The Most Exciting Person in American Theater

Anna Deavere Smith (from broadway as well as Nurse Jackie, West Wing and Inventing Anna) is a deep thinker with an easy laugh—pretty much my favorite combination. She felt like an old friend from minute one. This heart to heart from the set of my PBS show, Tell Me More was followed by a conversation with Princeton professor Andrew Chignell who studies, among other things, hope and optimism, something Anna had a lot to say about. This is what we think of as a perfect Kelly Corrigan Wonders episode—a lot of feeling, a lot of thinking. Enjoy and share.