FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF ITS FOUND TORE GIVE BACK TO OUR LOUISIANA COMMUNITIES WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK.

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT ROYOMARTIN.COM.

THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY IS PROUD TO JOIN LPB IN HONORING THE 2018 LOUISIANA LEGENDS.

CONTRIBUTING OVER 3.5 BILLION DOLLARS FOR K-12 PUBLIC EDUCATION.

THE LOTTERY IS GIVING LOUISIANA A REASON TO SMILE.

SUPPORT FOR THE 2018 LOUISIANA LEN END COMES FROM A LOCALLY OWNED LOCALLY OPERATED NOT FOR PROFIT HEALTH SYSTEM SERVING PATIENTS SINCE 1924.

HELLO, I'M BETH COURTNEY, PRESIDENT OF LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, AND WELCOME TO LOUISIANA LEGENDS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION WITH 2018 LOUISIANA LEGEND TED JONES.

BUT FIRST, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT HIS BIOGRAPHY.

IN 1944, IN THE SOUTH LOUISIANA TOWN OF NEW IBERIA, LIFE FOR 10-YEAR-OLD BOYS INCLUDING FISHING, WALKING THROUGH THE CANE FIELDS, AND MEETING CONTROVERSIAL POLITICIANS.

IT SEEMED UP LIKELY, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEN GOVERNOR EARL LONG WALKED INTO TED JONES' FATHER'S PLACE OF BUSINESS.

UNCLE EARL'S BIGGER THAN LIFE CHARACTER MADE QUITE AN IMPRESSION ON YOUNG TED, WHO LATER WOULD SPEND MUCH OF HIS LIFE IN THE POLITICAL ARENA.

BORN IN TIFTON, GEORGIA, HE GREW UP ON HIS GRANDPARENTS' FARM.

LIFE THERE WAS PRETTY TOUGH.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE INDOOR PLUMBING, THEY GREW EVERYTHING THEY ATE, A QUARTER WAS A LOT OF MONEY.

BUT THEY WERE WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND I THINK THEY INSTILLED IN TED THEIR VALUES, WHICH WERE TO RESPECT EVERYBODY, TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN, AND TO WORK HARD.

MY DAD IS A SELF-MADE MAN.

I THINK FOR A LONG TIME IN HIS LIFE, VERY LITTLE WAS GIVEN TO HIM, IF ANYTHING.

AND HE GREW VERY RESILIENT, I THINK.

BY THE TIME TED GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1951, HE WAS CONVINCED THAT IN A FEW SHORT YEARS, HE WOULD BECOME THE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA.

HE ENROLLED IN ABRAHAM BALDWIN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, AND AFTER TWO YEARS ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.

WHERE HE REMAINED FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

TED'S INTEREST IN POLITICS REMAINS STRONG, AS DID ANOTHER OF HIS LIFE'S PASSIONS.

WHEN I WAS A YOUNG BOY, HE CAME BACK FROM THE AIR FORCE AND HE SAT ON THE COUCH IN FRONT OF THE FIRE AND PLAYED HIS GUITAR, USING FINGER PICKS AND HE WAS JUST A GOD AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED.

TED'S THUMB PICKING STYLE OF PLAYING WOULD SOON LEAD TO THE STAGE OF A WEEKLY RADIO BROADCAST, WHERE ANOTHER YOUNG GUITAR PLAYER AND SINGER'S FAME WAS LAUNCHED.

THE STORY IS THAT HE WENT DOWN TO PLAY WITH THE LOUISIANA HAY RIDE, AND HE WAS JUST 20 YEARS OLD.

AND AFTER THEIR GIG AS HE WAS WALKING OFF, ELVIS WAS THE NEXT PERFORMER.

AND ELVIS SAID, HEY, MAN, WOULD YOU BACK ME ON THE NEXT FEW SONGS?

AND TED DID.

AND JUST ONE YEAR LATER, TED BECAME A REGULAR MEMBER OF GOVERNOR JIMMY DAVIS'S RENOWNED BAND.

AS TED'S LOVE OF MUSIC CONTINUED TO GROW, SO DID HIS PASSION FOR POLITICS.

HE RECEIVED A DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY IN NATCHITOCHES, AND A JURIS DOCTOR OF LAW DEGREE FROM OLE MISS IN 1963 AT THE AGE OF 29.

WHILE PRACTICING LAW, HE MET STATE SENATOR SPEEDY LONG, AND WENT ON TO BE HIS CHIEF OF STAFF WHEN LONG WON A SEAT IN THE U.S.

CONGRESS.

DURING HIS TIME IN D.C., TED WORKED ON A MASTER'S OF LAWS DEGREE IN TAXATION AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER, A DEGREE THAT WOULD BRING HIM MUCH ACCLAIM IN THE FUTURE.

TED WITHOUT A DOUBT IS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR BEST RESOURCES IN LOUISIANA FOR A FEDERAL TAX POLICY IN LAW.

TED HAS WRITTEN TWO BOOKS ON TAX POLICY, HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN WASHINGTON, DC FOR THE LAST 60 YEARS ON ALL TAX MEASURES THAT HAVE PASSED.

AS SPECIAL COUNSEL TO NUMEROUS GOVERNORS, LEGISLATORS, AND PRESIDENTS, TED'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE POLITICAL WORLD HAS SPANNED DECADES.

HOWEVER, WASHINGTON POLITICS HASN'T BEEN HIS ONLY INTEREST IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL.

I MET TED JONES 40 YEARS AGO IN WASHINGTON, DC WHEN I ATTENDED MY FIRST LOUISIANA MARDI GRAS FESTIVITIES.

AND TED WAS AN ICON AT THAT TIME.

AND WAS JUST AMAZED AT TED'S COMMAND OF SUCH A LARGE EVENT.

TED COORDINATED ALL OF THE CREW MEMBERS, THE RUN-UP SHOW FOR THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY NIGHTS, AND REMEMBER, WE HAVE 3,000 LOUISIANIANS, THEIR GUESTS ALL IN WASHINGTON FOR A THREE-DAY FESTIVITY.

TED, WITH THE HELP OF HIS WIFE CARMEN, IS STILL TODAY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MYSTICK KREWE OF LOUISIANIANS.

IF YOU WANT A TICKET TO THE WASHINGTON MARDI GRAS, YOU NEED TO TALK TO TED JONES.

AND HOPE HE AIN'T MAD AT YOU.

WHILE A LIFETIME OF POLITICS AND MUSIC HAVE TAKEN CENTER STAGE IN HIS LIFE, TED HAS A FEW MORE PASSIONS THAT MIGHT SURPRISE MANY WHO KNOW HIM.

HIS THING THAT HE LOVES MORE THAN ANYTHING IS BEING A FARMER.

HE GROWS, LIKE, 5,000 TOMATO BUSHES, HE DOES THE BEST SWEET WHITE CORN, HE LOVES FISHING, IF SOMEBODY ASKED HIM TO GO FISHING, HE'S GOING TO STOP WHAT HE'S DOING AND GOING FISHING.

♪ IT'S AN ENTHUSIASM FOR LIFE THAT INSPIRES MANY WHO KNOW TED JONES.

A FASCINATING AND INTERESTING INDIVIDUAL WITH INEXHAUSTIBLE ENERGY.

HE'S A GRANDFATHER OF FOUR WITH SILVER IN HIS HAIR AND GOLD IN HIS HEART.

HE MAKES PEOPLE AROUND HIM FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES, AND HE IS VERY MUCH A SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY HE KNOWS.

HELLO, WELCOME BACK.

WE ARE HERE IN THE LOVELY HOME OF OUR LOUISIANA LEGEND, TED JONES.

AND TED, I HOPE THE EVENING CELEBRATION WAS FUN FOR YOU.

IT WAS GREAT.

IT WAS THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.

I HAVE TO SAY.

I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT MY FAVORITE THING, YOU ARE AN ACCOMPLISHED LAWYER, ALL KINDS OF WONDERFUL HONORS, BUT I AM S. AND IN ADDITION TO THESE OTHER THINGS, PLAYING IN JIMMY DAVIS'S BAND.

TELL ME WHAT IT WAS LIKE EARLY ON, HE PLAYED UNTIL HE WAS WHAT, 100 -- AT HIS HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY PARTY HE GOT UP ON THE STAGE AND SANG FIVE SONGS.

100 YEARS OLD!

AND HE DIED WHEN HE WAS 101, AND THREE OR FOUR MONTHS OLD, AND TWO WEEKS BEFORE HE DIED, AL HARRIS AND I WENT OVER TO HIS HOUSE.

WE SAT DOWN AND SHE GOT HIM UP AND BROUGHT HIM INTO THE LIVING ROOM WHERE THE PIANO WAS, AND WE PLAYED ABOUT EIGHT SONGS FOR HIM.

AND HE SANG THREE SONGS TWO WEEKS BEFORE HE DIED.

WOW.

HE SANG SUPPER TIME, AND SUNSHINE, AND NOBODY'S DARLING BUT MINE.

HOW WONDERFUL.

YOU STARTED PLAYING AS A VERY EARLY YOUNG MAN.

I STARTED LEARNING WHEN I WAS 9 YEARS OLD.

AND AT 14 I TOLD MY GRANDPARENTS, WHO RAISED ME, I SAID, LISTEN, I CAN GET ME A JOB PLAYING IN THE DANCE HALLS.

AND THEY WERE BAPTIST AND THEY WENT CRAZY, AND YOU SAID OR YOU'LL BE A DRUNK, YOU WON'T BE ANY GOOD, YOU WON'T PAY YOUR BILLS.

I SAID, LISTEN, IF YOU LET ME PLAIRKS I'LL NEVER DRINK.

SO I DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL IN ANY FORM, AND NEVER HAVE.

BUT JUST AS A COMMITMENT TO THEM.

THEY LET ME PLAY, AND I STARTED MAKING MY OWN LIVING AT 14 YEARS OLD PLAYING IN DANCE HALLS.

THAT IS SO INTERESTING.

SO PLAYING IN DANCE HALLS, BUT THEN YOU ALSO WERE ON THE STAGE AT LOUISIANA HAY RIDE.

I WAS, AND WE HAD -- WE ALSO HAD A RADIO SHOW EVERY WEEK, AND I PLAYED ON THE HAY RIDE.

I WAS A GUEST WHEN I MET ELVIS PRESLEY AND PLAYED WITH ELVIS ON ONE SONG ON THE SHOW THAT NIGHT.

AND EARLY OCTOBER OF 1954, JUST BEFORE HE MADE IT BIG, THEN I PLAYED WITH HIM AGAIN ON THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN ALEXANDRIA, I WAS IN THE AIR FORCE AND HE CAME DOWN, HE TOLD ME TO COME OUT AND PLAY WITH HIM.

SO I DID, I CAME OUT AND PLAYED IN HIS BAND.

BUT HAY RIDE WAS A LOT OF FUN, A LOT OF FUN.

SOME GREAT PEOPLE THERE.

MAGGIE WORLEY, SHE AND ALTON HAVE BEEN GREAT FRIENDS THROUGH THE YEARS.

WHY DIDN'T LOUISIANA HAY RIDE DEVELOP LIKE THE GRAND OLE OPRY?

ALL THE MAJOR ARTISTS OF THE EARLY YEARS CAME THROUGH THE HAY RIDE.

AND KWKH CHANGED ITS PROGRAMMING ACTIVITY, AND THEY'VE LOST A LOT OF THE SPONSORS AND THE PEOPLE AROUND SHREVEPORT THAT HAD BACKED THE STATION FOR THE HAY RIDE PURPOSES.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, IT JUST KIND OF WORKED ITS WAY OUT.

BUT MOST OF THE OLD FASHIONED SHOWS LIKE THAT, WW -- WLW IN CHICAGO, AND THE SPRINGFIELD HAN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, AND DALLAS, TEXAS, THE BIG JAMBOREE, ALL THOSE SHOWS WENT AWAY.

BUT THE OPRY SURVIVED.

SO WE TALK ABOUT STORIES ABOUT MUSIC, BUT OF COURSE I WISH THAT I HAD BEEN AROUND TO HEAR UNCLE EARL, EARL LONG, WHEN HE WAS REALLY STUMP SPEAKING AND YOU HEARD HIM AT A YOUNG AGE AND SAID, I WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN POLITICS.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU?

WELL, WHEN I WAS A KID, I MEAN, BY GRANDPARENTS WERE FARMERS AND WE GREW UP ON THE FARM, I WAS 8 YEARS OLD, I NOTICED THE GOVERNORS AND CANDIDATES, AND SENATE CANDIDATES, AND THE CONGRESSMEN, AND THE SHERIFFS WOULD ALL COME TO SEE MY GRANDDAD.

BECAUSE HE HAD, YOU KNOW, A GOOD INFLUENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, I'D STAND OUT THERE AND LISTEN, AND I WAS INTRIGUED BY WHAT I HEARD ABOUT DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND DIFFERENT THINGS.

I FIGURED OUT MY PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE WAS, I WAS DOWN ON THE BOTTOM, AND I FIGURED THAT TO GET AROUND ALL THE PEOPLE AHEAD OF ME, I COULD GO TO WORK FOR THE GOVERNOR AND I COULD POLE VAULT AROUND THEM AND ALL THEM BIG GUYS WOULD BE COMING TO SEE ME.

[LAUGHTER] WELL, EVIDENTLY YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA, IS THAT RIGHT?

WELL, I DID.

1953 I WAS IN COLLEGE, AND MY FATHER, WHO DIDN'T -- I DIDN'T SEE MUCH OF MY FATHER, BUT A ALSO BIT, AND HE CAME TO SCHOOL ONE DAY AND HE SAID, COME OVER AND RIDE OVER TO THE FARM WITH ME.

AND I RODE OVER TO THE -- WHERE I WAS RAISED WITH MY GRANDPARENTS, AND HE SAID, POPPA IS GOING TO LET YOU HAVE 25 ACRES OF LAND, AND I WANT YOU TO GROW 25 ACRES OF TOMATOES.

I SAID, WHAT BROUGHT THIS ON?

I'M IN SCHOOL.

HE SAID, WELL, YOU TOLD ONE OF YOUR TEACHERS THAT YOU WERE GOING TO BE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA IN 1966.

HE SAID, WHEN YOU GET THROUGH GROWING 25 ACRES OF TOMATOES, YOU'LL KNOW HOW TO BE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA.

[LAUGHTER] THAT'S A GREAT STORY!

YOU'RE STILL GROWING TOMATOES.

I'M STILL GROWING TOMATOES, YES.

BUT I DIDN'T GROW ANOTHER TOMATO FROM 1953 UNTIL 1999.

WOW.

A BIG GAP.

A BIG GAP.

REALLY, BACK AT SCHOOL, YOU STUDIED, I GUESS YOUR MOST ADVANCED DEGREE IS IN TAX LAW.

YEAH.

YEAH.

THAT'S TRUE.

AND SO THAT PATH OF BEING AN ATTORNEY AND BEING A SPECIALIST IN TAXATION IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN MUSIC AND TOMATOES, RIGHT?

YEAH, I THOUGHT AT FIRST I WAS GOING TO BE A VETERINARIAN, BUT WHEN I HIT CHEMISTRY, IT STARTED ME OUT.

I THOUGHT, I'M SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE WORD BUSINESS.

SO I GOT A DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AND I EMPHASIZED ACCOUNTING AND ECONOMICS IN MY UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE.

I DID A LAW DEGREE AT OLE MISS AND A MASTER OF LAW IN TAXATION AT GEORGETOWN NUFORT WASHINGTON.

YOU CERTAINLY HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME REPRESENTING THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IN A VARIETY OF ISSUES.

I THINK ABOUT WHEN I FLY INTO WASHINGTON, DC, YOU STILL HAVE AN APARTMENT AT THE WATERGATE, RIGHT?

I DO.

YOU'RE STILL CONNECTED TO DC IN MANY WAYS.

I STILL LOBBY THE CONGRESS.

TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW THAT'S CHANGED.

YOU WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE THE VENUE OF CONGRESS FROM THE TIME I WORKED THERE IN THE '60s AND LOBBIED THROUGH THE YEARS, AND TODAY.

IT'S JUST SO MUCH DIFFERENT.

AND IT'S -- IT'S NOW NOT A PLACE OF THE PEOPLE, IT'S A PLACE OF MONEY.

THERE'S A LOT OF VICIOUSNESS IN THE CONGRESS THAT WAS NEVER THERE BEFORE.

THE PARTIES ARE TOO -- I DON'T KNOW, THEY JUST -- THEY DON'T WORK TOGETHER LIKE THEY SHOULD.

AND SO IT'S NOT A FUN PLACE TO WORK ANYMORE, LIKE IT USED TO BE WHEN I WORKED UP THERE.

I WORKED WITH RUSSELL LONG ON HIS MEDICARE TEAM.

I WAS LOANED FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS.

AND -- WERE YOU WORKING FOR SPEEDY?

I WAS WORKING FOR SPEEDY LONG, I WAS CHIEF OF STAFF FOR SPEEDY, BUT SPEEDY WAS MY LAW PARTNER BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED TO CONGRESS.

WELL, THAT'S HANDY.

OKAY.

THEN YOU TBRENT SPEEDY, YOU WERE LOANED TO THE SENATE TO RUSSELL LONG.

THEY WERE COUSINS?

WELL, THEY WERE ABOUT FOURTH COUSINS, FIFTH COUSINS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND GILLIS LONG, HOW WAS HE RELATED?

HE WAS ABOUT THE SAME, BUT HE AND SPEEDY RAN AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND OF COURSE I WAS WITH SPEEDY, AND I LOVED GILLIS AND EVERYTHING, BUT SOMEBODY SAID, WHO ARE YOU FOR?

I SAID I'M FOR THE LONGS.

WHAT WAS EARL LONG REALLY LIKE?

WE'VE SEEN FILM OF HIM.

MR.

EARL WAS A REAL FINE MAN.

I MEAN, HE WAS JUST A COUNTRY GUY.

NOW, HE NEVER WANTED THE SOPHISTICATION OF HUEY.

HUEY ALWAYS WORE REAL BEAUTIFUL SUITS AND ALL THAT, WAS WELL DRESSED.

BUT MR.

EARL WAS A COUNTRY GUY.

AND HE NEVER WANTED TO GET ABOVE TO THINK HE WAS BETTER THAN WINFIELD.

HE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE FROM WINFIELD.

AND HE WAS A LOT MORE COMMON.

HUEY HAD THE INTELLECT AND THE ABILITY TO MEET WITH THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST IN THE WORLD.

MR.

EARL HAD THE INTELLECT, BUT THAT WAS NOT HIS FORTE.

HE JUST DIDN'T -- HE DIDN'T SEEM TO ENJOY THE SPOTLIGHT LIKE HUEY.

YOU'VE GIVEN BACK A LOT.

I KNOW NORTHWESTERN HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN YOUR HEART, NORTH WESTERN AND NATCHITOCHES.

IT DOES.

I CAME OUT OF THE SERVICE, I KNEW HI TO GET A DEGREE, BECAUSE I HAD THE G.I.

BILL FOR 48 MONTHS, SO I PUT -- I PUT FOUR YEARS -- ACTUALLY, THREE YEARS OF UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL AND TWO YEARS IN LAW SCHOOL, AND I LIKE 14 MONTHS HAD ENOUGH G.I.

BILL TO RUN ME OUT.

SO I HAD TO WALK, I MOVED INTO THE DORMITORY, I DIDN'T HAVE A CAR OR ANYTHING.

SO I HAD TO DO THE BEST I COULD.

BUT YOU KNOW, THE G.I.

BILL HELPED SO MANY PEOPLE IN MY GENERATION, AND THE GENERATIONS BEFORE ME.

AND IT'S WHAT TURNED THE COUNTRY ON A PROGRESSIVE BASIS, WHEN PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT FIGURED OUT WHAT IT TOOK TO TURN THE COUNTRY AROUND FROM THE DEPRESSION, HE USED THE JOHN MAYNARD CANES THEORY OF ECONOMICS THAT FULL EMPLOYMENT WAS IMPOSSIBLE, AND REASONABLE UNEMPLOYMENT WAS THE THING.

AND WHEN THEY REACHED THAT THEORY, IT CONVERTED THE DYNAMIC ECONOMY OF THIS COUNTRY, AND WHEN WE EDUCATED EVERYBODY TO FULFILL SOMETHING THEY HAD NEVER DONE, IT HELPED THIS COUNTRY A LOT.

HAVE YOU EXAMINED THE NEW TAX CODE?

MY TAKE ON THAT, I'M ALWAYS FOR THE CUTS.

OKAY.

BUT I COMPLAINED ONE TIME ABOUT MY TAXES, AND EDWIN EDWARDS TOLD ME, THANK GOD YOU CAN PAY THEM.

THAT'S THE THING.

SO FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, THEY'RE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF LOW INCOME AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU LOOK AT YOUR POLITICAL CAREER, WHAT IS THERE -- IS THERE ONE MOMENT THAT STANDS OUT FOR YOU WHEN YOU REPRESENTED LOUISIANA AND YOU THOUGHT, WOW, THIS IS A TURNING POINT.

WELL, I THOUGHT WHEN I SETTLED THE 8G FUND AND GOT THAT OUT, IT WAS A DIFFICULT LOBBY.

THAT'S THE OFFSHORE OIL MONEY, AND WE SAID, GOSH, LOUISIANA OUGHT TO HAVE MORE OF THAT REVENUE, BECAUSE IT'S BEING PRODUCED OFF OUR COAST.

WELL, AT THE TIME THERE WAS $4 BILLION IN ESCROW WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.

AND PRESIDENT REAGAN AND HIS ADMINISTRATION WAS USING THAT $4 BILLION TO OFFSET THE FEDERAL BUDGET DEFICIT.

THEY WOULDN'T SETTLE IT.

SO WE HAD TO LEGISLATE IT OUT.

AND I WENT TO JOHN BROW -- EDWIN EDWARDS HIESHED ME TO REPRESENT THE STATE, AND HE SAID YOUR JOB IS TO SETTLE THE 8G FUND.

A SMALL TASK.

A SMALL TASK.

SO WE DID, WE GOT IN -- I TALKED TO JOHN, WE GOT AN AMENDMENT ON THE BUDGET BILL.

AND WE LOBBIED THAT THING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, IT WENT BACK AND FORTH NINE TIMES, AND ON THE 23rd OF DECEMBER OF THE YEAR WE SETTLED IT, TIP O'NEILL WAS THE ONLY GUY LEFT IN THE HOUSE, AND WHEN THE SENATE TOOK IT OFF, HI TO GO, TIP, YOU GOTTA PUT IT BACK ON FOR ME ONE MORE TIME.

AND HE SAID, AT THE TIME, I'M THE ONLY GUY HERE.

I SAID, YOU'RE THE MAJORITY OF ONE, YOU CAN PUT IT ON.

SO WE GOT IT ON, SO I HUNTED UP RUSSELL LONG AND BENNY JOHNSON.

I SAID, IF YOU DON'T CUT A DEAL HERE WITH DOLE AND THE ADMINISTRATION,H WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THIS.

SO THEY CAME BACK, RUSSELL CAME BACK ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER, HE SAID, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT I CAN GET.

I CAN GET $800 MILLION, AND I CAN GET A $50 MILLION KICKER FOR FOUR YEARS.

WILL THAT WORK?

I SAID, THAT WILL WORK.

BECAUSE OUR SHARE OF THE 4 BILLION WAS ABOUT A BILLION TWO.

SO WE GOT ALL OUR MONEY.

WELL, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO LOCK IT UP AND DEDICATE IT TO EDUCATION.

THEY DID.

THEY PUT IT IN EDUCATION.

THAT WAS THE RIGHT PLACE.

BUT I BROUGHT THAT CHECK HOME FROM THE TREASURY OF THE UNITED STATES IN MY INSIDE COAT POCKET.

I DELIVERED IT TO EDWIN ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

WOW.

WHAT A PRESENT.

I SAW YOU JUST RECENTLY UP IN WASHINGTON AT THAT MARDI GRAS EVENT.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

HOW -- WE HAVE WASHINGTON MARDI GRAS IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, IT'S CHANGED SOMEWHAT TOO.

AND YOU'RE THE LEADER PAR EXCELLENCE.

YOU -- RUSSELL LONG USED TO BE THE MAN WHO LED EVERYBODY, AND NOW YOU SORT OF HAVE TAKEN THAT UP.

NO, I'M JUST ONE OF THE WORKERS.

WELL, YES.

BUT RUSSELL WAS THE CAPTAIN OF THE CREW, BUT THE BALL STARTED IN 1944.

AND IT WAS JUST KIND OF A SMALL GATHERING OF LOUISIANIANS THAT GOT TOGETHER ON MARDI GRAS TO HAVE A LITTLE PARTY.

BUT THEN THEY STARTED ELECTING A KING AND QUEEN.

AND THEN IN 1957 RUSSELL PUT IN THE MASK KREW.

AND WALTER CRONKITE WAS THE FIRST NARRATOR FOR THE KREWE.

AND WE HAD FROM THEN ON I GOT INTO KREWE IN 1962, AND RUSSELL TOLD ME, I WANT TO YOU GET IN HERE AND I WANT YOU TO BE AROUND.

SO I WAS AROUND.

AND THE ONLY PRESENT THAT HAS COME WAS GERALD -- THE ONLY PRESIDENT THAT HAS COME IS GERALD FORD.

BUT WE HAD VICE-PRESIDENT NIXON CAME, WE HAD THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT EARL WARREN CAME, AND WE HAD ALL THESE DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE IN THE GOVERNMENT, AND WHAT IT DOES, MARDI GRAS IN WASHINGTON IS A POLITICAL EVENT, SO TO SPEAK.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE FROM THE STATE TO COME UP AND SEE THE DELEGATION IN THEIR SETTING.

AND SO THEY CAN VISIT THE OFFICES OF THE GOVERNMENT AND -- WHATEVER THEIR INTERESTS ARE.

AND SO IT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE STATE TO HAVE THAT DISPLAYED TO THE NATION, WHERE YOU HAVE OTHER SENATORS AND OTHER CONGRESSMEN THAT COME AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THAT SEE THE RESOURCES OF OUR STATE, AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT, IS THE RESOURCES OF THE STATE, AND THE ECONOMICS OF THE STATE, AND THE DELEGATION IN CONGRESS LEADS THAT.

SO WHEN YOU SAY TO EVERYONE, WHEN YOU LOBBY ON BEHALF OF THE STATE, OR YOU TALK TO OTHERS, BE AT MARDI GRAS OR SOME OTHER OCCASION, WHAT IS IT YOU LOVE BEST ABOUT LOUISIANA?

WELL, WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, MY FATHER HAD A BOTTLING PLANT, THAT'S HOW I GOT OUT HERE.

AND I CAME OUT WHEN I WAS JUST A KID, LIKE 6 AND 7 YEARS OLD, I WATCHED MR.

HAYESTOWN BUILD A COURTHOUSE IN NEW IBERIA.

I USED TO RIDE MY BICYCLE OVER THERE, EVERY DAY HE'D SEE ME OUT THERE AND ONE DAY HE COME OUT AND SAID, SON, HOW ARE?

I TOLD HIM, I'M JUST A KID, I'M LOOKING THAT THE BEAUTIFUL COURTHOUSE.

SO HE'D BUY ME A COKE EVERY DAY WHEN IETD COME.

BUT I'D STAY ABOUT A MONTH IN THE SUMMERTIME WITH MY DAD IN NEW IBERIA.

SO I TOLD HIM WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, I MET GOVERNOR LONG.

I SAID, LISTEN, WHEN I GET GROWN, THIS IS WHAT I'M COMING TO LIVE.

HE SAID, WHY ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT?

I SAID, BECAUSE THEY PAY THE PRIEST TO WORRY AND THEY HAVE A GOOD TIME OUT HERE.

[LAUGHTER] OKAY!

SO I LOVE THE CAJUNS AND I'D RATHER DRINK IN THE FRENCH COUNTRY, AND I'D NAIL UP THEM COLA SIGNS ON TELEPHONE POLES AND OLD STORES, AND YOU'D SEE A BUNCH OF CAJUNS SITTING AROUND A STOVE, THEY'D BE PLAYING MOON AND CHECKERS, AND THEY'D TELL -- THEY SPEAK IN FRENCH AND TELL STORIES ABOUT YOU AND LAUGH AND YOU KNEW THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU.

WELL, IT SEEMS TED THAT A PERFECT PLACE FOR YOU TO BE, WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT YOU LIKE THE WAY OF LIFE AND TELLING THE STORIES OF LOUISIANA, AND WE ARE -- AND THE POLITICS.

AND THE POLITICS OF IT.

I LOVE THE POLITICS.

AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VISITING WITH US TODAY, AND CONGRATULATE YOU ON BEING LOUISIANA LEGEND.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, BETH.

I LOVE LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

IT'S A GREAT, GREAT INSTITUTION, AND IT'S A GREAT THING FOR OUR STATE.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR STAFF SO MUCH.

BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND THIS STATE.

BUT I TELL YOU, MY PHILOSOPHY IN POLITICS WAS ALWAYS -- ONCE I GOT OLD ENOUGH TO LOOK OVER IN THE ARENA AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, I DESIGHED I NEVER WANTED TO RUN FOR ANYTHING.

SO -- BUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS GET UP CLOSE TO THE TOP AND LAY IN THE WEEDS.

SOUNDS GOOD.

[LAUGHTER] THANKS, TED.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR WATCHING LOUISIANA LEGENDS.

I'M BETH COURTNEY, GOOD EVENING.

SINCE 1923, ROYOMARTIN, A WOOD PRODUCTS COMPANY, HAS FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF HIS FOUNDER TO GIVE BACK TO OUR LOUISIANA COMMUNITIES WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK.

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT ROYOMARTIN.COM.

THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY IS PROUD TO JOIN LPB IN MONDAYING ARE THE 2018 LOUISIANA LEGENDS.

CONTRIBUTING OVER 3.5 BILLION DOLLARS FOR K-12 PUBLIC EDUCATION.

THE LOTTERY IS GIVING LOUISIANA A REASON TO SMILE.

SUPPORT FOR THE 2018 LOUISIANA LEGENDS COMES FROM WILLIS KNIGHTON, A LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NOT FOR PROFIT HEALTH SYSTEM SERVING PATIENTS SINCE 1924.

Captioning Performed By LNS Captioning www.LNScaptioning.com FOR A COPY OF THIS PROGRAM CALL 1-800-973-7246 OR GO ONLINE TO WWW.LPB.ORG.