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American Morning

90-Second Pop, Culture Watch

Aired September 04, 2003 - 07:50   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: "90-Second Pop," a lightning-fast look at three hot topics in pop culture. Today, we ask our panel of experts 90 seconds on each.
With us today, Josh Elliott, football reporter for "Sports Illustrated." Good morning, Josh. Welcome.

JOSH ELLIOTT, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": Good morning.

HEMMER: A virgin on "90-Second Pop." We like that. Clarissa Cruz, "Entertainment Weekly." Nice to see you. Good morning, Clarissa.

CLARISSA CRUZ, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Good morning.

HEMMER: B.J. Sigesmund, entertainment reporter for "Newsweek" is back with us, the veteran on the panel today, by the way.

How are you guys doing? All right?

CRUZ: Great.

HEMMER: I can't wait for the NFL to start.

ELLIOTT: I know, Bill. I know you're excited. I know. And start it shall tonight.

HEMMER: When they go to the National Mall in D.C., it tells me that the NFL has got its act together. I think this is a great marketing tool.

ELLIOTT: It's definitely a great marketing tool. It's really the perfect book end now to the Super Bowl. It's a little bit of bloated excess preparing us for a season-long of bloated excess. I just think that -- you know, I look at the lineup, though, of the acts...

HEMMER: Yes.

ELLIOTT: ... Charlotte, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Aerosmith, the ever relevant Aerosmith, and I think Saturday morning cartoons, demographically-complete crime-fighting kids. You know, there is nobody who is not being touched.

B.J. SIGESMUND, "NEWSWEEK": Really, everyone can be can satisfied by this.

HEMMER: But do you remember last year in Times Square when Bon Jovi kicked it off?

CRUZ: Yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the pre-show. I saw it last year for Bon Jovi.

HEMMER: Sure. It's all about marketing and PR, right?

CRUZ: I'm going to watch Britney this year. I mean, the question is: Is she going to kiss Mary J. Blige or Aretha Franklin? That's what I want to know.

SIGESMUND: And then, for people who aren't big football fans, they sort of -- they watch this and it kind of reminds them that four or five months from now there will be the Super Bowl and all of these acts again will be back.

HEMMER: So, here is my question. Why doesn't baseball pick up on something like this?

ELLIOTT: That's -- but see, they can't. See, that's the thing. Make no mistake. The NFL is the dominant sport in America for this reasoning. No other sport could get away with something this lame, really. I mean, it is...

HEMMER: See, I don't see it as lame.

ELLIOTT: I mean, again...

HEMMER: I mean, for millions of Americans who wait for it...

(CROSSTALK)

ELLIOTT: It's great marketing. It is. It's genius. It is great marketing. But I can tell you this: There are football fans aplenty that will be sitting there gritting their teeth, waiting, finding new reasons to resent that.

HEMMER: All right, all right. The next topic -- we're out on that. Well, Clarissa, when you're not watching the NFL this weekend, what's at the movies?

CRUZ: Oh, well, there are a couple of new offerings. Hopefully, one of them will knock "Jeepers Creepers 2" out of the top spot. One of them is "Dickie Roberts: Child Star," and the best thing about that is it stars David Spade, and it has a whole bunch of former child stars -- Danny Bonaduce, Emmanuel Lewis, Corey Feldman.

HEMMER: The reviews are what for this right now?

CRUZ: Oh, well, I mean, we'll have to see. I mean, it's going to be a little -- I'm sure it's not going to be Oscar caliber, but it will be the comedy.

SIGESMUND: Just seeing all of these former child stars in one movie I think is enough to draw a certain segment of the movie-going population.

ELLIOTT: Absolutely. And I think child stars, they make us feel better about ourselves. And we're sort of...

CRUZ: Exactly.

(CROSSTALK)

ELLIOTT: We're reminded...

HEMMER: How is that?

ELLIOTT: We're reminded that they're just still just former child stars. You know, you see Leif Garrett, he gets more depressing by the day. And you just feel a little better about yourself.

HEMMER: That's one movie. What else do you like?

CRUZ: Oh, well, speaking of child stars, MacAulay Culkin is in a movie called "Party Monster," and that is -- actually it's kind of like the anti-"Home Alone." I mean, he's going to be a drugged-out New York City club kid, and, you know, it's going to be definitely a break from his childhood persona.

HEMMER: Only a few of those in this town, huh?

(CROSSTALK)

SIGESMUND: I've been hearing, though, about this movie, 'Party Monster," for, like, three years. It has taken absolutely forever to come out. They had the wrap party, in fact, for it 18 months ago.

CRUZ: Yes. And they just had the premiere last night. So, yes, there has been, you know, some...

HEMMER: Well, "Lost in Translation" is out in two weeks with Bill Murray. I saw "Whale Rider" this past week. I tell you, I think when the Oscars come around, it's going to get a big push. The audience loved it. They were crying. They were clapping, and, yes, a fantastic actress

OK, the next topic, B.J. The California recall.

SIGESMUND: Yes, Arnie and the eggs. You know, Arnold Schwarzenegger did literally have a lot of egg -- or not literally, but he had egg on his face yesterday already for skipping out on the first debate. But then, yesterday, in giving a speech at a college campus, he was egged, as you can see right here. And look at the way he just walks right through it. You know, he just takes off his blazer. He doesn't even stop to realize that there is egg on him. And that, right there, is amazing PR for Arnold Schwarzenegger. That far more than makes up for his skipping the debates.

HEMMER: You know, when I watched that, I wonder if he even felt it.

ELLIOTT: He didn't. We were just talking in the green room about that. I don't think he felt it. I think he just thought, you know, that was somebody else clapping him on the back or something. HEMMER: Yes. Yes.

CRUZ: I actually don't have much to say about this topic, because, as you know, "EW" endorsed Gary Coleman for governor of California.

HEMMER: Are you going to defend your magazine...

(CROSSTALK)

SIGESMUND: He has egg on his face, though, for life, Gary Coleman.

HEMMER: Well, listen, there is -- when Arnold Schwarzenegger debates on the 24th of September, you still have about a two-week period before the elections. So, it's always possible he could schedule another one.

Hey, great to see you all, OK? Enjoy the NFL.

CRUZ: Thanks.

HEMMER: Clarissa, thanks. B.J., thanks. Josh, great to see you again, too.

ELLIOTT: Bill, thanks.

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 September 4, 2003 - 07:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: "90-Second Pop," a lightning-fast look at three hot topics in pop culture. Today, we ask our panel of experts 90 seconds on each.
With us today, Josh Elliott, football reporter for "Sports Illustrated." Good morning, Josh. Welcome.

JOSH ELLIOTT, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": Good morning.

HEMMER: A virgin on "90-Second Pop." We like that. Clarissa Cruz, "Entertainment Weekly." Nice to see you. Good morning, Clarissa.

CLARISSA CRUZ, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Good morning.

HEMMER: B.J. Sigesmund, entertainment reporter for "Newsweek" is back with us, the veteran on the panel today, by the way.

How are you guys doing? All right?

CRUZ: Great.

HEMMER: I can't wait for the NFL to start.

ELLIOTT: I know, Bill. I know you're excited. I know. And start it shall tonight.

HEMMER: When they go to the National Mall in D.C., it tells me that the NFL has got its act together. I think this is a great marketing tool.

ELLIOTT: It's definitely a great marketing tool. It's really the perfect book end now to the Super Bowl. It's a little bit of bloated excess preparing us for a season-long of bloated excess. I just think that -- you know, I look at the lineup, though, of the acts...

HEMMER: Yes.

ELLIOTT: ... Charlotte, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Aerosmith, the ever relevant Aerosmith, and I think Saturday morning cartoons, demographically-complete crime-fighting kids. You know, there is nobody who is not being touched.

B.J. SIGESMUND, "NEWSWEEK": Really, everyone can be can satisfied by this.

HEMMER: But do you remember last year in Times Square when Bon Jovi kicked it off?

CRUZ: Yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the pre-show. I saw it last year for Bon Jovi.

HEMMER: Sure. It's all about marketing and PR, right?

CRUZ: I'm going to watch Britney this year. I mean, the question is: Is she going to kiss Mary J. Blige or Aretha Franklin? That's what I want to know.

SIGESMUND: And then, for people who aren't big football fans, they sort of -- they watch this and it kind of reminds them that four or five months from now there will be the Super Bowl and all of these acts again will be back.

HEMMER: So, here is my question. Why doesn't baseball pick up on something like this?

ELLIOTT: That's -- but see, they can't. See, that's the thing. Make no mistake. The NFL is the dominant sport in America for this reasoning. No other sport could get away with something this lame, really. I mean, it is...

HEMMER: See, I don't see it as lame.

ELLIOTT: I mean, again...

HEMMER: I mean, for millions of Americans who wait for it...

(CROSSTALK)

ELLIOTT: It's great marketing. It is. It's genius. It is great marketing. But I can tell you this: There are football fans aplenty that will be sitting there gritting their teeth, waiting, finding new reasons to resent that.

HEMMER: All right, all right. The next topic -- we're out on that. Well, Clarissa, when you're not watching the NFL this weekend, what's at the movies?

CRUZ: Oh, well, there are a couple of new offerings. Hopefully, one of them will knock "Jeepers Creepers 2" out of the top spot. One of them is "Dickie Roberts: Child Star," and the best thing about that is it stars David Spade, and it has a whole bunch of former child stars -- Danny Bonaduce, Emmanuel Lewis, Corey Feldman.

HEMMER: The reviews are what for this right now?

CRUZ: Oh, well, I mean, we'll have to see. I mean, it's going to be a little -- I'm sure it's not going to be Oscar caliber, but it will be the comedy.

SIGESMUND: Just seeing all of these former child stars in one movie I think is enough to draw a certain segment of the movie-going population.

ELLIOTT: Absolutely. And I think child stars, they make us feel better about ourselves. And we're sort of...

CRUZ: Exactly.

(CROSSTALK)

ELLIOTT: We're reminded...

HEMMER: How is that?

ELLIOTT: We're reminded that they're just still just former child stars. You know, you see Leif Garrett, he gets more depressing by the day. And you just feel a little better about yourself.

HEMMER: That's one movie. What else do you like?

CRUZ: Oh, well, speaking of child stars, MacAulay Culkin is in a movie called "Party Monster," and that is -- actually it's kind of like the anti-"Home Alone." I mean, he's going to be a drugged-out New York City club kid, and, you know, it's going to be definitely a break from his childhood persona.

HEMMER: Only a few of those in this town, huh?

(CROSSTALK)

SIGESMUND: I've been hearing, though, about this movie, 'Party Monster," for, like, three years. It has taken absolutely forever to come out. They had the wrap party, in fact, for it 18 months ago.

CRUZ: Yes. And they just had the premiere last night. So, yes, there has been, you know, some...

HEMMER: Well, "Lost in Translation" is out in two weeks with Bill Murray. I saw "Whale Rider" this past week. I tell you, I think when the Oscars come around, it's going to get a big push. The audience loved it. They were crying. They were clapping, and, yes, a fantastic actress

OK, the next topic, B.J. The California recall.

SIGESMUND: Yes, Arnie and the eggs. You know, Arnold Schwarzenegger did literally have a lot of egg -- or not literally, but he had egg on his face yesterday already for skipping out on the first debate. But then, yesterday, in giving a speech at a college campus, he was egged, as you can see right here. And look at the way he just walks right through it. You know, he just takes off his blazer. He doesn't even stop to realize that there is egg on him. And that, right there, is amazing PR for Arnold Schwarzenegger. That far more than makes up for his skipping the debates.

HEMMER: You know, when I watched that, I wonder if he even felt it.

ELLIOTT: He didn't. We were just talking in the green room about that. I don't think he felt it. I think he just thought, you know, that was somebody else clapping him on the back or something. HEMMER: Yes. Yes.

CRUZ: I actually don't have much to say about this topic, because, as you know, "EW" endorsed Gary Coleman for governor of California.

HEMMER: Are you going to defend your magazine...

(CROSSTALK)

SIGESMUND: He has egg on his face, though, for life, Gary Coleman.

HEMMER: Well, listen, there is -- when Arnold Schwarzenegger debates on the 24th of September, you still have about a two-week period before the elections. So, it's always possible he could schedule another one.

Hey, great to see you all, OK? Enjoy the NFL.

CRUZ: Thanks.

HEMMER: Clarissa, thanks. B.J., thanks. Josh, great to see you again, too.

ELLIOTT: Bill, thanks.

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