Today on the show, we start with the news that a state audit has found that illegal sterilizations were done on female inmates. Then, 'Metastasis," the Spanish-language 'Breaking Bad' gets cooking. Plus, how to avoid sharing fraudulent news stories on social media, Juliette Lewis talks family drama and her new film "Hellion" and much more.
State audit blasts illegal sterilizations done on female inmates
Prison medical staffers have been illegally sterilizing female inmates, according to a California state audit released yesterday.
At least 39 prisoners underwent surgeries where their informed consent was in question. Corey Johnson with the Center for Investigative Reporting first broke the story a year ago.
In that time, lawmakers have said that they're outraged about the findings from that report and the new audit. At least one has authored a bill to ban sterilization surgeries for inmates unless it's medically necessary.
Johnson joins Take Two to explain the details of the released audit and what reparations could be in store for those women already affected.
'Metastasis': The Spanish-language 'Breaking Bad' gets cooking
A Spanish language version of the hit AMC TV series, "Breaking Bad" has begun airing on Univision station Unimas.
The original show follows the story of Walter White, a chemistry teacher turned meth kingpin. The Colombia-set Spanish language version, "Metastasis," follows the exact same story, even using the original scripts in many cases.
But as the Royale with Cheese is to the Quarter Pounder, there are some little differences. Characters' names have been cleverly translated, so Walter White is Walter Blanco, Walter's wife Skylar is Cielo (Sky, in Spanish) and Saul Goodman is Saul Bueno.
New York Times TV writer Mike Hale watched the first episode, albeit without a fluent understanding of Spanish. He said certain details were changed to be more appropriate in the new context: the meth lab RV has been changed to a school bus and lawyer Saul Goodman's cheesy TV commercials ("Better call Saul") have been changed to a late night TV talk show.
Overall, Hale said, the new adaptation mostly holds up to the original. While it doesn't have the big budget production value and cinematography of the original, the acting is good and the tone is closer to the kind of TV dramas Americans are familiar with, rather than the melodrama of the typical telenovela.
The entire five seasons of the "Breaking Bad" story will be airing in the telenovela format of one a day, rather than spaced out over weeks and yearly seasons. The entire show will be broadcast in about three months and episodes are also be available on Hulu.
Friday Flashback: Action in Iraq, Hillary Clinton and the RNC squirrel
It's the end of another week and time for the Flashback, Take Two's look at the week in news. This morning we're joined by Ashley Perez, and editor with Buzzfeed, and Jamelle Bouie from Slate.com.
Yesterday President Obama announced he'll send up to 300 military advisors to the region, and alluded to possible military action in the future. What sort of appetite do you think Americans have for renewing efforts in Iraq?
Today the President is announcing a rule to make legally married same-sex couples eligible for benefits under the Family and Medical Leave Act in all 50 states. As of now, couples are only eligible if they live in states where same sex marriage is legal.
Earlier this week he said he'd sign an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against employees based on their sexual orientation. What are the political implications of taking action by executive order instead of letting Congress sort it out?
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a book tour appearance in California yesterday, a tour that many are calling her pre-presidential tour, could this be a practice run?
Hillary Clinton now has a furry foe. The Republican National Committee has hired a new mascot, a giant "squirrel" to follow Clinton around on her book tour. He's been handing out bumper stickers with the slogan, "Another Clinton in the White House is NUTS." Is this real?
The GOP continues its effort to gain more black and minority voters. What are they dong now and what are they doing wrong?
Juliette Lewis talks family drama and her new film 'Hellion'
The new film "Hellion" looks at a broken family facing difficult times in Texas.
The mother has died and dad, played by Aaron Paul of "Breaking Bad" fame, is left to take care of his two rambunctious sons. But being a single dad proves difficult for him. He drinks too much and leaves his kids alone way too often.
Child protective services steps in and takes his younger son away and places him with his aunt Pam, played by actress Juliette Lewis. Family dramas seem to be her thing of late. Lewis also appeared last year along with Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts in the film "August Osage County."
She joins Take Two for more on her newest role.
Interview Highlights:
On what drew her to "Hellion":
“You just look for, or they come to you and its shocking, little diamonds in the rough, and that’s what 'Hellion' felt like. It was so well written, so moving and beautiful and unpredictable.”
“Then I met Kat, the director, Kat Candler, and that was such a thrill because she’s so sensitive, thoughtful, and she has such a great eye. And then Aaron Paul is an obscenely beautiful talent and I love that this is a new chapter for him. He’s gorgeous and incredible and moving in the movie”
On her intense scenes with Aaron Paul:
“She (Pam)’s not really volatile and emotional, but he is and I love that balance in acting. When you know what your place is in the story.”
“In some of these scenes, he’s blowing it big-time, but she’s really gentle with him because in an odd way, their family…It felt so real, I love it.”
On working on August Osage County:
“It was a dream. It all starts with the material. So you have Tracy Letts; he’s just brilliant…His characters jump off the page.”
“To play Karen (her character in "August Osage County"), whoa, she is just a bundle of anxiety and denial. It was an uncomfortable skin to live in and I relish it. And to work next to Meryl Streep, she’s a dear, she is everything you want her to be.”
“It was uncomfortable material, you know, even though my character is kind of funny, but to me she’s tragic.”
On dealing with personal challenges while shooting the film
“I’m still going through lots of colors in life. I’m mid-life, so this is the time where parents and mortality become real. My dad had a heart attack and he’s ailing in a lot of ways and has dementia. It was touch and go for a minute…my sisters and I came together to help him recuperate.”
Lewis acknowledges that her recent work and her personal life have similarly shown what comes out of you in times of family crisis: "All the colors — your strengths and your weaknesses.”
World Cup 2014: England, Spain out, and a lookahead to US vs. Portugal
As the 2014 FIFA World Cup continues in Brazil, defending champion Spain is out and the U.S. prepares to face Portugal this weekend. Steve Crossman of the BBC joins Take Two to talk upsets, surprises and the team that's impressed him the most so far. He also previews the weekend's biggest games.
Brazilian police arrest alleged Mexican drug trafficker en route to World Cup
A Mexican man suspected of trafficking methamphetamine was arrested in Brazil this week.
Brazilian federal police tracked down Jose Diaz-Barajas on Monday in an operation that involved FIFA and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (or DEA).
According to Brazilian authorities, Diaz-Barajas, who is obviously a soccer fan, had traveled to Brazil with his wife and two children to attend Tuesday's match between Mexico and Brazil. What tipped authorities off? He bought tickets using his real name.
Mike Vigil, the former head of international operations for the DEA and author of the forthcoming book "DEAL," says it's not the first time a drug kingpin has been captured at a sporting event.
Illegal professional music studios thrive in Los Angeles
When is a garage not a garage? When it’s a professional recording studio. Tucked away among the quiet neighborhood streets of L.A., there are untold numbers of them. From these discrete refigured spaces come the scores, soundtracks and songs that feed the insatiable appetite of the entertainment industry.
For the California Report, Peter Gilstrap reports on how zoning laws make many of these spaces are illegal.
“You know, I’m breaking the law right now. I’m an outlaw, but it’s perfect. It suits the rock and roll mystique,” says producer/engineer/musician Maurice, who’s not using his real name for this story as his studio — like the majority of them — is flying under the legal radar. He has garnered gold and platinum albums for production over a 20-year career, and currently works out of his recently converted 1920s garage in Pasadena, which took him six months and $10,000 to turn into a studio.
“The reality is that there’s less money running around the music industry to make records with,” Maurice offers. “I’m sure that Lady Gaga doesn’t have trouble getting a budget to make her record, but for bands that play real instruments — rock bands, folk bands, country bands —anything that includes a drum set and a guitar, those people are really hard pressed to get a record deal or a record budget.”
And when wallets are slim, the home studio is a musician’s best friend.
“The only way for me to make it affordable for bands is to own my own facility so that they don’t have to go to a commercial studio and pay $1,200 or $2,200 a day to rent the studio and then pay an engineer a day rate and a producer.”
But that’s where the risk of running a business where you’re not supposed to comes in. The biggest fear of any home studio owner is coming under the scrutiny of the city.
“A professional recording studio is not allowed in a residential zone,” says Luke Zamperini, the chief building inspector for the city of Los Angeles. “The zoning code specifies it needs to be in a commercial zone, but that doesn’t mean that one can’t have a recording studio in their home for their own personal use.”
When he’s not inspecting buildings, Zamperini likes to strap on a guitar himself. In fact, in the mid-‘70’s he toured in the band Sparks. Maybe you recall its song, “Angst In My Pants,” which was featured in the film “Valley Girl.” Or maybe you don’t.
In theory, Zamperini is the pro home studio owner’s biggest nightmare, but the chief inspector says his department isn’t out hunting down offenders.
“We’re not really interested in going around dictating what people can and can’t do in the privacy of their own home,” he says. “I’ve been at this for 23 years and I can count all the complaints we’ve had on recording studios in residences on one hand. We just don’t hear about it.”
In fact, the studios do such a good job of not being heard that no one really knows how many exist in L.A. That includes Zamperini. “There’s probably 650,000 parcels in the city that are in residential zones,” he says, “so your guess is as good as mine as to how many have converted their garages or parts of their home into a studio.”
The best way to avoid appearing on the city’s complaint radar is simple: Keep your neighbors happy. It’s something that producer-composer Pete, who’s using his first name only, appreciates. Though he permitted his Studio City add-on to his home, that doesn’t make running a business there legal. He made sure to curry favor with the folks in his ‘hood.
“When I moved in, the first thing I did was introduce myself to all my immediate neighbors,” he explains. “Then I started doing construction, and when I finished I gave everybody cupcakes, all of them. And I find that that goes a very long way because they think I’m a nice guy. If you have a neighbor who has too much time on their hands and for whatever reason doesn’t like what you’re doing, they can make your life miserable.”
Avoiding a neighbor’s wrath is a matter of survival in today’s music business.
“Everybody has to have a space if you want to make a living,” he states. “I write, I produce, I engineer, I mix, I master and I didn’t used to do all that stuff but I do it now, and everybody that I know does the same thing.”
The fact that Pete permitted the 900-square-foot addition at least allows him to claim the space if he decides to sell. Homeowners who spend big bucks building off the books are faced with a grim truth if they put their pad on the market.
It’s a situation that real estate agent Rozz Gallaher is familiar with. He’s the proprietor of L.A. Houses That Rock, a company that deals exclusively with homes that offer studios. Before his current gig, Gallaher was a 1980s hair metal practitioner with a band called Liquor Sweet. He still has the piercings and tats to prove it.
“Unfortunately, for the sellers, it doesn’t create a lot of value,” he explains. “It’s not like remodeling a kitchen. The average Joe obviously isn’t going to see any value in a pre-existing studio.”
Musician Vincent Jones has worked with names like Morrissey and Alanis Morissette, and has been Sarah McLachlan’s musical director since 1997. He also co-wrote, arranged and recorded the theme to “Parks and Recreation,” using only a laptop on a dining room table.
Jones’s current workspace is a bit more elaborate. Part of his rented home, the 900-square-foot studio, began life as a guesthouse. Now “it sounds as good as any studio that I’ve been in with the exception of Abbey Road,” he says. “They spent a lot of money on it.”
No matter how much a home studio costs, how good it sounds or how vital it may be to the artist in today’s cutthroat music business, there are certain aspects of the commercial spaces that can’t be replicated.
“The thing about a big recording studio that I always miss is the interaction with other people,” Jones says. “In random conversations, you can be creatively inspired by other creative people. And then also recording in a nice, big space where the actual air is moving around the microphones more. Nothing sounds like that.”
As audio software gets better and cheaper, the next chapter in professional home recording may stretch the definition of professional. As Pete says, now any kid with a computer, a credit card and a bedroom can call himself a producer.
FAQ: How to avoid sharing fraudulent news stories on social media
The Internet has made it way too easy for people to spread misinformation these days.
Even mainstream media outlets like the Washington Post have been caught reporting on fake news and viral video hoaxes. With all the content we have to wade through everyday via social media, what can the average person do to avoid spreading fraudulent news?
In recent articles for Vice.com and Esquire, freelance writer
talks about the preponderance of fake news designed just to get clicks, and he lays out some simple tips for news consumers to avoid these pitfalls.
WHO and WHERE? Look for the source of the story. Where did it originate?
"It takes about 60 seconds, if that, before you hit the share button just to look at who's information you're about to share. This wouldn't even take 60 seconds, just look at the name of the website. If you go, 'Oh, that sounds like something I've never heard of,' then you start looking a little bit deeper.
"I'm not saying you have to chase down to the source of every story you see, but just at least look at who it is who's sharing it. I say in the Vice piece, you wouldn't hear a story from a ranting, raving guy on the subway and be like, 'oh, that sounds legit," then go home and tell your friends. That seems like a really minor thing that people can do. Just look at who it is that's telling you this story."
WHAT? Consider the subject/topic of the story:
"This one's a little more difficult in that it's somewhat objective. Funny, perfectly little packaged things don't happen all the time and we have a lot of space to fill online so people are coming up with these funny packaged things in order to fill that space. So just look at the story...the example I use is the one about Bill Murray stopping a bank robbery in Japan. I would really love it if that was true, but that's the type of thing that's too good to be true. Just think about it and be like, 'wait a minute, this sounds like the type of thing somebody would make up because they want me to think it's true." More often than not, if it's too perfect, it's not going to be valid."
WHEN? Remember that things online last forever:
"This is one that came up recently. There were tens of thousands of people sharing this video that Tracy Morgan posted on his Facebook wall, and it was him laying in bed and he was really tired looking and sort of sad. Everyone was sharing it as if it was his first video posted after his big accident. It turns out it was from months earlier, it was just a random video that he posted getting up out of bed one day. All you really had to go was click on the video and look at the date. All videos, all blog posts, everything, the date is there. If its from months before the story we're talking about even happened, that's a pretty easy way to eliminate it."
WHY? Consider the source's motivation for posting the story:
"I got into this a little bit with the stories about people randomly breaking up with their girlfriends and things like that. Think about why a national news site would share that. It's not because it's news, it's not because its even very interesting, it's not even really that funny or entertaining. The only reason you would share a story like that is because you think it's tailor made to be shared. I like stupid stuff as much as the next guy, but I just don't think we need to see it from every single site."
David Michod on his gritty, futuristic road movie 'The Rover'
Writer-director David Michod rose to fame in 2010 with his debut film "Animal Kingdom," the critically-acclaimed Australian crime drama.
His new film "The Rover," his first in four years, is set in a futuristic and lawless Australian outback, 10 years after a global economic collapse.
In the film, a group of thieves steals a car belonging to a ruthless drifter named Eric, played by Guy Pearce. Singularly focused on getting his car back by any means possible, Eric takes one of the thieves' brothers hostage — a troubled young man named Rey, played by Robert Pattinson.
David Michod joins Take Two to talk about the inspiration behind the gritty, futuristic road movie "The Rover."