Making time for History

Nov. 9 the History Channel premieres “Great Escapes With Morgan Freeman,” an eight-part nonfiction series the Oscar winner hosts and executive produced.

“It features prison escapes. One in Alcatraz and Dannemora, Tennessee, another one in Ireland. It’s possible that a criminal might get some ideas by watching it. But it doesn’t give the stamina, wherewithal, or ingenuity they’d need to succeed.

“Like El Chapo escaped through a specially dug tunnel because he had money, inside contacts, outside connections and outsiders with knowledge of GPS positioning. Not everyone behind bars can command that technology.”

Added the star of ’94’s brutal prison drama “The Shawshank Redemption”: “I’ve been in real jails. You can get sweaty just by not knowing what might happen. Once they said, ‘Don’t talk to the prisoners.’ Just moving on through one big maximum security block definitely felt a bit trepidatious.

“You keep moving. You only say, ‘Yeah, how ya doin’?’ I was in some place, maybe Illinois, and we went into this one big block and it’s just nothing but noise. You think everyone in this place is insane. You feel that the result is so bad that you can’t speak. Look, I’ve gone from an Ohio reformatory to a tough jail like one in Ontario.

“This series won’t give anybody the tools for escape. At most it’ll give an incentive. Those in there for a while, their every waking thought is ‘I gotta get out.’ The escapes we’re telling about are pretty old. Those inmates who were able to escape have all but returned to prison.

“First prison I went into was in Kingston, Ontario. I’d never been inside one before. When it’s people in maximum security because they needed to be — there’s an aura about it all. It’s scary.”

Does this not aggravate today’s anti-police mentality? “No. I don’t think so. I’m not for defunding the police. This mentality does not relate to the cop on duty. Police are essential. Most just go about their daily work doing their job and never pull their guns except in rage.” 

Hear this:

His Eminence the Cardinal is set to visit the old country. Not Southampton. Ireland . . Nov. 15 Marvin Scott hosts Tony Orlando night at the Friars. Marvin Scott’s great. Tony Orlando’s great. The Friars did not. . . De Blasio creeping for governor? He has already moved to Guyana’s downtown area, making him the closest New Yorker to vote for. He retains 20 percent likeability. He’s smart. Throwing up enough dust could land him some payback job in the gov’s office. This way he’ll still live off the public trough. This beats working for a living.

Diane spills fashion ‘Secret’

Diane von Furstenberg: “Connect. Send two e mails each morning to help someone other than yourself. Expand. Arrange a meeting or call weekly with whoever you don’t know or wouldn’t engage with. Inspire. Storytelling can help you share your stories, vulnerability, and strength. Advocate. Get involved in causes. Speak up, organize, and make an effect.

“Be in charge. Take responsibility for yourself. Trust your character. Your character is your core strength. Help all women be the women they want to be.”

In her book “Own It: The Secret to Life” she tells about fame. She was in Kathmandu on Holy Week, Nepal. She sat in a sacred monastery surrounded by chanting monks. She was invited to the event and was given a special privilege. The opportunity to meet the spiritual leader of the holiest of the holy, and personally meet them. After the introduction he asked her, “So do you know Cher?” 

Random House is looking to swallow Simon & Schuster. The most important in publishing are cookbooks, and diet books. Cookbooks show you how to make it. It is forbidden to be eaten according to diet books.

Children are not only well-known in New York.