>> WELL, FROM A STATISTICAL POINT OF VIEW, THAT'S ACCURATE. >> THIS MORNING, WE ARE UNVEILING A SPECIAL SERIES, AND WE'RE CALLING IT "MEET THE MOMENT." FROM AUTHORS, TO ACTIVISTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, POETS, AND SCIENTISTS, THE VOICES OUTSIDE OF OUR POLITICS SHAPING CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER. WE BEGIN WITH ACTOR SELMA BLAIR WHO'S KNOWN FOR HER DEAD PAN HUMOR WITH QUIRKY, INTELLIGENT PERFORMANCES IN ICONIC FILMS LIKE "CRUEL INTENTIONS" "HEATHERS" AND "LEGALLY BLOND." >> WHAT ARE THE BOYS LIKE? >> IS THAT ALL YOU CAN THINK OF? >> DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYONE'S COMING TO YOUR LITTLE PARTY TO ME, HEATHER. >> VIVIAN KENSINGTON, DO YOU THINK IT'S ACCEPTABLE THAT MS. WOODS IS NOT PREPARED? >> NO, I DON'T. >> FIVE YEARS AGO AT AGE 46, BLARE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AFTER BATTLING THE AUTO IMMUNE DISEASE FROM THE AGE OF 7. IN 2019, SHE WALKED ON TO THE RED CARPET WITH A CANE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT AN OSCARS AFTER PARTY MAKING HER DISABILITY VISIBLE IN A POWERFUL WAY. NOW BLARE HAS BECOME AN ADVOCATE FOR AMERICANS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES, JOINING PRESIDENT BIDEN AT THE WHITE HOUSE IN OCTOBER TO RECOGNIZE THE 33rd ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND TO ADVOCATE FOR NEW LEGISLATION FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS AND PAY EQUITY. >> I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A PROUD, DISABLED WOMAN WITH MY CANE. [ APPLAUSE ] AND MY SERVICE DOG, SCOUT, BY MY SIDE. OUR LAWS AND POLICIES MUST REFLECT THAT OUR DISABLED LIVES ARE NOT OF LESSER VALUE. >> SELMA BLAIR, WELCOME TO "MEET THE PRESS." >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU WERE DIAGNOSED FIVE YEARS AGO WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. YOU'RE IN REMISSION NOW, HOW ARE YOU DOING, SELMA? >> I AM IN REMISSION, SO THAT IS A VERY SAFE PLACE TO BE. AS FAR AS DIAGNOSES GO. THOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CURRENT DISEASE, I HAVE THE LEFTOVERS. I DID HAVE IT FOR MANY YEARS, AND DIDN'T KNOW. IT DOES LEAVE SOME BURN AREAS, SCAR TISSUE AND ALL THAT, AND MINE IS IN THE BAY SELL GANG LEAH MOVEMENT. SOME OF MY STUFF LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS WITH MS. THERE'S A GAZILLION TYPES OF MS, WHEREVER YOUR DAMAGE IS. I'M DOING WELL. >> YOU HAVE YOUR BEAUTIFUL DOG SCOUT WITH YOU. ARE YOU IN ANY PAIN? TALK ABOUT THE STRENGTH YOU FIND EVERY DAY? >> YOU KNOW, I AM. I'M IN PAIN EVERY DAY. EVERY DAY. AND SOMETIMES I HAVE TO -- I HAVE DISTONIA, DOESN'T ALWAYS FLARE UP FOR ENTIRE CONVERSATIONS, IT'S ALMOST LIKE SOMEONE WITH A STUTTER MAYBE OR A TYPE OF TOURETTE AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. THERE CAN BE A A LOT OF DISCRIMINATION AND CONFUSION. PEOPLE THINK I'M PUTTING SOMETHING ON AND I JUST WANT A DOG WITH ME. THERE'S A LOT OF TRICKY STUFF. THE REAL FACT IS I AM IN PAIN ALL THE TIME. THERE'S A STIFFNESS THAT DOES NOT LEAVE ME. >> I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO DIAGNOSIS. YOU HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT IT, YOU'VE DONE A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT IT. YOU SAY THAT YOU HAD SYMPTOMS STARTING AT 7 YEARS OLD? >> I MEAN, THERE IS A PREDORMAL PERIOD. I'M NOT CERTAIN THERE'S A FULL ON. MY NEUROLOGIST WAS EXPLAINING, THERE CAN BE YEARS OF ACCRUING AND FATIGUE AND PROBLEMS. I DID, I HAVE THE THING, YOU BEND DOWN AND I GET ELECTRICITY. I HAD CLEAR SIGNS AT THE TIME. OPTICAL NEUROITIS AS A CHILD WHICH IS ONLY FROM BRAIN TRAUMA OR
