WGBH Radio; The Emily Rooney Show

From WGBH in Boston this is the and only Rooney show. Is. Thursday December 16th 2010 I'm Emily Rooney. On today's show President Obama is making a direct appeal to house lawmakers to pass the controversy on eight hundred fifty eight billion dollar tax plan. But some say they won't pass it without changes. I just want to know both of you the people that walk in and give autocue was the sticker price. Congressman Michael Capuano is not on board but outgoing Massachusetts Congressman William Delahunt says he will support the deal without conditions. He joins us. We'll also take a look at the issue all the fuss is about the estate tax. Then in advance of the national release of the fighter we talk to the man who wrote the book on me. Or. And finally Jimmy Kangal who takes his humor with us side of politics. He's got a new show. All that and more today on the Emily Rooney show. But first the news from NPR News in Washington I'm Lakshmi saying it appears President Obama will stay the course in

Afghanistan. A review of the military's policy in that country finds that the deployment of more American troops and their operations have hurt insurgents power base. This continues to be a very difficult endeavor. But I can report that thanks to the extraordinary service of our troops and civilians on the ground we are on track to achieve our goals. American troops are slated to begin leaving Afghanistan in July but the U.S. plans to maintain a military presence in the war through 2014. A legal victory for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange he will be free on bail later today or tomorrow depending on when his bail of nearly three hundred twenty thousand dollars reaches the court. As Larry Miller reports from London the British high court rejected prosecutors claim that a son who is wanted for questioning by Sweden in a sex crimes investigation is a flight risk on the High Court steps aside his lawyer Mark Stephens says the Wiki Leaks founder is delighted his bail was granted and that he will

not have to spend Christmas in jail. He will not be going back to that Victorian prison. He will not be going back to that cell once occupied by Oscar Wilde and denying the appeal against the songes release the judge ordered the prosecutor to pay his legal costs. Stephen says there was no reason for Sweden to contest bail. It's clearly evidence is part of the continuing vendetta on the part of the Swedes against Julian Assange. His legal team now have less than a month to prepare their case against extradition to Sweden. His lawyer insists there's a strong political motivation to that extradition. For NPR News I'm Larry Miller in London. Foreclosure filings plunged a record 21 percent in the U.S. last month. That's according to the firm RealtyTrac one out of every four hundred ninety two homes in the United States fall for closure last month all told. That's more than 260000 Danielle Karson reports analysts say the drop isn't because the housing market has turned a new leaf.

The huge drop in foreclosure filings isn't surprising. The nationwide moratorium on foreclosures because of sloppy paperwork has slowed down the processing of delinquent loans. Realty tracks Rick Sharga says the so-called robo signing scandal mostly took place in states where foreclosures are processed through the courts. The states that practice those kind of foreclosures had a 43 percent year over year drop in new foreclosures and a 38 percent year over year drop in foreclosure auctions that were scheduled. Meanwhile it's going to take time for the market to process almost 5 million bad loans. Still there's some light at the end of the tunnel. The Mortgage Bankers Association says fewer homeowners are falling behind on their mortgage payments 30 day delinquencies are down 11 percent since last year. For NPR News I'm Danielle Karson in Washington. The Dow's up 35 at eleven thousand four hundred eighty three. This is NPR. The more than 800 billion dollar tax cut package that won overwhelming support in the Senate faces a tougher audience in the House today while congressional leaders expect passage for the

compromise President Obama has struck with Republicans. Many Democrats had said they would try to scale back breaks extended to the wealthiest Americans. A day after grounding flight strikes in Athens Greece are bringing ground transportation to a screeching halt. Transport unions are staging a second 24 hour strike against austerity measures including wage cuts that Greece passed to access an internationally backed bailout. The unions have voted to stage more strikes through next week. The recent ruling in Virginia that struck down parts of the federal health care overhaul is fueling efforts in Florida for similar results. A federal judge in Pensacola hears oral arguments today in the case brought on by 20 states challenging the implementation of the law. Florida Public Radio's tremelo Gomez has more. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum says the Virginia ruling is great ammunition for his own lawsuit. But he's hoping the case in Florida goes even further. We think that most of the law should be stricken as unconstitutional not just the provisions of the individual

mandate for the Medicaid provisions but the entire health care law should be stripped of its entirety McCullum along with some of the 19 other states attorneys general will be in a Pensacola federal court hoping the judge will also rule that the federal government can't move forward with the law until it reaches the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile the White House maintains that the Health Care Act is constitutional. For NPR News I'm tremelo arms in Tallahassee. Dow's up 34 at eleven thousand four hundred ninety two. I'm Lakshmi Singh NPR News. Support for NPR comes from CIT for last selling all colors of the Herman Miller air on chair online including sit for a last true black on line at CIT for last. Dot com. It's live and it's local. Coming up next two hours of local talk the Emily Rooney show and the callee Crossley Show. Only on WGBH. Good afternoon you're listening to the Emily Rooney show. He's been in Congress since

1996 and now Congressman Bill Delahunt term is coming down to the wire but he's taking no prisoners at the same time he's about to vote his conscience on the president's tax deal. Many Democratic congressmen are taking a moral stand against the deal because it extends tax cuts to the rich including Congressman Michael Capuano. When I go in to buy a car I don't just give them the sticker price. I mean it may end up being what I have to pay but you know should I go if I could and again I've bought a car. Many people have all but a house. And you go through a process whereby you make the people. All right. That was Congressman Michael Capuano we know how he stands but not so outgoing Congressman William Delahunt. How are you doing. Emily how are you. I am well. You know there's got to be some freedom that comes with being a lame duck the final days you can. I mean nobody can accuse you of taking an issue for political office on a political stance.

No but you know I think most members wherever they are on the ideological spectrum. You know there's always a political component in the calculus. But by and large they felt a clutch they felt in the way they think they should in the best interests of the country and that's my cap I want to build on everybody else. Well the Senate yesterday overwhelmingly passed this tax cut and it's going to the house in the next couple days. There were there was a lot of it to be on the floor today. OK today there were a lot of objections including from Michael cap ones and others who really took on the president over this but is that opposition mostly areas hit. Let me be really clear. OK. I would have much preferred that this package we store the tax rates that existed under President Clinton. But those that whose income exceeded 250. I think they were fair. I think they work. I think we had unparalleled

prosperity during the Clinton is an idea say it would lift all boats if we went back and would address the concern that people have about the deficit and that's a real legitimate concern. But because of the Senate in the opposition from Republicans and their insistence we would have allowed the tax cuts to be the tax cuts to expire faught people under $250000 it would have meant a $3000 increase in the tax bill and as importantly the Republicans never would have supported the extension of the unemployment benefit. It's a four million Americans and there's no way in my view that morally we could allow 4 million citizens in the FEMA will have to deal with. Well no money coming in once the weather why was that $250000 the

benchmark anyway because quite honestly $250000 today isn't what it was under the under the Clinton administration. Why couldn't that have been the negotiation point and that's actually what I think what Congressman Michael Capuano was saying. I mean well you know yeah I mean that was part of the process. You know that was that I live with Senator Schumer. I know I had to get into that in a minute. You know he proposed a million dollars right. And it was unacceptable to the public. They would sew my cap a lot I was correct there is a process but the process concluded after logging in at times very contentious negotiations in this was the best that we could do. And it's not a bad package. And most important it only is for two years that doesn't make those those Bush tax rates but those. Do you know I have an income in excess of 250000 per

minute. So that will be revisited in IDSA will be revisited two years in an election and let the American people make the judgement then based upon the information they have. It also extends Of course the unemployment benefits to the long time employed in the part of it I'm not clear about is the reduction in the payroll taxes what why why why do we need that now why would that stay where it is. We're asking for that. Yeah well you know that was in the present makes a very good point. It won't impact social security it's going to come out of general revenue. And it is particularly stimulus because that 2 percent reduction particularly for low income people will absolutely make a difference in terms of growing that the economy and growing jobs. And it gives low income and middle income people an additional tax break. And that was the purpose of. So is your guess this thing is going to pass this afternoon.

I think it will pass but it's going to be it's going to be interesting. I don't I know some of my colleagues and in the delegation really still debating still undecided. So you know and on the Republican side there. People in the Republican Party that say we won't vote for it because it doesn't make the Bush rates for those who are an accepted 250000 permanent and we say no. Only two years and we'll have a further discussion you know top of that you have to agree to provide unemployment benefits to four million Americans who are really high risk situations where they could be out on the street and not be able to find a job or provide just a minimum standard of living for themselves and if they had one of the big issues that has come up of course is stimulation of the economy and you're right there are

several Republicans that are holding out on this and one of them is Representative Mike Pence of Indiana he was on The Today Show Here's what he said this. This tax deal will do little to create jobs it adds to the national debt. I think we can do better I think we can take time to do better and Congress should do just that. Is he grandstanding or does he mean that. I think he means it. I think he's wrong on you know what everybody forgets is that you know when Democrats came to a majority and President. OBAMA You know was sworn into office and took over the ship of state. Well the ship of state was the Titanic. I mean it was a surprise to 2008 when we had the financial melt and everything fell apart in under the Republicans. They spent and spent and borrowed and we're in debt to you know everyone from the Chinese to the Middle East and to you know other not so friendly nations

you know and the spending has to be controlled. And I remember being on the floor of the house during the debate on Iraq. We are going to go to war. We're going to make Iran head Yemen in the in the in the region. You know on top of that this war is going to cost us trillions. That's exactly what's happened speaking of trillions I'm talking to Congressman Bill Delahunt is coming down to his final days in office. The Senate is also reviewing this 1.1 trillion dollar spending bill that it's about two hundred thirteen million dollars in earmarks for Massachusetts that of course includes the Kennedy Institute the Green Line extension about 400000 for the Paul Revere House. What's your best guess on what's going to happen with those earmarks. Well I don't know if we're going to even see it. I think there is real doubt as to whether given. You know the reaction over the past couple of days to the Republican earmarks in the Senate

that the Senate will will actually pass the so-called on the the so I think it's a real jeopardy. I think that the Republicans were hoping to see it done but not have to take the criticism that would come with it and I would I think it's very much so because it has struck you that you're coming down to your final few votes here. Yeah it has. You know in three weeks I'll be a civilian so to speak. You know what was it like I mean first of all you got to time it you're going to miss your your frat house mates. Senator Chuck Schumer Dick Durbin George Miller and I just really didn't like that but yeah I mean I won't miss waking up in the morning and I still get started or whatever without any clothes. You know that is the thing thought I can't believe you did it all those years reduce your sleep in a slow for you know hours you know you had a Cinderella bet

or something you know where I was it was a cot cinders you were sitting next to the cinder stove about food. Yeah well I sure when I split the living room and Dick Durbin was upstate is George Miller Bush who owns this. Old City slum. I had the master bedroom. Yeah. So what kind of rented a charger. Eight hundred fifty bucks a month that's a lot to live like that. Let me tell you with the cockroaches and rats and everything and you guys didn't do a whole lot to help that situation as I recall. Well that was the role of you know what's what happened in the house stadium. I'm talking about the living and the food around and everything. So we were kids actually you know crumbs on the floor. But I mean are you going to miss it seriously you know I miss the people. I mean a lot of friendships. You know I look back and I can point to really you know five six significant legislative accomplishments

and I know I gave voice to some issues that I would know wouldn't of you know necessarily had a high profile you know but I guess there's one thing that. Very proud of and despite you know the fact that I'm a you know a Democrat from Massachusetts that you know is proud to be called a liberal that when the Republicans in the House did a survey of the most bi partisan Democrats that I was included in the top 10. Much to the shock of many of my goddaughter. Yeah it was and I really have been really gratified by the warmth and the Jenners say Mox by people on both sides of the aisle. I look forward to a new career and new challenges and welcoming my new grandson in chief

to be a brother to my most beautiful granddaughter. So I am looking forward to be able to call you a bill again. Call me. What I also get a lot of thought about what does it have to be nice on the radio. That's true but not nice anyway as you always say anyway. Have you given you're still young I can say that. What do you mean. Have you given any thought to what you can do when you get back. Yeah you know I'm mulling over you know what I want to do is you know obviously I'm an attorney and I really love the policy piece I love you know my focus here has been on not just on the Judiciary Committee but the tickly Farnum is and there are issues that I think need to be addressed not you know they might not necessarily be high profile but very very important. And I intend to you know speak out speak loudly and

and hopefully continue to try to make a difference be a diplomat and a statesman. Congressman Bill Delahunt thank you so much for joining us again let me talk to you when you get back to see you soon. Hope so. We're going to keep going now and talking about the the the Obama tax plan we've got an expert here in the studio who really made of that off I should say is a professor at Boston College Law School and wrote a piece yesterday in The New York Times an op ed that said Give up the estate tax. I went right for that piece because I've been curious. You know what the experts really think really think about that what would happen if the estate tax just continued as it is and what a way how would we kind of equalize things as Congressman Dylan Dylan was just saying you can't just you know do without an estate tax and you know what about the distribution. You know that was put into effect way back when in 1916 because the wealthy controlled so much of the economy of the United States that's gone down significantly

since then but so what should we do Professor Mehta. Well I think we need to figure out a reasonable way of taxing inherited wealth because that's the real problem. I think that all of this discussion about the death tax and the double tax it's really obfuscated the situation here and people don't really know how inherited wealth is taxed. And as a result we haven't been able to have any sensible conversations about it. Well how is it tax I mean I I mean I think about it really. And I haven't even talked to my family about this and I don't even know how it works. Well so I mean there's houses involved and I have no idea. Well so. The most important thing to know is that the estate tax that we have is the only tax that we have on inherited wealth and so what that means is that if somebody earns $50000 or $100000 they pay taxes on that money. But if somebody inherits $50000 or $100000 or 50 million

dollars or even a billion dollars they pay no income taxes on that money no income tax but no pay no income taxes right so the recipient of money by either gift or inheritance or life insurance passes entirely free of income taxes. And the only not asking is that our smallest right the only taxes that are imposed are estate taxes but they can be onerous. They will have to. If you say 5 percent they were actually 77 percent. So that's how most of it was a billion dollars you get. You know you could you could theoretically have very high taxes on it. But what I'm saying is that people don't know that there's no income taxes and so for example it's been the case quite recently that somebody inherits a million dollars let's just say it fits within that exemption amount. There's zero taxes on the inheritance of a million dollars. And that piece of the conversation has not really been very present in our discussions and so when we talk about the estate tax I think people think of that as being a tax that's being imposed in addition to taxes on the

recipient. And one of the things I think that's important to highlight is how how that's not the case. It's the only tax that we have I don't have. Both assures that the recipient gets less. If I if I had as I did here doing a million dollars and you know the government is you going to take 35 percent or 55 percent so it just means I get less but I don't pay income taxes on what I get. Absolutely. The estate tax that affects the recipients of wealth and it reduces the amount that the recipients get into when you reduce the tax rate. As the Obama plan does from 55 percent which is what the rate would be if the if the law goes into effect that's what supposed to happen in January 1st to 35 percent. That's going to result in a significant reduction of estate tax liabilities for those who are subject to the estate tax. So so the tax that we have on it right now is has been sort of a moving target which is also added to the confusion. Some of your listeners might

remember the number 600000 for 10 years. That was the amount that could pass free of tax. Then it went up to a million dollars and then it went up to a million five two million dollars. And the high watermark was in 2009 when it jumped to three point five million and that was actually considered a pretty big jump from where it had been in all the prior years where it had really been in that kind of 1 to 2 million dollar range. So it jumped up to 3.5 million which was the amount that any single person could pass free of tax which meant that a couple could pass seven million dollars free of titles. And now it may go to 5 million. And now it's supposed to go under the Obama proposal it's supposed to go to 5 million which means that a couple could pass 10 million dollars free of tax. It's a lot and the thing is that people don't realize is that that 10 million dollars is actually can be much more than that. And the reason is that there's a state planners have lots of techniques including by do using lifetime gifts and things like SECOND TO DYE life insurance

policies where it's easy to leverage that 10 million dollars to 100 million dollars and people are transferring this large amounts of money into Dynasty trust to protect their heirs forever. And there's ways in which the current estate tax rules that we have really allow for this creation of dynastic wealth to carry on for generation after generation and again people aren't generally aware of it when you have the discussion. And what's happened in the public discussion is that the Republicans are the general anti-tax forces have been extremely successful in shaping the argument. And so lots and lots of wage earners believe that the estate tax is a most significant problem for them. And and they see it as their issue it's going to limit their ability to pass on the property to their children and what they don't realize is this group that we have of super wealthy in this country. I mean the number of billionaires that died in this

year when we've had no estate tax is significant it's not like one billionaire died. We've had a number John Clukey he was one of the richest men in the world and he also did it and there are a hundred billion. And his estate his heirs pay nothing and I hate absolute war and I'm Tagg That's right. Dan Duncan was another billionaire Steinbrenner a number of billionaires. And these are the people who are really benefiting from this reduction. And yet you have all sorts of people who are you know hold jobs and they're lobbying like crazy against the estate tax. I'm talking to Professor Ray made a law school. What how would this change if as you suggested in yesterday's New York Times op ed it went to an inheritance tax. How how would it make a difference both to there. Let's talk about the people that are in let's compare the people who are in a much smaller group which is you know their parents may have an estate with 3.5 million versus you know the John Clukey estates. How did that make a difference. Well I think

first of all the most important change would be politically politically we could have a discussion about the appropriate taxation of inherited wealth. And so just as a general rule if you shift the shift the tax liability to those who receive the wealth then we get rid of the discussions of double taxation. We get rid of the discussions of death tax because now what we're saying is fine you inherit wealth and you share of that should go to pay taxes. I think how you structure the tax there's lots of room for you know for play. For example you'd want to know just clarify something yes. Would one be the estate tax would be taken before the fact and the inheritance tax you pay after that. No I think the idea would be that you would get rid of the estate tax altogether. Let's forget no you know what I'm trying to compare the. Well I'm sorry. Well the estate tax. They're both the estate. They're both paid at the time of death in a state tax is paid. By the executor of the estate it could be very similar because you could give the executor of the estate the

obligation to withhold income taxes so mechanically it might be ways that it could be quite similar so the different one different in the most important difference I think is that politically it would enable us to have a conversation about how do we tax this type of wealth. That would be the greatest value. But then I think there's lots of opportunities to structure an income tax that would ultimately be fair. So for example you could have an exemption amount about how much each person could Herod. They could inherit maybe 500 or 500 thousand or a million dollars. Absolutely free of income taxes and that would take care of the vast majority of the public 90 probably 98 99 percent of the public are not going to receive inheritances of more than a million dollars. And then you say OK once you receive an inheritance of a million dollars how should we subject to tax. One possibility is to subject it to the tax that wages are taxed at. Currently 35 percent and that would be one way of doing it. I think a more appropriate system would be to have a higher

rate too to recognize the fact that in order to get wages you have to actually work for that money and inheritances are basically just handed over so maybe it's really appropriate to have that subject to tax at a higher rate. And so you could build the other value of that is that you could address the progress city of taxes that that reflects the idea that people who have more money have a greater capacity to pay than people who have less money. Talking to Professor Ray Madoff of the law school how would that get around the issue. You just said a few minutes ago about these billionaires putting together these trusts and all the riot that you know does in perpetuity assure a wealth through the generations so that what you could do is that you could by having it be an income tax and by addressing the issue now knowing everything we know you'd have an opportunity to address some of the problems that have plagued the old system. You know because we've learned a few

things so one thing that we've learned about is the creation of these Dynasty trusts and the way you could address that is that you could say that when money is transferred to a trust the trustee. Pays essentially a withholding tax so that taxes paid right up front and then as the money is paid out to the heirs then they'll get it will be offset for the tax like taxes that were already paid and but they would still have to pay some kind of inheritance. They would pay the tax repaid by the trustee when they receive the money and then the recipients would receive that money basically with after tax dollars. A pretty decent plan. So I thought it would be one that you know could really be good and the other problem it could address would be family farms and businesses. Yeah yeah that's a good idea right. Thank you so much for coming Professor Ray medo of Madoff and you know Richard it's about I know you see the article. Thanks so much we'd like to hear from you to support the tax deal. What about the estate tax deal. E-mail us at Emily Rooney show at WGBH dot org or visit us on the web at WGBH dot org slash Emily Rooney. We can link to our

Facebook Twitter pages We'll take a short break when we continue in advance of the national release of the fighter. We talk to the man who wrote the book on making movies and you're listening to the family's money show. Stay with. Us. Support for WGBH comes from you and from Newberry court. A full service residential community in Concord Massachusetts for persons over the age of 62 proudly supporting PBS News Hour weekdays from 7 to 8 p.m. here on eighty nine point seven WGBH. And from Boston private banking Trust Company Boston private bank provides private and commercial banking and investment management and trust services to individuals and businesses. You can learn more by visiting Boston private bank dot com. This week she was in the New York Film Critics Circle Award and was nominated for a Golden

Globe for her performance in the new film The Fighter. She was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Frozen River. She's currently shooting Season 2 of the HBO series Treme. Join us for the next FRESH AIR. This afternoon at two on eighty nine point seven WGBH. With a long commute car trip or just a quick jaunt across town wouldn't be the same without public radio. Then consider supporting the programs you love for the WGBH vehicle donation program. Just call 866 409 3:56. A representative will arrange a time to pick up your unwanted vehicle and take care of the paperwork and you'll support WGBH and qualify for a tax deduction. That number again is 8 6 6 400 9 4 2 4. I'm callin Crosley next time on the Calla Crossley Show a marriage of creativity. We'll talk to three literary forces about marriage writing inspiration and collaboration

today and one after the show. One eighty nine point seven. WGBH. You're listening to the Emily Rooney show. Received straight straight. Yeah I do. By that. Point you were stepping stones. I had a few tough fights for the exports from Russia. The key word is 31 years old. Here because he beats the money. Not a fighter starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale is the latest in the Boston area is growing pantheon of critically critically acclaimed films this biopic tells the rags to riches story of Irish Micky Ward. He's the hardscrabble Lowell native who overcame incredible odds to earn success and respect as a boxer on the national stage while Channel 5 sports anchor Bob Hauer and wrote the book on Micky Ward literally his 2007 biography Irish thunder the hard life and times of Micky Ward was such a definitive account of the boxer that it earned Bob a rule as technical consultant on the film. You've

already seen it twice even though it's not being released until tomorrow. Right I did see it twice I got to go to the local premiere and the Hingham premieres and love the movie I really did. I thought it was a wonderful. Bit of storytelling and art all the performances are outstanding and I thought it was great that Mark Wahlberg got nominated for a Golden Globe because Christian Bale is so good and he gets so much recognition for his role as Dicky Eklund. I thought Mark who was awesome might have been overlooked and it turned out that he wasn't overlooked in that well-deserved. Well do they based the movie on your book. We had even come about. It came about in an odd fashion they were working on scripts several for several years and you might recall that Matt Damon was involved and Brad Pitt was involved and each time they were shown a script they weren't exactly in love with it. So it was rewritten and new people were brought on by 2007 when my book came out. The last screenwriter who was assigned to the project a guy named Scott Silvers local I think is from Worcester interned at Channel 7 a

long time ago. A great writer did a mile. He called me and asked if he could use any parts of the book for his research when I talked to him about my perceptions and observations and so I sent him all my Microsoft Word documents transcribed interviews research information and things like that and that was really the extent of my role. What he chose to use from that was all on him. But for that I got to be called a technical consultant they paid me a little business agent and this deal and I took a picture of my name as it scrolled up in the credits when I saw the movie on Tuesday. And so I'm very proud of the fact that the book is somehow. Part of this really wonderful picture becomes a huge huge success because I don't get anything I don't get any bigger. I'm done with Paramount they were very nice to me and I'm not upset they don't feel like they still your story line right. No I think that it was interesting for me to watch the movie and try to figure out did they take that from the book or did they that. I don't think so I think that most of the story that they tell is well known in local

circles. Mickey was a boxer down on his luck rose to a world championship. His brother was a crack addict who had a boxing career because of that he went to jail came out trained as a brother and together they worked to greatness. That story's there and it's in the book. But they have to really crunch the timeline. What they cover in the movie takes about 13 years in real life and they make it appear as though it happens in about 14 months which is OK. You know like Dickie goes to jail for eight months in the movie he actually went to jail for four and a half years. But when he comes out his son is still the same age. So they need to work on some of those things. So I don't mind that they had to kind of massage some details the essence of the true story is in the movie. And then if you want the details you get the book. You know it just seems to be that this is an unlikely subject for a feature length major motion picture. And here here it is both a book and now a local book on it.

But a national film. Yeah I think that most boxers have a good story to tell just because of where they saw you from and then America loves boxing. Right now it's nothing. And Mickey is he's the underdog really no reason why this guy should have all this happening based on where he came from and the level of talent that he has because he's an excellent boxer one of the top in the game but not of the you know Sugar Ray Leonard or you know Manny Pacquiao level. He is he was 38 in 13. He had four championship fights in the first half of his career. Lost them all. His most famous fights with Arturo Gatti he lost two out of three. So really he's just truly respected for being one of those guys who gets in there and performs every night and doesn't end up on his back. And because he was against all odds and was able to rise against that I think it is a nice story and the sidebar story is his brother.

Who really had his life turned upside down because a crack and came out of jail cleaned up a little bit. Not 100 percent but enough to help Mickey and that's kind of a nice family story. Started at Channel 5 sports anchor Bob Halloran who wrote the book on Mickey Ward Iris thunder the hard life and times of Mickey where will he Ward is still alive. What is he up to and what did he make of the film when speaking to him he likes the film he doesn't get into great detail with things like this you know. He's 45 I think one of the things that I think you might have difficulty discussing is how his family is portrayed. Mickey I like to say lives in the eye of a hurricane. He's calm he's focused he's hardworking he's genuine loyal. He's a great guy and all around him is a mess. And the movie shows that the movie is rough on his sisters. The movie is rough on his mom which might be difficult for even Mickey to witness. And the movie's a little kinder to his brother Dickie than I think it should have

been but also rough on him. So I'm sure he likes the movie as a piece of art. But whether or not you know it helps him with it is Thanksgiving Christmas dinners with his family I don't know if it's going to work out that way. But other than that he drives for the movie sets with the Teamsters and things he trains fighters does a lot of charity work teen teen Mickey Ward Charities does an awful lot. So you can check them out online. But yeah keep himself busy with those types of things but he doesn't have to work because he has he is he one of these people who has kept his financial heads straight. I would bet that he made excuse me close to two and a half million dollars for the last three fights of his career with an event that would have been back in 2002 when three against Arturo Gatti and prior to that he had a couple of good pay days in one hundred and $200000 ranges. But he bought a humble home a nice place and lol about two blocks away from where he grew up. It's not a mansion he didn't do the Corvettes in the Lamborghinis or anything.

I think he's very smart with his money I think he did pretty well with the movie and he might be getting a piece of it after the fact as well. So he doesn't have to work but I'm. He wants to and he's and he's very involved in his community and things so. I think he's doing very well. You know Dr. Fierro who's the producer of this film is somebody that we all knew I knew very well from Channel 5. You know it's amazing this film has so many local connections. So how does it work for her she was the producer how does what do you mean anyway. As I you know well boy if you watch the movie The number of names that pop up as producers and writers and executive producers and all the rest that stuff I think it's because it had such a long life. It started back in about well it might have been before 2003 as I understand it a guy named Keith Dorrington was shooting kind of a documentary about Mickey's comeback and his and his brother and stuff. He brought that story to Dorothy in Edgartown productions and they started to develop the script at that point with a couple of different people. Then they sold that to Paramount to put a couple

more people on it got Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg and Brad Pitt involved at different times. And this brought us through 2005 and six all this time Mark Walberg is training me build a boxing gym in his house and he's ready to do this picture. It was green lit a couple of times and then it didn't happen. And so there was this thing was you know on life support many times over and it wasn't until you know I have a lot of respect for Scott Silver who ultimately did put his hands on it. And they made a script that everybody could like. And then David O Russell came on board to direct it and they shot it in 33 days I think and LOL and then three extra days out in California but it was relatively a low budget film as to who put the money up front shot quickly. I believe it was Relativity Media that did it Paramount did not spend their own money on it. I think I got that right. So they should make some money off of this. Yeah there's going to be a lot of money made off of this thing I think because you know I assume it's going to be one of those hundred million dollar grossing pictures with DVDs in international sales and things so

this was not a big budget I think the final number that I got I spoke with a couple of producers for a piece I wrote for Boston magazine that I think was 24 million ultimately. Yeah that's that's reasonable I mean it sounds crazy but that's certainly reasonable. Right. I so so Donna Walker did. Did you get in Mark Wylder mother did. Did you get to know him. Did you know. No I didn't get to learn you know my big thrill at the premiere was talking with the director David O Russell and the screenwriter Scott Silver who I had talked to many times over but and emailed many times over the past couple of years. He's been helpful to me in some other ways. And I didn't know what he looked like. And he's a character. And David O Russell was great because when I gave him my comments about what I liked about the movie he kind of very enthusiastically engaged in it conversations always great to have a chance to talk with them and and see how they told this. They told the story of Mickey Ward. They didn't give the details of his life.

And I thought they embellished it with like sidebar romances and all that. No no that stuff was all true and as a matter of fact I thought in some areas they had to pull back. They they they had to make they make Dicky Eklund out to be a bit of a bad guy with some of the decisions he made for his own life and how he impacted Mickey. But there were some circumstance I want to give too much of the movie away where they made him out to let me once again he's the half brother half brother who went to jail. Yes seven years older in real life fought Sugar Ray Leonard went 10 rounds with him had a promising career and then that was destroyed but you know he was not always good for Mickey's career. And the movie tells that a little bit. And then his redemption story is probably equal to Mickey's. And I don't think in reality it is or should be portrayed that way but the movie makes Dickie out to be a little bit more valiant and heroic and. Loyal then maybe I think use right.

I'm looking forward to seeing Bob Halloran from Channel 5. He is the author of the book Irish thunder the hard life and times of Mickey Ward. Thank you very much. Thanks. All right we'd like to hear from you. Let us know what you think of the fighter. E-mail us at. Emily Rooney show at WGBH dot org or visit us on the web at WGBH dot org slash. Emily Rooney we're going to take a short break. When we continue speaking of honors a man who takes his humor with the side of politics. Jimmy tango. You're listening to the Emily Rooney show Stay with us. Were the. Support for WGBH comes from you and from Skinner auctioneers and appraisers of antiques and fine art. You might consider auction when downsizing a home or disposing of an estate. Sixty auctions annually 20 collecting categories Boston in Marlborough online at Skinner Inc dot com. And from the Massachusetts Freemasons. Who believe that a man's

greatness can be measured. And it's not by his wealth or fame. You can learn more at the Massachusetts Freemasons website. Ask a Freemason dot org. NEXT TIME ON THE WORLD AIDS patient in Zambia can get free medicine at government clinics yet thousands of eligible patients have stopped coming. We now don't know where they are. Long lines may have driven them away. You have to wade through it. Or if they think of coming to the clinic and spending the whole day here they decide to stay at home. How long lines result in rationing health care. Next time on the world. Coming up at 3 o'clock here at eighty nine point seven WGBH. Thanks to WGBH sustainers listeners who make ongoing of 5 9 or 12 dollars a month eighty nine point seven can spend more time with the news and less

time reminding you to get involved. Learn how you can help keep eighty nine point seven Boston NPR station for more news and less fund raising. When you become a sustainer securely online at WGBH. I'm Calen Crossley. Next time on the Catholic cross will show a marriage of creativity. We'll talk to three literary forces about marriage writing inspiration and collaboration today and one after the Emily Rooney show. One eighty nine point seven. WGBH. You're listening to the Emily Rooney show from his five year run as owner operator of Jimmie tingles off-Broadway theater in Somerville to his stint on 60 Minutes two in his own HBO comedy special. Jimmy Tingle has been bringing his unique brand of humor to the stage and screen for years. This is even more impressive he recently earned his master's degree from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Now he's got a series of new

shows at Arlington theaters Arlington's Regent theater it's his usual part topical part timeless part political all tangle. He joins us here in the studio to talk about it. Thanks a lot you want to tell me if you got a master's degree. Yes that's impressive. You know Emily when I went to grammar school in Cambridge I was kind of smart then I went to high school. I was a little bit smarter. Now that I've graduated from Harvard I'm wicked smart. Yeah really. Think about you could be a part of that movie The Fighter you would have. Yeah I think you would have a role and I actually auditioned for it I didn't get the role. Did you really yeah I did audition for it I didn't get the one so many that I said that to you yeah yeah yeah yeah it would be perfect. I actually met Mickey last week. Saturday we did a radio thawing out LOL for the Salvation Army he is a great guy as the gentleman was just saying he's a fantastic guy incredibly committed to the community of you LOL. And they did this big radio thing for the salvation army of greater law and he was there and as well as his team Micky was there with all the guys it was it was a great event.

I mean you know you look like a boxer. Yeah why would you like it. So yeah if you get your master's degree and then what do you do that you know. Emily I've been doing comedy for almost 30 years and I've always been interested in public policy and I've been and I continue to be interested in public policy and I thought after the theater closed I did it for five years. I really want to do something different and I really wanted to go back to school and I run into people who had gone to the Kennedy School government said you should you should check this out it's a great place and I thought it was a little way too academic for me you know. I mean coming from entertainment to a hard core academic environment but I loved it. I loved not entertaining. I love not being on and just being in the classroom and listening and just absorbing these folks they're both students and faculty and I had a ball and I realized that. Entertainment has a unique and special role in the culture and you can actually do a lot with entertainment that I mean if you look at Jon Stewart or cold bear or any of the shows and even journalism itself as more and more television shows CNN more and more of an entertainment value.

So it was I realized that there's a way that I'm still figuring out that there was a way to be both entertaining and informative and there's no question I don't doubt that you got knowledge of that material but sort of that nuanced you know level of stuff for your shows too because when you think about what frankly Culpeper and Stewart too I mean you have to really pay attention. He can't be off he can't be dated he can't be right. So right and they're great and they have teams of writers but also the great thing about the school was it really broadened for me it broadened my perspective. So you're not just with people from Boston area who think a certain way. I mean you've got they do. Well you know but I mean you broaden your perspective so we're in school with many members of the military Navy SEALs Green Berets you know Fortune 500 CEO knows at the school. You have people from the human rights community and who work on NGOs all over the world. And you have half the student population was from other countries. So it really puts

America in perspective and it puts Harvard in perspective in terms of what Harvard means to this country and what this country means to the world so it was a dynamite experience. Do you gone back to the theater now for. Yeah a week run. Yeah I'm going to be doing eight shows at The Regent theater in Arlington and one of the things I was thinking about the whole time I was at school was how do I use what I do to actually effect some sort of social change. One of the things we're doing with the shows this year at the theater and I came up with this after graduate. We're just partnering with non-profits So a lot of the if somebody goes to the website wants to buy a ticket you can make a donation to Globe Santa problems that you have and you don't know OK. And so you see all the nonprofits and there's about 18 of them there. And all those so you can actually you know we can make a donation and come to a show and it's sort of a win win. And so that's something I'm really excited about because I hadn't done it before and I wondered if it would actually work and it seems to be working. Just just going back to it. Is that something you wanted to give the yes no no no I mean I never left you know really I mean I took time off but I still did you know periodic dates I did things that I

already had booked I didn't do a lot of public performs as I did private events and things like that. No I always I always wanted to get back on stage and I that's what I'm really good at and I enjoy it. I get a lot of time for living now. Yeah but it's fun it's fun there's a lot it's easier than boxing. That's true I don't want to get my head better than I do. And on a certain level it's easier than journalism I mean right now because of the all the cutbacks in newspapers all the cutbacks in television. So I feel really fortunate that I made able to make a living doing something I love to do and I'm pretty much unedited in unscripted on stage and I have a lot of fun I do Q&A with the audience. I try to have a you know topical component to it a improvisational component to it with the Q&A with the audience and talk about what's going on in the world and I'm having a ball with it. Like airport security. Let me ask you this am I the only one in America who likes the full body scanner. I like the feel I think there are a huge step up than what we used to have and that could be some positive you know whim of occasions for this I mean I think Americans will be getting in better shape now to fly. Yeah. Marge what are

you doing down here Wait watch as well. Oh we're going to Europe next summer and I want to look good when they flash my butt up on the jumbotron. I think that's a first. I think that's all I would say that I think it's a positive development. I mean I see. Yeah I went through that thing the other day and you know it makes you uneasy for a couple seconds in the space because actually you're in there longer than you want to be right. Then the guy in front of me doesn't know does he do that was bad enough. He got the full body pat after going through all really and that is especially I don't know it's not good for management but quest that says the guy says to him I'm going to go up your legs into he'll. Resist him. Oh my you follow me at all I thought oh my God oh did he request the full body powder was the suspicious I don't know. Oh I think you know I didn't have my microphone out right or enough I couldn't hear what they were saying I don't know why that's hilarious. I think they do that arbitrarily you know the rules and some guy threw Or maybe he had a watch in a lock and I thought it was either or I think it was what I thought nobody on the floor of the hood. That's the problem.

Boy that's funny but I mean beats the securelevel security we used to have after September 11th remember that the questions. Did anybody give you anything to bring onto the plane. All right I've got another question did you pack your bags yourself. What are we on the honor system. So I packed my bags. No stranger from the Middle East backed them. I couldn't believe you know exactly what to bring. You know and you think about all those rules that used to be Remember the no no nail clippers no nail files and all these things kind of slowly disappear you know what else has disappeared they're not telling you is that gels in the bag thing you don't have to do it. You're right you really don't you can just pack in your bag and they will pay attention. Right except for any of the talkers. They did yeah they took care of you you know what I think that she was in Europe there you know what I think one of the things they have to concentrate more on though is the bags going onto the plane not our bags that we're carrying on but the luggage I read recently they're only checking like one or two percent of all the lot at Logan. I know that same claim. Oh good on the air and I got called on the carpet by Bill Clinton and all those guys over it OK.

Every single back that's what that Logan at Logan I don't know about the rest of the country but I read about that kid jumped into the wheel well that right with Caroline I don't think that checking the bags to write but I couldn't believe that there were places that they're not checking all the leverage because they don't have the X-ray machines I'm saying come on we're spending 500 billion dollars a year in national defense breakdown get $10000 get an X-ray machine. My brother in law is a dentist OK he has to X-ray machines every time I see him he tells me the exact same thing you know Jim you're grinding your teeth of course I'm going to my teeth. They're only checking two percent of the bags. I know you know I had a friend go through that thing in West Palm Beach today she was coming up here for something. She says that she she is a artificial hip and she said I'd rather go through the body scanner rather than the eye and they said their lunch throughout much I said it. Oh and by the way it was 7:30 morning lunch. That's what I mean not everybody is like Logan not everybody is going to Logan on Israel. Yeah right exactly. Exactly. But anyway so it's that type of thing that I bring to the stage and I enjoy doing it because there's so many issues out there that you know people are talking about. One of the things is that I've been talking about in the shows the whole idea of you know immigration I

mean when I was listening to somebody earlier obviously the country is hurting for money the immigrant population is a huge untapped resource of people you can help people become citizens and they're on the rolls them on the payrolls and they're on the tax rolls I mean that would just be a it seems to me like a no brainer. Of course not just everybody open the borders but I'm just saying you know some people some sort of immigration reform would seem like his dream again like the DREAM Act is exactly right because look at you look at the passion that people have come to this country even the ones who come in illegally and I'm not an advocate for illegal immigration but even the people who sneak into the country would probably make pretty good citizens. I mean think about have if you want to see people sneaking into a country to work. I mean think about that sneaking into a country to work. That's like somebody breaking into your house to clean it. These people look good. Yeah i know i know i know i'm with you but you know the arguments against it are you know want to be rewarding people who broke the law. Right right right but right now so many people are paying taxes and so many

employers on paying Social Security taxes a lot. It just seems like that's another issue that we could talk about and that's one of the things I address on stage as well. Now what kind of audience do you draw is it do you give a cross-section of GBH audience now. Well Emily will be audience Well of course I tap into all kind of people. Emily Rooney to my show you've got to come Emily. I'd like to I would just look at your desk as I was on your website so listen you've been on LARRY KING LIVE a couple times. Tomorrow tonight is his last night. What is it really. Well would you would you think of him. I like Larry. I like them. Obviously a legend in the business I love the fact that he has all these people and everybody wants to talk to him and they can say anything they want and he just Chalon. To them I won't challenge him sometimes he does but he gives people a format and a forum and I think that's great and I I don't know who's the Piers Morgan. I'm here to tell you right now there's going to be a bust. Really. You ask somebody in your audience raise your hands if they know who Piers Morgan is Brit What are you going to do.

Yeah yeah that would be a step up because he's automatically going to sound a lot more intelligent than Larry. Oh I love Larry but you know that's not the accent Americans don't like accents. Oh that's right me and me at 60 Minutes. Oh yeah I think so I think there's people in Idaho going what's he talking about. No I thought you mean. I thought it helped you. I was ready to charm. Well thank you. It was you know 60 Minutes too had its own you know its own issues. Yeah that way. Well that's a good show it was a good show it was a great show and your dad was really really helpful and you know he was a big big fan of yours. Yeah it was great to always see him and I still love that show and I still love the people there Jeff Fager and the whole crew we've always we had a good relationship since I left as well. All right Jimmy. Well he's to be performing live at the Regent theater in Arlington starting next week. There's also two shows in New Year's Eve and checking that out starting Monday the 20th and I'm like. Through January the 2nd. All right get more information at Jimmy Tingle dot com. Or go to our website and catch more of you GBH org slash Emily Rooney. Thanks Jimmy. Thank you so much and we great to see you had it all it is a delight too and Merry Christmas all that you're back tomorrow

at noon with our weekly news round up in the meantime tune into Greater Boston tonight 7:00 Kevin Youkilis is going to be there the Emily Rooney show is a production of eighty nine point seven WGBH Boston NPR station for news and culture on the web at WGBH org slash. Emily Rooney the Calla Crossley Show is coming up next. And Emily Rooney have a great afternoon. Support for WGBH comes from you and from Elsa Dorfman Cambridge portrait photographer. Still clicking with the jumbo format Polaroid 20 by 24 analog camera and original Polaroid film. Online at Elsa Dorfman dot com. That's Elsa Dorfman dot com and from Somerset Subaru. You were invited to the Subaru love event featuring five star any TSA government crash test rated vehicles with symmetrical all wheel drive Summerset Subaru Route 195 in Somerset Somerset auto group dot

com. We're running out of oxygen. I have so many people that I can treat. The world is a decision for anyone to make. Coming up at 3 o'clock on an eighty nine point seven WGBH Boston NPR station for news and culture public radio from Boston for New England. I'm Marco Werman. I'm Lisa Mullins and this is eighty nine point seven. Boston online at WGBH dot org the Bostons NPR station for news and culture.