this was the circle that truman capote mostly swam in.he brought together these new york wealthy elite the washington politicos, the cultural intellectuals and they were there dancing with frank senate trent lillian hellman. there was this moment when americans both ugly and mailer wrote about it afterwards. they looked at it as a time when americans pat themselves on the back and realize the health of the nation was good. >> but this is 1966. >> this is why they almost get in a fistfight. this is the moment where it starts to break down their relationship but also the sense that america as a whole is conscientiously part of a common good that can speak to everybody. as the eloquent black-and-white dollars or walking to the plaza there are pictures. there were also people protesting saying there's a war going on. vietnam is happening. how can you celebrate while this is happening quite for fistfight between but lee and mailer that doesn't happen and i hate to spoil it but mailer has two or three or 12 drinks ntc's george bundy working in

when you talk about larger-than-life, the name truman capote springs immediately to mind. another one of our great novelists, interesting, brilliant character, he had a ball, the black and white ball. never understood how was he had a ball that there was a ball in joy was referred to as truman capote's black-and-white ball which everybody who was anybody went to. can you tell us why is that important and not just something that makes us all along for gowns and elbow gloves? >> the story of the ball, as i wrote this book it was sort of by wanted to engage with the 60s and there they are, truman capote's ball, norman buckley and -- they're debating james baldwin, debating the rear and the story told itself it was so much fun to write and one of the great pleasures is i tell the story of his black-and-white ball, 1966, he had just finished in cold blood and it was this huge success and he didn't have a book to write truman capote and he had this money and time and no book to write so he always wanted to throw a black and white basketball so he did. and he rented out the big b

there might be some question as to how much mel harper assisted truman capote then was admitted. she had finished the book and it was still with the publisher and those of you who went to the movies are know their history know that she went to kansas and helped him research these murders that had taken place in a farmhouse there. i don't know about the writing of the book but i do know how hurtful it was to him to have someone who so easily could be put people at ease in that small town. he was such a character and it was helpful to him to have someone who people felt they knew after not talking to her for all that time and was was quite a help in researching his book in cold blood. at that point in his career, she told me, there was some sense that maybe he was floundering a bit. she felt this was a good and serious project that he could pursue and she wanted to be of help to him. i think certainly it was. she shared as well, that fascination for criminal justice for the story of a crime like that and then what happens. they found out about the crime and the criminals and the bo

one of the most flagrant yank that truman capote -- being that truman capote helped her write the book at all. there have been speculations she did not want her private life looked into. the world is pretty tiny. the major industry is her book. the cafe, the restaurant. the town is small. it has provided a boost for a town that really does not have the agricultural or industrial anchors that most alabama towns have. let me say this about that part of the black belt. many black and white families there of the same name. two communities, that while divided by segregation, new one another in the most intimate way. not just in terms of procreation, but in terms of daily life. at that time there was a type of person in that black belt culture, let's say camden is the next town over. there was a minister there named kennedy who discovered the african-american population and started writing about it in the 30's. my friend mac williams he ran into the same problem in his 60's as atticus finch did. he was much further down the road towards being an integrationist then atticus finch was, but he

truman capote is famous keep in mind. and for eight years she was trying to tell a story from her childhood. third draft, tired of it sitting at the type writer and most of the manuscript is done, and she realizes she is sick of the book. i go through this period where the words look like swedish and don't make sense anymore. she yanks the page out of the type writer walks over the window, it is snowing, raises the window and takes what becomes one of the most poplar books of the century and throws them in the alley and said i quit. she said it is like building a house out of match sticks one at a time. and she lost the fire and ability to complete it. and she was told is not just your book. for two years i have been helping you. my finger prints all over it. she went out and picked up up the manuscript. >> host: one time at a book festival someone asked why do you write this book and he said to finish the book because by the time you get to the end of you are sick of it. she hit that wall.

>> we all get by but nobody has friends like michael and harper lee which came to new york and truman capoted you look after her and so they met michael they became lifelong friends. she spent christmas with them. they couldn't get the holiday off in alabama and this year it was 1956. they read quite a few things and they were impressed with what she could do and thought she needed a chance so they gave her enough money to write for one year it was their christmas gift and they had written -- how to kill a mockingbird and the introduced her to an agent and at the end of one year she had a manuscript and then they took several months from all of the projects to work with a very promising new author but they needed quite a lot of work. >> when the book changed from atticus to how to kill a mockingbird what was the motivation for that? >> harper lee always wanted to tell how to kill a mockingbird and they said hold on to that until the last minute. don't drop it on them until it is really time. >> do you think that they wanted to call it advocates because in her mind this was a book about her f

have not made any steps to create the boyhood home only recently there was a plaque to said that truman capote was your. >> is one of the most amazing literary friendships the population when they were kids? maybe 7500 or less. >> it is about 5,000 now. i don't think it would peak at any point to. [laughter] in this civil for the town was founded with about 300 people half white and half black then there was a union soldier the pastor at some point. by the time she was accused it still did not have streets. people love that lifestyle would not have it any other way. it is the very nice little town in tow you get contentious with the book but that is where some of that starts to come up because it sounds like the rest of the country is not printable to discuss the racial injustice but people love "to kill a mockingbird" but there now offended by the confederate flag. >> it comes out this summer they take down the confederate flag it could not be better timing. >> i don't want to go down that alley but i do think the supreme court decision on gay marriage with a confederate flag by would be very

strum -- trump, you sound more like truman capote than you intend? >> i have never, ever heard that before. >> can i ask mr. trump a question? >> what is happening? >> i'm sorry. >> this will be the last time judy goes on this show. >> go ahead. >> julie, by the way -- >> it is judy. danny, it is judy. >> whatever. >> andy? >> i thought judy had a question. >> i did, but i hate him now even more. >> judy, you said trull p is making it into a reality show. that's true. i think the name of the show is let's help hillary clinton get elected. >> that is a great name for a reality show. >> you should be for him. you should love trump because he is a wrecking ball. he is destroying the whole gop. >> can i say something and the monopolizatiof of everything here 1234* rut donald trump of the path. you have to build here and stay out. >> i am taking that as a compliment. >> by the way, i am not helping hillary clinton in any conceivable way. i am out there and i am speaking to people and meeting to people. what is she doing? going to lunch and dinner with peo

one of the most flagrant being that truman capote, heard your friend, helped her write the book. at all. there have been other speculations at she didn't want her personal, private life gone into. it's major industry is to kill a mockingbird. the cafÉs, boo radley's restaurant. it really provided a boost for a town that doesn't have the agricultural or industrial anchors that many alabama towns have. let me say this about that part of the black belt. many many black and white families there of the same name. two communities that, while divided by segregation, new one another in the most intimate way, not just in terms of procreation, but in terms of daily life. at that time there was a type of person in that black belt culture let's say cam that the next town over. there was a minister there named kennedy that discovered the african-american population started writing about it in the 1930's. my friend at the university of alabama in birmingham is doing a story about him. he ran into the same problem in the 1960's that atticus finch did. he was much further down the road toward be

some of it completely erroneous one of the most flagrant being truman capote, her dear friend, helpedhe book. not true at all. there have been other speculations she didn't want her personal, private life gone into. the world was still pretty tiny. >> rose: everybody knows everybody. >> yeah, and its major industry is "to kill a mockingbird." cafes, boo radley's restaurant. it became a boost to a town that doesn't have the anchors many alabama towns have. let me say this about that part of the black belt. many of the black and white families there of the same name. two communities that, while divided by segregation new one another in the most intimate way, not just in terms of procreation but daily life. in camden, the next town over, there was a minister kennedy who discovered the african-american population and started writing about it in the christiansencally in the '30s. my friend at the university of birmingham did a biography of him and ran into the same problem in the '60s atticus finch did. he was much farther down the road toward being an integrationist than atticus finch was

i love the truman capote line that more tears have been shed over answered prayers than anything elseat says our time here is very short, and got to make the most of it but i think it's a real moral conundrum. we were location scouting they met a couple billionaire guys because they needed a fancy high-rise, and both of them asked, is that real? [ laughter ] i was so shocked. some people would really be up for that. >> you know thinks -- i prayed growing up -- we're in the same club independented to be a member of like "people's" sexiest plan alive. it's not all that it's cracked up to be. you're looking at the guy that bumped me out. >> heavy is the crown, joe. >> it's a burden. i could talk about my burdens all day. talk about yours. now, that is the sort of thing that -- you know this is the greatest thing, biggest star you know what? so much stuff is just not worth of price of admission. >> you know that kind of thing is silly. >> but just people following you nonstop. >> and your wife is an incredibly beautiful famous movie star too. >> she is. >> is it dual -- >> it can be senso