Roger & Me Page #4

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Miss Michigan, could we talk to you

for one second?

Your face looks familiar. Was this

when you caught me on the road?

Yes, back in the parade. How does it feel

driving through Flint, Michigan, today...

and so many people being laid off,

so many plants being shut down?

- How does it feel? feel like a supporter.

- Of?

- Does it matter of what?

- A supporter of General Motors?

Of just being here for the people.

Is it the parade?

When you pass stores that are boarded-up

and people that are laid off...

how does that make you feel

on a personal level?

A little sad.

Of course, I'm for employment...

and working in Michigan.

And, hopefully, it's just temporarily.

So, I just keep my fingers crossed

that they'll be back working soon.

I'm trying to stay neutral. I'm going to

Miss America in two weeks, and I don't...

- t's a great day for a parade, isn't it?

- t's beautiful. I can't believe the crowd.

It's the largest parade I've been in...

and I've been in over 20 since June.

It's wonderful. I love coming back to Flint.

It's my third trip here, and I love it.

Any message to the people of Flint?

Keep your fingers crossed for me

as I go for the gold in two weeks...

and hopefully bring back a crown

for Flint and the Michigan state.

Two weeks later, she got her wish.

Our new Miss America...

Kaye Lani Rae Rafko, Miss Michigan!

This is probably Number 15

I've been here and evicted someone.

- From this house?

- Yes.

Daryl? Sheriff's department.

Get your clothes on.

We're here to put you out.

- Here to do what?

- Evict you from the house. Right now.

People stay up all night and sleep all day.

Deputy Fred seemed

especially busy these days.

After doing 24 evictions in one day...

he arrived to evict a woman

who was a month behind in her rent.

She quickly got the landlord on the phone.

After telling him that

a film crew had arrived with the sheriff...

the landlord told Fred

not to evict the woman and her children.

It had leaked so much,

this whole area was bulging down.

My oldest son... I moved his bed,

I was scared the ceiling would fall.

But nobody was there at the time it fell.

It needed to be painted outside.

The aluminum siding outside, I put on.

I paid for it and had it put on.

See my new siding? t does look better.

You put that on since last time I was here.

You've spent a lot of money.

It looked like

the raggediest house on the block.

These houses look nice

and I was embarrassed about it.

The deal was pretty good,

so I worked with it.

- What will happen to this woman?

- End up putting her out...

unless her new husband

comes up with the money.

I can't imagine somebody getting married

to someone as poor as you.

It gets kind of rough.

Put two poor people in the same house...

I always tell women, "You can be poor

by yourself, you don't need help."

And she just got some help being poor.

Three days later,

Fred put the woman and her kids out.

- Hi, can I help you?

- We're looking for Roger Smith.

We're wondering if he's here.

I have no idea if he's here or not,

but you'll have to leave the club.

- Why's that?

- t's a private club.

- Has he been here today?

- To my knowledge, he has not.

- Does he come here often?

- really don't know.

- s he a member here?

- He is a member.

But you don't know if he's been here?

We don't keep track of our membership.

You'll have to leave the club, sir.

- t is a private building.

- You'd know if he...

- Sir, we'll have to ask you to leave.

- just want to find out...

Sorry, you'll have to leave the club.

Call General Motors. Check with them.

We have called GM. We can't get in there.

If you can't get in there, you can't

get in here. Would you mind leaving?

- We could just wait.

- No, you can't.

They say you must leave the building, sir.

You have to step outside.

We'll come back.

I'll be right here.

They told me to take you outside.

You may wait outside. If he comes in,

you can interview him outside.

You may not interview him in here.

You don't remember the last time

he was here?

- That means nothing.

- When the chairman of GM is in here?

That doesn't impress me.

It doesn't impress you?

The chairman of GM?

The chairman of General Motors is just

another member of our organization.

He's an important individual, but no more

important than any other member.

I wasn't having much success

bringing Roger to Flint.

The mayor, though, was having better luck

with an even higher authority.

He paid TV evangelist

Robert Schuller $20,000...

to come to Flint and rid the city

of its unemployment plague.

Tough times don't last,

but tough people do.

Thousands filled the city's hockey arena

to hear his message of hope.

Pull your way out of poverty!

You won't pull your way

from poverty to prosperity...

until you realize you have to be

humble enough to say, "I need help."

By then what happens is

you can turn your hurt into a halo.

The sorrow becomes a servant.

Just because you've got problems...

is no excuse to be unhappy.

Maybe Reverend Schuller was right.

Things could be worse,

and there was much to be thankful for...

like the Star Theatre of Flint...

funded with GM money

to provide entertainment and escape...

during Flint's hard times.

Buick City, this is called.

Rednecks, hardhat automotive workers.

We bring Broadway

and the theater to them...

in this beautiful edifice.

But that takes money, time, effort, energy.

Bobby Vinton opened our season.

It was 90 percent sold out. It was a big hit.

He has charisma. Came into the audience,

spent about 15 minutes with them...

fussing with the ladies, kissing,

and they loved him.

He got standing ovations every night.

Peggy Lee came.

She wasn't the greatest hit.

But she had her cult

from surrounding areas.

Her cult love her.

Those who came absolutely loved her.

Standing ovations, bravos, cheers...

They were crazy about her.

Last year, Mitzi Gaynor came here

with her show.

She brings 10 wonderful

boy dancers with her.

She makes 16 changes. The boys make 14.

When they're on, she's off.

She's on, they're off, changing costumes.

One production number after another.

You'd be surprised. Some of those

hard-hat factory workers say, "Hey!"

They present their badge or identification,

so they can come at a half-price ticket...

to keep them coming

when they're having hard times.

Long before she sold orange juice...

Anita Bryant sold spark plugs

for General Motors' AC division.

She used to perform for General Motors

when I was a child.

I remember her carrying around

a giant spark plug...

and singing You'll Never Walk Alone.

Now she was back in Flint,

offering advice to the unemployed.

Opportunities are still in Flint, Michigan.

They're still in America.

Hang in there. Take a day at a time.

Go forward and be positive about life.

Don't feel regretful or guilty

about the past, or worry about the future.

You have today. Today's a new day.

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