1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: It's Nightside with Dan Ray. I'm telling you Boston's niche radio. 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 2: If you stick with us, you'll have a great night 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 2: here on Nightside. My name is Dan Ray, the host 4 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 2: of Nightside. Rob Brooks is back in the control room 5 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 2: at Broadcast Central and beautiful Medford, Massachusetts, and I am 6 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 2: broadcasting remotely. We will be talking tonight about two of 7 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 2: the potential ballot questions that Massachusetts voters may be asked 8 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 2: to consider next November. One, whether or not to have 9 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 2: rent control statewide. We will talk about that subject at 10 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 2: nine o'clock, and then at ten o'clock we'll talk about 11 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 2: another proposal, which, if passed, would lower the Massachusetts state 12 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 2: income tax from five percent to four percent. There's course 13 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 2: is controversy about both of those proposals, as you would suggest, 14 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 2: and I will have a guest on each each of them, 15 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 2: and probably later on this month have guests on the 16 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 2: opposite side of the issue. But you can take the 17 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 2: opportunity tonight to either express support for those initiatives or 18 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 2: your opposition. Either way, we'll get to all of that, 19 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 2: I promise. We are four very interesting guests starting off 20 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 2: with a very important subject, and that is lung cancer. Specifically, 21 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 2: today is World Cancer Day and we're going to speak 22 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 2: with doctor Andrea McKee. Doctor McKee, I hope I've got 23 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 2: both your first and last names correctly pronounced Dan. 24 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 3: Okay, great, thanks for having me. 25 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 2: You're very welcome, Thanks for being here. You are the 26 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 2: medical director of Radiation Oncology at the Mass General Brigham 27 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: Cancer Center at Wentworth Douglas Hospital and Tirameritis at the 28 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: Laky Hospital and Medical Center. And we're going to talk 29 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: about primarily focused on lung cancer. So big, wild, broad question, 30 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: and that is are we doing better, the worse or 31 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: about the same with lung cancer diagnoses every year? 32 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 3: So we are doing better in terms of diagnosing more 33 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 3: early stage lung cancer, and that is primarily due to 34 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 3: the fact that we are now doing screening for lung cancer. 35 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 3: So it's a new recommendation, relatively new within the last 36 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 3: ten years that for those people who are at high 37 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 3: risk for developing lung cancer, we recommend that they have 38 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 3: an annual low dose CT scan of the chest, which 39 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 3: allows us physicians to very carefully see within the lungs 40 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 3: and find if there's an early lung cancer getting started. 41 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 3: And when we're able to find lung cancer. In those 42 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 3: very early stages, we're able to cure the disease about 43 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 3: ninety percent of the time, which is a big deal 44 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 3: when it comes to lung cancer because most of us 45 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 3: are familiar with lung cancer being very deadly and being 46 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 3: diagnosed in the later stages of these where it's much 47 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 3: harder to cure. 48 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 2: Now, the program that we're talking about is called Saved 49 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 2: by the Scan. It's Saved by the Scan campaign, and 50 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 2: we talk about as you just mentioned, this new low 51 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 2: dose CT lung cancer screening test. Put that in layman's terms, 52 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 2: so they understand what that means and what the advantages 53 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: of will be if you're able to be screened in 54 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 2: this way. 55 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 4: Yeah. 56 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 3: Absolutely so. Most people are familiar with screening for cancer. 57 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 3: We know women tend to have mammograms. It's recommended they 58 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 3: have an annual mammogram where the radiologists will look very 59 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 3: closely at breast tissue and find early stage breast cancer, 60 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 3: thereby making it more curable. This is the exact same thing, 61 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 3: but it's a scan of the lungs instead of just 62 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 3: looking at the breast, and it allows us to find 63 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 3: early stage lung cancer. About eighty five percent of the 64 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 3: time when we do a low dose CT of the chest, 65 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 3: it's aimed towards patients who are at high risk for 66 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 3: lung cancer. So these are individuals who are over the 67 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 3: age of fifty and who have a history of tobacco used. 68 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 3: Typically they've spoked about twenty pack years, which means one 69 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,720 Speaker 3: pack per day times twenty years or two packs per 70 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 3: day times ten years. That's how we calculate pack years. 71 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 3: And if you have any questions about eligibility, you can 72 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 3: go to saved bythescan dot org. It's a fabulous website 73 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 3: that the American Lung Association has put up that allows 74 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,799 Speaker 3: you to take a quiz and determine your eligibility for 75 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 3: lung cancer screening. 76 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 2: Well, I took that quiz, and I think one question 77 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 2: was if you were between the ages of fifty and eighty, 78 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,359 Speaker 2: and I am on the wrong side of fifty. But 79 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 2: I'm happy to tell you that of all the dumb 80 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 2: things I've done in my life, many dumb things, one 81 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 2: of the is that I never smoked cigarettes. My father 82 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: had been a two packa day, non filtered camel smoker. Yeah, 83 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 2: and he was when he was warned in nineteen sixty 84 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:18,840 Speaker 2: four by the Surgeon General. He went cold Turkey and 85 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 2: never smoked again, and he lived for another three and 86 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 2: a half decades. World War Two veteran who got the 87 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 2: cigarettes and the gut hooked on cigarettes. Smoke them if 88 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 2: you got him, you know that. So I've never smoked 89 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 2: a cigarette in my life, and yet whenever I hear 90 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: these stories about someone who's never smoked a cigarette in 91 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 2: their life and they get lung cancer, I realized that 92 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 2: there are other factors like radon and things like that. 93 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 2: But how rare is it. I'm not going to do 94 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 2: the screening because I did not have to do the screening, 95 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 2: But I. 96 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 5: Just I've always despised cigarette smoke and the smell of cigarettes, 97 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 5: which you know, someone instilled in me. 98 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 2: And I'm an anti cigarette guy. I mean, I've left 99 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 2: rooms when people with smoking cigarettes, and then friendships over 100 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 2: people who wanted to smoke cigarettes. In my present presence, 101 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 2: that was not impossible. I could contract lung cancer, I guess, 102 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 2: but I would be on the lower end of the 103 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 2: spectrum of likelihood. 104 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 3: I assume it certainly sounds that way from what you describe. 105 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 3: You know about fifteen percent of lung cancers are diagnosed 106 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 3: in patients who have had no personal history of tobacco youth. Wow, 107 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 3: we don't wow, Yeah, fifteen percent. 108 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 2: Yes. 109 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 3: And what we're seeing you've probably heard about this in 110 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 3: some of the news reports, is that we're seeing younger, 111 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 3: in particular women who have no history of personal tobacco 112 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 3: youth who are being diagnosed with lung cancer. And we're 113 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 3: trying to figure out what that's about, because you know, 114 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 3: we do know that cigarette smoke and age are the 115 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 3: two most important risk factors for developing lung cancer. Other 116 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 3: risk factors include, as you mentioned, radon, also emphysema. There 117 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 3: are there are risk factors in terms of environmental agents 118 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 3: such as asbestos. Diesel fumes also increase risk. In the 119 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 3: military exposure to burn pits the nine to eleven firefighters 120 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 3: and rescue workers who were exposed to a number of 121 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 3: carcinogens during that event. So so there are other ways 122 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 3: in which you can contract lung cancer, but in general, 123 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 3: the biggest risk factors are age and tobacco history. 124 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 2: If people are looking for general information to compliment the 125 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 2: information to have shared with us tonight, what's the single 126 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 2: best website or resource that folks can go to. 127 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:11,239 Speaker 3: Well, the American Lung Association really has incredibly well thought 128 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 3: through information on their website, So I would encourage those 129 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 3: interested in learning more to visit the American Lung Associations, 130 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 3: which has been around for over one hundred years and 131 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 3: really dedicated its mission to promoting lung health and educating 132 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 3: people about what they can do to protect their lungs, 133 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 3: not just from cancer, but from a variety of lung 134 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 3: health issues. So it's really a great resource to those 135 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 3: who are more interested in learning about it. 136 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:42,680 Speaker 2: I looked at the State of Lung Cancer report, which 137 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 2: is lengthy, but I noticed that there were some references 138 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 2: to both the proclivity for contracting lung cancer and then 139 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 2: the ability to beat lung cancer. How is New England 140 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 2: generally doing with with those two variants. 141 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 3: We're actually doing a pretty good job in New England, 142 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:11,319 Speaker 3: relatively speaking, but let me say that the whole country 143 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,679 Speaker 3: has a really long way to go. So for example, 144 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 3: the national screening rates in the United States are about 145 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 3: eighteen percent. Compare that to breath screening which is closer 146 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 3: to seventy five eighty percent, so we have a ways 147 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 3: to go. And in Massachusetts we're at about twenty six percent, 148 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,439 Speaker 3: so we are leading the nation. We're among the top 149 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 3: five sites across the US for screening rates, but the 150 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:46,679 Speaker 3: rates are generally recognized among health care professionals to be 151 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 3: way too low. So we but I mean, in part 152 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 3: this is large part it is because it's relatively new. 153 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 3: You know, when breast screening first started with mammograms many 154 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:00,839 Speaker 3: decades ago, we saw a similar thing. You know, women 155 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 3: needed to hear about it and physicians needed to become 156 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 3: familiar with it. It takes a while for new techniques 157 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 3: to really to really catch on. The thing about lung 158 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 3: cancer screening is it's so powerful at detecting early stage disease. 159 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 3: With as I mentioned, eighty five percent of patients are 160 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,680 Speaker 3: diagnosed in stage one or two when they are entered 161 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 3: into a screening program, and stage one detective lung cancer 162 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 3: has a ninety percent chance of being sured. 163 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,560 Speaker 2: You have made a very compelling case, doctor, and I'm 164 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:36,319 Speaker 2: hoping that a lot of my listeners will will take advantage. 165 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 2: And I assume that they can get on the track 166 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 2: to this Saved by the SKI and campaign by talking 167 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 2: with their own doctor about how they can get themselves 168 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 2: this new low dose CT lung cancer screening test. Thank you, 169 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 2: so much. Thank you so much for your time tonight 170 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 2: and for what you do. Doctor Andrew McKee, Medical Director 171 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 2: of Radiation Oncology at Mass General Brigham Center Cancer Center 172 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 2: at Wentworth Douglas Hospital, Thank you so much. 173 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:06,719 Speaker 6: Thank you, Dan. 174 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 3: Have a great night, you too. 175 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 2: Talk soon. We get back and talk about the next 176 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 2: latest edition of In Boston Magazine that's going to feature 177 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,079 Speaker 2: David Ortiz big Poppy on the cover, and Marie Lafouci, 178 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 2: editor of In Boston Magazine, will join us right after 179 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 2: the break. 180 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Dan Ray on w b Boston's 181 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: news radio. 182 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 2: Delighted to be joined by the editor of my favorite 183 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 2: local magazine, In Boston Magazine, and Marie Lafosse. Hey Ann, Marie, 184 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 2: how are you tonight? 185 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 7: I'm doing great, Dan, Thank you, how are you? 186 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 2: We're doing great. You have a big another big addition 187 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,199 Speaker 2: coming out and this one is going to feature perfectly 188 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 2: time for spring, big poppy on the cover. How'd you 189 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 2: work that? What's going on with that? 190 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 7: I know he's awesome. We actually went to an event 191 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 7: of his and it was the Ozama rum. He just 192 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 7: invented a new rama, launched a new rum brand called 193 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 7: Ozama or he gives back to his community in the Dominican. 194 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 3: At the River. 195 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 7: But at that event we got to talking to him, 196 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 7: and you know, he told him about we love him 197 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 7: in Boston, and it's kind of his idea, I think 198 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 7: you He was like, let me love to do it. 199 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 7: Love to promote his brand and all he does for 200 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 7: the children, you know, he's amazing. He does the obviously 201 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 7: you know, the Children's Fund and does so much the 202 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 7: people in Boston, legendary sports and all. 203 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 2: Oh. Absolutely, how's the magazine doing? I I'm it's my 204 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 2: favorite magazine, and of course I want you to be successful. 205 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 2: It's businesses is tough generally. I noticed that the Washington 206 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 2: Post today, uh, you know, a great print newspaper, laid 207 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 2: off about a third of its staff. And and so 208 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 2: there's there's all always people who want to read and 209 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 2: you want to know about Boston. How can people become 210 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 2: a subscriber and what can what can they do to 211 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 2: get to get you your magazine in the hands with 212 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:12,320 Speaker 2: more people. 213 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:19,079 Speaker 7: So any anyone can visit in Boston magazine dot com 214 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 7: and you know, you can purchase the magazine, you can 215 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:23,839 Speaker 7: get involved with the magazine. You can tell us great 216 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 7: stories you know that that you may know about. 217 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 3: I'm sorry about that sure. 218 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 2: And and by the way, by the way, when you 219 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 2: say visit in Boston Magazine, they're not coming to visit you, 220 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 2: but they're going to visit your website. What is the website? 221 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 2: Just in Boston Magazine dot com dot com. 222 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 7: That's it. That's the website. And we try to keep 223 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 7: all our latest featured articles updated there. I think the 224 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 7: David Artis is probably already up there. And then along 225 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 7: with David Artis, we have Brian Fox on this issue, 226 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 7: who I don't know if you're aware of. The Eve 227 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 7: an amazing artist. He's from the mess Is. It's obviously 228 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 7: area in New England area. He's he's very well known 229 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 7: in the sports and like celebrity industry. He does a 230 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 7: lot of portraits. But he just most recently did a 231 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 7: collection for veterans and it was called In the Valley 232 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 7: of the Shadow, The Cost of Walking with Death. It's 233 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 7: probably the most moving exhibition I've ever seen, exhibit I've 234 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 7: ever seen. He's he's an artist, he just he's incredible. 235 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 2: He brought. 236 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 7: America's warriors back into the light and this new veteran 237 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 7: he just showed down and I believe it was Paul River. 238 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 7: And the funny thing is on the cover the other 239 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 7: people wouldn't know, but the person who sat for his 240 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 7: photo is Suzi in that light sun, so it's kind 241 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 7: of his diffun on the cover, although he's a veteran. 242 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 2: What's great about the magazine is that you learn much 243 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 2: more about Boston. It's beautifully presented. Uh, it's not like 244 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 2: other magazines that maybe we've seen in the past, which 245 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 2: we are, you know, one hundred pages, ninety eight of 246 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 2: which were advertising and two of which were content. Yours 247 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 2: is a content heavy magazine that just tells people about 248 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 2: great stuff that is going on in our area. Hence 249 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 2: the name in Boston Magazine. And you've been now are 250 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 2: you in what year of publications or publication are you 251 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 2: now in at this point, Amory. 252 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 7: Were seven print years eight all together, and we started 253 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 7: going to print seven years ago, twenty nineteen. I can't 254 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 7: believe that was seven years ago. It was two years ago. 255 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 2: Run yeah, no, No time goes by unfortunately too quickly. 256 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 2: And of course that predated COVID. And I know that 257 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 2: you've had great articles over the years. And when does 258 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 2: this is this now available? Is the printed copies available 259 00:15:57,720 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 2: to be purchased by going to the website. 260 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 7: Yep, this latest print has been out for about a 261 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 7: month now and the next one we actually already have 262 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 7: the next one in process. I don't know if I 263 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 7: should say, but yeah, this one had the David Ortiz 264 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 7: and Brian Fox, and the next day she will have 265 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 7: Andrew Mitten and and Emma Hernon and we have a 266 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 7: lot of like the next day is going to be 267 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 7: all about Hollywood, from Hollywood to Boston, and you know 268 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 7: Boston and to Hollywood people doing great things. 269 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 2: Well, you got a lot of connections there at city 270 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 2: with with Paul Wahlberg, uh and uh the very famous war. 271 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 7: Yeah, they're allous, pretty even Arthur the other brother. He's 272 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 7: doing a new book. He's in this later, he's in 273 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 7: the recent issue that we just printed. 274 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's it's just a great city. I mean, normally, 275 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 2: you can live somewhere anywhere in America and there's nobody 276 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 2: who lives in your community who you know. Now you 277 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 2: live in a place like Boston, and Neilia David Ortiz 278 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 2: is sitting at a table next to you at a 279 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 2: restaurant or or what are the Wahlbergs is there or 280 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 2: there at one of the Wallburg restaurants, and so. 281 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 7: Many local legends doing amazing things, just you know, change 282 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 7: makers in this area, but just so much to learn 283 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:21,479 Speaker 7: and do you know, I mean, we're like New England. 284 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:22,159 Speaker 3: It's where it's. 285 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 7: All happening, I feel like, And you know, I think 286 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 7: what we try to focus on is nothing to do 287 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 7: with tabloids. Are you know, we're not dated. If you 288 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 7: could pick up an issue from five years ago and 289 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 7: it's still going to be relevant today because it's not. 290 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 7: They're not stories of you know, they're not. It's just 291 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 7: it's relevant issues because we're spotlighting great people. 292 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 2: And you know, the way I would describe it, it 293 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 2: is a very positive publication about things in and around 294 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 2: New England, but primarily in and around Boston. Hins the 295 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 2: name in Boston, and yeah, I kind of recommended more highly. 296 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 2: So you'd love to have you when you come on 297 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 2: and we just check in with you and see what's 298 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 2: going on. And when the next edition comes out, we'll 299 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 2: do the same thing and we just see a big 300 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 2: poppy tell him I sat helone. 301 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 7: Okay, I well definitely, and thank you so much. I 302 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 7: loved your show last night with Ernie. By the way, 303 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 7: Ernie's one of my favorite people. So yeah, we cover 304 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 7: all of that stuff in the magazine. So I hope 305 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 7: to see you at his next event on the twenty 306 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:23,360 Speaker 7: sixth too. 307 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 2: I will I will see I will see you there. 308 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 2: I will see you there. Thanks. Thanks so much, Marie, 309 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 2: say hi to everybody you know. 310 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 7: Well you too, Thank you so much. 311 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 2: Okay, right back at you now. We have a newscast 312 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 2: coming up. We're going to get through that newscast and 313 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 2: we are going to talk after the newscast with former 314 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 2: United States Ambassador to Denmark, Allan Levienthal, who will be 315 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 2: joining us tonight live from Israel. It's about seven hours 316 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:52,639 Speaker 2: ahead in Israel, but he has been there for the 317 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 2: last of at least the last few days, maybe the 318 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:58,719 Speaker 2: last couple of weeks, and he's going to provide us 319 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 2: with a report as to what is going on on 320 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 2: the ground in Israel from his point of view. He 321 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:08,120 Speaker 2: was our ambassador to Denmark, but obviously as a member 322 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 2: of the Ambassadorial Corps, he has access to people and 323 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 2: places that you and I never would and I'm so 324 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 2: grateful that he has been kind enough to get up 325 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,439 Speaker 2: a little early in Israel, and we'll get through the 326 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 2: news as quickly as we can, and we'll have Ambassador 327 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 2: Leventhal with us right after this news break. 328 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 1: You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's 329 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: news radio. 330 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 2: We're delighted to be joined from Tel Aviv in Israel. 331 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,239 Speaker 2: Former United States Ambassador Alan Lementhal. He has been on 332 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 2: this program several occasions. Former US Ambassador to Denmark. It's 333 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:46,879 Speaker 2: in a different part of the world tonight, Ambassador, welcome 334 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 2: back to Nightside. 335 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 6: Dan's so nice to be with you. It's not a 336 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 6: night time for me. It's three third in the morning, 337 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 6: but it's always delighted to be with you. 338 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 2: Well, I don't know if you've stayed up all night 339 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 2: or if you're getting up early, but either way, this 340 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 2: is a tremendous courtesy to my listeners. I know that 341 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 2: you've been in Israel for a little while. How many 342 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 2: days have you been there on this trip? 343 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 6: Well, it seems like I've been here for a months, 344 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:13,480 Speaker 6: but it's only been that. This is my fourth day 345 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 6: and I'm leaving today to come back to the US. 346 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 6: But it's been a bit of a whirlwind. 347 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 2: Dan, I'll bet it has now I know your interest 348 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 2: in Israel, and everyone knows so much has happened in 349 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 2: the last two and a half years. What are you 350 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 2: seeing over there on the ground that is different or 351 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 2: the same? Obviously, there have been things that have gone 352 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 2: on in the last few months that I think have 353 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 2: impacted Iran's ability to strike Israel and to strike other countries. 354 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 2: Give us your perspective as to what you see that's 355 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 2: going in the right direction. Maybe if there's anything going 356 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,159 Speaker 2: in the wrong direction, tell us about that as well. 357 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 6: Dan, I'll tell you, the one thing that really hit 358 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 6: me when they arrived is something quite different. I looked back. 359 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 6: I thought back to almost thirty over thirty one years 360 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 6: ago when I was part of a delegation with President 361 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 6: Clinton to attend the peace signing with Jordan between Jordan 362 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 6: and Israel and Akaba, Jordan, and I remember sitting by 363 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,440 Speaker 6: the by the sea. It was a very warm day. 364 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 6: We were in on stands and seeing the King of 365 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 6: whose King Hussein of Jordan. The Prime Minister of Jordan 366 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:39,120 Speaker 6: at that at that time was Itzakraabin, who was Prime 367 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:42,960 Speaker 6: Minister of Israel. They signed this momentous peace agreement and 368 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 6: there was such a sense of joy and hope that 369 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 6: this the great challenges that that Israel has faced, and 370 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 6: what's happened in the Middle East, that we saw a 371 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 6: bright future. And we flew up to Aman and and 372 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,439 Speaker 6: and there was each is there that we flew to 373 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 6: the Kanesset in Jerusalem. Of course, President Clinton gave a 374 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 6: magnificent speech. Rabin gave a speech that the the opposition 375 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 6: leader at that time was Nettunyahu and and and within 376 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 6: a little over a year uh Uh Rabin was assassinated 377 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 6: and a few months after that, Neatunaho became the prime minister. 378 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 6: And it's just it was, you know, it was just 379 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 6: there was such hope in the air at that time, 380 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 6: and we've seen all of the unfolding tragedies and battles emerge. 381 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 6: I do sense in Israel today. I met with many politicians, 382 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 6: government officials, leading journalists and the And the very short 383 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,479 Speaker 6: time I was here, I was up on on the 384 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 6: goal On Heights looking over to Syria. I was up 385 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 6: on Lebanon. I went down to the Nova Festival events 386 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 6: looked across at at Gaza, which was uh you know 387 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 6: for the terrorists of that when they came over, it 388 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,679 Speaker 6: was two or three minutes on motorcyclism and paragliders to 389 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 6: reach the to bring the incredible carnage to those people 390 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:14,880 Speaker 6: and those kibbutzers. So I've been down there and heard 391 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 6: all the stories. But I believe there's continues to be 392 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 6: great hope. But the challenge we have today and we're 393 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 6: seeing it in the news with the President's decision what 394 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 6: to do about Iran, the the the negotiations which are 395 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 6: going to be coming up in Oman, that the real 396 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:38,159 Speaker 6: challenge is what happens with Iran. And we cannot forget 397 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 6: that Iran it's sponsoring terrorism around the world, not just 398 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 6: around the Middle East, and we can't we can't think 399 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,880 Speaker 6: that our oceans protect us. What we do is America 400 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 6: and the decisions we make about the Middle East. Support 401 00:23:53,840 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 6: for Israel is not about Israel. It's about America. It's 402 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 6: about our self interests because our oceans can no longer 403 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 6: protect us from ballistic missiles and this type of terrorism. 404 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 6: So I you know, I know the President faces a 405 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 6: difficult decision on how to deal with this. The Israeli 406 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 6: is due, but this is a this is an important decision. 407 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 6: This is about America and what's good and keeps keeps 408 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 6: America safe. 409 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 2: Well, I think is what is very good about it 410 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 2: is that whichever president we have at any given time 411 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 2: during my lifetime, beginning with President Truman, who was president 412 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 2: when I was born, they have been pro Israel, uh 413 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 2: in pro ISRAELI. At the same time, you know, there's 414 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 2: different different degrees, if you will, and and different philosophies, 415 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 2: but at their core. And I think that President Trump 416 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,159 Speaker 2: did the right thing when he took that chance last 417 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 2: year and took Iran off the world stage as a 418 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 2: nuclear your player. And I think that along with what 419 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 2: Israel has done in the last two and a half 420 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 2: years to to their opponents in Hamas, their enemies in Humas' 421 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 2: opponents is not strong enough word. There's worn enemies in 422 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 2: Ama in Hamas uh and Hesbollah and the hooties in 423 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 2: Yemen uh and and and Asad in Syria. I think 424 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 2: Israel's in the best shape of my lifetime, mister ambassador, 425 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 2: and I would I would think that as a result, 426 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 2: the hope right now for a brighter day in the 427 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 2: Middle East for everyone is at its best. The best 428 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 2: opportunity lies before us. In my opinion, I hope you'll 429 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 2: join me. I hope I'm not miss mischaracterizing it or 430 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 2: or miss misassessing it. What what's your thought on that? 431 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:54,640 Speaker 6: I thank you. I think you said it very well. Dan. 432 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 6: I also think you know, we read about what's happening around. 433 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,639 Speaker 6: Of course, the information is very it's hard to get news. 434 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:04,879 Speaker 6: And there are estimates about the number of innocent people 435 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 6: protesters who are being who are being massacred. 436 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 3: Uh. 437 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:12,199 Speaker 6: The here I'm getting, I'm getting an indication the numbers 438 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 6: far exceeded maybe the largest massacre ever of innocent civilians. 439 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 6: It's just the numbers may be staggering. 440 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 2: Other than other than other than the Holocaust obviously, which 441 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 2: which nothing right. 442 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:28,400 Speaker 6: But I'm talking about one I'm talking about one country 443 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:33,640 Speaker 6: and in a democracy, I'm side. I'm talking about one 444 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 6: country where people are starting to protest the government and 445 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 6: this and this and and this. Uh theocracy which which 446 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,400 Speaker 6: exports terrorism and evil. By the way, that is. 447 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 2: What we what I would call an insane theocracy. Uh 448 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 2: you know, I mean so that that, as you said, uh, 449 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 2: loves to slaughter innocent people, people who are Irunian, but 450 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:02,159 Speaker 2: even more important people people who are ISRAELI. 451 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 6: Yes, it's a it's a terrible terrible situation, but it's 452 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 6: a so I when I think about the Hope when 453 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 6: on my trip thirty one years ago, I think, I think, 454 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 6: these really you have to understand the is. Really I've 455 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 6: been very fortunate. I've been ambassador to Denmark, and the 456 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:23,280 Speaker 6: Danes love America. I'm in israel Is really love America. 457 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 6: They respect America, they look up to America, and that 458 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 6: bond is so important, so so having the President's support, 459 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 6: having the Congress of support, and understanding the is really 460 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 6: prepared to do what they can to protect freedom and 461 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 6: and and and and and I think that's the very 462 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 6: strong message I get from being. 463 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 2: Here, protect freedom and also civilization, in my opinion, because 464 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 2: I think that their enemies are not part of civilization 465 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 2: as that we can allow to continue to prosper. And 466 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 2: I know I'm sounding probably a little strong here, but 467 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 2: I truly believe that that Iran is an evil, evil 468 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:16,320 Speaker 2: country led by evil, evil men who are now killing clerics, 469 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 2: who are killing innocent men, women and children. And I 470 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 2: don't know what the President's going to do, but I 471 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 2: hope Iran understands that he's acted once before and it's 472 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 2: not out of the question that he could act again, 473 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 2: and they better start to they better start to tow 474 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 2: align a little closer to civilization than they have told 475 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 2: for the last forty five or so years. 476 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 6: And the Iranian people a wonderful sophisticated people, and they 477 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 6: are ruled by this small elite which is sponsoring terrorism. 478 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 6: And I hope freedom will come to Iran. This is 479 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 6: a very challenging time. The Middle East continues to be 480 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 6: a challenging time. You travel around and you're just struck 481 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 6: by the history here, and every time I come here, 482 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 6: I'm just amazed about, you know, this particular spot and 483 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 6: what's behind the history and all of the various sects 484 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 6: you have, and many of these countries, whether it's in 485 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:23,120 Speaker 6: Lebanon or whether it's in Syria, and the challenges. It's 486 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 6: a very, very complicated place. It's very hard to navigate. 487 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 6: I think the alliance between Israel and the US is 488 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 6: so powerful, so strong. We need to continue that relationship. 489 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 6: That alliance. America has been so good to Israel, and 490 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 6: Israel stands for freedom and ensuring that we can stop 491 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 6: this terrorism, which is not just affecting the Middle East, 492 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 6: it's affecting the world, and it's had an impact on 493 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:52,360 Speaker 6: America too. 494 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, let's comments on my end, and I know I 495 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 2: think you'll join me in this no matter what challenges 496 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 2: lie ahead. The challenges that lie ahead pale in comparison 497 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:08,840 Speaker 2: to the challenge that Israel faced in the middle of 498 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 2: October in twenty twenty three. 499 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 6: After Wow, it's been a stearing experience, and when you 500 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 6: speak to people, it's very much in their mind and 501 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:23,600 Speaker 6: committed to making sure this never happens again, and that 502 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 6: we can and that they can be strong, and that 503 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 6: we can make them at least a safer place. 504 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:31,920 Speaker 2: Ambassador, thank you so much for your time. I wish 505 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 2: you were you have a good breakfast, and when you 506 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 2: get back we'll talk again, maybe even do another hour 507 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 2: and take some phone calls, if that's okay with you. 508 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 4: Dan. 509 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 6: It's always wonderful to speak to you, and I always 510 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 6: learn so much when I listen to you. 511 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 2: Well, I learned from you, sir, with all due respect, 512 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 2: I don't want to correct you on that, but I 513 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:56,479 Speaker 2: have a lot more to learn from you than you 514 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 2: ever have from me. Thank you so much, ambassador. 515 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:00,120 Speaker 6: You're very kind. 516 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:04,000 Speaker 2: Alan Livethal on the ground in Tel Aviv giving us 517 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 2: a reporter as to what is the state of mind 518 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 2: of people in Israel, and we get back. We're going 519 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 2: to talk about Japanese baseball with Rob Fitz. He's an author, 520 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:17,240 Speaker 2: an author and a curatorial consultant for the National Baseball 521 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 2: Hall of Fame and a baseball historian. This is going 522 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 2: to be a fun interview to end off the hour. 523 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:23,960 Speaker 2: Coming back on Nightside. 524 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on w Boston's 525 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: news radio. 526 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 2: I'm delighted to welcome Rob Fitz. He is an expert 527 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 2: on Japanese baseball. Rob fits, Welcome to Nightside. How are you, sir? 528 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 4: I'm doing well, Dan, Thanks for having me on. 529 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, you have written how many books on the evolution 530 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:51,840 Speaker 2: and the history of Japanese baseball. 531 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 4: I just came out with number eleven. 532 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 2: Wow. How did you first, I mean, sink your teeth 533 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 2: into this subject. I'm somewhat familiar with it, but I 534 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 2: have to assume you've spent time there. You have really 535 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 2: dedicated years to this experience. 536 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was kind of like love at first sight. 537 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:18,920 Speaker 4: So what happened was my wife was transferred to Tokyo 538 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 4: in nineteen ninety three and I came along about a 539 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 4: month later. And you know, it's a grueling flight fourteen 540 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 4: hours plus a good six hours on either side of 541 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:33,000 Speaker 4: the airplane, and I arrived at the hotel absolutely exhausted, 542 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 4: and she says, oh, goodyear. Here we have baseball tickets. 543 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 4: Get ready to go, and her her firm had given 544 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 4: tickets because they knew I was a big baseball fan 545 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 4: ever since I was a kid, So they went to 546 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:49,280 Speaker 4: welcome me with baseball tickets in Tokyo. So we go 547 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 4: to the game and it's like nothing I've ever seen before. 548 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 4: A Japanese game is kind of like going to a 549 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 4: college championship basketball game. They have horns, they have drums, 550 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 4: they have songs and chants for every single player at bat, 551 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 4: and the stadium was just shaking with this incredible enthusiasm. 552 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:15,720 Speaker 2: It's not the PGA in mid April and Augusta. 553 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:18,080 Speaker 4: Not at all. It's a lot of fun, it really is. 554 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 2: So let's talk. I mean, obviously we know and we 555 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 2: I want to have people get in touch with you 556 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:29,880 Speaker 2: as a result of this that I'd love to bring 557 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 2: you back and talk about it at greater length because 558 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 2: we cannot do for me enough on this topic in 559 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 2: the seven or eight minutes we have. So you get 560 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 2: involved in this twenty five or so years ago. You 561 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,320 Speaker 2: fall in love with this, You love the sport. Take 562 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 2: take us back. When did baseball start in Japan? Everyone 563 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:55,680 Speaker 2: knows that baseball started in America sometime in the late 564 00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:58,400 Speaker 2: nineteenth century, depending upon which group you want to believe, 565 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 2: baseball got a later start in Japan. 566 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:04,840 Speaker 4: Correct, yes, but not by much so. They posed a 567 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:07,760 Speaker 4: long history in Japan and the game first came over 568 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 4: in the late eighteen sixties. Whoa yeah. And they were 569 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:16,440 Speaker 4: playing it in Japanese schools as early as the eighteen seventies, 570 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 4: and by nineteen hundred it was by far the most 571 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:23,000 Speaker 4: popular sport in Japan, and Japanese were calling it their 572 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 4: national pastime. 573 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 6: Wow. 574 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 2: Now, how much of an impact did World War Two 575 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:35,200 Speaker 2: have on that national pastime? And I don't want I'm 576 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 2: not trying to be a downer here, but my understanding 577 00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 2: is that Japanese soldiers used to taunt American soldiers and 578 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 2: saying bad things about Babe Ruth, who had toured Japan 579 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:47,240 Speaker 2: in the nineteen thirties. 580 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:52,960 Speaker 4: That is right, So Babe Ruth toured nineteen thirty four, 581 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:55,480 Speaker 4: which is actually topic of one of my books. Was 582 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 4: the impetus to start professional baseball in Japan. Before the 583 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 4: nineteen thirties, it was amateur game, drawing tens of thousands 584 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 4: of people the amateur games games. But then when the 585 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:09,719 Speaker 4: ruth went over, they formed a professional league. But the 586 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:13,359 Speaker 4: professional league and baseball was so popular in Japan that 587 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:16,959 Speaker 4: they played this league up into mid nineteen forty four, 588 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:20,360 Speaker 4: where the war just made it too difficult to continue. 589 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:23,920 Speaker 4: And then right after the end, in I think it 590 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:27,920 Speaker 4: was late October nineteen forty five, they had a professional 591 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:32,080 Speaker 4: All Star game to kick off baseball again. So is 592 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 4: such a part of Japanese culture that the war did 593 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:38,320 Speaker 4: not affect the Japanese people's love for baseball. 594 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:41,879 Speaker 2: And what people might not remember is that when baseball 595 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:46,240 Speaker 2: was really America's number one sport in the nineteen forties 596 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:49,680 Speaker 2: and fifties, the New York Yankees every year would do 597 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 2: a tour of Japan. After the season was over, and 598 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:56,800 Speaker 2: in most cases it was after the World Series. They 599 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 2: would go to Japan and play exhibition games, Mantle and 600 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:04,480 Speaker 2: Bearer and Billy Martin and scouring. The one guy who 601 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:08,160 Speaker 2: wouldn't go was a guy who had fought an Ebo Jima. 602 00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:11,600 Speaker 2: Hank Bauer always refused to go to Japan. I'm sure 603 00:36:11,640 --> 00:36:12,520 Speaker 2: you're familiar with that. 604 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 4: Yes, I really enjoy studying and writing about the MLB 605 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:21,680 Speaker 4: tours of Japan because so many great American players have 606 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 4: played in Japan. 607 00:36:23,719 --> 00:36:27,360 Speaker 2: My understanding is that you have a website where people 608 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,920 Speaker 2: actually can purchase Japanese baseball cards. I know that there 609 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 2: are people, know I'm serious. I wrote a piece for 610 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 2: a newsweek magazine in my turn column about the value 611 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:41,720 Speaker 2: of baseball cards, not the financial value, but the inherent value. 612 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:46,680 Speaker 2: I learned to add and subtract, and to multiplication tables 613 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 2: and long division and short division, and I learned about 614 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:54,440 Speaker 2: geography from the back of baseball cards as a as 615 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:57,240 Speaker 2: a kid growing up. And you'd be surprised the letters 616 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 2: that I got from people all across the country, doc's lawyers, 617 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:06,560 Speaker 2: former ballplayers who connected with that that article. So you 618 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:10,200 Speaker 2: and I have this in common, uh, And we have 619 00:37:10,239 --> 00:37:12,160 Speaker 2: a love of baseball. And I'm going to bring you 620 00:37:12,239 --> 00:37:15,720 Speaker 2: back with your permission, so we can take phone calls 621 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:18,880 Speaker 2: and spend more time on this. But how can people 622 00:37:18,920 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 2: get more information on your books and on your website 623 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:26,360 Speaker 2: where some of my people might want to purchase some 624 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:29,760 Speaker 2: some Japanese baseball cards just to add to their collection. 625 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 4: Well, the easiest thing is just to go to my website, 626 00:37:33,520 --> 00:37:37,080 Speaker 4: which is Rob fitz f I T t as dot com. 627 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:39,239 Speaker 4: I have all my books there and a little bit 628 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:42,520 Speaker 4: of information about Japanese baseball arts. 629 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:46,040 Speaker 2: Rob fitz dot com. We just traded a picture to 630 00:37:46,120 --> 00:37:48,200 Speaker 2: the Cardinals whose last name was Fitz, so I think 631 00:37:48,239 --> 00:37:50,680 Speaker 2: is a pretty good Yeah. I think it's I think 632 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 2: he's a good picture because I think he has the 633 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:55,640 Speaker 2: build of Nolan Ryan or Clemens. He's one of these 634 00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:58,560 Speaker 2: guys who's got got big legs, and I think he's 635 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:00,760 Speaker 2: I think the Red Sox might have made mistake trading 636 00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:04,439 Speaker 2: him away in the city in the sunny gray trend. Rob, 637 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:10,759 Speaker 2: I really enjoyed this, fascinated by it. You have You've 638 00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:14,319 Speaker 2: turned this into just an incredible platform, and we will 639 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:16,920 Speaker 2: have you back, and so we can so we can 640 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:19,799 Speaker 2: get we can dive into this more deeply and talk 641 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:21,759 Speaker 2: about some of the American players who went over their 642 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:26,279 Speaker 2: post careers. I read George Altman's obituary the other day. 643 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:28,120 Speaker 2: I didn't realize he had played over there a couple 644 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:30,880 Speaker 2: of years. A lot of people have gone players have 645 00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 2: gone over there and of course, a lot of Japanese 646 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:40,440 Speaker 2: players have come here. We had Matsukaki, we have we 647 00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:44,480 Speaker 2: had all sorts of Japanese players over the years. Here 648 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:48,800 Speaker 2: the little relief pitcher who clinched things in twenty thirteen. 649 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:53,359 Speaker 2: Here for the Red Sox. So we're we're of like minded. Here, 650 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:55,759 Speaker 2: I'm being reminded by my producer that I gotta go, 651 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:58,200 Speaker 2: So I'm gonna let you go. Rob fitzwill have you back. 652 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 4: Thanks so much, my pleasure. 653 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:04,400 Speaker 2: Here comes the nine o'clock news. We will drop the 654 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:07,840 Speaker 2: conversation about Japanese baseball and we will get to rent control. 655 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:08,759 Speaker 2: Right after the preak