4/25/03

LC030425

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> THEY’RE PROUD AMERICANS WHO FLY THE FLAG AND THEY’LL NEVER FORGET WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LOSE A WAR.

ANDY QUACH>> WHO WOULD WANT TO FLY THE COMMUNIST FLAG HERE ON AMERICAN SOIL? THE REASON WHY THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE ARE HERE IN AMERICA IS BECAUSE WE DON’T EMBRACE THE COMMUNIST FLAG. THAT’S WHY WE ARE REFUGEES.

VAL>> AND THEN, THE NFL MAY HAVE ITS EYE ON PASADENA IF THE CITY AGREES TO OVERHAUL THE ROSE BOWL, BUT DOES GETTING A TEAM MEAN ENDANGERING A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LANDMARK?

JESS>> PLUS, DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

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>> REMEMBERING THE WAR THAT AMERICA LOST.

JESS>> BUT ONE THING SURVIVED AND THAT IS THE FLAG OF SOUTH VIETNAM. THE LAST TIME WE TRIED TO BRING YOU THIS STORY, WE GOT INTERRUPTED BY THE BOMBING OF BAGHDAD. SOMEHOW THAT SEEMS APPROPRIATE SINCE SCORES OF VIETNAMESE-AMERICANS HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THE FALL OF SAIGON. IT HAPPENED TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO THIS MONTH. AS PHILIP BRUCE REPORTS, COMMUNISTS MAY HAVE WON THE WAR, BUT THE FLAG OF SOUTH VIETNAM STILL FLIES HIGH IN AREAS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

PHILIP BRUCE>> LONG BEFORE IRAQ WAS ON OUR RADAR, AMERICANS WERE DIVIDED OVER ANOTHER BATTLE IN A FARAWAY LAND. THE WAR IN VIETNAM HAS BEEN OVER NOW FOR GOING ON THIRTY YEARS, BUT IN TWO ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITIES, THE WOUNDS AND THE DIVISIONS ARE STILL FRESH. WESTMINSTER AND GARDEN GROVE ARE NOW HOME TO THOUSANDS OF VIETNAMESE SURVIVORS, PEOPLE WHO HAD COME HERE FIRST AS REFUGEES AND WENT ON TO CREATE THEIR OWN VERSION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.

BUT THERE’S ONE PART OF THEIR OLD LIVES THAT THEY HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN AND THAT’S THE FLAG OF WHAT WAS ONCE SOUTH VIETNAM, OR MORE CORRECTLY, THE OLD REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM. THOSE COLORS FELL AFTER COMMUNISTS WON THE WAR, BUT THESE TWO CITIES HAVE DECIDED TO FLY THE FLAG AGAIN WHENEVER VIETNAMESE-AMERICANS GATHER.

ANDY QUACH>> WE THOUGHT IT WAS VERY APPROPRIATE AND IT’S LONG OVERDUE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> ANDY QUACH WAS ELECTED TO THE WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL LAST NOVEMBER. IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE HE INTRODUCED A RESOLUTION TO FLY THE OLD FLAG. THE MEASURE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. NO SURPRISE, SINCE THE POPULATION OF WESTMINSTER IS OVER FORTY PERCENT VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN.

ANDY QUACH>> WHAT I’M DOING IS, AT THE HEART OF DEMOCRACY, CONSTITUENT SERVICE. THAT’S WHAT WE ARE DOING. WE ARE RESPONDING TO THE DEMAND AND THE REQUEST OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> A SIMILAR FLAG RESOLUTION PASSED IN GARDEN GROVE, A CITY THAT LAYS CLAIM TO HAVING THE LARGEST NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE-AMERICANS IN CALIFORNIA.

BILL DALTON>> THE FLAG IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE VIETNAMESE-AMERICANS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS WAS THE FLAG THAT GOVERNED THEIR COUNTRY BEFORE IT FELL.

NEWS REPORTER>> “BREAKING NEWS. A PROTEST OUTSIDE A VIDEO STORE IN WESTMINSTER HAS NOW APPARENTLY TURNED VIOLENT. RIGHT NOW LET’S GO LIVE TO PHILIP BRUCE WHO HAS THE VERY LATEST AND IS AT THE SCENE. PHILIP?

PHILIP BRUCE>> LARRY, I WOULD ESTIMATE THERE ARE ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT. FOR MOST OF THE EVENING, THINGS HAVE BEEN....”

PHILIP BRUCE>> THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED FOUR YEARS AGO IN WESTMINSTER WHEN A VIETNAMESE MERCHANT DARED TO FORGET THE POWER OF THE OLD FLAG. I WAS COVERING WHAT WAS A PEACEFUL PROTEST FOR KTLA WHEN SUDDENLY WE FOUND OURSELVES IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET FIGHT.

PHILIP BRUCE>> “AND THERE YOU SEE THE CROWD CHASING ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO STARTED ALL THIS. NOW I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WE DON’T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS, BUT THIS MAN THAT IS BEING PUMMELED THERE IN THE STREET WAS A PLAYER IN THIS INCIDENT INVOLVING THE CAR. WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE....”

PHILIP BRUCE>> IT ALL STARTED AFTER THE OWNER OF A VIDEO STORE DISPLAYED A POSTER OF HO CHI MIN AND THE FLAG OF THE CURRENT COMMUNIST REGIME OF VIETNAM IN HIS WINDOW. TENSIONS WERE RUNNING HIGH AND THEN THIS HAPPENED.

ANDY QUACH>> IT SPARKED A WAVE OF EMOTIONS THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, UNHEARD OF. IT’S LIKE HAVING A KKK RALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF HARLEM AND THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT HERE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> QUACH CLAIMS A SHOPKEEPER WHO CAUSED DAYS OF DEMONSTRATIONS WAS VIRTUALLY ALONE IN SUPPORTING TODAY’S VIETNAM AND ITS COMMUNIST LEADERSHIP.

ANDY QUACH>> THE REALITY IS THIS. WHO WOULD WANT TO FLY THE COMMUNIST FLAG HERE ON AMERICAN SOIL? THE REASONS WHY THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE ARE HERE IN AMERICA IS BECAUSE WE DON’T EMBRACE THE COMMUNIST FLAG. THAT’S WHY WE ARE REFUGEES.

PHILIP BRUCE>> GARDEN GROVE CITY COUNCILMAN, BILL DALTON, SAYS GIVING APPROVAL TO THE OLD FLAG OF SOUTH VIETNAM IS A COMFORTING GESTURE TO SCORES OF PEOPLE WHOSE SCARS HAVEN’T FULLY HEALED.

BILL DALTON>> ACTUALLY, IT’S MORE SYMBOLIC THAN ANYTHING ELSE. QUITE FRANKLY, THIS FLAG HAS FLOWN WITH THE AMERICAN FLAG AT MOST OF THE VIETNAMESE EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN GARDEN GROVE. OF COURSE, SOME PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THIS FLAG WAS MEANT TO REPLACE THE AMERICAN FLAG AND THAT’S CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE. THE AMERICAN FLAG IS THE FIRST FLAG.

ANDY QUACH>> DON’T GET ME WRONG. THERE’S NOTHING I WOULDN’T DO FOR THE FLAG OF AMERICA. I WOULD GLADLY GIVE MY LIFE TO DEFEND THE FLAG OF AMERICA. THE BEAUTY OF AMERICA TO ME IS THAT WE CAN STILL EMBRACE DIVERSITY. WE CAN STILL LOOK AT OTHER SYMBOLS AND, AT THE END OF THE DAY, CAN STILL COME TOGETHER, EMBRACE DIVERSITY AND STILL BE UNITED.

PHILIP BRUCE>> FILMMAKERS, LINDSEY JANG AND ROBERT WINN, HAVE MADE A STUDY OF THE VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN IN THEIR RECENTLY COMPLETED DOCUMENTARY, “SAIGON, U.S.A.”. THE TWO NOW SAY THEY’VE BEGUN TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE FEELINGS OF THE OLDER VIETNAMESE STILL RUN SO DEEP.

LINDSEY JANG>> FOR US AMERICANS WHO DID NOT LIVE IN VIETNAM, WE COULD HAVE OUR SOLDIERS COME HOME AND WE COULD TRY TO PUT IT BEHIND US. BUT IF YOU WERE TORN FROM YOUR COUNTRY WHERE YOU WERE BORN AND RAISED, A COUNTRY YOU LOVED, HOW CAN YOU EVER GET OVER THAT?

ROBERT WINN>> YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY WHO HAD TO LEAVE UNEXPECTEDLY UNDER VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT MOMENT, THAT CONNECTION TO VIETNAM, IS A MOMENT THAT’S FROZEN IN TIME ESSENTIALLY.

PHILIP BRUCE>> IN THEIR FILM, JANG AND WINN ALSO REVEALED SOMETHING ELSE, HOW MANY YOUNGER VIETNAMESE-AMERICANS HOLD VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS FROM THOSE OF THEIR ELDERS.

>> THE VIETNAM THAT MY PARENTS TALKED TO ME ABOUT IS THAT IT DOESN’T EXIST ANYMORE. THE COUNTRY WITH THE YELLOW FLAG WITH THREE STRIPES IS GONE IN VIETNAM, BUT WE’VE KIND OF TRANSFERRED IT WHEN WE BROUGHT IT HERE AND THAT’S WHAT THIS PLACE IS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> ANDY QUACH WAS ONLY SEVEN WHEN HE LEFT VIETNAM. HE AND HIS FAMILY ESCAPED THE COUNTRY BY BOAT FIVE YEARS AFTER THE FALL OF SAIGON AND SETTLED IN CALIFORNIA. NOW HE’S THIRTY-ONE, BUT HE’S REMAINED A STEADFAST SUPPORTER OF HIS FORMER HOMELAND.

ANDY QUACH>> THE YOUNGER GENERATION, THE COLLEGE-GOING YOUTH RIGHT NOW, REALLY DON’T UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE COMMUNIST REGIME. PERSONALLY, I AM DEAD SET OPPOSED AGAINST THE COMMUNIST REGIME AND THE DISPLAY OF THE FLAG. I WOULD FALL ALONGSIDE WHAT MY PARENTS BELIEVE, THAT THERE’S NO ROOM FOR THE COMMUNIST FLAG OVER HERE.

JESS>> CURRENT VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS ARE OUTRAGED THAT ANY GOVERNMENT BODY IN THE UNITED STATES WOULD RECOGNIZE THE OLD FLAG OF SOUTH VIETNAM. THEY’VE FILED AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT WITH WASHINGTON, BUT DON’T EXPECT ANYONE IN AUTHORITY TO START TEARING DOWN THOSE FLAGS ANY TIME SOON.

VAL>> MONDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES, CRACKING DOWN ON DANGEROUS DRIVERS. WE’LL TELL YOU ABOUT A GET-TOUGH CAMPAIGN THAT WILL MAKE OUR HIGHWAYS SAFER.

>> MY LICENSE WAS SUSPENDED BECAUSE I HAD AN EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL LEVEL AND IT’S BEEN HECK TRYING TO GET THAT BACK, I’LL TELL YOU THE TRUTH. I MEAN, I’VE HAD TO GO TO COURT THREE DIFFERENT TIMES.

JESS>> THE GOAL IS TO BRING NFL FOOTBALL BACK TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE GAME PLAN INCLUDES RENOVATING PASADENA’S BELOVED ROSE BOWL. THIS WEEK THE CITY UNVEILED A NEW PROPOSAL. IT CALLS FOR A MAJOR OVERHAUL OF THE 81-YEAR-OLD STADIUM. THE WORK WOULD BRING THE ROSE BOWL INTO THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY BY ADDING STATE-OF-THE-ART SCOREBOARDS AND SKYBOXES. BUT THE BIG QUESTION? WILL THE BOWL STILL RETAIN ITS OLD CHARACTER?

VAL>> THE PLANNERS SAY YES AND THEY PROMISE THAT THE OLD AND THE NEW CAN INDEED COEXIST. JOINING US NOW IS BILL THOMSON. HE IS THE FORMER MAYOR OF PASADENA AND VICE CHAIR OF THE ROSE BOWL OPERATING COMPANY. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

BILL THOMSON>> THANK YOU. GLAD TO BE HERE.

JESS>> MR. MAYOR, IT’S NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. THE QUESTION EVERYBODY IS ASKING IS WILL PASADENA HERITAGE SIGN OFF ON THIS NEW PLAN?

BILL THOMSON>> WELL, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THEY WILL. WE’VE WORKED VERY CAREFULLY, VERY CLOSELY, WITH THEM FROM THE BEGINNING ON THIS. BACK ON JANUARY 2, WE ACTUALLY SHOWED THEM THE DESIGNS AS THEY EXISTED AT THAT TIME VERY, VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS. WE GOT FEEDBACK FROM THEM THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL, VERY CONSTRUCTIVE. THEY UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES THE ROSE BOWL FACES.

THEY HAVE SINCE SEEN, OF COURSE, THE NEW DESIGN. THEY SAW IT BEFORE IT WAS ACTUALLY UNVEILED TO THE PUBLIC. I THINK THEY’RE VERY IMPRESSED WITH IT, SO WE ARE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THEY WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF IT. WE’VE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK FROM THEM THAT SAID WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CHANGES MADE, THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE, AND WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THIS PROCESS.

VAL>> AND, IN FACT, YOU BROUGHT SOME OF THE SKETCHES AND RENDERINGS WITH YOU, SO WE’RE GOING TO GIVE PEOPLE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE NEW ROSE BOWL WILL LOOK LIKE. THIS IS AN AERIAL PHOTO --

JESS>> -- LOOKS GREAT. WHAT CHANGED? (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) FIRST QUESTION IS, WILL THAT WONDERFUL SIGN, THE ROSE BOWL NEON SIGN, IS THAT GOING AWAY OR ARE WE GOING TO KEEP THAT?

BILL THOMSON>> NO, THAT WILL STAY. THAT’S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE HISTORIC DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS LANDMARK FACILITY AND IT WILL REMAIN AS IT IS.

JESS>> AND, IN FACT, EXTERIOR OF THE ROSE BOWL IS GOING TO REMAIN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME, ISN’T IT?

BILL THOMSON>> IT WILL INDEED. THE NEW DESIGN, AS PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE, WE’LL GO BACK AND ACTUALLY RECAPTURE THE ORIGINAL OVAL CONFIGURATION OF THE FIELD AND RETAIN THE ELLIPTICAL --

VAL>> -- BECAUSE IT’S RECTANGULAR NOW?

BILL THOMSON>> IT’S RECTANGULAR. IT WAS MADE THAT WAY FOR THE 1994 WORLD CUP, AS YOU MAY RECALL, TO ACCOMMODATE FIFA REQUIREMENTS. BUT BY ELIMINATING SOME OF THE DOWN-LOW SEATS THAT YOU CAN’T SEE MUCH FROM ANYWAY, WE CAN GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL OVAL CONFIGURATION AND STILL RETAIN A PLAYING FIELD LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE FIFA REQUIREMENTS AND WORLD CUP SOCCER, SO IT GIVES US THE BEST OF BOTH.

JESS>> AND THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE HAS ITS OWN REQUIREMENTS TOO?

BILL THOMSON>> OH, IT CERTAINLY DOES AND THOSE ARE QUITE STRINGENT. THEY --

JESS>> -- AND EXPENSIVE?

BILL THOMSON>> AND EXPENSIVE.

VAL>> WHAT KIND OF THINGS DO THEY REQUIRE? LIKE THE FANCY CLUB SEATS --

BILL THOMSON>> -- WELL, THEY INSIST UPON LUXURY SUITES FOR THEIR CORPORATE PATRONS PRIMARILY. THEY LIKE TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER, ROUGHLY 15,000 CLUB SEATS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO PREFER TO PAY A BIT MORE AND HAVE A BETTER VIEWING SIGHT. THEY INSIST UPON A SIGHT-LINE REQUIREMENT SO THAT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU’RE IN THE HIGHEST OF GENERAL ADMISSION SEAT OR WHERE YOU MAY BE IN THE STADIUM, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SEE WITH RELATIVE EASE WHAT’S GOING ON ON THE FIELD. SO YOU CONTRAST THAT KIND OF V-SHAPE REQUIREMENT OF SIGHT-LINES WITH THE OVAL ELLIPTICAL CONFIGURATION OF THE ROSE BOWL STADIUM AND YOU’VE GOT A PROBLEM MATCHING THOSE TWO, BUT OUR ARCHITECTS I THINK HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF DOING THAT.

JESS>> WHAT’S IT GOING TO COST?

BILL THOMSON>> THE ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS ABOUT $500 MILLION DOLLARS TO DO THIS RENOVATION.

JESS>> AND HOW MUCH OF THAT WILL THE NFL PONY UP IN ORDER TO GET ALL THE THINGS THEY WANTED IN THERE?

BILL THOMSON>> WELL, A BETTER WAY OF GOING ABOUT ANSWERING THAT QUESTION WOULD BE TO SAY THAT THE CITY OF PASADENA IS NOT GOING TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO IT.

JESS>> NO TAXES?

BILL THOMSON>> NO TAXES. THERE MAY BE A SURCHARGE ON TICKETS FOR PEOPLE ACTUALLY TO ATTEND THE EVENT THAT WILL GO TOWARD RAISING THE FUNDS, TO BE ABLE TO MONATIZE THAT, BUT IT WILL BE A COMBINATION OF THINGS. THE NFL HAS AVAILABLE TO IT SOMETHING CALLED A G3 LOAN THAT COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO A TEAM OWNER, NAMING RIGHTS FOR THE FIELD, NOT THE ROSE BOWL ITSELF. THAT --

JESS>> -- HOW WILL THAT WORK?

VAL>> YEAH, TELL US ABOUT THAT.

BILL THOMSON>> WELL, IT COULD BE THE JESS MARLOW FIELD, THE ROSE BOWL (LAUGHTER). IF YOU BRING OUT YOUR CHECKBOOK AND WRITE NUMBERS WITH LOTS OF ZEROES AT THE RIGHT SPOT.

JESS>> SO ONLY THE FIELD GETS NAMED.

BILL THOMSON>> ONLY THE FIELD, NOT THE STADIUM ITSELF.

VAL>> BUT ROSE BOWL. IT’S NOT LIKE “MCROSE BOWL”. IT’S GOING TO STAY ROSE BOWL?

BILL THOMSON>> NO, IT WOULD BE THE XYZ FIELD AT THE ROSE BOWL, BUT THE STADIUM WILL STAY NAMED THE ROSE BOWL.

JESS>> NOW THE LEAGUE IS MEETING IN JUST A FEW WEEKS. WILL THEY MAKE A DECISION AT THAT TIME?

BILL THOMSON>> NO, I DON’T THINK THEY’LL MAKE A DECISION AT THAT TIME. WE EXPECT TO GO BACK TO THEM AND TO PRESENT TO THEM THE DESIGNS THAT WE’VE BEEN SHOWING PEOPLE HERE. WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THEM WITH AUTHORIZATION FROM THE PASADENA CITY COUNCIL TO NEGOTIATE A DEAL WITH A TEAM WITHIN A GENERAL FRAMEWORK.

VAL>> THIS IS THE VIEW. THIS IS HOW IT WOULD LOOK IF YOU WERE JUST WALKING UP TOWARD IT AT KIND OF A STREET LEVEL. BUT I NOTICE THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF VIEW --

JESS>> -- SO YOU’RE GOING UNDERGROUND HERE -- I’M SORRY, EXCUSE ME.

VAL>> IS THAT UNDERGROUND?

JESS>> THAT’S UNDERGROUND, ISN’T IT?

BILL THOMSON>> NO, ACTUALLY IT’S NOT. THIS WOULD BE -- I THINK THIS IS THE PLAZA LEVEL ENTRANCE ABOUT WHERE YOU WOULD GO IN RIGHT NOW. AS YOU LOOK OVER AT WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE A BRIDGE GOING ACROSS, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, YOU WOULD GO DOWN FROM THAT INTO THE CLUB SEAT LEVEL ENTRANCE. IF YOU’D WALK IN AND GO THROUGH THAT, YOU’D COME OUT BASICALLY AT FIELD LEVEL AND THEN WALK UP A FEW ROWS INTO YOUR SEATS IF YOU’RE SITTING IN THE CLUB SEATS.

VAL>> I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A LOT OF ATTENTION TO RETAINING THE VIEW OF THE MOUNTAINS AND THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF ENHANCEMENT OF THE PARK AND LANDSCAPING. IT’S NOT JUST THE BOWL YOU’RE LOOKING AT.

BILL THOMSON>> YES, THAT’S CORRECT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE STRESSED TO THE ARCHITECTS AT THE VERY BEGINNING WAS THAT, WHILE THE ROSE BOWL ITSELF IS A LANDMARK FACILITY AND HAS CERTAIN DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS, IT’S SITUATED IN A MAGNIFICENT LOCATION. IT’S THE ARROYO SECO ITSELF THAT REALLY CONTRIBUTES TO THIS. WE SAID, LOOK, CAPTURE THAT, ENHANCE THAT GENERAL SETTING, AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY’VE DONE. SO, YES, WE’VE CERTAINLY RETAINED THE VIEWS OF THE MOUNTAINS AND ALL THAT MAKES IT SUCH A MAGNIFICENT EXPERIENCE SITTING THERE AND WATCHING A FOOTBALL GAME OR A SOCCER MATCH.

JESS>> WITH THE NFL COMING TO PASADENA, HOW MANY GAMES WOULD THEY BE PLAYING EACH YEAR IN THE ROSE BOWL?

BILL THOMSON>> THEY’D BE PLAYING TWO PRE-SEASON GAMES, EIGHT REGULAR SEASON GAMES. IF THE TEAM IS SUCCESSFUL, THERE COULD BE UP TO TWO PLAY-OFF GAMES AND, OF COURSE, WE’RE OPTIMISTIC AND WE BELIEVE WE WILL HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM THE LEAGUE TO HAVE A SUPER BOWL EVERY THREE, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS IN THE RENOVATED ROSE BOWL.

JESS>> AND THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AROUND THE BOWL?

BILL THOMSON>> WELL, THE LOCAL RESIDENTS HAVE CONCERNS, TO BE SURE. BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS THE PREDICTABILITY OF A SCHEDULE. THEY WILL KNOW YEARS IN ADVANCE WHEN THE TEAMS ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING AND MAKE PLANS ACCORDINGLY. THE ONLY --

JESS>> -- WHEN THE RAIDERS COME? IS THAT IT? (LAUGHTER)

BILL THOMSON>> WELL, I MEAN, THE RAIDERS FANS NOW MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE (LAUGHTER). WE’RE WELL AWARE OF THAT. WE’VE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR AND WE’RE WORKING WITH THE LEAGUE ITSELF WITH RESPECT TO WHATEVER TEAM OR EXPANSION FRANCHISE THEY PUT IN THE ROSE BOWL. SOMEHOW I THINK IT WILL NOT BE AL DAVIS AND THE RAIDERS WHO COME TO THE ROSE BOWL (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) I CAN’T PICTURE JESS WITH A RAIDERS JACKET ON AND YOU WERE A FORMER --

JESS>> -- I HAVE ONE IN THE CLOSET (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, BILL THOMSON, FOR COMING AND GIVING US A PREVIEW OF WHAT MIGHT BE.

BILL THOMSON>> MY PLEASURE. THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

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LIFE AND TIMES
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90027

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JESS>> SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THE GLEAMING WALLS OF DISNEY HALL AND THE SCORES OF HOMELESS ON SKID ROW LIES THE REAL DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AND TONIGHT WE’RE ABOUT TO GET A GUIDED TOUR FROM AN EXPERT.

VAL>> HE HAS CAPTURED THE LITTLE-KNOWN PARTS OF DOWNTOWN IN A NEW BOOK. IT IS CALLED “REAL CITY: DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES INSIDE OUT” AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARISSA ROTH AND THE WRITING BY D.J. WALDIE ARE JUST WONDERFUL. HE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THIS UNIQUE LOOK AT ONE OF THE CITY’S MOST OVERLOOKED NEIGHBORHOODS. WELCOME.

D.J. WALDIE>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JESS>> DO YOU SUGGEST THAT THIS IS AN “HONEST” LOOK AT DOWNTOWN?

D.J. WALDIE>> OH, YES. I’M AFRAID THAT DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN MUCH IGNORED AND MUCH MYTHOLOGIZED OVER THE LAST DECADES. THIS IS A FRESH NEW LOOK AT DOWNTOWN FROM GROUND LEVEL. THIS IS PEDESTRIAN DOWNTOWN SEEN FROM THE LEVEL OF THE STREET.

JESS>> AND NOT ALL OF IT POSITIVE AND GLAMOROUS.

D.J. WALDIE>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. THAT’S NOT THE CASE. BUT THAT’S WHAT YOU GO TO DOWNTOWN FOR. YOU GO TO DOWNTOWN FOR A REAL CITY, A PLACE WHERE YOU RUB SHOULDERS WITH ALL CLASSES AND TYPES OF PEOPLE. IT’S A NEW KIND OF PLACE AND ONE UNFAMILIAR TO A LOT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIANS WHO AREN’T USED TO THAT KIND OF RUBBING THE SHOULDERS EXPERIENCE.

JESS>> AND IT’S MORE THAN JUST THE NEW ARCHITECTURE OF DOWNTOWN?

D.J. WALDIE>> OH, THERE’S A GREAT DEAL MORE GOING ON DOWNTOWN THAN NEW ARCHITECTURE. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS BEING DEVELOPED DOWNTOWN. THERE’S TOM GILMORE’S OLD BANK DISTRICT THAT’S ALREADY A SUCCESS AND THERE’S PROBABLY SEVEN TO NINE THOUSAND MORE UNITS OF APARTMENTS AND CONDOMINIUMS --

VAL>> -- AND LOFTS.

D.J. WALDIE>> -- AND LOFTS WAITING IN THE WINGS TO BE DEVELOPED OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IF, OF COURSE, THE ECONOMY HOLDS UP.

VAL>> NOW YOU WRITE IN THE BOOK -- YOU HAVE SOME REALLY INTERESTING PHRASES THAT I WANT TO ASK YOU TO ELABORATE ON. ONE OF THEM IS THAT YOU SAID THAT “THE CENTER OF THE CITY HAS ALWAYS HAD ITS RIVALS.” WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT?

D.J. WALDIE>> WELL, WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND I’LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON. EVEN AT THE FOUNDING OF LOS ANGELES IN 1781, THERE WERE TWO CENTERS TO THE CITY. THERE WAS THE RELIGIOUS CENTER AT MISSION SAN GABRIEL AND THE SECULAR CIVIL CENTER IN LOS ANGELES, THE NEW PUEBLO OF LOS ANGELES. DIVIDED HEART HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FEATURE OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AND, EVEN TODAY, YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE THE OLD PLAZA CHURCH NEXT TO OLVERA STREET, THE CITY’S FIRST CHURCH. ON THE HILL, YOU HAVE THE NEW CATHEDRAL, BOTH HAVING THE SAME NAME, BOTH THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY, BUT ONE IS FROM 1821 AND THE OTHER ONE IS FROM 2001.

JESS>> YOU WRITE LOVINGLY ABOUT LOS ANGELES, THOUGH.

D.J. WALDIE>> I AM A DESPERATE PASSIONATE LOVER OF LOS ANGELES, EVEN THOUGH I DON’T LIVE THERE (LAUGHTER). NO, I DON’T. I LIVE ON THE FAR DISTANT SOUTHEAST PLAIN OF LOS ANGELES.

JESS>> LAKEWOOD.

D.J. WALDIE>> LAKEWOOD, INDEED.

VAL>> LOVE FROM AFAR.

D.J. WALDIE>> WELL, I’M FROM THE GREAT FLAT, BUT I HAVE A STRONG FEELING FOR WHAT CITIES CAN DO FOR US. YOU SEE, I THINK THAT CITIES ARE IMPORTANT FOR LOTS OF REASONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL, BUT ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL VALUES OF A CITY IS THAT IT TEACHES CIVILITY. IT TEACHES THE SKILLS OF CIVILIZATION. YOU DON’T GET THAT IN SUBURBIA.

VAL>> BUT, SEE, THAT’S SO CONTRARY TO CONVENTIONAL WISDOM BECAUSE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SAYS, OH, IN CITIES, PEOPLE ARE CROWDED AND MASHED TOGETHER AND RUDE AND HONKING HORNS. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE NOT CIVIL AT ALL.

D.J. WALDIE>> I WOULD THINK THAT YOU’RE GOING TO FIND, OVER THE NEXT TWENTY OR THIRTY YEARS, THAT DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES IS GOING TO BE A POWERFUL LESSON IN HOW PEOPLE CAN CLUMP TOGETHER AND LIVE TOGETHER DECENTLY. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO DO THAT BECAUSE THERE’S SIMPLY NO PLACE ELSE TO GO.

JESS>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD REVITALIZE OTHER THAN JUST DOWNTOWN IS THE REVITALIZATION OF THE RESTORATION OF THE LOS ANGELES RIVER.

D.J. WALDIE>> A POWERFUL, COMING-TOGETHER PLACE FOR ALL OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR DOWNTOWN. HUGE SUMS OF STATE MONEY, MORE THAN $100 MILLION DOLLARS, FLOWING INTO IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RIVER, GREEN SPACE, BIKING AND HIKING TRAILS, SMALL PARKS --

VAL>> -- IT’S REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN? NOT JUST ON PAPER?

D.J. WALDIE>> MONEY IS ALREADY FLOWING IN. MANY OF THE PARKS ARE ALREADY DEVELOPED. THERE’S A POWERFUL MOMENTUM FOR TURNING THE CORNFIELDS, WHICH WAS A HUGE CONTROVERSY SOME YEARS AGO, THE TAYLOR YARDS. BOTH HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED BY THE STATE, BOTH WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR PARKLAND. SOME OF THE LARGEST GREEN AREAS EVER IN LOS ANGELES, APART FROM GRIFFITH PARK, ARE WAITING IN THE WINGS TO BE DEVELOPED IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. IT’S GOING TO BE VERY EXCITING.

VAL>> YOU ALSO HAVE AN INTERESTING PHRASE. YOU SAY THAT, I’M SURE YOU CAN EXPLAIN, “DOWNTOWN HAS A CROOKED HEART.” WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

D.J. WALDIE>> (LAUGHTER) WELL, I DON’T MEAN POLITICS.

JESS>> A GEOGRAPHICALLY CROOKED HEART.

VAL>> GEOGRAPHICALLY CROOKED. OKAY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

D.J. WALDIE>> DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES WAS ORIENTED TOWARD THE COMPASS POINTS IN A WAY THAT REFLECTED THE SPANISH RULE FOR HOW COLONIAL CITIES WERE DEVELOPED.

JESS>> THAT WAS DECREED, WASN’T IT?

D.J. WALDIE>> KING CHARLES III OF SPAIN, THE RULE OF THE LAW OF THE INDIES. AMERICAN CITIES ARE ORIENTED TOWARD THE CARDINAL POINTS OF THE COMPASS. WE POINT NORTH AND SOUTH, EAST AND WEST. BUT A SPANISH COLONIAL CITY WAS FORTY-FIVE DEGREES FROM NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST.

VAL>> OH, REALLY? THAT’S WHY IT’S HARD TO FIGURE OUT NORTH WHEN YOU’RE DOWNTOWN.

D.J. WALDIE>> PRECISELY. YOU DON’T KNOW NORTH DOWNTOWN EXACTLY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE RIVER FLOWS. THE OLD CITY OF LOS ANGELES COULD MATCH THE ROYAL DECREE BY ONLY THIRTY-SIX DEGREES, NOT FORTY-FIVE DEGREES.

JESS>> THE PHOTOGRAPHS IN YOUR BOOK ALSO SHOW THE GRITTIER SIDE OF LOS ANGELES TOO.

D.J. WALDIE>> YES. THEY SHOW LOS ANGELES TODAY. THESE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN BY A WONDERFUL YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER AND JOURNALIST, MARISSA ROTH. THEY WERE PART OF A PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY AND EXHIBITION AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. THEY WERE IN THE LIBRARY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. THEY REALLY DO TOUCH UPON THE REAL LIFE ASPECTS OF DOWNTOWN. NOT SENSATIONALIZING AND NOT SENTIMENTALIZING EITHER.

VAL>> ANOTHER PHRASE THAT YOU SAY THAT I’D LOVE TO UNDERSTAND MORE. “SPEED IS THE CITY’S MEDICINE FOR ITS ANXIETY.” YOU’RE A GREAT WRITER.

D.J. WALDIE>> THANK YOU. THINK ABOUT LOS ANGELES, A SUDDEN PLACE WHICH IS ALWAYS CHANGING AND CHANGES ARE ALWAYS VERY SUDDEN. WE’VE USED SPEED AS A METAPHOR FOR OUR LIVES IN LOS ANGELES TO ABANDON VARIOUS PARTS OF OUR PAST. WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW, I HOPE, IS THAT WE’RE RECOVERING SOME OF OUR PAST. WE’RE RECOVERING THOSE DOWNTOWN SPACES. WE’RE SLOWING DOWN A LITTLE BIT TO RECOVER WHAT IS ESSENTIAL.

VAL>> WHEN YOU SAY SPEED, DO YOU MEAN QUICK TO CHANGE? ALWAYS WANTING NEW, NEW, NEW?

D.J. WALDIE>> QUICK TO CHANGE, READY TO REINVENT OURSELVES. WE’RE REINVENTED OURSELVES SO MANY TIMES SO QUICKLY THAT ALL OF THE PASTS OF LOS ANGELES ARE STILL THERE.

JESS>> BUT THAT FLIES IN THE FACE OF ALL THE HISTORY OF D.J. WALDIE. YOU LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE YOUR PARENTS BOUGHT IN 1946 IN LAKEWOOD (LAUGHTER).

D.J. WALDIE>> (LAUGHTER) THAT’S PRECISELY THE CASE. I WILL ADMIT THAT PART OF MY FASCINATION WITH DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES IS THAT IT PRESERVES ITSELF AND I CAN EXPERIENCE MY LOVE FOR THE PAST AND THE PRESENT AS MUCH IN DOWNTOWN AS I DO IN LAKEWOOD.

JESS>> ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO PRESERVE THE PAST IN DOWNTOWN?

D.J. WALDIE>> TOM GILMORE AND HIS COHORTS, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC AGENCIES INVOLVED, ARE DOING A FABULOUS JOB. WE HAVE WONDERFUL OLD OFFICE AND DEPARTMENT BUILDINGS FROM THE TURN OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, EARLY TEENS AND TWENTIES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, AND THESE BUILDINGS ARE BEING RENOVATED AS LOFTS AND APARTMENTS, BUT THEIR EXTERIORS ARE BEING BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE. IT’S JUST A STUNNING CHANGE.

VAL>> AND THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN? WE HAVE SOME GORGEOUS, GLAMOROUS, LUXURIOUS THINGS GOING IN, BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE?

D.J. WALDIE>> GLAMOUR AND BEAUTY ARE IMPORTANT PARTS OF IT, BUT WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN IS THAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE COMING BACK. IN THE SIXTIES, THE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE ALL TRACTORED OUT. THEY WERE ALL BULLDOZED OUT TO BE AN ACROPOLIS OF CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND NOW --

JESS>> -- HILLS WERE KNOCKED DOWN FLAT.

D.J. WALDIE>> LOWERED BY TWO HUNDRED FEET. BUNKER HILL WAS REDUCED TWO HUNDRED FEET IN HEIGHT. TODAY WHAT’S COMING BACK TO DOWNTOWN ARE NEIGHBORHOODS, A STUNNING REVERSAL.

JESS>> IT’S A FASCINATING BOOK. OUR THANKS TO D.J. WALDIE. HE’LL BE AT THE LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS THIS WEEKEND AT UCLA. THERE’S MORE INFORMATION ON THE TIMES’ WEBSITE OR YOU CAN CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN (1-800-LATIMES). D.J. WALDIE WILL BE PART OF A PANEL SUNDAY AFTERNOON ENTITLED “LOS ANGELES: PLAYING IT AS IT LAYS”.

VAL>> AND A REMINDER THAT YOU CAN FIND TRANSCRIPTS OR HEAR AUDIO OF RECENT LIFE AND TIMES PROGRAMS. JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG.

JESS>> AND THAT’S OUR PROGRAM. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.

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