The last time Ken Burns was with us was to discuss his excellent film

about Muhammad Ali. Now he is premiering a new four-hour documentary about the

hundred dollar founding father a man best known for a kite experiment perhaps a

man who was the greatest diplomat in history a man who was an inventor, a man who owns slaves, a man who

changed the world and made it better, a man who evolved, but maybe not fast enough.

And it's a film about America amidst war and diplomacy, pandemics and vaccination,

spirituality and science, and shifting political landscapes, proving once again Ken Burns makes

films about how current events aren't current.

What a pleasure to welcome Mr Burns back to Sirius XM.

Thank you so much.

Well, you know, it's arguable that Mohammed Ali is the one of the greatest American personalities of the 20th century.

Benjamin Franklin to me is undoubtedly, without question the greatest personality of the 18th century,

you or your astrologer friends might be interested to know that they're both born on the same day

January 17th if you adjust to the Gregorian calendar

He was born in 1706, died in 1790 and just is the

Colossus that bestrides that extraordinary century. Yes indeed I mean he's in

almost the entire century and I did know that about their birthdays

but what I found fascinating was last time you were here when we discussed the Ali film

It was so contemporary that I mentioned to you you I wasn't used to seeing you use

rock and roll music or or soul music in your films now you've done a film about a

man who never even lived long enough to be photographed.

And I thought that's a peculiar kind of challenge,

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