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American Morning

Interview with Susan Lucci

Aired June 21, 2002 - 09:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well sometimes on live television, stuff just happens. Don't we know that here on AMERICAN MORNING? We certainly do.

Well, it also happened to actress Susan Lucci during the daytime Emmy awards last month. And to viewers at home, and to Lucci backstage, it appeared as she won the best actress award for her role as Erica Kane on "All My Children," but there actually was a little bit of confusion. Let's talk about that and what has happened since in the outcry from fans on how Susan Lucci was treated. We have her with us right here in the studio -- good morning.

SUSAN LUCCI, ACTRESS: Good morning.

KAGAN: Such a thrill to have you here with us.

LUCCI: I'm so happy to be here, thank you.

KAGAN: And in the interest of journalistic integrity, I have to say that I've been an "All My Children" fan since I was in the third grade.

LUCCI: Oh, thank you.

KAGAN: Yes. I go back to the days of the Phil-Tara-Erica love triangle...

LUCCI: Oh my.

KAGAN: ... to date myself.

LUCCI: Well, thank you very much.

KAGAN: So many years of watching your story line and watching "All My Children." And, of course, all the fuss about all the nominations. You've already won previously, but take a look at what happened just last month on the daytime Emmy awards and why it looked like perhaps you might have thought that you won.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Emmy goes to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

(END VIDEO CLIP) KAGAN: So this is the first time you've seen it.

LUCCI: I have never seen it until just this minute.

KAGAN: Now to back up and explain to people who are watching at hope what had happened, you had previously been out there on stage.

LUCCI: I had just presented the award previous to the award I was nominated for. And they asked me please to wait in the wings. And I was in the place where there were all curtains around me and I was on my mark. And so I heard them announce the award that I was up for and I heard them say Susan, but I didn't hear anything after that.

I don't know whether it was the curtains, or I have said previously, after about the ninth time I didn't win, I go numb when they say the name. So I don't hear the name.

KAGAN: You've been there.

LUCCI: Been there. Don't hear the name. And so I was standing there in the wings and I heard Susan. I did not hear anything else. And from that clip, it looks like I thought immediately it was me and I went out. That's really not what happened.

I was standing in the wings, I heard Susan, didn't hear anything else. And all of a sudden the camera came up on me, and then the tally light of the camera came up on me. And then the cameraman started getting more active in walking backwards towards the stage.

KAGAN: Like, come with me.

LUCCI: And then he started pointing to me.

KAGAN: Well, and the other thing...

LUCCI: And then the stage manager cued me and I said, "It was Susan Flannery, wasn't it?" They said, "No, you, you." Both the cameraman and the stage manager were saying, "No it's you, you. Go, go." And I didn't hear my name, and I felt it wasn't right for me to go out.

KAGAN: You can tell that you're hesitating. The other thing...

LUCCI: And then they queued my music.

KAGAN: Right, for enthusiasts. Anybody will recognize -- if you've been watching as long as I have, that is the "All My Children" theme music that's playing.

LUCCI: Yes. And so when I heard the theme music from "All My Children," I thought, well my goodness, all right. I mean, I didn't hear my name, but if they're queuing me three different ways and the music, I guess it's me.

And so I started out. And so I started out and then I saw Susan Flannery coming up towards the stage and I thought, well, probably not.

KAGAN: Maybe not, OK.

LUCCI: So I went back, but I in no way wanted to muddy up Susan Flannery's moment. You know, I want to congratulate her here and I felt bad that it would some how muddy up her moment. And when I went backstage, the stage manager said she heard my name. And apparently in the control, they must have thought they heard my name.

KAGAN: Well that's why they played the music.

LUCCI: Of course they did. And so it was an honest mistake. I mean, you could see -- hear from the announcement. That's the first time I ever saw that. It was clearly Susan Flannery. You could hear it.

KAGAN: Well, it was kind of muddied, I think, when you heard the name. And you weren't the only one who was confused.

LUCCI: No.

KAGAN: And you know better than anyone else how special that moment is, and that's why you don't want to take it away from Susan Flannery.

LUCCI: Of course not. From whoever won I wouldn't want to take it away from. But I was queued four times. And when they played my music, I said, all right then. I guess it is.

KAGAN: Then you'll go.

LUCCI: But really everyone who was backstage truly thought that they heard my name. And I gather in the control room. And I want to take a moment to clear Rosie O'Donnell. Rosie O'Donnell was backstage after I retreated; when I went backstage knowing that Susan Flannery had won or thinking that she had. Everyone there, including Rosie, felt they heard my name legitimately, as did, obviously, the people in the control room.

But in no way was Rosie O'Donnell responsible for sending me out on stage. That story had gotten around and...

(CROSSTALK)

KAGAN: That (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

LUCCI: ... that just was not true.

KAGAN: Quickly, in the little time we have left, you have received an apology from Dick Clark Productions, which produced this show.

LUCCI: Yes, I have. Yes, I have.

KAGAN: So all is good in daytime Emmy land and in Pine Valley.

LUCCI: All is fabulous. Thank you.

KAGAN: Very good. Susan Lucci, a pleasure to have you with us.

LUCCI: Thank you. Great to be here.

KAGAN: I know it's not the last time your name will be called to win the award; especially daytime Emmy.

LUCCI: Well thank you.

KAGAN: Great to have you with us.

LUCCI: Thank you.

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