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CNN Live At Daybreak

Boom in So-Called Arnold-Speak

Aired September 09, 2003 - 05:57   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: TV journalist on leave Maria Shriver hit the campaign trail for the first time without her also famous hubby, Republican candidate for governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Shriver attended a voter registration drive in Sacramento and told the crowds she didn't care if they were Republican, Democrat or Independent as long as they vote.
Governor Gray Davis contends he was kidding when he said that to run for governor of California, you must be able to pronounce the name of the state. The remark was a clear jab at Arnold Schwarzenegger's Austrian accent. But since the campaign began, there has been a boom in so-called Arnold-speak.

Jeanne Moos reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ever since he entered the race, the accent has been on Arnold's accent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hasta la vista, baby.

MOOS: From newscasters...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to terminate this budget crisis.

MOOS: ... to late night comedians...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arnold Schwarzenegger, cutting violence in half with a laser guided chain gun across a charmed landscape.

MOOS: ... imitating Arnold is irresistible.

JAY LENO: California. California with a -- where is he from, India now?

MOOS: What would Leno and Conan do without Arnold-speak?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Vote for me!

MOOS: Imitating Arnold is nothing new. "Saturday Night Live" did it more than a decade ago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am Hans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I am Franz. And we just want to...

UNIDENTIFIED MALES: ... pump you up.

MOOS: But these days Arnold is so pumped up with politics, everyone's doing it.

JOSH THOMPSON, SCHWARZENEGGER IMPERSONATOR: I'm totally enthusiastic about this. I'm totally pumped up. He uses totally a lot. He's like an Australian Valley Boy.

MOOS: Josh Thompson has been working for radio station WKLS hoaxing call-in shows with his Arnold impersonation. His biggest coup so far was fooling the folks at Fox.

THOMPSON: I cannot be bought by special interests because I've got all the money.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was that really Arnold Schwarzenegger?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sounded like him.

THOMPSON: This Arnold is difficult, because it's conversational Arnold, it's not movie Arnold.

MOOS: Josh works from note cards with key words and phrases.

(on camera): And as if hearing all those Arnold impersonations weren't bad enough, now they've infected the written word. Come on people, resist. Repeat after me, without sounding like Arnold, I'll be back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll be back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll be back. What? That's it.

MOOS (voice-over): There's even a Web site where you can select phrases by Arnold.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: I'm a cop, you idiot. Stop whining.

MOOS: By stringing them together, it's possible to make prank phone calls.

SCHWARZENEGGER: Who are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, who are you?

SCHWARZENEGGER: I'm a cop, you idiot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, if you're a cop, you idiot, come over here and talk to me.

MOOS: As for one of Arnold's main opponents...

THOMPSON: A Spanish Mr. Whipple. I would say to him, Cruz Bustamante, don't squeeze the deficit.

MOOS: Talk about a Charmin accent...

Jeanne Moos, CNN...

SCHWARZENEGGER: Stop whining.

MOOS: ... New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 9, 2003 - 05:57   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: TV journalist on leave Maria Shriver hit the campaign trail for the first time without her also famous hubby, Republican candidate for governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Shriver attended a voter registration drive in Sacramento and told the crowds she didn't care if they were Republican, Democrat or Independent as long as they vote.
Governor Gray Davis contends he was kidding when he said that to run for governor of California, you must be able to pronounce the name of the state. The remark was a clear jab at Arnold Schwarzenegger's Austrian accent. But since the campaign began, there has been a boom in so-called Arnold-speak.

Jeanne Moos reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ever since he entered the race, the accent has been on Arnold's accent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hasta la vista, baby.

MOOS: From newscasters...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to terminate this budget crisis.

MOOS: ... to late night comedians...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arnold Schwarzenegger, cutting violence in half with a laser guided chain gun across a charmed landscape.

MOOS: ... imitating Arnold is irresistible.

JAY LENO: California. California with a -- where is he from, India now?

MOOS: What would Leno and Conan do without Arnold-speak?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Vote for me!

MOOS: Imitating Arnold is nothing new. "Saturday Night Live" did it more than a decade ago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am Hans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I am Franz. And we just want to...

UNIDENTIFIED MALES: ... pump you up.

MOOS: But these days Arnold is so pumped up with politics, everyone's doing it.

JOSH THOMPSON, SCHWARZENEGGER IMPERSONATOR: I'm totally enthusiastic about this. I'm totally pumped up. He uses totally a lot. He's like an Australian Valley Boy.

MOOS: Josh Thompson has been working for radio station WKLS hoaxing call-in shows with his Arnold impersonation. His biggest coup so far was fooling the folks at Fox.

THOMPSON: I cannot be bought by special interests because I've got all the money.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was that really Arnold Schwarzenegger?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sounded like him.

THOMPSON: This Arnold is difficult, because it's conversational Arnold, it's not movie Arnold.

MOOS: Josh works from note cards with key words and phrases.

(on camera): And as if hearing all those Arnold impersonations weren't bad enough, now they've infected the written word. Come on people, resist. Repeat after me, without sounding like Arnold, I'll be back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll be back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll be back. What? That's it.

MOOS (voice-over): There's even a Web site where you can select phrases by Arnold.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: I'm a cop, you idiot. Stop whining.

MOOS: By stringing them together, it's possible to make prank phone calls.

SCHWARZENEGGER: Who are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, who are you?

SCHWARZENEGGER: I'm a cop, you idiot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, if you're a cop, you idiot, come over here and talk to me.

MOOS: As for one of Arnold's main opponents...

THOMPSON: A Spanish Mr. Whipple. I would say to him, Cruz Bustamante, don't squeeze the deficit.

MOOS: Talk about a Charmin accent...

Jeanne Moos, CNN...

SCHWARZENEGGER: Stop whining.

MOOS: ... New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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