Transcripts For MSNBCW The 20240702

today as the calls for israel to pause its war on hamas grow louder. what's next and before we can go of the war, ahead. the shady bunch. donald trump jr. and eric trump take the stand in new york's 250 million dollar civil fraud trial. just days before the most indicted former president in u.s. history, and his daughter, ivanka, take the stand. the new gag order in the case. the tough questions the former first family is facing, and why it all means for the three criminal trials against donald trump. and a victorious revival. might one-on-one conversation with tony award winning director kenny leon about bringing ozzy davis is pearly victorious back to broadway for the first time in more than 60 years, and how this satire on race and segregation has incredible relevance today. i'm jonathan capehart. this is the saturday show. ♪ ♪ ♪ we start this hour with the latest on the push for a pause in the israel-hamas war. new video in overnight show secretary of state anthony blinken holding urgent meetings in jordan. it comes the day after blinken met with israeli leaders in tel aviv, where he reiterated u.s. support for israel, but called for a humanitarian pause in the fighting to get more aid into gaza. but israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu is rejecting any call for a cease-fire until the roughly 240 hostages held by hamas are released. meanwhile, israeli defense forces continue to bombard gaza, claiming to have killed dozens of terrorists overnight. the idf also released this video. it says it shows idf tanks firing rounds at soldiers moving through their military operation in gaza. and be seen do says not been able to independently confirm the content of the video. and the palestine red crescent society says more than a dozen people were killed friday when a caravan of ambulances was shelled near a gaza hospital. israel claims the ambulance was being used by hamas and was near a stronghold for the militant group. the united nations secretary general antonio guterres called the attack, quote, horrific. he joined the calls for an immediate cease fire. joining me now nbc news correspondent josh lederman from near the israel gaza border. josh thank you for being, thank you for being here. what is the latest on israel's ground offensive? >> well, jonathan, just based on what we can observe here on the ground, the continuing pace of israeli strikes had been relentless. this is the gaza strip, just a few miles in this direction is actually gaza city. all morning, we have been listening to the constant sound of those airstrikes and artillery fired in the distance. it seems like every few minutes or so and we know there has been an additional israeli strike, according to the gaza health authorities on the -- refugee camp today. israel's military has announced they are having a three hour window today where people in northern gaza can move south to that area that israel says is safer along salah al-deen, that may north-south sir affair we're in the middle of that window right now. we also heard today jonathan, from the border authorities in gaza on this side of this border where they crossed into egypt that no more civilians and former nationals are going to be allowed into each of today or in the future until more injured palestinians get out. we had seen some injured palestinians getting out in recent days. so what may be happening here is we heard last night from a senior biden administration officials say in the course of these delicate negotiations gambled intern palestinians and foreign nationals like americans out, that's hamas had put on the list of injured civilians about a third of the list was actually hamas fighters that they wanted to evacuate into egypt. that was not something egypt, the u.s., or israel were going to allow. so it took a while to work that out. so it may be yet again that we have seen this process breakdown, and for now, nobody getting out through egypt into egypt from the gaza strip, jonathan. >> and secretary blinken is in jordan today. what sort of perception is he receiving from the arab officials he is meeting with? >> look, there is a bit of a disagreement here, because the u.s. is calling for those pauses in the fighting, but they are not calling for a total cease-fire. they say that would only help hamas. whereas all of these arab nations that blinken it will be meeting with, the qataris, the saudis, the emiratis, the egyptians, they do want to see a cease-fire. that really sets the backdrop for that meeting blinken will be having shortly. in the meantime, these are countries the u.s. is very reliant on now for their own diplomatic efforts. the egyptians, obviously, critical to getting humanitarian aid into gaza. as well as americans and other foreign nationals out. is the qataris who have been doing those negotiations with hamas about releasing the hostages. so, we will expect to see secretary blinken, once again, discussing with these arab allies what they could do to try to facilitate a lowering of the tensions and anything of humanitarian crisis in the cost of trip, jonathan. >> josh lederman, thank you very much. joining me now, martin fletcher, former nbc news tel aviv bureau chief and the author of walking israel, a personal search for the soul of a nation. martin fletcher, i cannot tell you why and honor it is for me to actually be able to interview after watching you for so many years. thank you for being here. before leaving israel yesterday, secretary blinken had this to say about israel's war with hamas. listen. >> we have been clear that as israel conducts this campaign to can defeat hamas, how it does so matters. it matters because failure to do so place into the hands of hamas. and other terrorist groups. there will be no partners for peace if they are consumed by humanitarian catastrophe and alienated by any perceived indifference to their fight. >> and so martin, prime minister benjamin netanyahu has rejected calls for both humanitarian pause and a cease-fire. how long will he be able to resist the growing international pressure for at least a humanitarian pause? >> jonathan, i would say not for very long. it's oakley from the pictures coming from gaza what is needed for the people in gaza. at the same time, this really is the only serious pressure point that israel has at the moment to get some hostages released. so when prime minister netanyahu says no cease fire, and not even a temporary pause, unless hostages are released, he has support of the large part of the israeli population. in the conflicts in the past, there have always been humanitarian positives. there's often been four or five or six or seven hours a day every few days that israel has paused the bombing to give the palestinians civilians the ability to go out, get food, get water, so there is a history of this. israel knows that. israel is prepared to do what they say, but they want something in exchange. what israel wants in exchange, of course, is the safety of the hostages. at least some of them, in return for a pause. >> let's keep talking about the hostages. we've heard a lot about netanyahu's efforts to crush hamas, but do we know exactly what israel is doing to get the roughly 240 hostages released? >> negotiations or going on. i think it is clear that those negotiations are really the only safe way to get hostages out. they are obviously looking for them and using intelligence from israeli sources, from american sources, also from european sources. there's a lot of activity trying to find them. but you know, it's worse than a needle and i second. got 300 miles of tunnels, apparently, underneath the strip of gaza. at some point, israel hostage decide, are we going to send fighters inside the tunnels to look for the hostages? based on intelligence they have. and the hostages really are human shields. they are being used as human shields by the fighters. so israel does go into the tunnels to try to find them, you know, the bet is a large number of hostages will be killed. there is no good choices. it's a choice between a terrible choice and an appalling choice. you know, you bomb them from the air, you go in from the ground, to go into the tunnels. either way, the hostages are in the middle. without an exchange humanitarian pause for the release of hostages is very hard to see how any hostages could make it out alive in these circumstances. >> you know, martin, earlier this week, richard engel reported on the growing anger among israelis that netanyahu for the lapses that allowed the october 7th hamas attack to happen. some believe he is waging this war simply to save his own political career. his hold on power last through the war? >> i think it will, jonathan, because unless there is a vote of no confidence in the parliament, there is no way to get rid of netanyahu. there is no elections during the war. and all the military officials in israel are saying it's going to take months, even years. so, the longer that war lasts, the longer netanyahu can stay in power. there is the option that five members of -- could with a majority of four, four or five, 55 members vote against the government in any foal coming up in parliament, then, the government could fall. he would remain as the transitional prime minister. , so there is not much that can be done to remove him. even though, as you say, and as richard said, there is a huge movement against netanyahu within israel, even amongst his own party. he is responsible. >> has he articulated a vision for what happens in gaza after the idf succeeds and rooting out hasse and freeing the hostages? what might that even look like? >> hopefully, it won't look like what it looked like before, what he was doing before, trying to manage the conflict. so, yeah. all of the questioning now is about what has happened the day after, the week after, the months and years after. they are fighting a war right now. i don't believe netanyahu is seriously considering, at this moment, himself, what to do. he is more concerned with staying in power himself and winning the war. what follows in gaza's the biggest issue of all. i personally, i personally can imagine a situation where hamas is defeated militarily by israel. that will happen. eventually, israel will destroy hamas militarily, if not politically. then, on hamas is weakened sufficiently, you can imagine the palestinians and the west bank will say now is the time for elections, which we haven't held since 2006. it is time for -- we see who supports hamas. interestingly, there was an opinion poll done by the most reliable opinion polls in the arab world, which actually finished several days before the attack on israel. and it showed that there is not much support in gaza for hamas. before the fighting. after the fighting, we don't know, and during the fighting, everyone in gaza is too afraid to say what they think, anyway. if you notice, there is no interviews of the palestinians during this entire period, where anybody in gaza says one word against tomas. they are terrified of hamas. >> martin fletcher, i hope you will come back to the show in the future. thank you very much for coming to the saturday show. >> if you invite me on, i will come. thank you. >> absolutely. coming up on the saturday show, don junior and eric took the stand this week in which he went to 50 million dollar civil fraud trial against the trump's company. we'll take a look at next week's marquee event, testimony from the former president and his daughter, ivanka. all of that and much more, coming up after the break. stay with us. itush ♪ iphone 15 pro for your husband! iphone 15 pro — ♪ (wife) carolers! to tell me you want a new iphone? a better plan is verizon. (vo) this holiday turn any iphone, in any condition, into a new iphone 15 pro with titanium, apple tv 4k, and six months of apple one. all three on us. it's holiday everyday with verizon. right now get a free footlong at subway. like the new deli heroes. buy one footlong in the app, get one free. it's a pretty big deal. kinda like me. order in the subway app today. >> for the first time, donald trump will publicly testify in one of his many trials. on monday in new york city he, is set to take the stand of the 250 million dollar civil fraud trial against the trump family and their company. his daughter, who was also former white house adviser, ivanka trump, will then take the stand on wednesday. yesterday, she withdrew her appeal to postpone her testimony and pasta trial. her reason for even trying to get out of testifying? she claimed she had suffered, quote, undue hardships. and quote. and forced to appear during a school week. so far, things haven't gone very well on the stand for the brothers trump. the ex presidents to eldest son's failed miserably in trying to distance themselves from their father's alleged inflated financial statements during their testimony. because this is a bench trial there is no jury. so, they took their case to the court of public opinion. >> before even having a day in court, i'm apparently guilty of fraud for relying on my accountant to do, wait for it, accounting. >> we -- company, where the best -- on the world. -- [inaudible] they only wore our names in the sting because it's a sensationalized case. we have done absolutely nothing wrong. we have a better company that they could ever imagine. >> joining me now, maya wylie, civil rights attorney and president and ceo of the leadership conference on civil and human rights. and glenn kirschner msnbc legal analyst, former federal prosecutor, and host of the justice matters podcast. gwen, maya, thank you both very much for being here. glenn, eric trump denied having anything to do with his father's financial statements, saying, quote, i pour concrete. i have great properties. i don't focus on appraisals. then, he acknowledged he was aware of his father's statements, dating back to 2013. how flawed is his argument? >> it's so flawed, jonathan, if he is not careful, he may walk himself right into perjury charge. because if you lie under oath in a criminal trial or in a civil case, you could open yourself up to a perjury charge. but listening to the reporting about don junior's testimony and erik's testimony, it seems sort of silly. i am still wondering why their attorneys didn't advice them to just plead the fifth the way erected in the deposition in this case. and move on. but it seems like maybe they are trying to fight, jonathan, the possibility that judge -- might ban them from doing business in the state of new york. so, they are going to be made to pay back money that, you know, they received as a product of what was pretty obviously rampant wrong term systemic business fraud. but maybe they think they can convince judge and go around not to banned them from, for example, sitting on boards and doing business in new york in the future. i don't think judge engoron's quite so gullible that he is going to believe anything don junior and eric have been saying. >> let's keep talking about don jr., maya. in that clip, you know, he seems rather flipped when he said, wait for it, arguing he relied on accountants to compile the financial statements. will that defense hold water with the judge? >> i think pretty clearly not. remember, this is a judge, first of all, who has already found that these financial statements were fraudulent. that's not the issue in this case. the judge found that based on evidence submitted to them in the briefing process prior to the trial. really, the trial is about how much did you know,, and how much should we hold you accountable, to glenn's point? and to sort of say hey, we ran this company. iran less company, because remember, in 2017, when donald trump becomes president, he creates his trust,, not a blind trust, he creates his trust and puts his two sons at the head of it. not to also take away from the fact that they were already actually managers in the company prior to 2017. so, to say we are these phenomenal business leaders making all this money, more money, more money, but we have no idea what's happening with the financial statements, we have no understanding of them. glenn, to your point earlier, we just pour concrete. we can't be held accountable for understanding our own finances and values of our own properties when our entire business, the whole business model of our company, is the value of our properties. you are basically saying yeah, i run the company, but i'm so incompetent no one should let me. so, don't hold me accountable for all the ways, all the fines. or taking away my ability to do business, doing the things i just told you i'm completely incompetent to do. that is a essentially the core of their argument here. it's not a good one. it's not one that looks good. i think what we're seeing from eric trump it's more about politics than trying to ensure this is a judge that won't hold him accountable. >> glenn, trump is going to take the stand on monday. during his deposition last year, he pled the fifth nearly 450 times. should we expect a repeat performance when he takes the stand? what would it mean if he does? >> you know, this time, i think he's going to testify substantively. he's going to be doing so, as maya suggested, for the court of public opinion. but jonathan, i didn't think you would ever hear me say this. i'm actually looking forward to something that trump has to say. but it's not donald trump. it's ivanka trump. because i think she presents a real danger zone for her father and her brother's. there's three important data points that lead me to draw that reasonable inference. one, -- she has pretty much gone radio silent. she has distance herself from her father and her brothers. you don't see her saying unhinged things and posting unhinged trans but what you see don junior and eric dipping all the time. she is trying to move away from it. so, she has mightily been fighting this subpoena. it looks like she finally threw up her hands, because she didn't have any legitimate arguments to defeat the subpoena. but the fact that she has been mightily fighting the prospect of having to testify in this case signals that it might be because her testimony is really damaging to her other family members, and then the third that's a point and the most common one, jonathan, as we all saw during the january six select committee public hearings, we saw her famously disagree with her father about election fraud. she was asked, do you agree with your father that there was widespread election fraud undermining the results, or do you agree with bill barr that there was no election fraud undermining the results of the election? she answered, i believe i, credit bill barr. in other words, read between the lines. my father is a liar. that sounds like a signal that ivanka was sending to her father, and by extension out, would be to her brothers. do not pull me into this, because i will not comply with your life. yes, i'm looking forward to what ivanka has to say. >> it's going to be good. glenn mayer, sticking around to continue this conversation after a quick break. don't go anywhere. much more of this special, extended addition, of the saturday show to come. stay with us. stay with us right now get a free footlong at subway. like the new deli heroes. buy one footlong in the app, get one free. it's a pretty big deal. kinda like me. order in the subway app today. detect this: living with hiv, i learned that i can stay undetectable with fewer medicines. that's why i switched to dovato. dovato is a complete hiv treatment for some adults. no other complete hiv pill uses fewer medicines to help keep you undetectable than dovato. detect this: most hiv pills contain 3 or 4 medicines. dovato is as effective with just 2. if you have hepatitis b, don't stop dovato without talking to your doctor. don't take dovato if you're allergic to its ingredients or taking dofetilide. this can cause serious or life-threatening side effects. if you have a rash or allergic reaction symptoms, stop dovato and get medical help right away. serious or life-threatening lactic acid buildup and liver problems can occur. tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems or if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or considering pregnancy. dovato may harm an unborn baby. most common side effects are headache, nausea, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, tiredness, and anxiety. detect this: i stay undetectable with fewer medicines. ask your doctor about switching to dovato. this is spring semester at fairfield-suisun unified. they switched to google tools for education because there's never been a reported ransomware attack on a chromebook. now they're focused on learning knowing that their data is secure. ( ♪♪ ) right now get a free footlong at subway. like the new deli heroes. buy one footlong in the app, get one free. it's a pretty big deal. kinda like me. order in the subway app today. >> donald trump's gag order in his d.c. federal election interference case is on hold. last night, a three judge appeals court panel temporarily paused the order while trump's request to remove it permanently would remove it permanently, plays out. oral arguments are scheduled for november 20th. the gag order in question barr's tarp publicly targeted court staff and publicly insist on the case. maya wiley and glenn kirschner, so maya, that d.c. gag order is paused again, as i just said. how likely is it that trump will succeed in getting the gag order removed permanently? >> you know, it's hard to know. first of all, i don't think you can remove anything permanently, depending on what the circuit court says, the apple at court says. it could say, for example, look, we get it, but this is too vague. you have to be more specific, more narrowly tailored. the american civil liberties union, for example, has weighed in and said look, we don't agree that you can say things that can incite violence, but this gag order is too vague when it says there can be no speech targeting prosecutors. well it's possible the apple it will say, we agree it's too vague. we will reconsider it. make it more narrow. they could say we just don't like it. they could lay out why, and that would lay groundwork for a judge reconsidering whether she has other ways to impose a more appropriate gag order. they could say yes, so, there's a -- they could respond to. the court is very clear in saying look, just because we are saying right now that is on pause, it does not tell you how we are going to decide. this they're going to take it very seriously, because we've never had a case like this before. let's be honest. we have never had a former president, candidate for president, running around saying incendiary things that have created huge amounts of threats of real violence against real people. but none the less, we have a very strong history and pace in this country that says we don't like and we take very seriously, telling anyone, particularly a candidate for public office, that we will tell you you cannot say things. because it's up to the american people to decide whether or not you are fit for office. so, it's a very, very complicated case, to be quite frank. i think we have a system and a set of charges that's going to take it very seriously, look very closely at it, be very considerate. this is why i'm saying we should just be patient, wait and see, and trust the process. >> len, despite trump's delay tactics, judge chutkan has scheduled jury selection in the case to begin on february 9th. can you explain the process that will go into selecting this jury? >> yeah, jonathan. i have selected juries in big r.i.c.o. cases in that very courthouse, and it's is a long and arduous process. what it looks like the judge is doing is she bring courage and on february 9th. i think it's worth noting all we knew previously's jury selection would begin on march 4th. she has now, in a sense, bumped it up almost a month. that really does give life to her statement in court that she made direct the argument on the gag order that this trial will not yield to an election cycle. it looks like she is determined to go full speed ahead and hold this trial in accordance with the trial schedule that she sets, which is unlike what we are seeing in trump's documents of obstruction and epstein announced case down in florida. what will happen if she will bring literally hundreds and hundreds of d.c. residents down to the courthouse, beginning on february 9th, and they will fill out a very long, i have seen some of these questionnaires, a very long juror questionnaire. then, the parties will begin to review it, the parties being the prosecution, the defense attorneys, and they will start to try to decide okay, which jurors are sort of disqualified because the way they've answered the questions make it clear they cannot sit there impartially, in this case? and which jurors appear to be qualified such that they shouldn't move to the next stage of in person jury selection questioning, and that is what it looks like we'll begin on march 4th. so, it sure looks like this case is in the shoe and ready to move to trial. >> glenn, you answered a question i had in the back of my head. i was like, i thought this was supposed to start on march 4th. but no. she is getting this thing starting earlier. glenn kirschner, maya wylie, just when we get up and writing and having a great conversation, we gotta go. thank people very much for coming to the saturday show. up next, we'll go on the run with former florida congresswoman debbie luber some powell and why she is seeking to unseat incumbent republican senator rick scott, and what she sees as her path to victory in the deeply divided sunshine state. state. hort. - have a fun weekend. - ♪ unnecessary action hero! unnecessary. ♪ - was that necessary? - no. neither is a blown weekend. with paycom, employees do their own payroll so you can fix problems before they become problems. - hmm! get paycom and make the unnecessary, unnecessary. - see you down the line. right now get a free footlong at subway. like the new deli heroes. buy one footlong in the app, get one free. it's a pretty big deal. kinda like me. order in the subway app today. this is american infrastructure, a prime target for cyberattacks. but the same ai-powered security that protects all of google also defends these services for everyone who lives here. ♪ >> i know how great this country is and how great it can be. that is why i won't sit here and do nothing while rick scott gets rich, abusing our government taking our rights, raising our costs, and destroying what makes it great. the ability for anyone no matter where we come from, even the minimum wage earning south american immigrant, to recharge dreams if we work for them. >> that was former democratic congressman debbie mucarsel-powell. in 2018, she became the first -- american immigrant elected to congress. now, after losing her seat in 2020, she has entered the race to take on senator rick scott next year. in a contest that will be critical for democrats as they seek to retain control of the senate. joining us now is democratic senate candidate and former florida congresswoman, debbie mucarsel-powell. congresswoman mucarsel-powell, my apologies for tripping over everything. >> good morning. >> the big question for you is, why are you running? >> look, jonathan. i have spent so many years working here in this community before i was elected as the first south american immigrants who served as congress, i work a f iu for many years as the associate dean at the medical school, expanding access to good quality health care, especially to underserved communities. this is about lifting florida families up. and i have seen how the extreme republicans like rick scott have been making it's harder and harder for so many families here in the state of florida to make ends meet, to have opportunities for good paying jobs. to make sure that they can provide a good quality education for their children. every single group in florida has been under attack and extremists like rick scott continue to incite that chaos and that division in the state of florida. and also supporting a national abortion ban, jonathan. that's why we need people that can serve florida first, not self serving politicians like rick scott. that is why i ask every single time, we can win. but i'm going to need every single person with me. i want everyone watching this morning to go to debbie for florida.com, support this race. this is someone who put more than $64 million of his own money into 2018 and barely won with only 10,000 votes. florida is ready for change. they know rick scott is a fraud, and they are running to send me to the senate. >> i hear all of that, but senator rick scott endorsed trump in the 2024 presidential primary just yesterday. he calls it, quote, a no brainer. congresswoman, given that trump won florida against president biden by three percentage points, why is senator scott wrong? >> well, look. first of all, rick scott feels extremely threatens since i filed to run against him. he has changed his strategy. first, he said he wasn't going to endorse him, now, he is endorsing donald trump. but this is not a red state, jonathan. this is a voter suppress and gerrymandered state. we have a third of our voters here, our independent voters, who are rejecting the extremism that has been coming not only from donald trump, from rick scott. they are attacking the very fabric of american democracy. rick scott started that term, voting to overturn the election. he is just another puppet of the maga movement, and he fears a primary himself that he has been trying to battle with. that's why he's actually been spending some money already trying to get that maga base. but here in florida, i could tell you his most vulnerable republican. he's the most dislike republican. people know this man committed one of the largest medicare frauds in the history of our country when he was ceo of columbia, a health care company. and he wrote the plan to end medicare and social security in the state, jonathan. we have tens of thousands of seniors that need that help saving care through medicare! so, i think this is going to be a different year. he's never run a presidential election before. of course, he has to now ponder to the most extremist based. he is an extremist himself, and we are going to beat him. i can tell you. that i've been talking to floridians all over the state. they're ready for change. >> so, your home district in miami has been highly competitive. it turns red, if you will, in 2020. so then, what is your path to victory? >> this is about talking to every single floridian across the state. for them, the most important issue is the rise in the cost of living here. we have a higher inflation rate than the rest of the country. our property insurance prices have skyrocketed, and a lot of people can't afford to pay their mortgage, their rents, and a lot of that is also coming because of climate change. is talking to floridians. it's listening and making sure they know they are not going to be left behind. it is becoming more difficult to live in the state of florida. it's also about protecting our families from gun violence. just in the past session, republicans in tallahassee passed a permit-less carry bill, jonathan. which would allow almost anyone to carry a loaded gun in public without a permit, without license, even without a background check. so, these are issues that are very important to floridians. my job is to make sure i reach every single one of them. that's why i'm asking everyone to support this campaign. we can't beat rick scott, and it's going to be a topic of opportunity for us to keep a democratic majority in the senate. debbie for florida.gov. >> former congresswoman debbie mucarsel-powell powell, thank you very much for coming to the saturday show. coming up after the break, my conversation with tony award winning director kenny leon on reviving a 60 year old comedy for broadway, and why this story is something our nation needs to hear now. don't go anywhere. that's next. that's next. siness owner. i own a lemonade and ice cream shop in florida, so i can feel and see that my lines have gotten deeper just from a year out in the sun. i'm still marie and i got botox® cosmetic. i did not want a dramatic change. i wanted something subtle. and i'm really, really happy with the results. it's still me, but with fewer lines. botox® cosmetic is fda approved to temporarily make frown lines, crow's feet, and forehead lines look better. the effects of botox® cosmetic may spread hours to weeks after injection, causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness may be a sign of a life-threatening condition. do not receive botox® cosmetic if you have a skin infection. side effects may include allergic reactions, injection site pain, headache, eyebrow, eyelid drooping, and eyelid swelling. tell your doctor about your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, and medications, including botulinum toxins as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. see for yourself at botoxcosmetic.com. febreze! hi. i keep my home fresh with febreze fade defy plug. and i use this. febreze has a microchip to digitally control how much scent is released so it doesn't fade. ooh. does mine have a microchip? ...oh. febreze smells first-day fresh for 50 days. that is a shockingly long time. febreze also has a refill reminder light... it even reminds you to refill it? so i never miss a day of freshness. your home is so fresh! upgrade to febreze plug. >> more than 60 years after its broadway review, tony ordering director kenny leon is breathing life into a revival of aussie davis pearly victorious, and non-confederate run through the cotton patch. set in the late 1960s on a plantation in the jim crow south, the hilarious story follows a preacher played by leslie odom junior and his love interest, played by carey young, in their quest to buy and integrate a local church. i recently talked with kenny leon about why this is a story people need to hear now. >> kenny leon thank, you very much for coming to the show. >> it's great to be. here >> this is the first broadway revival of the play purlie victorious since it premiered in 1961. why did it take so long? >> it's political satire. and when you look at that words, it's oh, is it safe to talk about that now? is that okay? he's using that word. it is a farce on racism and you know the best that is challenging but when i look at it, i think it's a love letter that ozzie davis junior wrote in 1961. he wrote it to us 62 years later. he wrote about now then. and so when i see it, i say every generation has to fight for democracy. and this is about standing and fighting for democracy. he embraced all those things that black artists have been champions of forever. our dance or move our committee, our drama. he put it in one evening. >> i'm so glad you said that. i was sitting there the entire time thinking, wait, was this not written now? because if you had not told me ossie davis wrote this, it was more than 60 years old, i wouldn't have believed you. >> exactly. every time i do a revival, i did raisin in the sun. we did fences on broadway. when i look at places i say, how does it affect us sitting in the seats today? so, we've been through a racial awakening. we've been through the pandemic. we have been through the last three or four presidential terms. what does this say to us now? i think this play reminds us like, what's good about america. we've got to fight for what's good about america. when i left every night to sit down and watch black and brown and white and folks sit there and left together. for the last two years, we forgot that had to laugh. if someone is different politically or allegedly it's like oh, i can't say this. i can't do it. i can't laugh with them. we are human, you know? we are flawed. we are wrong. let's laugh, and i think when people see the play, they laugh. when they get home, they think about it. how well do i know my neighbor? what's my relationship to my church, my friends, my enemies? >> are we laughing in the same spots, though? >> no. >> i asked that. i think we're thinking of the same thing. towards the end in the church, when they are sitting up the church, comes out with the folding chair and half the audience is laughing its butt off and the other half is not. now, the folding chair thing didn't happen in 1961, but did you add that aspect? >> there are certain things i've added to make it feel now. number one, i added the clothes rack in the beginning, so, i have the actors walk out and they put on each other's garments and they kiss and talk each others and others, and they are black and white folks who say hey, we're friends. we're human. so, that gives the audience permission to laugh. i added that. and in the end, that folding chair was like no, no, no. that's a recent thing. some nights, no one gets it. other nights, it's, like what is that? what is? that but the play is built in a way that when you go home, that's what i want you to think. >> there's some lines. just so many great lines in this. i carry a notebook with me wherever i go and there are two lines that just jumped out at me. first one was, being colored is fun if ain't nobody looking. listening are looking? >> looking. a nobody looking. >> looking. and the other one was some of the best pretending in the world it's done in front of white folks. >> yeah. it's a lot of truth. there's a lot of truth in comedy, and there's a lot of sadness in comedy. and vice versa. so, the plague us that. am i laughing at that? yeah. it's a line that says, what's wrong with running? it freed more people than abraham lincoln. but the whole place about racing to get to the church. so, if you notice the tempo and the pace of the play that leslie out of junior is doing a great job carrying on. >> seriously. >> but it's like, it starts fast, but then the audiences like, i don't wanna miss anything. and racing, racing, racing, and i did it without an intermission in 1961, they hadn't intermission. i did it without an intermission because i wanted to get to the church. so, we are laughing, laughing, laughing, get to the church, and the truth comes out. and i feel the play is also unapologetically black. while not disrespecting any other race or culture. and if you had that last seen, i see, if the audience wouldn't have been there. but having it the last seen, it brings people together. i said, you know what? the fight for black folks is a fight for all folks. it's a fight for gay, a fight for trans, it's a fight for women, it is like, america should be the place for all of us. freedom for all. and i think purlie victorious allows us to sit and laugh and dream of what's possible, because every year, every decade, it becomes more and more urgent for us to live out, to be our true selves, our true beauty. and ossie davis what such a wonderful man. my first broadway show, this is my 14th, next year will be with our town. it will be my 15th. and ruby dee not see davis will be present at that rehearsal of my first -- race in the sun. the protection with john collins, and they gave me notes to know, okay, when we did it in 59, this is what we did. but you go and do that thing. and just to know that heat was writing purlie victorious when he was under studying for a raisin in the sun, and his wife was on the stage performing, that he was writing this play and then all these years later, i get to bring that play to broadway. i just think there is a got, and i have a responsibility to keep fighting for freedom and democracy. what a legacy you are continuing and what a legacy you are creating for yourself kenny leon, thank you so much for coming on to the show. >> thank. you keep doing what you're doing, man. >> thank. you >> and again, thank you to the great canny leon. still to come on our next hour the special extended edition of the saturday show, it has been an eventful first week for new republican house speaker, mike johnson. can he managed to keep this caucus together with less than two weeks before yet another gop argument government shutdown? plus, former capitol police officer, harry dunn's new book on his dark day of january 6th. how it changed his life, and our country, forever. you don't want to miss any of. a keeper right here on msnbc. by a baby grand piano. you're replacing me? customize and save with liberty bibberty. he doesn't even have a mustache. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ right now get a free footlong at subway. like the new deli heroes. buy one footlong in the app, get one free. it's a pretty big deal. kinda like me. order in the subway app today. ♪ vicks vapostick provides soothing, non-medicated vicks vapors. [exhales] easy to apply for the whole family. vicks vapostick and try vaposhower for steamy vicks vapors. ( ♪♪ ) we're still going for that nice catch. we're still going for that sweet shot. and with higher stroke risk from afib not caused by a heart valve problem, we're going for a better treatment than warfarin. eliquis. eliquis reduces stroke risk. and has less major bleeding. over 97% of eliquis patients did not experience a stroke. don't stop taking eliquis without talking to your doctor as this may increase your risk of stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. while taking, you may bruise more easily or take longer for bleeding to stop. get help right away for unexpected bleeding, or unusual bruising. it may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. the number one cardiologist-prescribed blood thinner. we're going for it. ask your doctor about eliquis. this holiday with a ring video doorbell, see whose coming to town. happy holidays! [woman crying tears of joy] and with ring cameras capture all the holiday magic. [girl squeals with glee] with ring you're always home for the holidays. learn more at ring.com. right now get a free footlong at subway. like the new deli heroes. buy one footlong in the app, get one free. it's a pretty big deal. kinda like me. order in the subway app today. ♪ today, my friend you did it, you did it, you did it... ♪ centrum silver is now clinically shown to support cognitive health in older adults. political battle lines as the it's one more step towards taking charge of your health. so every day, you can say, ♪ youuu did it! ♪ with centrum silver. crisis in the middle east escalates. the new house speaker ties u.s. and israel to demand some hard-line republicans. i won't discuss speaker, mike johnson, first week on the job with brendan buck, jennifer reuben, and david jolly. standing his ground. capitol police officer, harry dunn, joins me live to talk about his new book, his fight for accountability after january 6th, and his reaction to the election denier now second in line to the presidency. it is hard to believe but this happened 15 years ago today. >> tonight, because of what we did on this stage, in this

Related Keywords

Poker , Money Poker , Nursing Home Lingo , The Saturday Show , Everyone , People , Hearts , Theater , U S , Watching Ted Lasso On Stage , Eastern , Sea , Six , Pause , Anthony Blinken , Ministers , Jordan , Katie Phang , Middle East , War , Stand , Israel , Donald Trump Jr , Calls , Eric Trump , New York , Hamas Grow , Shady Bunch , Case , President , Ivanka , Gag Order , History , Questions , Family , Facing , Dollar Civil Fraud Trial , Three , 250 Million Dollar , 250 Million , Broadway , Kenny Leon , Conversation , Revival , Trials , Ozzy Davis , Tony Award , One , Race , Time , Saturday Show , Satire , Relevance , Segregation , Jonathan Capehart , 60 , Video , Latest , Israel Hamas War , Push , Fighting , Bombard Gaza , Aid , Support , Secretary Of State , Leaders , Tel Aviv , Anthony Blinken Holding Urgent Meetings , Hostages , Cease Fire , Hamas , Benjamin Netanyahu , Call , Israeli Defense Forces , 240 , Soldiers , Dozens , Terrorists , Military Operation , Rounds , Edo , Tanks , Content , Ambulances , Caravan , Ambulance , Gaza Hospital , Palestine Red Crescent Society , Quote , Antonio Guterres , Horrific , Nbc News , Group , Stronghold , United Nations , Josh Lederman , Being , Ground Offensive , Israel Gaza Border , Space , Ground , Strikes , Morning , Direction , Distance , Gaza Strip , Artillery , Airstrikes , Sound , Window , Military , Strike , Northern Gaza , Refugee Camp , South , Gaza Health Authorities , Middle , Border , Authorities , Area , Sir Affair , Side , Salah Al Deen , Palestinians , Nationals , Civilians , Egypt , Peach , Officials , Negotiations , List , Course , Third , Americans Out , Biden , Administration , Intern Palestinians , Something , Fighters , Nobody , Process Breakdown , Secretary Blinken , Bit , Perception , Disagreement , All Of Us , Egyptians , Nations , Pauses , Calling , Meeting , Qataris , Saudis , Emiratis , Countries , Efforts , Backdrop , Meeting Blinken , Americans , Anything , Arab , Cost , Crisis , Tensions , Lowering , Allies , Martin Fletcher , Trip , Nation , Author , Soul , Search , Campaign , Hands , Terrorist Groups , Failure , Fight , Partners , Indifference , Catastrophe , Peace , Pressure , Pictures , Oakley , Prime Minister , Pressure Point , Part , Conflicts , Population , Positives , Five , Four , Ability , Water , Food , Bombing , Seven , Lot , Exchange , Safety , Least , Return , Way , Intelligence , Sources , Activity , European , Point , Tunnels , Hostage , Strip , Needle , 300 , Number , Bet , Human Shields , Choice , Choices , Hair , Circumstances , Release , Danger , Richard Engel , Attack , Power , Netanyahu , Lapses , Some , Hold , Career , Israelis , October 7th Hamas , October 7th , 7 , Elections , Parliament , Vote , Confidence , Majority , Members , Option , Government , Foal , 55 , Movement , Party , Vision , Wall , Questioning , Conflict , Staying , Issue , Situation , We Haven T , West Bank , 2006 , Opinion Polls , Opinion Poll , Arab World , Interviews , We Don T Know , Word , Tomas , Anybody , Company , Trump , Look , Testimony , About Don Junior S Testimony And Erik , Marquee Event , 50 Million , 50 Million Dollar , Stay , Break , Plan , Condition , Itush Iphone , More , Wife , Husband , Titanium , Vo , Verizon , Apple Tv , 4k , 15 , App , Footlong , Heroes , Deli , Deal , Subway , Apple , Order , Kinda , Set , Trump Family , The , Trial , Reason , Adviser , Pasta , White House , Yesterday , Things Haven T , School Week , Undue Hardships , Father , Presidents , Statements , Jury , Bench Trial , Brothers Trump , Son , Miserably , Sex , It , Court Of Public Opinion , Fraud , Accountant , Nothing , World , Inaudible , Best , Accounting , Sting , Names , Glenn Kirschner , Ceo , Maya Wylie , Msnbc , Analyst , Leadership Conference On Civil And Human Rights , Civil Rights Attorney , Saying , Matters Podcast , Host , Prosecutor , Gwen , Argument , Properties , I Don T Focus On Appraisals , 2013 , Listening , Perjury Charge , Oath , Reporting , Deposition , Attorneys Didn T , Fifth , Advice , Move On , Silly , Judge , Estate , Business , Back Money , Possibility , Term , Business Fraud , Product , Example , Junior , Engoron , On Boards , Accountants , Defense Hold Water , Clip , Fraudulent , Briefing Process , Evidence , Iran , 2017 , Fact , Trust , Head , Blind Trust , Sons , Managers , Two , Money , Business Leaders , Idea , Understanding , Accountable , Concrete , Values , Finances , Don T , Value , Business Model , Things , Ways , Fines , Core , Politics , Times , Repeat Performance , 450 , Data Points , Brother , Inference , Danger Zone , Radio Silent , Subpoena , Brothers , Trans , Prospect , Arguments , Case Signals , Family Members , Saw , Select Committee Public Hearings , Election Fraud , Results , Bill Barr , Credit Bill Barr , Election , Words , Signal , Liar , Extension Out , Between The Lines , Life , Yes , Glenn Mayer , Anywhere , Addition , Special , Don T Go , Medicines , Treatment , Adults , Dovato , Shiv , Stop Dovato , Hiv Pills , Pill , 4 , 3 , 2 , Help , Doctor , Side Effects , Reaction , Symptoms , Liver Problems , Buildup , Ingredients , Dofetilide , Lactic Acid , Headache , Breastfeeding , Baby , Pregnancy , Anxiety , Tiredness , Diarrhea , Nausea , Kidney , Trouble Sleeping , Fairfield Suisun , Education , Tools , Ransomware , Chromebook , Learning , Data , D C , Oral Arguments , Appeals Court Panel , Interference , Request , Last Night , Plays Out , Gag Order In Question Barr , November 20th , 20 , Court Staff , Tarp , Maya Wiley , Court , Circuit Court , Specific , American Civil Liberties Union , Violence , Speech Targeting Prosecutors , Groundwork , Why , A , Candidate , Threats , Amounts , Country , Office , Anyone , None , Charges , System , Process , Chutkan , Patient , Delay Tactics , Len , Courthouse , Jury Selection , Cases , Juries , February 9th , 9 , Doing , Courage , Worth , March 4th , Statement , Sense , Election Cycle , Accordance , Speed , Obstruction , Documents , Epstein , Florida , Questionnaires , Hundreds , Residents , Hundreds Of D C , Jurors , Defense Attorneys , Parties , Juror Questionnaire , Prosecution , Stage , Jury Selection Questioning , In Person , Question , Back , Shoe , Thing , Writing , On The Run , We Gotta Go , Up Next , Rick Scott , Powell , Debbie Luber , Republican , Victory , Path , Hort , Weekend , Employees , Paycom , Action Hero , Payroll , Neither , Problems , Down The Line , Infrastructure , Target , Cyberattacks , Security , Services , Google , Sit , Matter , Rights , Costs , Wage , South American , Congresswoman Mucarsel Powell , American Immigrant Elected To Congress , Immigrant , Dreams , Seat , Democratic , 2018 , Contest , Senator , Senate , Control , 2020 , Congresswoman , Apologies , Everything , Big Question , Immigrants , Health Care , Community , Access , Associate Dean , Medical School , Families , Communities , Ends Meet , Extremists , Quality , Opportunities , Jobs , Children , Division , Chaos , First , Politicians , Self Serving , National Abortion Ban , Someone , Votes , Person , 4 Million , 64 Million , 10000 , Change , 2024 , Points , Wrong , Brainer , Voters , Red State , Voter , Strategy , Gerrymandered , Extremism , Voting , Fabric Of American Democracy , Primary , Puppet , Base , Oman , Frauds , Health Care Company , Most , Medicare , Columbia , Tens Of Thousands , Care , Social Security , Seniors , Extremist , Floridians , Home District , Floridian , Rise , Red , Miami , Rest , Mortgage , Rents , Prices , Property Insurance , Inflation Rate , Climate Change , Permit Less , Gun Violence , Session , Carrying On , Issues , Loaded Gun In Public Without A Permit , Background Check , License , Opportunity , Topic , Beat , Story , Comedy , Lines , Cosmetic , Botox , The Sun , Lemonade , Ice Cream Shop , Siness Owner , Jim Crow South , Forehead Lines , Frown Lines , Feet , Fda , Reactions , Skin Infection , Breathing , Eye Problems , Effects , Speaking , Sign , Muscle Weakness , Injection , Difficulty Swallowing , Risk , Medications , Conditions , Muscle , Eyelid Swelling , Injection Site Pain , Nerve , Botulinum Toxins , Febreze , Botoxcosmetic Com , Eyelid Drooping , Eyebrow , Home , Microchip , Scent , Febreze Fade Defy Plug , Doesn T Fade , 50 , Freshness , Febreze Plug , Refill Reminder Light , Kenny Leon Is Breathing Life Into A Revival Of Aussie Davis , Review , Tony Ordering , Love Interest , Leslie Odom , Preacher , Quest , Plantation , Run , Local Church , Cotton Patch , Carey Young , 1960 , Kenny Leon Thank , Play , Purlie , 1961 , Ozzie Davis Junior , Love Letter , Racism , Farce , Democracy , Generation , 62 , Committee , Forever , Artists , Drama , Dance , Champions , Raisin In The Sun , Thinking , Wouldn T , Wait , Ossie Davis , Dime , Places , Fences , Sitting , Awakening , Pandemic , Folks , Terms , Say , Like , Human , Laugh , Friends , Church , Relationship , Neighbor , Enemies , Spots , Let , Audience , Folding Chair , Half , Actors , Folding Chair Thing , Didn T , Aspect , Beginning , Clothes , Number One , Others , Each Other , Garments , Permission , The End , No One , Ain T , Fun , Colored , Notebook , Looking , Truth , Front , Pretending , Sadness , Vice Versa , Line , Place , Plague , Running , Abraham Lincoln , Racing , Tempo , Audiences , Miss , Leslie Out , I Don T Wanna , They Hadn T Intermission , Culture , Fight For Gay , Freedom , Women , Dream , True Beauty , Selves , Town , Rehearsal , Ruby Dee , 14 , Heat , Protection , John Collins , 59 , Fighting For Freedom , Got , Stage Performing , Responsibility , Legacy , Mike Johnson , Eedition , Canny Leon , House Speaker , Harry Dunn , Police Officer , Book , Government Shutdown , Dark Day , Caucus , Capitol , Plus , January 6th , 6 , Of , Keeper , Baby Grand Piano , Save , Pay , Mustache , Liberty Bibberty , Liberty , Vicks Vapostick , Exhales , Vicks Vapors , Non Medicated , Soothing , Stroke , Catch , Shot , Afib , Try Vaposhower , Steamy Vicks Vapors , Stop Taking Eliquis , Bleeding , Heart Valve Problem , Stroke Risk , Eliquis Patients , Warfarin , 97 , Bruise , Artificial Heart Valve , Blood Thinner , Procedures , Bruising , Ring , Holiday , Holidays , Video Doorbell , Woman , Ring Cameras , Tears Of Joy , Holiday Magic , Glee , Girl Squeals , Ring Com , Health , Battle Lines , Charge , Friend , Step , Centrum Silver , Youuu , Speaker , Job , Brendan Buck , Jennifer Reuben , David Jolly , Accountability , Election Denier , Presidency , This ,