he had this bad album cover picture, and he went to me and said, i would be the opening after dionne warwickd i thought i was awful, but he shook my hands and said, welcome. he must have seen something in me, that i did not see. tavis: how are you enjoying the paris run in las vegas? >> i was very grateful. i could not bear it anymore. i am sure a lot of people who have been on the road will say the same thing. waiting for bed room service, and i wanted it all, so i said, i am done, and i got this offer to be the resident artist, and i said, that is where all the singers go to die, but it turns out to be one of the greatest experiences i have ever had. i love this. i was made for a group like this. now tavis: i am in: -- tavis: is like traveling around the country, but people come to you. >> i do 19 years, but not the tour. i cannot do the tour. -- i do one night shows, but not the tour. i cannot do the tour. >> i am glad you brought your piano, because it allows me to step aside and do what you do so well and what you have done so well for many years. i am honored. i have never had a conver

dionne warwick and her new c.d. "only trust your heart." that's next time. see you then. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i am james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference -- >> thank you. >> you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer, nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy and removing 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. >> be more. pbs. >> be more. pbs. >> be more. pbs.

but i did listen a lot to specifically to three ladies, mahelia jackson, aretha franklin and dionne warwickoy. you talk about legends right there. george, talk about your skit first, if you will. your job is to make them laugh and to make sure that they're in the mood for when your performance ends and then carlos comes on. >> well, they will be in the mood. what we came across organically, two weekends ago in san francisco, i went to see carlos perform at the hard rock. he did 70 shows there in two years. i can't believe the two years are over. is -- before the show, i went to see him. he said, hey, will you illuminate us? will you perform in the middle? i said, yeah, absolutely, okay. so, in the middle of the show, he brings me out, did about ten minutes, pretty wild stuff in between. audience all receptive into his music, into my comedy. so, what we decided from that is since he's already going to be set up on stage, is that there would be a little music and then i would come out and do my hour, and then i would introduce carlos and his band and he would take it to the next level. so, it

. >> they should be dionne warwick and the psychic friends network.n't know who's running next month. maybe you will be president, president phillips. >> that's a scary thought. skeletons out of the closet, i don't think so. like you running for president, pete. >> i can do the negative attack ads now. >> exactly. you and i against each other, who would be worse? newt gingrich, michele bachmann, said in the recent weeks president obama hasn't done enough for african-americans. exit polls show obama took 95% of the black vote in 2008. could their support really be up for grabs in 2012? dana? >> i don't know. i think it's -- it would be very difficult to say it wouldn't be considering that when this president took office, black unemployment was at i think 11% and now it's at 16%, over 16%. i mean you have to look at the fund numbers here. a huge amount of job loss in the black community from a president bringing hope and chase. jesse jackson saying i don't see it happen. national black chamber of commerce said this guy is against business. >> dana extra