Maya Angelou on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight: INTERVIEW

Dr. Maya Angelou was the special guest for George's New Year's Eve 2013 episode. They talked about her life, career and fascinating encounters with people like Tupac Shakur.

On counseling an angry Tupac Shakur on set of the film "Poetic Justice":
"I said 'When was the last time anyone told you how important you are? Did you know our people stood on auction blocks, were sold, bought and sold so that you could stay alive today?' And finally he heard me and stopped talking and started to weep."

On race in America:
"We are more and more becoming intelligent. I don't mean educated, but we Americans are growing up a little bit and that's a blessing. If we weren't growing up we wouldn't have a Black President in there. Black men and women are heading some of the leading universities in our country and corporations, black men and women. Little by little we grow up. It's hard. Most people don't grow up, they just get older."

On her own mortality:
"It would be wonderful to live as long as I'm going to live, and be present. I want to, what I really want to do is be a representative of my race, of the human race. I have a chance to show how kind we can be, how intelligent and generous we can be. I have a chance to teach and to love and to laugh. I know that when I'm finished doing what I'm sent here to do, I will be called home and I will go home without any fear — trepidation some, wondering what's going to happen."

On liking country music:
"People decide that if you're black you only like black things, if you're white you only like white things, if you're short you only like short things. That's so stupid. I mean good music is good music."

On being thankful:
"The best thing always about anything is to try to stay in an attitude of gratitude. Be thankful. Just say thank you. Thank you to God if you happen to have the blessing of being a believer. Thank you to friends, thank you to strangers, thankful to people who don't look like you. Thankful to people whose complexion don't jive with your complexion. Just say thank you."

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credits

Book cover - Hachette Books
Maya Angelou and Malcolm X - Alice M Windom
Maya Angelou performing - Library of Congress
"His Day is Done" - US Department of State
Archival photos, segregated South - Library of Congress
Book cover - Bantam Books
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Tomorrow Entertainment
Roots - David L. Wolper Productions, Warner Bros. Television
The Richard Pryor Special? - Burt Sugarman Productions
Kanye West "Hey Mama" - Roc-A-Fella
Oprah Winfrey - OWN, Harpo Inc.
Book Cover - Random House
Clinton Inauguration Footage - Courtesy, William J. Clinton Presidential Library
Poetic Justice - Columbia Pictures Corporation, New Deal Productions, Nickel

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