tavis: good evening from los angeles. i'm tavis smiley. tonight an exclusive conversation with median and talk show host jay leno. he kicks off a bold experiment when he debuts a new primetime variety show weeknights at 10:00 on nbc. in may he stepped down from "the tonight show." we're glad you can join us. jay leno coming up right now. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better but mostly we're looking forward to building stronger communities and relationships because with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes wit it. ♪ 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: please welcome jay leno to this program. the popular comedian hosted "the tonight show" for 17 years. he spent his entire tenure as the un

tavis: maybe four?broke my heart, she broke my heart. >> then they break up and make up and are happy. tavis: i am glad to have you here. number 33. >> 33rd album. tavis: do you love this? >> i love recording and performing live. i love to get back with music. tavis: what is your process for writing and recording? >> i don't write a lot, but ten months before i let the songwriters know when i'll be recording and here are the demo tapes and cds and people listen at valerie and starstruck and we find what we can. at one time i had 200 songs on hold. many other people are looking, and it isn't right to hold on to all. i had 20 or 15 and i had two producers, tony brown and mark bright. we went to the studios and laid down the tracks. tavis: i want to ask about your process. -- process. every author has a way to do this. some people do their own stuff. there is a greater balance and you said clearly, you record other people's stuff. >> i want the best song. i will listen and if i like it, i will ask my husba

tavis: watch how th works at home.ho are mried, asd who should i ask -- those of you are married, you ow how this works i asked who should i ask, but narwhal askedlani to tell that -- now i willskani to answer the same question. >> i have something to add pureed [laughter] in 1960 to t -- in 1962 i was doing a lloydaxton show and she happendt to seee and she was ling about -- a living in icago at the time as she was about nine or 10. >> i was 16 tavis: -- i was 16. tavis: [laughter] >> ias prepared to meet him. i knew what he oked like. tavi do youecall about tt our vision in 19? >> i recall asking him to drive me home. it [ughter] tavis: that was left out of the story. he was actually checking you out at t audition. souch so, that action -- after the auditn he had to dre you home. and what did you sa >> it no. >> but i yeaand-a-half, o year eight months later. [laughter] >> i year-and-a-ha she was calling mer. hubbard. mr.lpert. tavis: after spending that eight months, o years together, you both knew you had a lel of

tavis: i am tavis mileage.me next time for the story of dwayne betts, to transform his life -- i am tavis smiley. join me next time for the story of plane that transformed his life during his jail sentence. it>> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better. but mostly, we're helping build stronger communities and relationships. because with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports "tavis smiley." tavis and nationwide, working together to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. >> ♪ 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--

tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. is the rancor over the health- care debate just about health care, or are there deeper and more complex issues at work? that is one of the questions pollster frank luntzught an answer to in conversations with over 6000 people for his new book, what americans really want, really." also emmy-winning writer and comedian louis c.k. pollster of frank luntz and comedian louis c.k., coming up right now. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better. but mostly, we're helping build stronger communities and relationships. with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports "tavis smiley." tavis and nationwide, working together to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. >> ♪ 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: frank luntz is a veteran communicat

♪ tavis: good evening from los angeles, tavis smiley.er opera performed and m records -- herb alpert performed in the 1960's and performed with a successful artists like carol kane. early in his career he worked with lonny hall. herb alpert and lonny hall are out with their very first collaboration, a new cd called "anything goes." we are glad you have joined us. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better. but mostly, we are looking forward to building strong relationships. because of your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance problem supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance, working to improve financial literacy and economic empowerment that comes with it. ♪ nationwide is on your side >> and by contributions to your pbs stations from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ \ çtavis: we are pleased and honored to welcome her robert and of lani hall to this program. they founded a&m records and would become one of the most successful in the producing history

tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley.n me next time with author and pollster frank luntz on his next book and writer and comedian louis c.k. next time, see you then. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better but mostly we're looking forward to building stronger communities and relationships because with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance, working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. >> "nationwide is on your side ♪ >> and by contributions from viewers like you. thank you. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> we are pbs.

tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. first of tonight, a conversation with the creator of "mad men," matthew weiner. it is vying for 16 emmy awards. last year, the series became the first basic cable program to ever win the emmy for best drama. is now in its third season. also, actors jenna elfman stops by. she is starring in the new series, "accidentally on purpose." matthew weiner and actress jenna elfman, coming up right now. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better. but mostly, we're helping build stronger communities and relationships. with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports "tavis smiley." tavis and nationwide, working together to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. >> ♪ 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: matthew weiner is a for time emmy award

tavis: good evening from los angeles. i'm tavis smiley. tonight a conversation with oscar-winning filmmaker michael moore. he takes a critical look at capitalism in america. "capitalism: a love story" opens in theaters around the country on october 2. we're glad you could join us. michael moore coming up right now. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better, but mostly we're looking forward to helping build stronger communities and relationships because with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. ♪ 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: always pleased to welcome michael moore to this program. he has had some of the most indelible films of our generation. "roger & me," "fahrenheit 9/11" an

tavis: i can understand that, though.m a safety perspective she knew her baby was going to be all right. >> for me, i was 17 when i was first put in solitary confinement. i dealt with it because i had an opportunity to read and not worry about the drama that was around me. tavis: to your mother, i think now any number of black men who i have come to neend to interview over the years who have expressed to me in their own way, the crushing defeat they felt internally resulting from having let their mama down. i think of michael vick now. i'm glad to say he is back and getting a chance to do his thing again. i'll take your mail. bring it on. i'm glad michael vick is getting his chance again. that said, i recall when he first had a press conference. when he got arrested, the first thing he said was i want to apologize to my mother. almost the first thing he said. he knew that his mother was crushed by his behavior and i thought of how his mother had to endure this. tell about your feelings of guilt or shame or your words abou

tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. if democrats failed to garner any republican support for health-care reform, the gop is hoping for a replay of 1994, when they regained the house following a contentious health care debate. could the opposition backfire? that question to one of the leading republicans in the house, mike pence of indiana. also, former "the x-files" starke david duchovny is on the show. we're glad that you could join us. mike pence and actor david duchovny, coming up right now. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better. but mostly, we're helping build stronger communities and relationships. with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports "tavis smiley." tavis and nationwide, working together to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. >> ♪ nationwide is on your side ♪ >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kc

tavis: good eveng. fr los angeles, i am tavis smey. fst of tonight, conversation with the creat of "mad men," matthew weiner. it is vng for 16 emmy awar. last year, the series became the first basi cble progr to er win the emmy forest drama. is now in its ird ason. also, actors jenna elfman stops by. she is arring the new series, "accidentally on purpose. mattw weiner ad actress jenna elfman coming upight now. >>here are so many things that wal-mart is looking forwar to doing, like helping peopleive better. t mostly, we're helping build stronger communities d relationips. with your help, the bests yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports "tavis smiley." tavis and nationwide, working together to improve fincial literacy a the economic empowerment at comes with it. >> ♪ nationwide is on ur side ♪ >> and by contributionto your pbs station from vwers like yo thank you. [cptioning made possible by kcet public tevision] tavis:atthew weiner is a fr time emmy awd winni writer and producer who gained wide claim for his work on "the

tavis: how funny is that?the irony of all ironies i'm sitting here at maryld univsity and get t opportuny to address 16,000 people on the impoance of education. it was nearly 12 years to th date of me beingentenced by the judge it was nearly 12 yea to the date of me addressing the judg anit was a tremendous honor because the judge they told m thought sending m to prison woulhelp me. i waable to tell tm that. even no -- though no one exped me to make it to that points. -- that that point. iold on to tt moment. if you buy the c.d.nd listen to it, it sa introducing the class of 2009 led by reginald ayne betts. tavis: you're i grad school. that lady you met in the bookstoryou married and you have a baby. li is good. >> life is good. i'm fortate enough with the campaign for youth justice tgo acro the country a speak t these young kids who made trouble theirives to talk about the importance edation. this is a movement th youeed to join to educate yoursf about what hapns to our kids when we don' pay attention about h

tavis: good evening. i'm tavis smiley. first up, a conversation with twitter cofounder, biz stone. this is his first interview, since the site crashed. the users continue to grow and wsaw recent uprising in iran. and gloria ruben stars on the legal drama "raising the bar." we're glad you joined us, biz stone and actress gloria ruben, coming up right now. tavis: this is the cofounder of twitter which has become a cultural and social phenomena around the world, as if you didn't know. and biz was named to the list of the 100 most flual people in the world. last week when twitter crashed, following a hacker's attack, it became one of the biggest stories on the planet in a matter of hours. biz stone is here. glad to have you here. how you doing? >> excellent. >> you survived the crash. >> we did. >> what have you learned on this side of the crash? >> this is what is called a denial of service attack. it is pretty common on the the internet. it is not going away anytime soon. what we learned, you got to tune your systems to handle this scale of assault. we spent 200 catching up with the

tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i a tavis smey. tonit, a conversation with the eldest son of the late senator edward kennedy, ted kennedy jr. thiseek marks the releasef the kennedy memoir, "true mpass." he pes toee a health-care bill pass this year which he believes would be a laing tribe tois father's legacy. ted kennedy ., coming up right now. >> there a so many things that wal-mart is looking forwarto doing, like heing people live better. but moly, we're helping build stnger communities and relationship with your he, the best is y to come. >> natioide insuranceroudly suppor "tavis smiley." taviand nationwide, working together to improve fancial teracy and the econom empowerment thatomes with it. >> ♪ nationwide is on yo side ♪ >> and by contributis to your pbs station from vwers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible b kcet public television] tis: ted kennedy jr. is th co-founder and president of the rwood group, a healthce advisory and financiaservices firm. he is also aongtime advocate for the disabled. his psion stems

tavis: good evening from los angeles, tavis smiley. tonight, a conversation with filmmaker ken burns. beginning september 27, ken burns unveils his latest documentary about the national parks. if focus on the ideas and individuals that helped create some of america's greatest national treasures. next, he will have a look at baseball. ken burns, coming up right now. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better. but mostly, we are looking for two boeing strong relationships. because of your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance problem supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance, working to improve financial literacy and economic empowerment that comes with it. >> and by contributions to your pbs stations from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ tavis: always pleased to welcome ken burns to this program. through the course of his brilliant career he has become one of the great storytellers in history with projects like jazz, baseball camera and unforgivable -

from los angeles i am tavis smiley. tonight a conversation with one of the biggest names in popular music, dave matthews. they are coming out with our first project. the new disc is called big whiskey, which made its debut at number one on the billboard charts. the c.d. is dedicated to moore and the city of new orleans. dave matthews coming up right now. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better. but mostly, we are looking forward to helping build stronger communities and relationships. because of your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance, working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. >> nation wide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ tavis: a few quick programming notes. tomorrow night i will be joined by ken burns on his documentary on the national parks system. on wednesday, a c

tavi so you have.iming could not have en more proficiou i want to know how much u paid barack obama to to two parks this summer with his ks? i bumped into him before he went. he said 're going to the national par and i said i heard and we are so ve pleased and he had melia and sasha look at the films anthey are now coming juniorangers. existentlism. the purposfor a brief convsation between being and doing. the world so ma of us and particularly our chiren live in is neher. wenow about you know, nature deficit disorder. i lived in a subdivion growing up and would just pile out of e house at 8:00 a.m. come back for lunch ancome ba when the dinner call came. now everybody si in their room all day and te and do video mes and they can't stay out the facebook accnt. and we are starvedor that relationship, for mething bigger. i hope by the president ing as he did andy those girls geing involved as they did that, the rest of can be remied that all of those toys ll be there when we get back but we wilmake lasti

tavis: let me cllenge it.hallenging you thesis here on two grounds i can se ts, i'm no creative force like micel moore but i can see u making parody of this in one your films. shooting to a ene of chickens guarding, you know, -- i can see -- i actually shot this sce for the movie. seriously. tavis: the same peophat are with clinton and are now with obama and they have r-guarding the hen house. >> it is not in the movie i interviewed a bank robber who was red by the biganks to advise them how the avoidank robries. i said to obama,ho better to go to than to fixhis mess than e people who screwed it up. blind faithwhich i'm willing to ge him. we're going thave universal health care as a result of a loud minority ofngry pple wholready have health care screaming at him and calling him names because whatoes he want to do? he wts to make sure that evybody who gets sick can see a doctor tavis: it is not aboutasting purgs on theresident. that is not what we're talng out here. we're talking aboutolding the president acco

tavis: good evening from los angeles. i'm tavis smiley. tonight my conversation with acclaimed filmmaker ken burns. all this week burns is unveiling his latest project, a sweeping 12-hour documentary devoted to america's national parks. it focuses on the ideas and individuals that created some of america's greatest national treasures. a concept burns calls america's best ideas. we're glad you have joined us. ken burns coming up right now. >> there are so many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better but mostly we're looking forward to helping build stronger communities and relationships because with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. ♪ 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: over the course of his care

tavis: good evening. 'm tavis smiley. fit up, a conversation with twitter counder, biz stone. this is his firnterview, since e site crashed. th users continue t grow and we saw recent uprisg in iran. and gloria ruben stars on the legal drama "raisg the bar." we're glad you joined us, biz stone a aress gloria ren, ming up right now tavis: this is the cofounderf twitter wch has become a cultul and social phenome around theorld, as if you didn't know. and bizas named to the list of the 100 most flualeople in the wor. last ek when twitter crashed, following a hacker' attack, it became one of th biggest stories the planet in a matter of hours. biz stones here. glad thave you here. how you doing? >> excellent. >> you survid the crash. >> we did. >>hat have you learn on this si of the crash? >> this is wt is called denial of svice attack. it i pretty common on the the internet. it is not going away anyti oon. whate learned, you got to tune ur systems t handle thi scale of assault. we spent 200 catching with the popularity o twitter, getting there thnically so we're stabl and along co

tavis: 5?the first song that i ever wrote that anybody other than my mom and me heard, i was 6 years old. i was in a school play in elementary school. in the play i was uncle remus. the old black storyteller that tells them how the animals got to be how they are. why the pig had a curly tail. whitey zebra's stripes. my teacher had a melody. can i write some words for that? she said, go ahead. rights awards. she let me sing it at the beginning and the end of the play. you would have thought that i was george gershwin. my mom told people that she did not even know. she got the phone book and started calling people. i always try to write songs. jackie wilson was my no. 1 singing idol. i always look to see who wrote the music. i knew about berry gordy. we go to this audition for jackie wilson's managers. we saw in the five songs that i had written a said of something that is currently popular. this young guy was sitting in the corner. i was 16 at the time. he was waiting to audition. they rejected