J.D Vance, Best-Selling Author Opens Up About His Painful Childhood And The Future Ahead

COULD FACE. >> YOU WRITE ABOUT ADVERSE
CHILDHOOD CONSEQUENCES THAT SOME KIDS SUFFER IN GROWING UP, BEING
SWORN AT, INSULTED, OR HUMILIATED BY YOUR PARENTS.
>> SURE, CHECK. >> BEING PUSHED, GRABBED OR
HAVING SOMETHING THROWN AT YOU. >> CHECK.
>> HAVING PARENTS WHO WERE SEPARATED OR DIVORCED.
>> CHECK. >> LIVING WITH AN ALCOHOLIC OR A
DRUG USER. >> CHECK.
>> LIVING WITH SOMEONE WHO IS DEPRESSED OR ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
>> CHECK. >> WATCHING A LOVED ONE BE
PHYSICALLY ABUSED. >> CHECK.
>> YOU'RE BATTIN' 1,000? >> YEAH.
>> GIVEN WHERE HE CAME FROM JD VANCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GRIM
STATISTIC. HIS PARENTS GREW UP POOR IN
RURAL KENTUCKY, HIS OWN TOUGH CHILDHOOD WAS IN THE RUST BELT
RUINS OF OHIO. BUT VANCE ESCAPED WHAT HE CALLS
HIS CULTURAL INHERITANCE, WROTE A MEMOIR ABOUT IT AND LANDED ON
THE BEST SELLER LIST. >> HAVE YOU BEEN SURPRISED BY
HOW SUCCESSFUL IT'S BEEN? >> YES.
HOW COULD I NOT BE, RIGHT? >> WHY DO YOU THINK?
>> I'M SITTING HERE TALKING TO MEGYN KELLY, THIS IS CR -- I
MEAN BOOK COVER, BEST-SELLER LISTS, FLURRY OF MEDIA
APPEARANCE. >> "HILLBILLY ELEGY" HIT A NERVE
IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CYCLE.
VANCE BECAME A GO TO GUY ON CABLE AND IN PRINT, A CNN
COMMENTATOR, A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE NEW YORK TIMES.
HE BECAME A GUIDE TO THE ANGER, REBELLION AND PESSIMISM IN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT CARRIED DONALD TRUMP.
HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEY CARED ABOUT AND DIDN'T.
>> DO YOU THINK THAT IT ALSO EXPLAINS WHY WHEN THE SO-CALLED
COASTAL ELITES, WERE GETTING VERY UPSET OVER THE MANY
OFFENSES THAT TRUMP CAUSED. SOME OF THE SEXISM, SOME OF THE
FOUL-MOUTHED LANGUAGE -- THAT THIS WAS NOT PARTICULARLY
SHOCKING BECAUSE A LOTTA THESE FOLKS HAD GROWN UP AROUND THAT?
>> ABSOLUTELY. I'VE CRITICIZED A LOTTA TRUMP'S
RHETORIC AND I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE'S
SAID, BUT THERE WAS ALMOST A SENSE WHERE PEOPLE WERE OFFENDED
BY TRUMP, NOT BECAUSE OF THE SUBSTANCE OF WHAT HE SAID, BUT
BECAUSE OF HOW HE SAID IT. "GOOD SOCIETY PEOPLE SHOULD NOT
TALK IN THIS WAY." AND I JUST NEVER QUITE
UNDERSTOOD THAT -- THAT CRITICISM.
>> VANCE IS IN A UNIQUE POSITION, A COLOSSAL SUCCESS BY
ANY MEASURE, A MARINE, A GRADUATE OF OHIO STATE AND YALE
LAW SCHOOL, A SILICON VALLEY VENTURE CAPITALIST.
AND NOW AN UNUSUAL MOVE, BACK HOME AGAIN TO OHIO.
HE RETURNS DETERMINED TO WORK ON THE VERY PROBLEMS THAT MADE HIS
CHILDHOOD THERE SO TURBULENT. FOR ALL ITS POWER AS A WINDOW ON
THE WHITE WORKING CLASS, "HILLBILLY ELEGY" IS A PAINFUL
STORY ABOUT A CHILDHOOD MOST PEOPLE WOULD NOT WANT TO RISK
REVISITING. VANCE'S FATHER ABANDONED HIM.
HIS MOTHER WAS LOCKED IN AN ENDLESS CYCLE OF DRUG ABUSE THAT
ESCALATED TO HEROIN. THE TOLL IT TOOK ON HER YOUNG
SON IS SEARED INTO MEMORY -- LIKE A SIMPLE CAR RIDE GONE
WRONG. >> I SAID SOMETHING, OR SOME
CONVERSATION TOPIC REALLY IGNITED HER TEMPER. AND THEN SHE
JUST SPED UP AND SHE JUST KEPT ON SAYING, "I'M JUST GONNA CRASH
THIS CAR AND KILL US BOTH. I'M GONNA CRASH THIS CAR AND
KILL US BOTH." >> JD JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AND
RAN FOR HELP. SOMEONE CALLED THE POLICE AND
HIS MOTHER WAS ARRESTED. >> AND WHEN YOU WATCHED THEM
TAKE HER, DO YOU REMEMBER HOW THAT FELT?
>> HONESTLY, I JUST FELT RELIEVED.
IN THAT MOMENT I JUST FELT RELIEVED.
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA LIVE ANOTHER
DAY." THAT'S -- THAT'S HOW TERRIFIED I
WAS. I MEAN, I -- I JUST WANTED THAT
SITUATION TO END AND THEN I JUST BROKE DOWN, RIGHT?
I WAS JUST -- REMEMBER I WAS, I WAS JUST REALLY SAD AND FELT
VERY LONELY. BECAUSE I'M SITTING IN THE BACK OF THIS POLICE
CRUISER, THEY'VE JUST ARRESTED MY MOM, THE RELIEF OF HAVING
SURVIVED ANOTHER DAY WAS GONE. AND THEN I JUST WANTED --THEN I
JUST WANTED SOMEBODY TO COME AND TAKE ME AWAY, AND THAT WAS
ACTUALLY LINDSAY. THAT -- YOU KNOW, THAT WAS
WHO -- SORRY. >> WHY -- WHY DOES THAT
PARTICULAR MOMENT BRING TEARS? >> IT'S -- IT'S JUST SUCH A
CRYSTAL CLEAR MEMORY. AND SO IT'S HARD ALMOST NOT TO
FEEL THE SAME WAY THAT I FELT AS A 12-YEAR-OLD KID SITTING IN THE
BACK OF THAT POLICE CRUISER. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT, THAT
MOMENT IS KIND OF A MICROCOSM OF MY ENTIRE LIFE, IS THAT THERE
WAS THIS BRIEF MOMENT OF TERROR AND OF FEELING REALLY LONELY,
AND THEN THERE WAS LINDSAY. >> I WOULD DIE FOR THAT KID.
AND I KNOW HE WOULD, TOO. >> HIS SISTER LINDSAY, FIVE
YEARS OLDER, WAS ALWAYS A SOURCE OF COMFORT AND PROTECTION FROM
THEIR MOTHER'S ABUSE. >> DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT
CALLING 911? >> IT'S -- NO, I ONLY THOUGHT
ABOUT CALLING MAMAW. >> MAMAW, VANCE'S GRANDMOTHER,
BONNIE BLANTON, TOOK JD TO LIVE WITH HER AFTER THAT HARROWING
CAR RIDE. >> WAS THERE A GREATER INFLUENCE
ON YOUR LIFE? >> NO, NO, I MEAN, SHE REALLY
JUST GOT ME, SHE UNDERSTOOD WHEN I NEEDED SOMEBODY TO RIDE ME.
>> SHE KNEW WHEN I NEEDED LOVE AND COMFORT, SHE KNEW WHEN SHE
NEEDED TO JUST BE SYMPATHETIC. SHE WAS REALLY SMART.
>> MAMAW PREACHED PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INSISTED ON
THREE GETS, GOOD GRADES, A GOOD JOB, AND GET UP AND HELP ME, AND
SHE CAME WITH SOME SERIOUS FIREPOWER.
>> SHE WAS PRETTY GOOD WITH A GUN?
>> SHE WAS VERY GOOD WITH A GUN. YOU KNOW, MAMAW WHEN -- WHEN SHE
DIED, I THINK THE NUMBER IS 19 HANDGUNS, LOADED THAT WE
FOUND IN HER HOUSE AT VARIOUS PLACES.
>> SHE ALSO WASN'T AFRAID TO THREATEN USING IT.
>> YEAH, SHE SAID, "LOOK, YOU'RE GONNA COME AND STAY WITH ME AND
IF ANYBODY HAS A PROBLEM WITH IT THEY CAN TALK -- THEY CAN TALK
TO MY GUN." >> JD CONTINUED TO LIVE WITH
MAMAW WHILE LINDSAY FOUND HER OWN ESCAPE.
SHE GOT MARRIED AND HAD THREE CHILDREN OF HER OWN, AND HER
FOCUS TURNED TO THEM. FOR LINDSAY, READING HER
BROTHER'S MEMOIR BROUGHT BACK A LIFE SHE HAD TRIED TO FORGET.
>> I JUST LAID IN BED AND I -- YOU KNOW, PULLING IT APART AND
READING IT AND THEN -- AND I WOULD JUST CRY.
I JUST FELT SO SORRY FOR THOSE KIDS, AND WHY I DIDN'T SEE MORE
OF HIM, I DON'T KNOW. I SHOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO
MORE. >> CAN YOU SEE THAT NOW, THAT
YOU WERE NOT GIVEN THE SKILLS? >> HOW DO YOU MEAN?
>> YOU WERE YOUNG, TOO. YOU HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO
UNTHINKABLE THINGS, TOO. >> I -- I GUESS I REALIZE
THAT -- I DON'T THINK THAT I'LL EVER BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THERE
WAS -- A GOOD REASON TO NOT HAVE STEPPED UP.
>> SHE HAS A LOT OF GUILT OVER THAT.
>> SHE SHOULDN'T. >> YEAH, WE -- WE'VE TALKED A
LOT ABOUT THAT. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT LINDSAY
SHOULD FEEL GUILTY AT ALL ABOUT IT.
SHE HAD FOUND HER WAY OUT, AND I WAS LOOKING FOR MY WAY OUT.
>> WHEN DID IT -- IT EVEN OCCUR TO YOU THAT YOU COULD GET INTO A
PLACE LIKE YALE LAW? >> I READ THIS STUDY ABOUT
PEOPLE WHO COME FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS, THAT
THEY INTERNALIZE A CERTAIN, INFERIORITY.
THAT THEY ASSUME THAT, BECAUSE NO ONE AROUND THEM HAS DONE
MUCH, THAT THEY ARE JUST GENETICALLY INCAPABLE OF DOING
IT. AND IT COMPLETELY CHANGED THE
WAY THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT MY OWN POSSIBILITIES, RIGHT?
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN SELLIN' MYSELF MAYBE A
LITTLE SHORT." >> WHEN J.D. WAS HERE, HE'S
PRETTY OPEN ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE STUCK OUT A LITTLE BIT.
>> HE REALLY DID -- ACTUALLY. >> AMY CHUA, AUTHOR OF THE
BEST-SELLING BOOK "BATTLE HYMN OF THE TIGER MOTHER," WAS ONE OF
HIS PROFESSORS, AND BECAME AN IMPORTANT MENTOR.
>> YOU WOULD THINK THERE'S NOTHING IN COMMON BETWEEN
CHINESE AMERICAN IMMIGRANT CHILD, AND A GUY FROM
APPALACHIA, BUT I SAW A LOT OF MYSELF IN HIM.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN UNDERDOG, DIDN'T QUITE FIT
IN. >> AND THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT
HER STORY THAT RESONATED WITH HIM.
>> HE SAID, IT'S GOTTEN ME THINKING, YOU KNOW, ABOUT MY OWN
LIFE. I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS I'VE
NEVER SHARED WITH ANYBODY. I STILL HAVE THIS EMAIL.
IT SAYS, "I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M THINKING THAT I CAN WRITE
THIS DOWN, BUT, YOU KNOW, HERE'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY OWN
BACKGROUND." >> THE EMAIL WAS THE BEGINNING
OF THE BOOK IDEA? I MEAN, WAS -- WAS IT THAT THAT
MADE YOU TURN AROUND AND SAY, "J.D., YOU'VE GOTTA WRITE THIS
DOWN. YOU HAVE TO TELL THIS STORY."
>> IT WAS. >> AND THAT WASN'T THE ONLY
ADVICE CHUA GAVE. >> IS IT TRUE THAT YOU OF ALL
PEOPLE ACTUALLY TOLD HIM, "FOCUS ON YOUR LOVE LIFE."
>> I DID. >> THAT'S BECAUSE SHE COULD SEE
THAT VANCE WAS DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH A CLASSMATE,
USHA CHILUKURI. >> HE JUST HAD A REALLY GREAT
ATTITUDE TO EVERYTHING. HE WAS CLEARLY SO EXCITED TO BE
THERE IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST -- YOU GET
ACCUSTOMED TO PLACES LIKE YALE LAW SCHOOL, WHEN YOU'VE BEEN TO
OTHER UNIVERSITIES LIKE THAT BEFORE.
AND HE -- I DON'T KNOW. HE JUST -- HE FELT VERY
DIFFERENT. >> BUT WHAT USHA DIDN'T KNOW WAS
JUST HOW DIFFERENT, AS FAR AS JD HAD COME, HIS PAST WAS ALWAYS
LOOMING. >> I WAS AS CLOSE TO A NERVOUS
BREAKDOWN AS I'VE EVER HAD, JUST THE STRESS OF LAW SCHOOL, MOM
HAD JUST HAD A HEROIN OVERDOSE, I WAS IN LOVE WITH THIS GIRL,
USHA, BUT I DIDN'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO BE IN LOVE WITH HER IN
THE WAY THAT I WANTED TO BE. >> AND I JUST THOUGHT TO MYSELF
"YOU FINALLY GOT TO THIS PLACE THAT'S GOING TO GUARANTEE THAT
YOUR LIFE IS GONNA GO WELL, AND YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH ALL OF
THE THINGS THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU GOT AWAY FROM."
>> WITH USHA'S LOVE AND SUPPORT JD GRADUATED AND THEY GOT
MARRIED, NOW THEY'RE EXPECTING A BABY BOY.
FAMILY IS CLOSE BY, INCLUDING HIS MOTHER BEVERLY.
SHE IS CLEAN NOW, BUT JD KEEPS HIS DISTANCE.
AFTER A BRIEF MATERNITY LEAVE, USHA WILL BE COMMUTING TO
WASHINGTON FOR A SUPREME COURT CLERKSHIP WITH CHIEF JUSTICE
JOHN ROBERTS, BUT FOR NOW THEY'RE SETTLING INTO A NEW
HOUSE. >> SO, BACK TO COLUMBUS.
>> YEAH. >> WHY?
>> WELL, IT'S -- ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY.
IT'S GOOD TO BE CLOSE TO FAMILY, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT I
CARE MOST ABOUT ARE NOT IN SAN FRANCISCO.
THEY'RE NOT IN SILICON VALLEY. THE THINGS THAT I CARE MOST
ABOUT ARE THE OPIOID CRISIS, ABOUT SOLVING SOME OF THE ISSUES
THAT I WRITE ABOUT IN THE BOOK. AND YOU CAN ONLY DO THAT I THINK
WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY CLOSE TO THE PROBLEMS, AND WHEN YOU'RE
ACTUALLY ON THE GROUND TRYIN' TO HELP.
THE OHIO LIFE HE LEADS TODAY IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE HE
LEFT BEHIND AND WITH ALL THE ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION, COMES
CRITICISM. >> SO ONE OF YOUR CRITICS
DISMISSES THE TONE OF THE BOOK, QUOTE, "ALL HILLBILLIES NEED TO
DO IS WORK HARD, MAYBE DO A STINT IN THE MILITARY, AND THEY
CAN END UP AT YALE LAW LIKE HE DID."
>> I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S THE THESIS OF THE BOOK AT ALL.
THE TAKEAWAY OF THE BOOK IS NOT JUST WORK HARD, THE TAKEAWAY OF
THE BOOK IS THAT COMMUNITY AND FAMILY REALLY MATTER.
AND I THINK ANYBODY WHO IGNORES THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY NOT
APPRECIATING THE ACTUAL REALITY THAT EXISTS ON THE GROUND, AND
THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROBLEMS THESE KIDS FACE.
>> TWO MONTHS AGO, HE STARTED WORKING FOR AN INVESTMENT FIRM
DEDICATED TO OHIO OPPORTUNITIES AND HE'S FORMED HIS OWN
NONPROFIT -- OUR OHIO RENEWAL. >> HIS RETURN HAS STARTED
SPECULATION THAT HE'S PLANNING SOMETHING POLITICAL.
>> EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER JD'S GONNA RUN FOR
OFFICE. >> WHO'S EVERYONE?
>> EVERYONE, IT'S EVERYONE. TRUST ME, I SPEAK TO THEM.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD HE RUN FOR OFFICE?
>> I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S EVERYONE.
>> I THINK SOMEDAY, IF THE TIME IS RIGHT AND IF -- IF HE REALLY
FEELS THAT THAT'S THE BEST WAY THAT HE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO HIS
HOME, THEN, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
>> WHY DO YOU GET UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN THAT IDEA COMES UP?
>> WELL I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME IF I WANNA
RUN FOR OFFICE, PART OF ME WONDERS, LIKE, DO THEY THINK I
JUST GIVE OFF A USED CAR SALESMAN VIBE.
>> DON'T YOU THINK IT'S MORE BORNE OF HOPE THAT YOU COULD
BE -- YOU COULD BE A REAL CHANGE AGENT.
>> WELL, SURE. YEAH, NO.
I -- I THINK THAT'S THE OPTIMISTIC TAKE ON IT.
I'M VERY FLATTERED WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME.
AND YOU NEVER SAY NEVER, BUT IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT I
THINK ABOUT DOING RIGHT NOW. SO WE LEFT J.D. VANCE, 32, HOME
AGAIN ON THE CUSP OF FATHERHOOD, WHETHER HIS PAST WILL INTERFERE
WITH HIS PRESENT, WELL, THAT COULD BE ANOTHER BOOK.
>> DO YOU THINK HE'S DEALT WITH THIS STUFF?
>> I THINK THAT HE THINKS THAT HE HAS.
I THINK THAT -- I THINK THAT THIS BOOK, WRITING IT, WAS A
VERY GOOD STEP >> WHEN I FINISHED THE BOOK I
FELT A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT YOU. I --
>> WHY? >> I WONDERED IF YOU HAD REALLY
DEALT WITH EVERYTHING. >> THAT'S INTERESTING.
>> AND WHEN I MET WITH LINDSAY SHE WONDERED, TOO.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION. I'VE -- I'VE NEVER BEEN ASKED
THIS. I -- I THINK THAT THE -- THE
HONEST ANSWER IS THAT I -- I PROBABLY HAVEN'T DEALT WITH
EVERYTHING, BUT THAT THAT'S PART OF GROWING UP AND LIVING YOUR
LIFE, IS YOU'RE CONSTANTLY DEALING WITH THIS STUFF AND
YOU'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING THROUGH IT.
TH -- THE BOOK IS NOT AN EFFORT TO SORT OF FINALLY WORK THROUGH
ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS A KID, IT'S
THE BEGINNING OF AN EFFORT THAT WILL PROBABLY TAKE ME FOR THE
REST OF MY LIFE. AND YOU KNOW, I'M -- I'M OKAY
WITH THAT. >> A HAPPY UPDATE FOR YOU NOW,
IT'S OFFICIAL, JD VANCE IS A DAD!
EWAN BLAINE VANCE WAS BORN JUNE 4TH, THREE WEEKS AGO TODAY.

J.D Vance, Best-Selling Author Opens Up About His Painful Childhood And The Future Ahead | NBC News

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