♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL LOOK AT WHY WE'RE SEEING MORE COMPROMISED CANDIDATES IN POLITICS, AND WHY SO MANY SEEM TO BE SUCCEEDING?

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, NEW RESEARCH SHOWS DATA CENTERS CAN INCREASE THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE OF SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS BY SEVERAL DEGREES.

>>> AND THE PHOENIX COURSE PREPARES FOR THE SEASON FINALE.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

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TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

U.S.

SENATE CANDIDATES LIKE KEN PAXTON IN TEXAS AND GLEN PLATTNER IN MAIN ARE SUCCEEDING WHAT'S DESCRIBED AS GABBAGE OF PERSONAL TRANSGRESSIONS IN THEIR BACKGROUND.

THAT BAGGAGE WOULD IN THE PAST HINDER IF NOT DERAIL POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS.

NOT SO MUCH ANYMORE.

JOINING US CHUCK COUGHLIN OF HIGH GROUND AND STACY LUMEN OF STRATEGIES.

CHUCK, START WITH YOU, WHY ARE WE SEEING SO MANY FOLKS, PEOPLE WOULD RUN SCARED FROM THESE GUYS, AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE WINNING THE PRIMARIES, THEY'RE RIDING HIGH?

>> TWO IS THE SHRINKS OF THE PARTISAN PRIMARY, IT GETS SMALLER AND SMALLER ALL THE TIME.

I WAS LOOKING AT VOTER REGISTRATION STUFF TODAY, THERE IS FEWER VOTERS TODAY THAN IN 24, AND THEN THAT MEANS IN THE PRIMARIES FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE PARTICIPATE THERE.

THAT, AND THE COMBINATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE REDUCTION OF SOCIAL MO RAYS THAT THAT BRINGS INTO THE DEBATE.

MAKES EVERYBODY, HEY, IT'S OKAY, EVERYBODY DOES IT.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, STACEY, AM I WRONG?

THESE PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD A SHOT IN YOU KNOW WHAT?

>> THERE ARE SO MANY FOLKS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED FROM THE BEGINNING, INCLUDING I'D ARGUE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

GIVEN THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM, THE FACT THAT HE HUNG YOUNG MEN OUT TO DRY ON MURDER CONVICTIONS THAT WEREN'T THEM?

THERE IS SO MUCH OF THIS THAT SHOULD BE DISQUALIFYING AND IT JUST ISN'T RIGHT NOW IN THE U.S.

>> STACY, STICKING WITH YOU, WE HAVE A CONVICTED FELON IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM, HE'S A CONVICTED FELON.

DOES THAT MESSAGE SEEP INTO EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE BODY POLITIC?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND IT'S JUST SO OVERWHELMING FOR FOLKS TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT'S TRUE, AND WHAT'S NOT, AND THE ATTACK ON THE FOURTH ESTATE AND WHETHER OR NOT JOURNALISTS ARE OUT TO GET THESE GUYS.

THEY'RE NOT OUT TO GET THESE GUYS.

YOU ALL ARE DOING YOUR JOB TRYING TO BE A WATCHDOG FOR A BIZARRE ADMINISTRATION AND A BIZARRE CHAPTER IN OUR ELECTORATE.

TED: IS IT A BIZARRE WORLD RIGHT NOW, CHUCK?

>> IT'S A BRAND-NEW WORLD.

USED TO BE BOTH PARTIES WERE INSTITUTIONALLY RESPONSIBLE.

NEITHER OF THEM IS INSTITUTIONALLY RESPONSIBLE ANYMORE.

BOTH ARE ADDICTED TO DARK MONEY AND TAKE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF DARK MONEY FROM NARROW AND NARROW GROUPS OF DONORS, AND SO IT BECOMES AN EQUATION OF CAN YOU WIN THAT PRIMARY, AND CAN WE PUMP ENOUGH MEMBERSHIP INTO THE PRIMARY TO WIN THAT?

WE'RE SEEING THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR WITH BOTH PARTIES ENDORSING CANDIDATES IN PRIMARIES, THE PRESIDENT ENDORSING PEOPLE IN PRIMARIES.

IT'S NOT A COMPETITIVE RACE ANYMORE, AND THE DNC ENDORSING CANDIDATES IN PRIMARIES.

TED: AND AGAIN, BOTTOM LINE HERE, IS IT A REFLECTION OF THE VOTING PUBLIC?

THESE GUYS ARE -- >> NO.

TED: YOU DON'T THINK IT'S A REFLECTION OF THE VOTING PUBLIC?

>> NO, I DON'T.

I STILL BELIEVE IN AMERICA.

TED: REALLY?

>> I STILL BELIEVE WE'RE OUT THERE.

IT'S WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S 20% OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS VOTE IN A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.

15% OF DEMOCRATIC VOTERS VOTE IN A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

SO WHAT DO YOU NEED TO WIN A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY?

YOU NEED 8.5%.

THAT'S IT.

IT'S A SMALL UNIVERSE.

THEN YOU PUT ALL THE MONEY ON BOTH OF THE SCALES WHETHER IT'S 8.5% OF DEMOCRATS OR 10.5% OF REPUBLICANS AND YOU PUT ALL THE MONEY ON THE SCALE, THAT RACE IS OVER BEFORE IT STARTS.

TED: BUT STACY, IN MAINE, THE GUY'S GOT A NAZI TATTOO.

>> NOT JUST A NAZI TATTOO.

THE TATTOO OF THE GUARD OF THE CONCENTRATION CAMP.

IT'S WORSE EVEN!

>> CAN'T THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NATIONALLY OR IN MAINE FIND SOMEONE WHO'S BETTER?

>> WELL, I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A CROP OF CANDIDATES THAT ARE BONKERS TO BEGIN WITH.

THEY'RE WILLING TO RUN KNOWING THEY'RE EXTRAORDINARILY FLAWED, AND IN A SITUATION LIKE MAINE, HIS YOUTH SUPERSEDED HER EXPERIENCE, AND FOLKS ARE REALLY TIRED OF VOTING FOR SOMEONE IN THEIR LATE 70s.

WE SAW IT WITH BIDEN.

SEEING WITH TRUMP NAPS AT THE KNICKS GAME.

STRANGE BEHAVIOR.

>> NOT JUST MAINE, IT'S HERE IN ARIZONA WHERE WE HAVE A LEADING CANDIDATE IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 5 WHO'S BEEN OUTED AS A SWINGER IN A VERY LEGITIMATE PIECE OF JOURNALISM THAT HIS CAMPAIGN SAYS NO, THAT'S FAKE.

NO OTHER FORMAL RESPONSE, AND IT'S FASCINATING TO WATCH, TED, TO SEE IF THAT ELECTORATE STILL SUPPORTS SHERIFF LAMB IN THAT RACE.

TED: WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN TEXAS WITH KEN PAXTON, SUPPORTED HIM WITH GUSTO, AND DOES ANYONE THINK MARK LAMB IS NOT GOING TO WIN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY?

>> I WOULD HOPE HIS REPUBLICAN OPPONENT.

TED: AND WE'VE HAD HIM ON.

HE'S A REPUBLICAN WITH REPUBLICAN IDEAS, ALIGNS WITH MAGA, GETS HIS POINT ACROSS, BUT HOLY SMOKES.

>> IT'S NOT COMPETITIVE.

WE ALL THINK, WE TAKE OUR BLINDERS OFF, WE ALL THINK, IT'S AN ELECTION, IT'S A COMPETITIVE ELECTION.

NONE OF THIS IS COMPETITIVE.

IT'S VERY CLOSED PRIMARIES THAT ARE DECIDED AT THE OUTCOME, AND THEN IN GENERAL ELECTIONS, IT'S FAIRLY DECIDED BY THEM AS WELL.

TED: WHERE ARE THE PARTIES ON THIS?

PAXTON IS GOING TO HAVE A ROUGH GO OF IT IS TEXAS, A REPUBLICAN IS GOING TO HAVE A ROUGH GO OF IT IN MAINE.

IF THESE FOLKS WIN THE PRIMARY AND LOSE THE GENERAL, AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IN ARIZONA WITH EXTREME CANDIDATES, HOW LONG BEFORE THE PARTIES SAY, WE DON'T WANT THIS PERSON?

>> AS LONG AS IT TAKES FOR THE FUNDERS TO CHANGE THEIR APPROACH TO HOW THEY'RE SUPPORTING A PARTY THAT'S SUPPORTING A CANDIDATE WHO HAS DISQUALIFYING MISTAKES.

HAS DISQUALIFYING ARGUMENTS AGAINST THEM.

I MEAN, THAT REALLY IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE IS WHEN THE CORPORATE MONEY CHANGES DIRECTION, THEN WE'LL SEE THE PARTIES CHANGE THEIR DIRECTION.

TED: INSTITUTIONALLY BOTH PARTIES HAVE FAILED.

WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT BROADLY, AND THEN FIGURE OUT A WAY AROUND IT.

>> MY ANSWER, COUPLE YEARS AGO IS TO OPEN THE PRIMARIES UP, LET EVERYBODY COMPETE, AND PICK THE TOP TWO.

TED: YEAH.

>> BUT THAT WAS OPPOSED BY BOTH PARTIES.

>> QUICKLY, RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE.

YOU ARE BOTH VERY STEEP IN CAMPAIGN CONSULTATION.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL -- IF THAT KIND OF A CANDIDATE, YOU HAD THAT CANDIDATE ON YOUR LIST, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?

HOW WOULD YOU RUN IT?

>> I THINK CHUCK AND I BOTH DEALT WITH CANDIDATES WHO HAD SKELETONS IN CLOSETS.

THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY UGLY, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO YOUR EX-MOTHER-IN-LAW.

>> I JUST DON'T DO IT ANYMORE.

THE FIRM DOESN'T DO IT.

WE'LL DO BALLOT INITIATIVES, MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, NONPARTISAN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS BUT THE FIRM IS DONE RUNNING PARTISAN ELECTIONS.

TED: INTERESTING.

LAST QUESTION QUICKLY, WHAT DOES IT IS A ABOUT POLITICS IN AMERICA RIGHT NOW?

>> IT'S BROKEN.

THE SYSTEM'S BROKEN.

WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS THE GATES OF BANKRUPTCY ON SOCIAL SECURITY.

WE'VE GOT ALL THESE MAJOR POLICY ISSUES THAT ARE SITTING ON THE DECK WHILE ELON MUSK MAKES A TRILLION DOLLARS, AND THE INCOME GAP GETS WIDER AND WIDER, AND THE PEOPLE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THE NOTION OF AMERICA BEING EQUAL, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE AN EQUAL STARTING LINE, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, THAT'S NOT THERE ANYMORE.

TED: BRIEFLY, STACY, WHAT DOES IT SAY?

>> WE'VE GOT TO GET MONEY OUT OF POLITICS AND CITIZENS UNITED.

THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

TED: ALL RIGHT STACY PEARSON AND CHUCK COUGHLIN.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANKS.

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TED: THE DEBATE OVER DATA CENTERS MOSTLY INVOLVES CONCERNS WITH HOW MUCH ENERGY THE FACILITIES NEED TO OPERATE AND HOW MUCH STRESS THAT ENERGY PUTS ON POWER GRIDS.

NEW RESEARCH OUT OF ASU IS FINDING ANOTHER CONCERN.

DATA CENTERS ARE APPARENTLY WARMING THE OUTSIDE AFTER I SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS BY SEVERAL DEGREES WITH POSSIBLE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES.

WE WELCOME DAVID SAY LOR, ASU DIRECTOR OF SCIENCES AND PLANNING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

TED: DATA CENTERS, WE HEAR ABOUT IT, TALK ABOUT IT, WHAT IS IT?

>> A DATA CENTER, VERY SIMPLY, IS A LARGE BUILDING THAT HOUSES THOUSANDS IF NOT 100,000 OR MORE SERVER BLADES WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY COMPUTERS THAT ALLOW US TO IMAGINE THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DATA WE'RE GENERATING EVERY DAY INCLUDING WITH THIS SORT OF NEW A.I.

REVOLUTION.

WE HAVE AN INCREASING NEED FOR MORE AND MORE COMPUTE INFRASTRUCTURE.

TED: I WAS GOING TO SAY, THEY'VE TAKEN OFF MOSTLY BECAUSE OF A.I.?

>> LARGELY IN RECENT YEARS, BUT THEY'VE BEEN AROUND.

TED: AS FAR AS THE CLOUD, CORRECT?

>> YES.

TED: NEW RESEARCH SHOWS SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS ARE WARMED BY HOW MANY DEGREES?

>> ON AVERAGE, TYPICALLY ABOUT 1 1/2 OR 2 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

TED: OKAY, AND THAT IS -- DOES IT MATTER WHICH WAY THE WIND IS BLOWING?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

TED: REALLY?

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> WE MADE MEASUREMENTS ON DIFFERENT WAYS, DIFFERENT KINDS OF WIND CONDITIONS AND VERY CONSISTENTLY SEE A DOWNWIND EFFECT, WHERE DOWNWIND IT'S WARMER ONE TO TWO DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

SOMETIMES HIGHER, THREE TO FOUR DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IN SPOTS.

TED: FROM WHAT I READ, THERE IS A HEAT PLUME THAT YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN MEASURE IT.

DOES IT GO STRAIGHT UP AND DRIFT WITH THE WIND?

>> FORTUNATELY, THE WARM AIR RISES, SO MUCH OF THAT HEAT DOES GO VERTICALLY OUT -- AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT DOES ALSO MIX WITH THE INCOMING WIND, AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES ITS WAY INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

TED: THIS IS BECAUSE OF WHAT, THE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS OR AIR-COOLING UNITS?

>> EXACTLY.

EVERY SERVER TAKES IN ELECTRICITY AND SPITS OUT HEAT, AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN LAPTOP, JUST FEEL THE BACK OF THE LAPTOP.

JUST IMAGINE 100,000 LAPTOPS SPITTING OUT THAT HEAT.

TED: AND SPITS IT OUT INTO NEIGHBORHOODS, SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS, THE CLOSER TO THE FACILITY, THE MORE THE HEAT?

>> GENERALLY, YES.

TED: UNLESS THE WIND MOVES IT AROUND AND CHANGES HAPPEN THERE.

>> RIGHT.

TED: WHY CAN'T, IN TERMS OF MITIGATING IT, WHY CAN'T YOU PUT A SMOKESTACK WHERE THE HEAT GOES INTO ONE THING, IT'S SO HIGH UP THERE, IT DOESN'T MAKE IT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> YOU COULD IN THEORY.

IT WOULD BE MORE EXPENSIVE.

TRADITIONAL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS OPERATE USING INDIVIDUAL FANS ON ROOFTOPS, JUST ADJACENT TO THE ROOFTOP.

IF YOU WANTED TO CHANNEL ALL THAT INTO A SMOKE TACK, PRESUMABLY YOU COULD, IT WOULD BE RATHER EXPENSIVE.

TED: HOW LONG DOES THE HEAT LAST?

>> HEAT LASTS 24/7, AS LONG AS THE DATA CENTER IS OPERATING, IT'S TAKING IN ELECTRICITY, SPITTING OUT EQUAL AMOUNT OF HEAT.

TED: MY QUESTION WOULD BE, DATA CENTERS HERE SPITTING OUT THE HEAT, THE WIND TAKES IT HERE, HOW FAR DOES IT GO, HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?

>> IN TERMS OF DOWNWIND, MOST OF THE EFFECTS ARE IN THE FIRST 100 TO 300 YARDS, BUT WE HAVE MEASURED ELEVATION OF AIR TEMPERATURE AS FAR AS 500 YARDS DOWNWIND.

TED: WOW.

>> DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME HEATING?

TED: THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BOTH IN TERMS OF DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME, BUT ALSO DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE STABILITY OF THE ATMOSPHERE.

TED: OKAY, SO THIS IS BASICALLY BECAUSE THESE DATA CENTERS HAVE THIS INTENSE CONCENTRATION OF HEAT AND IT'S GOT TO GO SOMEWHERE.

>> EXACTLY.

TED: WHY DID YOU DECIDE -- CHECK THAT.

HOW DID YOU DO THIS MEASUREMENT?

HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH MEET AND WHERE IT WAS GOING?

>> RIGHT, WE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING INSTRUMENTATION PLATFORM FOR DECADES TRYING TO MEASURE THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATION OF HEAT IN CITIES.

WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE COOL CITIES?

AS PART OF THIS RESEARCH, WE DEVELOPED INSTRUMENT PACKAGES HAVE HIGH ACCURACY AND FAST RESPONSE TEMPERATURE SENSORS THAT WE COUPLE WITH GPS LOGGERS, SO WE KNOW WHEN AND WHERE THE MEASUREMENT'S TAKEN, AND WHAT THE TEMPERATURE IS, SO WE MOUNT THESE ON ELECTRIC CARS AND DRIVE ALL AROUND THE CITY.

TED: WOW.

DRIVE AROUND THE CITY, BUT IN THIS CASE, YOU DRIVE AROUND THE FACILITY, THE DATA CENTER?

>> YES.

IN EARLIER RESEARCH, WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE CITY AS A WHOLE, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT SPECIFIC STRATEGIES LIKE GREEN AND BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKS AND WATER FEATURES, BUT ONCE WE STARTED LOOKING AT DATA CENTERS, OUR FOCUS WAS VERY MUCH ON FINDING DATA CENTERS WHERE WE HAVE ACCESS ROADS, PUBLIC ROADS THAT YOU CAN DRIVE THAT WERE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> DID THE NUMBER SURPRISE YOU?

THE HEAT SURPRISE YOU?

>> NOT REALLY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT ANTHROPGENIC WASTE HEAT FOR DECADES, AND IT'S WELL ESTABLISHED THAT IN THE CITY, THE HEAT REJECTED FROM VEHICLES, AIR CONDITIONING FROM THE HOUSE, OFFICE BUILDINGS, FACTORIES, ALL OF THAT ADDS UP AND CAN WARM CITIES BY A DEGREE OR TWO FAHRENHEIT.

TED: DON'T NEED THAT RIGHT ABOUT NOW.

HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF ALL THIS?

>> SO I'M NOT A HEALTH RESEARCHER, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH THE CONCERNS OVER EXTREME HEAT AFFECTING ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES, WE WOULD EXPECT THERE COULD BE A CONTRIBUTION OF THE HIGHER HEAT CONTRIBUTING TO ADVERSE AND HEAT-RELATED OUTCOMES.

TED: LAST QUESTION HERE, ARE THERE REGULATION UNITED STATES THAT CAN SEE IN THE FUTURE FOR THESE DATA CENTERS TO MITIGATE THIS HEAT?

>> I THINK NOT NECESSARILY JUST REGULATIONS.

COULD BE A COMBINATION OF REGULATIONS AND DESIGN PRACTICES.

SO OUR GOAL HERE IS NOT TO POINT THE FINGER AT THE DATA CENTERS OR OTHER LARGE LOAD CUSTOMERS, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF LARGE MANUFACTURING FACILITIES ALL AROUND PHOENIX THAT ARE EMITTING COMPARABLE AMOUNTS OF HEAT.

OUR GOAL IS REALLY TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAN WE DO TO MITIGATE THAT HEAT, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DESIGN STRATEGIES RELATED TO THE FACILS THEMSELVES, RELATED TO THE EQUIPMENT ON THE ROOFTOP, BUT ALSO THINGS AS SIMPLE AS SETBACKS, REQUIREMENTS POSSIBLY OR USE OF GREEN AND BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE ADJACENT TO THE DATA CENTER.

TED: THAT MAKES SENSE.

DAVID SAILOR, INTERESTING STUFF WITH THE DATA CENTER INFORMATION, KEEP AN EYE ON IT.

THANK YOU, SIR, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: THE PHOENIX GAY MEN'S CHORUS SET TO PERFORM BROADWAY LIGHTS WHICH CELEBRATES BROADWAY'S CLASSICAL MUSICALS.

HERE'S A LOOK AT A SONG FROM WICKED.

♪.

TED: AND JOINING US NOW IS EMRON MALIK, CHORUS PRESIDENT OF THE PHOENIX GAY MEN'S CHORUS, THAT'S NICE STUFF.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND HAPPY TO BE HERE.

TED: YEAH, WHEN YOU SIT HERE AND HEAR THAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I'M JUST TRULY IMPRESSED BY US, EVEN FROM THAT CLIP, I WAS THERE AND THAT WAS ON A WHIM REHEARSING THAT PART OF FOR GOOD, AND TRULY THINKING ABOUT THE LYRICS.

I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD, AND TRULY FOR ME PERSONALLY, I HAVE BEEN, AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS FEEL THE SAME WAY.

TED: TALK TO US ABOUT THE PHOENIX GAY MEN'S CHORUS, ABOUT THE MISSION AND THE GOAL OF SING TOGETHER AND THE SONGS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS THE 35th SEASON AND WE STARTED IN THE 90s, IT'S A PREMIERE PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATION THAT IS A VOICE FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND OUR MISSION IS TO UNITE, INSPIRE, EDUCATE AND ENTERTAIN OUR AUDIENCES THROUGH OUR MUSIC.

TED: HOW MANY PERFORMANCES PER YEAR?

>> TWO TO THREE PERFORMANCE PER YEAR.

THAT IS WINTER HOLIDAY SHOW AND SPRING SHOW AS WELL.

TED: HOW MANY STAFF -- LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF FOLKS, HOW MANY SINGERS INVOLVED?

>> WE HAVE 100 IN THE CURRENT SEMESTER, WE RANGE FROM 120 TO 160, DEPENDS ON THE SEASON.

TED: HOW DO YOU FIND SINGERS FOR THE PHOENIX GAY MEN'S CHORUS?

IS THERE AUDITION PROCESS?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

>> WE HAVE A SIMPLE AUDITION PROCESS, MOST PEOPLE FIND US THROUGH GOOGLE, LOOKING UP OUR CHORUS, AND HEAR WORD OF MOUTH THROUGH FRIENDS WANTING TO SING.

SOMETIMES FUNNY ENOUGH, YOU'LL HEAR PEOPLE AT KARAOKE AND A LOT OF MEMBERS WILL SING KARAOKE AND IF THEY SEE SOMEONE AND THEY SOUND GOOD, WE'LL TRY TO RECRUIT THEM FOR THE CHORUS.

TED: I WAS GOING TO SAY DO YOU FIND THE SINGERS OR SINGERS FIND YOU?

>> BOTH WAYS, YES.

TED: BROADWAY LIGHTS, THIS IS THE BIGGEST AND BEST FOR BROADWAY.

SOMETIMES YOU GUYS HAVE A SHOW OR IT WILL BE A CHORUS.

IS IT JUST STRAIGHT CHORUS OR HOW DOES IT WORK?

>> IT'S A MIX.

BROADWAY LIGHTS IS A SEASON FINALE CONCERT THAT FEATURES POPULAR BROADWAY SONGS FROM "WICKED" OR "HAMILTON," WE HAVE A LIVE BAND AND A DANCE TROUPE AND AUDIENCE WILL BE ENTERTAINED BY VARIOUS STORIES THAT REALLY TOUCH ON THE RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH IN COMMUNITY WITHIN US.

TED: ARE THE STORIES NARRATIVES, SOMEONE SANDING AT A MICROPHONE AND SPEAKING?

>> WE HAVE A FEW MEMBERS SPEAKING AT A MICROPHONE GOING THROUGH DIFFERENT VIGNETTES OF THEIR EXPERIENCES AND OVERALL LIFE.

TED: I SEE CONNECTION, RESILIENCE, HOW DO YOU INTERTWINE THOSE THEMES IN A PRODUCTION FOR AN AUDIENCE?

>> IT IS HARD, BUT IT TAKES A VILLAGE, SO WE HAVE STORYTELLERS, PRODUCTION MANAGERS, STAGE MANAGERS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, A LOT OF MOVING PARTS THAT CREATE THE PRODUCTION AND WE WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE EVERYTHING IS SEAMLESS AND WORKS TOGETHER.

TED: TO GET THE THEMES ACROSS, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE PREACHY BUT WANT TO BE SURE THE MESSAGE GETS THERE.

>> BROADWAY IS STORYTELLING AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THE CONCERT.

>> THE IMPACT OF THE CHORUS AS YOU SEE IT ON THE COMMUNITY?

IN THE PAST, NOW, AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE?

>> FOR ME, I THINK THE CHORUS HAS BEEN SO GROUNDBREAKING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

ONE, WE JUST WITH ITS OWN MEMBERS WE'RE SAVING LIVES.

PEOPLE FIND US AND FIND THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THAT LOVE, AND FOR ME, THERE'S 120 PEOPLE AND THEY'RE ALL MY CLOSEST FRIENDS SOMEHOW, AND PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE, AND CHORUSSES HAVE STARTED THROUGH DIFFERENT MOMENTS, THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THE AIDS CRISIS, AS A PLACE NEEDING A SAFE SPACE FOR PEOPLE, AND WE DO THAT GOING THROUGH DIFFERENT PERFORMANCES, OUTREACH EVENTS AND VOLUNTEERING.

TED: LAST QUESTION HERE, WHEN IS THE FINAL PERFORMANCE HERE?

>> OUR PERFORMANCES ARE NEXT WEEK, JUNE 27 AND 28, AND CAN YOU GET TICKETS AT PHXGMC.ORG.

TED: THE RECENT YEARS, HOW MUCH OF A CHALLENGE HAVE THEY BEEN?

>> IT HAS BEEN PRETTY CHALLENGING, AND WE SEE OUR MEMBERS EVEN TAKING ON THOSE CHALLENGES FROM WHAT WE SEE IN THE NEWS, AND EVEN ISSUES THAT WE SEE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY, BUT THE FACT WE'RE STILL HERE, WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE HERE AS A SAFE SPACE AND ALSO SHARING OUR MESSAGE THROUGH MUSIC.

AND I THINK GOES A LONG WAY.

TED: ALL RIGHT, IMRAN MALIK, THE CHORUS PRESIDENT.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, AND BREAK A LEG ON THE PERFORMANCE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.