Garden State Greatness: The New Jersey Hall of Fame

0:00 – Intro: Welcome to Lost in Jersey
0:38 – Growing up in Union
2:00 – Rock band days and Jersey roots
3:20 – Founding the New Jersey Hall of Fame
5:30 – Building the Hall of Fame museum at American Dream Mall
7:45 – Interactive holograms & exhibits 
8:40 – Why Jersey pride and heroes matter
10:05 – How inductees are chosen each year
12:25 – First induction ceremony & Bruce Springsteen’s reaction
15:20 – The formula for success: dream, persevere, never give up
18:45 – Overcoming adversity: stories of inductees & Steve’s own journey
21:30 – Steve’s documentary Lucky Jack and his father’s legacy
24:30 – Reflections on resilience, faith, and purpose
27:00 – Why kids need heroes today
30:15 – Optimism, community, and history repeating
32:30 – 2025 Induction Ceremony details (Nov 21 at American Dream Mall)
34:00 – Steve’s love for New Jersey & closing thoughts

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What do Bruce Springsteen, the Jonas

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Brothers, Einstein, and Michael Uzlin

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all have in common? They’re part of the New

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Jersey Hall of Fame.

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In this episode of Lost in Jersey, we sit

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down with Hall president Steve Edwards to

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talk about this year’s inductees,

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the museum at American Dream,

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and why Jersey grit and heroes matter now

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more than ever.

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Welcome to Lost in Jersey, Steve.

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Thank you for having me.

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– Give us a bit of your background how is

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Jersey a part of your life how did you get

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here I was born on Jersey soil 1962 same

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Hospital Beth Israel Hospital on the same day

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as Jason Alexander and Bruce Springsteen

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September 23rd Jason was actually born

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I think four years before me on the same

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day in the same hospital

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Bruce was born down in Monmouth County

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and then

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um went home to Union, New Jersey, and

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New Jersey has been my home

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ever since.

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It’s in my blood. I

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can remember some of my earliest memories

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were on the beach at Belmar

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and Bradley Beach.

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Matter of fact, I was an aspiring musician

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even in 1965.

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I was three years old,

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and I was on a stage.

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The Pavilion, I don’t know if it’s still there,

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in Belmar.

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And they did a little talent show and I

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sang, I’m Henry the 8th I am,

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Henry the 8th I am, I am, and whatever else

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was rest of the song.

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And I got done, like a little short one

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minute thing.

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everybody applauded,

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and I sang it again. And

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then again, and everyone.

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I

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mean, let me do this four times.

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Finally, the woman running the talent show

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is like stress.

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She’s got 10 other kids to put on.

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She literally miled and pulled me off the stage.

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And my mom said, eat

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the ham.

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That’s,

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yes,

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absolutely.

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That’s a good story.

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Did you continue with the showmanship for,

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as you grew up?

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You know, as a matter of fact, I did.

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I was lead singer in a rock band

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in the 1970s called Satellite

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in Union, New Jersey.

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We played

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junior high and high school concerts and

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battle of the bands, and we played in a

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local pizzeria. And

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true story, we played at a carnival

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and our roadies managed to shut the

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electricity down at the entire carnival.

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People were screaming on the

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Ferris wheel.

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They plugged our equipment into the wrong thing.

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Oh, wow. I’ll

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never forget that.

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Awesome.

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And my career was over by 77.

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So you grew up in New Jersey and have you

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stayed in New Jersey for a career? Yeah,

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I’ve been here just about all of my 63

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years on the planet, although

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we did move to Florida

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for about six months.

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It got so hot, my mom said, we’re out of here.

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We went back to Elizabeth, New Jersey.

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We did.

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It’s part of my dad’s crazy story that I

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just did a documentary feature film on.

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We went to Mexico.

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We escaped

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the eviction man in Elizabeth in 1970, and

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we went to

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Mexico for about a year.

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My dad went to medical school

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down there.

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And then

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my mom said,

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We’re outta here.

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And my dad stayed behind.

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We came back to Union.

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I

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went to Rutgers, and as you know, I’m

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president of the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

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I’ve been on the Jersey Shore for

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60 years.

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And we love New York too.

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I have an apartment in New York in the

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interest of full disclosure in Trebek.

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We weren’t gonna disclose that or like look

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it up or anything.

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I just went, by the way, to my 45th high

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school reunion.

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Wow.

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And my question was always, where are you

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living? This is a nice way to break the ice. Yeah.

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And

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most everybody surprised me and said New

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Jersey.

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There were a lot of people,

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Florida and South Carolina, whatever,

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one California,

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but I would say

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85% were still in Jersey.

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So that’s good.

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That is,

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that’s impressive.

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People who are here, you know, they see

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that it’s a unique, wonderful, beautiful

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place to live.

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The beaches, the mountains,

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the forests, and then the city.

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No doubt about it.

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Anyone who’s lived here knows that.

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And you also highlight all the incredible

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people that are from New Jersey.

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We want to talk about

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how you got yourself involved in the New

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Jersey Hall of Fame.

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Now you’re the founder, one of the

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founders.

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I think two people are the founders of it.

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Yeah,

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I

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had come up with the crazy idea back in

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2002, but long story short,

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There was a Sports Hall of Fame

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in New Jersey, and it ran its course.

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It was defunct financially and so forth.

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And I happened to call George Zoffinger,

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who was running the Sports Exposition

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Authority at the time.

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And I said, What do you think about a crazy

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idea, New Jersey Hall of Fame?

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He said, It’s so funny

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that you say this, because we were thinking

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of turning

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the Sports Hall of Fame into the Sports and

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Entertainment Hall of Fame.

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But I like what you just said about Edison

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and Einstein and people from all walks of life.

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So the legislature finally officially

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created the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2004,

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and then we had our first induction

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ceremony in 2008.

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I don’t know what we did for four years,

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and I don’t know how I got away.

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I do remember like a year and a half out.

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Bart Oates, the former center with the

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Giants was the chairman,

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and he’s like, Steve,

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we got to do an induction already.

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And I’m like, Bart.

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Let’s get it right.

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There’s a lot of things to think through,

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but you know,

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we started doing it in 2008 and we’re

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coming up on our 17th induction ceremony and

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we don’t miss a beat now.

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So I think we,

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we’re smart to take our time.

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And you’re an American dream now.

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We have,

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you know, there are only three state

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halls of fame in the entire United States.

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Oh, really? What are the other two?

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California and South Dakota. Um,

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South

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Dakota.

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Yeah, South Dakota’s had one since the 70s.

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They’re the most mature hall of fame.

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California, actually, Maria Shriver,

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um,

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actually got the idea through me, through

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Mark Shriver, who I worked with at Save the

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Children.

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And they created the California Hall of Fame

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after

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New York Times did a story about the New

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Jersey Hall of Fame.

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We’re the first state though, that has

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a

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state-of-the-art, interactive and immersive

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museum.

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And that’s what’s that

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American dream.

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And I can talk forever about it, but

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suffice it to say it’s a 10,000 square foot

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state state-of-the-art museum.

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I’ll give you two little tidbits. We’ve

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got the Model T that’s on display that

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Henry Ford

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gifted to Thomas Edison

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in 1916.

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One of the most valuable cars in the world,

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permanently displayed at our museum. Wow.

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What’s cool about that car is they

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literally, and there’s video footage of it.

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They literally took road trips together.

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Ford would drive,

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Edison in the passenger seat.

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He couldn’t hear Edison.

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So everything was like, what did you just

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say? The engine was so left.

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And Henry Firestone would be in the back,

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the guy that did the tires.

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And there’s

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video, there’s video footage of our car.

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I say, our, it’s not ours.

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It’s the Edison Foundation.

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But it’s so cool.

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And then, but most everything else, that’s

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like an old fashioned artifact we remember

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from museums we’ve been to for years.

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Most of the museum is hologram centric

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footage.

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So,

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for example, you can get up on a karaoke, a

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hologram karaoke stage,

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you can sing alongside Wycliffe John

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singing, we’ve filmed him, a special

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hologram poem, If I Were President, Frankie

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Valli, Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,

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Gloria Gaynor,

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I Will Survive,

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Tony Orlando,

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Ty Yellow Ribbon, and so many more.

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And you get up and have somebody film you

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doing that, and if you dare, you can share it

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on social media.

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And,

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um, you know, stuff like that.

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I mean, we’ve got a late night Jersey

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television studio where you could sit down

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and be a host

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for about 15, 20 minutes and interview a

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hologram of father, Stevie Van Zant or

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Judy Blume.

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I mean, the list goes on.

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We got like 50 legends from New Jersey

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that you can interview.

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And there’s like preset questions, like 10

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to 15 questions.

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00:08:27,680 –> 00:08:29,120
How do I write my first book?

263
00:08:29,520 –> 00:08:31,440
You know, how do I become a musician,

264
00:08:31,440 –> 00:08:33,840
Stevie? Really what this place is about, I

265
00:08:33,840 –> 00:08:36,160
should say, it’s a about Jersey pride,

266
00:08:36,480 –> 00:08:36,720
right?

267
00:08:37,600 –> 00:08:38,600
That’s important.

268
00:08:39,600 –> 00:08:41,600
More importantly, now more than ever,

269
00:08:41,920 –> 00:08:43,600
we really want to provide

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00:08:44,000 –> 00:08:46,000
children and adults with heroes

271
00:08:46,600 –> 00:08:47,280
and wisdom

272
00:08:47,600 –> 00:08:48,320
so they could

273
00:08:48,560 –> 00:08:49,760
realize their own

274
00:08:50,080 –> 00:08:52,200
highest and best sense of self and

275
00:08:52,200 –> 00:08:54,160
hopefully for the greater good.

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00:08:54,720 –> 00:08:56,880
And so that’s what we’re grinding out doing.

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00:08:57,240 –> 00:08:57,680
every day.

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00:08:57,680 –> 00:08:58,800
I encourage your

279
00:08:59,040 –> 00:09:00,400
listeners to come in.

280
00:09:00,480 –> 00:09:02,240
If you’re from Jersey, you got to do the

281
00:09:02,240 –> 00:09:03,840
pilgrimage at least once.

282
00:09:04,360 –> 00:09:04,720
Yeah.

283
00:09:04,720 –> 00:09:06,560
It’s 10,000 square feet, but it’s so

284
00:09:06,560 –> 00:09:09,360
immersive that it could be 100,000 square

285
00:09:09,360 –> 00:09:10,560
feet once you start getting

286
00:09:10,880 –> 00:09:11,920
immersed into

287
00:09:12,240 –> 00:09:14,640
the exhibits and you start interacting with them.

288
00:09:15,240 –> 00:09:16,160
so I hope

289
00:09:16,400 –> 00:09:18,320
I hope the two of you and your listeners

290
00:09:18,520 –> 00:09:18,720
come out

291
00:09:19,040 –> 00:09:19,440
for sure

292
00:09:19,760 –> 00:09:19,920
we

293
00:09:20,160 –> 00:09:22,560
we plan on coming when you go to

294
00:09:22,880 –> 00:09:25,480
to the American Dream Mall how do you get

295
00:09:25,480 –> 00:09:27,920
to your location is it visible is it easy

296
00:09:27,920 –> 00:09:29,600
to find because I know that place is pretty

297
00:09:29,600 –> 00:09:32,120
huge everyone’s saying complains to me ah

298
00:09:32,320 –> 00:09:34,480
Steve I can’t find it it’s so easy

299
00:09:35,080 –> 00:09:37,440
If you park in any parking lot, follow the

300
00:09:37,440 –> 00:09:40,480
signs for the theme park and the water park.

301
00:09:41,600 –> 00:09:41,720
Okay.

302
00:09:42,160 –> 00:09:43,040
Signs are everywhere.

303
00:09:43,560 –> 00:09:45,240
When you get in front of the theme park,

304
00:09:45,240 –> 00:09:47,440
which is amazing, Nickelodeon Universal

305
00:09:47,440 –> 00:09:49,280
theme park, they’ve got a roller coaster,

306
00:09:49,280 –> 00:09:49,800
which is the,

307
00:09:50,480 –> 00:09:53,200
to date, the steepest vertical drop

308
00:09:53,600 –> 00:09:54,240
in the world.

309
00:09:54,560 –> 00:09:57,280
When you’re standing in front of that

310
00:09:58,320 –> 00:10:00,320
Nickelodeon Universal theme park,

311
00:10:00,560 –> 00:10:01,360
turn around.

312
00:10:01,640 –> 00:10:02,880
You’ll see an escalator.

313
00:10:03,280 –> 00:10:05,280
Actually, if you turn around and you look

314
00:10:05,280 –> 00:10:06,720
up, you’ll see the Hall of Fame

315
00:10:06,960 –> 00:10:07,600
at the top of

316
00:10:08,000 –> 00:10:09,760
the third floor escalator.

317
00:10:10,000 –> 00:10:12,080
So if you find the theme park in the water

318
00:10:12,080 –> 00:10:13,840
park and just turn around,

319
00:10:14,160 –> 00:10:15,120
you’re going to find this.

320
00:10:15,600 –> 00:10:15,920
Right. Third

321
00:10:16,280 –> 00:10:17,040
floor, third floor.

322
00:10:17,040 –> 00:10:18,720
Third floor, third floor.

323
00:10:18,880 –> 00:10:19,120
Awesome.

324
00:10:19,360 –> 00:10:19,680
Okay,

325
00:10:19,920 –> 00:10:22,320
who was the first inductee that you got? So

326
00:10:22,320 –> 00:10:24,920
I’ll tell you the criteria is you have to

327
00:10:24,920 –> 00:10:28,120
have lived here at least five years. Okay.

328
00:10:28,120 –> 00:10:28,400
That’s the

329
00:10:28,760 –> 00:10:29,120
strictest

330
00:10:29,400 –> 00:10:29,840
criteria.

331
00:10:29,920 –> 00:10:30,960
I’ve lived here five years.

332
00:10:31,000 –> 00:10:31,800
I’ve been here five years.

333
00:10:31,880 –> 00:10:32,480
There you go.

334
00:10:33,520 –> 00:10:35,200
I’m gonna check one box also. Okay,

335
00:10:35,760 –> 00:10:36,240
let’s go.

336
00:10:37,200 –> 00:10:37,360
One

337
00:10:37,600 –> 00:10:38,000
box. One

338
00:10:38,320 –> 00:10:38,480
box.

339
00:10:39,520 –> 00:10:41,680
The California and South Dakota is if you

340
00:10:41,680 –> 00:10:43,360
lived any portion of your life.

341
00:10:43,640 –> 00:10:45,520
It sounds like they’re desperate for crying

342
00:10:45,520 –> 00:10:45,880
out loud.

343
00:10:46,160 –> 00:10:47,360
We’re five years.

344
00:10:47,360 –> 00:10:48,600
We got so much talent.

345
00:10:48,600 –> 00:10:49,480
You have to- Yeah, yeah.

346
00:10:50,080 –> 00:10:52,280
There’s too many great people here. Yeah. You

347
00:10:52,800 –> 00:10:54,720
have to have lived here for five years.

348
00:10:55,200 –> 00:10:55,920
We

349
00:10:56,560 –> 00:10:57,600
have a master list.

350
00:10:57,600 –> 00:11:00,160
So anyone that wants to nominate anyone can

351
00:11:00,160 –> 00:11:02,720
go to njhalloffame.org

352
00:11:03,280 –> 00:11:04,960
and they could fill out a form.

353
00:11:05,720 –> 00:11:07,600
We vet it and then, you know, we’ve got a

354
00:11:07,600 –> 00:11:09,440
couple thousand names that are on the

355
00:11:09,440 –> 00:11:10,320
master list.

356
00:11:10,880 –> 00:11:11,760
And then

357
00:11:12,640 –> 00:11:15,560
we send it off to an expert panelists once

358
00:11:15,560 –> 00:11:16,640
a year around January.

359
00:11:17,120 –> 00:11:18,840
They narrowed down six different

360
00:11:18,840 –> 00:11:21,200
categories, 120 names,

361
00:11:21,680 –> 00:11:23,480
those that we create a battle

362
00:11:23,840 –> 00:11:26,560
that goes to an academy, which is 350

363
00:11:27,040 –> 00:11:29,680
prominent organizations, former governors,

364
00:11:29,680 –> 00:11:31,040
very grassroots, you know,

365
00:11:31,840 –> 00:11:33,840
and they help narrow to the top 60.

366
00:11:34,520 –> 00:11:37,280
And then we put every year around April, we

367
00:11:37,280 –> 00:11:39,040
put the top 60 ballot out

368
00:11:39,520 –> 00:11:39,840
and

369
00:11:40,160 –> 00:11:43,120
the public gets to give us their input.

370
00:11:43,480 –> 00:11:45,120
And then our board of trustees makes the

371
00:11:45,120 –> 00:11:48,080
final decisions, usually between 15 and 20.

372
00:11:48,880 –> 00:11:51,680
inductees every year, all walks of life,

373
00:11:51,720 –> 00:11:53,280
all parts of Jersey.

374
00:11:53,440 –> 00:11:55,280
Can you share the categories with us just

375
00:11:55,360 –> 00:11:57,520
so our listeners can know? Well, it’s,

376
00:11:57,680 –> 00:11:59,400
let’s see, it’s arts and letters.

377
00:11:59,400 –> 00:12:01,920
Which would be novelists and things like that.

378
00:12:02,240 –> 00:12:05,760
It is arts and entertainment, it’s sports,

379
00:12:06,680 –> 00:12:08,400
it’s public service,

380
00:12:08,800 –> 00:12:10,320
and it’s enterprise.

381
00:12:10,880 –> 00:12:12,800
and I’m missing one

382
00:12:13,360 –> 00:12:15,440
historical figures maybe I yeah oh I think

383
00:12:16,320 –> 00:12:18,280
that we changed it recently so if you go to

384
00:12:18,280 –> 00:12:19,600
the website you’ll see them they

385
00:12:20,080 –> 00:12:22,080
have an educator of the year that’s an

386
00:12:22,080 –> 00:12:22,480
inductee

387
00:12:23,080 –> 00:12:23,720
itself

388
00:12:24,080 –> 00:12:26,280
and then we have an unsung hero which we’re

389
00:12:26,280 –> 00:12:28,240
about to announce this year’s in in a

390
00:12:28,240 –> 00:12:30,160
couple of weeks very high profile

391
00:12:30,960 –> 00:12:33,200
person that is an unsung hero if that makes

392
00:12:33,200 –> 00:12:36,080
any sense that’s how we do it the first ones

393
00:12:36,400 –> 00:12:38,920
were Edison Einstein well I want you to

394
00:12:38,920 –> 00:12:39,840
imagine this

395
00:12:40,400 –> 00:12:42,080
It’s 2008. No one

396
00:12:42,400 –> 00:12:44,400
around the state, including the governor at

397
00:12:44,400 –> 00:12:46,560
the time, what the heck is the New Jersey

398
00:12:46,560 –> 00:12:47,440
Hall of Fame?

399
00:12:48,560 –> 00:12:51,080
Bruce Springsteen was so skeptical.

400
00:12:51,080 –> 00:12:53,240
He told us that night, like, what’s New

401
00:12:53,280 –> 00:12:53,760
Jersey?

402
00:12:54,000 –> 00:12:56,080
He actually joked around in a speech and he said,

403
00:12:56,320 –> 00:12:58,080
does Connecticut have a Hall of Fame?

404
00:12:58,680 –> 00:12:59,520
Does New York have a Hall

405
00:13:00,000 –> 00:13:01,600
of Fame? Maybe they feel they don’t need one.

406
00:13:02,480 –> 00:13:02,800
But anyway,

407
00:13:03,480 –> 00:13:05,680
so we’re, so it’s the opening of the show and

408
00:13:05,920 –> 00:13:08,000
we did what we call a dramatic lineup

409
00:13:08,400 –> 00:13:10,000
and the spotlight hits.

410
00:13:10,480 –> 00:13:13,440
And it’s General Schwarzkopf saluting the crowd.

411
00:13:13,920 –> 00:13:16,000
And then it goes to Toni Morrison,

412
00:13:16,400 –> 00:13:18,000
Nobel Peace Prize winner.

413
00:13:18,400 –> 00:13:20,480
And then it goes to Yogi Berra.

414
00:13:20,960 –> 00:13:21,360
And then it

415
00:13:21,600 –> 00:13:23,120
goes to Buzz Aldrin.

416
00:13:23,520 –> 00:13:26,400
And it goes to Nancy Sinatra going all

417
00:13:26,400 –> 00:13:27,200
these incredible.

418
00:13:27,600 –> 00:13:30,320
And then at the end, you hear, there’s one

419
00:13:30,320 –> 00:13:31,160
silhouette left.

420
00:13:31,160 –> 00:13:32,760
Everyone starts yelling, Bruce,

421
00:13:33,160 –> 00:13:33,360
Bruce.

422
00:13:34,400 –> 00:13:34,640
And

423
00:13:34,960 –> 00:13:35,600
there was Bruce.

424
00:13:36,080 –> 00:13:36,880
And he said,

425
00:13:37,280 –> 00:13:37,520
you know,

426
00:13:38,160 –> 00:13:39,200
not to me, he said it to a

427
00:13:39,840 –> 00:13:40,440
friend of mine.

428
00:13:40,440 –> 00:13:42,080
He’s like, I didn’t really expect this.

429
00:13:42,080 –> 00:13:43,200
You know, this was pretty good.

430
00:13:43,920 –> 00:13:46,040
That had been just that lineup for the first.

431
00:13:46,600 –> 00:13:46,960
I mean,

432
00:13:47,360 –> 00:13:50,520
you answered his question, like, why? You

433
00:13:50,520 –> 00:13:51,600
know, because,

434
00:13:52,040 –> 00:13:53,920
I mean, that’s the whole thing.

435
00:13:53,960 –> 00:13:56,000
When you moved to New Jersey,

436
00:13:56,760 –> 00:13:58,440
That’s, I think, the thing that strikes you

437
00:13:58,440 –> 00:13:59,840
the most, especially if you’re coming from

438
00:13:59,840 –> 00:14:01,960
New York City, which both Rachel and I

439
00:14:01,960 –> 00:14:02,960
moved here from New York City,

440
00:14:03,280 –> 00:14:05,360
is that you just put your kid in school,

441
00:14:05,760 –> 00:14:08,440
and you just happen to be at a playground,

442
00:14:08,440 –> 00:14:10,000
and you’re talking to someone, and they’re

443
00:14:10,000 –> 00:14:12,000
telling you what they do, and it’s so

444
00:14:12,000 –> 00:14:12,400
impressive.

445
00:14:13,000 –> 00:14:13,400
Part of the

446
00:14:13,680 –> 00:14:16,320
mission is to get that word out about

447
00:14:16,320 –> 00:14:18,320
Jersey, but we don’t lose any sleep.

448
00:14:18,320 –> 00:14:20,480
The two of you know this, and we don’t

449
00:14:20,480 –> 00:14:21,120
really care.

450
00:14:22,120 –> 00:14:24,560
It’s more about us feeling good and we have

451
00:14:24,560 –> 00:14:25,440
every right to.

452
00:14:25,960 –> 00:14:28,280
That’s what our annual induction ceremony

453
00:14:28,280 –> 00:14:28,800
is like.

454
00:14:29,120 –> 00:14:31,200
Once a year, let’s take time to come

455
00:14:31,200 –> 00:14:33,600
together and feel great about ourselves. Yeah.

456
00:14:33,920 –> 00:14:35,520
But the more important issue,

457
00:14:35,920 –> 00:14:38,240
we live in such chaotic times

458
00:14:38,720 –> 00:14:41,200
and our children are getting bombarded

459
00:14:41,440 –> 00:14:44,400
with negative images and angry rhetoric.

460
00:14:44,800 –> 00:14:46,480
This is a chance,

461
00:14:46,720 –> 00:14:49,200
the Hall of Fame and organizations like it,

462
00:14:49,600 –> 00:14:50,720
to just say, No,

463
00:14:50,960 –> 00:14:51,680
look here.

464
00:14:51,960 –> 00:14:53,200
Look for your hearings.

465
00:14:53,280 –> 00:14:54,480
Look for the wisdom.

466
00:14:54,720 –> 00:14:56,160
Look for your purpose.

467
00:14:56,480 –> 00:14:57,360
Have faith.

468
00:14:57,920 –> 00:15:00,800
Stay focused on your sacred, blessed

469
00:15:00,800 –> 00:15:01,520
missions

470
00:15:01,760 –> 00:15:03,040
that are good for the world.

471
00:15:03,440 –> 00:15:04,560
And that’s what

472
00:15:06,080 –> 00:15:08,120
we’re really passionate about, most of the

473
00:15:08,120 –> 00:15:09,840
organizers, for the Hall of Fame.

474
00:15:10,360 –> 00:15:11,400
Yeah, it seems like it.

475
00:15:11,400 –> 00:15:13,520
And I like that you use the word heroes and

476
00:15:13,520 –> 00:15:14,560
wisdom because

477
00:15:14,880 –> 00:15:16,000
sometimes, you know,

478
00:15:16,320 –> 00:15:19,040
every hero has a backstory and what they’ve

479
00:15:19,040 –> 00:15:20,960
overcome and they have resilience.

480
00:15:20,960 –> 00:15:22,000
It’s not just like

481
00:15:22,320 –> 00:15:23,600
they woke up and were

482
00:15:24,240 –> 00:15:26,200
a celebrity or well known for an invention.

483
00:15:26,200 –> 00:15:28,160
And you read about Edison, you read about

484
00:15:28,160 –> 00:15:28,960
Einstein

485
00:15:29,280 –> 00:15:31,040
and Bruce, you get

486
00:15:31,520 –> 00:15:32,160
it’s grit

487
00:15:33,000 –> 00:15:34,160
and perseverance.

488
00:15:34,240 –> 00:15:35,880
Well, yeah, it’s interesting you bring

489
00:15:35,880 –> 00:15:36,320
those up.

490
00:15:37,160 –> 00:15:37,280
Our

491
00:15:37,600 –> 00:15:39,600
tagline is everyone needs a hero. Okay.

492
00:15:41,040 –> 00:15:42,240
There is a formula.

493
00:15:42,240 –> 00:15:44,720
I, I’ve interviewed by now over a hundred

494
00:15:44,720 –> 00:15:47,280
of these inductees for hologram interviews.

495
00:15:47,280 –> 00:15:47,680
I have,

496
00:15:48,160 –> 00:15:49,400
I have my own podcast.

497
00:15:49,400 –> 00:15:51,360
We’re launching Legends of America.

498
00:15:51,600 –> 00:15:53,400
That’s going to be launched in a few weeks.

499
00:15:53,520 –> 00:15:54,480
That sounds great.

500
00:15:54,640 –> 00:15:56,080
Yeah, maybe I should have showed that, but,

501
00:15:56,320 –> 00:15:57,920
um, we’ll, we’ll work with each other to

502
00:15:57,920 –> 00:15:58,680
lift each other.

503
00:15:58,680 –> 00:15:59,560
That’s what it’s all about. Uh,

504
00:16:00,400 –> 00:16:01,040
but you know,

505
00:16:01,440 –> 00:16:05,000
there is a formula and the formula is for

506
00:16:05,000 –> 00:16:06,000
each one of them

507
00:16:06,720 –> 00:16:07,600
to dream dream, to

508
00:16:08,000 –> 00:16:10,640
tap into your imagination, to think of

509
00:16:10,640 –> 00:16:11,520
yourself and your

510
00:16:11,920 –> 00:16:13,360
highest best sense of self,

511
00:16:13,920 –> 00:16:15,600
and to do that a lot

512
00:16:15,840 –> 00:16:17,000
throughout the day, because we’re all the

513
00:16:17,000 –> 00:16:18,480
sum of all our thoughts.

514
00:16:18,800 –> 00:16:20,160
And in this world where you’re being

515
00:16:20,160 –> 00:16:22,080
bombarded with negative thoughts, it’s so

516
00:16:22,080 –> 00:16:23,960
important for you to be the one with

517
00:16:23,960 –> 00:16:24,640
discipline,

518
00:16:24,880 –> 00:16:26,480
to spend most of your day dreaming.

519
00:16:27,240 –> 00:16:28,000
And then,

520
00:16:28,400 –> 00:16:30,400
you know, I call it just a really good

521
00:16:30,400 –> 00:16:33,280
to-do list, the most strategic, clever,

522
00:16:33,600 –> 00:16:36,640
that takes time for family and friends and

523
00:16:36,640 –> 00:16:38,480
charity and all of the above, a good

524
00:16:38,480 –> 00:16:39,200
balanced life,

525
00:16:39,600 –> 00:16:42,600
and executing day by day, being consistent.

526
00:16:43,040 –> 00:16:43,840
And then

527
00:16:44,160 –> 00:16:46,640
the Jersey grit thing, man, just being

528
00:16:46,640 –> 00:16:49,200
relentless and consistent and never giving

529
00:16:49,200 –> 00:16:51,760
up because you could do the first three,

530
00:16:52,080 –> 00:16:54,560
but you’re going to face adversity along

531
00:16:54,560 –> 00:16:55,040
the way,

532
00:16:55,520 –> 00:16:56,640
and it’s so easy

533
00:16:57,080 –> 00:16:58,880
to give up, you know? I mean,

534
00:16:59,200 –> 00:17:00,880
like in so many cases, we don’t

535
00:17:01,120 –> 00:17:02,960
even have as many family and friends

536
00:17:03,400 –> 00:17:04,960
encouraging us as we should.

537
00:17:05,120 –> 00:17:06,400
It’s probably

538
00:17:06,680 –> 00:17:08,240
a formula that’s been around since the

539
00:17:08,240 –> 00:17:09,040
beginning of time.

540
00:17:09,720 –> 00:17:10,080
Absolutely.

541
00:17:10,160 –> 00:17:12,080
So the formula that you’ve seen,

542
00:17:12,560 –> 00:17:14,160
let me just want to summarize this so that

543
00:17:14,160 –> 00:17:15,600
I can make sure that I’m doing it.

544
00:17:18,920 –> 00:17:19,560
Dream. So

545
00:17:20,320 –> 00:17:21,440
you have to dream.

546
00:17:22,080 –> 00:17:23,840
And then you, you have to

547
00:17:24,560 –> 00:17:26,720
just be persistent and work hard.

548
00:17:27,560 –> 00:17:30,640
Because I spent many years dreaming about

549
00:17:30,640 –> 00:17:31,440
the wrong things.

550
00:17:31,440 –> 00:17:32,160
It was more,

551
00:17:32,400 –> 00:17:33,680
I was a shallow guy.

552
00:17:33,840 –> 00:17:35,600
I’m not going to hesitate to tell you my

553
00:17:35,600 –> 00:17:37,200
twenties into my thirties.

554
00:17:38,080 –> 00:17:40,120
Some, my mom and others would say, that’s

555
00:17:40,120 –> 00:17:41,040
not true, Stephen.

556
00:17:41,040 –> 00:17:42,560
You’ve always done charity work,

557
00:17:42,800 –> 00:17:44,640
but I put too much emphasis

558
00:17:45,040 –> 00:17:45,600
on money

559
00:17:46,080 –> 00:17:47,840
in the material world. Okay.

560
00:17:48,680 –> 00:17:48,800
Um,

561
00:17:49,200 –> 00:17:50,800
and so I was dreaming about the wrong

562
00:17:50,800 –> 00:17:51,280
things.

563
00:17:51,640 –> 00:17:53,680
I wasn’t dreaming about Steve and his

564
00:17:53,680 –> 00:17:54,920
highest best sense of self.

565
00:17:55,040 –> 00:17:56,880
which has nothing to do with money it’s

566
00:17:56,880 –> 00:17:59,240
just a little small piece of of my life

567
00:18:00,280 –> 00:18:02,760
um so Jamie about the right thing we’re all

568
00:18:02,760 –> 00:18:04,680
figments of our imagination

569
00:18:04,920 –> 00:18:06,760
this was something David geffin the music

570
00:18:06,760 –> 00:18:08,120
executive pointed out

571
00:18:08,360 –> 00:18:10,280
so we’re all figments of our imagination

572
00:18:10,840 –> 00:18:12,360
it’s just that some of us are better

573
00:18:12,360 –> 00:18:13,080
imagining

574
00:18:13,400 –> 00:18:14,120
than others

575
00:18:14,520 –> 00:18:14,840
okay

576
00:18:15,080 –> 00:18:16,120
so you got to dream

577
00:18:16,440 –> 00:18:17,160
about the right

578
00:18:17,640 –> 00:18:19,880
person that you really want to be deep down

579
00:18:20,200 –> 00:18:21,240
you’ve got

580
00:18:21,880 –> 00:18:23,960
find your heroes and the wisdom they have

581
00:18:23,960 –> 00:18:25,960
to offer because you have to be strategic

582
00:18:25,960 –> 00:18:27,080
you can work hard

583
00:18:27,880 –> 00:18:29,400
but not really be moving

584
00:18:29,640 –> 00:18:31,640
towards your dream fast enough because

585
00:18:31,640 –> 00:18:33,080
you’re not being strategic

586
00:18:33,640 –> 00:18:33,920
okay

587
00:18:34,720 –> 00:18:36,440
um and then it’s getting up every day

588
00:18:36,880 –> 00:18:39,360
whether you’re sore you know it’s cold out

589
00:18:39,360 –> 00:18:39,960
whatever

590
00:18:40,200 –> 00:18:43,240
being consistent executing that to-do list

591
00:18:43,240 –> 00:18:44,920
you know having fun doing it

592
00:18:45,400 –> 00:18:46,200
and then never

593
00:18:46,680 –> 00:18:47,200
giving up.

594
00:18:47,200 –> 00:18:49,080
So this is my explanation.

595
00:18:49,160 –> 00:18:50,200
There’s people listening.

596
00:18:50,280 –> 00:18:52,040
Oh, that’s too technical and it’s too

597
00:18:52,040 –> 00:18:53,800
retentive, anal retentive, whatever.

598
00:18:53,960 –> 00:18:54,680
But you know what?

599
00:18:54,920 –> 00:18:57,240
It is that, you know, you got to touch

600
00:18:57,240 –> 00:18:58,680
certain bases every day.

601
00:18:59,000 –> 00:19:00,520
How many people altogether have you

602
00:19:00,520 –> 00:19:01,480
inducted into the

603
00:19:02,040 –> 00:19:03,000
New Jersey Hall of Fame?

604
00:19:03,280 –> 00:19:06,000
Great question, but I think around 250.

605
00:19:06,320 –> 00:19:06,480
Okay.

606
00:19:06,600 –> 00:19:08,200
About 250 people.

607
00:19:08,360 –> 00:19:10,840
So there’s a common thread, I’m assuming,

608
00:19:10,960 –> 00:19:13,080
like what you just described, adversity.

609
00:19:14,040 –> 00:19:16,120
But I will tell you this, and this was

610
00:19:16,120 –> 00:19:17,960
something else, I saw a common thread.

611
00:19:18,600 –> 00:19:21,960
Every single person that’s been inducted

612
00:19:22,200 –> 00:19:23,560
has overcome

613
00:19:24,040 –> 00:19:24,960
one adversity

614
00:19:25,280 –> 00:19:26,360
or another.

615
00:19:26,920 –> 00:19:28,880
In most cases, multiple

616
00:19:29,320 –> 00:19:29,840
adversity.

617
00:19:29,840 –> 00:19:31,080
So I’ll give you an example,

618
00:19:31,720 –> 00:19:32,840
well, Bruce Springsteen.

619
00:19:33,560 –> 00:19:34,080
Bruce

620
00:19:34,360 –> 00:19:37,640
had a really challenging childhood with his

621
00:19:37,640 –> 00:19:38,120
father.

622
00:19:38,600 –> 00:19:38,960
And

623
00:19:40,480 –> 00:19:42,360
his mom, by the way, was such a sweetheart.

624
00:19:42,360 –> 00:19:44,280
She came to our first three ceremonies.

625
00:19:44,280 –> 00:19:46,440
She was so supportive of Bruce, I think

626
00:19:46,440 –> 00:19:47,800
bought him his first guitar.

627
00:19:48,120 –> 00:19:50,040
But he grew up in a very challenging

628
00:19:50,520 –> 00:19:51,240
environment.

629
00:19:51,400 –> 00:19:53,000
And then he had his own problems with

630
00:19:53,000 –> 00:19:54,440
depression, yet another

631
00:19:55,160 –> 00:19:57,880
significant adversity he continues to have

632
00:19:57,880 –> 00:19:58,600
to overcome.

633
00:19:59,000 –> 00:20:01,880
Tom Kane, Governor Kane, believe it or not,

634
00:20:01,880 –> 00:20:03,640
stuttered and had dyslexia.

635
00:20:03,880 –> 00:20:05,080
He talked about this

636
00:20:05,320 –> 00:20:07,320
when I interviewed him for the podcast

637
00:20:07,320 –> 00:20:08,280
recently, and he

638
00:20:08,520 –> 00:20:09,880
did it for the hologram interview.

639
00:20:10,440 –> 00:20:12,600
Tom Kane, one of the most articulate,

640
00:20:12,600 –> 00:20:15,160
distinguished public servants of all time,

641
00:20:15,320 –> 00:20:17,560
had to overcome that very significant

642
00:20:17,560 –> 00:20:18,200
adversity.

643
00:20:19,000 –> 00:20:21,800
So this is something, adversity, I’m very

644
00:20:21,800 –> 00:20:23,400
passionate about because

645
00:20:23,800 –> 00:20:24,280
I went through

646
00:20:24,600 –> 00:20:27,320
a really tremendous burden on my shoulders

647
00:20:27,320 –> 00:20:28,040
as a kid.

648
00:20:28,680 –> 00:20:31,880
I went through a windshield in 1970.

649
00:20:33,080 –> 00:20:35,280
My mom and I went head on with a Budweiser

650
00:20:35,280 –> 00:20:37,560
Beard Mack truck in front of Kean College.

651
00:20:38,040 –> 00:20:41,720
I had over 300 stitches in my face last…

652
00:20:42,120 –> 00:20:42,520
Right.

653
00:20:42,520 –> 00:20:45,400
Three blood transfusions, ears hanging, jaw

654
00:20:45,400 –> 00:20:46,920
broken, teeth knocked out,

655
00:20:47,240 –> 00:20:49,400
lots of plastic surgery in the years that

656
00:20:49,400 –> 00:20:49,960
followed.

657
00:20:50,200 –> 00:20:53,200
And I was, I needed growth hormone shots,

658
00:20:53,200 –> 00:20:54,960
so I wouldn’t make it to five feet tall.

659
00:20:54,960 –> 00:20:56,000
And I had ADD. I

660
00:20:56,280 –> 00:20:58,360
was failing in school so much.

661
00:20:58,400 –> 00:21:00,040
All of our inductees that overcame

662
00:21:00,040 –> 00:21:02,200
adversity had similar moments.

663
00:21:02,800 –> 00:21:05,000
But for me, it was power of prayer,

664
00:21:05,400 –> 00:21:07,560
praying to God for three years and being

665
00:21:07,560 –> 00:21:08,560
bitter and angry.

666
00:21:08,560 –> 00:21:10,720
And why did this happen? And how do I get

667
00:21:10,720 –> 00:21:11,160
through this?

668
00:21:11,560 –> 00:21:12,120
And I,

669
00:21:12,440 –> 00:21:14,120
sometime in ’73,

670
00:21:14,520 –> 00:21:17,400
remember what I thought was God, and maybe it was,

671
00:21:17,880 –> 00:21:18,840
saying, Steve,

672
00:21:19,080 –> 00:21:20,760
what happened to you

673
00:21:21,160 –> 00:21:21,720
happened?

674
00:21:22,040 –> 00:21:23,240
There’s no taking it back.

675
00:21:23,240 –> 00:21:25,720
You alone have the opportunity

676
00:21:26,040 –> 00:21:27,880
to overcome this adversity

677
00:21:28,840 –> 00:21:29,480
or not.

678
00:21:30,000 –> 00:21:32,920
The empowering part was the thing I heard or not.

679
00:21:33,240 –> 00:21:33,960
It’s up to you.

680
00:21:34,360 –> 00:21:38,040
But if you decide not to, don’t complain to me.

681
00:21:38,600 –> 00:21:40,520
I mean, I get goose pimples thinking like,

682
00:21:40,840 –> 00:21:41,360
it was such a,

683
00:21:42,200 –> 00:21:44,560
such an epiphany moment lying there in bed

684
00:21:44,560 –> 00:21:46,120
at night, Union, New Jersey,

685
00:21:46,680 –> 00:21:48,040
around midnight, you know.

686
00:21:48,840 –> 00:21:50,120
Anyway, so

687
00:21:50,680 –> 00:21:52,280
I hope that helps somebody out there.

688
00:21:52,520 –> 00:21:53,480
For sure.

689
00:21:53,680 –> 00:21:54,120
And then

690
00:21:54,520 –> 00:21:56,520
I think that’s kind of a good segue into

691
00:21:56,520 –> 00:21:58,840
this documentary about your father called

692
00:21:58,840 –> 00:21:59,640
Lucky Jack.

693
00:21:59,720 –> 00:22:01,640
Just even reading a little bit about it

694
00:22:01,640 –> 00:22:03,400
from the press and all that, it’s

695
00:22:03,480 –> 00:22:04,520
fascinating.

696
00:22:04,520 –> 00:22:06,120
And just even you mentioning in the

697
00:22:06,120 –> 00:22:08,040
beginning, driving down to Mexico for your

698
00:22:08,040 –> 00:22:09,560
father to go to medical school.

699
00:22:09,960 –> 00:22:12,040
So can you tell a little bit about the film?

700
00:22:12,440 –> 00:22:12,840
Yes,

701
00:22:13,640 –> 00:22:14,520
Lucky Jack.

702
00:22:15,160 –> 00:22:17,800
It’s a story about my dad and really my mom,

703
00:22:18,040 –> 00:22:19,560
very much so, as well.

704
00:22:20,120 –> 00:22:22,600
My dad grew up in the Seth Boyden Housing

705
00:22:22,600 –> 00:22:23,960
Project in Newark

706
00:22:24,640 –> 00:22:27,880
in the 1930s, ’40s, into the ’50s.

707
00:22:28,200 –> 00:22:29,880
Very dysfunctional family.

708
00:22:30,200 –> 00:22:32,200
His dad was an alcoholic.

709
00:22:32,200 –> 00:22:33,640
He died of cirrhosis of the liver.

710
00:22:33,640 –> 00:22:34,440
My grandfather,

711
00:22:34,760 –> 00:22:37,320
when my dad, I think, was around 17, 18

712
00:22:37,320 –> 00:22:37,880
years old.

713
00:22:37,960 –> 00:22:39,880
His mom was bipolar.

714
00:22:40,280 –> 00:22:42,920
And had a congenital heart condition, fine

715
00:22:42,920 –> 00:22:44,920
is that he always wanted to be a doctor,

716
00:22:44,920 –> 00:22:45,880
even in these,

717
00:22:46,680 –> 00:22:47,960
bad circumstances,

718
00:22:48,360 –> 00:22:50,760
but he never applied himself at school, and

719
00:22:50,760 –> 00:22:52,440
so in 19 fifty-three.

720
00:22:53,520 –> 00:22:55,080
uh, Week Wake High School in Newark.

721
00:22:55,400 –> 00:22:58,600
He flunked every course, including Jim.

722
00:22:58,600 –> 00:23:00,200
I don’t know how you flunked Jim,

723
00:23:00,680 –> 00:23:01,320
but he did.

724
00:23:01,320 –> 00:23:02,520
Then drifted

725
00:23:02,840 –> 00:23:04,520
like a Walter Mitty character.

726
00:23:04,840 –> 00:23:06,440
One failed misadventure.

727
00:23:06,440 –> 00:23:08,360
He always had a big dream, but he just,

728
00:23:08,360 –> 00:23:10,440
everything never worked out and he failed.

729
00:23:10,920 –> 00:23:11,480
And then,

730
00:23:12,400 –> 00:23:14,360
um, 1966,

731
00:23:14,760 –> 00:23:16,440
he was 30 years old.

732
00:23:16,440 –> 00:23:18,360
We were living in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Um,

733
00:23:19,480 –> 00:23:19,960
wife

734
00:23:20,280 –> 00:23:22,840
and two children, unemployed, part-time

735
00:23:22,840 –> 00:23:23,960
pizza delivery man.

736
00:23:24,360 –> 00:23:25,400
He smoked a joint.

737
00:23:26,040 –> 00:23:28,920
He put on man of Lamanch’s impossible dream.

738
00:23:29,560 –> 00:23:31,720
He put on a smock that he wore.

739
00:23:31,960 –> 00:23:33,800
He drew blood at a local hospital. And

740
00:23:34,280 –> 00:23:36,280
he looks in the mirror and he says, I see a

741
00:23:36,280 –> 00:23:37,720
doctor staring back.

742
00:23:37,720 –> 00:23:39,240
It was his epiphany moment.

743
00:23:39,640 –> 00:23:40,600
And he said, not just

744
00:23:40,920 –> 00:23:42,600
a doctor, but a brain surgeon.

745
00:23:43,400 –> 00:23:46,040
To make a long story short, nine years later,

746
00:23:46,440 –> 00:23:49,160
I was making rounds with him at Mount Sinai

747
00:23:49,160 –> 00:23:50,520
Hospital in New York City,

748
00:23:50,920 –> 00:23:52,600
standing in the back of the operating

749
00:23:52,600 –> 00:23:53,960
theater, watching him and his,

750
00:23:54,360 –> 00:23:54,760
you know,

751
00:23:55,000 –> 00:23:55,320
those

752
00:23:55,720 –> 00:23:59,640
godlike doctors and nurses saving people’s lives.

753
00:23:59,960 –> 00:24:01,920
So it’s an inspirational story.

754
00:24:01,920 –> 00:24:04,000
It’s a Jersey grit story, but it’s also a

755
00:24:04,000 –> 00:24:05,400
human grit story.

756
00:24:05,880 –> 00:24:06,200
And it

757
00:24:07,320 –> 00:24:07,560
gets

758
00:24:07,800 –> 00:24:08,840
complicated.

759
00:24:10,440 –> 00:24:12,480
what his he morphed into a

760
00:24:12,840 –> 00:24:14,680
Marcus Willoughby type of general

761
00:24:14,680 –> 00:24:17,000
practitioner, then back into the operating

762
00:24:17,000 –> 00:24:18,360
room during neurosurgery.

763
00:24:18,600 –> 00:24:19,800
It was like a house surgeon.

764
00:24:19,800 –> 00:24:22,040
He was doing all kinds of surgeries. And

765
00:24:23,040 –> 00:24:26,280
quite tragically, he contracted hep C

766
00:24:26,520 –> 00:24:27,480
in the operating room,

767
00:24:27,840 –> 00:24:30,280
which is an occupational hazard for

768
00:24:30,520 –> 00:24:31,640
doctors and nurses.

769
00:24:31,640 –> 00:24:34,120
But the best part about this film, I think,

770
00:24:34,200 –> 00:24:35,800
is to see and hear

771
00:24:36,280 –> 00:24:37,640
how he reflected

772
00:24:37,880 –> 00:24:39,120
in those final days.

773
00:24:39,120 –> 00:24:40,440
He had no regrets.

774
00:24:40,600 –> 00:24:41,800
The name of his boat

775
00:24:42,360 –> 00:24:43,720
was called Arete.

776
00:24:43,720 –> 00:24:45,080
It’s ancient Greek

777
00:24:45,320 –> 00:24:45,880
wisdom.

778
00:24:45,880 –> 00:24:47,320
It means actualizing

779
00:24:47,640 –> 00:24:49,400
your highest best sense of self

780
00:24:49,720 –> 00:24:51,960
with a moral excellence of character and

781
00:24:51,960 –> 00:24:53,160
for the greater good.

782
00:24:53,640 –> 00:24:54,040
That was

783
00:24:54,560 –> 00:24:57,240
what Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates

784
00:24:57,240 –> 00:24:59,000
referred to as the essence of life.

785
00:24:59,240 –> 00:25:01,080
And interestingly enough, as we’re coming

786
00:25:01,080 –> 00:25:02,720
up on the 250th

787
00:25:03,240 –> 00:25:05,880
anniversary of America next year,

788
00:25:06,600 –> 00:25:09,160
Our founding generation looked to concepts

789
00:25:09,160 –> 00:25:09,880
like Arete.

790
00:25:09,880 –> 00:25:11,600
You could find it in the ideals of the

791
00:25:11,600 –> 00:25:12,600
Constitution.

792
00:25:13,640 –> 00:25:16,440
He just reflected, you know what? I did

793
00:25:16,480 –> 00:25:17,680
what I set out to do.

794
00:25:17,680 –> 00:25:19,160
I made the world a little better.

795
00:25:20,520 –> 00:25:23,480
And he felt, and he had faith at that point.

796
00:25:24,120 –> 00:25:24,760
For him,

797
00:25:25,080 –> 00:25:25,480
his

798
00:25:25,960 –> 00:25:28,440
faith was that I’m going to be a powerful

799
00:25:28,920 –> 00:25:31,120
beam of light that’s going to travel the

800
00:25:31,120 –> 00:25:31,800
universe.

801
00:25:32,360 –> 00:25:33,560
And then I’m going to come back.

802
00:25:33,800 –> 00:25:34,880
He said, I just have a hunch.

803
00:25:34,880 –> 00:25:35,960
I’m going to come back as a

804
00:25:36,600 –> 00:25:39,480
poor Indian boy in a village in India. He

805
00:25:39,720 –> 00:25:40,280
felt like

806
00:25:40,600 –> 00:25:41,120
that was my dad.

807
00:25:41,560 –> 00:25:41,640
I

808
00:25:41,880 –> 00:25:42,040
love

809
00:25:42,280 –> 00:25:42,360
it.

810
00:25:42,760 –> 00:25:44,280
What an extraordinary person.

811
00:25:45,760 –> 00:25:46,840
He really was.

812
00:25:47,080 –> 00:25:49,160
Everyone that met Jack loved him.

813
00:25:50,200 –> 00:25:50,880
He was the

814
00:25:51,160 –> 00:25:53,960
mayor of the Liberty State Landing Marina,

815
00:25:53,960 –> 00:25:54,840
slipped one.

816
00:25:56,120 –> 00:25:58,440
Always helping people out and waving to

817
00:25:58,440 –> 00:25:59,160
people.

818
00:25:59,720 –> 00:26:01,560
And we miss him. He

819
00:26:01,880 –> 00:26:05,040
left us in 2006, but I stay connected with

820
00:26:05,040 –> 00:26:07,080
him every single day, and I will

821
00:26:07,320 –> 00:26:08,360
till the end of my life.

822
00:26:08,520 –> 00:26:11,560
It’s no surprise that you have landed

823
00:26:11,880 –> 00:26:14,280
in a career where you are.

824
00:26:15,080 –> 00:26:17,720
you know, exposed to people who are

825
00:26:18,520 –> 00:26:20,680
making their dreams come true and that you

826
00:26:20,680 –> 00:26:22,520
haven’t had that experience so closely.

827
00:26:22,640 –> 00:26:24,480
And highlighting heroes when seeing a real

828
00:26:24,480 –> 00:26:25,320
live one at

829
00:26:25,640 –> 00:26:25,760
home.

830
00:26:26,040 –> 00:26:26,840
Well, that’s right.

831
00:26:26,840 –> 00:26:28,280
And, you know, part of this,

832
00:26:28,680 –> 00:26:30,120
recently the Hall of Fame

833
00:26:30,440 –> 00:26:32,600
was going to benefit children throughout

834
00:26:32,600 –> 00:26:33,240
the world.

835
00:26:33,240 –> 00:26:34,120
It was sort of

836
00:26:36,200 –> 00:26:37,880
outgrowth of my work with Save the

837
00:26:37,880 –> 00:26:38,520
Children.

838
00:26:39,000 –> 00:26:42,080
And when my dad passed in 2006, I had a

839
00:26:42,080 –> 00:26:43,560
tough time for a few years.

840
00:26:43,560 –> 00:26:44,920
I was bitter, I was angry.

841
00:26:46,440 –> 00:26:47,400
But I channeled

842
00:26:47,800 –> 00:26:48,200
that

843
00:26:49,640 –> 00:26:51,480
very difficult time through the Hall of

844
00:26:51,480 –> 00:26:53,160
Fame, and we changed course.

845
00:26:53,640 –> 00:26:55,640
I was able to convince our state leaders,

846
00:26:56,040 –> 00:26:56,200
let’s

847
00:26:56,600 –> 00:26:57,960
focus on children.

848
00:26:58,080 –> 00:26:59,640
So can you tell us a little bit about your

849
00:26:59,640 –> 00:27:00,600
background with

850
00:27:01,000 –> 00:27:02,480
Save the Children? You’ve mentioned it a

851
00:27:02,480 –> 00:27:02,960
few times.

852
00:27:03,000 –> 00:27:04,120
You’ve always had a

853
00:27:04,440 –> 00:27:06,120
kind of a drive to help children?

854
00:27:06,440 –> 00:27:08,280
Yeah, I sure did. And

855
00:27:08,640 –> 00:27:11,800
Save the Children started for me in another

856
00:27:11,800 –> 00:27:13,160
low point of my life

857
00:27:13,880 –> 00:27:15,400
around 1997.

858
00:27:15,880 –> 00:27:18,040
And I went with the president of Save the

859
00:27:18,040 –> 00:27:20,120
Children, Charlie McCormick and Nancy

860
00:27:20,120 –> 00:27:21,640
Tussig and a few others.

861
00:27:21,880 –> 00:27:24,040
I went to Nicaragua and El Salvador.

862
00:27:24,440 –> 00:27:26,520
And I saw what they were, the great work

863
00:27:26,520 –> 00:27:28,360
they were doing, they continue to do to

864
00:27:28,360 –> 00:27:28,920
this day.

865
00:27:29,560 –> 00:27:31,960
And I was really moved.

866
00:27:32,520 –> 00:27:34,200
But how grateful

867
00:27:34,680 –> 00:27:35,880
parents down there

868
00:27:36,120 –> 00:27:36,440
are

869
00:27:36,680 –> 00:27:38,440
to me and to Save the Children

870
00:27:38,840 –> 00:27:39,720
for helping them.

871
00:27:39,720 –> 00:27:40,920
It really moved me.

872
00:27:40,920 –> 00:27:42,360
I’m like, wow, they

873
00:27:43,000 –> 00:27:44,520
need us, you know? And

874
00:27:45,720 –> 00:27:48,240
the bottom line is I feel the same way here.

875
00:27:48,240 –> 00:27:49,720
I mean, there’s so many people.

876
00:27:49,960 –> 00:27:50,160
So

877
00:27:50,440 –> 00:27:51,800
I think it’s a point worth

878
00:27:52,120 –> 00:27:54,240
mentioning the Charlie Kirk thing happened

879
00:27:54,240 –> 00:27:54,920
yesterday,

880
00:27:55,320 –> 00:27:55,960
two days ago.

881
00:27:55,960 –> 00:27:57,320
It was so awful.

882
00:27:57,880 –> 00:28:01,000
my daughters were saw the video they’re really

883
00:28:01,400 –> 00:28:02,120
affected by it

884
00:28:02,440 –> 00:28:04,880
I think is super important

885
00:28:05,240 –> 00:28:07,320
whether you believe Charlie Kirk or not

886
00:28:08,040 –> 00:28:10,520
nobody should be killed violence come on we

887
00:28:10,520 –> 00:28:13,760
also should reflect every day that 99% of

888
00:28:15,080 –> 00:28:15,880
the world

889
00:28:16,200 –> 00:28:18,440
is not about that and nobody wants to hurt

890
00:28:18,440 –> 00:28:20,840
each other even if their civil discourse is

891
00:28:20,840 –> 00:28:21,720
not so great

892
00:28:22,280 –> 00:28:23,680
um it’s a safe world 99.99%

893
00:28:24,200 –> 00:28:26,520
of the time um

894
00:28:27,800 –> 00:28:28,360
So

895
00:28:28,680 –> 00:28:30,840
I just think that going back to Save the

896
00:28:30,840 –> 00:28:31,560
Children,

897
00:28:32,360 –> 00:28:35,120
we’re all living 8 billion people on planet Earth,

898
00:28:35,400 –> 00:28:37,400
200 nation states.

899
00:28:37,400 –> 00:28:39,720
We all have the same existential threats.

900
00:28:40,200 –> 00:28:42,680
We all got to start working

901
00:28:43,000 –> 00:28:43,600
nicely.

902
00:28:43,600 –> 00:28:45,560
Even if we disagree with each other,

903
00:28:45,800 –> 00:28:46,520
we got to

904
00:28:46,760 –> 00:28:47,240
work

905
00:28:47,560 –> 00:28:49,560
nicely and keep moving forward.

906
00:28:50,040 –> 00:28:50,600
So

907
00:28:51,080 –> 00:28:51,560
Anyway,

908
00:28:51,800 –> 00:28:53,320
I digressed a little bit. Sorry.

909
00:28:53,560 –> 00:28:56,240
No, I mean, it’s on everybody’s mind, so I

910
00:28:56,240 –> 00:28:57,000
understand it.

911
00:28:57,400 –> 00:28:58,800
The one other thing you said that has

912
00:28:59,400 –> 00:29:01,240
been playing back in my mind is about…

913
00:29:01,960 –> 00:29:05,400
You know, with all our kids are bombarded

914
00:29:05,640 –> 00:29:07,080
now with imagery

915
00:29:07,440 –> 00:29:07,640
of

916
00:29:08,040 –> 00:29:09,960
violence on social media, just

917
00:29:09,960 –> 00:29:11,800
conversations, thoughts, all the thoughts

918
00:29:11,800 –> 00:29:13,160
that aren’t their own thoughts.

919
00:29:13,200 –> 00:29:14,360
And you were saying you need

920
00:29:14,640 –> 00:29:15,320
to dream

921
00:29:15,720 –> 00:29:17,920
so that you can think of your own thoughts

922
00:29:17,920 –> 00:29:19,440
and have time away from that.

923
00:29:19,880 –> 00:29:20,080
So

924
00:29:20,360 –> 00:29:23,400
I, you just hit the nail on the head

925
00:29:23,800 –> 00:29:25,640
because my dad used to say it all the time,

926
00:29:25,640 –> 00:29:27,720
we’re a sum of all our thoughts

927
00:29:28,040 –> 00:29:30,960
and we can will so many great things to

928
00:29:30,960 –> 00:29:31,560
happen.

929
00:29:32,200 –> 00:29:34,520
Yesterday, because of the Charlie Kirk

930
00:29:35,480 –> 00:29:36,120
tragedy,

931
00:29:36,600 –> 00:29:36,840
I

932
00:29:37,800 –> 00:29:40,120
said to my wife and two daughters, let’s go

933
00:29:40,120 –> 00:29:42,760
to the park and let’s go back to where we

934
00:29:42,760 –> 00:29:45,000
used to go when they were little kids. Let’s

935
00:29:45,680 –> 00:29:47,680
see all the smiling kids and all the

936
00:29:47,680 –> 00:29:49,720
parents and see all the good in the world

937
00:29:50,120 –> 00:29:51,880
and quiet our minds.

938
00:29:52,360 –> 00:29:54,280
I just said to both my daughters, I’d give

939
00:29:54,280 –> 00:29:55,880
them little pep talks, whether they like it

940
00:29:55,880 –> 00:29:56,280
or not.

941
00:29:56,280 –> 00:29:58,040
Usually I think they roll their eyes,

942
00:29:58,360 –> 00:30:00,840
but I said, weekends are about resetting.

943
00:30:01,280 –> 00:30:03,320
No matter what’s happened, reset,

944
00:30:03,800 –> 00:30:06,040
quiet the mind and get excited about the

945
00:30:06,040 –> 00:30:08,360
challenge coming up the following week

946
00:30:08,920 –> 00:30:12,120
and control those thoughts and be careful.

947
00:30:12,440 –> 00:30:14,360
That’s why I always encourage them to see

948
00:30:14,360 –> 00:30:16,120
good movies and read and

949
00:30:16,440 –> 00:30:18,680
listen to great music. And

950
00:30:19,000 –> 00:30:21,160
we’re, we’re going to have to learn and I’m

951
00:30:21,160 –> 00:30:21,960
confident,

952
00:30:22,600 –> 00:30:23,800
we’re going to just have to.

953
00:30:24,280 –> 00:30:26,360
We’re all going to become experts at

954
00:30:26,440 –> 00:30:27,480
regulating

955
00:30:29,080 –> 00:30:31,720
self-regulating what we’re taking into our

956
00:30:31,720 –> 00:30:33,880
brains, what we’re thinking about

957
00:30:34,360 –> 00:30:34,920
and

958
00:30:35,560 –> 00:30:36,680
calming ourselves.

959
00:30:36,680 –> 00:30:38,680
Meditation, yoga, stretching.

960
00:30:39,160 –> 00:30:39,680
Yeah.

961
00:30:39,680 –> 00:30:40,600
I mean, we’re going to be, we’re

962
00:30:41,000 –> 00:30:42,120
going to have to do that.

963
00:30:42,600 –> 00:30:43,160
We have to.

964
00:30:43,160 –> 00:30:43,800
We can’t.

965
00:30:43,800 –> 00:30:45,600
We can’t keep what we’re doing on this path

966
00:30:45,600 –> 00:30:45,880
because

967
00:30:46,440 –> 00:30:48,520
obviously we’re sustainable each other. Yeah.

968
00:30:49,000 –> 00:30:50,320
I agree with both of you.

969
00:30:50,320 –> 00:30:51,080
It’s not

970
00:30:51,320 –> 00:30:52,280
sustainable.

971
00:30:52,600 –> 00:30:54,760
I’m always an optimist because if you look

972
00:30:54,760 –> 00:30:56,440
at this country and you look at world

973
00:30:56,440 –> 00:30:58,400
history, certainly children, to

974
00:30:58,680 –> 00:31:01,080
remember history, to read up, to be good at,

975
00:31:01,360 –> 00:31:03,320
because history always repeats itself and

976
00:31:03,640 –> 00:31:04,760
you can learn from it.

977
00:31:04,920 –> 00:31:06,120
We’re going to overcome

978
00:31:06,680 –> 00:31:06,920
this.

979
00:31:07,000 –> 00:31:08,360
We’ve overcome

980
00:31:09,000 –> 00:31:11,720
two world wars and a depression.

981
00:31:11,720 –> 00:31:13,320
And as Warren Buffett says,

982
00:31:13,720 –> 00:31:14,280
Never back

983
00:31:14,520 –> 00:31:17,560
against American and human ingenuity.

984
00:31:18,200 –> 00:31:19,000
As you had said,

985
00:31:19,400 –> 00:31:22,080
your own experience of what was spoken to

986
00:31:22,080 –> 00:31:24,200
you is that you can either take what you’ve

987
00:31:24,200 –> 00:31:27,000
gone through, which is what we’re all going

988
00:31:27,000 –> 00:31:29,080
through collectively in the country,

989
00:31:29,480 –> 00:31:32,280
and make it better, do something good with

990
00:31:32,320 –> 00:31:33,120
it, or not.

991
00:31:33,240 –> 00:31:35,240
Just let it, you know, let’s try.

992
00:31:35,560 –> 00:31:36,840
Exactly right.

993
00:31:36,920 –> 00:31:38,280
I know there’s a couple of questions that

994
00:31:38,280 –> 00:31:40,200
Rachel wanted to ask you that I want her to

995
00:31:40,200 –> 00:31:40,920
get in here.

996
00:31:40,920 –> 00:31:43,000
Who calls the person that tells them

997
00:31:43,080 –> 00:31:44,680
they’re going to be inducted in the Hall of

998
00:31:44,680 –> 00:31:47,240
Fame and what are some of those reactions

999
00:31:48,480 –> 00:31:49,400
who calls them

1000
00:31:49,760 –> 00:31:49,880
um

1001
00:31:50,200 –> 00:31:51,320
we send a letter

1002
00:31:51,600 –> 00:31:54,680
okay many of them have gotten a tip off by

1003
00:31:54,680 –> 00:31:56,440
someone that may have nominated them

1004
00:31:57,360 –> 00:31:59,320
um but they get a letter I’m sure they

1005
00:31:59,320 –> 00:32:01,360
frame it I mean why not I you know

1006
00:32:02,440 –> 00:32:03,800
Bruce Springsteen at his

1007
00:32:04,440 –> 00:32:05,560
during his speech said

1008
00:32:05,920 –> 00:32:07,920
when I got the letter I saw

1009
00:32:08,200 –> 00:32:09,000
Edison

1010
00:32:09,360 –> 00:32:10,520
Einstein. My mom.

1011
00:32:11,320 –> 00:32:11,680
Seriously.

1012
00:32:12,160 –> 00:32:12,320
Yeah.

1013
00:32:13,000 –> 00:32:13,120
Yes.

1014
00:32:13,880 –> 00:32:14,640
Show your mom.

1015
00:32:17,400 –> 00:32:18,760
First thing to do, show your mom.

1016
00:32:20,120 –> 00:32:21,000
That’s pretty great.

1017
00:32:21,040 –> 00:32:22,520
When they come to the museum,

1018
00:32:22,800 –> 00:32:24,360
a lot of them have come recently for the

1019
00:32:24,360 –> 00:32:25,080
podcast.

1020
00:32:25,080 –> 00:32:26,440
It’s my throwaway line.

1021
00:32:26,680 –> 00:32:29,960
Addison, Einstein, and Tony Orlando.

1022
00:32:31,840 –> 00:32:32,600
They love it.

1023
00:32:32,600 –> 00:32:33,880
How do you not love that one?

1024
00:32:34,520 –> 00:32:34,800
I know.

1025
00:32:35,600 –> 00:32:36,160
It’s perfect.

1026
00:32:36,520 –> 00:32:38,360
Is the induction ceremony,

1027
00:32:38,920 –> 00:32:41,360
is it Is it like a concert or is it closed

1028
00:32:41,480 –> 00:32:43,240
video or how does that, what is the

1029
00:32:43,240 –> 00:32:44,440
induction ceremony like?

1030
00:32:45,000 –> 00:32:47,080
So we’re going to be releasing information.

1031
00:32:47,320 –> 00:32:51,080
Our induction ceremony is usually a live

1032
00:32:51,080 –> 00:32:51,800
ceremony.

1033
00:32:51,800 –> 00:32:53,400
This year it’s going to be on the ice

1034
00:32:53,400 –> 00:32:54,360
feeding rink

1035
00:32:54,840 –> 00:32:57,880
at American Dream, just steps away from our

1036
00:32:57,880 –> 00:32:59,000
museum. Yep.

1037
00:32:59,320 –> 00:33:03,320
And it’s going to be Friday, November 21st.

1038
00:33:03,640 –> 00:33:05,640
Danny DeVito is emceeing.

1039
00:33:06,440 –> 00:33:07,080
We’ve got

1040
00:33:07,480 –> 00:33:08,600
David Bryan from

1041
00:33:08,840 –> 00:33:10,120
Bon Jovi’s band

1042
00:33:10,840 –> 00:33:12,600
is going to be inducted.

1043
00:33:12,600 –> 00:33:14,040
Bon Jovi will be there.

1044
00:33:14,680 –> 00:33:17,080
Jonas Brothers are being inducted this year.

1045
00:33:17,080 –> 00:33:18,120
They’ll be there.

1046
00:33:18,440 –> 00:33:20,320
It’s going to be an incredible event.

1047
00:33:20,320 –> 00:33:22,920
We’ll release information within a couple

1048
00:33:22,920 –> 00:33:23,400
of weeks

1049
00:33:24,520 –> 00:33:25,240
on ticketing.

1050
00:33:25,240 –> 00:33:27,400
There’s limited tickets available,

1051
00:33:27,800 –> 00:33:28,600
but we do make

1052
00:33:28,840 –> 00:33:30,280
some available to the public.

1053
00:33:30,920 –> 00:33:32,200
It’s just a great night.

1054
00:33:32,360 –> 00:33:34,320
I encourage your listeners, if they want to

1055
00:33:34,320 –> 00:33:37,000
see any of the acceptance speeches for the

1056
00:33:37,240 –> 00:33:38,200
first 16 ceremonies.

1057
00:33:38,200 –> 00:33:39,000
I have watched some of

1058
00:33:39,560 –> 00:33:39,720
those.

1059
00:33:40,120 –> 00:33:40,440
It’s great.

1060
00:33:40,480 –> 00:33:41,000
They’re amazing.

1061
00:33:41,000 –> 00:33:43,480
They’re swan songs from some of the most

1062
00:33:43,480 –> 00:33:45,160
legendary people that have lived in the

1063
00:33:45,160 –> 00:33:47,080
state and are unsung heroes and

1064
00:33:47,320 –> 00:33:48,760
Educator of the Year awards.

1065
00:33:48,760 –> 00:33:49,320
And we’ve got

1066
00:33:49,880 –> 00:33:51,800
birthday scholarship winners every year.

1067
00:33:51,800 –> 00:33:53,960
It’s not just about famous people, you know?

1068
00:33:54,720 –> 00:33:56,280
And, um, it’s a fun night.

1069
00:33:56,280 –> 00:33:57,400
I hope you guys can make

1070
00:33:57,720 –> 00:33:58,600
maybe the next. Yeah.

1071
00:33:58,920 –> 00:33:59,080
Yeah.

1072
00:33:59,400 –> 00:34:00,040
I would love to.

1073
00:34:00,280 –> 00:34:02,440
Well, maybe I can be inducted. Yeah.

1074
00:34:02,640 –> 00:34:03,560
Well, I’ll nominate

1075
00:34:04,280 –> 00:34:04,600
you. Um,

1076
00:34:05,640 –> 00:34:06,840
our final question

1077
00:34:07,240 –> 00:34:09,360
is we’d like to ask our guest.

1078
00:34:10,000 –> 00:34:11,560
Tell us something that you love

1079
00:34:11,800 –> 00:34:12,760
about New Jersey.

1080
00:34:12,840 –> 00:34:13,800
I love the people.

1081
00:34:13,800 –> 00:34:15,760
Obviously, I’m in the people business with

1082
00:34:15,760 –> 00:34:17,760
the Hall of Fame, so there’s so many people

1083
00:34:17,760 –> 00:34:18,840
that make me laugh.

1084
00:34:18,840 –> 00:34:21,080
There’s so many people, family, friends

1085
00:34:21,080 –> 00:34:22,440
that love me and I love them.

1086
00:34:22,760 –> 00:34:25,160
I think I’m going to answer it the same way

1087
00:34:25,400 –> 00:34:27,800
most people in New Jersey answer it, I

1088
00:34:27,800 –> 00:34:29,800
think, which is our beaches,

1089
00:34:30,120 –> 00:34:30,920
that ocean.

1090
00:34:30,960 –> 00:34:31,640
A lot of people.

1091
00:34:31,800 –> 00:34:33,320
Ironman, the sky,

1092
00:34:34,480 –> 00:34:35,560
that salt air.

1093
00:34:35,560 –> 00:34:38,280
It’s, I just love the Jersey Shore.

1094
00:34:38,800 –> 00:34:39,040
Oh my God.

1095
00:34:39,080 –> 00:34:41,480
It’s been a pleasure to talk to you and to

1096
00:34:41,480 –> 00:34:43,960
hear your story and hear your father’s story.

1097
00:34:43,960 –> 00:34:46,280
And it’s really, it does make us feel that,

1098
00:34:46,680 –> 00:34:49,400
you know, when you have some adversity,

1099
00:34:49,480 –> 00:34:51,200
that sometimes that can be the,

1100
00:34:51,560 –> 00:34:54,280
the engine to make your dreams come true.

1101
00:34:54,360 –> 00:34:56,240
But the worst days in your life are

1102
00:34:56,240 –> 00:34:58,200
ultimately gonna be the best day

1103
00:34:58,600 –> 00:34:59,520
that ever happened to you.

1104
00:34:59,520 –> 00:35:01,360
And obviously when you lose someone that

1105
00:35:01,360 –> 00:35:01,880
you love,

1106
00:35:02,320 –> 00:35:03,440
that’s adversity, that’s

1107
00:35:04,040 –> 00:35:04,840
difficult, but.

1108
00:35:05,520 –> 00:35:07,560
Bottom line is, yep, you got that choice.

1109
00:35:07,560 –> 00:35:10,680
Move away from it and on to better things or not.

1110
00:35:10,960 –> 00:35:11,240
And

1111
00:35:11,960 –> 00:35:13,480
please, for those that are out there

1112
00:35:13,480 –> 00:35:14,120
suffering,

1113
00:35:14,520 –> 00:35:15,800
choose, move on.

1114
00:35:16,160 –> 00:35:17,080
Keep moving forward.

1115
00:35:17,080 –> 00:35:18,920
Like Frank Sinatra once said, another

1116
00:35:18,920 –> 00:35:20,040
Jersey inductee,

1117
00:35:20,440 –> 00:35:22,120
he faced his share of adversity.

1118
00:35:22,560 –> 00:35:24,840
Just keep moving forward, baby.

1119
00:35:27,480 –> 00:35:28,960
Very good advice to

1120
00:35:29,240 –> 00:35:30,920
end this great interview on.

1121
00:35:30,920 –> 00:35:32,600
It was really nice to meet you.

1122
00:35:32,920 –> 00:35:34,560
Thank you so much for coming on Lost in

1123
00:35:34,560 –> 00:35:35,080
Jersey.

1124
00:35:35,240 –> 00:35:37,080
Ladies, I can’t thank you enough.

1125
00:35:37,240 –> 00:35:39,160
Have a wonderful Jersey day.