hey, welcome back to "morning joe." all morning, we're going to be talking about some of our best interviews this year. >> from living in a trailer park to running for governor wendy davis did not hold back in a very personal memoir. he she joined us to talk about her life and how she became a rising star in the democratic party. >> let's talk about the book. you decided to go there. >> in a lot of ways. >> it's a really tough book. a lot of people obviously talked about your filibuster. but you -- while you're reading the story of other women who had abortions under difficult

circumstances. you didn't talk about a couple you had. >> two abortions. >> and in both cases, fairly tragic. >> yes. >> tell us about it. >> the first -- >> why you put it in the book. >> the first is an atopic pregnancy which of course is dangerous for a woman. the second one is one where we were told that our very much loved and wanted daughter had a severe brain abnormality. and we had to confront what we would do. >> you had already given her a name, hadn't you? >> tate elise. >> yeah. >> we went to four different doctors, hoping that someone would give us a different ray or a small ray of hope. and none could. they told us that if she survived to term she likely wouldn't survive delivery and if she survived delivery she likely would be in a permanent vegetative state. we did what we thought was the most loving thing for our daughter. >> right. >> when we went through the experience, my doctor provided us with some really good

material to read. i wanted to be able to do the same thing for other people. that these folks did for my husband and i. when we read it. it was very helpful to us. >> you didn't bring this up in your many hours of filibustering. in that moment that really put you in the national stage. why not? >> i thought about it. and i write about it in the book. a story that was very much like mine. but i feared that if i did, it would make the day about me. and the day needed to be about other people in texas. all of those voices that felt like they hadn't been heard and had been ignored. and i was trying to give voice to them. >> senator, because of the way you rose to national prominence with that filibuster, you've been so identified with the issue of abortion. you write about it in the book. do you think that's hurt you at all inside the state of texas where you go out and that's the

first thing you want to talk about? maybe talk about jobs or health care or something else that's important to texans? >> what i'm pleased to see, as this race is shaping up is people really want to talk to me about is education. and i write about that in my book. my breakthrough from single mom poverty came through a path that was made possible by education. and i previously had a filibuster in 2011 to stop $5.5 billion from being cut from our public schools. so i'm very well known for my fight to create more support for public ed greater access to higher ed and that really is the central issue in this race. >> mark halperin's in d.c. has a question for you. >> senator davis, you're not running against rick perry, but you're running to replace him against greg abbott. the attorney general of your state. governor perry's big call for his record big claim, is on the economy and jobs. you're talking about education, infrastructure. what are you promising the

voters of texas if they elect you, you'll do in terms of improving on and keeping up with rick perry's? what kind of economic growth would your policies bring about, what kind of job creation? >> the big issue for us is what would we do in this path forward for texas. education truly is the key. i was watching a story earlier on this show. talking about the inability to fill certain job sectors because of the lack of a trained workforce to do that. and we know in texas. we've got a real challenge with our human resources. with our capacity to fill those jobs. because we don't have the training for the jobs of tomorrow. it's why i've made it it the central focus of this race. >> would your job growth be as fast under perry? >> i believe in the tools we've used in texas. the economic development tools. the public/private partnerships. this was an area of expertise

for me when i was on the city council for the nine years i was there. i believe we need to continue to use them. we need to continue to make sure that texas leads the nation in economic growth. and it's my plan not only to continue to strongly urge the use of those tools, but to do it in a way that's transparent and accountable. i was proud in the last legislative session to pass an audit for the first time of the way some of those funds are sure our partners are living up to the bargain. >> you've been criticized for your parenting skills and choices along the way. i think it's interesting, right now, in some polls you're losing with women in texas. do you think there's connection with the criticism you've received? because you talk about making the path possible for everyone through education. your path to educate yourself was long and arduous.

some really difficult decisions. where at times your children couldn't be with you. and you were judged extremely harshly for those decisions. by the way, a man would never be judged for that. you did these things to better yourself and bring up your family. and yet it's seen in such a different light. i wonder sometimes if women actually judge that decision. >> i certainly hope not. my daughters are amazing women. my oldest daughter is here with me this morning and has been significantly helping me -- >> and the product of your hard work. >> and the product of hard work. you know we grew up truehrough some tough times together. i think our story is a story of success. it's a story of overcoming the odds. that was all made possible because of education. and i'm proud of the path i took to make a better life. >> i want to just read one other part of this book. because it talks about what a

moving -- what a remarkable life you've had, whether you're a republican or a democrat. and i can say this. i'm selling the book. i'm a republican. i would not vote for miss davis. but i can still love the book and be moved. moved by i think an inspirational story. this is the part your mother -- a single mother. she struggled with thoughts of suicide. and this is what she writes. as she contemplated taking the lives of her three young children, an angel came into her life that day. a neighbor who had never come into her home before rang the bell. and sat in the living room. held my mother's hand. he talked to her for quite some time. by the time he left she was through it. and she came and collected us from the car. and put one foot in front of the other. and pushed on for all of us. and did a beautiful job of it.

>> she did. >> there are so many -- you know we always hear about the bad in the world. there's so many angels out there, aren't there? there really are. >> i've been blessed with so many in my life i truly have. >> what an incredible -- >> you say who inspired -- >> ladybird johnson, when asked -- she was very shy, how she overcame that. she said you have to get so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid. that's the story of my life. it truly is. >> still ahead, much more of "morning joe." the best of 2014.

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the moment you came into the world, you wanted to be right here. you probably don't remember this one. you were about 11. >> look at me. what else have you lied about? >> what? >> did you know about daddy? >> of course not. why do you drink this junk -- >> i am talking to you.

are you sure you didn't know? >> what is the matter with you? >> what is the matter with me? i protected you. i believed you were incapable of something like this. you lied to me. >> makes you tired to look at doesn't it? scene from the play "the commons of pensacola." we'll talk about that in just a moment. first, look at these shoes. tell me whose shoes are hotter. >> please explain to your devoted viewers you forced me to put my legs up on this desk. >> i did. these are her shoes. you are now a shoe designer. what a good business opportunity. put your feet down. >> with the very wonderful and wise partnership of george malkimus iii, who has been in the shoe business for a long time, the owner of the man nola

blaunic brand. >> which is the whole "sex in the city thing." there's the carrie shoe right there. >> which in fact i'm wearing this moment. they're made in italy. there's a wonderful gentleman who's probably third or fourth generation shoemaker in tuscany named ricardo. his son now works with him. we've been able to make the shoes that i've not done for many, many years. >> so let me ask you this. because i bring it up not just to sell the shoe although i love them. going to get those, the karat carrie's. you're a mother of three. you're doing a play. once or twice a day? >> we have eight shows a week two on saturday two on sunday. >> it's amazing. it's also an emotional roller coaster. if you're a mother or a daughter, you feel it. and i don't know how you're doing everything you do. i think it's amazing.

quite frankly, unless like i'm wrong, you don't have to. but you want to. >> well -- >> what drives you? >> i put it into context, there are working mothers who are doing things that are far more taxing and burdensome. with little or no support. and the financial -- little or no financial -- i just want to say that doing a play and working on a shoe line say privilege rather than -- i mean there are women in this country working two or three jobs. so i want to be clear about, you know, what is difficult and what is a chore and -- >> because you're doing something you love to do. >> and that i get to make a choice about. and most women in this country do not have that opportunity. so is it tiring? sure. is it challenging? wonderfully so. is it a privilege to be tired and have these opportunities? absolutely. so you will not hear me complain. doesn't mean i won't say, oh i'm tired, i'm tired. but the reality of my version of

tired is really nothing that i should go on and on about. >> i love that answer. that's absolutely correct. >> so the play is spectacular. blythe danner. spectacular. you are spectacular. >> she's extraordinary. >> not to give everything away for those -- the run almost elapses soon correct? >> we've been extended and extended. now we can no longer -- we can't extend any further. it's becoming ungraceful to the next production. >> it's loosely based on -- if you remember the madoff family. >> yes, yes. >> it had been a long time since you had done anything on broadway. and of course everybody knows you obviously principally from "sex and the city." what is the mind-set, the long delays, of boredom of doing a tv series multiple shoot, and then live on stage? >> well television action works very quickly. i love the pace of television versus a film schedule, you

know, if you're lucky enough to have one. i think, you know, in the most stark sort of portrait theater requires about 400 to 700 good takes every single night. film and television you really need one take per scene to tell your story well. because once you get into the editing room if you know you have that one good take and any great director/writer will say we've got it don't panic. the other four were lousy but i've got what i need. theater, which is i guess what separates the women from the girls is what it requires every single night. >> there's no net. >> no. i think that's why they say it's an actor's medium because it's really up to you. it's incumbent upon you. as human being, it's often not possible to reach that despair every single night. that's what's so engaging is you know what it should be and you know where you ariverrived perhaps

the night before and you don't get there. but it's a thrill. new york theater audiences are incredibly -- they have very high standards. you know their expectations are. and they should be. but it's a thrill. >> in this theater, it's extremely intimate. >> yeah. >> so it's either there or it's not. >> yeah. >> when you walked out in the beginning, i was, like that's sarah jessica parker. how am i going to get over there? no, i'm serious. you're right there. it's not even that far. so -- but you did it. really quickly. which is a huge -- >> because sarah jessica and i have been imaginary friends since "square pegs." >> i didn't know you knew we had been imaginary friends. it's so rarely revealed that one has actually harbored the same imaginary friend -- i was just talking to my daughter tab

tabitha about an imaginary friend. like if it's so public how can be itmaginary? >> she asked me that. in her uniquely marilyn monroe voice, she's 4, if everybody knows about it how can it be imaginary. >> wow. >> it's very cool a lot of people recognize your love of fashion not only from "sex and the city" but talk about the affordability affordability. was that a conscience move? when you look at those shoes, do you say hello lover? >> in my interior monologue, i might have whispered hello lover. price point is very important. only because i know how hard it can be to earn a dollar and when you're asking of that dollar

from somebody what are you offering in return. and i feel as if i'm honor bound to these women who really were an enormous part of any success that i've had. there were these 10 million women. and i feel that there's this principle i have to maintain. so i wanted to make wonderful beautiful shoes with, you know great fit and comfortable and i wanted to not make a mass line. so, you know, those margins get -- so we're really pleased with the price point that we're able to arrive at. it is what is called the sweet spot. it's called affordable but that doesn't mean it's accessible for everybody. i wish we could have done it a little bit less but i'm really pleased we were able to be between $250 and $400 for a pair of shoes made in italy with this kind of detail and attention to quality. >> where do you have shelf space to buy these shoes? >> it's exclusively at nordstrom nordstroms. which was a dream of mine. i have a kind of nice history

with the company. it's an area that they are extremely good at doing well. and they welcomed this partnership and they've been amazing. so shoes will be delivered february 28th. we have a pop-up shop in new york for a few days. >> i'm there, i'm there. i'm so there. you don't have to reel me in. >> and we're traveling across the country. i'm doing a whistle stop tour. >> oh how fun. do you still watch "morning joe" at all? >> of course. i was like are we going to get into -- are we going to talk about chris christie this morning? >> do you want to? >> well what better conversation to have. i know you have sentimental feelings and you have a friendship. >> i do, i do. ask me questions. >> i would ask you this. do we have time? >> sure. >> during that two-hour press conference, what were you hoping to hear from him? if you could kind of take -- if i could give you truth serum now? can you tell me the one thing you thought was missing before

everyone else jumped in and the pundits? >> there were a couple things missing. i think the actual how it all -- i know what was missing. when he said that bridget kelly was fired, that he fired her on the spot. >> he never had a conversation with her? >> yeah what? that's not the guy i know. >> i think that's -- yeah i think that for me was -- i took issue with the sort of -- >> i took issue with that. >> one other thing that really struck me -- and then i heard it a million times so this is now no longer revelatory. when he kept talking about the betrayal he felt. >> right. >> what i kept waiting for him to say, which i think would have done enormous good will for him at that moment. i regret that i ever set a tone in my office that made it seem to anybody working with me sub subordinate or not, that any of this kind of behavior was acceptable. >> he did say i've got to do a

lot of soul searching. >> that's not enough. >> of course. >> you have to say, the fish stinks from the head down. >> that's what you have to say. >> i am a leader and i set a tone in the office that made this somehow seem acceptable amusing or in any way sort of -- >> yeah don't disagree. >> and that i was -- >> don't need truth serum, i'll tell you. ask me anything. >> i'm really curious to see what is forth coming in all of these e-mails. >> i am too. >> anyway. my parents live in bergen county so they have strong feelings. they're old school lefties. >> there you go. >> so you know they're a little bit of -- >> say hi. >> i will indeed. >> thank you for having me. >> thank you so much for coming in. >> how to deal with the highs and lows of parenting? a complicated question. >> a new book shows how focusing on parenthood instead of parenting can make all the difference in the world. that's ahead.

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the author of "all joy and no fun" the paradox of modern parent hood. i want to get into the title. but first, guilt. can we talk about joe for a second? because okay so we work an early shift, right. we get up at 3:00. home by 11:00. i call about the show. he's driving his kid to tennis. he's driving his daughter home from school. he's watching "spongebob." seems like seven hours -- why does he need to do that? it's too much. they have too much access to him. >> i don't need this lecture on national tv. >> it's really a compliment

though obviously. the emergent parenting thing. >> and they're up late watching tv with him. >> because you feel bad about not seeing them. >> but i see them all the time. >> it's terrific men feel that way. there are two things i can describe here. one, something we talked about a little bit last time. >> yes, please. >> the family has become a phiolarchy. the kids are at the time. >> you talk about the inverted pyramid. >> i did talk about this. literally, until 1940, only half of kids -- only half of all american kids graduated from high school. they were working for us. throughout the history of this country. >> and they liked it. >> no but i mean -- >> i'm sorry. >> -- made rationale economic sense. you did something for them and they kicked something back in. what's strange is now their new work is your new work.

it's driving them to soccer. that's their work. it's going over their homework and all that. >> can i ask a question? >> my little girl doesn't like a certain place and so we're not going to go there. >> what's that? >> just saying. go ahead. >> can i tell you something else about all the things you're doing on behalf of your kid? it was much easier when we raised our kids to be like us. if they inherited our farm it was easy piecy. they knew what they were doing. you're now completely uncertain about what you're doing for your kid. you don't know what your kid's futures are going to be. so because i don't know the name of the job title that my kid is going to have. >> right. >> so what we're doing is raising our kids for every possible future. because you don't know what specific future they're going to, you know, be a part of. i mean can you imagine like sergei brennan and larry paige being, hey, mom, i'm going to find -- >> let me ask you, it's weird being a parent and i got four

kids but it's strange these days. sometimes the parents that others would go oh gosh they're so tough with their kids. basically treat them the way our parents treated us. you know on one hand other parents are going, oh they're not spending enough time with their children. but on the other hand you sit there and go wait a second are they doing it the right way by not letting their children dominate every second of their lives? >> yes. the because i said so model has gone out the window. the idea we could utter to our children, look this isn't a democracy, i'm still the boss here. hasn't been completely i think just checked away. again, i would go back -- >> why? >> well you know, the new theory, about if you were a middle class and you were college educated the way you prepare your kids for the world is that when they ask you a question, you don't respond with a directive. you respond with another question. what do you think of that. on the one hand i guess it's a

nice thing. it tells kids that look no institution is too difficult for them to navigate. no environment is too challenging. on the other hand how realistic is that? the reason again, i'm going back to this idea it's a -- this is an ahistorical moment. we didn't used to sit there and cater to children as if we were their valets. >> you know what the amazing thing is it doesn't make them love you anymore. than i loved my dad. no, i'm dead serious. i'm not trying to be funny here. sometimes, sometimes when there is so much immersion, actually it breeds contempt. and i'm not talking to my kids. my kids love me. but, you know, my dad went to work. he came home. you know he coached baseball on the weekends. we didn't spend a whole lot of hey, how are you, dad? but i loved him every bit as

much. i loved him every bit as much as my children love me. and my children love me a lot. >> a sociologist who writes about this unequal childhoods is the name of her book. she points this very fact out. the very habits we're nurturing in our kids means they can challenge our authority. and they can hold you in contempt. they can negotiate with the teacher. it's hard. it's hard on parents. it's especially hard if you've sacrificed all these hours. >> a yale law school professor, amy c hu a and her husband judd. they co-wrote the new book "the triple package" how three unlikely traits explain the rise and fall of cultural groups in america. they have a lot of different contributions to the conversations over success and also certain behavioral characteristics that lead to success or failure.

i thought it would be good to bring you back and let you talk to joe. >> what why? what now? >> i know you have a lot of questions for them about yourself. >> no, i was looking at the segment of course from the identify orphanage where i was working. >> what did you think? >> you said there were three traits that led to success. what were the traits? >> a sense of exceptionality that you can be one. insecurity, that you're not good enough yet. and third, impulse control. >> i had a friend that eplayed me and said two out of three ain't bad. i told this friend, you know -- because he had asked what worked for you, what doesn't work for you. i said it's this weird sense that i can do anything and along with that insecurity. that i can't fail. it's like this self-hatred.

it's like i wish i had that much -- i was that secure in myself. it's like it's this friction that rubs together -- >> but that makes sense, right, to be driven something has to be pushing you. you can't just be feeling all fine. and that's what we're trying to bring out in this book. it's not supposed to be like sugarcoating. let's look at success and drive. it's a complicated thing. you can have different doses. i think right now we're watching the olympics. i think every person on that team has these three traits. i could be number one but all these people could beat me. that's what we're trying to capture. >> if you don't have number one, even with number two, you never get out on the ice because you're like, i'm going to fall down embarrass myself in front of 1 billion people. >> it's a strange combination, right. because you feel somehow inside like you're king of the world but you feel at the same time you got to prove yourself. >> right. >> somehow, there's some culture, some group, some families, where they're instilling these qualities more often.

>> what cultures do it right? >> well they change over time right. so we just took a snapshot. who's doing really well right now. and they're interesting groups. they include the mormons that have come out of nowhere. and these are not people who started off rich. they're really driving up. indian americans. chinese-americans. iranian and lebanese americans. >> you want to hire a mormon. mormons work hard. they thing they can be saved by work. southern back tichtptistbaptists, we don't. what is it about the mormon faith? what is it about the mormon experience that drives them to success? >> they've got this combination of qualities. >> it's a generalization. i'm sure there's one smoking pot or -- somewhere. >> these are all generalizations. overall, statistically speaking in general, they've got this sense of exceptionality from their religion and their moral practice. they've got this insecurity because they feel a little funny about their place in america still. same time they got all this discipline. impulse control from their habits. i can tell you the single most

important social science experiment ever conducted, ever heard of it called the marshmallow test. they gave 3-year-old 4-year-old kids a marshmallow. they said you can just eat this marshmallow. if you wait 15 minutes, we'll give you a second marshmallow. most of them ate it right up. then almost by accident they tracked these kids 30 years later. the ones who did not eat it the ones who waited they had way better educational achievement. better be jos. making more money. stronger families. >> how old were the kids? >> 3, 4, and 5. >> wow, can you believe that? >> in some families are their ways to strengthen that quality in kids? turns out there are. >> the ones who didn't eat the marshmallow were girls. is there a difference along lines? >> all our students. it's so interesting to apply there to different groups, you know, like gender. in a way, i think what we're interested in is how do some

people take being an outsider or a minority, for example, you can think of women in that category and turn that into a source of strength. one of the terms we explore is a chip on the shoulder. how many people were really driven? you were describing this. have that little bit of a chip on their shoulder. some were talking about steve young. like there were always joe montana -- and women, you could see this in the corporate area, you know, it's not easy but turning that sense of, like they're not looking -- they're not respecting us enough how can we turn that into something that is empowering. >> still ahead on "morning joe's" best of 2014 an actor, producer director, even an author. >> henry winkler joins us to talk about the children's book he wrote and why it's very personal.

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george michael finds himself the subject of a lawsuit over the ownership of fake block. >> that's a career maker. that's a -- you just need one of

those. >> excuse me. was it or was it not my client who put up the initial seed money for the block software that served as the underlying architecture of fake block? >> it was 99 cents. >> times three. >> times three. >> can i say something to my client? take to the sea! >> that was the scene from the latest season of "arrested development." one of my favorite shows. you are my favorite character. >> thank you so much for coming. >> you're perfect. >> i never considered part of the ensemble. i'm kind of like a guest. >> are you kidding me? >> no. >> oh, stop it, right now. >> here's a fun fact about that scene. when i said "take to the sea" they flashed back to young barry and it was my son max who's now a director who played me. >> oh fantastic. >> i love it. i like that a lot. >> we got a lot to talk about. first of all, is it going to

become a movie, you think? >> you know what i'm not sure. i know that it's going to come back. i just don't know in what form. it might be a mini-series. it might be back on netflix. i know that mitch wants all the actors together at once. >> let's talk about these books. because these are important books. talk about here's hank. and it's about a kid that makes his class laugh. doesn't try to make his class laugh. >> he doesn't try. >> but there's a special back story to this. >> it is based on my life and wherever my dyslexia bumps up against the world, we put it into these books. there are 18 in the fourth grade, the fifth grade and the sixth grade. and we've just started the prequel that joe is kindly holding up. and it is in the second grade. >> you talk about the font -- >> i wanted people to see this. >> it's special. >> it was created by a dad in

holland for his disleszekyslexic children so the words are weighted more on the page and don't float. it is easier to read for everybody. >> it really is. >> and the publisher of grossette of penguin putnam decided to seek this out and we used it for the first time. >> it's fantastic. has been a passion project for you. someone who is dyslexic. >> yes. >> explain how you've been able to turn that around into a positive for yourself. and now to pay it forward with the books like this. >> do you know what -- what i realized was that i could be held down by the frustration or i could just keep my eye on the prize. i now know that the phrase for my life is "if you will it it is not a dream." and they're not just pretty words. they actually make this world

spin. if you know what you want and you just put one foot in front of the other, you can actually get here to this table. >> nicole. >> what's your message for parents with kids that might be struggling? >> i'll tell you exactly what it is. a child knows they're not doing well. you don't need to remind them. >> smart. >> so here it is. all you need to do is keep that child buoyed. because when you're not doing well, your self-image plummets to your ankles. >> you were never diagnosed, right? >> never. it was when my son jed, this smart funny verbal kid couldn't write a report about the hopi nation we had just visited. we had him tested. everything they were saying to him, i went so i'm not stupid. i have something with a name. >> yeah. >> wow. >> and then these books came. you know i was going to do this because there was a lull in my acting career. who knew there would be a lull.

>> i can't believe it. >> how many people still talk to you about "happy days?" >> every day. every day. about a million people. >> we just celebrated 50 years of the beatles -- >> actually -- >> henry -- >> 40 years -- >> "happy days." >> isn't that unbelievable? >> whoa oh. >> remember when the diner burned down and they rebuilt it they gave you an office in the bathroom? so good. so good. >> wait a minute can i just ask one thing. >> anything you want. >> okay. what you said really struck me as a parent a child knows they're not doing well. >> a child doesn't wake up in the morning and go wow, i'm going to be an idiot today. i'm going to cause trouble. i covered my shame and humiliation for not being able to figure out what was going on with humor. >> but i also think the message,

for me sometimes you don't need to remind them, sometimes you need to inspire other ways. >> i truly believe -- i'm not an expert, but i truly believe in this country, we have to start teaching children the way they can learn and not what we think they should learn. i took geometry for four years. same course. i got a "d" minus. >> me too. >> never once in my career has anybody said to me hypotonus. >> i know. >> same here -- >> isolies. >> i took geometry for one year with sister caroline. >> "d" minus. >> incomplete. >> here we all are at this table having a great time. i mean really -- >> and my s.a.t. scores. >> oh oh, you get 200 for your

name? i got 134 over my name. i applied to 28 colleges. i got in to 2. park university in missouri. i think it's a doorway in a prairie. >> you got to hedge your bets. >> i wasn't hedge mileing my bets. it was humiliating. also we enjoyed the same play. >> that was fun. coming up john cleese shows his fans a very different side. >> joins us to talk about his new memoir. these ally bank ira cds really do sound like a sure thing but i'm a bit skeptical of sure things. why's that? look what daddy's got... ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!! growth you can count on from the bank where no branches equals great rates.

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with government backing, could i make it very silly. the very real problem is what matters and the administrators -- [ laughter ] defense, social security, health housing, education. there is also -- [ laughter ] last year the government spent less on the ministry than it did on national affairs. now, we get $348 million which is supposed to be spent on all our available -- [ laughter ] >> here is -- >> that is awesome. >> amazing mike barnacle 45 years later, i saw the first

second of the clip and i burst out laughing. i knew what was coming. >> absolutely. you're going to be happy you stuck around. one of the original members of the monty python gang award winning actor john cleese out now with his memoir "so anyway" is with us. off of joe's immediate re an the audience's immediate reaction, what's it like to walk through life? whenever people see you, they smile? they smile? >> you're absolutely right. it's really nice. the thing is if people make you laugh, you feel affection towards them. it doesn't matter if you're w.c. fields with a grudge against children animals, women. or being rude to everyone in sight. >> i think it's very generous to make people laugh. >> it is yeah. >> you're such a generous person. >> it's also a gift that you're giving to people. >> yes, yes, i realize that. >> are we flattering you enough? >> the shows in july we did ten

shows -- >> i was going t asko ask you. i remember you guys announced you were going to basically bring the band back together. sold out than any other show. >> the 34 seconds. >> i mean i've never played to such wonderful audiences because it wasn't an entertainment at all. they wanted to kind of say thank you for making us laugh. and we wanted to say thank you for thanking us. it was just wonderful. i've never felt so relaxed on stage. when comics are relaxed, that's when they get funny. >> those shows sold out faster than -- you name the rock act. i mean it's amazing. >> i'm just curious, john what do you get recognized more for, monty python or faulty --

>> in america, it's always python. >> jeangene robinson step in. >> your funny lines have often been about politics. my life is during the 2008 -- i think it was during the 2008 when you said michael is no longer the funniest palin. so any comment ss? >> when came here can you believe, i first came here in 1964. >> wow. >> when johnson beat goldwater. the thing that impressed me then, really impressed me was the friendship across the aisles. how people from parties liked each other and got on okay. it was so different from england where they were sort of still arguing about the general strike of 1929, you know and i

thought, this is great, this is the way to run a democracy. but things change. >> things have definitely changed. now, when you walked in here. you're very tall. how tall are you? >> well it's partly a trick of the light. i'm actually 58." >> no you're not. >> no i'm 64'4 1/2". >> you were over 6 feet at 12 years old? >> yes, gangly and thin. gawky. great word. >> towering over your class by several feet. >> to tower over all the teachers. >> oh, my god. >> it was not easy. when you're young, you want to be able to fade into the background. >> can't do that. >> no. >> how did you use that to discover your ability for musical comedy? >> that was much later. because i was so discoordinated. i was physically weak. i'd outgrown my strength.

that's what i was told. and there are all these little tough guys who could pull themselves up on the rings and i'd just hang there. >> aww. >> but i found -- look i was an only child of older parents. and that meant that i didn't fit in very well when i first went to school. >> i want you to do that here. >> i wish i could. i've had a knee and a hip replacement. >> okay. >> the bionic man. >> you ended up teaching in a private school. >> yeah. >> when did you first realize that you were funny, that you had the ability to make people laugh? >> it was earlier when i was in school. the kids didn't -- didn't like me very much when i first went to school. and i immediately discovered that if you could make them laugh, there was this feeling of warmth you know. and i don't think it was conscious. i think that's just -- i just started to make people laugh. because if you tell a good joke

at a party, it's very simple you feel good right? everyone laughs. if they don't laugh, it feels terrible. >> aw. >> no that's why i did it. i think it was a kind of defense thing. >> the book is "so anyway." dot, dot, dot. >> thank you for having me on. >> thanks so much for being with us this morning. >> we had a great time. you can stay tuned for all your live break sing news on msnbc. colonial penn life insurance company. i'm glad i was able to help you today. hi, my name is diane tull,

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a very good morning to you. i'm richard liu. first on the rundown, officials

saying sonar images are located what appears to be large parts of the wreckage of air asia flight 8501 at the bottom of the sea. but sonar has not located the fuselage. air asia's ceo spoke a short time ago. >> the weather unfortunately not looking good for the next two or three days. that is slowing us down. but they did inform me that the sh