good evening from los angeles. i'm tavis smiley. first a conversation with best-selling writer max brooks whose novel about a zombie invasion earned him a devoted following and success in movie theeters with the blockbuster film starring one brad pitt. his latest work takes a much more realistic turn called the harlem hell filers and honors african-american infantry regimen in world war i. then we'll to our music guest. she builds on relationships they developed in his first cd. she'll perform a song for us tonight called "run" from the new cd. we're glad you could join us and the conversations and a performance coming up right now/

max brooks began his professional writing career at "saturday night live "noi" in 2

not different from his father mel brooks writing for the show of shows. but max brooks carved out a different path of his own. he's the author of the best-selling novel, world war z which earned him a cult following to say the least. he is also the author of a very different graphic novel out that came straight from history called the harlem hell fighter who tells the story of a hard fighting infantry regimen? world war i. i'm delighted to you have on the program. max, good to see you. >> thank you. >> i want to start and get this out of the way. i get asked everywhere i go by people here and there, how do i get on the show? i want to be on the show. i have this project. i have this book. how do we get on the show? and i'm going to start telling people. what you have to do is have a really, really famous father who is like iconic and who just pounds you merslessly and who comes on the show and brings his son's book and pounds you mercy

fully, just berates. this is what happened. here we go. this is max. that is max brooks. max brooks wrote a couple of books. the first book, i thought it was -- i hope he doesn't hear this. i thought it was a little crazy. i really was worried about him. he wrote a book called the zombie survival guide. and i said all right. okay. you know. kids are nuts. he likes zombies or he's giving -- the book is a zombie survival guide is all about what to do in case you're attack by a zombie. >> right. >> how to defend yourself, where to hide, where to go. you know, you got to stick a knife through their brains and so on. it's a little embarrassing. >> i'm laughing for you. i'm laughing at you making fun of max's ideas but the stuff you produced, you got nerve. >> yeah, i got nerve.

>> you got the nerve. >> yeah. >> and then, right, following that -- by the way, that book sold two million copies. >> yeah. >> i mean i go to him now. >> just wanted to know, i defended you as best i could. >> i understand. >> your dad was calling you names. >> 20 years from now i'm i'll be doing this to my son. >> i just thought that was so cool. we just celebrate father's day not too long ago. it was such a beautiful thing. we had the writers on our show for our father's day show. carl and rob. carl, of course, and your dad are best of friends. i thought it was so cool that your father comes on the showin have my son on the show. you earned your own following. that world war z thing took off. >> who would have thought? i wrote it for me. i didn't think anybody would read it. before you know it, i paid for

my house. >> how do you know when it's option by brad pitt and it's a movie? >> i think you have to be very clear about what's going to happen in hollywood. i think hollywood is going to do what hollywood does, especially if it's a summer blockbuster. their goal is to make a lot of money. and they did. i have to be okay with no matter what they do. so that's just -- you have to own that. you have to own the consequences. it was a stand alone movie. it happened to have the same title of a book i once wrote. >> when you say you wrote the book for yourself, what does that mean? >> when i sat down to write it -- when i sit down to write anything, i don't write for an audience. i never understood people. i didn't know what would work or wouldn't work. i know what i like. that's always been my compass

needle. that guides me every page. >> when you say you were never the popular kid that, is interesting because in part of who your father is. when you're in this town and parents are popular, it just flows that oftentimes the kids are popular. whether you say you weren't popular, what did you mean by that? >> i was the nerdy, insecure kid who would as an only child, people asked me did you grow up in l.a.? i said, no, i grew up in my room. being very dyslexic didn't help. i had to struggle in school. i had no interest in sports. i still don't get it. i really felt like i was waiting are'spa for the space ship to take me home. when you live in your head, it taught me to be a writer. but it definitely disconnect me from an audience. i always write for me. >> back to your dad, does that mean then that your dad left you alone to do what you were doing? did you seek council, advice? your father was a great writer himself. how did that relationship work? >> my father, remember, he is

two generations away from me, he's not one. i'm a general xor, he is world war ii. he had me when he was in his 50s. so the business changed. the world changed. so the advice he would help me get started wouldn't help now. i can't go to him and say hey dad, how would i make it in 1949? he would be great. he would tell me how to do it. you go to the catskills and then you meet caesar. that's not how it works. i really had to make it up as i went along. >> i don't want to say were you surprised, but let me ask the question, how did you process the success of world war z? >> no one is more surprised than me. i mean how does a book that i write for me connect with other people? i still don't get it. i still don't understand why people are interested in what i write. i can't let that affect me. i have to keep that success, keep that love. for me. that's a road to ruin. i have to stick with what got me

here in the first place which is what do i love? >> you know the route that your father chose to take and to -- you know, he burnished with his own autistic gift. for you, it turns out to be the graphic novel. why the graphic novel? >> well, specifically for the harlem hell fighters, i tried to write it as a movie script a long time ago. nobody wanted it. and i was about to give up on it. and i met with lavar burton. >> the lavar burton from roots? >> yes. i just saw him at a comic book convention. i said i'm sure you don't remember me, 100 years ago back in the '90s i wrote this as a movie script. nobody wanted it. you said there are a few harlem hell fighter scripts floating around. don't give up. he said this wouldn't be getting done if it wasn't for you. >> tell me about the "harlem

hell fighters." in the war to end all wars, a set of soldiers were set up to fail by their government. they were given inadequate training. they had to write to their own government to get their own guns. they were giving the guns away to private shooting clubs, not to them. they had to pretend to be a private shooting club. then they were sent to spartanburg, south carolina, hoping there would be a race war. so all of this humiliation, all of this degradation then finally they weren't even allowed to march off to war with all the other new york national guard units. they were all put together and called the rainbow division. march off to war. they weren't allowed because they were told direct quote, black is not a color of the rainbow." they're sent to france to dig dishes, unload ships. when they demand a chance to fight, the u.s. government gives them to the french as a throw away. says you take them. we don't want them. the french government was desperate. anybody could hold a rifle. the french also had phenomenal

success with their black african troops. so in the reverse racism, they thought neighbor anybody is black and can fight well. we'll take them. they get in combat and come home as the most decorated units of the entire u.s. army despite everything. >> george lucas fought mightily in this town to get his movie about the airman made because to your point earlier, nobody wanted it. >> right. >> with all the money that george lucas has made for everybody in this town, nobody wanteded george lucas' project. what does he do? he puts his own mondey into it and gets i done. when you say nobody wanteded this, why would no one in hollywood want a movie about heroes like the tuskegee airman or the harlem hell fighters? >> it came down to the economics of race. it literally came down to the fact that there simply at that point were not enough bankable, what they call bankable african-american stars in

hollywood. you know, i actually took a class at ucla with a man who created tv show african-american shows called "tour of duty," steve duncan. he said to all of us, he said if you want to maximize your chances of selling a script, make it a white male. there is just more white males in hollywood than anybody else. and everyone said, no, no, no. it's a period piece that is expensive. advertise world war i, no one cares about that war. and it's starring black people? thank you, no. >> so the book is out. >> the book is out in two weeks. before it came out, i got a call from will smith's company that they want to make it a movie. that's how hollywood works. as soon as you turn your back, you go okay. >> but still will smith. >> will smith. >> thank god big willie was there. >> in the '90s, will smith was just up and coming.

nobody knew. he was like the fresh prince. now easel smith. now he's a titanic heavyweight. if anybody can get this done, it's him. >> remarkable story. i think i read -- i must have read somewhere in my research that one of the reasons why you want to make this a graphic novel is because your illustrator -- >> he's so good. >> he's very good. i can attest to that. >> when you write it as a graphic novel, you're forced to see that -- >> that's important. i didn't want to leave anything up to the imagination. when you read a prose book, you forget these are african-americans. i want every page to remind the reader of what skin color these guys are. because they were reminded. every step of the way, they were remi reminded who they were. they started to do so well if combat and became so famous overseas, the u.s. army actually

exported jim crow to the french army. they sat down with the french army and gave them a list of rules and said you have to help us out here. we don't want them coming home thinking they're entitled to be treated like human beings. can you treat them with shame and degradation the way we have. it was don't shake hands with them. don't praise them excessively, especially in the company of white soldiers. don't let them near white civilians. so the memorandum of keep them in their place. don't spoil them. >> i was busting his chops at the beginning of the conversation because it is fun to tease. >> partially he is paying me back for what mel brooks did to you last time. >> not at all. it is just fun to -- you can't tease mel brooks. he has these one liners, i would  brooks. i figure i would take it off on you. >> i get it from both angles. i have mel brooks the father, henry brooks the son. henry brooks just was going to be a noble american. he was going to be fdr. he did his rehearsal and then he

went whoa! oh, my polio! i have eye polio! can i do a polio comedy, dad? no! you can't do polio comedy. so literally i left hip playing in the backyard. they play sports or whatever. you know what he was playing? john brown. running around the backyard. freedom! >> yeah. >> if you know john brown, shame on you. if you do, you're laughing as hard as i am right about now. i still have to say, i was busting your chops earlier. i want to thank -- mel, are you watching? yeah, over here. thank you for bringing the book with you when you came. thank you for suggesting that i have your son on. because it was well worth it. i enjoyeded this immensely, max. >> and my father is very happy i have a job. >> it's a great book. it's a story that ought to be told. big willie, thank you. thank you for optioning this.

"harlem hell fighters," written by the author of "world war z," max brooks. i look forward to seeing this when it comes out on the big screen. max, congratulations. good to see you, my friend. coming up, singer marcia ambroshus and she will perform. stay with us. >> she earned five of her seven nominations as a duo but it is as a solo artist she is garnering best reviews in her career. her latest cd out just now is titled "friends and lovers." and it is intentionally personal in this lyrical content. i guess that follows the path she forthed with her first cd, late nights and early mornings. i'm honored to have her on this program. i'm especially pleased she will close the show by performing a cut from the new cd titled

"run." marcia, glad to you have back. >> thank you for having me again. >> it is intensely personal. >> it is. >> a continuation of what you have to led us to expect on the last project. >> yeah. >> why are you so personal in your writing? >> for me, i have to be. you know, it's the real moment. the music of late. this is why my parents will instill that good, good, that real music. you don't know nothing. you're just a kid. i get it now. it was all personal experience. you could smell and taste music back in the day. so for me, it was late nights and early mornings. that resulted in me meeting some friends. >> yeah. >> and i talk about them in one album. >> and what did they have to say?

>> it's all true so it's all good. >> that's the best way. for you, how do you still yourself, how do you still yourself in truth to write and perform in a way that what comes from your heart reaches the heart of your fans and listeners? >> knowing in that moment it's not just about me. i know many people feel lust in this world or alone by themselves in their feelings and emotions. i really believe that music is that escape. it is that universal language that binds us all. it crosses language barriers. you put a song on, we'll know the emotion behind it. so when i'm creating music and creating these emotions, these moments, i'm speaking on behalf of those that have ever broken a heart, ever broke, you know, themselves.

>> it is always amazing to me. i love artists so much and having them on the program. i'm amazed how you can sit in your own private space and write something, going to a studio and perform something that is about your own life's journey and put it out there. everybody can relate to it. it just goes to show that the universality of the experiences that we go through as home sabans. >> you just have to. it's that connection. it's not art anymore. the art is where you surrender to the moment. i feel that's why for so many years i've been able to connect with the audience that are listening to my music from way back to say yes and now run in this new album much it's all the consistent moments where i've been honest. whether he is a basketball

player or -- that is a real moment. >> we'll talk about that. >> it caught on though. >> it was a real hit. >> someone related. >> a whole lot of people did. >> right. >> i know some of them. >> you seem to be navigating the solo thing pretty well. a lot of people starting a duo or group, they make that adjustment. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. you made both work. >> even in the duo, we were both definitely collectively solo artists. we managed to find something that worked together. i was writing music and wanted to pair it with something that would give it a difference. so inviting a poet to give perspective on the song is already done. so venturing out on my own, i could just then be 100% me.

no promise. it was all 100% my thoughts. just give away the art and everyone then becomes the feature. you know? >> we're going to give away art right about now. i can talk to marsha for hours. i love hearing what she has to say and that 5:accent makes it sound so much sweeter. after all these years, you still have it. >> 14 years in, i do become honorary fill philadelphiian every now and again. >> you chose a great city to live in. i love philadelphia. >> i'm going to give away some art here. marsha's new project is called "friends and lovers," marsha ambrosius. she is going to perform a song called "run," before i run, back to have you on this program. >> thank you so much for having me. >> here comes marsha from the new project "friends and lovers." thanks for watching. and as always, keep the faith. enjoy marsha.

♪ run run ♪ ♪ run away from all the pain that i feel now now that you're gone ♪ ♪ i been so alone so i run away and then you followed me out ♪ ♪ out of the dark try to catch my breath if only for a second ♪ ♪ just a small confession straight from my heart ♪ ♪ break i break ♪

♪ couldn't talk couldn't sleep ♪ ♪ didn't know what you need ♪ ♪ got me feeling so weak because you came in too deep ♪ ♪ wanna stay wanna leave ♪ ♪ i'm so caught in between nors force now i finally see ♪ ♪ that you just weren't the one for me ♪ ♪ run into the new and better you oh, how, how did i let you go ♪ ♪ so stubborn so cold wanna see the sun ♪ ♪ wake up early morning you can keep me warm ♪ ♪ i look at you and showed the worse caught in my throat

i never even wrote them ♪ ♪ we came so close so close to love ♪ ♪ tried to catch my breath if only for a second ♪ ♪ just a small confession straight from my heart ♪ ♪ break i break ♪ ♪ couldn't talk couldn't sleep ♪ ♪ didn't know what you need ♪ ♪ got me feeling so weak because you came in too deep ♪ ♪ wanna stay wanna leave ♪ ♪ i'm so caught in between now i finally see ♪ ♪ that you just weren't the one for me ♪

♪ run run through the storm ♪ ♪ sunrise too long these tears will fall my tears will run run ♪ ♪ didn't know what you needed because you came in too deep ♪ ♪ wanna stay, baby wanna leave ♪ ♪ i'm so caught in between now i finally see ♪ ♪ that you just weren't the one

for me ♪ -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com join me next time. we'll see you then.

steves: westminster abbey. this most-historic church in the english-speaking world is where kings and queens have been crowned and buried since 1066. while it was first built in the 11th century, much of what we see today is 14th century. when there's a royal wedding, the world looks on as, amid all this splendor, thousands of britain's glitterati gather under these graceful gothic arches. the centerpiece is the tomb of edward the confessor, who founded the abbey. and surrounding edward are the tombs of 29 other kings and queens. this is the tomb of queen elizabeth i. her royal orb symbolizes she was queen of the entire globe. the abbey is filled with the remains of people who put the "great" in britain -- saints, musicians, scientists, and soldiers.

for lovers of english literature, strolling through poets' corner can be a pilgrimage in itself. king henry vii's lady chapel, with its colorful windows and fanciful banners, has the festive air of a medieval pageant. the elaborate ceilings is a fine example of fan vaulting, a style that capped the gothic age. at the far end, a wall of modern stained glass marks the royal air force chapel. it honors the fighter pilots of all nations who died defending britain in 1944. with saints in stained glass, heroes in carved stone, and the remains of england's greatest citizens under the floor stones, westminster abbey is the national church and the religious heart of england.

>> welcome to "film school shorts," a showcase of the most exciting new talent from across the country. experience the future of film, next on "film school shorts." "film school shorts" is made possible by a grant from maurice kanbar, celebrating the vitality and power of the moving image, and by the members of kqed.