Mr. Dodd Goes to Hollywood

Chris Dodd, former Democratic senator from Connecticut and current chairman and chief executive officer of the Motion Picture Association of America, is riding in the passenger seat of a Dodge Avenger making its way down Lombard Street in San Francisco, and he’s lobbying the driver. “I’ll tell ya—motion pictures! Nobody realizes how many people are employed by this industry—2.1 million people in this country got up today and went to work on a job dependent on the movie and television industry. And these are good jobs. In what other industry can you get a job, a high-paying job, without a college degree?”

He pauses. “Not that I’m against college,” he says. He points out that he served on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and was chairman of the subcommittee on children and families. “I care deeply—deeply!—about education. I’ve got two daughters, both in public school. These kids today have so much homework, is that really good for them? I don’t know. I’ll tell ya, it’s not bad to take some time, go at your own pace, find yourself. Let kids figure out what they want to do. … My younger brother Jeremy, he’s the most interesting guy I know, and I don’t know what the f-‍-‍- he does. You’ve got to live!” Pretty soon, Dodd launches into another reminiscence about his days in the Senate, this one involving Howard Baker, Alan Cranston, and a violation of Senate Dining Room etiquette.