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Norman Lear, John Forsythe exclusive 1992 interview about new show, Hollywood elitism

Lear and Forsythe talked about their 'The Powers That Be', politics and elitism in Hollywood.

Norman Lear, John Forsythe exclusive 1992 interview about new show, Hollywood elitism

Lear and Forsythe talked about their 'The Powers That Be', politics and elitism in Hollywood.

Please, the powers that be was taped before the election with *** plot that deals with the new president. So producer Norman Lear and Star John Forsyth told me via satellite, they took *** gamble. We went with the polls, the polls told us, you know, I think all of them at the time were reading the Clintons. So we went with that. Then of course, as soon as we started to make the show, we're in production and John and the others were in rehearsal, you remember that 34 day period when the polls started to narrow, the race started to narrow and it looked like we might become the, the Thomas E dewey of situation comedies. Not only that, but he had to, you have to sell his house and his Children do. As for the election itself. Forsyth says he's happy with the result. We're all *** little bit elated at what happened. Uh uh in this this election, we look forward to some exciting times ahead. I wanna talk about television. But let, let me ask you just real quickly as long as you bring it up, was there even *** glimmer of truth to this, uh, elitist accusation that, uh, Quayle and, and, and, uh, Bush were bringing up during the campaign. Well, you'd have, I guess we'd have to be *** longer term, uh, conversation. We'd have to define the term. Uh, what is elitist? I thought, uh, I never saw more elitism displayed than, well, there's *** lot of somebody who stands up and calls somebody else elitist. Well, I guess what they were saying, uh, you guys have lost touch with Middle America, huh? Well, I'd be shocked if that were true. Uh, since so much of what happens in the entertainment business reaches middle America and succeeds with middle America, uh, I, I would doubt that we've lost, uh, we've lost touch so the powers that be airs tonight and for Norman Lear, the gamble paid off, we thought the polls would be correct. But if they weren't, we would have, uh, and historical anachronism of some considerable consequence. What he meant that it would be *** mess. Michael Collins News Five.
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Norman Lear, John Forsythe exclusive 1992 interview about new show, Hollywood elitism

Lear and Forsythe talked about their 'The Powers That Be', politics and elitism in Hollywood.

Norman Lear has produced, created or developed more than 100 shows. One of them was the short-lived but influential 1992 sitcom “The Powers That Be.” David Crane and Marta Kauffman created the show and later went on to create the smash hit "Friends." Joseph Gordon-Levitt later went on to star in "3rd Rock from the Sun" after "The Powers That Be" was canceled. Lear, joined by leading actor John Forsythe, sat down for an exclusive interview that year. They discussed the show, which took a gamble and said Bill Clinton would win the election before any votes were held. They also discussed elitism in Hollywood and if they had lost touch with middle America.Watch the video above to see what Norman Lear had to say about elitism and politics.Norman Lear died Tuesday at 101 years old.

Norman Lear has produced, created or developed more than 100 shows. One of them was the short-lived but influential 1992 sitcom “The Powers That Be.”

David Crane and Marta Kauffman created the show and later went on to create the smash hit "Friends." Joseph Gordon-Levitt later went on to star in "3rd Rock from the Sun" after "The Powers That Be" was canceled.

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Lear, joined by leading actor John Forsythe, sat down for an exclusive interview that year. They discussed the show, which took a gamble and said Bill Clinton would win the election before any votes were held.

They also discussed elitism in Hollywood and if they had lost touch with middle America.

Watch the video above to see what Norman Lear had to say about elitism and politics.

Norman Lear died Tuesday at 101 years old.