Born Political - Celebrating the SEC-TV Groton Studio Art Show and Open House

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good evening everybody this is not born

political tonight I'm here hosting uh

the SEC TV open house we did this last

year uh and basically if you're

listening this is live right now it's

Thursday night uh there's actually an

open house we have artists displaying

their work on the walls uh we have a lot

of local folks we have some folks that

have other shows that are going to stop

in last year what we did was if folks

walked in and and they wanted to be

interviewed and walked on up I would do

the interviewing I'm sure we're going to

have both Franks on here maybe just one

of the two Franks I'm not sure last year

I think we we cert was certainly getting

one of the Franks uh but this is about

SEC TV and what they do uh it's a

community it's kind of a spotlight on uh

one of the last services that people

don't understand that they can have

access to if you're if you get to watch

porn political for example we have

almost I think 50 episodes now and it's

a lot of local folks that we meet and

talk to uh and we're able to get a pulse

of the community and there's not many

venues that are set up like that and if

you ever get a chance to be on either my

show or one of the other great hosts

that we have here you'll see the studio

right now you're only seeing me uh and

to sit down and see what's gone into

this place in in the technology that

they have uh you know people have asked

on my show God you do a great job is

that in your basement I can tell you if

you see this studio you understand why

the show comes out so good uh and then

we have the technicians that do all this

great work it's it's because of what

they do we have some food here so like I

said if you guys are close uh we're

right we're located next to the former

Benny's and near the the post office

right in Groton uh I'm going from 5 30

to 6 30. I think they're going to be

here until seven uh but you'll also get

to see a lot of the local artists in

artwork we have a band here tonight I

don't know if one of those guys want to

come up I'm I'm interviewing anybody and

anybody if you guys want to come by uh

so so the the band uh small one do you

want to come over

come on over we got we got we have

now this is a two-piece band we have

Small Wonder and how you doing what's

what's the name of the band who are you

guys

were the self uh Bernie santor and uh

Tom Sena we've been doing this event for

several years now they keep asking us

back I'm not sure why but uh thanks

again for having us uh and uh we enjoy

doing it it's a nice little event and

it's nice to see people come out and

enjoy the artwork and have a good time

well I can tell you personally why they

invite you back I was here last year

yeah and and the music's great uh and

it's actually perfect for this event but

um my wife knows uh Dr Senna too and she

she wants to come down and see and say

hi but yeah and and hopefully if you

want to hear some good music I left that

out there is great food and there's a

lot of great artwork that that I think

most people understand that that that's

part of tonight but the music how long

you been doing this uh well myself we've

been we've been together probably what

10 years now 10 12 years doing this off

and on but I've been playing music my

whole life so and which what instrument

are you playing over there and Tom plays

guitar and piano and sings as well so

well I'm the character I'm a karaoke

singer yeah I can be I can be drowned

out by a good deal oh no you don't

probably want me if you want to be

invited back again

if that's your intention not to be

invited back get me up there singing for

you great well all right thanks thanks

for having me yeah thank you thanks for

coming up all right like I said there's

there's folks now uh they're off camera

so you can't see them uh I don't see the

red carpet's not out this year I don't

think we had one last year either uh but

you're not going to see a red carpet

here you see this is public television

uh at its best uh although studio is in

beautiful shape and if you haven't seen

it I really encourage you to come down

here uh this past year in a half now

that I started my show born political uh

if you've gotten a chance to watch any

of the shows uh there's some great

community members and a lot of great

things that happen and we're able to to

produce and put out a good program

because of what SEC TV does here they're

funded through the cable program uh and

as more people cut their cable uh

obviously we're trying to find new

revenue streams and work through

legislation to make sure that that this

service uh remains in intact uh and if

you've got to see my program there's a

lot of shows I think of some of the

amazing things just last week uh we had

Mike Martin on uh he's writing of a

cancer

and so it's a I forget the name of the

what it is uh but it's it's a charity

and it's raising money for cancer it

shows just how he got involved just by

Googling something that he saw on a wall

somewhere uh and I think you know I had

other people reach out to me asking me

how they could get involved with with

that just in the last week uh so so we

we're kind of like a little a little

ripple effect you know something happens

here good uh and people will ask me and

I was noticed that's what I wanted to

tell Jeremy I don't think Jeremy's on

the other side of the camera right now

I'll bring him up too he was on last

year he's uh Tammy's a pseudo producer

of the show because her name's up there

every week but my wife doesn't seem to

make it a lot uh but Jeremy I don't know

you want to step up here for a second

Jeremy

this is my guy right here

now I don't know if you got you probably

don't remember last year's show but

Jeremy uh local guy that I kind of roped

in as a volunteer and now he's a board

member of community speaks out uh he's

here what do you think of the studio

Jeremy I know you you're a big Tech guy

so you get to see the behind the scenes

and you actually know what you're

looking at I just kind of walked by it

and and think that's cool but what's it

do no I think uh I think the studio is

set up really well

um it gives you uh every opportunity to

to make any kind of TV show that you

want to be able to do here

um great audio great video quality

um initially when we first started your

show Frank brought us in and had you

know a small training so that way we

could learn how to basically get the

show up and running without them having

to help us out so there's a lot of

training that they do

um but yeah there's lighting the I mean

you can see they've got the nice

patterns on the on the back uh

like and great audio video quality like

it's just great it's a great service and

then just being part of the show and see

you you've got to be I think you're even

a guest on the show

um sometimes that happens on local shows

where and it's good to have that I mean

most people know that you're a Navy

veteran we found out all those things

about you that people around that know

you you know from maybe a local

restaurant or whatever they got now they

see you like oh I know that guy

um what do you think do you I see the

importance of it what do you think is

important to to see the local community

people having access to a show and

basically being able to get whatever

they're doing whether it's a community

event or whatever they do they get to

put it out there in a way that's

actually in a quality way and not me

doing my Facebook lives but yeah what do

you what do you think that look this

opportunity is for people I I think

having this kind of opportunity you know

allows a lot of people to be able to

take something that they have a passion

for or they really want to share and

make a good quality produced show

um locally and and share it with anybody

else who might have that interest or

have uh you know just an interest to see

what's going on in their Community

um you know you joked about your uh your

Facebook live but you know we met

basically through your smile live

Facebook show that you were doing and

you know the quality wasn't there but

you were putting out quality information

um so being able to have this kind of

access to a studio that um has great

cameras great audio it has great

production ability you're able to put

out quality information at a quality

production it's not just you know a

quick Facebook stream where it's cutting

out you know you may have poor audio or

you may not have any audio your video

might go down

um you know like your your Facebook live

that was the big problem is your audio

would cut out or your video would start

chopping out and you don't have that you

don't have that issue here you have

great songs somebody listens to a

message as Jack jumbled up they they

when you're doing videos I really wanted

to watch it and I was interested but it

was chopped up and and because of the

studio because of what what you guys do

here behind it yeah I mean you as a

volunteer behind the scenes especially

for our show we're able to put out

things that at the end if you're if you

plan on doing a show here or you wanted

to get a message across there's a link

that you get at the end and I take a

link and I email the link Jeremy's on

the email chain but I email it to other

people so they can share it but Jeremy

you take that link so so it's not just

the fact that you're producing a show

here and people get to see it live and

then be repeated during the course of

the year and on every Thursday night

it's what you can do with the with the

link afterwards so you know if you're

looking to build that studio or if you

if you're looking to get a show started

or or you want to become part of this

um I suggest that you know don't just

rely on just just getting the show here

and getting a tape because now now I

give you get the link and what do you do

with it from there yeah so with the the

Bourne political show you know we get

the uh the link to the show

um I'll upload it to uh YouTube for you

um I also put it on uh uh Apple podcasts

Spotify podcasts Google podcasts

um so you're able to take that quality

show and and not only have it on you

know your your local cable show but then

you're able to spread that message

worldwide if you wanted to in a good

production method it's not just like a

little home studio with a webcam or

something you know you're getting uh

production level you know TV channel

production quality audio video and

everything so when you do put that onto

podcasts or or upload it to YouTube

you're getting a good quality video

audio and and you're putting out a good

product

um something that you'd be proud of and

and I am very proud and that's why I

think I think it's really important for

people to understand that it doesn't

just stop here you know that you can

push it out now I have relatives in the

Philippines so these shows are watched I

mean on the exact opposite side of the

world uh and I think they've been very

impressed with the quality because they

you know I get a little bit of feedback

from my my cousins over there and and

but it's it's good uh that they get to

it's almost you want to say like a

channel eight type of thing where the

quality and the sound is that good

um that's where I get my most of my

compliments I and I walked into I'm

gonna You're gonna laugh I say I never

nobody ever noticed me from the show and

I was at Pfizer the other day and walked

up and the guy introduced me and the guy

says I know you and I coach baseball and

I was your State Rep and you know I've

been here and there in local and I I'm

expecting to be seen in in known from

that and he says you have a show called

Born political

and I watch it and he said I don't watch

much TV anymore and I'm talking to you I

forgot what your name was but we're in

the hallway and you said that that's how

you watch the show and I was really

happy to get some good content local

content uh he's kind of kind of ixneeded

the whole cable thing

um but he want but he he does enjoy it

and I think most of it is because you

learn about local community people and

and what's happening right under our

noses that most of us don't ever see so

um I love you having you on the chair

with me and I appreciate it and there's

gonna be other people who will tap

people on the shoulder they want to come

over I'm going to explain the jacket

here I think last year I came and I

realized I was a little bit underdressed

um and I you know I didn't want to be

overdressed but I think this is perfect

this is actually from the gala we have

uh Community speaks out we did a Gala a

year and a half ago it was a year ago

right in July maybe a year I forget how

long I'll get yelled at because I have

all my dates wrong but it was in the

summer and I bought this because

purple's all color uh and I've wore a

few other times you may have seen me out

maybe you may have seen me at the casino

two weeks ago with it that's possible

too but when you have a jacket that

feels right you just put it on you wear

it so there's not much of a story about

that jacket but I think it looks good

like what do you think Jeremy I think

we're looking pretty good uh yeah so if

anybody's out there that wants to come

on up

we'll tap people on the shoulder I'm

going to keep talking because I I'm very

excited about the studio and I hope you

guys are too

I hope you understand everything that

goes into it uh and you clean you

couldn't find out what goes into it

unless you come on down here uh so

that's and you have the opportunity

right now to come on down like my friend

Liz just walked in there's a lot of

people come here Liz

we're gonna we're gonna call people up

as I point them out but is that Paul

come on Paul yeah we're doing on live

the show come on up Liz I

I'm gonna put her on the spot I I got a

lot of people I put on the spot this is

one of them this is this is my really

dear friend and political

the one a tape me

say you look wonderful oh yeah if you

didn't say I look wonderful the

interview was over before you got here

you know that right

that's great just interviewed Jeremy and

uh there's a lot of people here again

and again every year you want to get the

same message out but SEC TV is really

important and you know right absolutely

no it is it's it and what once again I'm

going to say I said this at Christmas

time too the important part is it's not

just on TV because TV nowadays isn't the

same as it used to be you know and it

used to be you'd just go to the channel

and you'd see whatever and you but now

we're streaming everything almost and

almost everything and this means you can

see all the great local information the

local people on YouTube because you

could see SEC TV is on YouTube so your

show's on it your show's great we learn

so much more about who's in our

neighborhood who's in our town in our

city and what what here what people are

doing it's really important you do you

do a good job well thank you and I I

told Jeremy right before you got in that

I was noticed as a born political host

the other day at Pfizer by someone

that's I know who you are you do that

show born political and I think it was

it was he's going to be my next guest he

has to be I mean yeah that that guy I'm

waiting for someone to ask me for my

order

but that happens every day when I eat

lunch

I signed my Visa bill

well thanks for stopping by tap anyone

on the shoulder if they want to come up

Tammy is not here we have our grandson

so you guys know I'm a Lolo

and and he's it is my so yeah I don't

yeah I'm everyone says don't get a

personalized license plate but I did I

couldn't help it it's my favorite word

in the world in the world is Lolo right

now I am a Granddad so you guys know

that because I talk about that on the

show but oh yeah if we want to tap

anybody on the show if Paul wants to

come up we'll talk about Groton a little

yes and Ivana

thank you

bye

all right guys like I said I'm gonna be

on from 5 30 to 6 30. if you're watching

and you're an earshot and you hear this

Live come on down

we have music over here you wanna you

wanna get the band check out this band

listen

oh yeah look at that this is part of the

studio uh

the bit I think the band's called Small

Wonder I think that's what they said

Small Wonder uh they've been doing this

for 10 years uh great relaxing music

good band uh Tom Sena I I know him my

wife knows him we're gonna get uh we'll

get it back on me

the band looks

sounds great

um we're starting to fill up here too so

and we have a little bit of a little bit

of wine a little Libations there's food

so come on down we got oh

we got Bev Washington come on up here

babe

oh I'm gonna put her on the spot come on

oh people are afraid of the jacket is it

the jacket come on I'll unbutton it if

you want me to

now come on up

yeah people see this jacket and they

think that I'm a game show host

now the the next contestant uh no

you're not gonna win any money

you could lose some money that's

something no I'm just kidding you're not

gonna lose any money either some money

you wanna win some money all right oh

this is a trivia game I'm kidding no

trivia no pressure I'm just I'm trying

to get the word out about SEC TV you're

obviously a supporter you've seen a lot

of information what do you think what do

you think about I mean the Studio's

beautiful and we know that but do you

you watch it at home do you ever get to

see this unbelievable Show born

political I heard is that your show yeah

you not know that that's that's the

question the trivia question was what's

your favorite show on SEC TV

that's it you win

studio and water fit we I've been on

that I've been in that studio a bunch of

times so I've been on Murray Rancho show

over there

Carl Lee I've been on a few shows over

there anybody out there wants to do a

show come on down to SEC TV and do your

show do your thing like Joe what about

you have you had a show

you always got so much to say though I

can't imagine that you didn't want to do

a show

they tease me I I want I want to do a

show because I talk so much and you

usually can't stop me from talking

um and that's why I think Liz suggested

that I should have a show because

because I do so much talking oh how are

you come on up

you all set

I I know I think I think it's my jacket

it's intimidating people it's just too

shiny that they're afraid that it's

gonna it's gonna drown them out uh again

guys

we're gonna be at about seven o'clock uh

it's really really uh close I want to

talk about some of the guests that we've

had in this past year

um some of the highlights of what we did

uh the first my first interview ever on

born political was my mom and uh it had

a lot to do with the basis of the show

how are you want to come on over

how are you

I'm

a citizen of Ukraine oh you are I can't

come here to Ukraine food to America by

program you for you and I want to tell a

great Mercy to all the Americans

we feel yourself ourselves me and my

daughter

so nice so sayful and I want to tell the

all Americans very very Grand Mercy for

your hope for me also and for my country

what a beautiful message

um thank you for coming up here and

thank you for introducing and what's

your name not that sir Natasha

and do you have uh are here tonight yes

I have my do my books or three my works

are here in the exhibition excellent and

those are going to be up for how long

will they I will be there maybe two

years I don't know how it will be longer

wow but I'm very very grateful come here

my darling it's my daughter this is your

daughter come on on the camera don't be

afraid of the jacket

no I'm kidding

my name is Tatiana

I'm so with my mama from Ukraine when

did you guys arrive

first of September

I was in Chicago

and now I live here in Stonington and

how hard I mean obviously it's difficult

we know where you're both your hearts

are probably in your minds are back with

your home country do you guys have any

heavy Communications back home are you

still able to talk are we doing

understand everything because our

language is not very good but we are

trying to learn and to speak more that's

why I think in future we will be speak

better

we'll live here

in my country war and we have no work we

have no life we have now everything and

thank you for American people and for

American government they well as far as

far as your English goes I it's

impeccable

very beautiful

and

well

so I am a Babushka grand mom

only at school and in Academia it's very

very very well that's wonderful and I

got to tell you you're thanking

Americans we thank you we we thank you

and and

for us for you oh my goodness

thank you guys so much

thank you

well that was unexpected like I said

there's many many people that walk

through these Halls that come to this

studio uh that was a mom and daughter

that actually are from Ukraine uh and

and here they were worried about their

English that it wasn't uh proper or that

I couldn't understand them and I I

actually revealed English was very good

uh for being here for just a year it

sounds like from September uh but that's

the kind of the the kind of folks that

you get to meet I would love to

interview them one day and find out

about their journey and how they've

gotten here and how they ended up in

Connecticut uh she just said mentioned

Chicago but you could feel the sense of

Pride and the sense of gratitude uh to

the American people and and God I'm just

glad that we're able to do what we do uh

hopefully uh more people get to have

that feeling uh when you see when you

see the face of the people that are

being affected uh you know for them to

just come up and and know how heavy

their heart and their mind is right now

uh because of the folks back home are

still suffering there's a war going on

over there and although I think many of

us have forgotten a little bit about it

because it's not in the news every

single day

um people are suffering and we're lucky

to share our community with folks like

that so that was great and I'm glad that

they came up and said something she saw

me with it with a microphone and wanted

to make sure that that she was able to

thank the American people which I think

is awesome uh and and I thanked her

again this is SEC TV this is our annual

show I say annual show but it's actually

an open house a lot of it was geared

because they are they're it's a public

entity and they wanted to make sure that

local artists and people that come on

during the year had a place to display

their art it is for sale

actually I think uh there's prices that

are up on the wall you can purchase it

uh and you know I don't know all the

logistics of that but if you wanted to

come if you're looking for a painting

for your home I think even during the

week if you knocked on the door they'd

probably let you come in and look at it

because it does hang uh all all

throughout the year uh that's something

that you may want to do may not want to

do but I encourage you to make sure that

you come on down and at least see the

place I'm still Blown Away

to have somebody come up from Ukraine I

I have spoken from to some other folks

that that have made that Journey uh but

I think it's really important to know

that that there's still suffering going

on and they still have actually I know

there's a I think there's another

Ukraine

um uh support Rally Set up so you guys

look at those two those are all online

on Facebook we do have all these

opportunities where you can reach out

into the community and help and that's

just one of the ways so if you we have a

gentleman coming this way how are you

sir

you mind if I you ain't come on up and

how you doing

all right it's good to see you good to

see you

uh Dr Michael oh yeah I have I have

films videos on the channel oh you did

yeah yes yes I do yes I do you look very

I feel very

good

I feel very very like uh the story

behind this was a Gala that I hosted uh

and I've won a jacket I'm not the kind

of guy that hangs it up

you know I wear it a few times I'm not

going to wear it once and never again

but over the last couple years I got to

use it and tonight seemed like a perfect

night and you look very I was going to

tell you that you you look uh you you

really do so the videos that you have

and we're talking about are they short

videos or what do you what do you

produce usually an hour long I did a

whole series on the Connecticut museums

and we did kind of Tours through the

museums and I have several that are

instructional for different types of

paintings and so on different techniques

of paintings and they they play them

over and over again I'm on about four or

five times a week that's why you look

familiar to everybody coming up on the

TV

um

Sunday Sunday at three o'clock is my

original spot I picked that because uh

because of football games the football

widows

football games come on and the wives are

sitting there and a lot of them are my

students

and they said oh can't you do something

we got

my husband plops his can in front of the

TV and watches

well I'm a Dallas I'm a Dallas fan a

long a long suffering Dallas fan now

it's been a long time since we we can

claim any any Victory so maybe I'll

start watching that show on Sunday at

three o'clock yeah because Dallas is not

did not fit in the bill for me anymore

so so so now you teach how to paint do

you have any other art is any on the

walls yours today right in the um

conference room there's a large Still

Still Life okay long it's four foot long

and so on you'll see it how much how

long have you been paying for

I started paying when I was five years

old

I did too but there's nothing that you'd

want to look at or I don't think my

mother even hung it on a refrigerator

that's how bad my painting was and

that's and that's my mom I grew up in

Venezia I grew up in venison over there

was socialism so when the little boys

were young

I went to school yeah you had to

be apprenticed and so I was Apprentice

to my grandfather

who was a portrait artist

and you learn you learn right away and

we came

here when I was in my teens and then I

went to college here and then I worked

for Walt Disney and this and that and

all kinds of nonsense so here I am an

old man now you don't you don't look

very old

you look you're looking good well thank

you not as good as you you look it's the

jacket jackets I don't know listen the

good thing about this world I know the

internet has taken a bad rap and it has

there's a lot of bad stuff but look at

the good stuff you can buy something

like this online from your home and get

it tomorrow in your mailbox

yeah I had a jacket like that did you

let's threw it away

and guess where I found it what street

do you live on that was me

no don't tell don't tell my secrets

we've been inviting people I've been

inviting people on Facebook during the

week

um and I'm certainly inviting people to

Steph step up here and talk to me uh I'm

very very happy that you did and I'd

love to have you on the Bourne political

show if you ever have a free Thursday

that's me oh I'd love to one Thursday on

a Thursday yep you didn't notice because

I don't wear this jacket on the Bourne

political show

why but I'm not very political person

we are all political that's the name of

the show I'm just not a vicious mean

political guy I I really do believe that

we're all political because we all have

our our wants and needs in life it's all

a matter about how we get there and the

show's more about learning about the

person to really get understand why

people think the way they think and and

why they think Society should do one

thing or the other but but but being

cordial about it and not being not being

fighting and feisty and yeah it's not

that kind of show and they're crazy

right now

absolutely nuts I did the election

actually my boss is running to bring

around here he gave it up

I don't know maybe six or seven years

ago just

a year later I gave it up and uh oh it

was nuts it was absolutely you said an

election

with Donald Trump the first Donald Trump

election that was crazy people were

vicious well I think the more I the more

people I interviewed it doesn't matter

which side of the aisle you're from the

more I realize that we all have the same

goals dreams wants you want your kid to

have a a safe house in school and

education all those things are the same

and I think we need to talk about what

we all feel that the same is and then

jump off that point right now every

single conversation starts with the most

divisive topic that you could possibly

think of it's it's like it's like two

people that that have children together

that are divorced and every single time

they talk they talk about today someone

cheated at them instead of moving

forward and saying okay okay the kids

are in college now and we got divorced

10 years ago let's talk about them being

in college now moving forward and some

people can do that and some people can't

and I think we have to we all realize

the value of getting past rough and hard

times or or tough subjects and that's

really what my show's about

Connecticut for the most I don't know

maybe you tell me if I'm wrong but for

the most part very conservative

I believe so no I well listen I would

say people because that we have a all

blue uh delegation that people think

that we're super liberal and we're not

that I think I do believe that we're

somewhere in the middle that's where I

was born and raised and I think living

in the middle I think the truth's always

in the middle too oh yeah my grandmother

told me that that's right that's right

hey look thank you thanks thanks for

coming up it was great talking to you

yeah tap someone on his shoulder out

there in the audience if they want to

come up we'll we'll talk to everybody

and anybody because I'm feeling good

because I got this jacket uh out of this

man's dumpster

no I did not do that like I told you the

internet is not all bad I know all the

bullying and all the horrible stuff that

happens on it is bad but I did get this

shiny jacket on the internet well my

wife did so I I shouldn't even take

credit for it because she bought it and

found it

um but it is nice so you know I got

there's a bunch of people in here right

now everyone tap anyone on the show see

if they want to get interviewed I don't

know uh I would whistle but it would

probably mess up the ban

um there are a lot of folks out here

I'll wake people up

I'm trying to get people to come on now

I'm telling you the jacket I think is

maybe a little bit over the top

but I'm gonna I'm gonna work it out

we're gonna get some folks that want to

come on up

um getting some food right now but we'll

we'll get them

um you know again the gala I'll talk to

you about that because the The Gallows

for Community speaks out

um we're actually turned into a recovery

Community

um we're reaching out we're helping

people pay for sober living like all

those good things are happening tomorrow

and they're always end up saying it not

tomorrow but Saturday we're having a big

picnic at Washington Park it's rain or

shine we are hoping that it doesn't rain

we got our hands with fingers crossed

legs crossed we're hoping for a good day

but if it doesn't happen it doesn't

happen we're still going to be cooking

out there in the rain if you go by

Washington Park it is it was by

invitation but I'm thinking there might

be a few less people I I am told

Frank who is uh the director to here

down at SEC TV he's going to be coming

up here surely we're going to talk about

SEC TV where he sees it going where it

came from

um and and that's going to help you find

out what these guys are about again you

you can't get a feel for this place

until you've been in it

um to be in a studio like this believe

me I have almost 50 guests in this last

year and not not as every single time

the guests that come in say I can't

believe

how professional your studio is Joe yeah

it's amazing like what'd it take you to

put it together when the reality is I

just walked in here and it was here

already

um you know when I was in in politics I

talked about people building

institutions and and having everything

set up so the Next Generation can use

something and have access well that's

been done already the work been done

here uh this studio is amazing and

there's people that came way before us

that had this idea hatched it and now

give us access to a great a great venue

like we have here right now

um there's a lot of people that are not

coming up because I think they're a

little nervous

um

but make sure that you guys come by here

it's right between and I think they'd

give you a tour even if it wasn't an

open house you can step in if you

thought about ever doing a show

Now's the Time probably they have some

they may have some time slots open uh

where you can just come in and start

doing your show mine is five o'clock

every Thursday oh No 5 30. I'm already

telling you the wrong time I'm the host

of the show and I forget what time it

starts so from 5 30 to 6 every Thursday

except the first Thursday now uh because

I did get I'm landed on the the economic

development committee uh and I'm I will

be spreading that word too so when you

see me at your restaurant we're really

trying to reach out to all the local

businesses to find out what you need

this is my plug for the EDC because I

have time uh so if you see I mean

there's a few members of Robert Boris

myself there's a few of us that will be

coming out restaurant by restaurant uh

and not just restaurants small

manufacturing that's where I'm in and

asking you what you need what we're

looking for uh for for the town how we

can help out and you know it was talked

about that we had done the survey

amongst all ground businesses in 2017 uh

and and we were going to kind of just

kind of go back and lean on those but we

all know that if you're in business what

you wanted and needed in 2017 doesn't

look anything like 2022 in 2023 uh

mostly because of covid but the way the

world has changed every single business

that I've talked to is screaming for

help and saying that they need people

that can come in and do the time and and

they've done that and we got my friend

Peter Roper here here's a man that's not

afraid of the camera or shiny jackets

see I

little piece of art buddy well I wore

this specifically because it's like I

feel like a fishing lore and and if I'm

gonna yeah if I'm gonna attract people

to come up here and talk to me because

looking good looking good so we've had a

few people come on and talk about what

SEC TV means uh to them uh I know as

well as most people that are watching

this channel if you watch his channel we

know who Peter is and to have access to

a studio like this I mean what's it mean

to you to to be able to get your message

across

uh real news you can use we try to do

things that we're interested in but from

It's Always from a local angle and it's

uh you know people or issues that you

don't always see in the paper or on

television so we feel like we've

provided a little bit of of uh extra

stuff for people and hopefully they

enjoy it I hear from some people they

enjoy it well I got one of the biggest

compliments that I've ever gotten and it

was

walking through the fire hallway and I

got introduced from somebody I was

looking at a job for to this gentleman

working on the car and he looked and

said oh I already know you and I thought

maybe I coached him a kid in baseball or

maybe he knew me from being a state

representative but he said born

political and then he said you know it's

it's pretty much the only TV I watch now

and it's not not specifically born

political but but this channel uh

because he's he's so fed up with the the

rest of the channels that he really

feels like he gets a lot out of it and

and there's some interviews I did that

he did he specifically said he may not

have agreed with some of the stuff that

was said but he liked the way it was

presented and and it was in this part of

the part of the deal the way you discuss

it and bringing out stuff that people

don't otherwise hear so it's great that

was a point of my show but I think when

I look at your show and we kind of

modeled it all after that we're just

given information

whether you like it or not how do you

start you were on our show more than

once and then you started your own which

is ideal we've told a lot of people you

know we can interview you but you can do

your own show Do Your Own Thing yeah and

and uh it's a great party down here if

anybody's tuned in

uh there's some really nice artwork I

just look look quickly through the art

and some really nice artwork you can buy

and help us see TV there uh you could

just come make a donation which would be

great

we do get money from the rate base but

that's not a guarantee because people

are dropping their cable or or they're

changing the way it's done so so we're

trying to have another source of Revenue

to keep it going but it's it's your

station so come on down this food this

music there's a guy with a flashy jacket

a guy with a flashy jacket yeah I'm

begging just come on in I'll talk to

anybody I will but it's the great point

you brought up though is the fundraising

part in the and and Beyond the

fundraising I think legislatively we

need to make sure that it's protected

um in a way that that only legislation

can because I think it was set up great

through the cable company but as you

mentioned all the people that are

cutting a cable I'm gonna have to find a

way the legislation is gonna have to

find a way to make sure this is funded

because it is that important and it's

really it's really another thing for

people to get news that they can trust

because

you know as you know a lot of news you

can't trust anymore

if you're listening to some on the other

side of the aisle you might as well

close your ears it's amazing to me that

the amount of information that people

have access to and I think it's that

overload that sometimes drives people to

because again I think I think the news

what new news that draws you in is the

news that you that makes you happy or

sad immediately

um and and that's no way to tell news it

should be just telling us what happened

gathered you know like you gather your

your

Natural Foods yeah you know a little bit

here a little bit there

compare contrast uh get some from the

internet get some from the newspaper I

mean I'm a big advocate of a local

newspaper we have the London day here

which is a non-profit they actually

donate any profits to local community

groups so you know don't complain about

the day if you're not getting it get it

and find out what's going on locally and

and support your local news I'm a big

fan of the New London Day even though I

don't agree with them like you say I

don't always agree with them and

politically they can be screwed up

but you know if you want to find out

what's going on in Groton usually you

can find out in the day anywhere else I

was sad to see that Erica Moser she's

moving on uh she's I think she I think

she moved to Pennsylvania and she's her

and Karen Florin and you know when I

think of the names of of people that

when when I read an article and I know

someone went out and asked the question

to the person that was involved it makes

it means a lot more to me and that's

what I think news used to mean a long

time ago if David Cronkite said

something on news at 5 30 we all kind of

took it for David

it's the jacket it's not me it's the

purple Jack it was shining in my eyes

and I was thinking yeah yeah I was

thinking Kryptonite Walter Kryptonite

between this thanks for having me thanks

everybody that came and uh like I say

there's still time we're here till uh I

think eight o'clock so yeah if you're in

the neighborhood come on over yeah

the post office and the old Benny's

that's us and I'm 19 minutes more on air

I'm gonna go till 6 30. so if anybody

out there wants to come on come on up

tap someone on the shoulder out there

good seeing you thank you

all right guys that is the great Peter

Roper uh he has a show that's been going

for a very long time on this very

Channel you can I don't I'm not going to

tell you what times because I couldn't

even tell you what time my show was on

I'm not gonna know what time anybody

else's show was on I forgot uh so but

every every 5 30 5 30 every Thursday I

try to be live

um but sometimes you get the repeat

shows all the shows are good we've been

haven't had a bad guess yet the host

that's debatable I'm not I can't always

be perfect uh but the guests have always

been phenomenal

um nothing short next week I'm back

um I have the center for the blind

they're going to come up and what I did

notice is this all the groups that I've

ever interviewed uh they're doing

incredible work and there's people that

could use their services

but it's a lack of either advocacy for

themselves or somebody that can advocate

for them

um if they if you're being impacted in

any negative way for anything there's a

group there's someone out there that can

either help you navigate through it get

services or just someone to talk to uh

and whether it's Community speaks out or

the center for the blind or we've had

Thames River Heritage group we or we've

had all these folks uh uh come to the

show and speak about the work they do

and there's many many more and we're

going to interview those all this year

so if you're watching and you want to be

part of the born political show you want

to be interviewed or you know somebody

that's doing something great in the

community and you think they should be

interviewed call me my number you can

get my number just just Google the guy

with the purple jacket I'm kidding it'll

probably be Grimace I'm not I'm not sure

actually Google that the guy with the

purple jacket because I'm not sure

what's going to come up it's not going

to be me but I'm the guy with the purple

jacket here tonight so I just use that

again there's a bunch of people flowing

in and out of here I I do think like I

said I wore the shiny jacket because I

thought people were going to come up

because they'd be attracted to it oh

it's not working I think I have to wait

yellow next year or something I got a

gold suit maybe that'll be here what do

you think Jeremy a gold suit next year

I wear a gold suit next year

I go a gold scoop gold yeah

there's a lot of folks walking in here

again uh the the groups we'll talk about

who else did we have on we've had on so

many people that is Bruce Flax on you

guys know about Bruce he could be here

today he's a member of the Chamber of

Commerce those are the types of folks

that are making things happen in our

community

um and they kind of have their finger on

the pulse of the community I gotta bring

him back now that we talk about I had

Tom Cantone on his show

um again one of the highest viewed shows

I'm going to tell you Tom uh it was

great to have you on but one of the

highest viewed shows I've had just just

by video count so a lot of people are

interested in what he did

um you know he's he's the guy he's the

guy up at the casino that makes when you

see all the stars and then the names and

lights that are coming into town a lot

of times that's because of Tom and

that's the guy that we were able to have

on the show uh who else did we have we

had Joe Courtney on the show

oh we have the sale monument that we

talked about that's that's one thing

that's been near and dear to my heart

because the the sale if you guys haven't

heard about it you haven't seen my show

because I talk about every show for a

little bit uh and Jeremy reminded me

tonight that why haven't I mentioned the

monument because I always talk about it

that Monument is going to be located

parallel on 117 the Joseph gingerella

Memorial Highway actually

um but right there along along that road

there's going to be the Groton sale

which is the USS Groton uh a

decommissioned nuclear submarine the

salesman chopped off and so as the

rudder and the actual Monument is going

to be life-size of the boat with a with

a a hump in it you can go online and see

it there's a Facebook page for it if you

want to buy uh

bricks with pavers and and it's and it's

a monument to our whole Community uh you

know we have a lot of military monuments

to Sailors and and core men but really

this Monument is for all of ground and

all this region New London County

because of the work work that we've done

we support the communities we support

the the families of the sailors that

protect our country so this is a

monument you're going to want to be part

of it's something that I'm passionate

about now it's one of the fun things

that I get to do

um and you don't miss out because you're

not going to want to go to this monument

and look down and think oh for 250 I

could have had my my name on that or my

my loved one who served or my loved one

who worked at electric boat I should

have did that don't say I shoulda just

do it just got to get there just go to

go online and I just I talked about the

internet how easy it is you don't have

to go to wish

yeah right in front of there's a board

in front of the library you don't have

to go

you don't have to go to a store

you can just do it online just like I

got this jacket I got it online we got

Frank I told you we're gonna get one of

the Franks here

the the you know the guy has done

incredible things down here

Frank how are you

I wore the purple jacket because I

wanted to make sure that I well I was

trying to lure people in and I think I

scared a couple people because they they

think I'm running a game show

thank you thank you for doing this so we

really appreciate all you do for the

station and for the community so thank

you well thank you like you weren't

around here but I I really like I said

everything that I try to do as a

legislator or even as a coach is make it

plug and play for the next guy uh or gal

so

of Andre you're talking about your Andre

he's actually got an event tonight he

may not be able to attend but he was

nice enough to send an email saying he

had a prior commitment but he at least

he he's very communicative and that's

great great you know so so Frank you

were here from the beginning from the

beginning and

but but it's a good story because I

think people need to know that like

stuff like this doesn't just happen

anything you see in our community or

around anywhere it doesn't just happen

and and Frank was here from the

beginning and for me uh you didn't know

who I was when you thought about this

idea or when you guys got together and

want to do this but you knew the type of

people you wanted to draw and you knew

what the mission was and I wanted to

thank you for that because here I have

this this great venue and are great at

drawing people in and getting the

community involved in a lot of different

organizations yours Community speaks out

is just a wonderful Organization for

people so I mean I'm very grateful for

you for doing that and you know it's

giving back to the community which is

what this is all about creating because

you can have a non-profit if nobody

knows about it it's really not serving

its purpose if no one's aware of it and

you get more people involved and you

know that's how it grows and it helps

more people in the community you know so

and like like all things uh they have to

be nurtured and they have to be they

have to be advocated for daily even no

matter how great you get something uh

there's always changes and we talk about

the change with cable and and and and

and how that we how do we move forward

from this and sometimes it's opportunity

because I think as many people stream

maybe that becomes legislative we work

with other legislators and and you know

the future of this place I know where

your heart is and what you want but you

know plan wise in your head what are you

thinking for the future well we're

anniversary next year God willing and

but as you mentioned cable is going away

cable people are migrating to internet

most people have most people you talk to

do not have cable

so but they're still getting our

services because we're on YouTube we

have Facebook all the social media are

on Instagram Twitter and so the the

format has changed but it's just like I

always compare it to like your home

phone nobody's using a wall phone at

home anymore hardly right

so the the device you're using to get

your information has changed but it's

still the same thing where people want

to discuss their opinions and this is a

channel where they're they're not

limited to advertising because they have

the pressure to make ratings so this is

a channel for the community to uh say

whatever they want to say into whether

it's good or bad and that's that's so

that's what we're here for we're happy

to help anyone learn how to produce

their own show and I think with that

being said I think one ways you can

support obviously Financial is a way

that you can always support a great

organization like this but also watching

I mean I think

um and interestingly enough once you get

on this channel

you start watching some of the stuff and

you start realizing all the good things

that happen in community

um it's just a matter of of watching it

and having your TV on and listening in

the background no matter what you do we

do that all the time at home anyway and

sometimes the TV when and this is going

to be a great compliment to you I mean

it was a compliment to me I I really

loved it because I was recognized as the

host of born political just recently at

Pfizer uh and and the gentleman said you

know it's really only TV I watch and he

wasn't talking specifically about my

show he's talking about this channel

because there's a lot of stuff yeah we

used to have local channels here and

there's nothing really local anymore I

mean there's you you probably remember

Channel I didn't want to give them too

much air time but they're not around

anymore it was out of New London and so

there's nothing local and it's becoming

more and more Regional and then it's

becoming National so the the Affiliates

in the big cities like Harford New Haven

they're probably always going to be

there but for an area like this which is

a nice little area you need something

like this and now we're covering the

Waterford area too we're running the

channels over there as well and you know

one of the ways that people can help us

is by watching us on YouTube and

subscribing to our YouTube channel

because that we can measure we actually

we actually have measurable numbers of

viewers whereas the cable companies

don't tell us what the viewership is

but uh there is some pending uh there's

some pending legislation which will

hopefully address this issue of the the

outdated law which talks about a cable

subscriber well there's very few cable

subscribers anymore it's mostly people

that are elderly who watch TV which is

that's great but the majority of people

are watching on their phone on their

tablet their laptop so you can you know

in theory we're worldwide because you

can watch us anywhere well I know for a

fact there's one show that gets watched

in the Philippines regularly it's my

show yeah because because they got

family so it's like it's like saying my

aunt watches me so I'm very proud of

that fact but but it is it's something

that's gone across the other side of the

world and and they actually learn things

about our community because they've

looked at other shows now because I

think it's interesting to to have a real

half hour when you watch the news they

come in with a snippet no matter what

the event is or how important it was

it's usually about 30 seconds on these

shows you're getting about a half hour

of somebody's of what they did and why

they got there and and you know someone

is yeah I've noticed you've included

everyone from both parties all sides and

you've had people all walks of life on

which is really a good thing because

you're not it should be about

inclusivity and not about saying well

because you have a D or R over your head

I'm going to have you on but I'm not

going to have but you've had everyone on

which I think is great so that's where

we want to keep we want to welcome

everyone from Every party and get as

many opinions as possible you know

that's because there's there's a variety

of people out there who may disagree

with us and it's like let's get back to

having a discussion about it instead of

just avoiding that person and not not

giving them any air time you know I'm

hoping at some point Americans we guess

we get punched out like we're sick of

fighting and that we finally sit down at

the table because I I'll say it again

but I said it early to somebody else but

I I honestly think if we talked about

what uh commonalities were we would

probably we would run out of things to

talk about we we actually we go for the

jugular with every conversation on the

the one thing that may separate you and

I politically or morally or whatever it

is if those things yes there'll be

sticking points between people and

groups but you we have to get back to

our Basics too and and say hey if I

agree with 90 of what this guy thinks

we're pretty good right we're losing

that picture it's really a shame because

I have people who I'm very close to who

have much different opinions than I do

but a lot of things yeah we're still

very close and we respect each other we

can have a healthy discussion and then

agree to disagree and that's that's okay

you know it doesn't mean you're not

gonna speak to that person ever again or

you're going to be mad at them somehow

for for disagreeing with you you know so

that's what adults are supposed to do

that's what we used to do we have to get

back to that sounds like maybe you need

to write a book

because I think that's the exact thing

that that's the exact direction that we

have to go and and and a venue like this

I think what we need the most

is news like this what we need the most

in our community in our country is us

sharing like we had we had a young man

that's right in for the cancer uh event

next week last week on the show and I

got some people reaching out saying oh

this is great I'm glad to see Mike's

doing this

those are things that we need to pay

attention to because that's

overwhelmingly more of that happens in

our community than the bad stuff that we

fight about every day

hear about someone like this other than

if it was you might see it in the news

but nobody's people not reading the

newspapers like they used to it's online

you might like might skip over it if you

do a half hour show it's going to be

we're going to televise a lot on our

channels plus it's on YouTube We link it

to Facebook so there's all kinds of

opportunities to get the word out about

a really worthwhile organization like

the one you know you just mentioned and

so many others we've worked with we want

to keep drawing them in and getting them

involved because that's our purpose for

existing that's our mission is to bring

the community together and encourage use

of this facility Well you are doing that

and you've been doing that for how many

years now this is almost

14. so this is our ninth year I know

it's hard to believe and we will be on

year number 10 next year so we're gonna

have a really big party bigger than what

we have tonight hopefully and you know

um so we're excited about that we're

just going to keep going and do what we

do and I see a good future here I really

do and I I know those Hills when

sometimes when you and you're the type

of person that looks at them at a hill

as a challenge and not as an obstacle

and and that's what we look at

everything and I think me and you have

the same opinion on that and I do I

think there's going to be some help with

legislation but that's always going to

be the fact but it's really making sure

that people get we get the word out

about what's happening here already

such this to me this is I've we have

eight counties in Connecticut this is

the nicest part of the state in my

opinion I think I'm biased and you know

and since Cove and more and more people

are discovering it and they're you know

it's getting more populated which is

okay but we still want to kind of

balance that with the quality of life we

have here which is nice because we're

not over developed and hopefully and

this is my opinion only but we will not

get too overdeveloped like some of the

other counties where it's just you know

constant traffic and you want to manage

in a way that it's helping the economy

at the same time it's not diminishing

our quality of life I think we got to

see and the fact that we get to look

around other parts of the states and see

what overpopulation looks like

um and Groton in particular there is a

lot of open space that's that's not

going to be built on we have a lot of

space that that will be and that's going

to be able to share this gem which what

we have with with Justin on them

and I I've had people say well what do

you think about the don't you wish we

had San Diego uh weather here and and I

I don't because I think the winters

keep us Hardy but they also I think keep

folks that are afraid because I think

there'd be they'd be we'd have a million

people in this County if we had San

Diego weather every single day

Florida's crazy too I mean there's

people and that's great that people want

to move there but it's I don't want to

be in a traffic jam every day on my way

to work to drive to drive you know 15 10

15 minutes to work and that's how it is

down there and it's out there so uh you

know good for them but I think that we

we like it here the way it is now and

you know so we got to find a balance is

the is the ideal you know exactly and

we're going to keep keep finding that

balance we're gonna keep working

together thank you

yeah

I got it on the internet and yeah which

which again I said we talk about how bad

the internet has been for our country in

a lot of but we forget how good it is

because I got I found this jacket on the

internet but but actually you know it's

funny a lot of good things do happen on

the internet

um and I think if you add it because

even all the all the fundraising you see

when someone's hurt or injured or sick

and people chip in we discount that and

we forget that and then we see the car

accident oh we see the awful thing and I

think it's human nature that that you

know the the the the the crazy stuff's

gonna pop out to our eyes and make us

watch but I just ask that people really

pay attention to stuff like this right

and you mentioned the internet we have a

brand new website now which is

completely overhaul we're including the

Waterford Studio as well both Channel

actually there's two channels for each

studio so you see each channel has links

on there to the to the channels and

there's all kinds of information about

what's going on we're going to upload

some photos from this event and uh so

we're definitely getting with the times

as far as our social media presence and

the internet so check us out all right

and guys next year this show is

concluded for this year we still be here

for a little a little while longer

there's food if you're in the area but

we'll see you next year that will be the

10th year anniversary I expect everyone

to be out here thanks thanks for

everything you've done thanks for having

me uh allowing me to be here it's great

all right guys we'll see you next week

on board political uh again I have

center for the Blind and we'll see you

then

[Music]

thank you

foreign