WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:02.759 Hudson River Radio dot com. 2 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:04.320 It beats listening to nothing. 3 00:00:05.240 --> 00:00:10.279 My goodness, Being Frank, where the only way to be 4 00:00:11.199 --> 00:00:17.280 is Frank. Hello everyone, and welcome to Being Frank, where 5 00:00:17.320 --> 00:00:20.719 the only way to be is Frank. I'm your host, 6 00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:23.000 Frank Lebuono, and I'd like to thank you for joining 7 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:27.000 us on what we like to call the Intelligent Conversation podcast, 8 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:30.960 where no conversations out of bounds and all points of 9 00:00:31.079 --> 00:00:35.039 view are welcome. We go live to tape recording. That 10 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:37.200 is why I give you the date so you have 11 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:41.439 some context and relevance to our conversation. It is the 12 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:45.640 twenty first of November. In my standard weekly opening, I 13 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:50.960 describe Being Frank as the Intelligent Conversation Podcast for a reason. 14 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:54.359 It is my effort to describe a forum where people 15 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:58.320 can find an alternative to the plethora of other podcasts 16 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:02.679 that will say virtually anything simply to gain ratings that 17 00:01:03.079 --> 00:01:08.760 often includes deliberate miss and disinformation. Well, that's not what 18 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:13.239 we're about. It's not that we dalt difficult or controversial subjects. 19 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:17.159 As I also say in my intro, no conversations out 20 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:20.599 of bounds and all points of view are welcome. We 21 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:24.319 are willing to discuss virtually anything with anyone, as long 22 00:01:24.359 --> 00:01:28.079 as it takes place in an environment that encourages discourse, 23 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:34.079 not dissonance, and we have often bringing leaders from industry, academia, 24 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:37.920 the media, and community groups to have our discussions. But 25 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:41.280 being Frank's goal is also to reach out to our neighbors, 26 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:44.519 the people from our communities who, by how they live 27 00:01:44.599 --> 00:01:49.760 their very lives, serve as an example to all of us. Recently, 28 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:53.760 through sheer happenstance, I met just such a person. We 29 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:56.519 had both attended a lecture at our local library and 30 00:01:56.519 --> 00:01:59.400 we're leaving at the same time. I noticed that she 31 00:01:59.560 --> 00:02:02.680 had a bit of trouble negotiating the library steps, so 32 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:06.640 I offered my assistance. She accepted that and my offer 33 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:09.400 to walk her the remaining block or two to her apartment. 34 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:12.639 It took just that brief walk to know that I 35 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:15.639 had met an exceptional individual that I needed to know 36 00:02:15.719 --> 00:02:19.199 more about, and when I did, I was not disappointed. 37 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:22.719 And neither will you be born and bred in the Bronx. 38 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:25.599 She later moved to Chelsea, where she lived for thirty years. 39 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:30.240 After college graduation, she went to Los Angeles and acted 40 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:34.639 in Shakespeare rep in children's theater. She eventually moved back 41 00:02:34.680 --> 00:02:38.039 to New York and did Dinner theater in the Southwest US. 42 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:41.719 She had mirrored jobs while looking for acting gigs, and 43 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:45.159 later learned the computer, where she spent many years as 44 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:49.800 a database researcher. About eight years ago, she moved from Washington, 45 00:02:49.879 --> 00:02:53.439 d C. To her latest place in Niak. She is 46 00:02:53.479 --> 00:02:56.960 currently working on an illustrated children's book with local artist 47 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:01.599 Bobby Belfry. Please welcome my guest and friend, new friend, 48 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:05.080 Maxine Burstein. Maxine, thank you so much for taking the 49 00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:06.319 time to join us here today. 50 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:08.639 Well, thank you so much for having me. 51 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:13.319 Well, you know, let's start early on. And I know 52 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:15.520 it's kind of rude to ask a woman her age, 53 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:18.039 but you know, we have to have some context to 54 00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:20.840 what we're talking about here in terms of the history 55 00:03:20.840 --> 00:03:23.120 that you've experienced. So when were you born? 56 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:27.039 I was born in nineteen thirty eight, which makes me 57 00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:30.400 an eighty six year old young senior. 58 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:34.000 Okay, I was going to say thirty nine, just you know, 59 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:38.919 but okay, as I found you to be very truthful 60 00:03:39.319 --> 00:03:42.599 from the beginning. So you mentioned growing up in the Bronx. 61 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:44.560 What was it like at that time? You mentioned you 62 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:47.560 were born in the thirties, so obviously the early part 63 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:49.680 of your life spent in the Bronx. What was it 64 00:03:49.800 --> 00:03:52.439 like at that time, Oh, it was wonderful. 65 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:57.400 I lived in a small side street of two family 66 00:03:57.479 --> 00:04:01.719 houses right next to each other. It was a lively community. 67 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:05.080 I had a lot of friends, and I had a 68 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:09.199 wonderful little dog named Topsi, who I loved and was 69 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:15.919 probably my best friend. And I at a very early age, 70 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:19.279 was taken to the movies, which I completely fell in 71 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:23.120 love with. So I spent a lot of my time 72 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:26.560 when I wasn't in school going to the movies, going 73 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:29.839 to one of the two local theaters and watching all 74 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:34.879 my famous movie stars see these drap books, and dreaming 75 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:38.759 of being a movie star myself. I think at that 76 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:41.199 point I loved it so much. I wanted to be 77 00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:43.959 an actress. I wanted to be in the movie. This 78 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:47.000 was way before I got into the theater. 79 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:50.399 Yeah, but that was kind of your epiphany, Maxine, If 80 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:53.240 you will, you knew even at that moment that at 81 00:04:53.319 --> 00:04:55.399 least a good part of your life would be in 82 00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:56.560 the theater, and you did me. 83 00:04:56.720 --> 00:05:00.680 I was a very very imaginative child. I spent a 84 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:03.519 lot of time playing with my cutout dolls and I 85 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:06.759 would act out all the parts, so I really knew 86 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:08.519 I had something going on there. 87 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:13.000 Wow. Now you mentioned your neighborhood. What was it like. 88 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:15.680 Was it a very mixed neighborhood? Was it more a 89 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:17.680 group of one grouping of one people? 90 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:20.399 It was really a Jewish neighborhood. 91 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:23.199 Mostly Jewish people lived in the and that area of 92 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:26.439 the I think, I don't know. I think it was 93 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:29.000 right off the concourse, right off the Grand Concurse. 94 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:32.600 Okay, interesting, And we only. 95 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:39.959 Knew each other and had parties on special occasions. I 96 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:43.560 had a lot of friends to play with, and when 97 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:46.680 I got a little bit older and I had a friend, 98 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:49.360 we would play make the League games because the make 99 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:51.879 the League games. And who do you think wrote the 100 00:05:51.959 --> 00:05:55.519 script for most of the things going on to faries 101 00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:00.279 visiting the team. It was me and I think one 102 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:03.879 or two of the people who lost contact with went 103 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:09.800 into the entertainment industry as directors and producers. 104 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:12.120 Let's talk a little bit about some of your role models. 105 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:16.319 Now you mentioned movie stars being some who were your favorites? 106 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:19.600 And who else might you have considered an influence. 107 00:06:19.720 --> 00:06:22.879 I really didn't have a mentor unless you considered the 108 00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:27.560 movie stars because I was so attached to the movies 109 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:28.319 that I. 110 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:31.480 Loved the stories about the women who were brave and 111 00:06:31.639 --> 00:06:37.360 strong and face all obstacles and then came through as heroine. 112 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:42.000 And my very favorite actress is Betty Grable, and she 113 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:45.600 taught me that no matter what problem you had in life, 114 00:06:46.040 --> 00:06:48.600 when you went out and did your job and sang 115 00:06:48.839 --> 00:06:52.319 and did your dance, when you got back off stage, 116 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:54.279 all your problems were solved. 117 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:55.439 Wow. 118 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:56.399 I loved her. 119 00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:58.639 Wow Wow. 120 00:06:59.720 --> 00:06:59.800 No. 121 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:03.120 Have you lived in many various places. We talked a 122 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:07.079 little bit about it, from the Bronx to Chelsea, DC, 123 00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:11.439 Los Angeles. Was that by circumstance or choice? 124 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:16.639 Well, it was by choice. Once I got old enough 125 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:21.639 to leave my home. After I graduated college, I went 126 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:24.000 out to Los Angeles to live with a cousin of 127 00:07:24.040 --> 00:07:27.600 mine because I still had dreams of being in the 128 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:32.199 movies or on television. My favorite show is maver I 129 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:35.959 love James Garner, and my dream was to be on 130 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:41.040 the show. But unfortunately, it was very difficult to find 131 00:07:41.079 --> 00:07:44.920 an agent to represent me. Every time I would bring 132 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:48.600 my picture in or have an interview or something, they take. 133 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:53.199 Oh, well, look at this isn't this interesting? Well, that 134 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:56.079 was the Tis Death. I never heard from him after 135 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:56.639 they did it. 136 00:07:56.680 --> 00:07:59.439 Wow, it was very incredibly interesting that Wow. 137 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:03.040 So I never got on the show, but I did 138 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:06.279 get to do that Shakespeare and rep and Children's Theater 139 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:10.639 and I was there for two years and then came 140 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:15.720 back to New York and did another Shakespeare production and 141 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:23.319 a lot of showcases in sho Goo in art galleries 142 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:24.839 doing I had a friend who. 143 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:29.160 Was a playwright. I did all of his plays. 144 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:33.919 And then I got into Dinners Theater and traveled down 145 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:38.799 to North Carolina and Oklahoma and Mississippi and it was 146 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:39.360 all a. 147 00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:43.480 Wonderful You talk about that experience, Maxine, it was positive. 148 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:46.120 You went to again. I said, it's so fascinating that 149 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:49.840 this girl from the Bronx is experiencing all Like you said, 150 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:54.279 North Carolina, Mississippi helped. It couldn't get more different. What 151 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:56.039 was that experience like for you? 152 00:08:56.080 --> 00:08:57.919 Oh, Dinner Theater is wonderful. 153 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:02.639 It's absolutely wonderful because you experience with an audience and 154 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:05.480 getting their reactions. And I did a lot of Neil 155 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:11.000 Simon at the North Carolina Theater and I. 156 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.039 We were very. 157 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:17.480 Successful that the audience as loved us, and we had 158 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:20.559 some free time during the day, so there was a 159 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:22.919 company card that we could use and we could go 160 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:28.480 to the malls and go shopping. And since I'm the 161 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:33.039 big animal person, the word got out that I was 162 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:37.080 down there at the theater, so all the animals would 163 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:40.240 come to the door, and of course I would adopt them, 164 00:09:40.679 --> 00:09:43.720 bring them into the theater, and then find homes for them. 165 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:49.440 Mississippi, word got out you were a softy MAXIEK. God, 166 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:52.919 I'm guilty of that. All the stray and injured animals 167 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.879 went up on our door steps, so I can. 168 00:09:55.840 --> 00:10:01.279 Relate, right, Mississippi was a little different. Pots tell us 169 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:05.559 about it, so friendly, and I felt I didn't feel 170 00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:10.720 comfortable there, although the audience blowed those And in Oklahoma 171 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:16.759 we did very well and it's a big, sprawling place 172 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:18.360 and we just drove. 173 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:20.159 Around and. 174 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:26.200 Which Denis, it was wonderful and wonderful learning experience. 175 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:29.559 So overall the experience for you was positive. And you 176 00:10:29.559 --> 00:10:31.840 you know, you mentioned some of the down stuff and 177 00:10:34.039 --> 00:10:37.200 it's it's part of the overall experience, but you always 178 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:39.679 seem to try to make it into something positive. I 179 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:42.600 think that's an important element of your your thought process. 180 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:43.639 Talk a little bit about that. 181 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:49.720 Well, there was a long time in my life where 182 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:55.360 I was depressed about not getting parts and having to 183 00:10:55.440 --> 00:11:00.320 do jobs that I didn't like, and it was hard 184 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:02.320 to get out of it, and I would come home 185 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:07.720 and drink a bottle of wine and then feel terrible 186 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:18.759 the next day. And after going into therapy, the doctors 187 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:21.840 helped me a lot. And also some of the pills, 188 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:24.320 the antidepression pills they gave me help me a lot. 189 00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:29.080 And I had a very very very wonderful close friend 190 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:32.720 who would talk me out of my depression and would 191 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:36.639 be very supportive to me and taught me to face 192 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:42.200 all my problems and start looking at the positive side. 193 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:42.919 It was. 194 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:45.360 It was a very hard thing to learn and I'm 195 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:48.759 still learning it. But these past few years in Nyak 196 00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:52.679 have been so wonderful that I feel like a new person, 197 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:54.840 especially being here with you. 198 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:57.039 I want to talk a little bit about your community 199 00:11:57.080 --> 00:11:59.879 involvement in a few moments too, and because I know 200 00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:02.159 that that's an important part of your life very much. 201 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:04.159 So that's that's how we met. And you belong to 202 00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:07.279 writers' circles and you keep busy and I know that's important. 203 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:09.840 We're going to talk about it in a minute, but 204 00:12:10.279 --> 00:12:13.039 I also want to talk about your sense of history. 205 00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:16.679 You've seen so much, You've traveled, your work has allowed 206 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:20.759 you that through your dinner, theater, experience, your personal experiences 207 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:24.759 of living at different parts of the country. So you've 208 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:30.960 seen change obviously in your eighty plus years, hopefully for 209 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:33.000 the better. But I'm not going to put words in 210 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:36.480 your mouth. Having a witnessed so much history. What are 211 00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:39.480 some of the things that stick out in your mind 212 00:12:40.039 --> 00:12:43.159 that has shaped you as a person and also as 213 00:12:43.159 --> 00:12:43.879 an American. 214 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:48.600 Well, I think one of the biggest things I remember 215 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:53.440 was my first time voting. I was living in Los 216 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:57.279 Angeles and I had ants and d dollar and I 217 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:02.600 voted to Kennedy. When he got elected and served as president, 218 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:08.559 I loved him, and of course the assassination was something 219 00:13:08.679 --> 00:13:14.799 horrible to experience. And then when Obama got elected, it 220 00:13:14.919 --> 00:13:20.200 was a joy for me. And what I have seen 221 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:23.720 that has been so different. See, the fifties were a 222 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:28.840 time of safety. I could go on the subway late 223 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.559 at night and come home late at night and never 224 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:37.039 be afraid of being hosted or rape or anything. There 225 00:13:37.080 --> 00:13:40.080 was nobody out on the streets late at night. I 226 00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:42.240 lived near the subway, and I could come home. 227 00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:43.240 There were no. 228 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:48.240 Guns, there were no stories of schools being hurt. 229 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:50.200 It was safe to go to school. 230 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:52.799 You had a lot of friends, you did a lot 231 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:57.279 of activities after school, and it was a safe time. 232 00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:59.799 It might have been a little bit of a room 233 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:04.559 rest time, but it was safe. And I felt good 234 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:08.320 growing up. And then the sixties came along, and that 235 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:13.120 was wonderful. That was wonderful. I loved I was doing acting, 236 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:16.720 I was doing my dinner theater, I was doing some shows. 237 00:14:17.080 --> 00:14:21.200 I was in California for two years doing the Shakespeare, 238 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:23.120 as I said, in the children theater. And then I 239 00:14:23.159 --> 00:14:26.919 came back doing some more shows and working a lot 240 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:30.120 of tech jobs. And I learned how to use the 241 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:32.279 computer from a friend. 242 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:34.240 Of mine early on in the sixties. That was really 243 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:35.399 cutting edge. 244 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:37.159 Yeah, And it was like, you know, when there was 245 00:14:37.320 --> 00:14:38.679 just one server. 246 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:41.519 And you didn't have pcvs, and so you had to 247 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:45.159 learn the system. And it was called a modem system. 248 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:48.720 I don't think modem. I forgot the name of it anyway. 249 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:51.879 One of the jobs that I got, one. 250 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:55.440 Of the the tempo that I got with with a 251 00:14:55.480 --> 00:14:59.320 public relations agency where I had to use and do 252 00:14:59.480 --> 00:15:03.960 email and mailings on the computer, and then I got 253 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:08.200 hired by them. I was with them for quite a 254 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:11.519 while before they offered me a job, and so I 255 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:14.120 took the job because I would get health. 256 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:18.240 Insurance and all sorts and then be employee. 257 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:24.440 And at some point later on I gave up acting 258 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:27.600 because I got really sick and tired of sitting in 259 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:30.600 all the audition rooms and seeing the same faces and 260 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:32.879 saying to myself, what am I going to do this 261 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:35.840 when I'm fifteen years old sitting in this room seeing 262 00:15:35.879 --> 00:15:39.000 the same face, So don't you just not do it anymore? 263 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:43.639 So I took the job, and a good things happened 264 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:47.919 out of the job because they decided they wanted to 265 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:51.679 have some research done and they hook up with a database. 266 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:54.279 I forgot the name of it. It's a very popular 267 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:58.200 database where you can get all sorts of media to 268 00:15:58.200 --> 00:15:59.039 get information. 269 00:15:59.240 --> 00:16:00.279 So I learned that. 270 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:07.200 And I was doing research for all the people in 271 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:12.679 the agency. I set up a library for the agency. 272 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:15.519 I was doing like the work of a librarian without 273 00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:18.840 a degree, and it turned out to be a very 274 00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:20.120 interesting experience to me. 275 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:23.360 Another thing that was really interesting was. 276 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:28.960 In the evenings of there was this newspaper in New 277 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:31.559 York where you could take courses in the evenings a 278 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:34.480 very little bit money, and there were all different things. 279 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:39.320 The only thing that stayed interesting to me was a 280 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:44.519 horseback ridding. Being an animal lover, I wanted to be 281 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:47.720 near a horse, so I signed up. I did four 282 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:51.200 weeks to that. I was absolutely terrible, but I stayed 283 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:54.639 on and I signed up for lessons and I stayed 284 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:58.480 at that for years and years and years, and I 285 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:04.200 learned how to ride a horse, interplications in it in Ireland. 286 00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:08.160 Riding and the band for Girl from the Bronx. 287 00:17:08.279 --> 00:17:11.160 Huh yeah, so they took the place in theater for me. 288 00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:15.880 Oh interesting. Now, One thing I want to and you 289 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:19.400 mentioned the feeling of safety in the fifties and the 290 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:23.400 challenges of the sixties and then through the seventies as well, 291 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:27.920 with the Vietnam War creating discord in this country. Certainly 292 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:33.319 like I've never seen until now in your mind, what's happened? 293 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:37.079 How did we go from the ability and you mentioned 294 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:41.880 things not perfect, but certainly I don't know if accessibility 295 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:46.440 is the right word. Civility is put in there. We 296 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:50.119 seem to have lost so much of that what's you're thinking? 297 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:51.200 What happened? 298 00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:53.680 I knew what happened. 299 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:59.519 I mean that that Trump becoming popular and becoming president 300 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:04.319 the first time and spouting his eight two people. 301 00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:06.680 I don't know what happened. 302 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:11.319 I think what happened was that the rich cut richard 303 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:18.039 and the middle class started to lose their comfort and 304 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:22.079 their future and things. 305 00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:23.640 Started to change for the worst. 306 00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:29.759 And people's people were not really paying attention to what 307 00:18:29.960 --> 00:18:34.720 was going on, and most of them just would listen 308 00:18:35.319 --> 00:18:42.319 to to short, short speeches. They wouldn't they wouldn't go 309 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:46.079 on TV and listen to the people who were telling 310 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:49.680 us what was going on, and so they were taking shortcuts. 311 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:52.759 And then when Trump came in, they believed. 312 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:55.880 Him and they listened to him. 313 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:58.839 And I always felt as though he had a group 314 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:04.960 of people that were supporters, but I didn't know that 315 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:08.680 there would be so many has happened during the election 316 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:11.400 with a public vote. 317 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:14.160 I still don't know what happened. 318 00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:18.680 I'm absolutely sick and frightened to death because he's already 319 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:22.519 shown and he's taking over everything. He's putting all these 320 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:26.359 idiots in dot can listen to him and follow what 321 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:27.319 he wants to do. 322 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:36.039 You know, don't don't hold back, Maxine. I'm sorry, you know, 323 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:39.759 I'm not at all. I'm I'm encouraging you. This is, 324 00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:43.599 you know, open honest conversation. It's being frank, and I 325 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:46.799 appreciate your frankness, I really do. That's why I asked 326 00:19:46.839 --> 00:19:49.480 you to come on. I knew you would be forthcoming 327 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:52.279 and honest talk a little bit too. You know, as 328 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:55.400 a woman and as an independent woman, you've obviously always 329 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:59.559 been your whole life. And yet many women seem to 330 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:02.920 have some Trump for president. He wouldn't have We won 331 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:06.680 the popular vote, he won the electoral vote. Your thoughts 332 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:12.880 on that As a woman, I've tried to. 333 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:17.240 Figure out how that can be. I mean, the women 334 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:20.640 who are married to the Trump men, well, you know, 335 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:25.000 they probably even have the same feelings or listen to 336 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:26.000 their husbands. 337 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:27.599 Although I've seen some. 338 00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:29.920 Of these women for Trump and they're like they're as 339 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:33.319 bad as the men when I've seen them on TV. 340 00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:44.880 I think the Latin women supported Trump. It was the 341 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:51.000 men who will have this motto feeling and loved that 342 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:55.119 Marconis of Trump voted for him. But I think they 343 00:20:55.519 --> 00:21:00.519 the Latin women voted for Trump. I'm really not sure 344 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:05.920 about why a lot of white women, working women. 345 00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:10.680 Voted room. I can to drive off. I just can't 346 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:11.319 to grove off. 347 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:16.799 Well, you know, America has changed. It's obviously, I mean 348 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:20.640 it's it's it's a it's a living thing. Democracy, the 349 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:24.400 Constitution is supposed to be a living thing as we 350 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:30.160 hopefully progress. So you've you've seen so many changes over 351 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:34.799 the course of your lifetime. How has America changed for 352 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:39.839 the better or for the worse or both? What have 353 00:21:39.960 --> 00:21:41.920 you seen that really strike you? 354 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:47.839 What strikes me is that there is a big divide 355 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:55.599 between people, and there's a big feeling that we're not doing. 356 00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:57.839 As well as we really are. 357 00:21:58.759 --> 00:22:02.480 For some reason, people bought the fact that they wanted 358 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:05.519 the better economy will our economy is doing so well. 359 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:10.799 They don't understand why they think that, And people want more. 360 00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:17.079 I think Americans are very singular. Me me, my mine, 361 00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:22.880 I want, I want, I want. A lot of Americans. 362 00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:23.960 I'm not going to. 363 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:31.400 Say every American, but most Americans are give me I want, 364 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:34.759 I want to and so they want America to be 365 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:38.240 great again. So I think there's a great divide between 366 00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:42.720 the people who feel as though they should have more, 367 00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:48.440 and they're very upset with the government that doesn't give 368 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:51.559 them more, even though Biden did. 369 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:56.160 And it's a great country. It's a wonderful country. 370 00:22:56.200 --> 00:23:00.279 I'm absolutely thrilled to be an American and not than 371 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:01.799 anywhere else in this world. 372 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:06.079 And well, I'm not rich, you know. 373 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:09.480 I can take care of myself and I and it's 374 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:10.160 enough for me. 375 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:14.599 But I think society makes. 376 00:23:14.359 --> 00:23:18.160 You want to have more and more and more, and 377 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:21.519 that's why people have developed their love for Trump. 378 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:25.440 It's a perfect segue into my next couple of questions. 379 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:27.720 And then we'll take a quick break, Maxine, I'll let 380 00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:30.000 you get some water. I'm making you talk to the 381 00:23:30.119 --> 00:23:32.799 point of jump. Okay, you will take a break in 382 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:37.480 just a couple of minutes. Two more quick questions. You 383 00:23:37.480 --> 00:23:40.319 you live alone, but you don't. You don't seem lonely. 384 00:23:40.599 --> 00:23:43.240 Is that an accurate statement? Talk a little to that. 385 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:47.119 It's a very accurate statement. Because I'm very busy. I 386 00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:51.319 keep myself very busy with volunteer work and joining groups. 387 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:57.400 My library is an absolutely wonderful treasure and it has 388 00:23:57.480 --> 00:24:01.799 wonderful things to join. I'm part of a Shakespeare reading group. 389 00:24:01.880 --> 00:24:02.599 On Mondays. 390 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.359 We read the. 391 00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:07.400 Play, we watch tapes of the plays, we talk about 392 00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:13.680 the planes. I also belong to a wonderful group of 393 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:19.400 senior actors called Maturely Motivated Players, and we perform at 394 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:25.039 public libraries and senior centers and read humor through people 395 00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:32.000 like the Jerry Steinfeld, Demita Radner and and like that, 396 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:32.519 and we. 397 00:24:32.599 --> 00:24:33.400 Make people laugh. 398 00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:37.759 And we did three shows about getting older and life 399 00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:41.119 is of stable of charities and getting rid of all 400 00:24:41.160 --> 00:24:44.279 your stuff, and we've been very successful so far, so 401 00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:47.599