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CNN Live At Daybreak

Talk of CNN: Elvis Impersonators and Tipping

Aired August 16, 2002 - 06:45   ET

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

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Elvis impersonators are all the buzz with Randy and Spiff at Atlanta's Fox 97. Spiff's unavailable for comment, but Randy Cook is live on the line for this morning's "Talk of CNN" -- good morning.
RANDY COOK, RANDY & SPIFF, ATLANTA'S FOX 97: Hey, good morning, Anderson. Yes, Spiff I think fell off his shoes last night doing his Elvis show.

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: So what percentage of Americans have actually done an Elvis impersonation, huh, what do you think?

COOK: Seventy percent -- in the new survey says 70 percent of Americans do some sort of an Elvis imitation. So we were hoping, Anderson, that maybe you could curl up that lip here this morning and maybe give us your best thank you, thank you very much.

COOPER: Well you know, all I can do is the lip, which is basically -- here I'll do -- give a little lip.

COOK: OK, give me a little lip.

COOPER: The problem with that is -- I'm giving you lip right now, the problem is, it's also my Elizabeth Vargas imitation. So I don't know, anyway.

(LAUGHTER)

COOK: Well I thought maybe you could take it one step further and give us a little pelvic thrust, but that may jeopardize your job or something.

COOPER: Yes, I don't -- I don't think that's a good idea. But I'll imagine that you're pelvic trusting as we talk.

COOK: At this time of morning, I can do that.

COOPER: Right.

COOK: Well I'll tell you what, Elvis makes a lot more money now than he did when he was alive. Another survey out right now that we talked about this week says that Elvis tops the list of celebs that have passed away in cash. He beats people like Jimmy Hendrix and Jim Morrison and Marilyn Monroe. He's making more money now than he ever has before. But the sad part about it is, is he's not making any of that money from his music because he signed all those rights away. And all the money that Elvis is getting right now and the family is from ashtrays and velvet Elvises (ph) and things like that.

COOPER: I didn't know that. That's interesting. I mean I -- because you know we hear so much about how the Elvis Corporation is, you know, handling the image of the estate and everything. I didn't realize they're not making money from the music anymore.

COOK: And that's exactly it. You know how The Beatles put out that No. 1 CD this past year?

COOPER: Right.

COOK: It was No. 1 in the world; huge, huge success. They're going to do the same thing with an Elvis CD, but they will -- RCA's going to get all that money. That money is not going to the family.

COOPER: Right. Well only got about a minute left, but we talked in the news a couple -- a story a couple of days ago -- I'm a big Domino's Pizza guy myself. I eat it about three times a week. They're now talking about charging a dollar for every delivery. Are people talking about that to you?

COOK: People were talking about that and incensed with that and the whole idea of tipping because if they're going to charge us an extra dollar on the pizza, chances are people are not going to tip their driver as much. And we talked a lot about tipping, and people are not too happy about the idea of tipping and how all the tip jars are showing up all over the place. Why should we tip the guy at the subway shop, why should we tip the guy at the airport who takes our bag two feet over to the conveyor, it just doesn't make sense.

COOPER: Right, that is true. Hey, well listen, we're out of time; but listen, now we appreciate you joining us. Randy and Spiff from Atlanta's Fox 97, thanks for being with us this morning. Good talking to you.

COOK: Keep doing that Elvis -- Anderson.

COOPER: You too. Take care of business.

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