July 30, 2021

> HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO 'AMANPOUR & COMPANY.'

HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.

> THIS IS AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY.

PEOPLE ARE DYING AND WILL DIE WHO DON'T HAVE TO DIE.

FRUSTRATION GROWS AS THE DELTA VARIANT WREAKS HAVOC ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I TALK TO DR. REED TUXEN FROM THE BLACK COALITION AGAINST COVID-19 ABOUT THE MOUNTING PRESSURE TO GET VACCINATED.

> THEN AS AFGHANISTAN DESCENDS INTO CHAOS, THE WORLD CAN'T AFFORD TO TURN AWAY.

SO SAYS MY GUEST, HEAD OF AFGHANISTAN'S LARGEST MEDIA ORGANIZATION.

PLUS --

LOOK, FORGET THE POLITICS.

FOCUS ON SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS.

TWO CEO'S TELL WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR CORPORATIONS TO EMBRACE SOCIAL JUSTICE.

> AND INSIDE THE LAST DAYS OF LITERARY GIANT GABRIELLE GARCIA MARQUEZ AND HIS WIFE MERCEDES, OR TO THE AUTHOR, MOM AND DAD.

I TALK TO THE AUTHOR ABOUT HIS FAREWELL.

> 'AMANPOUR & COMPANY' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE CHERYL AND PHILLIP MILL STEEN FAMILY, THE ANDERSON FAMILY FUND, THE STRAUSS FAMILY FOUNDATION, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THESE FUNDERS AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

> WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM EVERYONE.

I'M BIANCA ROD RIGA SITTING IN FOR CHRISTIAN AMANPOUR.

IT'S EVEN MORE TROUBLING THAN WE FIRST THOUGHT.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO AN INTERNAL DOCUMENT FROM THE CDC.

THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY NOW BELIEVES THE STRAIN IS AS CONTAGIOUS AS THE CHICKENPOX AND THAT IT LIKELY INCREASES THE RISK OF SEVERE ILLNESS AND HOSPITALIZATION.

THIS AS PRESIDENT BIDEN UPPED THE ANTE WITH A NUMBER OF MEASURES TO GET MORE AMERICANS VACCINATED, INCLUDING A REQUIREMENT THAT ALL FEDERAL WORKERS MUST BE VACCINATED OR FACE STRICT PROTOCOLS.

WHILE VACCINE DISPARITIES BETWEEN RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS HAVE IMPROVED IN RECENT WEEKS, BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES STILL LAG BEHIND.

AS WE KNOW THESE GROUPS HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC.

JOINING ME NOW FROM ATLANTA, GEORGIA, TO UNPACK ALL OF THIS IS DR. REED TUXEN, FOUNDER OF THE BLACK COALITION AGAINST COVID-19 AND FORMER HEALTH COMMISSIONER OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

DOCTOR, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

WE CAN'T HAVE YOU ON ON A MORE CRUCIAL DAY AS WE ARE DELVING INTO THESE REVEALING DOCUMENTS FROM THE CDC.

AND WHAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME WAS THE VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS NOW INFECTING WITH DELTA MAY BE ABLE TO TRANSMIT THE VIRUS AS EASILY AS THOSE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED.

IS THIS A GAME CHANGER IN YOUR OPINION?

IT IS CERTAINLY SIGNIFICANT, AND IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT NOW REQUIRES ALL OF US TO REDOUBLE OUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHOM WE ENCOUNTER AS WE MOVE THROUGHOUT SOCIETY.

IT IS A GAME CHANGER IN A SENSE THAT EVEN NOW I AM FULLY VACCINATED AND HAVE BEEN SO FOR QUITE A WHILE, I AM WEARING MY MASK WHEN I'M GOING INDOORS AROUND OTHER PEOPLE.

I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT I -- NOW THAT I UNDERSTAND AND LEARN THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ME TO TRANSMIT UNWITTINGLY AND UNKNOWINGLY THIS VIRUS TO SOMEONE ELSE EVEN THOUGH I AM PROTECTED FROM SERIOUS INJURY, HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH, I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OTHERS AROUND ME.

AND I INTEND TO ACT ON THAT MORAL IMPERATIVE.

I WILL BE WEARING MY MASK WHEN I AM INDOORS WHEN OTHER PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SHARE MY OWN HOUSEHOLD.

AS A PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL AND PHYSICIAN YOURSELF, I'M CURIOUS TO GET YOUR TAKE ON HOW THE CDC HAS BEEN HANDLING THIS.

OBVIOUSLY WE SAY WE FOLLOW THE SCIENCE.

SCIENCE CHANGES.

AS WE LEARN NEW THINGS, AS WE LEARN ABOUT NEW VARIANTS, WE FOLLOW-UP ON THAT.

BUT THERE IS CONFUSION WITHIN THE COUNTRY AMONG THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED AND QUESTIONING WHETHER THEY SHOULD WEAR A MASK, THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED AND DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK SAYING SEE, NEITHER WORK.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THEM, AND HOW WOULD YOU RATE HOW THE CDC HAS BEEN HANDLING THESE MOVING PIECES?

I HAVE NOTHING BUT EMPATHY AND SYMPATHY FOR THE DEDICATED WORKERS AT THE CDC AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE TRYING TO FIGHT THIS.

YOU HAVE STATED THE ISSUE VERY CLEARLY.

THE SCIENCE DOES CHANGE.

WE LEARN.

WE GROW.

THAT IS WHAT INTELLIGENT PEOPLE DO.

WE STUDY THINGS.

WE GET DATA.

WE RE-EVALUATE.

ONLY A FOOL WOULD STAY LOCKED BOO A POSITION WHEN YOU HAVE NEW INFORMATION, IMPORTANT INFORMATION, THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND ADVICE.

SO, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING OVERTIME TO SOW THE SEEDS OF CONFUSION AND MISTRUST, WHO ARE LOOKING TO BLAME AND POINT FINGERS, THE PEOPLE AT THE CDC ARE ALMOST IN A NO-WIN SITUATION.

BUT LET'S BE VERY CLEAR AND VERY SPECIFIC.

WE HAVE LEARNED.

WE HAVE NEW INFORMATION.

WE NOW ARE COMMUNICATING THAT INFORMATION TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, AND RATIONAL PEOPLE WILL USE INFORMATION AND MODIFY THEIR BEHAVIOR AS THE SCIENCE TELLS US.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE SHAMED BECAUSE WE ARE, IN FACT, LEARNING AND GROWING AND HAVE NEW KNOWLEDGE.

YOU TALK ABOUT RATIONAL PEOPLE AND ONLY A FOOL WOULD BELIEVE CERTAIN THINGS.

IN THIS COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO BE FOOLS, RIGHT?

AND WE'RE NOW AT A CROSS ROADS WHERE EVEN CNN IS REPORTING THAT THE PRESIDENT AMONG HIS CLOSEST ALLIES IS FRUSTRATED THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING VACCINATED RIGHT NOW.

DO YOU SUPPORT THE SORT OF BOTH CARROT AND STICK APPROACH BY PERHAPS OFFERING THOSE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED $100?

AND ALSO WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE CORPORATE SIDE AND EVEN ON THE FEDERAL SIDE BY MANDATING, NOT MANDATING BUT CLOSE TO MANDATING REQUIRING VACCINES FOR EMPLOYEES.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH?

IF WE'VE LEARNING ANYTHING IN THIS PANDEMIC, IT IS THAT WE WILL NEED MULTIPLE STRATEGIES TOGETHER COMPREHENSIVE ACROSS THE SPECTRUM STRATEGIES.

SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO RESPOND TO INCENTIVES.

SOME PEOPLE WILL ONLY RESPOND IF THERE ARE MANDATES.

FOR OTHERS, MANDATES WILL PUSH THEM EVEN FURTHER AWAY FROM BEING VACCINATED.

THERE ARE TRUSTED MESSENGERS OF A VARIETY OF SORTS WHO CAN TRANSMIT THE MESSAGE THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL NEED TO HEAR.

OTHER PEOPLE WILL NEED TO HEAR OTHER MESSAGES.

THE POINT IS THIS.

LET'S LOOK AT WHAT'S AT STAKE.

WHAT'S AT STAKE IS THE VERY SURVIVAL OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ALONE.

WHAT'S AT STAKE IS THE HEALTH AND SURVIVAL OF OUR CHILDREN.

SO, WHATEVER IT TAKES -- AND IT WILL TAKE A VARIETY OF APPROACHES.

SO, IS THE PRESIDENT CORRECT IN BEING FRUSTRATED?

OF COURSE HE IS.

BUT I THINK PROBABLY ANY OF US WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL AND LIFE ARE FRUSTRATED IS WITH THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND EFFORT THAT IS BEING SPENT TO CONFUSE, TO POLITICIZE, TO ON FEW SKATE AND TO REALLY JUST MAKE THIS AS HARD A FIGHT TO WIN AS IT IS POSSIBLE.

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, BIANNA, TO UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE CAN BE SO INVESTED IN SUPPORTING THE DEATH OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

AND YOU HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE THAT YOU'VE TAKEN ON NOW IN NOT ONLY SENDING THIS MESSAGE TO ALL AMERICANS BUT IN PARTICULAR TO AMERICANS OF COLOR.

AND I WANT TO JUST PUT UP SOME STATISTICS.

48% OF WHITE AMERICANS HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF COVID VACCINE IN THE STATES THAT ACTUALLY ARE TRACKING THIS.

AND IN TERM OF BLACK AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY AND OTHER HISPANICS, IT'S LOWER.

IT'S AT 36%. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO GET THAT NUMBER UP AND TO BREAK THROUGH NOT ONLY JUST THE NOISE OF POLITICS BUT THE ACCESS THAT MANY MINORITIES IN THIS COUNTRY DON'T HAVE?

I THINK THAT WHAT WE FIRST OF ALL LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE, WHICH IS NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED IN THE SHORT RUN.

BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE SOME INROADS.

THAT IS THIS.

WE HAVE TO OVERCOME THE DISTRUST, THE HISTORICAL DISTRUST THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE WITH THE GOVERNMENT, WITH ELITES, WITH THE MEDICAL CARE SYSTEM.

THESE SEED OF DISTRUST HAVE BEEN SEWN IN OUR CULTURE FOR GENERATION AFTER GENERATION.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY ARE WATERED EVERY DAY SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE OF COLOR SEE THE ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT, WHEN WE SEE THE ELEMENT OF UNFAIRNESS IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS BLEED OVER BOO HEALTH CARE AND INTO THE DECISIONS THAT PEOPLE MAKE ABOUT VACCINES.

SECONDLY, WE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS AVAILABLE, EASY AVAILABLE ACCESS TO VACCINES.

THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE.

THE ISSUE IS HOW DO WE OVERCOME THE POLITICIZATION, THE TRIBAL ZAEGS.

HOW DO WE OVERCOME THE ELEMENTS OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT IS WORKING OVERTIME TO SEED THE FIELD WITH ANGER, WITH DISTRUST AND MISINFORMATION?

AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING AND MUST DO URGENTLY.

AND THAT IS TO HELP PEOPLE OF COLOR EMBRACE SCIENCE AND INNOVATION.

UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE REAPING THE SEEDS OF GENERATIONS OF UNDERFUNDING IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THIS COUNTRY AND CERTAINLY UNDEREDUCATION IN SCIENCE.

SO, THIS ENORMOUS INNOVATION, THIS TECHNOLOGICAL GENIUS OF A BREAK THROUGH, OF A VACCINE DEVELOPED SO EFFECTIVELY AND SO QUICKLY OUGHT TO BE CELEBRATED.

AND INSTEAD IT IS LOOKED WITH CONCERN AND DISTRUST AND DERISION.

WE HAVE WORK TO DO.

WORK TO DO.

AND YOU LOOK AT THE WORK THAT WAS ALREADY PUT INTO THE ROLLOUT ANTICIPATING THERE WOULD BE THIS DISTRUST, WARRANTED DISTRUST, GIVEN THE HISTORY OF HEALTH CARE AND VACCINES AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN THIS COUNTRY.

THE FIRST PERSON WHO WAS VACCINATED IN AMERICA WAS A BLACK NURSE.

ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED DEVELOP THE VACCINE WAS A BLACK DOCTOR.

AND YET YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY THERE, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE INFAMOUS TUSKEGEE SYPHILIS STUDY, THE AD COUNCIL WHICH WORKS HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS JUST PUT OUT AN AD SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS.

LET'S WATCH IT.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MEN TO RECEIVE TREATMENT, AND THEY WERE VERY INTENTIONALLY BARRED.

AND EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THAT STATE WANTED IT TO GO UNTREATED UNTIL THEIR DEATH.

THEIR BODY WOULD THEN BE SENT TO BE AUTOPSIED TO SEE THE EFFECT.

AROUND 1947, PENICILLIN BECAME WIDELY ACCEPTED AND WIDELY USED.

THE DOCTORS OF THE STUDY PREVENTED THE MEN IN THE STUDY FROM GETTING PENICILLIN.

THE FIRST THING THOSE DOCTORS GENTLEMEN WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE WAS TREATED.

HOW IS THE HISTORY OF THE TUSKEGEE STUDY PLAYED INTO THIS DISTRUST AND THE LOW NUMBER OF BLACK AMERICANS AND AMERICANS OF COLOR WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED THUS FAR?

IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO OVEREMPHASIZE THE IMPACT OF THE TUSKEGEE STUDY GENERATION AFTER GENERATION IN THE MINDS OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

AND SO IT IS A REAL ISSUE AND A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE.

BUT LET'S BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE CHANCE THAT WHAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO SHOW IN THAT CLIP.

WE AT THE BLACK COALITION AGAINST COVID WERE PRODUCERS ALONG WITH THE AD COUNCIL AND THE JOINT COLLECTOR FOR WHAT YOU JUST SHOWED.

AND WE HAD A REUNION OF THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS AND A CELEBRATION OF THEIR MESSAGE JUST THREE DAYS AGO IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND HERE'S WHAT THEY SAID.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ARE VACCINATED.

AND WHAT THEY ARE SAYING TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND LOUD AS POSSIBLE TERMS IS THAT THE POINT OF THE TUSKEGEE STUDY WAS THAT BLACK PEOPLE WERE DENIED ACCESS TO A DRUG THAT WOULD HAVE SAVED THEIR LIVES.

IT MAKES NO SENSE TO USE THE TUSKEGEE STUDY AS AN EXCUSE TO DENY YOURSELF TODAY ACCESS TO THE VACCINE THAT WOULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.

THEY ARE VERY ARTICULATE ABOUT THAT.

AND HOPEFULLY THE MORE WE CAN SPREAD THE VIDEO OF THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS TALKING TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WE CAN AT LEAST TAKE THIS ISSUE OFF THE TABLE AS A REASON NOT TO GET VACCINATED.

THEY WANT AMERICA TO GET VACCINATED IN HONOR OF THEIR LOVED ONE WHO IS SUFFERED SO TERRIBLY BECAUSE OF THE OUTRAGEOUS BEHAVIOR OF THE PAST.

I SO APPRECIATE YOUR VOICE ON THIS ISSUE AND THE IMPACT THAT IT IS MAKING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, IN PARTICULAR IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN THIS COUNTRY.

I WAS JUST ON TWITTER, AND I SAW YOU THERE AS WELL IN PART OF AN AD.

AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE RESEARCH AND MORE ATTENTION, I GUESS, TOWARDS TREATMENTS AS WELL, RIGHT?

AND THE ENHANCE T MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES TREATMENT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS VIDEO WHERE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE VACCINES AND MASKS BUT NOW WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP THOSE WHO ARE NOW INFECTED AND ARE SERIOUSLY ILL.

I'M SO GLAD YOU PAID ATTENTION TO THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T REALIZE -- MOST AMERICANS DON'T REALIZE THAT THERE ARE DRUGS NOW, IF WE CAN CATCH THIS DISEASE EARLY, THAT CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN SURVIVAL ONCE YOU ARE INFECTED BY THIS VIRUS.

SO, THESE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

AND WE NEED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT ONCE YOU BECOME SYMPTOMATIC, IMMEDIATELY CALL YOUR PHYSICIAN SO THAT YOU CAN FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT IN FACT YOU ARE ELIGIBLE AND ARE A CANDIDATE TO USE ONE OF THESE DRUGS.

IT'S NOT A COMPLETE MAGIC BULLET BUT IT IS CERTAINLY VERY EFFECTIVE, AND IT WILL CERTAINLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER OF CASES IN WHETHER YOU LIVE OR DIE ONCE YOU ARE INFECTED WITH THIS VIRUS.

BUT LET'S ALSO REMEMBER AND KEEP OUR MINDS TOTALLY FOCUSED.

THE NUMBER ONE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO GET VACCINATED.

AND NUMBER TWO, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO, WEAR YOUR MASK.

LET'S GET OUT OF THIS, IT'S ALL ABOUT ME, I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU THINKING.

THIS IS HORRIFIC AND IT BODES NOT ONLY POORLY FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR FIGHT AGAINST COVID.

BUT IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF A NATION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONCE PEOPLE HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE COMMON GOOD.

THIS IS A FRIGHTENING MOMENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE LOVE AND COMPASSION FROM ALL OF US TO TURN THIS AROUND.

AND NOT BEING SELFISH, RIGHT?

WE WANT TO GET OUR KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL.

WE WANT OUR COMMUNITIES TO BE SAFE.

WE WANT OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR TO HAVE MORE ACCESS TO VACCINES.

WE WANT MORE PARODY.

AND ALL OF THAT STARTS WITH FOCUSING ON OURSELVES AT HOME AND OUR NEIGHBORS AS A COLLECTIVE.

DOCTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU CONTINUE TO DO TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE SPREADING THIS MESSAGE.

PUT A MASK ON.

GET A VACCINE FT IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

> WELL, AS VACCINE EFFORTS PUSH AHEAD ACROSS EUROPE, SOME NATIONS ARE TAKING STEPS TO IMPOSE VACCINE PASSPORTS AND MANDATES IN AN EFFORT TO PROTECT THEIR CITIZENS FROM THE MORE TRANSMISSIBLE VARIANTS.

BUT NOT EVERYONE IS ON BOARD.

CORRESPONDENT FRED PLEITGEN HAS THE DETAILS.

Reporter: UNREST ON THE STREETS OF PARIS.

THE CROWD PROTESTING NEW VACCINE MANDATES PUT IN PLACE TO STOP A SURGE IN CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS.

BUT DESPITE THE MAYHEM, FRANCE'S PRESIDENT SAYS HE WON'T BUDGE AND HE'S HAD IT WITH PEOPLE VACCINATION.

Translator: WHAT IS YOUR FREEDOM WORTH IF YOU SAY TO ME I DON'T WANT TO BE VACCINATED BUT IF TOMORROW YOU INFECT YOUR FATHER, YOUR MOTHER, OR ME?

Reporter: FRANCE JUST PASSED A LAW MANDATING SO-CALLED VIRUS PASSES OR GREEN PASSES FOR VISITS TO RESTAURANTS AND FOR DOMESTIC TRAVEL.

ONE REASON WHY THE GOVERNMENT REMAINS STEADFAST IN THE FACE OF OFTEN VIOLENT PROTESTS, THE VAST MAJORITY ENDORSES THE STRICTER MEASURES, EXPERTS SAY.

THESE PEOPLE SPEAK ONLY IN THEIR PRIVATE NAME.

THEY DON'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CONNECTIVITY, THE FACT THAT PROTECTING ONESELF IS ALSO PROTECTING THE WORLD SOCIETY.

Reporter: AS THE DELTA VARIANT OF THE CORONAVIRUS SPREADS FAST, COUNTRIES ACROSS EUROPE ARE TURNING TO GREEN PASSES AND IN SOME CASES VACCINATION MANDATES TO GET PEOPLE PROTECTED.

STARTING IN EARLY AUGUST, ITALY WILL REQUIRE GREEN PASSES FOR ALL INDOOR HOSPITALITY.

THE PASSES PROVIDE PROOF THAT PEOPLE HAVE EITHER BEEN VACCINATED, HAVE RECOVERED FROM COVID-19 OR HAVE A NEGATIVE PCR TEST NO OLDER THAN 48 HOURS.

GERMANY, AUSTRIA, DENMARK, PORTUGAL AND OTHERS ARE ALREADY USING VARYING FORMS OF GREEN PASSES FOR ACCESS TO DINING AND OTHER ASPECTS OF PUBLIC LIFE.

HERE IN GERMANY, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED THE DIGITAL VACCINATION CERTIFICATE.

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS, AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED OR WHO HAVE RECOVERED THE FROM A COVID-19 INFECTION JUST HAVE A LOT LESS HASSLE GETTING INTO BARS AND RESTAURANTS AND EVEN TRAVELING AROUND EUROPE.

MORE AND MORE COUNTRIES ARE TURNING TO GREEN PASSES.

AND WHILE THOUSANDS RECENTLY PROTESTED AGAINST VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS OUTSIDE THE GREEK PARLIAMENT IN ATHENS, AT RESTAURANTS NEARBY, DINERS WERE ENJOYING DINNER BUT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED.

FRED PLEITGEN REPORTING THERE.

> WELL AMONG THOSE BEING OFFERED VACCINES IN THE U.S. ARE SOME 200 AFGHAN INTERPRETERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THEY ARRIVED IN VIRGINIA TODAY.

THE FIRST GROUP TO RECEIVE SPECIAL IMMIGRATION VISAS AFTER HELPING AMERICAN FORCES DURING THE WAR.

UNDERSCORING THE PERSISTENT DANGER BACK IN AFGHANISTAN, THE UN SAYS A POLICE GUARD WAS KILLED IN AN ATTACK ON ITS COMPOUND TODAY.

WATCHING THIS ALL PLAY OUT IN IS SAD.

HE HEADS THE MOW BY GROUP.

HIS LATEST ARTICLE FOR THE DIGITAL NEWSLETTER 'AIRMAIL' ENTITLED 'THE VIEW FROM HERE' GIVES A STARK WARNING OF WHAT AFGHANS STAND TO LOSE IF THE TALIBAN SEIZE PYRE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

FIRST I HAVE TO GET YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU SEE AFGHANS ARRIVING IN THE U.S., THAT FIRST GROUP OF THOSE WHO HELPED IN ASSISTING THE U.S. OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES IN AFGHANISTAN NOW SEEKING SHELTER AND A NEW LIFE FOR THEIR FAMILIES IN THE U.S.

IT'S WONDERFUL NEWS FOR THE INTERPRETERS, AND THEY DO NEED THE PROTECTION AND THESE VISAS OBVIOUSLY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

BUT I ALSO ASK WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 35 MILLION AFGHAN WHO GOING TO BE STUCK INSIDE OF AFGHANISTAN AS THE FIGHTING RAGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

YOU'VE WRITTEN AN IMPORTANT PIECE ON THIS ON THOSE BACK HOME IN AFGHANISTAN.

AND YOU SAY THAT AFGHANISTAN WILL NOT BE WHO THE TALIBAN MAY THINK IT IS AT THIS POINT, SOME 20 YEARS LATER WITH THE RESURGENCE OF THE TALIBAN.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

HOW HAS THE COUNTRY CHANGED AND HOW CAN THEY RESIST ANOTHER INSURGENCE FROM THE TALIBAN?

WELL, AFGHANISTAN IS A VASTLY DIFFERENT COUNTRY.

WE HAVE THE YOUNGEST POPULATION OUTSIDE OF SUBSAHARAN AFRICA.

MEDIAN AGE IS 18.

THE MAJORITY OF AFRICANS ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 20.

MOST AFGHANS ARE EDUCATED.

HARDLY MEMBER OF THE TALIBAN TIES.

THEY'RE USED TO MEDIA.

THEY'RE USED TO SOCIAL MEDIA.

THEY'RE USED TO MORE TELEPHONES.

AND THEY'RE MUCH MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN THEY WERE AND MUCH MORE MODERN.

IT'S A VASTLY ORGANIZED COUNTRY.

AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP A GUN BASICALLY AND FIGHT BUT I THINK THEY WILL RESIST IN OTHER WAYS.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO REFUSE TO ACCEPT A TALIBAN-STYLE REGIME IN A COUNTRY THAT REALLY HAS MOVED ON FROM THE LATE 1990s.

I WANT TO READ FROM YOUR PIECE.

YOU WRITE, AFGHANISTAN WILL NOT GO BACK TO THE COUNTRY IT WAS UNDER THE TALIBAN.

IT NOW HAS THE YOUNGEST POPULATION OUTSIDE OF SUBSA HERRON AFRICA.

THE MAJORITY OF YOUTH ARE ILLITERATE.

MORE AFGHANS THAN EVER ACCEPT THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES.

THE MEDIA REVOLUTION HAS FOREVER CHANGED THE WAY AFGHANS SEE THEMSELVES AND SEE EACH OTHER AND HOW THEY ENGAGE WITH THE WIDER WORLD.

I UNDERSTAND THE POINT YOU'RE MAKING THERE.

IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT NOW TO PUT THE GENIE BACK IN THE BOTTLE.

BUT I HAVE TO SAY IT'S HARD TO BE OPTIMISTIC AFTER SEEING THE IMAGES AND THE REPORTS OF THE TALIBAN COMING BACK AT THE PACE IT HAS AND THE BRUTALITY THAT IT HAS USED.

MANY MAY SAY -- OR SOME MAY SAY THAT THIS IS A DIFFERENT TALIBAN.

BUT HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE?

THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT DIFFERENT, THE WAY THAT THEY'VE TREATED WOMEN AND THE AREAS THAT THEY'VE TAKEN OVER, THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE SHUT DOWN MEDIA OPERATIONS, THE WAY THAT THEY'VE EXECUTED THEIR PERCEIVED ENEMIES.

THEY'RE NOT VERY DIFFERENT.

TALIBAN 2.0 IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE FIRST TALIBAN.

I THINK THE AMERICANS HAVE MADE THEIR DECISION TO LEAVE, AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE ACCEPT THAT.

IT'S JUST THE TRANSITION AND HOW THEY'VE MANAGED THIS WITHDRAWAL THAT CONCERNS US.

AND HASTILY EXECUTED WHERE THEY EFFECTIVELY LEFT THE COUNTRY WITHIN THREE MONTHS.

AND THE TRANSITION HAS BEEN MANAGED VERY, VERY BADLY AND IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE.

SO, I THINK WE'VE BEEN LEFT IN A LURCH AND CERTAINLY WE ARE VERY WORRIED AND NOT OPTIMISTIC AT ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THE COUNTRY.

SAAD, WE'VE SPENT TIME NOW FOCUSING ON THE TRANSITION AND THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY FROM A MILITARY PERSPECTIVE AND FROM A POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE.

BUT YOU BRING A DIFFERENT ANGLE.

AND THAT IS COVERING LIFE THERE AMONG AFGHAN CITIZENS THROUGH THE LENS OF JOURNALISM AND THE INCREDIBLE REPORTING THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND THE PROGRAMMING, THE WIDE ARRAY OF CHANNELS AND PROGRAMS AND JOURNALISTS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FLOURISH OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES.

CAN YOU JUST GIVE OUR VIEWERS A SENSE OF WHAT THEY MAY NOT KNOW HAS HAPPENED WITHIN THE COUNTRY?

WELL, THE PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED.

IT'S VERY ORGANIC AND IT'S VERY AFGHAN.

IT'S NOT AN IMPOSED CHANGE.

IT'S COME FROM WITHIN THE COUNTRY ITSELF.

FOR THE AMERICANS IT MAY HAVE BEEN A STALEMATE BUT FOR US IT WAS THE CHANCE TO GROW AND DEVELOP AND THE PRESENCE OF INTERNATIONAL TROOPS ALLOWED THE MEDIA TO FLOURISH, WHICH WE HAVE.

TO A LARGE EXTENT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO AMPLIFY POSITIVE MESSAGES IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR VALUES MEAN IN TERMS OF TREATING WOMEN AND MINORITIES.

WE HAVE REPORTED ON THINGS, OBVIOUSLY, AND THAT'S NEWS.

BUT WE'VE ALSO MANAGED TO FACILITATE POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE COUNTRY.

A YOUNG AFGHAN TODAY IS VERY DIFFERENT TO A YOUNG AFGHAN OF 2001.

AND THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IT'S IN THE VILLAGES.

IT'S IN THE CITIES.

IT'S IN OUR SMALLER TOWNS.

SO, THE PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED, BUT WITHOUT THE PROTECTION AND WITHOUT THE INTEREST OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BE OPTIMISTIC.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU BRING US THIS PIECE THAT YOU'VE WRITTEN AND TALK ABOUT HOW LIVES HAVE CHANGED THERE, JUST SEEING IMAGES OF YOUNG GIRLS PLAYING SPORTS AND GOING TO SCHOOL.

IT'S A DIFFERENT COUNTRY, AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DO AS A COLLECTIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT BLOSSOMING CONTINUES IN THESE CHALLENGING MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD, UNFORTUNATELY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

STAY SAFE.

THANK YOU.

> WELL, EARLIER WE SPOKE ABOUT BRIDGING RACIAL DIVIDES AND NOW WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW BIG BUSINESS IS TACKLING THE PROBLEM.

OVER-100 CEOs HAVE COME TOGETHER AND FORMED CEO ACTION FOR RACIAL EQUITY.

THEIR GOAL?

ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC RACISM AND CREATING LASTING CHANGE THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY.

THE CEO OF THAT INITIATIVE ARE DETERMINED NOT TO LET POLITICS STAND THEIR WAY.

HERE THEY ARE SPEAKING ABOUT HOW THEY PLAN TO ACHIEVE THAT.

ROY WEATHERS, JOHN MILLER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

ROY WEATHERS, LET ME RATTLE OFF A LIST OF WHAT THE CEOs IN YOUR ORGANIZATION SAID THEY CAN TACKLE.

THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, POLICING MISCONDUCT, TELEHEALTH, FOOD EQUITY, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, DECRIMINALIZING POVERTY, EXPANDING FINANCIAL ACCESS.

THESE ARE ALL USUALLY THE PURVIEWS OF STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATURES.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR GROUP IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE SOME OF THIS OR ACCELERATE PROGRESS TOWARD IT?

YOU KNOW, JOHN AND MANY OF OUR OTHER CORPORATIONS EMPLOY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

SO, OUR ABILITY TO KNOW OUR STATE LEGISLATORS, GOVERNORS, CITY COUNCILMEN, MAYORS, BECAUSE WE WORK IN THOSE COMMUNITIES IS A NATURAL FIT.

AND SO WE DO OUR WORK INTERNALLY.

I CALL IT THE THINK TANK PART.

AND THEN THE DO TANK PART IS REALLY HOW DO WE SUPPORT AND COLLABORATE.

MANY TIMES ENCOURAGING BIPARTISAN BEHAVIOR IS SOMETHING THAT'S MISSING.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN DOING IS SAYING STAY AT THE TABLE, CONTINUE TO WORK ON THESE ISSUES, DO IT IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY TO GET AN OUTCOME.

AND WE -- YOU KNOW, IN BUSINESS, OBVIOUSLY POLICY IS NOT NEW TO BUSINESS.

REGULATION AND THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IS NOT NEW TO BUSINESS.

WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TURNING SOME OF OUR ATTENTION, OUR TALENT ON THE AREA OF SOCIETAL CHANGE AND RACIAL EQUITY AND EQUALITY.

SO, MR. MILLER, SOME OF THESE ARE GOING TO SOUND LIKE PROGRESSIVE OR LIBERAL CAUSES.

AND IN THE POLARIZED COUNTRY THAT YOU ARE OPERATING ALL OF THESE RESTAURANTS IN TODAY, DOES A MANAGER IN ONE LOCATION OR A FRANCHISEE SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT REALLY SHOULDN'T BE YOUR BUSINESS, LET'S JUST WORK ON GETTING PANCAKES, WAFFLES AND DESSERT ON THE TABLE AND KEEP POLITICS HAPPY.

WHY ARE YOU CORPORATE OFFICE TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS AND DOG THESE THINGS?

I THINK BRANDS TAKING STANDS IS DANGEROUS TERRITORY.

HISTORICALLY PEOPLE SAID WE'RE STAYING OUT OF POLITICS.

WE HAVE CONSTITUENCIES WECHLT HAVE GUESTS.

WE HAVE SHAREHOLDERS THAT ARE FROM ALL THESE DISTRICT BACKGROUNDS THAT DON'T AGREEN POLITIC.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME I THINK THERE'S A CERTAIN MOOD IN THE COUNTRY THAT SAYS, BUT WE DO NEED PROBLEM SOLVERS.

BUSINESS LEADERS TEND TO HAVE PEOPLE WITH ALL THESE DISPARATE BACKGROUNDS WORKING TOGETHER SIDE BY SIDE.

SO, I THINK MORE AND MORE THE MOOD OF THE COUNTRY IS CAN WE DO THINGS THAT BRING US TOGETHER IN A POWERFUL UNITED WAY.

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL AND FAIL.

ANYTHING YOU APPLY DIVISION LOGIC TO.

SO, NOW MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED TO STEP UP AND SAY, LOOK, FORGET THE POLITICS.

FOCUS ON SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS.

CAN WE COME TOGETHER AND APPLY SOME REFORM WHERE IT'S NEEDED?

WE'RE ALWAYS PUT -- SOMEONE WILL STICK A MICROPHONE IN FRONT OF YOU AND SAY DO YOU BACK THE BLUE OR DO YOU BACK BLM, OR ANY NUMBER OF WAYS WHICH WITHIN A SOUND BITE CAN DIVIDE PEOPLE RATHER THAN UNITE THEM.

I AM FOR SOLUTIONS THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

AND IF WE CAN JUST SORT OF MOVE THE NARRATIVE THERE, PEOPLE TEND TO DROP THEIR GUARD AND GO, YOU'RE RIGHT.

HOW CAN WE SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS TOGETHER?

HOW CAN WE DO SOMETHING POWERFUL THROUGH COLLABORATION TOGETHER?

WE'RE REALLY NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE POLITICS THESE DAYS.

SO, ROY, FOR EXAMPLE, DIGITAL DIVIDE OR TELEHEALTH.

HOW WOULD YOU MEASURE THAT SORT OF SUCCESS?

HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT THIS PROBLEM IS MOVING AWAY FROM A PROBLEM AND TOWARD A SOLUTION BECAUSE OF YOUR INVOLVEMENT?

WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE OR WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TELEHEALTH, THAT GETS TO THE HEART OF UNIQUE CHALLENGES IN THE COMMUNITIES.

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A WELL-DOCUMENTED, YOU KNOW, LONG, MANY, MANY YEARS OF WELL-LAID-OUT REASONING AND OBSERVATION.

WE BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ASPECTS OF TELEHEALTH THAT STARTS TO MOVE THAT FORWARD AND CLOSE THAT GAP.

AS EVIDENCED BY WHAT WE HAD TO DO IN THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT?

WHEN YOU COULDN'T GET TO A DOCTOR, YOU ACTUALLY HAD TO RELY ON TELEHEALTH.

AND WE SAW AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE THAT IT WAS A MEANINGFUL ADJUSTMENT THAT WE MADE THAT CAN HELP THE COMMUNITIES.

FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE LOOK AT THE DATA.

WE TALK TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE TALK AND LISTEN TO WHAT AND WE LOOK FOR THOSE GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SAY, LOOK, HERE IS WHAT THE DATA'S TELLING US, AND HERE'S WHERE WE THINK THE OPPORTUNITY IS WITH TELEHEALTH.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, FROM AN EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE JUST START THERE.

ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT WE SAW FIRSTHAND AROUND KIDS AND CERTAIN COMMUNITIES NOT BEING ABLE TO CONNECT AND RECEIVE BASIC EDUCATION BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE BROADBAND CAPABILITIES, THOSE ARE OBVIOUS, JUST OBVIOUS PROBLEMS.

SO, OUR AREA IS THROUGH THE RACIAL EQUITY LENS, THROUGH A DATA-LED ANALYSIS, LISTENING, COLLABORATING, WHERE DO WE THINK WE CAN HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING.

SO, ROY, FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S TACKLE DECRIMINALIZING POVERTY.

WHAT KINDS OF POLICIES WOULD YOU WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF?

WHERE WOULD YOU TRY TO GET INVOLVED AND TRY TO TIP THE SCALES, IF YOU WILL, ON MAKING PROGRESS HERE?

YEAH, SO, DECRIMINALIZING POVERTY AREA IS REALLY ABOUT FINES AND FEES.

SO, IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STATES AND THERE'S LEGISLATION IN FLAGT, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WHERE FINES AND FEES IMPACTING ONE'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SERIOUS CRIMES.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARKING TICKETS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ULTIMATELY IMPACT ONE'S ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK.

YOU FIND THAT THOSE HIT THOSE WHO ARE -- WHO HAVE LESS ECONOMIC MEANS HARDER THAN THOSE WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY.

SO, SCALING AND LOOKING AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS PART OF WHAT WE DO IN BUSINESS.

WE DO ANALYSIS, WE DO ANALYTICS.

AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THINGS ARE WORKING THAT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY, BENEFITS THE STATE, THE CITY, THE MUNICIPALITY AND HELPING TO SCALE THOSE IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY.

THAT'S THE KIND OF WORK WE'RE DOING.

SO, WE TALK ABOUT DECRIMINALIZING POVERTY, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY SAYING IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO PAY YOUR PARKING TICKET AND THERE ARE RAMIFICATIONS TO THAT THAT STARTS A CIRCULAR EVENT AROUND YOUR LIFE, SHOULD WE PAUSE AND LOOK AT THAT?

THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON THERE.

SO, DON MILLER, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT AS A COMPANY AND PERHAPS YOUR INVOLVEMENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL?

BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE IN A SYSTEM THAT REWARDS ACCESS TO THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTE MORE.

SO, WHETHER IT'S A CORPORATE DONATION TO A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OR AN INDIVIDUAL DONATION TO A SENATOR, THAT'S HOW YOU GET YOUR VOICE HEARD IN AMERICA.

AND PARDON MY CYNICISM.

SO, DOES THAT MEAN THAT DENNY'S WILL START MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES OR GROUPS THAT SUPPORT THESE SPECIFIC THINGS?

MANY COMPANIES, LIKE OURS, HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WHERE WE'VE HAD OUR OWN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CONTRIBUTIONS.

WE HAVE DEEP EFFORTS WITH OUR ENTIRE TEAM ENGAGED FROM OUR HEADQUARTERS AND THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE FRANCHISE COMMUNITY IN A NUMBER OF AREAS THAT MATTER.

ONE OF THOSE IS FOOD INEQUITIES.

SO, WE ARE A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR EVERY YEAR IN RAISING MONEY FOR THE HUNGER CAMPAIGN AND ALSO TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER IN AMERICA.

WE FOCUS ON EARLY LEARNING CENTERS LOCALLY AND FOCUS ON GETTING ACCESS TO EDUCATION THROUGH OUR HUNGER FOR EDUCATION PROGRAM.

I DON'T SAY THOSE THINGS TO GIVE CREDIT TO DENNY'S.

A LOT OF CORPORATIONS DO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS.

WE KNOW ABOUT THOSE AREAS.

WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN PROGRAMS THAT WORK REALLY WELL AND SEEM TO BE MOVING THE NUMBERS A LOT.

AND WE CAN ALSO GIVE EVIDENCE FROM QUALITY RESEARCH THAT WE'VE FUNDED AND SUPPORTED THROUGH THE YEARS ON PROGRAMS THAT FAIL.

SO, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CEO ACTION EFFORT, SETTING THE AGENDA ON THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR OUR NATION, WE'RE ABLE TO INFLUENCE IN A POSITIVE WAY THROUGH OUR FELLOWS THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT TO MORE OF A NATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING EFFORT.

I DON'T THINK ANY ONE CORPORATION HAS ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY POLICY CHANGE.

IT HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH INFLUENCE AND NARRATIVE TOWARD SOLUTIONS THAT ACTUALLY WORK.

JOHN, I KNOW THAT 1994 THERE WAS KIND OF A PAINFUL CHAPTER.

YOU HAD TO PAY UP A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

IT WAS $50 MILLION.

YOU STARTED A RACIAL SENSITIVITY TRAINING PROGRAM OVER THE TREATMENT OF BLACK CUSTOMERS.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED IN THAT TIME?

AND WHAT IS THE THING THAT TRIGGERED FOR YOU MAYBE AFTER THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD OR HOW THIS RECKONING HAPPENS IN THE COUNTRY THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE DONE OR TAKE THE LESSONS YOU'VE LEARNED AND SCALE IT LARGER.

GOING BACK TO 1994, THERE WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

THERE ARE I NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WHO LIVED THROUGH IT AND LIVED THROUGH THE PAIN OF IT AND DID NOT REPRESENT THE SPIRIT OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND THEY'RE QUITE PROUD OF THE HERITAGE OVER TIME.

BUT THOSE INCIDENTS ARE QUITE UNFORTUNATE AND FAIRLY WELL MISMANAGED.

AND THE RECORD STANDS.

BUT TODAY THE WHOLE GOAL IS TO BE A MODEL ORGANIZATION AS A RESULT OF THAT.

SO, OUT OF THE BROKEN PLACES CAN COME TREMENDOUS STRENGTH AND COMMITMENT.

AND WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF OUR WORK FORCE DIVERSITY, OUR DEI DEPARTMENT, THEIR EFFORTS.

IT'S QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.

AND WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, DEMONSTRATE FOR PEOPLE HOW THINGS SHOULD BE DONE.

SO, WHERE WE FALL SHORT, YOU KNOW, WE HUMBLY CONTINUE TO STRIVE AND CLOSE THE GAP.

WE ARE A COMPANY THAT ARRIVED AHEAD OF MANY OTHER COMPANIES THAT OUR MULTICULTURAL GROUPS REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF OUR CUSTOMER BASE.

SO, THE MAJORITY OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE MINORITIES.

AND WE THINK THAT OUR WORK FORCE SHOULD REFLECT THAT.

WE HAVE NEARLY AN 80% MINORITY WORK FORCE AT MANAGER LEVEL BUT MORE THAN 50% MINORITY WORK FORCE.

OUR BOARD IS 55% PEOPLE OF COLOR, 44% WOMEN.

OUR SYSTEM IS 96% FRANCHISE OWNED.

OF THOSE 1,600 PLUS FRANCHISE RESTAURANTS, HALF OF THOSE ARE OWNED BY MINORITIES.

SO, IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE A STARTING PLACE, A RESTART FOR PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN IN PRISON, A PLACE TO BUILD A CAREER, A PLACE TO JUMP OFF FROM A CAREER AND GET A GOOD START, A PLACE TO BUILD OWNERSHIP THROUGH FRANCHISING, WE'D LIKE TO BE MODEL IN ALL OF THOSE AREAS TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF PHILANTHROPY AND GIVING BACK AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENT.

WE WOULD LIKE TO BE MODELLED THERE AS WELL.

SO, I THINK THAT OUT OF THAT HISTORY COMES A DEEP COMMITMENT THAT RUNS THROUGHOUT THE ENTERPRISE.

IT IS LITERALLY WHO WE ARE.

THESE ARE NOT DEBATED TOPICS.

THESE ARE NOT STRIVINGS OF SOMEDAY WE'D LIKE TO BE IDEALS.

THESE ARE HERE AND NOW WITH EVERY DECISION EVERY DAY RUNNING EVERY SHIFT EVERY DAY, A MAKE-UP OF DENNY'S.

ROY, HOW DO YOU COUNSEL COMPANIES ON THEIR IDEA OF BRANDS TAKING STANDS?

BECAUSE EVEN IN JUST THE PAST SIX MONTHS WE HAVE SEEN A BACKLASH WHERE A COMPANY SAID IT IS GOING TO PUT ITS NECK OUT THERE TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND NOTHING MORE THAN THAT.

BUT IN THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE THEY WERE PENALIZED BY CUSTOMERS AND THEN EVENTUALLY SHAREHOLDERS FOR DOING THAT.

MY SIMPLE MESSAGE IS THERE IS A LOT OF COMMON GROUND.

THERE WAS WORK TO BE DONE.

THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY, WHEN THEY LOOK AT THEIR OWN PRINCIPLES, WHEN THEY LOOK AT WHO THEY ARE AS ORGANIZATIONS, BEING INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES MATCHED UP PERFECTLY WITH THEIR AGENDA AND THEIR MISSION.

AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE TRIED TO COME TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT WE THINK IS CONSTRUCTIVE AND WHERE WE CAN MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS.

WE'VE TRIED TO STAY OUT OF THE POLITICAL FRAY, AS YOU WOULD IMAGINE, AND FOCUS ON, AS JOHN SAID, THE THINGS THAT WE ALL AGREE NEED TO BE DONE THAT MAKE UP A HEALTHY SOCIETY.

A HEALTHY SOCIETY IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS.

IT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITIES.

SO, IT IS NOT EASY.

MY HAT'S OFF.

IT IS CHALLENGING.

BUT I -- I WAKE UP EVERY DAY IMPRESSED AND INSPIRED BY THE COMPANIES THAT CONTINUE TO SAY, WE NEED TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO GET THERE, BUT WE WANT TO STAY AT THE TABLE AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

JOHN, I WANT TO ASK, YOU SAID EARLIER THAT YOU TAKE THIS APPROACH AS A PROBLEM SOLVER.

AND IN A WAY WHEN I LOOK AT THE VERY NEED FOR THIS ORGANIZATION TO EXIST OR THIS FELLOWSHIP TO EXIST, I WONDER IF IT'S A REFLECTION OF THE FACT THAT OUR EXISTING SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING IS THAT WE HAVE ELECTED PEOPLE WHO CANNOT DO THIS BASIC TASK THAT YOU AND MANY OTHER BUSINESS PEOPLE HAVE TO ON A DAILY BASIS IS FIGURE OUT SOME SORT OF COMMON GROUND AND MOVE FORWARD AND GET TO THE NEXT DAY.

NO DOUBT.

THE PRACTICE, THE HABIT, THE TRIBALISM OF PARTISAN POLITICS EXISTS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR HAND IN THE SAND TO SUGGEST THAT'S NOT SO.

BUT OUR JOB IS NOT TO DISPARAGE ONE SIDE OR ANOTHER.

EACH OF US AS BUSINESS LEADERS HAVE OUR OWN BIASES.

WE HAVE OUR OWN VIEWS.

WE HAVE OUR OWN PREFERENCES, AND WE HAVE OUR OWN VOTING HABITS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS FAIRLY WELL-DEFINED.

AND IF WE STICK TO THE KNITTING, PUBLIC EDUCATION, NATIONAL DEFENSE, WHATEVER THE ITEM MIGHT BE, IT REQUIRES PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AND SEE TO IT THAT THOSE ITEMS ARE WELL LOOKED AFTER.

AND THERE IS A LOT OF COMMON GROUND THERE.

WE WANT TO SEE OUR CHILDREN PROPERLY EDUCATED.

WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE LEFT BEHIND THAT HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED AT THE LEVEL OF THE AVERAGES.

AND WE WANT TO SEE PROBLEMS SOLVE.

WE WANT TO SEE SOLUTIONS TO THAT.

THE COST OF NOT SOLVING IT, WHICHEVER SIDE OF THE AISLE YOU'RE ON, IS MUCH HIGHER THAN TURNING AND FACING IT AND ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES.

SO, AGAIN, I THINK IF WE FOCUS ON PROBLEM SOLVING AND NOT PARTISANSHIP, THERE IS A SOLUTION IN THERE.

AND I'M ACTUALLY OPTIMISTIC AND HOPEFUL THAT THAT TIDE TURNS IN OUR NATION.

ALL RIGHT.

ROY WEATHERS, JOHN MILLER, THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

> MORE PROBLEM SOLVING AND LESS PARTISANSHIP IS SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY NEED IN THIS WORLD.

> AND FINALLY TONIGHT, IMAGINE WRITING A MEMOIR DETAILING THE LAST DAYS OF YOUR PARENTS' LIVES.

IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK.

NOW IMAGINE THAT ONE OF YOUR PARENTS IS THE LATE LITERARY GIANT AND NOBEL PRIZE WINNER GABRIELLE MARQUEZ.

IT'S EVEN A MORE DAUNTING TEST.

HE'S JOINING ME NOW FROM LOS ANGELES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

LET ME JUST PREFACE THIS CONVERSATION BY SAYING I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING OUR TEAM AND OUR PRODUCERS MORE PASSIONATE, MORE EXCITED ABOUT A CONVERSATION AND A TOPIC THAN THIS BOOK OF YOURS.

IF IT WERE UP TO THEM THEY WOULD ALL BE SITTING HERE JOINING US FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE MEMOIR.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND JUST PICKING UP ON THAT, YOUR PARENTS, YOUR FAMOUS FATHER, HE DIED IN 2014.

I WAS STRUCK THOUGH THAT IT WAS THE DEATH OF YOUR MOTHER LAST YEAR THAT ULTIMATELY LED YOU TO WRITE THIS MEMOIR.

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT LOSING BOTH PARENTS THAT CHANGED THE CALCULUS FOR YOU?

WELL, INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, I TOOK NOTES IN THOSE LAST THREE WEEK OF MY DAD'S LIFE WHEN WE KNEW HIS TIME WAS RUNNING OUT.

AND I DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.

I THOUGHT I WOULD WRITE THEM FOR MYSELF OR A MEMOIR FOR MY BROTHER OR OUR KIDS, ET CETERA.

BUT I SAT DOWN AND WROTE IT QUICKLY AFTER HE DIED, AND I HAD SOMETHING THERE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.

I FELT A LITTLE UNEASY ABOUT PUBLISHING SOMETHING IN A RUSH ABOUT THE DEATH OF NOT JUST MY DAD BUT A FAMOUS MAN.

SO, I PUT IT ASIDE.

AND IT WAS ONLY LAST AUGUST WHEN MY MOTHER DIED THAT I REALIZED WHAT MY THEME WAS, AS IT WERE, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, SAYING GOOD-BYE TO BOTH YOUR PARENTS, THE DEATH OF YOUR SECOND PARENT IS, LIKE I SAY IN THE BOOK, IT'S LIKE THE END OF A PLANET, THE DEATH OF A RELIGION.

SO I WANTED TO MAKE IT ABOUT BOTH OF THEM.

OBVIOUSLY SHE WAS NOT AS FAMOUS AS HE WAS.

BUT IT REALLY IS A BOOK ABOUT SAYING GOOD-BYE TO YOUR PARENTS AND TO THAT WORLD.

YOU WRITE, THE DEATH OF A SECOND PARENT IS LIKE LOOKING THROUGH A TELESCOPE ONE NIGHT AND NO LONGER FINDING A PLANET THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE.

I WAS WATCHING AN INTERVIEW YOU GAVE EARLIER AND YOU SAID IT WAS LIKE CLOSING THE DOOR TO THE CHURCH THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAD BEEN GOING TO THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE.

THIS IS A SUBJECT THAT ANY CHILD, ANYBODY THAT HAS PARENTS CAN BE TOUCHED BY AND BECOME EMOTIONAL IN READING AND DISCUSSING.

AND YET YOU DO IT IN OBVIOUSLY A SENTIMENTAL.

BUT YOU DO IT IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY AS WELL.

WERE YOU COGNIZANT ABOUT NOT WRITING SOMETHING TOO ME ROES OR TOO DEPRESSING?

YOU KNOW, ANY TIME -- I MEAN, MOST OF MY WRITING HAS BEEN FOR FILM OR TV.

BUT WRITING IS WRITING.

AND WHAT YOU'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND IS THE RIGHT TONE.

YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE SO ALOOF THAT IT SEEMED LIKE I DIDN'T CARE.

I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE, YOU KNOW, ALL ABOUT MY OWN FEELINGS.

YOU KNOW, YOU TRY TO MAKE THE PARTICULAR UNIVERSAL.

YOU TRY TO SEE THINGS AS OTHERS WOULD SEE THEM.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU'RE WRITING YOU KIND OF ASSUME YOU ARE EVERYONE AND EVERYONE IS YOU.

SO, YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT BALANCE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE PRIVATE MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO OTHERS.

YOUR FATHER DIED IN APRIL OF 2014 AS WE SAID AFTER HE HAD BEEN BATTLING WITH DEMENTIA.

HE DIED ON GOOD THURSDAY.

IT'S THE SAME DAY AS ONE OF HIS MOST FAMOUS CHARACTERS HAD PASSED AWAY.

AND ON THAT DAY, A BIRD WAS FOUND ON THE SOFA THAT YOUR FATHER USED TO SIT ON IN HIS HOME IN MEXICO CITY.

AND IT WAS A DEAD BIRD.

AND WHEN URSULA, THE CHARACTER, DIES, DISORIENTED BIRDS FLY INTO THE WALLS.

IT'S VERY SYMBOLIC, I GUESS THE VISUAL OF THAT ALL.

DID THAT IMPACT YOU?

WAS THIS A COINCIDENCE FOR YOU?

DID YOU THINK TWICE ABOUT IT?

YOU KNOW, WHEN THE BIRD WAS FIRST FOUND IT WAS SURMISED THAT IT HAD FLOWN INTO AN AREA THAT'S ENCLOSED BY GLASS AND PROBABLY CRASHED INTO THE GLASS AND FELL WHERE MY FATHER USUALLY SAT.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LATER THAT AFTERNOON AFTER HE DIED, SOMEONE REMINDED US THAT THE SAME HAD HAPPENED WHEN URSULA HAD DIED IN '100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE,' DISORIENTED BIRDS HAD CRASHED INTO WALLS AND FELL DEAD ON THE FLOOR.

I WAS CONFRONTED WITH THAT, AND WHAT CAN YOU SAY?

COINCIDENCE, POETRY, DESTINY, WHO KNOWS?

LIKE I SAY IN THE BOOK, ALL I KNEW WHEN I HEARD IT WAS I COULDN'T WAIT TO RETELL IT.

AND YOUR FATHER, YOU WRITE ABOUT HIS SENSE OF HUMOR, AND YOU WRITE, MY FATHER COMPLAINED TWHAUN OF THE THINGS HE HATED MOST ABOUT DEATH WAS IT WAS THE ONLY ASPECT OF HIS LIFE THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO WRITE ABOUT.

IT'S SOMETHING NO ONE HAS FULL CONTROL OVER.

WITHOUT GOING INTO THE WHAT WOULD THEY THINK IF THEY WERE HERE, DO YOU THINK JUST THE EVENT SURROUNDING HIS DEATH AND THAT BIRD, DO YOU THINK HE WOULD FIND THAT FUNNY?

HOW WOULD HE REACT TO THAT IF IT WERE TOLD TO HIM?

YOU KNOW, HE WOULD SAY WHAT HE SAID BEFORE, YOU KNOW, HE DID NOT INVENT THE TERM MAGICAL REALISM.

HE DIDN'T PARTICULARLY SUSS SCRIBE TO A SCHOOL OF NATURAL REALISM.

HE SAID I WROTE ABOUT THINGS I SAW AND HEARD IN COLUMBIA GROWING UP AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE BELIEVED HAPPENED.

HE JUST WOULD HAVE SAID, HOW ABOUT THAT, AND PASS NO JUDGMENT.

HOW ABOUT THAT?

WELL, FOR THOSE --

HOW ABOUT THAT.

FOR THOSE THAT DON'T FOLLOW YOU VERY CLOSELY, YOU'RE A SUCCESS IN YOUR OWN RIGHT AS A FILMMAKER AND WRITING SCREENPLAYS.

THIS IS YOUR FIRST ADVENTURE NOW IN TAKING ON WRITING BOOKS.

AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT, NOT WANTING TO OBVIOUSLY EXPLOIT YOUR FATHER'S STORY, YOUR MOTHER'S STORY AND THEIR FAME.

WHAT WAS THIS JOURNEY LIKE FOR YOU?

WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE?

THIS BOOK HAS RECEIVED INCREDIBLE REVIEWS.

IT IS THEIR STORY, BUT IT'S TOLD BY YOU IN A VERY BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN WAY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S -- MY FATHER USED TO SAY OR FEEL ABOUT HIS FAME, YOU KNOW, AND HIS SUCCESS AS A WRITER THAT IT WASN'T -- HE FELT SOMETIMES LIKE IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT HE HAD ACHIEVED BUT THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM.

AND I FEEL A LITTLE BIT THIS HAPPENED TO ME WITH THIS BOOK.

I HAD NO ASPIRATIONS OF WRITING A BOOK.

IT HAD NEVER OCCURRED TO ME EVEN AFTER I HAD TAKEN NOTES THAT I WOULD WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THEIR DEATHS.

IT SORT OF CREPT UP ON ME.

AND, YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S OUT HERE AND IT HAPPENS TO ME LIKE IT WILL HAPPEN TO ME AFTER I'M DONE WITH THAT INTERVIEW.

I WILL BE SITTING HERE THINKING, DID THAT REALLY HAPPEN?

DID THEY DIE?

DID I WRITE THIS BOOK?

WAS I JUST TALKING ABOUT IT ON A NEWS SHOW?

IT'S ALL, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL STRANGE.

YOU SPENT THOSE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH YOUR FATHER IN SORT OF THAT ODD SPACE WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN AND YET YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN EXACTLY IT WILL HAPPEN.

AND HE WASN'T OF SOUND MIND, OBVIOUSLY AT THAT POINT, UNLIKE YOUR MOTHER WHO YOU DESCRIBED AS PHYSICALLY NOT BEING WELL AT THE END.

BUT MENTALLY SHE WAS.

CAN YOU READ US A LINE FROM YOUR BOOK, A PASSAGE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER YOU HAD DISCOVERED THAT YOUR FATHER HAD PASSED AWAY WHEN YOU FINALLY TOLD YOUR MOTHER?

YEAH, I CALLED MY MOTHER, WHO WAS DOWNSTAIRS AND TOLD HER THAT MY FATHER'S HEART HAD STOPPED.

SO, SHE WALKED UP, AND THIS PASSAGE IS FROM THAT MOMENT.

MY MOM'S FIRST INSTINCT AS SHE CROSSES THROUGH THE DOOR IS TO TAKE CHARGE.

THE NURSE AND THE AIDE ARE PROPPING MY FATHER'S HEAD UP AND WORKING TO KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT BY TYING HIS JAW WITH A TOWEL AROUND THE HEAD.

TIGHTER, MY MOTHER CALLS OUT AS SHE APPROACHES THE BED.

THAT'S IT.

SHE LOOKS MY FATHER UP AND DOWN WITH DETACHMENT AS IF HE WERE HER PATIENT.

HE PULLS THE SHEET UP, SMOOTHS IT OVER, PUTS HER HAND ON HIS.

FOR A MOMENT, SHE IS UNFATHOMABLE.

THEN A BRIEF CONVULSION OVERCOMES HER AND SHE ERUPTS INTO TEARS.

[ SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE ] POOR LITTLE THING ISN'T HE.

EVEN BEFORE HER OWN PAIN AND SADNESS COMES A PROFOUND SYMPATHY FOR HIM.

I'VE SEEN HER CRY ONLY THREE TIMES BEFORE IN MY WHOLE LIFE.

THIS ONE LASTS NO MORE THAN A FEW SECONDS, BUT IT HAS THE POWER OF A BURST OF MACHINE GUNFIRE.

WOW, AND YOU'RE DESCRIBING A RELATIONSHIP THAT LASTED FOR DECADES.

THEY WERE MARRIED FOR 56 YEARS.

IF I GET THIS RIGHT, THEY MET WHEN SHE WAS ONLY 9 AND HE WAS 14.

THIS IS IN AND OF ITSELF A TRUE LOVE STORY.

YOUR FATHER WAS THE FAMOUS WUNSCH BUT YOUR MOTHER WAS NO SHRINKING VIOLET.

WHILE YOU FOCUS ON HIM A LOT IN THE BOOK, SHE'S THERE WITH YOU.

SHE LIVED ANOTHER SIX YEAR AND SHE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN YOUR LIFE.

EVEN AFTER HER DEATH YOU STOP AND LOOK AT PICTURE OF HER.

YOU KNOW, I FOUND THAT SHE WASN'T FAMOUS, BUT WHILE I WAS TAKING NOTES AND WRITING THE BOOK, EVEN THE PART ABOUT MY FATHER BEFORE I CONCENTRATED ON HER, THAT SHE HAD, HER GESTURES, HER WORDS, HER ACTIONS WERE SO SPECIFIC AND SO UNIQUE TO HER AND SO STRONG THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS ABLE TO JUST PEPPER THE BOOK WITH SOME OF HER CHOICES, SOME OF HER WORDS.

AND SHE BECAME, YOU KNOW, I THINK AN UNFORGETTABLE PART OF THE TEXT.

YOU KNOW, SHE WAS -- MY FATHER USED TO SAY THAT SHE WAS THE MOST SURPRISING PERSON THAT YOU EVER MET.

SO, THAT MEANS A LOT FOR A MAN WHO MET, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE AND IMAGINED AND INVENTED LITE OF OTHER PEOPLE.

YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD INITIALLY BEEN TAKING NOTES IN HIS FINAL WEEKS OF LIFE AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU SHARE WITH YOUR BROTHER, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR NIECES AND NEPHEWS.

OBVIOUSLY IT TOOK YOUR MOTHER'S DEATH TO REALIZE THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE HERE TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD.

BUT YOU'VE ALSO SAID THAT -- AND I'M SURE THIS WOULD APPLY TO ANYBODY WHO LOSES A PARENT -- THAT YOU WISH NOT ONLY THAT YOU HAD MORE TIME WITH THEM BUT YOU HAD MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.

AND I WAS STRUCK BY SOMETHING YOU HAD, AND I THINK IT JUST SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE IMPACT YOUR PARENTS HAD ON YOUR LIVES, THAT IF YOU WERE ASKED THE FAMOUS GAME, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION OF WHICH THREE PEOPLE FROM THE PAST WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE DINNER WITH FAMOUS OR NON, YOU SAID NO QUESTION IT WOULD BE YOUR PARENTS.

AND IT'S WHEN THEY WERE IN THEIR 40s, RIGHT, THEIR 30s AND 40s WHEN YOU WERE A YOUNG KID.

I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF A THIRD GUEST.

THEY'RE SO FAR UP AHEAD.

THAT FEELING OF WANTING TO SEE THEM AND KNOW THEM WHEN YOU'RE SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, 10, 11, 12, PRE-ADOLESCENCE, BEFORE YOU START SEEING THE CRACKS IN YOUR PARENTS, AS IT WERE, AND START DEVELOPING YOUR OWN PERSONALITY AND INDEPENDENCE.

AND AS LONG AS WE'RE DREAMING, WHY NOT?

THE SHEER CURIOSITY OF SEEING THEM WHEN THEY WERE 9, 10, 11, 12 AND THEY HAD NO IDEA THE LIFE THAT AWAITED THEM.

YOU KNOW, THEY GREW UP IN VERY SMALL AND -- IN THE WORLDS OF SMALL TOWNS IN COLUMBIA.

SO, YES, I WISH I WOULD HAVE ASKED THEM MORE.

I'M SURE THIS IS THE KIND OF REGRET THAT PEOPLE HAVE.

THERE WAS VERY LITTLE LEFT ON THE TABLE.

ALL YOU CAN HOPE FOR IS NO BIG REGRET.

THOSE ARE NOT BIG REGRETS.

AS SOMEONE WHO'S NOW SPENT TIME WRITING ABOUT BOTH OF HIS PARENTS, WHO I'M SURE YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW FROM A TO Z, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT THEM THAT PERHAPS YOU DIDN'T REALIZE OR FOCUS MUCH ON WHILE THEY WERE STILL ALIVE?

WHILE I WAS WRITING THE BOOK AND EVEN AFTER THE BOOK CAME OUT, I HAVE THE FEELING THAT YOUR PARENTS BECOME KIND OF GIANTS AFTER THEY DIE.

AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE WE IDOLIZE THEM.

I THINK EVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO DID NOT HAVE GOOD PARENTS OR WERE NOT GOOD CHILDREN OR HAD BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS OR EVEN LOST THEIR PARENTS EARLY ON AND NEVER KNEW THEM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THESE GHOSTS -- I WOULD RATHER USE THE WORD GIANTS.

THEY ARE THESE GIANTS THAT WALKED BESIDE ME.

AND THEY'RE THERE EVERY DAY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A RELIGIOUS PERSON, BUT CERTAINLY THE DEATH OF YOUR PARENTS MAKES YOU THINK THAT PERHAPS THE DEAD ARE NOT DEAD.

IT MAKES EVERYONE THINK ABOUT THEIR OWN LIVES AND THEIR OWN PARENTS, WHETHER THEY WERE FAMOUS OR NOT, GOOD PARENTS OR NOT, IT'S SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN IDENTIFY WITH AND YOU DO IT BEAUTIFULLY IN THIS BOOK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, RODRIGO.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANKS.

> AND THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

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