1 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:08,000 I'm on the move in six of the greatest cities of the world 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,480 and I'm on the trail of their top movers and shakers. 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,400 They're not all cut from the same cloth. 4 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:16,880 In our globalised world, 5 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,800 don't make the mistake of thinking everywhere's now the same. 6 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,880 Each great city marches to its own tune. 7 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:28,160 My background's diplomacy - cultivating networks. 8 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:30,800 'As an ambassador,' 9 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,080 my job's to get to know some of the most powerful people in the world 10 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,040 and find out what really makes them tick. 11 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,760 Crime, glamour, power and influence... 12 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:43,120 it'll all be there. 13 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,160 In these six cities I'll grapple with the dark, 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,120 Machiavellian heart of politics. 15 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:54,080 I'll witness up close the lives of the IMMENSELY rich 16 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,840 and I'll get into the minds of those who really rule the roost. 17 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,560 This is a journey to uncover the networks of power. 18 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,040 Los Angeles, California... 19 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,960 500 square miles of sprawling suburbs rising out of the desert... 20 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:30,920 ..snared by freeways, 21 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:32,800 suffocating in smog, 22 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:34,440 shapeless and unloved... 23 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:40,360 ..but with global pulling power as the city of dreams. 24 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,040 Here glamorous movie stars, infamous gangs 25 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,320 and the rising immigrant population 26 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:49,040 are all somehow doing their thing on the same stage 27 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,280 and it's my daunting task to penetrate 28 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,760 all these very different networks of power. 29 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,680 As British ambassador to the US, I came here often 30 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:01,160 but that was ten years ago. 31 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,960 One thing I do remember from my past visits 32 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:10,160 is this is a place where image trumps reality. 33 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:15,680 So, the first thing I did was to hire a monstrous great black car, 34 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:21,320 an SUV, and I have checked into the swankiest hotel in town. 35 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,560 The Beverly Hills Hotel, for the last 100 years, 36 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,640 has been THE place to be seen for the rich and powerful of Los Angeles 37 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,880 but while I've sorted the location and assembled the props, 38 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,760 I need some help on the cast. 39 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:42,440 It's a basic rule of diplomacy 40 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,160 that you don't ride into town and seek out the big guns 41 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,080 until you've got some insider's tips. 42 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,720 LA is a culture obsessed with appearance, youth, beauty 43 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,840 and ever-changing fashion - and I'm already lost! 44 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,000 Especially here, at Venice Beach, 45 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,040 where I've come to find a fellow Brit to get my bearings. 46 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,680 Caroline Hedley is a journo who has made her name 47 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,760 watching life in the city for the last five years. 48 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:12,440 You must be Caroline? 49 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,080 Sir Christopher! How are you? Call me Christopher! At last! 50 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:16,120 How are you? Yes. 51 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,560 I've just arrived in the city. I'm on the outside looking in. 52 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,680 What is the secret of your success? 53 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:24,400 Well, you're wonderfully sycophantic 54 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,760 so you've got a head start already in this town! Terrific! 55 00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:31,040 Do you think of yourself as an Angelino? No. 56 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,680 Does anybody think of themselves as Angelinos as opposed to... 57 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,600 You don't find many native Angelinos. 58 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:39,440 This is a transient town - 59 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,560 people come here for a good time, not a long time! So, there's no...? 60 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,200 There's no community, is there? What sort of...? No. 61 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,640 People don't talk about unemployment and the awful state of the roads, 62 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,400 and the health system - people don't want to know about that here. 63 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,280 They just want to think, "Well, OK, well, I haven't got any money 64 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,280 "but tomorrow's another day and maybe some opportunity will arise, 65 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:58,400 "and the sun is shining." 66 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,160 Do you ever feel that this is... 67 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,400 eat, drink and be merry 68 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:05,720 as the fires of revolution are licking at the door? 69 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,120 Absolutely! And everyone's out for themselves. 70 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,200 I've got the whole of Los Angeles to explore 71 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,400 and it's not just the Paris Hilton world 72 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:22,280 of lapdogs, Beverly Hills shopping and supercars 73 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:28,280 but this week is Oscars week and the whole world is in Hollywood's grip. 74 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,880 Trouble is, the event is so carefully stage-managed, 75 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,720 I stand no chance of getting anywhere near the action. 76 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,560 I'm not even allowed to show you the Oscar statuette behind me 77 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,480 because the image is licensed. 78 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,960 Now, if I can't get a statue to go on camera with me, 79 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,680 I've got my work cut out for the rest of the week! 80 00:04:52,840 --> 00:04:57,320 Hundreds of millions of people all over the world watch the Oscars. 81 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,080 No-one here is going to risk compromising the global fantasy 82 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,240 or their commercial interests 83 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,400 by letting me have the run of this place. 84 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,760 This is the nearest I'm likely to get a red carpet in Hollywood 85 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:11,240 but, to be honest with you, 86 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:15,440 it's not where I'm going to find the real power players in this town. 87 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,320 The challenge for me is to get past the glamour, the hoopla, 88 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:25,520 the flashbulbs, the glitz and get access to the people you never see. 89 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:28,120 And to that end, 90 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:33,440 I'm off to meet one of the most powerful people in Hollywood. 91 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,720 Kim Masters is editor-at-large of The Hollywood Reporter. 92 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,640 Here she has established a fearsome reputation 93 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:41,920 for seeking out the truth. 94 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,880 'So, if I'm a big movie mogul and my secretary says,' 95 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,960 "We've got Kim Masters on the line, from The Hollywood Reporter," 96 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,920 will I immediately get a, kind of, butterfly in my stomach? 97 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,920 I'm likely to be scared, aren't I? I'm a potential problem. Yeah? 98 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,440 You know, in Scientology, which is an institution in Hollywood, 99 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,640 they call you a PTS - a potential trouble source. 100 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,280 I'm a potential trouble source. So, that's a form of power. 101 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,320 I realised really quickly that I wasn't going to get very far being nice. 102 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,440 It is Oscars week... Right. 103 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,920 ..and we have this great ceremony, which transfixes the world. 104 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,240 I mean, how important are these stars who win these awards? 105 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,280 Certainly not as important as they used to be. 106 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,120 I mean, when I started covering the beat 107 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:26,680 there was a list of A-list stars. 108 00:06:26,840 --> 00:06:30,720 They could open a movie. You know, that is very over. 109 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,400 The movies that are working, you know, are Transformers, Avatar. 110 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,040 You know, if I say to you, "Who starred in Avatar?" 111 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,360 you're probably going to be blank, right? I am cluel... 112 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:41,960 I've seen the movie! Right. 113 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,040 Can you explain why this change has taken place? 114 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:49,360 It's just become... The type of film they're making is much narrower. 115 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:53,320 You know, they're trying to make big blockbuster, event films. 116 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:58,400 So, up until quite recently, the DVD was this giant cash cow. 117 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,360 Suddenly the market started to drop out of it. Because why? 118 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,840 Because you could stream it online, you could get it on demand 119 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,200 and it costs you this tiny little thing. 120 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:09,640 They can't cover, with internet pennies, 121 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:14,040 what they used to pay for with box office and DVD dollars. 122 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:15,880 So, what do you think is going to happen? 123 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,680 I have no idea and that distinguishes me from no-one because no-one knows. 124 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:24,720 It's still hugely culturally influential around the globe. 125 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:25,960 It's a big deal. 126 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:27,360 It's not just going to vanish 127 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:29,840 but it's going to go through some terrible struggle 128 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,080 and it may not look like it does now when it's done. It will not. 129 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,520 What shall I always have at the back and front of my mind as I, 130 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,480 as I negotiate and manoeuvre my way around? 131 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,040 Follow the money. The movie business is about money. 132 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,840 Everything is about money in Hollywood. 133 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:48,480 Kim's advice to, "Follow the money," 134 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:52,000 is itself as movie quote from All The President's Men 135 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,160 and an indication, if ever one was needed, 136 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:58,760 of just how powerfully Hollywood has influenced global culture. 137 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,800 Feeling a bit like Watergate journos Woodward and Bernstein myself, 138 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,920 I am now on assignment on Hollywood Boulevard, 139 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:10,240 determined to see past the stardust and tourist throngs, 140 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,360 to study the men in the shadows. 141 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,480 (CROWD SCREAMING) 142 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,000 Look, she's blowing kisses at you. 143 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:21,360 How are you, Jennifer? 144 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:26,840 I cannot EXPLAIN to you how surreal this moment is! 145 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,480 Watching Jennifer Aniston receive her honour, 146 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:34,280 you'd never guess that Los Angeles' most famous export is in crisis 147 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:37,000 or that its stars are losing their power. 148 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,840 But in Hollywood it's all about keeping up the fantasy. 149 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:46,560 While the crowds gaze adoringly at their Friend's million-dollar smile 150 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,560 they are all overlooking where the power lies. 151 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,760 This grey-haired man, happily fading into the crowd, 152 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,560 is the real puppet master - head of Universal Studios. 153 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,720 Ron Meyer is the longest-serving studio boss in Hollywood history 154 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,560 and a man I'm determined to meet... 155 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,600 ..but first, it's time I ventured into REAL Los Angeles 156 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,480 and it ain't about the stars. 157 00:09:20,710 --> 00:09:22,630 (HORNS BEEPING) 158 00:09:27,390 --> 00:09:29,950 The glamour of Hollywood shines so brightly 159 00:09:30,110 --> 00:09:33,950 it all too easily overshadows the rest of Los Angeles. 160 00:09:34,110 --> 00:09:38,950 Just 200 years ago, this immense city was a tiny Spanish pueblo 161 00:09:39,110 --> 00:09:41,870 before exploding into over 80 districts, 162 00:09:42,030 --> 00:09:45,150 housing one of America's most diverse populations. 163 00:09:47,270 --> 00:09:49,510 The biggest ethnic group, by far, are Latinos. 164 00:09:49,670 --> 00:09:53,870 LA's a Latin American city every bit as much as a North American one. 165 00:09:53,990 --> 00:09:55,630 '..who are blocking the streets 166 00:09:55,790 --> 00:10:00,550 'and now, all of a sudden, he wants to run for LA District Attorney.' 167 00:10:00,670 --> 00:10:02,310 I'm listening to John and Ken, 168 00:10:02,470 --> 00:10:06,110 Los Angeles shock jocks who claim to be speaking for the average Joe 169 00:10:06,270 --> 00:10:10,270 and seem to do so, partly, by complaining about the average Jose. 170 00:10:11,710 --> 00:10:15,710 John and Ken have what they call here the "bully pulpit" - 171 00:10:15,870 --> 00:10:17,590 the ability to get their point across - 172 00:10:17,750 --> 00:10:20,310 making them among the most influential in the city. 173 00:10:21,710 --> 00:10:26,470 'And if I want to speak to them, I first have to sing for my supper.' 174 00:10:26,630 --> 00:10:29,870 Hi! Hi! I'm here to see John and Ken! 175 00:10:31,030 --> 00:10:32,830 'While I've many radio interviews before, 176 00:10:32,950 --> 00:10:35,070 'this one could be dangerous.' 177 00:10:36,870 --> 00:10:39,350 They are the most listened-to local talk radio DJs 178 00:10:39,470 --> 00:10:41,430 in the whole of the United States. 179 00:10:41,590 --> 00:10:44,030 They could incite protest, set the agenda 180 00:10:44,150 --> 00:10:47,030 and affect the course of elections. 181 00:10:47,190 --> 00:10:51,270 Afternoon! Thanks for seeing me. Meyer is how you say it, right? 182 00:10:51,390 --> 00:10:54,110 John...Ken. Right, yeah. 183 00:10:54,270 --> 00:10:58,550 This is no joke, this is Sir Christopher Meyer. That's me. 184 00:10:58,710 --> 00:11:02,430 And he really has been a British Ambassador to the United States. 185 00:11:02,590 --> 00:11:05,310 In fact, the longest serving one... Since the Second World War. 186 00:11:05,430 --> 00:11:06,430 World War Two, right. 187 00:11:06,590 --> 00:11:08,230 And he came on because he wants some advice 188 00:11:08,350 --> 00:11:09,790 on what kind of people to speak with. 189 00:11:09,950 --> 00:11:11,950 To explain how Los Angeles works. Is that right? 190 00:11:12,070 --> 00:11:13,550 That, John, is exactly right. 191 00:11:13,710 --> 00:11:16,550 Now, don't do the Walk of Fame, don't do Beverly Hills - 192 00:11:16,710 --> 00:11:18,630 that's a very tiny sliver of Los Angeles 193 00:11:18,790 --> 00:11:20,470 that has no impact on most people's lives. 194 00:11:20,630 --> 00:11:22,310 We're going to tell you the dirty secrets. 195 00:11:22,470 --> 00:11:24,310 First of all, you go and see the mayor. 196 00:11:24,430 --> 00:11:26,830 Hm-mm. Villaraigosa, all right? 197 00:11:26,950 --> 00:11:28,630 He's an empty can. 198 00:11:28,790 --> 00:11:31,550 Not what makes the city great. But I have to see him? 199 00:11:31,670 --> 00:11:32,990 You do have to see him. 200 00:11:33,150 --> 00:11:36,230 He can't speak very well without a script. Oh. 201 00:11:36,390 --> 00:11:38,670 No, he can't. He gets brainlock. Yeah, he gets brainlock. 202 00:11:38,830 --> 00:11:40,710 This is a little montage we have of him, OK? OK. 203 00:11:40,870 --> 00:11:47,110 'I want, er, I want, er, you know, we're looking... Er...' 204 00:11:47,230 --> 00:11:49,070 (CHUCKLES) This is typical! 205 00:11:49,230 --> 00:11:53,870 '..but, er, I'll tell ya that's...what...is..what 206 00:11:53,990 --> 00:11:56,190 'I think has to be crystal clear.' 207 00:11:56,310 --> 00:11:57,230 There you go. 208 00:11:57,390 --> 00:12:00,110 You'd better have a lot of film - that could go on for two hours, OK? 209 00:12:00,270 --> 00:12:03,870 That's a genuine article, is it? Well, it's, it's a montage of a few. 210 00:12:04,030 --> 00:12:05,910 Montage? Yeah, but that's really what goes on. 211 00:12:06,070 --> 00:12:08,710 You've got a bit of poetic licence in there, have you? A little bit. 212 00:12:08,870 --> 00:12:11,550 'John and Ken are paid to be provocative. 213 00:12:11,710 --> 00:12:14,030 'Power without responsibility, some might say.' 214 00:12:14,150 --> 00:12:15,910 Oh, spill some secrets! 215 00:12:16,070 --> 00:12:19,070 Cos you were ambassador during the run up to the Iraq war... 216 00:12:19,190 --> 00:12:20,430 It all came out on WikiLeaks. 217 00:12:20,590 --> 00:12:24,590 I mean, I've got nothing left. I'm an empty husk now - it's all GONE! 218 00:12:24,750 --> 00:12:27,430 Oh, then you'll get on with Villaraigosa then! 219 00:12:27,590 --> 00:12:31,030 A couple of empty husks! Well, yes, yes, yes. 220 00:12:31,150 --> 00:12:32,470 Well, they call me Sir Empty H... 221 00:12:32,630 --> 00:12:34,310 No, they don't actually but there you go! 222 00:12:35,510 --> 00:12:38,430 'I was relieved to have survived. 223 00:12:38,590 --> 00:12:40,630 'Now it was my turn to hear just what John and Ken 224 00:12:40,750 --> 00:12:42,750 'want to do with their power.' 225 00:12:42,910 --> 00:12:46,670 And you guys, you've got over a million listeners, is that right? 226 00:12:46,830 --> 00:12:50,110 Mm-hm, yeah. I mean, you're influential. You have power. 227 00:12:50,270 --> 00:12:53,990 Yeah, well, we talk about things that other people really care about 228 00:12:54,110 --> 00:12:55,550 and relate to in their lives. 229 00:12:55,710 --> 00:12:59,230 The school system is a shambles, the roads are a shambles, 230 00:12:59,350 --> 00:13:01,390 traffic is horrible. 231 00:13:01,550 --> 00:13:04,990 You know, the quality of life for the poor neighbourhoods is terrible 232 00:13:05,150 --> 00:13:08,270 and for the wealthy neighbourhoods, they just put up walls and gates. 233 00:13:08,430 --> 00:13:10,670 May I go to the mayor of Los Angeles, please? 234 00:13:10,830 --> 00:13:13,430 You're very rude about him. So, how does he get back at you? 235 00:13:13,590 --> 00:13:16,510 He calls us toxic. Divisive. "You spew hate." 236 00:13:16,670 --> 00:13:19,790 He is an empty-suit politician, who's trying to rise to the top 237 00:13:19,910 --> 00:13:21,430 based on the fact that he is Latino, 238 00:13:21,550 --> 00:13:22,990 and the fact that he dresses nice, 239 00:13:23,150 --> 00:13:25,630 the fact that he looks good on camera and he smiles a lot. 240 00:13:25,790 --> 00:13:27,590 But he does not take strong stands on issues, 241 00:13:27,710 --> 00:13:28,790 which is what people need. 242 00:13:28,910 --> 00:13:30,830 'Surprise, surprise, 243 00:13:31,030 --> 00:13:34,750 'the stand John and Ken most want the Mayor to take is on immigration.' 244 00:13:34,910 --> 00:13:38,110 The illegal alien situation is serious in Los Angeles. 245 00:13:38,270 --> 00:13:41,830 It costs, state-wide, billions and billions of dollars. 246 00:13:41,990 --> 00:13:44,830 If you're the Mayor of Los Angeles, are you going to side with 247 00:13:44,990 --> 00:13:48,070 the citizens, the voters, the taxpayers? 248 00:13:48,230 --> 00:13:51,350 Are you going to side with people who are costing us 249 00:13:51,510 --> 00:13:53,590 all this money by being here illegally? 250 00:13:53,750 --> 00:13:55,950 But how the hell do you deal with illegal immigration? 251 00:13:56,070 --> 00:13:57,390 How do you stop it coming in to LA? 252 00:13:57,510 --> 00:13:58,950 Oh, well, you seal the border. 253 00:13:59,110 --> 00:14:01,190 You really would do that? Oh, absolutely. 254 00:14:03,470 --> 00:14:06,230 John and Ken are typical of their huge audience - 255 00:14:06,390 --> 00:14:10,390 white, right-wing and swift to blame the city's problems on others. 256 00:14:10,510 --> 00:14:12,990 There's no question LA is changing. 257 00:14:13,110 --> 00:14:16,230 The Latino population has boomed, 258 00:14:16,390 --> 00:14:19,470 and now accounts for almost 50% of the city and rising. 259 00:14:19,630 --> 00:14:23,430 This has fundamentally changed the balance of power 260 00:14:23,590 --> 00:14:26,430 and the city now has its first Mexican-born Archbishop 261 00:14:26,550 --> 00:14:28,550 and a Latino sheriff. 262 00:14:30,070 --> 00:14:32,110 So, I've come to Boyle Heights in East LA, 263 00:14:32,270 --> 00:14:35,870 to the heart of the Latino community, 264 00:14:36,070 --> 00:14:39,230 and where Los Angeles's first Latino Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, grew up. 265 00:14:43,590 --> 00:14:47,070 Mariachi Plaza, just three miles from Hollywood, 266 00:14:47,230 --> 00:14:48,990 and I've found myself in another world, 267 00:14:49,150 --> 00:14:53,070 a link back to that original 18th-century settlement 268 00:14:53,230 --> 00:14:57,150 dedicated to Nuestra Senora La Reina De Los Angeles. 269 00:14:57,310 --> 00:15:02,190 California was only surrendered by Mexico to the USA in 1847. 270 00:15:02,350 --> 00:15:07,030 It's time to dust off my rusty Spanish. 271 00:15:18,910 --> 00:15:22,550 What I'm seeing here in the square 272 00:15:22,710 --> 00:15:25,550 is part of the new influx of immigration 273 00:15:25,670 --> 00:15:27,070 that so alarms John and Ken. 274 00:15:27,230 --> 00:15:33,150 And which they accuse the Latino Mayor of not doing enough to stop. 275 00:16:20,550 --> 00:16:24,790 'While my new friends may disagree about the merits of LA's Mayor, 276 00:16:24,950 --> 00:16:26,750 'one message is coming through loud and clear - 277 00:16:26,910 --> 00:16:31,830 'to find power I must indeed follow the money. 278 00:16:31,990 --> 00:16:35,590 'And in common with great cities the world over, 279 00:16:35,710 --> 00:16:38,350 'the best legal path to real riches 280 00:16:38,510 --> 00:16:42,110 'is by owning a healthy slice of the city itself.' 281 00:16:42,230 --> 00:16:44,710 The most famous sign on God's Earth, 282 00:16:44,870 --> 00:16:47,830 but originally it had nothing to do with films, 283 00:16:47,990 --> 00:16:51,110 it was just an advertisement to sell real estate. 284 00:16:51,230 --> 00:16:53,630 And even today, those who own land, 285 00:16:53,790 --> 00:16:58,550 and those who build on it, lie at the heart of power in Los Angeles. 286 00:17:03,030 --> 00:17:06,110 And yet one of the really strange things about Los Angeles 287 00:17:06,270 --> 00:17:09,310 is that for a generation or more its centre - downtown LA - 288 00:17:09,470 --> 00:17:12,670 was one of its least desirable neighbourhoods. 289 00:17:14,510 --> 00:17:17,630 That's changing, thanks in large part to one man. 290 00:17:19,630 --> 00:17:22,910 He's got the power and the deep pockets to realise his dream - 291 00:17:23,070 --> 00:17:25,670 to transform downtown LA through culture. 292 00:17:30,790 --> 00:17:34,870 He was a moving force behind perhaps the first great building 293 00:17:34,990 --> 00:17:36,190 of the 21st century - 294 00:17:36,350 --> 00:17:39,830 the Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry. 295 00:17:45,830 --> 00:17:47,950 Now of all the big cheeses, 296 00:17:48,110 --> 00:17:52,350 this chap may be the biggest of them all. 297 00:17:52,470 --> 00:17:55,470 The man who has the wealth 298 00:17:55,630 --> 00:17:58,750 and influence to change the face of Los Angeles 299 00:17:58,910 --> 00:18:01,950 and to do so with his name on so many public buildings 300 00:18:02,070 --> 00:18:04,630 he'll almost live for eternity. 301 00:18:04,790 --> 00:18:07,270 Good morning. Good morning to you, Eli. 302 00:18:07,430 --> 00:18:09,070 Good to see you. Good to see you. 303 00:18:09,230 --> 00:18:12,750 Eli Broad, the son of Lithuanian Jewish immigrants 304 00:18:12,910 --> 00:18:15,950 made his first fortune in the building business. 305 00:18:16,070 --> 00:18:17,590 When it comes to power, 306 00:18:17,750 --> 00:18:20,750 being worth over $6 billion helps you get your point across. 307 00:18:22,110 --> 00:18:24,870 I think I'm right in saying that you have said 308 00:18:25,030 --> 00:18:27,470 that you wish to give away three-quarters of your wealth. 309 00:18:27,590 --> 00:18:28,990 That's correct. 310 00:18:29,110 --> 00:18:30,510 How are you doing at the moment? 311 00:18:30,630 --> 00:18:31,630 We're doing pretty well. 312 00:18:31,790 --> 00:18:34,390 You know, my children have all they'll ever need, 313 00:18:34,550 --> 00:18:38,910 and during our lifetime, I want to give our wealth away, 314 00:18:39,030 --> 00:18:40,470 invest it in things. 315 00:18:40,630 --> 00:18:42,950 I can remember when I was Ambassador in Washington, 316 00:18:43,110 --> 00:18:46,310 whenever I came to LA the one place I never went to was downtown, 317 00:18:46,470 --> 00:18:49,950 because it wasn't an attractive place to go to, so that is... 318 00:18:50,070 --> 00:18:51,790 It's changed. 319 00:18:51,910 --> 00:18:53,710 It's changed? It's changed. 320 00:18:53,870 --> 00:18:56,990 It's beginning to be recognised as a cultural capital 321 00:18:57,150 --> 00:18:59,470 together with New York, London, Paris. 322 00:18:59,630 --> 00:19:02,590 Though nearly 80, Broad is, if anything, 323 00:19:02,750 --> 00:19:05,310 accelerating his cultural philanthropy - 324 00:19:05,470 --> 00:19:08,510 with planned new developments enriching a city 325 00:19:08,670 --> 00:19:13,190 which already has more museums per head than anywhere else in America, 326 00:19:13,350 --> 00:19:16,990 and stages more theatrical productions than Broadway. 327 00:19:17,150 --> 00:19:21,070 The big one will be a museum to house his billion-dollar 328 00:19:21,190 --> 00:19:24,990 modern art collection - The Broad. 329 00:19:25,150 --> 00:19:27,750 It isn't hard to convince people if you're saying 330 00:19:27,910 --> 00:19:31,390 we're going to pay for the museum, we don't want any public funds, 331 00:19:31,510 --> 00:19:33,910 we're going to provide an endowment, 332 00:19:34,070 --> 00:19:36,670 but even then the people get concerned. 333 00:19:36,790 --> 00:19:39,990 They're concerned, is it too elitist? 334 00:19:40,150 --> 00:19:42,430 It's too elitist? Yeah. Yeah. I don't think it's elitist, 335 00:19:42,550 --> 00:19:44,030 and how people can think it's elitist 336 00:19:44,190 --> 00:19:47,790 is beyond me, but every now and then you hear that comment. 337 00:19:47,910 --> 00:19:50,110 Yeah. Instead of building a museum, 338 00:19:50,270 --> 00:19:53,710 why aren't you doing something for the poor or the homeless or whatever? 339 00:19:53,870 --> 00:19:57,590 What's your answer to that, to that accusation, that question? 340 00:19:57,750 --> 00:20:00,030 Yeah. The answer to that is we can't do everything. 341 00:20:00,190 --> 00:20:05,630 I can't help but admire Eli's noble vision for Los Angeles, 342 00:20:05,790 --> 00:20:11,190 but just six blocks south I find this - Skid Row - 343 00:20:11,350 --> 00:20:14,830 the greatest concentration of homeless people in America. 344 00:20:20,070 --> 00:20:27,310 You can see why people object to Eli Broad's priorities 345 00:20:27,470 --> 00:20:29,350 and the way he distributes his money, 346 00:20:29,510 --> 00:20:32,110 and I suppose it's a legitimate point of view to say, 347 00:20:32,230 --> 00:20:33,790 well, before you have high art 348 00:20:33,950 --> 00:20:38,670 and culture and music and paintings, and all of that, 349 00:20:38,790 --> 00:20:40,870 you need to deal with this problem 350 00:20:41,030 --> 00:20:42,750 that we can see on the streets around us now. 351 00:20:46,110 --> 00:20:49,470 This fractured city cannot afford enough social housing. 352 00:20:49,590 --> 00:20:52,670 A network of poverty, not power. 353 00:20:54,670 --> 00:20:59,950 So many of these people are quite clearly mentally disturbed, 354 00:21:00,070 --> 00:21:01,950 talking to themselves. 355 00:21:02,070 --> 00:21:04,230 It's a terrible sight. 356 00:21:11,950 --> 00:21:17,950 I suppose, sooner or later, this will be swept up 357 00:21:18,110 --> 00:21:22,270 in the gentrification of downtown Los Angeles. 358 00:21:22,430 --> 00:21:25,870 But that's not going to solve the problem, is it? 359 00:21:30,230 --> 00:21:34,150 Tomorrow, I explore an even darker side to the city. 360 00:21:34,310 --> 00:21:39,670 But this time it's richer than Eli Broad, as famous as Hollywood, 361 00:21:39,790 --> 00:21:48,820 and growing in power day by day. 362 00:21:48,820 --> 00:21:51,820 The mere mention of LA neighbourhoods such as Watts 363 00:21:51,980 --> 00:21:56,820 and Compton conjures up images of shootings and turf wars. 364 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:01,060 In fact, scenes like that 365 00:22:01,180 --> 00:22:03,060 are increasingly rare, 366 00:22:03,220 --> 00:22:07,340 yet the trouble is, today the situation is a lot more dangerous. 367 00:22:09,940 --> 00:22:12,260 LA is the gang capital of the world, 368 00:22:12,420 --> 00:22:17,060 and the reason I find myself in one of the poorest parts of the city. 369 00:22:22,780 --> 00:22:25,820 I'm in this car park, 370 00:22:25,940 --> 00:22:28,340 God knows where in Los Angeles, 371 00:22:28,500 --> 00:22:33,460 and I'm waiting to meet someone who used to be a leader of a gang. 372 00:22:33,580 --> 00:22:37,420 I've never met a gang leader before. 373 00:22:37,580 --> 00:22:41,460 It's a sort of slightly scary place, this. 374 00:22:41,620 --> 00:22:44,380 You must be Alfred? Yes, sir, how are you? 375 00:22:44,540 --> 00:22:46,180 How are you doing? It's good to see you. 376 00:22:46,340 --> 00:22:48,860 It's a great pleasure to meet you. You gotta do this. Over here. 377 00:22:49,020 --> 00:22:50,660 What do I do? Do that again? Do one of these. 378 00:22:50,820 --> 00:22:52,420 Yeah. One of these. Of these. 379 00:22:52,580 --> 00:22:54,900 And then you gotta go like that. Like that. There you go. 380 00:22:55,060 --> 00:22:56,660 And what does that mean if I do all that? 381 00:22:56,780 --> 00:22:59,060 That basically says we're good. 382 00:22:59,180 --> 00:23:00,900 We're good, we're friends already. 383 00:23:01,060 --> 00:23:05,260 Yeah. It's called pounding it. Walk into the British Foreign Office 384 00:23:05,420 --> 00:23:07,340 and go like that to the Secretary of State. 385 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:10,700 You're the only one that could pull that off. 386 00:23:10,820 --> 00:23:13,140 Who are you? Who am I? Alfred. 387 00:23:13,300 --> 00:23:15,780 Well, I'm a former gang member from one of the largest 388 00:23:15,940 --> 00:23:17,700 and most notorious gangs in South Central. 389 00:23:17,860 --> 00:23:19,860 Have you heard of South Central Los Angeles? 390 00:23:20,020 --> 00:23:21,820 Yes, I have. A very famous, infamous place. 391 00:23:21,980 --> 00:23:24,220 Only from the movies, though. Only from the movies. 392 00:23:24,380 --> 00:23:28,540 'Alfred was involved in the city's infamous drug wars 393 00:23:28,700 --> 00:23:30,260 before being banged up for seven years.' 394 00:23:30,380 --> 00:23:31,740 Did anybody ever shoot you? 395 00:23:31,900 --> 00:23:34,260 I've been shot several times, yes, sir. 396 00:23:34,420 --> 00:23:37,140 Several times? Yes. And have you got wounds to prove it? 397 00:23:37,260 --> 00:23:38,220 Yes, I do. I got one here. 398 00:23:38,340 --> 00:23:40,740 Can we see this? Jesus Christ. 399 00:23:40,900 --> 00:23:43,660 See that there? You know you look like you've been bitten by a shark. 400 00:23:43,780 --> 00:23:45,500 I feel like I'm in jail. 401 00:23:45,620 --> 00:23:47,020 When we're in jail we all show... 402 00:23:47,180 --> 00:23:50,380 we always show off our bullet-holes, yeah. 403 00:23:50,540 --> 00:23:54,580 'Despite having no war wounds myself to share with Alfred, 404 00:23:54,700 --> 00:23:56,540 we seem to have bonded.' 405 00:23:56,700 --> 00:23:58,380 So, if I'm going to understand Los Angeles 406 00:23:58,540 --> 00:24:00,100 and who's got the power here in the city, 407 00:24:00,260 --> 00:24:02,220 I've got to understand gangs then, is that right? 408 00:24:02,340 --> 00:24:04,900 They're powerful things. 409 00:24:05,060 --> 00:24:08,420 Yes, they are. They're very, very powerful. 410 00:24:08,580 --> 00:24:12,180 Whoever has the money is the ones that pretty much control things. 411 00:24:12,340 --> 00:24:14,100 It's no different than government, I guess. 412 00:24:14,260 --> 00:24:16,140 That's an interesting point. Yeah, right. 413 00:24:16,300 --> 00:24:20,140 So they are running whole areas of Los Angeles. 414 00:24:20,260 --> 00:24:21,500 You really need to see it 415 00:24:21,660 --> 00:24:24,380 just to let you get a chance to maybe understand it. 416 00:24:24,540 --> 00:24:26,500 OK, OK. Right, Alfred, let's do it. All right. 417 00:24:37,700 --> 00:24:39,940 Well, this is the Pico Union area. 418 00:24:40,100 --> 00:24:44,260 The area still has one of the highest unemployment rates, 419 00:24:44,380 --> 00:24:45,700 one of the highest poverty rates, 420 00:24:45,860 --> 00:24:47,900 probably about 30 gangs in this little area. 421 00:24:48,060 --> 00:24:51,020 So, what is the story of gangs today? 422 00:24:51,180 --> 00:24:54,740 Unfortunately, the gang issue is actually growing. 423 00:24:54,900 --> 00:24:57,180 There are six times as many gang members now than there was 424 00:24:57,300 --> 00:24:58,220 ten years ago. 425 00:24:58,380 --> 00:25:01,860 Beneath the surface this is quite unstable here then, would you say? 426 00:25:01,980 --> 00:25:03,300 Yes. Interesting. 427 00:25:03,420 --> 00:25:06,300 Los Angeles ghettos, of course, 428 00:25:06,460 --> 00:25:10,100 they're nothing like southern ghettos or other areas that you see. 429 00:25:10,260 --> 00:25:13,340 But what we do have, unfortunately, is a lot of violence 430 00:25:13,460 --> 00:25:15,380 and a lot of gangs. 431 00:25:17,940 --> 00:25:20,580 'Crime here, explains Alfred, is something of a paradox. 432 00:25:20,740 --> 00:25:23,740 'Better policing from the once-infamous LAPD 433 00:25:23,900 --> 00:25:27,180 'has helped overall crime stats fall. 434 00:25:27,340 --> 00:25:30,500 'But the gangs are now more sophisticated 435 00:25:30,620 --> 00:25:33,180 'and operate with greater impunity.' 436 00:25:33,340 --> 00:25:35,860 There we go. Oh, show me again. Gotta do the thing, yeah. 437 00:25:36,020 --> 00:25:37,980 all right, yeah. There you go. And the pound. 438 00:25:38,100 --> 00:25:39,780 And the pound? And the pound. 439 00:25:39,940 --> 00:25:43,500 It's a cultural thing here, we don't do wires in the Hood. 440 00:25:43,620 --> 00:25:44,980 So take your bloody equipment. 441 00:25:45,100 --> 00:25:47,140 Oh! 442 00:25:50,100 --> 00:25:52,980 'While Alfred mediates on the street between the gangs 443 00:25:53,100 --> 00:25:55,340 'and the hope of reducing violence, 444 00:25:55,460 --> 00:25:57,740 'he recommends I see someone 445 00:25:57,900 --> 00:25:59,780 'who is making an impact in a very different way. 446 00:25:59,900 --> 00:26:01,980 'Connie Rice is recognised 447 00:26:02,140 --> 00:26:05,340 'as one of the most powerful people in California, 448 00:26:05,500 --> 00:26:07,740 'a cousin of former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice 449 00:26:07,860 --> 00:26:10,020 'and just as formidable. 450 00:26:10,180 --> 00:26:15,060 'She's a civil rights lawyer with a fearsome reputation 451 00:26:15,180 --> 00:26:17,700 'for prosecuting police corruption.' 452 00:26:17,860 --> 00:26:19,740 The police were one of our big targets now. 453 00:26:19,900 --> 00:26:23,740 You have to understand, we've been at war with LAPD, 454 00:26:23,900 --> 00:26:26,580 which is the city police, and 20 years later 455 00:26:26,740 --> 00:26:29,020 I now have a parking space at the Police Headquarters. 456 00:26:29,180 --> 00:26:32,500 I am now what the Chief calls his civic partner. 457 00:26:32,660 --> 00:26:35,420 So you have moved from being an insurgent, a rebel, 458 00:26:35,580 --> 00:26:39,140 into being part of the power structure, 459 00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:41,260 because you have bent it to your will. 460 00:26:41,420 --> 00:26:44,620 So, how do you feel now that you've crossed this line? 461 00:26:44,780 --> 00:26:50,900 You are now a powerful member of the power structure. 462 00:26:51,060 --> 00:26:54,620 Is that a fair characterisation of you, Connie Rice, now? 463 00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:57,820 Well, it's an interesting characterisation, 464 00:26:57,940 --> 00:26:59,940 but I would tweak it as follows - 465 00:27:00,100 --> 00:27:04,140 powerful, no, because I borrow powerful people's power. 466 00:27:04,300 --> 00:27:09,780 I don't actually have power myself. I have influence, I have persuasion. 467 00:27:09,900 --> 00:27:11,780 I'm influential, for now. 468 00:27:11,900 --> 00:27:14,220 It may last all of five minutes. 469 00:27:14,380 --> 00:27:18,100 Well, that's pretty good in the land of dreams, isn't it? 470 00:27:18,220 --> 00:27:20,460 LA is a land of dreams. 471 00:27:20,620 --> 00:27:23,900 It is where the First World meets the Third World, 472 00:27:24,020 --> 00:27:25,940 and it has worlds within worlds. 473 00:27:26,060 --> 00:27:27,780 We have 70 degrees 474 00:27:27,940 --> 00:27:30,580 and it's sun-splashed palm tree splendour, 475 00:27:30,700 --> 00:27:32,900 and it is extremely safe. 476 00:27:33,060 --> 00:27:37,460 But you go in to the kill zones and it looks like a war. 477 00:27:37,580 --> 00:27:43,980 The crime in LA has gone down 27%. 478 00:27:44,140 --> 00:27:45,860 How do you reconcile the contradiction 479 00:27:46,020 --> 00:27:47,740 between having this level of violence, 480 00:27:47,900 --> 00:27:49,700 albeit contained in fairly small areas, 481 00:27:49,860 --> 00:27:52,900 with everybody saying hey, it's never been safer? 482 00:27:53,060 --> 00:27:56,020 Both are true. It's the tale of two cities. 483 00:27:56,180 --> 00:28:00,020 But as the visible, violent street crime goes down, 484 00:28:00,140 --> 00:28:04,300 the power of the gangs is going up. 485 00:28:04,460 --> 00:28:08,060 If we don't get smart, you will see alienated youth 486 00:28:08,220 --> 00:28:12,660 who create a culture that is very violent and dark and brutal, 487 00:28:12,780 --> 00:28:14,740 and we're not going to like it. 488 00:28:14,900 --> 00:28:19,340 A tale of two cities is, of course, true for many places, 489 00:28:19,500 --> 00:28:24,380 but I don't think I've ever seen it quite so clearly as in LA. 490 00:28:24,540 --> 00:28:28,580 So, I'm heading to the green hills of the San Fernando Valley, 491 00:28:28,740 --> 00:28:32,820 home to LA's comfortable middle class. 492 00:28:32,980 --> 00:28:36,420 My destination - that archetypal American institution, 493 00:28:36,540 --> 00:28:38,500 the country club, 494 00:28:38,660 --> 00:28:42,220 and a meeting with Ron Kaye, former editor of the LA Daily News, 495 00:28:42,340 --> 00:28:44,460 a passionate and outspoken member 496 00:28:44,580 --> 00:28:47,140 of the LA awkward squad. 497 00:28:47,300 --> 00:28:51,860 One of the amazing things about LA is that it's got no centre, 498 00:28:52,020 --> 00:28:57,220 no - no thing, no embracing idea, no spirit of Los Angeles. 499 00:28:57,380 --> 00:29:00,060 So, in New York people are New Yorkers, 500 00:29:00,220 --> 00:29:03,500 in Chicago they're Chicagoans. In LA, nobody is called an Angelino. 501 00:29:03,620 --> 00:29:05,860 What does this tell us 502 00:29:06,020 --> 00:29:11,340 about the precise power structure in Los Angeles? 503 00:29:11,500 --> 00:29:14,220 Who holds the levers of power? Nobody. 504 00:29:14,380 --> 00:29:19,340 The most amazing thing about LA is there's no Mr Big. 505 00:29:19,500 --> 00:29:25,340 There is a circle of interest - politicians, the donators, 506 00:29:25,460 --> 00:29:26,820 developers, corporations. 507 00:29:26,940 --> 00:29:28,300 I can't quite work out 508 00:29:28,460 --> 00:29:33,620 whether you're painting a utopian view of the life you lead here, 509 00:29:33,740 --> 00:29:34,860 or a dystopian view, 510 00:29:34,980 --> 00:29:38,980 which is deeply pessimistic. 511 00:29:39,100 --> 00:29:41,660 It's both. That's the drama of LA. 512 00:29:41,820 --> 00:29:43,660 But I want to go to the current Mayor. 513 00:29:43,820 --> 00:29:47,180 Now he's interesting, because he's the first Latino Mayor. 514 00:29:47,300 --> 00:29:48,900 Of all the people in town, the Mayor 515 00:29:49,060 --> 00:29:51,180 is just about the most interesting figure. 516 00:29:51,300 --> 00:29:53,420 His background of growing up poor, 517 00:29:53,540 --> 00:29:55,980 Latino, when Latinos had no power, 518 00:29:56,140 --> 00:30:00,700 with the enormous personality, the charisma, the excitement. 519 00:30:00,860 --> 00:30:04,460 And he's now talking about he might run for Governor, 520 00:30:04,580 --> 00:30:06,180 he might run for the Senate. 521 00:30:06,340 --> 00:30:09,540 I could be talking to a man who will, in due course, 522 00:30:09,700 --> 00:30:12,340 be catapulted into national politics, 523 00:30:12,500 --> 00:30:14,860 and might have actually national political aspirations. 524 00:30:15,020 --> 00:30:18,620 I'm told that people around him think if he plays his cards right 525 00:30:18,780 --> 00:30:21,540 he could still be President Of The United States. Wow. 526 00:30:21,660 --> 00:30:22,820 Heaven help us. 527 00:30:30,940 --> 00:30:33,580 With power scattered all over the place, 528 00:30:33,740 --> 00:30:37,700 and the city beset with problems, I really have to see the Mayor, 529 00:30:37,820 --> 00:30:40,180 but he's not returning my calls. 530 00:30:40,340 --> 00:30:44,100 Luckily, I've got wind of an event where the worlds of Hollywood 531 00:30:44,220 --> 00:30:45,940 and politics collide. 532 00:30:46,100 --> 00:30:49,140 The Hollywood Reporter is hosting an Oscars party, 533 00:30:49,300 --> 00:30:53,780 and I've persuaded Kim Masters to take me as her date. 534 00:30:53,940 --> 00:31:00,580 And to my delight, the man greeting guests is none other than the Mayor. 535 00:31:00,740 --> 00:31:04,260 It seems that if you wish hard enough in this town, 536 00:31:04,380 --> 00:31:07,220 dreams really can come true. 537 00:31:08,900 --> 00:31:10,300 All right? Thank you. 538 00:31:10,460 --> 00:31:12,740 You're welcome. Give me your name again. 539 00:31:12,860 --> 00:31:14,020 Sir Christopher Meyer. 540 00:31:14,180 --> 00:31:16,020 Sir Christopher, get all the information. 541 00:31:16,180 --> 00:31:19,700 He'll get it. Meyer, Mayor, you see. Meyer, Mayor. 542 00:31:19,820 --> 00:31:21,100 I like it. It's good to see you. 543 00:31:21,220 --> 00:31:23,100 Hi, everybody. 544 00:31:23,220 --> 00:31:25,060 I'm Antonio. Hi. 545 00:31:25,180 --> 00:31:28,140 Well, cheers, everybody. 546 00:31:29,980 --> 00:31:32,580 I've been to my first Hollywood party 547 00:31:32,700 --> 00:31:35,860 and have bagged the Mayor 548 00:31:36,020 --> 00:31:40,460 of this great city - at least he's said he's going to talk to me 549 00:31:40,620 --> 00:31:42,460 before we leave here at the end of the week, 550 00:31:42,580 --> 00:31:43,780 so let's hope for the best. 551 00:31:45,780 --> 00:31:47,900 I must confess, I'm seeing double, 552 00:31:48,020 --> 00:31:50,620 and it's not just the Champagne. 553 00:31:50,740 --> 00:31:53,420 If this is a tale of two cities, 554 00:31:53,580 --> 00:31:56,260 it's only right that I'm about to meet two mayors. 555 00:31:56,380 --> 00:32:05,000 Confused? Welcome to Los Angeles. 556 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:09,680 I've travelled north from Beverly Hills to a secret facility 557 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:12,120 that many believe is the saviour of Hollywood. 558 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:20,480 Whoever possesses that has the source of power and... 559 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:22,880 What is it? Where does it come from? 560 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:24,720 That is a shard of the Allspark. 561 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:28,800 It is the last remaining piece of the Allspark that exists. 562 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,720 And it is vacuum-sealed so that it can never erode. 563 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:36,000 In the right hands, it's the source of all good. 564 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:39,080 I'm being given a sneak preview of the future, 565 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:44,360 Hollywood's future, and their brand-new $100 million investment - 566 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,640 Transformers, the Ride, at Universal Studios, 567 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:54,000 based on the movies, which are based on the games, the toys, the comics. 568 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:56,240 This is the holy grail of entertainment. 569 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:58,160 I've got to stop you right there, 570 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:00,760 because I've got to make a confession to you, 571 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:04,320 I've never seen a Transformers movie. 572 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:06,680 'I'm more of a classic Westerns man myself, 573 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:11,080 but today's formulaic and bankable fantasy franchises 574 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:15,800 promise endless sequels, spin-offs and merchandising. 575 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:17,120 'Top dollar.' 576 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:20,800 Terrifying. 577 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:24,280 'All three Transformers movies were panned by the critics, 578 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,560 had no discernible stars, and yet the third film alone 579 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:29,640 made over a billion dollars, 580 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:31,880 and there are rumours of two more in the pipeline.' 581 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:36,200 All right, I'm already getting scared. 582 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:38,640 Yep, I can see. 583 00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:41,480 You can't escape Megatron. 584 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:49,600 In its heyday, 585 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,440 Hollywood's influence on Western culture was unquestionable. 586 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,080 Perhaps I'm old school, 587 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:57,240 but it's hard to see how Transformers 588 00:33:57,360 --> 00:33:59,040 will inspire generations to come. 589 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:03,840 Is that Anthony Perkins here? 590 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:05,440 That's Tony Perkins there. 591 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,800 I don't think he'll be happy when he sees that we've seen him. 592 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:16,400 It's a good thing he's not a very fast... 593 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:19,040 That's very good. Good thing he's not a very fast runner. 594 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:21,000 This is so corny, 595 00:34:21,160 --> 00:34:24,160 but there is something quite magical about seeing this stuff. 596 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:25,320 It's not corny at all. 597 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:28,640 Listen, I've never tired of it. I've done this my whole career, 598 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,000 and there's never a time that I don't love being here. 599 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:32,960 There's something about being on a movie lot 600 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:35,040 that is unlike any place on Earth. 601 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:38,480 'You may recognise my genial studio tour guide 602 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:42,120 as the grey man lurking behind Jennifer Aniston 603 00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:43,600 just a few days ago. 604 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:47,720 Ron Meyer is one of the world's most powerful movie moguls. 605 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:52,560 He's been Head of Universal Studios for 17 years, 606 00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:55,480 so if anyone knows what the future holds for Hollywood, he should. 607 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:59,040 It's time to turn on the charm.' 608 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:00,920 I'm very old fashioned. Well, that's OK. 609 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:03,560 You know, you have bookshelves and you have other shelves 610 00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:04,760 that are stuffed with DVDs. 611 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:07,800 As long as you're buying our product, we're all happy. Oh, well, yes, I do. 612 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:08,840 We want you to own it. 613 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:11,520 I would never download them in any kind of illicit way. 614 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:14,080 We want you to own, not rent, but we'll take whatever we can get. 615 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:15,120 No, I own them. 616 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:18,520 See, you are a big movie fan. Oh, I'm a genuine movie fan. 617 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:22,080 I think there's no greater messaging than movies. 618 00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:25,120 It can reach everybody with every kind of positive 619 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:26,560 and negative message. 620 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:28,600 But there's an opportunity 621 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:30,960 to really do the right thing and influence people 622 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:32,200 in a positive way, and... 623 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:34,960 So, you're not just mayor of Universal Studios, 624 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:38,320 you're not just a problem-solver, you're not just an enabler, 625 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:41,360 but you are a cultural and emotional messenger to the world... 626 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:43,600 Oh, god. ..through the medium of movies. 627 00:35:43,720 --> 00:35:45,240 That sounds way too important, but... 628 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:48,120 No, but it is, it is that, surely. But I do think the medium does that. 629 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,520 And you control the medium, at least part of the medium. 630 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:54,720 Well... It's a great thing to be. It IS a great thing to be. 631 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:57,320 'Ron never finished high school, but made his name 632 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:03,240 as a talent agent before becoming the self-styled mayor of Universal - 633 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:08,040 a studio so large, it's officially known as a city. 634 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:11,160 But it's one with an uncertain future, 635 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:16,480 being starved of the revenue that made it great.' 636 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:20,240 I look back on my career, my life, and I've been gigantically lucky. 637 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:27,200 And I get to do for work what most people would do for pleasure. 638 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:31,520 How has the industry changed and how has your job changed? 639 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:33,600 The thing that's the most difficult is piracy. 640 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:35,520 I mean that's really the biggest challenge 641 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:36,720 that we as an industry face. 642 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:39,120 Are you winning or losing the battle against piracy? 643 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:42,000 Well, we're certainly losing the battle in general. 644 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:44,240 We will never stop piracy or theft, 645 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:49,240 but I do think that we are getting better at finding ways 646 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,400 to make our audiences more happy to pay for it. 647 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:53,800 Hit movies are what this is all about. 648 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:56,480 In the past years we've created American Pie franchise, 649 00:36:56,640 --> 00:36:59,520 a Fast and Furious franchise, a Mummy franchise, 650 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:02,040 The Bourne franchise, 651 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:04,400 and there is probably nothing more important 652 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:06,920 than building franchises, because franchises 653 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:09,480 mean your audience already knows what's coming. 654 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:12,080 People want what we deliver. 655 00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:14,280 We know how to do it in film and television, 656 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:16,680 and there's always going to be a need and desire for it. 657 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:19,000 I'm very bullish on the movie business itself 658 00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:22,960 and I think that we have survived and will continue to survive, 659 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:29,480 and it'll be a healthy business for hopefully many lifetimes. 660 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:32,320 Well, I finally made it, 661 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:34,680 I got to see the most powerful man in Hollywood. 662 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:36,760 And despite all the challenges, 663 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:40,400 he is optimistic about the future of this great city. 664 00:37:40,520 --> 00:37:44,280 But he would say that, wouldn't he? 665 00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:47,360 Others think it's more of a disaster zone. 666 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:54,320 If Hollywood does end up losing the war on piracy, 667 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:58,640 they'll be forced to rely on tourism and theme parks all the more. 668 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:03,880 But it's back to the real world, or is it? 669 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:08,080 as I cash in my brief encounter at his house with LA's mayor 670 00:38:08,240 --> 00:38:11,560 and head for my final Los Angeles pow-wow. 671 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:18,000 Mayor Villaraigosa is yet another amazing LA success story. 672 00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:21,800 Born into a poor immigrant Latino family in Boyle Heights, 673 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:24,440 he has presided over City Hall 674 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:26,760 for the last seven years. 675 00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:29,200 But I'm still not sure what to expect. 676 00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:30,880 Depending on who you listen to, 677 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:35,040 I'm either about to spend 15 minutes with an empty husk 678 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:39,360 or the future President of the United States of America. 679 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:41,640 Mr Mayor. 680 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:44,160 How are you? I'm extremely well. 681 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:46,320 Good to see you, Ambassador. Good to see you. 682 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:48,800 I'm extremely pleased I ran into you at that party... 683 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:49,880 I'm glad you did. 684 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:53,000 ..the other night, otherwise I don't think we would be meeting like this. 685 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:56,560 We probably wouldn't be, but I wanted to do this 686 00:38:56,720 --> 00:38:59,520 because I said I would and I think what you're doing is important. 687 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:02,600 'But before we proceed, it seems someone is missing.' 688 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:05,440 Hey, why isn't what's-her-name in here? 689 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:07,520 Remember, any time there's filming, 690 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:09,440 I mean isn't that why we brought her on? 691 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:13,240 So, she should look in that camera, she should see what that looks like. 692 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:16,080 I love this young man here, he's a good young man, 693 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:18,360 but he's still a rookie. 694 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:23,280 I'd like her to make sure that... It looks right. 695 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:25,240 Why they didn't call you, I don't know, 696 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:26,920 but let's look through that thing 697 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:29,440 and just see what you like and what you don't like. 698 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:32,120 Hello. Hi, how are you? 699 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:33,920 'This was the first time in all my travels 700 00:39:34,080 --> 00:39:37,160 'that a professional producer has been brought in to approve our shot. 701 00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:41,280 'Luckily, she likes it.' 702 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:45,240 Did you think that when you were at school, that one day 703 00:39:45,400 --> 00:39:48,880 you would be one of the most powerful men in California? 704 00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:51,000 You know, I grew up a stone's throw away, 705 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:55,200 in the community Boyle Heights and City Terrace, 706 00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:57,560 and I could see City Hall - I didn't even know what it was. 707 00:39:57,720 --> 00:40:00,320 How important is that Latino connection? 708 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:06,680 It's true that I have a great deal of support in that community, but... 709 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:09,600 I think if I've had a strength over the years 710 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,520 it's that I was always a coalition builder. 711 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:14,640 I went to see Ron Meyer last week, who gave us... 712 00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:17,000 A good friend of mine. A good friend of yours. 713 00:40:17,120 --> 00:40:18,160 He gave us a great, sort of, 714 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:21,360 talk about the industry and took us around the studio lot. 715 00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:23,280 I'm big on Hollywood and I'll tell you why. 716 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:25,280 I tell people 717 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:30,360 there's 210,000 jobs related to that industry, 718 00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:34,200 and the jobs behind the camera are even more important 719 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:36,360 than the people in front of it. 720 00:40:36,520 --> 00:40:41,240 There's a lot going on here. Yeah. A lot of things that give me 721 00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:45,280 the sense...that it's not hyperbole to say 722 00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:47,560 this is the city of America's hope and promise, 723 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:48,880 and the city of its future. 724 00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:53,440 So somebody like... somebody like Eli Broad. 725 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:54,880 A good friend of mine. 726 00:40:55,040 --> 00:40:58,640 Another good friend of yours who is giving... I saw him last night. 727 00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:02,680 He's one of those people that we're very lucky to have. 728 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:05,880 And so you have partnerships with these very big guys 729 00:41:06,040 --> 00:41:09,240 like Eli Broad and Ron Meyer, and they're both friends, 730 00:41:09,400 --> 00:41:12,200 but they're also colleagues in a kind of common mission 731 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:15,480 to build up Los Angeles and make it what it is. 732 00:41:15,640 --> 00:41:18,240 I love my city, that's why we're doing this interview. 733 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:19,440 It's because... 734 00:41:19,560 --> 00:41:21,440 When you found me and told me 735 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:24,480 that you'd been trying to set up a meeting - 736 00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:27,640 and I guess the praetorian guard around me... 737 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:30,680 You've got a very good praetorian guard, I can tell you. 738 00:41:30,840 --> 00:41:33,680 And when you told me you wanted to do a piece 739 00:41:33,840 --> 00:41:36,920 about the great cities of the world, I said yes, 740 00:41:37,040 --> 00:41:39,200 because I believe in this city. 741 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:42,600 I believe in, you know, the dream that is the American dream. 742 00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:46,640 But if that dream happens, it happens on a scale 743 00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:48,880 and scope second to none here. 744 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:52,800 Well, what was that? 745 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:57,520 After all the lobbying and the pushing and shoving and campaigning 746 00:41:57,640 --> 00:41:59,360 to get in to see the mayor, 747 00:41:59,520 --> 00:42:02,240 it all turned out to be a bit of a damp squib. 748 00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:07,600 He was uptight, he was nervous, he spoke to us in platitudes. 749 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:10,600 And the most interesting thing of all, 750 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:15,000 he was more interested in his image and the camera angles 751 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:18,480 than, apparently, in substance. 752 00:42:18,600 --> 00:42:20,160 So Hollywood! 753 00:42:20,320 --> 00:42:23,400 The mayor must have been asked these questions 754 00:42:23,560 --> 00:42:28,080 a thousand times before, but it wasn't an impressive performance. 755 00:42:28,240 --> 00:42:31,680 You could argue that he's a reflection of the city he runs. 756 00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:37,080 Los Angeles lacks something which is surely the very essence of cities - 757 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:39,320 identity. 758 00:42:39,480 --> 00:42:43,080 From Ancient Athens onwards, cities have become great 759 00:42:43,240 --> 00:42:47,520 when their inhabitants see themselves as citizens. 760 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:51,200 That's true of the Mumbaikars, Muscovites, Romans 761 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:54,480 and New Yorkers I've met on my previous journeys. 762 00:42:54,640 --> 00:42:57,920 But though there's lots of power in Los Angeles, 763 00:42:58,040 --> 00:42:59,480 it doesn't pull together. 764 00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:02,840 So, it may be that this city will always be less 765 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:04,280 than the sum of its parts. 766 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:12,600 'It's so much easier to look the other way, 767 00:43:12,720 --> 00:43:15,120 bury your head in the sand, 768 00:43:15,240 --> 00:43:16,800 and just keep on dreaming.' 769 00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:20,840 Hop out here. Who is it? Oh, the man of mystery. 770 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:24,440 All the way from London. Mysterious. 771 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:25,880 I like your socks. 772 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:28,160 Thank you very much. You're welcome. 773 00:43:29,520 --> 00:43:31,160 Are we ready? 774 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:33,040 Yeah, ready. Right, yes. 775 00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:34,840 Yes. So tell me, how does it feel to be here? 776 00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:38,600 I'll tell you exactly how it feels - 777 00:43:38,720 --> 00:43:41,360 I feel that I've arrived. 778 00:43:41,480 --> 00:43:42,680 I've made it. 779 00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:49,360 Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd 780 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:54,040 accessibility@bskyb.com