAME ON THE PODCAST, THAT HIM AND THE A.D.

WENT TOGETHER AND SAID, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW?

HE SAID, I DON'T REALLY KNOW, MAYBE I'LL START WRITING A BOOK.

>> ISN'T THAT FASCINATING?

AS YOU SAID, DIFFERENT TELEVISION.

IT WAS SMART TELEVISION, AND SMART TELEVISION IS NOT ALWAYS A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS IN THE INDUSTRY, AS YOU KNOW.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS?

I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN ASKED THIS BEFORE BUT CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS THAT MADE IT SO POPULAR AND MAYBE MORE IMPORTANT, MADE PEOPLE INVEST THEMSELVES IN THE STORY SO MUCH?

>> YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S INCREDIBLY SMART.

REMEMBER, I DID NOT WATCH THE SHOW, NOR DID MICHAEL, FOR 20 YEARS AND WHEN IT ENDED IN 2007, I HAVEN'T WATCHED IT AT ALL.

AND THEN WE WENT BACK WHILE WE WERE DOING THIS PODCAST AND THE BOOK, I'D WATCHED IT THREE OR FOUR TIMES, YOU KNOW.

INCREDIBLY SMART.

INCREDIBLY FUNNY.

INCREDIBLY AHEAD OF ITS TIME.

WHAT DO I THINK?

ONE OF THE FEW TIMES THE LEADING MAN WAS EVERY MAN.

DIDN'T LOOK LIKE A MODEL.

DIDN'T LOOK LIKE A MOVIE STAR.

THE PEOPLE WERE REGULAR-LOOKING PEOPLE.

GUYS ARE OVERWEIGHT.

GUYS GOT BIG NOSES.

GUYS ARE REGULAR, WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE IN THE STREET.

I THINK PEOPLE RELATED TO THAT.

I THINK PEOPLE RELATED TO TONY SOPRANO EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A MURDERER, BAD GUY, THIEF, CHEATER ON HIS WIFE.

YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE VICE HE HAS, I THINK PEOPLE KIND OF RELATED TO HIM BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT A FAMILY AND PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE ME.

THAT HAPPENS TO ME.

MY WIFE BUGS ME ALL THE TIME.

MY KIDS BUG ME.

THEY DIDN'T CARE HE WAS A MOB BOSS.

HE HAD PROBLEMS.

HIS MOTHER DROVE HIM CRAZY.

HIS MISTRESSES.

I MEAN, THIS GUY HAD IT GOING EVERY WHICH WAY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYONE COULD LIVE THAT WAY, AND I THINK IT STOOD THE TEST OF TIME.

WHEN I WENT BACK TO WATCH IT.

BESIDES THE CARS, BESIDES THE COMPUTERS, IT WAS LIKE IT WAS DONE YESTERDAY.

AND A LOT OF YOUNGER PEOPLE, WHICH IS WHY WE DID THE PODCAST, WE DISCOVERED A LOT OF YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THEIR LATE TEENS, 20s, 30s, TOO YOUNG TO WATCH IT THEN, ARE WATCHING IT NOW.

IT'S ALL OVER THE INTERNET, INSTAGRAM, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF SITES ABOUT THE FASHION AND THE QUOTES AND IT'S SOPRANO MANIA THAT'S BIG AS EVER.

>> LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE STARTED TAPING HERE.

THE NOTION THAT YOU NEVER, YOU DID YOUR WORK BUT YOU NEVER SAT DOWN AND WATCHED THE SHOW AND FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, YOU DIDN'T GO BACK AND WATCH IT.

WHY NOT?

>> WELL, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE, I WATCHED IT, WHEN "THE SOPRANOS" WAS ON, I WATCHED IT SUNDAY NIGHTS WITH MY WIFE.

SOPRANOS IS DIFFERENT THAN NETWORK TV.

NOW SAY ON "BLUE BLOODS," YOU DO AN EPISODE, IT TAKES YOU EIGHT DAYS AND THEN IT COMES OUT THREE WEEKS TO A MONTH LATER.

ON "THE SOPRANOS," THEY GOT THEM ALL IN THE CAN.

EVERYTHING WAS IN THE CAN.

AND THEN IT CAME OUT SIX MONTHS LATER.

SO I WOULD WATCH SUNDAY NIGHT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

I DON'T LIKE WATCHING MYSELF BECAUSE I ALWAYS SEE I COULD DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, SOMETHING BETTER.

LOOK AT MY HANDS.

WHY AM I LOOKING LIKE THAT?

OR WHY DID I STARE, WHAT DID I DO?

CONSTANT CRITIQUING YOURSELF.

IT DRIVES YOU CRAZY.

AND I JUST COULDN'T WATCH IT.

SO THERE'S AN ACTOR, ENTERTAINER, ALL THEY DO IS WATCH THEMSELVES ON A LOOP.

EGO MANIACS.

WE KNOW THAT.

EVEN NOW, I LOVE "BLUE BLOODS," I READ THE SCRIPT, INCREDIBLY SMART, POPULAR SHOW, SO PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS THING.

I JOINED IN 2015.

I DON'T WATCH MYSELF.

I'LL WATCH THE REST, YOU KNOW, I'LL WATCH BITS OF OTHER PEOPLE BUT NOT MYSELF.

IN "THE SOPRANOS," WATCHING JIM AND FALCO AND MICHAEL AND DOMINIC.

I MEAN, PERFECT, PERFECT CASTING.

SEAMLESS.

I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH MORE NOW.

EVEN THE LORRAINE STUFF, I WASN'T YOUNG BUT YOUNGER.

NOW I APPRECIATE THAT.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

BUT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PERFECT CASTING.

THERE'S NOT A CHARACTER WHO YOU LOOK AT AND SAY, COULD HAVE DONE THIS BETTER?

THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART.

LET ME GET TO THE EVENT THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALL DOING.

HOW DID IT COME ABOUT?

AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE HAVE BEEN PODCASTS AND STORIES SINCE IT WENT OFF THE AIR BUT HOW DID THIS GROUPING AND THE IDEA TO SAY, LET'S DO THIS LIVE.

AND THEN COME BACK.

>> WE STARTED DOING IT YEARS AGO.

YOU KNOW, JUST DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF IT YEARS AGO.

AND SOMETIMES, LORRAINE BROCKO WOULD COME WITH US AND WE'VE BEEN DOING IT NOW, WE STARTED BEFORE COVID.

WE WENT TO AUSTRALIA ON A SEVEN-CITY TOUR.

WE SOLD OUT THERE.

IT'S INCREDIBLE.

PEOPLE HANGING OFF THE CEILING, 2500 PEOPLE IN THE THEATRE.

AND WE BROUGHT A COMEDIAN.

JOEY KOHLER, GREAT COMEDIAN.

HE COMES WITH US NOW.

>> A WONDERFUL GUY.

I TOLD YOU, I WORKED WITH JOEY ON THE SHOW ONE TIME MANY YEARS, A WONDERFUL GUY.

>> COMEDY AND CONVERSATION WITH "THE SOPRANOS."

WE SHOW CLIPS OF THE SHOW.

JOEY COMES OUT.

HE DOES ABOUT 15, 20 MINUTES.

HE'S A LONG ISLAND GUY, VERY FUNNY AND THEN WE SHOW CLIPS OF THE THREE OF US AND WE COME OUT.

WE ANSWER SOME PREPARED QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE DO A Q&A WITH THE AUDIENCE.

WE TELL STORIES.

IT'S ALL KIND OF COMEDY DRIVEN.

1,000% TRUE STORIES.

WE GIVE YOU A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN.

A LITTLE SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW, AND A LOT OF STUFF.

YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT CASTING.

DID YOU KNOW THE ROLE WOULD BE JERRY STILLER?

TONY READ FOR UNCLE JR. UNCLE JR. READ FOR VINNY'S ROLE.

I READ FOR AN FBI AGENT.

>> THAT, I FOUND FASCINATING.

I DID NOT KNOW THAT BUT PREPARING FOR THIS CONVERSATION, I SAW THAT AND I FOUND THAT WAS FASCINATING.

>> YEAH, AND LISTEN, TONY SOPRANO'S REAL NAME EARLY ON WAS TOMMY SOPRANO, AND CHRISTOPHER WAS DEE MOLTESANTI.

MICHAEL WAS THERE FROM DAY ONE AND FIVE EPISODES.

HE KNOWS A LOT.

I MEAN, EVERY SHOW I'VE LEARNED SOMETHING FROM HIM.

AND THE SHOW IS A LOT OF FUN.

IF YOU'RE A SOPRANO FAN.

WE'VE DONE IT IN ATLANTIC CITY AND FOX WOODS.

OHIO.

>> IT'S FASCINATING, AS YOU SAID, NOT ONLY UNIVERSALLY BUT TO THIS DAY, STILL A FASCINATING.

IT'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE LOOK AT IT LIKE IT WAS AN OLD "CASABLANCA" FILM BUT INVESTED.

IS THERE ONE QUESTION YOU CAN COUNT ON ALWAYS BEING ASKED WHENEVER YOU'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT "SOPRANOS"?

>> THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END.

THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE GET A QUESTION THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, WE NEVER HEARD BEFORE.

THAT HAPPENS A LOT.

AND WE ANSWER, WE STAY.

THE SHOW IS AT LEAST TWO HOURS.

WE STAY AND WE ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

IF YOU EVER HAD, YOU WANT TO ANSWER THE SOPRANO QUESTION, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE.

AND SOMETIMES YOU GET SOME REALLY GOOD ONES.

THERE'S YOUR BASIC ENDING AND WHY THIS, WHY THAT.

SOMETIMES THEY MISTAKE US WITH THE CHARACTER.

THEY ASK MICHAEL, I THINK SOMEWHERE IN DETROIT, THEY ASK MICHAEL ABOUT HIS DRUG USE AND MICHAEL SAID, I'M NOT A DRUG ADDICT.

CHRISTOPHER'S A DRUG ADDICT.

BUT SOMEBODY CAME UP WITH A QUESTION, HOW DO YOU THINK THE SERIES WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT IF LIVIA AND MARSHAWN DIDN'T PASS AWAY?

>> YEAH, WHAT DIRECTION MIGHT IT HAVE GONE IF THAT WAS THE CASE?

>> EXACTLY.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF.

IT'S A LOT OF FUN TO DO AND PEOPLE ARE REALLY APPRECIATIVE AND WE ARE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IT'S COMEDY DRIVEN.

WE TELL STORIES.

I'M SURE BY NOW PEOPLE HAVE HEARD AND FROM US FIRSTHAND.

>> I THINK THAT'S THE GREAT THING IS YOU SAID BEFORE, PULL BACK THE CURTAIN AND PEOPLE LOVE TO HEAR THE STORIES FROM THE ONES WHO LIVED IT, WHICH I THINK MAKES IT SO IMPORTANT.

ONCE AGAIN, IT'S CALLED "IN CONVERSATION WITH THE SOPRANOS" WITH THE MARVELOUS ST. GEORGE THEATRE IN STATEN ISLAND.

ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.

>> FEBRUARY 12th.

>> FEBRUARY 12th.

>> GET YOUR TICKET MASTER, CALL THE BOX OFFICE.

IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT NIGHT, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN.

>> METROFOCUS.ORG AND YOU CAN GET THE INFORMATION THERE AS WELL.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> TAKE CARE.

>> BYE.

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, AND