You spin me round. Celebrating the life of pete burns, the rock legend who inspired a generation of young people to be true to themselves. . Baby right round . First the nightline 5. I i was smoking instead of being there for my sons winning shot. That was it for me. Thats why im quitting with nicorette. A fastdissolving formula that relieves sudden cravings how. When coughing keeps your family awake, breathe easier with vicks vaporub. Soothing cough relief that starts working instantly. And number one coming up in good evening. T minus 15 days until the election and were all getting bombarded by this wild race. Perhaps nowhere are things hotter than in the battleground state of North Carolina where clinton and trump are in a dogfight. This is where a gop headquarters was fire bombed. Its also where my nightline coanchor byron pitts has roots. Byron makes a fascinating homecoming tonight in the latest installment of our series inside the final 30. Reporter welcome to dallas famous chicken and biscuits. Where the foods fried. Double bacon. Triple double. Reporter folk are friendly. Good morning. What are yall doing here so early . Reporter the guns on the wall are real. And theres little love for either president ial candidate. We got one crook and one bigmouth wont shut up. I wonder who youre talking about. You know who im talking about. Reporter for decades the southern town west of raleigh thin as bacon. You guys mind . Were kind of voting for the lesser of two evils. Reporter this far below the masondixon line, race matters. Im voting for donald trump. Why clinton . Shes more qualified. Reporter 49yearold a. B. Parker has voted in every election since he was 18. Not this year. Have you ever not voted before . No. It must be hard. Its terrible. Reporter terrible, what will likely be a ter contest election night. Holy charlotte reporter 15 electoral votes, the swing state of North Carolina, now the front line of this years political battle ground. North carolina wont be won or lost with big rallies or in big cities but in small towns like apex. Communities like friendship. Thats a great aunts house right there. Looks exactly the same. Reporter friendship is home to my family where dirt roads and dignity once intersected. Americans intermarried. So friendship is more of an idea than it is a town . It is not a town, its a community. But its certainly an idea. Reporter here clinton nor trump paint a picture locals arent thrilled about. We dont talk politics because we know some people think different so we dont want to hurt anybody. Reporter comfort food and Uncomfortable Conversations have a long history in North Carolina. The location hardly seemed historic. Greensboro, North Carolina. Reporter 1960, four freshmen negroes from North Carolina a and t University Made the revolutionary move to sitin. Audacity at odds with anger generations old. Youve arrived at your destination. Reporter 56 years later, outside that same diner, the scars of history still sting. That actually gave me chills. We cater to white trade only. That meant anyone who looked but americas no longer that. Reporter the old woolworths now a civil rights museum. Where we met tobias thorne. They sat down for us, now we stand up for them. Reporter his ballot less about the future president and more about promises past. Im voting out of respect of all the people who made sacrifices for me to be able to vote. Because honestly, if it werent for that, i cant honestly say i would be as engaged with it. I will be voting. I wont be voting for trump. Personally, not for me. Reporter a sharp contrast to eight years ago when he voted for the very first time. His state historically red, went blue. That year, 23 of voters were black. 96 of them voting for obama. But it was a tight race won only by 13,000 votes. In 2012, the state once again turning red. Now both candidates desperately courting the africanamerican what do you have to lose . Vote for trump, im going to fix it. The decision for the next four years of this country could be either turmoil and disaster, or it could be hope and opportunity. Reporter marcus bass is an a did and. Grad and director of a Voting Rights advocacy group. Part what was im hearing is obama may have energized people eight years ago, but its information people are relying on now, not enthusiasm. Yeah, i think 2008, president obama brought a lot of folks to the table. Now the folks are at the table asking the questions, demanding more than just a been traveling the state handing out fliers to communities less likely to vote. So this is a church not that far from North Carolina a and t. It helps to just be the middle of the road provider of information. So giving them Little Things that they can hand out to their congregation, actually giving congregations this fan. Fans are big. Definitely big with fans in the faith community. Where are you off to now . A meeting in durham at 3 00. Thats a lot of time on the reporter the back seat of his car a traveling closet. Dress shirt, casual shirt more than anything, tshirts with messages have really lifted up the concerns in whatever space. Having a powerful message, having a powerful button, is sometimes more important tan having on a suit and tie. Reporter he sees North Carolina as a flash point. No protests in charlotte no justice, no peace the controversial law in North Carolina denying some rights to gay and transgender people. Reporter all these causes becoming a c this election. The Clinton Campaign certainly hopes so. Hello, byron pitts. Very nice to meet you. Reporter calling on the likes of jason collins, the first openly gay nba player to rally troops at campaign offices. We owe it too people who have come before us to get involved if in the process, to get excited about it. Reporter even among the faithful enthusiasm seemed in question. How do you explain the how do you guys bridge that . Dont everybody speak at once. I dont know if its excitement or if everybodys just kind of like just ready to vote. Ready to go. Reporter fully throated enthusiasm or not are you reg pherred to vote at your current address . Reporter clinton has 33 offices in North Carolina to trumps three. This voter is heading to china the next day and would not have voted until military or overseas so you can vote from china. Reporter its that Clinton Campaign is counting on. We want to make politics as small and localized and individual as possible. That takes a big organization, it takes us all to Work Together to do our part. We do it really effectively, it works. Reporter not a bad strategy in a state where both candidates are viewed as flawed. The recent fire bombing of a gop campaign office. While still no arrest, a dark reminder for all that has changed in North Carolina. Old demons, old tactics live anew. This familyfriendly state what will be an easier conversation to have in dallas . Politics or your sex life . Thats nonexistent so we dont worry. Reporter the average age at this table is 85. These same ladies have shared a meal, swapped recipes, attended funerals with my family. What do you all think about the two candidates . Lets not go into that, im eating. I dont want to lose it. Reporter when it comes to politics, tables. Its worth noting as blacks and whites debate one america in the front of the restaurant, the immigrants working back in the kitchen are having another discussion altogether. Who are you leaning towards . Clinton or trump . Hillary clinton. Maybe i vote for Hillary Clinton. Because i dont know. Donald trump, he is no respect. Theres a time in which North Carolina was North Carolina. Now its more like north america carolina home. Back in friendship where my mother was born and where shes buried, in our familys cemetery. In the south, certainly here in friendship, people dont so much visit the graveyard to grieve but to talk. To visit family. Reporter the friendship of her childhood was predominantly black, overwhelmingly rural. Today its now a place where the highly educated and overly affluent live as friends. I moved here for work. Whats your work . Software engineer. Reporter in North Carolina this election is less about two unpopular president ial candidates. Its far more personal than that. Its about what was im sure she would have had a strong opinion about Hillary Clinton and donald trump. Reporter what is what do you think about this race between Hillary Clinton and donald trump . I just want to vote none of the above. Reporter and what will become of an old Southern State battling over what a new america most hope biscuits and bacon will somehow remain in the mix. For nightline im byron pitts in friendship, North Carolina. Next, she glowed as marcia on the brady bunch and wowed tonight on dancing with the stars. But her personal life has for a time been extremely dark. We sit down with maureen recently, a 1954 mercedesbenz grand prix race car made history when it sold for a record price of just under 30 million. And now, another mercedesbenz makes history selling at just over 30,000. And to think this one actually has a surroundsound stereo. Mercedesbenz. The best or nothing. becky ive seen such a change in einstein since he started the new beneful recipe. The number one ingredient in it is beef. einstein the beef is fantastic becky he has enough energy to believe that he can jump high enough to catch a bird. vo try new beneful originals with beef. Dancing with the stars tonight we saw Maureen Mccormick, better known as marcia brady, gracing the floor. On the brady bunch she was the in real life shes struggled with powerful demons. She sat down with abcs Abbie Boudreau. . Shot through the heart . Reporter tonight on dancing with the stars, a throwback to the 1980s for Maureen Mccormick, or as most people remember her from the 1970s, marcia brady. At 60 years old, the beloved tv veteran has turned in solid performances week after week. Even paying homage the brady bunch, the show that made her famous 47 years . The brady bunch . Reporter americas favorite girl next door says toeing the line between marcia brady and Maureen Mccormick hasnt been a ball. For years i think, you know, in my own personal life, i felt like i had to play marcia brady. . Heres a story of a lovely lady . . Who was bringing up three very lovely girls . Reporter the oldest girl with that hair of gold was the perfect one. Famously inspiring jealousy from school is how great marcia is at this, how wonderful marcia did that. Marcia, marcia, marcia. Marcia, marcia, marcia does not bother you. Not at all. You hear it all the time . I do. Reporter that beautiful complexion and wholesome attitude resaw on tv gave way to a young woman struggling with her weight, depression, and what she says was an incredibly dark drug addiction. Mccormick says she started using cocaine in her late teens after once i tried cocape, it changed my endorphins and everything. I loved it. And i abused it to the greatest extent. Reporter we went out on a boat with mccormick and her husband Michael Cummings outside los angeles. Smooth sailing today but it wasnt always. I just got in with a very fast rock n roll club, immersed in the whole drug culture. Reporter she danced with her demons for five years. Continued on that road i wouldnt be here. Reporter she says meeting cummings 31 years ago saved her life. He pretty much said, you know what, you get it together or im go gone. My wife is extremely courageous. I have watched her face battle after battle. Dancing with the stars is just another example in a long line. Reporter it wasnt your typical hollywood romance. In part because hed never seen one episode of the brady bunch. Gosh, you never saw the show . He lived under a rock. I cant say i saw the show. I mean, i was aware that it was out there. It just wasnt my thing. Reporter and in the studio, we learn maureens russianborn partner has something in common with her husband. I have no idea who she is. He had no idea. The second man ive ever met, other than my husband, who had no idea who i was. Reporter were there for her latest rehearsal where she in her back. We had a bit of a tough time in week three, i think. But weve seen the doctor, and i think were doing much better now. Reporter mccormick says despite getting physically hurt the dancing has had a therapeutic effect. In the past youve talked about certain things like depression. Does that help with your emotional state . Exercise is really, really important for me. When i dont exercise, i dont feel as good. Reporter shes had support throughout her journey from her brady bunch family. Fabulous im so proud of you. Reporter tv mom Florence Henderson strutted her stuff on the 11th season of dancing with the stars. . Honey honey dont stop . Im extremely proud of maureen. Because i know how tough its been for her. Did she give you any tips . She texts me every day. Shes been to the show many times. Reporter maureen also had a special cheering section. Organization for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Like her brother dennis. Theyre my heroes. I look to them. Theyre so positive, they just want to keep going. They dont let anything stop them. So they give me strength. . You give love a bad name . Reporter tonight, mccormi mccormicks last tango. 7. That leaves 28 out of 40 reporter her score is not high enough to make it in the smile and trademark resilience shone as bright as a mirrored ball. Ive just learnt in life that, you know, theres many bumps along the road and you just got to keep going. You just got to keep pushing through. Reporter for nightline, im Abbie Boudreau in los angeles. Our thanks to abbie. Morning. Pete burns, bursing onto the scene in a pink kimono singing you spin me round and became equally famous for Plastic Surgery and his everchanging look. . Watch out here i come . . You spin me right round baby like a record baby right round round round . [ on the road again, by Willie Nelson ] . On the road again . [ rear alert sounds ] [ music stops ] wait to get on the road again . [ front assist sounds ] [ music stops ] [ girl laughs ] . On the road again . . Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway . [ beetle horn honks ] no matter which passat you choose, you get more standard features, for less than you expected. Hurry in and lease the 2017 passat s for just 199 a month. Korean bbq shrimp. And try as much as you want of flavors like new parmesan peppercorn shrimp. Just come in before it ends. What makes thermacare different . Two words it heals. How . With heat. Unlike creams and rubs that mask the pain, thermacare has patented heat cells that penetrate deep to increase circulation and accelerate healing. Lets review heat, plus relief, plus healing, equals thermacare. Finally, pretty much anybody who grew up in the 1980s will remember pete burns singing you spin me round. Burns went on to lead a a life that people all over the world tonight are remembering. Heres abcs nick watt. . You spin me right round baby right found . Reporter 1985. Dead or alives mesmeric front man pete burns is everywhere. A generation of kids realizes its okay to be different. Burns died sunday. He was 57 years old. Along with the likes of boy george, he blurred gender lines, greatly expanding the definition of cool forever. Cry . Reporter today the culture club crooner tweeting, one of our great eccentrics and such a big part of my life. Later in life burns became known for his sometimes caustic appearances on reality shows like britains big brother. Who trained you to use the toilet . My mom. How old were you . Was it recent . Wait reporter he became famous for his everchanging face. You were a beautiful man. I see it as an art form. I see myself as my own clay. I was remodeling it. Reporter i interviewed burns for nightline about his Plastic Surgery obsession. What are you underneath . Im not about to tell anybody that, all i will say is what you say on the outside is a complete contradiction to something thats on the inside. Were all changing something. Youre not sitting here unshaven. Or stark naked. Im not sitting here untouched by the syringe. Reporter he said a procedure i get bored and i think im going to change. Reporter burns died, according to his manager, of a massive cardiac arrest. Im nick watt for nightline, los angeles. . You spin me right round . Thanks to nick watt for that report. Thanks to you for watching abc news tonight. Were online 24 7 at abcnews. Com and on our Nightline Facebook page. Thanks again for watching and chp its comicomics unleashe. [ cheers and applause ] byron allen thank you. Thank you. Very kind of you. Thank you. Lots to talk abouten