Transcripts For WCAU Dateline NBC 20150406 : vimarsana.com

WCAU Dateline NBC April 6, 2015

Watched the bible series. These guys are history makers. Why do you think you have this calling . This began as a whisper in our hearts and became a roar. Tonight the premooer of a whole new chapter and verse. You dare to believe . This story i dont think has ever been told before. There is something mysterious, something curious. P so powerful. So moving. Is this the biggest, boldest epic yet is this. House of cards meets game of thrones wrapped up in the bible. Bible stories, the new blockbusters. Good evening, everyone. Im natalie morales. On this easterer sunday, a look at the divine inspiration that seems to be taking over hollywood. The good book has always been a good source of material. The biblical epic is as old as hollywood itself. The latest launching tonight on nbc is a story you actually may not know. What happened after the death of jesus . How christianity spread from one man to 12 apostles to eventually 2 billion people. Its nothing short of a revelation. Its earth shaking, a ground swell. The premiere tonight of a. D. The bible continues is just the latest in an explosion of religious and biblical programming on television and in the movies. There is a tremendous interest in religionbased programming. Nothing succeeds like success. So people look at the other successful stories and say, well, they did it. We should do it as well. And they are. He needs no agent, no limo or private jet, but in many ways, god is the biggest star in hollywood right now. I think its true. God is back. In the weeks leading up to easter and passover, biblical and religious themes have been all over tv. Candida moss of the university of notre dame. What we are seeing is networks realizing that people want to watch this if its done right. If its done in a way thats compelling and engaging. Just this week, cnn continued finding jesus, faith, facts and forgery. A series about holy relic ss ss more than tripling its sunday audience. National geographic channel had it biggest ratings ever with killing jesus based on the bill Oreilly Martin dugard book. Cbs aired a twopart series the dove keepers about the jews who held out against armies of romans in the First Century p. M. How will we defeat them . We fight. Even the Weather Channel chimed in with top ten bible weather. And the forecast for the future is more of the same. Variety senior critic scott founder. You can argue that jesus is the ultimate superhero. Forbes Senior Editor zack omalley greenburg. How do you get into the superhero boom . To me, the answer is turn to the Public Public domain. What better place than the bible . There is a history of hollywood and the bible. Way back in the silent era, hollywood mined the bible for story ideas. The 1927 epic the king of kings was a big budget blockbuster with some sequences even shot in color. In the 50ss the Ten Commandments and a few years later ben hur were smash hits and oscar winners. It was a wayer for hollywood to show off what all of its creative departments could do. Biblical pov vis call for elaborate chaos tombs, big sets, crowd scenes. I was good, wasnt i . In the 1990s, Network Television was also home to reare lijsbased programming. For example, touched by an angel starring roma downey and della reese. It was a huge hit. Some weeks more than 20 Million Viewers watched the show. Over time, by and large, religious themes went out of fashion. That changed in 2004. Mel gibson, a movie star the and oscar winning director, wanted to make a film about jesus called the passion of the christ. Even he couldnt get funding. He ended up doing it himself. It was a 30 million independent production. It ended up making more than 600 oh million at the Global Box Office spp despite the controversy over the graphic portrayal of the crucifixion and accusations of antisemitism it was a worldwide mega hit. That was a huge wakeup call that said maybe the time has come for us to look at biblile call subjects again. Father james martin is the author of jesus, a pilgrimage and writes about american culture. Its not that suddenly everyone in hollywood is enamored of jesus christ. Everyone in hollywood is always enamored of money. Be honest. Two years ago came one of the most unlikely biblical Success Stories of all from one of the most unlikely couples of all. Roma downey, star of touched by an angel and her husband, producer mark brunett of reel al ti tv fame. From the green carpet of lawn at their malibu with home they saw something everyone else had been missing. Roma downey had an idea born out of belief as much as business. How about making the bible a min series . There is a saying that god doesnt always call the qualified. But he always qualifies the called ed called. This began as a whisper in our hearts and became a roar. As an alumni of oh touched by an angel roma downey would have had a strong sense that there is a Passionate Community out there craving these kind of stories. Downey and burnett thought it was an answered prayer. I think we felt a calling on our hearts to do this work with. Over a cup of tea we decided to move forward with this. Given hollywoods reluctance to make faithbased shows they knew it could be a big risk. And despite the couples huge success in tv when they pitched their bible idea they got about the same response mel gibson received. When you went to the networks and you tried to sell them on it, they thought you two were crazy. What are they saying now . Yeah. I think in those early days, many people here in hollywood thought we had lost our minds, that no one would want to see the bible on tv. It has begun. Roma downeys instinct turned out to be right and heads turned all over hollywood. The ratings for the bible were off the charts. I dont think anyone expected those kinds of ratings. In total, 100 Million Viewers watched the ten episodes on the history channel. It averaged more than 11 Million Viewers a week. After the bible series and the spinoff movie son of god mark burnett and roma downey became the acknowledged king and queen of religious tv programming and film. I think it speaks to a deeper need that the public has to connect with the word, to connect with hope, to feel closer to god. With their newest project a. D. , the biblen continues nbc is doubling down on biblebased programming. Blessed are they who have not seen me. If you had come to me sand said somebody was going to invest ungodly amounts of hundred in creating jerusalem and moracco and air every sunday for 12 sundays i would say you were out of oh your mind. Bill carterer. I think what nbc was reacting to was the enormous audience for the bible. I think they looked at this as a pretty good risk with a producer they believed in. For those who are not believers or ss ss or do not that faith in their lives what do they get out of the series . Think a. D. Is really a dramatic, epic series dealing with the first couple of decades after the resurrection of oh jesus. So in modern day terms the politics, such maneuvering, the series is kind of like house of cards meets game of thrones wrapped up in the bible. Our father in heaven burnett is set is heing the bar pretty high. But they are used to beating the odds, especiallier considering where they came from. Coming up you have said once perhaps she would have been throwing rocks at you. I might have been throwing a stone at you. The angel, the military man. He was the equivalent of a navy s. E. A. L. Basically. And a romantic moment right out of the movies. Oh, no, you didnt. I did. Yes, i did. When dateline continues. Nda busy. I got kfcs new barbeque chicken rice bowl. Hand pulled honey barbeque chicken and rice, cheese, cookie drink 5 bucks you got me beat i guess. Or you dont because i got a texmex chicken and rice bowl. Crispy chicken and fresh pico de gallo. We tied. Who are we going to make fun of . Gary. Hey gary, wanna play who won lunch . I dont think gary wants to play. Ive been there gar. This is going to be great. Like the bluest blue ive ever seen. How much more black could this be . And the answer is. None. The best tv deserves the best tv. Introducing samsung suhd tv. I take prilosec otc each morning for my frequent heartburn. Because it gives me. Zero heartburn prilosec otc. The number 1 doctorrecommended frequent heartburn medicine for 9 straight years. One pill each morning. 24 hours. Zero heartburn. Many wrinkle creams come with high hopes, but hope. Doesnt work on wrinkles. Neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair has the fastest retinol formula. To work on fine lines and even deep wrinkles in just one week. Neutrogena®. Bring us your aching and sleep deprived. Bring us those who want to feel well rested. Aleve pm. The only one to combine a sleep aid. Plus the 12 hour pain relieving strength of aleve. Be a morning person again, with aleve pm. Man sternly where do you think youre going . Mr. Mucus to work, with you. Its taco tuesday. Man youre not coming. I took mucinex to help get rid of my mucusy congestion. Im go od all day. [announcer ] mucinex keeps working. Not 4, not 6 but 12 hours. Lets end this take a deeeeep breath in. And. Exhale. Aflac and a gentle wavelike motion. Ahhh ahhhhhh. Liberate your spine. Ahhhahhhhhh. Aflac and reach, toes blossoming. Not that great at yoga. Yeah, but when i slipped a disk he paid my claim in just one day. Ahh so he had your back . Yep. In just one day, we approve and pay. One day pay, only from aflac. [duck snoring] Faithbased Community by storm actually began their lives on opposing sides of a deep religious divide. Mark grew up prostestant in england and was a para trooper in the army. R are oma downey was catholic in the 60s and 70s in ireland. The British Military was looked on as an Occupying Army by many catholics. For downey, it got worse. Her mother died suddenly of a heart attack. My own mother passed away when i was just a little girl. That was probably the single most traumatic thing that could have happened in my life. It was as if the lights were turned out. She was gone. You were only 10 . I was 10, yeah. Then i was raised by my dad. A really wonderful father. My dad had a very strong faith. You never questioned your faith when your mother passed away so young . No. I was so grateful for the comfort that my faith brought to me. Mark, you served in the military in the uk. Had you met her back then when she was a little girl, i think you have said a once perhaps she would have been throwing rocks at you. Yeah. I might have been throwing a stone at you. When i was a little girl all the catholics lived on one side. All the protestants lived on another. Never the twain did meet. A tough childhood. Then when she was 20 her father died. By then she had decided to become an actress and first came to the u. S. To work oh on the broadway stage. How do you do . My husband. It wasnt long before she got her big break playing none other than Jacquelyn Kennedy oh that sis in a woman named jackie. Love doesnt hide. That role eventually led to touched by an angel. Her stature as a beloved figure, not only with tv audiences, but especially in the Faithbased Community. Touched by an angel was a show that in addition to being popular, it had fan tall fan base. Im sure she encountered that not just in promoting the show but in everyday life. Mark burnett had a different path to success. He was the equivalent of a navy s. E. A. L. Basically in england. Came out of that not knowing what he wanted to do with his life. He eventually came to los angeles to seek his fortune. He sold tshirts on venice beach, sold insurance, and even worked in malibu as a male nanny, a manny. Squirrelling away money, he worked his way into tv production. He created a show around a competition called eco challenge and later pitched the american version of a show called survivor. The head of cbs thought it sounded like the Worst Program he had ever heard of. Burnett got the show on the air when he assured cbs the network wouldnt lose money. That was part of his original deal. They gave him a limited budget of 35,000 a show initially, i think. To cover the budget shortfall he went to sponsors and got them to pay to place their products in the show. His success is really a function of two things. One, he was incredibly dogged. Also, he can sell ice to eskimos, this guy. Hes a great sales man and presents himself well. What do you think it was that allowed you such success . I dont know. Just doing, you know . Probably to a certain extent fear is a driver for lots of people. My business driver was the fear of looking back and having not done something significant. He shouldnt have worried. They both had big hits. At the same time we had on cbs touched by an angel and survivor and the only show beating survivor was touched by an angel. Professionally they were successful. In their private lives, not so much. Both had gotten divorced. Then in 2004, maybe it was a tip from heaven, they met in a rather unromantic place A Los Angeles hair salon. We met in the mirror. I was getting my hair cut. As i left i just said, whos that . They said, oh, its roma downey. Then before i called i was so they are vous of the rejection. Ile called back and asked the receptionist to say if heel calls you, will you go out with him . You didnt. Yes, i did. Yes, i did. I like to win. I didnt want to be rejected. They fell in love. They were married in 2007 by romas former costar of touched by an angel, della reese who is an ordained minister. Downey had a daughter. Burnett had two sons. You blended your families. Has it always been easy or have there been difficult times as well is this. No. We were very fortunate. I think the age of our children when we got together was great. They were all little. They have become the best of friends. While they were building their life together, mark was continuing to build his reality tv empire. Along with survivor he developed shark tank, the voice and the apprentice with donald trump. I have known people over the years who had Great Success and become monsters. Hark has not changed. Probably because he believes in god and he knows what we are doing right now, maybe its not so important. And some longtime observe ers think roma downey had a lot to do with that. I know she influenced him. Its part of your daily conversation. Shes a believer. A deep, deep believer. I think hes all in. The socalled father of reality tv as they calle you you, the dog eat dog the world of oh survivor competitions and the apprentice, do you think it is changing to more reflective work and noel. No. No because with survivor you can eliminate other people you are working together with. In the end its the very people you eliminated have are to grant you the gift of a Million Dollars prize. There is a big payback. In the end being smart and not being ruthless pays off. Some people probably think the christian audiences sit in church all day long. They watch the voice, shark tank, go to nfl games, watch dateline. It is a normal audience. Thank you for dateline. They just happen to know that jesus is resurrected and is alive. In their biggest project ever, they are telling a story rarely told. What happened in the days and years after that first easter . The story of the movement that changed the world. Coming up some surprises in the story you think you know. There are a lot of exciting things that happened. Ship wrecks and magical hander which i haves and prison escapes subpoena. Inside the making of a thorough ly modern messiah. We have an hispanic jesus, an african mary ma dwrks d arksmagdalene, african james and philip. So what are you gonna do with your old phone . Im giving it to my sister emily. She gets all my old handmedowns. Oh im into bedazzling too. And you admit that . Yeah. I. I used to be into bedazzling. Ill go get your phone. Get the iphone 6 with rollover data to share. Only from at t. Its only two of us. How much dirt can we manufacture . More than you think. Very little. [doorbell rings] whats this . Swiffer sweeper. I came in under the assumption that it was clean. Ive been living in a fools paradise. Eh, you dont want that one. Yea, actually i do. Its Mucinex Fastmax night time and its got a nasal decongestant. Is that really a thing . It sounds made up. Mucinex fast max night time for multisymptom relief. Breathe easy. Sleep easy. Lets end this. Others. Now, americans everywhere are discovering that. Spoon after spoon. Dish after dish. Time, after time, after time again. Deliciously creamy galbani ricotta inspires meals, and moments, that are simply better. Mmm, galbani sfx kiss . Italys favorite cheese brand. Now, americas number one ricotta. I think we have a little clip to show. Just a oneminute clip to sowhow you what a. D. Will look like. For nearly two years now. Roll camera, action. Roma and mark have been involved in the biggest project they have ever conceived. Are you the messiah . I am. A. D. , the bible continues is a story rarely told. It begins with the crucifixion and resurrection of jesus and follows his disciples through the next two decades. It is based on acts of the apostles in the new testament. Rise up and walk. Which is also known as the book of acts. Candida moss of the university of notre dame was an adviser on a. D. It is what happens to the church after jesuss death. How does it get going . How does it start . How does the missionary process that we call christianity begin . It began with the Apostle Peter who became the first leader of the church. With saul, later known as paul, who at first persecuted christians, then did a complete 180 and became one. With the a postpostle john and with Mary Magdalene, one of jesuss most devoted followers, and it turns out mischaracterized over the centuries. Father james martin. Mary magdalene was definitely not a prostitute. She was the only one who understood the mystery of the resurrection. You could say for a time, for a few hours Mary Magdalene was the entire church. That church was at the center of a political and religious storm. The roman authorities, led by Pontius Pilate. Grant each request. Prevent them from wrapping their fingers around us. And the jewish high priest were with trying to track down followers of jesus. The setting, jerusalem, in the land of judea, modern day israel. Jerusalem is the capital of the jewish people. At the same time its occupied by the rom

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