It seems as though the communication issues
between first officers and captains in regards to assertiveness
is possibly the number one contributing factor
to commercial airline crashes in history.
And it has not been solved. And there have been steps made by…
John in his work over the years and others in the industry.
However, both of us feel that the solutions
and current pilot training are far from sufficient.
Would you agree?
You could… Why don't you say that the training could be improved?
The training could be improved because right now, it's terrible.
- No, I wouldn't go that far. - Okay.
There is a void in some training programs…
- You said it was bad. - It is bad.
- The outcome is bad. - It's bad.
All right, so this needs to be better scripted
on the point of what the problem is, a possible solution,
and asking for the committee to
request the FAA to conduct a research project…
Ever since I began this mission to help stop planes from crashing,
I've always known that all roads would lead to Washington, D.C.
So, I had been rehearsing my approach with actors
who had done in-depth research into every lawmaker
on the Congressional Aviation Subcommittee.
Getting this issue on their radar was the best shot I had
at effecting real change.
And that's why we need the help of this committee…
- Yes. - …and of this Congress…
- Yes. - …to try to drive the FAA
towards the research, and…
Because if you do nothing, people will die.
- Right? - That's correct.
Months ago, I learned that Warner Bros. Discovery,
the parent company of HBO, has a special department of lobbyists
that have sway with politicians in Washington.
I was put in touch with them, and their lobbyist said
that he would reach out to the chair of the Aviation Subcommittee,
this man, Louisiana Congressman, Garret Graves,
to see if he would meet with me.
Here's my problem, Mr. Fielder.
It's the money.
But my theory on how this cockpit communication issue
could be solved was proving difficult to explain.
I think we all struggle with things from time to time
where it's hard for us to be the people
we ideally want to be in every situation.
And the social pressures are on everyone, including pilots.
I shared the story of how a real co-pilot like Colin
was able to overcome his fear of social consequences,
and ask his crush for a kiss
just because I gave him a scene description
and told him he was now playing a character instead of himself.
All this takes is a document being sent
to captains and first officers before the flight.
So, if there was an acknowledgment between the two pilots
that they were in a scene together, they'd be able to lean on that fact
in the aftermath of speaking up or being too assertive
or taking the controls.
"Oh, I was just playing the character that the FAA told me to play."
Is that…
Yes, and put that into aviation speak,
CRM, Cockpit Resource Management.
This takes it a step and a half further.
This is better, is what we're saying.
Okay. So, we've looked at it.
Nathan has invested a lot of his own time and money,
- and we've brought it… - Well, not my own money, but…
- The network's money, yes. - We've brought it to this point.
We've brought it to this point.
But I knew it would be hard to overcome
the committee's skepticism
when the only evidence of this working was footage
of a co-pilot kissing his crush on the cheek,
and not even going for the mouth.
You're gonna have to forgive me, Mr. Fielder.
I'm not following.
You're saying you want pilots to kiss each other?
They're… No, it's… No…
Pilots are not gonna be kissing each other,
so don't get hung up on the kiss thing.
That's just to demonstrate…
It's not about the kiss, it's about the change in behavior.
John had warned me that my background as a comedian
- might be my biggest liability. - So, they're gonna challenge you.
So, that's why you need to do your homework.
Challenge me how?
Also, Mr. Fielder, where does your sense of altruism come from,
where all of a sudden you wanna save lives?
You're known for pranking, for causing pranks.
I don't know what you're talking about with this prank stuff.
- I really don't. I think… - Well, that's what you do
- for a living as an actor, isn't it? - Excuse me, sir.
I think you have a misunderstanding of my work.
If we were before a real committee in Congress,
you would've been thrown out already.
So we're gonna be front… we're gonna go before…
- Okay. Yeah, I… - …the American public,
and you don't want it to look like a joke
if you wanna deliver a good program. And this is… It's…
I began studying footage of other comedians
who went before Congress to discuss serious issues.
Now we'll turn to Mr. Seth Rogen.
Mr. Rogen, welcome. And please proceed.
And to my surprise,
they often began by trying to make everyone laugh.
First, I should answer the question I assume many of you are asking.
Yes, I'm aware this has nothing to do
with the legalization of marijuana.
As evidence, I would like to submit a video of my colonoscopy
into the congressional record.
And I would like to thank Ranking Member Patrick McHenry
for taking the time to Google who I am.
But I started to realize this might be a strategy.
Everyone expects a comedian to be funny.
So, by getting a joke out of the way early on,
it allows people to take the serious stuff seriously.
There is no way to prevent, cure,
or even slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Maybe this is what I was missing.
Thank you so much for having me, Mr. Chairman,
Ranking Member. It's an honor to be here
in front of the Aviation Subcommittee.
You know, the last time I had to answer
to a transportation authority
was when I got caught masturbating on that bus.
But in my defense,
the driver did keep telling me to "get off," so…
All right, well, that was just a little joke
to, you know, lighten the mood there.
And now we're gonna… In all seriousness,
I do wanna speak about an issue that's become…
deeply important to me, which is aviation safety.
But I instantly realized something was wrong with this rehearsal
when no one in the room laughed.
Hey, I was just wondering, did you find that joke funny?
- Absolutely. - The bus joke?
- I love that bus joke. - Oh, yeah? Okay.
Cool. 'Cause I noticed you didn't laugh.
- I didn't know. - What?
- I didn't know. - Didn't know what?
If I was supposed to laugh.
I mean, you're not supposed to laugh.
I mean, you're not supposed to do anything.
You're just supposed to act like a human, you know?
- Okay, cool. - So, if you find something funny,
- then… then laugh, yeah. - Just go for it.
- Okay, awesome. - If you find it funny.
- Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, yeah. - Okay, cool. Thank you so much.
Thank you. I'm sorry, what was your name?
- Nathan. - Troy.
- Troy. Thank you, yeah. - Thank you.
- Thanks, Troy. Okay. - Thank you.
Hey, everyone. Just a little reminder in case there's any confusion.
We're all playing like human beings, right?
So, if you as a human find something funny,
it's okay to laugh. However, your version of a human.
So, just… Yeah. Got it?
Okay. Good.
The last time I had to answer to a transportation authority
is when I got caught masturbating on that bus.
But in my defense,
the driver did keep telling me to "get off."
Okay. Good, good.
I just don't want anyone to force a laugh.
So, if your, you know,
if your body naturally wants to laugh,
just make the sound that that would make.
But the fake laughs aren't really helpful
'cause I'm trying to figure out what works and what doesn't.
Let's go one more time. Yeah.
But before I could fully figure things out,
I got an email from the Warner Bros. Lobbyists,
saying that Congressman Graves's office
declined a meeting with me,
stating, "They didn't think it was the right fit for them."
I started to wonder if they Googled me.
Because if they did,
all they would have discovered
is nothing but a man acting like a complete fool.
Every public opportunity I've had in my life
to convey sincerity, I instead turned into a joke.
Is this a new look that you're… you have?
It's just me.
I couldn't help myself.
And now, when lives were on the line, it was coming back to haunt me.
But as I kept searching Google
for any trace of something serious about myself,
I stumbled upon an article someone wrote
about how this show, The Rehearsal,
reflected their experience with autism.
It was an odd perspective
since this show had nothing to do with autism.
But as I kept Googling, I realized it was everywhere.
This show seemed to be embraced by a specific group
that I didn't know anything about.
But most interestingly,
this group appeared to take me seriously.
They found the show to be a rare representation
of the way they think, even though that was never my intent.
Aside from Graves, the lobbyists told me there was only
one other Congressperson on the committee
that could grant me access to a hearing.
Complacency is a luxury we cannot afford
when it comes to aviation safety.
The committee's Ranking Member, Tennessee Congressman, Steve Cohen.
And when I looked him up, I discovered
that he happened to be a member of the Congressional Autism Caucus.
And as an autism advocate,
he had been pushing legislation in support of several groups
in that community.
I wasn't known as an aviation authority,
but maybe by mistake, I was an autism authority.
Could this be my path
to getting taken seriously in Washington?
To becoming a man who touches others
on a deeper level?
A man who is seen as an inspiration to humanity
and not just a punchline?
So, to find out how to better speak on the issue,
I arranged a meeting with Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh
from the Center for Autism and Related Disorders.
Everything from understanding someone else's perspective
- to telling a joke to… - You teach that?
We teach all of that.
That's why Rehearsal is so amazing to watch
because that's what we do.
We practice things that we know
are going to be very socially difficult for them.
Yeah, it's interesting how the show resonated
with this group specifically because you know, as humans,
you know, I feel like it's just how our brains work, right?
We all wish we could practice for our lives, you know?
It's universal.
To a large extent, yes.
I mean, not everyone thinks of every possible thing.
- Right. - But I guess what you're doing
in The Rehearsal is so important for everyone else
to know what it's like to have autism.
Right? A lot of times people assume that if you're autistic,
you have a lot of very severe issues.
But there are people who are diagnosed as autistic
who are only just trying
- to fit in socially… - And everyone
- has trouble with that. It seems. - Everyone has that.
This is what's so unique about the show,
is that you took it to a whole different level. You know?
- Right. - And I think it's really nice
to highlight
for the neurotypical population,
"Hey, this person could also be autistic."
- Right. - You know.
And you wouldn't know it necessarily, because they've learned over time
to do all the things they have to do to fit in.
Or it could be, they could not be autistic,
and just like all of us wanna,
you know, practice for a life situation.
Definitely also true.
To give me a better sense of how this group thinks,
she showed me a demonstration to explain
how an autistic person's brain differs from the rest of us.
This is a test called, "Reading the Mind in the Eyes."
And this is a very well-known, and valid, reputable test.
And it asks the question, "How do you think these eyes feel?"
- Or, "What is the person thinking?" - Okay.
And autistic people have a very hard time
figuring out what someone else is thinking.
Okay. All right.
So, how would you rate these eyes?
As playful, comforting, irritated, or bored?
Okay, yeah.
Yeah, definitely…
comforting, or…
- Yeah. Or bored. - Comforting…
Bored or comforting.
Or maybe playful?
- But… - Is it…
- Yeah. - Let's put one and see what happens.
- We'll put comforting. - Yeah.
- Oh, okay. - Playful.
Playful? All right. Yeah, so…
I see, yeah. I guess it's…
Next one.
Which word describes what they're thinking and feeling?
Oh, yeah. The images are pretty low-res, huh?
- It's a difficult one. - Yeah, yeah. Just cause they're…
Terrified, arrogant, annoyed, or upset.
Right.
Okay, yeah. So I think I get it, yeah.
- Which one would you choose? - So, you're saying these people
have trouble with this, you're saying? That's the point…
- Yes, that's right. - …you're trying to make?
Okay, well, that makes sense. Yeah. I don't know. It looks…
Yeah. Choose what you think on this one.
Yeah. Terrified, maybe. It looks… Yeah.
Yeah, okay. So, upset. All right.
- I get it. - But this is a very difficult test
- 'cause it's very, very subtle. - Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure.
And even, like, we would disagree
- perhaps on this. - Right.
All right, cool. Yeah. Was there anything else with this
- you wanted to show me or… Okay. - Nope. That's it.
I felt like I got the gist of this autism stuff.
So, it was time to tell Dr. Granpeesheh
the real reason I was here.
Just to be fully candid,
I'm trying to get in with this lawmaker
who is a supporter of autism awareness.
- Great. - And…
You know, since I'm sort of like…
a "thought leader" maybe in this… area.
I don't know if you… That's not the term I would use.
- But would you use that term for me? - Yes.
- Like a thought leader just
- because of the show and stuff? - Yes.
So, I was wondering if there was any
maybe opportunity for, like, an official relationship.
'Cause that I think might help me…
- have some credibility with him. - Right.
He'd be like, "Oh, you're… Whoa. That's legit." Or whatever.
I told Dr. Granpeesheh more about my primary goal this season
with aviation safety.
It's related to, like, their communication
- in the cockpit. - Okay.
But we built this whole airport.
That's amazing.
But when I described the types of rehearsals
we were doing with pilots, she got excited.
We have to actually practice quite a bit with our kids
in order for them to be able to smoothly
go through an airport experience.
- Oh, really? - Because the sound
in airports is really loud,
and they have to go through the security line,
and all of that is very, very scary for a child with autism.
Oh, okay.
But a set like this would obviously be incredible.
To use with the…
To practice. To rehearse with our children.
So, that when they go on their actual flight…
Right.
…they're good. And they can handle it.
Right, yeah.
I just sort of… I made a commitment to myself
we weren't gonna use any kids in the rehearsals this season.
- Yeah. - Oh, right.
Some people were a little… Yeah.
Just from…
- The previous show? - …what happened last season. Yeah.
- Yeah. - But…
I thought you took pretty good care of the child actors.
You as the kind of "acting parent" in that role.
With our parents, like, if you have a parent,
if I have a parent that I see who definitely has autism themselves,
sometimes the parents have a very hard time
figuring out what their kids need.
You know, just like that episode, the last episode.
Like, they can't really understand their emotions,
the emotions of their own children.
And that leads to a lot of issues for their kids.
But at the same time, I feel like you did a great job, honestly.
Because you provided that level of attachment
that made him feel like he could call you "Daddy."
You know? Look at that side of it.
Okay.
Well, maybe I could try it out. See how it goes.
Come on in.
This looks… Oh, wow. This…
The world can be a scary place in ways not all of us can easily see.
My name is Kai. I'm a kid, and I'm ten years old.
Excellent, Kai. It's very nice to meet you.
I've never been to Colorado.
You've never been to Colorado?
And I guess for some people,
rehearsing is a way of coping with all that.
How are you feeling?
- I'm happy. - You're happy?
Okay, good. Good.
Without a rehearsal, life can be a struggle.
I left a package for you with Sam.
- Oh, what's in the package? - Invitation to the board,
- invitation to the honoree event. - Oh, great. Okay.
- Okay. - Yeah.
As the newest board member
of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders…
- Nathan's Airport! - Nathan's Airport!
…I was able to secure a meeting with Congressman Cohen.
This was my one shot to get in front of the Aviation Subcommittee.
So, you'd think that for a conversation so important,
I wouldn't dare go into it without a thorough rehearsal.
But it might surprise you to learn that for someone like me,
rehearsing actually isn't essential.
I like to do it, but it's not something I need to do.
It's more of an exercise. A bonus.
Like a fun, helpful tool.
That's why I'm going into this meeting completely cold.
I can function just fine without rehearsing.
- Hi. - Hi.
- You are Nathan. - I'm Nathan.
- I'm Steve. - Steve.
Pleasure. Honor to meet you. Thank you for having me.
- Where are you from? - Vancouver, Canada.
Oh, I love Vancouver.
- Yeah. - What a great town.
- I went there… - Thank you.
…probably back in about 30 years ago.
And I forget the places I stayed, but it was just delightful.
There was one place that was up where they…
It's the eagles, and lots of wind, and whales and…
The whole Alaska experience.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
Well, it's an honor to meet you,
and… and…
you know, thank you, I wanna say,
for all your contributions and advocacy
for the autism community.
Yeah. It's become more and more aware
for more people about how many people have it
and the problems they have in navigating society.
And you're also on the Aviation Subcommittee,
I understand.
Yes, I'm the Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee
on Transportation.
And I've been on Transportation for 18 years now.
Eighteen years? Wow.
And through… through my… through my…
You know, in my time in aviation, I've actually learned and realized
that there's a connection between autism and aviation
- that I'd love to, um, kind of… - Share.
Share, yeah. Tell you a little more about…
- Please. - …the stuff I've discovered.
Okay. So…
Now, I know these are some of the reports
you guys normally…
These are like crash investigation reports, right?
I got Representative Cohen up to speed
on the problem I had discovered.
This dynamic between captains and first officers is one of…
maybe the leading cause of commercial airline crashes
in history.
It's not the sole cause of the crash, but had someone asserted themselves,
the plane might not have gone down.
I wondered where that went to.
- What? - Autism…
- Pilots. - Well…
I guess it was sort of a transition, but…
- It was a transition, yes, yes. - Just because…
But there's an interesting connection
with autism because people with autism,
or those living struggle sometimes in interaction.
And…
Sorry, I had this all thought out.
Hold on.
One sec.
Okay. Are you familiar with a term
in the autism community called "Masking"?
No.
"People with autism sometimes use masking
to avoid being judged rather than showing
what they're feeling inside."
"They avoid expressing things
because they don't wanna rock the boat socially."
- You understand? - Yeah.
Okay. Sorry, I… This is like…
I feel like it's less engaging when I'm reading, but…
- Okay. - I usually do things off the cuff,
- but reading is good. - Okay.
"It's been proven that when non-autistic people
know someone is autistic,
they tend to judge them less harshly."
"And that knowledge allows the person with autism
to drop their mask and to be themselves."
"And that's because they now have permission
to play a different character,
a character who is actually closer to who they really are."
"I've discovered that pilots do a form of masking
of their own where they're afraid
to show their true selves to each other
during critical moments of flight."
Does that make sense?
It's kind of convoluted, but I'll take it.
So, let me just…
"Here you'll see two real pilots, a captain and first officer
who both work for Southwest Airlines, demonstrating how this would work."
And Southwest isn't affiliated with this, by the way.
They're just helping me on their spare time.
Okay.
"When the pilots arrive for their flight,
along with their pre-flight bulletins,
they're each digitally sent a one-page document
with a character description,
and two short lines of dialogue to memorize each."
"The pilots will be assigned one of two characters."
"The first officer is assigned the role of 'First Officer Blunt.'"
"First Officer Blunt is a pilot who loves speaking up."
"He's honest, almost to a fault,
and not afraid to take over the controls if necessary."
"And most importantly, he's a great pilot."
"The captain of the flight
is assigned the role of 'Captain Allears.'"
"Captain Allears loves feedback,
and is not afraid to admit when he's wrong."
Now, Blunt is the captain
- or the first… - First officer.
He's the first guy. And Allears is the other guy.
- Allears is… - So, it's a perfect world,
- 'cause the captain's got all ears. - Yes.
- I gotcha. - It's… Yeah.
"The pilots will use their time in the pilot's lounge,
where they currently do nothing,
to engage in a short scripted introduction
that serves to both get them into character
and confirm to each other
that they've each read their character brief."
Hey, good to meet you. I'm Blunt.
I'm Allears.
Can I ask you, how does my uniform look?
Looks a little tight, to be honest.
I'm glad you mentioned that. Thanks for telling me.
"But those lines are it."
"And they can just go back to flying as themselves,
but now, they have the excuse of these characters
to take actions that would normally be
socially challenging for them."
- Does that make sense? - Yeah.
"And through our experimentation,
we found that pilots end up actually bonding
over how silly it all is…"
If I come across strong, that's… you know why.
- I'll keep that in mind. - Yeah.
"…which actually improves communication between them,
and reduces tension during simulated emergencies."
We gonna deviate from this storm up here?
I think we can punch through those clouds.
I don't know, man. That's a pretty fat storm.
I'm just gonna… I'm just gonna go.
You know what? I'll take us around.
- I have the aircraft. - Really?
I'm gonna deviate over to the right.
That… Okay.
Yeah, I'm a little blunt.
I know that it was a little abrupt the way I took it from you,
- but you know me. - Okay. Yeah, yeah.
You see how he referenced the character there,
and it sort of eased the tension.
I'm just kind of a blunt guy sometimes.
We gotta make sure we get around this weather. You know?
I like the feedback.
- I like it. Thanks. - Yeah.
"With this, ego, fear, and judgment all vanish from the cockpit."
"It's an elegant, simple solution that's easy to implement."
"And for the first time,
pilots can be free to be who they want to be,
and who they really are."
So, let me speak before the Aviation Subcommittee.
You can see I've done the work.
Let's get this on everyone's radar, and, you know…
And let's work together to solve… save some lives.
What do you think?
You know… Something to be considered.
But I think that the pilots, you know, the airlines
could be encouraged to have a better relationship
between the pilot and the co-pilot, and that would be good.
- Okay. - Great.
- Thank you. - Okay. Great.
- Thank you. - You're welcome, you're welcome.
Okay. Good. Is there… Okay.
Did you have any questions for me, or anything else?
Not really. Thank you.
Okay.
Good to see ya.
Okay, great.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thank you, sir. All right, I'll just clear out.
Thank you for having me, and…
- You're very welcome. - Okay, great.