Seeing Clearly

When I was five, my grandmother and aunt returned to England from a trip to America. On that occasion they presented me with two gifts, one was a diecast model of a Boeing 707 and the other (also a diecast model) a miniature of the Statue of Liberty “These are from America, Alan.” said my grandmother. “Perhaps one day you will live there” she added. Both the gifts and her words proved prophetic. Sometime later, I was also given a children’s Bible by my sister. For reasons I cannot explain, the three items seemed a connected set in my mind.

Indeed, I am British by birth, American by choice and Christian by faith. At all altitudes, this self-awareness has served as my navigational guide and has sustained me. Some people have described me as enigmatic because of my seemingly contradictory background. Indeed, the details of my life are complex and varied, but these factors have ultimately proven beneficial. It was the Apostle Paul who declared in Philippians 4:11 and 12, that he had learned to be content in all states – whether in need or abounding. I can say much the same.

Today I am viewed as a trusted media specialist and active broadcaster, with skills as a journalist, writer, producer and on-air talent. I hold five earned degrees and have spoken on as many continents regarding the topics of each. Additionally, I have been a professor of Film, Television and Communication Studies, with years of experience working for NBC, CBS and NPR affiliates. Yet, perhaps most importantly, I have also been a janitor, security guard, chimney sweep, factory worker, warehouse loader and a pastor of two churches. Subsequently, I am viewed by some as a human question mark. “Who exactly are you?” I am asked.

Well, in response to the enquiry, I shall share that my views on life were largely forged out of domestic and economic hardship. Contrary to the first impressions of many, I did not grow up in a privileged setting, but rather amidst domestic mayhem, resulting in periods of homelessness.

My English mother was a freelance journalist and my Scottish father, a semi-professional magician, who joined a touring circus at sixteen. Sadly, my mother was subjected to domestic abuse by my substance-addicted father and at a time when authorities provided little protection for such women, my mother, sister and I, fended for ourselves the best we could.

Consequently, my early education was highly impaired resulting in my being held back three times in school. As I never made it to high school, I could not claim to be a “dropout” – but rather a “never-went”. Still, by the grace of God, I went on to earn the aforementioned degrees. Although I am grateful for such rectitude in my life, one must be careful about placing too much stock in academic accolades, for rather than building up, knowledge can sometimes merely puff up, yet love, we are told, can build up.

My Christian faith informs me that each of us by inclination battles with a sin-nature. Although I may aspire to be good, I am nevertheless not good, for all of us are given to the common failings found in humanity. Therefore, I dare not judge anyone, not even myself, for I am not qualified. However, we are afforded the opportunity to consider the motives and actions of ourselves and others in comparison to God’s desire for us all. Subsequently, as a husband, a father, a friend, a neighbor, a citizen and yes, even as a talk-show host, I strive each day to consider my flaws and correct them. As I am no better than anyone and undoubtedly worse than many, I have no right to insist that people unfailingly live to my standards, as I do not unfailingly live to them either.

However, we have the right, to expect that each of us will bear concern for our neighbor and our nation. That standard was handed down to us by the wise, learned, yet imperfect, God-fearing men assembled in Philadelphia, who were British by birth, American by choice and Christian by faith.

The Beginning of Wisdom

Okay, to get started name some of your likes and dislikes.

Which ones first?

Let's do the likes first.

I love being in studios - broadcast, recording or film. I love motion picture sound stages and backlots. I enjoy being on a theatre stage. Music in nearly every form. Cathedrals sooth me. I love standing on the Marin headlands overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Bay. Dogs licking my face. Walking the Pacific or Atlantic shorelines with foaming waves.

Dislikes?

Cilantro seasoning, valet parking, business lunches, filling in forms, audience members talking at concerts.

Any serious dislikes?

People deliberately failing to recognize the truth of a situation.

I noticed that you had no hesitation in stating that.

Well, its key to virtually everything. As Bob Dylan sang in All Along the Watchtower, "Let's not speak falsely now - said the joker to the thief." Consider the old Hollywood Westerns where the Camanche chief would inevitably say, "He speaks with forked tongue!" - so many people in life actually do. Remember, as Jesus said, "The devil's native language is lying, and he is the father of lies." Think of how many people have died in wars and outside of them because of lies.

Is it possible not to lie?

Most importantly, it is possible to tell the truth and that should always be the aim every time, unless you are Corrie Ten Boom hiding Jews from Nazis. I think the media willfully lies. I think politicians lie simply to preserve their political parties. If people could see beyond their party, then genuine agreement could be found. I agree with Thomas Sowell, that there are rarely perfect answers, only better tradeoffs, but you can't reach them if you are not honest about the better, although imperfect, decision choice. Lies nullify the entire process.

I've noticed that you are often introduced as a media personality and educator. Does that sufficiently define you?

Well, it is at least a starting point. I think it serves as a succinct explanation of what I do in general, but it certainly doesn't encompass all that I am.

What doesn't it encompass?

My wife once said "Alan, I think you are an artist posing as an academic" and there certainly is a lot of truth to that, but I am also a broadcaster, entertainer and minister of a sort.

Entertainer?

Yes, without compromising content, to successfully convey concepts to either a class or a broadcast audience, one must seek to entertain, which means to prevent people from mentally checking out.

How do you do that?

Well, a bit of theatricality always helps. At least in terms of communication, the unpardonable sin is to be boring.

In your work narratives seem important to you?

I have taught, among other subjects, screenwriting for many years. People love stories. Every weekend millions of Americans go into cinemas for what? They go to see stories about people! One should make sure they have a captivating human account related to their subject matter. When speaking live before an attending audience, I nearly always begin with a narrative.

I've seen you speak live and you never refer to what you are going to talk about in your introduction - why?

That's true most of the time. There is this persistent and silly adage that drives me crazy that dictates that when you speak on any topic, you are supposed to tell the people what you are going to tell them, then tell them, and then you tell them what you just old them - that's rubbish! If you reveal to an audience what you are going to talk about at the start, you give them the license to reject the topic beforehand! However, if you start with a compelling narrative, you can then reel them into the subject matter without objection and hopefully with a load of fascinated interested.

You also just described yourself as "a minister of a sort" - what do you mean?

I am aware of God throughout my every day. It is like breathing and it comes across in my regard for others.

How does that manifest at work?

All Christians should think of themselves as ministers of a sort. However, they so rarely do, but if you believe the words of Jesus, then you realize that we are expected to love others. From a cup of water to the acts of a Samaritan.

What type of acts do you do?

Jesus said, "Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" which means simply don't talk about such things, so I would prefer just to say that I don't leave my faith outside of a broadcast studio or a lecture hall. That's what I mean by "a minister of a sort" because I am not embarrassed by my faith, I am therefore open and sincere with people and most in turn are the same way with me.

Do some people resent you for your faith?

Look, I have friends of other faiths and lifestyles than mine. I may not agree with them, but why should I not love and care about them? So, do I get people ever being hostile to me? Yes, but the occurrences are rare, and I interpret their hostility as not about me but about some form of a wound in their lives, and if they feel angry at God, then I may be the nearest lightning rod for their displeasure on any given day.

I've spoken to people regarding your on-air style, and they all say that you are hard to define.

Hard to define?

Yes, for example, almost every show starts out in one direction and then typically takes an unexpected twist.

Are the twists good?

I think most people would think so.

Well, I'm not interested in fulfilling the typical question and then answer format. It is as boring as spit - please note, I said, S-P-I-T! Although I suppose I could have said, excrement, dung, fecal, skat, or poo-poo.

Or doo-doo (laughing)!

You know what is interesting? Some Christians would absolutely freak out if we actually said the word that we both are thinking of - and yet the Apostle Paul uses the very same word in Greek in Philippians 3:8 - so there you go!

That's funny! Okay, so I'm hearing that you don't like the standard Q and A and yet, isn't this precisely what we are doing now?

Actually no, that's not true. This verbal engagement has become more of a conversation. I don't like typical Q and A's because of their predictability. I will start with questions because my guests expect them, but if you listen carefully, you will note that the mood soon changes and therefore the typical format is dispensed with as we continue. It is then that you get the twists and the richness and quality. When I interview, I am more interested in who a person is rather than just what they do.

How do your guests respond to that approach?

Very well - after the first few minutes go by my guests typically discern that I am genuinely interested in them. Once this atmosphere is established, they sense my respect and subsequently start to open up about all manner of elements of their lives. They see that I care about them enough not to exploit them, and they feel it. I have had guests suddenly burst into tears and then at the end of recording the show, I will ask such guests, "Would you prefer that we expunged anything you have shared?" Amazingly, everyone has said, "No, you can leave it in."

Wow, that's unbelievable.

Well, believe it, because it is true. Before I meet my guests, I will pray for them silently as I walk down the hall to go into the studio, but I have also prayed aloud with some guests after taping a show. I will say, "I know this will perhaps sound weird to you, but would you mind if I prayed for you?" to which no one has ever said, "no" only "please" or "thank you." So, whether I'm speaking with a former member of the Charles Manson Family or a noted leading doctor being fired from one of the nation's major medical schools or a film star, it makes no difference, I am concerned about their humanity and personhood.

Do you have a theological degree?

Yes, I have two undergraduate degrees, one in Broadcasting and the other in Humanities. Then I also have two master's degrees, one in Film and the other in Divinity. As for my Ph.D., that is in Communication. However, I put more stock in wisdom than academic degrees. There are three types of intellectual ability, education, applied intelligence and wisdom. The most important is wisdom.

How do you define wisdom?

A Jewish scripture states that the beginning of wisdom is found in the fear of the LORD. I think the Hebrew scriptures are completely correct.

Why would someone want to fear their god? Isn't that the opposite of love? How can that be good?

Think of "fear" as the highest form of respect. Think of it as honoring God's intentions and perspective. I once heard someone say that seeing life from God's point of view is the beginning of wisdom. As children, we worry about displeasing our mother or father, yet we know that they love us. Yes, God loves us, but that doesn't mean that we can thwart his standards and expectations. When we do, we suffer the natural consequences.

You are both British and American. Which one dominates?

I think it is a matter of synthesis in terms of my temperament. I have a natural British reserve, but also an American "can-do" attitude. I have benefitted from both nations. As I say often, I am British by birth, and American by choice, and that choice was made with the highest respect, admiration, gratitude and love for my adopted homeland. I love America and its people, and I am privileged to be one of them. So, in answer to your question, I think my American viewpoint dominates. I am fortunate in that both the UK and the USA have an exceptional relationship historically and diplomatically. Putting it in familial terms, I would say that England was once America's mother, and America was England's son who eventually had to break away to declare his rightful independence.

Wow, I have never heard anyone put it that way. That's interesting.

Good, that means that I have hopefully entertained and have stopped people from checking out!

As a minister of sort? (laughing)

(Also laughing) Make that as a God-fearing, entertaining educator, media personality and minister of sort!