Archived Q&A with Alexandra Pelosi

• Q

  

  HBODocs

  Welcome, Alexandra to your first HBO Connect Live Chat. We're thrilled to have you join us today, the day after the premiere of Citizen USA: A 50 State Road Trip. Say hello!

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  Welcome America to my first live chat. This is my first time so BE NICE!

• Q

  

  tomOnow

  Hi, I loved the doc! I was wondering if you had thought about going back and interviewing some of the subjects a year later?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  Great idea! Because being at a Naturalization ceremony is like being at a wedding, everyone is so optimistic and happy. It would be interesting to go back a year later and see how they feel after the honeymoon!

• Q

  

  Emily Giannusa

  How do you choose what you're going to make a documentary about?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  Inspiration comes from a lot of different places...this film was inspired by my husband - he came to America (legally) and I had to watch him go through the process of becoming an American - so I thought it was an interesting topic. you never know where the next idea will come from - got any ideas?

• Q

  

  rhob724

  Hi Alexandra! How long does it typically take for you to create a documentary?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  for me, it usually takes about a year to shoot and a year to edit. But many doc filmmakers spend years on one film - I cant really afford to work that way because I am not independently wealthy and my kids have to eat!

• Q

  

  Nancy Malinda Jean Hubbard-Scott

  I love watching all of the documentaries that you have made for HBO. I live in the sourthern Ohio/northern Kentucky area where the Oxycontin epidemic is killing our young people by the hundreds. Any chance you would consider coming here to cover this?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  Thanks for the invitation - I love ohio and kentucky. would love to come check it out - thanks for the tip! will you take me out for coffee in your hometown?

• Q

  

  adelutzat

  how do you feel when someone says that the best thing about America is that cars stop behind the school buses? or that you can buy a car that is not yellow?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  I like the idea that America has such a great quality of life. these things may sound small but they point to a much bigger issue - that we are spoiled in ways we don't realize.

• Q

  

  ADiPesto

  How did you spend your Independence Day holiday?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  In California with my whole family! My mom made red white and blue cupcakes and my kids made red white and blue cookies - and my nephews and nieces put on a talent show of American songs. good times.

• Q

  

  redxtine

  America is pretty great, but if for some reason or another you had to emigrate to another country, where would it be?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  Holland, because that is where my husband is from so I would have a free place to stay!

• Q

  

  Toni Lear

  Hi, of all the naturalization ceremonies you witnessed, in which if the 50 states was the ceremony the most bizarre?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  Its a toss up between the Circus in Washington DC (not actually a state) with all of the clowns (clowns freak me out!) and the Mall of Americas in Minnesota - outside of the best buy with all of the oblivious shoppers walking by!

• Q

  

  CitizenshipMD

  Hi Alexandra I'm writing from the naturalization dept. of an immigrant advocacy organization in Maryland. we watched your documentary last night and were really thankful that someone is documenting this process that so many of our clients go thru.

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  It must be really frustrating for you how the media never pays attention to all of the effort that people go through to become citizens legally. And how arbitrary the laws are about who gets to stay and who doesn't! Thank you for the work that you do.

• Q

  

  Gregory Maher

  I was born in El Salvador, naturalized in '84 through adoption to a New England family. Searching for identity with white parents allowed me many lessons. I might write my story in the future, but for now, I'm happy to see your work giving life to issues

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  sounds like i should be making a movie about you! Good luck with the search!

• Q

  

  kuttynalini

  hello alexandra, what made you make "JOURNEYS WITH GEORGE" that earned you six Emmy nominations?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  NBC News assigned me to cover the presidential campaign of George W Bush. I lived on a campaign bus for a year and I was surprised by how different George Bush was in person from how he looked on tv. So I pulled out my camcorder and started documenting my experience of being on the bus with W.

• Q

  

  webdevgirl

  Is there any singular film that inspired you to get into filmmaking?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  hardest question of the day! I am a big fan of Jon Alpert - Did you ever see life of crime? it was amazing. Every documentary film that I have ever seen has inspired me in some way. there are so many good ones out there.

• Q

  

  sabrinacaluori

  I saw on the Colbert Repot that you were going to do a naturalization ceremony on the show, but the White House rejected it. What was your reaction to that?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  Here is the thing. I am HUGE fan of Colbert. He is seriously the smartest guy in television. And I have been on all of those shows - and he is by far, the funniest. But he is doing improv. he is an actor. And the people in Washington don't get it. They are afraid he is going to mock them. The department of homeland security said YES to him, but the White house shut it down. The Obama press office is paranoid and controlling - just like all the rest of them. the lesson is: If you let Colbert in, he will be nice to you. If you shut him out, he will mock you.

• Q

  

  JohnThomas74

  Hi Alexandra, would you mind talking about how your family background affected your ability to make this film? for example you had access to high profile people - was your family name a help or a hindrance or both?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  Here is the thing that nobody seems to grasp - my last name only hurts me. I have been able to make 7 films for HBO in spite of my last name! The worst film i made was about the democrats running against Bush - none of them would give me access! "high profile" Politicians are all paranoid actors who don't want a camera anyone near them. Most of my films have been road trips across America where I have to go somewhere and make friends with people.

• Q

  

  Lindsey Wilson

  As a New Yorker, what was your reaction to the legalization of same-sex marriage? Think the rest of the country will ever follow suit?

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  Alexandra Pelosi says:

  I am so proud to be a New Yorker! I took my kids to the parade and when Gov. Cuomo walked by and the crowd went wild I was so proud to tell my kids that politicians aren't all bad - they do change peoples lives.