Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia talks about the pope's US visit, a new documentary on the Black Panthers, the science of binge watching.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, local priest talk Pope Francis visit
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia and local priest Joe Palacios were invited to the White House to welcome Pope Francis on his historic U.S. visit. They both joined the show to recap what the experience was like, and to give perspective on the pope's remarks.
Interview highlights
Robert Garcia, on what the pope's presence in Washington D.C. does for issues that like immigration change, climate and poverty, that matter to him:
"First of all, his presence in DC has been electrifying. Everyone's been talking about it, you can feel it in the air. And I think that this pope is really calling on not just our country but the world to really refocus, and focus on especially on poverty and the poor, and helping people that need our help. And I think that is an important message for Congress to hear, but certainly for all of us to hear s well, especially with the recent rhetoric around immigration."
Father Joe Palacios, on where he stands on LGBT issues, and what he hopes the pope might say about them:
"I'm one of the Catholic priests and I'm an academic at USC teaching, and I am around LGBT colleagues and students all day. I have, myself, fought on behalf of the LGBT community. What I thought was significant in the speech was that he said, 'family life,' and that includes all types of families, and if we think about that extensively, he didn't say gay or lesbian, but he also didn't talk about a one man, one woman marriage. So I thought he was very careful and supportive of families of all types, and really also accentuating the struggles that many families have, particularly in making a living, and then he focused on the working family, and so I thought that he handled that really well in terms of the rhetoric of the American public right now, and again trying to unify the American Catholic people by not being divisive but trying to bring us back together with a focus on the positive values rather than focus on the negative, and that positive was enriching families so that they could children, particularly growing up without fear and without neglect, and without violence."
Robert Garcia, on whether the pope needs to address LGBT issues during his U.S. visit:
"You know to be honest, I think as a gay Catholic and also as a leader in the gay community, I think that this pope has done more to reaching out and really talking by not really damaging the relationship out in the community. We're not hearing him say negative things about the community, he's using inclusive words, and in fact he has said in the past, who is he to judge? And i think that for all of us, when we see his actions, which is focusing on the poor, on immigration, on climate change, and not overly emphasizing this kind of separation of heterosexual marriage and gay marriage, that to us is a signal. I think for me personally, it's the most inclusive pope on this issue that I have seen since I've been around, and I appreciate that. I feel more welcome in the church today than I have the entire life I've been Catholic..."
To listen to the full interview, click on the blue audio player above
The Wheel Thing: Will the VW scam kill the move to diesel in the US?
Volkswagen has been hammered by the news it used a software cheat to defeat emission controls in its four-cylinder diesel engines. The CEO stepped down, the company's stock price has fallen by a third, and it faces years of investigations and possible billions of dollars in fines.
There may be another casualty of the VW escapade - the move to entice Americans into purchasing diesel-powered vehicles.
They're popular in Europe, but American drivers haven't warmed up to them. Diesels make up only about three percent of the US passenger fleet. Automakers are working to change that. At least, they were until VW threw a wrench into the works.
So, could this be the death knell for diesel? Our car critic, Susan Carpenter doesn't think it's quite that dire. She explains some of the advantages diesel offers, and runs down some brand new models that are just hitting showrooms.
'Blackish' premiere cues conversations about the 'N-word'
Wednesday night's season premiere of the ABC sitcom "Blackish" opened with a bang.
The episode is called "The Word," and that word begins with N. It's also part of the lyrics of Kanye West's mega-hit "Gold Digger," that a young Jack Johnson, played by Miles Brown, performs at a talent show.
After he uses the word in his performance, the school wants to expel him. Most of the rest of the episode is dedicated to a hilarious and frank debate over who is allowed to say this word.
We talk about the episode, and its take on the use of the N word with NPR's television critic
.
The lasting legacy of the Black Panther Party
In the turbulent 1960s, issues such as poverty, social unrest and police brutality were common.
While the Civil Rights era ushered in the philosophy of non-violence and peaceful demonstrations, it also was a time for another movement: The Black Panther Party.
Stanley Nelson's new film, "The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution", captures that period in history.
Stanley Nelson will host a screening of the film at the Los Angeles Nuart theatre, on Friday, Sept. 25, at 1:30 p.m.
Netflix and the science of binge watching
Just two for "Breaking Bad," and closer to eight for "How I met Your Mother." No, those numbers are not ratings for your favorite shows. They're the amount of episodes it takes before you're hooked on a series.
Apparently there is a science to binge watching, and Netflix has completed some research into our viewing habits.
"It's an interesting look to see how consumers are really enjoying media now that we're in this on-demand world," said
, a spokesperson for Netflix. "This is the first time that we've had DVR and streaming, and the fact that we have the privilege to be able to see how people are watching is something that's very unique."
So how does it take only two episodes to get hooked on "Breaking Bad," but about eight for "How I met Your Mother"? Dywer said the amount of episodes in a season can be a factor. For example, "Breaking Bad" had about seven episodes in its first season, while "How I met Your Mother" had 22. In addition, the shows themselves are very different.
"For 'Breaking Bad,' I think the moment for me was when the tub fell through the ceiling in Jesse's house," said Dwyer. "It was a very dramatic moment, and was an episode all about kind of testing Walt's morality, and the flip of a coin being who has to dissolve a body and who has to take care of the drug dealer in the basement, I think is a very poignant thing for TV."
Netflix's research also found if you've stopped watching a show for the meantime, that doesn't mean you won't pick it back up again.
"Not everything is a binge," said Dwyer. "We do see that people come back. There are shows that are like, 'break in case of emergency,' shows that you favor for a sick day or a snow day."
To listen to the full interview, click on the blue audio player above
Former host of 'Meet the Press' David Gregory on family, failure and faith
For nearly six years, David Gregory held one of the most coveted jobs in the news business: host of NBC's Meet the Press. It was the fulfillment of a dream he'd had since he was a kid, growing up here in LA.
But ratings of the show suffered, and in 2014 Gregory left the program and was replaced.
To cope with this loss, Gregory turned to another lifelong pursuit: faith.
It's an experience he writes about in his new book titled "How's your Faith: An Unlikely Spiritual Journey."
In an interview with Take Two’s Alex Cohen, Gregory shared the roots of his spirituality.
“Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, I grew up around a lot of Jews. I grew up culturally Jewish, ethnically Jewish, but without real belief and without a strong faith,” Gregory says.
For most of his young life, Gregory met with a spiritual advisor. His journey changed dramatically after he met and married Beth Wilkinson in 2000. He says it was his wife who would push him to explore what he really believed.
“She grew up in the Methodist church as a Protestant and felt very strongly about her faith,” he says. ”When we first got together, we were talking about having kids -- she was willing to be a jewish family, and I never considered not being a Jewish family.”
Gregory says that his wife challenged him to explore his faith on a deeper level.
“She said, ‘look, if we’re going to be a Jewish family, you can’t just be culturally identified as so. I know who you are, but what is it that you believe?’”
He says this challenge set him on a course of study and self examination, eventually leading them to take on a universal path that draws from both of their cultural traditions.
Years later, Gregory would have another spiritually significant conversation -- this one, however, with former President George W. Bush.
“Notably, as I write in the book, he asks about it in 2008 when I’m getting the job at Meet The Press, and we were talking about other stuff and he’d say, ‘Gregory, how’s your faith?’”
Gregory says it was a ‘penetrating’ question.
“It’s such a deep question and such an invitation for self-examination,” he says. “I respected his own journey, the fact that faith and a relationship with God had really helped transform his life in middle age, and I was really impressed with that.”
Gregory adds, “Whatever you think of George W. Bush, he left office with his faith intact, and I respect that.”
Press the play button above to hear about how faith helped David Gregory through some of the most difficult days of his career.
State of Affairs: Car seats, redevelopment, and right-to-die
On this week's State of Affairs, Gov. Jerry Brown signs new car seat rules into law, the California Republican Party softens its stance on immigration, and national media organizations weigh in on the 'right-to-die' legislation awaiting the Governor's decision.
Joining Take Two to discuss:
- Professor Sherry Bebitch Jeffe of USC's Sol Price School of Public Policy
- Los Angeles Times' state government and politics reporter Melanie Mason