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CNN Live Today
Interview With Lee Ermey
Aired July 03, 2003 - 11:32 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: More than 100,000 U.S. troops will spend this Independence Day weekend on duty in the Gulf region. The History Channel program "Mail Call" will air live from Kuwait on Sunday night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEE ERMEY, HOST, "MAIL CALL": We are high in the skies over the war-torn country of Iraq with the 407 Air Rescue squadron. What is going to happen is this ramp behind me is going to go down. We're going to push this quad off the end of the ramp. Soon as this quad has cleared the end of that ramp, these two PJs are going to be right after it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And that's the real deal. That's a sample of what "Mail Call" is all about.
Host Lee Ermey, a former Marine, joins us to talk about the program and the program you'll see live on Sunday live from Kuwait. You may remember Lee from his memorable rolls in "Apocalypse Now" and "Full Metal Jacket," just a few.
Well, good to see you, Sergeant.
ERMEY: Hi, Fredricka. How are you today?
WHITFIELD: I'm doing pretty good. You are the real deal...
ERMEY: It's good to...
WHITFIELD: Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead. What's that?
ERMEY: That's OK.
I'm coming to you from Ali Al Salem Air Base. We're about 39 miles from the Iraqi border.
A month ago or a month or a month and half ago, the History Channel -- of course you know the History Channel is, of course, the most patriotic channel in America -- next to CNN, of course.
But we decided -- I got together with the History Channel. We decided to come over and brighten the troops' day. Nobody was coming over so we decided to come over and entertain the troops and put together a one-hour "Mail Call" special. It's going to air Sunday evening July the 6th.
WHITFIELD: And in addition to bringing some entertainment to the troops you really are able to connect given that you are a Marine and you are -- you really used this show in which to help educate people about military technology.
But this time it is a little different, isn't it? What are some of those stories that you're hearing from these troops as they are now about to celebrate this Independence Day weekend overseas?
ERMEY: Well, you know the troops really can't just have a day off and stop doing what they have to do for the war effort. But they, I'm sure, will find time -- you know, it's 120 degrees here right now and I'm sure they'll be able to find time to have a little barbecue. They don't have to have a barbecue pit. All they'll have to do is find a nice hot stone somewhere and throw a nice, big T-bone down there and about five minutes later it'll be edible.
But the troops -- the motivation of the troops is second to none down here. They all realize that they have a very important mission. I've been down into Iraq, we did a lot of filming in Iraq a couple weeks ago. And I talked to the troops out in the field. And they're just as ready to eat their own guts out as they ever have been. They realize they have a mission. They realize that terrorism is not just going to go away by itself. It's going to have to be killed and that's what they're here doing.
WHITFIELD: And so, Sergeant, you feel like the morale is pretty good? I've seen many reports where a lot of these soldiers are starting questioning why we are here? What we are doing? And in fact, a lot of them are saying fall-out, I just want to go home.
ERMEY: I don't know, but seems to me like your source is full of hot air because I've been talking directly to the troops and morale is sky high.
One of my things when I talk to the troops is, how you doing? I ask them. I ask the troops how you doing? They come back at with an, Outstanding, Gunny or a Good to go, Gunny. These troops are ready to go, they're ready to rock 'n' roll.
This "Mail Call" special is one-hour, seven-minute special that's on Sunday evening on the 6th of July at 10:00 Eastern and Pacific time.
So, you got to check it out. 9:00 Central.
WHITFIELD: We will be checking it out. Thanks very much for giving us preview, Sergeant. Appreciate it. Always good to see you, Sergeant Lee Ermey...
ERMEY: OK, you...
WHITFIELD: ... of "Mail Call."
ERMEY: Semper fi. Have a great day. WHITFIELD: All right, semper fi back at you. And best of luck and best of wishes to the troops out there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 3, 2003 - 11:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: More than 100,000 U.S. troops will spend this Independence Day weekend on duty in the Gulf region. The History Channel program "Mail Call" will air live from Kuwait on Sunday night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEE ERMEY, HOST, "MAIL CALL": We are high in the skies over the war-torn country of Iraq with the 407 Air Rescue squadron. What is going to happen is this ramp behind me is going to go down. We're going to push this quad off the end of the ramp. Soon as this quad has cleared the end of that ramp, these two PJs are going to be right after it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And that's the real deal. That's a sample of what "Mail Call" is all about.
Host Lee Ermey, a former Marine, joins us to talk about the program and the program you'll see live on Sunday live from Kuwait. You may remember Lee from his memorable rolls in "Apocalypse Now" and "Full Metal Jacket," just a few.
Well, good to see you, Sergeant.
ERMEY: Hi, Fredricka. How are you today?
WHITFIELD: I'm doing pretty good. You are the real deal...
ERMEY: It's good to...
WHITFIELD: Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead. What's that?
ERMEY: That's OK.
I'm coming to you from Ali Al Salem Air Base. We're about 39 miles from the Iraqi border.
A month ago or a month or a month and half ago, the History Channel -- of course you know the History Channel is, of course, the most patriotic channel in America -- next to CNN, of course.
But we decided -- I got together with the History Channel. We decided to come over and brighten the troops' day. Nobody was coming over so we decided to come over and entertain the troops and put together a one-hour "Mail Call" special. It's going to air Sunday evening July the 6th.
WHITFIELD: And in addition to bringing some entertainment to the troops you really are able to connect given that you are a Marine and you are -- you really used this show in which to help educate people about military technology.
But this time it is a little different, isn't it? What are some of those stories that you're hearing from these troops as they are now about to celebrate this Independence Day weekend overseas?
ERMEY: Well, you know the troops really can't just have a day off and stop doing what they have to do for the war effort. But they, I'm sure, will find time -- you know, it's 120 degrees here right now and I'm sure they'll be able to find time to have a little barbecue. They don't have to have a barbecue pit. All they'll have to do is find a nice hot stone somewhere and throw a nice, big T-bone down there and about five minutes later it'll be edible.
But the troops -- the motivation of the troops is second to none down here. They all realize that they have a very important mission. I've been down into Iraq, we did a lot of filming in Iraq a couple weeks ago. And I talked to the troops out in the field. And they're just as ready to eat their own guts out as they ever have been. They realize they have a mission. They realize that terrorism is not just going to go away by itself. It's going to have to be killed and that's what they're here doing.
WHITFIELD: And so, Sergeant, you feel like the morale is pretty good? I've seen many reports where a lot of these soldiers are starting questioning why we are here? What we are doing? And in fact, a lot of them are saying fall-out, I just want to go home.
ERMEY: I don't know, but seems to me like your source is full of hot air because I've been talking directly to the troops and morale is sky high.
One of my things when I talk to the troops is, how you doing? I ask them. I ask the troops how you doing? They come back at with an, Outstanding, Gunny or a Good to go, Gunny. These troops are ready to go, they're ready to rock 'n' roll.
This "Mail Call" special is one-hour, seven-minute special that's on Sunday evening on the 6th of July at 10:00 Eastern and Pacific time.
So, you got to check it out. 9:00 Central.
WHITFIELD: We will be checking it out. Thanks very much for giving us preview, Sergeant. Appreciate it. Always good to see you, Sergeant Lee Ermey...
ERMEY: OK, you...
WHITFIELD: ... of "Mail Call."
ERMEY: Semper fi. Have a great day. WHITFIELD: All right, semper fi back at you. And best of luck and best of wishes to the troops out there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
