National Polygamy Advocate

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was interviewed (a 5th time) for INSIDE EDITION with Deborah Norville by producer Erika Jones for their nationally syndicated TV show, on June 26, 2006, produced by KingWorld. This was the fifth and last interview with her. In a voicemail message that the producer left the week before, on June 21, 2006, she was willing to concede one issue: to allow polygamous families for an interview to meet at a hotel. On June 23, 2006, Mark Henkel called her back, leaving a voicemail message that re-iterated all of the necessary requirements in order to proceed. On June 26, 2006, Mark Henkel finally reached her directly.  She realized that they were not going to be able to fulfill this "Circus Act Request" (C.A.R.) without meeting Mark Henkel's  protectve terms. The project was finally abandoned.

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was interviewed (a 4th time) for INSIDE EDITION with Deborah Norville by producer Erika Jones for their nationally syndicated TV show, on June 12, 2006, produced by KingWorld.  This was the fourth of five total interviews with her.  While the plan was for Mark Henkel to fly out for taping later that week, the producer called on this Monday to try to push for more open opportunities to film polygamous families.  After a healthy exchange of deeper clarity and possibilities, the producer ended this interview somewhat abruptly, saying she needed to discuss things more with her producer.   While Mark Henkel was not subsequently flown to New York to be taped, there would still be one more interview, which airs in the next episode.

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was interviewed (a third time) for INSIDE EDITION with Deborah Norville by producer Erika Jones for their nationally syndicated TV show, on June 9, 2006, produced by KingWorld. This was the second interview with her on that same day of June 9, 2006, and the third of five total interviews. Although the plan from the previous interview had been to speak the following week, the producer had instead called back that same evening, leaving a voicemail to see if Mark Henkel would be free to travel for a taping the following week. When Mark Henkel called her back, she brought up a magazine that had only had one singular published issue three years previously, a publication which was focused exclusively on Mormon polygamy. This seemed to unfortunately change the project's focus back to the "Mormonland bubble" again instead of a national focus. The producer suggested that maybe "this could be a teachable moment" to show that all polygamy is not always Mormon-based. This interview ended with the intent for both to speak together again on the following Monday, to then be the 4th interview (to air in the next episode of this podcast).

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was interviewed (a second time) for INSIDE EDITION with Deborah Norville by producer Erika Jones for their nationally syndicated TV show, on June 9, 2006, produced by KingWorld.  This was the second of five interviews. Following the previous interview two days earlier (on June 7), the producer had come back with more attempted offerings to try to help this project not be a “Circus Act Request” (C.A.R.) - but it still l was. Mark Henkel re-iterated about the producer’s need for “plausible deniability” from being subpoenaed – even referencing a then-current news cycle about a New York Times reporter and a CIA leak that did not protect the journalist.  Mark Henkel painted the picture clearly, “At the end of the day, what you're telling me is: We better deliver you the circus act or we don't have a story." He also informed her that normal polygamous families in his organization were not all that interested in being part of this particular project, once they learned that it was with INSIDE EDITION. Mark Henkel told the producer how he had always respected the host, Deborah Norville, ever since the “drama” between her and Jane Pauley in 1989 on “The TODAY Show.” He explained that that former respect was why he and families in UCAP, Unrelated Consenting Adult Polygamy, were even that much more disappointed by then-recently-past hostile segments she had run on her show about polygamy - even “slandering polygamists.” He still encouraged though “This may be something that we have to build up trust.”  After about 24 minutes into this interview, the producer emphatically stated, “I completely understand where you’re coming from, I do.” They both then spent the next 25 minutes as the producer asked excellent questions and as Mark Henkel provided informative soundbites, all so that the producer could take such background information back to her executive producer to see how this project could move forward. This interview ended with the plan that they would speak together again at the beginning of the following week. (NOTE: She would instead conduct yet another interview later this same day, too, June 9, 2006. That subsequent interview will air in the next episode of this podcast). Ending positively, Mark Henkel said, “I have really appreciated this conversation.” The producer interjected, “Oh NO!  Thank YOU. I have appreciated it as well. Very informative, and it has given me a lot of background.”

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was interviewed for INSIDE EDITION with Deborah Norville by producer Erika Jones for their nationally syndicated TV show, on June 7, 2006. As the last cliffhanging episode of the first season of HBO's fictional show about Mormon polygamists, "Big Love," had concluded days earlier, the producer explained her intent. She said, "We would like to go inside a family, a sort of real-life 'Big Love' story." Mark Henkel explained how that was what he calls a "Circus Act Request" (C.A.R.). She kindly asked if there were things that could be done to overcome this hurdle. Thus began this first of five interviews for this show. In this interview, Mark Henkel explained to the producer how she needs to have what is known as "plausible deniability." When the producer asked for clarity on what that means, Mark Henkel explained. When it comes to TV producers being subpoenaed by courts, there are certain things they must not ever know. He clarified, "If you don't know where somebody is, you can't say that you knew where they were" under oath in a court of law.

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was interviewed for CNN Anderson Cooper 360 by producer Diana Miller, on April 23, 2008. This was 20 days into the ongoing news cycle of the FBI raid on the FLDS cult in Texas on April 3, 2008. This hour-and-a-half long interview provides extensive information and soundbites. In the end, although the producer was positive and polite, the decision-makers at CNN only wanted a circus act (a "Circus Acts Request" - C.A.R.). Moreover, they only wanted this to be a taped interview. Mark Henkel insisted that he would have to be on a live-interview first before doing any taped interview with their network - because CNN would have to first build trust. At that time, it was 3 weeks into the news cycle about the FLDS; yet CNN had still not yet reported anything about actual and normal UCAP, Unrelated Consenting Adult Polygamy, or about the national movement's vehement opposition to the FLDS, Warren Jeffs, and all the underage crimes. So, Mark Henkel declined if it was only going to be taped for this first time. Yet, the producer was going to try to see what she could do. For soundbites, at one point, Mark Henkel even referred to the FLDS as "communist cult" because of the authoritarianism of any sect that allows some "leader" to make their decisions for them. Ultimately, CNN once again proved to live up to what Mark Henkel referred to as "manufactured news corporations," long before the term "Fake News" was applied to CNN by others over the next decade afterward. Still, the content of this interview is significantly insightful and educational.

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was research-interviewed for PEOPLE magazine by a writer named Vicky, on March 23, 2006. Due to the big TV hit of the premiere of HBO's new fiction television series, "Big Love," that month, the writer requested to spend time with a polygamous family. Mark Henkel gently explained to her how that was what polygamists call a "Circus Act Request" (C.A.R.) The genuinely friendly writer positively chuckled and understood it completely. Even so, the interview provides important soundbites and education about UCAP, Unrelated Consenting Adult Polygamy - even as Mark Henkel politely declined the specific request.

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was research-interviewed for "The Lineup" on FOX News television (hosted by Kimberly Guilfoyle) by a producer named Don, on May 11, 2006. This occurred during the major news cycle when the new fictional show on HBO television, about non-cultic Mormon polygamists, called “Big Love,” trhat had just premiered weeks earlier in March, 2006.  t appears that the producers of Kimberly Guilfoyle’s show were significantly hyped to do something "about polygamy" on their show that weekend. Two other producers from the same show, Mary Ragsdale and Michael Bloom, had also attempted making media requests of Mark Henkel that same week too. (They neither answered the phones when called nor called back from voicemail messages that were left for them.) In this interview with the producer who only identified himself as “Don,” Mark Henkel provided some helpful education. As the producer was not sure what he or the other producers wanted to exactly do, and as they seemed to want to be more sensationalistic, nothing else specifically resulted from this interview; no episode or segment was aired about it.  Even so, Mark Henkel did provide some good soundbites and educational insights about UCAP, Unrelated Consenting Adult Polygamy.

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was interviewed for "The Tyra Banks Show" by associate producer Arlene Wilkinson on July 24, 2006. This was a nationally syndicated daytime television talk show, serving an audience of mostly women, hosted by renowned supermodel and host/creator of "America's Next Top Model" show, Tyra Banks. (The show's name was also known as "The Tyra Show" and later as just "Tyra.") The producer was exploring options for doing an episode or a segment about polygamy, polyamory, or different things involving "poly" relationships. (Mark Henkel made a “poly” joke about plastic that made the producer laugh.) The producer asked her questions considerately and carefully, trying not to be insensitive in asking anything in an unkind manner, even while asking necessary questions. Mark Henkel was able to give her a positive and insightful education. He also made her laugh more than once. While she was seeking for a polygamous family to be willing to come on the show (i.e., what Mark Henkel has identified as  a"circus act request"), she also asked Mark Henkel about what kinds of topical segments or show possibilities on which he or any family might be willing to appear. Knowing what kind of a woman-demographic to which this show was targeted, Mark Henkel said that they would not be willing to do a show with anti-polygamists or with other things such as polyamory, etc. He told her, "It would have to be our own show" - a show only about the marriage commitment of UCAP, Unrelated Consenting Adult Polygamy. Nothing developed later after this interview; instead, an episode on polyamory (and how that differs from polygamy) aired on October 9, 2006.  Even so, now archived for history, this interview provides listeners with important soundbites and education from Mark Henkel.

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was interviewed for Carlos Watson (for a non-aired pilot TV show) by associate producer Amanda Erickson for Dawn Syndicated Productions, on May 22, 2008.  The producer sought to develop a pilot that would be presented to network executives to see if they would fund a new talk show to be hosted by former CNN personality, Carlos Watson. For this project, the producer made that which Mark Henkel politely identified as a "Circus Act Request" (C.A.R.) - requesting to put a polygamous family "on display" to make a show about UCAP, Unrelated Consenting Adult Polygamy. The discussion remained genuinely positive throughout the interview. Mark Henkel provided some great soundbites, including some attention-grabbing "hype" that the producer quite agreed was possibly helpful. As positive as this interview was, no subsequent project ever occurred.

http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com