>> FUNDING FOR "OVERHEARD" WITH

EVAN SMITH IS PROVIDED IN PART

BY MFI FOUNDATION, IMPROVING THE

QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN OUR

COMMUNITY.

AND FROM THE TEXAS BOARD OF

LEGAL SPECIALIZATION.

BOARD CERTIFIED ATTORNEYS IN

YOUR COMMUNITY, EXPERIENCED,

RESPECTED, AND TESTED.

ALSO, BY HILLCO PARTNERS, A

TEXAS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

CONSULTANCY.

AND BY THE ALICE KLEBERG

REYNOLDS FOUNDATION.

AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> I'M EVAN SMITH, SHE'S AN

AUTHOR, COMEDIAN, POLITICAL

COMMENTATOR AND ACTIVIST, AND

COCREATOR OF "THE DAILY SHOW".

SHE'S LIZZ WINSTEAD.

>> I GUESS WE CAN'T FIRE HIM

NOW.

>> I GUESS WE CAN'T FIRE HIM

NOW.

>> THE NIGHT THAT I WIN THE

EMMY, BEING ON THE SUPREME COURT

WAS AN IMPROBABLE DREAM.

>> IT'S HARD WORK AND IT'S

CONTROVERSIAL.

>> WITHOUT INFORMATION THERE IS

NO FREEDOM, AND IT'S JOURNALISTS

WHO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.

>> WINDOW ROLLS DOWN AND THIS

GUY SAYS, HEY, GOES TO 11.

>> LIZZ WINSTEAD, WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU,.

>> SO NICE TO MEET YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO BE IN

THE POLITICAL TALK SHOW

BUSINESS.

YOU'RE A COCREATOR OF "THE DAILY

SHOW".

GETTING TO BE ALMOST 20 YEARS

AGO.

THIS IS SALAD DAYS OF THE WHOLE

GENRE OF PROGRAMS.

DO YOU THINK THE SHOW IS A

REFLECTION OF THE TIMES, THOSE

KINDS OF SHOWS ARE A REFLECTION

OF THE TIMES WES LIVE IN OR ARE

THE TIMES A REFLECTION OF THE

SUCCESSES OF THOSE SHOWS?

>> I THINK THAT WHEN WE LAUNCHED

THE DAILY SHOW IN '96, WE

LAUNCHED WITH A MEDIA LANDSCAPE

THAT WAS, IF YOU'LL RECALL, IT

WAS LIKE ALL OF THE NIGHTTIME

SHOWS WERE MAGAZINE SHOWS THAT

WERE LITERALLY POISONING US.

TERRIFYING US, YOU KNOW, YOUR

MATTRESS, WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW

MIGHT KILL YOU.

IT WAS LIKE -- RIGHT?

CONSTANT.

AND THEN THERE WAS ONLY CNN AT

THE TIME.

AND SO IT WAS -- IT WAS -- IT

WAS O.J. AND IT WAS NOT NEWS,

PER SE, BUT IT WAS REALLY JUST

INFO TAINMENT THAT FELT VERY ALL

PURULENT.

WHEN WE WATCHED THE SHOW, WE

WERE DEALING WITH THAT MEDIA

LANDSCAPE, AND SO THE SHOW

EVOLVED WITH THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE

THAT EXISTED, SO BY THE TIME

9-11 HAPPENED, THE SHOW WOULD

BECOME SOMETHING ELSE, AND AS WE

WATCHED OURSELVES GO TO WAR, ON

FALSE INFORMATION AND THINGS

LIKE THAT, THE MEDIA THEN, AND

THE SHOW ITSELF, THEN, BECAME A

WHOLE DIFFERENT ANIMAL, AND THEN

JOHN TOOK OVER FROM CRAIG

KILGORE WHO WAS THE HOST WHEN I

WAS THERE, AND HE DID SOMETHING

THAT I THINK IS REALLY

BRILLIANT, WE WERE MORE LIKE

COLBERT AT THE BEGINNING, THE

HOST OF THE SHOW AND ALL OF THE

CORRESPONDENTS WERE IN

CHARACTER.

NOBODY BROKE.

THE AUDIENCE HAD TO GET IT.

WHAT JOHN DID WAS, BECAUSE JON

IS BRILLIANT IN AND OF HIMSELF

TO PUT HIM IN A CHARACTER MADE

NO SENSE.

HE'S JUST A SMART GUY.

SO HE BECAME SORT OF THE VOICE

OF THE VIEWER, AND ASKING A LOT

OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HYPOCRISY

THAT WE WERE LIVING IN

SURROUNDING HIMSELF BY THE

CORRESPONDENCE WHO STILL

REMAINED, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE

DIM WITTED CORRESPONDENTS.

>> YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE

GONE BY THE TIME JON STEWART WAS

FIRMLY IN PLACE.

YOU MUST LOOK AT THE JON STEWART

ERA OF "THE DAILY SHOW" WITH

PRIDE.

>> OF COURSE.

WHAT I ALWAYS SAY IS IT'S REALLY

GREAT TO HAVE YOUR INSTINCTS PAY

OFF AND TO KNOW THAT THE BONES

OF THIS HOUSE WERE REALLY

STRONG.

AND THAT WE -- THERE WAS A

MEDIA -- THERE IS AN APPETITE TO

HAVE PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE MEDIA

WITH A JAUNDICED EYE, NOT JUST

THE MEDIA MAKERS AND TO WATCH

THAT IT WAS ABLE TO EVOLVE AND

THAT JON'S VOICE WAS TO BE ABLE

TO MAKE IT GROW, AND THEN BECOME

THE JUGGERNAUT THAT IT IS.

A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL SAY

DID YOU EVER EXPECT IT TO BECOME

THIS THING THAT IT BECAME, AND

THERE'S TWO ANSWERS TO THAT, ONE

WITH JON TAKING IT OVER, I KIND

OF DID, BUT THE ONE I NEVER

EXPECTED IS THAT OUR MEDIA WOULD

BECOME SO DERILECT THAT "THE

DAILY SHOW" COULD ROCKET.

>> IT'S ABOUT THE DECLINE OF

EVERYTHING ELSE.

ALSO "THE DAILY SHOW" AND THE

SHOWS LIKE IT, COAL BETTER,

THESE DAYS THE JOHN OLIVER

PROGRAM IS IN THE SAME CATEGORY,

IT'S BECOME JOURNALISM, RIGHT,

IN SOME WAYS, IT'S BECOME A NEWS

SHOW AND DOING JOURNALISM THAT

THE REGULAR JOURNALISTS ARE NOT

DOING.

>> SHAME ON JOURNALISM, I MIGHT

SAY.

WHEN YOU FACT CHECK THE SHOWS,

THEY CHECK OUT, AND THERE IS NO

NEED -- THERE IS SO MUCH 24 HOUR

NEWS, SOME TIMES WHEN YOU WATCH

IT OR WHEN I WATCH IT, I

SHOULDN'T SAY YOU, BUT WHEN I

WATCH IT IS THE GOAL HERE TO BE

FIRST RATHER THAN RIGHT?

BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HELPFUL

REALLY TO AN ELECTORATE THAT

REALLY NEEDS SOME INFORMATION,

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING GETS SPEWED

OUT THERE SO THAT -- IN AN

EFFORT TO BE FIRST AND THEN IT'S

WRONG AND THEN IT PERPETUATES

AND THEN IT GETS TWEETED AND

RETWEETED AND ALL OF A SUDDEN

THERE'S INACCURACIES, THE

JEANNIE IS OUT OF THE BOTTLE,

AND YOU CAN'T PUT IT BACK IN

SOMETIMES.

YOU END UP SAYING, THAT ISN'T

TRUE.

I'M SURE WE HAVE PARENTS WHO

FORWARD US CRAZY E-MAILS FROM

THEIR CRAZY FRIENDS, YOU KNOW,

BARACK OBAMA WAS BORN -- WHERE

WAS HE BORN NOW?

>> WELL, THE PHENOMENON IS

ABSOLUTELY THE CASE, AND

THAT'S -- IT'S GREAT.

THESE SHOWS, THE GROUP OF THEM,

NOT TO PAINT WITH ONE BRUSH, BUT

THEY ALL TEND TO BE MORE LIBERAL

OR THEY COME ACROSS AS MORE

LIBERAL POLITICALLY, FOR A LONG

TIME, AS YOU KNOW, TALK RADIO IS

VERY CONSERVATIVE.

AIR AMERICA WHICH YOU WERE

INVOLVED WITH COFOUNDING IS

ATTEMPT TO PUT SOME BALANCE ON

THE SCALE.

>> YEP.

>> BUT THIS GENRE OF TALK SHOW

HAS LARGELY BEEN MORE

LIBERAL-LEANING, IT SEEMS, IS

THERE A REASON FOR THAT.

>> IF YOU FACT CHECK THE DAILY

SHOW, IT COMES OUT ACCURATE, AND

IF IT'S LIBERAL-LEANING, ONE

COULD DEDUCE THAT IF YOU'RE

LIBERAL-LEANING, YOU'RE SPEWING

OUT THE FACTS.

>> OKAY.

>> I'M JUST SAYING, YOU COULD

SAY THAT!

[ LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE ]

>> YOU'RE WELCOME, I SET THAT UP

PRETTY WELL.

COULD A CONSERVATIVE VERSION OF

ONE OF THESE SHOWS, YOU KNOW,

THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY PEOPLE

WHO ATTEMPTED.

DENNIS MILLER HAS ATTEMPTED,

RIGHT?

>> I WOULD SUGGEST ALL OF YOU TO

GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE FOX NEWS

ATTEMPT AT ABOUT -- IN 2007 OR

EIGHT THEY TRIED A 12 EPISODE

SHOW.

>> DIDN'T WORK.

>> NOT AT ALL.

I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE

SAID FOR THE POLITICAL

PHILOSOPHY OF LOOKING -- I MEAN

IT'S MINE AND I THINK IF YOU

LOOK AT SORT OF ALL OF THESE

SHOWS, IT'S -- IF YOU LOOK AT

SOMEBODY, WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN THE

GIFT OF POWER.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THEY USE IT STUPIDLY, OR

THEY USE IT TO MANIPULATE THE

GREATER GOOD, THOSE SHOULD BE

YOUR TARGETS, RIGHT?

SO IF YOU LOOK AT CONSERVATISM

AS A WHOLE, WHICH IS LIKE STAY

THE COURSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S

NOT A WHOLE LOT OF LIKE, LET'S

OPEN UP OUR MINDS AND LOOK AT

THIS, LIKE THIS SEEMS TO BE

WORKING, THIS IS OUR PHILOSOPHY,

IT'S -- WE BELIEVE IN, YOU KNOW,

FAITH AND FAMILY AND THIS, AND

THE FAITH IS CHRISTIANITY, AND

THAT DOESN'T EXPAND TOO MUCH,

AND THE FAMILY IS, YOU KNOW,

STRAIGHT, SECULAR, HUSBAND-WIFE,

TRADITIONAL FAMILY INSTEAD OF

FAMILY MEANS A LOT OF THINGS,

AND SO WHEN YOU STICK WITH THE

RIGIDITY, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO

THEN BE LIKE, HEY, GOOD NEWS FOR

THE BIG GUY, YOU KNOW, THAT

DOESN'T REALLY RESONATE SO WELL.

>> BUT THESE SHOWS, STEWART, FOR

INSTANCE, HAVE COME AFTER PEOPLE

LIKE BARACK OBAMA, HILLARY

CLINTON, THEY'RE BIPARTISAN.

>> IF YOU'RE A POLITICAL PERSON

WHO CAME UP THROUGH THE SYSTEM,

I THINK THE PARTY SHOULDN'T

MATTER.

WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY IN

POLITICS NOW, AND CORPORATIONS

ARE NOW PEOPLE, YOU KNOW,

DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS

ALIKE --

>> DOESN'T MATTER, IT'S A TARGET

RICH ENVIRONMENT.

>> IT'S A TARGET-RICH

ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, AS WE SIT

HERE AND SPEAK, DRUM BEATS TO

WAR ARE BEING -- ARE BEING, YOU

KNOW, BEATEN BY DEMOCRATIC

PRESIDENT, AND, YOU KNOW,

THERE'S -- IF YOU'RE NOT

TARGETING BARACK OBAMA AND

HILLARY CLINTON AND THE

DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS A WHOLE,

YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOB AS A

SATIRIST, LIKE THAT IS JUST THE

BOTTOM LINE, THESE ARE PEOPLE

RUNNING OUR LIVES.

WE ARE THE LENS WITH WHICH WE

CAN TAKE IN INFORMATION, SPEW IT

OUT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF HUMOR,

A LITTLE BIT OF OUTRAGE, AND A

LOT OF QUESTIONS.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT IS FUN

ABOUT BEING A COMEDIAN WHO TALKS

ABOUT THE ISSUES OF THE DAY IS I

HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS

EVERYBODY ELSE HAS, I JUST SPEND

MORE TIME DOING RESEARCH

SOMETIMES BECAUSE A LOT OF

PEOPLE ARE WORKING.

FOLKS GOT TO DO TO THEIR JOBS.

>> AND YOU HAVE A VENUE, ALSO,

THAT A LOT OF REGULAR PEOPLE

DON'T HAVE TO ASK THESE

QUESTIONS PUBLICLY.

WHY DIDN'T AIR AMERICA RADIO

WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN AHEAD OF ITS

TIME ATTEMPTING TO DO WHAT HAS

BEEN ACCOMPLISHED ON CABLE

PROGRAMS, AIR AMERICA RADIO IS A

VERSION OF WHAT YOU SEE NOW WITH

STEWART AND COLBERT AND ALL OF

THAT.

>> THERE'S A DOCUMENTARY WHY IT

DIDN'T WORK, IN THAT WE HAD

PEOPLE FUNDING IT WHO WERE NOT

VERY HONEST.

>> IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE BUSINESS

MODEL.

>> IT WAS ABOUT THE BUSINESS

MODEL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CORE

TEAM THAT WAS ON AIR, MARK MERRI

HAS A -- RACHEL MAD DOUGH IS

RACHEL MAD DOUGH, SO THERE WAS A

REALLY STRONG GROUP OF PEOPLE

WHO WERE DOING A REAL SERVICE,

THE STATISTICS IN TALK RADIO ARE

KIND OF STAGGERING.

THERE'S 90 SOME%, I THINK IT'S

93, BUT I'M NOT FOR SURE, BUT

IT'S BETWEEN 93 AND 95% OF ALL

TALK RADIO IS CONSERVATIVE.

>> IS CONSERVATIVE, RIGHT.

>> IT'S ASTOUNDING.

AND SO TO TRY TO FILL THAT

LITTLE NICHE WITH JUST SOME

OTHER INFORMATION IT'S PRETTY

TOUGH.

>> WELL, YOU EITHER HAVE A

SUPPLY PROBLEM IN THAT THERE'S

JUST NOT NEARLY ENOUGH OF THE

COUNTER BALANCE TO THAT.

>> RIGHT.

>> OR YOU HAVE A DEMAND PROBLEM

IN THAT MAYBE THE RADIO OFFICE

AS IT'S CONSTITUTED DOESN'T WANT

TO HEAR THAT STUFF.

TV HAS BEEN THE REVERSE IN THE

SENSE THAT THE LATE NIGHT CABLE

SHOWS HAVE BEEN THE OPPOSITES OF

THE RUSH LIMBAUGHS AND THE GLENN

BECKS.

>> IT'S ADVERTISER SUPPORTED, SO

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WE WOULD GET

ADVERTISER BLOW BACK BECAUSE WE

WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF ABORTION

RIGHTS OR MARRIAGE EQUALITY.

>> RIGHT.

>> OPINIONS THAT ARE -- THAT WE

BELIEVE ARE BASED IN FACT, AND

JUST HUMANITY, BUT -- AND

ADVERTISERS WOULD BE LIKE, NO,

WE WON'T ADVERTISE ON SOMETHING

THAT BELIEVES THAT, BUT THEY

WOULD ADVERTISE ALL DAY LONG ON

LIKE -- ON A SHOW LIKE RUSH OR

GLENN BECK, WHERE PEOPLE JUST

MADE UP STUFF.

IT'S LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU'RE

WILLING TO SPONSOR A LIE THAT

FEELS LIKE IT'S VALUES, RIGHT?

BUT YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO

SPONSOR SOMETHING THAT IS JUST

THE WAY THAT SOME PEOPLE LIVE

THEIR LIVES.

>> CHASING AN AUDIENCE, RIGHT.

>> IT'S AMAZING WHAT THEY'LL

SUPPORT, LET ME COME BACK TO

THIS QUESTION OF THE LATE NIGHT

SHOW, SO YOU'VE GOT COLBERT,

STEWART, OLIVER, MAHR, ALL MEN.

>> YES.

>> LETTERMEN LEAVES, REPLACED BY

COLBERT.

CRAIG FERGUSON REPLACED BY

JAMES, WHERE ARE THE WOMEN IN

LATE NIGHT, WHY HAVEN'T WE SEEN

EVOLUTION ON THE GENDER END OF

THIS WHERE WOMEN ARE HOSTING

THESE PROGRAMS.

>> NOBODY IS PSYCHED ABOUT THAT.

>> I JUST WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF

YOU HAVE A PERSPECTIVE ON WHY

THIS IS.

>> THE SHORT ANSWER IS MAYBE

GUYS ARE MAKING THE DECISIONS?

I THINK THAT --

[ LAUGHTER ]

I THINK THAT FROM SOME WEIRD

REASON, AND I HONESTLY WOULD

LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS

MYSELF, IS THAT PEOPLE STILL

LOOK AT WOMEN AS OP -- APPEALING

TO WOMEN.

OUR HUMOR IS NOT GOING TO BE

WIDE RANGING AND WOMEN TALK

ABOUT SUBJECTS THAT ONLY WOMEN

LIKE, AS OPPOSED TO MEN WHO WE

HAVE ALL WATCHED MEN TALK ABOUT

MAN THINGS AND WE ALL SEEM TO

ENJOY IT, AND TURNS OUT THAT

THERE ARE THINGS THAT WOMEN

ARE -- CAN TALK ABOUT THAT

EVERYONE ENJOYS, BUT THAT IS

SOMEHOW JUST NOT FILLING THE

VOID, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

>> RIGHT.

>> ELLEN DEGENERES WOULD BE

AMAZING LATE NIGHT, LIKE WHY IS

THAT EVEN AN ISSUE?

SO THE PIPELINE OF WHAT PEOPLE

THINK PEOPLE WANT IN LATE NIGHT

IS DECIDED OFTEN BY A WHOLE

BUNCH OF EXECUTIVES WHO --

>> HAPPEN TO BE MEN.

>> WHO HAPPEN TO BE MEN, WHO

ALSO DON'T HAPPEN TO BE SEEING

THE IMPACT THAT WOMEN HAVE

APPARENTLY IN THE COMEDY

LANDSCAPE, YOU LOOK AT TINA FEY,

KRISTIN WIGG, SARAH SILVERMAN.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO

WOULD BE FINE AND AMAZING AT

HOSTING LATE NIGHT.

>> AND IT'S NOT AS IF THESE

WOMEN AND OTHERS YOU HAVEN'T

MENTIONED AREN'T ACTIVE OUT IN

THE COMMUNITY TALKING ABOUT

POLITICS, TALKING ABOUT MANY OF

THE SAME THINGS.

AND IN FACT YOUR CAREER HAS

MORPHED I WOULD SAY A LITTLE BIT

FROM BEING A STANDUP COMEDIAN,

BEING AN AUTHOR, BEING A

PERFORMER TO BEING SOMEBODY WHO

SPENDS THE BULK OF HER TIME AS

AN ACTIVIST TALKING ABOUT

POLITICS, YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY

FOCUSED ON AMONG OTHER THINGS

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND WOMEN'S

HEALTH.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU GOT

TO THAT POINT?

>> SURE, I, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY

WHEN YOU SEE THAT COMEDY CAN

REALLY RESONATE WITH PEOPLE,

THIS IS -- PEOPLE ARE REALLY

LISTENING AND RESEARCHING AND

MAKING A DIFFERENCE, WHEN THEY

HEAR THE STUFF, AND I THOUGHT,

WELL, A COMEDY SHOW IS A COMEDY

SHOW AND FIRST AND FOREMOST A

COMEDY SHOW IS TO MAKE PEOPLE

LAUGH, SO IF YOU WANT TO MAKE

PEOPLE LAUGH AND THEN ALSO

BALANCE THAT OUT WITH MAKING

PEOPLE THINK, DO A LITTLE

RESEARCH ON THEIR OWN, GETTING

THEMSELVES A LITTLE BIT MORE

MOTIVATED, THEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE

A DECISION THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE

GONNA' DO, SO I KIND OF WANT TO

TRY TO PUSH THE NEEDLE A LITTLE

BIT, AND FOR ME WHAT HAPPENED

WAS I WAS WRITING MY BOOK, AND I

LIVE IN BROOKLYN NOW, BUT I'M

FROM MINNESOTA, AND I COULDN'T

FINISH MY BOOK, I WENT BACK TO

MINNESOTA IN 2011 TO HUNKER DOWN

IN A WINTER -- THIS IS LIZZ FREE

OR DIE.

>> LIZZ FREE OR DIE.

YEP.

>> CAME OUT IN 2012.

>> YEAH.

SO I'M -- IT'S THE NEW CONGRESS

IN 2011 IS BEING SWORN IN,

YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT'S THE VERY

CONSERVATIVE TEA PARTY CONGRESS

THAT KIND OF TOOK OVER, AND THE

VERY FIRST THING THEY PROPOSED,

AND WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE

FINANCIAL CRISIS AND THE JOB,

THERE WAS NO JOB, AND THE FIRST

THING THEY PROPOSED TO DO IS TO

DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD, THE

NATIONAL PARKS AND I THINK

PUBLIC MEDIA, AND I WAS LIKE ARE

THEY PERFORMING ABORTIONS ON CAR

TALK IN YOSEMITE?

DID SOMETHING HAPPEN THAT I'M

NOT AWARE OF?

[ LAUGHTER ]

BECAUSE MAYBE WE SHOULD TALK

ABOUT THAT.

AND TURNS OUT THEY WEREN'T.

[ LAUGHTER ]

BUT A PRECEDENT HAD BEEN SET

THAT THEY WERE REALLY GOING

AFTER REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND

ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, PLANNED

PARENTHOODS AND SMALLER CLINICS,

ON A STATE LEVEL THE DEFUNDING

STARTED HAPPENING WHEN THAT

FAILED.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND I SAID, WOW, I GOT TO GO

BACK TO BROOKLYN, MAYBE I'LL

TAKE MY TWO DOGS AND ON MY WAY

BACK I'LL DRIVE AND DO SOME FUND

RAISERS AND SO I DID.

AND I WAS LEARNING ABOUT THE

LAWS IN DIFFERENT STATES AND I

WAS TALKING TO CLINICIANS AND I

WAS TALKING TO PATIENTS, AND IT

WAS REALLY A DESPERATE TIME, AND

I THOUGHT, WELL, STATE POLITICS

COULD NOT BE MORE BORING.

WHAT IF I INFUSED SOME HUMOR THE

WAY FUNNY OR DIE DOES, AND WITH

SOME FACTS AND GOT SOME OF MY

COMEDIAN FRIENDS TOGETHER, AND

WE STARTED HAMMERING AT ALL OF

THESE DIFFERENT LAWS.

>> THIS WAS GROUND UP AS OPPOSED

TO AT THAT TOP DOWN.

YOU GOT PERSONALLY ACTIVATED.

>> YEAH.

AND I REALIZED THAT THE

MESSAGING TO YOUNG PEOPLE JUST

WASN'T HITTING.

AND SO WHY NOT BRING SOME OF

THEIR FAVORITE COMEDIANS, LIKE

AMY SCHUMER, AND SARAH SILVERMAN

IN, AND DO SOME STUFF THAT WILL

RESONATE, HAVE THEM GO, I LIKE

COMEDY, OH, THAT'S GOING ON IN

MY STATE, WOW.

I COME TO TEXAS AND IT'S LIKE I

THINK THERE'S MORE TORCHYS THAN

THERE ARE PLACES YOU CAN GET AN

ABORTION IN TEXAS.

I'M NOT SURE I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

>> TORCHY'S IS DELICIOUS.

>> IT IS DELICIOUS, I WOULD LIKE

THERE TO BE A BALANCE BETWEEN

HEALTH CARE AND TORCHYS.

>> LET'S GET TO THAT, LET'S GET

TO THAT.

WHAT SPECIFICALLY HAPPENED.

ROE V. WADE IS MORE THAN 40

YEARS AGO, THE THOUGHT ON THIS

ISSUE, SETTLE POLICY, SETTLE

LAW, WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE

LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS THAT

IT'S NEITHER.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT THE BIG

STEP THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T

UNDERSTAND, THERE WAS ROE VERSUS

WADE, THEN SOMETHING CALLED

PLANNED PARENTHOOD VERSUS

PENNSYLVANIA.

THAT CASE WENT BEFORE THE

SUPREME COURT.

WHAT THE SUPREME COURT SAID WAS

YOU CAN RESTRICT ACCESS TO

ABORTION CARE AS LONG AS IT

DOESN'T CREATE A QUOTE, UNQUOTE

UNDUE BURDEN.

SO I THINK ALL OF US ARE AMAZED

AT THE -- THE WAYS UNDUE BURDEN

HAS BEEN STRETCHED TO ITS

HEIGHTS IN A STATE LIKE TEXAS

WITH MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF --

>> OR ARKANSAS OR NORTH DAKOTA

WHERE THE RESTRICTIONS ARE BEING

PUT ON THIS PROCEDURE AND THE

REALITY IS THAT ALTHOUGH

ABORTION REMAINS LEGAL

NATIONALLY IN SOME OF THESE

STATES THEY'RE BASICALLY

LIMITING ACCESS TO IT TO THE

POINT THAT THE LEGAL STATUS IS

IRRELEVANT.

>> AND THE WAY THAT THEY CAN GO

AROUND, KEEPING, SAYING IT'S

LEGAL, OKAY, YOU CAN HAVE A

CLINIC, BUT IN ORDER TO OPERATE

THAT CLINIC, THE PHYSICIAN HAS

TO HAVE ADMITTING PRIVILEGES TO

A HOSPITAL, BUT THE ONLY --

WITHIN A 30-MILE RADIUS, WELL,

EVERY HOSPITAL IN YOUR 30-MILE

RADIUS, MIGHT BE A HOSPITAL THAT

HAS A RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION, OR,

AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT REALLY

GETS ME, OUR TAX DOLLAR, WE

VOTED TO NOT HAVE OUR TAX

DOLLARS FUND ABORTION CARE,

LET'S SAY, AND YOU HAVE A PUBLIC

HOSPITAL, IF SOMEBODY WERE TO GO

TO THE CLINIC AND NEED TO GET

ADMITTING PRIVILEGES FROM THE

PUBLIC HOSPITAL, WE WON'T --

IT'S NOT LEGAL TO PAY FOR THAT

PROCEDURE, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC

HOSPITAL, IT'S AGAINST THE LAW

TO HAVE PUBLIC FUNDS GO -- IT'S

A WHOLE MESS THAT THEY GOT TO

SORT OF IMPLEMENT, AND WITH ALL

OF THESE LOOPHOLES THAT MAKE IT

REALLY INACCESSIBLE, AND FOR ME,

I -- I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE DEALT

WITH A LOT OF SHAME AND STIGMA

AROUND WOMEN NEEDING HEALTH

CARE, AND INSTEAD OF USING

MEDICAL BOOKS, WE'RE USING

RELIGIOUS BOOKS AND WE'RE NOT

LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL CASES OF

WHY PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE EVEN

BIRTH CONTROL, YOU KNOW, NOW WE

HAVE HOBBY LOBBY AND IT'S LIKE

THAT'S NOT EVEN ABOUT ABORTION

CARE, THAT'S ABOUT BIRTH

CONTROL, AND THEY SAY IT'S

BECAUSE HOBBY LOBBY IS A CRAFT

STORE THAT HAS A RELIGIOUS

VIEWPOINT, WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW

THAT CRAFT STORES WERE ALSO

CHURCHES.

I THOUGHT THEY SOLD EXTENT

SILLS --

>> BUT OF COURSE THE OWNER SHIP

OF THE STORE IS SAYING WE HAVE A

RELIGIOUS POINT OF VIEW.

YES, I HEAR EVERYTHING YOU'RE

SAYING, THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR A

LONG TIME HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO

SOLVE POLITICALLY.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIVISION

POLITICALLY ON THIS, ULTIMATELY

POLITICS IS PRECEDED BY

ELECTIONS, IN A LOT OF PLACES

WHERE THESE ISSUES ARE COMING

UP, YOU MIGHT SAY THAT ONE WAY

TO CHANGE THIS IS TO CHANGE THE

PEOPLE IN OFFICE, SO HOW DO YOU

GET PEOPLE -- HOW DO YOU GET --

IF THAT'S YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW

DO YOU GET PEOPLE TO TURN OUT

AND ADVOCATE FOR THE POSITION

THAT YOU'RE TAKING AND

ULTIMATELY CHANGE LEADERSHIP.

>> WELL, MY GOAL WITH THIS SORT

OF -- I'VE STARTED AN

ORGANIZATION CALLED LADY PARTS

JUSTICE --

>> YOU CAN SAY THAT ON PUBLIC

TELEVISION, THAT'S FINE.

>> WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS

GETTING -- PART OF IT IS THAT

PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE ASSAULT IS

SO GREAT AND THAT IT'S COMING ON

A STATE LEVEL, OREGON IS THE

ONLY STATE THAT HAS NOT DONE

SOME SORT OF CURBING OF

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE LAW

SINCE ROW V. WADE.

IT'S KIND OF AMAZING, SO IF WE

CAN GET PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND

THAT IT'S HAPPENING, BECAUSE TEN

MILLION MORE WOMEN THAN MEN

VOTED IN THE LAST GENERAL, THE

BIG LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

IF WE CAN GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND

THIS IS HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY ON

A STATE LEVEL WHERE YOU CAN MAKE

A DIFFERENCE, SOMEBODY IS NOT

POLITICAL AT ALL, THEY'RE GOING

TO BE INTRODUCED TO IT FOR THE

FIRST TIME, HEY, THIS IS

HAPPENING, IT'S HAPPENING IN

YOUR STATE, THAT GUY THAT

REPRESENTS YOU IS KIND OF A

CREEP, TURNS OUT.

[ LAUGHTER ]

THEN PEOPLE LIKE, WHOA, REALLY?

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE HAVE

STARTED THIS YEAR,

SEPTEMBER 27th, WHICH WILL BE

BEFORE THIS AIRS, NATIONAL DAY

OF ACTION, WHERE THERE'S

CONCERTS AND HOUSE PARTIES GOING

ON ALL OVER THE PLACE.

IN THE COUNTRY, THE CONCERTS

WITH MEDIANS, MUSICIANS, POETS,

COCKTAILS, HAVING A LOT OF FUN

AND THEN TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S ON

THE BALLOT IN THEIR STATE, AND

NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN IT'S WOMEN

AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY.

SO IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE TO

ATTEND THESE HOUSE PARTIES,

INTERACT WITH OUR WEBSITE TO

LEARN ABOUT THE LAWS IN THEIR

STATE, GATHER WITH THEIR FRIENDS

TO SAY I KIND OF WANT TO GET RID

OF THAT GUY, I WANT TO MAKE THE

COMMITMENT TO GET TEN FRIENDS TO

GO VOTE OR WHATEVER IT IS.

WE CAN KIND OF HAVE THIS ANNUAL,

BASICALLY THE WAY THE LGB.

THE COMMUNITY, WE WANT WOMEN TO

START GATHERING IN THE LATE FALL

RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION TO

SAY, HEY, LET'S REMIND PEOPLE

WHAT'S AT STAKE, THERE'S AN

ELECTION EVERY YEAR, LET'S HAVE

SOME WINE, LET'S HAVE SOME FUN.

OLD FASHIONED POLITICAL

ACTIVISM.

WE'RE SITTING AROUND GOING WHAT

ARE WE GOING TO DO TONIGHT?

HOW ABOUT MAKE SOME TROUBLE?

>> WELL, THAT WOULD BE ONE

OPTION.

>> YEAH.

>> RIGHT.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES

LEFT, LIZZ, YOU MENTIONED YOU

WERE FROM MINNESOTA.

OH, I SURE AM.

>> THIS IS A STATE THAT PRODUCED

BOTH AL FRANKEN AND MICHELLE

BACHMANN, EXPLAIN THAT AND HELP

US UNDERSTAND THE ROOTS OF YOUR

OWN ISSUES GOING BACK TO WHEN

YOU WERE GROWING UP.

>> IT'S FUNNY, MY DAD IS FROM

PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI, HOT

BED OF LIBERALISM.

MY MOM IS FROM WIN SEW AT THAT,

THEY MET IN WORLD WAR II IN

WASHINGTON, D.C., MY DAD

LITERALLY UP UNTIL THE DAY HE

DIED WOULD GO TO THE LOCAL CBS

AFFILIATE AND BITCH ABOUT HUE

BERT HUMPHREY AND HE DIED IN

2005.

>> A LITTLE LONGER THAN

HUMPHREY.

>> YEAH.

SO IT'S JUST AS MY FATHER SAID

TO ME, WHICH IS GREAT, WE HAVE A

VERY -- I'M YOUNGEST OF FIVE

KIDS, CATHOLIC, AGAIN, THAT WAS

IN MINNESOTA THE LUTHERAN POLICE

STATE, OKAY, WE ARE THE

OPPRESSED ONES.

SO MY DAD WAS FUNNY, MY MOM WAS

FUNNY, AND MY DAD SAID, DANG IT,

LIZZ, I RAISED YOU TO HAVE AN

OPINION AND I FORGOT TO TELL YOU

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MINE.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> THAT HAPPENS.

>> THAT HAPPENS, SO THE MICHELLE

BACHMANN THING HAPPENS AND WE'RE

ALL WONDERING, WE STILL ALL

WONDER, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE

BIT -- IT'S A LITTLE BIT ODD,

BUT MINNESOTA IS A FUNNY THING,

BECAUSE WE PASSED MARRIAGE

EQUALITY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO,

AND I WENT BACK TO DOOR KNOCK,

THIS SUMS UP MINNESOTA TO ME IN

A NUTSHELL.

I WENT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT

WAS WORKING CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD,

A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE SOME PEOPLE

FOR IT, SOME PEOPLE AGAINST IT,

SO HOUSE TO HOUSE YOU DIDN'T

KNOW IF YOU WERE GOING TO GET

SOMEBODY WHO WAS FOR IT OR

AGAINST IT.

SO I KNOCK ON A DOOR AND A WOMAN

OPENS UP, SHE GOES, OH, HI, COME

ON IN.

I WALK IN, SO WHY ARE YOU HERE?

MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED ME

BEFORE YOU LET ME IN, BUT OKAY.

IT'S MINNESOTA, IT'S HOW WE

ROLL.

I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT

AMENDMENT 2, HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT

IT, THIS WAS THE MARRIAGE

AMENDMENT.

SHE GOES, OH, YOU KNOW, I

JUST -- I DON'T KNOW, I FEEL

REAL -- I FEEL REAL CONFUSED.

I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, CAN I

HELP YOU.

SHE SAID, WELL, HERE IS MY DEAL.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M OKAY WITH

TWO GUYS GETTING MARRIED, BUT I

DON'T WANT TO BE A JERK ABOUT

IT.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> THAT SUMS UP A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> IT DOES.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF EVERYBODY

COULD JUST KIND OF GO WITH THAT

FLOW, RIGHT.

>> YOU WERE GOOD WITH THAT.

>> I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW,

EXACTLY, SO MAYBE JUST SIT THIS

ONE OUT.

YOU'RE NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, IF

AMERICA WOULD JUST SAY MAYBE I

DON'T LIKE THIS BUT I DON'T WANT

TO BE A JERK ABOUT IT.

>> THERE'S A POLITICAL

PHILOSOPHY THAT CAN APPLY

ACTUALLY ACROSS THE BOARD.

>> YEAH.

[ CHEERING AND APPLAUSE ]

>> I THINK THAT'S A VERY SMART

IDEA.

>> I AGREE.

>> WOULDN'T LIFE BE BETTER -- I

APPRECIATE YOU MAKING TIME TO BE

HERE WITH US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> FUN TO VISIT WITH YOU, LIZZ

WINSTEAD.

GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING YOU'RE

DOING.

>> WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US

IN THE STUDIO, VISIT OUR WEBSITE

AT KLRU.ORG/OVERHEARD TO FIND

INVITATIONS TO INTERVIEWS, Q AND

A'S WITH OUR AUDIENCE AND GUESTS

AND ARCHIVE OF PAST EPISODES.

>> IF YOU SPECIAL DO THINGS THAT

ARE CONTROVERSIAL, OR EDGY, YOU

NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO

CROSS THE LINE, AND THE LINE IS

ALWAYS MOVING, AND SO BECAUSE

THE LINE IS ALWAYS MOVING, YOU

HAVE TO BE CONFIDENT IN WHAT

YOU'RE SAYING SO THAT YOU CAN

DEFEND IT.

>> FUNDING FOR OVERHEARD WITH

EVAN SMITH IS PROVIDED IN PART

BY MFI FOUNDATION.

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE

WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND FROM THE TEXAS BOARD OF

LEGAL SPECIALIZATION, BOARD

CERTIFIED ATTORNEYS IN YOUR

COMMUNITY.

EXPERIENCED, RESPECTED, AND

TESTED.

ALSO, BY HILLCO PARTNERS.

TEXAS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

CONSULTANCY AND ITS GLOBAL

HEALTH CARE CONSULTING BUSINESS

UNIT, HILLCO HEALTH, AND BY THE

ALICE KLEBERG REYNOLDS

FOUNDATION AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> THIS WEEK ON OVER HERD, THE

COCREATOR OF THE DAILY SHOW,

LIZZ WINSTEAD.

>> IF YOU FACT CHECK "THE DAILY

SHOW" IT COMES OUT ACCURATE, AND

IF IT'S LIBERAL LEANING, ONE

COULD DEDUCE THAT IF YOU'RE

LIBERAL LEANING YOU'RE SPEWING

OUT THE FACTS.

>> RIGHT, OKAY.

>> MY DAD SAID DANG IT, LIZZ, I

RAISED YOU TO HAVE AN OPINION

AND I FORGOT TO TELL YOU IT WAS

SUPPOSED TO BE MINE.

[ LAUGHTER ]