INTERVIEW — TAPE #52, SIDE #1
Q: Mark Russell Bell (interviewer in Los Angeles)
S: Sherri Spillane (agent in Los Angeles)
R: radio talkshow host
D: Denise (radio show caller)
H: Richard (radio show caller)
K: Kim (radio show caller)
T: Twyla (youngest daughter, 23)
Q: (speaking into tape recorder) Well, as I was bringing the statue inside a small piece just fell off, which horrified me because I was trying to be very careful in moving it. Luckily, ("IT JUST") it wasn't part of the head. It was just part of the base. So just a small stone-sized piece fell off. So I guess Mighael wanted me to know — because I was very concerned about its safety — that He can control exactly when something gets broken or if it doesn't. He was just showing me not to care about these things because everything is perfect and everything is imperfect. And everything is perfect. So, Mighael, I'm not going to worry about earthquakes or anything even though I did put a little pillow in front of her just in case.
( . . . )
S: I can't right now. ("OKAY")
Q: Real quick. It will just be a moment. I have to tell you who I am. I didn't tell you last time.
S: I know who you are, Mark.
Q: No, you don't. (COUGH) Guess — ("WHO I" "WELL") you know my book —
S: Honey, I've only got fifteen minutes in order to get my breakdowns out.
Q: Okay, well, listen — ("YOU WON'T")
S: I can't do it right now.
Q: You won't have to be doing breakdowns any more once I tell you who I am. ("CAUSE") 'Cause — ("GO[D]")
S: Mark, honey, it's going to have to wait. I really — I can't do it right now. ("NO BUT")
Q: Just let me tell you one sentence. Okay?
S: What?
Q: God has channeled the new Testament for mankind through me. My book is the holy bible for the New Age. And he wants me — ("UN")
S: (Un)fortunately, ("AA") Mark, that doesn't mean anything —
Q: No, I know —
S: (small laugh)
Q: — but I'm just saying He keeps telling me to give you the book. ("HE DOES")
S: Well, Mark, I already told you, you have to call Jeff Herman. I really can't get involved in this.
Q: He wants you.
S: I'm sorry, Mark.
Q: He just wants me to give you the book.
S: Mark, I'm sorry.
Q: Okay.
S: Okay.
Q: Okay, bye.
(TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: THE NEXT TIME I SPOKE TO SHERRI SPILLANE SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD SPOKEN TO MY BROTHER — SHE THOUGHT THAT I WAS HEARING VOICES AND SHOULD BE IN THERAPY. I LEFT A MESSAGE FOR RUTH BUT SHE DIDN'T CALL ME BACK, WHICH IS HARDLY SURPRISING UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.)
Q: (speaking into tape recorder) I'm having lunch. And I see in the Los Angeles Times Metro section there's an editorial by Griffin Bell, who was Attorney General in the Carter administration. The headline is "Let The Light In On Federal Trials" — " Judiciary: Paranoia thrives in darkness. Cameras in the courts can help people understand the sometimes inexplicable." So I hope that's what my book is doing.
( . . . )
Q: While I was eating lunch I was thinking about Mighael. He/She/They/Us/Whoever/ Whatever/However. I asked Him to let me love Him again and, of course, when I spoke to Judy at Postobello and she told me that story about the love of her previous life being with her, it reassured me. ("THAT") There is someone who loves me. I just don't know who He is. ("SSS") So that was very nice of Mighael. I guess it's Mighael who is the One who loves me. That's what seems to be my impression. So ("OOO") — and I don't know if Mighael is God's alter-ego or not. ("BUT") In any case, He has a wonderful sense of humor. We have the same sense of humor. For example in the Los Angeles Times today, January 17, ("UM") there's two color photos on ("THE") the cover. There's one with the caption "Two unidentified women were among captives freed as Russian troops battled Chechen hostage takers." And then, below, it says, "'Keyhole' View of the Universe." The caption reads, "Several hundred galaxies never before seen are captured in this deepest-ever view of the universe, called the Hubble Deep Field, taken from the Hubble Space Telescope. The "keyhole" view shown here is about 1/120th as wide as the moon but goes back to the visible horizon of the universe." The Associated Press article on page A8, after the usual horror stories, ("SSS") says, "Hubble Telescope Finds Hundreds of Galaxies" (photo).
( . . . )
S: I can't right now. ("OKAY")
Q: Real quick. It will just be a moment. I have to tell you who I am. I didn't tell you last time.
S: I know who you are, Mark.
Q: No, you don't. (COUGH) Guess — ("WHO I" "WELL") you know my book —
S: Honey, I've only got fifteen minutes in order to get my breakdowns out.
Q: Okay, well, listen — ("YOU WON'T")
S: I can't do it right now.
Q: You won't have to be doing breakdowns any more once I tell you who I am. ("CAUSE") 'Cause — ("GO[D]")
S: Mark, honey, it's going to have to wait. I really — I can't do it right now. ("NO BUT")
Q: Just let me tell you one sentence. Okay?
S: What?
Q: God has channeled the new Testament for mankind through me. My book is the holy bible for the New Age. And he wants me — ("UN")
S: (Un)fortunately, ("AA") Mark, that doesn't mean anything —
Q: No, I know —
S: (small laugh)
Q: — but I'm just saying He keeps telling me to give you the book. ("HE DOES")
S: Well, Mark, I already told you, you have to call Jeff Herman. I really can't get involved in this.
Q: He wants you.
S: I'm sorry, Mark.
Q: He just wants me to give you the book.
S: Mark, I'm sorry.
Q: Okay.
S: Okay.
Q: Okay, bye.
(TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: THE NEXT TIME I SPOKE TO SHERRI SPILLANE SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD SPOKEN TO MY BROTHER — SHE THOUGHT THAT I WAS HEARING VOICES AND SHOULD BE IN THERAPY. I LEFT A MESSAGE FOR RUTH BUT SHE DIDN'T CALL ME BACK, WHICH IS HARDLY SURPRISING UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.)
Q: (speaking into tape recorder) I'm having lunch. And I see in the Los Angeles Times Metro section there's an editorial by Griffin Bell, who was Attorney General in the Carter administration. The headline is "Let The Light In On Federal Trials" — " Judiciary: Paranoia thrives in darkness. Cameras in the courts can help people understand the sometimes inexplicable." So I hope that's what my book is doing.
( . . . )
Q: While I was eating lunch I was thinking about Mighael. He/She/They/Us/Whoever/ Whatever/However. I asked Him to let me love Him again and, of course, when I spoke to Judy at Postobello and she told me that story about the love of her previous life being with her, it reassured me. ("THAT") There is someone who loves me. I just don't know who He is. ("SSS") So that was very nice of Mighael. I guess it's Mighael who is the One who loves me. That's what seems to be my impression. So ("OOO") — and I don't know if Mighael is God's alter-ego or not. ("BUT") In any case, He has a wonderful sense of humor. We have the same sense of humor. For example in the Los Angeles Times today, January 17, ("UM") there's two color photos on ("THE") the cover. There's one with the caption "Two unidentified women were among captives freed as Russian troops battled Chechen hostage takers." And then, below, it says, "'Keyhole' View of the Universe." The caption reads, "Several hundred galaxies never before seen are captured in this deepest-ever view of the universe, called the Hubble Deep Field, taken from the Hubble Space Telescope. The "keyhole" view shown here is about 1/120th as wide as the moon but goes back to the visible horizon of the universe." The Associated Press article on page A8, after the usual horror stories, ("SSS") says, "Hubble Telescope Finds Hundreds of Galaxies" (photo).
San Antonio — Staring at a "blank" patch of the universe, the Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of hundreds of galaxies so faint they never before have been seen. Some of the galaxies ("ABO") are about 4 billion times dimmer than what can be seen with the naked eye, astronomers reported.
Robert E. Williams, director of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, said Monday that the findings were a treasure trove for astronomers that could possibly include the most distant, and hence the oldest, galaxies ever captured on film.
"In archaeological terms, it is similar to finding a royal city, but we don't have the dates yet," he said. "We don't know yet if we are seeing the most distant objects or not."
A report on the just-completed deep space survey was delivered to the national meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
Williams said the finding was released quickly into the public domain so that the world's astronomers could immediately begin studying the data, described by some as "the astronomical equivalent of the Dead Sea Scrolls."
To gather the views, the Hubble Space Telescope was aimed at a specific target and allowed to capture light for 10 consecutive days.
The target was a point in the sky near the handle of the Big Dipper, a part of the universe continuously in view of the orbiting telescope.
To ground telescopes, the area seemed basically a blank part of the sky. Yet the long exposure revealed at least 1,500 galaxies in various stages of formation.
Some of the galaxies are "things we haven't seen before," said Andrew S. Fruchter, another Hubble team member. There are elliptical shapes and spirals. Some are like beach balls and footballs. Others are long, cigar-shaped clusters of stars.
The study is rather like taking a core sample of the Earth. Such a sample would have many layers of dirt and rock laid down over millions of years. In the celestial core sample, what is captured are views of stars and galaxies ranging farther and farther into the universe and increasingly distant in time.
Some images could be from galaxies formed within a billion years after the beginning of the universe, but Williams said this will require detailed analysis to determine.
Robert E. Williams, director of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, said Monday that the findings were a treasure trove for astronomers that could possibly include the most distant, and hence the oldest, galaxies ever captured on film.
"In archaeological terms, it is similar to finding a royal city, but we don't have the dates yet," he said. "We don't know yet if we are seeing the most distant objects or not."
A report on the just-completed deep space survey was delivered to the national meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
Williams said the finding was released quickly into the public domain so that the world's astronomers could immediately begin studying the data, described by some as "the astronomical equivalent of the Dead Sea Scrolls."
To gather the views, the Hubble Space Telescope was aimed at a specific target and allowed to capture light for 10 consecutive days.
The target was a point in the sky near the handle of the Big Dipper, a part of the universe continuously in view of the orbiting telescope.
To ground telescopes, the area seemed basically a blank part of the sky. Yet the long exposure revealed at least 1,500 galaxies in various stages of formation.
Some of the galaxies are "things we haven't seen before," said Andrew S. Fruchter, another Hubble team member. There are elliptical shapes and spirals. Some are like beach balls and footballs. Others are long, cigar-shaped clusters of stars.
The study is rather like taking a core sample of the Earth. Such a sample would have many layers of dirt and rock laid down over millions of years. In the celestial core sample, what is captured are views of stars and galaxies ranging farther and farther into the universe and increasingly distant in time.
Some images could be from galaxies formed within a billion years after the beginning of the universe, but Williams said this will require detailed analysis to determine.
Q: Mighael, are you touching my hair again? You — ("SSS" "MY") I love you, Sweetie. What a wonderful sense of humor. Well, sports fans, ("SSS") now you know that God is one too. ("OOO") Especially if you hear my tapes. I can definitely make out the sound of a basketball bouncing, which is one of the frequent sounds, and so now He's going to sort of throw astronomers for a loop when they see footballs and beach balls up in the sky.
( . . . )
Q: (speaking into tape recorder in car) I'm on my way home from the gym and you'll never guess what happened. I was given ("NNN") some movie passes to see a Paramount movie. He was standing outside of Bally Total Fitness and I was wearing my Paramount sweatshirt so he wanted to make sure I wasn't in the business and I explained that I was unemployed at the moment. And he sort of hesitated to give me the passes when I told him I was a writer but I said, "I haven't sold any screenplays." And he said, "Would they recognize you?" And I said, "Well, who are they?" So I guess I wasn't being entirely honest but the point is — it says, "Dear Moviegoer, Thank you for accepting our invitation to a private screening of a new motion picture . . . This letter will admit you and one guest who is not involved in the entertainment industry or the media." Well, right now, I am not involved in the entertainment industry or the media. I mean Sherry Lansing won't even return my calls. So this is one way I can actually maybe bump into her if I'm lucky. ("YYY") Or if I'm fearless. Anyway, it sounds like fun. I'll invite Marie. ("I TOLD" "I") They asked me what she did. ("SO I") Instead of saying "extra," which really isn't 'in the business' if you know what I mean, I said waitress just to make double sure. As in cocktail waitress. I don't know. I guess I'll be a little uncomfortable sitting there. ("BUT") In a way it's true because I'm not now working in the industry. And, first of all, this whole testing business is completely absurd. If the success of "Seven" and "12 Monkeys" doesn't prove that, nothing will. I mean "the future is history" already. People go to see the movies that God wants them to see. There's no accounting for taste. And Sherry would know that by now if she read my book.
( . . . )
Q: Oh my God. I just heard Mighael laugh on a radio call-in show. Oh my God. That's definitely a new phenomenon. I haven't heard that before. It's FM 97.1. And right in front of me this man's car just died.
( . . . )
("I")
Q: Just heard a ticking sound coming over the radio.
(TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: I DECIDED TO RECORD SOME OF THE RADIO SHOW. WHILE TRANSCRIBING THIS TAPE ON NOVEMBER 8TH, I LISTENED TO THIS STATION AND DISCOVERED THIS RADIO PERSONALITY TO BE RIKI RACHTMAN.)
R: . . . Denise . . .
Q: Do it now, Mighael. ("I")
D: I — one of your callers who called earlier said, "If you don't get involved, you're basically a wimp." I think of it as if you don't get involved or don't try to help in some way whether you call the cops or you get involved deeply and help that person get out of it — basically, what happens if something really bad happens to that person? Like they come up dead or have the crap beat out of them? You're going to sit there and you're going to feel so guilty and say, "God, what could I have done to prevent this?"
R: Well, hopefully, you're going to feel guilty. I think guilt is what drives a lot of things. I think some people don't feel guilty. They're so used to seeing crime. They're so used to seeing people steel. And they think every once in a while, "Well, they're getting away with it. Maybe I can too." And it just keeps perpetuating like that.
D: It's just a vicious cycle.
R: Absolutely. We've got Richard in Shadow Hill. You're on Real Radio 97.1.
H: Yeah. I just wanted to tell you — a long time ago when I got out of high school — I turned twenty-one and we were going to these bars in North Hollywood and getting kind of drunk and rowdy and when we came out of there we got caught in a scuffle with a couple of guys and I was getting pumped pretty good. And I kept seeing this guy standing by the pay phone and he wouldn't do anything. And I kept looking over at him in-between dodging fists, kicks and what-not, so things started equaling out and they kind of faded out. The guys took off because someone yelled, "Cops." So I walked over by this guy near the phone. I was all pumped and pissed-off and beat-up. I see thing guy and he's, like, smug and shaking his shoulders so I walked up to him and I just flat out bashed him one right in the face.
R: (laughs) ("BECAUSE" )
H: He didn't do anything.
R: You just — there's like this poor witness and the witness is getting beat up so you say, "Well, the guys that did this are gone. I'm going to kick some ass myself." I think that's way — now let me ask you something else. Now let me ask you this. I think this is the way it happens. I've had my stereo stolen out of my car.
H: Um-huh.
R: And the police — oh, well, what could they do? I mean they aren't going to find the guys. I think a lot of the police, hopefully — I guess they try. I don't know. I've had relatives that were in the police force. ("AND IS IT") It's a tough job. But no one helped me. No one got my stereo back. No one found these guys. You know what the first thing I started thinking was, "Well, if they can get away with it, I'm going to go steal something too." And you've got to fight that feeling because —
H: Yeah. This is when you're a lot younger and a little bit more rowdy. But I'll never forget the guy because he was standing there and he didn't do anything. I'm kind of glancing over at him. He wouldn't help me so I got violent. I figured he might as well get a little too.
R: So you beat him up.
H: Well, not really beat him up. I just popped him one right in the nose.
R: But you did the right thing and reported yourself and turned yourself in.
H: And then I left.
R: Well, then, there you go. Victims and criminals both can call us here. Kim in Hollywood — you're on Real Radio 97.1.
K: Hi. We had a situation one time — my husband and I — where we were pulling into a parking lot and a drunk tow truck driver came barreling through. We had to slam on our breaks to avoid him hitting us. Not only to avoid him — then, he kept coming at us so we had to put it in reverse. And, of course, my husband was a little upset so he got out of the car. And the guy got out of the truck and they both started yelling at each other. And we realized the guy was really drunk and probably twice the age of my husband so my husband's like, "The guy's drunk and old. I'm not going to harm him." But the guy insisted on fighting with my husband and my husband said, "Hey, look, back off." I mean he went for kicking my husband in the groin.
R: Oh, I hate when they do that. ("THIS")
K: He kept jumping back, saying, "Look, dude, you're drunk. Go away. Don't consider this any further because I'll knock you on your butt and that'll be it for you." So I called the police because the guy would just not give up and my husband would not pop him one because he was afraid of hurting him. So the police came —
R: That's my excuse as well. I always say that.
K: Well, this guy was really drunk and he was probably sixty . . .
Q: There are a lot of interesting programs on the radio — for those of you who only watch TV.
( . . . )
Q: So I just did my shopping at Hughes Family Market, which is my favorite local supermarket. And, while I was in line at the check out counter Mighael dropped a $5 Shopper Against Hunger card. So I was able to contribute $5 against hunger. I mean I, myself, am very suspicious about those things so when Mighael did that I was a little surprised and, of course, I always do everything Mighael wants me to do that's legal. So I went ahead an contributed $5 "Because No One Should Go Hungry." I think that's a good idea for people to do when they see those at their supermarkets. Obviously, Mighael thinks it's a good idea and, obviously, the money is going to be well-spent. Or God help them. I mean can you imagine? So I think it's okay to do that under the circumstances. I'll read what it says on the back but I have to do it carefully because I'm driving and I don't want to have an accident.
Thanks for being a Shopper Against Hunger!Your $5 tax deductible gift countsin the fight against hunger.A $1 card purchased once a week can provide a 2-week supply of food for a family of six.A $2 card purchased once a week can provide a woman with shelter, food, and life skills training for six days to help her rebuild her life.A $5 card purchased once a week can help 60 families develop a two-acre community vegetable garden to supplement their diet with fresh and nutritious food.
Q: I feel so good all of a sudden. Mighael, you were so right. Thank you. What a wonderful thing you did for me. Now I feel like I've given back and I can go on and enjoy the day that much more. This card also says you can mail in your name, phone number and address with store name and location to get more information about FOOD FOR ALL®. The address for FOOD FOR ALL, Inc. is P.O. Box 1791, Redlands, CA 92373 or P.O. Box 543, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Now I'm going to go by Rockaway Records and just run in real quick because the last time I was there buying CDS I noticed a really cool Depeche Mode T-shirt on the wall for $10 which is a real good buy. ("AND JUST") Perfect for me. One of the truths of my book is how sneaky I am. In a nice way, of course. This T-shirt is perfect for sneaking into the screening tomorrow night.
( . . . )
Q: Not only did I get this Depeche Mode T-shirt — plus — I can't believe it — they had a baseball cap that has 'Testament' on it. I guess there's a rock group with that name. ("SO I") Can you imagine? I have a cap now with the same name as my book. How totally cool. Plus — oh my God! What was that? Shit! Mighael! What are Ya doin'? He just did something. I don't know what He did. It scares me. Okay. ("I'M I'M LOVE OU") What was I thinking of? Oh. I just went in to get the T-shirt and I ended up also buying Fleetwood Mac 25 Years The Chain, a four-CD set because it's brand new yet it was on sale. It usually costs $55 and it was on sale for $36 so how could I resist? I bet everyone in the world ("WILL") would want to go shopping with me. What a busy day I'm having. Plus, at the gym I ran into Doug, my ex-personal trainer so we had an interesting conversation. I updated him on everything and I told him ("YOU KNOW") he was Nostradamus and I just met Cleopatra and that my therapist was Richard III. ("AND HE") And I told him, "And I'm ("RE") Bel-Marduk, probably. And he said, "Well, who is Bel-Marduk?" And I explained, "The god (Amun-)Ra. And then we talked about the movie "Stargate." And I told him what I thought about the ending and he agreed. So I said, "You probably were there too." And he jokingly said, "I was a mosquito." And he started laughing. Well, maybe he shouldn't be laughing. (small laugh) By the way, just because Mighael does things sometimes when I'm taping — it just shows what a good sense of humor He has. And He doesn't do this all the time. It isn't like living with the Marx Brothers or anything. In fact, He's very loving. And I've finally gotten over seeing that movie. So I will definitely go home — ("N") channel love to Him so He'll stay in a good mood.
(TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: THE FOLLOWING TELEPHONE INTERVIEW IS WITH TWYLA. THERE WERE INTERMITTENT TECHNICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE LISTENING DEVICE DURING THE FIRST PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.)
Q: Okay, so now what happened?
T: Well, I don't even know how he got my number because it's unlisted. I forgot his last name but his first name was Skip. ("THIS") And I was, like, "Well, I don't know ("CAUSE") because you're doing it. And he said that it can be real . . . ("WHILE" "HE SICK") . . . dollars. "Yeah, I've heard that." (small laugh) ("RIGHT" "HEARD THAT")
Q: Well, my book's done. (laughs) I mean you know?
T: He said that, "I have other people that are wanting to do it too. He said that he had some other friends who wanted to do books too. ("NO") No — I don't know. ("WELL JUST")
Q: Do you know what you can do to get them off your back? Just say, "The book's already been done. In fact, ("LIKE") you might even look — ("AT THE" "MESSAGE FROM")
T: That's what I told him.
Q: The Messages From Michael series too so ("YOU KNOW") just tell him to make up something.
T: I told him that you were already doing one and are almost through. He didn't seem to care. He said ("II") his would be better.
Q: Well, ("WHAT") you don't remember his last name?
T: No. ("IT'S PROB")
Q: So it's not somebody who's published or anything.
T: I don't know. He didn't say. I could tell he was from California. He just had that accent. He kind of talks like you. You all seem to talk so fast.
Q: Right.
T: You know. Blahblahblah. ("MANAGER") We talk so slow. He said he was from Hollywood. ("OH")
Q: That's not a good sign. Because even the people from Hollywood don't say that they're from Hollywood because Hollywood is so run-down now. ("I MEAN") That's interesting. Oh, well. ("ANYWAY I HAVE ALL") I have the rights. ("YOU CAN'T") You can't even give them ("TIN" "BET") to them if you wanted to.
T: Uh-huh.
Q: My attorney's so good. But, anyway, you wouldn't want to, would you?
T: I don't know. ("I")
Q: I'm going to send you my book. All of it. Just for you to read. ("CAUSE YOU'LL") You'll really enjoy it. In fact, call me after you've read it. ("CAUSE I") I would like to interview you about your reaction to it.
T: Well, what if I don't like it?
Q: Be honest.
T: Okay.
Q: ("I MEAN") I can take it.
T: Yeah. ("I'M A")
Q: I'm a grown-up. ("I HOPE") (laughs) ("THINK" "I MEAN") We all . . . ("KNOW") . . . stay young and innocent in some ways.
T: Uh-huh.
Q: I don't know. I'm just crazy today because I've just been so busy. ("I MIGHT") I've done a lot more transcribing. I've got around twenty-one more tapes to transcribe.
T: Goodness.
Q: And it's already 1,500 single-spaced pages.
T: Yeah.
Q: So what was I going to mention to you? ("SOMETHING JUST ELSE" "SOMETHING JUST HAP" "WELL YOU KNOW") He's been throwing things at my car. ("I MEAN JUST")
T: Really?
Q: Just to let me know He's here. You know. ("AA" "HE") Doing a lot.
T: I know he does a lot here. I think there's more than one of him. ("OH")
Q: Well, no, ("OKAY") that's why I'm telling you to see "12 Monkeys." Because it'll — believe me —
T: I'll make Steve go take me to see it.
Q: Yeah, exactly.
T: He gets paid tomorrow. I'm going to tell him to go take me to see it. Surely, it's playing here.
Q: Yeah, I'm sure it is.
T: Somewhere.
Q: And, let's see, ("PAY") what else? ("BUT I" "I") And don't go to the dentist.
T: Why?
Q: Well, you haven't gone recently, have you?
T: I haven't gone since I was a little girl.
Q: Good. ("WELL SEE") It seems like everyone I tell not to go to the dentist tells me — the people He likes say they haven't gone and the people He doesn't like have gone.
T: Uh-huh. I wonder why. ("WHAT")
Q: Well, ("PEOPLE") a person who came up to me in a medical office ("YOU KNOW") where I was finally having a cyst removed or trying to have one removed. It didn't work out. This guy came up to me and told me that his friend caught HIV from a dentist.
T: Yeah. I've heard of that before.
Q: You have?
T: Yeah. ("NOT")
Q: Not the Florida case?
T: That girl — where she ended up dying? Remember?
Q: Yeah, but that hasn't been proven. ("IN FACT") Most people don't think that was the case. ("YOU JUST DON'T") You don't know. ("YOU JUST") Don't know.
T: No. He could've been messing with her while she was asleep. I mean you never know.
Q: Who?
T: The Florida case. ("OR") If that's the Florida case, where she got it from the dentist. And she was supposed to be a virgin. But you never know. ("RIGHT") She might have just wanted people to think she was a virgin.
Q: Right. You just don't know —
T: Yeah. ("NEE")
Q: — to judge. So, okay, thank you for calling me. ("I'M GOING TO") At some point I'll go ahead and send you the book once I can figure out how to package it — it's so long.
T: I bet.
Q: And wish me luck in sneaking into the screening and I'll try to get my nerve up — ("TO") talk to Sherry Lansing. And maybe I'll get a call back from Barry Diller, who was the other one Mighael wanted me to call.
T: Who is he?
Q: He used to work at Paramount but now he's at Savoy Pictures.
T: Okay. Well, good luck. ("OH NOW")
Q: And, also now, that section that you wanted me to edit? What was the main area that you didn't like? ("IT WAS SO")
T: It talked mostly about the sexual abuse.
Q: Your sexual abuse?
T: Yes.
Q: And was it — it's not so much the sexual abuse but it's the fact that you name names?
T: Yes. ("AND I DON'T") I just don't want that and my mom doesn't want that known. And I don't even know if she's seen it. Because it was Brenda who found it and marked the pages and told me about it. I don't think ("WELL") my mom's seen it. ("OH")
Q: Oh, I see. ("SO THIS") So whose decision is this based on — yours and Brenda's? ("HIS MM")
T: Just mine.
Q: Just yours?
T: It talked about him doing all of us girls.
Q: But you said he didn't go all the way.
T: No. ("BB") But I mean I still just don't want that in there.
Q: Oh, you don't? Okay, you don't.
T: No no no no.
Q: But you remember ("YOU" "YOU KNOW LIKE") there's eight of you too. So this is almost like a group has to vote.
T: Uh-huh. Well, Brenda wouldn't want it in there.
Q: Okay, that's two votes.
T: And I told Kim and she — ("WHY WHAT")
Q: She doesn't want it in there either?
T: No. ("NO" "WELL")
Q: Well, remember I just said, "Wait and we'll discuss it after you read the entire book."
T: Okay. I will. ("I HAVE A")
Q: I have more degrading and humiliating things than that in there about me.
T: I know but I just don't want that. There's nothing that's going to change my mind.
Q: Okay, I'm just saying —
T: I don't want that in there.
Q: I'm just saying read it all and then we'll have this conversation. It's so funny. At the beginning of this call I told you I was interviewing you and recording this call and you're telling me this. I mean ("IT'S JUST") it's ironic. I mean it's just funny.
T: I just don't want it in there. At all.
Q: You just don't understand. ("SEE") When you deal with people in Hollywood they know how to take advantage of you.
T: Yes.
Q: Because you're naive. I told you, "I'm taping the conversation." And you just went over all the information you want me to keep out of my book. (laughs)
T: Well, see, you can edit what ("NO I") you want. I know because you're the writer. ("NO I")
Q: Exactly. ("YOU DO WHAT" "YOU WANT") That's what I'm saying.
T: You don't want me ("IT'S AN INTERES") personally to come down and kick your butt. ("NO THAT'S FINE") You better think it out.
Q: No, I'm just saying it's a very difficult dilemma to be in.
T: Uh-huh. ("BECAUSE I WA" "I DON'T")
Q: I want you to be happy. And I also want Mighael to be happy. And I think Mighael wants it to be in the book because —
T: Michael — I don't care what he wants. ("NO BUT" "NO" "FIRE" "NO" "THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING")
Q: But I'm saying after reading the entire book maybe you'll reconsider.
T: No, I won't.
Q: I'm just saying maybe. ("MISSING" "DON'T") Don't think about it now. Just read the whole book and then we'll have the conversation.
T: Okay.
Q: Anything else new? Any ("BITCH") movies recently?
T: No.
Q: What was that one about the pig? The talking pig?
T: Oh yeah.
Q: "Babe"?
T: "Babe." Yeah.
Q: Did you see that?
T: No. Desireé saw it at school.
Q: Talking animals. That's sort of Mighael-ish.
T: Um-huh. ("YEAH")
Q: What do you think is going to win the Best Picture Academy Award this year? ("OH GOODNESS")
T: I wouldn't even begin to know that. I don't even watch enough movies.
Q: I think every year it's the movie that Mighael wants to win. And he just channels through people to make them vote for the one that He wants. ("THINK")
T: So? ("EXCEPT")
Q: Yeah. I ("TH") think so. ("IT'S — IT") Because it would explain a lot. ("DEN" "YOU KNOW") Like "Chariots of Fire." There's a lot of symbolism in that movie that people didn't get.
T: Uh-huh.
Q: A lot of stupid things too. Like the fact that he wouldn't run on a Sunday, which is the stupidest thing I'd ever heard in my life. Did you see that movie?
T: Uh-uh. ("SEVEN") If I did I don't remember. ("RIGHT" "YEAH BUT")
Q: The Sabbath day has outlived its usefulness in many ways. ("IT JUST") I heard that on the radio today. Someone was saying that. Anyway, okay, well, I'll talk to you later. ("BUT LOOK MY") My tape is running out at the very end. Can you hear the beeping?
T: No. ("NO")
Q: It's just on my end. Okay, well that's interesting to know because once I interviewed a woman and she could hear the beeping because she said, ("THAT") "That's your tape recorder" or something. I don't know if she heard it or not or just from what I was saying she knew it was beeping. It's very confusing when you have to be a New Age Jesus-type figure. Very hard. So ("ANYWAY") I'll eventually send you the book so you'll be getting it in the next week or so.
T: Okay. ("AND THEN")
Q: I'm sure you'll have a very good time because it gets better and better as it goes along.
(TRANSCRIBER'S: TAPE #52, SIDE #1 ENDS HERE. MANY MONTHS LATER, WHEN WE AGAIN DISCUSSED THE DISTRESSING DETAILS OF HER FAMILY'S LIFE FOUND IN THE TRANSCRIPTS, TWYLA ACCEPTED THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING HONEST IN OUR BOOK. IT IS OUR HOPE OTHERS WILL NOT EXPLOIT THIS OPENNESS BY FEELING SUPERIOR, MAKING SOME QUICK JUDGMENT OR REACHING A QUICK CONCLUSION ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR FAMILY MEMBER. [REMEMBER THE FILM "RASHOMON"?] INCEST IS AN ISSUE OF RELEVANCE TO A GREAT NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS. BY NOT OMITTING THESE PORTIONS OF THE TRANSCRIPT, WE HOPE TO CREATE GREATER AWARENESS ABOUT THIS DILEMMA. ONE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT INCEST IS AN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCE FOR ANY FAMILY. PARENTS SHOULD NEVER NEED TO FEAR ORDINARY AFFECTION BEING MISINTERPRETED OR EXPLOITED. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO COMMON SENSE? THIS TAPE SIDE WAS TRANSCRIBED ON NOVEMBER 8TH WHEN AN ARTICLE BY PAUL DEAN IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES APPEARED WITH THE HEADLINE "THE DEATH OF COMMON SENSE?" THE ARTICLE RELATED RECENT INCIDENTS LEADING THE TIMES STAFF WRITER TO ASK "ARE TODAY'S MINDS SO OPEN TO POLITICAL CORRECTNESS THAT OUR BRAINS HAVE FALLEN OUT?" ERICA TAYLOR, 13, BORROWED A MIDOL TABLET FROM A CLASSMATE AND WAS SUSPENDED FOR NINE DAYS WITH DRUG COUNSELING. RYAN HUDSON, 5, BROUGHT HIS MOTHER'S BEEPER TO SCHOOL AND WAS SUSPENDED FOR THREE DAYS. CHARLOTTE KIRK, 11, PACKED A STEAK KNIFE IN HER LUNCH PAIL FOR CUTTING HER CHICKEN AND WAS SUSPENDED FOR A WEEK AND PLACED ON TWO MONTHS' PROBATION. JOHNATHAN PREVETTE, 6, KISSED A CLASSMATE ON THE CHEEK AND WAS SUSPENDED FOR A DAY AND WRITTEN UP FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT. SYLVIA SPAYTON, 62, COMMITTED "AN ACT OF RANDOM KINDNESS" BY PLACING COINS INTO A PARKING METER TO SAVE ANOTHER MOTORIST FROM A TICKET AND WAS CHARGED WITH DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND OBSTRUCTING OFFICIAL BUSINESS, ARRAIGNED AND RELEASED ON $1,500 BAIL. IN THE ARTICLE, PSYCHOLOGIST BETTY ALICE ERICKSON COMMENTS, "I DON'T THINK PEOPLE HAVE THE COURAGE ANYMORE TO STAND UP AND SAY: 'THAT'S WRONG, THAT'S RIGHT, WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?' WE LACK COURAGE TO MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS BECAUSE THEN WE WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE. WE WANT SOMEBODY ELSE TO BE THE GROWN UP. IT HAS EVEN BECOME ACCEPTABLE . . . TO NOT BE ACCOUNTABLE . . . AND THAT TEACHES KIDS THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE.")
( . . . )
Q: (speaking into tape recorder in car) I'm on my way home from the gym and you'll never guess what happened. I was given ("NNN") some movie passes to see a Paramount movie. He was standing outside of Bally Total Fitness and I was wearing my Paramount sweatshirt so he wanted to make sure I wasn't in the business and I explained that I was unemployed at the moment. And he sort of hesitated to give me the passes when I told him I was a writer but I said, "I haven't sold any screenplays." And he said, "Would they recognize you?" And I said, "Well, who are they?" So I guess I wasn't being entirely honest but the point is — it says, "Dear Moviegoer, Thank you for accepting our invitation to a private screening of a new motion picture . . . This letter will admit you and one guest who is not involved in the entertainment industry or the media." Well, right now, I am not involved in the entertainment industry or the media. I mean Sherry Lansing won't even return my calls. So this is one way I can actually maybe bump into her if I'm lucky. ("YYY") Or if I'm fearless. Anyway, it sounds like fun. I'll invite Marie. ("I TOLD" "I") They asked me what she did. ("SO I") Instead of saying "extra," which really isn't 'in the business' if you know what I mean, I said waitress just to make double sure. As in cocktail waitress. I don't know. I guess I'll be a little uncomfortable sitting there. ("BUT") In a way it's true because I'm not now working in the industry. And, first of all, this whole testing business is completely absurd. If the success of "Seven" and "12 Monkeys" doesn't prove that, nothing will. I mean "the future is history" already. People go to see the movies that God wants them to see. There's no accounting for taste. And Sherry would know that by now if she read my book.
( . . . )
Q: Oh my God. I just heard Mighael laugh on a radio call-in show. Oh my God. That's definitely a new phenomenon. I haven't heard that before. It's FM 97.1. And right in front of me this man's car just died.
( . . . )
("I")
Q: Just heard a ticking sound coming over the radio.
(TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: I DECIDED TO RECORD SOME OF THE RADIO SHOW. WHILE TRANSCRIBING THIS TAPE ON NOVEMBER 8TH, I LISTENED TO THIS STATION AND DISCOVERED THIS RADIO PERSONALITY TO BE RIKI RACHTMAN.)
R: . . . Denise . . .
Q: Do it now, Mighael. ("I")
D: I — one of your callers who called earlier said, "If you don't get involved, you're basically a wimp." I think of it as if you don't get involved or don't try to help in some way whether you call the cops or you get involved deeply and help that person get out of it — basically, what happens if something really bad happens to that person? Like they come up dead or have the crap beat out of them? You're going to sit there and you're going to feel so guilty and say, "God, what could I have done to prevent this?"
R: Well, hopefully, you're going to feel guilty. I think guilt is what drives a lot of things. I think some people don't feel guilty. They're so used to seeing crime. They're so used to seeing people steel. And they think every once in a while, "Well, they're getting away with it. Maybe I can too." And it just keeps perpetuating like that.
D: It's just a vicious cycle.
R: Absolutely. We've got Richard in Shadow Hill. You're on Real Radio 97.1.
H: Yeah. I just wanted to tell you — a long time ago when I got out of high school — I turned twenty-one and we were going to these bars in North Hollywood and getting kind of drunk and rowdy and when we came out of there we got caught in a scuffle with a couple of guys and I was getting pumped pretty good. And I kept seeing this guy standing by the pay phone and he wouldn't do anything. And I kept looking over at him in-between dodging fists, kicks and what-not, so things started equaling out and they kind of faded out. The guys took off because someone yelled, "Cops." So I walked over by this guy near the phone. I was all pumped and pissed-off and beat-up. I see thing guy and he's, like, smug and shaking his shoulders so I walked up to him and I just flat out bashed him one right in the face.
R: (laughs) ("BECAUSE" )
H: He didn't do anything.
R: You just — there's like this poor witness and the witness is getting beat up so you say, "Well, the guys that did this are gone. I'm going to kick some ass myself." I think that's way — now let me ask you something else. Now let me ask you this. I think this is the way it happens. I've had my stereo stolen out of my car.
H: Um-huh.
R: And the police — oh, well, what could they do? I mean they aren't going to find the guys. I think a lot of the police, hopefully — I guess they try. I don't know. I've had relatives that were in the police force. ("AND IS IT") It's a tough job. But no one helped me. No one got my stereo back. No one found these guys. You know what the first thing I started thinking was, "Well, if they can get away with it, I'm going to go steal something too." And you've got to fight that feeling because —
H: Yeah. This is when you're a lot younger and a little bit more rowdy. But I'll never forget the guy because he was standing there and he didn't do anything. I'm kind of glancing over at him. He wouldn't help me so I got violent. I figured he might as well get a little too.
R: So you beat him up.
H: Well, not really beat him up. I just popped him one right in the nose.
R: But you did the right thing and reported yourself and turned yourself in.
H: And then I left.
R: Well, then, there you go. Victims and criminals both can call us here. Kim in Hollywood — you're on Real Radio 97.1.
K: Hi. We had a situation one time — my husband and I — where we were pulling into a parking lot and a drunk tow truck driver came barreling through. We had to slam on our breaks to avoid him hitting us. Not only to avoid him — then, he kept coming at us so we had to put it in reverse. And, of course, my husband was a little upset so he got out of the car. And the guy got out of the truck and they both started yelling at each other. And we realized the guy was really drunk and probably twice the age of my husband so my husband's like, "The guy's drunk and old. I'm not going to harm him." But the guy insisted on fighting with my husband and my husband said, "Hey, look, back off." I mean he went for kicking my husband in the groin.
R: Oh, I hate when they do that. ("THIS")
K: He kept jumping back, saying, "Look, dude, you're drunk. Go away. Don't consider this any further because I'll knock you on your butt and that'll be it for you." So I called the police because the guy would just not give up and my husband would not pop him one because he was afraid of hurting him. So the police came —
R: That's my excuse as well. I always say that.
K: Well, this guy was really drunk and he was probably sixty . . .
Q: There are a lot of interesting programs on the radio — for those of you who only watch TV.
( . . . )
Q: So I just did my shopping at Hughes Family Market, which is my favorite local supermarket. And, while I was in line at the check out counter Mighael dropped a $5 Shopper Against Hunger card. So I was able to contribute $5 against hunger. I mean I, myself, am very suspicious about those things so when Mighael did that I was a little surprised and, of course, I always do everything Mighael wants me to do that's legal. So I went ahead an contributed $5 "Because No One Should Go Hungry." I think that's a good idea for people to do when they see those at their supermarkets. Obviously, Mighael thinks it's a good idea and, obviously, the money is going to be well-spent. Or God help them. I mean can you imagine? So I think it's okay to do that under the circumstances. I'll read what it says on the back but I have to do it carefully because I'm driving and I don't want to have an accident.
Thanks for being a Shopper Against Hunger!Your $5 tax deductible gift countsin the fight against hunger.A $1 card purchased once a week can provide a 2-week supply of food for a family of six.A $2 card purchased once a week can provide a woman with shelter, food, and life skills training for six days to help her rebuild her life.A $5 card purchased once a week can help 60 families develop a two-acre community vegetable garden to supplement their diet with fresh and nutritious food.
Q: I feel so good all of a sudden. Mighael, you were so right. Thank you. What a wonderful thing you did for me. Now I feel like I've given back and I can go on and enjoy the day that much more. This card also says you can mail in your name, phone number and address with store name and location to get more information about FOOD FOR ALL®. The address for FOOD FOR ALL, Inc. is P.O. Box 1791, Redlands, CA 92373 or P.O. Box 543, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Now I'm going to go by Rockaway Records and just run in real quick because the last time I was there buying CDS I noticed a really cool Depeche Mode T-shirt on the wall for $10 which is a real good buy. ("AND JUST") Perfect for me. One of the truths of my book is how sneaky I am. In a nice way, of course. This T-shirt is perfect for sneaking into the screening tomorrow night.
( . . . )
Q: Not only did I get this Depeche Mode T-shirt — plus — I can't believe it — they had a baseball cap that has 'Testament' on it. I guess there's a rock group with that name. ("SO I") Can you imagine? I have a cap now with the same name as my book. How totally cool. Plus — oh my God! What was that? Shit! Mighael! What are Ya doin'? He just did something. I don't know what He did. It scares me. Okay. ("I'M I'M LOVE OU") What was I thinking of? Oh. I just went in to get the T-shirt and I ended up also buying Fleetwood Mac 25 Years The Chain, a four-CD set because it's brand new yet it was on sale. It usually costs $55 and it was on sale for $36 so how could I resist? I bet everyone in the world ("WILL") would want to go shopping with me. What a busy day I'm having. Plus, at the gym I ran into Doug, my ex-personal trainer so we had an interesting conversation. I updated him on everything and I told him ("YOU KNOW") he was Nostradamus and I just met Cleopatra and that my therapist was Richard III. ("AND HE") And I told him, "And I'm ("RE") Bel-Marduk, probably. And he said, "Well, who is Bel-Marduk?" And I explained, "The god (Amun-)Ra. And then we talked about the movie "Stargate." And I told him what I thought about the ending and he agreed. So I said, "You probably were there too." And he jokingly said, "I was a mosquito." And he started laughing. Well, maybe he shouldn't be laughing. (small laugh) By the way, just because Mighael does things sometimes when I'm taping — it just shows what a good sense of humor He has. And He doesn't do this all the time. It isn't like living with the Marx Brothers or anything. In fact, He's very loving. And I've finally gotten over seeing that movie. So I will definitely go home — ("N") channel love to Him so He'll stay in a good mood.
(TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: THE FOLLOWING TELEPHONE INTERVIEW IS WITH TWYLA. THERE WERE INTERMITTENT TECHNICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE LISTENING DEVICE DURING THE FIRST PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.)
Q: Okay, so now what happened?
T: Well, I don't even know how he got my number because it's unlisted. I forgot his last name but his first name was Skip. ("THIS") And I was, like, "Well, I don't know ("CAUSE") because you're doing it. And he said that it can be real . . . ("WHILE" "HE SICK") . . . dollars. "Yeah, I've heard that." (small laugh) ("RIGHT" "HEARD THAT")
Q: Well, my book's done. (laughs) I mean you know?
T: He said that, "I have other people that are wanting to do it too. He said that he had some other friends who wanted to do books too. ("NO") No — I don't know. ("WELL JUST")
Q: Do you know what you can do to get them off your back? Just say, "The book's already been done. In fact, ("LIKE") you might even look — ("AT THE" "MESSAGE FROM")
T: That's what I told him.
Q: The Messages From Michael series too so ("YOU KNOW") just tell him to make up something.
T: I told him that you were already doing one and are almost through. He didn't seem to care. He said ("II") his would be better.
Q: Well, ("WHAT") you don't remember his last name?
T: No. ("IT'S PROB")
Q: So it's not somebody who's published or anything.
T: I don't know. He didn't say. I could tell he was from California. He just had that accent. He kind of talks like you. You all seem to talk so fast.
Q: Right.
T: You know. Blahblahblah. ("MANAGER") We talk so slow. He said he was from Hollywood. ("OH")
Q: That's not a good sign. Because even the people from Hollywood don't say that they're from Hollywood because Hollywood is so run-down now. ("I MEAN") That's interesting. Oh, well. ("ANYWAY I HAVE ALL") I have the rights. ("YOU CAN'T") You can't even give them ("TIN" "BET") to them if you wanted to.
T: Uh-huh.
Q: My attorney's so good. But, anyway, you wouldn't want to, would you?
T: I don't know. ("I")
Q: I'm going to send you my book. All of it. Just for you to read. ("CAUSE YOU'LL") You'll really enjoy it. In fact, call me after you've read it. ("CAUSE I") I would like to interview you about your reaction to it.
T: Well, what if I don't like it?
Q: Be honest.
T: Okay.
Q: ("I MEAN") I can take it.
T: Yeah. ("I'M A")
Q: I'm a grown-up. ("I HOPE") (laughs) ("THINK" "I MEAN") We all . . . ("KNOW") . . . stay young and innocent in some ways.
T: Uh-huh.
Q: I don't know. I'm just crazy today because I've just been so busy. ("I MIGHT") I've done a lot more transcribing. I've got around twenty-one more tapes to transcribe.
T: Goodness.
Q: And it's already 1,500 single-spaced pages.
T: Yeah.
Q: So what was I going to mention to you? ("SOMETHING JUST ELSE" "SOMETHING JUST HAP" "WELL YOU KNOW") He's been throwing things at my car. ("I MEAN JUST")
T: Really?
Q: Just to let me know He's here. You know. ("AA" "HE") Doing a lot.
T: I know he does a lot here. I think there's more than one of him. ("OH")
Q: Well, no, ("OKAY") that's why I'm telling you to see "12 Monkeys." Because it'll — believe me —
T: I'll make Steve go take me to see it.
Q: Yeah, exactly.
T: He gets paid tomorrow. I'm going to tell him to go take me to see it. Surely, it's playing here.
Q: Yeah, I'm sure it is.
T: Somewhere.
Q: And, let's see, ("PAY") what else? ("BUT I" "I") And don't go to the dentist.
T: Why?
Q: Well, you haven't gone recently, have you?
T: I haven't gone since I was a little girl.
Q: Good. ("WELL SEE") It seems like everyone I tell not to go to the dentist tells me — the people He likes say they haven't gone and the people He doesn't like have gone.
T: Uh-huh. I wonder why. ("WHAT")
Q: Well, ("PEOPLE") a person who came up to me in a medical office ("YOU KNOW") where I was finally having a cyst removed or trying to have one removed. It didn't work out. This guy came up to me and told me that his friend caught HIV from a dentist.
T: Yeah. I've heard of that before.
Q: You have?
T: Yeah. ("NOT")
Q: Not the Florida case?
T: That girl — where she ended up dying? Remember?
Q: Yeah, but that hasn't been proven. ("IN FACT") Most people don't think that was the case. ("YOU JUST DON'T") You don't know. ("YOU JUST") Don't know.
T: No. He could've been messing with her while she was asleep. I mean you never know.
Q: Who?
T: The Florida case. ("OR") If that's the Florida case, where she got it from the dentist. And she was supposed to be a virgin. But you never know. ("RIGHT") She might have just wanted people to think she was a virgin.
Q: Right. You just don't know —
T: Yeah. ("NEE")
Q: — to judge. So, okay, thank you for calling me. ("I'M GOING TO") At some point I'll go ahead and send you the book once I can figure out how to package it — it's so long.
T: I bet.
Q: And wish me luck in sneaking into the screening and I'll try to get my nerve up — ("TO") talk to Sherry Lansing. And maybe I'll get a call back from Barry Diller, who was the other one Mighael wanted me to call.
T: Who is he?
Q: He used to work at Paramount but now he's at Savoy Pictures.
T: Okay. Well, good luck. ("OH NOW")
Q: And, also now, that section that you wanted me to edit? What was the main area that you didn't like? ("IT WAS SO")
T: It talked mostly about the sexual abuse.
Q: Your sexual abuse?
T: Yes.
Q: And was it — it's not so much the sexual abuse but it's the fact that you name names?
T: Yes. ("AND I DON'T") I just don't want that and my mom doesn't want that known. And I don't even know if she's seen it. Because it was Brenda who found it and marked the pages and told me about it. I don't think ("WELL") my mom's seen it. ("OH")
Q: Oh, I see. ("SO THIS") So whose decision is this based on — yours and Brenda's? ("HIS MM")
T: Just mine.
Q: Just yours?
T: It talked about him doing all of us girls.
Q: But you said he didn't go all the way.
T: No. ("BB") But I mean I still just don't want that in there.
Q: Oh, you don't? Okay, you don't.
T: No no no no.
Q: But you remember ("YOU" "YOU KNOW LIKE") there's eight of you too. So this is almost like a group has to vote.
T: Uh-huh. Well, Brenda wouldn't want it in there.
Q: Okay, that's two votes.
T: And I told Kim and she — ("WHY WHAT")
Q: She doesn't want it in there either?
T: No. ("NO" "WELL")
Q: Well, remember I just said, "Wait and we'll discuss it after you read the entire book."
T: Okay. I will. ("I HAVE A")
Q: I have more degrading and humiliating things than that in there about me.
T: I know but I just don't want that. There's nothing that's going to change my mind.
Q: Okay, I'm just saying —
T: I don't want that in there.
Q: I'm just saying read it all and then we'll have this conversation. It's so funny. At the beginning of this call I told you I was interviewing you and recording this call and you're telling me this. I mean ("IT'S JUST") it's ironic. I mean it's just funny.
T: I just don't want it in there. At all.
Q: You just don't understand. ("SEE") When you deal with people in Hollywood they know how to take advantage of you.
T: Yes.
Q: Because you're naive. I told you, "I'm taping the conversation." And you just went over all the information you want me to keep out of my book. (laughs)
T: Well, see, you can edit what ("NO I") you want. I know because you're the writer. ("NO I")
Q: Exactly. ("YOU DO WHAT" "YOU WANT") That's what I'm saying.
T: You don't want me ("IT'S AN INTERES") personally to come down and kick your butt. ("NO THAT'S FINE") You better think it out.
Q: No, I'm just saying it's a very difficult dilemma to be in.
T: Uh-huh. ("BECAUSE I WA" "I DON'T")
Q: I want you to be happy. And I also want Mighael to be happy. And I think Mighael wants it to be in the book because —
T: Michael — I don't care what he wants. ("NO BUT" "NO" "FIRE" "NO" "THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING")
Q: But I'm saying after reading the entire book maybe you'll reconsider.
T: No, I won't.
Q: I'm just saying maybe. ("MISSING" "DON'T") Don't think about it now. Just read the whole book and then we'll have the conversation.
T: Okay.
Q: Anything else new? Any ("BITCH") movies recently?
T: No.
Q: What was that one about the pig? The talking pig?
T: Oh yeah.
Q: "Babe"?
T: "Babe." Yeah.
Q: Did you see that?
T: No. Desireé saw it at school.
Q: Talking animals. That's sort of Mighael-ish.
T: Um-huh. ("YEAH")
Q: What do you think is going to win the Best Picture Academy Award this year? ("OH GOODNESS")
T: I wouldn't even begin to know that. I don't even watch enough movies.
Q: I think every year it's the movie that Mighael wants to win. And he just channels through people to make them vote for the one that He wants. ("THINK")
T: So? ("EXCEPT")
Q: Yeah. I ("TH") think so. ("IT'S — IT") Because it would explain a lot. ("DEN" "YOU KNOW") Like "Chariots of Fire." There's a lot of symbolism in that movie that people didn't get.
T: Uh-huh.
Q: A lot of stupid things too. Like the fact that he wouldn't run on a Sunday, which is the stupidest thing I'd ever heard in my life. Did you see that movie?
T: Uh-uh. ("SEVEN") If I did I don't remember. ("RIGHT" "YEAH BUT")
Q: The Sabbath day has outlived its usefulness in many ways. ("IT JUST") I heard that on the radio today. Someone was saying that. Anyway, okay, well, I'll talk to you later. ("BUT LOOK MY") My tape is running out at the very end. Can you hear the beeping?
T: No. ("NO")
Q: It's just on my end. Okay, well that's interesting to know because once I interviewed a woman and she could hear the beeping because she said, ("THAT") "That's your tape recorder" or something. I don't know if she heard it or not or just from what I was saying she knew it was beeping. It's very confusing when you have to be a New Age Jesus-type figure. Very hard. So ("ANYWAY") I'll eventually send you the book so you'll be getting it in the next week or so.
T: Okay. ("AND THEN")
Q: I'm sure you'll have a very good time because it gets better and better as it goes along.
(TRANSCRIBER'S: TAPE #52, SIDE #1 ENDS HERE. MANY MONTHS LATER, WHEN WE AGAIN DISCUSSED THE DISTRESSING DETAILS OF HER FAMILY'S LIFE FOUND IN THE TRANSCRIPTS, TWYLA ACCEPTED THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING HONEST IN OUR BOOK. IT IS OUR HOPE OTHERS WILL NOT EXPLOIT THIS OPENNESS BY FEELING SUPERIOR, MAKING SOME QUICK JUDGMENT OR REACHING A QUICK CONCLUSION ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR FAMILY MEMBER. [REMEMBER THE FILM "RASHOMON"?] INCEST IS AN ISSUE OF RELEVANCE TO A GREAT NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS. BY NOT OMITTING THESE PORTIONS OF THE TRANSCRIPT, WE HOPE TO CREATE GREATER AWARENESS ABOUT THIS DILEMMA. ONE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT INCEST IS AN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCE FOR ANY FAMILY. PARENTS SHOULD NEVER NEED TO FEAR ORDINARY AFFECTION BEING MISINTERPRETED OR EXPLOITED. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO COMMON SENSE? THIS TAPE SIDE WAS TRANSCRIBED ON NOVEMBER 8TH WHEN AN ARTICLE BY PAUL DEAN IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES APPEARED WITH THE HEADLINE "THE DEATH OF COMMON SENSE?" THE ARTICLE RELATED RECENT INCIDENTS LEADING THE TIMES STAFF WRITER TO ASK "ARE TODAY'S MINDS SO OPEN TO POLITICAL CORRECTNESS THAT OUR BRAINS HAVE FALLEN OUT?" ERICA TAYLOR, 13, BORROWED A MIDOL TABLET FROM A CLASSMATE AND WAS SUSPENDED FOR NINE DAYS WITH DRUG COUNSELING. RYAN HUDSON, 5, BROUGHT HIS MOTHER'S BEEPER TO SCHOOL AND WAS SUSPENDED FOR THREE DAYS. CHARLOTTE KIRK, 11, PACKED A STEAK KNIFE IN HER LUNCH PAIL FOR CUTTING HER CHICKEN AND WAS SUSPENDED FOR A WEEK AND PLACED ON TWO MONTHS' PROBATION. JOHNATHAN PREVETTE, 6, KISSED A CLASSMATE ON THE CHEEK AND WAS SUSPENDED FOR A DAY AND WRITTEN UP FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT. SYLVIA SPAYTON, 62, COMMITTED "AN ACT OF RANDOM KINDNESS" BY PLACING COINS INTO A PARKING METER TO SAVE ANOTHER MOTORIST FROM A TICKET AND WAS CHARGED WITH DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND OBSTRUCTING OFFICIAL BUSINESS, ARRAIGNED AND RELEASED ON $1,500 BAIL. IN THE ARTICLE, PSYCHOLOGIST BETTY ALICE ERICKSON COMMENTS, "I DON'T THINK PEOPLE HAVE THE COURAGE ANYMORE TO STAND UP AND SAY: 'THAT'S WRONG, THAT'S RIGHT, WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?' WE LACK COURAGE TO MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS BECAUSE THEN WE WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE. WE WANT SOMEBODY ELSE TO BE THE GROWN UP. IT HAS EVEN BECOME ACCEPTABLE . . . TO NOT BE ACCOUNTABLE . . . AND THAT TEACHES KIDS THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE.")
