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CNN Live At Daybreak

A Different Kind of Staremaster

Aired October 14, 2003 - 05:58   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Jeanne Moos has a story for you about a different kind of Staremaster. Let's take a look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stares.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who's watching me?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Who says it's not polite to...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stare.

MOOS: Eye to eye combat until the tears spill from their eyes, until their nose runs. It's the Staremaster competition. The contestants stare, the audience stares, two cameras stare at the eyes of these ocular gladiators.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the dry-eyed death phase.

MOOS: When blinking is prohibited.

UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: She blinked. I saw her blink.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have contacts so it was like...

MOOS: Staremaster started in Pensacola, Florida, borne of boredom and drink. Creator Sean Linezo happens to have an ironic quirk.

SEAN LINEZO: I have trouble like looking people in the eye when I talk to them.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well take a look at me now.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MOOS: Sean and a friend made an hour long documentary.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're watching you, watching you, watching you.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MOOS: Referees keep their eyes pealed for blinks. In New York, one match lasted a mere 10 seconds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But he's a beautiful competitor.

MOOS: Some in the audience weren't exactly all eyes.

(on camera): Excuse me. What did you think of the competition?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sucked.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Staremaster.

MOOS: There you go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perfect. Perfect.

MOOS: That's what you needed.

(voice-over): But the real record belongs to the eyes screen right. While the other guy cried like a baby, Dave Wiggin went without blinking for almost 18 minutes, to win the trophy. Don't blink or you'll miss the losing blink on your left.

Staremaster makes laser surgery look like fun.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, 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 October 14, 2003 - 05:58   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Jeanne Moos has a story for you about a different kind of Staremaster. Let's take a look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stares.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who's watching me?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Who says it's not polite to...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stare.

MOOS: Eye to eye combat until the tears spill from their eyes, until their nose runs. It's the Staremaster competition. The contestants stare, the audience stares, two cameras stare at the eyes of these ocular gladiators.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the dry-eyed death phase.

MOOS: When blinking is prohibited.

UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: She blinked. I saw her blink.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have contacts so it was like...

MOOS: Staremaster started in Pensacola, Florida, borne of boredom and drink. Creator Sean Linezo happens to have an ironic quirk.

SEAN LINEZO: I have trouble like looking people in the eye when I talk to them.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well take a look at me now.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MOOS: Sean and a friend made an hour long documentary.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're watching you, watching you, watching you.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MOOS: Referees keep their eyes pealed for blinks. In New York, one match lasted a mere 10 seconds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But he's a beautiful competitor.

MOOS: Some in the audience weren't exactly all eyes.

(on camera): Excuse me. What did you think of the competition?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sucked.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Staremaster.

MOOS: There you go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perfect. Perfect.

MOOS: That's what you needed.

(voice-over): But the real record belongs to the eyes screen right. While the other guy cried like a baby, Dave Wiggin went without blinking for almost 18 minutes, to win the trophy. Don't blink or you'll miss the losing blink on your left.

Staremaster makes laser surgery look like fun.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, 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