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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview with Mark Phillips

Aired August 16, 2002 - 06:57   ET

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

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: So we've been having some fun this morning for Elvis week. Now, at first, you know, Elvis was in the building. I thought it was Bill Hemmer. Then I thought it was Jack Cafferty. Then I thought it was Paula Zahn. But it's not.
It's Mark Phillips and he's been helping us out. Mark's a professional Elvis impersonator here in Atlanta and we appreciate you being in with us this morning.

MARK PHILLIPS, ELVIS IMPERSONATOR: Good to be here.

Thanks, Anderson.

COOPER: Now, how long have you been an Elvis impersonator and how did you get into it?

PHILLIPS: I've been doing Elvis Presley impersonations about 10 years and it happened quite by accident. I had been an entertainer locally here in Atlanta as myself, singing '50s, '60s and '70s music. And I was asked to perform at a trade show one time as Elvis and it just took off from there so.

COOPER: Right. Now, I mean how did you get the whole ensemble? It's, did you make this yourself? Or -- you can't buy these things on the rack I guess.

PHILLIPS: No, you can't. My boots are Florsheim. A lady named Janet at Professional Costumers makes this belt. This is an actual to scale belt. I have a lady named Sandra Mitchell (ph) in South Carolina that makes all my outfits for me. And this is the Aloha Eagle outfit, the most famous one, and I've got three others.

COOPER: Oh, really? This is the -- I didn't know they had, they have names?

PHILLIPS: Yes. This is the Aloha Eagle. Again, this is the one that most everybody recognizes Elvis in from the Aloha picture.

COOPER: Now, do you walk around like this around the streets of Atlanta or?

PHILLIPS: No. I'm a normal person when I'm out.

COOPER: OK. And what -- do you do, what, parties, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, anything?

PHILLIPS: Any and all of the above. I do trade shows, conventions, parties, birthdays, office parties, Christmas parties and a lot of trade shows and conventions.

COOPER: And you were talking about you remember the moment when Elvis died. What were you doing?

PHILLIPS: I was 14 years old in 1977 and I was playing just a little cheap, $10 electric guitar to the radio. And a DJ came across and said singer, songwriter and movie star Elvis Presley is dead. You know, it just, I remember that very vividly.

COOPER: Yes. We've got about 45, 60 seconds left. We're going to let you just sing us to break a little bit and thanks very much for coming in.

PHILLIPS: OK. Thank you very much. Appreciate your being here.

COOPER: All right, thanks.

PHILLIPS: Treat me like a fool, treat me mean and cruel, oh, yes, but love me. Break my faithful heart, tear it all apart, yes, but love me. Well, if you ever go, darling I'll be oh, oh so lonely. I'm begging on my knees, all I ask is please, please love me. I would beg or steal just to feel your whole heart really close to mine. Oh, yes I am, baby. Well, if you ever go, darling I'll be oh, oh so lonely. I'll be sad and blue, crying over you, dear only.

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