podcast
Chasing Life
All over the world, there are people who are living extraordinary lives, full of happiness and health – and with hardly any heart disease, cancer or diabetes. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has been on a decades-long mission to understand how they do it, and how we can all learn from them. Scientists now believe we can even reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia, and in fact grow sharper and more resilient as we age. Sanjay is a dad – of three teenage daughters, he is a doctor - who operates on the brain, and he is a reporter with more than two decades of experience - who travels the earth to uncover and bring you the secrets of the happiest and healthiest people on the planet – so that you too, can Chase Life.
Living to 100 and Beyond with Norman Lear
Chasing Life
Jul 5, 2022
What’s the secret to a long, happy life? TV legend Norman Lear may have the answers. It’s hard to believe but the man responsible for shows like “All in the Family,” “Good Times,” “Maude” and “The Jeffersons,” turns 100 in late July. In honor of this special milestone birthday, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Marc Hodosh invited Lear to speak on stage at the LIFE ITSELF summit. Hodosh talked to Lear about his long career, how laughter leads to longevity and why he sent an original copy of the Declaration of Independence on a tour of cities around the country. Plus, Lear gets roasted by two friends -- the spoken word poets Sekou Andrews and Steve Connell. This conversation was originally recorded on June 2, 2022.
To hear more amazing conversations like this one, go to CNN.COM/LIFEITSELF
Episode Transcript
Marc Hodosh
00:00:01
Let's welcome to the stage Norman Lear.
All in the Family theme
00:00:03
"Boy, the way Glenn Miller played. Songs that made the hit parade. Guys like us they had it made ..."
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
00:00:13
When I was growing up in the seventies and eighties, there was no bigger person in television than Norman Lear. He created, produced and wrote shows like "All in the Family", "Good Times", "Maude", "The Jeffersons" and "One Day at a Time". They were funny, and they often pushed the envelope on social issues, issues we are still wrestling with today, almost 50 years later, like racism, women's rights and abortion. Lear tried to challenge societal assumptions by using humor and laughter. It's hard to believe, but Norman turns 100-years-old at the end of July. We were honored to have him as a special guest recently at Life Itself, a gathering of innovative thinkers at the intersection of health and technology. I co-hosted the event with my friend Marc Hodosh, and today I want to share Marc's special conversation with Norman Lear. You're going to get to hear pearls of wisdom from one of the all time greats along with his secrets to living longer. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent. And it's time to start chasing life.
Marc Hodosh
00:01:26
Last night we celebrated your 100th birthday, which is coming up quite soon. When you think of different moments in your life, if you took snapshots, how do you, what what what's the first thing that comes to mind?
Norman Lear
00:01:38
When I first realized, when I first started to think about humor and it was on this occasion: my father had gotten into trouble selling some fake bonds or something and was hauled off to Deer Island off the coast of Massachusetts for three years, went to prison. The next night or two, my mother was selling the furniture and the evening my mother was selling the furniture, there were some strangers in the room. And one guy was buying my father's red leather chair. That guy, buying that chair, puts his hand on my shoulder and says, "well, I mean, you're the man of the house now." A nine-year-old in that situation is the man of the house now. I don't know whether it was at that moment or two years later or six years later, I realized, my God, that was funny. That -- that horse's ass. (LAUGHTER)
Marc Hodosh
00:02:46
You you find, you find joy in a lot of different ways.
Norman Lear
00:02:53
Find joy in life itself.
Marc Hodosh
00:02:53
You, Norman, you, sometimes in younger people are asked, "well, how old do you want to be?" You often get an answer of "80, 90, 100. That's good for me," you know. Does that make sense to you now that you're 100 years old? Does that feel like a misconception?
Norman Lear
00:03:10
In my nearly 100 years, I never had nothing but pleasure waking up. I like waking up. And I, I've, I've been very lucky in my life. The ceiling in my bedroom was interesting. And the ceiling in the house we're living in now is interesting. And I go to sleep and wake up every morning just -- and think there's a book in the ceilings of my life.
Marc Hodosh
00:03:48
You know, you're saying when you look at that ceiling, when you wake up and fall asleep, it's just the ability to be able to do that.
Norman Lear
00:03:54
I, I've learned how to recognize. You know, we all have a lot of pleasure from the days, weeks, months, years, that just kind of happens without our under -- realizing it or thinking about it. I grew over the years to a place where, "holy shit," I say to myself, "that's, that's wonderful," 95, 195 times a day. APPLAUSE.
Marc Hodosh
00:04:39
So, you've often said that the key to you being young is laughter.
Norman Lear
00:04:43
I do believe laughter belongs in every conversation --.
Marc Hodosh
00:04:47
Well, you created --
Norman Lear
00:04:47
about longevity.
Marc Hodosh
00:04:49
And you created shows meant to change the way people think on different topics and use laughter as a mechanism. Is that fair?
Norman Lear
00:04:56
Yes. And I, you know, I don't know a more spiritual experience than, and I've experienced it here with a few laughs here, but I spent most of my life with 300 people in a theater with four or five, six cameras, and some of our wonderful performers. And watching an audience guffaw, a belly laugh, people tend to come out of their seats, just a hair, bend down and come back. Standing at the side and watching that wave, I don't know how many thousand times in my life. It really happened when I didn't think to myself that added seconds, minutes, weeks, who knows?
Marc Hodosh
00:05:54
You also created a show called "Guess Who Died?" Right? Why? What? Why did you what inspired you? And it took me a while to get that on the air. Right? So I'm wondering, is, do you think the idea of the audiences for older you know, older audiences is something that.
Norman Lear
00:06:10
Oh, I think it's one of the great neglects in our business. There aren't shows, enough shows about elderly people and not necessarily that elderly, you know. Just seventies, eighties, nineties. APPLAUSE
Marc Hodosh
00:06:27
And by the way, I have to tell you just a moment. You're not the oldest guy in the room.
Marc Hodosh
00:06:32
Oh, is there somebody older?
Marc Hodosh
00:06:33
There is a gentleman here who's going to be 102 in January. Where's Aaron? Just to raise Aaron's hand. There he is. (APPLAUSE) Thank you, Aaron.
Norman Lear
00:06:48
Oh.
Marc Hodosh
00:06:48
You know, Norman. Betty White once said, retirement's not in her vocabulary. And I get the same feeling that you feel the same way, that no matter what you do, you want to keep creating and building and being the activist you are to change America --
Norman Lear
00:07:07
I like getting up in the morning with something on my mind, something I can work on, some sort, some conclu-- and like to have that every day, working for some conclusion, however slight, however.
Marc Hodosh
00:07:21
And you also go by a few quotes that you say frequently. "Just another version of you" is one of them. Yeah. Well, tell everybody what that means to you.
Norman Lear
00:07:29
Well, I believe we are, all of us, just versions of each other. And I love the sound and the feeling of it, you know? That we, in our common humanity, are versions of one another. And those versions are infinite, because I think we are all infinitely individual.
Marc Hodosh
00:07:58
And -- (APPLAUSE).
Norman Lear
00:07:59
I didn't even ask for it!
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
00:08:06
I love how Norman sees laughter as both medicine and the secret to longevity. And how the feelings of having a purpose, a goal, no matter how small, is what gets him through the day and through life. After the break, more from Norman Lear.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
00:08:27
And now back to Chasing Life and a special conversation with Norman Lear and my friend Marc Hodosh at the Life Itself conference.
Marc Hodosh
00:08:41
You said that whoever you're talking to, you feel like you're that person's age.
Norman Lear
00:08:45
Yeah, I think about it very often. If I'm with a 12-year-old, long enough, I, and long enough could be into 11 minutes. But I will find myself relating to the 12-year-old like a 12-year-old. I don't mean mimicking childhood, I'm talking about a internal experience. You know, I feel like I'm a --
Marc Hodosh
00:09:19
I'll be 50.
Norman Lear
00:09:20
I'm a kid talking to you.
Marc Hodosh
00:09:21
I'll be 50 this year. Half -- But, you know, it comes fast. You really also say "over and next". Tell us what that one means.
Norman Lear
00:09:32
Yeah. When something is over and over and we are on to next. And if there was a hammock in the middle of those two words, it would be the best way you could define living in the moment.
Marc Hodosh
00:09:49
Do you think there's something next?
Norman Lear
00:09:54
There gonna be -- If I have anything to say about it, they'll be a number of nexts. (APPLAUSE)
Marc Hodosh
00:09:59
Good answer. That's why we're having this conversation. Norman, we have a couple of surprises for you. Before we do, I want you to tell us what "life itself" means to you.
Norman Lear
00:10:09
What is "life itself"? There would be no meaning without life. I've, I've looked at dead people. They don't look like they're living. (LAUGHTER). And, you know, I like it better that way, you know, above ground.
Norman Lear
00:10:28
And we have one more surprise. One more thing, as they say.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
00:10:34
So about this surprise, I am going to jump in here to give a bit of background. It may seem hard to believe, but one of Norman's most enduring legacies is in an arena outside television. In the early 2000s, he and his wife, Lynne, bought an original copy of the Declaration of Independence, at auction, and sent it on a three and a half year cross-country tour. The goal was to bring the people's document directly to the people, to inspire young Americans to engage in civic life and to vote. The event was launched 21 years ago on Independence Day 2001. And accompanying the Declaration of Independence for a part of the tour were two spoken word poets, partners in rhyme, if you will: Sekou Andrews and Steve Connell. They later became close friends with Norman. So Sekou and Steve were on hand at the Life Itself conference for a surprise birthday roast.
Steve Connell
00:11:31
We wanted to come up with their own Declaration of Independence.
Sekou Andrews
00:11:35
Yeah. You know, our truth is that when he, we met him, when he purchased the Declaration --.
Steve Connell
00:11:39
As he says --.
Sekou Andrews
00:11:40
You know, as he said, and that might seem impressive because-- it's not really, though.
Steve Connell
00:11:44
Yeah. I mean, after all, he was there at the signing. Right?
Sekou Andrews
00:11:47
You know, boom.
Steve Connell
00:11:47
Boom.
Sekou Andrews
00:11:49
Nailed it.
Steve Connell
00:11:49
Roasted!
Sekou Andrews
00:11:49
He actually didn't buy his copy signed by the writer, though. He brought his copy to the writers and had them sign.
Steve Connell
00:11:56
Had them sign it themselves. Yeah, see the difference?
Sekou Andrews
00:11:58
See the difference? His bucket list, actually, was to invent the first bucket.
Steve Connell
00:12:02
You see the distinction that we're making?
Sekou Andrews
00:12:04
That's what we're trying to say.
Steve Connell
00:12:04
Yeah, see, like, for example, Norman, you know, this -- my bucket list includes performing on "Saturday Night Live".
Sekou Andrews
00:12:10
Good one.
Steve Connell
00:12:11
Yeah, Norman's includes being alive on saturday night.
Sekou Andrews
00:12:15
We all have dreams.
Steve Connell
00:12:15
Yeah. Yeah.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
00:12:17
I got to tell you, it was a pretty terrific performance to witness firsthand. And I think Sekou and Steve were pretty spot on, as they ended their tribute.
Sekou Andrews
00:12:25
This is not the age of modern medicine. It's --
Steve Connell and Sekou Andrews
00:12:29
The Age of Norman Lear.
Sekou Andrews
00:12:30
Ladies and gentlemen,
Steve Connell and Sekou Andrews
00:12:32
Miracle Man is sitting right here.
Steve Connell
00:12:34
A man that politicians have feared.
Sekou Andrews
00:12:37
And entertainment legends revere. And aliens created a whole event to ensure
Steve Connell
00:12:44
Infinite birthdays, more, for King Lear
Sekou Andrews
00:12:46
Because you, sir, are the meaning.
Steve Connell and Sekou Andrews
00:12:49
Of the acronym: life itself. Which is why we're all here.
Steve Connell
00:12:56
To be a part of.
Sekou Andrews
00:12:57
To be continued.
Steve Connell and Sekou Andrews
00:12:59
With our next hundred years.
Norman Lear
00:13:04
Oh. (APPLAUSE) Jesus! Leave me the bleep alone!
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
00:13:20
Happy birthday Norman Lear. I know this episode was a little different, but I just couldn't resist sharing. And to hear more amazing conversations like this one, go to cnn.com/lifeitself. You know, Norman exemplifies the notion of being young at heart. Maybe something we all should try and replicate. So before you go, I want your help with something. We have an upcoming episode about play and we want to hear your thoughts. What are some of the ways you found to keep the concept of play from your childhood alive in your adult life? Record a voice memo and email it to asksanjay@cnn.com Or give us a call at 470-396-0832 and leave a message. Thanks for listening. We'll be back next Tuesday. Chasing Life is a production of CNN Audio. Megan Marcus is our executive producer. Our podcast is produced by Emily Liu, Andrea Kane, Xavier Lopez, Isoke Samuel, Grace Walker and Allison Park. Tommy Bazarian is our engineer and a special thanks to Ben Tinker, Amanda Sealy, Carolyn Song and Nadia Kounang of CNN Health, as well as Rafeena Ahmad, Lindsey Abrams and Courtney Coupe from CNN Audio. And for Life Itself. Marc Hodosh and Neel Khairzada.
