Links indicate transcripts. Note: Transcripts edited for clarity. Most
videos are still to come.
1st season
101: Robert Redford discusses how
he has included the causes closest to his heart in his choices of acting and
directing projects. VIDEO
102: Music/jazz critic and
First Amendment activist Nat Hentoff discusses his 50 years in
journalism. VIDEO
103: Janis Ian, who
first met music censorship when she had a Top 10 hit at age 15, discusses her
work and the importance of free expression. VIDEO
104: Harry
Belafonte, a stage and film star, calypso singer and a tireless worker
for civil rights, discusses how he has mixed his art and his activism.
105: Chip Taylor,
who wrote “Angel of the Morning” and “Wild Thing” — two of the biggest songs of
the past 30 years — discusses his work. VIDEO
106: Author David
Margolick discusses the book he wrote about “Strange Fruit” — perhaps
the most-censored song of the 20th century.
107: David Crosby, rock star and
activist, discusses his life, his music and his causes. With co-author David
Bender. VIDEO
108: Jane
Alexander, a great actress of stage and film, discusses her career and
her role as chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. VIDEO
109: “The Cradle
Will Rock” is a 1930s-era play whose themes of free expression still
resonate today. VIDEO
110: Tom Paxton,
one of the most important songwriters of the last 40 years, talks about his
work. VIDEO
111: Holly Hughes
explains how she sued the government for the right to freely express herself on
stage. VIDEO
112: Judy Blume,
author of many popular books that often are banned by libraries, talks about her
work, joined by author Carolivia Herron and bookseller Cammie Mannino. VIDEO
113: Ossie Davis, a playwright, actor and
activist for more than 60 years, discusses his career. VIDEO
2nd season
201: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
Edward Albee talks about “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and
other powerful works. VIDEO
202: Tom Smothers
discusses comedy, censorship and his legendary television show, “The Smothers
Brothers.” VIDEO
203: Eartha Kitt,
whom Orson Welles called “the most exciting woman on earth,” works to live up to
that title.
204:
Judy Collins discusses her career in art and activism.
205: Andres Serrano
discusses his photographs, which deal with religion, death, sex and other basics
of life.
206: Paul
Kantner recalls the glory days of Jefferson Airplane — the band he
helped found — and the era of radical free expression in San Francisco.
207: The History of Comic
Book Censorship examines the birth of the Comics Code Authority and how
it affected artistic freedom.
208: Bill T. Jones, legendary dancer and
choreographer, discusses "dangerous" art and self-censorship.
209: Bo Diddley,
whose lyrics, music and guitar licks helped invent what we call rock ’n’ roll,
talks about his work.VIDEO
210: David
Halberstam, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author, discusses the
First Amendment as it applied to the civil rights movement.
211: Chuck D,
legendary hip-hop artist, discusses free expression and rap music.
212: Phil
Donahue, the man who redefined television talk shows, discusses the
importance of letting all citizens speak.
213: John Kay of the band Steppenwolf
discusses his group’s bouts with censorship.
3rd season
301: Academy Award-winning actress Susan
Sarandon has not shied from controversy in her acting (“Dead Men
Walking,” “Thelma & Louise”) or in her activism. She talks about her career,
from “Rocky Horror Picture Show” to “Bull Durham,” and her activism, from
arrests during her college days to the controversial 1993 Academy Awards
appearance in which she brought public attention to the Haitian AIDS
situation.
302:
Janeane Garofalo, outspoken actress (“The Larry Sanders Show,”
“Saturday Night Live”) and comic, talks about political comedy — its risks and
rewards — and her thoughts on everything from popular music to Joan
Rivers.
303:
Singer-songwriter Charlie Daniels joins us for a free-wheeling
discussion on America and politics, from flag-waving to flag-burning. He also
plays highlights from his storied musical career, including the much-debated
song, “This Ain’t No Rag, It’s a Flag.”
304: Tony Award-winning actor Eli Wallach
(“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “The Magnificent Seven,” “Mr. Freeze” on TV’s
“Batman”) reflects on his distinguished career on stage, screen and television,
and how the creative community has been affected by forces as wide-ranging as
McCarthyism and age bias.
305: Entrepreneur Russell Simmons,
founder of Def Jam Records, discusses the birth of hip-hop music and its impact
in America as a political and cultural force, and his latest project bringing
contemporary poetry to clubs and cable television.
306: “South Park” creators Matt Stone and
Trey Parker are joined by Larry Divney, president and CEO of
Comedy Central, in a lively discussion of censorship, comedy and commercialism —
direct from the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colo.
307: Actor Tony
Danza (“Taxi,” “Who’s the Boss”) joins us to talk about acting, civic
activism and his emerging music career.
308: Felix Cavaliere, who rocked
generations as a founding member of the Rascals, talks about artistic freedom
and performs some of his classic hits, including “Groovin',” “People Got To Be
Free” and “It’s A Beautiful Morning.”
309: Norman Lear, producer of such
classic sitcoms as “All in the Family,” “Maude,” “The Jeffersons” and “Mary
Hartman, Mary Hartman,” talks about obstacles to getting the programs on the air
and the struggle between public interest and commercial restraints.
310: Actor William
Baldwin (“Backdraft,” “Flatliners”), president of the pro-arts
performers’ group Creative Coalition, discusses his longtime interest in
politics and activism and the coalition’s work on First Amendment issues, arts
advocacy and education.
311: Singer-songwriter Richie Havens
recounts his experiences as the first performer on stage at Woodstock, the
evolution of his well-known song “Freedom” and his relationship with the
Beatles.
312:
Filmmaker Oliver Stone talks about “JFK,” “Nixon,” “Natural Born
Killers” and “Born on the Fourth of July” and criticism of his work.
313: Actor Jimmy Smits
(“LA Law” and “NYPD Blue”) and Felix Sanchez, co-founders of the
National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, discuss the underrepresentation of
Hispanics in movies and on television and their efforts toward greater
inclusion.
314: Singer,
songwriter and humorist Ray Stevens reflects on his musical career
and performs many of his hits, including “Everything is Beautiful,” “Ahab the
Arab” and “Mr. Businessman.”
315: Alice Randall, author of the novel
The Wind Done Gone, discusses the legal effort to suppress her book, a
satirical work based on the Margaret Mitchell classic Gone With the
Wind.
316: A look
inside the creation and inspiration for the Tony Award-winning Broadway play
“Urinetown: The Musical,” featuring star John Cullum (“Northern
Exposure,” “ER”), author Greg Kotis and composer Mark
Hollmann.
317-318: Comic, producer and director David
Steinberg discusses his colorful career, including the role his sermon
sketch played in getting “The Smothers Brothers” TV series pulled off the air in
1969 (Part 1). In Part 2, Steinberg continues his
discussion, with fresh insights into the aftermath of “The Smothers Brothers”
controversy, the monitoring of his work by the government and his friendship
with Johnny Carson.
319: In
this special episode of “Speaking Freely,” taped on location at the U.S. Comedy
Arts Festival in Aspen, Colo., we pay tribute to the careers of George Carlin, the Smothers
Brothers, Dick Gregory and Bill Maher. VIDEO
320: Journalist and author Carl Bernstein
— best known for his coverage of Watergate — shares his thoughts on the
evolution of reporting from the 1970s to today. He also recounts stories of his
childhood when his family was monitored by the FBI.
321: Actor Jeff
Daniels (“Terms of Endearment,” “Gettysburg,” “Dumb and Dumber,”
“Pleasantville”) has amassed a diverse list of comic and dramatic credits. He
talks about his career, including his commitment to community theater.
322: Music journalist and
author Dave Marsh talks about music censorship — from the song
“Louie, Louie” (about which he has written a book), to Tipper Gore and the
music-labeling debate, to present-day controversies over rap music.
323: Screenwriter
Walter Bernstein recounts his experiences with the Hollywood
blacklist.
324:
Filmmaker William Greaves talks about his groundbreaking documentary
work, including biographical projects on Ida B. Wells and Ralph Bunche.
325: Author and scholar
bell hooks shares her strong views — as a woman, writer and
African-American — on race, gender, class and free speech.
326: Harry Belafonte (encore).
327: Eartha Kitt (encore).
328: Tony Award-winning
playwright and screenwriter Terrence McNally (“Frankie and Johnny,”
“Ragtime,” “Kiss of the Spiderwoman”) discusses his many works, as well as the
protests and death threats surrounding his play “Corpus Christi.”
329: Comic actor
Michael Richards talks about his days as “Kramer” on “Seinfeld,” his
comic heroes and his working relationship with comedian Andy Kaufman.
330: Playwright and
screenwriter Arthur Laurents discusses his many works, including
“Gypsy,” “West Side Story,” “The Turning Point” and “The Way We Were.”
331: Stand-up
comics and writers Louis CK and Steve Marmel participate in a
lively discussion of comedy and its different outlets, from clubs to talk shows
to movies — and what you can joke about today in America.
332: Comics Michelle Krusiec and Alonzo
Bodden join us from the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colo., to
discuss their breakthroughs in comedy and acting and how ethnic stereotypes have
both helped and hurt them.
4th season
401, 416: Actor-director-writer Tim
Robbins pulls no punches, from “Dead Man Walking” to his anti-war stance
and a collision with baseball’s Hall of Fame. Part 1 / Part 2
402: Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Kim
Carnes (“Bette Davis Eyes” and “Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer”)
shares her stories and her music.
403: Kevin Smith, a filmmaker for a new
generation, talks about his irreverent and groundbreaking work, from “Clerks” to
“Dogma.”
404-405: The
legendary Art Garfunkel continues to make moving music. Part 1 covers the words, music and poetry
of this music great. Part 2 continues
the discussion with Garfunkel and his two new musical collaborators, Maia
Sharp and Buddy Mondlock.
406: As newsman Lou Grant, Ed Asner
created one of the television’s most memorable characters – but his outspoken
political views helped end "The Lou Grant Show."
407: Musician/composer
Arturo Sandoval talks about his life as a world-class musician and
his flight to freedom from Cuba to America.
408: Comedian/actress Julia Sweeney,
known for her characters on “Saturday Night Live” and for her poignant one-woman
show, “God Said 'Ha!',” discusses comedy and a new solo performance that touches
on adoption, dating, motherhood and work.
409: Rodney Crowell offers what critics
have called “a distinctly American roots music sound” as one of the most
respected singers and songwriters in music today.
410: Tony Award-winning composer Marc
Shaiman talks about how to write music for movies and the stage and
the creative process behind his hit musical, “Hairspray.”
411: Comedian Lewis
Black, a passionate proponent of free speech both on and off the stage,
offers his unique view of humor, politics and society.
412: Critically praised
singer-songwriter Amy Rigby brings her decidedly different
perspective to her music.
413-414: John Mellencamp is still rocking
– and still rolling, with his new, critically acclaimed CD, “Trouble No More,”
an exploration of blues and folk music that includes “To Washington,” a
passionately anti-war song. In the second of a two-part conversation, Mellencamp
talks about his lengthy career and what interests him in music and art. Part 1 / Part 2
415: Author and former major league pitcher Jim
Bouton (Ball Four) changed the face of sports journalism and has
given generations of readers and baseball fans an insider’s look at the
sport.
417: Yoko
Ono, musician, avant garde artist in art, film and theatre, and peace
activist, talks about her career and her partnership with John Lennon.
418: Felix Cavaliere (encore).
419: Charlie Daniels (encore).
420: Jimmy Smits and Felix Sanchez
(encore).
421: Oliver Stone
(encore).
422:
Richard Belzer discusses his on-screen work as one of television’s
longest-running policemen, “Detective Munsch,” and his real-life passion as a
conspiracy theorist.
423-424: David
Steinberg parts 1 and 2 (encore).
425: From “Romeo’s Tune” to his recent tribute to
Jimmie Rodgers, singer/songwriter Steve Forbert offers a unique voice
and perspective.
426:
“Cowboy” Jack Clement, legendary singer/songwriter who has worked
with — and sometimes discovered — some of the greats of country and rock music,
talks about his extraordinary career and the artists he's known.
427: Texas singer/songwriter
Rosie Flores celebrates the spirit of rock and rockabilly with a
powerful voice and a guitar to match.
428: Harvey Pekar and Joyce
Brabner, groundbreaking comic-book creators, talk about their innovative
work and "American Splendor," the award-winning film based on their lives.
429: Jackie
DeShannon discusses her career as one of music's first female
singer/songwriters.
430: Harry Shearer, comedy writer and
performer ("Spinal Tap," "Saturday Night Live") joins writer Tom
Leopold ("Seinfeld") to talk about comedy, satire and their new play
about J. Edgar Hoover.
431: One of America's most critically acclaimed
singer/songwriters, Steve Earle, talks about the death penalty, his
most controversial song and free speech in America.
432: Black History
Month special: Features interviews with Harry Belafonte, Ossie Davis, David
Halberstam and others about the civil rights movement and its impact on
America.
433:
John Sebastian, one of the most recognizable voices of the '60s and
'70s, has a career that spans the legendary rock group The Lovin’ Spoonful ("Do
You Believe in Magic," "Summer In the City," "Nashville Cats,") and work as a
songwriter, solo artist and children’s book author.
434:
Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, two of America’s most innovative
comics and writers, talk about their ground-breaking television production, “Mr.
Show.”
435:
Kris Kristofferson, recipient of the 2003 “Spirit of Americana” Free
Speech Award, in Part 1 of a two-part conversation, talks about his
extraordinary career, from his beginnings as a Nashville songwriter to fame as
both musical performer and actor.
436: Gretchen Peters sings and discusses
her controversial song, "Independence Day," and other songwriting issues.
437: Tom Morello,
guitarist with "Rage Against the Machine" and "Audioslave," talks about the
potent mixture of rock and politics.
438: Marcus Hummon, a versatile
playwright, singer and songwriter, talks about a career that has led him to both
the Nashville stage and recording studios.
439: Actor Richard Masur, whose face you
know from dozens of television and movie productions and who is a former
president of the Screen Actors Guild, talks about the entertainment industry and
free expression.
440: A free spirit and compelling songwriter,
Marshall Chapman discusses her new book, Goodbye, Little Rock and
Roller.
441:
The Chambers Brothers wrote and recorded “Time Has Come Today” and other
ground-breaking music during the turbulent ‘60s. Lead singer Lester
Chambers talks about the roots and legacy of this innovative American
band.
442: A British
folk singer in the tradition of Woody Guthrie, Billy Bragg sings and
talks about songwriting, social change and free expression in both the U.S. and
Great Britain.
443: Arthur Laurents
(encore).
444: Jimmy Smits and Felix
Sánchez (encore).
5th season
501: Pat
Mitchell, president and CEO of PBS, talks about the place of public
broadcasting in the turbulent world of American television, and why Americans
may need — and want — PBS more than ever.
502: Grammy and Emmy award-winner Kenny
Loggins (“House at Pooh Corner,” “What a Fool Believes”) talks about his
career as a performer, songwriter and success at movie soundtracks, including
“Top Gun,” “Footloose” and “Caddyshack."
503: Film producer and author Christine
Vachon, recipient of the “Freedom in Film Award,” discusses — as part of
the 2004 Nashville Film Festival — her ground-breaking role in bringing to the
screen independent films that include "Poison," Swoon," "Go Fish" and "Boys
Don't Cry."
504-505:
Legendary singer/songwriter John Prine talks about his Grammy
Award-winning career and his recent induction into the Nashville Songwriters'
Hall of Fame, in Part 1 of a conversation
during the 2004 Tin Pan South Festival. In Part
2, John Prine continues his conversation about his career.
506: Comedian and actor
Yakov Smirnoff recounts his career from comedian in the Soviet Union
to theaters (from Broadway to Branson, Mo.), and his one-man touring show, "As
Long As We Both Shall Laugh.”
507: Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Rickie Lee
Jones talks about what has influenced her remarkable career, her hits
("Chuck E's in Love" and "Easy Money"), as well as her concerns that democracy
is threatened in today's world — and her efforts in response.
508: Little
Richard, one of the architects of rock ‘n’ roll, may best be known for
his flamboyant presence on stage and screen — but there’s another side to his
life that’s focused on issues of religion and matters of faith.
509: Two-time Grammy winner
Kathy Mattea ("Where've You Been?" and "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen
Roses") has a career that spans her being named “CMA Female Vocalist of the
Year” to being known as "Nashville's conscience on AIDS."
510: Larry Flynt,
owner and publisher of Hustler magazine, self-described pornographer and
pundit, gives his views about freedom, the First Amendment and American
attitudes.
511:
Emmylou Harris is a singer/songwriter with multiple Grammy awards (11
to date) and eight gold albums. While she’s best known for her music and
collaborations with artists from Dolly Parton to Roy Orbison to Linda Ronstadt
to Neil Young, she also campaigns for causes that range from animal rights to
eliminating land mines throughout the world.
512: George Schlatter, prolific TV
producer, director and writer ("Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In,") — also a pioneer
in "reality television" and a guiding force in variety specials — talks about
where television entertainment has been — and where it’s headed.
513: Darryl
Worley, the singer/songwriter who captured the country music world’s
heart with his hit "Have You Forgotten?,” talks about his life-changing USO tour
of Afghanistan and his ongoing focus on support for American troops.
514: Roger
McGuinn, the extraordinary frontman for the Byrds, talks about a career
that influenced many from the Beatles to Tom Petty; his landmark debut with the
single "Mr. Tambourine Man," and his latest career — as a folk musician.
516:
James Earl Jones — The "voice" of several generations, from Broadway
stage to "Star Wars," discusses his life as an actor and the challenges he
overcame.
517: Billy Corgan — The former leader of "Smashing
Pumpkins," Billy Corgan talks about his careers as singer, songwriter and now,
poet and author.
302: Janeane Garofalo (encore)
423: David
Steinberg - Part 1 (encore)
424: David Steinberg - Part 2
(encore)
301: Susan Sarandon (encore)
404: Art Garfunkel -
Part 1 (encore)
405: Art Garfunkel - Part 2 (encore)
502: Kenny
Loggins (encore)
503: Christine Vachon (encore)
504: John
Prine - Part 1 (encore)
505: John Prine - Part 2 (encore)
506:
Yakov Smirnoff (encore)
509: Kathy Mattea (encore)
513:
Darryl Worley (encore)
113: Ossie Davis (encore)
216:
Jill Sobule (encore)
312: Oliver Stone (encore)
334:
Robert Redford (encore)
432: Black History Month compilation
(encore)
211: Chuck D (encore)
332: Michelle Krusiec &
Alonzo Bodden (encore)
501: Pat Mitchell (encore)
307: Tony
Danza (encore)
320: Carl Bernstein (encore)
403: Kevin
Smith (encore)
406: Ed Asner (encore)
408: Julia Sweeney
(encore)
444: Jimmy Smits & Felix Sanchéz (encore)
409:
Rodney Crowell (encore)
112: Judy Blume (encore)
410:
Marc Shaiman (encore)
417: Yoko Ono (encore)
507: Rickie Lee
Jones (encore)
512: George Schlatter (encore)
303:
Charlie Daniels (encore)
335: Tom Smothers (encore)
440:
Marshall Chapman (encore)
508: Little Richard (encore)
301:
Susan Sarandon (encore)
Additional transcripts
Elizabeth Catlett discusses her
career as a sculptor, painter and printmaker.
Songwriter Jill Sobule sings and
discusses some of her controversial songs.
Artist Hans Haacke talks about his work,
which has often dared to "bite the hand that feeds it."
Chris Finan of the
American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression talks about book
censorship.
Marjorie Heins, author of Not In Front
of the Children: Indecency, Censorship, and Innocence of Youth, talks about
censorship.
Former
chairman of the National Edowment for the Arts, Bill Ivey, talks
about the role of art in free society.
Artist Renee Cox
and William Donohue, of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil
Rights, talk about Cox's controversial work Yo Mama's Last Supper.
Dr. William
Holda, president of Kilgore College in Texas, talks about his decision
to allow students to stage “Angels in America.”
Professor Susan
Ford Wiltshire, a professor of classics at Vanderbilt University, talks
about the origins of the First Amendment.
Jen Miller and Robert Pritchard of
Dance Liberation Front talk about their organization.
Jef Bourgeau, the
director of the Museum of New Art in Pontiac, Mich., talks about his battle
to protect sometimes controversial art.
Sonny Ochs, sister of late 1960s
songwriter Phil Ochs, talks about the lessons of her brother's life and his
music.
Don Henry,
Nanci Griffith and Sonny Curtis talk about the Tin Pan South
Festival.