VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE  #  142    
AIR DATE  10 02 2020  
TRANSCRIPT

 
OPEN  ((VO/NAT)) 
((Banner)) 
Cleaning the River
((SOT)) 
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
We have come so far in cleaning up this river that when 
people who haven’t been here for 10, 15, 25 years, suddenly 
come back.  They are going, “This is not what we expected 
to see here.”   
((Animation Transition)) 
((Banner))
Creating Opportunity
((SOT)) 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
I’m Megan Bomgaars.  I want to help young adults, like 
myself, how to love themselves and follow their dreams.    
((Animation Transition)) 
((Banner)) 
Riding Together
((SOT)) 
((Biker)) 
It's, you know, just like a brotherhood and a sisterhood that 
you couldn't imagine.  And it's a motorcycle that brings that 
into power.   
((Open Animation))  
 

BLOCK A 
 
 
((PKG))  HEALING THE ANACOSTIA RIVER   
((Banner:  Healing the Anacostia River))  
((Reporter/Camera:  Jeff Swicord)) 
((Map:  Washington DC))    
((Main characters:  1 male)) 
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
Rivers are so important to not only the habitat, animals and 
natural environment, but also to people.  Rivers are typically 
where we get our drinking water.   
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
I have been involved with environmental restoration work 
almost my whole life and all of that’s led me here having 
worked on a whole plethora of projects all across the world. 
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
I was motivated to come here and work on the Anacostia 
because I love clean water. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
We are here at Eastern Powerboat Club, one of four boat 
clubs along the river.  These yacht clubs were basically 
African American yacht clubs.  The first one was Seafarers 
Yacht Club started by Eleanor Roosevelt.   
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
We are an urban river.  We’re a small watershed.  
Watershed, of course, is that area of land within which all the 
rain that falls comes to a common outfall.   
((NATS:  Jim Foster)) 
How you’re doing, man? 
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
There is almost a million people that live in our watershed.  
And so, we have a much higher density.  We’ve really 
pushed the limits on what we have done to this watershed.  
So, we are out of balance here, but we are working hard to 
bring it back. 
((NATS))
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society))   
This three-box culvert is the combined sewer overflow for the 
Northeast Boundary Tunnel.  So, the district has what are 
called combined sewers.  And that means there is one pipe 
that carries the sewage and the storm water.  And so, we 
have been discharging billions of gallons of raw sewage into 
the river every time it rains. 
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
Our organization had an issue with that.
((NATS:  Jim Foster)) 
There is an osprey up in the tree there. 
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
D.C. water today has been under a consent decree to stop 
those overflows.  
((NATS:  Jim Foster and Man in the passing boat)) 
Another day in paradise.
You got it.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society))
Masaya Maeda, who is Japanese, has been with us for 17 
years.  He is our water quality expert.  And so, every week 
he goes out on the river to collect very basic water chemistry 
data.  He has a volunteer helper, a woman named Maria.
We have been collecting that data for 15 years now.  So, we 
have some solid data, some trends.  We really use that to 
build a state of the river report card. 
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society))
Our mission is to make the river swimmable and fishable by 
2025.  So, what’s keeping us from swimming is purely high 
bacteria levels.  Where does the bacteria come from?  It 
comes from feces, from waste, human induced, goose, deer, 
avian, all these contribute bacteria to the river.  So, our river 
is impaired with nitrogen and phosphorus.  Why is that a 
problem?  Because it causes algae to grow prolifically and 
that algae then consumes oxygen in the water and then 
there is not enough oxygen for the fish.   
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((NATS:  Jim Foster)) 
They are with the park and they run that passenger boat.  
Not a lot of passengers in the boat right now. 
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
We have come so far in cleaning up this river, when people 
who haven’t been here for 10, 15, 25 years, suddenly come 
back.  They are going, “This isn’t what we left.  This is, you 
know, not what we expected to see here.”  And the first thing 
that has really started to come back are native freshwater 
mussels.  Mussels are also filter feeders.   
((NATS:  Jim Foster)) 
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society)) 
See if I can’t get this up high enough just to show you what 
we got here.  So, you can see these mussels are doing 
really well.  They went in about the size of your fingernail 
and this is a year’s worth of growth.  We’re working with the 
University of Maryland to see if they will filter micro-plastics 
out of the water as well.  And we are also interested in 
whether they will pick up and bind PCBs (Polychlorinated 
Biphenyl) from the river.
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Jim Foster, Anacostia Watershed Society))
So, the Anacostia River that I would like to see in ten years 
would be a place where thousands of people come 
throughout the weeks and summer months to get in the 
water.  For me, it is a very spiritual connection to not only the 
river and the banks and the areas around it, but to clean 
water.  Clean water is so critical to life as we know it and, I 
think, as more people come back and recognize that, they 
will appreciate and admire and honor the river. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
 
 
TEASE  ((VO/NAT)) 
Coming up….. 
((Banner)) 
COVID-19 Contact Tracers 
((SOT)) 
((Victor Scott, L.A. County Public Health Department 
employee, COVID-19 tracer)) 
There have been so many of those experiences where it's 
been, you know, uplifting.  People have been just happy to 
have someone to talk to or to ask questions with and they 
thank you for the work that you're doing.  

 
BREAK ONE 
 
((ANIMATION EXPLAINER -- W/ GFX, CAPTIONS, 
PHOTOS))  
US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2020:   
NOMINATION CONVENTION 

BUMP IN  ((ANIM))				  

BLOCK B   
   
 
((PKG))  COVID-19 CONTACT TRACERS 
((Banner:  COVID-19 Contact Tracers))  
((Reporter/Camera/Editor:  Genia Dulot))  
((Map:  Los Angeles, California))    
((Main characters:  1 female;  1 male))  
((NATS in Spanish:  Teresita Cruz)) 
Good afternoon!  My name is Teresita Cruz.  I am with the 
Department of Public Health of Los Angeles County and I 
would like to leave a message for Maria Perez.  
((Teresita Cruz, Librarian, COVID-19 Tracer))  
Contact tracing is not a job I thought I would ever do.  But as 
an L.A. County librarian, we do disaster service work.  So, 
we’re called in when there's a disaster and anybody needs 
help. 
((Victor Scott, L.A. County Public Health Department 
COVID-19 Tracer)) 
I received a notice that I was being reassigned to do the 
COVID-19 case interviewing.  That next day, we went 
through a series of training and then the day after that, we 
started working on case interviews.  
((NATS:  Victor Scott)) 
Hi, good morning.  My name is Victor Scott and I'm calling 
from the Los Angeles County, Department of Public 
Health.  The reason for my call today is you recently took a 
test for COVID-19.  Is that correct?  
((Teresita Cruz, Librarian, COVID-19 Tracer))  
We begin the day with the Department of Public 
Health.  They send us a list of cases.  Those are people who 
tested positive.  And contacts, those are people that they've 
been around.  During the week, it's actually been kind of 
light.  But then on the weekends, since there's not many 
people working, we do get a lot of calls.  The most calls 
I've taken were 28 within a day. 
((Victor Scott, L.A. County Public Health Department 
COVID-19 Tracer)) 
Because the only way we can stop people from getting sick 
is to let people know to stay at home if they were around 
someone with COVID-19.  Starting two days before you 
became ill and up to 10 days after, were you in close contact 
with anyone? 
((Victor Scott, L.A. County Public Health Department 
COVID-19 Tracer)) 
We're going to try to collect as many contacts that they can 
remember.  Sometimes I have to help them along, jog their 
memory.  You know, did you visit anyone?  Has anyone 
visited you?  Did you talk to a friend outside for, you know, 
20-30 minutes and, you know, didn't wear a mask or what 
not?  
((NATS in Spanish:  Teresita Cruz)) 
Very important that you quarantine yourself during 14 days 
after you were in contact with a person who was infected 
with COVID-19. 
((Teresita Cruz, Librarian, COVID-19 Tracer))  
I was nervous because I was going to talk to people who, I 
thought, potentially were going to be very sick.  But I knew 
the importance of it.  I knew how important it is to reach out 
to those sick people who need help, who, maybe, just need 
somebody there that they can speak to, to give them the 
resources they need.  
((Victor Scott, L.A. County Public Health Department 
COVID-19 Tracer)) 
There have been so many of those experiences where it's 
been, you know, uplifting.  People have been just happy to 
have someone to talk to or to ask questions with and they 
thank you for the work that you're doing.  There have been 
some very sad ones where there's a death in the family 
because of COVID and the whole house is struggling with 
COVID-19 at that point. 
((Teresita Cruz, Librarian, COVID-19 Tracer))  
Realizing how many people are sick, realizing how this virus 
spreads, how easy it could spread.  It doesn't discriminate.  It 
doesn't care about the person's background.  It doesn't care 
about the person's age.  It doesn't care about where they live 
or how they live.  It just spreads.  
((NATS)) 
 
 
((PKG))  DOWN SYNDROME AND INFLAMMATION  
((Filmed before the advent of COVID-19 social 
distancing practices))  
((Banner:  Re-thinking Down Syndrome))  
((Reporter/Camera:  Shelley Schlender)) 
((Adapted by:  Martin Secrest)) 
((Map:  Denver, Colorado))    
((Main characters: 1 female, 1 male))  
((Sub character: 1 female)) 
((NATS)) 
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
If you see Megan and I together, we are up to something. 
((Scientist))   
Hi, Megan! 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
Hi. 
((Popup Banner:  The Linda Crnic Institute for Down 
Syndrome conducts advanced research on Down 
syndrome)) 
((Courtesy:  Global Down Syndrome Foundation)) 
((Popup Banner:   Dr. Espinosa is the institute's director 
and a longtime friend of ‘Born This Way’ TV star, Megan 
Bomgaars)) 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
He’s running the show because he’s a star, right here.  
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
Oh, sorry.  The person who won an Emmy is not me. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
I think it could be you.  
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
Multiple Emmys, I should say.   
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
It could be you though.  It might be you.  
((Courtesy: “Born This Way”, A&E Channel))   
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
I’m Megan Bomgaars.  I want to help young adults, like 
myself, how to love themselves and follow their dreams.  My 
goal for myself is to be on the cover of Vogue. 
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
A lot of people with Down syndrome, there are some 
immune cells that are hyperactive, too active, going 
overboard.  But there are other aspects of the immune 
system that are actually exhausted.  And if you think about 
it….. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
Like me.  I am. 
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
You’re exhausted?  Very good, because maybe you’ve been 
doing too much of something. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
Yes. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
I’ve known Dr. Espinosa for a very long time. 
((Courtesy:  Global Down Syndrome Foundation))  
((Kris Bomgaars, Megan’s Mother)) 
My daughter, Megan, presented with Dr. Espinosa as part of 
the Global Down Syndrome Foundation team in Barcelona, 
where she was able to present her life story and also present 
some of what her medical challenges have been. 
((Courtesy:  Kris Bomgaars)) 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
My mom told me in first grade that I have celiac disease.  I 
can’t have wheat, I can’t have dairy and I cannot have 
gluten.  My teacher told me I had a bad behavior problem 
because I had their school food and they were not gluten-
free foods.  So, that's why my mom came back and told my 
teachers, I don't have a behavior problem.  It's the school 
food that gets me sick. 
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
That’s a very good story of how sometimes people mistake 
or misinterpret what’s happening to a person with Down 
syndrome due to lack of knowledge.  It wasn't a behavioral 
thing, part of the Down syndrome spectrum.  No, no, no.  It 
was something related to diet. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
Yes. 
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
And I wonder how many other examples are like that, where 
maybe….. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
Yeah, me too. 
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
……something in the diet or something, lack of sleep or 
obstructive sleep apnea or other health issues have been 
ignored or minimized, thinking that, ‘Oh, well, that is Down 
syndrome.’  Not true.  Down syndrome needs to be broken 
down into these various conditions, these various aspects. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
And then in the school food because I know I don't want to 
do that again.  No, I can't eat that stuff. 
((Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for Down 
Syndrome)) 
If the school food has gluten, you know, it's going to trigger 
your celiac disease and then it may look like a behavioral 
issue but actually it's a diet issue. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
Yeah. 
((Kris Bomgaars, Megan’s Mother))  
She has hypothyroidism.  She has psoriasis.  There are 
concerns that there will be other immune system challenges 
coming up in her future.  So, that's always in the back of my 
mind.  How is this research going to help, you know, these 
main issues that she has right now and potential immune 
system issues in the future? 
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
So, I'm pretty confident that as you are trying to manage 
your celiac, you may also be reducing inflammation that 
affects other organs. 
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
The interferon response can be blocked or attenuated in a 
number of ways.  One way is with these drugs called JAK 
Inhibitors.  These JAK Inhibitors are doing very well in 
clinical trials for treatment of autoimmune skin disorders 
such as alopecia areata, this autoimmune skin disorder 
where the immune system attacks the hair follicle and then 
you become bald. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
I do not want to get bald.  Sometimes, when I do my hair, I'll 
do stuff like, ‘I feel like I'm going to lose my hair.’  I'm like, ‘I 
need to keep my hair.’  So, I keep my hair. 
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
It looks great. 
((Courtesy:  Global Down Syndrome Foundation))  
((Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, Director, Crnic Institute for 
Down Syndrome)) 
The mission of our research, the mission of the Crnic 
Institute is to improve the lives of all people with Down 
syndrome through biomedical research.  There could be new 
diagnostics.  There could be new therapies.  Early 
diagnostics, you had to remember also, it's very important for 
you to know that you had celiac disease.  It changed your 
life.  You had all kinds of benefits.  So, we need to come out 
with quick, effective ways of diagnosing these conditions that 
are more common in people with Down syndrome, such as 
autoimmune disorders, neurological disorders, other 
things.  The sooner the doctors can learn that something is 
about to develop, the better they can intervene. 
((Megan Bomgaars, TV Star and Down Syndrome Self-
Advocate)) 
And I know things, a lot of things from him.  And what he 
does, he saves the country and he saves the world.  Yes. 
 
 
TEASE  ((VO/NAT)) 
Coming up….. 
((Banner)) 
Joy of Laughter 
((SOT)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
When I walked onto the stage, I used to get butterflies, but I 
have performed for so long now, I don’t feel that 
anymore.  But it is, it’s the best rush and by far, making 
people laugh and helping them forget about their problems is 
the best drug.  


BREAK TWO									 
BUMP IN  ((ANIM))				  
 

BLOCK C  

 
((PKG))  BORN TO RIDE   
((Banner:  Born to Ride))  
((Reporter/Camera:  Aaron Fedor)) 
((Writer/Producer:  Kathleen McLaughlin)) 
((Editor:  Stefan Pildes)) 
((Map:  Brooklyn, New York))   
((Main character:  1 male)) 
((Sub characters:  7 males;  2 females)) 
((NATS)) 
((Courtesy:  Moto Noir)) 
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
About year 2000, I was riding down the West Side Highway 
on a Tuesday morning.  I just got a Ducati N900, ran up to a 
guy in a similar Ducati.  And we complimented each other on 
our tastes in bikes.  And he said, “Are you coming to bike 
night?”  And I said, “What's that?”  He said, “Come on down 
to the Ear Inn at about six o'clock tonight.”   
((Courtesy:  Lucinda Jacobson)) 
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
I did and was overjoyed to find about a 100 to 150 other 
guys that just wanted to talk about motorcycles.  And it was 
a weekly recurrence that had been going on at that point for 
something like 15 to 20 years, as far as I know.  
((NATS)) 
Biker 1:  Know where the meet up is? 
Biker 2:  Yeah man, follow me. 
Biker 1:  Alright. 
((NATS)) 
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
My name’s Demian Neufeld.  I own and run Ryders Alley.   
It's a business born of passion.   
((NATS)) 
Biker 2:  I've been coming to this meetup ever since they 
moved to Brooklyn. 
Biker 3:  Two Wheel Tuesday was happening at a different 
location for many, many years.  I think it goes back to the 
50s or 60s and now we're in Brooklyn, now we're in 
Williamsburg.   
((NATS)) 
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
Eventually bike night moved.  It got a little bit younger, a little 
less silver hair and a little more neon.  
((NATS)) 
Biker 4:  I actually just found out this meetup a couple 
weeks ago from a barista at JANE Motorcycle, one block 
away.  So, it's been, this is only my second time being here.  
((Courtesy:  Lucinda Jacobson)) 
Biker 5:  These are the most friendly group of people I've 
ever met.  Actually, like, people are really willing to help you 
out and get you started and give you advice on how to ride 
safely.  
((NATS)) 
((Courtesy:  Lucinda Jacobson)) 
Biker 6:  I definitely appreciate the community aspect of it, 
absolutely.  
((NATS))  
((Courtesy:  Lucinda Jacobson)) 
Biker 7:   I looked on social media.  I found this group in 
New York and I mean, lucky me, I found like over 100 
women riders that I could just ask a ton of questions to.   
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
Pretty much I see a lot of people just looking for someone to 
listen to them, ramble on about the technicalities of their 
bike, how they've modified the exhaust pipes or certain rides 
that they've done.  
((NATS)) 
Biker 8:  This second button, two, three, back to one.  And 
yeah, again, it's just roll and go.  
((NATS)) 
((Courtesy:  Moto Noir))  
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
It used to be about the speed.  It used to be about the 
sensation of dragging a knee through a corner at first on 
ridiculously irresponsible street rides.  And then for about 12 
years on the racetrack, and then racing, and then coaching,  
((Courtesy:  Ryders Alley)) 
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
and now it's more about dirt biking for myself personally, the 
vistas, the feelings of wind and not really going as fast now.  
It's more like 15 to 20 miles an hour.  And the common 
thread would still be comradery.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
Biker 9:  It's, you know, just like a brotherhood and a 
sisterhood that you couldn't imagine, that, you know, we just 
have with each other.  We don't have to know you.   
((Courtesy:  Matt Emmi))  
Biker 9:  We feel that brother or sisterly love.  And it's a 
motorcycle that brings that into power.  I ride a Harley 
Davidson.  I have two of them. 
Biker 5:  I ride a Yamaha 2018 MT-07.  
Biker 6:  This is a Honda 919.  
Biker 4:   I really love the style that the new design of Rebel 
500, Honda Rebel 500.  
Biker 3:  I am a KPM guy.  I've always been a KPM guy. 
Biker 7:  So, I ride a Triumph Street Twin.  
((NATS)) 
((Courtesy:  Moto Noir))  
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
Has there been the change in the supply chain of 
motorcycles since pandemic?  Yes, absolutely. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Courtesy:  Moto Noir)) 
((Courtesy:  Matt Emmi))  
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
Am I teaching my children how to ride bikes?  Definitely.   
((Courtesy:  Ryders Alley)) 
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
I have three kids, a boy, girl, boy, all three of them have 
electric bikes.  Interestingly enough, what they ask me is not 
let's go ride bikes, but they say to me, “Can we go into the 
woods?”  And when I say, “Do you want to go for a hike or 
for a walk?”  They're like, “No, no, no, no, no.  On the bikes 
of course.”  It’s my favorite answer.   
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Courtesy:  Ryders Alley)) 
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley)) 
You're good.  Keep going, keep going.  Yeah.  Turn right.  
Okay.  Stop. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
 

((PKG))  COMEDIAN PAUL KIM  (PIA)   
((Banner:  The Power of Humor))  
((Executive Producer:  Marsha James)) 
((Camera/Editor:  Kaveh Rezaei))  
((Map:  Los Angeles, California))    
((Main character:  1 male))  
((NATS:  Paul Kim))  
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim))  
((Paul Kim, Comedian))   
Laughter is so important.  Laughter is medicine.  Laughter is 
the shortest distance between two people, one of the best 
gifts we’ve ever been given.   
((Paul Kim, Comedian))   
I’ve been doing stand-up for 15 years.  So, I’ve seen all 
different kinds of laughers.  There’s the inside laugher, they 
don’t make any noise, they’re always just like.  Insecure 
touchy laughers, they always need reassurance.  They 
always, “Did you see that?” Like, “Yeah, I heard that.  We’re 
at the same show.”  Oh, the snorter, my favorite, you know.  
It’s like such a compliment when you get a snort except you 
feel bad for their spouse.  You’re like dang, you’re like every 
morning, “Honey.”  I’m like, “Oh my God.”  
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))   
I was born and raised in Burbank, California right here over 
the mountain and I’m the last of five kids.  Two older 
brothers, two older sisters.  They’re all two years apart and 
I’m the fifth.  I’m 10 years apart.  So, I’m an accident, pretty 
obvious.   
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
You know, so when I was a kid, I asked my dad, you know, 
“Papa, am I an accident?”  And he said, “There are no 
accidents in God’s Kingdom, only regret.”  
((NATS:  Paul Kim))  
My dad disciplined us.  You guys know, you know, some of 
you guys, “It hurts me more than it hurts you.”  
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
My dad was the pastor of a huge church.  So, being a 
preacher’s kid, you’re not allowed to listen to the radio, 
watch, you know, certain kinds of TV.   
((Courtesy:  Reuters)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
So, the first time my friend let me listen to Eddie Murphy - 
Delirious on tape and he’s cursing and he’s just making 
everybody laugh, I was like, “Wait, what is this?”   
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
Preachers always said what you’re supposed to say.  You 
have to stick to the guidelines.  But comedians always said 
what people are thinking but were afraid to say.   
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
A lot of times I was the only Asian amongst a lot of white 
kids.  I was really skinny.  They called me Chopsticks, 
Indiana Bones, Chicken Legs.    
((NATS:  Paul Kim)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
You know, like I was the skinniest kid, like, you could just tie 
a string around me and I would just fly away like a kite.  I 
was so skinny, I was bullied.  
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim))  
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
Always made to feel inferior, even though they weren’t even 
doing it on purpose.  That’s how I started doing comedy 
because I could take away the power of that, them making 
fun of me, by being funny.  
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
I have kids.  My last name is Kim.  I really wanted my son to 
be a leader, so I was going to name him Martin Luther 
Kim.  My second choice was Abraham Linkim, but we don’t 
want to put pressure, so we named him Lion.  He’s the Lion 
Kim.   
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
I have the best parents and the best older brothers and 
sisters ever.  I’ve had so many conversations with friends 
who’ve had just so many bad family situations, like most.  My 
dad was worried but I’m always going to be thankful because 
he came to one comedy show and then he died suddenly 
after.  So, I’m always going to have that memory of him.  He 
came.   
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
And you know, when you do talk about your ethnicity a lot, a 
lot of comedians, a lot of comments that like, “See, it’s all 
they do.  They talk about….”, you know.  But just because a 
lot of them, they don’t understand what it’s like to be the only 
one of a different color in the room.  They have never felt 
that.   
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
When I walked onto the stage, I used to get butterflies, but I 
have performed for so long now, I don’t feel that 
anymore.  But it is, it’s the best rush and by far, making 
people laugh  
((Courtesy:  Paul Kim)) 
((Paul Kim, Comedian))  
and helping them forget about their problems is the best 
drug.  
((NATS:  Paul Kim))   
Oh yeah, that’s how my people do it.  Thank you very much.   
((NATS))  


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((ANIMATION EXPLAINER -- W/ GFX, CAPTIONS, 
PHOTOS))  
US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2020: 
WHO ARE YOUTH VOTERS?  

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