tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. first tonight, our conversation with legendary singer-songwriter randy newman. he recently garnered his 20th oscar nomination for his song and the film "toy story 3." "toy story 3" is now the most successful hollywood that animated film in history. also, actress at maria bello. she is in the new film "the company men." we're glad that you have joined us. randy newman and maria bello, coming up right now. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i'm james. >> yes.

>> to everyone making a difference, you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, nationwide insurance is happy to help tavis improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: pleased to welcome randy newman to this program. the legendary singer-songwriter it is a 20 time oscar nominee, who is once again up for best

original song for "we belong together" on "toy story 3." he will also be performing the songs during the telecast. randy newman, congratulations. >> thank you very much. 20 times, man. >> it is a lot. it is a great honor. every time, it is no less than a real kick to have happen. even if you think it is not a big deal and don't take it seriously as a measurement of what is good and what is not, it sucks you in. people are so interested in it for a day and a half, i get into it myself. tavis: what is it like to be perennially nominated? >> the pictures have been so

successful, a lot of times a really good picture will take you a long way. i have been partly may be the beneficiary of it. hopefully i am part of making the picture is good, but "toy story 3," there recognize it however they can print it will not be best picture, not because it is not, but they don't do that yet. tavis: you think they will do that one day with animation? >> someday they will realize that sometimes it is the best picture, but i think it will be quite a while. has a tough time winning most of the time. tavis: to the best of your ability, could you put into laymen's terms what your processes?

-- what your process is? what is your process when you are approached about a sound track? >> the score, we talk about it and we decide it mutually with the director where the music is the one to be, and then i just try and do it. and the day, as well as they can do it in non musical terms, they tell me basically what they wanted to feel like. with a song, they tell me specifically, "you have a friend" they want to emphasize the friend aspect between andy and woody. so i wrote "you have a friend" three times. it was clear. they'll read paradise for some reason, and i am there describing it, there is a tree over there, all of this liberal stuff.

-- all of this little stuff. there is some truth in it where movies are concerned. "we belong together," "toy story 3," they wanted to say that everybody stuck together. i said it belong? it is not right itself, but if they give me enough adjectives. tavis: there are a lot of people in this town, i am curious if you were ok with this, a lot of people in this town who know you from a singular song that we hear all of the time in this town. it is like half the town knows you from your oscar nominations, depending on the circle they are written, the other half of this town knows you for that other song, "i love the lea.a."

are you ok with that? >> yeah. baseball fans sometimes know me from "the natural." that is okay with me. $210 every time. whatever the amount. no, any of that stuff is all right. but i don't mind it, but i find it odd. tavis: in what way? >> i did not think i was that kind of writer where i were the crap out of people by getting them to leave paradise. all of it is ok. tavis: it is flattering. that is sort of flattering, i guess. it is such a funny show. it is one of the smartest and funniest shows several television.

tavis: if you get nominated 20 times, you don't win 20 times. if you stop being nominated, would you feel some sort of way? >> no, i really what not. much depends on what you are doing. if i do more for pixar, the likelihood that i might be -- i understand how it works. i saw my uncle alfred who was nominated 45 times and he won 9, which is a far better batting average that i have. i.m. one for 19. it would not bother me. if i don't work anymore, if i have to wait for the next animated picture to come around, that might bother me a little bit.

but song writing, for myself, is important to me, so i don't mind doing that. tavis: is this the family business? >> looks like it. there were three uncles who did it. one of them did sony pictures, the other did pictures for fox, hello dolly, others that i am forgetting, and alfred did all about eve, how the west was won. tavis: did you have any choice? this was her calling before you even knew what? -- this was your calling before you even know it? >> i think my father thought it was a great life, being in that business. i think he wanted me to do that.

i had some talent for it. tavis: when did you know that you were talented enough to do it and it would well? >> i have not learned that yet. the trouble is you talk to enough people, a lot of people would not believe you that you, that one tends to be themselves up, i cannot do this, but everybody does it. john williams when he does at picture, he does not know what to do. he does, but he does not think he does. tavis: john williams, the maestro. i guess i knew, at 16, 17 that i could write songs that people would listen to without walking out. without leaving paradise. you know? i was trying to be like carol king. she would do the follow-ups to

hits. i would try to write something that i would think was right down the center of the street, middle of the road, but they would shake their head and say, not no, no, this is not quite human yet. tavis: i could assume, i could be wrong, but even randy newman gets writer's block? -- i don't like writing. you don't want to tell riders that. i hope it has not affected my kids in any way. i have never exactly gone in there and looked forward to it, except when i was really hot, when i thought that was good, i will quit, and then go back to it. tavis: what keeps pulling you back? i have done at a number of different things, but it is the

hardest thing to do to write a book. i would rather do this all day long. i hate writing. what keeps bringing you back to the best? >> i just think it is probably what i do best. tavis: even though you don't like doing it. >> i don't like doing it. music is hard, as is writing. i could of things, and you canno that unless you show up and work added. tavis: what part of the process below the -- what part of the process do you really look forward to? >> alert performing, conducting the orchestra. sometimes it is a thrill. it is like you are making music with these tremendous musicians, and if i had declared that in my hand i could not be

up there. that is what i think that like best about it. and when you get an idea and to run towards the end of something, right towards the beginning to get an idea and write when you get the first idea, that is great. i am waiting for that to happen again. re andve to go with thei try. tavis: i want to close where i began. i did not realize this until your song, "i love l.a." help me understand that, whether is frank sinatra, randy newman, the entire identity of a city -- cities just hang on to a song that becomes the identity for

the city. for all that you have done, how the process the fact about how you feel on this city is brought together in a variety of ways by what you have done in a song? >> i feel good about it. it is not like when i go to riverside county, it is not there. it does not travel well. as long as i am around here, south of the insurer, -- south good.ntura, it's tavis: i like this guy. randy newman, 20 award nominations. congratulations. >> a poleasure. tavis: up next, actress maria bello. stay with us. pleased to welcome maria bello back to the program. she is part of the terrific cast

of the new film, "the company men." here is a scene from "the company men." >> i will just to renegotiate with the union, start slow, see if we can grow. i think there is a business there. >> i sat in rooms and talked about how to destroy people's lives. i thought i could do more from the inside, save a few jobs here in there. if i did not do it, somebody else would. keep me in mind for a possible associate. i think i may be looking for a job. tavis: in this town and in life, i suspect, timing is everything.

we were talking about how long ago this script was written, but the timing of the movie, given the subject matter -- >> it is so relevant to what is happening right now with the economy, but john wrote this years ago. i think he saw it happening, the beginning of the downside. it is stunning that it just happened to happen. tavis: tell us what the movie is about >> > "the company men" is about the downsizing of corporate america, toppled from a personal view -- told from a personal view, and i play one of the head honchos who is horrible job is to fire these people i know and love, but that is my job. tavis: it seems to me there is a

fine line, it is great to have great timing, but on the other hand, preaching were trying to rub it in. how does this come in with this subject matter and not be too in-your-face. >> i am someone who hates the idea of issue movies. it has to be entertaining, personal. it has to be a great story, or the backdrop happens to be the issue. tavis: you don't see it as an issue movie? >> no, this is a personal story that a lot of people are going through, but not an issue. have: you don't have to lived the experience, but how you develop empathy for a character? there are so many americans going through with this is about now.

>> you know what is so funny is this particular character, her job is to fire people. so many people said afterwards, i really believe if it was a guy, people would say -- people would not say he is mean. i really find that a sexist mark for this to the character, because i think she did what needed to be done, will vulnerable to a certain extent, but was surprised at the reaction of some people. tavis: let's explore this. i oftentimes want to give people the benefit of the doubt. maybe what they are responding to is this sense that everybody in america has now of either accept or anchor with corporate america, and anybody who is portrayed on scene will be

called the b-word if she is a woman or another term if it is a dude. i cannot imagine anybody plan that character would be embraced or beloved. maybe it is not sexist, i don't know, you tell me. >> i am not sure. i believe there is a lot of sexist mentality in business. i have seen it quite a lot in the past year-and-a-half, dealing with haiti, and i noticed being in certain circumstances, in offices, it is an interesting dynamic. something i'm just starting to look at and explore. tavis: how have you decided, you're just starting to explore, your strategy may change, but how at this point have you personally dealt with being in those environments?

>> that is a great way to put it, putting in a patriarchal set of way. it is having as much education as i can, and i am clear on my vision. i set boundaries from the beginning, this is what i want, and also not what a lot of people do, i find, especially artists who are doing business, is giving our power away. i find myself being a really generous person, so i am always giving ideas, connections. them when i realize, huh, i am not asking anything back to do what i want to do, it is interesting. i am learning how to navigate back, and it is exciting.

tavis: since you are so gorgeous on screen and in person, i am wondering if whether you know where the line is between when a guy is being sexist towards you or hitting on you because he thinks you are attractive. do you know where that line is? >> you know, i don't. i never think anybody is trying to pick me up. tavis: you are that oblivious to what? >> i am completely oblivious. even if they were, i would have no idea. tavis: wow. you got hit on three times since she walked onstage today. at that guy, and that guy. chris rock does this special, hilarious, i cannot repeat the line, but he says whenever a guy looks in the eye and says hello

to you, he is basically asking for something. i have to send you that tape said that you can get school bond when guys are hitting on you. let's set that aside. you mentioned it haiti. tell me how that work is coming along. >> it is incredible. i landed in haiti in a couple years ago. we all took a trip there. it was as if as soon as i landed i got hit by the bug and i would never leave out. i worked with a group of women, politicians, businesswoman, sophisticated, incredible women, supported the women's media campaign, and then right after the earthquake i was there with some friends and built the first women's clinic.

i was there some years before the earthquake, and have many friends on all different levels of society, which is very interesting as well. that -- i realize there is this whole and the ngo world. everybody is constantly try to take ownership, fighting for funding, and we found out we did not want to reinvent the wheel. i have an organization called we advance, to advance the health, safety, and well-being of women throughout haiti. we are filling the need for all work together.to tavis: is that work like herding cats or are you having success?

>> we are having success. pulte works with what we do, only local partners, grass roots level. i am there to give my ideas and expertise, but they are running the country, and i have got in trouble with some of the big agencies for coming out, telling the truth, what i have seen, what my haitian friends have to say about certain agencies, and i was upset about it before, but now see all of these grass-roots agencies coming together. tavis: in your own words, not that you can use anybody else's words, but tell me about the haitian people, as you have got to know them. >> people always say, they are

so resilient, joyful, and all of that is true, but there is an energy in haiti and a life force born out of this revolutionary spirit and a deep cultural artistic awareness and groundedness which is extraordinary. the thing i find very interesting if you only hear about the haitian elite as people supported duvalier, who own 90%, and then the poor are down the hill. what has happened is a lot of the children of these kids have come back since the earthquake in before that to say, we're not going to act out our parents acted. they have a broader view of how to help their country. these young people are really creating the biggest change in haiti. tavis: we keep following this

story, hoping things will get better, and it will if people like you keep doing the work. thank you for the film, called "the company men." if you see her in person and try to hit on her, please know that she will not get it. >> or please tell me directly. tavis: that is our show for tonight. thank you for tuning in. until next time, keep the faith. >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time with financial watchdog phil angelides. that is next time. we will see you then. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i'm james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference, you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer,

nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--