♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪ >> COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON", FORMER ARIZONA U.S.

SENATOR AND U.S.

AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY, JEFF BLAKE JOINS US IN STUDIO.

ALSO TONIGHT, A FILMMAKER TRAVELED THE WORLD ASKING PEOPLE ARE YOU HAPPY?

THE ANSWERS ARE IN HIS NEW DOCUMENT SCRIPT A NEW BOOK EXPLORES THE MINNEAPOLIS SOUND AND THE RISE OF PRINCE, THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

>>> "ARIZONA HORIZON" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ARIZONA PBS.

MEMBERS OF YOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON", I AM TED SIMONS.

IT'S BEEN NEARLY A MONTH SINCE THE U.S.

AND ISRAEL LAUNCHED ATTACKS AGAINST IRAN AND THE RESULTING WAR HAS DRAWN IN A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN THE REGION AND LET LOOSE A GLOBAL ENERGY CRISIS AS IRAN CONTINUES TO EFFECTIVELY CLOSE OFF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, THE U.S.

HAS SENT IRAN A 15-POINT PEACE PLAN BUT IRAN PUBLICALLY DISMISSED THE OVERTURE.

REPORTS ARE THAT IRANIAN OFFICIALS ARE OPEN TO NEGOTIATIONS.

JOINING US NOW IS FORMER U.S.

SENATOR AND U.S.

AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY.

JEFF FLAKE, GOOD TO HE SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

I HAVE MISSED IT HERE.

>> WE USED TO HAVE YOU ON ALL THE TIME.

AND I ASKED YOU BEFOREHAND, HOW DO I ADDRESS YOU?

BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN CONGRESSMAN, SENATOR, AMBASSADOR AND YOU TOLD ME AMBASSADOR TRUMP SENATOR.

>> YEAH.

THAT'S WHAT THE PROTOCOL BOOKS SAY.

>> CAN I CALL YOU JEFF.

>> JEFF IS BETTER.

SOUNDS GOOD.

OVERALL THOUGHTS ON THE U.S.

AND ISRAEL'S WAR ON IRAN.

>> ANYTHING THAT WEAKENS IRAN IS GOOD FOR THE REGION.

AND FOR THE -- AND THE FOR THE WORLD THINK I AM GLAD TO SEE OTHER HE RAN WEAKENED ANYBODY THAT HAS SPENT ANY TIME TO THE REGION REALIZES THE MALIGNANT FORCE IRAN HAS BEEN, THROUGH FUNDING ITS PROXY, FORCES AROUND THE REGION.

IT'S OWN INSTABILITY.

THREAT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

IT'S BEEN MALIGNED AND ALSO TO ITS OWN PEOPLE, OF COURSE.

10s OF THOUSANDS MASSACRED THERE JUST FOR PROTESTING AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.

ANYTHING THAT WEAK BEES IRAN IS GOOD.

>> HOW THE WAR IS BEING PROSECUTED YOUR THOUGHTS THERE.

>> THAT I HAVE ISSUES WITH.

I WISH THE PRESS WOULD HAVE CONGRESS TO CONGRESS, WOULD HAVE GONE ON OUR ALLIES AND BUILT THE CASE BEFORE WE DID IT.

THEY MIGHT ARGUE, HEY, WE HAD TO TAKE THEM, THERE IS THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.

YOU KNOW, WE WERE AMASSING SHIP THIS IS FOR MONTHS.

THERE WASN'T MUCH SURPRISE THERE.

AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT BETTER OFF NOW HAD WE ENLIST THE SUPPORT OF OUR ALLIES, BROUGHT THEM IN FROM THE BEGINNING INSTEAD OF ASKING THEM LATER.

AND THEN WITH CONGRESS AS WELL, YOU ARE JUST ALWAYS BETTER.

I'M NOT ARGUING, LEGALISTICALLY, THE PRESIDENT HAD THE ABILITY IF HE BELIEVES THERE IS AN IMMINENT THREAT, HE CAN GO IN.

SO I'M NOT ARGUING THAT.

I AM JUST ARGUE TO THIS WISDOM OF GOING TO CONGRESS AND HAVING SOME BUY IN AND HE COULD HAVE GOT IT.

HE COULD HAVE HAD THAT HAD HE GONE TO CONGRESS AND LAYED OUT THE INTELLIGENCE THAT HE HAD IF IT REALLY WAS COMPELLING.

>> WHAT GOOD, THOUGH, WHAT POWER DOES THE WAR POWERS ACT HAVE IF THE WAR POWERS ACT ISN'T NEEDED IF A PRESIDENT DECIDES IT'S TIME TO GO IN TO X, REQUEST.

, Z, UNILATERAL.

>> I WE CAN ARGUE THAT UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME.

I TRIED DESPERATELY THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS IN THE SENATE WITH TIM KAINE ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE TO REVISE, REALLY, KNOWING THAT WE WERE NOT GOING CHANGE THE WAR POWERS ACT.

BUT TO REVISE OUR USE OF MILITARY FORCE.

THE AUTHORIZE FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE, JUST TO GET BETTER BUY IN, BECAUSE CONGRESS HAS JUST LAZILY SAYING WE ARE GOING TO BLAME THE PRESIDENT BUT NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY.

IT'S EASY FOR CONGRESS TO RELY ON THE CURRENT WAY THAT WE ARE DOING IT, BUT IT'S NOT A GOOD SYSTEM.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO SEND, YOU KNOW, AMERICANS TO WAR, YOU OUGHT TO BE CONGRESS, THE PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVES INFORMED AND INVOLVED.

BECAUSE THAT MAKES US A FAR MORE STRONG.

>> YOU REFER TO THE ALLIES AND TALKING TO ALLIES FIRST AS OPPOSED TO SHOOTING FIRST AND ASKING FOR HELP LATER.

BUT THE PRESIDENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION, THE BASHING OF ALLIES, THE CONTINUED BASHING OF ALLIES, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

AS AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY, YOU KNOW THAT REGION, YOU KNOW THE AREA, YOU KNOW YOUR FRIENDS OVER THERE, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?

WHAT DID WE EXPECT FROM OUR FRIENDS WHEN WE ARE TOLD THEY ARE NOT FRIENDS ANYMORE?

>> YEAH.

THAT'S -- I AM JUST BLOWN AWAY AT THAT.

I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGING ALLIES, TURKEY IS A CHALLENGING ALLY.

THEY ARE POWERFUL.

THE SECOND BIGGEST MILITARY IN NATO.

WE NEED THEM.

THEY HAVE BEEN A GOOD PARTNER, A GOOD ALLY.

THEY WERE RIGHT WITH US IN AFGHANISTAN FOR 20 YEARS.

THEY HAVE BEEN WITH US IN EVERY CONFLICT.

THEY ARE A CHALLENGING ALLY.

THE REST OF EUROPE REALLY ISN'T.

THEY ARE WITH US.

THEY ARE WITH US ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.

AND INSTEAD, WE ARE RIDICULING THEM, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TAKING OVER SOVEREIGN TERRITORY WITH GREENLAND.

AND DOING THIS KIND OF THING THAT REALLY OFFENDS THOSE ALLIES THAT HAVE BEEN WITH US THROUGH THICK AND THIN AND AREN'T CHALLENGING ALLIES THAT SHOULD BE EASY ALLIES OF COURSE BUT I AM TROUBLED.

I WAS IN GENEVA A FEW MONTHS AGO AFTER BEING AMBASSADOR AND TALKING WITH SOMEBODY I USED TO WORK WITH QUITE A BIT.

GENEVA IS THE OUR PHONE HOME OF THE U.N.

AND HE WAS SAYING, IT USED TO BE THAT WE WOULD WAIT FOR THE U.S.

TO TAKE I POSITION IN THESE INTERNATIONAL FOR A. WE DON'T WAIT ANYMORE.

WE JUST DO IT.

>> YEAH.

AND WASN'T A BRAG OR BOAST IT WAS A LAMENT THAT WE NEED U.S.

LEADERSHIP.

AND WE ARE JUST LETTING IT GO.

IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE IN THAT WAY.

>> AGAIN, BACK TO THE PROSECUTION OF THE WAR.

DO YOU THINK THAT THE U.S.

IN GENERAL, THE ADMINISTRATION IN PARTICULAR, UNDERSTAND THE MINDSET OF FOLKS IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

OF FOLKS, PARTICULARLY IN IRAN?

DO WE UNDERSTAND THAT, OKAY, FLYING PLANES OVERHEAD AND BOMBING HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE, THAT MIGHT AFFECT US IN A CERTAIN WAY?

>> RIGHT.

>> IT MIGHT NOT AFFECT THEM IN A CERTAIN WAY.

>> RIGHT.

THAT'S CLEAR WHEN THE PRESIDENT SAID THIS WILL BE OVER QUICKLY.

IT'S JUST WE HAVE WON.

BUT IRAN IS STILL ABLE TO PROSECUTE THE WAR.

THEY ARE STILL BEDEVILING OUR ALLIES IN THE REGION.

AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT AND IMPOSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO TRAVERSE THE STRAITS.

SO, YEAH, THAT WAS A MISCALCULATION.

OR IT WAS JUST A BOAST AND THINKING WE COULD BULLY.

BUT IT'S DIFFERENT THERE.

ONCE YOU -- WE HAVE NEVER HAD A -- THERE IS NO EXAMPLE OF REGIME CHANGE ANYWHERE WITH OUR AIR POWER ALONE.

SINCE WE HAVE HAD AIR POWER, THAT ALONE HAS NOT FORCED REGIME CHANGE.

AND THINKING THAT WE COULD DO IT HERE, WAS FOLLY.

AND SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE FAR MORE THAN THAT IF WE ARE UP FOR IT.

IF WE ARE -- IF THAT'S WHAT WE ARE PLANNING TO DO AND WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOT A CLEAR SENSE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION YET IF THAT'S WHAT WE ARE REALLY AFTER.

>> WELL, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THOUSAND PARATROOPERS GETTING READY TO GO.

BUILDING FORCES.

REGIME CHANGE SUN WITH THING BUT KEEPING THAT CHANGE IN REGIME, SOME SORT OF BOOTS WILL HAVE TO BE ON THE GROUND EVEN AFTER THE CHANGE, WOULD IT NOT?

>> YEAH.

I THINK AN APT ANALOGY IS AFGHANISTAN.

OBVIOUSLY THE PUBLIC, MOST PEOPLE THERE RESENTED THE TALIBAN FOR THE DRACONIAN TOUGH RULE THAT THEY ENFORCED PRIOR TO OUR ENTRY THERE.

AND NOW AGAIN.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER AND RISE UP.

IN IRAN, THAT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO DO.

YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE FORCES, THE PARAMILITARIES, YOU HAVE OTHER FORCES THAT WILL MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT.

>> THE IDEA FOR THOSE IN SUPPORT OF THE WAR, THEY SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THERE TO BE A NEW MIDDLE EAST.

AND WE HAVE SEEN MAJOR CHANGES OVER THERE WITH SOME OF THE ARAB COUNTRIES NOT AT WAR WITH ISRAEL, THE CONSTANT WAR.

AND YET, IS THAT -- WITH IRAN, AND THE POSITION THAT WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW, IS THAT A NAIVE THING TO SAY THAT WE CAN DO THIS?

>> ANYTHING THAT WEAKENS IRAN IS GOOD FOR THE REGION.

AND WE MAY BE IN FOR CERTAINLY A BETTER PERIOD GOING FORWARD.

BUT THE NOTION THAT IRAN IS SIMPLY GOING TO BE COMPLIANT AND DO WHATEVER WE WANT THEM TO AND THAT WE CAN SOMEHOW CONTROL THE STRAITS WITHOUT THEM BEING INVOLVED, THIS -- ONE THING THAT KIND OF BOTHERS ME, TOO, PARTICULARLY HAVING BEEN IN A DIPLOMATIC POSITION FOR THREE YEARS, IS THE NOTION THAT WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT DIPLOMACY.

THIS IS GOING TO END WITH DIPLOMACY, IT IS.

WE ARE GOING TO SIT DOWN AND NEGOTIATE.

IN TERMS OF THE STRAITS AND HOW WE OPEN THEM.

BECAUSE IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO REALLY CONTROL THAT.

YOU CAN CONTROL THE SHORELINE, BUT WITH MODERN WARFARE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO IT FROM INLAND AND SO THAT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO DO.

>> IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT?

>> WE MAY BE.

THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE MARKETS ARE WORRIED ABOUT.

AND ALL OF US, CERTAINLY.

THERE IS NO -- IT'S EASIER TO GET IN THAN OUT.

AND SOMEONE WHO WHAT IS THERE FOR A LUNCHING OF A COUPLE OF WARS I CERTAINLY REALIZE THAT.

>> MY LAST QUESTION IS REGARDING THAT MUCH AS AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY YOU KNOW THE RENAL YOU UNWELL AND YOU KNOW TURKEY WELL.

AND TURKEY IS TRYING TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS SUCH AS THEY ARE.

HOW ARE WE SEEN THERE IN TURKEY IN PARTICULAR?

YOU GO AROUND THE WORLD, YOU ARE A GLOBETROTTER AND TALK TO A LOT OF FOLKS AROUND THE WORLD.

HOW ARE WE SEEN?

>> A LOT OF IT IS NOT WARRANTED.

THEY SEE KIND OF THE BIG BROTHER.

AND SOME OF THAT IS WARRANTED THE WAY WE ACT AND BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GO IN AND TOPPLE ANYBODY AND CHANGE THINGS.

BUT WE HAVE LIBERATED MOST OF THE WORLD.

THERE ARE TILL THOSE FEELINGS.

IF YOU LOOK AT TURKEY, THERE IS THAT RESENTMENT OF THE BIG BROTHER ATMOSPHERE.

BUT IF YOU ASK THE AVERAGE TURK, DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE THE RUSSIANS OR THE AMERICANS?

THEY WANT TO BE LIKE AMERICANS.

THEY VALUE THEIR NATO SECURITY UMBRELLA.

AND THEIR AFFILIATION THERE.

SO PEOPLE WANT TO BE WITH US.

THEY WANT U.S.

LEADERSHIP.

BUT THEY DON'T WANT THE U.S.

BULLYING AND BASICALLY LIKE THE GREENLAND ISSUE.

>> YEAH.

>> THEY DON'T LIKE THAT.

AND THAT PUTS US IN A VERY POOR POSITION INTERNATIONALLY.

IF WE HAD GONE DO OUR ALLIES FIRST, THE ISSUE OF CLOSING THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, YOU WANT IT TO BE IRAN THE REGIME AGAINST THE WEST AND THE WORLD, NOT IRAN AGAINST THE U.S.

AND CAN PICK CERTAIN ALLIES TO PLAYOFF AGAINST US.

THAT'S WHAT I YOU NEED TO GO TO YOUR AL LAYS AND WORK WITH THEM.

>> YEAH, AS YOU MENTIONED, DIPLOMACY WILL REAR ITS HEAD IN ONE WAY SHAPE OR FORM.

>> IT WILL.

>> AMBASSADOR FLAKE, CONGRESSMAN FLAKE, YOU HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD AND ALL OVER THE MAP GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> GREAT TO BE HERE TED.

>> JUST OFF I-10 IN THE TOWN OF QUARTSITE STAND AIDS PYRAMID GRAVESTONE TO A CURIOUS NAME STILL CELEBRATED IN THESE PARTS, HIGH JOLLEY.

HIGH JOLLY WAS ACTUALLY A GREEK SYRIAN IMMIGRANT WHO CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1856.

HE WORKED FOR THE ARMY AS THE CARE TAKE EVERYBODY OF A HERD OF ANIMALS BEING USED IN AN EXPERIMENT AIMED AT ESTABLISHING A NEW WAY TO TRANSPORT GOOD ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN DESERT, BY CAMEL.

THE CIVIL WAR ENDED THE ARMY'S FASCINATION WITH THE CAMPBELLS AND THEY WERE TURNED LOOSE IN THE DESERT.

HIGH JOLLY REMAINED A FAITHFUL ARMY SCOUT FOR SOME 30 YEARS.

AND DIED IN QUART SITE IN 1902.

WILD CAMELS WERE SPOTTED IN ARIZONA AS LATE AS 1935.

AND SOME BELIEVE THEY STILL ROAM THE DESERT.

A HAUNT AND ROMANTIC LEGACY OF HIGH JOLLY.

WHOSE MONUMENT STILL ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS EVERY YEAR.

>> A FILMMAKER WHO TRAVELED TO 30 COUNTRIES OVER FIVE YEARS ASKING PEOPLE A SIMPLE QUESTION, ARE YOU HAPPY?

THE VARIETY OF RESPONSES MAKE UP A NEW DOCUMENTARY TITLED, ODDLY ENOUGH "ARE YOU HAPPY"?

WE WELCOME YOU TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>> IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HAVE YOU.

THAT WAS FASCINATING TO ME.

YOU QUIT YOUR JOB, DROVE AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THEN DROVE AROUND THE WORLD ASKING A SIMPLE QUESTION.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, WE LIVE IN A CRAZY WORLD AND HAPPINESS SEEMS TO BE ON THE VERY WIDE SPECTRUM NOWADAYS.

AND AS A FILMMAKER I WANTED TO PURSUE MY OWN PROJECTS AND TRY TO UNCOVER SOME LAYER OF TRUTH, SO I, LIKE YOU SAID, I QUIT MY JOB AND PACKED MY CAR WITH ALL OF MY STUFF.

DROVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ASKED RANDOM STRANGERS THAT SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL QUESTION.

>> YEAH.

AND HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHO TO ASK?

I MEAN, WAS IT NONE YOU FOUND ON THE STREET?

WERE THERE PEOPLE YOU WENT I THINK THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTING?

>> YEAH.

IT WAS RANDOM PEOPLE ON THE STREET BUT AFTER I ASKED THEM IF THEY WERE HAPPY, I ASKED THEM TO GUIDE ME TO THE NEXT PERSON.

TELL ME -- I ASKED THEM TO TELL ME WHERE TO GO NEXT.

SO ONE PERSON GUIDED THE NEXT PERSON.

>> YEAH.

DID YOU IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, DEFINE HAPPY?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, I'VE GOTTEN THOUSANDS OF ANSWERS BY THIS POINT OVER FIVE YEARS.

AND REALLY IT BOILS DOWN TO PERSPECTIVE.

HOW YOU VIEW THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO YOU IN YOUR LIFE.

DO YOU CHOOSE TO VIEW THEM AS A NEGATIVE OR A POSITIVE?

SO ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT BE A DIVISIVE THING TO SAY, EVENTUALLY HAPPINESS IS REALLY A CHOICE.

>> IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU GOT, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG HERE, THAT YOU GOT A LITTLE MORE ON THE NO SIDE THAN THE YES SIDE; IS THAT TRUE?

>> IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHERE I WAS OR THE TIME, WHAT YEAR I WAS ASKING PEOPLE.

DURING COVID A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE UNHAPPY CERTAINLY OR TIMES OR COUNTRIES WHERE PEOPLE DIDN'T DEFINE THEIR HAPPINESS BY WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD INSTEAD WE FINED IT BY -- DEFINED BY THEIR MOVE MILE RADIUM COMMUNITY AND FAMILY.

>> DID THAT SURPRISE YOU?

>> ON THE SURFACE IT SURPRISED ME BUT OBJECTIVELY IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT IF YOU LET YOUR HAPPINESS BE AFFECTED BY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY THAT ARE TOTALLY OUT OF YOUR CONTROL, IT'S A PRETTY HARD LIFE TO LIVE.

BUT IF YOU DEFINE IT BY, AGAIN, THE 5--MILE RADIUS AROUND YOU, I HAVE LEARN THAT'S THE TRUE SOURCE OF HAPPINESS.

>> ALL ANSWERS A WASN'TLY WERE SOMEWHAT LOCAL.

I FOUND IT FASCINATING AS WELL THEMES LIKE WANTING TO BE LOVED, DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE, WANT TO BE UNDERSTOOD.

DON'T WANT TO SUFFER.

THESE CAME UP OVER AND OVER, DIDN'T THEY?

>> YEAH, AND WE GO THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES THINKING WE ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT GO THROUGH THESE ISSUES.

BUT IN REALITY WE ARE ALL QUIETLY SUFFICIENT ISERRING WITH SIMILAR ISSUES.

AND I LIKE THE DOCUMENTARY UNVEILS THAT.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

BUT, AGAIN, IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH WHEN THEY HAD A CHANCE TO REFLECT OR MAYBE TAKE A PAUSE BACK.

THEY WERE GRATEFUL AS WELL.

>> 100 PERCENT.

DURING THE DOCUMENTARY, YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, I MET A WOMAN WHEN I FIRST ASKED HER IF SHE WAS HAPPY.

SHE SAID YES.

I KEPT PROBING HER A BIT AND SHE TOOK OFF HER SUN GLASSES AND HAD A BIG, BLACK BY AYE AND WAS GOING THROUGH SERIOUS ISSUES.

BUT STILL THROUGHOUT OUR CONVERSATION SHE FOUND A PERSPECTIVE AND A WAY TO STILL FIND TRUE HAPPINESS.

>> WHAT MADE YOU PUT SOME SOME OF THESE RESPONSES ON TICK TACK.

AND, AGAIN, WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT ONCE THESE VIDEOS GOT OUT THERE.

IT EXPLODED.

>> I WAS CERTAINLY SURPRISED I TRIED TO GET TRADITIONAL DISTRIBUTION FOR THIS DOCUMENTARY WITH NO LUCK.

I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT I'LL POST A COUPLE OF CLIPS ON SOCIAL MEDIA I FORGOT ABOUT IT.

A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER EACH OF THE VIDEOS HAD GOTTEN ABOUT A THOUSAND VIEWS AND IT HIT ME I SAID WAIT A SECOND THAT'S FOUR OR 5,000 PEOPLE THAT JUST SAW CLIPS FROM MY DOCUMENTARY THIS COULD BE A BIG THING AND I KEPT GOING WITH IT.

WITHIN ABOUT A WEEK WE HAD 10 MILLION VIEWS.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, LIKE THE 15 MILLION VIEWS A MONTH WITH SOMETHING LIKE GOING ON NOW.

>> YEAH.

NOW SIX YEARS LATER.

THOUSANDS OF INTERVIEWS LATER WE HAVE OVER 5 MILLION FOLLOWERS AND REACH ABOUT 15 MILLION PEOPLE PER MONTH.

>> I KNOW YOU DO A LOT OF INTERVIEWS ON THIS.

AND YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

BUT I GUESS YOU HAVE ASKED THIS BEFORE.

I AM GOING TO AND IT ANYWAY.

ARE YOU HAPPY?

>> I AM CERTAINLY HAPPY, TED.

I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE AND I AM HAPPY TO BE ALIVE.

AND I AM HAPPY TO HAVE BEAUTIFUL WIFE AND TWO BEAUTIFUL BABY BOYS.

>> HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN THAT HAPPY?

>> WELL, I WOULD BE LYING IF I SAID I WAS ALWAYS THIS HAPPY.

I THINK I HAVE DEALT WITH NORMAL STRUGGLES AND PAIN AND GRIEF THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.

BUT, AGAIN, I CHOOSE TO LOOK AT IT THROUGH A POSITIVE LIGHT, I CHOOSE TO HAVE A POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE.

AND IT'S HARD TO BE UNHAPPY WHEN YOU'VE GOT SUCH A LOVING SUPPORT SYSTEM AND FAMILY AROUND YOU LIKE I HAVE.

>> AND, AGAIN, SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ASK, MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ASK TIME OF LIFE.

TIME OF EXPERIENCE.

VERY MUCH A FACTOR IN THEIR RESPONSES.

AGAIN, ARE YOU HAPPY IS THE DOCUMENTARY.

CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL YOUR SUCCESS, AND CONTINUED SUCCESS ARE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪ ♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪ ♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪ >> A NEW BOOK LOOKS AT THE HISTORY OF MUSIC IN MINNEAPOLIS.

THE CITY THAT LAUNCHED PRINCE, AMONG OTHERS, TO STARDOM.

THE BOOK IS TITLED PRINCE'S MINNEAPOLIS, A BIOGRAPHY OF SOUND AND PLACE.

JOURNAL IT'S STEVE GOLDSTEIN SAT DOWN WITH THE BOOK'S AUTHOR RASHAD SHABAZZ.

>> DR.

RASHAD SHABAZZ WELCOME BACK TO "ARIZONA HORIZON", THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME INTEREST WITH THE PUKE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU, AND I AM SURE THERE ISN'T A PARTICULAR PERSONAL, BUT HOW MUCH OF MINNEAPOLIS INFLUENCED PRINCE AND HOW MUCH DID PRINCE END UP INFLUENCING MINNEAPOLIS AND THE SOUND THAT CAME OUT OF IT?

>> PRINCE WAS TREMENDOUSLY INFLUENCED BY MINNEAPOLIS.

PRINCE'S SOUND WAS REALLY MADE UP OF FOUR BASIC MUSIC FORMS.

RHYTHM AND BLUES, FUNK, THESE WERE PLAYED IN NORTH AND SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS, WHICH WERE HISTORICALLY BLACK MINNEAPOLIS, AND THEN PUNK AND INDIE ROCK WHICH WERE PLAYED DOWNTOWN WHICH WAS PARTICULARLY WHITE.

AND WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO WAS TO STITCH THOSE FOUR MUSIC FORMS TOGETHER.

AND IT CREATED AN ENDLESS LANDSCAPE FOR HIM TO EXPLORE HIS MINNEAPOLIS SOUND WHICH WAS A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE FOUR SOUNDS, PLUS HE COULD EXPLORE ALL OF THOSE GENRES INDEPENDENTLY.

>> I AM GOING JUMP AROUND A BIT THINK BUT THAT LEAD ME TO THE NEXT QUESTION, WHICH IS DO YOU THINK HE'S APPRECIATED TO THE EXTENT THAT HE SHOULD BE?

BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO I THINK BY VIRTUE OF WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE, PEOPLE THINK BACK TO PURPLE RAIN, HE'S THIS KIND OF MUSICIAN.

BUT IF YOU WATCH HIS PROGRESSION AFTER HE ACHIEVED FAME, REMARKABLE HOW MANY GENRES HE WAS IN.

>> PRINCE IS I THINK DEEPLY UNDERAPPRECIATED.

HE'S RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE GREATEST MUSICIANS OF ALL TIME.

WHICH IS SORT OF EASE ANY TERMS OF HIS ABILITY.

BUT HE'S ALSO ONE OF THE GREATEST COMPOSERS EVER.

AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT HE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MUSICIAN IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

AND HERE IS WHY.

, PRINCE WAS ABLE TO DO WHAT NO OTHER MUSICIAN WAS ABLE TO DO, MUSICALLY, WHICH WAS TO SORT OF STITCH DIFFERENT PARTS OF AMERICAN MUSIC GENRES TOGETHER.

BUT HE WAS ABLE TO DO IT IN A TIME OF DEEP CONTENTION AND DIVISION.

THE MINNEAPOLIS MUSIC SCENE WAS PRODUCED DUE THROUGH DID HE GO AIDS OF SEGREGATION THAT HAPPENED IN MINNEAPOLIS THAT MOVED BLACK PEOPLE TO ONE PART OF THE CITY, WHITE PEOPLE TO ANOTHER AND IN ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIES THERE WERE DIFFERENT SOUNDS, DOWNTOWN AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, WHITE MUSICIANS WERE ABLE TO PLAY.

UPTOWN OR NORTH SIDE AND SOUTH SIDE BLACK MUSICIANS PLAYED AND THEY WERE DIFFERENT GENRES.

PRINCE CAME UP ON THE BLACK SIDE OF THE CITY AND WHAT HE DID IS HE HEARD THE ENTIRE CITY.

HE HEARD DOWNTOWN, HE HEARD UPTOWN, THE SOUTH SIDE AND HE HEARD THE NORTH SIDE BY THE TIME HE WAS 17 YEARS OLDS HE WAS ABLE TO STITCH THEM TOGETHER.

AND THIS IS WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO, HE COULD TAKE -- HE COULD TAKE THE FUNK, HE COULD TAKE THE BASELINES FROM FUNK, WHICH WAS OVEN TOWN AND DOWNTOWN.

HE COULD TAKE THE FALL SELL 70 SO VOCALS OF UP DOWN AND DOWNTOWN.

HE COULD TAKE THE INDIE ROCK GUITAR RIFFS FROM DOWNTOWN.

AND HE COULD ALSO TAKE THE PRECURSIVE FUNK RHYTHMS FROM DOWNTOWN.

AND HE COULD STITCH THEM ALL THE TOGETHER PLUS HE COULD INDEPENDENTLY PLAY ALL THE KINDS OF MUSIC.

AND IN THAT WAY HE DOES MORE THAN WHAT MICHAEL JACKSON AND BRUCE AND MADONNA WERE ABLE TO DO.

HE WAS ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THE DIVERSITY OF AMERICAN MUSIC AND DEMONSTRATE WHY THE DIVERSITY OF OUR MUSIC IS SO UNIQUE AND ALSO HE WAS ABLE TO BRING THEM TOGETHER TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW WHICH WAS THE MINNEAPOLIS SOUND.

>> RELATIVELY SHORT ANSWER ON THIS ONE, PLEASE.

HIS PARENTS WERE BOTH MUSICIANS, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> HOW MUCH OF IT FOR HIM WAS NATURE AND HOW MUCH WAS NURTURE?

>> SO IT WAS BOTH, RIGHT?

HIS PARENTS ARE BOTH MUSICIANS SO HE HEARD MUSIC AT HOME.

IT WAS PART OF HIS EVERY-DAY LANDSCAPE BUT HE ALSO LIVED IN A MUSICAL COMMUNITY.

HE LIVED IN A COMMUNITY WHERE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HELPED TO TEACH MUSIC HE LIVED IN A COMMUNITY WHERE BEING PART OF A BAND WAS A NORMAL THING.

SO HE HAD THIS REALLY INTERESTING MUSICAL COMMUNITY AROUND HIM BOTH AT HOME AND AT SCHOOL.

>> ANOTHER QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK YOU IS RELATED TO HIS FAME, WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY ENORMOUS, BUT I THINK I AM GOING TO GUESS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, MIDDLE AMERICA, FOLKS WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN NATURALLY PRINCE FANS, WERE DRAWN TO WHAT IS WHAT MANY HAVE SCALED THE GREATEST PERFORMANCE IN SUPER BOWL HALFTIME HISTORY.

HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT DO YOU THINK THAT HAD?

>> IT WAS TREMENDOUS.

IT WAS THE GREATEST PERFORMANCE THAT WE HAVE EVER SEEN.

NO DISRESPECT -- >> PLAYED THROUGH THE RAIN.

>> NO DISRESPECT TO BAD BUN OTHER HE BUT IT RAINED AND HE WAS EPIC.

THAT'S WHAT A GENIUS MUSICIAN DOES, RIGHT?

THIS IS WHAT A GENIUS MUSICIAN DOES, BUT HE ALSO DEMONSTRATED WHY HE WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT MUSICIAN IN THIS COUNTRY.

HE PLAYED DIFFERENT JOHN RAHS, IS HE PLAYED DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC.

HE FOCUSED ON INSTRUMENTATION AS WELL AS VOCALS.

NO ONE COULD HAVE DONE THAT AND ONLY PRINCE COULD HAVE DONE THAT.

>> WE JUST HAVE A VERY FEW SECONDS LEFT.

I WANT TO ASK BRIEFLY ABOUT HOW YOU WROTE THE BOOK.

ONE THING WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE WE STARTING TAPING IS THE IDEA THAT YOU ARE KNOWN FOR A CERTAIN AREA OF EXPERTISE, PROFESSOR WITH A Ph.D BUT YOU WANTED UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC CAN YOU GIVE ME 30 SECONDS ON THAT.

>> I TOOK SEVERAL YEARS TO LEARN MUSIC THEORY SO THAT I COULD TALK ABOUT THE SOUND IN A SOPHISTICATED, MEANINGFUL WAY AND I ALSO I TOOK MANY YEARS OF STUDYING HOW MUSIC CRITICS WRITE ABOUT MUSIC SO THAT I COULD WRITE ABOUT IT IN AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE THAT I HORIZON WAY CA THIS WHAT'S THAT CONSTITUTED THE BY BOOK SO IMPRESSIVE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> AND ON THAT IS IT FOR NOW, I AM TED SIMONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪