CROSS
CROSS STUDIO, HERE'S MARGARET LARSON.
LARSON.
LARSON. >> GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
FOR YEARS, TV CORRESPONDENT
COAST MO ROCCA HAS HAD A
FASCINATION WITH OBITUARIES.
THAT HAS LED TO A PODCAST AND
NOW A BOOK CALLED
"MOBITUARIES".
"MOBITUARIES". WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE MO
HERE WITH US THIS MORNING.
IT IS GOOD TO MEET YOU.
>> IT IS GREAT TO BE HERE.
>> YOU CAME DASHING IN FROM THE
AIRPORT?
AIRPORT?
AIRPORT? >> I DID.
>> I DID.
>> I DID. I DID.
I DID.
I DID. AND I WAS MEANT TO BE HERE.
I GOT HERE EARLY.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU I LOVE YOUR
MUGS SO MUCH.
>> REALLY?
>> REALLY? >> I LOVE THEM.
>> WE NEED ONE OF THE MUGS.
>> I AM COVETING YOUR MUGS.
THE BIGGER ONE.
NOT THAT ONE.
>> THE BIG GIANT ONE. DOES IT
SAY SOMETHING ON IT?
>> IT IS THE KING FIVE MUGS.
IT IS NICE.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. DO YOU DRINK A LOT OF COFFEE?
>> I WILL NOW.
>> PEOPLE ARE SCURRYING AT THIS
MOMENT TO GET THIS FOR YOU.
OKAY.
OKAY.
OKAY. OBITUARIES I FIND THEM
INTERESTING.
INTERESTING. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DO.
AND I OFTENTIMES FEEL LIKE THE
SADNESS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THIS
PERSON OR THAT THIS WAS SORT OF
AN UNSUNG HERO IN OUR
COMMUNITY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS?
>> MY FATHER LOVED READING
THEM, AND MY FATHER WAS NOT A
MORBID PRESENT.
MORBID PRESENT. HE WAS THE MOST OPTIMISTIC
PERSON I WILL EVER KNOW.
I THINK IT IS BECAUSE HE HAD A
REAL SENSE OF THE ROMANCE OF
LIFE.
LIFE.
LIFE. A
LIFE. A GOOD OBIT IS ABOUT SOMEONE'S
LIFE, NOT DEATH.
THAT IS WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN.
I'M MORE INTERESTED IN THE
BEGINNING THEN THEIR ENDS.
A GOOD OBIT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE,
TO ME, LIKED THE MOVIE TRAILER
FOR AN OSCAR-WINNING BIOPIC. IT
HAS THAT SWEEP THAT LEAVES YOU
BREATHLESS AT THE END.
>> SO WHERE DID YOU FIND THE
BEST WRITTEN OBITS?
WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR THESE
STORIES THAT INSPIRE YOU?
>> WELL, I'M LOOKING FOR
STORIES THAT I FEEL SOME SORT
OF CONNECTION TO.
AND PEOPLE THAT I FEEL DIDN'T
GET THE SEND-OFF THEY DESERVE
OR ARE NOT REMEMBERED IN THE
WAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE.
SO SOME OF THESE ARE VERY
FAMOUS PEOPLE.
FAMOUS PEOPLE. LIKE DIETRICH, GREAT SCREEN
GODDESS OF HOLLYWOOD'S GOLDEN
AGE.
AGE.
AGE. ALSO
AGE. ALSO AN AMERICAN PATRIOT WHO
SPENT 18 MONTHS ON THE FRONT
LINES WITH AFRICA AND WESTERN
EUROPE.
EUROPE.
EUROPE. SHE PRONOUNCED HER GERMAN
CITIZENSHIP AND SHE WAS DOING
EVERYTHING SHE COULD TO DEFEAT
HITLER.
HITLER.
HITLER. >> AND GERMANY WENT AFTER HER.
>> AFTER HER.
>> INCREDIBLE STUFF.
>> AND HAD SHE BEEN CAPTURED,
SHE PUT HERSELF AT GREAT RISK.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
>> THAT IS A FASCINATING STORY.
BUT WAS YOUR FAVORITE ONE?
>> WELL, I LOVED --
>> YOU PROBABLY CAN'T PICK JUST
ONE.
ONE.
ONE. HE
ONE. HE LOVED DOING THE RECORDER.
I GREW UP IN THE 70s MAKE IT
BUT I REMEMBER THIS CARTOONISH
FIGURE, THE YOUNGER BROTHER.
I THINK BECAUSE PROVINCIAL
FAMILIES ARE LIKE REGULAR
FAMILIES ON STEROIDS --
>> YEAH AND THERE'S ALWAYS THE
GOOFY BROTHER OR THE PROBLEM
CHILD.
CHILD.
CHILD. >>
CHILD. >> ALL THE WAY BACK TO JOHN
QUINCY ADAMS.
QUINCY ADAMS. HE WAS CALLED A MADMAN
POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL.
THERE WAS THIS LONG LINE OF
TROUBLEMAKING POTENTIAL
TROUBLEMAKING POTENTIAL SIBLINGS.
SIBLINGS.
SIBLINGS. BILLY CARTER WITH THE MOTHER OR
THE BROTHER OF ALL
TROUBLEMAKING SIBLINGS.
TROUBLEMAKING SIBLINGS. HE HAD THE BEARD, THE BEARD.
>> YEAH I REMEMBER REALLY
BEARD.
BEARD.
BEARD. >>
BEARD. >> YOU IS A SMART, COMPLICATED,
HARD-WORKING MEN.
HARD-WORKING MEN. I TALKED TO PRESIDENT JIMMY
CARTER.
CARTER.
CARTER. THIS IS ONE OF THE STORIES THAT
IS BOTH A PODCAST AND A CHAPTER
IN THE BOOK.
I TALKED TO HIS FAMILY.
AND THIS WAS ALL BACKED UP.
THIS GUY WAS A SERIOUS GUY WHO
WHEN HIS BROTHER BECAME
PRESIDENT, THEIR FAMILY
BUSINESS WENT INTO A BLIND
CLOUDS.
CLOUDS.
CLOUDS. >> BACK WHEN THAT ACTUALLY WAS
A THING.
A THING.
A THING. >> QUAINT.
>> QUAINT. AND HE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO
BECOME BILLY CARTER.
HE WAS AN ALCOHOLIC. AND THE
LAST CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE, HE
CRISSCROSSED THE COUNTRY
SPEAKING TO PEOPLE WHO COULD
RELATE TO HIM ABOUT THEIR
STRUGGLES WITH ALCOHOLISM.
OF COURSE, HE WAS A FULL HUMAN
BEING, NOT A CARTOON.
>> WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE
NEED TO REMEMBER ABOUT
EVERYBODY.
EVERYBODY. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I
THINK YOU FILL IN SO WELL.
IT HAS IT MADE YOU FEEL ANY
DIFFERENTLY ABOUT DEATH IN YOUR
OWN MORTALITY?
OWN MORTALITY? >> IT HAS MADE ME FEEL THIS IS
GOING TO SOUND LIKE A DOWNER,
BUT IT HAS MADE ME REALIZE THAT
WE WILL ALL BE FORGOTTEN.
THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE THAT WON'T
BE FORGOTTEN.
BE FORGOTTEN. IN A WEEK THAT IS KIND OF
LIBERATING.
LIBERATING. RATHER THAN TRY TO CURATE OUR
FUTURE AS IF STATUTES WILL BE
MADE OF US, IT IS BETTER TO
JUST LIVE FOR THE MOMENT AND TO
THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
I MEAN, FOR SOME REASON
SPENDING ALL THIS TIME IN THE
PAST HAS MADE ME JUST
APPRECIATE THE PRESENT MORE.
IT HAS DONE THAT.
IT HAS ALSO MADE ME -- I AM
GENEROUS WITH THE PASS.
I WILL ADMIT IT FULL OUT.
I AM NOT I THINK THERE IS A
TENDENCY IN THE CULTURE TO
DISQUALIFY PEOPLE, TO PICK AT
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. TALK TO DORIS GOODWIN ABOUT
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. SHE
THIS. SHE SAID, LOOK AT SOMETHING
LIKE PRESIDENT FRANKLIN
ROOSEVELT.
ROOSEVELT. YEAH THAT HE SHOULD HAVE LET
REFUGEES IN DURING THE SECOND
WORLD WAR.
WORLD WAR. YEAH IT WAS BAD, THE INTERNMENT
OF JAPANESE-AMERICAN.
OF JAPANESE-AMERICAN. HE ALSO GOT US THROUGH WORLD
WAR II AND THE GREAT
DEPRESSION.
DEPRESSION. SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
TOTALITY OF THE PRESENT.
I LIKE TO PUT THE PAST SOME
SLACK.
SLACK.
SLACK. >>
SLACK. >> AND THE AMBIGUITIES THAT
EXIST IN ALL OF US.
COMING IT IS GOING TO BE
IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND PAST,
PRESENT, FUTURE PURSE PERFECT
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
THAT MAKE ME THINK OF -- THE
BEAUTY OF THE IMPERMANENCE OF
OUR LIFE AND THE FACT THAT IT
IS SO INCREDIBLY PRECIOUS IT IS
SO INCREDIBLY PRECIOUS.
AND IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO
SPEND TIME WITH THESE PEOPLE WHO
FOR THE MOST PART LED PASSIONATE
LIVES.
LIVES.
LIVES. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT I'M
INTERESTED IN.
INTERESTED IN. >> THEY LIVED IN THE MOMENT, IT
SOUNDS LIKE EXPECT SOMEONE LIKE
SAMI DAVIS JUNIOR, WHO, YOU
KNOW I ALSO AM DRAWN TO STORIES
WHERE THE PRESENT REPRESENTS THE
PASSING OF SOMEONE OTHER THAN
THEMSELVES.
THEMSELVES. SAMI DAVIS JUNIOR IS SOMEONE WE
DON'T SEE MUCH ANYMORE.
HE COULD DO SO MANY AMAZING
THINGS.
THINGS.
THINGS. HE WAS PROUD TO CALL MYSELF AN
ENTERTAINER.
ENTERTAINER. HE DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS
CHEESY.
CHEESY.
CHEESY. HE NEVER MADE FUN OF THAT
MATERIAL.
MATERIAL.
MATERIAL. YOU COULD FIND ONLINE YOU CAN
FIND HIM DOING COVERS OF THEME
SONGS LIKE GUESS WHAT. THEY ARE
REALLY GOOD.
REALLY GOOD. YOU COULD ELEVATE ANYTHING.
HE IS THAT GOOD.
>> SO HERE YOU ARE YOU HAVE A
PODCAST YOU HOST.
YOU ARE A JOURNALIST YOU WRITE
BOOKS.
BOOKS.
BOOKS. YOU ARE FASCINATED WITH
OBITUARIES.
OBITUARIES. HOW DID YOU GET STARTED AS A
STORYTELLER?
STORYTELLER? >> AS A STORYTELLER COOKMEISTER
STORYTELLING BOOT CAMP WAS A
PBS SERIES THAT I WROTE AND
PRODUCED CALLED WISHBONE.
IT WAS A JACK RUSSELL TERRIER
WHO BECAME THE HEROES OF
CLASSIC NOVELS.
CLASSIC NOVELS. >> I KNOW "WISHBONE" AND I HAVE
A JACK RUSSELL TERRIER.
>> YOU CAN DO TAKE AFTER TAKE
AND SO MUCH ENERGY.
>> THEY WILL LAST FOREVER, LIKE
THE ENERGIZER BUT BUNNY.
>> IT WAS TAKING GREAT WORKS OF
LITERATURE AND REDUCING THEM,
NOT DUMBING THEM DOWN, BUT
DISTILLING THEM TO HAVE OUR
STORIES TO CHILDREN.
CHILDREN CAN'T BE -- LIKE IF
YOU ARE JUST HAVING CHARACTERS
TALK AND THE PLOT IS NOT MOVING
FORWARD KIDS GET BORED.
AND THEY WILL SWITCH CHANNELS.
AND PEOPLE STILL SAY CHANNELS,
BUT ANYWAY.
BUT ANYWAY. >> I DO.
>> I DO.
>> I DO. WE CHANGE CHANNELS.
>> THEY CHANGED CHANNELS.
SO I FOUND THAT WRITING FOR KIDS
AND TAKING THESE GREAT STORIES
AND ADAPTING FOR THEM, TAUGHT
ME THE MECHANICS OF
STORYTELLING AND PLOT AND
MOVING SOMETHING FORWARD I LIKE
WHEN I'M TOLD, YOU ONLY HAVE
EIGHT MINUTES FOR THE STORY.
I USUALLY DON'T COMPLAIN
BECAUSE I THINK IT MAKES YOU
MAKE HARD CHOICES.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO
STREAMING, WHEN PEOPLE SAY, OH,
IT CAN BE AS LONG AS YOU NEED
IT TO BE, I'M LIKE YOU KNOW
WHAT?
WHAT?
WHAT? MAYBE SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE MADE
IT SHORTER.
IT SHORTER. >> MADE BETTER WITH WHAT YOU
EPIC QUICKLY, WHEN THIS
QUESTION.
QUESTION.
QUESTION. SINCE YOUR DAD WAS SUCH AN
OPTIMIST AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
THAT, TOO, WE LIVE IN AN ERA
OF, YOU KNOW, ANGER AND
HOSTILITY RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, IT IS HARD TO HAVE
FAITH AND TO HOPE.
IT IS A RADICAL THING TO DO,
RIGHT?
RIGHT?
RIGHT? ARE YOU HOPEFUL?
>> I AM HOPEFUL.
I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE IF MANY OF
US FEEL ANXIETY IN THE PRESENT
ABOUT THE FUTURE I DO THINK THE
PAST IS A GREAT PLACE TO LOOK
TO, NOT AS AN ESCAPE, BUT FOR
PROSPECTIVE OR CONTEXT AND FOR
SOME REASSURANCE.
SOME REASSURANCE. I ALSO JUST IN MY LIFE, I FIND
THAT KNOWING STUFF I'M DRAWN TO
PROJECTS WHERE I KNOW STUFF.
I FEEL LIKE KNOWING STUFF AND
HIRING IRONING ART RELAXING
ACTIVITIES FOR ME.
>> I NEED MY IRONING DONE, SO I
SEE A PARTNERSHIP HERE.
CROSS STITCHING IS WHAT GETS ME
THROUGH.
THROUGH.
THROUGH. >> THAT IS --
>> WERE YOU GREAT STUFF.
>> IT DOESN'T NEED TO HAVE A
PURPOSE UNLESS YOU ARE CREATING
A COZY FOR MY MUG.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> I'M SO EXCITED THAT YOU LIKE
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. I
THAT. I DID NOT KNOW WHICH ONE YOU
MEANT.
MEANT.
MEANT. THOSE ARE GREAT BUT IT IS
ERGONOMIC.
ERGONOMIC. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> IT IS LIKE AN iPHONE.
>> IT IS, IF YOU'RE FEELING
ANXIETY IN THE PRESENT ABOUT
THE FUTURE, GET A KING 5 MUG.
>> THE WORLD NEEDS MORE KING 5
MUGS .
MUGS .
MUGS . >>
MUGS . >> DO YOU KNOW THAT JIM HENSON
AND SAMMY DAVIS JR. DIED ON THE
SAME DAY?
SAME DAY?
SAME DAY? OVER AND GANDHI DIED ON THE
SAME DAY.
SAME DAY.
SAME DAY. MICHAEL JACKSON.
MICHAEL JACKSON. >> AND THOMAS JEFFERSON.
>> AND JOHN ADAMS.
THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE
SIGNING OF THE DECORATION OF
INDEPENDENCE.
INDEPENDENCE. AND MARGARET THATCHER.
THAT IS A FREAKY FRIDAY REBOOT
I WANT.
I WANT.
I WANT. >> DON'T FORGET THAT IS
HAPPENING.'S BOOK,
HAPPENING.'S BOOK, "MOBITUARIES" IS OUT RIGHT
NOW.
NOW.
NOW. WE
NOW. WE WILL LINK YOU TO THE
"MOBITUARIES" PODCAST.
"MOBITUARIES" PODCAST. WHEN WE COME BACK, FORMER
SEAHAWK TACKLE RAY ROBERTS AND
LAST NIGHT'S