Original subtitles

Hello, I'm calling from the trip.

I'd like to confirm a quote. How much money was involved?

Was it over $1 ,000?

Was it over $10 ,000?

What are you working on? The girls of Theta House. All those girls have such

great figures. Tiny little waists. And such enormous problems.

I talked Charlie's secretary into letting me look at tomorrow's strips

does. Couldn't wait to see what's going to happen in Duffy's menagerie.

And I will as soon as Billy finishes.

It's really good.

You're just saying that because when you were in college you used to date the

guy that draws that strip. Yeah, I carried Dieffenbaker before he was rich

famous. Damn it.

This is good.

Look at the gas station attendant.

Yes, sir. Arab cat. Isn't that great? Looks just like him. I get it, animal.

There, there. Now, you see? There's money coming out of the gas nozzle.

I can see that. I have eyes.

It's awfully political for a comic strip.

It's a political strip.

If you ask me, he's flirting with defamation.

Everyone's heard the rumors about Senator Fleming's Arab ties, but no

able to prove it. What makes you think it's Senator Fleming?

License plate, California.

Sticker, re -elect 1980.

We've only got two senators, and only one of them is running for re -election.

And I'll bet you he's got a strip coming up that shows that guy's face. And I'll

bet you he's a dead ringer for Fleming.

Ah, Charlie, I don't think he'd go that far.

I promised I'd get this stuff back.

Whatever happened to having the controversial stuff on the editorial

the funny stuff in the comics?

I don't know. Sometimes the editorial page can be pretty funny.

Rousey? Yeah, Lou?

This came off the wire. There's been a book burning up in all the mirror.

It's got the dateline in there, so it could be 1953.

Well, this happened last night. Listen to some of the stuff they burned.

The Scarlet Letter, Slaughterhouse -Five, Brave New World.

Huh, could have saved me a lot of homework. Let me see that.

Hmm, maybe I should follow up.

I'm really glad to hear that. You know how much I hate to send you out on an

assignment when you're not really excited about it.

Okay, okay, I'm going. Yeah, wait a minute.

When you get into town, look at an old friend of mine, Mitchell Webster.

We spent a lot of time together back in Detroit.

Maybe he can help you. He owns a newspaper up there.

Fully remember you?

Are you kidding? Of course he'll remember me. We spent a lot of time

Great time.

I wrecked his car once.

Okay, but if the guy doesn't pay his taxes, well, then he's stealing from all

us. It's our money.

Yeah? Then we should send it to me, direct.

Listen, I'd love to keep discussing this, but we have to move on to your

topic.

Sex education.

Mr. Kiefer, do we have to talk about sex?

Okay.

A junior high school teacher who is concerned for her students' welfare

offers them birth control information.

Isn't she like saying it's okay to have sex? Wait, wait, wait. Not necessarily.

What if she didn't give out the information? Wouldn't that be

Just because you read the information doesn't mean you'll do it.

Oh, please, go on. Just ignore me.

It's easy.

Pretend we're having an assembly.

Okay.

We have a teacher who wants to give out birth control information.

What is it that we need to know?

I need to know the name of that teacher.

We'll come back this month.

Marilyn.

We've discussed the use of this book before.

I know, but I need it.

It gives the class a focus.

Maybe you'd better change the focus.

This book on cultural values doesn't fit the board's plan.

We've committed ourselves to a back -to -basics approach.

The curriculum is more backward than basic.

It's less open than when I was a student here 12 years ago.

And besides, I think getting students to understand right and wrong is pretty

basic. Marilyn, you're really forcing my hand.

The board made the decision. I'm to carry out policy.

Well, they've taken away my whole reading list.

Pretty soon the only book I'll be able to use around here is the telephone

If you persist in this, you've... Only yourself to blame for how it turns out.

them like that anymore.

Donna Reed?

Oh, the old movies.

Nowadays, they only got time for one thing.

Sex.

Yeah, right. Listen, I just need a room for the night.

Eighteen a night in advance.

Pear Blossom Festival don't start for another two weeks.

I'm not a tourist.

Didn't think you looked like the Pear Blossom type.

What do you do?

I'm a reporter for the Los Angeles Tribune.

Hey, I bet you hear about that book burning, aren't you?

A couple reporters have been nosing around.

Not as many as we had during the farm workers' strike back in the 60s. They

crawling all over the place.

Because back then we had the one thing you guys really loved to write about.

Sex?

Violence.

You guys love to write about that, don't you?

Look, I'm just here to write about the book burning.

Maybe you can help me out.

Sorry, I don't know much about it.

Don't get involved in nothing political.

I was taught if you don't have something good to say, then you don't say

nothing. I ain't had nothing good to say about politics since Nixon left office.

Oh, you really like Nixon, huh?

No, I liked it when he left office.

Number five's out the door and up the stairs.

There's no TV in the room, but you're welcome to watch that one any time.

Oh, thanks. I think I'll just find myself an uncharged book and read myself

sleep. See ya.

It was a beautiful day until Mr. Sackler called from the legal department.

I know, I know. That piece we did on 101 ways to beat the IRS.

But every one of those loopholes is legal.

Wonderful, but that's not why he called.

Oh, it's this comic strip, Duffy's Menagerie. Oh, yeah.

Mr. Sackler seems to feel the cartoonist, Mr.

Diefenbaker, is begging a larval suit for his series on Arab influence in

Congress. He's got it all set up.

And if Senator Fleming steps out of the car... Senator Lemming.

Yes, Senator F.

Lemming. Who are we kidding?

If he does step out of the car, what'll we do?

We don't do anything.

It's a spoof. Satire.

But even a comic strip has to be careful when they're going to defame a public

figure. Mr. Pinchon's right.

And he's clearly implying that Senator Fleming has been bought by Arab money.

If... If I remember correctly, these charges were made before. Didn't we

an investigation of our own?

Every reporter in town has heard the rumors, but nobody's been able to prove

Yeah, we tried like hell.

Burroughs came up with some stuff. A lot of hearsay, but nothing we could nail

him with.

Well, unless Mr. Diefenbaker has better sources than we do, he's causing

trouble.

And Senator Fleming is rather sensitive on this subject. We're going to censor

this trip because we're afraid of hurting a senator's feelings?

No.

We've criticized the senator's actions before. I have never interfered as long

as we had the evidence to back it up. Well, don't you worry. I'll be checking

this strip myself every day before it goes to composing.

That'll make Mr. Sackler's life a lot easier. Thank you, Mr. Hume.

Mr. Grant.

Hmm?

My paper.

Oh.

I haven't finished the funnies yet.

Lou Grant.

We'll continue in a moment here on A &E.

Payday's a crazy calendar game where you're at the top of the world one day.

want to sleep one day.

So there I was holding down the desk at the free press. And I get the call from

Lou. He tells me my car's wrapped around a telephone pole with grass shit and

liver noise.

And he's on his way to that shootout on foot.

It's a tough grade. What are you kidding?

No, he got an exclusive.

Young reporters don't have the kind of help a leather spirit we had in those

days. Well, I got a ticket on the way up here. Does that count?

Well, what'd you get it for?

Fawlty taillight.

Doesn't count. Doesn't count.

So, Joe, where you staying? The Vista Verde Motel.

Selby's place.

Well, I can't knock old Hank. He takes out an ad about once a year.

But it's not exactly the Hilton, is it?

You'd be a lot more comfortable out at the ranch with me and Jenny.

Oh, thanks, but I couldn't. My hours are so crazy.

I see.

Single guy, out of town. Oh, I got you. But you will come for dinner one night.

Oh, for sure. Thanks.

So, what brings that trip way up here?

Well, I'm investigating the book burning that took place the other day.

You came all this way for that?

There seems to be more to it.

I read about that teacher getting fired, and then there's this citizens group,

the Poor Review Society.

Oh, that's just a bunch of senior citizens who think the school's a true

They want to alert the nation to the dangers of moral decay.

They're a little overzealous, but they mean well. Well, I'm going to want to

talk to them.

Okay, Joe. Just don't judge us by a bunch of eccentrics.

Oh, I wouldn't do that.

There's always a fringe group, one kind or another.

But most of the folks in this town are just hardworking.

Family, people, nothing... Nothing sinister about it.

I'm sure there isn't. But I'd like to speak to a lot of different people.

Well, I can help you there.

Yeah, we got this old fellow who started our first movie theater in 1927.

It's still open. Same popcorn, too.

Well, that's not exactly what I had in mind.

How about the principal of the high school, then?

No.

I'd like to start...

With those eccentrics you mentioned. The Paul Revere Society?

Okay.

Herbert!

Herbert!

Can I help you?

I'm curious. Why are you located right next to an adult bookstore?

To make those people uncomfortable.

To let them know that we're going to keep an eye on things.

We've even taken pictures of customers going in and out.

You took pictures?

Yes, indeed.

We figure that if they know someone's watching them, they'll think twice about

going in there.

I see a little community pressure.

Supreme Court says a community has a right to set its own standards.

And that kind of filth next door is polluting our town.

I can see why you'd be opposed to that store and the books it sells, but some

the books you burned last week were different. I mean, dictionaries and

books and works of literature.

You call it literature.

Those books, they tear down everything we believe in.

They don't belong in a classroom.

You see, Mr. Rossi, we don't burn good books.

Just the objectionable ones.

Who's to say which books are objectionable?

Their parents.

People who care.

Not those educators who don't have any kids.

Sitting around their ivory tower, just thinking up new ideas.

They're experimenting with our kids.

I used to be able to work with my boy, help him with his arithmetic.

Then they come up with this new math.

We're both in the dark.

If a child reads a novel or a history book that tells him that this country

wrong, and that he should be ashamed of it, That comes between us, too. And you

think these books are responsible for that?

They're a beginning.

Well, he's gone too far.

Who? Stephen Baker, the guy who does this strip.

Boy, he really captured Senator Fleming's nose, didn't he? Today's strip

enough, but in this one for tomorrow, he has Senator Fleming paying the Arab off

with all this military hardware.

Senator Lemming.

No doubt who Senator Lemming is.

Look at how Steven Baker has caught Fleming with the eyebrows and the

All right.

What does that look like to you?

That looks like where I buy my gas.

Only it looks friendlier. No, no, no. I mean, what person?

Don't you love the way he draws Fleming?

Hear that?

What'd I say?

Look, okay, okay.

I wish I could talk to that Diefenbaker guy.

I've called his syndicate, but I can't get through to him. I could try to reach

him for you.

You know it?

I used to.

It's worth a try.

You still got his number?

I should.

Here.

I always keep all my old phone numbers. You never know when one might come in.

It's always been my motto.

Hello, is this the Diefenbaker residence?

Is this Mrs. Diefenbaker?

That's not.

Oh. Well, this is Billy Newman. I'm an old friend of Carrie's.

From college.

Thank you. Boy, she's suspicious for somebody who's not even married to her.

Hi, Carrie.

Hi.

Uh -huh.

Yeah, I would love to sometime.

Uh, listen, Carrie, you know, I work over at the Trib now.

You have?

Well, how nice. Thank you.

Uh,

anyway, Carrie, the reason why I called is my managing editor, Charles Hume,

would like to talk to you if you have a minute.

Okay. Great. I'll put him up.

Mr. Diefenbaker, Charles Hume.

By the way, I love your stuff.

Yeah, but tomorrow's trip, the legal department's having some problems with

As you know, those guys don't have the best sense of humor.

Well, it's a little too on the nose for us.

We're just afraid it goes too far.

So we may just have to drop it, unless you want to make some changes.

Wait a minute, we have a responsibility, too.

Well, that... Nice guy, your boyfriend.

He hung up on me.

We'll continue in a moment here on A &E.

Fancy rapping isn't necessary.

You were right, Lou. It's not just the book burning.

Huh? So what else do you have?

Well, a teacher lost her job over this thing.

Are you sure they're connected?

Well, it's going to take a little more time.

Rossi, have you ever been on a story where you didn't say those famous words

me, it's going to take a little more time?

But Lou, have I ever let you down?

Yeah, a lot. I've got the list right here. You want me to read it back to

No, no.

Listen, Lou, this time it's going to be worth waiting for. Believe me. How's

Webster? He's fine, sis. Hello.

Hello.

I wreck his car up a pole and all he can say is hello?

Well, uh, he did say more than that, but I don't want to use profanity in this

town. Right, okay.

Uh,

Marilyn? What would you like? I just want to talk to you.

Listen, I'm brand new to this whole routine, and I'm having a hard time

just serving, much less socializing. Well, I'd be willing to stay after

Oh, yeah.

Okay.

I'm Joe Rossi.

Look, I'm a reporter for the Los Angeles Tribune, and I'd like a beer.

Look, I'm up here doing a story on the book, and you're getting fired seems to

be a part of it.

I thought you might want a chance to tell your side.

You want to hear my side? Yeah.

Well, that's a switch.

The local press hasn't been exactly sympathetic.

Well, I want to hear.

Why were you fired, or why do you think you were?

For reading offensive material in class.

Offensive? What is that?

Wait a minute.

It was a social studies textbook.

That sounds pretty tame.

It started with the adult bookstore's pornography.

Now it's gone way beyond that.

Now, offensive can be anything from sex to social criticism.

There are teachers in their classrooms who are terrified of saying the wrong

thing. There are rumors that the intercoms are being used as two -way

devices. Sounds like 1984.

Well, these students wouldn't know that.

It's one of the books they banned.

Oh, and it's not just the school, Peter.

You should see what they have done to the town library.

It's okay. We, uh, we went to school together.

Sorry, but I can't afford to lose this job, too.

You know, I make more here dressed up like a...

X -rated Dale Evans, and I did teach him.

But I really missed him.

Is there any chance you get your job back?

Oh, I'm entitled to a hearing with the school board.

Even the Paul Revere Society can't prevent that.

Are they responsible for this?

The question is, who's responsible for them?

You know, really, I should be grateful to the Paul Revere Society for one

What's that?

Before they came along, this place was topless.

Well, you took it off my back. I've got no choice.

Believe me, if you pull that strip for tomorrow, you're just going to be making

a bigger mistake.

I don't care.

Try to be reasonable, a guy hung up on you. I don't really think that trip is

offensive, Charlie. Why don't you ask ten people in this city room and find

if it bothers them?

Yeah, start with me.

There's only one person I'm worried about, Senator Fleming's lawyer.

Senator Fleming is a public figure. He gets lambasted in the press all the

How can he take a cartoon seriously? Because people take them seriously.

Cartoons? Yes.

I mean, they believe that you can't print something unless it's true. They

if they see it in a newspaper, it's a fact.

Everybody knows that there are things in the paper that are fiction.

Flash Gordon.

Art Buckwell.

The weather forecast.

You can wipe that grin off your face. I've heard all the lines before.

But there's no other way to handle all this newly restricted material.

Yeah, it looks like you got a lot of it, too.

Well, there sure is, but you don't want to hear about that.

Yes, I do. I'm Joe Rossi.

I'm a reporter at the Los Angeles Tribune.

I'm Irene Thiel.

I'm doing a story on the censorship campaign.

Well, there's not much I can tell you, except it's made a lot more work for me.

Wait a minute. You're the librarian.

You must have some say, some control over... I don't have any control.

The Catcher in the Rye.

At least this is still in circulation.

Look inside.

What is this?

They feel it has literary merit with reservations.

So they did their own editing with scissors?

That's the new library review board.

Catcher in the Rye.

Before I read this book, I thought I was the only messed up teenager in the

world. Then I met Holden Caulfield, and this book got me through being 14.

I know what you're talking about, but you're lucky.

They burnt my book, The Bell Jar.

But making paper dolls out of J .D.

Salinger, it's a great little town you got here.

It's not just this town, it's happening all over.

There are nationwide movements, pressure groups, lobbyists.

Look at this.

It's called pink slipping.

It's a warning from the book wholesaler to his customers.

Bookstores, libraries.

If the distributor receives three or more complaints about any book for

anything... They tagged the book with one of these to indicate it may contain

possibly objectionable material.

They're branding their own book before it's even been read.

Well, they feel it's a service to their customers, a legitimate business

practice. Listen, I can't talk anymore right now.

Okay, let's have dinner.

I'll pick you up here at closing. We can talk more then.

No, but we could meet at the restaurant.

I'm sorry. I know the food isn't the greatest.

Oh, I wouldn't say that. I just never had lasagna made with American cheese

before this.

The truth is I wanted to come here because it's dark and hardly anyone ever

comes here.

I really don't want to be seen with you.

Oh, thanks a lot.

I just don't want anyone to think I'm making trouble like that teacher who got

fired.

Look, I moved here with my son after my divorce because I wanted out of L .A. I

like my job. I like living here.

You're just here to get a story.

Oh, no. It's not just a story. I'm trying to understand.

You like this town. You know the people. What's going on?

I don't know.

Maybe they just want what I wanted when I moved here.

Some control over their lives.

The world's changing so fast. Everything's breaking down.

Families, relationships.

They just want some stability in their lives.

So burn the books and get rid of the problems.

Yes, when the ideas in those books are threatening.

Listen, there are a lot of good things about living in Altamira.

It's a real community. People pitch in and help their neighbors.

Sure, and I bet you have one of those kids with a baseball cap and freckles

delivers the morning paper on his bike.

Actually, it's a moped.

A moped.

But it is a great place to bring up the kids.

There's a lot less crime.

You don't have to be afraid all the time. Except about losing your job.

Rossi. I thought that was you.

Mitch. Sit, sit.

Mrs. Teal.

I'm glad you're showing our guest around.

Don't let me disturb your dinner.

Oh, why don't you join us?

Oh, nothing. I just wanted to say hello. Remember, anything you need, you just

give me a call. Sure will. Thanks. I still owe you that dinner.

I remember.

Damn it.

All the dumb things to do. I knew I shouldn't have done this.

What are you talking about?

Being seen by him, of all people.

Who, Webster?

I don't think we'll put it in the paper. I don't think it's that newsworthy.

It's not so funny.

What are you so nervous about?

Well, it's just my job, that's all.

What does Mitch Webster have to do with your job?

Are you kidding?

He's the one who's behind this whole thing.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

You're watching the amazing...

Yes, I understand.

But the man you... But the man you want to speak to is Charles Hugh.

That's right.

H -U -M -E.

Huh? You're welcome. No, it's only temporary.

Yes, Duffy's Menagerie will be back.

Why aren't the operators handling these calls?

Because that's for dropping Duffy's Menagerie.

City desk.

Yes, I know.

But the man you want to speak to is our managing editor.

Just ask for Mr. Hugh.

No, it is not a conspiracy to silence Mr.

Diefenbaker. I can assure you the oil companies had nothing to do with it.

Did they?

All right, Lou, you can cut it out right now. I get the point. It's very funny,

but enough is enough.

City desk.

No, we didn't forget.

Duffy's menagerie is not in today's paper.

Why don't you have him turn on the radio?

A local DJ is having somebody in San Francisco read it over the air.

Apparently the strip that's too hot for L .A. is carried in a San Francisco

case. I think it makes us look foolish.

Your turn.

Hello?

Oh, hello, Rossi. Yes, he's here. Just a minute.

I never thought I'd be glad to hear Rossi's voice.

What is it? Hey, Lou, what are you doing? Making book on the side? It's

impossible to get through to you.

It's a long story, which reminds me, where's yours?

Well, I've got a whole new angle on this.

For one thing, it looks like your old buddy Webster might be involved, more

a little.

You sure about that, Rossi? That doesn't sound like him.

Well, maybe this town has gotten to him, Lou. It's really kind of creepy here. I

just don't feel welcome.

You mean you don't feel warm and accepted?

Like you do here?

Lou, I'll get back to you.

Well, just look at it. It won't bite you. Hey. Unless you're afraid of the

truth. I'm not interested, that's all.

Well, how do you know if you haven't read it? Look, kid, anytime somebody

me a sheet of paper, tells me it's the truth, I get suspicious.

Either that's a petition for a citizen's tax revolt, or you're a disciple of

Baba Ram, somebody.

It's a newspaper.

If you really care about what's going on in this town, you'll take the time to

read it.

Go on.

Boy, sometimes I wonder how democracy can survive such a disinterested public.

Hey, kid, hold it.

Hey, kid, come here.

Hey, look, kid, I just want to talk to you, that's all.

I just want to talk.

So you're right for the L .A. trip, huh?

That's right.

I guess it's tough to get a job in a really good newspaper.

Well, it's no alchemy or alternative, but it's a living.

I guess not everybody can write for Rolling Stone.

Yeah, well, listen, Ernie.

About these charges you make about Webster... That's just the tip of the

iceberg. I'm doing a whole series on how he used his newspaper to promote this

censorship campaign and to strengthen his own influence on local politics.

A reporter can't just make statements like that. You've got to have

substantiation. I do.

The post office box, rented by the Paul Revere Society, turns out to be in

Webster's father -in -law's name.

So maybe his father -in -law's involved with the Paul Revere Society.

His father -in -law died last year.

An editorial from The Sun, August, five years ago. It calls for the removal of

the two school board members who consistently voted for innovative

Four years ago, all these scare stories started appearing about muggings, rapes,

crime in the streets.

Yeah, well, the newspaper's supposed to report what's going on. Yeah, but these

things were going on in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Seattle, and Philadelphia.

And then, look at this.

Two years ago, a news item about the activities of the Paul Revere Society.

What's wrong with that?

It was before the Paul Revere Society even existed.

He invented the group and used the sun to make it a reality.

Well, it's interesting.

It's interesting.

I'm not through yet.

By this time, they were getting cocky.

They thought they could get away with anything.

So they threw me off the school paper.

Wow, the last bastion of freedom.

Okay, laugh.

But I had to go underground.

So now you're in it all alone?

I don't care.

Figured there aren't a lot of people I can trust anyhow.

And, uh, when the Trib publishes this story, maybe I won't be all alone.

I'm gonna want to check this out.

It's all there.

Do I have to write the story for you, too?

You know, Ernie, you're the most arrogant, overbearing kid I ever met.

I think that's why I liked you.

I got a piece to go to the art animal I has on the restoration of the Watts

Towers.

It's fine, but I still want something timely for page one.

You want timely?

I've got something that's not on the budget. The inside story of the Duffy's

Menagerie controversy.

What are you talking about?

The pulling of this strip is newsworthy.

By banning it, we've created a lot of interest.

The wires have picked it up.

I've assigned Billy to get the public reaction and to see if the other papers

have banned it as well.

If not, why not?

So I guess you want to interview me next.

He's waiting in your office right now.

Wait a minute. How far are we going to go with this?

I think it's a good idea.

It's news whether we like it or not.

Big news out in that room.

I'm with Adam.

Look, we all know that Senator Fleming is tied in with the Arabs, right?

Well, we've never been able to prove it.

Well, here's a way to raise the question and let the public in on what we know.

Yeah, people with columns and cartoons, you know, guys like Herblock, Russell

Baker, Doonesbury, they serve a function.

Sometimes they're ahead of the news.

Look, I'd like the public to know about Senator Fleming, but I just don't want

to get clobbered in court.

I think all these arguments go into this story.

You've been very helpful, Charlie.

I've also got heart to go with it.

You must have been quite an athlete.

Most of these belong to Jeff.

My son.

We lost him at 69.

Sorry.

Say, take a look at these.

Oh, wow.

How did you get a hold of those? Oh, it took years of collecting.

These are history in the making.

Oh, history making?

I mean, back then, newspaper was the only source of information. A well

piece could influence a lot of people. Oh, wow.

Newspaper was a powerful thing, all right.

Still is.

It can be in the right hands.

That's why I take my work so seriously.

Yeah, this town's been good to me.

I just like to give something back.

I can understand that.

I used to work for a big city newspaper like the Trib, but it wore me out.

Too many stories with unhappy endings.

Victims seemed to get younger and younger.

Everybody out for himself.

I wouldn't want that to happen in this town.

I like to think I'm doing something to prevent it.

I'm a reporter.

I don't make news.

I know.

And you're a damn good reporter.

You don't let anything or anybody stand in your way when you're after a good

story. I've been watching you.

You have?

I have.

I've seen you work on the trip, and I like what I've read.

You know, I have a... I have a selfish reason for asking you here for dinner

tonight.

Running the Sun's a 24 -hour job.

I'm beginning to slow down just a little bit, but... I'm looking for someone to

take over the paper down the line.

Now, don't say anything now. You just think about it.

There's a chance to use your talents to their fullest.

It could be a good thing, Joe.

For both of us.

Any messages?

The paper called.

TV on the blanket.

Decided to get rid of it.

Why? Got sick of all the trash they put on.

Too bad they burned all those books. You'd have something to read. Maybe they

didn't go far enough.

Books aren't the only bad influence.

I was watching TV last night with my family.

Show we've enjoyed for years.

All of a sudden, the star of the show, this pretty nurse. This is a comedy,

you. She says she's on the pill.

I couldn't believe it.

My daughters always thought the world of that girl.

But isn't that realistic? Don't some people do that?

She's got a responsibility when she gets on the TV.

Doesn't she know there's going to be kids watching her?

Nowadays, they've got doctors in those stories that give out pills just to make

people feel good. And cops that act like criminals.

But those things do happen.

Not around here, they don't. I won't have it in my home.

Permanently? You're going to turn off the television permanently?

Come Tuesday night, my family may have to start talking to each other again.

Why? What's happening Tuesday night?

Stick around, you'll see.

We'll put that TV to good use.

Books aren't the only things that burn, you know.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Does your bra have a time?

Morning.

Morning, Miss Pitcher. Morning.

Morning, Miss Pitcher. Good morning.

Good morning, Miss Pitcher.

Morning. Morning.

This may be someone's idea of cute. I find it infuriating.

I gave it a lot of thought.

Hardly enough.

We dared not run that strip on the comic page. The following day, I find it on

page one.

There's a critical difference here.

Let me explain it for me.

The withholding of the strip was an event which became news.

A matter of interest and of curiosity to our readers.

Now, for them to judge the controversy, they had to see what it was all about.

And in the opinion of everyone on editorial, we felt that we were obliged

the strip as a news item.

We laid it out with legal, and Sackler agreed that we were on solid legal

ground. I appreciate your opinion.

And I'm shocked to learn Mr. Sackler, a man who's had three years of law school,

passed the bar, practiced journalistic law for ten years, has agreed with you.

In my opinion, for whatever that's worth.

This newspaper is in big trouble.

I thought you expressed yourself very well.

And it's not just a question of this book or of my conduct.

It's a question of whether the board is acting properly when it begins to censor

material in the classrooms.

Miss Kiefer, we're not here to debate school board policy.

We're here to determine whether or not you were fired with just cause.

But that is why I was fired.

Because I refused to accept censorship of textbooks in my classroom. Do you

anything else to say?

Yes.

I really don't want to lose my job.

And the board recognizes Mr. Grizzard.

Miss Kiefer, my boy Ray Jr. is in your class.

And he thinks highly of you.

But let me tell you what happened the other night.

My son sits down at the dinner table and asked me, Dad, do you think we ought to

legalize prostitution?

And I said, where did you pick that up?

I figured he'd tell me on the playground from some of the older kids, something

like that.

But he got it in our school, in your class, Miss Kiefer.

He said they had a discussion.

And those children voted to legalize prostitution. May I respond to this,

please? I couldn't believe it. It was something in a magazine one of the kids

read. They wanted to talk about it. Ms. Kiefer, you've had the floor, Ms.

Kiefer. Mrs. Alden?

I'm worried about 12 -year -olds on dope.

Kids who run away.

Families that aren't families anymore.

See, if I have anything besides material things to give my kids, it's my

beliefs, my values.

And I'm not going to stand by and have them torn down. Not in the schools.

Not any place.

And if it means burning a few books to protect my family, I say burn them.

It's getting late.

I think we're ready to vote.

Mr. Chairman, I'd just like to say that I agree with Mr. Grizzard and

Mrs. Alden.

Something bad is happening in our school because they're unloading the best

teacher I ever had, Miss Kiefer.

who got the kids talking and listening. I refuse to be lectured to by a 16 -year

-old. Well, I'm not going to shut up just because you say to. Ernie.

Maybe you should listen to someone else for a change. Ernie, let's not have a

big ruckus here.

You've had your say.

Let's proceed with the vote.

All right, Mrs. Teal, but you're the last.

I know it isn't the smartest thing for me to speak at this hearing, but I can

understand your wanting to protect this community.

I moved to Altamira because people count for something here.

But what's happened recently has made us forget that.

We've said there are ideas out there we don't want to hear about.

We're afraid to listen.

And we end up afraid to listen to each other.

I just want Marilyn Kiefer to know she's not alone.

Just one more, Senator.

Senator, do you have any comment on the recent charges made in a popular comic

strip regarding your alleged Arab ties?

Well, I'd like to say I do enjoy Duffy's menagerie, especially when he makes fun

of the other party.

But the charges you're referring to are completely false, and I might add,

libelous. Then do you plan any... Just one more thing, Senator. Just one more.

One more thing. Right over here. Senator Fleming, do you plan any legal action

against the strip or the newspapers involved?

There's very little a public figure can do to protect himself from this kind of

smear, so I won't take any legal action.

But I do wish Mr.

Diepenbaker'd get a new pair of glasses. I don't look anything like that

character in the strip.

Don't you think I'm much better looking?

We got some great news. Tell us, Charlie. Yeah, we just got a call from

She's hurt from Fleming. The senator says he has no intention of suing the

She just wants to drop the whole thing.

There's relief in it while you were talking to Miss Newman. I was on the

to mr.

Diefenbaker's lawyer It seems the artist is very angry with us for pulling his

strip He says it is the breach of contract and he is suing the Tribune for

restraint of trade

Joe

you're a hard man to reach

Well, I've been busy.

I was just wondering what you thought about the job here at the Sun we were

talking about. Do I have an addition to my staff?

Oh, no. No, I'm still working for the Trib. In fact, I'm here in Trib

See, I need your reaction to something for my story.

What's that?

How do you respond to the charge that you created the poor of your society and

that you whipped up this censorship hysteria in Altamira?

Oh, Joe.

You spend a few days here and you think you know this town.

If you did, you'd know that my newspaper just reflects the views of the

community. Reflects or creates?

Listen, if you agreed with me, you'd be praising me as a committed, involved

journalist. I'm not so sure.

You slanted stories. You printed lies.

You used inflammatory editorials. You're intimidating people and getting them

fired. And you call that being an involved journalist?

What do you think I'm after?

You think I'm after money?

You think I'm after power? No, sir, I'm not.

I'm just concerned about this community.

I'm trying to stop the corruption that's out there from claiming any more

victims.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about my own son.

Excuse me. I thought your son died in Vietnam.

It wasn't the war that killed him.

It was his coming back to this country and getting involved with that element

L .A.

It was drugs.

That's what killed him.

I couldn't save Jeff.

But there are kids out there who still have a chance.

Mr. Webster, I'm sorry for your loss, I am.

But you're not helping these kids by controlling what they see and read.

If it's destructive to them, I can damn well try.

You know, I don't know if I believe in much of anything.

And the more I see, the less I believe.

But there is one thing I do hang on to.

I'll give you a quote.

If all human ideas, good and bad, are allowed a battleground, so long as truth

is in the field, truth will prevail. That's John Milton. I don't think you've

gotten around to burning him yet.

Where you been, Ross? Yeah, been leaving messages at your motel. Yeah, I know.

They're running around a lot.

You have the story?

Well, yeah, almost.

There's just one more little event I have to cover.

How's it shape up?

Well, I came up here looking for bad guys, and you know I've been a little

spooked, looking over my shoulder expecting a lynch mob to come around the

corner.

But I had it all wrong, Lou. So it's not that bad?

No, Lou, it's a lot worse than that.

These are just nice, ordinary people who are confused, uncertain, and

frightened, and very scary.

Hey, I thought you'd be gone by now.

I had to get a finish for my story.

You got your finish, all right.

It's not just books tonight.

It's album covers and records.

It's skin magazines and movie ads.

It's television sets.

They want to burn everything they don't want.

I feel so dumb just watching it happen.

I don't know what to do.

Write about it.

Write it.

He's a distinguished actor with an unforgettable voice. Yet as a child, he

rarely spoke.

Follow the dramatic success story of James Earl Jones tonight on an all -new

biography. Now, a San Francisco terrorist sets a deadly trap for Sammy

Macmillan and White. Next on A &A.