> TONIGHT ON 'METROFOCUS,' DONALD TRUMP BECOMES THE FIRST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT TO RECOGNIZE JUNE AS GAY PRIDE MONTH WHILE LGBT ADMINISTRATION FIGHTS TO ERODE.

A SOBERING STATISTIC.

EACH YEAR MORE THAN 6,000 VETERANS COMMIT SUICIDE.

IN MOMENTS, DETAILS ON A PROGRAM THAT ENLISTS VETS TO SAVE EACH OTHER FROM THEMSELVES WHEN ADJUSTING TO LIFE ON THE HOME FRONT.

AND THE BABE, THE LADY AND THE STAR.

EACH PROVIDE A FACET OF THE LIFE OF AMERICAN ICON IN THE CHER SHOW.

DIRECTOR JASON MOORE IS HERE WITH A LOOK AT THIS BEDAZZLED BROADWAY SENSATION THAT HAS AUDIENCES DANCING IN THE AISLE.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS 'METROFOCUS' STARTS RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS 'METROFOCUS' WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

'METROFOCUS' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY JAMES AND MERRYL TISCH, SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

BERNARD AND IRENE SCHWARTZ, ROSALIND P. WALTER, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY --

CORPORATE FUNDING FOR 'METROFOCUS' WAS PROVIDED BY MUTUAL OF AMERICA, YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY AND BY PSE&G.

SERVING CUSTOMERS, STRENGTHENING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND INVESTING IN THE FUTURE.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO 'METROFOCUS.'

I'M JACK FORD.

PRIDE AND POLITICS.

NEARLY 50 YEARS AFTER THE STONEWALL RIOTS IN GREENWICH VILLAGE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE EQUALITY MOVEMENT, NEW YORK IS HOSTING WHAT'S BILLED AS THE LARGEST PRIDE CELEBRATION IN THE WORLD.

AND WHILE THERE IS PLENTY TO CELEBRATE DURING WORLD PRIDE MONTH, MANY MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY FEEL THAT THEY'RE INCREASINGLY UNDER ATTACK BY PRESIDENT TRUMP.

HE BECAME THE FIRST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT TO RECOGNIZE PRIDE MONTH THIS PAST WEEK, BUT CRITICS BELIEVE THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING TO UNDERMINE THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

THAT INCLUDES OPPOSITION TO THE EQUALITY ACT, WHICH WAS RECENTLY PASSED BY THE HOUSE.

AS PART OF 13'S CELEBRATION OF THE SUMMER OF '69, RAFAEL PI ROMAN SPOKE WITH MICHELANGELO SENORELLI WHO IS ALSO HOST OF THE MICHELANGELO SENIORELLI SHOW.

HE STARTED THE CONVERSATION BY ASKING HOW WHITE HOUSE POLICIES HAVE TARGETED THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM THE OUTSET HAS REALLY HAD A BRUTAL EFFECT ON ROLLING BACK AND ATTEMPTING TO ROLL BACK MANY RIGHTS FOR LGBT PEOPLE.

WE HAD EARLY ON TRUMP TWEETING AND THEN IMPLEMENTING A BAN ON TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ALREADY SERVING IN THE MILITARY.

THERE WAS A DIRECTIVE FOR STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL THAT THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PUT IN PLACE FOR A TRANSGENDERED PEOPLE ON HOW TO ACCEPT THEM AND HOW TO ALLOW FOR THEM TO BE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

THAT ALSO WAS RESCINDED.

WE HAD JUST RECENTLY A RULE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES A CONSCIENCE CLAUSE EXPANDED, ALLOWING DOCTORS, NURSE, PHARMACISTS, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO TURN AWAY LGBTQ PEOPLE BASED ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS AND OTHERS.

WE ALSO HAD A PROPOSAL NOW FROM THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN HHS TO STRIP THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S BAN ON DISCRIMINATION IN HEALTH CARE IN THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE.

SO THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF A VARIETY OF THEM THERE HAS BEEN A REPORT NOW THAT TRUMP WILL ALLOW FOR FOSTER AGENCIES AND ADOPTION AGENCIES TO BAN ADOPTIONS IF THEY'RE FEDERALLY FUNDED AGENCIES, BAN ADOPTIONS TO GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES AS WELL.

FROM RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS?

ANY ADOPTION AGENCY THAT CLAIMS ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS AND IS FEDERALLY FUNDED WOULD BE ABLE TO DISCRIMINATE.

OBAMA HAD BANNED FEDERALLY FUNDED AGENCIES.

IF IT'S AN AGENCY THAT'S NOT GETTING FEDERAL MONEY, THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT, BUT FEDERALLY FUNDED AGENCIES CAN'T DISCRIMINATE.

SO HOW IS THE COMMUNITY RESPONDING TO THIS?

YOU'VE WRITTEN ABOUT VICTORY BLINDNESS WHERE THE COMMUNITY HAS TENDED IN THE PAST TO SAY OH, WE HAVE ALL THESE VICTORIES, NOW WE CAN REST EASY.

ARE THEY TURNING FROM THAT VICTORY BLINDNESS?

PEOPLE ARE WAKING UP.

THEY HAVE REALLY GALVANIZED I THINK CERTAINLY EARLY ON THERE WAS AN IDEA THAT MAYBE IT WOULDN'T BE SO BAD.

TRUMP TRIES TO PUT FORTH THAT IDEA.

HE STILL DOES EVEN UNTIL TODAY.

HE RECENTLY SAID HE HAS NO PROBLEM WITH PETE BUTTIGIEG'S SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, THE CANDIDATE WHO IS RUNNING IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES, AND YET HE HAS DONE EVERYTHING HE CAN IN PUTTING JUDGES ON THE COURTS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO MARRIAGE EQUALITY.

SO IN THE BEGINNING, PEOPLE THOUGHT MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE WAY HE WAS SPEAKING AND YOU KNOW WASN'T SO HARSH, HE WOULD BE OKAY.

BUT THAT CHANGED RAPIDLY.

AND CERTAINLY WITH THE POLICIES THAT MIKE PENCE HAS REALLY BEEN DEEP INVOLVED IN, DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THIS STRIPPING LGBT RIGHTS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE QUALITY ACT.

WHAT IS IT?

WHAT WOULD IT DO IF PASSED INTO LAW?

THIS IS A HISTORIC BILL THAT WOULD ADD GAY, LESBIAN, TRANSGENDER PEOPLE TO THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.

IT WOULD ADD GENDER ORIENTATION AS A CLASS JUST AS WE HAVE RACE, SEX, ORIGIN AND OTHER CATEGORIES IN THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.

IT WOULD BAN DISCRIMINATION IN HOUSING, IN PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, IN EMPLOYMENT, IN BANKING, ALL OF THESE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE STILL EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION.

RIGHT NOW A LITTLE LESS THAN HALF THE STATES, INCLUDING NEW YORK STATE HAVE THESE PROTECTIONS.

MANY MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THEM.

BUT THEY'RE NOT -- THEY'RE NOT ENJOYED BY A HUGE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY.

OKAY.

LET'S BRING IT CLOSER TO HOME.

YOU KNOW, IN 2018, A NUMBER OF CANDIDATES RAN VERY FRIENDLY TO THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF THEM WOMAN.

WHAT'S BEEN THE AFFECT IN NEW YORK STATE FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY?

WELL, SEEING THE STATE LEGISLATURE NOW BECOME DEMOCRATIC FULLY AND HAVING A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR HAS OPENED UP JUST AN ENORMOUS ABILITY FOR EQUALITY AND SO MANY OTHER ISSUES IN THE STATE THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASS A BILL BANNING CONVERSION THERAPY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, PUTTING PEOPLE THROUGH THE TORMENTING AND HORRIBLE PROGRAMS TO CHANGE, QUOTE/UNQUOTE, THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

THEY FINALLY ADDED TRANSGENDER PEOPLE TO THE LAW BANNING DISCRIMINATION IN THE STATE.

IT'S REALLY BEEN A SEA CHANGE, AND IT SHOWS THAT ELECTIONS REALLY MATTER.

YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN A CONTROVERSY HERE IN NEW YORK CITY SURROUNDING THIS YEAR'S PRIDE PARADE AND THE CORPORATIONS TAKING PART IN IT.

WHAT'S THAT CONTROVERSY?

AND WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON IT?

WELL, FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A CONCERN THAT THE PARADE HAS BECOME SO CORPORATE SPONSORED, AND PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY CORPORATIONS ARE SPONSORING.

THEY BRING IN MONEY, AND PARADES NEED MONEY, AND ORGANIZERS NEED MONEY.

AND THERE WAS A TIME WHERE YOU COULDN'T GET A COMPANY LIKE AT&T TO WANT TO SAY THAT THEY SUPPORTED LGBTQ PEOPLE.

SO EVERYBODY GETS THAT.

BUT WHAT'S HAPPENED NOW IS YOU LITERALLY CANNOT MARCH IN THE PARADE UNLESS YOU MARCH WITH A CORPORATION OR A COMMUNITY GROUP.

AND THIS YEAR, IN FACT, THEY'VE CHANGED IT EVEN FURTHER.

THEY'VE PAIRED UP THE CORPORATIONS WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS.

SO PEOPLE HAVE TO EITHER, YOU KNOW, ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH A CORPORATION OR THEY CAN'T MARCH, AND A LOT OF THESE CORPORATIONS, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A LOT OF RACIAL JUSTICE GROUPS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH SOME OF THESE CORPORATIONS IN TERMS OF SOME RACIAL ISSUES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, SOME OF THE BANKS LIKE WELLS FARGO THAT WERE INVOLVED IN GIVING MORTGAGES TO AFRICAN AMERICANS AND WHO DEFAULTED ON THEIR MORTGAGES BECAUSE THEY WERE SOLD THESE BAD MORTGAGES, THERE ARE CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AS WELL, DEGRADATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WHY ARE WE ALIGNING WITH THESE COMPANIES, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY VALIDLY ARE SAYING, OKAY, IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR OWN MARCH.

SO THERE IS THE RECLAIMED PRIDE COALITION WHICH IS GOING TO HAVE MARCH IN THE MORNING AND ANYBODY CAN JOIN AND THERE ARE NO CORPORATIONS BACKING THEM.

OKAY.

SO LAST QUESTION, 50 YEARS AFTER, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEXT YEARS OR DECADES?

IT'S BEEN AMAZING SEEING THE PROGRESS.

AND THAT YOU CANNOT DENY.

WHEN WE THINK BACK TO 50 YEARS, THOSE PEOPLE WHO STOOD UP AND FOUGHT BACK, THE POLICE WHO WERE HARASSING THEM AND FOUGHT BACK IN THE STREETS AGAINST THE BRUTALITY AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE MOBSTERS WHO WERE RUNNING THESE BARS KIND OF RECLAIMING THEMSELVES TO SEE ALL THE PROGRESS HAS BEEN AMAZING.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE FACING NOW WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY JUST GOING ALONG, WE SEE HOW EASILY THAT CAN BE ROLLED BACK.

SO TO ME, THE CHALLENGE IS TO NOT BECOME COMPLACENT, AND NOT ALLOW THINGS TO ROLL BACK, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE RIGHTS ARE NOT -- THEY DON'T JUST COME AND THEN THAT'S IT.

THAT'S OVER.

YOU TO FIGHT TO KEEP THEM AND FIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT FUTURE GENERAL RATIONS HAVE THEM.

ALL RIGHT, MIKE.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS TODAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

♪

> A SOMBER STATISTIC.

ACCORDING TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, EVERY DAY ABOUT 20 VETERANS DIE BY SUICIDE, A TRAGIC SITUATION.

HOWEVER, ONE ORGANIZATION IS TAKING A BIG STEP TO COMBAT THIS EPIDEMIC.

THE INDEPENDENCE FUND IS STRIVING TO EMPOWER VETERANS TO OVERCOME PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL WOUNDS AS A RESULT OF THEIR TOURS OF DUTY.

BY TEAMING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, THE FUND HAS LAUNCHED OPERATION RESILIENCY, A PROGRAM WITH PROMISE FOR THOSE WHO CAME HOME SUFFERING FROM PTSD AND MENTAL ILLNESS.

HERE WITH DETAILS ARE TWO SOLDIERS WHO HAVE JUST COMPLETED THE OPERATION RESILIENCY PROGRAM.

VETERAN ARMY STAFF SERGEANT ALEX HAREGI AND DAVID ARMSTRONG.

THEY JOIN ME NOW.

GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

WHAT IS OPERATION RESILIENCY?

SO OPERATION RESILIENCY, AS YOU STATED, A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN THE INDEPENDENCE FUND AND THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

AND WHAT IT FOCUSES ON FOR CONTEXT, AS WE CAME OUT, FOR EXAMPLE, DEPLOYED IN '09-10 TO AFGHANISTAN, IT WAS A PRETTY ROUGH TIME IN TERMS OF FIGHTING AND COMBAT CASUALTIES.

THEN THE UNIT REDEPLOYS AND EVENTUALLY EVERYBODY GOES SORT OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

MAYBE SOME GET OUT.

MAYBE SOME GO TO OTHER UNITS, AND A SMALL AMOUNT STAY IN THAT UNIT.

SO THE PARATROOPERS ARE REALLY -- DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TO REFLECT UPON WHAT EXPERIENCES THEY JUST HAD AND THE REASONS FOR WHY THEY HAD THEM.

THEY GO ON WITH THEIR LIVES.

THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WE THINK POWERFUL THROUGH THE HUMAN CONNECTION, THE BONDS THAT THEY SHARED BACK THEN A CHANCE TO REVISIT THAT, REFLECT ON IT, PERHAPS UNDERSTAND IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER, AND THEN DEAL WITH OTHER THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IN THEIR LIVES FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.

ALICE, WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE LIKE WITH OPERATION RESILIENCY?

THE FIRST DAY WE DID WAS AMAZING TO WATCH THE GUYS AT THE VERY BEGINNING THEY WERE VERY RESERVED AND CLOSED.

AND THE MINUTE SOMEBODY BROKE THE ICE AND HEY, MAN, I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING.

LET ME BE HONEST.

IT KIND OF OPENED THE DOOR AND EVERYBODY STARTED OPENING UP AND TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY'VE BEEN STRUGGLING.

I THINK IT MADE THEM REALIZE THAT YOU'RE NOT WEAK FOR ADMITTING THAT YOU HAD SOME HARD TIMES.

AND THE OTHER PART THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT IS AS A WOUNDED VETERAN WITH VISIBLE WOUNDS, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO GET A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

BUT THE GUYS COMING HOME WITHOUT VISIBLE WOUNDS, THEY GET OUT AND THEY KIND OF LOSE THEIR IDENTITY, IF YOU WILL.

SO THEY DON'T GET THE THANK YOUS AND THE HUGS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY THEM.

AND THEY WENT THROUGH JUST AS MUCH STUFF.

SOME OF MY FRIENDS HAVE BEEN THROUGH MORE STUFF.

IT'S REALLY AMAZING TO SEE AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS ALSO FOCUSING ON THE WOUNDED AS WELL AS NONVISIBLE WOUNDED.

AND IS THAT REALLY THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ORGANIZATION'S EXPERIENCE TO BREAK DOWN THOSE WALLS OF PERHAPS ISOLATION THAT PEOPLE MIGHT FEEL?

IT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, MA'AM.

IT GETS DOWN TO SHARED VERSUS SAME EXPERIENCE.

SO THERE IS VETERANS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

HIGH CASUALTY RATES ARE NOT UNIQUE, BUT THE ONLY ONES, OR THE ONLY UNITS THAT THESE GUYS EXPERIENCE THIS ONE WITH WERE THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN THAT UNIT.

SO THAT IS THE UNIQUE PART OF THIS PROGRAM IS THAT IT BRINGS TOGETHER THAT COMPANY WHERE THEY FORM THOSE EXTREMELY STRONG BONDS IN COMBAT, AND NOW MAYBE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE VULNERABLE BECAUSE THE TRUST IS THERE, THE HUMAN CONNECTION IS THERE FROM WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY SHARED.

AND SO THE TEAM GOT THROUGH IN THE DEPLOYMENT.

NOW THE TEAM CAN HELP TO GET US THROUGH FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

NOW THIS FEELS INCREDIBLY REVOLUTIONARY OF AN IDEA, EVEN THOUGH IT NECESSARILY SHOULDN'T BE.

AND I'M KIND OF WONDERING IF THERE WAS ANY PREVIOUS PROGRAMS THAT WERE DRAWN ON TO CREATE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, OR IS THIS BRAND, BRAND-NEW?

WELL, I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF THOSE PROGRAMS EXISTED.

THIS ONE CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OUR GUYS WERE AT A FUNERAL FOR ONE OF THE TWO SUICIDES THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE.

AND WHEN THEY SAID HEY, WHEN IS THE NEXT TIME WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER, THERE WAS KIND OF A SOMBER MOMENT AND A REALIZATION THAT THAT MIGHT BE THE NEXT FUNERAL.

THE CEO OF THE INDY FUND WAS AT THAT FUNERAL AS WELL.

HER HUSBAND WAS AN AMPUTEE IN OUR COMPANY, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE IDEA THAT THEN GREW UP TO BE PARTNERED WITH THE V.A.

TO HAVE SUCH A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE FOR THESE GUYS.

AND HOPEFULLY, FOR MANY, MANY ORGANIZATIONS AFTER OURS.

ALICE, WHEN IT COMES TO AS YOU WERE SAYING THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE VISIBLE WOUNDS AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE VISIBLE WOUNDS OR INVISIBLE WOUNDS, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU FIND WAS ONE OF THE MORE HEALING EXPERIENCES OF BEING ABLE TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE THE VISIBLE WOUNDS BUT ABLE TO STILL CONNECT WITH THEM AND SAY I STILL UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH EVEN THOUGH THE PUBLIC ISN'T OBVIOUSLY SEEING IT.

LIKE I SAID, THE ONES WITH VISIBLE WOUNDS, WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY WHICH MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE HEALING.

BUT YOU STILL GET TO A POINT YOU ISOLATE YOURSELF AND START FACING YOUR INNER DEMONS.

FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP TO MY BROTHERS AND TELL THEM LOOK, MAN, WHICH HUSBAND IN A REALLY TOUGH SPOT AND I DIDN'T CALL YOU GUYS.

SO WHEN WE NEED TO GET BETTER AT THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY REWARDING FOR ME BECAUSE A LOT OF GUYS WE FOUND OUT THAT WERE IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS THAT ARE NOW SEEKING HELP FROM IT.

IS THIS THE KIND OF ORGANIZATION WHERE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE SAY WHEN SOMEONE IS IN CRISIS THAT REALLY THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN REALLY HELP THEM IS THEM.

IS THIS SOMETHING WHERE FAMILIES CAN REACH OUT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A RETURNINGS OF A VETERAN WHO HAS RETURNED AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING, OR IS IT SOMETHING WHERE THAT VETERAN SAID THEY NEED TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP AND I WANT TO RECONNECT, I NEED THIS CONNECTION AGAIN.

THE FOCUS OF THIS IS HARNESSING THE POWER OF THE BOND IN THAT SMALL UNIT TO ASSIST THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE COLLECTIVE IN GETTING THROUGH AND COPING WITH THOSE TOUGH TIMES.

IF A UNIT WOULD LIKE TO A PART OF THIS, A WAY THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN IS BY THE COMMAND TEAM OR SOMEBODY FROM THE UNIT CONTACTING THE INDEPENDENCE FUND THROUGH THE INDEPENDENCE FUND.ORG OR THE V.A. TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION FOR THEIR SMALL UNIT.

AND THEN THAT WILL BE LOOKED AT AND BASED OFF OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THAT KIND OF STRESS THAT THEY HOPEFULLY WILL BE FOR THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND JUST WONDERING FOR YOURSELF, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD SAY I GUESS ON A POSITIVE NOTE THAT HAS DEFINITELY CHANGED FOR YOU ONCE YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO REESTABLISH THESE CONNECTIONS?

JUST SEEING ALL THESE GUYS, THEY SAID THE BEST THERAPY IS LAUGHING, AND WE LAUGH SO MUCH OVER THE WEEKEND THAT WE CRIED AT SOME POINTS FROM LAUGHING SO HARD.

I THINK EVERYBODY, AGAIN REALIZING THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING THROUGH ALL THIS STUFF ALONE AND THEY WEREN'T WEAK FOR HAVING WHAT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH.

YEAH, THE POSITIVE IS THAT EVERYBODY OPENED UP AND REALIZED THAT IT'S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.

AND IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE SERVING ALL BRANCHS OF THE MILITARY?

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, LISTEN.

ALEX AND ADAMS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING NOT ONLY YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH US, BUT DEFINITELY WITHIN YOUR UNIT AND MAKING SURE OTHER UNITS HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECONNECT WITH EACH OTHER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OPERATION RESILIENCY, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT METROFOCUS.ORG.

♪ I GOT YOU BABE, I GOT YOU BABE ♪

FOR SIX STRAIGHT DECADES, AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE HAS FLAT-OUT DOMINATED POPULAR CULTURE, BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS, PUSHING BOUNDARIES AND LETTING NOTHING AND NO ONE STAND IN HER WAY.

'THE CHER SHOW', A NEW MUSICAL ON BROADWAY IS HER STORY.

IT'S PACKED WITH SO MUCH CHER, IT TAKES THREE WOMEN TO PLAY HER, ONE STARTING OUT, THE POP STAR AND THE ICON.

THE SHOW HAS JUST BEEN NOMINATED FOR THREE TONY AWARDS.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN, BEST LIGHTING DESIGN AND BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE FOR STEPHANIE J. BLOCK.

HERE IS A QUICK LOOK.

♪ I GOT YOU TO HOLD ME TIGHT ♪ I GOT YOU TO LOVE ME SO ♪ I GOT YOU, BABE, I GOT YOU, BABE ♪ ♪ I GOT YOU BABE ♪ ♪ DO YOU BELIEVE LIFE AFTER LOVE, I CAN SEE, I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S STRONG ENOUGH ♪ ♪ DO YOU BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER LOVE ♪ ♪ YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF ME ♪

AND IT TOOK ONE SUPERSTAR DIRECTOR TO CAPTURE THIS TIMELESS ICON'S STORY ON STAGE.

DIRECTOR JASON MOORE HAS HAD EXPERIENCE DIRECTING AND A FEW OTHER MUSICALS YOU PROBABLY HEARD OF.

AMONG THEM AVENUE Q WHICH GOT A TONY NOMINATION AND 'PITCH PERFECT.'

WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE JASON ON 'METROFOCUS.'

THANKS.

IT WAS MARVELOUS.

GOOD FUN.

TO ME THIS IS JUST MORE THAN A MUSICAL REVIEW.

THERE WERE STORY THINGS WHERE I FOUND MYSELF SAYING TO MYSELF I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT HAD HAPPENED.

I THINK WE KNOW A LOT OF THE HIGHS.

BUT THE SHOWS TRIES TO HIGHLIGHT THE DOWNS FOR HER.

PEOPLE KNOW HER AS A SURVIVOR AND REINVENTOR AND WHAT IT REALLY MEANT THE WAY SHE LOST THINGS AND LOST HER BUSINESS, LOST HER CAREER, LOST HER TICKET SALES, THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO BALANCE OUT WITH THE HIGHS.

I MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION, YOU HAVE THREE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS.

YOU HAVE WOVEN THEM ALL TOGETHER.

WHAT WAS THE IDEA BETWEEN THREE?

SHARE HAS LIVED FOR SUCH A LONG TIME AND THE WAY YOU EXPERIENCE A STORY IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU'RE 19 VERSUS 16 IS VERY DIFFERENT.

THE THINGS YOU KNOW AS A WISE ADULT YOU DON'T KNOW AS A YOUNG CHILD.

THE NOTION OF YOU BEING ABLE TO TALK TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF OR LEARN FROM YOUR OLDER SELF, THAT SEEMED LIKE A THEATRICAL TODAY BUT A THEMATICALLY INTERESTING ONE, HOW DO YOU LEARN ABOUT LIFE, TRUST YOURSELF.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER WHO YOU WERE AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO HAVE FAITH IN WHO YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME.

HERE YOU HAVE THREE ACTORS, AND THEY'RE ALL SO TALENTED.

I MENTIONED STEPHANIE J. BLOCK.

THE OTHER TWO ARE IMMENSELY TALENTED.

THEY DO A GREAT JOB.

BUT HOW DO YOU DIRECT THEM WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE PORTRAYING A LEGEND WHO IS STILL A LIVING LEGEND?

WELL, PART OF IT WAS WE ARE SORT OF LOOKING AT THE BEGINNING OF CHER'S LIFE WHEN SHE IS 6 TO WHEN SHE IS 19.

SO MICAYLA PLAYS THAT PART.

SOME OF THE THINGS WE KNOW AS CHER AND HER VOICE AND HER MANNERISMS HADN'T REALLY MANIFESTED YET.

YOU START TO SEE THE BIRTH OF HOW THAT HAPPENED.

THE MIDDLE CHER IS DOING THE TV VERSION OF HERSELF WHICH WAS SMALL AND SEXY AND KIND OF EYE ROLLING AND KIND OF DISMISSIVE.

AND STEPHANIE EMBODIES THE CHER THAT HAS HAD TO FILL A BIG POP ARENA WHERE SHE BECAME LARGER THAN LIFE.

EACH ACTRESS HAD A DIFFERENT TASK.

AND OUR OTHER TASK WAS TO MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY'RE ALL THE SAME PERSON.

SO IT'S LOOKING FOR THE HAIR FLIPS AND THE TONGUE AND THE SPEAKING VOICE THAT WORKED ON EACH ACTRESS BUT MADE THEM FEEL LIKE A UNIT.

AND SHE PARTICIPATED.

TELL ME SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHE DID IN PUTTING THIS THING TOGETHER?

CHER BROUGHT US ALL TOGETHER.

SHE IS A PRODUCER ON IT.

AND THERE IS NO DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY OR MOVIE ABOUT CHER'S LIFE.

SO WE DID IT JUST BY INTERVIEWING HER.

IT'S ALL THE STORIES IN THE SHOWS ARE ONES THAT SHE TOLD US VERBALLY.

AT SEVERAL READINGS, GAVE US FEEDBACK, NO ONE CAN TELL US BIR WHAT HAPPENED THAN CHER.

SHE CAME TO SEE IT IN CHICAGO.

SHE HAS SEEN IT MANY TIMES ON BROADWAY.

SHE GAVE US THE FEEDBACK BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE HER STORY AND ALSO IN HER VOICE.

IT'S SO SPECIFIC HER SENSE OF HUMOR, THE WAY SHE SPEAKS, WHO ARE HERR OBSERVANCE, BEHAVIOR ABOUT PEOPLE.

I SAW WHERE SHE GAVE SOME ADVICE TO THE THREE WOMEN WHO PLAY HER ROLE ABOUT PLAYING HER BUT STILL BEING THEM.

WHAT DID SHE SAY TO THEM?

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS WE REALLY NEEDED PERMISSION BECAUSE IT'S STILL CHER.

AND WE NEED HER APPROVAL, RIGHT?

WE WANT IT AS ARTISTS BUT ALSO FOR THE SHOW TO WORK.

I THINK WE WERE WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE SURE WE CAPTURED HER IS WHAT CHER SAID TO STEPHANIE YOU SHOULD BE AS MUCH YOU AS YOU ARE ME.

PEOPLE ARE ULTIMATELY SHOWING UP TO SEE CHER.

BUT THEY STAY BECAUSE OF YOU.

AND THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE SORT OF FREEING MOMENTS.

THAT'S GREAT WAY TO PUT IT.

TO FEEL COMFORTABLE, OH, I OWN THIS PART, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT CHER.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER MARVELOUS WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, I'M ALWAYS CURIOUS FOR DIRECTORS, HAVE THEY WOVEN IN SOME OF THE LESSONS THEY LEARNED FROM OTHER SHOWS OR TECHNIQUES.

AND I GO IMMEDIATELY TO 'PITCH PERFECT.'

AND I SAW THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT KIND OF WHAT YOU BROUGHT FROM 'PITCH PERFECT,' HOW IT HELP YOU'D MAYBE TO DIRECTING 'CHER'.

WHEN I STARTED WORKING ON 'CHER' I WASN'T SURE WHAT THE ANGLE WAS, THAT SHE FELT SHY.

HER FATHER WAS ARMENIAN AND HER SKIN COLOR WAS DIFFERENT.

SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE ON THE COVER OF VOGUE THAT HAD DARK HAIR, AND SHE WAS MADE FUN OF FOR THAT.

OH, CHER, EVEN THOUGH SHE IS AN ICON, SHE IS AN OUTSIDER.

AND THAT REALLY IS WHETHER IT'S SHREK OR PITCH PERFECT, THE SENSE OF BEING AN OUTSIDER IS SOMETHING I IDENTIFY.

I THINK WHAT MOST PEOPLE IDENTIFY.

I THINK IF WE CAN SHOW HOW CHER IS AN OUTSIDER, WE CAN SHOW HOW EVERYONE CAN BE CHER.

AND YOU'VE DONE THAT SAID IT IN THE VERY BEGINNING.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE TIMES I'VE HAD ON BROADWAY.

WELL, GREAT.

AND I THINK MY AUDIENCE JUST LOVED IT.

THEY WERE ON THEIR FEET STANDING AND APPLAUDING, LITERALLY BEFORE THE CAST STARTED TO COME OUT TO TAKE THEIR BOWS.

SO YOU'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB ACCOMPLISHING WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO, TELLING A GREAT STORY.

JASON, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS.

GREAT WORK ON THIS.

AND FOR YOU FOLKS THROUGHOUT, JUST REMEMBER 'THE CHER SHOW' A NEW MUSICAL IS PLAYING AT THE SIMON THEATER.

FOR MORTGAGE INFORMATION VISIT US AT 'METROFOCUS.'

'METROFOCUS' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY JAMES AND MERRYL TISCH, SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

BERNARD AND IRENE SCHWARTZ, ROSALIND P. WALTER, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY -- ♪ ♪ I DIDN'T REALLY MEAN TO HURT YOU ♪ ♪ I KNOW MADE YOU CRY, IF I COULD BRING BACK TIME, I GIVE IT ALL TO YOU ♪ ♪ AND YOU'D LOVE ME, LOVE ME, LOVE ME LIKE YOU USED TO DO ♪