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- (room chatter)
- (hair clippers buzzing)
2
00:00:16,599 --> 00:00:17,976
(inaudible laugh)
3
00:00:18,018 --> 00:00:20,603
(quiet folk music playing)
4
00:00:24,190 --> 00:00:25,942
Judi Ehrlich:
I was 18,
5
00:00:25,984 --> 00:00:28,403
and I had just moved
into Synanon.
6
00:00:28,486 --> 00:00:31,322
I was a youngster who was
very caught up in her image,
7
00:00:31,406 --> 00:00:34,284
so I hated shaving my head.
8
00:00:36,077 --> 00:00:38,997
My hair was definitely
my crowning glory,
9
00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:40,498
and at Beverly Hills High,
10
00:00:40,540 --> 00:00:42,167
when you have long,
beautiful hair,
11
00:00:42,250 --> 00:00:44,169
you know, that's the thing.
12
00:00:44,252 --> 00:00:45,962
I mean, I didn't have
the greatest clothes,
13
00:00:46,004 --> 00:00:47,714
I wasn't from
the wealthiest family,
14
00:00:47,797 --> 00:00:49,090
but, damn, I had the hair.
15
00:00:49,174 --> 00:00:51,176
(soft music playing)
16
00:00:51,259 --> 00:00:54,679
I called my parents
right after head shaving,
17
00:00:54,721 --> 00:00:56,181
and they said, um,
18
00:00:56,222 --> 00:00:59,184
"So we heard about this thing
that happened there.
19
00:00:59,267 --> 00:01:01,144
That, you know, where everybody
shaved their head."
20
00:01:01,686 --> 00:01:04,105
And they're like, "But we know
you didn't do that."
21
00:01:05,272 --> 00:01:08,193
And I (laughs) was quiet,
and they were like,
22
00:01:08,276 --> 00:01:11,029
"Did you do that?"
I said, "Yeah."
23
00:01:11,071 --> 00:01:14,324
(jazz music playing)
24
00:01:20,705 --> 00:01:22,624
And that's when they knew.
It was like,
25
00:01:22,707 --> 00:01:25,919
as far as they were concerned,
that was, I was in a cult.
26
00:01:26,711 --> 00:01:29,881
- (projector flickering)
- (unsettling tone playing)
27
00:01:29,923 --> 00:01:32,634
- (muffled shriek)
- (tone fades out)
28
00:01:34,678 --> 00:01:38,515
(gentle splashing)
29
00:01:38,556 --> 00:01:41,267
(seagulls cawing)
30
00:01:41,351 --> 00:01:44,521
("Psychotic Reaction"
by Count Five playing)
31
00:01:44,562 --> 00:01:46,523
♪♪
32
00:01:57,658 --> 00:02:01,079
(quiet chatter)
33
00:02:01,162 --> 00:02:05,959
♪♪
34
00:02:06,042 --> 00:02:09,253
My mother learned about
the Synanon Game
35
00:02:09,336 --> 00:02:11,881
and started investigating it,
I think, as a way
36
00:02:11,923 --> 00:02:13,466
to fix their marriage,
37
00:02:13,550 --> 00:02:16,261
and, initially, they loved it.
38
00:02:18,096 --> 00:02:20,807
Basically, I was
an anti-social girl
39
00:02:20,890 --> 00:02:21,933
and a very shy girl.
40
00:02:21,975 --> 00:02:23,101
(room chatter)
41
00:02:23,143 --> 00:02:25,395
I loved Synanon
because it enabled me
42
00:02:25,437 --> 00:02:28,148
to really connect
with other people.
43
00:02:28,231 --> 00:02:30,191
And the next thing I knew,
I was sorta hooked on it.
44
00:02:30,275 --> 00:02:33,278
(song continues)
45
00:02:33,319 --> 00:02:35,238
When I first joined up,
46
00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:36,781
Synanon was
a few different things.
47
00:02:37,073 --> 00:02:40,410
It started to help people
with drugs and alcohol problems.
48
00:02:40,452 --> 00:02:43,038
And then other people,
49
00:02:43,121 --> 00:02:45,373
non-addicts,
started getting involved.
50
00:02:45,457 --> 00:02:47,584
They were called Lifestylers,
51
00:02:47,625 --> 00:02:49,793
and it sort of turned
into a social movement.
52
00:02:49,878 --> 00:02:52,714
(song continues)
53
00:02:52,797 --> 00:02:54,507
(bus horn honking)
54
00:02:54,591 --> 00:02:57,469
(crowd cheering)
55
00:02:57,552 --> 00:03:00,764
Chuck Dederich:
This is definitely the end
56
00:03:00,805 --> 00:03:03,183
of one era
and the beginning of another.
57
00:03:03,266 --> 00:03:04,809
(applause)
58
00:03:04,851 --> 00:03:08,146
In the past, Synanon
attracted the attention
59
00:03:08,228 --> 00:03:11,066
of a bunch of
rather confused people.
60
00:03:12,067 --> 00:03:15,737
And got them all somehow
to gather under one banner.
61
00:03:15,820 --> 00:03:17,822
(muffled chatter)
62
00:03:17,864 --> 00:03:20,075
Some of the people
who were part of this
63
00:03:20,158 --> 00:03:22,077
are no longer with us.
64
00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:23,495
(gentle splashing)
65
00:03:23,536 --> 00:03:26,164
But we will continue to expand,
66
00:03:26,247 --> 00:03:27,582
do our work better,
67
00:03:27,665 --> 00:03:30,585
have better tools,
buildings, and everything else
68
00:03:30,669 --> 00:03:33,505
to give as many people
as possible
69
00:03:33,588 --> 00:03:37,676
an opportunity to change
for the better.
70
00:03:39,844 --> 00:03:42,930
♪♪
71
00:03:44,599 --> 00:03:48,019
Bob Navarro:
For me, Synanon was the place.
72
00:03:48,061 --> 00:03:50,188
I felt like, at the age of 25,
73
00:03:50,230 --> 00:03:53,233
I was already a failure
at the business of life.
74
00:03:53,316 --> 00:03:56,027
I was just really so...
75
00:03:56,069 --> 00:03:57,821
shriveled up inside.
76
00:03:57,862 --> 00:04:01,241
Synanon, when I got there,
77
00:04:01,324 --> 00:04:02,534
it was just filled with people.
78
00:04:02,617 --> 00:04:04,577
I mean, I'd never been around
79
00:04:04,661 --> 00:04:06,746
any situation like that before.
80
00:04:08,540 --> 00:04:11,001
The doors were completely open
to the public.
81
00:04:11,042 --> 00:04:13,712
Anybody could walk in.
82
00:04:13,795 --> 00:04:16,755
The atmosphere was
really pretty electric,
83
00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,050
if you like being
around a lot of people
84
00:04:19,091 --> 00:04:20,301
and talking.
85
00:04:20,677 --> 00:04:22,220
It was radical.
It was experimental.
86
00:04:22,303 --> 00:04:23,888
(curious music playing)
87
00:04:23,972 --> 00:04:26,558
Rod Mullen:
At Synanon, there was this...
88
00:04:26,599 --> 00:04:29,477
willingness to experiment,
89
00:04:29,561 --> 00:04:33,273
and this search
for real meaning.
90
00:04:33,898 --> 00:04:36,818
I think Chuck,
like most charismatic leaders,
91
00:04:36,901 --> 00:04:41,531
would be characterized
as grandiose.
92
00:04:41,573 --> 00:04:45,952
So, he developed this idea
of building a city.
93
00:04:46,036 --> 00:04:49,664
(swing music playing)
94
00:04:55,420 --> 00:04:58,590
We're gonna build this city
in Tomales Bay,
95
00:04:58,673 --> 00:05:01,092
and we're going to live in a way
96
00:05:01,134 --> 00:05:04,971
which is a model for how people
could live in this country,
97
00:05:05,055 --> 00:05:07,390
you know, for how societies
should be run.
98
00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,186
Narrator: In 1970,
we acquired a sprawling,
99
00:05:11,269 --> 00:05:14,230
beautiful ranch in Tomales Bay,
100
00:05:14,272 --> 00:05:15,607
which is about 80 miles north of
101
00:05:15,648 --> 00:05:18,568
the Oakland, San Francisco area.
102
00:05:18,610 --> 00:05:21,613
Terry Hurst: When Chuck
decided to buy land in Tomales Bay,
103
00:05:21,696 --> 00:05:25,116
we got up there
and turned it into a facility.
104
00:05:25,158 --> 00:05:27,619
(swing music continues)
105
00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:30,497
Rod:
Synanon had a real farm,
106
00:05:30,580 --> 00:05:32,624
you know, raising cattle
107
00:05:32,707 --> 00:05:34,876
- (laughs) and then sheep.
- (bleating)
108
00:05:34,959 --> 00:05:38,129
Synanon built its own
wastewater system.
109
00:05:38,755 --> 00:05:41,299
I mean, it really became
a self-sustaining community.
110
00:05:41,383 --> 00:05:44,010
(clapping, cheering)
111
00:05:45,595 --> 00:05:48,431
At the time in America,
112
00:05:48,473 --> 00:05:52,227
there were lots of little
living experiments,
113
00:05:52,310 --> 00:05:55,105
all over the place.
114
00:05:55,814 --> 00:05:59,192
Mike Gimbel: You saw a lot of
this communal stuff happening,
115
00:05:59,275 --> 00:06:01,194
and Synanon (sighs)...
116
00:06:01,277 --> 00:06:03,071
was living better,
117
00:06:03,154 --> 00:06:05,615
had more money, more resources.
118
00:06:05,657 --> 00:06:08,493
We were growing very,
very, very quickly.
119
00:06:08,576 --> 00:06:10,745
(horses galloping, whinnying)
120
00:06:10,829 --> 00:06:14,499
Chuck: We wanna provide
an aesthetically pleasing,
121
00:06:14,541 --> 00:06:16,334
a psychologically pleasing,
122
00:06:16,376 --> 00:06:19,421
a philosophically
pleasing, uh, place
123
00:06:19,504 --> 00:06:21,214
in which people can dwell.
124
00:06:21,297 --> 00:06:22,549
(indistinct chatter)
125
00:06:22,632 --> 00:06:24,259
What am I describing?
126
00:06:24,342 --> 00:06:26,970
- Paradise?
- (breeze blowing)
127
00:06:27,012 --> 00:06:28,471
(gentle splashing)
128
00:06:28,513 --> 00:06:31,182
Mike: Chuck and
Betty moved up there.
129
00:06:32,308 --> 00:06:34,019
Wherever Chuck and Betty lived,
130
00:06:34,060 --> 00:06:36,521
that was the home place.
131
00:06:36,563 --> 00:06:38,314
If you were up where Chuck was,
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00:06:38,356 --> 00:06:40,233
you were like on sacred ground.
133
00:06:40,316 --> 00:06:41,860
(dining room chatter)
134
00:06:41,943 --> 00:06:44,404
Phil Bourdette: Living in Synanon,
I would get up in the morning
135
00:06:44,487 --> 00:06:45,739
and go to the dining room,
136
00:06:45,822 --> 00:06:49,325
have breakfast
and pack my lunch,
137
00:06:49,367 --> 00:06:51,327
and go to work in court
138
00:06:51,369 --> 00:06:53,371
because I lived in Synanon
139
00:06:53,455 --> 00:06:55,373
and worked in
the public defender's office.
140
00:06:55,457 --> 00:06:57,667
- (soft music playing)
- And then eventually,
141
00:06:57,709 --> 00:07:00,712
more and more of the Lifestylers
142
00:07:00,754 --> 00:07:02,172
started working within Synanon.
143
00:07:02,213 --> 00:07:03,673
(rumbling)
144
00:07:05,759 --> 00:07:09,387
And working outside of
Synanon was totally phased out.
145
00:07:09,471 --> 00:07:12,432
(indistinct chatter)
146
00:07:12,515 --> 00:07:14,684
Ron Cook:
When you were in Synanon,
147
00:07:14,726 --> 00:07:17,562
we had something
called "containment."
148
00:07:17,604 --> 00:07:22,067
So, the notion was
don't run outside of Synanon
149
00:07:22,150 --> 00:07:23,109
and waste your energy.
150
00:07:23,193 --> 00:07:25,695
Do whatever you're gonna do
inside of Synanon
151
00:07:25,737 --> 00:07:27,322
and the whole community
can benefit.
152
00:07:27,405 --> 00:07:30,367
♪♪
153
00:07:30,408 --> 00:07:32,659
Rod:
Chuck had a philosophy.
154
00:07:33,453 --> 00:07:36,873
"Let's put all of our energy
into creating
155
00:07:36,915 --> 00:07:40,168
this community to its best
and highest level."
156
00:07:42,045 --> 00:07:44,422
Chuck:
We need muscles in Synanon.
157
00:07:44,506 --> 00:07:46,341
We need moral muscles,
158
00:07:46,424 --> 00:07:48,802
social muscles,
political muscles,
159
00:07:48,885 --> 00:07:51,429
emotional muscles,
and physical muscles.
160
00:07:51,471 --> 00:07:55,392
We are a self-supporting
organization.
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00:07:55,433 --> 00:07:59,104
We must produce at all times.
162
00:08:03,066 --> 00:08:04,943
Phil Bourdette:
Synanon had properties
163
00:08:05,568 --> 00:08:08,613
(sighs) throughout
the United States.
164
00:08:08,655 --> 00:08:11,116
There were Santa Monica,
San Francisco.
165
00:08:11,199 --> 00:08:13,868
In Marin County,
there were three facilities.
166
00:08:13,952 --> 00:08:17,747
We owned property in
New York and other places.
167
00:08:17,789 --> 00:08:20,500
And they were all
basically run the same.
168
00:08:20,582 --> 00:08:22,836
They were all run
as communities.
169
00:08:23,795 --> 00:08:26,506
Norm Johnson: Synanon
was able to grow quickly.
170
00:08:27,716 --> 00:08:30,427
And I think Synanon
changed, um...
171
00:08:31,136 --> 00:08:33,804
somewhat to the better,
somewhat for the worse
172
00:08:34,097 --> 00:08:37,767
as a result of Lifestylers
like me moving in.
173
00:08:38,643 --> 00:08:42,188
But I think Chuck
had such an iron hand
174
00:08:42,272 --> 00:08:43,982
on that organization
175
00:08:44,024 --> 00:08:49,279
that most of the changes were
driven by changes in Chuck.
176
00:08:53,116 --> 00:08:55,660
Chuck became preoccupied
177
00:08:56,536 --> 00:08:58,496
with having everybody hear
178
00:08:58,580 --> 00:09:00,999
every word that he uttered.
179
00:09:01,041 --> 00:09:03,335
Chuck (on radio):
I suppose this is a rebirth...
180
00:09:03,376 --> 00:09:05,295
(scrubbing, radio static)
181
00:09:05,337 --> 00:09:09,549
Individual Singers:
♪ W... I... R... E... ♪
182
00:09:09,632 --> 00:09:14,262
- Quartet: ♪ Wire ♪
- (beeping)
183
00:09:14,929 --> 00:09:17,724
Elena Broslovsky: The Wire
was an internal radio network
184
00:09:17,807 --> 00:09:21,061
that connected
every facility in Synanon.
185
00:09:21,144 --> 00:09:25,982
Quartet: ♪ It's a communications
tool that also entertains ♪
186
00:09:26,024 --> 00:09:29,903
♪ 88FM is where
my dial will remain! ♪
187
00:09:29,986 --> 00:09:32,238
Elena: There were
these little boxes
188
00:09:32,322 --> 00:09:35,784
that were all over the place
that you could turn on.
189
00:09:35,867 --> 00:09:37,827
Get the news, listen to Games.
190
00:09:37,869 --> 00:09:41,039
You had 24-hour connection
with every facility.
191
00:09:41,122 --> 00:09:43,917
- (beeping) - You could hear what
was happening in Santa Monica.
192
00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,544
- (wire chatter) - You could
hear what was happening
193
00:09:46,628 --> 00:09:48,963
in San Francisco house.
194
00:09:49,673 --> 00:09:52,384
We had Marin County,
we had Oakland,
195
00:09:52,425 --> 00:09:54,969
San Diego, Detroit.
196
00:09:55,053 --> 00:09:57,681
Chuck:
The parts of this organization
197
00:09:57,722 --> 00:10:00,517
are so far apart.
198
00:10:00,558 --> 00:10:04,896
Now, we have an instantaneous
199
00:10:04,979 --> 00:10:08,108
speed-of-light communication
200
00:10:08,191 --> 00:10:11,736
both ways,
operated all the time!
201
00:10:11,820 --> 00:10:13,738
(indistinct chatter)
202
00:10:13,822 --> 00:10:17,200
Mike: The Wire really
allowed Chuck to be
203
00:10:17,242 --> 00:10:19,869
everywhere all the time.
204
00:10:19,911 --> 00:10:23,081
Chuck: Synanon has
an investment in you,
205
00:10:23,164 --> 00:10:26,209
and you have
an investment in Synanon.
206
00:10:26,251 --> 00:10:27,752
Mike:
99% of the time,
207
00:10:27,836 --> 00:10:31,256
it was Chuck
either playing the Game,
208
00:10:31,297 --> 00:10:33,591
giving a seminar,
209
00:10:33,675 --> 00:10:36,678
even his table
where he ate his meals
210
00:10:38,179 --> 00:10:40,390
had a microphone
in the middle of it.
211
00:10:40,432 --> 00:10:42,559
Chuck:
If we examine ourselves,
212
00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,938
we, we can actualize ourselves.
213
00:10:46,980 --> 00:10:49,941
Everything he said was taped,
214
00:10:50,025 --> 00:10:53,194
and he would just
bring up various topics.
215
00:10:53,737 --> 00:10:56,948
Part of my job was to listen
to those tapes,
216
00:10:56,990 --> 00:11:00,076
make excerpts,
and play them later on.
217
00:11:01,369 --> 00:11:04,330
Chuck: Everybody on
the outside, that I know of,
218
00:11:04,414 --> 00:11:09,044
lives under a whole flock
of dictatorships.
219
00:11:09,127 --> 00:11:11,296
The man's being
dictated to by his...
220
00:11:11,379 --> 00:11:12,589
Mike:
The way Chuck worked,
221
00:11:12,630 --> 00:11:15,091
he would be talking, you know,
222
00:11:15,133 --> 00:11:18,178
and as he would talk,
ideas would come out.
223
00:11:18,762 --> 00:11:20,722
And then, he started slowly
224
00:11:20,805 --> 00:11:23,683
mandating behavior
throughout Synanon.
225
00:11:23,767 --> 00:11:26,770
♪ Where do they go ♪
226
00:11:26,811 --> 00:11:28,563
("Smoke Rings"
by Sam Cooke playing)
227
00:11:28,646 --> 00:11:31,524
♪ Smoke rings I blow ♪
228
00:11:31,608 --> 00:11:35,028
♪ Each night ♪
229
00:11:35,111 --> 00:11:38,448
Synanon was founded
on non-violence,
230
00:11:38,490 --> 00:11:41,618
no use of drugs or alcohol.
231
00:11:41,659 --> 00:11:43,828
It was also founded on
232
00:11:44,162 --> 00:11:46,289
free cigarettes.
233
00:11:46,331 --> 00:11:47,874
♪ Puff ♪
234
00:11:47,957 --> 00:11:50,502
♪ Puff, puff ♪
235
00:11:51,252 --> 00:11:55,256
♪ Oh, you can puff
your cares away ♪
236
00:11:55,590 --> 00:11:58,760
Chuck: I've been a compulsive
smoker since I was 15 years old.
237
00:11:58,843 --> 00:12:01,054
Probably three packages a day.
238
00:12:01,721 --> 00:12:03,848
A doctor scared me into thinking
239
00:12:03,932 --> 00:12:05,850
that I had fatal emphysema,
240
00:12:05,892 --> 00:12:09,187
and, uh, I quit smoking.
241
00:12:09,229 --> 00:12:11,064
And I raised so much
hell about it,
242
00:12:11,147 --> 00:12:12,982
that everybody quit smoking.
243
00:12:14,025 --> 00:12:17,862
Bill Goodson: It's an interesting
thing how Synanon seemed
244
00:12:17,904 --> 00:12:19,906
to always be a mirror
245
00:12:19,989 --> 00:12:22,200
of what was happening
in Chuck's life.
246
00:12:22,242 --> 00:12:24,994
In the early stages of Synanon,
247
00:12:25,036 --> 00:12:27,414
he was fighting to stay clean.
248
00:12:27,497 --> 00:12:29,290
So, that's what Synanon did.
249
00:12:29,374 --> 00:12:30,792
(soft music playing)
250
00:12:30,875 --> 00:12:32,419
And then later on,
251
00:12:32,502 --> 00:12:36,339
he needed to stop smoking,
all of Synanon stopped smoking.
252
00:12:36,381 --> 00:12:39,217
(Chuck speaking indistinctly)
253
00:12:39,300 --> 00:12:40,760
Mike:
Everything up to this point
254
00:12:40,844 --> 00:12:42,929
was you bought into the concept,
255
00:12:43,013 --> 00:12:45,557
and, you know, you got into it.
256
00:12:45,807 --> 00:12:48,351
This is the first time
that he really...
257
00:12:48,393 --> 00:12:52,105
It really felt like you
had to do something.
258
00:12:52,188 --> 00:12:54,357
Judi: When the edict
came down for no smoking,
259
00:12:54,399 --> 00:12:57,402
my parents ended up
leaving shortly after.
260
00:12:58,361 --> 00:13:00,613
They were both smokers,
and that pissed them off
261
00:13:00,697 --> 00:13:04,159
because they did not really
like being told what to do.
262
00:13:04,242 --> 00:13:08,079
But, try as they might to
get me out, they could not.
263
00:13:08,872 --> 00:13:10,874
And then after that,
I just didn't talk to them
264
00:13:10,915 --> 00:13:12,834
for a couple of years. (laughs)
265
00:13:12,917 --> 00:13:15,128
I just had nothing to
do with them at all.
266
00:13:16,713 --> 00:13:19,049
Mike: Chuck was
challenging people,
267
00:13:19,090 --> 00:13:20,633
and if you don't like it,
268
00:13:20,717 --> 00:13:22,093
you can leave.
269
00:13:22,177 --> 00:13:24,721
And then, he said the people
that stayed were stronger,
270
00:13:24,763 --> 00:13:26,598
more committed to Synanon.
271
00:13:26,681 --> 00:13:28,224
That was the deal.
That's how it worked.
272
00:13:30,602 --> 00:13:35,648
You know hundreds of people left
Synanon when we quit smoking.
273
00:13:35,732 --> 00:13:38,026
That was probably
the first big exodus
274
00:13:38,109 --> 00:13:40,820
with that first edict.
275
00:13:40,904 --> 00:13:42,572
Some people said,
"Well, I'm not doing that.
276
00:13:43,615 --> 00:13:45,033
I'm leaving," you know?
277
00:13:45,116 --> 00:13:48,036
And then, other people didn't.
278
00:13:48,119 --> 00:13:50,121
And then, a lot of people
moved in after.
279
00:13:50,163 --> 00:13:52,499
- (birds chirping)
- (quiet chatter)
280
00:13:52,999 --> 00:13:56,336
People had children
who were in Synanon,
281
00:13:56,419 --> 00:13:58,755
people who were
moving in with children.
282
00:13:58,797 --> 00:14:00,465
So, just like any family,
283
00:14:00,507 --> 00:14:04,636
it was this continuum
of raising children.
284
00:14:04,719 --> 00:14:08,014
- (birds chirping)
- (bike rattling)
285
00:14:08,098 --> 00:14:10,225
Synanon Member: Okay, who
knows how to hop like a kangaroo?
286
00:14:10,308 --> 00:14:13,311
- (kids chattering)
- You do? Okay, everybody...
287
00:14:13,353 --> 00:14:14,688
(indistinct)
288
00:14:14,771 --> 00:14:18,817
Miriam Bourdette: My mother,
who was a nursery school director,
289
00:14:18,900 --> 00:14:22,821
decided to talk to Betty
and suggested
290
00:14:22,904 --> 00:14:25,990
that we do what they do on,
291
00:14:26,074 --> 00:14:30,995
or did,
on the kibbutzim in Israel.
292
00:14:31,079 --> 00:14:34,332
House the children
separately from their parents,
293
00:14:34,374 --> 00:14:39,129
and have caretakers
looking after them.
294
00:14:39,170 --> 00:14:42,173
- (kids chattering)
- (soft music playing)
295
00:14:43,758 --> 00:14:47,012
Chuck: We know it's a
better way to raise children.
296
00:14:47,637 --> 00:14:50,515
The nuclear family way
of raising children
297
00:14:50,557 --> 00:14:52,851
doesn't test the child's brain!
298
00:14:52,892 --> 00:14:55,103
There's not enough input.
299
00:14:55,979 --> 00:15:00,483
Kids would grow up
around 30 or 40 adults
300
00:15:00,567 --> 00:15:03,987
instead of two, Mama and Papa.
301
00:15:04,029 --> 00:15:07,198
Talk better, run better,
are much smarter.
302
00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,284
♪♪
303
00:15:12,078 --> 00:15:14,372
(kids chattering)
304
00:15:14,414 --> 00:15:16,291
Synanon Member:
The object of the hikes is
305
00:15:16,374 --> 00:15:18,293
it's a real way for us to teach
306
00:15:18,376 --> 00:15:22,380
how to, uh, use this
land around here.
307
00:15:22,464 --> 00:15:24,966
(chatter continues)
308
00:15:25,050 --> 00:15:28,011
It was an alternative
experiment.
309
00:15:30,388 --> 00:15:33,183
It was an effort to
do something better.
310
00:15:33,224 --> 00:15:36,061
To give all of our kids
311
00:15:36,144 --> 00:15:39,856
a better experience
than we had had.
312
00:15:39,898 --> 00:15:41,691
(birds chirping)
313
00:15:42,901 --> 00:15:44,194
Synanon Member:
Look at the bunny rabbit.
314
00:15:44,235 --> 00:15:45,904
Look at the bunny rabbit
up on the hill.
315
00:15:45,987 --> 00:15:47,781
Child:
A rabbit's in there?
316
00:15:47,864 --> 00:15:49,407
Synanon Member:
That's a rabbit in there.
317
00:15:49,824 --> 00:15:51,743
Jady Dederich Montgomery:
By 1971,
318
00:15:51,826 --> 00:15:53,953
it had been decided
319
00:15:54,037 --> 00:15:57,415
that the kids should go
into the school at 7 months,
320
00:15:57,457 --> 00:15:59,501
so that they wouldn't
attach to the parents,
321
00:15:59,584 --> 00:16:01,336
and then therefore,
wouldn't experience
322
00:16:01,419 --> 00:16:05,131
separation trauma when they
went into the school later.
323
00:16:07,092 --> 00:16:09,969
The father of my children
was Bill Crawford,
324
00:16:10,053 --> 00:16:12,305
my first husband.
325
00:16:12,389 --> 00:16:17,185
We had two kids,
including Rebekah.
326
00:16:17,268 --> 00:16:19,562
Rebekah Crawford: Both of
my parents were in Synanon
327
00:16:19,604 --> 00:16:21,064
when I was born,
328
00:16:21,106 --> 00:16:23,024
you know, ex-dope fiends.
329
00:16:23,108 --> 00:16:24,818
So I lived with them
for six months,
330
00:16:24,901 --> 00:16:26,986
and then,
when I was 6 months old,
331
00:16:27,070 --> 00:16:29,030
I moved into the hatchery,
332
00:16:29,114 --> 00:16:30,990
which is where the babies
were moved into.
333
00:16:31,074 --> 00:16:33,618
- (babies crying)
- Miriam: All the cribs
334
00:16:33,702 --> 00:16:35,537
were put in the bedrooms,
335
00:16:35,620 --> 00:16:38,581
and their parents
did not live in the house.
336
00:16:38,623 --> 00:16:39,915
(gentle music playing)
337
00:16:39,958 --> 00:16:42,919
They were welcome to visit,
338
00:16:42,961 --> 00:16:45,422
take their kids out
for an outing.
339
00:16:45,463 --> 00:16:48,466
Elena: We took care
of each other's children.
340
00:16:48,508 --> 00:16:51,094
So we nursed
each other's children,
341
00:16:51,136 --> 00:16:54,055
and we gave each other time off.
342
00:16:55,306 --> 00:17:00,103
Now, for me, I was
breast-feeding my baby,
343
00:17:00,145 --> 00:17:02,355
and my friends' babies
344
00:17:02,439 --> 00:17:06,026
and it was not odd
for me at all.
345
00:17:06,108 --> 00:17:07,986
It was completely natural.
346
00:17:08,028 --> 00:17:10,655
It was completely joyful.
347
00:17:10,739 --> 00:17:12,115
(baby crying)
348
00:17:12,156 --> 00:17:15,993
The looking into
the eye of an infant
349
00:17:16,036 --> 00:17:18,329
who has just come into the world
350
00:17:18,413 --> 00:17:22,625
and is getting nourishment
directly from your body.
351
00:17:24,002 --> 00:17:27,047
It was a very, uh, for me,
352
00:17:27,130 --> 00:17:30,675
wonderful experience
to nurse a lot of children.
353
00:17:30,759 --> 00:17:33,345
(baby fussing)
354
00:17:33,428 --> 00:17:35,555
We were supposed to be
the community's children,
355
00:17:35,638 --> 00:17:38,016
and we were supposed
to be the future.
356
00:17:38,099 --> 00:17:40,477
(kids chattering)
357
00:17:40,518 --> 00:17:42,687
Rebekah:
I think that my mother,
358
00:17:42,729 --> 00:17:46,733
she thought she was giving me
the best possible
359
00:17:46,816 --> 00:17:49,861
life that she could give me.
360
00:17:49,903 --> 00:17:52,947
Which was by not
being my parent.
361
00:17:53,406 --> 00:17:55,408
And she might've been right.
362
00:17:55,492 --> 00:17:56,701
(indistinct)
363
00:17:56,785 --> 00:17:58,912
I don't think my mom is,
364
00:17:58,995 --> 00:18:01,706
or was, a very maternal person.
365
00:18:02,207 --> 00:18:03,875
I don't know
if I could've handled it,
366
00:18:03,917 --> 00:18:05,960
and because I... (laughs)
367
00:18:06,378 --> 00:18:08,296
I don't know that
I'm fit to be a mother
368
00:18:08,380 --> 00:18:12,717
of two infant toddlers at once.
369
00:18:12,759 --> 00:18:16,596
(gentle music playing)
370
00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,141
This is...
this is a picture of my dad
371
00:18:20,225 --> 00:18:23,978
with Leida, my daughter.
372
00:18:24,062 --> 00:18:28,066
The truth was that she was
not the priority in my life.
373
00:18:28,108 --> 00:18:30,068
Day to day.
374
00:18:30,151 --> 00:18:33,822
That Synanon was the priority,
day to day.
375
00:18:36,074 --> 00:18:38,201
I was the founder's daughter.
376
00:18:39,452 --> 00:18:42,914
So I had to, had to be
at the front of the pack
377
00:18:42,997 --> 00:18:44,791
with the latest...
378
00:18:46,751 --> 00:18:51,589
you know,
the latest war on convention.
379
00:18:51,673 --> 00:18:54,718
(swing music playing)
380
00:19:02,684 --> 00:19:04,227
(swing music ends)
381
00:19:04,269 --> 00:19:07,147
Bob: Chuck, you
know, he was a thinker.
382
00:19:07,230 --> 00:19:08,690
And he had
383
00:19:08,773 --> 00:19:11,526
a very sort of
aggrandized sense of himself.
384
00:19:11,609 --> 00:19:15,405
He sort of got bored with
the rehabilitation program.
385
00:19:15,447 --> 00:19:17,907
I think we went into the period
386
00:19:17,949 --> 00:19:20,994
of the institute of social
experiments at that point.
387
00:19:22,078 --> 00:19:26,750
Chuck: This community is
now consciously, and by design,
388
00:19:26,791 --> 00:19:30,795
conducting all kinds
of different living experiments
389
00:19:30,837 --> 00:19:33,631
that will enhance
the human experience.
390
00:19:33,715 --> 00:19:36,092
(quiet chatter)
391
00:19:36,134 --> 00:19:38,345
Bob:
Part of the experimentation
392
00:19:38,428 --> 00:19:41,473
was to go into longer Games.
393
00:19:41,514 --> 00:19:44,768
The Stew was a form of game
that was continuous.
394
00:19:45,894 --> 00:19:47,270
Oh, the Stew.
395
00:19:47,812 --> 00:19:49,439
It didn't have an end
and a beginning.
396
00:19:49,481 --> 00:19:52,233
It would have different people
scheduled in
397
00:19:52,317 --> 00:19:55,403
at different times.
So, it was a lot of gaming...
398
00:19:55,487 --> 00:19:58,031
Oh, it also had a gallery
so people could watch,
399
00:19:58,114 --> 00:19:59,824
and people could tap in
400
00:19:59,908 --> 00:20:02,160
if they had something
to say to somebody.
401
00:20:02,243 --> 00:20:04,579
(indistinct chatter)
402
00:20:04,662 --> 00:20:06,373
Bob: Sometimes when
I'd come home at night,
403
00:20:06,456 --> 00:20:08,500
I'd go up to the Stew Room
and just sit there.
404
00:20:08,541 --> 00:20:10,627
And you got to hear them talk.
405
00:20:10,669 --> 00:20:12,587
Stew player: And they
don't see that in you, Jack!
406
00:20:12,671 --> 00:20:16,966
Bob: We were like carrots
and peas and-and potatoes
407
00:20:17,008 --> 00:20:18,802
thrown into this thing
408
00:20:18,843 --> 00:20:21,054
that was bubbling
on the stove for 24 hours.
409
00:20:21,137 --> 00:20:24,057
(Stew chatter)
410
00:20:24,140 --> 00:20:28,520
We tried the 24-hour sessions,
and they were, they were good.
411
00:20:29,604 --> 00:20:31,731
But we felt there was more.
412
00:20:31,815 --> 00:20:35,360
So from that, we started
to develop the Trip.
413
00:20:35,402 --> 00:20:38,655
(dramatic mystical
music playing)
414
00:20:48,873 --> 00:20:50,875
Phil Ritter:
The original idea of the Trip
415
00:20:50,959 --> 00:20:56,381
was based on Chuck's
prior experience with LSD.
416
00:20:58,717 --> 00:21:03,388
A couple of professors
and researchers at UCLA
417
00:21:03,888 --> 00:21:06,933
were conducting LSD studies.
418
00:21:08,268 --> 00:21:12,230
Chuck:
August 26th, 1957.
419
00:21:12,272 --> 00:21:14,607
I was given some LSD.
420
00:21:14,691 --> 00:21:18,778
Something began to well up
and boil up in me.
421
00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:21,281
- (baby crying)
- There was a curtain shot back.
422
00:21:21,364 --> 00:21:22,782
(bees buzzing)
423
00:21:22,866 --> 00:21:26,327
Things became
exquisitely important
424
00:21:26,411 --> 00:21:30,498
and exquisitely unimportant
at the same time.
425
00:21:32,542 --> 00:21:36,338
Rod: Chuck attributed a lot
of his vision about Synanon
426
00:21:36,421 --> 00:21:38,506
from his LSD trip.
427
00:21:38,590 --> 00:21:42,719
So these intensive workshops,
which were called "the Trip,"
428
00:21:42,802 --> 00:21:44,596
were really kind of a...
429
00:21:44,679 --> 00:21:47,140
let's-let's do it without drugs.
430
00:21:47,223 --> 00:21:50,268
(indistinct chatter)
431
00:21:50,310 --> 00:21:54,773
On the Trips,
there was lots of deep...
432
00:21:55,523 --> 00:21:58,985
intrapersonal stuff that
happened and came up.
433
00:22:00,570 --> 00:22:04,366
I was 17, and my first Trip
434
00:22:04,449 --> 00:22:07,285
just opened me up.
435
00:22:07,744 --> 00:22:10,121
It was an encounter with my dad.
436
00:22:10,205 --> 00:22:12,290
I never really knew
if he liked me,
437
00:22:12,332 --> 00:22:14,334
you know, or loved me
or anything.
438
00:22:14,417 --> 00:22:17,462
He wasn't demonstrative
in certain ways.
439
00:22:17,504 --> 00:22:21,132
I was living at
the Santa Monica facility.
440
00:22:21,216 --> 00:22:23,593
And there were
these Trips every weekend.
441
00:22:23,635 --> 00:22:25,679
Every weekend,
there were a hundred people
442
00:22:25,762 --> 00:22:28,973
going through these experiences
in the building there.
443
00:22:30,141 --> 00:22:31,434
And there I was, you know?
444
00:22:31,476 --> 00:22:33,478
(soft music playing)
445
00:22:33,561 --> 00:22:37,982
Elena: The Trip was a
three-day guided experience.
446
00:22:38,775 --> 00:22:42,487
All of your makeup comes off.
All of your jewelry comes off.
447
00:22:42,529 --> 00:22:44,280
(indistinct chatter)
448
00:22:44,322 --> 00:22:46,241
You change into a white robe,
449
00:22:46,324 --> 00:22:49,327
and you go into a room.
450
00:22:49,786 --> 00:22:51,454
And the hierarchy of the Trip
451
00:22:51,496 --> 00:22:54,040
was there were shepherds,
and there were guides.
452
00:22:54,124 --> 00:22:56,376
(clapping)
453
00:22:56,459 --> 00:22:59,671
And Chuck put me in charge
as the Trip Conductor.
454
00:23:00,964 --> 00:23:02,632
It was built around
455
00:23:02,674 --> 00:23:06,845
trying to get people to have
deep insight into themselves.
456
00:23:06,886 --> 00:23:09,472
♪♪
457
00:23:09,514 --> 00:23:12,976
(indistinct yelling)
458
00:23:13,018 --> 00:23:15,478
It started out with
Compression Gaming.
459
00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:16,771
(yelling continues)
460
00:23:16,855 --> 00:23:20,942
Very angry,
very aggressive in your face.
461
00:23:21,026 --> 00:23:21,860
(indistinct)
462
00:23:21,901 --> 00:23:24,571
"You're a fuck-up,
you're lying."
463
00:23:25,363 --> 00:23:27,240
To soften up the subject.
464
00:23:27,323 --> 00:23:29,200
Why don't you let me talk?!
465
00:23:29,284 --> 00:23:30,702
Fucking bad rap!
466
00:23:30,785 --> 00:23:33,872
Terry: So for four hours
they had confrontive therapy
467
00:23:33,955 --> 00:23:36,374
- through the Game.
- (whistle blowing)
468
00:23:36,416 --> 00:23:39,169
- (applause)
- (friendly chatter)
469
00:23:39,210 --> 00:23:41,546
After that, they were laid out,
470
00:23:41,588 --> 00:23:43,715
and I put them in
an alpha state.
471
00:23:43,757 --> 00:23:47,218
- (quiet chatter)
- (soft music playing)
472
00:23:47,302 --> 00:23:48,595
You either didn't sleep,
473
00:23:48,678 --> 00:23:51,056
or you slept
for a few minutes, or...
474
00:23:51,097 --> 00:23:54,309
Your time was broken up
in different, in different ways.
475
00:23:54,392 --> 00:23:56,603
But it was difficult. (sighs)
476
00:23:56,686 --> 00:23:59,439
Staying up for those three days
was really, really hard.
477
00:23:59,522 --> 00:24:00,774
(quiet chatter)
478
00:24:00,857 --> 00:24:04,694
It was a way to really
get into people's psyches.
479
00:24:06,071 --> 00:24:09,199
Chuck: The biggest
tool we have is fatigue.
480
00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,535
The toxic effect of fatigue!
481
00:24:12,577 --> 00:24:15,997
It distorts the way
they look at themselves.
482
00:24:16,081 --> 00:24:18,583
Then, you can make
the person believe anything.
483
00:24:18,625 --> 00:24:21,378
(foreboding music playing)
484
00:24:22,170 --> 00:24:26,007
Miriam: And then, the
guide would start drawing out
485
00:24:26,883 --> 00:24:28,927
the painful parts of their life,
486
00:24:28,968 --> 00:24:31,471
most of which they had
never talked about.
487
00:24:31,554 --> 00:24:33,807
(whooshing)
488
00:24:34,683 --> 00:24:37,435
We had Holocaust survivors.
489
00:24:37,519 --> 00:24:41,481
They still had dreams and fears.
490
00:24:41,564 --> 00:24:43,983
Judi:
Experiences in Vietnam.
491
00:24:44,067 --> 00:24:46,277
Killing people,
seeing people die.
492
00:24:46,319 --> 00:24:47,779
Phil Ritter:
Injecting their partners
493
00:24:47,862 --> 00:24:50,573
and having them die
of an overdose.
494
00:24:50,615 --> 00:24:52,617
Terry:
The most startling confession
495
00:24:52,701 --> 00:24:54,911
was one of the drug addicts said
496
00:24:54,953 --> 00:24:57,539
that he threw a baby
in a trash can.
497
00:24:57,622 --> 00:24:58,957
(music stops)
498
00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:00,834
In a dumpster.
499
00:25:01,876 --> 00:25:02,919
(sniffles)
500
00:25:03,670 --> 00:25:05,338
(indistinct chatter)
501
00:25:05,422 --> 00:25:09,009
And I remember him saying,
"I can't live with this."
502
00:25:09,092 --> 00:25:11,261
(soft crying)
503
00:25:11,928 --> 00:25:15,849
For somebody to be that
disturbed by what they did,
504
00:25:15,932 --> 00:25:18,518
even if they were using,
even if they were high,
505
00:25:18,601 --> 00:25:21,646
it had to be horrible
and traumatic.
506
00:25:22,439 --> 00:25:25,191
Practically everybody in the
group got up and hugged him.
507
00:25:25,275 --> 00:25:26,484
(soft music playing)
508
00:25:26,568 --> 00:25:28,361
They forgave him.
509
00:25:28,445 --> 00:25:31,906
♪♪
510
00:25:36,786 --> 00:25:38,997
At the end of the Trip,
511
00:25:39,039 --> 00:25:43,209
people were tired and hungry
and, you know, very emotional.
512
00:25:44,419 --> 00:25:46,796
- (crying)
- Elena: Everybody goes down
513
00:25:46,838 --> 00:25:49,341
to the one room
where the band is playing.
514
00:25:49,424 --> 00:25:50,717
(cheering)
515
00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:52,260
Everybody's hugging each other
516
00:25:52,344 --> 00:25:55,013
and lifting each other up
and thanking each other.
517
00:25:55,096 --> 00:25:58,516
(music gradually builds)
518
00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:01,227
Jady: I remember
coming down from the Trip.
519
00:26:03,355 --> 00:26:05,690
We'd been up for days.
520
00:26:05,774 --> 00:26:07,609
- (clapping)
- I was just a kid
521
00:26:07,692 --> 00:26:10,195
in this emotional soup.
522
00:26:10,236 --> 00:26:12,072
(inaudible)
523
00:26:12,155 --> 00:26:13,740
I turned around.
I looked at my dad.
524
00:26:13,823 --> 00:26:15,075
You know,
Betty was sitting there,
525
00:26:15,158 --> 00:26:16,534
and I ran over to him.
526
00:26:16,576 --> 00:26:17,869
(inaudible)
527
00:26:17,911 --> 00:26:21,039
I just remember, you know,
falling into his arms,
528
00:26:21,081 --> 00:26:23,708
and him, you know,
holding me and...
529
00:26:24,626 --> 00:26:26,002
telling me that he loved me,
530
00:26:26,044 --> 00:26:27,212
you know,
which he had never said.
531
00:26:27,295 --> 00:26:31,716
- (calm music playing)
- (indistinct chatter)
532
00:26:32,926 --> 00:26:34,969
(inaudible)
533
00:26:37,389 --> 00:26:41,518
You know, so many people are
just crushingly lonely,
534
00:26:41,559 --> 00:26:44,729
and don't have community.
535
00:26:46,231 --> 00:26:48,149
(inaudible)
536
00:26:49,442 --> 00:26:51,569
It was tribal.
537
00:26:51,611 --> 00:26:54,739
And it was such a deep comfort.
538
00:26:55,615 --> 00:26:57,992
There was this love.
539
00:26:58,076 --> 00:26:59,744
And this need for connection.
540
00:26:59,828 --> 00:27:03,081
(gentle crescendo)
541
00:27:06,710 --> 00:27:09,921
- (gentle splashing)
- (music fades out)
542
00:27:11,381 --> 00:27:14,592
- (kids chattering, laughing)
- (seagulls cawing)
543
00:27:15,510 --> 00:27:18,888
Lance Kenton: Synanon
was the single greatest place
544
00:27:18,930 --> 00:27:21,057
you could grow up as a kid.
545
00:27:21,099 --> 00:27:24,352
I went into Synanon
when I was 11 years old.
546
00:27:24,436 --> 00:27:27,105
- (jazz music playing)
- My father was Stan Kenton,
547
00:27:27,188 --> 00:27:29,441
and he was one
of the first to begin
548
00:27:29,482 --> 00:27:32,277
playing concert forums
with jazz.
549
00:27:32,318 --> 00:27:35,030
(jazz continues)
550
00:27:35,113 --> 00:27:37,365
Being on the road
12 months a year, you know.
551
00:27:37,449 --> 00:27:38,533
♪♪
552
00:27:38,616 --> 00:27:41,494
My father decided
to enroll me in Synanon.
553
00:27:41,578 --> 00:27:42,704
To live there.
554
00:27:42,787 --> 00:27:44,456
Instructor:
One, two, three.
555
00:27:44,497 --> 00:27:48,001
Lance: I would see him maybe
sometimes twice a month,
556
00:27:48,084 --> 00:27:51,755
but infrequent. My mother
didn't come very much at all.
557
00:27:51,796 --> 00:27:53,465
Basically, you treated
every single person there
558
00:27:53,506 --> 00:27:55,008
like they were in your family.
559
00:27:55,091 --> 00:27:56,926
(chattering)
560
00:27:56,968 --> 00:27:58,720
My kids moved into the school,
561
00:27:58,803 --> 00:28:00,764
and I started working
at the school.
562
00:28:00,805 --> 00:28:03,892
I didn't really have
any other skills
563
00:28:03,975 --> 00:28:07,437
that were... You know, I wasn't
like a carpenter or a lawyer,
564
00:28:07,479 --> 00:28:09,522
or anything like that.
565
00:28:09,606 --> 00:28:12,484
Uh, so that was kind
of my assignment.
566
00:28:12,525 --> 00:28:14,736
The academic structure
567
00:28:14,819 --> 00:28:16,696
vacillated and changed,
568
00:28:16,780 --> 00:28:20,075
and sometimes, it was very...
569
00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:22,452
rigid and focused...
570
00:28:22,494 --> 00:28:24,162
Well, I...
Wait, let me just stop.
571
00:28:24,245 --> 00:28:26,790
It was never really
rigid and focused.
572
00:28:27,123 --> 00:28:30,835
It was always, um, experimental.
573
00:28:30,877 --> 00:28:34,714
- (curious music playing)
- (school chatter)
574
00:28:37,217 --> 00:28:38,301
(all exhale)
575
00:28:41,554 --> 00:28:43,306
(indistinct chatter)
576
00:28:44,891 --> 00:28:46,976
Lance:
The school's philosophy was
577
00:28:47,018 --> 00:28:49,354
let a kid decide
what he wants to learn,
578
00:28:49,396 --> 00:28:52,649
and let him go in and play with
whatever it is he wants to do.
579
00:28:52,691 --> 00:28:54,401
♪♪
580
00:28:54,484 --> 00:28:56,653
I mean, we didn't have homework.
We weren't really studying.
581
00:28:56,736 --> 00:28:59,781
You know, at that point,
we were self-teaching.
582
00:29:00,573 --> 00:29:03,576
Bill: They would, like, put us
in front of typewriters and go,
583
00:29:03,660 --> 00:29:06,329
"Free expression, just...
(sighs)
584
00:29:06,371 --> 00:29:10,083
Just let it go." And so,
we would just... (laughs)
585
00:29:10,166 --> 00:29:11,334
(inaudible)
586
00:29:11,376 --> 00:29:13,837
And then, we had things
like "reaches and searches,"
587
00:29:13,878 --> 00:29:17,674
which were very avant-garde
learning sessions
588
00:29:17,716 --> 00:29:19,175
that would go on for hours
589
00:29:19,217 --> 00:29:20,427
where you would
search out things
590
00:29:20,510 --> 00:29:22,303
like "How does chalk stay
on a blackboard?"
591
00:29:22,387 --> 00:29:23,930
(inaudible)
592
00:29:24,014 --> 00:29:25,849
They used to test us,
593
00:29:25,890 --> 00:29:28,226
you know, every now and then.
Like the same tests
594
00:29:28,309 --> 00:29:31,229
that all the high sc...
all-all kids in America take.
595
00:29:31,312 --> 00:29:32,731
♪♪
596
00:29:32,772 --> 00:29:35,942
Rod: The study is,
is a-a comparative study
597
00:29:36,026 --> 00:29:39,070
of Synanon versus
non-Synanon children.
598
00:29:39,154 --> 00:29:42,407
I think the graph
speaks for itself. (laughs)
599
00:29:43,533 --> 00:29:45,243
The Synanon kids
600
00:29:45,285 --> 00:29:49,080
exceeded the comparison group
on every measure,
601
00:29:49,164 --> 00:29:53,001
including having IQ points
15 points above.
602
00:29:53,084 --> 00:29:57,756
It's one of the most interesting
things that occurred in Synanon.
603
00:29:57,839 --> 00:30:01,176
- (seagulls cawing)
- (curious music playing)
604
00:30:01,217 --> 00:30:05,138
(gentle splashing)
605
00:30:05,221 --> 00:30:08,266
Mike: I was in
the Santa Monica facility.
606
00:30:08,350 --> 00:30:11,269
I find out that I was selected
607
00:30:11,311 --> 00:30:15,398
to go to Tomales Bay, at that
facility where Chuck was.
608
00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:18,276
(waves splashing)
609
00:30:21,071 --> 00:30:24,449
Ron Cook gave me the job
that I'd be working
610
00:30:24,532 --> 00:30:26,368
for the board of directors.
611
00:30:27,744 --> 00:30:30,872
The board members,
some of them were
612
00:30:30,955 --> 00:30:33,416
Chuck's brother,
613
00:30:33,458 --> 00:30:35,168
his son, his daughter.
614
00:30:36,586 --> 00:30:39,714
And then, they would bring
in a couple outsiders.
615
00:30:39,798 --> 00:30:41,716
People that either
gave their businesses
616
00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:44,427
or held executive positions.
617
00:30:46,137 --> 00:30:49,974
And I was to make sure
they were all taken care of.
618
00:30:50,016 --> 00:30:53,144
We got on the Synanon bus,
and we drive up,
619
00:30:53,186 --> 00:30:56,648
and one of the girls
that was taking us,
620
00:30:56,731 --> 00:30:58,692
her name was
Stephanie Andreucci.
621
00:30:59,150 --> 00:31:01,778
And she was a tough cookie, too,
622
00:31:01,820 --> 00:31:04,030
because she came from Detroit,
623
00:31:04,114 --> 00:31:07,617
and her father was
in the Hell's Angels.
624
00:31:07,659 --> 00:31:10,328
At Synanon, she was the chef.
625
00:31:11,663 --> 00:31:14,332
And so, Stephanie would cook,
and I would help.
626
00:31:16,042 --> 00:31:18,003
We were around each other
all the time.
627
00:31:18,086 --> 00:31:19,879
We had built
a really good friendship,
628
00:31:19,963 --> 00:31:22,674
and we were really,
really close.
629
00:31:22,757 --> 00:31:24,009
And then one day,
630
00:31:24,092 --> 00:31:26,803
we were doing the lunch,
cleaning up, pulling the stuff,
631
00:31:26,845 --> 00:31:29,514
and Chuck and Ron Cook,
632
00:31:29,556 --> 00:31:31,307
you know, were looking at us,
633
00:31:31,349 --> 00:31:33,226
and-and Chuck said, "You know?
634
00:31:33,309 --> 00:31:36,271
The two of you are
very good for Synanon."
635
00:31:36,354 --> 00:31:38,773
Three days later,
we were married. (laughs)
636
00:31:38,857 --> 00:31:42,527
♪♪
637
00:31:42,569 --> 00:31:44,195
I mean, it was wonderful.
638
00:31:45,613 --> 00:31:46,740
I was in love.
639
00:31:46,823 --> 00:31:49,868
- (birds chirping)
- (motorcycles rumbling)
640
00:31:49,951 --> 00:31:51,661
We both had motorcycles,
641
00:31:51,745 --> 00:31:53,371
just like everybody else
at Synanon,
642
00:31:53,413 --> 00:31:57,167
so Stephanie and I would take
our motorcycles out together.
643
00:31:57,208 --> 00:31:59,544
And we really were
a good team together.
644
00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:04,090
For me, and for her,
645
00:32:04,174 --> 00:32:08,053
it was the first relationship
we ever had...
646
00:32:09,054 --> 00:32:10,847
without drugs.
647
00:32:10,889 --> 00:32:12,682
(leaves rustling)
648
00:32:12,724 --> 00:32:14,392
I think we really enjoyed it.
649
00:32:16,061 --> 00:32:18,980
- (splashing)
- (indistinct chatter)
650
00:32:19,064 --> 00:32:20,774
Judi:
When you hear about communes
651
00:32:20,857 --> 00:32:22,484
and social experiments,
652
00:32:22,567 --> 00:32:25,945
you hear about, you know,
a lot of free-floating sex.
653
00:32:26,029 --> 00:32:27,947
(birds chirping)
654
00:32:28,031 --> 00:32:30,325
That didn't happen
at all at Synanon.
655
00:32:32,285 --> 00:32:35,497
People were not expected to
just flit from one relationship
656
00:32:35,580 --> 00:32:38,291
to another.
That was frowned upon.
657
00:32:39,668 --> 00:32:42,921
Mike: In Synanon,
if you had a girlfriend,
658
00:32:42,962 --> 00:32:44,589
you couldn't shack up.
659
00:32:44,673 --> 00:32:46,424
You couldn't live together.
660
00:32:47,342 --> 00:32:48,718
Only until you were married.
661
00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:50,887
If you wanted to have sex,
662
00:32:50,929 --> 00:32:53,723
they had a special place
called the Guest Room.
663
00:32:53,765 --> 00:32:57,435
And it had a book, and you had
to make an appointment. (laughs)
664
00:32:57,519 --> 00:32:59,604
♪♪
665
00:32:59,688 --> 00:33:02,482
Elena: One of my jobs
when I-I first came in
666
00:33:02,565 --> 00:33:05,777
was somebody gave me
the Guest Room book,
667
00:33:05,860 --> 00:33:08,071
and couples would
have to come to me
668
00:33:08,113 --> 00:33:10,115
to book the Guest Room.
669
00:33:10,156 --> 00:33:12,325
And it would be a lovely room.
670
00:33:12,409 --> 00:33:15,286
Usually, the woman would go
and set it up
671
00:33:15,328 --> 00:33:18,581
with pretty sheets
and flowers and candles
672
00:33:18,623 --> 00:33:20,959
and incense and music,
673
00:33:21,042 --> 00:33:22,919
and you would have it
for the night.
674
00:33:22,961 --> 00:33:25,213
And you'd be
walking down the hallway,
675
00:33:25,296 --> 00:33:27,257
and everybody would be seeing
you walking down and says,
676
00:33:27,298 --> 00:33:29,300
"Oh, I know where
they're headed," you know.
677
00:33:29,342 --> 00:33:31,678
Mortified, absolutely mortified.
678
00:33:31,761 --> 00:33:33,388
♪♪
679
00:33:34,472 --> 00:33:37,225
Elena: At one time,
people were encouraged
680
00:33:37,308 --> 00:33:40,228
to have sex as much as possible.
681
00:33:40,311 --> 00:33:43,189
And literally,
there was a chart,
682
00:33:43,273 --> 00:33:46,818
like in an organization
that is marking people's sales.
683
00:33:46,860 --> 00:33:50,947
Every time the couple had sex,
they put a star on the chart.
684
00:33:50,989 --> 00:33:53,658
♪♪
685
00:33:57,829 --> 00:34:01,666
Jady: At Synanon, there
was so much beauty and love
686
00:34:01,708 --> 00:34:05,628
and learning and relationships
being built.
687
00:34:06,171 --> 00:34:09,799
And my dad and Betty,
they were a model.
688
00:34:11,217 --> 00:34:14,054
He loved her, and she loved him.
689
00:34:14,637 --> 00:34:18,308
Synanon was totally woven
into their love
690
00:34:18,350 --> 00:34:20,810
and their relationship
because they were this team.
691
00:34:20,851 --> 00:34:23,605
- (gentle music playing)
- (inaudible)
692
00:34:39,954 --> 00:34:41,581
♪♪
693
00:34:43,083 --> 00:34:46,127
Rod:
Betty was deeply grounded.
694
00:34:46,210 --> 00:34:48,213
Chuck is one of
those kinds of people
695
00:34:48,254 --> 00:34:50,924
who have enormous energy,
but is very unstable.
696
00:34:51,007 --> 00:34:52,801
Betty was the opposite.
697
00:34:53,176 --> 00:34:54,928
He was the businessman,
698
00:34:55,011 --> 00:34:56,721
the hard hitter
and everything like that.
699
00:34:56,804 --> 00:34:58,890
Chuck: I'm not talking
about anything else! I'm not...
700
00:34:58,932 --> 00:35:02,644
Ron: If she thought Chuck
was a little over the board
701
00:35:02,727 --> 00:35:05,480
in a Synanon Game,
saying something to somebody,
702
00:35:05,563 --> 00:35:07,148
'cause he had a lot of power,
703
00:35:07,190 --> 00:35:10,985
she'd go around the next day
and pick up the person,
704
00:35:11,069 --> 00:35:12,570
take 'em out to lunch
705
00:35:12,654 --> 00:35:14,739
and bring 'em back
into the family.
706
00:35:14,823 --> 00:35:16,741
(quiet chatter)
707
00:35:16,825 --> 00:35:18,868
♪♪
708
00:35:18,952 --> 00:35:21,246
Betty Dederich:
My job has always been
709
00:35:21,287 --> 00:35:23,623
one of an integrating force,
I think.
710
00:35:23,707 --> 00:35:24,874
(inaudible)
711
00:35:24,916 --> 00:35:28,712
And I would like to somehow use
the power invested in me,
712
00:35:28,753 --> 00:35:32,924
backed up against
the Chuck Dederich maleness,
713
00:35:32,966 --> 00:35:35,427
to meld Synanon together...
714
00:35:35,510 --> 00:35:36,594
(inaudible)
715
00:35:36,678 --> 00:35:39,514
...to keep an idea
and a principle alive.
716
00:35:44,019 --> 00:35:47,272
- (applause)
- (crowd cheering)
717
00:35:49,399 --> 00:35:52,235
Elena: Betty orchestrated
group marriages,
718
00:35:53,153 --> 00:35:55,405
meaning that we all got married
at the same time.
719
00:35:55,780 --> 00:35:58,950
(funky music playing)
720
00:35:58,992 --> 00:36:01,453
(inaudible)
721
00:36:06,458 --> 00:36:09,586
She orchestrated it
like a theatrical event.
722
00:36:10,295 --> 00:36:12,547
One had a ranch theme.
723
00:36:12,630 --> 00:36:15,300
What we have out here today are
a little more than 2,000 people,
724
00:36:15,342 --> 00:36:17,594
150 of them decided
to get married,
725
00:36:17,635 --> 00:36:19,888
and the story is the fact
that the community decided
726
00:36:19,971 --> 00:36:22,474
to make this a people event,
a community event.
727
00:36:22,557 --> 00:36:24,851
(meat sizzling)
728
00:36:27,312 --> 00:36:30,357
Officiant: Perhaps what
we are signifying here today
729
00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:33,651
is really the death
of the nuclear marriage,
730
00:36:33,735 --> 00:36:37,530
and the real affirmation
of the kind of marriage
731
00:36:38,323 --> 00:36:42,452
which will bring to you
far more meaning, and beauty.
732
00:36:42,494 --> 00:36:43,828
(applause)
733
00:36:43,912 --> 00:36:48,041
Elena: The idea is to celebrate
our marriage to each other,
734
00:36:48,124 --> 00:36:50,126
our marriage to the community,
735
00:36:50,168 --> 00:36:52,671
and just celebrating commitment.
736
00:36:52,754 --> 00:36:53,838
(applause)
737
00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:56,341
I thought it was beautiful.
738
00:36:57,717 --> 00:37:00,679
- (waves crashing)
- (seagulls cawing)
739
00:37:00,720 --> 00:37:03,973
("Oh, What A Feeling"
by Crowbar playing)
740
00:37:07,268 --> 00:37:10,689
♪♪
741
00:37:10,772 --> 00:37:13,692
(applause)
742
00:37:14,734 --> 00:37:18,029
♪ Oh ♪
743
00:37:18,071 --> 00:37:20,699
♪ What a feeling ♪
744
00:37:21,866 --> 00:37:23,868
- ♪ What a life ♪
- Mike: At that point,
745
00:37:23,910 --> 00:37:27,997
Synanon was a golden child
of the world.
746
00:37:28,039 --> 00:37:31,042
Here's this group, no violence,
747
00:37:31,126 --> 00:37:33,503
no drugs, no smoking,
748
00:37:33,545 --> 00:37:37,215
living a good,
healthy lifestyle.
749
00:37:37,298 --> 00:37:38,967
More and more Lifestylers
moved in.
750
00:37:39,050 --> 00:37:40,635
♪ We got the feeling ♪
751
00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:42,554
You know, they gave
a lot to Synanon.
752
00:37:42,637 --> 00:37:45,390
They gave their businesses,
their skills.
753
00:37:45,473 --> 00:37:48,393
We had TV crews
from all over the world
754
00:37:48,476 --> 00:37:50,895
coming to study
what we were doing.
755
00:37:51,813 --> 00:37:54,816
(speaking French)
756
00:37:58,695 --> 00:38:01,406
♪ Oh, what a feeling ♪
757
00:38:11,124 --> 00:38:12,625
♪ Ba... ♪
758
00:38:12,709 --> 00:38:16,379
Mike: You know, we lived in
this little bubble of Synanon,
759
00:38:16,421 --> 00:38:20,633
but it just seemed like
the media loved the place.
760
00:38:20,717 --> 00:38:23,386
Elena: What a great place.
What great people.
761
00:38:23,428 --> 00:38:25,513
What good hearts.
762
00:38:25,597 --> 00:38:27,599
We were the darling
of the media,
763
00:38:27,682 --> 00:38:29,726
and then, oops.
They hate us.
764
00:38:29,768 --> 00:38:31,102
(song stops)
765
00:38:31,186 --> 00:38:34,272
Ron: The "San Francisco
Examiner" came out with an article.
766
00:38:34,314 --> 00:38:37,859
"Synanon,
'Racket Of the Century.'"
767
00:38:38,610 --> 00:38:41,821
(somber music playing)
768
00:38:48,078 --> 00:38:51,414
The "Examiner" had written,
you know, a terrible article.
769
00:38:51,456 --> 00:38:53,792
It was libelous
because it wasn't true.
770
00:38:56,252 --> 00:38:58,296
Phil Bourdette:
You know, it hurt Chuck.
771
00:38:58,380 --> 00:39:01,466
His feelings,
that these terrible things
772
00:39:01,508 --> 00:39:03,593
were being said
about him and his...
773
00:39:03,635 --> 00:39:05,845
the organization
that he started.
774
00:39:13,645 --> 00:39:15,814
You think about a narcissist,
775
00:39:15,855 --> 00:39:18,983
you think about somebody
who has that kind of power
776
00:39:19,025 --> 00:39:21,611
and people love him so much.
777
00:39:21,986 --> 00:39:23,613
No one had questioned
him for years
778
00:39:23,655 --> 00:39:25,990
and years and years and years.
779
00:39:26,074 --> 00:39:29,327
And then all of a sudden,
there's a story that says
780
00:39:29,411 --> 00:39:32,038
you're not what you say you are.
781
00:39:32,122 --> 00:39:34,165
He got pissed off.
782
00:39:34,207 --> 00:39:36,167
♪♪
783
00:39:36,209 --> 00:39:38,586
Phil Bourdette: We all
had our various jobs to do.
784
00:39:38,670 --> 00:39:41,047
Mine was in, in the legal stuff.
785
00:39:41,131 --> 00:39:43,341
You know, I had an obligation
786
00:39:43,425 --> 00:39:47,929
as a lawyer to pursue them.
787
00:39:48,013 --> 00:39:50,682
Judi: The whole concept in the
"San Francisco Examiner" story
788
00:39:50,765 --> 00:39:53,727
was we were not
helping drug addicts.
789
00:39:53,810 --> 00:39:56,021
We were not doing anything good.
790
00:40:00,734 --> 00:40:02,944
But we felt like
we were doing good things.
791
00:40:03,028 --> 00:40:04,487
(breeze blowing)
792
00:40:04,529 --> 00:40:07,198
We were helping people
get off drugs and alcohol.
793
00:40:07,240 --> 00:40:09,034
We were donating our extra food.
794
00:40:09,075 --> 00:40:11,411
We were, you know, doing
whatever we could, really,
795
00:40:11,494 --> 00:40:13,705
to help the community at large.
796
00:40:14,622 --> 00:40:17,584
Chuck decided that
we needed to file a libel case
797
00:40:17,667 --> 00:40:19,878
against
the "San Francisco Examiner."
798
00:40:22,213 --> 00:40:24,049
Reporter: The "San Francisco
Examiner" was accused
799
00:40:24,090 --> 00:40:27,218
of maliciously defaming
Synanon by stating
800
00:40:27,302 --> 00:40:29,387
or insinuating
that Synanon obtained
801
00:40:29,429 --> 00:40:31,431
millions of dollars
under false pretenses,
802
00:40:31,514 --> 00:40:33,558
utilized false accounting,
803
00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:35,226
provided a zombie-like existence
804
00:40:35,310 --> 00:40:38,480
for fugitives from reality,
and was no longer engaged
805
00:40:38,563 --> 00:40:40,648
in drug addict rehabilitation.
806
00:40:40,732 --> 00:40:43,902
(somber music playing)
807
00:40:43,943 --> 00:40:46,196
Phil Bourdette:
We filed our lawsuit.
808
00:40:46,237 --> 00:40:48,948
The Hearst Corporation,
who owned the "Examiner,"
809
00:40:49,032 --> 00:40:51,701
had two or three law firms
working on the case,
810
00:40:51,743 --> 00:40:55,580
and we were doing
all of our stuff in house.
811
00:40:55,622 --> 00:40:59,834
They started their own
law school in Synanon.
812
00:41:00,335 --> 00:41:01,878
They needed lawyers. (laughs)
813
00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:04,172
Phil Bourdette:
The law office took off,
814
00:41:04,255 --> 00:41:05,590
growing in size.
815
00:41:05,674 --> 00:41:08,093
This is
the entire legal department.
816
00:41:08,176 --> 00:41:11,096
I am right here.
817
00:41:12,138 --> 00:41:14,140
I was a legal secretary there.
818
00:41:14,224 --> 00:41:16,601
You felt like you were working
toward this common goal,
819
00:41:16,643 --> 00:41:18,353
and, you know...
820
00:41:18,436 --> 00:41:20,939
(sighs) It was kind of
exhilarating.
821
00:41:22,857 --> 00:41:25,068
That case was settled
for $600,000,
822
00:41:25,110 --> 00:41:26,778
which was, at that time,
823
00:41:26,861 --> 00:41:29,447
the largest libel settlement,
I think, in history,
824
00:41:29,531 --> 00:41:31,783
It made the "Guinness Book
of World Records."
825
00:41:33,618 --> 00:41:37,163
Chuck took half
the money for himself, $300,000,
826
00:41:37,247 --> 00:41:39,332
and he took the 30 people
827
00:41:39,416 --> 00:41:42,210
who had been in
Synanon the longest,
828
00:41:42,669 --> 00:41:45,088
and gave them each $10,000.
829
00:41:45,130 --> 00:41:46,923
(tense music playing)
830
00:41:46,965 --> 00:41:50,719
Chuck: We received a
windfall, you might say,
831
00:41:50,802 --> 00:41:54,806
owing to the fantastic efforts
832
00:41:54,848 --> 00:41:57,726
of the legal department
and a couple of sales tricks
833
00:41:57,809 --> 00:42:00,520
that I threw in
at the last minute.
834
00:42:01,354 --> 00:42:04,607
I'm a good business executive.
835
00:42:06,860 --> 00:42:09,362
Phil Bourdette: Unfortunately,
while the "Examiner" case
836
00:42:09,446 --> 00:42:12,615
settled satisfactorily for us,
837
00:42:12,657 --> 00:42:15,368
the amount of negative
publicity we got
838
00:42:15,452 --> 00:42:17,245
was just astronomical.
839
00:42:17,328 --> 00:42:20,457
Later on our news, I'll have
a close-up look at Synanon,
840
00:42:20,498 --> 00:42:22,917
the reports of changes
within the organization
841
00:42:23,001 --> 00:42:26,004
that have caused
new controversy.
842
00:42:26,087 --> 00:42:27,964
You know,
it put us in a bad light.
843
00:42:30,925 --> 00:42:34,304
But, you know, the libel cases
844
00:42:34,346 --> 00:42:37,349
were a potential
revenue stream for us.
845
00:42:39,017 --> 00:42:42,604
Chuck, I think he felt, "Well,
846
00:42:42,687 --> 00:42:46,566
if this is what happens,
then bring it on."
847
00:42:46,649 --> 00:42:51,029
Phil Bourdette: We started filing a
bunch of libel and slander lawsuits.
848
00:42:52,030 --> 00:42:53,698
Dan Garrett:
So, it wouldn't be bad.
849
00:42:53,782 --> 00:42:55,658
Chuck: You think there's
good money in libel?
850
00:42:55,700 --> 00:42:57,285
Dan: There could be
good money in libel.
851
00:42:57,369 --> 00:42:59,954
Chuck: We might have
a good thing going for us.
852
00:43:00,038 --> 00:43:03,875
Who's next? Step right up,
boys. Who's next?
853
00:43:07,629 --> 00:43:11,007
Judi: One of the things I hated
about Synanon at that time
854
00:43:11,049 --> 00:43:16,012
was its preoccupation
with money and wealth.
855
00:43:16,888 --> 00:43:21,601
Chuck, in particular,
began to amass a lot of wealth.
856
00:43:21,685 --> 00:43:22,894
And he was pretty open about it.
857
00:43:22,977 --> 00:43:24,396
He didn't try to hide it.
858
00:43:24,437 --> 00:43:28,066
(helicopter whirring)
859
00:43:30,443 --> 00:43:33,863
Chuck: I like to be rich.
All Americans like to be rich.
860
00:43:33,905 --> 00:43:36,574
♪♪
861
00:43:36,658 --> 00:43:38,743
We've had some rich people
862
00:43:38,785 --> 00:43:40,745
living in Synanon,
863
00:43:40,829 --> 00:43:45,083
who have given large amounts
of money to Synanon.
864
00:43:47,127 --> 00:43:49,546
Companies have given
865
00:43:49,587 --> 00:43:52,424
millions and millions
of dollars' worth
866
00:43:52,507 --> 00:43:55,593
of goods and services.
867
00:43:55,635 --> 00:43:57,470
- (tape player whirring)
- And then we made
868
00:43:57,554 --> 00:43:59,889
$2.5 million...
869
00:43:59,931 --> 00:44:04,769
(over loudspeaker)
net profit on our AdGap sales.
870
00:44:06,062 --> 00:44:08,898
We are in the people business.
871
00:44:11,067 --> 00:44:14,529
I'm trying
American business methods
872
00:44:14,612 --> 00:44:17,532
to do something
about social problems.
873
00:44:17,615 --> 00:44:20,618
(quiet warehouse chatter)
874
00:44:20,660 --> 00:44:22,704
And I'm going to be paid
875
00:44:22,787 --> 00:44:25,915
in a way that is commensurate
with my abilities
876
00:44:25,957 --> 00:44:29,127
as a business executive.
877
00:44:29,210 --> 00:44:31,796
♪♪
878
00:44:31,880 --> 00:44:34,382
We went from the power of
poverty, which was sort of
879
00:44:34,466 --> 00:44:36,593
Synanon's ethic,
880
00:44:36,634 --> 00:44:39,554
to much more of
an emphasis on wealth.
881
00:44:39,888 --> 00:44:41,598
Newscaster: Like many
successful corporations,
882
00:44:41,639 --> 00:44:43,350
it has its own airplanes
and boats
883
00:44:43,433 --> 00:44:45,852
and thousands of vehicles.
884
00:44:45,935 --> 00:44:48,063
So, this was kind of a flip.
885
00:44:48,521 --> 00:44:51,775
You're talking about
this enormous organization,
886
00:44:51,816 --> 00:44:54,569
with a lot of Lifestylers who,
887
00:44:54,652 --> 00:44:56,237
from the outside, look like,
888
00:44:56,321 --> 00:44:59,491
"Well, this is a pretty cushy
deal for a lot of people."
889
00:45:00,492 --> 00:45:03,661
And at the same time,
our tax exempt certificate
890
00:45:03,745 --> 00:45:07,123
is based on us being
a social service agency,
891
00:45:07,165 --> 00:45:12,379
and we're really not getting
very many drug addicts anymore.
892
00:45:12,462 --> 00:45:16,925
There was more people saying,
"We need to inspect you."
893
00:45:17,926 --> 00:45:22,764
That led to another one of
Chuck's wonderful edicts.
894
00:45:24,516 --> 00:45:26,226
Chuck:
We do things in...
895
00:45:27,477 --> 00:45:29,354
in Synanon, we do them together.
896
00:45:29,437 --> 00:45:31,106
We do them for a purpose.
897
00:45:31,189 --> 00:45:34,943
We do them because
they make us feel good,
898
00:45:35,026 --> 00:45:38,238
because they make it possible
for us more fully
899
00:45:39,114 --> 00:45:41,241
to appreciate the gift of life.
900
00:45:41,324 --> 00:45:44,369
(tense music playing)
901
00:45:44,411 --> 00:45:46,454
Everyone in Synanon
902
00:45:47,455 --> 00:45:50,208
must participate
903
00:45:50,250 --> 00:45:52,293
in the establishment
904
00:45:54,087 --> 00:45:55,171
of a church.
905
00:45:57,882 --> 00:46:00,301
Ron: Chuck, I
believe, truly believed
906
00:46:00,385 --> 00:46:01,803
it was a religion.
907
00:46:01,886 --> 00:46:05,015
And he said, "Listen,
if you're a Catholic,
908
00:46:05,056 --> 00:46:07,475
"you're always a Catholic.
I was raised as a Catholic,
909
00:46:07,559 --> 00:46:09,686
"I'm a Catholic. End of story.
910
00:46:09,728 --> 00:46:12,105
"If you're a Jew,
you're always a Jew.
911
00:46:12,188 --> 00:46:15,859
"Synanon is an add-on religion.
912
00:46:15,900 --> 00:46:18,987
"Synanon adds on to
whatever your beliefs are,
913
00:46:19,070 --> 00:46:22,490
"and whatever your religion is,
and helps you...
914
00:46:23,033 --> 00:46:26,953
move towards dealing with
the world we live in today."
915
00:46:27,037 --> 00:46:30,874
(applause, cheering)
916
00:46:32,083 --> 00:46:35,003
Ours will be a talking church.
917
00:46:35,378 --> 00:46:40,300
It will come out of
the Synanon Game.
918
00:46:40,383 --> 00:46:43,970
Stews. Reaches. Searches.
919
00:46:44,929 --> 00:46:47,432
I think we should talk,
920
00:46:47,515 --> 00:46:49,267
and we should exchange ideas,
921
00:46:49,351 --> 00:46:51,978
and I think that our...
922
00:46:52,771 --> 00:46:55,774
our church will happen.
923
00:46:55,857 --> 00:46:57,734
Phil Bourdette:
We notified the IRS,
924
00:46:57,776 --> 00:47:00,695
and we started filing papers
with the IRS,
925
00:47:00,779 --> 00:47:03,073
saying we were a religion.
926
00:47:03,114 --> 00:47:07,202
My perspective on it,
and I think a lot of people...
927
00:47:08,286 --> 00:47:10,955
share this is that
it was a total scam.
928
00:47:10,997 --> 00:47:14,501
I think that, uh,
calling it a religion
929
00:47:14,584 --> 00:47:18,838
just meant that you would,
you would retain a status,
930
00:47:18,922 --> 00:47:20,882
uh, as a 501(c)(3)
931
00:47:20,965 --> 00:47:24,135
to avoid regulation.
932
00:47:24,177 --> 00:47:26,429
Synanon just really
couldn't survive
933
00:47:26,471 --> 00:47:29,557
in the way that it was
configured at that point
934
00:47:29,641 --> 00:47:31,559
without being able
935
00:47:31,643 --> 00:47:33,395
to have donations
936
00:47:33,478 --> 00:47:34,896
both of goods,
937
00:47:34,979 --> 00:47:37,232
services, and money.
938
00:47:37,315 --> 00:47:40,694
Jady: You know, were we
worthy of a tax exempt certificate
939
00:47:40,777 --> 00:47:42,821
for claiming that
we were a religion?
940
00:47:42,862 --> 00:47:44,698
I guess people could argue
that we were.
941
00:47:44,781 --> 00:47:47,492
In my heart,
I didn't feel that we were.
942
00:47:47,575 --> 00:47:49,077
(applause, cheering)
943
00:47:49,160 --> 00:47:51,996
I had a lot of conflict
about that.
944
00:47:53,456 --> 00:47:56,668
But my dad was running the show.
945
00:47:56,751 --> 00:47:58,128
There was just
never any question
946
00:47:58,169 --> 00:48:01,006
that when he wanted
to exert control,
947
00:48:01,089 --> 00:48:02,340
he would exert it.
948
00:48:02,424 --> 00:48:05,677
(waves splashing)
949
00:48:05,719 --> 00:48:09,180
And then that, you know,
trickled down to the kids.
950
00:48:10,348 --> 00:48:12,726
(seesaw creaking)
951
00:48:12,809 --> 00:48:15,687
Josh Silvers: When my
family moved into Synanon,
952
00:48:15,729 --> 00:48:17,355
we lived in Santa Monica.
953
00:48:17,397 --> 00:48:19,691
It was kinda nice,
you know? (laughs)
954
00:48:19,733 --> 00:48:23,111
Sunshine and playing.
955
00:48:25,530 --> 00:48:27,741
My sister and I
lived in the school.
956
00:48:27,824 --> 00:48:29,993
(child laughs)
957
00:48:30,035 --> 00:48:31,661
There was apartments,
and there was, like,
958
00:48:31,703 --> 00:48:32,912
two sets of bunk beds
959
00:48:32,996 --> 00:48:34,873
in each bedroom.
And I had my parents,
960
00:48:34,914 --> 00:48:37,292
so I had lots
of love that I felt.
961
00:48:37,375 --> 00:48:40,837
But I also felt part
of a community,
962
00:48:40,879 --> 00:48:43,506
and we knew everybody.
Like...
963
00:48:43,590 --> 00:48:45,633
And they watched out for you.
964
00:48:46,718 --> 00:48:51,139
And then, they moved the kids
all up to Tomales at the ranch.
965
00:48:52,349 --> 00:48:55,143
♪♪
966
00:48:55,226 --> 00:48:59,105
We were bussed up there,
and it was a long ride.
967
00:48:59,189 --> 00:49:03,401
I mean, we left LA to Tomales,
968
00:49:04,069 --> 00:49:07,989
and I just remember
being on a bus
969
00:49:08,073 --> 00:49:10,241
and-and feeling scared.
970
00:49:13,411 --> 00:49:15,622
When we moved,
then I stopped seeing
971
00:49:15,705 --> 00:49:17,791
my dad and my mother
972
00:49:17,874 --> 00:49:20,085
the whole time
we were in Tomales.
973
00:49:23,421 --> 00:49:27,717
Rod: The idea of Tomales
was let's get the kids,
974
00:49:27,759 --> 00:49:31,221
uh, contained and educated,
975
00:49:31,262 --> 00:49:33,765
so that their parents
can go to work
976
00:49:34,516 --> 00:49:37,018
and be more productive
in terms of the community.
977
00:49:40,188 --> 00:49:42,107
All the kids were
finally in one place.
978
00:49:42,190 --> 00:49:45,652
There were, there were
about 200, maybe more.
979
00:49:47,654 --> 00:49:52,075
If Synanon needed the parent
to be in a different facility
980
00:49:52,117 --> 00:49:54,035
to work from where their kid
was in the school,
981
00:49:54,119 --> 00:49:56,162
that was okay.
982
00:49:56,246 --> 00:49:58,623
And the parent would just
have to deal with it.
983
00:49:58,707 --> 00:50:01,710
(quiet office chatter)
984
00:50:01,793 --> 00:50:05,296
Synanon Member: Do you know
why Karen's taking a picture of you?
985
00:50:05,338 --> 00:50:08,049
- Why?
- Your moms and dads.
986
00:50:08,133 --> 00:50:11,094
They're gonna get to see
what you look like.
987
00:50:11,136 --> 00:50:13,638
They wanna know if you're
growing up to be really big.
988
00:50:13,722 --> 00:50:15,098
What do you think of that?
989
00:50:15,140 --> 00:50:18,727
(kids playing)
990
00:50:20,854 --> 00:50:23,273
Norm:
My daughter stayed in
991
00:50:23,314 --> 00:50:24,816
the Santa Monica
facility for a while,
992
00:50:24,899 --> 00:50:28,153
but was almost immediately, uh,
993
00:50:28,236 --> 00:50:30,822
shipped up to Tomales Bay
with the other kids.
994
00:50:30,864 --> 00:50:33,408
I was concerned about that.
995
00:50:33,491 --> 00:50:37,954
Uh, my wife kinda talked me
down from my concerns.
996
00:50:37,996 --> 00:50:40,248
Said that she knew
people up there,
997
00:50:40,331 --> 00:50:42,000
and they were really
good people,
998
00:50:42,083 --> 00:50:44,836
and that, uh, Kimberly
would be well-cared for.
999
00:50:44,919 --> 00:50:46,796
And that turned out
not to be the case.
1000
00:50:46,838 --> 00:50:49,299
- (crow cawing)
- Teacher: Ready!
1001
00:50:49,924 --> 00:50:53,136
Josh: I don't ever
remember people holding me
1002
00:50:53,178 --> 00:50:55,764
and-and-and like feeling
there was a safe place
1003
00:50:55,847 --> 00:50:58,224
to, like, get a hug.
1004
00:50:58,725 --> 00:51:02,145
There wasn't like somebody
that would put you to bed
1005
00:51:02,187 --> 00:51:05,273
and hold you or read to you.
Like, to you.
1006
00:51:07,025 --> 00:51:10,987
There were probably some kids
1007
00:51:11,029 --> 00:51:14,449
who needed more
and didn't, maybe,
1008
00:51:14,532 --> 00:51:18,078
get what they needed in
terms of physical affection
1009
00:51:18,161 --> 00:51:21,956
or-or, you know,
one-on-one or love.
1010
00:51:22,040 --> 00:51:23,291
There was one kid.
1011
00:51:23,375 --> 00:51:26,753
He was just a baby,
and he was crying all the time.
1012
00:51:26,836 --> 00:51:28,213
And they had to shut the door,
1013
00:51:28,254 --> 00:51:31,049
and then he would
crawl towards the door
1014
00:51:31,132 --> 00:51:33,551
and put his fingers under,
crying. (sniffles)
1015
00:51:33,635 --> 00:51:36,096
And every 20 minutes, someone
would come and pick him up
1016
00:51:36,179 --> 00:51:38,390
and put him back into the center
1017
00:51:38,431 --> 00:51:41,726
so that he didn't keep coming to
the door with his fingers under.
1018
00:51:41,810 --> 00:51:44,145
And, obviously, this is a child
1019
00:51:44,229 --> 00:51:46,106
who needed someone
to pick him up
1020
00:51:46,189 --> 00:51:47,732
and just carry him.
1021
00:51:47,816 --> 00:51:50,276
(somber music playing)
1022
00:51:50,360 --> 00:51:53,321
Chuck:
Is it really true that...
1023
00:51:53,405 --> 00:51:56,324
that men are consumed
with a great...
1024
00:51:56,408 --> 00:51:59,327
(over loudspeaker) paternal
love for their children?
1025
00:51:59,411 --> 00:52:01,287
I've always thought
that was nonsense.
1026
00:52:01,371 --> 00:52:03,540
I don't think
that's true at all.
1027
00:52:03,581 --> 00:52:05,291
(kids chattering)
1028
00:52:05,375 --> 00:52:08,211
I think it's totally unnatural
for a woman
1029
00:52:08,253 --> 00:52:10,463
to have much interest
in her own children
1030
00:52:10,547 --> 00:52:13,717
over other children
after the child is weaned.
1031
00:52:13,758 --> 00:52:15,844
(indistinct chatter)
1032
00:52:15,927 --> 00:52:19,055
There was this attitude from
Chuck, right from the beginning,
1033
00:52:19,139 --> 00:52:20,932
that parents are basically
bad for kids. (laughs)
1034
00:52:21,016 --> 00:52:25,061
You know, and that was his,
uh, his primary theory
1035
00:52:25,103 --> 00:52:28,356
that, uh, parents are, uh...
1036
00:52:28,440 --> 00:52:32,110
create all these neuroses
for-for children.
1037
00:52:32,152 --> 00:52:35,363
I think Synanon
went too far on this.
1038
00:52:36,448 --> 00:52:39,284
And I think a lot
of these kids suffered.
1039
00:52:39,325 --> 00:52:41,703
Instead of having
a balance between
1040
00:52:41,786 --> 00:52:45,040
this wonderful enhanced
environment of caregivers
1041
00:52:45,123 --> 00:52:48,710
and maintaining
the special relationship
1042
00:52:48,793 --> 00:52:50,420
with their parents,
1043
00:52:50,462 --> 00:52:53,548
the Synanon school
turned too far toward
1044
00:52:53,631 --> 00:52:56,468
the parents feeling that
they were not welcomed.
1045
00:52:58,720 --> 00:53:00,889
Rebekah:
Very early on, very quickly,
1046
00:53:00,972 --> 00:53:03,725
it was a "we versus them,"
1047
00:53:04,934 --> 00:53:08,480
um, environment.
We were the kids,
1048
00:53:08,521 --> 00:53:11,316
they were the adults.
And we, you know,
1049
00:53:11,399 --> 00:53:14,903
in the place of having parents
1050
00:53:14,986 --> 00:53:17,197
that we were bonding to,
we bonded with each other.
1051
00:53:17,280 --> 00:53:20,200
(quiet chatter)
1052
00:53:20,283 --> 00:53:23,453
We could look at one another
and know, "Okay,
1053
00:53:23,495 --> 00:53:25,997
"they're screwed up.
These people are weird.
1054
00:53:26,039 --> 00:53:28,083
You know, what are they doing?"
1055
00:53:28,166 --> 00:53:30,502
♪ Gimme a head with hair ♪
1056
00:53:30,543 --> 00:53:34,005
♪ Long, beautiful hair,
shining... ♪
1057
00:53:34,089 --> 00:53:36,549
Newscaster: This is mass
insanity coming to you live.
1058
00:53:36,633 --> 00:53:38,843
All the women have
just shaved their heads.
1059
00:53:38,885 --> 00:53:41,179
Speaker: Given the fact
that the whole culture
1060
00:53:41,221 --> 00:53:43,431
seems to hair crazy right now,
1061
00:53:43,515 --> 00:53:45,850
I suppose these guys are
pioneers in their own way.
1062
00:53:45,934 --> 00:53:49,521
♪ Hair... ♪
1063
00:53:49,562 --> 00:53:51,648
♪ Grow it, show it ♪
1064
00:53:51,690 --> 00:53:53,983
♪ Long as I can grow it ♪
1065
00:53:54,025 --> 00:53:57,320
♪ My hair! ♪
1066
00:53:57,362 --> 00:54:00,573
Shaving heads started
as a negative
1067
00:54:00,657 --> 00:54:01,908
for the men.
1068
00:54:01,991 --> 00:54:03,660
In the early days,
1069
00:54:03,702 --> 00:54:06,746
if you got in serious trouble,
you might get your head shaved.
1070
00:54:06,830 --> 00:54:08,373
(quiet chatter)
1071
00:54:08,415 --> 00:54:10,625
Judi: One day, there
was a women's Game
1072
00:54:10,709 --> 00:54:12,460
that was being broadcast
over the Wire,
1073
00:54:12,544 --> 00:54:14,546
over the loudspeaker,
to all the facilities.
1074
00:54:14,629 --> 00:54:17,257
Synanon Member: Well, you
know she'll never do anything about it
1075
00:54:17,340 --> 00:54:18,675
because she just whines.
1076
00:54:18,717 --> 00:54:21,136
She won't take care
of anything, and...
1077
00:54:21,219 --> 00:54:22,887
Judi:
One of the women in the Game
1078
00:54:22,971 --> 00:54:25,807
was talking about a camera
that she had acquired
1079
00:54:25,890 --> 00:54:28,560
and then she turned around
and sold it.
1080
00:54:28,643 --> 00:54:30,562
Everybody came down
on her really hard.
1081
00:54:30,645 --> 00:54:32,230
"You stole that.
That was theft."
1082
00:54:33,189 --> 00:54:36,443
Mike: Chuck made it
clear that if you were a man,
1083
00:54:36,526 --> 00:54:39,863
and you got caught doing this,
1084
00:54:39,904 --> 00:54:41,406
we'd shave your head.
1085
00:54:41,448 --> 00:54:43,908
She was a feminist, so she said,
1086
00:54:44,576 --> 00:54:46,578
"Damn right,
I'll shave my head. Fine."
1087
00:54:46,619 --> 00:54:48,997
- (clippers buzzing)
- (room chatter)
1088
00:54:49,080 --> 00:54:51,583
Then, I think it
was like wildfire,
1089
00:54:51,666 --> 00:54:54,419
and all of these women
jumped up and decided
1090
00:54:54,502 --> 00:54:57,672
that they would shave
their heads, too, in comradery.
1091
00:54:57,756 --> 00:55:00,759
("Clap Your Hands and Stamp Your
Feet" by Bonnie St. Claire playing)
1092
00:55:00,800 --> 00:55:03,386
♪♪
1093
00:55:03,428 --> 00:55:05,055
Speaker 1:
Mass bedlam in Tomales Bay.
1094
00:55:05,138 --> 00:55:06,848
All the women
shaving their heads.
1095
00:55:06,931 --> 00:55:08,975
Speaker 2: I heard Betty shaved
her head, Dorothy's head was shaved.
1096
00:55:09,059 --> 00:55:12,354
I'm talking about
everybody shaved his head.
1097
00:55:12,437 --> 00:55:13,938
♪ Well, clap your hands ♪
1098
00:55:13,980 --> 00:55:16,149
- (clapping)
- ♪ Mm ♪
1099
00:55:16,232 --> 00:55:18,193
♪ And stamp your feet ♪
1100
00:55:18,276 --> 00:55:20,278
♪♪
1101
00:55:20,320 --> 00:55:21,738
There were women
at the sidelines,
1102
00:55:21,821 --> 00:55:22,614
who were sitting, going,
1103
00:55:22,989 --> 00:55:25,450
"I'm not gonna do this!
I don't wanna do this."
1104
00:55:25,492 --> 00:55:28,119
And initially,
not everybody did it.
1105
00:55:28,203 --> 00:55:31,456
♪ Humalalalala, humalala ♪
1106
00:55:31,539 --> 00:55:34,250
I had very long hair
at the time,
1107
00:55:34,292 --> 00:55:37,420
and I did not wanna
shave it all off.
1108
00:55:37,462 --> 00:55:40,965
So, I shaved my head,
except for this long braid.
1109
00:55:41,007 --> 00:55:42,634
(laughs)
1110
00:55:42,717 --> 00:55:44,719
And then eventually,
I got on board.
1111
00:55:44,761 --> 00:55:46,471
(clippers buzzing)
1112
00:55:46,554 --> 00:55:48,306
Mike: I believe Chuck
was goading them on.
1113
00:55:48,390 --> 00:55:49,808
"Go shave your head."
1114
00:55:49,891 --> 00:55:52,644
They've got more
clippers in Santa Monica
1115
00:55:52,686 --> 00:55:55,814
than we have up here,
so there are already more women
1116
00:55:55,897 --> 00:55:58,608
- shaved down there than up here!
- Synanon Members: No!
1117
00:55:58,650 --> 00:56:00,819
Member 1:
We gotta get more women up here!
1118
00:56:00,860 --> 00:56:02,654
- Come on, let's go out!
- Member 2: Go get 'em!
1119
00:56:02,737 --> 00:56:05,907
- (overlapping chatter)
- Elena: I know it must sound crazy to you
1120
00:56:06,616 --> 00:56:10,245
but it was, it was fun,
and it was...
1121
00:56:10,328 --> 00:56:11,329
There was music,
1122
00:56:11,413 --> 00:56:13,665
and I think
there were snacks, too.
1123
00:56:13,748 --> 00:56:15,709
That always, that always got me.
1124
00:56:16,167 --> 00:56:17,794
Betty:
The women, at last,
1125
00:56:17,836 --> 00:56:21,297
have reached
some degree of freedom
1126
00:56:21,339 --> 00:56:23,967
and a total degree
of equality in Synanon.
1127
00:56:24,009 --> 00:56:28,430
- Free at last! Free!
- (cheering, applause)
1128
00:56:31,266 --> 00:56:33,393
Rebekah:
The adults were very excited.
1129
00:56:33,476 --> 00:56:35,020
They were, you know,
1130
00:56:35,061 --> 00:56:37,397
kind of like in the throes
of ecstasy practically.
1131
00:56:37,480 --> 00:56:40,525
- (applause, cheering)
- (soft music playing)
1132
00:56:40,608 --> 00:56:43,528
But, as a kid,
it's just very different.
1133
00:56:45,071 --> 00:56:46,698
You had no choice.
1134
00:56:48,992 --> 00:56:51,536
Judi:
After the initial explosion
1135
00:56:51,578 --> 00:56:53,538
of that one-time head shaving,
1136
00:56:53,580 --> 00:56:56,291
Chuck decided that this
would be a good idea.
1137
00:56:56,374 --> 00:56:57,625
And that, in fact,
1138
00:56:57,709 --> 00:57:00,045
all members of Synanon
would keep their heads shorn.
1139
00:57:02,464 --> 00:57:03,715
Rebekah:
For me, as a child,
1140
00:57:03,798 --> 00:57:07,427
I would've given everything up
just to have had hair.
1141
00:57:10,388 --> 00:57:13,892
We were really like zoo animals.
1142
00:57:13,975 --> 00:57:17,645
(laughs) And we would,
you know, be stared at and...
1143
00:57:17,729 --> 00:57:19,564
Because we had bald heads.
1144
00:57:19,606 --> 00:57:22,275
So we looked,
we looked like freaks.
1145
00:57:22,359 --> 00:57:23,985
♪♪
1146
00:57:29,407 --> 00:57:32,243
Josh: You have no say
of what you do,
1147
00:57:32,285 --> 00:57:34,120
and how you do it,
and when you do it
1148
00:57:34,204 --> 00:57:35,872
because you're a kid.
1149
00:57:36,748 --> 00:57:38,500
That's just how your life is.
1150
00:57:39,084 --> 00:57:43,046
But we really started to feel
that changes were coming.
1151
00:57:44,964 --> 00:57:47,384
The wind was blowing
in a cooler direction.
1152
00:57:47,425 --> 00:57:50,637
Instructor:
Left! Left, right, left!
1153
00:57:50,720 --> 00:57:54,391
Rod: What happened in
those next few years,
1154
00:57:54,432 --> 00:57:58,353
Chuck systematically
broke the philosophy,
1155
00:57:58,436 --> 00:58:00,647
the things that undergird,
I think,
1156
00:58:00,730 --> 00:58:03,608
the healthy community
that I had seen.
1157
00:58:03,858 --> 00:58:06,695
Chuck:
That menopausal goddamn fool.
1158
00:58:06,778 --> 00:58:08,780
If Betty hadn't let her
out of the room,
1159
00:58:08,822 --> 00:58:11,533
the next day, I was gonna
throw her out the window.
1160
00:58:11,616 --> 00:58:15,537
Rod: And I think that
was, again, his thing.
1161
00:58:15,620 --> 00:58:16,913
(inaudible)
1162
00:58:17,414 --> 00:58:19,124
"I'm gonna do it
'cause I can do it."
1163
00:58:19,207 --> 00:58:22,794
(applause, cheering)
1164
00:58:22,877 --> 00:58:23,837
Hey!
1165
00:58:23,920 --> 00:58:25,714
Jady:
My dad changed the culture.
1166
00:58:25,797 --> 00:58:27,799
You know,
it wasn't enough for him.
1167
00:58:27,882 --> 00:58:29,759
(inaudible)
1168
00:58:29,801 --> 00:58:32,053
But there was no plan.
1169
00:58:33,638 --> 00:58:37,767
I think it was an organic
process, like always.
1170
00:58:39,352 --> 00:58:42,480
There were cardinal rules
on which Synanon was founded.
1171
00:58:42,522 --> 00:58:44,816
(tense music playing)
1172
00:58:44,858 --> 00:58:47,318
And those were solid
until they weren't.
1173
00:58:49,070 --> 00:58:50,613
(police radio chatter)
1174
00:58:50,655 --> 00:58:53,491
And that was
the beginning of the end.
1175
00:58:53,575 --> 00:58:56,828
(tense music fading out)
1176
00:58:58,455 --> 00:59:01,666
(solemn music playing)
1177
00:59:50,048 --> 00:59:52,050
(music fades out)
88473
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