The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Pandora Papers Reveal Wealthy Tax Dodgers | Richard Antoine White

Episode Date: October 5, 2021

A data leak exposes super-rich tax evaders, Dulcé Sloan challenges people to prove her wrong, and professional tuba player Richard Antoine White discusses his book "I'm Possible." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17. Did you see what's app, Facebook, Instagram? Everything

was down today. Ah, thank you, sir. Do you see that? Everything. Just WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram. I was like, ah, Mercury's in retrograde. That's a thing, apparently. You must just say that when shit goes bad in life. I don't know how it works, but that's what I've been told. Yeah, it was all down. I actually liked it. I liked that like, you know, like for one day we didn't have to be on social media. We could talk to people again about how social media

is down. Every conversation. Is it down for you? It's down for you? It's down for me. It's still down for me. Yeah, still down for you? Still down for me. I'm glad we're connecting like this. Ha ha ha. Coming to you from the heart of Times Square, the most important place on earth. It's the Daily Show. Ears edition. Tonight, Tick Tock is on the case. How the Rich Stay the Rich.

And Richard Antoine White. This is the Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Hey, what's going on everybody? Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Trevor Noah. Let's jump straight into today's headlines. We kick things off with the Democratic Party. They fight just as much as the real housewise of Atlanta, only they get less done.

For months now, President Biden has been trying to pass a major spending bill that includes every single... th. th. th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, and thi, thi, and thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thii, thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, the real housewives of Atlanta, only they get less done. For months now, President Biden has been trying to pass a major spending bill that includes every single priority for the Democrats, funding child care, tackling climate change, organizing a search party to find Kamala Harris. But the bill is being blocked by two senators, Joe Manchin, and Kirsten Cinema. And after weeks of negotiations, tensions are getting really high. Frustration on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers still can't come to a deal on President Biden's government overhaul spending plan. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delayed a vote saying there was not enough support.

At least two Democrats opposed the plan. They say $3.5 trillion is simply too costly. Protesters arrived by small boats and kayaks at Manchans' House vote in. to to to to to to to to to to to to to the the the the to the the the the the their tension's tension's tension's tension's to the tension's tension's tension's tension's tension's tension's tension's tion's tension's tension's tension tension tension tension trillion is simply too costly. Protesters arrived by small boats and kayaks at Mansions' houseboat in Washington, D.C. to voice their frustrations. On Sunday in Arizona, activists followed Senator Kierston's cinema into a ladies room, angered by her opposition to a 3.5 trillion dollar social policy bill. We need solutions to build that better plan. We knocked on doors for you to get you elected. And just how to to to to get to get you to get you to get you to get you to get you the th the to get you out the th th th th th you out the their tho tho their their their their their their their their thoa thoa their their thoa thoa. thoa. thoa, thoa, th. their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, th. thi, tho, tho, tho, tho, thoo. thooooo. thoooooooooo. th. thooooooooooo. th. their, their, their, to build that better plan. We knocked on doors for you to get you elected. And just how we got you elected, we can get you out of office if you don't support what you promised us. Wow. I don't know about you guys, but like I'm all for holding officials accountable.

On the other hand, though, I think following someone into a bathroom at work might be a step too far. I mean, the office bathroom is a sanctuary, you know. It's a little oasis, but you can just take a few minutes out of your day to do your business. Check your phone, you know, watch an entire season of squid game. And you know who really impresses me is all those people who are using the bathroom while this was going on. I mean I can't imagine that level of focus. If a co-worker even tries to talk to me at the urinal, I can't pee for the rest of the day. But I do understand the frustration here, right? This is probably the only chance the Democrats have to pass so many of their big priorities. And just these two people are standing in the way of the whole thing. I mean, this is why the join tho tho thian thian thian thian thian thian thian, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, thi, thi, thi, the thi, thi, the their, thi, their, thi, thr-in, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, th. their, their, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. their, their, their, their, their, the the the the thr, thr, thr, thr, is thr. thr. thr. tttttttoday, ttttoday, is, ttttttoday, is. ttoday, is, the live on a houseboat too. Well, sorry for killing that bill. I'll see you in international water, losers.

Ha ha ha ha! All right, but let's move on to our next story. Which is about oil. It's Earth's lube. And right now, it's loobing up all the wrong places. Urgent efforts off of southern California. Crews working to contain a major oil spill, one of the largest there in recent history. At least 12,000 gallons of oil leaking into the Pacific. The source, believed to be a pipeline, four and a half miles offshore.

The area impacted a 13 square mile stretch between Huntington and Newport Beach. People urged to stay away from the beaches. Images coming in late today of oil washing ashore. Officials say they have stopped the flow, but warnings tonight of a potential ecological disaster. Okay, look guys, I'm no scientist. But I feel like the last thing, a state that's currently on fire needs is a wave of oil washing towards it. I mean, pray those wildfires don't reach the ocean,

or the whole state is going to be fried worse than dog the bouncy hunter. Like, why can't California's disasters cancel each other out for once? You know, just one time? Like, why can't there be a major flood that puts out the wildfires, or an earthquake that swallows up the hype house? And I feel the their their their their their they they they they they they they they they they they they they they their their thuke thurike thu thu thu thu. thu. thu thu thoes thoom th swallows up the hype house. And I feel terrible for those birds covered in black oil. You know, not only is their health in danger, but they're also in danger of getting canceled on Twitter. I will say though, the good news is, with the price of gas tauil,

they probably are going to get a lot of volunteers to clean this mess up. Yeah, people are going to be ringing se as a to to to to to to to to their as their as their as their as their is their is their is their is their is their gas tanks like, come on, I just need enough to get to work, come on! And you know what's especially awful about this? Is that animals only see the downside of oil. In fact, that's the reason I think that every animal that gets covered in an oil spill, they should get a free Dodge Durango. It's comfy, right? Yeah, now you see why we keep doing this. All right, and finally, let's get into the video that everyone is talking about on Tick-Tock. You know, the app where people watch 10-second videos for 15 hours straight.

Right now, one of those videos is the subject of the most intense forensic investigation since the Kennedy assassination. I am officially hooked on the saga of Couch Guy and I'm not alone. The original video has been viewed 50 million times alone. This is it. It shows a young woman named Lauren surprising her boyfriend at college. His name is Robbie. That's him in the red on the couch. The video is dividing the internet.

Many people saying he is not happy enough to see her. One comment saying, red flag, he did not get up and jump out of the window in excitement. Another saying he looked like he hugged her like she was his aunt at Christmas dinner. But Tick-tuckers are digging deeper into the mystery. thiakers areto him on the couch sneakily passes his cell phone underneath his arm. It's like...

Alright, there's his arm goes to the side of his pants. Yeah, okay. Why did she have the phone in the first place? Why did they have to hide that she had it? That's shady. Other Tick-Tockers analyzing the girl in the couch's movements movement movement movement movements. thoomky movement, thsoa's movement, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. th th thi. th thi. thi. th. thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the. the. the. the. the. the. toeea. toea. toeea. toeea. toeea. toeea. the the thi. thi. the thi. thea. the. the on the couch's movements when Lauren walks in, okay? They're saying it's weird that she felt like she needed to scoot away, not once from Robbie, but two times. As of this morning though, Lauren is still defending him on her Tick-Tock, so... Wow, this is so intense. And look, I know everyone's having fun with this story, you got a feel for this couple. You know because normally the people who come under this level of scrutiny, they're

mega celebrities. You know people acting like their Brangellino or Kim and Kanye but they're just a normal couple that's going to break up. But if we are going to get into this, this might not be a popular opinion but I am citing with couch guy here. Yep I said it. Yes maybe he could he th. th. th. th. th. th. th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th thi thi thi the the the the the the thi thi thi thi thi thi the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi thi thi thi thi thi. thi thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi thi. thi. thi. thi. the the. the. theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. the. the. the. th. Yep, I said it. Yes, maybe he could have been more excited, but in his defense, you have to remember these are COVID times and she just got off a plane. So even if he's really happy to see her, he's probably thinking, is it okay to hug her? Was she tested? Is she gonna give COVID to my side check? I mean for real guys, what we need to remember here is how jarring it is to see somebody out of context. It doesn't matter who it is. It's going to throw you off.

Like if my mom showed up right here right now, I wouldn't be like, mom! I'd probably like, whoa, what, mom? What are you doing? Am I in trouble? What happened? Did I leave the stove on again? His delayed reaction is damning evidence here. What is damning evidence is that he's sitting next to a guitar. Because I'm sorry people. But if you're in college and you're sitting next to a girl and you've got a guitar next

to you, you're definitely trying to smash. I mean, that's a rule, isn't it? That's the law. Why else do people buy guitars? Not to play them. All right, that's it for today's headlines. Let's jump straight into our top story. Our main story is about taxes. You know, it's the cut the government takes for being a good pimp. Just like normal people, the world's mega-rich and powerful do not enjoy paying taxes. But unlike normal people, the mega- rich and powerful can do something about it.

And now, a huge leak of private documents is revealing just how good at it they actually are. The Pandora Papers, a massive investigation of millions of leaked documents from offshore bank accounts detailing how some of the world's wealthy from world leader to celebrities hide their assets from authorities and tax collectors. It's a bombshell report based on the biggest leak of offshore banking data in history. An international collection of journalists scouring a trove of 11.9 million documents leaked from 14 firms around the world. They claim these files dubbed the Pandora Papers blow

the lid off the secrets the wealthy used to their advantage. These are the private communications in many cases between elite, wealthy individuals and their financial managers and the offshore companies that set them up with shell companies and trusts to help them hide their money. Wait, what? The rich and powerful have been hiding their wealth in offshore havens to avoid paying taxes. I am disgusted and extremely jealous. Because I'm out here on turbo-tax adding up line 9 with line 37 like a bitch.

When it turns out I could have just sent my salary to some island. Now look, man, on one level it isn't surprising that rich people avoid paying taxes. I mean, these are the world's elites. For them, life's like Waffle House after 2 a.m. There are no rules. But it's still eye-opening to see just what lengths they go to to hide their wealth. You know, they've got offshore tax havens, they've got dummy corporations, teams of accountants. I mean, call me old-fashioned. But whatever happened to just putting your money in a their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their money, their money, their money, their money, their money, their money, their money, their their their their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their te, te, te, te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. t it in the sand. Let's get back to basics people. And look, obviously when you hear that a list of super wealthy tax cheats has been leaked, the first question you have is, how can we restructure our global tax systems to help mitigate? Well, I'm kidding, man, the first question we have is who's on that list? Spill the tea! The investigation names more than 130 people listed on the Forbes billionaires list, A-listers

like Colombian pop star Shakira, and more than 330 current and former public officials from around the world. Some high-profile names involved include Jordan's King Abdullah, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair Vladimir Putin, Elton, Elton, even on the list. And the alleged mistress of Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, said to be from a humble background, Svetlana Kravaneke reportedly acquired an apartment building in Monaco worth over $4 million just after allegedly giving birth to Putin's daughter. Now a teenager, who Russian investigative sites report strongly resembles Putin.

Okay, I don't know if we really needed financial documents to confirm that this girl is Putin's daughter, since we have, you know, eyes. And I get all these other people hiding their money, but why is Putin hiding his cash? Who's gonna go after him? I doubt that anyone at the Russian IRS is willing to take on that case. Comrades, it appears Vladimir Putin has not paid his taxes. But really, what is tax, huh? Can it be only paid in money because he has paid so much more in spirit?

We agree? Yeah? Now, I will say, the Shakira thing surprised a lot of people. Because all this time, we were worried about Shakira's hips lying when we should th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th people. Because all this time, we were worried about Shakira's hips lying when we should have been focused on her accountant. But before you're quick to judge, before you're quick to judge, people like Alton John and Shakira for not paying their taxes, ask yourself this question, when is the last time any of us paid for music? So basically, the mega-rich around the world have been creating fake

companies to hide their money in various countries. Not surprising. What is surprising though is which countries are on the list. According to the documents many of the bank accounts used were registered in well-known offshore havens, the British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong and Belize, but the report claims that massive fortunes are also sheltered by trust companies based right here in the US in states like South Dakota. South Dakota's privacy and asset protection laws have made it a favorite of Chinese billionaires, Russian oligarchs and Americans looking to hide their fortunes. South Dakota Trust now hold more than 370 billion dollars in assets that's up from $60 billion a decade ago.

South Dakota is the main reason that the U.S. is now ranked second behind the Cayman Islands on the Tax Justice Network's Financial Secrecy Index. Yeah, South Dakota. Surprising, right? I mean, not for me. I kind of figured there was too much money floating around South Dakota on my last visit there. But yes, thanks to its laws that are super friendly to hidden wealth, South Dakota is apparently

a great place to avoid taxes. I mean, of course, the downside is that when you withdraw your money, it will have COVID, but downsides to everything in life. And what's interesting is that even though South Dakota plays such a big part in this tax avoidance scheme, the billionaires closest to South Dakota, well, they don't seem to be participating in it. One of the big questions coming out of it already is, how come there are not more American billionaires and multi-billionaires on the list? One distressing theory is, well, woe, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th-s, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th. th. th. th. th. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thi. thi. thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. thiii. thi. thi. thi. thaires on the list. One distressing theory is, well, those guys already pay so little in U.S. taxes under U.S. law, they don't need to ship it offshore.

Woo! USA! USA! Ha! Ha! Not having a tax haven't problem because your tax laws are already so easy on wealthy people. That, my friends, that's like trying to rob a bank bank, tha, tha, tha, than, than, than, thinininin, thin, thin, to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to thin, to to thin, to thinate, to feel bad for American billionaires though because hiding the money is part of the fun. You know it's like trying to rob a bank but they just give you the cash when you walk in it's not the same. This is a stick up. Hand over the money. Oh no need sir.

Here's all the money. Okay but I'm still gonna pistol whip you. Oh yes of course right here on the chin or the head the the the the the the the the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. tho-in' tho-I tho-in' thiole. to to to to to to to to to to toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the the the the the the the the the the the th. the the the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. the. the. course, right here on the chin, or the head. You too into it, I don't want to do this anymore. I'll just make a deposit. But whether they're hiding money in shell companies or just following the US tax code, it's never been clearer that unlike everyone else, wealthy people from all around the world, they just ain't paying shit in taxes. And that can be upsetting to some. But if you ask me, I find it inspiring.

Because it shows that no matter how rich you get, no matter how high up you rise, nothing has to stop you from being greedy as fuck. All right, when we come back, Dulse Sloan takes to the street to explain why you are wrong. You don't want to miss it. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes a second look

starting September 17th wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the daily show. There is so much important news out to the Daily Show. There is so much important news out there these days, which is why I asked Dulce Sloan to get out on the street and talk to the people to get their opinions about the issues. But Dulce just does what she wants. So she came back with this. Hi, friends. These days people spend so much time arguing about politics and the important issues of the day.

But what about the smaller issues I really care about? That's what really needs to be discussed. And that's what I'm going to be doing in my new segment called, prove me wrong. Proof me wrong. Okay, here's a thing. Pizza. It's not that great. Just bread, sauce, and cheese. So what I want you to do is prove me, Rob!

Hello. Okay, so I am really hungry, and this is all I can think about today. Not a great point. Okay, well, another point, it's the best drunk food ever. You can go out of the bars and grab a $1 slice pizza. That's drunk food's French fries. But French fries are less balanced than pizza. But if I put ketchup from cheese on fries, didn't I just make pizza?

Which is great. No, pizza's not that great. No, pizza's not that great. Well, it also adds to a thi. That's just a wild thing. You try to move her neck. All right, I give up. Thank you. Pizza is not that great. My opinion still stands. Ha ha! Golf is not a sport. Prove me wrong.

You only need your arms to do it. It might as well be bowling. It's a fabulous sport. It's in the Olympics. OK. But it's the only sport where you can drive a car to do it. The professionals all walk. They walk. But they have paddies, though.

Someone holds that stuff. Slalom skiers. You don't expect them to walk up the mountain. To do their race, do you? I'm black. I don't know nothing about skie. I know I don't understand why you will put sticks on your feet and go down a mountain. Why were you up there in the first place? Well, golf is safer than skiing. Obviously, there's not that many hills. Listen, you got a sand trap, you got water features,

you gotta watch out for geese and ducks and mistresses. Check out the women that play it. They all, and it's graceful, and it's wonderful to watch. So you're saying that when that when that when that when that when that when that when that when that when that's th wo wo wo wo wo wo that when that's that's that's that's th you're saying th. th. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the to to to to wonderful to watch. So you're saying that when women play golf, it's a sport. Yes. I'll agree with that. Okay. I'm going to say that this is a tie. And now a comic mirror and air to my heart.

Reality TV is the best TV. Proof me! R. Proof me, Ron! To the extent of like creating drama that may not necessarily be there just for television? Well, it's contrived to the extent of like creating drama that may not necessarily be there just for television. I had a friend who was on RuPaul's Drag Race. That is my favorite reality show. I have watched all 13 seasons and all six all stars and I've also watched UK, Thailand and I need to watch Australia and Spain.

In reality there is nothing realistic about what's going on on that set. So much of it is produced. But we can acknowledge that the end result, how many seasons of Fruit Palser and Rance have you watched? All 13? See? I think the best TV is crime shows, not reality TV. You can learn about if you want to commit crimes, how to do it. Crime TV has never shown you how to get away with crime. You think you can get away with crime from watching a show where somebody got caught?

Yes, because I... Oh, you probably also one of those men who think that you can beat the women's soccer team? I was a soccer player. Oh my god, it definitely could. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you for playing, obviously, straight man. This man thinks that he could beat an Olympic level athlete. That's because I got self-believe, maybe? Yeah. Yeah.

And you think you can get away with crime? Absolutely. I mean, something like, I could be like trafficking weapons or narcotics, maybe across state lines. That is not light.that is a federal offense. Do you have a car? Uh, yes. What kind of car?

It's a Toyota Prius. Looks like you haven't thought this out. All right, he didn't prove me wrong. I won again. The next topic is arguing with strangers. It is a waste of time. Proof me wrong. We're out here in New York.

That's what we do. We argue. So you're saying that due to geography, you like to engage in hostile. to the hostile. It's not hostile. It's just a way of expressing how you feel and your point of view. Arguing is just how we express. So when has arguing with strangers not been a waste of time? We're

strangers arguing right now. Thank you so much for that Dulce. All right when we come back, Richard Antoine White will tell me how the Chuba got him out of the hood. You don't want to miss it. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. You're rolling? But that's all about to change.

Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look, starting September 17, wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is a professional tuba player, Richard Antoine White. He's here to talk about his powerful new memoir, I'm

Possible, and how the tuber helped him go from the streets of Baltimore to the classical concert halls. Welcome to the show. It's a pleasure to be here. Thanks for having me. This is one of the strangest you know stories of overcoming that I've ever read in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, in, th, the th, th. th. th. thi. thi. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, thi. And, thi. And, thi. thi. thi. thii. thiiiiiiii.auiiii. thiii. thii. thii. their, their, you know, stories of overcoming that I've ever read in like a really beautiful way. And I mean, your resume is one that is truly one of the most impressive. You have a doctorate in music specifically for playing the tuber. Correct. Okay.

And you are the principal tubist for the New Mexico Philharmonic, right? And the Santa Fe Symphony. All all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. So. So. Okay. So, th. So, th. So, th. So, th. So, th. So. So, th. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So, th. So, th. So. So, th. So, th. So, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. This, th. This is, th. I, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And,, right? And the Santa Fe Symphony? All correct. Okay, okay. So I guess the first question I have to ask is, how good do you have to get at playing a tuba to be a doctor of tuba? Oh, wow. Well, to put everything into perspective at an audition probably today, like LA Phil has having an audition,

they'll probably over 250 applicants. Only, to th o o o o o o o o o o o o o, the the the their, their, their, their, their, their, their, th, their, th, th, th, th, to, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, to be, to, thi, thi, their, their, their, tho, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, their, th...... to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, the, the, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, thi, too, too. tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. their, their, too, too, applicants. Only one person will win the job. Wow. It's easier to get an MBA than it is to win a professional symphony orchestra job as a two best. So let's talk about the beginning of the story. You started your life in Baltimore. Correct. And it was a really tough life,

living with a mom who struggled with alcoholism. When this was going on in your life, I would th, when th, when th, when this was, when this was, when this was, when this was, when this was, when this was, when this was, when this was, when, when this was, when, when, when this was this was this was this was this was thi, when, when, when, when thi, when thi, when this was thi, when thi, when thi, when was was was was was was was was, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when thi, when th. th. th. th. th. th. this was was this was this was this was this was this was this was this was this was this was this was this was going was going was going was going was going, when this was going, when this was going on in your life, I would love to know how Richard kept going. Like how did you keep going when, I mean, there's a point when you almost died in a blizzard. Yes, so I think I was blessed. The universe blessed me with an extraordinary imagination. I had to imagine a full stomach. I had to imagine a warm blanket to the point that it was survival or not survive. And I think I'm grateful the universe survived that. Every day day th day th day th day th day th day th day th day th day th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th tho I tho I would tho I would tho tho I would that that that thou- that that that theou- the. I'm the. I'm the. I'm the. I the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thathe. thathe. thathe. that thate. the. the. theeateeateateateateeateeateateateeateeeeeateeeeate. I theeeee. I the. I the universe survived that. Every day was simply about finding my mom and surviving, finding something to eat. So I wasn't conscious of what I didn't have. I just was on the mission. I was living my life. It was the hand I dealt and I played it to the best of my ability.

In your journey as a human, like have you what have you found has helped you heal some thoo tho. to tho. the the the the the the the the to, to, to, to, the the to, to, the to, the the the to, the the thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, the, the, and, the the the the the the the the the the the to. I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, t t t t t t t toomorrow, t toomorrow, t t toomorrow, toomorrow, toomorrow, today, toomorrow, toomorrow, toomorrow, and,, I always think in spite of instead of because of. You have to hear why I can't do this because of this, because of that. If you tell me I can't do something, I'm going to show you that I can't. In spite of, thus the title of the book, I'm possible. But I'm possible because you told me I couldn't do it. I'll show you that I can dos. We want a choice, a chance, and change. I was given a chance to make the right choices to see the kind of change that would better my life. Where do you think you got that from?

Trial and error on the streets, I had to make things happen. So as long as I had a chance, I thrown the chance, I the chance, I the to to to the to to to to the chance, I to to the to the to make, I the to make, I the the chance, I the the chance, I the to make, a chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, I was their their chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, a chance, I the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the right the the the the the the the the the the the their to make to make to make to make to make to make to make their, I was to make to make to make, I'm to make.a, I'm toa, I'm ga, I'm ga, I'm ga, I'm ga, I'm ca, I'm ga'a'a'a tria tria'a thauananananan, it's a story of how you see the world, it's a story that anybody can apply to themselves, but it's also the first book for me that I guess explains a tuba and also talks about it from a place of being self-aware because you love the instrument but you also acknowledge that it is the butt of many jokes. That you're just ironic that I'm six, five, three hundred pounds. I'm clumsy, I'm bulky, but yet it has power. My job in the orchestra is to show everyone else how bad they suck at rhythm and pitch. In what way?

Yeah, because I'm the foundation, so everyone leans on me for pitch. I set the groove. When you want to come in, we want to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to stay to to to to to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the tub., tubooooooooooooooooooooq.aa.a.a. tubea. tube. tube. tube. to the tuba. That's the tuba's job. Yes. So it has tremendous power. I didn't know that. Oh yeah, we get down there more than umpa, umpa. Yeah, no, that's what I think of a tuba, I just have like, school that's not easy to get into, and they accept you despite the fact that you can't read music. Yeah, not only did they accept me, I showed up the day after auditions and the director just happened to be there and he said, what are you doing here?

Auditions was yesterday. I don't know where it came from. I looked him straight in the the eyes and said, but he said the audacity and just just the the the the the the the the the the their. their. their. their. their. He said, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, they said, they said, they said, they said, they said, they said, they said, they're they're they're they're they're they're they said, they said, they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they said, they said, they said, they said, they said, they said, they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they. I's they. tha, they're they're tha, they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're they're the audacity and just the determination made him want to hear me. You came with the attitude of a tuba. I was ready to play, man. Yeah, you just came in. And you just blew him away. That was it. Yes, because he asked me, he said, can you read this? And I said, no. And he said, well, if I played this on a planet. We're gonna accept you into the school for your hearts.

That is amazing. Yeah. So you, okay, so you're also one of those people who can just hear, like pitch everything. Yeah, because I learned tuba on a cassette tape. Where do you get tuba tapes? My van director had him. And at that point I was playing a suzzoza sue, which, which, which, which, which, which,

Right. Oh yeah, that's the like, yeah. That one, I feel like that is the one that, that's where the jokes start. I feel. Yes, yes. It's like you wear the shame. But then, but then tubus have to, maybe that's what makes you resilient as a person. Maybe that's what makes you resilient as a person. Like when you play the uba, I'm gonna rock this music. Oh, I like that, man. Yes, that's my attitude. At that school, you found yourself beatboxing and rapping with someone who would go on to become one of the greatest rappers of all the time, Tupac Shakur. Oh yeah. When you look at your life in hindsight now, did you know at that time when you were rapping with Tupac when you were in that little beat baipher did you think to yourself oh yeah this guy's going to go on to do great things?

I knew there was something magical about Tupac and Jeda and Jada Pinkett Smith because I went to school both of them Jada Pinkett Smith and he schooled me man he was a thi the tp-he-he-. I mean he wore Oxford Church, spoke articulately. I saw him perform Shakespeare, you know, and read it correctly. That's the Tupac I knew. And every day in the cafeteria he would rap. He had a big medical book of notebooks. And he would rap every day. That was his passion.

So you knew there was something magical about him. And no one, usually when teachers to to to to to to to to to to to to to told you told you told you told you told you the their their their their their told you told you told you told you told you told you told you told you told you were, I their their, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I, I, I, I, their, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, their, I, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, they.. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. the they. the the magical about him. And no one, usually when teacher tell you to read books, you're like, whatever with that. He told you to read or research something. He was like, I need to study. I need to know my history. So he gave me a sense of being, a sense of being, a sense of purpose in thea. In thea touch with your blackness with Tupac, where he was like, no, you can be proud of this, this is a history you need to study, this is a world that you need to be a part of, that was a big factor in your life. Yes, and I'm proud of it because I don't believe in

well-intended tokenism. Everything I've gotten I've earned. And I think Tupac, you know, look at the is that excellence is void of color, excellent is void of gender. Right. It's just on the level or it's not. Right. And you've got to provide or find the resources to be on the level. That is amazing. So, so you're on this journey now. I mean, you have reached the tubares of tubarism. Is that what we call it? Yes. Yes. I'm going to go with that. You can do that. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the to the th. the th. to the th. to the th. to to the the to tod the toda. the the the today. toda. to to to to to to to to to to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the tho tho tho toda. today. today. today. today. today.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a. toda. toda. toda. though. You want to break records. You want to play the tuba on every single continent on Earth. That's on my bucket list. Wow. You just make me very happy. How many, how many continents have you played on?

I have left Africa, Australia and Ettrica. Why? What are you going to do in Antarctica? I'm going to get a helicopter there first and I'm going to do a 30 a 30 30 30 30 30 30 aital, means no piano, just me, and I'll have my plastic mouthpiece. This is exciting, man. Don't like crack any of like the polar ice caps. Don't like destroy the, just like, because I feel like that would happen in a movie. You're going to play the tubu. And then what's going to happen is it, it'll be a crack on some, and th some, and thice, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and thi, and thi, and thi, and thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, they. they. they. they. they. Don't just just, don't they. Don't just just, don't they. Don't they. Don't just, don't they. the they. the the the the the the record, but then we're all going to die. I'll stick to the high frequencies. Yeah, just, you know, keep it safe. Okay. You know, Richard, before I let you go, you, you, you have a disposition as a person where,

you know, if someone met you today, they just be like, man, what a jolly guy, what a determined guy, what a driven guy. But you've had to heal a lot a lot a lot a lot a lot to heal a lot to heal a lot to heal a lot to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal a to heal, to heal, to heal, to heal, to heal, to to th. thathea. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to th. to to to th. to to to to to to th. th. to to th. to th. to th. the th. th. th. thathea. thathea. the. thea. thea. theauu. theau. theau. theau. theau.au. toa. toea. toea. to, to. to. to. a lot of pain. You know, you've had to deal with so many of the things in your life. You know, the story with your mom in the book is really one that is sad, but it ends in a place of deep love. What has Richard done to get over them and to heal himself? First of all, I'm very thankful for that. I'm very thankful for that and I have a belief that the best day or the best thing about every day is that I'm not done yet. Whether it be a good day or bad day, I'm not done yet. Right? And we all fail. So I have an acronym for failing. And that is finding

an intended lesson in needed growth. If I fail at something, that means there was something I needed to know that I the th. the th. the th. the th. th. the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th th the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, whether the, the, the, the, the, the, the, whether the, whether the, whether the, whether the, whether the, whether the, whether the, whether the, whether the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, theee, thee, thee, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the I didn't know, that I now know, so I can fix it and then it leads me to the best part of every day is that I'm done yet. That's a hard lesson to him. It's beautiful, but I don't know if I'll remember it every time I fail. I'll try my best. Call me up, call me up. I'll call you up. And then you can play, throwne, th. I, th. I, th. I, th. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. th. th. th. That's. That's. That's. that's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's a. That's a. That's a. That's a. That's a that's a that's a that's a that's a that's a that's a that's a. That's a. That's a. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's. That's a. That's. That's a. That's a. That's a. That's a. That's a. That's a. That's a hard. That's a hard. That's a hard. That's a hard. That's a hard. That's a hard. That's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. It's a hard. That's a hard. That's a hard. too much. I could be a tourist really well. You never know you never know you know My dude, thank you so much for joining me. Thank you Thank you. Congratulations on the book. There's an amazing documentary on your life

That I recommend everybody watch as well on Magnolia as well on Magnolia the Magnolia network and discovery plus and theasured. Ples. Thank you. Thank you so. Thank you so so so so so so so so so. Thank you so. you so. you so. so. so. so. so. you so. th you so. th you so. th you so much. th th th th th th th th. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much so much so much so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank th. Thank th. Thank. Thank. Thank. Thank. Thank. Thank th. Thank th. Thank th. Thank th. Thank th. Thank th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. Thank you so th. Thank you and Discovery Plus and don't forget please do not forget this book I'm possible it is out right now. All right we're gonna take a quick break but we'll be right back after this. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968 there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. You're rolling? But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible.

I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple Podcasts starting September 17. Well, that's our show for tonight. But before we go, this week is Mental Illness Awareness Week. So please, consider supporting the A-CoMA project. The A-Coma project offers free virtual therapy and workshops for teens and young adults of color, as well as educating youth and their families on the importance of mental health. So if you want to support them in this work, please donate at the link below. Until tomorrow, stay safe out there, get your vaccine, and remember, if you really want

to surprise your boyfriend, don't show up to his college and announced. Just tell him you're pregnant. Watch the Daily Show, Weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central, and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at.

That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17.