♪ TORI: I AM TORI BEDFORD.

TONIGHT, A LOOK AT EFFORTS TO BAN BOOKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE BRANDEIS STUDENT WHO WENT BEFORE CONGRESS TO URGE BOOKS REMAIN AVAILABLE.

THEN MATT SHEARER JOINS ME ON HIS AWARD-WINNING TIK TOKS.

EFFORTS TO BAN BOOKS ARE AT A 20-YOUR HEIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES.

OR THAN 1200 REQUEST CAME INTO SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY LEST YOUR DEMANDING BANDS ON MORE THAN 2500 BOOKS.

THAT IS UP NEARLY 40% FROM THE YEAR BEFORE IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF BOOKS WERE WRITTEN BY OR ABOUT MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.

IT WENT BEFORE THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE WHERE CAMERON SAMUELS GREW UP IN TEXAS AND GOES TO COLLEGE AT BRANDEIS SHARED EXPERIENCES WITH SOME OF THE BOOKS MOST TARGETED BY BAN REQUEST.

>> IT ILLUSTRATES A QUEER BOY SCOUT TRAUMATIZED.

I SAW MYSELF IN THE BOOK FACING SIMILAR HARASSMENT.

IT GAVE ME WORDS FOR MY TRAUMA BUT IT WAS BANNED.

CENSORSHIP ARE STUDENTS FROM AGE-RELEVANT MATERIALS LEAVING THEM UNABLE TO REALIZE THEIR ACTIONS CAN TRAUMATIZE OTHERS.

TORI: HE JOINS ME NOW AS DOES TRACI GRIFFITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE RACIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM FOR THE ACLU OF MASSACHUSETTS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I'’M WONDERING IF YOU CAN GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW AND WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT WE HAVE SEEN THIS MASSIVE PUSH IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ABOUT WHAT ACCESS STUDENTS AND CHILDREN CAN HAVE TO WHICH MATERIALS, AND IT FEELS LIKE A CULTURAL PHENOMENON.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

TRACI: THIS IS A NATIONWIDE PHENOMENON HAPPENING ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, EVEN IN MASSACHUSETTS WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT BY A MINORITY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING TO CONTROL WHAT OTHER PEOPLE AND OTHER PEOPLES'’S CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO.

TORI: THE CONCERN WE KEEP HEARING OVER AND OVER IS JUST ABOUT PARENTS WANTING THEIR CHILDREN TO BE PROTECTED FROM INFORMATION THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE, RIGHT, LIKE WHAT IS BEING CALLED, PEOPLE SAY PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL, EXPLICIT MATERIAL, OR THINGS PEOPLE SAY IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN OF A CERTAIN AGE.

THAT IS THE ONUS PUBLICLY SAID IS BEHIND THIS, BUT WHAT IS -- I FEEL LIKE -- GO AHEAD -- [LAUGHTER] TRACI: I DON'’T THINK ANYBODY WANTS CHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL AND I THINK CORY BOOKER SAID THAT YESTERDAY DURING SENATE HEARINGS.

DEMOCRATS DON'’T WANT SMALL CHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE HARMFUL TO THEM AND THE REPUBLICANS DON'’T WANT SMALL CHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE HARMFUL TO THEM BUT AT THE HEART OF THE ISSUE, WHO GETS TO DECIDE THAT?

RIGHT?

THE PARENTS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, LAWMAKERS, WHO GETS TO DECIDE?

TORI: I THINK THAT A LOT OF THOSE VOICES HAVE BEEN FROM PARENTS AND THAT HAS BEEN A POWERFUL FORCE POLITICALLY.

I WANT TO PLAY THIS CLIP FROM A 2021 CAMPAIGN AD FOR NOW-GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN AGAINST THEN-INCUMBENT TERRY MCAULIFFE WITH A TESTIMONIAL FROM A PARENT.

♪ >> AS A PARENT, IT IS TOUGH TO CATCH EVERYTHING COME AND SO WHEN MY SON SHOWED ME HIS READING ASSIGNMENT, MY HEART SUNK.

IT WAS SOME OF THE MOST EXPLICIT MATERIAL YOU CAN IMAGINE.

I MET WITH LAWMAKERS WHO COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS SHOWING THEM.

THEIR FACES TURNED BRIGHT RED WITH EMBARRASSMENT.

TORI: SO, SHE IS -- IT'’S NOT MENTIONED IN THE ADVERTISEMENT, BUT SHE'’S TALKING ABOUT TONI MORRISON'’S BELOVED, WHICH TALKS ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE'’S EXPERIENCE IN THE SLAVE TRADE, SEXUAL ASSAULT -- TRACI: ABSOLUTELY.

TORI: HER SON IS A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR TAKING A COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSE.

TRACI: WOW.

WE WOULD NOT ONE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AT COLLEGE LEVEL READING AND UNDERSTANDING TO KNOW ABOUT HISTORY?

OK. GOT YOU.

TORI: CAMERON, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.

WHAT IS MISSING FOR CHILDREN WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO CERTAIN MATERIALS?

SO IF A STUDENT, YOU KNOW, LARGELY WATCHES BEING BANNED ARE STORIES FROM PEOPLE FROM THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, I WONDER, YOU SPOKE ABOUT BOOKS WHERE YOU FELT SEEN.

WHITE IS IT IMPORTANT TO SPEAK OUT AND WHAT WOULD THEY BE MISSING OUT ON?

CAMERON: STUDENTS IN MY SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM KATY, TEXAS, ALL THEMSELVES MORE IN LISTS OF CHALLENGES AND BAN BOOKS THEN THEY SAW THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

THESE BOOK BANS ARE TARGETING IDENTITY WITH VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION THAT IS CONTRARY TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

AND, BY NOT HAVING ACCESS TO LITERATURE, THAT CAN SERVE AS LIFELINES, WE DO NOT LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES WITH AGE-RELEVANT MATERIALS.

WE DON'’T LEARN HOW ABOUT HOW SOCIETY WORKS IN TOUGH ISSUES LIKE SEXUAL ABUSE, AS TONI MORRISON HAS WRITTEN ABOUT.

TORI: WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO, AND WHO IS ALREADY DOING SOMETHING TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST HIS BIG NATIONAL PUSH?

CAMERON: I AM A STUDENT AT BRANDEIS, AND MOVING HERE FROM TEXAS FEELS LIKE I'’M NOW LIVING IN AN ALTERNATE REALITY, WHERE I AM IN SUCH A LOVELY COMMUNITY OF AFFIRMATION, AND BY CREATING SAFE SPACES THAT HONORED THE FREEDOM TO READ, WE CAN READ THESE BOOKS BECAUSE I CAMPAIGN AD CAN SHOW ANY MESSAGE, AND I KNOW IT IS A WINNING MESSAGE WHEN THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT IT THAT PEOPLE WILL NOT PICK UP THESE BOOKS, SO IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO READ THESE BOOKS, READ BANNED BOOKS SO WE CAN KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT.

BY CREATING BE SAFE SPACES AND BY STANDING UP AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND IN STATE LEGISLATURES WE ARE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR FREEDOM TO READ AND UPLIFTING STUDENT VOICES IN THIS ACTIVISM IS SO IMPORTANT.

TORI: ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SOMEONE THAT IDENTIFIES WITH THESE BOOKS BEING CALLED INAPPROPRIATE OR IDENTIFIED WITH MESSAGES -- I MEAN, THERE IS SO MUCH OF THIS.

THIS FALLS IN LINE WITH DON'’T SAY GAY BILLS AND ANTI-TRANS LEGISLATION PROPOSED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

ON A PERSONAL LEVEL HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE FIGHTING BACK WHAT FEELS LIKE A MASSIVE WAVE?

CAMERON: THEIR DEFINITION OF INAPPROPRIATE IS SYNONYMOUS WITH MY TRANS IDENTITY, THIS DEFINITION HAS ALLOWED US TO BE TARGETED, AND IT DOES NOT FEEL GOOD WHEN I WAS THE ONLY STUDENT IN THE ROOM AT MY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IN TEXAS SPEAKING UP FOR MY RIGHTS AS OTHERS, ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY, WHO WERE DEMANDING THESE BOOKS BE REMOVED.

I WAS THE ONLY STUDENT IN THE ROOM AND THEREFORE THE ONLY ONE WHOSE FUTURE WAS DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THESE POLICIES.

STUDENTS NEED TO BE ACTIVE IN THE DECISION-MAKING IN COLLABORATION WITH PARENTS, FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS SO WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT OUR OWN EDUCATION, AND THAT IS WHAT IS SO UPSETTING WHEN OTHERS ARE MAKING DECISIONS FOR US, BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE.

TORI: I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THIS IS VERY POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND OBVIOUSLY WE ARE LOOKING AT MIDTERMS, I WONDER WHAT YOU PREDICT FOR THIS MOVEMENT, SINCE WE HAVE SEEN EFFORTS TO BANS BOOKS AND NEWSPAPERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT BEFORE AND ACO YOU'’S CONCERN IS FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS -- ACLU'’S CONCERNS HIS FIRST MINUTE RIGHTS.

WHAT YOU SAY TO THIS?

TRACI: CAMERON, MASSACHUSETTS HAS YOUR BACK.

THIS IS AN ISSUE WE ARE FOCUSED ON AND PAYING ATTENTION TO AND WE ARE THERE AND WE ARE READY FOR THE FIGHT.

THE FIGHTS DON'’T STAY WON.

CENSORSHIP, WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF CENSORSHIP, RIGHT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT THAT GUARANTEES US THE RIGHT TO WRITE AND READ AND SPEAK IN WAYS THAT SOME PEOPLE MIGHT OBJECT TO, RIGHT, BUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT GUARANTEES US THOSE RIGHTS AND WE HAVE TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY TO PROTECT THOSE RIGHTS THAT ARE GUARANTEED IN THE CONSTITUTION.

TORI: I WANTED TO ASK YOU BOTH ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK YOU REPRESENT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THIS BUT IT ALSO FALLS IN LINE WITH THIS PUSH AGAINST CRT, CRITICAL RACE THEORY, AND NOW SOME OF THE BANNED BOOKS ON THESE LISTS ARE OAKS THAT SIMPLY TALK ABOUT HISTORICAL INCIDENTS THAT INVOLVE BLACK PEOPLE OR THE CIVIL WAR OR SLAVERY OR SEGREGATION.

HOW DOES THAT FALL INTO THIS DISCUSSION AS WELL?

ARE WE MOVING BACKWARDS IN THIS WAY?

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS JUST POLITICS?

IT IS A RHETORIC THAT IS SEEMINGLY GROWING POWER.

TRACI: MARGINALIZED PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK, IT IS LGBTQ, NEXT WEEK, ASIAN FOLKS NEXT WEEK , BLACK FOLKS.

MARGINALIZED PEOPLE ARE MARGINALIZED PEOPLE AND THEY ARE OFTEN THE SUBJECT OF THESE KINDS OF ATTACKS, OR WHETHER IT IS ABOUT CRT, WHETHER IT IS LGBTQ LIFE EXPERIENCE, THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD SEEK TO ERASE, ERASE THOSE EXPERIENCES, THOSE REALITIES OF THOSE HISTORIES OF THOSE TRUTHS, AND SO THERE IS THAT EFFORT, AND THE FOLKS THAT RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT THAT HAS TO BE DEFENDED.

WE HAVE TO BAND TOGETHER TO WORK TOWARDS THAT.

THE ACLU OF MASSACHUSETTS HAS PUT OUT A RESOURCE ACCESSIBLE ONLINE FOR PARENTS AND FOR STUDENTS AND FOR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS WHO ARE LOOKING AT AND CONSIDERING AND FACING THESE KINDS OF ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE THEM.

UM, IT IS A GOOD RESOURCE ON THE RIGHT?

IT IS SOMETHING WE HOPE PEOPLE UTILIZED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE.

TORI: CAMERON, -- I WANTED TO ASK YOU, WHEN YOU GO HOME, I DON'’T KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE THIS FIGHT IN TEXAS.

I DON'’T KNOW IF YOU FEEL SAFE TO?

I WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT YOUR PLAN IS.

TRACI: IT IS CERTAINLY TOUGH --CAMERON: IT IS CERTAINLY TOUGH IN TEXAS ABOUT HAVING THE BACKING OF ACLU TEXAS IS MEANINGFUL, AND BEING JOINED BY OTHER ORGANIZERS IN MY ORGANIZATION, STUDENTS ENGAGED IN ADVANCING TEXAS WE ARE BANDING TOGETHER AND JOINING THE FRONT LINES OF THIS ADVOCACY, BOTH REMOTELY AND IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS TEXAS, AND I HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THIS.

UM, I PLAN NOT TO STEP AWAY UNTIL THERE IS A TIME WHERE WE CAN SIMPLY BE HAPPY, AND NOT WORRY ABOUT WHO IS GOING TO BE NEXT TO BE TARGETED.

WE NEED TO BE UPLIFTING VOICES, NOT MARGINALIZING FURTHERED THE MOST SUPPRESSED VOICES.

TORI: RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT IS THE CONCERN, RIGHT?

IT'’S NOT ABOUT PEOPLE BEING EXPOSED TO CERTAIN THINGS, BUT VIOLENCE ULTIMATELY.

THAT IS THE BIGGER CONCERN.

TRACI: YES.

THESE TYPES OF ACTIONS HAVE REPERCUSSIONS, AND CAMERON SPOKE TO ED A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT?

THIS IS ABOUT ERASING PEOPLE THE RIGHT, ERASING THE FACT THAT THEY ARE HERE AND THEY LIVE THEIR LIVES.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED, OTHERWISE IT WILL CONTINUE.

TORI: THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

THANK YOU.

NEXT, IF YOU THINK YOU ARE FROM A SMALL, SLEEPY TOWN ODDS ART MIGHT NEXT GUEST CAN FIGHT SOME -- FIND SOMETHING THERE TO WRITE ABOUT.

MATT: I PICKED A BAD DAY TO VISIT CHELMSFORD.

I AM MATCH YEAR.

TO EXPERIENCE A TOWN WITH THE ARK BASKET, A MARKET BASKET NEXT TO IT, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED THERE.

[INDISCERNIBLE] TORI: THE WBZ TIKTOK ACCOUNT TAKES UP CHALLENGES TO FIND SOMETHING, ANYTHING, ABOUT HOMETOWNS AND CLEARLY HE SUCCEEDS IN HIS VIDEOS THAT HELPED THE TIKTOK ACCOUNT WAS A NATIONAL AWARD THIS YEAR FOR EXCELLENT AND INNOVATION AND PERHAPS HIS GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT IS CORRECTING THIS TRAGIC WRONG.

MATT: I RECENTLY POINTED ON THE 99 BEING WITHOUT POTATO SKINS FOR GEAR AND THE OUTRAGE THAT ENSUED, BUT TODAY'’S VISIT WAS DIFFERENT.

YES!

WE MADE OUR VOICES HEARD IN CORPORATE AMERICA LISTEN.

OH, IT IS THE BEST SMELL.

>> THEY ARE BACK.

>> YES.

FINALLY.

TORI: MATT JOINS ME NOW.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

MATT: THANK YOU.

I THINK BEING HERE NOW IS MY GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT.

THE POTATO SKINS AND GBH WITH TORI BEDFORD.

TORI: THAT'’S IT.

GOODBYE.

MATT: [INDISCERNIBLE] TORI: HE STARTED GROWING A BEARD AND I TEXTED HIM ARE YOU RETIRING?

HE RESPONDED WITH THE WORD "LAUGHING," SO I GUESS NOT.

MATT: IT IS MORE OF A DAVID LETTERMAN SITUATION WHERE IT'’S A WHOLE NEW ERA WITH A BEARD.

BLANK MATT: THAT'’S TRUE, THEN HE WENT BACK TO WORK.

TORI: I WILL TALK ABOUT TIKTOK.

MATT: PLEASE.

TORI: YOU STARTED DOING THIS TWO YEARS AGO AND HOW DID THAT START?

MATT: YEAH, SO THE RADIO STATION WAS LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO APPEAL TO PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY I SHOULD SAY REACH PEOPLE WHO OTHERWISE HAVE NEVER CRESTED THE AM BUTTON ON THE RADIO AND WHERE DO THEY HANG OUT?

TIKTOK.

SO THEY WANTED ME TO FIND A WAY TO GET THE STATION TIKTOK UP AND RUNNING AND I SAID WE ARE ALREADY TELLING FUN SHORT STORIES ON THE HEIRS OF LESS KIND OF ADAPT THAT TO THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM BY ADDING VIDEO AND IT WAS TRICKY AT FIRST AND I HAD TO FIND A WAY TO HOLD BOTH A WAY TO HOLD BOTH THE MICROPHONE AND MY CELL PHONE AT THE SAME TIME.

I AM NOT USED TO DOING TO HANDS AT ONCE BUT ONCE I FIGURED THAT OUT, THINGS STARTED TAKING OFF AND PEOPLE TOOK TO MY STORYTELLING STYLE WHICH I GUESS IS UNCONVENTIONAL, SORT OF A BLEND OF TRADITIONAL NEWS STORYTELLING WITH THE MODERN NEWS STORYTELLING THAT PEOPLE GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

TORI: THE WAY YOU DESCRIBED IT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE ANYBODY COULD DO IT BUT YOU HAVE THIS WAY WHERE YOU FIND PEOPLE, LIKE IN YOUR LIFE, HAVE YOU FOUND THAT YOU ARE KIND OF A CHARACTER MAGNET?

YOU FIND SOME REALLY INTERESTING PEOPLE, THEN YOU GO BACK AND RECONNECT WITH THEM.

MATT: SURE, I GUESS MY CLIQUE IN HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE WEIRDOS AND I CONSIDER MYSELF ONE OF THEM SO I'’D LIKE TO SURROUND MYSELF -- I DON'’T WANT TO SAY WEIRDOS, BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS INSULTING.

TORI: I WANTED TO SAY WEIRDOS MAGNET BUT THAT SOUNDED RUDE.

MATT: I DIDN'’T WANT TO CALL MYSELF THAT BUT I WOULD LEAVE THAT UP TO OTHER PEOPLE BUT PEOPLE WHO THINK DIFFERENT WHO ARE DIFFERENT AND PEOPLE WHO WILL SAY SOMETHING INTO A MICROPHONE THAT I WOULD NEVER EXPECT.

THERE IS A LOT OF PHONINESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE ALL KNOW AND WE SEE IT AND I DON'’T WANT TO BE PHONY.

I WANT TO BE REAL AS POSSIBLE.

YOU SAY ANYBODY CAN DO THIS BUT I HAVE THIS WAY.

I THINK AUTHENTICITY IS THE BIGGEST THING ON SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL SEE THROUGH YOU IF YOU ARE NOT AUTHENTIC.

TORI: WHAT YOU GET OUT OF IT.

IT SEEMS LIKE A FUN JOB AND YOU GO OUT AND TALK TO TRAINERS WHICH IS TERRIFYING FOR 70 PEOPLE BUT YOU ARE GOING OUT, AND WE TALKED ABOUT YOUR SERIES WHERE YOU COVER PEOPLE SMALL TOWNS AND TOWNS IN MASSACHUSETTS , AND WHEN YOU GO OUT YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY RESEARCH, RIGHT, YOU ARE GOING AND COMPLETELY BLIND AND MEETING LIKE THE MOST INTERESTING CRAZY PEOPLE, AND TELLING THEIR STORIES AND A WEIGHT THAT IS NOT EXPLOITIVE.

RIGHT, YOU'’RE NUTS AND LOOK AT THESE CRAZY PEOPLE, BUT YOU'’RE SHOWING US AND TAKING US SOMEWHERE.

MATT: I OFTEN END UP MAKING FRIENDS WITH THEM AND KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH THEM.

YOU ARE RIGHT, I DON'’T WANT TO BE EXPLOIT TATE IF AT ALL IN THIS ENDEAVOR AND YOU ARE RIGHT THERE IS NO RESEARCH IN PEOPLE GET ALL CHIRPY IN THE COMMENTS, WHY DO YOU LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE SOMEBODY WANTS SODA PATCHED INTO A FLAG?

BECAUSE THAT'’S NOT RELEVANT TO WHAT I'’M DOING HERE.

THE POINT IS TO SHOW UP AND FIND SOMETHING COLD AND NINE TIMES OUT OF 10 THE PERSON OR PEOPLE IS WHAT MAKES THE SMALL TOWNS GREAT, WHEN PEOPLE SAY COME VISIT MY HOMETOWN AND YOU WOULD NEVER FIND SOMETHING COOL.

WHAT THEY DON'’T REALIZE IT IS THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY PEOPLE HAVE LIVING IN A PLACE LIKE THAT.

I GREW UP IN ACTON, MASSACHUSETTS AND I KNOW WHAT IT'’S LIKE TO GROW UP IN A SMALL TOWN EVEN THOUGH IT ACTON IS MIDDLE.

TORI: THERE'’S NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE.

THEY ARE SPREAD OUT.

MATT: BUT I KNOW WHAT IT'’S LIKE TO HAVE THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY WHERE IT'’S NOT BALLSTON, WORCESTER, LOWELL, SO I'’D LIKE FINDING THOSE GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND SHARING THEIR STORIES BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEIR STORIES WOULD NEVER BE HEARD.

TORI: WHAT IS INTERESTING IS YOU STARTED IT DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC AND IT REALLY IS ABOUT YOU KNOW WE WERE ALL EXPERIENCING SO MUCH ISOLATION IN WHAT YOU'’RE DOING IS JUST GETTING OUT AND TALKING TO PEOPLE.

THERE IS A BIGGER KIND OF CULTURAL MESSAGE TO BE TAKEN FROM THAT ABOUT JUST TALKING TO PEOPLE.

MATT: YEAH.

YEAH.

I THINK DURING THE PANDEMIC WE ALL REALIZE HOW MUCH WEAKNESS THAT AND I AM THE KIND OF PERSON WHO LOVES TALKING TO PEOPLE SOMETIMES TO A FAULT.

YOU SHOULD ASK MY WIFE ABOUT THAT BUT I LOVE TALKING TO PEOPLE AND I CAN GET A CONVERSATION GOING ABOUT ANYTHING, AND IT ALSO MAKES EDITING THESE VIDEOS DIFFICULT TO LISTEN TO ALL THESE CONVERSATIONS AND TRY NOT TO CRINGE AT MYSELF, BUT IT IS A FUN CHALLENGE AND LIKE I SAID I REALLY JUST LIKE BEING AMONG THE PEOPLE.

TORI: WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE WANT TO DO SO FAR?

MATT: OH, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION, MY FAVORITE TOWN OR STORY?

TORI: ANY TIKTOK.

MATT: IN TERMS OF EXPLORING SMALL TOWNS, I LOVE BEING SHOWN AROUND BY THIS AMAZING DUDE NAMED PETE WHO DROVE THIS RUNDOWN OLD VAN CALLED SCOOBY DOO, AND HE HAD A WAY WITH THE TEMP AND NEW THE TOWN BY ANYBODY.

HE GREW UP THERE AND WAS DRIVING ME AROUND AND POINTING OUT ALL THESE PLACES AND TELLING ME THE STORIES YOU WOULD NEVER HEAR ON THE NEWS BUT WERE JUST AMAZING VALERIUS STORIES FROM HIS OWN LIFE, AND HE WAS A QUIRKY CHARACTER TOO WHO LOVES THE PEOPLE THAT HE LIVES WITH.

NO, HE OFFERS FREE RIDES TO PEOPLE IN TOWN IN HIS VAN, AGAIN CALLED SCOOBY DOO, BECAUSE HE HAS NOTHING GOING ON AT HIS RETIRED AND WANTS TO HELP.

I LOVE THAT.

TORI: THERE ARE SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM IF PEOPLE WANT TO CHECK THEM ON THE TIKTOK.

IT IS THE WBZ RADIO TIKTOK.

MATT: CORRECT.

TORI: WE HAVE SOME INCREDIBLY BRILLIANT PRODUCERS HERE WHO PUT TOGETHER A QUIZ FOR YOU.

MATT: OH YEAH.

TORI: ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS, SO WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS HERE IS YOUR FIRST QUESTION.

PLAY THE MUSIC.

WHAT WAS THE FIG NEWTON LOOKING MADE FOR, SIR ISAAC NEWTON, THE TOWN OF NEWTON, OR NEWTS, WHICH ARE GROUND UP IN THE FILLING?

MATT: WELL, THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE THAT THEY WOULD GRIND UP NEWTS, BECAUSE IT IS A WHICH MAKES THE FIG NEWTONS.

THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE SO DELICIOUS.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU CALL AT THE TOWN OF NEWTON.

I AM PRETTY SURE IT IS A CITY WITH THE MAYOR.

TORI: YEAH.

MATT: BUT I BELIEVE THAT IS THE ANSWER, NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TORI: I'’M LIKE ANCHORMAN JUST READING THINGS.

YOU ARE CORRECT.

WHAT IS THE FIRST ZIP CODE IN THE CONTINENTAL AMERICA?

MATT: OH MY GOSH.

HOW WOULD I KNOW THIS?

I DON'’T KNOW.

WHO HAS THE ZIP CODE OF 00001.

TORI: IT IS ACTUALLY 01001.

MATT: WHAT?

TORI: PUERTO RICO WAS THE FIRST EVER.

MATT: IT IS BINARY CODE.

LET'’S GO AGAWAM.

TORI: YOU ARE CORRECT.

YOU KNOW MASSACHUSETTS.

WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL WHO IS THE OFFICIAL STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS?

PERSIAN, TABBY, SIGNEES, OR ARE PRODUCERS CAP JENNY?

MATT: IT HAS TO BE JENNY.

THERE'’S NO WAY COULD BE ANY OTHER CAT.

YES THE TORI: OFFICIAL CAP OF MASSACHUSETTS IS JENNY.

I HAVE SEEN JENNY ON INSTAGRAM.

MATT: -- TORI: IN TABBY IS THE OFFICIAL CAP.

YOU HAVE WON AGAIN.

OK, WHAT TOWN IS HOME TO A HOUSE MADE OF PAPER?

ROCKPORT, MEDFORD, WALPOLE, AMHERST?

MATT: OH MY GOSH.

TORI: DO-DO-DO-DO-DO.

MATT: MEDFORD.

TORI: NO, ROCKPORT.

ROCK, PAPER -- FOUR I WAS PLAYING WITH ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS WITH MY DAUGHTER ON HER WAY TO PRESCHOOL YESTERDAY AND SHE SAID, UNCOUPLED PAPER.

TORI: WOW.

MATT: IT WAS A WHOLE NEW CATEGORY.

TORI:TORI: I WILL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

WHO WAS THE MOST FAMOUS PERSON FROM ACTON, STEVE CARELL, HOWIE CARR, TAYLOR DICKENS,, MATT SCHEER.

MATT: SO, OK, TAYLOR JENKINS READ YOUNGER BROTHER IS ONE OF MY BEST FRIEND.

TORI: A NAME DROPPER.

MATT: JAKE WOULD PROBABLY LOVE IT IF I SHOUTED HIM OUT.

IT IS DEFINITELY, METRO.

TORI: IT IS YOU.

MATT: STEVE CARELL.

TORI: WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?

MATT: A BUNCH OF AMAZING STORIES.

I WENT TO THE NORTH END.

THERE IS THIS GREAT INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT WHERE THEY JUST DOCUMENT ALL THE TRUCKS THAT GET STUCK TRYING TO NAVIGATE THOSE NARROW STREETS SO I RENTED A U-HAUL AND TRY TO FIND MY WAY AROUND TOWN AND GOT STUCK IN SO MANY HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE WAYS.

TORI: NICE.

[CROSSTALK] I CAN'’T WAIT TO WATCH IT.

MATT: I HOPE PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO WATCH IT.

TORI: WE WILL WATCH IT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE MATT SHEARER.

MATT:MATT: THIS WAS FUN.

TORI: FINALLY, A NEW LOOK AT THE EDWARD HOPPER EXHIBITION AT THE CAPE ANN MUSEUM.

GBH EXECUTIVE ARTS EDITOR JARED BOWEN HAS MORE.

JARED: THE SEAGULLS SAILED AND SQUAWKED OVER GLOUCESTER A HISTORIC CITY AND FISHING PORT ON THE NORTH SHORE OF MASSACHUSETTS.

LIKE THE GOALS, ARTIST HAVE LONG FLOCKED HERE, INCLUDING 100 YEARS AGO, EDWARD HOPPER.

>> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EDWARD HOPPER AND HIS ULTIMATE GOAL, PAINTING SOME LIGHT ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE IN THE SERIES OF HOMES FOUND THAT OPPORTUNITY.

JARED: OLIVER BARKER IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CAPE ANN MUSEUM WHICH JUST OPENED HIS LARGEST EVER EXHIBITION, I THE DOCUMENTS HOUSE BY HOUSE, LANDSCAPE BY LANDSCAPE, HOW EDWARD HOPPER FOUND HIMSELF AS A PAINTER.

>> THIS EXHIBITION IS ABOUT PLACE BUT ALSO ABOUT A PROCESS OF THE ARTIST AND LEARNING A NEW MEDIUM AND SEEING THE IMPACT OF THAT.

JARED: HOPPER HAD BEEN TO CAPE ANN BEFORE BUT IN 1923 HE TOOK ROOT, SPENDING THE FIRST OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE SUMMERS HERE ARE THE PLACE.

HE WAS SINGLE, 40 AND HAD ONLY EVER SOLD ONE PAINTING, SO HIS CAREER WAS STAGNANT AT BEST.

HE WAS FAR REMOVED FROM THE FAME THAT WOULD COME FROM BURROWING INTO THE AMERICAN PSYCHE WITH HIS SCENES OF URBAN LONELINESS, MOST POINTEDLY RENDERED IN HIS PAINTING, NIGHTHAWKS.

>> HE WAS STRUGGLING TO MAKE A LIVING.

JARED: THIS SHOWS CURATOR SAYS THAT EDWARD HOPPER WAS DRAWN TO THE SEA AND DREW IT HIMSELF STARTING AS A YOUNG BOY GROWING UP IN NEW YORK.

>> HE LIVED RIGHT ON THE WATERFRONT, SO FROM HIS SECOND-STORY BEDROOM WINDOW HE COULD ACTUALLY SEE THE SOULS SAILING ALONG -- THE VESSEL SENDING ALONG THE HUDSON, AND YOU CAN SEE IT IN EARLY DRAWING HE MADE IN PENCIL.

HIS MOTHER WAS AN ARTIST WHICH WAS ANOTHER INTERESTING ASPECT OF HIM.

IT JARED: WOULD BE ANOTHER WOMAN WHO ULTIMATE CHANGE THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER IN THE SUMMER OF 1923, HE MET HER IN AN ARTIST WITH WHOM HE CROSSED PATHS BEFORE.

SHE HAD >> A LOT TO BE PROUD OF BECAUSE HER WORK WAS BEING SHOWN IN THE DANIEL GALLERY IN NEW YORK AND SHE ALSO HAD HER PAINTING SELECTED FOR AN IMPORTANT TRAVELING EXHIBITION IN 1924 WINTER WHICH WAS GOING TO BE SHOWN IN PARIS AND IN LONDON.

JARED: IN SHORT ORDER THEY FOUND ARTISTIC AND ROMANTIC CONNECTIONS.

ALSO AN ART TEACHER, SHE PUSHED HOPPER MOVING HIM OUT OF HIS COMFORT ZONE WHERE HE METICULOUSLY PLANNED HIS ILLUSTRATIONS AND ETCHINGS AND INTO WATERCOLORS.

>> WATERCOLOR IS HARDER TO CONTROL.

IT IS ESSENTIALLY PIGMENT SUSPENDED IN WATER AND ULTIMATELY IT HELPS HIM GET OUT OF HIS OWN WAY AND LET HIMSELF BE A LITTLE MORE SPONTANEOUS AND PERHAPS TAP INTO MORE OF THAT SUBCONSCIOUS.

IT IS MAYBE FOR ATHLETES WHEN YOU THINK OF THAT MOMENT OF FLOW, WHEN YOU ARE IN IT, YOU KNOW IT.

JARED: SHE BECOMES HIS BIGGEST CHAMPION.

WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY SHE STEPPED AWAY FROM HER OWN CAREER AND IDENTIFY HIM AS THE PERSON WHO SHOULD MOVE FORWARD?

>> I THINK SHE WAS A PRAGMATIST UNDERSTOOD THAT ONE OF THEM HAD TO SUCCEED AND SHE SAW WHAT IT TOOK FOR HIM TO BECOME EDWARD HOPPER.

JARED: ONE YEAR LATER, THE PAIR WAS MARRIED AND TOGETHER THE HOPPERS TOURED CAPE ANN OFFERING -- OFTEN CAPTURING THE SAME SUBJECTS LIKE THE LANDMARK CHURCH AND EDWARD WAS ESPECIALLY DRAWN TO FISHING SCENES, THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN THE CITY'’S ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOOD, AND TO THE SIGNALS OF MODERN TIMES LIKE UTILITY POLES.

HE ALSO DWELLED ON DWELLINGS, AND MANY OF HOPPER'’S HOME STILL STAND LIKE ANDERSON'’S HOUSE IN HODGKINS HOUSE.

WHAT YOU THINK IT IS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE THAT SPEAKS TO THAT HOPPER, IS IT LONELINESS, MYSTERY?

>> 1928, HE COMES BACK IN THE PAINTING IN THE SHOW IS HIS FIRST HOUSE PORTRAIT AND OIL.

IT WAS ALMOST A SPLIT PERSONALITY BETWEEN THE FACADE THAT IS MORE ORNATE IN THE FACADE ON THE FRONT WHICH IS MUCH MORE SOMBER.

JARED: PERHAPS A METAPHOR NOW FOR THE LIGHT AND DARK AND HOPPER'’S ARTISTIC LIFE.

AFTER THAT FIRST SUMMER IN GLOUCESTER, HIS CAREER BEGAN TO CRACK OPEN AND HE SOLD HIS FIRST WORK IN MORE THAN A DECADE THIS WATERCOLOR OF A GRAND GLOUCESTER HOME.

HE HAD A NEW ARTISTIC EYE AND FERVOR AND IT, DAVID SAYS, TRANSFORM HIM IN WAYS THAT CAN BE TRACED TO THE REST OF HIS CAREER.

>> HE LOVED MOTIVES THAT SHOW UP IN GLOUCESTER LIKE IN TONY'’S HOUSE, THE FIRE HYDRANT AND WATERCOLOR, AND OF COURSE THE MOST FAMOUS FIRE HYDRANT ANYONE EVER PAINTED IN AMERICAN ART IS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WHERE WE SEE IT AS THE SOLE OBJECT ON THE SIDEWALK TESTING THAT LONG SHADOW.

HOPPER FOR SOME REASON BLOOD INTERSECTIONS OF THIS UNUSUALLY SHAPED BUILDING AT THE CORNER OF PORTUGUESE HILL.

OF COURSE, CORNER BUILDINGS BECAME THE SUBJECT OF HIS NOCTURNAL DRUGSTORE SEEN IN 1927.

JARED: IT ALL HAPPEN HERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF CAPE ANN, JOSEPHINE, AND EDWARD HOPPER.

TORI: THAT EXHIBIT IS ON DISPLAY THROUGH OCTOBER 16.

HAD TO CAPE ANN MUSEUM.ORG FOR MORE.

THAT IS IT FOR TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

I AM TORI BEDFORD.

GOOD NIGHT.

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