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Celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans; Interview With Lenny Kravitz

Aired February 28, 2006 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome, everybody, as we come to you live from Bourbon Street, New Orleans.
We're right down from our hotel, the Royal Sonesta, where we were reporting from earlier. A lot is going on here today. We're going to bring you a little walk and talk in just a moment.

Good morning to you, Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad.

We're along the Mardi Gras parade route. We're on St. Charles Avenue. Things rising to a crescendo here, you might say. Lots of crowds, lots of traffic. The last bit of vehicular traffic before the parades come through as people try to get into place to see the big parade.

There you see down live on the Neutral Ground there it is a family affair here, folks. And it's nice to see families together, nice to see children.

And the truth of the matter is, we've been coming here since day one on Katrina. We haven't seen a lot of children. Its nice to see kids back in the city. Nice to see families reunited. Nice for that social network to be reconnected. And that's what this Mardi Gras really is all about.

It's not just about what you see in the French Quarter there, Soledad, with a lot of late-night carousing. This is about families connecting, about parades and about tradition. And if there is any city in America that is wrapped up in tradition, New Orleans is it.

Right, Soledad?

S. O'BRIEN: Hey, Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Can you hear me there, Soledad?

S. O'BRIEN: I couldn't hear the last thing you said, but one -- yes, you know, I just lost you for just a moment there. You know, what's kind of interesting, as you point out, how it's beginning to ramp up where you are and how it's a real family feel.

Where we are, I've got to say completely the opposite. It's beginning to slow down. Now the folks have begun clearing out the garbage here on Bourbon Street. The balconies up here, (INAUDIBLE) I guess where we have been reporting from this morning you can see some of our lights. But they'll be tossing down the beads and hanging out and waving. I mean, to the point where sometimes you have to cower as you walk through here so you don't get smacked in the head with some of the beads.

We're going to be reporting from the French Quarter and from the area all morning, not only talking about the parties, of course, Miles, but also talking about a little bit of the controversy and some of the places that feel ignored, frankly, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. That's just ahead.

First, though, we want to get a look at some of the stories making news this morning. Carol Costello has got that back in New York.

Hey, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I do, Soledad.

Good morning to all of you.

A series of attacks across Baghdad today. The violence coming just one day after that curfew was lifted in the Iraqi capital. At least 30 people are dead, mostly Shiite civilians.

In the meantime, the Saddam Hussein trial is adjourned until tomorrow. Proceedings lasting for about three hours today. Earlier, prosecutors showed a document they say that was signed by the former Iraqi dictator. Hussein apparently signed the document, giving the OK for the executions of more than 140 Shiites.

Iraq topping the agenda as President Bush hosts Italy's prime minister. The two are meeting in the Oval Office right now. The president later heads out on an overseas trip to India and Pakistan. Trade issues and the war on terror will be the focus of meetings there.

A judge is expected to decide today whether the retrial for Andrea Yates will go forward. She's accused in the drowning deaths of her five children. Her first conviction was overturned and she was transferred to a mental hospital. On Monday, Yates' attorney rejected a plea deal that would have sent her to prison for 35 years.

And it appears the real estate bubble is finally bursting. At least in some parts of the country the air is coming out. The pace -- the pace of new home sales nationwide slowed last month. That's according to a government report. And the backlog of unsold homes is about a half a million.

Ooh, a lot of people don't want to hear that news -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm not selling.

COSTELLO: I am not either.

MYERS: Can't have my house anyway.

Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

M. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much, Chad Myers.

There are a total of five parades that go through uptown New Orleans today. Two of them are kind of the marquee events of Fat Tuesday, Zulu first, and then Rex, which is kind of the granddaddy of them all.

Members of Rex will gather on Napoleon Avenue. They will throw trinkets, beads and doubloons, which I am hoping to grab a few of. All the way down Napoleon to St. Charles, and then off on to Canal Street.

And then Zulu, their big deal is not the doubloons, but the golden coconuts that we've been talking about. They actually are under way. They kicked off just a few minutes ago from Jackson Avenue. And they are making their way down this way. From there, Canal Street, as well.

So we're going to be able to track all of that for you every step of the way.

The Zulu parade is really a spectacle. It's a lot of fun, and it's got a great history wrapped up in it.

Chris Lawrence has got a front row seat as that parade begins.

And Chris, how is it going so far?

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, it's going great, Miles. You know, the parade, waiting for it to make its way down the street. It starts just a couple blocks down. This will be the first official stop where they will give their official toast to really kick off the start of the parade.

You can see just crowds, families, people lining up all the way down the block in each direction. This is a real tradition where they come through the same neighborhoods every year during the parade. People come out and a lot of folks tell me they have the same seat every single year.

We met a gentleman who lost his home during Katrina, had to be evacuated to Houston and then Atlanta. He came back just for Zulu. He's seeing friends of his for the first time since the storm hit. And he's sitting in the exact same place he did all those years before.

So, a lot of tradition. We'll be right here when Zulu starts making its way up the block in just a few minutes from now -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: You know, it's interesting, Chris, in putting it that way. He lost so much, but he still has his seat, and he still has his Mardi Gras. In many respects, this is something that I think a lot of people thought they might have lost, as well.

LAWRENCE: Oh, yes, exactly. You know, there's just that feeling that -- and he was trying to explain it to people who don't live in New Orleans.

He said, "Man, if you're not from New Orleans, it can be hard to understand. But we love our Mardi Gras here."

Take a look. This just happened a few minutes ago. They gave -- they -- they read an official proclamation, kind of thanking the funeral home for all their support over the years. You might think, what does a funeral home got to do with a parade krewe and Mardi Gras? Well, back when Zulu started, you know, they weren't allowed to toast at city hall, they weren't allowed to parade down St. Charles Avenue.

So they started right here at this funeral home. And this is where they gave the official toast. This is where they started the parade. And they've kept that tradition, even though now, of course, you know, the krewe is integrated, they parade down St. Charles Avenue. But they said, "It's important to come back here because this is where we began and we want to remember the people who really got Zulu started."

M. O'BRIEN: Important traditions. Chris Lawrence with Zulu. We'll check back with you in just a little bit.

You know, a lot of folks remain divided over whether New Orleans should even be celebrating today. We're going to talk to former Mayor Sidney Barthelemy, see what he thinks. As a matter of fact, he's sitting right beside me getting ready.

Plus, we'll have Soledad's interview with Lenny Kravitz. He has a home in this area, but he was overseas when Katrina hit. We'll find out what was going through his mind watching this storm from afar.

And if you're off to work or you want to just watch a specific shot, be your own director, we invite you to enjoy Mardi Gras and the parades through Pipeline. CNN.com/pipeline is the place. And as our Mardi Gras gift to you today, it is free. That's at CNN.com/pipeline.

Stay with us for more AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Welcome back to our program.

You've got to love the music. You know? As a matter of fact, we are watching very closely now.

Can we take the picture down on St. Charles real quick?

There's kind of -- these are not the big krewes that we're seeing right now, but there's a little -- some ad hoc parades and smaller parades. And I'm going to say this one very carefully, OK? So if you're transcribing this in your transcription service, listen to what I say. It's the Half-Fast Parade -- Half-Fast Parade, which is... SIDNEY BARTHELEMY, FMR. NEW ORLEANS MAYOR: Marching Club.

M. O'BRIEN: Half-Fast Marching Club led by Pete Fountain, of course.

BARTHELEMY: Right.

M. O'BRIEN: The great clarinet player and New Orleans fixture.

Speaking of New Orleans fixtures, Sydney Barthelemy, good to have you with us. Former mayor...

BARTHELEMY: Thank you, Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: ... whose house was damaged but spared in the Gentilly district of New Orleans.

Good to have you back with us. Good to be here on this Mardi Gras day. Well look for the Half-Fast...

BARTHELEMY: Right.

M. O'BRIEN: ... marchers. And if they come by, we'll definitely show them to folks.

What are your thoughts on this Mardi Gras day? We -- I have asked everybody the same question, but it's interesting to hear people's thoughts. Was your first inclination, don't have it, don't celebrate it?

BARTHELEMY: I think -- I think my first inclination was that, Miles, that I knew we had so many of our people still outside of the city. But, you know, as time went on and many people started to say that we needed to bring Mardi Gras back so that people could see New Orleans is still alive, and particularly over the past couple of days, you know, it really has been sort of a rejuvenation to people.

It's a signal of why we love New Orleans. It is really part of us. And so I think it works out.

M. O'BRIEN: You know, a lot of -- a lot of people have been saying, well, first of all, this is costing the city some $2.7 million. The city doesn't have it, obviously.

BARTHELEMY: Right.

M. O'BRIEN: And there's a lot of private money otherwise. All of that could go elsewhere right now. There's so many needs here.

BARTHELEMY: That's true. There are a lot of needs. But the city doesn't have any property tax to speak of now because most of the homes are destroyed.

So they are not going to generate any revenue for the city government. The only revenue generated is sales tax. And Mardi Gras is a big sales tax generator. So I think in the long run it's going to be very, very positive.

M. O'BRIEN: So it may be a good investment.

BARTHELEMY: Right.

M. O'BRIEN: Certainly, it's not too hard to make a financial case for bringing all these people back to the city of New Orleans.

BARTHELEMY: No, because, you know, that's our major industry. We don't have automobile plants or other kinds of major manufacturing plants.

Our real industry for the city is tourism. And it generates an awful lot of money for the city. And we really need to keep it going, because without it we're going to be in bad, bad shape. Worse shape than we are now.

M. O'BRIEN: Well, we don't -- and we certainly don't want that to happen.

I had a chance to see the levees the other day. I took a tour with the Corps of Engineers.

The short-term project appears to be on track. And that's good. That will get you back to pre-Katrina levee levels.

BARTHELEMY: Right.

M. O'BRIEN: But the next step is what is so crucial, and that's where there's a lot of questions about the commitment and the funding that will be there to make that happen.

What are your thoughts on that right now? Do you think you're making progress?

BARTHELEMY: Well, you know, Mr. Powell has recommended to the president an additional $4.2 billion. And I think that's very important for us. The concern I think all of us have here is if Congress attaches restrictions on the money and not permit us to help the people. I mean, that's the big thing we need now, Miles.

I talked to hundreds of people who want to come back home, want to rebuild, and they need a little help. And that's what we have to do. We have to help the people because they will rebuild this city.

M. O'BRIEN: It seems as if, in particular, people of Louisiana have had to go hat in hand to Washington to get this kind of funding. And a lot of times you hear people say almost off to the side, well, you know, Louisiana politics, we've got to be carefully how much money we provide them because of the history of corruption here.

Does that bother you when you hear that?

BARTHELEMY: It does, because, you know, there are an awful lot of good public servants here, people who are in elected office, in appointed office who are really good people, trying to do the best that they can. I know the reputation we have is not a good one, but with so many people watching, with all of the federal government -- what do I want to say?

M. O'BRIEN: There's a lot of scrutiny.

BARTHELEMY: Federal government scrutiny. Right. Right.

M. O'BRIEN: There's tremendous scrutiny.

BARTHELEMY: Yes, so, you know, that's not going to happen. In fact, you look at how FEMA has spent the money, to me, that is criminal. You know, to buy 11,000 trailers and put them in Arkansas in the sinking sand and not be able to bring them to the people who need housing, to me that's criminal. Those decisions show criminality to me than what is happening down here now.

M. O'BRIEN: Perhaps the pot has met the kettle in that respect, right?

BARTHELEMY: Right.

M. O'BRIEN: Sidney Barthelemy, have a happy Mardi Gras.

BARTHELEMY: Thank you. Same to you.

M. O'BRIEN: All right? I hope you enjoy it. And I am glad that the city is taking a moment to smile.

BARTHELEMY: Thank you.

M. O'BRIEN: You deserve it -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: All right. Thanks. Nice to see the mayor there.

Coming up this morning, my interview with Lenny Kravitz. He's got a home and roots in Louisiana. We're going to ask him what he thinks it's going to take to get New Orleans and the surrounding areas back on its feet.

Later, we're going to meet another artist. He's using his unique gifts to help Katrina victims rebuild their lives. We've got his story ahead.

AMERICAN MORNING continues right after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Live right below us on Bourbon Street.

You know, we have seen lots of famous faces, lots of celebrities lending their support to Hurricane Katrina victims. But Lenny Kravitz in some ways is a big exception because he has got a home here and because he has got roots here. He feels it very, very deeply.

We took a tour through the absolutely devastated Lower Ninth Ward and talked a little bit about what he thinks has to happen before the entire region can recover.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: You know, one of the things I have found so weird in this disaster is things like this, like, the stairs, you know, sort of the stairs to nowhere. It's just bizarre.

LENNY KRAVITZ, MUSICIAN: Yes. It's a trip. You know, this is -- this is my second time through here. I have been on tour for the last two years. So I haven't been around much. And when the storm hit I was in another country, and...

S. O'BRIEN: What did that feel like to watch it unfold in another country?

KRAVITZ: It was very strange. It was very strange because, you know, I have a home here. I have roots here. I have family here, you know, close friends. And it was just very strange not to be around my people.

S. O'BRIEN: Nothing has changed in the Lower Ninth Ward. I mean, this was here the day of the storm and this is still here.

KRAVITZ: Yes. The thing that is sad to me is, you had a lot of elderly in this area, people that owned homes for years. And, you know, when you lose the elderly you are losing the story, you're losing the history. And passing that history on becomes virtually impossible.

S. O'BRIEN: How are people here going to move forward if no one will even clean up the debris off their land? And I guess that gets back to questions about does anybody care if they move back?

KRAVITZ: Well, that's the thing. What is the plan?

You know, is the plan to make the city safe and to get the levees in order so that when we get hit with another storm -- because the storms are going to keep coming, whether it's next season or five seasons from now, these storms are happening. This is the world we live in. And so is the plan to protect the entire area, or is the plan to just, you know, take the French Quarter and the dome and, you know, the casinos and whatever is right in the area and just protect that?

What attracted me to this place was the history, was the culture, was the music, the architecture.

S. O'BRIEN: So what happens with -- OK, let's talk about the music, because that's such a big part. You know, we talked to Harry Connick about what happens when the old people go and the history of a kid sitting in, and if you can play you can stay and if you can't play you've got to go.

I mean, what happens?

KRAVITZ: Well, this was -- this was one of the -- speaking about music, I mean, look, we've got a mixer right there. You know, I mean, that was probably somebody, you know, making music over here.

But in this day and age of technology, you've lost a lot of musicians in the sense that there are very few kids that, you know, learn how to play trombone, that learn how to play trumpet, that learn how to play bassoon, that play real instruments. And this was a place in the country where -- where that was still alive. You know?

So you are losing both ends of it. You're losing the people that can pass it on and you're losing the people that it should be passed on to. So what is left?

S. O'BRIEN: This is six months later. And the convention center looks great. I was there this morning. I mean, it looks fantastic. And they're actually ahead of schedule.

Careful here.

KRAVITZ: Watch your step.

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, thanks.

You know, they are ahead of schedule to be -- for cleaned up. And then I come out here and I think, I'm not sure anyone has even thought about a schedule yet.

KRAVITZ: Well, there hasn't been. And, you know, I think that this country needs to think about the people.

I mean, these are the people that defend this country. And these are the people that support this country. And if we're going to go all over the world and do other things, I think we have to look in our own back yard.

You know, my mother always said, you know, charity begins at home. And this is home.

S. O'BRIEN: You feel hopeful?

KRAVITZ: I feel hopeful, but this devastation is unbelievable. I mean, it looks to me -- looks like, you know, a nuclear bomb went off.

S. O'BRIEN: Doesn't it?

KRAVITZ: I mean, this is serious. These are the times when we have to pull together.

S. O'BRIEN: Step up.

KRAVITZ: And you can't just wait for the next person to do what you think they should do. You know? And as you see, they are not doing it.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes.

KRAVITZ: So, you know, I encourage, you know, all of us who can do something, whatever it is, to just throw something into the pot, you know, even if it seems small, because the problem is so big.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: The problem is so big. I mean, that's maybe even an understatement.

One silver lining here, Lenny says, is that the number of people who just personally have stepped up and made commitments, whether they are a superstar or whether they are just a regular person who -- who has decided to commit in some small way or a big way to helping the rebuilding. And I've got to tell you, after we did our interview, there were a lot of people from the neighborhood who were there just to look at their property and just kind of walk around.

And he was there taking pictures and greeting them and seeing where they were pointing out their houses. You know, he's a guy who is really committed to the area and to, I think, being there for some of the people who are really hurting.

Ahead this morning, we're going to take you to Texas. Celebrations there in Texas kind of have a little bit of a Louisiana flare this year. We'll explain what that is all about.

Plus, we're going to meet an artist who is using his truly unique gift to help get New Orleans back on its feet. We'll talk about that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

We're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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