written by pulitzer prize winners suzan—lori parks and directed by lee daniels who made precious andhe butler this retelling of holiday's story imagines a relationship between the singer and the federal agent sent to spy on her. understandable, when he's played by the broodingly handsome travanti rhodes, who made such an impact in the moonlight. it reminds them that they're killing us. ironically undercuts the more powerful narrative about holiday's roles of a voice of civil rights activism and the authorities�* desire to silence her by any means necessary. it doesn't help that daniels, who's always been a gleefully unruly director, throws the audience several stylistic cu rve balls. careening wildly from stagey interviews to hallucinatory horrors and audacious musical interludes giving the drama a districtjointed episodic air. what saves the film from falling apart, however, is day, whose performance in the title role is utterly mesmerising. while the movie itself may be chaotic, she keeps it grounded in reality. perfectly capturing the poise in raw power of her character. the unite

so when susan lori parks wrote this incredible script, my spirit said i had to acknowledge her, i hadu all are talking about is "strange fruits," which is talking about the lynchings. i want to play another clip from the film because it teases up not just one of the central conflicts but speaks on how this one song in particular still defines billie holiday's career and this country. folks at home take a listen. >> why don't you ever sing "strange fruit"? >> "strange fruit". i got to be pretty high to sing that one. >> never heard you sing it. >> it's a song about important things, you know. things that are going on in the country. i don't think people know i care about those things. most of my other songs are just about love. >> love is important, too, right? >> you know, miss day, as i said before, you had the daunting task of conjuring billie holiday both as an actor but also a vocalist. having sung the song for the film, what made "strange fruit" so powerful for its audience and so dangerous for its best-known performer? >> i think -- i think "strange fruit" was a mirror, you are

oh, no, you know what it is, i have to tell you, i -- my experience with lee daniels, with suzan-lori parksentire production was paradigm shifting and one of the most amazing experiences of my life so, you know, i will say because i'm scared, but i think the real reason is because it feels like watching the film is watching the culmination of everything we poured into her, and my experience with her was so amazing, and i love her spirit being sort of our spirits. commingling and it just seems like watching the film will be -- that's the chapter closed and i hadn't -- it's a while. there hasn't been a place where i've been willing to close that chapter. i want to watch the director's cut with lee. >> way to do it. >> he was here -- he was here yesterday and he was singing your praises. boy. uh-huh. >> we cannot wait to watch "the united states vs. billie holiday." it premieres february 26th on hulu and can't wait for your performance here in a couple of minutes. >>> coming up next the talented quilters of gee's bend. ♪ just a little bit ♪ covid's still a threat. and on reopening schools, we

harlem and such but it wasn't the true story and didn't find out until years later through suzan-lori parksovement as we know it to be and i had to do it. i had to tell her story. >> and we have to let everybody see a little bit of a clip right now. here it is. >> i cut strange fruit. >> no, joe, i want to sing the damn song. the club advertised it. people pay good money to sing it. >> people in high places don't want you singing that song. >> and i've asked you over a hundred types what people, joe? what you looking at him for? i'm the one that pays you. >> the government. >> oh, wow. and that is andra day, the singer andra day playing billie already getting oscar buzz. at first, lee, you didn't think she was right for the role. what finally convinced you she was the one? >> well, i didn't think she was right for the role until i met her and she had me -- she didn't think she was right for the role. she -- she's like, are you sure i can play billie holiday and i found myself at the end of the meeting, talking an actor into -- who i didn't want for the role into playing the role, and i said

parking lot. >> plus, both lori and a little excitement as a popular restaurant sets up shop in the east bay. but first, who is behind the new effort tonight to try to erase an importan >>> tonight a historic statue in downtown san jose has become a bit of a lightning rod. it commemorates the city's first mayor, thomas fallon, back in 1846. raising the flag over what would later become the san jose. but now san jose mayor and others want it removed because of the past. mebodyo in this ag, and as was essentially committing terrorism. >>> taking down a statue is not going to reverse history or reverse the wrongs that have been done. racing history means we are no longer learning from it. >>> some businesses in pittsburgh are bracing for a chicken grlock. a new chick-fil-a going in at century plaza will be the chains second contra costa county store for the popular drive-through is expected to draw huge crowds when it opens later on this year, and some neighboring business is are worried about traffic backups. >> it is a little chaotic over there, so hopefully, they have a design that won't be t

written by pulitzer prize winner suzan—lori parks and directed by lee daniels, who made precious andy on her — understandable when he's played by the broodingly handsome trevante rhodes, who made such an impact in moonlight. it reminds them that they're killing us. yet focusing on their speculative conflicted romance ironically undercuts the more powerful narrative about holiday's role as of a voice of civil rights activism, and the authorities' desire to silence her by any means necessary. # ..twisted mouth... it doesn't help that daniels, who's always been a gleefully unruly director, throws the audience several stylistic curve balls, careening wildly from stagey interviews to hallucinatory horrors and audacious musical interludes, giving the drama a disjointed episodic air. # ..that sudden smell... what saves the film from falling apart, however, is day, whose performance in the title role is utterly mesmerising. while the movie itself may be chaotic, she keeps it grounded in reality, perfectly capturing both the elegant poise and raw power of her character. #..crop... the united

never said one way or another about the kids. >> within seven days of lori moving to rexburg, she takes a trip to yellowstone parklex. authorities say no one ever saw tylee again after that point, after that very last photo with alex and j.j. >> when i found out about yellowstone, what, did lori take j.j. one direction and uncle alex take tylee another? i don't know. i don't know what happened. >> weeks later, yet another one of lori's family members has a bizarre run in down in arizona. >> 911 where's your emergency? >> oh, someone just shot my window. this is hal. this is hal's heart. it's been broken. and put back together. this is hal's relief, knowing he's covered by medicare from blue cross blue shield. and with coverage you can trust, backed by over 80 years of healthcare expertise, we'll be there when it matters most. this is medicare from blue cross blue shield. this is the benefit of blue. psst! psst! this is medicare from blue cross blue shield. allergies don't have to be scary. spraying flonase dailyge a. psst! psst! you're good. i have a question for you. what are you doing today to reach your weight