From RAYE to Retro History, Six Sunday Stories Worth Savoring
It’s CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley time — and this round of INYIM picks is exactly why the show remains one of television’s great little escape hatches. We pulled six stories built to fuel the brain, the imagination and a little casual-whimsy Sunday wandering.
This week’s INYIM six zigzag from history of salt, to retiring Smithsonian head on protecting history, then move through songbird RAYE, a visit to Ken Kesey’s original “Merry Pranksters” bus, True Crime and — last but certainly never least — how YouTube creators are revamping Hollywood.
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History of Salt: Martha Teichner and Mark Kurlansky
From the archives: The history of salt, in a pinch.
Correspondent Martha Teichner talked with Mark Kurlansky, author of the bestseller “Salt: A World History,” to mine the story of how a simple compound chemically defined as NaCl became a substance that has shaped empires – and makes food taste better. She also talked with celebrity chef David Burke, and with Mark Bitterman and Jennifer Turner Bitterman, who sell 90 varieties of salt, and hold salt tastings, at their Portland, Ore., shop. (Originally aired Oct. 26, 2008.)
Old advertisements, packaging and archival images trace how an everyday seasoning became a trade commodity and a force in world history. Martha Teichner’s conversation with Mark Kurlansky supplies a surprisingly expansive look at what we sprinkle on dinner.
Smithsonian Leadership and the Mission to Protect History
Retiring Smithsonian head Lonnie Bunch on protecting history.
In 2019, Lonnie G. Bunch III became both the first historian and the first African American to serve as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Now 73, Bunch has announced he is retiring. He talks with correspondent Mo Rocca about fulfilling and enriching the Smithsonian’s mandate. He also talks about pressure from the Trump White House questioning the patriotism of Smithsonian staff, and why the museums’ mission – to protect history – includes giving America a full picture of itself.
A look inside the Smithsonian offers a reminder that museums are not simply places to store objects. The choices about what to collect, protect and explain also influence how future generations understand the American story.
RAYE on Independence, Risk and Finding Her Own Voice
Raye on the big risk behind her biggest success.
The British singer-songwriter Raye says she has been putting in the work since she was a teen, creating songs that range in subject matter from being single to sexual assault and coping with drugs and alcohol. That work has led to enormous success, including her smash hit “Where Is My Husband!” RAYE talks with correspondent Seth Doane about becoming an independent artist after a break with her record label; the risks and rewards of going it alone; and how her latest album, “This Music May Contain Hope,” has been a family affair.
The images accompany a conversation about RAYE’s hard-won independence, her songwriting and the personal stakes of making music on her own terms. There is plenty to admire in a career built on persistence as well as talent.
Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters and the Furthur Bus
Ken Kesey’s original “Merry Pranksters” bus makes its latest trek.
In 1964 writer Ken Kesey and his band of “Merry Pranksters” rode a 1939 school bus, named “Furthur,” across the country, fueled by music, alcohol and LSD. It became an icon of the burgeoning counterculture movement, and a symbol of liberation. But in the decades since it has fallen into a rusted state. Now the bus is on display in San Francisco, part of an ongoing journey to help restore it to its former, magic glory. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.
The storied bus connects the colorful 1960s counterculture to a present-day preservation effort. Its worn exterior and long history speak to a road trip that became far more than an eccentric adventure across America.
True Crime, CrimeCon and the Fascination With Cold Cases
True crime, where there’s nothing hotter than a cold case.
Today the public’s appetite for true crime – from TV shows and podcasts to the big screen – has never been bigger, as devotees of the genre even spend their time trying to solve crimes. Correspondent Luke Burbank visits the annual CrimeCon convention, and talks with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, hosts of the “My Favorite Murder” podcast, and professor Jean Murley, about the appeal of crime as entertainment.
From convention culture to enduring podcast fandom, these images accompany a look at the public fascination with unsolved cases. The questions extend beyond suspense to why so many people become deeply invested in real-life investigations.
YouTube Creators Are Changing the Rules in Hollywood
How YouTube creators are revamping Hollywood.
It’s been a huge year at the box office. But two of Hollywood’s biggest hits came with the smallest expectations: “Obsession” and “Backrooms,” horror films directed by YouTube creators on tiny budgets, which each grossed hundreds of millions of dollars – prompting studios to search for other social media-savvy talent. Correspondent Luke Burbank talks with Matt Belloni (co-founder of Puck and host of “The Town” podcast), filmmaker Mark Vins (co-founder of the YouTube channel Brave Wilderness), and YouTube’s Kim Larson about how creators with millions of followers can study what and how their audience watches, making YouTube a valuable new kind of film school.
As a new generation of filmmakers crosses from online video to theatrical releases, the line between internet creators and Hollywood directors looks increasingly porous. The accompanying report considers the opportunities and the lessons studios are taking from that shift.
Source: CBS News Sunday Morning, including its archival and feature reports.
