:41:05
Yeah? Max, I'm telling you he's fine.
:41:09
He's been sharp all day.
He's been as funny as hell.
:41:12
Had everybody cracking up
at the rundown meeting.
:41:14
I told him!
:41:17
Cue VTA.
:41:19
Ready two.
:41:22
- Cue announcer.
- The "UBS Evening News"...
:41:26
with Howard Beale.
:41:28
Last night I was awakened
from a fitful sleep...
:41:32
shortly after 2:00 in the morning...
:41:35
by a shrill, sibilant,
faceless voice.
:41:38
I couldn't make it out at first
in the dark bedroom.
:41:43
I said, "I'm sorry.
You'll have to talk a little louder."
:41:45
- What do you want me to do?
- Nothing.
:41:49
The voice said to me,
"I want you to tell the truth.
:41:52
Not easy to do, because the people
don't want to know the truth."
:41:55
I said, "You're kidding?
:41:58
What should I know about the truth?"
:42:00
But the voice said to me,
"Don't worry about the truth."
:42:04
I will put the words in your mouth."
:42:07
I said,
"Is this the burning bush?
:42:09
I'm not Moses."
:42:10
The voice said, "I'm not God.
What has that got to do with it?"
:42:14
The voice said, "We're not talking
about eternal, absolute truth.
:42:18
We're talking about impermanent,
transient, human truth!
:42:21
I don't expect people
to be capable of truth...
:42:23
but at least you're capable
of self-preservation."
:42:27
I said, "Why me?"
:42:30
The voice said, "Because you're
on television, dummy."
:42:33
Beautiful.
:42:35
"Forty million Americans listen to you,
and after the show, maybe 50 million.
:42:38
I'm not asking you to walk the land
in sackcloth preaching the Armageddon.
:42:43
You're on TV."
:42:45
I thought about it for a moment.
:42:48
Then I said, "Okay."