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American Morning

Will Siegfried & Roy Perform Again?

Aired October 08, 2003 - 09:07   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: Doctors say it is all but miraculous that magician Roy Horn is alive at all. Roy's neurosurgeon spoke yesterday about the massive injuries that the performer suffered when he was attacked by a tiger on Friday during a show.
CNN's Jeff Flock is in Las Vegas for us this morning with an update on his condition -- Jeff, good morning.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Soledad, good morning to you.

Indeed, doctors here not quite as optimistic as Roy Horn's partner about his recovery, some fresh comments from Siegfried Fischbacher this morning, saying he expects -- quote -- "a complete recovery." Mr. Fischbacher, speaking to a German daily newspaper, also said that he doesn't necessarily think the Siegfried & Roy show is over. And that would sort of be a bit in contravention to some of the comments from his manager earlier about the fact that certainly the show is shut down now.

But, certainly, fans of Siegfried & Roy here in Las Vegas would like the show to go on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK (voice-over): They come with flowers and pens. "You have given us some great entertainment," writes one."Stay strong, fight," writes another, in the growing tribute to the larger than life tiger tamer here on the Las Vegas strip.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are other acts here that have animals. You can't replace Roy.

FLOCK: Bernie Yuman has been Siegfried and Roy's manager for 28 years. He tells me he's never been more impressed with Roy Horn.

BERNIE YUMAN, MANAGER, SIEGFRIED AND ROY: His will and his physical strength is perhaps that of 100 men cumulatively.

FLOCK: Hyperbole aside, Horn's neurosurgeon agrees. The physical strength honed in a lifetime of wrestling big cats helped save him. Though recovery, even survival is not certain.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So Horn's injury was extremely severe and it's all but miraculous that he's alive at this time.

FLOCK: Alive and communicating, though no one will say exactly how. Thousands are trying to reach him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President George Bush, Sr., Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson...

FLOCK: Just a few of those who have called. But while Horn's future remains uncertain, the fate of the tiger that bit him is not.

YUMAN: There's no blame on Montecore.

FLOCK: Manager Yuman says the cat, out of sight now, will continue to live here among the other tigers at Siegfried and Roy's secret garden at the Mirage, which will remain open.

YUMAN: He will have a great life, because Siegfried and Roy have provided a great life for him. And that will continue uninterrupted.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK: As for Roy Horn's quality of life, Soledad, I think that's pretty much unclear, doctors here, as you point out, saying that they just think it's a miracle he's alive. And it's not certain even that he would survive, much less make a full recovery. But, as we reported Siegfried Fischbacher very positive in his comments. So we'll see where this goes.

HEMMER: All right, CNN's Jeff Flock with an update for us -- Jeff, thanks.

And, as we just heard, Roy's partner, Siegfried Fischbacher, is going to speak publicly on television for the first time since the attack in an exclusive interview tonight at 9:00 eastern on "LARRY KING LIVE".

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 October 8, 2003 - 09:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Doctors say it is all but miraculous that magician Roy Horn is alive at all. Roy's neurosurgeon spoke yesterday about the massive injuries that the performer suffered when he was attacked by a tiger on Friday during a show.
CNN's Jeff Flock is in Las Vegas for us this morning with an update on his condition -- Jeff, good morning.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Soledad, good morning to you.

Indeed, doctors here not quite as optimistic as Roy Horn's partner about his recovery, some fresh comments from Siegfried Fischbacher this morning, saying he expects -- quote -- "a complete recovery." Mr. Fischbacher, speaking to a German daily newspaper, also said that he doesn't necessarily think the Siegfried & Roy show is over. And that would sort of be a bit in contravention to some of the comments from his manager earlier about the fact that certainly the show is shut down now.

But, certainly, fans of Siegfried & Roy here in Las Vegas would like the show to go on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK (voice-over): They come with flowers and pens. "You have given us some great entertainment," writes one."Stay strong, fight," writes another, in the growing tribute to the larger than life tiger tamer here on the Las Vegas strip.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are other acts here that have animals. You can't replace Roy.

FLOCK: Bernie Yuman has been Siegfried and Roy's manager for 28 years. He tells me he's never been more impressed with Roy Horn.

BERNIE YUMAN, MANAGER, SIEGFRIED AND ROY: His will and his physical strength is perhaps that of 100 men cumulatively.

FLOCK: Hyperbole aside, Horn's neurosurgeon agrees. The physical strength honed in a lifetime of wrestling big cats helped save him. Though recovery, even survival is not certain.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So Horn's injury was extremely severe and it's all but miraculous that he's alive at this time.

FLOCK: Alive and communicating, though no one will say exactly how. Thousands are trying to reach him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President George Bush, Sr., Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson...

FLOCK: Just a few of those who have called. But while Horn's future remains uncertain, the fate of the tiger that bit him is not.

YUMAN: There's no blame on Montecore.

FLOCK: Manager Yuman says the cat, out of sight now, will continue to live here among the other tigers at Siegfried and Roy's secret garden at the Mirage, which will remain open.

YUMAN: He will have a great life, because Siegfried and Roy have provided a great life for him. And that will continue uninterrupted.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK: As for Roy Horn's quality of life, Soledad, I think that's pretty much unclear, doctors here, as you point out, saying that they just think it's a miracle he's alive. And it's not certain even that he would survive, much less make a full recovery. But, as we reported Siegfried Fischbacher very positive in his comments. So we'll see where this goes.

HEMMER: All right, CNN's Jeff Flock with an update for us -- Jeff, thanks.

And, as we just heard, Roy's partner, Siegfried Fischbacher, is going to speak publicly on television for the first time since the attack in an exclusive interview tonight at 9:00 eastern on "LARRY KING LIVE".

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