♪ >> TONIGHT ON "RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY" -- MICHELLE: A TINY FRAGMENT WITH THE POTENTIAL TO TURN CHRISTIANITY ON ITS HEAD.

>> THERE WAS THIS IDEA THAT JESUS WAS A CELIBATE BACHELOR.

IF YOU ASK ARDEN AVERAGE PERSON ON THE STREET, THEY SAY HE DID NOT HAVE A WIFE.

THE BIBLE DOES NOT SAY HE WAS MARRIED OR UNMARRIED.

>> EARLY IN THE MORNING, IT IS 5:45 IN THE MORNING HERE.

HOPEFULLY I MAKE IT FOR TODAY.

>> ON THE WAY GETTING THERE, WE SEE A LOT OF TALIBAN, PEOPLE GOING BACK AND FORTH, COMING FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

THEY HAD GOTTEN WORD THAT UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES ARE EVACUATING PEOPLE.

♪ ♪ MICHELLE: GOOD EVENING, WELCOME TO "RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY."

I'M PAMELA WATTS.

MICHELLE: I MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

OUR STORY TONIGHT BEGAN NINE YEARS AGO WHEN A HARVARD PROFESSOR IGNITED A CENTURIES OLD DEBATE.

WAS JESUS CHRIST MARRIED?

JUST STEPS FROM THE VATICAN THE PROFESSOR PRESENTED WHAT SHE SAID WAS AN ANCIENT PIECE OF TEXT, A PAPYRUS, THAT SUGGESTED JESUS MAY HAVE BEEN MARRIED TO MARY MAGDALENE.

A FLOOD OF QUESTIONS SOON EMERGED.

MOST NOTABLY, WHO OWNED THE PAPYRUS.

A RHODE ISLAND-BASED A JOURNALIST SEARCHED THE TRUTH, AND SAW THE TRUTH LAY WITH A UNIVERSITY DROPOUT IN FLORIDA WHO HAD A COMPLICATED HISTORY.

>> IT IS FASCINATING, BECAUSE YOU HAVE HARVARD, THE EMBODIMENT OF REASON WITH A CAPITAL R. IT IS THE RICHEST AND MOST POWERFUL UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD, DROPPING A BOMB AT THE DOORSTEP OF FAITH, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE RICHEST AND MOST POWERFUL RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD.

MICHELLE: IN 2012 IT THREATENED TO SHAKE UP CHRISTIANITY AND THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH.

WAS JESUS A MARRIED MAN?

DID A TATTERED FRAGMENT HOLD THE ANSWER?

>> ON A TINY PIECE OF PAPYRUS YOU HAVE THESE EXPLOSIVES TO DOUBT, THIS TRADITIONAL CATHOLICISM.

MICHELLE: ARIEL SABAR WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ROOM NINE YEARS AGO WHEN HARVARD PROFESSOR KAREN KING TOLD RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS WHICH SHE CLAIMED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PAPYRUS WHILE THEY ATTENDED A CONFERENCE IN ROME.

>> IT IS THE OLDEST ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP IN ANY SUBJECT.

SHE IS ABOUT TO TELL HER COLLEAGUES THAT EVERYTHING ANCIENT HISTORY HAS TOLD US ABOUT JESUS' MARITAL STATUS MAY BE IN DOUBT.

MICHELLE: KING, A HISTORIAN OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY, IDENTIFIED A BUSINESS CARD-SIZED FRAGMENT, WHICH ALLUDED TO JESUS HAVING A WIFE.

THE TINY SCRAP OF PAPYRUS WOULD MAKE HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE FRONT PAGE OF "THE BOSTON GLOBE" AND "THE NEW YORK TIMES."

HAD PROFESSOR KING UNCOVERED A MISSING PIECE OF THE BIBLE?

>> JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, MY WIFE.

IN THE NEXT SENTENCE HE SAYS, SHE IS ABLE TO BE MY DISCIPLE.

MICHELLE: KING SOON MADE THE MEDIA ROUNDS, MAINTAINING AS IT SHE WOULD FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PAPYRUS.

IT WAS WRITTEN IN COPTIC, THE LANGUAGE OF EGYPT'S EARLY CHRISTIANS.

ARIEL: SHE PIECES TOGETHER THE STORY IN THESE PIECES OF COPTIC.

IN HER TELLING, THIS IS A SCENE IN WHICH JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES ARE HAVING A DISCUSSION OVER THE COLICKY -- QUALIFICATIONS OF MARY MAGDALENE TO BE HIS DISCIPLE.

MICHELLE: IT MEET FOR LATE NIGHT -- IT MADE FOR LATE NIGHT FODDR.

>> IT IS SO HARD TO FIND A NICE JEWISH BOY, LET ALONE THE NICEST JEWISH BOY.

AND HIS DAD?

SUPER WELL-CONNECTED.

HE KNOWS EVERYBODY.

MICHELLE: THE VATICAN WAS NOT LAUGHING.

THEY DISMISSED THE FRAGMENT AS INAPT FORGERY.

WHILE PRIESTS WERE ALLOWED TO MARRY, IT IMPACTED -- >> PRIEST MAKE A PROMISE OF CHASTITY.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DOES NOT ORDAIN WOMEN PRIESTS BECAUSE IN THE VIEW OF THEOLOGIANS, JESUS NEVER CHOSE A WOMAN IN HIS MICHELLE: KING CALLED IT "THE GOSPEL OF JESUS' WIFE," THOUGH SHE POINTED OUT THERE WAS NO HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF A MARRIED JESUS.

ARIEL: SHE WAS CAREFUL IN PRESENTING THIS TO THE MEDIA THAT THIS WAS NOT BIOGRAPHY.

ONE THING THAT STRUCK A LOT OF SCHOLARS AND AN AREA OF PUSHBACK IN THAT PRESENTATION IN ROME WHEN I WENT INTERVIEW SCHOLARS AFTERWARDS WAS THE NAE SHE CHOSE FOR IT, "THE GOSPEL OF JESUS' WIFE."

IF YOUR IDEA IS TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT PRESENTING THIS IN A NUANCED WAY, NOT TO SUGGESTED THE ACTUAL JESUS WAS MARRIED, WHY DO YOU CHOOSE A TITLE FOR THAT IS READY-MADE FOR THE HEADLINES AND HOLLYWOOD?

MICHELLE: THE TITLE WAS NOT THE ONLY SOURCE OF DOUBT.

SABAR SAID KING SUMMONED A POWERFUL NARRATIVE FROM 30 WORDS IN THE MIDDLE OF A RANDOM PAGE.

ARIEL: THINK OF IF EVERY COPY OF "HUCKLEBERRY FINN" OR "WRITING PREJUDICE" WERE DELETED FROM HISTORY, ALL BUT SOME FRAGMENT FROM THE MIDDLE OF AN UNKNOWN PAGE.

HOW MUCH WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF THE WORK?

MICHELLE: QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PAPYRUS' AUTHENTICITY REMAINS.

SCHOLARS NOTICED THE COPTIC WRITING WAS MESSY AND ODD GRAMMATICAL ERRORS PLAGUED THE TEXT.

PLUS, THE ORIGINS OF THE TEXT REMAINED A MYSTERY.

SABAR INVESTIGATED AND FOUND IT WAS OWNED BY A MAN IN FLORIDA NAMED WALTER FRITZ.

FOUR YEARS AFTER MAKING HER BIG ANNOUNCEMENT, KING MADE A DRAMATIC SHIFT.

ARIEL: SHE AGREED WHAT I DISCOVERED ABOUT WALTER FRITZ, COMBINED WITH THE OTHER EVIDENCE, TIPPED THE SCALES IN FAVOR OF IT BEING A FORGERY.

THE REST HAD MOVED TO THE CAMP OF IT WAS FAKE, BUT IT WAS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT WHEN KAREN KING SAID, OH GOSH, I HAD NO IDEA WHO THIS GUY WAS.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER WITH OTHER EVIDENCE, IT IS PROBABLY A MODERN FORGERY.

MICHELLE: IN HIS BOOK "VERITAS," SABAR EXPLAINS HOW A RENOWNED PROFESSOR WAS TRICKED INTO THINKING IT WAS AUTHENTIC.

ARIEL: WALTER FRITZ IS VERY GOOD AT GETTING YOU TO BELIEVE SOMETHING IS TRUE, BUT WHEN YOU CHECK IT IN THE REAL WORLD, IT FALLS TO PIECES.

WALTER FRITZ'S STORIES HOLD UP AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT CHECK THEM.

MICHELLE: IN "VERITAS," SABAR DELVES INTO FRITZ'S PAST AND EXPLAINED WHAT MOTIVATED HIM TO GIVE PROFESSOR KING THE FORGED PAPYRUS.

SABAR ALSO LEARNED FRITZ WAS AN INTERNET PORNOGRAPHER WHO FAKED HAVING A DEGREE IN EGYPTOLOGY FROM A UNIVERSITY IN BERLIN.

IN REALITY HE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF PLAGIARIZING A PAPER.

ARIEL: THERE MIGHT ALSO BE MOTIVATION OF A GENTLEMAN WHO THINKS HE IS SMARTER AND DESERVED TO BE A GREAT EGYPTOLOGIST, BUT WAS DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT WILL SHOW UP WITH A FAKE TO DUPE THE SMARTEST IN THE FIELD.

MICHELLE: STILL, MANY RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS MAINTAIN THE PAPYRUS IS A FAKE.

DURING HIS REPORTING, SABAR LEARNED THAT KING INITIALLY SUSPECTED THE PAPYRUS WAS NOT AUTHENTIC.

ARIEL: SHE BASICALLY SAYS, I DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THIS THING.

THEN FOUR MONTHS LATER THERE IS THIS 180 DEGREE TURN THAT CHANGED HER MIND.

MICHELLE: WHAT CHANGED?

ARIEL: SABAR FOUND OUT THE VENT PRESIDENT OF HARVARD MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THREATENED THE FUTURE OF THE THEOLOGY SCHOOL.

THEN SHE WANTED THE PAPYRUS.

I ASKED HER TO COMMENT AFTER TWO DAYS AFTER THIS EMAIL SAYING SHE WOULD COME UNDER A MICROSCOPE SHE SUDDENLY GOES BACK TO A GENTLEMAN SHE HAD WRITTEN OFF AND SAID I WOULD LIKE TO PUBLISH YOUR PAPYRUS.

SHE DID NOT RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION.

MICHELLE: WE REACHED OUT TO KING FOR COMMENT, BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK.

DO YOU BELIEVE PROFESSOR KING MISLED THE PUBLIC INTENTIONALLY ABOUT THE PAPYRUS?

ARIEL: THAT IS A COMPLICATED QUESTION.

INTENTIONALLY, AND I KNOW THIS IS A FAKE AND I WILL SEE I CAN FOOL EVERYBODY, I DON'T THINK THAT IS THE CASE.

I DO THINK SHE HAD SUBSTANTIAL DOUBTS ABOUT ITS AUTHENTICITY.

MY REPORTING SHOWS, IN MY OPINION, SHE WAS WILLING TO SEE HOW FAR SHE COULD PUSH THIS INTO THE PUBLIC SEVERE BEFORE SERIOUS QUESTIONS WERE RAISED.

MICHELLE: INCLUDING QUESTIONS BY SABAR.

WHY WAS KING ALLOWED TO PUBLISH AN ARTICLE IN THE "HARVARD THEOLOGICAL REVIEW" ABOUT THE PAPYRUS DEAD -- THAT DID NOT MEET THE JOURNAL'S REQUIREMENTS?

NEARLY EIGHT YEARS LATER THE JOURNAL HAS NOT RETRACTED THE ARTICLE.

WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO HARVARD FOR COMMENT, THEY SENT US A 2016 STATEMENT THAT SAYS ACCEPTANCE OF AN ESSAY FOR PUBLICATION MEANS IT HAS SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THE REVIEW PROCESS.

IT DOES NOT MEAN THE JOURNAL AGREES WITH THE CLAIMS OF THE PAPER.

BUT SABAR SAYS IT DID NOT PASS PEER-REVIEWED.

ARIEL: WHY HAVEN'T THEY RETRACTED AN ARTICLE THAT FAILED PEER-REVIEW, THAT RELIED ON FAKE EVIDENCE, THAT ITS OWN AUTHOR HAS DISTANCED HERSELF FROM, THAT WAS CO-AUTHORED BY SCIENTISTS WITH CLEAR INTERESTS?

MICHELLE: WHY WOULD A SCHOLAR RISK HER CAREER OVER A FRAGMENT FROM A MAN SHE DID NOT KNOW?

ARIEL: KAREN KING SAW THIS PAPYRUS AND TOLD ME IT IS TOO SMALL TO SAY A LOT, BUT IT WILL GET PEOPLE TALKING.

IT WILL START A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW ABOUT EARLY CHRISTIANITY.

FOR HER, THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, MORE IMPORTANT THAN HER CAREER.

MICHELLE: WHAT IS THE LARGER TAKEAWAY YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE FROM THIS BOOK?

ARIEL: THE TRUTH MATTERS, THE FACTS MATTER.

MICHELLE: THE TRUTH OF WHETHER JESUS WAS MARRIED HAS BEEN THE STUFF OF HOLLYWOOD FOR YEARS.

>> WHO WISHY?

>> -- WHO IS SHE?

>> MARY MAGDALENE.

>> THE PROSTITUTE?

>> THERE IS NO SUCH THING.

SHE WAS SNEERED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

MARY MAGDALENE WAS JESUS' WIDE.

-- WIFE.

MICHELLE: SABAR SAYS PUBLIC PERCEPTION THAT JESUS WAS A CELIBATE BACHELOR HAS REMAINED THE SAME FOR CENTURIES.

ARIEL: THEY WILL TELL YOU JESUS DID NOT HAVE A WIFE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEW TESTAMENT ITSELF, IT DOES NOT SAY HE WAS MARRIED, BUT IT ALSO DOES NOT SAY HE WAS UNMARRIED.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TEXT AND ARGUE FROM IT.

OTHERS USE METAPHOR TO SAY THE CHURCH WAS THE BRIDE OF JESUS.

THEN HOW COULD HE HAVE HAD AN EARTHLY WIFE?

OTHERS SAY JESUS WAS PROBABLY MARRIED, HE WAS A JEW, THE HEBREW BIBLE BLESSES MARRIAGE AND ORDERS JEWS TO BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY.

IT WAS NORMAL FOR EVERY JEWISH MALE AND RABBI TO BE MARRIED.

IF JESUS WAS SUCH AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE, WOULDN'T THOSE WRITING THE TEXT OF THE NEW JESUS, UNLIKE THE REST OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, WAS UNMARRIED?

THERE WAS SILENCE INTO WHICH AUTHORS, THEOLOGIANS, FILMMAKERS AND FORGERS HAVE INSERTED THEIR OWN VISION.

MICHELLE: ONE QUESTION READERS WILL ASK THEMSELVES READING YOUR BOOK, DOES IT MATTER WHETHER JESUS WAS CELIBATE?

ARIEL: I THINK IT MATTERS.

SCHOLARS WILL SAY IT MATTERS FOR WOMENS' LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH.

CAN WOMEN BE ORDAINED PRIESTS IN THE CATHOLIC FAITH?

IT MATTERS FOR WHETHER SEXUALITY IS INHERENTLY SINFUL, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LONG TRADITION IN CHRISTIANITY OF SHAMING WOMEN EVEN FIREMEN'S -- EVEN FOR MEN'S DESIRE.

AND THE ALL-MALE PRIESTHOOD.

PAMELA: PBS HAS TRIED TO REACH WALTER FRITZ FOR COMMENT, BUT HAVE NOT REACHED A RESPONSE.

NOW, A REPORT ABOUT THE HARROWING JOURNEY OUT OF AFGHANISTAN.

LAST SUMMER WHEN THE TALIBAN TOOK CONTROL, A COMBAT INTERPRETER AND HIS FAMILY WERE ONE OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AFGHAN CITIZENS EVACUATED BY THE U.S. AMIN FAQIRY WAS DETERMINED TO START LIFE OVER AGAIN IN RHODE ISLAND BECAUSE HER FRIENDSHIPS HE HAD IN THE OCEAN STATE.

HE RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH JUSTIN KENNY AND SHARED HIS FAMILY'S DRAMATIC ESCAPE FROM THE FALLEN COUNTRY.

AMIN: MY NAME IS AMIN FAQIRY.

I AM FROM AFGHANISTAN.

>> THE FIRST AFGHAN REFUGEES HAVE MADE IT TO ROAD ISLANDS.

AMIN FAQIRY AND HIS FAMILY ARRIVED IN RHODE ISLAND SATURDAY NIGHT.

AMIN: I HAD TO DO EVERYTHING FOR MY FAMILY'S LIFE.

I WAS SCARED FOR MY LIFE.

I WORKED FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IN AFGHANISTAN AS AN INTERPRETER.

I WORKED WITH SOLDIERS, AFGHANS, THE U.S. ARMED FORCES.

>> SHOOT THEM.

SHOOT HIM.

>> TALIBAN FORCES ENTERED THE HEART OF KABUL, THE CULMINATION OF A RAPID ADVANCE AND RETAKING OF CONTROL ALMOST TWO DECADES AFTER THEY WERE OUSTED FROM POWER.

>> NOW THE TALIBAN ARE OUT IN FULL FORCE.

THEY TOOK OVER THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.

AMIN: THE COUNTRY WENT DOWN AND THE GOVERNMENT WAS OVERTHROWN.

OVER 100,000 AFGHAN SOLDIERS HAD DIED.

EVERYBODY FROM THEIR FAMILY'S HAD LOST THEIR LOVED ONE.

THE U.S. MILITARY GAVE A LOT OF SACRIFICES.

THEY BUILT THIS COUNTRY OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.

THEY SPENT TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

I BLAME THE POLITICIANS, THE PEOPLE IN POWER.

IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR ME TO GET TO RHODE ISLAND.

IT WAS A LONG JOURNEY, IT WAS NOT EASY.

I HAD TO GO THROUGH CHAOTIC AND UPSETTING MOMENTS.

THEY WALKED FOR NINE HOURS, JUST MY KIDS, WITH THE SUITCASE.

MY SIX-YEAR-OLD, FOUR-YEAR-OLD, EIGHT-YEAR-OLD, 10-YEAR-OLD, AND MY SPOUSE.

>> [INDISCERNIBLE] CAN HAVE A SAFE LIFE AND TRAVEL FOR A FEW DAYS.

[GUNFIRE] AMIN: THE TALIBAN WERE DOMINATING, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW, WE ARE HERE AND WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT NOW.

THEY WERE SHOOTING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THEY WERE FIRING, THERE WERE FIRES, MACHINE GUN FIRES, ALL OVER THE CITY.

MY BROTHER WAS THERE.

HE CALLED ME AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING SAID, LEAVE YOUR HOUSE, FIND A CAB, HAVE IT COME PICK YOU UP.

>> THIS IS AMIN.

WE HAVE LEFT FOR THE AIRPORT.

MY KIDS ARE WITH ME.

WE ARE MAKING OUR WAY TO THE AIRPORT.

LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.

THERE ARE SOME GUYS WITH THE MARINES, MY FRIENDS ARE THERE.

HOPEFULLY THOSE GUYS WILL GET ME IN.

THERE ARE TALIBAN SOLDIERS EVERY ONE CLICK EARLY IN THE MORNING.

IT IS 5:45 IN THE MORNING HERE.

HOPEFULLY I WILL MAKE IT INSIDE THE AIRPORT TODAY.

AMIN: ON THE WAY, WE SEE A LOT OF TALIBAN, PEOPLE GOING BACK AND FORTH.

PEOPLE WERE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

THEY HAD GOTTEN THE WORD THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES WERE EVACUATING.

>> THEY WERE THRONGING TO THE AIRPORT, DESPERATE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY, AT ANY COST.

AMIN: WE SAW IT GO DOWN.

WE WITNESSED SHOTS FIRED, PEOPLE BEING SHOT OUTSIDE.

IT WAS NOT EASY.

PEOPLE WERE LITERALLY SHOOTING EVERY SECOND.

>> INSIDE THE AIRPORT THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE RUNWAY.

THESE BIG AIRPLANES ARE HERE.

I AM GOING IN TO TALK TO A MARINE.

LET'S SEE IF HE TALKS TO ME.

♪ AMIN: WE GOT ON A C130.

IT WAS CROWDED.

MY MARINES ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, GIVING FOOD AND WATER TO PEOPLE ON THE PLANE.

THEY WERE JUST THERE.

WHO WOULD WANT TO LEAVE THEIR COUNTRY IN SUCH A CHAOTIC WAY?

♪ ♪ AMIN: WE WERE FEELING FANTASTIC, WE FELT WELCOME.

EVERYBODY CAME TO THE AIRPORT FROM THE NEWS, AND MY FRIENDS.

IT FELT GREAT.

IT FELT LIKE WE HAVE ARRIVED AT OUR LAST DESTINATION.

SO FAR, RHODE ISLAND HAS BEEN AMAZING.

PEOPLE HAVE TREATED US WITH RESPECT AND HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUS.

I AM BEING HOSTED BY A VERY GENEROUS AND KIND FAMILY THAT HAVE GIVEN ME EVERYTHING MY KIDS NEED AND EVERYTHING I NEED.

IT HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE.

MY KIDS WERE NERVOUS.

THEY SAID, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, WHAT IS GOING TO BE THERE?

THEY WERE ALWAYS EXPECTING GOOD THINGS.

I SAID THIS IS THE UNITED STATES, THE LAND OF THE FREE.

THEY WILL LOVE YOU GUYS.

I SEE THEM GROWING UP AND COOPERATING WITH PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS.

THEY ARE BEGINNING TO LEARN ENGLISH.

IT HAS BEEN AMAZING FOR THEM.

HERE IN RHODE ISLAND I WORK FOR AN OFFICE HELPING AFGHANS WITH VISA STATUS.

I AM HAPPY I GOT THAT JOB BECAUSE I STILL WORK WITH MY PEOPLE.

I TALKED TO THEM THROUGH EMAILS TO GET THEIR DOCUMENTS PROCESSED, FOR HUMANITARIAN PAROLE.

THEY CAN COME TO SAFETY IN THE UNITED STATES.

I AM ALL ABOUT HELPING THE COMMUNITY, BRINGING TOGETHER PEOPLE.

TO HELP REFUGEES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO OTHERS, OTHER HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES OPERATING IN THE U.S., FOR HELPING ME AND MY PEOPLE, THE AFGHAN REFUGEES, WHO LEFT THE COUNTRY IN A VERY TRAUMATIC WAY.

I WANT TO THANK THE U.S. MILITARY FOR TAKING CARE OF MY PEOPLE.

I AM VERY GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATIVE.

MICHELLE: OUR THANKS TO JUSTIN KENNY FOR THAT REPORT.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP SOME OF THE HUNDREDS OF AFGHAN REFUGEES COMING TO RHODE ISLAND, YOU CAN CONTACT TO THE CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES OR REFUGEE GREEN CENTER.

WE WANT TO SWITCH GEARS AND GIVE YOU A SNEAK PEEK AT WHAT IS COMING UP NEXT WEEK.

BRIAN JONES BEGAN TAP DANCING DECADES AGO, AND HIGH SCHOOL.

AT THE AGE OF 68, HIS MANY ADMIRERS WOULD BE HAPPY TO KNOW HE HAS NO INTENTION OF STOPPING.

YOU EXPECT TO CONTINUE DANCING FOR?

>> DEFINITELY AT THE 50 MARK.

I HAVE NEVER STOPPED.

MICHELLE: THERE IS AN EXPERT -- EXPIRATION DATE?

>> THERE IS NO SELL BY DATE.

>> THEY ARE NO LONGER DOING HANDSPRING SPRINGS OR CART WHEELS IT IS NOT MY STYLE ANYMORE.

I WANT TO COMPETE ON A THEATRICAL GROUND, I WANT TO DRAW THE AUDIENCE IN, HAVE THEM LEAVE IT FEELING AS THOUGH THEY HAD DANCED.

[APPLAUSE] PAMELA: THAT IS OUR BROADCAST FOR THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I AM PAMELA WATTS.

MICHELLE: I AM MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF "RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY."

♪ ♪