Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Largest Graceland Crowd Since Elvis' Death

Aired August 16, 2002 - 06:37   ET

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

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: It's been a quarter of a century since the king left the building, but a lot of folks hold fast to the belief that he is not gone.
And we are all over Memphis for Elvis Week, if you hadn't noticed; so is CNN's Keith Oppenheim.

Keith -- what's going on this morning?

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Anderson. How are you? I wasn't sure if you were there or not.

Well, first of all, I'm learning something from the Elvis trivia that you are talking about.

We have thousands of fans that are flocking into Graceland right now, and they are going to the back of the mansion to go around the gravesite where Elvis and his parents are buried.

Indeed, there are thousands of fans coming all over the world to take part in Elvis Week, and these are events that are as much connected to the man and the music, as they are to this city.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OPPENHEIM (voice-over): He once said it himself.

ELVIS PRESLEY: Somebody asked me this morning, what did I miss about Memphis? And I said, everything.

OPPENHEIM: That love between Memphis and man, between fans and the king, continues, and how.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was born in 1956, and he made it in 1956, and I have just loved Elvis all my life.

OPPENHEIM: For the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, people flock to Graceland for the candlelight vigil, for the full home tour. It is all a vacillation between somber visitation and worshipful celebration, often in the form of mimicry, grown-ups try to speak like Elvis...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, it's a pleasure to be here today, and...

OPPENHEIM: ... kids learn to sing like him.

(CHILD ELVIS IMPERSONATOR SINGING)

OPPENHEIM: Since Graceland opened its musical gates in 1982, 12.5 million fans have stopped by. This week, 70,000 are expected. The question is why?

(on camera): Why do you do it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have to be told?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love Elvis.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love Elvis.

OPPENHEIM (voice-over): Elvis has now been a dead superstar longer than he was a live one. It's been said his rags-to-riches story, his rise and his fall, are part of what keeps so many people enthralled with everything Elvis.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we can help people remember who that man was, to keep his legend going on, it's all about that man, TCB (ph).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OPPENHEIM: It's also all about big dollars. Sales of all things Elvis did quite well in this past year, totaling 37 million. So according to "Forbes" magazine, Elvis has been the top-earning dead celebrity for the second year in a row.

Back to you -- Anderson.

COOPER: That's a troubling stat right there.

OPPENHEIM: Yes.

COOPER: Now, has Lisa Marie Presley shown up with her new hubby, Nicolas Cage?

OPPENHEIM: You know, I don't think Lisa and Nic are going to be part of this celebration here. But if I see them in line, I'll be sure to let you know.

COOPER: OK. All right, Keith Oppenheim, thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.