will help you find out whether your repair work is done properly. join us monday morning from 4:30 to 7. 4:30 to 7. to "comunidad del valle." i'm damian trujillo. and today, a look back. our sit-down interviews with george lopez, vicente fox, and little joe, on your "comunidad del valle." male announcer: nbc bay area presents "comunidad del valle" with damian trujillo. ♪ damian: we're going to start today with our exclusive sit-down interview with former mexican president vicente fox. this interview was a few years ago, but it's timely given mexico has just elected a new president. vicente fox: i worked 15 years for the coca-cola company. i became president, ceo. i worked 15 years for private business, and i learned there about accountability, honesty, and hard working. and this is the way i have acted in politics.

damian: let's talk about your book, and everybody's talking about the way you described president bush. is he the cockiest guy you've ever met? vicente: en español, el mas gallo, el mas-- it's a compliment in spanish. in english, it's saying something that was my very first impression when i met him, a very candid impression. and i just think that you don't write a book to please anybody, just to say how you feel, your sentiments, your emotions, your experiences, and that's the book. the book is very, very candid and very explicit. and not only with president bush, it's president putin, president castro, president cardoso from brazil, prime minister blair, and so on and on. i think, for people, it's very important to listen what goes on

behind two leaders or behind a summit meeting. i think it's very important for people to see that politicians, presidents, and prime ministers are also human beings. and i tried to reflect that, so it's very interesting for the reader. i would invite to read the book, because then you get the full picture of what's my relationship with president bush. i think it's friendly, i think it's been productive, and i think that we both work very, very hard to service our people and promote our nations. damian: el mas gallo, can that also be arrogant? vicente: well, that's what that phrase some get here. i don't use that word, and it was not my impression that he's arrogant. my impression was that he seems to walk with two watermelons under his arms, like this...

damian: is that confidence or is that arrogance? vicente: well, that's a way of being, maybe because he's a texan. and that's what you find in texas, many of those. damian: but being a texan, you think that everybody's a horse rider in texas, i guess. you say that he's not a very astute horse rider. vicente: and he's not. and he's not. i don't think nothing wrong with that. i mean, many people don't ride horses. i noticed that when i invited him to see this palomino, this stallion that i ride in san cristobal that i've been riding since i was 2 year old. and i noticed when he tried to touch the horse, i saw a little tremble in his hand. and then i come back to texas to his farm. by the way, in a home that is very modest, and a farm where he likes to be, and he drove the pickup.

he didn't see the horses there or he did not invite me to ride a horse, so that's the expression. so again, again, i think it's important to speak with heart, speak what you feel, and what you see and you have experienced. in our relationship, we had only one big difference, which was the case of iraq. to me, the case of iraq should have been handled multilaterally through the united nations and not unilaterally by the united states. and i think this because, through intervening directly, united states is losing respect in many countries in the world. and united states cannot be the police of every country in the world. i think that's the charter, and the mission, and the mandate of the united nations.

and instead of bypassing the united nations, what we should do is bring in a reform to the united nations, a re-engineering of all of its activity so that we have a very strong united nations with very high moral standards, and ethics, and respect from all countries in the world so that they can accomplish what they are to do. number one, to ensure peace, peace and harmony throughout the world. number two, to solve a conflict among nations in the world. that is the charter of united nations. so, i think at this moment that united states, or your government, should withdraw from iraq. and i think of this through a very basic principle, which is what many people maybe have read this book,

embrace them and let them go. it's great advice for parents on how to deal with your kids. you embrace, you love them, you educate them, but a day comes when they have to fly on their own, when they have to take their own decisions and they have to build up their own future and their own lives. this principle also applies to nations. damian: and that's how he felt about former president bush. we know how he feels about the current administration. he did--was against andres manuel lopez obrador, the new president of mexico, but he wants to mend fences now and see how they can work together. up next, our sit-down interview with george lopez.

george lopez sat down with "comunidad del valle" to talk about a lot of things. damian: when i wake up, or maybe in the middle of the night, sometimes i wake up and i think, "oh my god, i have an idea for a news story to do the next day." so, i wake up and i write it down so i don't forget. do you wake up laughing in the middle of the night thinking,

"oh my god, that's a good joke." george lopez: you know what? i think we're always on, like 24 hours day, so you collect thoughts, you know, i'm old school, so i write 'em down on legal pads with a sharpie and i have a black--i have a really nice apple computer that i rarely use because it's too new, you know? i write on an envelope. hey dude, i wrote some notes on a hanger, man. you know how hangers come with paper? i wrote notes on a hanger. really, on a hanger. things for the hbo special, the 24th, i'm writing notes on a hanger, bro. now, i gotta take the hanger with me to phoenix. damian: well, tell us about that one, "mexican in america." george: "america's mexican." damian: ah, okay. george: yeah, because, you know, it has a lot of meanings. i mean, you know, with immigration and the way it is, i seem to be the one who has crossed over and who is accepted, you know, when other people are being targeted. and i just thought, you know, "mexican-american? america's mexican." you know, it had a nice kind of counter-clockwise, counter-point kind of ring. and it's gonna be live. you know, i wanted to do it live because i think that it really

takes, you know, a lot of guts to do it live. and you know, we do our shows--i do my shows live anyways, and i sell a lot of tickets, and those shows have been sold out for 2 months and people know what to expect. and i think for this, it's probably my biggest platform into american comedy, and i'm gonna use my 57 minutes very wisely and choose, you know, specific material that is significant to our point and our importance in the united states. damian: what's it feel like to be impacted, affected, to affect the mainstream community? because, you know, people with a latino comedian, "well, he's targeting the latino audience." george: it's all right, that's good. you know what? they gotta go along. i mean, you know, woody allen did it and he was a comedian. his comedy was very jewish, and seinfeld was jewish and very, you know, kinda middle of the road, and richard pryor was very african-american. and you know, sam jackson told me when he saw me 3 weeks ago, he says, "you know, when i watch you and i see the latino people react to you, i see what i used to see in the comedians that i liked who were african-american." i'm not gonna say any name because there is no comparison

to any of the other comedians, but he knows what those people go through, because, you know, you understand their lives. and you know, why can't somebody speak for us, and yet be inclusive to all people? but yet, we get more out of it. that's what it is. they had theirs and now we got ours. damian: george, how much of a role did your grandmother play in the material that you write? george: well, my grandmother-- damian: she is the material. george: my grandmother was really hard on me, you know, growing up, but i think that that's the way they do it so that you're prepared for really anything to happen. you know, oscar de la hoya told me that he started fighting because he'd get beat up in the street, and he went to his mom crying, and his mom was like, you know, "go over there and hit 'em back." and then once he started doing that, that's how he got on the road to his thing. mine, you know, my grandma was really tough and very, you know, kinda hard, and always in a bad mood, and i never really saw her smile other than when something bad happened, you know? like you fell, "ah, miralo." you know? she got happy with other's misfortune. so, i think in that,

you just turn all of that negative into positive. i mean, nobody in my family, to this day, they're not happy for me. they never thought i could do it. to me, it didn't matter what they thought. i did it on my own. i didn't need their guidance or i didn't need to have them hold my hand. i mean, i knew what i wanted to do and i think culturally, as latinos, i don't think we do that enough. i think we wait for other people's acceptance and they hold you back because they know that you need it to progress. so, they tell you can't do things and you're not gonna do this but you know what? we can do whatever we want and we don't have any limitations, and the limitations are not the color of our skin, you know? our heart beats and our blood pounds just like everybody else. and the difference between success and failure is what you put in your own way. and a lot of times, we put ourselves in our own way, and then that's why we're not further ahead, you know? damian: do you appreciate, to a certain extent, the way your grandmother was with you? george: absolutely. damian: my dad was a lifetime farm worker, and he would, when somebody in the family would have a problem child, he'd say, "hey, let me have 'em for a week. i'll take care of 'em."

george: yeah, exactly, you know? you know, yeah, so i appreciate every moment. and you know, my grandmother's 87 and she's not very well health-wise, and she's demented, and she doesn't really remember the past. and you know, i take care of her. and you know, i take care of her because, you know--and as she was, i could've left her in a bag and thrown her in the river, like a little kitten, like they used to do in the old days. but no, i appreciate what she did for me and as hard as she was on me, it's funny now. you know, my whole comedy is based on her influence on me. damian: the more serious side of george lopez. up next on "comunidad del valle," an interview with little joe.

little joe joined us here in studio for an exclusive sit-down interview. damian: when i first saw you 15-20 years ago, you sound like you do now. i mean, it's your love of the music

and your love of the cultura. joe hernandez: it's an old chicano secret. no, the love for the people, the audience. and you know, for me, there's nothing greater in life than to be able to make people happy, you know, to make people--to see their emotions when i perform, you know? they cry because they're happy and being sad, i guess, it touches our soul and it makes us happy. but really, it's all about the audience. it's all about the people. gracias a dios for that. and i love music, and you know, i have fun with it. i'm not musically trained, formally. i didn't go to school for music, but maybe that's kinda what saved me. it's--what is it called? ignorance, bliss. i do what i feel, and it's worked for me.

damian: at what point did it become tex-mex or tejano music? was it known as chicano music back when you started? joe: well, that's what i've called it all along, but i really--the latin labels, the record companies started using different terms for it. but for me, it was always chicano music. and that's been 50 years now. damian: but when you use the word "chicano," you have to be able to back it up, because that's one of those powerful words that you can't--"hey, soy chicano." no, what credentials do you have to say that you are a chicano? joe: well, yeah, you're so right. and in so many cases, you know, we've all been painted, hispanics or latinos, with the same brush, which is, hey, we're all people. but for me, chicano is a way to identify ourselves. you know, you get pulled over by the man and you say, "well, i'm

hispanic," but you could be from argentina or colombia. you could be from peru, or mexico, or anywhere, you know? but when you say, "i'm chicano," you know you're mexican-american, or you should know. so you know, in that sense, that's an i.d.--way of me to identify myself. and then, the music itself is what this mexican-american kid continues to work with and develop. and it's bilingual, you know, bicultural, a lot of times bi-myself if i don't do it right. but you know, chicano's also a state of mind. but really, it's to identify a mexican-american, because we're all latinos, hispanics. you could be puerto rican, cuban, or you know, we're all hispanics. damian: do you think there's less of us or fewer of us who are using that word or labeling ourselves as chicano? joe: well, i think back in the '70s, if you remember this, with the identity crisis and, you know, the civil rights.

and i did a lot of marching behind that, because the schools, you know, all the things that happened with schools. and unfortunately, a lot of people think that's a derogatory kind of, you know, word. damian: my mom didn't like it. my mom didn't want us to use the word "chicano." and it wasn't until i got to college that i realized, "hey, i am chicano." joe: yeah, i mean, what's wrong with knowing who we are, you know? you can call yourself whatever you want, but it's better if you know what you are and be it. but i think a lot of people just really don't understand the word "chicano." but we should be proud. i mean, just like anybody else, we all should be proud of who we are, where we come from, and what we do, you know? i just happen to be chicano and like people to know that that's what i am. it doesn't make me better or worse or anything, other than that's who i am. damian: one of my favorite songs--who introduced the horns,

the brass, and the accordion, and that unique sonido? was that you? joe: yeah, i'll take the responsibility. i'll take the blame. yeah, it's quite a mixture there, but there was a guy that had done that before me. i mean, there was, you know, my musical idols. isidro lopez was one of them, and i grew up listing to beto villa, banda gonzalez, isidro lopez, juan colorado. they all had bands similar to what you just saw right there. and i just never thought that i would ever, one, live this long. had i known, i'd have taken better care of my pickup. rancho. but you know, i was really--i was influenced by their music, their performances. they were all great artists. damian: and all these new, up and coming, young tejano

performers, the navairas and--they're not young anymore, but they all credit you. you're the godfather. joe: that can be good, that can be bad. i'm honored for that, you know. but i was born at a time, and place, and an era when music was so different, you know? i grew up listening to the big band, you know, the crooners, the singers from the '40s and even the '30s, you know? i was born in 1940, but through the '50s and '60s, all these great talents, you know, great artists. so, all of that, you know? people see the show and they'll hear me do a sinatra song or a tony bennett song, and i've written a couple things that sound similar to that, and the biggest compliment they can pay me is when they say, "is that a--" i have one song that they say, "is that jose alfredo jimenez?"

oh my god, you know? like, those are my heroes, you know? damian: all the classics today on "comunidad del valle." up next, another classic, the best of suavecito. stay with us.

you can follow me on twitter. my handle is @newsdamian. also, pick up a copy of "el observador" newspaper and support your bilingual weeklies all across the bay area. you can also watch us in espanol on telemundo canal 48 every sunday. your "comunidad del valle" in espanol. well, we thank you once again for the many years you've accompanied us here on "comunidad del valle." twenty-two years as your host here on this show and it's been a pleasure. it's been a great 22 years. we're gonna leave you now with another classic, one of the best, the voices of latin rock and the classic suavecito. we'll see you next week. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ la, ah, ah, ah. ♪ la, la, la, ah, ah, ah. ♪ la, ah, ah, ah. ♪ la, la, la, ah, ah, ah. ♪ i never, ♪ i never met a girl like you in my life. ♪ ♪

♪ i never, no, no, yeah, i never met a girl ♪ ♪ like you in my life. ♪ ♪ the way that you hold me in the night. ♪ ♪ the way that you make things go right. ♪ ♪ whenever you're in my arm ♪ you're filling me with all your charm. ♪ ♪ the feeling, the feeling that i have inside. ♪ ♪ suavecito, mi linda. ♪ suavecito. ♪ the feeling, ♪ the feeling that i have inside for you. ♪

♪ ♪ ever since the day i met you, ♪ ♪ i knew that you were my dream come true. ♪ ♪ but i think i found that day. ♪ ♪ i'm gonna make you mine in every way. ♪ ♪ and baby, baby, baby now. ♪ suavecito. ♪ we've got to find it out. ♪ suavecito, mi linda. ♪ is it really true? ♪ suavecito. ♪ 'cause you know, girl, that i love you. ♪ ♪ ♪ i really do love you. ♪ you, you.

♪ ♪ 'cause all i want is you, ♪ and if i can't have you, ♪ i don't know what to do. ♪ ♪ la, ah, ah, ah. ♪ la, la, la, ah, ah, ah. ♪ la, ah, ah, ah. ♪ la, la, la, ah, ah, ah. ♪ i never, i never met a girl like you in my life. ♪ ♪ ♪ i never, no, no, yeah,

♪ i never met a girl like you in my life. ♪ ♪ ♪ 'cause i know we'll always be together, ♪ ♪ just you and me. ♪ from here on, you're gonna see ♪ ♪ that you'll be mine until eternity. ♪ ♪ and baby, baby, baby now. ♪ ♪ suavecito. ♪ we've got to find it out. ♪ suavecito, mi linda. ♪ is it really true? ♪ suavecito. ♪ 'cause you know, girl, that i love you. ♪ ♪ suavecito, mi linda. ♪ i really do. ♪ suavecito, mi linda. ♪ i love you.

♪ suavecito. ♪ baby, baby, baby. ♪ suavecito. ♪ yeah now, yeah now, yeah, now. ♪ ♪ suavecito, mi linda. ♪ yeah now, yeah now, yeah now. ♪ ♪ la la la la la la. ♪ la la la la la la. ♪ la la la la la la, la la la la la la ♪ ♪ la la la la la la la la la la la. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪