THIS PROGRAM IS MADE BY MPT TO ENRICH THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR STATE AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

[♪♪] CONNECTING MARYLANDERS TO THEIR GOVERNMENT, THIS IS "STATE CIRCLE".

>> Jeff: WELCOME TO "STATE CIRCLE".

WE BEGIN IS THIS WEEK WITH THE AIR PRESUMPTIVE.

EIGHT DAYS AGO, DELEGATE ADRIENNE JONES RESIGNED AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

A NUMBER OF TOP DEMOCRATS QUICKLY EXPRESSING INTEREST IN THE JOB BUT THIS WEEK THEY STOOD ASIDE IN FAVOR OF DELEGATE JOCELYN MELNICK.

SHE HAS CHAIRED THE HEALTH AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE SINCE 2022.

A SPECIAL SESSION TO TAKE A FORMAL VOTE WILL BE HELD NEXT WEEK.

[♪♪] JOINING US NOW IS "THE WASHINGTON POST" REPORTER KATIE SHEPHERD WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

WE KNOW THE SPECIAL SESSION STARTS AT NOON ON TUESDAY.

DO WE KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL LAST?

>> IT'S EXPECTED TO LAST JUST THE ONE DAY.

LEGISLATIVE LEADERS HAVE RESTRICTED WHAT THEY CAN FOCUS ON DURING THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND HAVE SAID THEY WILL ONLY TAKE UP SELECTING THE NEW HOUSE SPEAKER AND DEALING WITH VETO OVERRIDES WHICH IS CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED THEY HAVE TO VOTE ON THE VETO OVERRIDES IF THEY COME INTO SPECIAL SESSION.

>> Jeff: THEY WILL NEED A PRESIDING OFFICER AND THE SENATE WOULD GO TO THE VETO OVERRIDES.

THE MOST VISIBLE BILL THAT THE GOVERNOR VETOED WAS ABOUT A NEW COMMITTEE ON REPARATIONS FOR SLAVERY AND OTHER RACIAL INJUSTICES.

AND HAD PASSED WITH A VETO PROOF MAJORITY, RIGHT?

>> IT DID.

SO THE REPARATIONS BILL WHICH WOULD HAVE CREATED A STUDY FOR THE STATE TO LOOK INTO WHAT WOULD GO INTO PAYING REPARATIONS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY SLAVERY, THAT BILL PASSED WITH MAJORITIES IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE.

SO IT IS ONE OF THE BILLS THAT THEY WILL LIKELY TAKE UP WITH THE VETO OVERRIDES AND IT COULD SEE AN OVERRIDE BY THE LEGISLATORS IF THEY DECIDE TO VOTE THE SAME DURING THE REGULAR SESSION.

>> Jeff: LOTS OF DISCUSSION WHETHER MARYLAND SHOULD JOIN THE PARADE OF GERRYMANDERING THAT IS GOING ON STARTED WITH TEXAS, REDRAWING ITS CONGRESSIONAL MAP TO ADD MORE REPUBLICAN LEANING SEATS THERE.

CALIFORNIA AND OTHER STATES HAVE WEIGHED IN WITH MORE MAPS THAT ARE MORE FAVORABLE TO DEMOCRATS.

GOVERNOR MOORE AND FORMER SPEAKER JONES WANTED MARYLAND TO DO THE SAME.

DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP IN THE SENATE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BACKFIRE.

SO THAT IS MORE OR LESS GUARANTEED TO NOT HAPPEN NEXT WEEK?

>> YEAH, LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR ALL AGREED NOT TO TAKE UP REDISTRICTING DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION AND THEY LIKELY WON'T HAVE TIME TO DO IT IN ONE DAY ANYWAY.

BUT IT HAS.A PRETTY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE AMONG DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE BECAUSE SENATE PRESIDENT FERGUSON AND OTHERS SPLIT FROM GOVERNOR MOORE AND FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER JONES OVER WHETHER OR NOT THE STATE SHOULD TAKE THIS UP.

THE MAIN CONCERN THERE FROM THE PEOPLE AGAINST IF IS THAT IT COULD OPEN UP THE EXISTING MAP OR A NEW MAP THAT IS PROPOSED TO CHALLENGES IN THE COURTS WHICH COULD GET NOT STRUCK DOWN AND MIGHT CAUSE THE DEMOCRATS TO LOSE A SEAT IN CONGRESS.

AND MARYLAND ONLY HAS ONE SEAT IN CONGRESS RIGHT NOW THAT IS OCCUPIED BY A REPUBLICAN.

BUT THEY FEAR THAT PURSUING REDISTRICTING COULD END UP WITH TWO OR MORE DISTRICTS THAT WOULD NOT BE SAFE FOR DEMOCRATS, BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE.

>> Jeff: COME BACK TO THE VOTE FOR SPEAKER FOR A MINUTE.

I GUESS THE RESIGNATION AS SPEAKER BY STILL DELEGATE JONES AND SHE CONTINUES TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY SEEMED TO SURPRISE A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF EARLY MANEUVERING PEOPLE THROWING THEIR HATS INTO THE RING.

AND THEN QUICKLY, DELEGATE PENA MELNICK CONSOLIDATED SUPPORT AND THAT SEEMS AS FAR AS I KNOW, VERY SOLID HEADING INTO THE SPECIAL SESSION AND THE LEADERSHIP VOTE ON TUESDAY MORNING?

>> I THINK THAT SOUNDS RIGHT.

I'VE SPOKEN TO DELEGATES WHO SAY THAT DELEGATE PENA MELNICK HAS THE SPEAKER POSITION LOCKED UP AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE HOUSE HAS COALESCED AROUND HER.

AND EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE IN AGREEMENT SHE IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT SPEAKER.

>> Jeff: ONE THING THAT IS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISING IS THE NEED TO DO A SPECIAL SESSION ON THIS WHEN THE LEGISLATURE IS COMING BACKFIRE WEEKS LATER FOR THE ANNUAL 90-DAY SESSION STARTING IN JANUARY.

AND, YES, THE LAST TIME THERE WAS A VACANCY IN THE SPEAKER'S OFFICE IT NECESSITATED A SPECIAL SESSION IN MAY WHEN THE LEGISLATURE WAS NOT COMING BACK.

DO YOU KNOW IF THERE WAS CONSIDERATION UNTIL WAITING UNTIL THE SECOND WEDNESDAY IN JANUARY?

>> I HAD HEARD FROM LEADERSHIP THAT THE PLAN WAS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS IN A SPECIAL SESSION BEFORE THE REGULAR SESSION STARTS PRETTY MUCH FROM THE MOMENT THAT FORMER SPEAKER JONES ANNOUNCED HER RETIREMENT FROM THE POSITION.

SO I THINK THAT IT WAS KNOWN BY LEADERS THAT THEY WANTED TO GET IT DONE BEFORE THEY GO BACK IN JANUARY.

I THINK THERE ARE SOME LOGISTICAL REASONS FOR THAT.

AND SOME RULES HOW LONG YOU CAN HAVE AN INTERIM SPEAKER THEY HAD TO COMPLY WITH.

>> Jeff: YOU CAN READ KATIE SHEPHERD'S REPORTING IN "THE WASHINGTON POST" WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

[♪♪] >> Jeff: OUR NEWSMAKER THIS WEEK IS MORGAN LEHR MILLER, THE MARYLAND STATE LIBRARIAN THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

AND TELL US FIRST WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE STATE LIBRARIAN?

>> WELL, HI JEFF IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE WITH YOU HERE.

THAT'S BEEN MY MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION THE PAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THIS POSITION.

IN THE ROLE, I LEAD THE STATE LIBRARY AGENCY, WHICH IS AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY OF MARYLAND GOVERNMENT.

WE OVERSEE THE WORK WITH THE 24 COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEMS, ADMINISTER STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING TO ALL OF THEM.

WE HAVE A LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND AND PRINTED DISABLED WE OVERSEE.

THE DEAF CULTURE DIGITAL LIBRARY.

THE YOUNG READER'S PROGRAM THAT GETS BOOKS TO CHILDREN BIRTH THROUGH 5.

WE HAVE THE STATE LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS SO WE'RE SUPPORTING MORE LIBRARIES ACROSS THE STATE.

WE RUN THE STATE LIBRARY RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ENOCH FREE LIBRARY SYSTEM IN DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE.

AND WE WORK REALLY HARD TO CONNECT PUBLIC, ACADEMIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND COORDINATE THE WORK ACROSS THE STATE.

OF COURSE THERE'S LOTS OF POLICY, LEGISLATION, ADVOCACY, AND ALL OF THAT INTERMIXED IN-BETWEEN.

>> Jeff: WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE SOMETIMES IT'S PERCEIVED AS A QUIET WORLD OF LIBRARIES?

>> WELL, I PROBABLY THE LOUDEST OF THE LIBRARIANS.

AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY I'M THE STATE LIBRARIAN.

I GREW UP IN A LIBRARY.

I AMTH CECIL COUNTY, THE LIBRARY SYSTEM THAT I USED TO LEAD IN A BUILDING THAT I HELPED TO BRING FORTH IN OUR BRANCH OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

BUT NEVER, EVER, WITH AN IDEA THAT I WOULD BECOME A LIBRARIAN.

I LOVE TO READ.

I LOVED LEARNING AS A CHILD.

I AM A MARYLAND GIRL THROUGH AND THROUGH I GREW UP IN A RURAL PART OF THE STATE.

WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK.

AFTER I WORKED IN PUBLISHING AND TAUGHT AT THE UNIVERSITY HELPING FIRST GENERATION AMERICANS GOING THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE FIRST TIME AND SUPPORTING THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND THEN IN MY 20s I THOUGHT I'M READY TO TRY SOMETHING.

I WILL MOVE HOME TO CECIL COUNTY AND APPLY TO GRAD SCHOOL.

AT THE TIME I NEEDED A PART-TIME JOB TO MAKE MONEY.

I GOT A PART-TIME JOB WORKING AT THE INFORMATION DESK OF THE ALTON BRANCH OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND I NEVER LOOKED BACK.

AS MUCH AS I'VE LOVED READING AND LEARNING WHAT I LOVE AND AM FASCINATED BY MORE ARE PEOPLE.

AND THEIR PROBLEMS AND HELPING THEM TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS.

AND I'VE ALWAYS FOUND THAT PUBLIC LIBRARIES ESPECIALLY ARE JUST THE MOST WONDERFUL INTERSECTION OF PEOPLE, AND EDUCATION, AND LEARNING.

AND REALLY WORKING IN WAYS THAT TRANSFORM INDIVIDUAL LIVES AND COMMUNITIES.

SO I HAVE BEEN AT IT EVER SINCE.

I SELL OPERATED TWO DECADES IN MARYLAND LIBRARIES.

WHEN THE JOB FOR STATE LIBRARIAN CAME UP IT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.

WHEN I WAS A PUBLIC LIBRARY DIRECTOR IN MARYLAND I WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY DIRECTORS TO ADVANCE A LOT OF OUR LEGISLATIVE ISSUES AT THE STATE LEVEL.

WORKED WITH THE FORMER STATE LIBRARIAN BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL MY COLLEAGUE SAID, HEY ARE YOU GOING TO GO FOR THAT?

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD VOTE OF CONFIDENCE AND I DID.

IT'S BEEN THE MOST WONDERFUL CAREER DECISION SINCE.

>> Jeff: THE PEOPLE WHO FREQUENT MARYLAND LIBRARIES IN ALTON AND NORTHEAST AND ALL POINTS AROUND THE STATE, HOW HAVE THEIR DEMANDS FOR INFORMATION, ACCESS TO BOOKS AND MATERIALS HOW HAS IT CHANGED, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC?

BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE NEW WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY?

ARE FEWER BOOKS BEING CHECKED OUT?

>> YOU WOULD THINK SO BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

ABOUT 53 MILLION BOOKS WERE CHECKED OUT LAST YEAR IN MARYLAND THAT IS SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT WE HAVE SIX MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STATE.

WHEN YOU DO THAT MATH THAT IS QUITE A LOT OF BOOKS PER PERSON.

MORE THAN THREE-AND-A-HALF MILLION MARYLANDERS HAVE A LIBRARY CARD.

I JOKE THAT WE MIGHT BE A SMALL AGENCY BUT WE ARE A MIGHTY ONE WHO HAS IMPACT ACROSS THE STATE AND REALLY UNIQUE WAYS.

SO BOOKS WE SEE THEM CHECKING OUT AND BEING READ AND CIRCULATED ON AN INCREASING LEVEL YEAR-OVER-YEAR.

WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN THE TWO DECADES I HAVE BEEN IN LIBRARIES AND THAT HOLDS TRUE IN EVERY LIBRARY IN THE STATE, ARE THE MORE HUMAN CENTERED INTERACTIONS WITH CITIZENS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEIR LIBRARY BUILDINGS AND THE WONDERFUL LIBRARY WORKERS IN THEM.

WHAT WE'VE SEEN REALLY INCREASE ARE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ATTENDING PROGRAMS THAT'S GONE UP BY ABOUT 20% EVERY YEAR.

LAST YEAR, TWO MILLION PEOPLE ATTENDED PROGRAMS AT THEIR LIBRARY AND THAT WAS UP 20% OVER THE YEAR BEFORE.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE USING PUBLIC COMPUTERS AND ACCESSING PUBLIC TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR LIBRARIES.

USING SPACES LIKE MEETING ROOMS.

THE ROOM I AM IN IS A ROOM WE DESIGNED IN CECIL COUNTY TO HELP BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURS HAVE A SPACE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME TO DEVELOP AND LAUGH THEIR BUSINESSES CALLED THE BUSINESS COMMON.

YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE DOOR THERE.

THE WAY THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING TO LIBRARIES, AS COMMUNITY ANCHORS AND COMMUNITY SPACES TO BE, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN MY TIME IN LIBRARIES ACROSS THE STATE.

REALLY ACCELERATE.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE ARE KIND OF LIVING THESE FRACTURED BUT CONNECTED LIVES WE ARE GLEANING PIECES OF INFORMATION ALL OVER THE PLACE.

PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES.

SO WE'RE ISOLATED BUT VERY CONNECTED.

I THINK, THE LIBRARY IS A PLACE WHERE I'VE LOOKED AT AND SAID REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU COME FROM, WHAT LANGUAGE YOU SPEAK, HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, HOW MUCH HOW MANY YEARS OF SCHOOLING YOU ACCESSED YOU SEE PEOPLE OF ALL BELIEFS AND BACKGROUNDS AND DESIRES UNDER ONE ROOF DOING THINGS TO IMPROVETER COMMUNITIES AND THEIR LIVES AND THAT GIVES ME HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

AND I THINK AS TECHNOLOGY AND HAVING TO KEEP UP WITH JUST THE PACE OF LIFE AND LEARNING, IS ACCELERATED EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WHO ELSE IS GOING TO HELP YOU FOR FREE TO NAVIGATE ALL OF THAT?

BETTER THAN A LIBRARY.

SO THE LONG ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS I THINK THE WORK HAS GOTTEN THAT MUCH MORE EXCITING AND FUN AND DYNAMIC AND CHALLENGING IN GOOD WAYS.

SINCE I STARTED HERE, IN 2005.

>> Jeff: DO THE CULTURE WARS, MAYBE THIS HAS MORE TO DO WITH SCHOOL LIBRARIES, BUT YOU SEE DEBATES IN DIFFERENT PLACES ABOUT WHAT BOOKS ARE GOING TO BE ON THE SHELVES, WHAT BOOKS ARE GOING TO BE EXCLUDED AND WHEN YOU HAVE A STATE-WIDE PERSPECTIVE YOU HAVE CONSERVATIVE AREAS AND MORE PROGRESSIVE AREAS, IS THAT A BIG ISSUE CURRENTLY STATE-WIDE?

>> YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE WEREN'T AND I WAS A PUBLIC LIBRARY WHO WORKED ON THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT.

AND OUR SPEAKER DELEGATE ADRIENNE JONES WAS THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT IS PART OF HER LEGACY AND ITS PASSAGE.

IN MY ROLE AS STATE LIBRARIAN I OVERSEE THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT'S IMPLEMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE AND THE ISSUES IN THE REALM.

AND THOSE WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

I THINK IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES, IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE AND A VALUE, BUT NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE SEEN INTENSIFY TO THE DEGREE THAT IT HAS IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

THE WONDERFUL THING IN LOOKING AT EXAMPLES ACROSS THE STATE THIS YEAR AND I CREDIT THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THEIR SUPERINTENDENT Dr.

WRIGHT FOR PUTTING THE ACT INTO WORK AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IN A NUMBER OF WAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO I THINK WE DO SEE MORE OF THE CHALLENGES IN A SCHOOL SETTING THAN IN A PUBLIC SETTING.

BUT PUBLIC LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARY WORKERS ARE STRONG PARTNERS AND ALLIES TO OUR COLLEAGUES IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

>> Jeff: WE CAN'T TALK TO A LIBRARIAN WITHOUT ASKING WHAT ARE YOU READING?

WHAT IS ON YOUR RECENT READING LIST THAT YOU MIGHT RECOMMEND?

>> WONDERFUL.

I'M READING THINGS.

I TRAVEL A LOT THROUGHOUT THE STATE GOING TO LIBRARIES AND VISITING MY COLLEAGUES EVERYWHERE.

SO I AM ALWAYS LISTENING TO AN AUDIO BOOK AND I JUST STARTED A BOOK CALLED 1929.

WHICH LOOKS AT THE STOCK MARKET CRASH HOW IT GOT THERE AND I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT SORT OF INDICATIONS THAT HAS ON THE TIME WE'RE LIVING IN.

AND I AM READING A BOOK THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE I CARRY IT WITH ME, THIS IS BY DICKENSON ABOUT CLAIRE McCARTLE THE DESIGNER WHO SET WOMEN FREE AND I RECOMMEND IT.

CLAIRE McCARTLE BASICALLY TRANSFORMED WOMENSWEAR INVENTED WOMEN'S SPORTSWEAR IN THE 1920s.

SHE IS FROM FREDERICK COUNTY MARYLAND.

AND OFTEN IT'S OUR FASHION THAT GUIDES AND UNDER GEAREDS SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IT IS A FASCINATING BOOK BY A MARYLAND AUTHOR SO I RECOMMEND IT.

>> Jeff: AND A QUICK WORD BEFORE WE GO IF SOMEBODY WATCHING HAS NOT BEEN TO A LIBRARY FOR A WHILE WHY SHOULD THEY CHECK IT OUT?

>> WELL, I LOVE THE PUNCH.

WHY WOULDN'T YOU.

THERE ARE 193 PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

SO YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME GOING VERY FAR IN YOUR STATE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO CONNECT TO ONE.

IT'S FREE.

WHERE ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO GO AND FIND FREE ACCESS TO BOOKS, TO EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY, TO THE CARING MOST SMARTEST PEOPLE AND I KNOW I'M BIASED BUT I'VE LIVE TO DO FOR 20 YEARS WHO CARE ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS AND WANT TO HELP YOU SEEK SOLUTIONS AND IMPROVE YOUR LIFE.

THEY ARE FUN, TOO.

THEY ARE INSPIRING PLACES.

I HAVE A HOME OFFICE, I HAVE AN OFFICE IN BALTIMORE BUT MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE 193 OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THOSE ARE THE PLACES I GO TO WORK BECAUSE I'M INSPIRED BY THE COMMUNITY, BY OUR LIBRARY WORKERS, AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO INTERACT WITH.

I THINK IT'S JUST THE BEST PART OF OUR HUMANITY.

AND TALKING ABOUT ROI, ROUGHLY 2% OF ACCOUNTTY'S OPERATING BUDGET GOES TO SUPPORT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM AT THE STATE LEVEL IT'S .017% OF STATE REVENUES GO INTO SUPPORTING PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND LOOK WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET WITH THAT.

>> MORGAN LEHR MILLER THE STATE LIBRARIAN WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JEFF.

[♪♪] >> Jeff: ON THE BOOK BEAT THIS WEEK HERE IS NANCY YAMADA.

>> JOINING ME IS BALTIMORE'S OWN KEITH LAWSON.

HE MAY NOT BE'S HOUSEHOLD NAME BUT HE IS OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE HE IS THE MAN BEHIND SO MANY FAMOUS MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS PEOPLE LIKE MADONNA, TLC, I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS.

HE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT HIS JOURNEY AND THREE-DECADE LODGE CAREER CALLED "THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN: REAL STORIES FROM AN INDUSTRY INSIDER".

WELCOME.

BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THE BOOK TELL US HOW A KID FROM BALTIMORE ENDS UP BEING A POWERHOUSE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

IT'S GREAT TO TALK WITH YOU.

YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN BALTIMORE AND I ALWAYS SAY THIS IN THE BOOK IS THAT MY IMAGINATION ALWAYS BEEN GREATER THAN MY CIRCUMSTANCE.

I WAS A KID WITH A GREAT IMAGINATION.

NO MATTER WHERE I WAS OR WHAT STAGE IN LIFE AND A LOT OF THAT WAS STRUGGLE I HAD AN IMAGINATION THAT WAS GREATER.

I KNEW THERE WERE BIG THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE.

COMING OUT OF BALTIMORE POLICY PROTECT NICK INSTITUTE I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE A STEM PERSON AND I MET SOME GREAT PEOPLE WHO WERE INFLUENTIAL IN ME MAKING A DECISION TO SWITCH INTO THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

AND A LOT OF THAT IS THAT MY ENTIRE LIFE I'VE HAD MUSIC AND THE LIKE AROUND ME BUT NEVER THOUGHT OF IT AS SOMETHING I WOULD DO FOR A CAREER UNTIL THE UNIVERSITY TAPPED ME AND SAID THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AND I LISTENED.

>> WE SHOULD MENTION THAT YOU WERE AT ONE-TIME A SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT AT BET IS THAT RIGHT?

>> YEP.

YES I WAS.

>> THE BLACK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK.

IN THE BOOK YOU DO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE FAMOUS PEOPLE THAT YOU WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS.

IF YOU WOULD THIS IS THE TIME TO NAME DROP AND GIVE US DIRT AND ALSO IS THERE ANYTHING IN COMMON ABOUT THESE PEOPLE WHO ENDED UP BECOMING SO BIG?

DID YOU SEE SOMETHING IN THEM WHERE YOU THOUGHT THIS PERSON IS GOING TO BE A STAR?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE FOUND OUT ABOUT MYSELF IS ALTHOUGH I DON'T PERSONALLY HAVE MUSIC SKILLS OR SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO SPOT TALENT AND KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING.

LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING HERE THAT IS GOING TO POP.

AND IF I CAN PLAY ANY PART IN SORT OF BEING A CONNECTIVE TISSUE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, THAT IS HOW I STARTED TO SEE THINGS.

FROM EARLY ON I WAS ALWAYS A PERSON WHO COULD LOOK AT PUZZLE PIECES AND SEE THE PUZZLE.

THAT IS AN ANALOGY HOW I LOOKED AT LIFE AND SO OF THE PEOPLE I WORKED WITH LOCALLY A GROUP [INAUDIBLE] ONE OF THE FIRST ACTS I HELPED TO GET LAUNCHED AND THEY CONNECTED ME WITH OTHER FOLKS INCLUDING GRAMMY WINNING PRODUCER CHUCKIE THOMPSON WE ACTUALLY HELPED LAUNCH THE CAREER OF BASHER IN THE GROUP THE FAMILY SOUL A WELL-KNOWN SOUL GROUP.

WORKED WITH TLC AND ASPECTS EARLY ON WHEN THEY WERE ABOUT TO COME OUT WE DID THE VIDEO PRESS KIT TO WORK ON.

WORKED WITH SHAGGY.

HAD INTERACTIONS WITH DIDDY.

I DID NOT START DIDDY'S CAREER BUT IT IS AN INTERESTING STORY IN THE BOOK AND THE INTERACTION EARLY ON IN MY CAREER TRYING TO GET STARTED.

AND BRUIN FOR MARS ONE OF THE BIGGER NAMES YOU WILL SEE.

A LOT IS ABOUT REALLY ASPIRATIONAL STORIES AND FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS AND SORT OF ONCE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE HERE TO DO IN LIFE TRY TO DO THAT THING.

>> OVER THE COURSE OF 30 YEARS HOW HAS THE INDUSTRY CHANGED?

>> IT'S CHANGED IN SO MANY WAYS.

THE TECHNOLOGY IS DIFFERENT AND AS YOU MENTIONED I WORK MOSTLY IN A CABLE ENVIRONMENT.

AND YOU KNOW CABLE TV IS TOTALLY NOT WHERE THE INDUSTRY IS HEADING.

WHEN I FIRST CAME OUT WORKING AT BET, A LOT OF THE ARTISTS ESPECIALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF PLATFORMS TO PROMOTE THEIR PROJECTS.

SO BET WAS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THEY COULD GET OUT AND WAS RIVALLING WITH MTV WHERE THEY WEREN'T PLAYING A LOT OF OUR MUSIC.

SO IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO SEE THE HOTTEST MUSIC VIDEO YOU HAD TO TUNE INTO BET AND WATCH VIDEO SOUL, RAP CITY OR 106 AND PART.

WITH THE ADVENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVERYONE IN TECHNOLOGY THE ACCESS TO ANYTHING YOU WANT IS AT A FINGERTIP SO THAT NEED AND DEMAND HAS CHANGED AND THAT'S DRIVEN THE WAY WE HAVE TO APPROACH TV ET CETERA.

>> WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BREAK INTO THE INDUSTRY OR MAYBE THEY ARE IN IT AND WANT TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED IN MY JOURNEY IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T SEE WHERE YOU ARE TRYING TO GO.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

I'VE BEEN SAYING MANY TIMES WHEN I SPEAK TO FOLKS IS NEVER LET SOMEBODY PUT A TIMELINE ON YOUR SUCCESS.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT MAY TAKE YOU TO GET WHERE YOU NEED TO GO OR HOW CLOSE YOU ARE.

ONE OF THE BIGGER STORIES IN THE BOOK IS BRUNO MARS STORY AND I USE IT TO TELL THE STORY THAT THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN MARK MY WIFE'S COUSIN AT THE TIME WHO USED TO MANAGE BRUNO MARS AND MANAGED HIM FOR YEARS AND WE KNEW THAT HE HAD TALENT.

AND JUST HE RAN OUT OF TIME.

HE RAN OUT OF MONEY AND HAD TO MOVE BACK HOME AND SIX MONTHS LATER BRUNO MARS' FIRST SONG CAME OUT AND IT SKYROCKETED TO SUCCESS HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW CLOSE HE WAS TO BREAKTHROUGHING THROUGH AND DIDN'T HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO STICK TO IT.

HE WAS SIX MONTHS AWAY FROM SUPERSTAR DOME AND MAKING TONS OF MONEY IT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF STICK TO IT AS LONG AS YOU CAN BUT YOU NEVER KNOW HOW CLOSE YOU ARE.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT IS REALLY INFLUENCING BEING A ROLE MODEL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUNG MEN.

TALK ABOUT WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU AND WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE?

WHAT DO YOU HOPE THEY MITD TAKEAWAY FROM THE BOOK?

>> THE MAIN THING I HOPE YOU TAKEAWAY FROM THE BOOK, I MAKE A COUPLE OF QUOTES FROM FAMOUS PEOPLE.

ONE OF THE ONES I THINK OF IS THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT DAYS OF OUR LIFE ARE THE DAY YOU ARE BORN AND THE DAY YOU FIND OUT WHY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE PLOW THROUGH LIFE NOT KNOWING WHAT IT IS THEY ARE HERE TO DO.

THE MOMENT YOU FIND OUT WHAT IT IS YOU ARE HERE TO DO IT'S IMPORTANT YOU LEAN INTO THAT LEAN OR ELSE YOU WITH SPINNING YOUR WHEELS AND WASTING TIME.

ONCE YOU GET A FINGER ON THAT THING YOU HAVE TO PUSH FORWARD WITH ALL THE EFFORT AND ALL OF THE INTENTION THAT YOU HAVE.

AND LIFE WILL PLAY OUT THE WAY IT IT SHOULD.% >> KEITH LAWSON.

THE BOOK IS "THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN: REAL STORIES FROM AN INDUSTRY INSIDER" IT IS A FASCINATING READ NOT ONLY ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY BUT THE JOURNEY TO SUCCESS FOR A KID FROM BALTIMORE.

>> Jeff: THAT IS "STATE CIRCLE" FOR THIS WEEK.

JOIN US EVERY WEEK AT THIS TIME FOR THE LATEST ON MARYLAND'S POLITICAL STAGE.

YOU CAN SEE OUR RECENT PROGRAMS AT VETO.MPT.TV AND THROUGH THE FREE PBS APP AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT MPT NEWS.

WE'RE BACK MONDAY WITH "DIRECT CONNECTION" AND YOUR CHANCE TO ASK THE EXPERTS THAT IS MONDAY EVENING LIVE AT 7:00 P.M.

FOR ALL OF US AT MPT THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE MONDAY.

[♪♪]