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LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WITH JEFF SALKIN.

♪♪] >> JEFF: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO YOUR "DIRECT CONNECTION."

COMING UP TONIGHT, NEWSHOUR ANCHOR GEOFF BENNETT TELLSES US ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK.

FIRST, ANALYSIS OF THE CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST WE SPOKE WITH RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN TIECHERT.

GENERAL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU KNOW AIR POWER AND YOU KNOW THIS REGION.

SO WHAT ARE YOUR EARLY OBSERVATIONS ON THIS CONFLICT?

>> JEFF, THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.

AND I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR MILITARY FOR VERY DILIGENTLY ACHIEVING MILITARY OBJECTIVES WHICH ALL ALONG HAVE BEEN DO DIMINISH OR DESTROY IRAN'S POWER, THAT IS CRUISE MISSILES, DRONES, THE NAVY THE NUCLEAR PROGRAM.

THE CHALLENGE IS HOW DO WE SUCCESSFULLY MAKE THE LEAP TO ACHIEVING STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OR POLITICAL OBJECTIVES?

AND I THINK THERE IS A LOT STILL TO BE SEEN IN HOW WE'RE GOING TO TIE IN OUR MILITARY ACTIVITY WITH ACHIEVING MORE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES IN THE REGION.

>> Jeff: AT OUR TAPING TIME THEY ARE STILL ABLE TO PROJECT SOME POWER, BUT SEEMS TO BE GREATLY DIMINISHED.

>> IT DOES, JEFF.

AND I THINK THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT NUANCE TO THE PENTAGON PRESS CONFERENCES LAST WEEK WHERE THEY STARTED TO NAME AN ADDITIONAL TARGET SET WHICH IS DESTROY IRAN'S MILITARY RELATED INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY.

IN MY MIND THAT MEANS THAT NOW YOU ARE NOT JUST DESTROYING WHAT IRAN CAN DO TO THREATEN OTHERS NOW AND WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS BUT IT IS NOT COMPLETE AS YOU SUGGESTED, BUT WE'RE ALSO STRIVING TO DESTROY THEIR ABILITY TO QUICKLY RECONSTITUTE SO THEY CAN'T BE A THREAT IN THE FUTURE.

I THINK THAT IS MORE OF A STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE THAN A MILITARY OBJECTIVE, THOUGH THE MILITARY IS PLAYING A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THAT AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE ADMINISTRATION START TO SEE ABOUT SOMETHING LONGER TERM INSTEAD OF DESTROYING THE HERE AND NOW AND THE THREATENING CAPABILITY OF IRAN TODAY.

>> Jeff: IF REGIME CHANGE IS THE OBJECTIVE IS ENDING THE NUCLEAR THREAT IS THE OBJECTIVE, YOU'RE FROM THE AIR FORCE THERE'S LIMITS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH AIR POWER.

WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED?

>> JEFF, LET ME START WITH THE NUCLEAR CAPABILITY.

I VERY MUCH THROUGHOUT THIS HAVE LEANED ON THE INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITIES ASSESSMENT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN JUNE?

MIDNIGHT HAMMER THEY ARE A NONPARTISAN GROUP AND THEY SAID OUR STRIKE IN JUNE EFFECTIVELY DESTROYED IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND NOT JUST CENTRIFUGES BUT THE TOTALITY OF THE KNOW HOW AND THE SCIENTISTS AND ENRICHED URANIUM THERE'S SOME OUT THERE.

SO I LEAN ON THAT AND WE'VE SUCCEEDED LARGELY IN THAT AREA.

BUT REGIME CHANGE IS A LOT MORE DIFFICULT.

THERE'S ONLY THREE MECHANISMS THAT YOU CAN SEE PRODUCING REGIME CHANGE.

THERE IS SOMEONE EMERGING FROM THE INSIDE THAT FLIPS THE REGIME.

THERE IS LARGE SCALE PROTESTS OF THE POPULATION THAT SOMEHOW OVERCOMES THE REGIME.

OR THERE IS A DEDICATED OPPOSITION GROUP THAT IS ABLE TO STORM AND FLIP THE REGIME.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE IN INFIELD THOSE THREE MECHANISMS WE HAVE THE SUPPORT TEAM FUNCTION THEY ARE THE SUPPORTED FUNCTION.

WHICH MEANS THAT WE CAN'T BRING IT ABOUT ON OUR OWN.

WE CAN SUPPORT THEM AND WE SHOULD.

BUT WE CAN'T BRING IT ABOUT.

AND THE THING THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN LACKING ON ONE OF A FEW IS THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN AT LEAST PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGING OUR EMPHASIS ON INTERM SECURITY SITES AS OUR TARGETS TO GIVE THE IRANIANS THE BEST POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE THREE TO START.

THE ISRAELIS HAS BEEN SAYING THAT IS THEIR PRIORITY.

BUT THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO BRING OUT REGIME CHANGE IS TO SUPPORT THEM AND HOPE THAT THEY ULTIMATELY ARE ABLE TO EMERGE FROM THE BOTTOM UP.

>> Jeff: ONE WAY TO DO THAT THERE IS A FAMOUS PRISON IN TEHRAN FULL OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IF YOU CAN SPRING THEM BUT THAT IS HARD TO DO FROM THE AIR.

>> IT IS AND YOU NEED TO SPRING THEM AND YOU NEED TO ARM AND EQUIP AND ORGANIZE THEM.

SO, AGAIN, I LEAN HEAVILY ON ONE OF THE THREE MECHANISMS AND THE MOST LIKELY IT SEEMS TO HAVE FIZZLED OUT IS AN OPPOSITION GROUP THAT IS CAPABLE AND THE MOST LIKELY OF THOSE ARE THE KURDS IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF IRAN I'VE DEALT WITH THE KURDS IN NORTHERN IRAQ DURING MY DEPLOYMENTS THERE.

BUT I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE THE WILL TO ENGAGE BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN BURNED BY US MAKING PROMISES AND NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH.

>> Jeff: INFORMATION IS ONE OF THE EARLY CASUALTIES IN WAR.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT NEWS REPORTING, DOMESTICALLY, INTERNATIONALLY ON THIS CONFLICT IS THERE ANYTHING WE'RE MISSING?

>> WELL, JEFF, I THINK THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS NEEDED TO DO A LOT BETTER OF A JOB EMPHASIZING FROM THE BEGINNING WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.

THERE IS A GOOD CASE TO BE MADE BUT I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE MADE IT SUFFICIENTLY.

I DO THINK RIGHT NOW THE BIGGEST CURRENT ISSUE IS THE LACK OF ENERGY FLOWS THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HOR MUSLIM.

AND UNTIL THAT GETS RESOLVED THEN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND THE WORLD PUBLIC BECAUSE WE ARE ENERGY DEPEND END BUT THE WORLD RELIES ON THE FLOWS THROUGH THAT STRAIT THERE WILL BE TURMOIL ECONOMICALLY AS A RESULT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING UNTIL WE CAN SECURE THAT 20-MILE WIDE WATERWAY.

>> Jeff: LET ME ASK ABOUT THE EARLY FAILURES THAT WE'VE SEEN.

START WITH THE TERRIBLE BOMBING OF THE SCHOOL.

HOW DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN?

WAS IT A TARGETING MISTAKE?

IS IT POSSIBLE WE'RE USING A.I.

FOR TARGETING OR IS THERE A CHANCE THAT THIS WAS AN ERROR -- ERRANT PROJECTILE?

>> I THINK IT COULD BE ANY OF THOSE.

IT COULD BE AN INTEL FAILURE WE IDENTIFIED THE WRONG TARGET.

IT COULD BE A TARGETING BUT WE PICKED THE WRONG ONE.

IT COULD BE A GPS JAMMING UNIT.

THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ONGOING WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FORTHRIGHT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND INSIST WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT ESPECIALLY IF IT IS OUR FAULT AND IT'S LOOKING LIKE MAYBE IT IS.

I WANT TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT WE HAVE STRUCK 6,000 TARGETS THAT GOT AWAY FROM US.

IT IS A TRAGEDY WE SHOULD DRIVE THAT ONE TO ZERO AND THE ONLY WAY IS BEING FORTHRIGHT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND INVESTIGATING IT THOROUGHLY.

I WANT TO POINT OUT THE ADVERSARY HAS NO QUALMS ABOUT KILLING THEIR OWN PEOPLE INTENTIONALLY OR OTHER CIVILIANS INTENTIONALLY.

THIS IS A TRAGEDY AND WE NEED TO GET TO THE BUT UM OF IT.

>> >> Jeff: THE COLLISION OF THE TWO REFUELING VEHICLES.

HAS BEEN A BIT OF A HEAD-SCRATCHER.

ANY IDEA HOW THAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED?

>> JEFF, IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT WAS SOME SORT OF A MID-AIR COLLISION.

I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AS A FIGHTER PILOT BEHIND THOSE FUELING AIRCRAFT AND WE DON'T HAVE GLOBAL REACH AS A NATION WITHOUT THOSE MOBILE GAS STATIONS THAT CAN DRAG FIGHTERS LIKE MINE TO WHERE WE FEED TO GO.

BUT IN ORDER TO DO THE STRIKES WE HAVE BEEN DOING ESPECIALLY IN THE BEGINNING OF THE CONFLICT FROM ISRAEL OR THE FORD IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN IF NOT A THOUSAND MILES AWAY FROM THE LINCOLN TO THE SOUTH, WE NEED AIR REFUELING AND THERE IS A LOT OF COORDINATION THAT GOES INTO HOW DO YOU COORDINATE ALL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND REFUELERS AND OPERATIONS.

AND I SUSPECT WHEN WE DIG IN AND INVESTIGATE IT WHICH WE WILL WE WILL FIND SOME LEVEL OF BREAKDOWN IN DEACON FLYINGS AND COORDINATION.

>> Jeff: I'M INTERESTED IN YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE EMERGENCE OF THESE INEXPENSIVE DRONES.

IRAN HAS BEEN AN INNOVATOR IN THAT FIELD.

I BELIEVE THAT RUSSIANS ARE MAKING A VERSION OF IT THEY ARE USING IN UKRAINE.

UKRAINE NOW HAS THE EXPERTISE IN DEFEATING THEM.

THIS IS SOMETHING IN YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE, I'M NOT SURE WE WERE SEEING?

>> NO, JEFF, I THINK THAT IT IS A SHAME ON US FOR NOT LEARNING LESSONS FROM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE UKRAINE.

THERE IS A SAYING WHERE THESE SEEM TO BE LESSONS OBSERVED BUT NOT LEARNED OR APPLIED.

AND I THINK THAT IS THE CASE AND PART IS I THINK WE ARE ENAMORED WITH THE HIGH-END TECHNOLOGY AND WE ARE GOOD AT IT.

THE $30,000 DRONES ARE WREAKING HAVOC ON OUR ADVANCED SYSTEMS AND IT IS SHAMEFUL WE DID NOT LEARN FROM THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

UKRAINE HAS GONE TO SCHOOL ON THESE THREATS.

SIX MONTHS AGO THEY OFFERED BOTH EQUIPMENT, EXPERTISE AND TACTICS TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES TO US SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE THREATS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

AND WE TURNED THEM DOWN AND NOW WE'RE WISHING WE HADN'T.

I DO THINK WE HAVE SET OURSELVES UP TO NOT HAVE A LAYERED DEFENSE AGAINST THE LOWER END THREATS AND THAT IS CAUSING THE HAVOC IN OUR INTERESTS.

>> Jeff: IF YOUR TIME AS A RETIRED OFFICER YOU PUBLISHED A BOOK TITLED IN GOD I TRUST MAKING OUR NATIONAL MOTTO MY PERSONAL DECLARATION.

TELL US ABOUT THE BOOK.

>> THANK YOU.

THIS IS MY FOURTH BOOK SINCE I RETIRED THREE YEARS AGO.

THIS IS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR ME AND MY PASTOR, BRAD WELLS TO OUR COUNTRY ON OUR SEMI NATION'S 250TH BIRTHDAY.

AND IT'S GOING BACK THROUGH AMERICAN HISTORY AND OUR FOUNDATIONS AND OUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD AND HOW TODAY WE USE THAT NATIONAL DEPENDENCE TEMPLATE IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES.

IT'S FREDERICK DOUGLASS STORIES AND GEORGE WASHINGTON STORIE AND OTHERS.

>> Jeff: GENERAL WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, JEFF.

>> Jeff: AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> Jeff: NOW, ON THE BOOK BEAT WE ARE JOINED BY GEOFF BENNETT COANCHOR OF THE PBS NEWSHOUR AND AUTHOR OF "BLACK OUT LOUD: THE REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF BLACK COMEDY FROM VAUDVILLE TO 90'S SITCOMS".

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I'VE READ YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR FOUR YEARS, A LABOR OF LOVE?

>> INDEED, AND JEFF THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THIS BOOK THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF BLACK COMEDY IT STARTED WITH A QUESTION: HOW WERE SO MANY OF THESE SHOWS WHICH WERE FOR ME FORMATIVE HOW WERE THEY ALL ON THE AIR AT THE SAME TIME?

SITCOMS LIKE LIVING SINGLE, FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR, FAMILY MATTERS A DIFFERENT WORLD, IN LIVING COLOR.

AND I HAD THIS QUESTION BECAUSES WAY WATCHING MY SON, 13 HOW HE CONSUMES MEDIA ON HIS PHONE, YouTube SHORTS AND SHORT SOCIAL MEDIA CLIPS AND THINKING ABOUT HOW I GREW UP AND HOW FORMATIVE THE SHOWS WERE.

AND THE QUESTION WAS: HOW DID ALL OF THE SHOWS EXIST ON THE AIR AT THE SAME TIME?

THERE WASN'T ONE BREAKTHROUGH HIT THEY WERE CROSS POLLINATING.

AND AS A RESULT OF DOING THE RESEARCH IT WAS THIS SPECIFIC MOMENT OF TALENT AND TIMING AND AN INDUSTRY THAT WAS REALLY READY TO TAKE RISKS THAT GAVE BIRTH TO ALL OF THIS.

SO AS I FOCUSED ON THE SHOWS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ACTORS AND THE CELEBRITIES AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND THEM, I ENDED UP TRACKING BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF BLACK PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF COMEDY WHICH IS MINSTRAL AND VAUDEVILLE.

THE BOOK LOOKS AT THE 90s AND INCLUDES THE ENTIRE NARRATIVE ARC OF BLACK COMEDY IN THE COUNTRY AND WHY IT WAS IMPACTFUL.

>> Jeff: IN THE 90s I'M GUESSING YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN ROUGHLY THE AGE YOUR SON IS NOW.

A TEENAGER.

WHAT DO YOU RECALL ABOUT YOUR MEDIA CONSUMPTION?

>> WELL, I REMEMBER ESPECIALLY WATCHING TELEVISION, IT WAS A COMMUNAL EVENT IT WASN'T JUST MY FAMILY SITTING DOWN IN THE LIVING ROOM TO WATCH THE SHOWS IT WAS ALL OF MY FRIENDS' FAMILIES DOING THE SAME THING.

WATCHING LIVING COLOR AND LIVING COLOR ON A SUNDAY NIGHT YOU WOULD GO TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY AND EVERYONE HAD THIS SHARED REFERENCE POINT WHICH DOESN'T EXIST TODAY THERE IS NO SHARED MONOCULTURE INSTEAD OF THE SUPER BOWL OR THE OSCARS.

PEOPLE AREN'T SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE CULTURALLY AND THAT SPEAKS TO A BIGGER ISSUE ABOUT THE LACK OF COHESION IN THIS COUNTRY.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I REMEMBER VIVIDLY WAS THAT AT THAT TIME THERE WERE SO MANY VERSIONS OF BRACK LIFE DEPICTED ON VEL -- TELEVISION.

YOU HAVE THE AFFLUENT FAMILY LIKE THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR AND THE COMEDY OF MARTIN LAWRENCE.

IN LIVING COLOR WHICH TRANSFORMED THE WAY SKETCH COMEDY ON TELEVISION.

AND THEN YOU HAD THIS DIFFERENT WORLD IN THIS HBCU FOR MILLIONS PEOPLE WATCHING THAT SHOW THERE WERE REFLECTIONS OF A RHYTHM AND CONVERSATIONS AND PEOPLE IN OUR FAMILIES THAT SEEMED FAMILIAR.

AND THEN FOR MILLIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE, THEY WERE ALSO SEEING THESE SPECIFIC DEPICTIONS OF BLAC LIFE.

AND REMEMBER THESE WERE TOP RATED SHOWS.

IT WAS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT WERE WATCHING THESE SHOWS.

AND NOW 30 YEARS LATER, WRITING THIS BOOK LOOKING AT WHY THEY WERE CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT IS FOR ME HAS BEEN A LOT OF FUN.

>> Jeff: WERE THEY THINKING ABOUT THE CULTURAL IMPACT AT THE TIME?

WHEN YOU GO BACK AND TALK TO THE ACTORS, THE WRITERS, THEY WERE GOING FOR LAUGHS BUT WERE THEY THINKING THAT THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING DEEPER?

>> NO.

AND IT IS A SUCH A GREAT QUESTION.

SPEAKING WITH SINBAD A CLEAN COMEDIAN, OR YVETTE WHO WORKED IN THE WRITERS AM ROOM AT A DIFFERENT WORLD AND CREATED LIVING SINGLE OR DARRYL BELL WHO WAS RON JOHNSON ON A DIFFERENT WORLD THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE LARRY WILLMORE A COMEDIAN NONE OF THEM WERE THINKING IN TERMS OF THE CULTURAL IMPACT.

THEY WERE ALL TRYING TO FOCUS ON HAVING A SHOW OR HAVING A PROJECT THAT WAS FUNNY.

BECAUSE IT HAD TO WORK AT THAT LEVEL IT HAD TO BE FUNNY, ENGAGING, THE THING THAT WOULD DRAW IN VIEWERS WEEK AFTER WEEK.

AT THE TIME THEY WEREN'T THINKING IN TERMS OF THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.

THAT CAME MUCH LATER.

IT'S ALSO STRIKING TO THINK THAT MANY OF THESE FOLKS WERE IN THEIR LATE 20s, EARLY 30s WHEN THEY WERE DOING THIS.

AND BUT THE REASON ALL OF THEM EXISTED IN THAT ECOSYSTEM BARRY DILLER WAS FOUNDATIONAL HE LAUNCHED FOX BROADCASTING NETWORK AND HE TOLD ME WHEN HE LAUNCHED FOX BROADCASTING HE WANTED TO BE INTENTIONAL IN MAKING SURE THAT THAT NETWORK WAS DIFFERENT.

BECAUSE ABC, CBS, NBC WERE ALL INDISTINGUISHABLE IN TERMS WHAT THEY WERE PUTTING ON IN PRIMETIME AND SITCOMS HE WANTED FOX BROADCASTING TO BE COUNTER CULTURAL.

THE FIRST PILOT WAS FOR A SITCOM AND THE WORKING TITLE WAS NOT THE COSBY SHOW.

THAT PILOT WOULD TURNOUT TO BE MARRIED WITH CHILDREN.

WHEN HE FOUND SUCCESS WITH THAT HE KNEW THAT WAS THE FORMULA FOR EVERYTHING ELSE AND THAT OPENED THE DOOR TO KEENAN LIVING COLOR OR MARTIN LAWRENCE WITH HIS SHOW.

AS IS TRUE IN HOLLYWOOD, SUCCESS BEGETS SUCCESS.

WHEN FOX STARTED HAVING SUCCESS YOU SAW NBC AND ABC TRY TO FOLLOW SUIT.

>> Jeff: THESE PROGRAMS CANNOT ALL HAVE BEEN GREAT HITS FROM A CULTURAL STANDPOINT.

IS THERE ANYTHING WHEN YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS TODAY, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT MAKES YOU CRINGE THAT WAS A STEREOTYPE THAT AMPLIFIED A STEREOTYPE INSTEAD OF HAVING THE POSITIVE CULTURAL IMPACT THAT YOU DISCUSSED?

>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT MAKES ME CRINGE BUT JALEEL WHITE TALKS ABOUT HOW THAT CHARACTER OF STEVE ERKEL WAS ESPECIALLY IN ACADEMIC CIRCLES FOLKS WHO DO CRITICISM, THAT PEOPLE ACT KEMPICS LOOK THED AT THAT CHARACTER A MODERN-DAY BUFFOON IN THAT BECAUSE THE STEVE ERKEL CHARACTER WAS SMART THAT HE HAD TO BE SORT OF ALSO ASEXUAL AND CLOWNISH.

AND HE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS AN ENTIRELY UNFAIR READING WHAT THAT CHARACTER WAS.

AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH HIM.

HE TALKED ABOUT HOW WHEN HE WAS A STUDENT AT USC AND TAKING A CLASS ABOUT MEDIA CRITICISM, HIS PROFESSOR WAS MAKING THAT ARGUMENT THAT THE STEVE ERKEL CHARACTER WAS OFFENSIVE.

AND HE TALKED ABOUT HOW PERSONALLY INSULTING AND HURTFUL IT WAS BUT THEN IT WAS A MISREADING OF THE SHOW.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THESE SHOWS EXISTED IN THEIR OWN TIME.

THEY WERE CREATIVE PROJECTS FIRST.

THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY WRITTEN OR CONCEIVED AS CULTURAL PRODUCTS.

THEY WERE SITCOMS.

AND SOMETIMES A JOKE LANDS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.

BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS BOOK, LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE SHOWS AS SORT OF A CULTURAL HOLE AND SEEING WHAT THEY DID, AND SEEING WHOM THEY INSPIRED IN LIVING SINGLE THERE WAS A CHARACTER MAXINE SHAW A ATTORNEY AND ON THE SHOW, IT TURNED OUT THAT KAMALA HARRIS WOULD SAY WATCHING THAT CHARACTER ON TELEVISION INFLUENCED AND MANY WAYS ENCOURAGED HER LEGAL PURSUITS.

AYANNA PRESLEY THERE IS A HOST OF WOMEN WHO WATCHED THAT SHOW AND WERE EITHER ENCOURAGED OR COULD PLAY OUT IN THEIR MINDS EYE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE A YOUNG AMBITIOUS BLACK WOMAN WHO IS PURSUING THAT SORT OF PROFESSION.

A HIGH POWERED PROFESSION.

WHETHER IT POLITICS OR THE LEGAL REALM.

SO IT WORKED ON THOSE LEVELS TOO, THESE SHOWS THAT IS WHY I TRIED TO CAPTURE IN THE BOOK.

>> Jeff: THE TITLE TAKE TAKES US BACK TO VAUDEVILLE WHEN YOU GO BACK THERE MUST BE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU CRINGE?

>> SURE.

AND AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ACTORS, PERFORMERS HAD TO DO IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THEY WERE ALLOWED TO DO.

SO YOU HAD A BILLY, A BURT WILLIAMS WHO WERE PERFORMING WITHIN SORT OF THE NARROW LIMITS OF RACISM AND THE JIM CROW SOUTH AND MINUTES INTRAVERBAL THAT WAS MASS ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE COUNTRY.

IT WAS BLACK FACE.

IT WAS BLACK CHARACTERS.

[AUDIO INTERRUPTION] POLITICALLY WHERE D.E.I.

IS DECLINING AT THE MOMENT, JUST YOUR BROADER THOUGHTS ON CULTURAL IMPACT OF MEDIA GOING FORWARD?

>> YEAH, I THINK I'VE COVERED NATIONAL POLITICS FOR 20 YEARS.

COVERED CULTURE TO A DEGREE IN THE SENSE I DO BOOK INTERVIEWS FOR THE NEWSHOUR SO I'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN CULTURE.

BUT IN WRITING THIS BOOK ONE OF THE THINGS I DISCOVERED IS HOW DURABLE CULTURE IS TO OUR COUNTRY'S UNDERSTANDING OF YOU OURSELVES INTO EACH OTHER.

I SAY THAT TO SAY, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT D.E.I.

BEING DEBATED AND ROLLED BACK AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BEING ROLLED BACK.

POLITICS AND CULTURE MOVE AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS.

CULTURE IS MORE DURABLE AND INDELIBLE AND POLITICS, BUT I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR BACK IN THE 90s WHEN YOU HAD TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WATCHING THESE SHOWS, WATCHING WHETHER IT WAS MARTIN OR COSBY SHOW OR DIFFERENT WORLD AND SEEING ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPICTIONS OF BLACK LIFE IT MATTERED FOR BLACK VIEWERS SEEING THEMSELVES REPRESENTED ON CAMERA IN A WAY THAT FELT SPECIFIC AND TRUE.

FOR EVERYBODY ELSE IT WAS UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF BLACK LIFE, BLACK JOY, AMBITION, PROFESSIONALISM, ASPIRATION, CHAOS IN SOME OF THESE CASES WITH THE SITCOMS.

AND THAT ALLOWED FOR PROGRESS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

YOU COULD ARGUE THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL OR BARACK OBAMA IF IT NOT FOR THE WORK THAT THE CULTURE WAS DOING IN THIS WAY ON TELEVISION.

THAT DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE TO YOUR POINT.

TO BROADCAST TELEVISION PRIMETIME TELEVISION IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE AND WITH EVERYONE CONSUMING MEDIA ON THEIR PHONES YOU COULD HAVE INSTEAD OF FOUR OR FIVE BIG NETWORKS AS WAS THE CASE GROWING UP, YOU HAVE EIGHT BILLION NETWORKS WITH EVERYBODY ON THE PLANET HAVING A PHONE IN THEIR HAND.

CONTENT NOW IS MUCH MORE SILOED THAN IT WAS 30-40 YEARS AGO.

AND THERE ARE GOOD THINGS TO BE SAID ABOUT THAT.

THE THING WE'RE MISSING ARE THE SHARED REFERENCE POINTS AND THAT MATTERS SO MUCH TO OUR CULTURE AND TO OUR DEMOCRACY.

>> Jeff: BEFORE WE GO I'M SURE EVERYBODY WATCHING US WATCHES YOU ON THE PBS NEWSHOUR MAYBE THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO HASN'T SEEN THE NEWSHOUR FOR A WHILE.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE OUR VIEWERS TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE NEWSHOUR?

YOU HAVE A NEW GENERATION OF TALENTED AND TALK ABOUT CHANGES IN THE MEDIA WE HAVE THIS POLARIZATION OF NEWS, YOU GUYS HAVE KIND OF A VERY CONSTANT PRESENCE IN THE MIDDLE, I WOULD SAY?

>> THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.

NEW FACES IN SOME RESPECTS TO YOUR POINT BUT THE MISSION REMAINS THE SAME.

NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN ON THE AIR FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS AND THE MISSION IS TO HELP OUR AUDIENCE UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AROUND THEM.

WE HAVE A FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE A FIDELITY TO THE FACTS.

WE HELP OUR AUDIENCE UNDERSAND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AND WHY IT MATTERS WHY IT MATTERS TO THEM.

AND WITH ALL OF THE CHANGES IN MEDIA WITH THE DEFUNDING OF PUBLIC MEDIA, FRANKLY I'VE BEEN HEARTENED TO SEE HOW VIEWERS STEP UP WITH THE LEVEL OF DONATIONS AND SUPPORT WHICH WE VALUE.

BUT THESE DAYS IT'S HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND NEWS COVERAGE THAT YOU CAN TRUST AND RELY ON BUT THE NEWSHOUR IS COMMITTED TO THAT WORK.

>> Jeff: GEOFF BENNETT FROM THE PBS NEWSHOUR AUTHOR OF "BLACK OUT LOUD: THE REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF BLACK COMEDY FROM VAUDVILLE TO 90'S SITCOMS".

THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JEFF.

>> Jeff: AND THAT IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" FOR THIS WEEK.

FOR ALL OF US AT MPT THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[♪♪]