Heartland Journal Podcast EP244 Howard Klausner & Dennis Quaid Plus More 8 28 24

welcome to a very special edition of the Heartland Journal podcast sit back and enjoy right then you know with the one thing I didn't want is for the movie to come out during election year because you know it' be accused of being political which is you know it's not it's I think it's a message that really resonates with people and if you're born before 1985 you're going to get to see remember how great this country was during that time and you you guys out there born after 1985 you get a glimpse of how great this country still can be meant to be entertained and I think it's inspiring it's my favorite movie and it really is and uh enjoying thank you for coming [Music] appreciate welcome to the Heartland journals podcast with your host Steve abowitz editor and chief of Heartland journal.com how do y'all welcome back to the show I'm stevea britz and this is the Heartland Journal podcast we are focusing on our nation today with always an interesting person making a positive change in our community Welcome to our people in our news where I interview people who are making an impact and are lovers of Truth running for governor Ronnie remember when we met you told me that you wanted to make a difference in this world you know what you have to do Governor rean again typically is against such a proposal there you go again but he was not afraid to take us on there's nothing a retired Governor can do about the Soviets but a president now he can do a thing or two to your life I was a lifeguard on a river there's no there and I learned how to read the currents not just the ones on the surface but also the ones deep underneath the water I am about to start the biggest war of this century and I'm not going to fire a single shot you're going to blow up 8 years of diplomacy well if you think that got their undeas and a want you just wait today we are talking with very special guests singer songwriter actor and screenwriter Howard clausner Howie I love entertainment folks on the show because IMDb does my job for me Howard clausner born 1960 is an American writer producer and director his career began in Earnest with the screenplay for Clint Eastwood Space Cowboys most recent credits include Reagan starring Dennis Quaid penel pan Miller and John Voit in theaters this week Soul Surfer the Bethany Hamilton shark attack story also starring quaade the secret handshake starring our friend Kevin Sorbo and Amy Grant his by opic Peter is in pre-production directed by Alejandro Monteverde following his Smash Hit sound of Freedom the incredible true story of a child trafficking how he is the founder and president of I40 studios in Nashville a film and television production company with an emphasis on music experiences and Partnerships married to Heather and they have three children he's AOW Trojan alumni like me and here he is to talk about his hopefully Blockbuster movie Reagan uh in theaters this week hoe how are you today hey great so happy to be around you Steve yes yes you have been a good friend of mine since I moved to Tennessee and uh I love you man so thanks for coming on and taking some Airwaves from me um I saw pictures of you and your beautiful girls out there in sunny California some also Trojan alumni at the LA premiere of the new movie uh were they proud of Dad after seeing it I think so I think I think well let's just say they're not quite as bored by me as they usually are but you know my my kids are adults now they're in their 20s so we've kind of passed the the the teenage completely ignor me spage which is which is a nice thing it was a it was a really really big Premiere um it was sort of very I very reminiscent of the old days which which was neat you know the Chinese Theater is hund and something years old and so and there's all the handprints of the greatest of all time and the footprints and all that kind of stuff and um I wasn't expecting it to be quite that big of a thing but I I guess this this little movie of ours is growing and so I mean it was just it was everything you expect from a big red carpet event Paparazzi everywhere media everywhere absolutely packed I I was not expecting anything like that but it was wonderful it was just a wonderful Affair and I think I think it kicked us off right and so obviously your daughters being in the Gen z uh are are are biased and one of a kinds three of a kinds but what did you think they got out of the story about Ronald Reagan that old fossil you know Dead Presidents on dollar bills and stuff right you know it's funny before the movie started uh Dennis gave a little five minute chat with the with the folks and he as he said he said for those of you who are alive in 1985 this movie is going to be a reminder of what we were for those of you not alive until 85 and after this is this is going to tell you what we can be again and uh so I think that you know at first I was a little concerned because you know I think we we tend to look down on the youth generation I think we were looked down upon like H are they really going to understand all this stuff because of course there's a lot of history there a lot of stuff in there and I and they are brutally honest with me uh believe me I've been making films for about 25 years so when things don't really work uh they they're never shy to tell me they they all said to me and there were some young folks in our party too they said I was amazed at these things I thought I knew but I didn't know and so so that was that was really encouraging to me because I was you know there's a lot of history and current events in there and we think that's for the 40 plus crowd but you know they're they're biased but they're not and so that's a long answer your question but I I think they they kind of liked it they good it's a great answer I I don't think people were spending much time asking James Dean what he thought the Eisenhower Administration so you know there's a there's an infotainment situation here talking making movies that are historic about a real person and so you you took that mantle up 20year producer of film television and literary content basically everything everyone's ever seen and said I don't like that how he wasn't doing that he was doing the good stuff um so but you were known for Clint Eastwood being his protoe let's just say that uh will this movie change your career in unimaginable ways you know I I think the greatest saying ever about the the movie business was was from William Goldman The Godfather of all screenwriters his his Mantra and this this was the great one of all the screenwriters he was the great one look him up he said as far as Hollywood goes nobody knows anything you know and you don't yeah you don't everything about this this thing is such a shapeshifting Beast you know you're living in the moment so I mean sure will it change things I hope it I hope it allows me to to to produce more movies of course but as far as what I do how I do it nah about about the same as I always do it I you know I'd love it to be a success obviously but okay you know regardless you know we open on on the 30th of September or on of August September one I'll be back doing my thing so all right we'll get to that at the end um so you grew up you graduated into the Hollywood system or what we now call Left Coast woke Hollywood let's face it that's you know it didn't change yesterday uh how do you maintain your down to earth Heartland Roots amongst all the Temptations out west you know I I didn't think it was that difficult and I still don't think it's that difficult you know it's like everything else know thyself and you know and and when you do know yourself and you're reasonably confident just in yourself as a human being whether I'm a great writer or not you know remains to be seen every movie I make but you know it's is a very tempting system you know it's got all the Temptations you you know them all and you know many fall victim to it but I here's what I find Steve you know this is one of the one of the great things that Clint Eastwood told me he said this town runs on fear if you understand that you'll do just fine and it does it does and there's there's always a herd mentality and that sort of thing I I think it's easy to look at Hollywood as some kind of this you know oh they just this evil system of they're not you know they're just people that need to make their house payments and their tuition payments and everything that that we all have the same things but that system is itself broke and everybody knows it so you know I think as far as just hanging on to what I was I don't know how to be anything else and I'm a terrible actor so I couldn't really pull that off so there you go yes yes you and Shane black I was told uh had a trajectory that started out together and then kind of went different dire right yeah Shane did way better than I did way IR Iron Man 2 probably was his best uh thing that he ever put out I'll tell him that yeah I'll let him know that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is is fun but didn't make as much money um so what got you interested in Reagan let's let's face it you know you're a Southern California graduate coming into that system we just talked about and all of a sudden Ronald Reagan of all people who was an actor true but of a bygone era was theid president of the Screen Actors Guild true or yeah Screen Actors Guild and uh governor of California when I was growing up and detested by the leftists of Hollywood how did you get involved in this movie and an interest in Reagan well I'll start with the interests in Reagan um and and I I I don't mind telling people this I worked in Jimmy Carter's uh 1976 and 1980 campaign as a volunteer in high school I was born the son of K Democrats I mean it was just kind of that's just what you are um I certainly knew I kind of knew of Reagan but not really I didn't really pay much attention to him and I think the game Cher for me Steve was when he was assassinated when he the attempted assassination when he was shot but the real game changer for me was six weeks later you know he almost died back back then they were assuring the American public the president was barely hit he's fine like he we almost lost him but when he returned to the Joint session of Congress and walked into that room I'll never forget it as long as I live both sides both sides of the aisle can you imagine that were on their feet genuinely cheering laughing crying he it it must have taken him a half an hour to get to the podium you know Democrats and Republicans alike just you know our guy is back okay we may not agree with you on all our politics and everything but you know you're our president and he stood there and I remember I was in my college dorm room and I said whatever that guy's got I I want to be around some of that and that that was I guess you could say the night I flipped for lack of a better term so I lived as presidency uh I paid very close attention I I studied a lot of Russian history in college I was fascinated with it fascinated with the whole communism thing in the 80s you could see the the cracks were beginning to spread in the Soviet Union and I watched that whole thing happen to Mr Gorbachev tear down this wall so when Mark Joseph and John Sullivan found me I can't even remember how something to do with Clint Eastwood I'm sure and they asked me if I would be interested in working on this project that was 14 years ago I said you I I lipped at it I I couldn't get there fast enough so yeah man I it's a he is a he's he's just such a fascinating figure to me and so I went really amazing how these like like Steve Rob said these overnight successes take a long time 14 years to get the story that we've all been wanting to hear and see on the big screen to the big screen and this is finally the week that must be amazing for you um I remember being in sixth grade I'm a little younger than you uh when the teacher told us you know Reagan had been shot I remember she was very moved to tears but no clue if she was a Republican or a Democrat it was just an American Tragedy and we it didn't matter then and we were still haunted by Kennedy brothers and MLK killings probably uh but I guess at the time even California Public School teachers that's where I'm from you're not uh but they had Sympathy for the man uh it's ironic we just had an assassination attempt less than a month ago uh so what changed in America between love for Reagan the man and this hate for Trump's Trump the politician I don't think it's the American people that's what I really think I I I've always been a big 8020 rule guy I think it's it's one of I I think you know when God made the the universe and made all the rules of the universe whatever whatever all these great string theories and everything like that I think really deep down the the last physicist who figures it all out is going to say it was that 8020 rule that's I I I really believe that and I think this is what I think I think 80% of the United States wants to get along they want they they're different you know some of us shade to the right some shade to the left but we basically as John F Kennedy himself said you know about the Soviet Union when they were our dreaded enemy he said he said we're really the same you know it's like they they want a safe good world for their children they want to live in prosperity and peace you know we're not any different you're gonna have you're GNA have that 10% on either end of the spectrum that are throwing the bombs well guess what that's where we live in a media universe and I probably I I'm not even gonna even soft pedal it we know what side that that's coming from and they are so ubiquitous they are talking to us constantly on this stuff so I think that's what's changed more than more than simply the the American people have changed they don't like Republicans they don't like Democrats as people I don't think we've changed at all it's basically the same that you know I I've got plenty of of folks all over the Spectrum and we're all friends we we also know when to keep our mouth shut around each other but it's that it's that extreme side of of of the Spectrum both both two sides both of the conservatives are just as guilty as some of this stuff as the Liberals are I I don't even use the word liberals anymore it's leftists I think we all agree on that and they're just bombarding us with in our you know on the internet on our phones on everything the messaging just never stops and I I think that's what's changed this must be your Southern mentality coming out then because the West coasters obviously I agree with you if 80% of the people got along 80% of the time we would have peace in our lifetime I I get that but you're right and so you know I'm glad you said it that way because you know history and a lot of quotes are attributed to people that might have said it but never did or at least not proven uh before cell phones and tape phones or Watergate tapes for example but I've seen it a lot that Reagan said Nancy Pelosi is extremely evil she comes from the Baltimore Democrat corruption machine the delandro family both her father Tom dandro and her brother Tommy dandro were mayors of Bal more a well-oiled corrupt Democrat family Ronald Reagan 40th President of the United States is attributed to saying that if he said that uh and that guy got along with tip O'Neal right from Massachusetts so obviously a very open-minded man like you you just described uh and he was the speaker of the house while he was President how do you think Reagan would have felt about ny's two terms as Speaker which is your an I's almost lifetime mine for sure wow wow that's a great question I by the way I I I consider myself a a bit of a Reagan scholar I've been you know studying this man intensely for 14 years of my life I've never run across that quote I I if he said it he said it I I don't know I here's what I here's my answer to your question Reagan was famous and legitimately famous for liking everybody his litmus test was one thing and one thing only do you like America if if you don't like America that that was the where his intolerance just went boom end of story you know he wouldn't insult you but he would he would essentially call you out for that thing you know he you know he started his life as a Democrat he was he was a Democrat until about 1960 you know and as he said they famous that party famously left me you know but but what that really did having been a Democrat a union leader and then a Republican and then a president of the United States what it gave him was compassion for each side he would he he just liked people he just liked people I think he would have been extremely you know gracious to to miss Pelosi I I'm I'm certain he would have because that is just the kind of human being he was some of the things I I personally have heard said and and some of those stands he would not stand still for it for a second and he would call it out for what it was without personally insulting her and that's the difference right now it's we our leadership class I'll go on record it's like this may be the worst leadership class in the history of the United States mainly because they just they refused to get along yeah and I knew it from the when Trump called her crazy out loud I knew that she was going to go Game of Thrones and and and you know whether Reagan said it or not her own daughter on camera on CNN said she'll cut your head off and you won't even know you're bleeding so he was messing with a pretty dangerous character so to speak but um she was the one also the daughter filming the do documentary during January 6 which Nancy was in charge of the Capitol Police that day certainly another California politician that's that's left a lasting mark on our country um what do you want people to leave the theater with learning about Reagan the man that may contrast with I'm G to have to call it the Nancy pela ER Nancy py era because for the last 40 years since he's been gone she has been in charge if anything would I want people taking away and I speak for the entire team um all of us that made this film what we really want taken away is exactly what Dennis said this to remind us this is what we were this is what we can be again and I'll even add to I think it's what we are you know we we had a famous we had a famous funny thing that we would say to each other on on set all the time time when when things would go wrong which is if you know anything about making Motion Pictures that's like every 10 minutes something goes wrong and we would we our our joke with one another is come on boys we've got a country to save and it always made us laugh it we'd always laugh at that and it's not that funny anymore um it's it's not that funny anymore a movie is not going to save a country please we we do understand that but we can and that's what the ultimate Drive of this film how always was it it isn't about influencing elections I how this thing got timed in this season that's a God thing all the way we thought this movie would be coming out in 2014 then again in 16 and 18 and just believe me oh I could we could be on the air for eight hours me telling you everything that went South that just was beyond anybody's control it's just like it was meant for right now and it's it's it's less about the politics and it's less about all this stuff that may look like it from here what this movie is about is just we would like it to be the beginning of a national healing let's just stop it let's just stop beating one another up well and it is it is fascinating to be able to have the Echoes of 70s and 80s to today at right now right after the Democratic National Committee just finished so you know like you said it's a God thing it's a it's a timely thing but I I know I frame that question about him in relation to her because they say as California goes so goes the country and the Nixon Reagan Pete Wilson in our time um these Republicans or I would call that the pre Rodney King riots California made way for the Maxine Waters Adam Schiff swell Ted Lou n Pelosi Diane Feinstein you know rest her soul and Gavin Newsome Jerry Brown Camila Harris today those are the leaders that we are about to see Rise Camala Harris grew up with black panthers from you know the first black mayor of Oakland days um So Reagan put the anti-war protesters of Berkeley campus and the administrators in their place while Kamala promoted a bailout fund and and lock up a lot of black men for smoking pod as San Francisco da those are historical facts but now she's the tough on crime candidate as of yesterday when she finished her speech um so the left wants to paint Reagan as racist you saw that when you're doing your history uh like they have with Trump and so half Jamaican half Indian Mrs Harris is happy to do it too what did you learn about Reagan's race relations in our last era of Civic unrest post Vietnam what did I learn about his his race relations yeah how he handled the governorship and the presidency when we were going through the last Bastion of race relation problems that we're not see today manifested in a different way but same surprisingly far more moderate than he is remembered to be Reagan liked people he liked people and we can do anecdotes about and it's but people seem to think that's just cherry-picking and because the narrative on him has been so convenient oh another white Republican racist kind of guy it's been perpetuated through the years it's not true but famously and it's spoiler alert this is in the movie uh a couple of the a couple of his teammates on Eureka College were were African-American guys and they had to cancel one of their home games BEC or one of their away games because uh the hotel refused to let black people in there and Reagan was so incensed by that because they were his friends not that wasn't from an ideological point of view like we're not going to go play this game with these two guys who were really great players and really good friends of mine and So Reagan took them to his house and they spent the night with his family that was the and and that right there see it's every what you say is like that's fine what do you do right and throughout his life you could not find anybody any any black person on an individual basis that that guy was a racist not one and it's he hired Coen Powell I mean so so the fact of the matter is I think the r thing he was a lot like James Earl Jones who said the same thing that um that Morgan Freeman said if we would just stop talking about it it might actually just kind of go away on its own because people do actually like one another and that was the thing going back to the character of this guy and you look at the governing he never governed in any way shape or form that would say wow that's a racist policy never so you know when I hear that I always say when I'll hear and you do you you hear that sometimes well you know he was you know he was that old you know white pess I don't even what what do they even call that thing you know and racist and and I always say it with gentility I say please cite me one concrete example to prove your point please and then maybe I'll revise my opinion not once not once has that ever happened they alluded to it with him but boy have they tried to slowly Trump with it and and he's he's the most Reagan ass figure the reason why I keep harping back to him I don't George Bush Senior was like that I don't think George Bush J was as much like that they wanted him to be but it it is really a trump uh era when your movie is coming out whether it's he'll have a second term or not it is what he's in the news so you know and I think Reagan was a uniter and Nancy was a divider it was very clear both coming out of the California um Republican versus Democratic Rule and Democrats have run that state ever since and there hardly are any Republicans to speak of in that state basically killed it through both the media and uh Sacramento so she proved that in Congress you can actually be more destructive than a president even as popular as he was so much so that he won every state in reelection except his opponent State mondal's Minnesota and he said he didn't want to campaign there because he didn't want to embarrass him that badly which is kind of nice um you know and the current VP is from there by the way so we've never had a far-left candidate win Mondale duckus McGovern even Carter and Obama ran as moderates right they lied but they did that do you think Trump can can win the middle well we're called Reagan democrats which were really Northeast Catholics or even Nixon southern strategy do you think Trump can do that I think he can yes I do you I have you know we could we could really let this conversation go down that road I I you know as an artist and as a writer and I watch I watch politicians really as actors as performers you know and and and that's not necessarily fair to them but but they that's how American is watch it you know it's like we're kind of like watching a show there're Stars they they have Consultants who to image Consultants who tell them what to say and how to act sure we just saw a week of itely absolutely it's extremely stag managed so may have actually modernized that by the way because he had people on his staff that put him on the horse with the cowboy hat like they want wanted that image of a maror man as grew up in the movies man he do you think any nobody understood visuals better than Ronald Reagan and so and performance itself I mean that's what he was a spectacular speaker and personality I don't think we've seen anything even Clinton was close Clinton was very good uh just extemporaneously and just in the way he related to people he's a good speaker um but other than that Reagan was the master he was stud all study Reagan you could have seen veins of Reagan and car Harris last night I mean they they sure you have to because it was a proven success it's like if you want to have a good swing follow Babe Ruth swing right or Aaron judge I'm wearing Aaron judge as s all right so just to digress for a second we'll talk more movie in a second but you told me most actors want to be rock stars your star Dennis Quaid music and so do you what's going on in your music career after all this red carpet stuff dies down oh man thank you for asking well as a career thing I it's it's been more joy than anything else and and you know to not knock down movie stars too much they they have the wherewithal to basically surround themselves with anybody because they got the money and the fame and everything if I had that oh I would do the exact same thing um so sure I mean you know Dennis has a band keeper southernland has a band the Bacon Brothers oh gosh those guys are great I love of all those I like the Bacon Brothers but I'm sorry Dennis I love your band but like the Bacon Brothers I mean come on um you know it's a l Steve I grew up in the music business I grew up here in Nashville and you know at 12 years old I was traveling the country with gospel groups and singing with them so music is just is just the thing for me it always was when I moved to LA I did not move to become a screenwriter I wanted to be a guitar player and I'm I'm a I'm a pretty solid player but not in Nashville I'm not you forget it no way so I got to LA and that you know that was that was my primary purpose I sort of drifted into into film but I've played my whole life I've made a few records here and there I've played on other people's records which is which is a real honor and a joy to do that I have a cover band you know about that and uh I just released a released a record uh just last month of just a combination of cover songs and um a few originals and our band is called friendship seven uh it's a very soft release we're we're really waiting until our we're going to release our second album in October and then we're going to be a little more aggressive hey everybody and it's you know it's kind of like I think I am it's mostly mostly just up happy music with with a lot of it's it's big sound it's big sound because I love or orchestration backup singers I grew up in the 70s and 80s man it's like it's of course it's tinged with that sound so that may be more information than you're seeking but I can't let that's great anyone who's listening will know that up and happy is synonymous with Howie clausner so that's okay oh thank you which is why the Reagan optimism obviously was a perfect subject matter for you to take on you know I've I've seen all the variety and Hollywood Reporter stories so I didn't really want to go there and be just another one of those and um you know and elsewhere of course Dennis has been saying Facebook is blocking your advertising so since I'm in the digital media space and I know all about being Twitter banned and whatever what what are you hearing from the not Hollywood media folks about the film and the censorship is it is it going to put a crimp in it or are you guys going to able to break through it I think it's going to be the opposite because I think people naturally as we've seen let's just face it since about 2020 and seeing all this active censorship once everybody figured out and we've all figured it out you know doesn't even matter what side you're coming from it's like this is actually happening this is actually happening people there are powers that be and they're very shadowy and we don't really know exactly but they're to keep you Steve from knowing certain things you know that might be dangerous information in your hands and I think that really makes people mad and it ought to make them mad I don't care if it's the right or the left doing it or for whatever you know that's not you don't have that right to keep information from me I'm a big boy I can handle it either way so as this story has broken I what I've found in the heart is it's made people that much matter like what do you mean like why would why wouldn't you want me to see a movie about Ronald Reagan unless you're afraid of something you know but then again and i' I've gone to pains to say this is this movie is not a political commercial so what I think what it's done is this is this is my real view of my country of Americans Americans will sit still for a long time we we are way more patient people than we're known to be until we sense somebody getting bullied and then I think whether it's personally or whether it's the media whether it's getting Shadow ban or canell whether and that's what gets our dander up nobody likes that nobody likes that even even people that I disagree with if I see those keep people getting bullied or cancelled it's like hey wait a minute that's not fair that that's not fair you know I can decide on my own so I think the answer to that question is I think it's already broken through people are like you know why why don't you want me to see this movie because it's it's not just it's not just conspiracy theory stuff we we have a pretty robust team on the Reagan team that these are digital folks that know how to see it oh wow man this is happening they know that I mean this is not just some like I'm a technical idiot if I said hey I think this is happening yeah don't listen to me because I don't you know but to hear this saying that this is actually happening and and what if F if if you haven't not noticed a couple of the actors that are ultimately responsible that have backed off saying oh wow we didn't see was something wrong with the algorithm yeah it always seems to be on the other side of the spectrum that the algorithm seems to have problems maybe it will enter the the Lexicon of today instead of being the stran effect it might actually become the Reagan movie effect where they the I like that I like many years from now we might be calling it that instead of yentel but okay um that's great so I don't get to see it until after this recording um but I hear Penelope panne Miller steals the show as Nancy Reagan no offense Dennis I hope Dennis comes on I hope Nancy come or Penelope comes on um you've known her a long time tell us about her and how she handles the role that most people just think of as you know just say no lady but she was much more of that as a person huh Nancy first over Penelope Nancy has gotten a a bum RP through history as as a first lady and even as a person her loyalty and her love for her husband she was able to to bite her tongue and not speak when she deeply wanted to many times not only in defense of her husband but even at times when she disagreed with him and you know so that was to me that's the mark of a great marriage they had a great marriage they had a thing that just it the whole story he act the man wrote her a love letter pretty much every day for 30 years 40 years I'm a pretty good husband I haven't done it once in that's 20 years a homark card but oh no so there has to be a reason for that you know it's like he deeply deeply loved her and she was his partner in the right sense of the word and so what and this is what Penelope and Miller now switch into her she was she elevated our movie you know I I wrote The Thing boy did I write the thing I wrote the thing I wrote the thing I wrote the thing I like 10 years of of of basically getting it to where we thought okay this thing's ready to shoot now and then she comes in three months before and basically just starts ripping up stuff like going hey wait a minute as the writer you get a little defensive there but everything she touched made it so much better she really she Dove so deeply into her character she didn't read Wikipedia and go yeah okay let's go read the lines she dove into that character to where she fully just you could just see her as as much as Dennis D you're going to think you're watching Ronald and and Nancy Reagan you you really are you get lost in that in this movie because their performances are so natural organic they're not imitating anybody but it's just she understood the character that much better so that's what what my what I see as penella she elevated us she elev did you cast them both well I I personally didn't but I was involved in the discussions of course you know I mean we we had two or three others that were going to play Ronald Reagan um it makes all the difference you know we had a show we were talking about how Tom celk was almost Indiana Jones and could you imagine that would have been like such a terrible quigly down under two whereas you know Dennis Quaid obviously as we seen we wouldn't have known as we've seen in the trailers that's the only guy who could have done this you know uh strand's husband Brolin tried to do a Reagan and no big deal and I know Robo did Kennedy maybe Reagan too i' come to think of it but anyway this is huge pelan Miller wouldn't have been the first thought off my head as just a pop cultural guy who likes you know things so whoever found her like you said you knew her ahead of time lightning in a bottle amazing hope she really was she really was I don't know that we ever read anybody but her as I recall I we we certainly talked about it through the through the years we talked about a lot of actresses it's probably not appropriate for me to mention their names um but who they're great actresses they they would have they would have been terrific but it it was just it was just mind-blowing how I it was like wow that's her that's her that's her so you chose to open your studio I40 in Nashville they call it Hollywood East here and a lot of successful folks have indeed moved here yeah what do you think of the future and shockingly Steve many of them from California if they're in the business where else unless they're from Broadway all 10 of them uh what do you think of the future of Tennessee and Heartland story making oh man I I it's it it we're it feels like it feels like when you're at Nasa for a for a launch and the steam is starting to come off the the the side of the engines and they're warming up and it's just like oh boy this Rocket's about to go I mean it I it honestly feels like that I left here like a space cowboy yeah appreciate well I knew I had to work that back in I left here in 1981 to to find my to find my place and my fortun and all that that kind of stuff as a guitar player and as an actor in 1981 because in Nashville nothing existed like this I mean it's like it's not even close you know it was just basically you you might do you might get some local TV I actually did couple commercials when I was a kid here um I was a theater actor so I enjoyed it and it was great but now I mean now this is become not only a production Hub where oh let's go shoot in Nashville I mean we've got writers and directors here now we've got producers we actually have financiers here that you know creative product as you and I have discussed your your the name of your show is perfect we're in the Heartland and so it's not so much that we reject Hollywood but you know Hollywood has just kind of dug their own grave I mean they've just done this themselves they've alienated themselves as a just as a culture itself from the middle of the country so people are just like yeah just you know can we just have a heroic movie can I just have a a good story and I'm not gonna get lectured I'm not gonna get beat up I'm not GNA see values that man I just like man that's just not how I roll yeah and we need we need the young vibrant ra Rambo not the old saggy one right I mean that's what that's what we're hungry for which is why this movie is the right hero of our times I'll say more about that in a second um it reminds me too when I was in college I went to film school I was told that the industry is going to be if not already littered with mbas that's it bottom line that's why we've seen all the formula stuff it came out to be true if it makes money do it over and over and over again until it stops making money and then just rewrite it and do it again so we've seen Gladiator we've seen Braveheart it's the same movie over and over again so the mentality of a red state is very different than what the Rob rers and Barbara strands and Steven Spielberg's the big Dem donors think and the way they live Disney I do not think will be opening another Disneyland here next to Dollywood right so do you think we've seen the sunset of Sunset Strip and a new era of production is on us um like morning in America for entertainment wink wink so to speak yep and this is the and this is the this is the heartland of the Heartland right you know I I walked the red carpet couple days ago at the grman chines it's no longer grman but it's a Chinese Theater on and that is the iconic Legacy of when Hollywood did it so well they spoke to everybody they told stories every we Hollywood itself is the gold standard around the world including here of just Motion Picture Excellence they invented it they made it the great thing that it was like America Hollywood has lost its way I think they'll come back they usually people I'm a big comeback story guy you know that's what I write that's what you're right that's what that's what Reagan is that's what Space Cowboys was virtually everything I WR is a comeback story so I I am I am desperately sad about what has become of the Golden State itself I'm sorry I love it I lived there for 25 years I can say that I still love it I was just there but what it was versus what it is and that includes the industry it's just lost its way and as it's lost its way a whole lot of people that do what I do have left well guess what they're showing up here here's here's how how I think that actually from a 30,000 foot view worked out smarter than I am no no no no you lived it I only observed it and decided not to go that path because I didn't want an MBA I wanted to make art and entertainment I couldn't I couldn't have gotten any I'm not smart enough exactly but Reagan was the president of the actor's guild when he was an actor before becoming Governor right so what changed in the union since his days for you the writer Guild what are they doing there that justifies these last strikes and do you think Ron would have been opposed to them or supportive of them I I think I know the answer but what Reagan as president of the union and as an actor obviously was his Focus was on the membership itself you know the the the Life Health and Welfare and the ability to make a living for its members he did not really drift very deeply into Political or ideological areas when was running that union he he really didn't not not very much now the the big thing that's happened these last few years is as the as the theatrical business has yielded to this Digital Universe a whole lot of us feel like man there's a whole lot of product that's getting consumed out there the same thing that happened to to Nashville 20-some years ago with the iTunes download that's what's happened to Hollywood with streaming I think Hollywood has actually handled it better for its artists it needs to be much better but essentially it just comes down to you know taking care of the membership taking care of your members now are there certain idealogues that go a little bit too far with all oh yeah for sure that that you didn't because we just there was no woke in the 1950s when he was running sack you know so you know I and I I don't think for one second he would have he would have gone along with one one iota of that I I just don't I mean but he was about the people that was that was his thing care of the members okay so the movie comes out what day in how many theaters August the 30th 3,500 I think it's a big release everybody so go see it will there be a Reagan Part Two Freddy's Revenge maybe ny's revenge or or what's what's next for you seriously for me personally oh I've got a couple of projects I'm really excited about I've got a I've got a golf movie set in Nashville it's a it's relationship story it's not just he just happens to be a golfer very excited about that one um putting together a uh right now we should be we're trying to shoot it at the end of this year but I think it's going to be March uh a movie a love story that takes place in an orphanage at the border so it's got a little U it's got a little Edge to it but it's a it's still a very sweet good ending movie so yeah man and uh this Peter thing is going to get they're going to make it next year in Morocco and so I'm pretty excited about that so I just keep swinging man that's that's that's how I do it awesome so the director Sean mcamera uh do you think being at the helm of this movie it will be you know for sure um it's going to hurt him with the Merill streets and the Nero Academy types but do you think it'll blow him up into Oscar conversation or do you think it'll be treated badly because the election is coming and they'll be you know but hurt if Trump wins and not want to help it with awards that relate to Republicans or however they decide to tie the movie Into The to the campaign sadly I think you're probably right um however the great news with Shawn is Shawn is the directing version of me he just keeps swimming too so he's he's not GNA sit around and wait to well let's see what happens with Reagan he's releasing three movies within within the next three months Reagan and two other films H because this guy just makes movies that's just what he just moves he's move move move move move he doesn't pay attention to a lot of that stuff he just he loves what he does as a director I love working with him this was our fourth outing together and we'll do another one you've known him a long time does he care about this kind of stuff like Awards and and stuff or is it just not really not really just just as it like all of us really deep down how it helps us move forward that that's that's the real thing about it I I you know I've never been nominated for anything I probably never will I I don't take it personally at all Steve all right well this one this one I think I think this one because when you look at I mean no offense I'm sure it's wonderful I'll let you know next week but it's either Deadpool and Wolverine for best picture or yours because no other movies that I can even think of has come out that he would even rate as a good movie much less somebody to put into the history books as best picture so I got my fingers crossed for you guys um thank you couple more questions and then we'll let you go do you think uh the era of covid when nobody went to theaters anymore is over and people are coming back to sit next to strangers and breed the same May over a $20 movie and $10 popcorn um you know share an experience let's just say or will movies like yours do better streaming at home on big screen TVs all remodeled after covid yes and yes that that's what I think what I really think and this this is like I I you know I was a football coach and one of one of my specialties as a football coach was you know every kid when something didn't have didn't go their way always had somebody else to blame and that was always my question it's like is it possible this is on you and I think a lot of this has to do with Hollywood you make the great great movies and say no we're putting this in the theaters oh they're gonna go They're gonna go I mean what what you're actually exposing Steve is I'm sorry you know what I I am so I I am past my glory Hollywood years now going back to Clen Eastwood talking about the climate of fear I I can just say my mind right now we are in the lowest as far as I'm concerned we are in the lowest trough of of the qualitative motion picture production in in my entire lifetime I think the 1970s was the Golden Era for the American movie into the 80s that was and that's not to say they've all been terrible since of course they haven't there have been brilliant films made but you know when you and I were growing up I mean man there was something great all the time and they've aged so well that you know it's like yeah they actually were so the question that you're asking are we ever going back to 2019 in the theaters I don't know that's hard to say but I I think what what Hollywood would love to say is well it's just that Co thing and people won't go like or or maybe your movies aren't that great you know maybe and and and I'm I'm as guilty as they are so this is not me pointing a figure there my Heavens this is what I do for a living I think we need to up our game we need to go back to what did people build their week around yeah everybody the streaming thing changes everything of course and you know I'm of the age now where like man it takes a lot to get me to go to a movie theater but if there's no other way to see something really special that I want to see I'm gonna go yeah like this movie for example and I'll never forget as long as I live at least I hope I don't the movie the biggest franchise Blockbuster for MGM was the James Bond films They delayed it it for Co the story was about a virus taking over the world and all of the stuff that he had to prevent so they knew something that we didn't know and they couldn't release it to there's a shocker all right last one I always ask people from successful backgrounds and careers this question so congratulations you're successful uh your youngest just graduated from USC we did in in another era you just described it very well do you think the the future of holiday is something you'd want her to have a career in you know every parent every parent says to their kid do anything except what I did like please you know you obviously you want your kids happy two of my two of my kids are are involved in media in in Los Angeles my my the third one cannot be bothered with it are you nuts you know she's a Southern girl and love loves business and I like yeah you guys can have all that stuff um do I want them if I I'd like I have such huge huge optimism about this generation they are so smart and they're I mean they have been beaten up in this whole in this era of of covid and and and and that that's over and the things they've had taken away from them things that you and I completely took for granted you know things like the prom graduations going to class with other people I think what that's done is it's made them so tough and resilient and I you know because my kids are in their 20s I know their friends I know them this is a it's a common theme running between that they haven't turned cynical some are and you can't blame them but mostly I think what what my hope is whatever they do and if it's in media just be an an agent for change just be you know just do the good stuff that that's it that's all I want just do the good stuff if that makes you happy I know you are as a person you're not going to make something that's that's that that's going to make you ashamed so if that's what makes them happy and they got to do it I'm not going to stop them all right my friend well this was great fun Howe tell everyone where they can go to find out more about you and follow your social media yeah well my social media is almost non-existent as you have been laughing at me for a long time and and it's not you know when you say that people feel judged you know I when I say I don't do social media so let me just let me just clarify this right now as I clarified with you Steve I'm the most ADHD guy that ever lived so I fall into rabbit holes so easy well I make my living not being ADHD so I can't do that or or things will be on there that just makes my blood boil and yeah we all know what we're talking about so years ago I just went you know man this is just not working for me I do have a website Hoy closer.com and uh Steve's a very good friend of mine so he will talk me into joining the modern world eventually I'm certain so uh so that's that's probably the best place to find me okay well we'll see you Sunday at the Tennessee Premiere uh time for my quotes for the day just one quote for today you you can guess who I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life I know that for America there will always be a bright Dawn ahead from Reagan's letter announcing his Alzheimer's disease to the American public on November 5th 1994 that is it for this episode thank you Howie clausner and Sean mcamera for bringing this man's life to the big screen long overdue but perfect timing he is the hero we need today this is goodbye for now I'm your host Steve AB bramz editor and chief of Heartland journal.com see you all later peace in our time and definitely glory to God Rest in Peace Ron and Nancy here's a little clip of Reagan honoring Michael Jackson at the White House and for those around in the 80s Genesis if you know you know Google the video for Land of Confusion bye now welcome to the White House I hope you'll forgive me but we have quite a few young folks in the White House who all wanted me to give you the same message they said to tell Michael please give some TLC to the pyts during the program President Reagan told Michael Jackson that his success is the American dream come true he then presented Michael Jackson with an award and now if you'd permit me I would like to present you with this award and I would like to read what it says to Michael Jackson with appreciation for the outstanding example you have set for the Youth of America and the world the generous contribution of your time and talent to the national campaign against teenage drunk driving will help millions of Young Americans learn that drinking and driving can kill a friendship goody Tes Betty B time again good night honey sweet dreams [Music] deared by a million screams but can hear the Maring feet moving into the street you the [Music] news they the I the there's many too many people too many problems [Music] loveus this the world we and hands we lety make it [Applause] [Music] i' been dreaming of walking where thees where the river runs deep and the per any views or opinions represented on the podcast are personal and belong solely to the Creator and do not represent those of people institutions or organizations that the Creator may or may not be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated ever get this far from the hard [Music] land on [Music]