2/26/03

LC030226

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> A NEW KIND OF CRIME FIGHTER HITS THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES AND SHE’S NOT JUST ANOTHER COP ON THE BEAT.

SHAREE SANDERS>> ACTUALLY, I’M DOING WHAT A LAWYER IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. YOU KNOW, PROSECUTORS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE UPHOLDING JUSTICE AND I’M DOING THAT EVERY DAY.

VAL>> AND THEN THE FLYING FISTS AND SWORDS OF CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS. WE’LL FIND OUT HOW UCLA HAS RESCUED SOME CINEMATIC GEMS FOR A NEW GENERATION OF FILM LOVERS.

JESS>> PLUS, THE REPUBLICAN WHO STARTED THE RECALL CAMPAIGN AGAINST GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS, BUT IS HE STILL THE LIFE OF THE PARTY?

VAL>> IT’S ALL STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TONIGHT’S LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> IT’S GRASSROOTS JUSTICE FOR THE CITY’S TROUBLED NEIGHBORHOODS.

JESS>> BUT CAN LOS ANGELES REALLY AFFORD TO TAKE CITY PROSECUTORS OUT OF THE COURTROOM AND PUT THEM ONTO THE STREETS? THAT’S WHERE YOU’LL FIND A HANDFUL OF CITY ATTORNEYS AND, AS GAY YEE REPORTS, THEY SEEM TO BE HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT IN PLACES WHERE THE LAW ISN’T ALWAYS WELCOME.

GAY YEE>> SHAREE SANDERS FIGHTS CRIME EVERY DAY AS A LOS ANGELES DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY. HER JOB IS TO UPHOLD THE LAW AND PROSECUTE CRIMINALS. BUT IN THE COMMUNITY, SHE’S OFTEN SEEN AS MORE OF A HENCHMAN THAN A HERO.

SHAREE SANDERS>> BY THE TIME IT GETS TO THE COURT SYSTEM, WE’RE THE BAD GUYS BECAUSE WE’RE EITHER PUTTING SOMEONE’S FAMILY MEMBER IN JAIL BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THEY’VE DONE OR WE’RE MAKING A VICTIM RELIVE A REALLY BAD PERIOD IN THEIR LIFE. WE’RE UPHOLDING JUSTICE AND WE’RE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE LOS ANGELES IS A SAFER PLACE, BUT NO ONE WANTS TO RELATE TO US AT THAT TIME.

GAY YEE>> SANDERS SAYS THE WAY TO CHANGE THAT IMAGE HAS LESS TO DO WITH WHAT TAKES PLACE INSIDE THE COURTHOUSE THAN OUTSIDE. SANDERS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD PROSECUTOR, ONE OF EIGHTEEN STATIONED IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES.

SHAREE SANDERS>> THEY COME DIRECTLY IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY CAN SEE ME AS A PERSON INSTEAD OF JUST A PROSECUTOR. IT MAKES THE CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE SEEM LIKE PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT THEM INSTEAD OF JUST SOMEONE TRYING TO LOCK SOMEONE ELSE UP.

GAY YEE>> THIS MORNING, SANDERS IS OUT ON A COMPLAINT FROM A CHRISTIAN NEIGHBORHOOD TASKFORCE. THEY WANT HELP DEALING WITH AN ALLEY THAT’S BEEN TURNED INTO A TRASH DUMP.

DIANE AMOS>> THERE IS SO MUCH POTENTIAL HERE AND THINGS LIKE THIS KEEP THE POTENTIAL AWAY FROM THE AREA. IT CAUSES BUSINESS OWNERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO LEAVE THEIR BUSINESSES HERE AND LEAVE BUILDINGS VACANT AND GO ELSEWHERE TO RUN THEIR BUSINESSES.

SHAREE SANDERS>> “THIS ALLEY IS ON THE LIST FOR THE Q-STAR ILLEGAL DUMPING CAMERA, BUT THAT’S GOING TO BE THREE MONTHS DOWN THE LINE. BUT IF WE CAN HAVE THE CAMERAS SET UP SOMEWHERE HERE...”

GAY YEE>> SANDERS’ JOB IS TO FIND SOLUTIONS AND AMMUNITION IF SHE EVENTUALLY HAS TO TAKE SOMEONE TO COURT.

SHAREE SANDERS>> “SO IF SOMEONE’S COMING FROM THIS DIRECTION OR THIS DIRECTION AND WE CAN GET PICTURES OF THE ILLEGAL DUMPERS, THEN I CAN PROSECUTE.”

SHAREE SANDERS>> THE QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMES ARE WHAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY DEAL WITH EVERY DAY.

GAY YEE>> A NORMAL DAY FOR SANDERS IS SPENT RACING FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION, FROM ONE COMPLAINT TO THE NEXT.

SHAREE SANDERS>> THE BUSINESS OWNER OF THIS LOCATION CONTACTED ME ABOUT A MECHANIC WHO WAS PARKING HIS INOPERABLE CARS ALONG BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET AND MONOPOLIZING THE PARKING SO NONE OF THE OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS COULD USE PARKING IN THIS AREA.

SHAREE SANDERS>> “GOOD MORNING. I’M GOOD, I’M GOOD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO WE’RE STARTING TO TICKET...”

GAY YEE>> A NEIGHBORHOOD OFTEN HAS DISTINCT ADVANTAGES. IT HELPS TO FORGE RELATIONSHIPS, SO WHEN SANDERS CALLS OFFICERS TO TICKET, SHE DOESN’T CALL SOME BUREAUCRAT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. SHE CALLS HER FRIEND, CARL.

SHAREE SANDERS>> I HAD TO CALL CARL. I HAD TO CALL, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT AGENCIES. IT’S GOOD THAT I HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AND, WITH ALL THE RED TAPE, YOU JUST GO DIRECTLY TO THE PROBLEM AND RESOLVE IT AND IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH TO DO SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE ONLY TAKEN A WEEK TO DO.

GAY YEE>> THE BENEFITS GO BOTH WAYS.

CARL JONES>> I CALL UP SHAREE. I HAVE A PROBLEM HERE AND I NEED YOUR HELP. THERE’S SOMETHING THAT I NEED INFORMATION ON AND SHE’LL GIVE ME THE CONTACT PERSON AND WE GET THE BALL ROLLING THAT WAY.

GAY YEE>> BOTTOM LINE? THINGS SEEM TO GET DONE. SOME CRITICS SAY IT’S A MISUSE OF FUNDS TO USE PROSECUTORS TO TARGET QUALITY OF LIFE PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE MORE PRESSING ISSUES. FOR EXAMPLE, SANDERS IS BASED AT THE 77TH POLICE DIVISION IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES, WHICH LAST YEAR HAD ONE OF THE NATION’S HIGHEST HOMICIDE RATES. BUT SANDERS BELIEVES WHAT SHE’S DOING IS WORTH EVERY PENNY. SHAREE CONSIDERS HERSELF THAT GO-TO PERSON WHO TAKES CARE OF LITTLE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY BECOME BIG ONES. IT’S WHAT’S CONSIDERED THE BROKEN WINDOW THEORY THAT SAYS, IF YOU DON’T CARE ENOUGH TO FIX THINGS, CHANCES ARE NO ONE ELSE WILL, AND THE SITUATION WILL ONLY GET WORSE.

MARY CLAIRE MOLIDOR>> BY NOT FIXING IT, IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT WE’RE TOLERATING THAT AND IT’S OKAY THEN TO DO FURTHER DAMAGE. LET’S DO GRAFFITI. DID ANYBODY CATCH US? NO. DID ANYTHING HAPPEN? NO CONSEQUENCES. WELL, LET’S RATCHET IT UP. LET’S COMMIT A MISDEMEANOR CRIME. DID ANYBODY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? NO. LET’S DO A FELONY. AND IT KEEPS ESCALATING.

GAY YEE>> MARY CLAIRE MOLIDOR HEADS THE SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD DIVISION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. SHE SAYS IGNORING THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES IS HOW WE GOT OURSELVES IN THIS MESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

MARY CLAIRE MOLIDOR>> WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WE PROBABLY HAVE SO MANY FELONY CRIMES BECAUSE WE’VE NEGLECTED THE SMALLER CRIMES.

GAY YEE>> SANDERS SEES THE SUCCESSES EVERY DAY. REMEMBER THAT FILTHY ALLEY? THIS ONE WAS JUST LIKE IT BEFORE SHE GOT ITS GATES LOCKED AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS TO MAINTAIN IT AND SHE SEES THE PAYOFF COMING ACROSS THE STREET.

SHAREE SANDERS>> NOW WE HAVE A BUILDING RIGHT OVER HERE THAT IS BEING REVITALIZED AND NEW BUSINESSES COMING INTO THE AREA BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS STARTING TO TAKE CARE OF ITSELF AND IT’S IMPROVING THE AREA.

GAY YEE>> HER BOSS PUTS IT THIS WAY. THE COST OF A NEIGHBORHOOD PROSECUTOR MAY COST THE CITY SIX FIGURES, A NEIGHBORHOOD LEAD OFFICER FIVE FIGURES. THE COST OF RESTORING QUALITY OF LIFE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD, PRICELESS.

SHAREE SANDERS>> I’M TRULY DOING WHAT A LAWYER IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE PROSECUTORS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE UPHOLDING JUSTICE AND I’M DOING THAT EVERY DAY. I THINK IT’S WHAT LAWYERS SHOULD BE DOING, BEING PERSONABLE, YOU KNOW, BEING REAL PEOPLE, WORKING ON DIFFICULT PROBLEMS AND COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS THAT WILL HELP EVERYONE.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS LOS ANGELES CITY ATTORNEY, ROCKY DELGADILLO. HIS OFFICE OVERSEES THE PROGRAM YOU JUST SAW IN ACTION. IT OCCURS TO US THAT THIS IS VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT CHIEF BRATTON IS PROPOSING. TAKE CARE OF THE SMALL CRIMES BEFORE THEY BECOME BIG ONES. IS THIS A COORDINATED EFFORT?

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> WELL, ACTUALLY, WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM ABOUT A YEAR AGO NEXT MARCH --

JESS>> -- OH, HE’S LEARNING FROM YOU THEN (LAUGHTER).

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> WELL, I DON’T KNOW IF HE’S LEARNING FROM ME, BUT I LIKE THE SYNERGY. I LIKE THE TWO EFFORTS COMING TOGETHER. I KNOW HE’S TOLD ME HE LOVES HAVING A PROSECUTOR IN HIS POLICE DIVISIONS AND, AS YOU KNOW, HE’S ALSO TRYING TO MOVE DECISION-MAKING DOWN TO THE DIVISION LEVEL WHERE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

VAL>> NOW YOU GOT FUNDING FROM THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS PROJECT TO THE TUNE OF, WHAT, ABOUT $1.5 MILLION DOLLARS, $1.4 MILLION?

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> $1.4 MILLION DOLLARS

VAL>> EVEN THOUGH, IN MANY WAYS, THE COUNCIL SAID THEY’RE BROKE, THEY DON’T HAVE THE MONEY, BUT THEY GAVE IT TO YOU ANYWAY. HOW DID YOU DO THAT?

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> WELL, I THINK THE COUNCIL REALIZED THAT THIS INVESTMENT WAS A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT’S PROVEN TO BE SO. I THINK, AFTER A YEAR, EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS THEY’VE SEEN COME OUT OF THE CITY HALL IN A LONG TIME. WHAT IT IS IS MOVING PROSECUTORS FROM MONOLITHIC CITY HALL INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS CAN TOUCH AND FEEL THE PERSON THEY’RE GOING TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHATEVER THEIR PROBLEM IS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

JESS>> WE TALK ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMES. WHAT ARE THOSE? THE ONES YOU DEAL WITH, SINCE YOUR OFFICE DEALS ONLY WITH MISDEMEANORS.

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> CORRECT. WE ONLY DEAL WITH MISDEMEANORS, SO IT’S ILLEGAL DUMPING, GRAFFITI, OTHER FORMS OF VANDALISM, GANG-RELATED CRIMES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT HAVE A REAL IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

JESS>> BUT THIS IS NOT A GANG SUPPRESSION --

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> -- NO, IT IS NOT A GANG SUPPRESSION EFFORT, BUT IT IS, IN OUR OPINION, A WAY TO HELP PREVENT CRIMES FROM HAPPENING IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE TERRORIZED BY GANGS, AND I THINK IT IS WORKING.

VAL>> BUT THEY CAN GET A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX THAN ILLEGAL DUMPING. PROSTITUTION, ISN’T THAT RIGHT?

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> PROSTITUTION, OTHER TYPES OF DRUG-RELATED TYPE CRIMES. YOU SAW AN ALLEY THAT WAS CLOSED. SOMETIMES THERE MIGHT BE DRUG SALES OR PROSTITUTION GOING ON IN AN ALLEY. INSTEAD OF SIMPLY PROSECUTING INDIVIDUALS WHO COMMIT THOSE CRIMES, WE MIGHT JUST CLOSE THE ALLEY AND ELIMINATE THE CRIME FROM HAPPENING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. IT HAS A PREVENTATIVE IMPACT TO IT.

VAL>> AND YOU’VE GOT EIGHTEEN OF THEM ACROSS THE CITY?

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> CORRECT.

VAL>> IN JUST THE TROUBLED NEIGHBORHOODS? OR IS THIS SOMETHING YOU HOPE TO SPREAD ACROSS THE --

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> -- WE HAVE PUT ONE NEIGHBORHOOD PROSECUTOR IN EACH POLICE DIVISION THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. SO THEY’RE IN THE WEST VALLEY, THEY’RE IN SAN PEDRO, THEY’RE IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES, THEY’RE IN EAST LOS ANGELES, THEY’RE IN HOLLYWOOD. THEY’RE EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY AND EACH ONE HAS A DIFFERENT APPROACH BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOODS THERE HAVE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS.

JESS>> PARKING WILL BE A MAJOR PROBLEM IN SOME AREAS, AND TRASH IN OTHERS?

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> RIGHT. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE WEST VALLEY, THERE’S A REAL CONCERN WITH SIGNS ON TELEPHONE POLES. YOU KNOW, NEED WORK AND CALL THIS NUMBER. WHEREAS IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES, THERE MIGHT BE ILLEGAL DUMPING IN ALLEYS, WHERE IN HOLLYWOOD, PROSTITUTION IS A BIG PROBLEM. SO IT DEPENDS ON WHAT PART OF TOWN YOU’RE IN. BUT, IN FACT, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PROSECUTORS ARE THERE, SO THEY CAN TAILOR THE RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM. THEY LISTEN TO THE PROBLEM AND THEN THEY TAILOR THE RESPONSE.

VAL>> YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT LIKE DUMPING IN THE ALLEY AND SO FORTH, THEY SAY, WELL, NOW, THAT’S THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE WHO DID THAT. I MEAN, TO WHAT EXTENT DO THEY HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN QUALITY OF LIFE?

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> WELL, ACTUALLY, PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN THE CITY AND ESPECIALLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE RESIDENTS. POINT OF FACT, THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE ARE NOT DUMPING. IT'S PEOPLE COMING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO ARE DUMPING IN THOSE ALLEYS AND REALLY IMPACTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE. THE NEIGHBORS SORT OF LOOK TO EACH OTHER AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. WELL, NOW THEY CAN LOOK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROSECUTOR AND THEY CAN ACCESS ALL THE CITY'S RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH THAT PROBLEM.

JESS>> AND YOU WON THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR PROGRAM TWELVE TO ONE. NOT BAD.

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> IT WAS NOT BAD, NOT BAD, YEAH.

VAL>> HOPE IT WORKS. WE CAN USE IT. LOS ANGELES CITY ATTORNEY, ROCKY DELGADILLO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, HE'S ONE POLITICIAN WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, BUT BERNARD PARKS SAYS HE'S TAKING NOTHING FOR GRANTED IN THE HOT RACE FOR CITY COUNCIL. WE'LL FIND OUT HOW PARKS HAS MADE THE SWITCH FROM POLICE CHIEF TO CANDIDATE.

BERNARD PARKS>> BUT MANY THOUGHT WE WERE JUST GOING TO RUN THIS CAMPAIGN ON NAME RECOGNITION AND NOT ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE CAMPAIGN, AND WE'VE COMPLETELY THROWN THAT ASIDE AND RUN A VERY ORGANIZED, DISCIPLINED CAMPAIGN.

JESS>> GRAY DAVIS JUST CAN'T CATCH A BREAK THESE DAYS. REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO KICK HIM OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND NOW A NEW POLL SHOWS HIS POPULARITY IS DROPPING LIKE A BRICK. THE POLL FROM THE PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA SHOWS THAT SEVENTY-TWO PERCENT OF THE STATE'S LIKELY VOTERS THINK DAVIS IS DOING A POOR JOB. THAT COMPARES TO A NEGATIVE RATING OF FORTY-THREE PERCENT FROM LAST OCTOBER.

VAL>> BUT WHAT DO REPUBLICANS THINK ABOUT THE MAN WHO LAUNCHED THE DAVIS RECALL? SHAWN STEEL WAS THE CONTROVERSIAL CHAIRMAN OF THE CALIFORNIA GOP. NOW HE HAS TURNED OVER THE REINS TO WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED A KINDER, GENTLER BRAND OF REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP. WE'LL GET HIS OPINION. SHAWN STEEL, WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

SHAWN STEEL>> THANKS SO MUCH.

JESS>> IS THAT WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY NEEDS? KINDER, GENTLER LEADERSHIP?

SHAWN STEEL>> I THINK WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY NEEDS IS A FOCUS ON PEOPLE TO KEEP THEIR PROMISES, STANDING FOR CORE PRINCIPLES, AND A REAL ATTITUDE ABOUT WORKING WITH EVERYBODY IN THE PARTY. DUF SUNDHEIM IS OUR NEW CHAIRMAN. I SUPPORTED HIM EARLY. I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT HE WON. I THINK HE'S A MAN OF GOOD CHARACTER. I THINK HE'S GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

VAL>> BUT YOU WERE THE HEAD OF THE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY AT PROBABLY ONE OF ITS WORST TIMES. IT'S IN DEBT, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF FIGHTING, BUSH DIDN'T WIN CALIFORNIA, THE DEMOCRATS ARE IN CONTROL COMPLETELY. BOY, AREN'T YOU GLAD TO BE OUT OF THIS?

SHAWN STEEL>> NO. VAL, I KNEW THAT GOING IN. I UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS AND IT'S A TIME FOR REBUILDING. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1994, WE ACTUALLY PICKED UP THREE LEGISLATIVE SEATS. WE'VE LOST SEATS EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THE DEMOCRATS BARELY WON THE GOVERNORSHIP. THEY GOT IT UNDER 47.5 PERCENT. BILL SIMON HAD A VERY TOUGH CHALLENGING CAMPAIGN, BUT HE CAME WITHIN FIVE POINTS. WE'RE INCREASING REPUBLICAN REGISTRATION OVER THE DEMOCRATS. IT'S NOT ALL BAD NEWS. NOW GRAY DAVIS'S UNPOPULARITY, I THINK, IS GOING TO REALLY HURT THE DEMOCRATS, PARTICULARLY BARBARA BOXER IN THE 2004 ELECTIONS.

JESS>> SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT RECALL, BUT EVERY GOVERNOR SINCE PAT BROWN HAS FACED A RECALL, BUT NONE HAS SUCCEEDED. WHAT MAKES THIS ONE DIFFERENT?

SHAWN STEEL>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I'M GOING TO ARGUE WITH YOU. I THINK EVERY GOVERNOR SINCE HIRAM JOHNSON HAS FACED A RECALL. HIRAM JOHNSON, A GREAT REPUBLICAN, SET THIS UP --

JESS>> -- ESTABLISHED THE RECALL SYSTEM.

SHAWN STEEL>> THAT'S RIGHT. HE ESTABLISHED THE RECALL. HE GAVE US THREE TOOLS: THE INITIATIVE, THE REFERENDUM AND THE RECALL. WE USE THE REFERENDUM AND THE INITIATIVE QUITE A BIT. WE USE THE RECALL LOCALLY, HIS MECHANISM, SUCCESSFULLY. JUST GOT RID OF LARRY LOPEZ IN SANTA ANA. WE JUST DID IT IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THE KEY IS, WE'VE NEVER DONE IT STATEWIDE, BUT WHEN HAVE WE HAD A GOVERNOR WITH THESE KIND OF NEGATIVES, THIS BAD ECONOMY, THIS KIND OF BUDGET DEFICIT AND THIS KIND OF EMERGING SCANDALS COMING OUT OF HIS ADMINISTRATION, THIS KIND OF TAX INCREASES? IT'S ALL LINED UP. WE'RE GOING TO GET THE SIGNATURES. HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO FACE RECALL PROBABLY IN NOVEMBER.

VAL>> BUT SOME PEOPLE SAY WHY PUT YOUR EFFORT TOWARD THAT WHEN YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, A FUTURE ELECTION THAT YOU COULD BE CONCENTRATING ON, WHEN YOU'VE GOT BUSH WHO'S IN OFFICE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PROBABLY WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON GETTING REELECTED? I MEAN, IT'S A DONE DEAL. LET DAVIS SERVE OUT HIS TERM AND MOVE ON.

SHAWN STEEL>> THE VOTERS DON'T WANT TO TOLERATE THIS MAN ANOTHER THREE AND A HALF YEARS. BY THE TIME THE ELECTION ROLLS AROUND FOR GRAY DAVIS'S RECALL, THAT WOULD BE ONE EXTRA YEAR THAT DAVIS HAS HAD. SECONDLY, THIS IS NOT A REPUBLICAN EFFORT ALONE. THE LIBERTARIANS ARE THE ONES THAT CAME OUT FIRST. THE GREENS ARE LOOKING AT THIS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROMINENT DEMOCRATS THAT WILL START COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK. LOOK AT THE DEMOCRATS THAT HAVEN'T ENDORSED AND SUPPORTED GRAY DAVIS. THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING. THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE FOR HIM. WE'RE SEEING A REVOLT AGAINST THE MOST UNPOPULAR GOVERNOR IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY BECAUSE HE'S THE NUMBER ONE POLITICAL PROBLEM WE HAVE IN CALIFORNIA.

JESS>> BUT IN SPITE OF THAT, SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY WAY THIS RECALL CAN SUCCEED IS IF YOU COME UP WITH A BLOCKBUSTER CANDIDATE WHOSE NAME WILL APPEAR ON THE RECALL BALLOT ALSO. WHERE IS THAT PERSON?

SHAWN STEEL>> THE RECALL ELECTION WILL HAVE TWO QUESTIONS: ONE, DO YOU WANT TO RECALL DAVIS? YES OR NO. NUMBER TWO, WHO RUNS TO REPLACE HIM? ANYBODY CAN RUN. IT'S A ONE-SHOT ELECTION. THERE'S NO PRIMARY. IT'S WINNER TAKE ALL. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROMINENT REPUBLICANS, PROMINENT DEMOCRATS. I THINK THE VOTERS ARE GOING TO HAVE THE BRIGHTEST SELECTION OF CAPABLE CANDIDATES THAN THEY'VE EVER HAD BECAUSE THERE IS NO FILTERING MECHANISM SCREENING OUT PEOPLE IN THE PRIMARY.

JESS>> ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER?

SHAWN STEEL>> I THINK ARNOLD HAS TO LOOK AT IT HARD. HE'S GOING TO UPDATE HIS SCHEDULE BY THREE YEARS. I THINK YOU'VE GOT TOM MCCLINTOCK THAT'S GOING TO LOOK AT IT. MAYOR RIORDAN IS GOING TO LOOK AT IT. BILL SIMON --

VAL>> -- BILL SIMON AGAIN?

SHAWN STEEL>> WELL, HE'S GOT $30 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF ADVERTISING. PEOPLE KNOW HIM --

JESS>> -- RICHARD RIORDAN?

SHAWN STEEL>> SEE, WHOEVER WINS ONLY NEEDS TWENTY TO TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND BECOMES GOVERNOR FOR THREE YEARS.

VAL>> SO THEY JUST NEED A PLURALITY?

SHAWN STEEL>> THAT'S RIGHT, AND THE DEMOCRATS GOT A LOOK AT IT TOO. PHIL ANGELIDES HAS GOT MILLIONS. ATTORNEY GENERAL LOCKYER HAS GOT MILLIONS. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SIT AROUND AND LET GRAY DAVIS TAKE THEM DOWN. THEY'RE GOING TO GO AND RUN AGAINST GRAY DAVIS.

VAL>> HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ADDRESS THE IMAGE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AS A BASTION OF, YOU KNOW, WHITE MEN BASICALLY IN A STATE THAT IS SOON TO BECOME, I THINK, MINORITY-MAJORITY, MAJORITY-MINORITY? (LAUGHTER)

SHAWN STEEL>> YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT WE KEEP DOING WHAT WE JUST DID. WE ELECTED A LATINO WOMAN IN THE IMPERIAL COUNTY AREA, BONNIE GARCIA, A GREAT IMAGE FOR THE PARTY. KEEP ELECTING AN EFFECTIVE WOMAN LIKE WE DID IN SHIRLEY HORTON OF SAN DIEGO, A MAYOR OF A SMALL TOWN WHO'S NOW IN THE ASSEMBLY. BASICALLY, OUR PARTY -- AND THE REASON OUR REGISTRATION IS GROWING AND IT'S GROWING NET COMPARED TO THE DEMOCRATS -- FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE'S A NINE POINT GAP INSTEAD OF THE FIFTEEN POINTS THAT WE HAD TEN YEARS AGO. THE DEMOCRATS ARE LOSING. THEY'RE DOWN TO FORTY-FIVE PERCENT. WE'RE UP AT THIRTY-SIX PERCENT. THAT'S IMPORTANT. IT'S GEORGE W. BUSH. IT'S THE PRESIDENT THAT GIVES US THE BEST IMAGE IN THE ENTRÉE AND HE'S THE MOST POPULAR POLITICIAN IN CALIFORNIA.

VAL>> SHAWN STEEL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I'M GLAD YOU HAVE YOUR LIFE BACK (LAUGHTER).

SHAWN STEEL>> (LAUGHTER) THANKS. SO AM I.

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JESS>> TO THE UNINITIATED, KUNG FU MOVIES MIGHT NOT BE CONSIDERED HIGH ART. BUT TONIGHT WE'RE ABOUT TO EXPLORE SOME GEMS OF CHINESE CINEMA THAT DEFINITELY ARE WORKS OF ART. THEY FEATURE SWORD FIGHTS AND HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT STAGED WITH ALL THE PRECISION OF A CLASSIC BALLET.

VAL>> NOW UCLA IS PRESENTING THE LARGEST PUBLIC SCREENING OF CLASSIC CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS FILMS. NINETEEN FILMS SPANNING FIFTY-THREE YEARS WILL BE SCREENED AND THE GENRE WAS BANNED, BY THE WAY, BY THE COMMUNIST CHINA FOR SEVERAL DECADES, BUT IT SURVIVED AND TODAY IT FEATURES EVERYTHING FROM VENGEFUL LESBIANS TO VILLAINOUS EUNUCHS. ALWAYS, OF COURSE, THERE IS THE STYLIZED COMBAT, MYSTIC SWORDPLAY AND BALLET-LIKE KUNG FU.

JESS>> JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ON THE FILM SERIES IS CHENG-SIM LIM FROM UCLA'S FILM AND TELEVISION ARCHIVE. THIS IS BEFORE THE DAYS OF DIGITALLY ENHANCED SPECIAL EFFECTS KUNG FU?

CHENG-SIM LIM>> THAT'S RIGHT. THESE PEOPLE ACTUALLY PERFORMED THE STUNTS. THEY STILL USE WIRE WORK BECAUSE WIRE WORK WAS USED FROM THE TIME OF THE SILENT CINEMA IN THE 1920'S. IT DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, ARRIVE JUST WITH "CROUCHING TIGER" (LAUGHTER). SO THEY DID USE WIRE WORK, BUT A LOT OF THE STUNTS AND A LOT OF THE MOVES WERE DONE BY THE PERFORMERS.

VAL>> NOW THE SERIES ENCOMPASSES MOVIES THAT GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1929, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THREE OF THEM. 1965, I THINK, IS THE FIRST ONE WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT AND THIS IS CALLED "COME DRINK WITH ME". WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND YOU CAN TELL US WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT EACH ONE OF THESE FILMS. THE FIRST THING I NOTICE IS, IT'S A WOMAN WARRIOR. THAT'S GREAT.

CHENG-SIM LIM>> RIGHT. THAT'S ACTUALLY CHENG PEI-PEI. SHE WAS A VERY PROMINENT MARTIAL ARTS ACTRESS IN THE 1960'S AND SHE ACTUALLY SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF HER TIME IN PASADENA. SHE WAS LIVING IN PASADENA IN THE 80'S AND JUST RECENTLY RETURNED TO HONG KONG. THE FILM WAS RELEASED IN 1966. IT WAS DIRECTED BY KING HU WHO, FOR THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS OF HIS LIFE, WAS ALSO A RESIDENT OF PASADENA. HE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE TWO PILLARS OF THE POST-WAR CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS FILMS. "COME DRINK WITH ME" ACTUALLY SIGNALED THE ASCENDANCY OF THE MANDARIN LANGUAGE CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS FILMS.

JESS>> LOOKING AT THE SWORDPLAY, WE'RE GLAD THIS IS PRECISION BALLET. EVERYTHING REHEARSED, VERY PRECISE, OTHERWISE DISASTER.

CHENG-SIM LIM>> THAT'S RIGHT. ALL THESE SET PIECES WERE CHOREOGRAPHED. I MEAN, THE MARTIAL ARTS CHOREOGRAPHER, THE MARTIAL ARTS DIRECTOR, WERE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THESE FILMS.

VAL>> IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT THE TRADITION OF A WOMAN HEROINE GOES WAY BACK TO THE 20'S. THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT CAME UP ALONG WITH THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT. THIS GOES WAY BACK IN THE GENRE.

CHENG-SIM LIM>> THAT'S CORRECT. IN FACT, THE FIGURE OF THE WOMAN WARRIOR PREDATES THE CINEMA. THE WOMAN WARRIOR EXISTS EVEN IN THE MARTIAL ARTS LITERATURE FROM SEVERAL CENTURIES AGO.

VAL>> NO KIDDING. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER ONE. THIS IS FROM 1970. IT'S CALLED "VENGEANCE" AND THIS HAS BOTH SWORDPLAY AND WHAT WOULD BE CALLED, I GUESS, KUNG FU, WHICH IS THE HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT, CORRECT?

CHENG-SIM LIM>> THAT'S CORRECT. THIS FILM IS FROM 1970. IT'S DIRECTED BY CHANG CHEH, THE SECOND PILLAR OF THE POST-WAR CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS FILMS. CHANG CHEH WAS THE MENTOR FOR DIRECTOR JOHN WOO. YOU SEE THE LEAD IN THIS FILM, DAVID CHIANG, WAS ONE OF THE MALE STARS WHO WAS LAUNCHED BY CHANG CHEH IN THE 70'S. THE SHOT OF WHAT YOU SAW EARLIER WHEN HE WALKED UP THE STAIRS WAS QUOTED BY JOHN WOO IN HIS FILM "HARDBOILED".

VAL>> OH, NOW THIS IS GETTING A LITTLE BLOODIER THAN THE OTHER ONE (LAUGHTER). THEY'RE THROWING KNIVES. IS THERE A POINT AT WHICH IT BECOMES MORE GRAPHIC VIOLENCE?

CHENG-SIM LIM>> YES, IT DOES, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE IT IN THIS CLIP.

VAL>> THIS IS PRETTY GRAPHIC, EVEN AS IT IS.

CHENG-SIM LIM>> THE FIGHT SCENE THAT YOU'RE SEEING WAS ACTUALLY CHOREOGRAPHED BY WHO MOST PEOPLE KNOW FROM "CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON". SOME PEOPLE MIGHT KNOW OF HIS WORK AS THE ACTION CHOREOGRAPHER ON "CHARLIE'S ANGELS, THE MOVIE", "DAREDEVIL" THAT'S CURRENTLY PLAYING, AS WELL AS THE UPCOMING "MATRIX" SEQUELS.

JESS>> AND IN CANTONESE, KUNG FU MEANS --

CHENG-SIM LIM>> SKILLED EFFORT.

JESS>> SKILLED EFFORT.

VAL>> IT DOESN'T MEAN FIGHTING. IT JUST MEANS SKILLED EFFORT. THAT MAKES SENSE.

CHENG-SIM LIM>> THAT'S RIGHT.

VAL>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FINAL CLIP. THIS IS FROM 1978, A MOVIE CALLED "THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN", IF I'M PRONOUNCING IT CORRECTLY?

CHENG-SIM LIM>> THAT IS RIGHT, YES.

VAL>> TELL US A BIT ABOUT THIS MOVIE.

CHENG-SIM LIM>> WELL, GORDON LIE, THE ACTOR IN THIS FILM, PLAYS A YOUNG MAN WHO FLEES TO THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE AFTER HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE KILLED BY MANCHU TYRANTS. HE GOES TO THE TEMPLE BECAUSE HE WANTS TO LEARN THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE FROM THE SHAOLIN MONKS. HE FINDS, TO HIS SURPRISE, THERE THAT NOT ONLY DOES HE HAVE TO START FROM THE BOTTOM GOING THROUGH THE TRAINING COURSE, IT'S ORGANIZED AS A SERIES OF CHAMBERS. IN EACH CHAMBER, HE LEARNS A PARTICULAR SKILL. THIS IS THE FIRST CHAMBER THAT HE HAS TO GO THROUGH AND HE FINDS THAT HE HAS TO LEARN THINGS THAT ARE AS FAR AWAY FROM FIGHTING AS IT COULD BE. THINGS LIKE BALANCE AND POISE AND DISCIPLINE, RATHER THAN ACTUAL FIGHTING.

VAL>> IN FACT, THERE IS KIND OF, IN MANY OF THESE MOVIES, A MYSTICAL MESSAGE, YES? THEY'RE SPIRITUAL?

CHENG-SIM LIM>> YES. FIGHTING IS NOT FOR FIGHTING'S SAKE. FIGHTING IS A KIND OF ROUGH JUSTICE, IF YOU WILL.

JESS>> ALMOST A RITUAL.

CHENG-SIM LIM>> NOT EXACTLY, BUT A LOT OF THESE STORIES TAKE PLACE IN THE CONTEXT OF CHINESE HISTORY WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY BLOODY AND CHAOTIC IN ITS OWN WAY. ONE CAN READ A LOT OF THESE MARTIAL ARTS FILMS AS REVENGE FANTASIES OF THE OPPRESSED AND THE DOWNTRODDEN. YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF HEROES IN THE CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS FILMS ARE ACTUALLY FROM THE DOWNTRODDEN CLASS AND FROM THE MARGINALIZED CLASS, AND THE VILLAINS TEND TO BE, YOU KNOW, FOREIGN AGGRESSORS OR AUTHORITY FIGURES WHO ARE CORRUPTED BY GREED AND POWER.

JESS>> IN THE EARLIER KUNG FU FILMS, GOING BACK TO THE LATE 20'S OR EARLY 30'S, HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY?

CHENG-LIM SIM>> WELL, I THINK THAT STYLES HAVE CHANGED. I MEAN, IN THE 20'S AND 30'S, THE FILMS TENDED TO BE MORE SUPERNATURAL IN THEIR THEMES. IN FACT, THE NAME THAT THEY HAD AT THAT TIME WERE SUPERNATURAL KNIGHT ERRAND FILMS BECAUSE THEY WOULD FEATURE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, SUPERNATURAL EFFECTS SUCH AS YOU COULD PROJECT WEAPONS FROM YOUR PALMS AND CHI POWER TO IMMOBILE YOUR OPPONENT. THE FIGHT SEQUENCES BECOME MORE REALISTIC.

JESS>> I SEE.

VAL>> WELL, CHENG-SIM LIM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, FROM THE UCLA FILM AND TELEVISION ARCHIVE. IT LOOKS LIKE A FASCINATING SERIES OF JUST WONDERFUL FILMS.

JESS>> THE FILM SERIES, "HEROIC GRACE: THE CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS FILM" RUNS FROM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28 THROUGH SUNDAY, MARCH 16. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN (310-206-FILM) OR LOG ONTO CINEMA.UCLA.EDU.

VAL>> REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN GO TO KCET.ORG TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AS WELL.

JESS>> AND THAT'S TONIGHT'S PROGRAM. FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, THANKS AND GOOD NIGHT.

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