Return to Transcripts main page

Glenn Beck

Is Anna Nicole Dispute Over?; Danny Bonaduce Talks Troubled Celebs; NYU Republicans in Trouble for Illegal Immigrant Game; Oscar Preview

Aired February 23, 2007 - 19:00   ET

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

GLENN BECK, HOST: Coming up, the Anna Nicole verdict is in, but is the real fight about to begin?
Also the battle for our border in this country.

Plus, my Oscar picks for this Sunday. That and more, next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Tonight`s episode is brought to you by the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Yes. It`s only a matter of time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: We`re coming to you tonight from Columbus, Ohio. A great town, the heart of America, where no one, coincidentally is claiming to be Anna Nicole Smith`s baby`s father. It`s weird.

Speaking of which, there was a survey today in the "Columbus Dispatch" that I saw this morning when I started to read the paper. It asked people of Columbus, "Is the father of Dannielynn who?" Five percent said Zsa Zsa`s husband. Eighteen percent said Howard K. Stern. Thirty-six percent said Larry Birkhead. And a surprising 41 percent said the 2005 New York Knicks.

So -- here`s Judge Seidlin, yesterday, Judge Sheckie, giving his verdict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDGE LARRY SEIDLIN, BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA: I want her buried with her son. I want -- there`s no shouting. This is not -- this is not a happy moment. I want her buried with her son in the Bahamas. And I hope to God you guys give the kid the right shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I mean, Judge Seidlin, here`s the point tonight. You are the ringmaster of the whole circus, and I`m telling you, this is another warning sign right on the road to hell. This sign is telling us, wake up, America, or you`re going to continue along that road until we reach the exit marked the Roman Empire. Nobody`s talking about it, but we all know in our gut this is not good.

Here`s how I got there. Everybody I`ve been talking to in Ohio has been saying the same thing: "This is an outrage. These people are crazy. Isn`t there something else the media could cover and talk about?"

Yes. Yes. The answer is yes. And when you stop talking about it, America, when you stop watching it, the media will stop providing it.

I agree. There shouldn`t have been any news generated from this trial from day one. Why? There shouldn`t have been cameras in the courtroom. The only reason there was cameras in the courtroom is because the judge wanted to use this situation to make himself the next Judge Judy.

He`s actually made a reel for the network executives to watch. I don`t know if any of these highlights made the cut.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEIDLIN: I talk to everybody. That`s why I bring my in-laws with me, because I know my wife would be yelling I`m not taking care of the kids.

We were in the chambers. You al; had me crying. I got to look tough, Mama, and I`m not going to talk about this case ever again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: There was a poll taken in the United Kingdom a while ago. Said the majority of children under 10 think that being a celebrity is the most important thing in the world. Any doubt our kids here in America think the same thing?

We`re not building anything of value anymore. Look at this freak show, and everybody`s riveted by it. This is the country that gave the world skyscrapers. We invented the car, the computer. We put the man on a moon.

What we are creating now, as society? What did Anna Nicole Smith really give us? She was a drugged out centerfold starlet whose tragic death is creating new stars who are just as worthless.

Judge Sheckie says he`ll never talk about this case every ever again. Even 5-month-old Dannielynn knows that`s a huge pile of crap, and she`s currently in the crap business.

In a country where more time has been spent discussing the death of Anna Nicole Smith than the death of Gerald Ford, I have a feeling we`re going to be hearing a lot from Judge Seidlin again real soon. Two words: "book deal."

Now here`s what I know tonight. Last night I gave a speech at the chamber of commerce in Canton, Ohio. Eighty-two-year-old guy, his name is Bill Luntz, he came up to me and he said, "Mr. Beck, I don`t want to sound like I`m lecturing, but that`s what old people are allowed to do, so give me a minute." I did.

He said, "Please, tell America we are becoming the Roman Empire right before the fall. You`ve got to wake them up."

The average life span of a democracy is 200 years. And we are well past our sell by date. Unless we start embracing our values and creating something of value, we`re going to fall just like every other democracy in history.

Here what I don`t know. Back to the trial. Is this thing even over? Is this real -- is the real freak show about to begin?

Lisa Bloom from Court TV and legal analyst Gwendolyn Jackson join me now.

Ladies, this is just a sad, sad story.

Gwen, let me start with you. When does Dannielynn actually find out who the father is?

GWENDOLYN JACKSON, LEGAL ANALYST: Well, that`s going to be very, very difficult to say. I know that we`re -- really have to take a look at who - - how fast they`re going to be looking at the DNA evidence. That could take months.

It could take months to decide that. It`s unfortunate. But it looks like it`s something that`s -- we`re not going to know the answer to that for quite a while.

BECK: Lisa, how difficult is it? You swab people`s mouths.

LISA BLOOM, COURT TV: That part`s not difficult. The difficult part is getting the Bahamian government to cooperate. Are they going to allow a man to live in a home there with a baby that`s clearly not his child -- I`m talking about Howard Stern -- and shield him from the effect of U.S. court orders? That`s really the issue. The issue is the Bahamas going to allow this to continue to go on. It`s gone on five months because they`ve allowed it to go on.

BECK: Ladies, do either of you have children?

BLOOM: I do, two.

JACKSON: Yes.

BECK: OK. This is the most important time in a child`s life.

BLOOM: Absolutely. Absolutely.

BECK: I mean, is there -- is there not any common sense now of anybody saying, we`ve got to get this child to a loving family, and the real father. Maybe it is his. I`m with you, Lisa. I don`t buy it for a second.

BLOOM: No, of course it`s Larry Birkhead`s baby, the guy who`s been going to the parenting classes by himself along with a bunch of couples while she was pregnant, the guy who bought baby clothes, bought items, who wanted to be there during the delivery, who wanted to be present in the baby`s life when it had nothing to do with the money. It seems like Larry Birkhead.

But let me tell you this, Glenn. Think of all the people who quit their jobs for a year or two years and stay home with their babies and their newborns. Because we know how important the bonding time is.

And so all of the courts who are now saying, "Well, there`s no rush." The judge in Florida today said, "There`s no rush. We can take our time with this." Absolutely wrong. This is the time we need to rush, because this baby needs a parent.

BECK: Gwendolyn, the judge. Weirdest damn judge you`ve ever seen?

JACKSON: Very odd, to say the least. I think there`s going to be a lot of questions about his, you know, his behavior. He appears to be a little bit more involved emotionally with the case than some of the litigants, and it`s quite odd to say the least.

And you know, I`m in agreement with Lisa. I mean, you take a look at this child. We want to make sure that the child is with the biological father, but we also want to make sure the biological father is a person who is fit.

So I can certainly see the court continuing to be involved with monitoring the situation. Because let`s face it. Just because somebody is the biological father doesn`t mean that they`re going to be the best parent for the child.

BLOOM: That`s true.

And Glenn, can I take issue with something you said in your monologue about cameras in the courtroom?

BECK: Yes.

BLOOM: Everything Court TV has learned about this judge is this is the way he`s acted in every case for 29 years. The cameras didn`t create the circus in the courtroom. The cameras exposed a circus that was going on in that courtroom.

And the cameras weren`t in because he wanted them to be in.

BECK: OK.

BLOOM: In Florida`s sunshine law, they`re required to be in every case.

BECK: OK. So let me ask you this. Is -- was this guy -- I mean, if I were one of the family members of Anna Nicole, and I saw this guy treat this case like this, I`d be outraged.

JACKSON: Mortified.

BECK: Is he just a clown, or is he more than just a clown? Did he do a good job?

BLOOM: I don`t think he`s a clown. I think he`s long-winded. He`s a former Bronx cab driver. He`s got a certain sense of humor. He likes to talk about the journey and everybody should hold hands. He wears his heart on the sleeve.

But I think he came to the right decision, didn`t he? That she should be buried in the plot she bought next to her son.

JACKSON: I`m in agreement with that. And quite surprising, because I mean, if you take a look at the antics that the judge, and this is difficult to kind of -- kind of fathom, because usually you don`t see the judge having these kind of antics. Usually you look at the judge as the person that`s going to kind of put an end to it, but he seemed to be perpetuating it.

But it`s interesting, because he does come to very good legal conclusions.

BECK: OK. I need -- I need one sentence or less answer from each of you. I just want to run down a couple of things and get your -- and get your gut response. We`ll start with you, Lisa, then to Gwendolyn. All right?

BLOOM: OK.

BECK: Real dad. Who is it?

BLOOM: Larry Birkhead.

BECK: Gwendolyn?

JACKSON: I think it`s Larry Birkhead also. That`s my gut feeling.

BECK: When does -- when does this thing fall out of the news? When are we not watching this on the news all the time?

BLOOM: When the Bahamas decides that the well-being of this baby is important and they do a DNA test.

BECK: Gwendolyn?

JACKSON: I think it`s going to be in the news for years and years to come, because we`re also going to be talking about the estate. And we have...

BLOOM: It`s a riveting story. We shouldn`t apologize. It`s a Shakespearian tragedy. People love it.

Let me tell you something. We did Saddam Hussein`s war crimes tribunal for nine months here on Court TV.

BECK: Nobody watched.

BLOOM: Nobody watched? Everybody watches it. Crime and justice stories are interesting. We shouldn`t be ashamed.

BECK: Real quick, last question.

JACKSON: Our grandchildren are going to be watching this.

BECK: She`s -- last question.

BLOOM: And you`re going to be talking about it, Glenn.

BECK: Wait, wait, wait! Last question. Odds that this young girl grows up to be a stable individual? Lisa?

BLOOM: That depends on the parent. Look, I`m an optimist. Give her a loving family. Give her a chance.

BECK: Gwendolyn?

JACKSON: I would like to think that it`s going to be good for the child, but I really -- I have my doubts. I have my doubts and I think there`s going to be a lot of intervention, a lot of looking at it, a lot of...

BLOOM: Hopefully, she wasn`t born with drugs in her system.

BECK: Let me tell you something. You`d have a better chance of this kid being stable by raise -- having a balloon raise the kid.

BLOOM: I have some hope.

BECK: Lisa, Gwendolyn, thanks.

Coming up, the fight for Anna Nicole`s body is over. Now all the leeches can go for the custody battle for Dannielynn. But Danny Bonaduce is going to be here next. He kind of knows, you know, what`s on the next list for celebrities in trouble.

Plus, three executives, over 200 of their employees busted in an immigration sweep, but that is a drop in the bucket. I`ll give you the details in tonight`s "Real Story".

And the Academy Awards are two days away. I can barely contain myself with so much excitement. Have you seen these movies? I`ll tell you who should go home with an Oscar, and it ain`t Al Gore.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Anna Nicole Smith, a mess in life, let`s be honest with each other, and in death, nothing has changed. Yesterday`s debacle on TV with the judge weeping at the verdict, and then a lawyer passes out. I mean, you can`t write this stuff.

Today the legal focus has shifted, and everybody`s in a frenzy to try to determine who is the real father of Anna`s little girl, Dannielynn.

Let`s review, shall we? You`ve got Howard K. Stern, her lawyer turned lover who`s obviously after her money. Then there`s Larry Birkhead, the pretty boy photographer, who people think is most likely the father.

The list couldn`t be complete without Zsa Zsa Gabor`s husband, Frederic von Anhalt. What a collection of losers! Who in their right mind is sleeping with these guys? Anna Nicole Smith.

Her life spiraled out of control for many reasons: because of her fame, because of her death, because of the drugs. I think in large part because of the people that were enabling her, the bad influence, the screwed up guys in her life, leeches, all of them.

And speaking of spiraling out of control, really be remiss if we didn`t mention Britney Spears here. You see, the cover of the "New York Daily News"? Here it is. Yes. That`s Britney, all bald, beating the crap out of a paparazzo`s car with an umbrella.

Did I mention she`s back in rehab now for the third time?

Danny Bonaduce, 97.1 Free FM in Los Angeles.

Danny, I`ve got to tell you, you`ve got to be a little upset. I mean, you`re king of the freak people. You`ve been...

DANNY BONADUCE, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: You know what? I`ve got to tell you that when she checked back into rehab this time that makes three, which means she is now tied with my record. She`s got to go again to be...

BECK: Yes, but you stayed for a little while. I mean, you at least stayed for lunch and dinner. Didn`t you?

BONADUCE: I did -- I did at -- are you kidding me? They have a personal -- and I`m not joking. This is the exact rehab I was in. They have a personal French chef that his meals can`t be beaten.

BECK: Let me ask you something, Danny. This rehab bull crap, excuse my French, which technically I don`t think that is French. But it`s just that.

I think this is becoming a show. I don`t know if it is with her, but this is just becoming a show. Isn`t it?

BONADUCE: Well, I`ll tell you this in all honesty. She is, in fact, in the rehab I went to. I called a friend yesterday, and I made sure -- well, I didn`t make sure. I asked. Sure enough, she`s actually in my old room.

But here`s what happened. When I went there you are immediately assigned a roommate. And my roommate was a $20 million a picture movie star, and his job was to clean the toilets. And my job was to clean the kitchen floor with a toothbrush.

And then you would study and try and vent your problems and see why it is that you drank so much.

But after a while I noticed all the movie stars, I started to think, I wonder how many people here don`t really drink? They just spent the 40 grand so they could meet the movie stars and network.

BECK: Holy cow! Do you think she`s -- a lot of people think she`s the next Anna Nicole. Do you think she is?

BONADUCE: No. I think Lindsay Lohan is.

BECK: What is this? Are we -- are we putting money down? I mean, that was awfully fast. Well, I got $50 on Lindsay Lohan.

BONADUCE: The answer to your question is yes. I have $50 on Lindsay.

BECK: Who are you betting with?

BONADUCE: My other friends at 97.1.

BECK: No, no, no. Seriously, now I know why I get out of FM Radio. Come on!

BONADUCE: I will tell you exactly how this works. This is what I truly believe from my heart and soul. I do not believe that Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are troubled youths. I think they are a mutation of a disease, and it starts with patient zero, who is Paris Hilton.

And Paris Hilton also happens to be Typhoid Mary, and she`s immune to her own toxins and poison but affects the people around her. She has infected Lindsay Lohan, who has infected Nicole Richie, who has infected Britney Spears. And now they`re...

BECK: Wait. How do you mean...

BONADUCE: They`re mutating.

BECK: How do you mean this? I mean, when you`re talking about infection with Paris Hilton, you know -- anyway...

BONADUCE: What I mean is...

BECK: What do you mean? What is the infection that she`s immune to?

BONADUCE: Well, what I mean is, that Paris Hilton is a very calculating young woman. Paris Hilton doesn`t do things by accident. When Paris Hilton shows up late, she`s fashionably late. When Lindsay Lohan shows up late, it`s because she`s drunk somewhere, in my opinion.

Here`s the difference. Paris Hilton is drinking it all in, and Lindsay Lohan`s just drinking it all.

BECK: Britney Spears. Is there a possibility, -- and I shouldn`t say it with Britney Spears. Because you know, I don`t know what`s going on.

But is there a possibility that people who want to be popular are watching what`s going on now with Anna Nicole Smith. I mean, geez. Danny, I mean, how many people -- Ford didn`t get this kind of sendoff. Look at the attention that Anna Nicole Smith is getting, and she`s created nothing of value! You know what I mean?

BONADUCE: I was -- I was called in to my boss` office. My program director, my boss, name`s Jack Silver (ph). And I`m sure I`m getting in trouble for this. But he pulled me in his office, and he said you cannot be that insensitive to the death.

And I said I most certainly can, I was that insensitive to Anna Nicole when she was alive, and to change now would make me a liar.

I don`t know what that woman added to society. It there are people who loved her, if you remove them from the equation, nothing dreadful has happened to the America I live in because Anna Nicole Smith passed away.

BECK: Right. But something has happened to America that is dreadful, because we are gobbling it up. Nonstop.

BONADUCE: I agree with you. I agree with you completely. Because you could stay it started with Judy Garland, really. You could say that I, and Todd Bridges didn`t really help.

You could say that Robert Downey Jr. had the audacity to be a junkie and a genius, therefore making it look good.

But this is the first generation that not only revels in their bad behavior, but revels in being stupid.

BECK: Yes.

BONADUCE: We, at least, wanted to try and present ourselves as best we could. This generation of celebrity sloppy drunk is reveling in all of their indignities.

BECK: OK. Danny, thanks. Always a pleasure to talk to you.

New York student now sparks a protest on his college campus with an illegal immigration game. Wait till you hear the game, and wait til you hear the outrage on it. I`ll explain coming up next. Don`t miss it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: The College Republican Club at New York University -- Republicans, New York -- isn`t that a bit of an oxymoron there? -- is in a bit of hot water after hosting a campus-wide event called Catch an Illegal.

Yesterday`s game attracted more protesters than participants. David Laska is one of the organizers.

David, you hate mongering racist bigot, you!

DAVID LASKA, COLLEGE REPUBLIC CLUB, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: Isn`t that the truth?

BECK: Yes. David, I saw a clip from you on "FOX and Friends" with what`s his name...

LASKA: Geraldo?

BECK: Yes, Geraldo.

LASKA: That wasn`t me. That was -- that was one of our members.

BECK: OK. That was -- you know what? That was one of the worst things I`ve ever seen. From a so-called conservative.

LASKA: Absolutely.

BECK: Geraldo Rivera, he couldn`t and wouldn`t, allow anything to be said about this, except that it was racist.

LASKA: Absolutely. Our member could not get a word in edgewise. And I mean, as far as I know, there`s no race of illegal immigrants.

Our event yesterday, it was not an anti-immigration event. It was not an anti-foreigner event. It was an anti-illegal immigration event. And illegal immigration is a federal crime, which a strong argument can be made undermines the economy, undermines the security of this nation and furthermore is also bad for the illegal immigrant.

One of the things I say to people on the street when they call me a racist, I say to them, you know, I am the grandchild of four legal immigrants, two of whom fled the Nazis in Poland. So I don`t need a lecture on racism and immigration from anybody.

Now, my grandparents came to this country legally, made a life for themselves in this country, which you have today with illegal immigrants. They`re coming over to this country. They`re undocumented, so they can`t make minimum wage. You have these people living in fear of going to the police when they`re wrong, living in fear of going to a medical clinic when they`re sick, living in fear of taking advantage of any of the social amenities in this country because they`re afraid of being deported.

Now, who is that bad for? That`s bad for the immigrant, in addition to the country.

Now when you say that to somebody, they`ll look at you and say you`re a Republican. You`re a racist. You don`t care about these people. You only care about rich, white people.

BECK: Right. David, first of all, I mean, that was -- I mean, that was incredible.

LASKA: Thank you.

BECK: You college students just piss me off, because I was never that smart when I -- well, I`m not that smart now. But that`s a different story.

Why do you suppose it always comes down to racist hate-mongering bigot?

LASKA: Well, the bottom line is, Glenn, they`ve got nothing else to say.

Last night, a New York network invited us on for a round table discussion, and they`d already slated two of the students who`d organized the protest to be on.

Now, the students who organized the protest were under the impression that they were going to be on by themselves. When told that we were going to be on with them, they backed out. They were afraid to come on and debate us.

The bottom line is when you cannot rationally defend your position -- and there really is no rational defense for illegal immigration -- you resort to name-calling. It`s childish and it`s shameful.

BECK: So what is -- what`s going on from here now? What -- what`s the fallout for the young Republican club?

LASKA: Well, it`s -- it`s the College Republicans. We`re not affiliated with the New York Young Republicans. I want to make that clear.

We`re hoping, really, just to foster debate about the issue. Now, that`s really what the goal was here. Because we`ve tried in the past more conservative ways. We`ve hosted speakers on illegal immigration. We`ve hosted debates with other campus groups and nobody`s come out. Our members come out. Other groups` members come out. No one else does.

The bottom line is, apathy reigns on our campus. The only way you can get students out, to get students to pay attention to an issue is to ruffle feathers a little bit, to kind of get students, you know, thinking about some of the things that are a little politically incorrect.

The bottom line is now when we host a debate, more people will be there.

BECK: OK. David, thanks a lot.

We`ll be back. More on illegal immigration with "The Real Story", next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Welcome to "The Real Story". I`ve been talking to you about the border all week and how our government either does everything wrong or nothing at all to stop the constant flow of illegals into this country.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Welcome to "The Real Story."

I`ve been talking to you about the border all week and how our government either does everything wrong or nothing at all to stop the constant flow of illegals into this country. At least that`s the way it feels to me. And here`s a perfect example of what I`ve been talking about.

The Department of Homeland Security came out this week talking big about how they`ve reduced the flow of illegals crossing the border. Have you heard that story? Well, now let me give you the real story.

The system they use to gauge just how many are getting across is so flawed it is downright stupid. I`m beginning to wonder if these empty suits in Washington have any idea at all how to keep our homeland secure.

According to the "International Herald Tribune," hardly a conservative publication, the only barometer homeland security uses to measure how many illegals are attempting to cross the border is how many are caught. Because homeland security is catching fewer illegals, they`ve decided that means fewer are trying to get in. Well, now I feel safe.

That`s nuts. This is such a faulty system. You`re be better off guessing. I don`t know, 12 came in. Most of the immigrants who try to cross the border illegally aren`t stupid. They know better than anyone that there`s increased attention on the border right now. So why wouldn`t you lay low for a while?

Once the hollow efforts to secure the border are declared a success, due to homeland security`s absurd monitoring system, enforcement will be dialed back, illegals will resume streaming across at the same rate. Maybe we`ll talk amnesty. Then how many come across the border?

So thanks a lot, homeland security. You know, it`s amazing. Even though you`ve been in existence only since 2002, I`m glad to see that you`ve already figured out how to skew the numbers to make it seem like you`re doing something, just like everything everybody else in government.

You don`t have to go to the border to find illegal aliens. You know what? Check the bathroom. Check the bathroom. Did you read the story about the nationwide sweep of illegal aliens who have been hired specifically due to their illegal status by RCI? This is a multimillion- dollar janitorial company that should be out of business.

Hundreds of illegals were cleaning up ESPN Zones, Hard Rock Cafes, Dave & Busters, and other national chains. Hey, Congress, you know, if they weren`t in the country in the first place, nobody would have the chance to hire them. What do you say we turn the faucet off at the border, and then we worry about the water damage?

And, by the way, any of these companies, any of these companies that knowingly hired these illegal aliens should be pounded into the dirt.

Then, there`s the obstacles facing those trying to get here through the front door, the legal immigrants. The ones I`ve been saying we don`t have a problem with. Help them come in! Well, that`s the jurisdiction of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, formerly known at the INS. This is a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, and you`d think, considering the severity of the illegal immigration problem, and the fact that they`re the government agency responsible for granting citizenship, that there would be bipartisan support for giving them the resources to do their job.

Well, the real story is, Capitol Hill, now led by Democrats, is throwing up resistance and making their difficult job even harder. Just over a year ago, Emilio Gonzalez, he took over as the director of the agency. He started a pilot program to test new naturalized citizenship exams. He finished off a backlog of millions of citizenship applications. He created several offices that put national security first at the agency. Oh, oh, and he also turns over about five names a day, including the occasional murder suspect, to law enforcement agencies.

It`s shocking to me that the real story of his success or failure as head of the agency is going to be based on the approval of his latest proposal to increase the fees associated with becoming a U.S. citizen by more than 60 percent.

Here`s the deal: The U.S. CIS needs to earn their keep. Congress has said they`ve got support their operation through these fees. Essentially, the future of Emilio Gonzalez`s agency rests on the desire and the ability of new immigrants to pay more, because he`s not getting the support he needs from the feds.

Congressional Democrats and immigration advocacy groups are pushing back, and he`s even dealing with resistance from within his own agency. You`ve got to ask yourself the question I`ve been asking all week: If the government is serious at all about controlling illegal immigration in this country, if they are, why aren`t they acting like it?

Joining me now with more on this is the main guy himself, U.S. CIS director Emilio Gonzalez. Director, how much does it cost now to become a naturalized citizen? And how much will it cost under your plan?

EMILIO GONZALEZ, U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES: Well, thanks for having me on the program, Glenn. Right now it costs about $400. And that includes the application fee, plus the fees for the biometric information that we gather from all of our applicants. That will go somewhere in that $600 figure.

BECK: OK. And everybody is saying that this is just buying your way in, that you shouldn`t have to spend this much money to become a citizen of America, but, I mean, a Rolls-Royce costs a lot of money, too.

GONZALEZ: It`s a great deal. It`s an opportunity to live and work and be part of the greatest country in the world.

BECK: Right. So why the heat on you? Why do you suppose the problem is happening now?

GONZALEZ: Well, the U.S. immigration service, Citizenship and Immigration Service, what people don`t understand is that we don`t receive appropriations from Congress for our annual operating expenses; 99 percent of my budget is fee-based. Therefore, I have to make this agency work as a successful business.

We don`t make a profit, but we`ve got to cover costs. The only way to cover costs is to look at what we`re charging and see where we need to make adjustments to make sure that we grow as an agency. We`ve been woefully underfunded, and it`s my charge to make sure that this agency takes us where we need to be and that we`re prepared for any future emergencies.

BECK: OK. Now, you`re the guy who I think I`ve been saying on the air for months -- I don`t have a problem with immigration. Immigrants built this country. You`re an immigrant, if I`m not mistaken.

GONZALEZ: Correct.

BECK: There`s nothing wrong with immigrants. We all, when you boil it down, we`re all immigrants. Let`s make it easier. And by saying easier, I don`t mean let`s lower our standards. Let`s cut the paperwork. Let`s make it more efficient. I can`t believe that you have processed millions in the last year that were backlogged. You`re the guy to fix that, right?

GONZALEZ: Well, that`s why I`m here, and I agree with you 100 percent. And when people come to me and say, "Let`s fix the process, let`s fix the system," my answer is, you`re absolutely right, and I`m going to fix it, but I need the resources to do it, hence, our new fee schedule.

BECK: How much of a hassle do you get from people? I mean, do you sense how sick the American people are of this?

GONZALEZ: Oh, I get a lot hassle. I get hate mail in the hundreds. This is a very, very contentious issue. It`s a divisive issue, but I`m a true believer, and I firmly believe that immigration done right works, and I`m a product of that system.

BECK: OK.

GONZALEZ: And I don`t see...

BECK: Go ahead.

GONZALEZ: I`m sorry, go ahead.

BECK: I mean, you`re not the -- you`re not the guy, you`re not the enforcer. You are...

GONZALEZ: I`m not.

BECK: You`re the other side of it. You`re the people who are trying to come through the line the right way. You`re the guy saying, "Let`s move this line along faster," right?

GONZALEZ: By definition, everybody that comes to our agency is here legally, and we`re going to process them in a legal, and efficient, and transparent way.

BECK: Are you frustrated at all by the illegal side of it?

GONZALEZ: Well, it isn`t something that I deal with on a daily basis, because we have other agencies within DHS that deal with this. Again, by definition, everybody that comes to my office around the United States, they`re legal. They`re here petitioning for some sort of immigration benefit. So if we find that they`re criminals, I`m not going to let them walk out the door.

BECK: Right. Are you a fan of amnesty? Once we fix the border, do you think we provide amnesty for people who are here illegally?

GONZALEZ: I think that the most sensible, moderate, thoughtful people agree that amnesty is not on the table. Amnesty is not the right answer. I think the president has been very clear that it`s not amnesty.

Amnesty is an extreme. Another extreme are those that say, "Let`s deport everybody who`s here illegally." I think that`s a very difficult proposition. I think that what we need to do is find a middle path, which addresses the reality, and the reality is that we have millions of undocumented residents here, that some have been here a long time, some have been here a short time.

Congress is grappling with this. The president has been very clear about what he`d like to see in comprehensive reform, and I think he`s correct.

BECK: Thanks, Emilio.

That is the "Real Story" tonight. If you`d like to read more about this or if you found a real story of your own, please, tell us about it. Visit glennbeck.com and click on the "Real Story" button. We`ll be back in a moment with our Oscar preview. People, people, we`ve got a show to do! Stick around. It`s coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: You know that Madonna`s full-fledged nuts. Here`s Madonna. I`d like to be like Gandhi, Martin Luther. Oh, sorry, not Martin Luther. The other Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, and John Lennon.

Wow, except there`s more to the quote. I`d like to think that I`m taking people on a journey. And I`m not just entertaining them, but I`m giving them something to think about when they leave.

Hollywood, I`ve got enough to think about. Can`t you just entertain me, please? I can`t think about stuff anymore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Well, here`s the good news for you. Sunday night is Oscar night, and if you haven`t seen the five movies up for best picture, here is a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why are you so stressed?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The reason...

(CROSSTALK)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I didn`t know it went by so fast. What? You had a hard time seeing them? Don`t worry. Nobody else in America saw them, either.

If you ask me, the Academy Awards have outdone themselves this year by honoring an odd assortment of films that are just snore-fest at best, or at least the trailers seem like that. And, by the way, no cowboys, spaceships, or laser beams. Hello? Academy? That`s what America wants.

Joining me now for a preview of Sunday`s Oscars is Katrina Szish, contributing editor for "Us Weekly." and Brooke Anderson, co-host of "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."

Brooke, I want to start with you. I mean, I saw "The Queen," but it was because I was trapped on an airplane and they wouldn`t let me out. I mean, is there -- what`s the most popular movie on this list?

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Probably "The Departed," in terms of box office receipts, Glenn, but you have a point. The nominees for best picture are more independent, they are more international than, say, your run-of-the-mill cowboy movie or laser beam movie or whatever you said.

It`s interesting. If you add up the totals of the grosses for the top five films in that best picture category, you get like $287 million domestically. That`s not much more than the single film, the animated film "Cars," what it had made, $244 million domestically. So, yes, they`re not mainstream, but then the Academy prides itself on honoring substance, you know?

BECK: Are they intentionally trying to isolate themselves? I mean, it`s almost like they`re trying really hard.

ANDERSON: Well, it`s the more than 5,800 voting members of the Academy. You know, it`s not what you or I buy a movie ticket to see, spends $15, $20 to see.

Sure, the Academy voters may be influenced by critics reviews, by what`s doing well at the box office. But in the end, it is ultimately that each person`s decision when they get those ballots and make the little check in the box.

BECK: I guess that`s why we don`t hang out with each other, me and Hollywood. Katrina, I mean, when it comes down to Sunday night, all I want to see is -- do you remember the good old days when somebody would streak?

KATRINA SZISH, "US WEEKLY": Oh, yes. Yes, well, Ellen DeGeneres has said that she hopes that someone will actually do a one-arm push-up naked to cover all the bases. So she`s hoping something happens.

BECK: That`s what I`m looking for. Is there a chance that this thing just won`t be a snore-fest?

SZISH: There`s always a chance. And with Ellen...

BECK: You don`t sound real optimistic.

SZISH: I did do like -- there was a pregnant pause there.

BECK: Yes.

SZISH: You know, I think for something, you know, unexpected to happen, like a streaker, that`s probably unlikely. But with Ellen DeGeneres as a host, I do think she will keep things livelier, funnier than we`ve seen them in a while, and I think she`ll keep the pace up.

BECK: Now, Brooke, you actually sat down with Ellen this week, did you not? And she has said that she wants no politics or anything else.

ANDERSON: Well, my colleague, Sibila Vargas, actually spoke with her, but, yes, she did tell us that she wants to keep the tone light, that it`s going to focus on the nominees and the actors and not her. She said the show`s not about her.

But, you know, she`s hosted the Emmys and the Grammys in the past, and she`s done it very, very successfully. And, listen, she`s got this talk show. It`s a juggernaut. People love Ellen. So expect a light-hearted evening. She probably will keep the tone very light and not really delve too much into politics.

BECK: See, I have to tell you, I think I -- tomorrow I`ll have to go to the hardware store to get some rope, because I`m going have to hang myself. Al Gore is going to get two Oscars. There`s no way in Hell he`s not going to get two Oscars, is there?

ANDERSON: Well, it`s very possible. His movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," about global warming is nominated for two Academy Awards, including best documentary. You know, if he takes the stage, people will be very curious to hear what he has to say. Will he make some sort of political statement? Will he be talking about the climate crisis? What will it be?

But a lot of attention will be paid to Al and Tipper. It`ll be their first time walking on the carpet at the Oscars.

BECK: Katrina, Katrina, can you believe it? I mean, here`s Tipper Gore, somebody who said, you know, we`ve got to put the warning labels for parents on movies and music.

SZISH: I remember that.

BECK: Remember?

SZISH: I sure do.

BECK: And now they`re going up for an Oscar, and there`s not a chance in Hell that they`re not going to get an Oscar.

SZISH: I think it`s likely that we will see Al up on that stage making a very serious acceptance speech to his new favorite audience, Hollywood. You know, but I have to say, on the red carpet earlier today, where the hustle and bustle is going on, where everybody`s getting ready, Al Gore is really far from everyone`s minds. So it`s something that will be, you know, unique, but, again, it is not the talk of the town, so to speak.

ANDERSON: OK. And can he keep that acceptance speech to 45 seconds or less, which the academy...

SZISH: Absolutely not. Speaking of a snore, yes.

BECK: OK. Last question, and this might be -- this may not be right to ask, but Anna Nicole Smith.

SZISH: Bring it on.

BECK: Anna Nicole Smith, she was in "Naked Gun 33 1/3." Is she going make the death clip?

ANDERSON: I would be floored, Glenn. And, sure, you know, may Anna Nicole rest in peace, certainly. But like you say, she was in "Naked Gun 33 1/2: The Final Insult." You know, she wasn`t an award-winning actress. You know, you`re going to have this memorial reel with Robert Altman, Jack Palance, Peter Boyle. I would be surprised, but you never know. Anything`s possible, right? Especially in Hollywood.

BECK: Katrina, yes or no, in the death reel or not?

SZISH: You know, probably not, but I kind of think she should be. She`s a Hollywood icon in her own right and I think, for her, it would be something that she would hope for. So I`m keeping my fingers crossed for Anna.

BECK: All right. Me, too.

SZISH: Good. Thanks, Glenn.

BECK: Thanks a lot.

Quick programming reminder: Sunday night at 6:00 p.m., "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" going to be live at the Oscars. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," A.J. Hammer, Brooke Anderson, Sibila Vargas will be on the red carpet bringing all of the action. And I`m going to be popping the popcorn.

Then, at 11:00 p.m. Eastern, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" is live with all the big Oscar breaking news and the big winners. That`s "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," Oscar night, live, 6:00 and 11:00 p.m. Eastern right here on Headline Prime.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Already know who I`ll be wearing at my Oscar party next Sunday night. Yes, sweatpants from Old Navy. I`ll be wearing shoes from the grocery store. And the catering will be done by Chef Boyardee. Yes, can`t wait to see a bunch of self-important phonies pat themselves on the back for five or six hours. It will be great.

So here are my Oscar picks in about two minutes. Let`s start with best supporting actor. Eddie Murphy was the favorite until "Norbit" came out. So I don`t think he`s going to win. Not really feeling Alan Arkin this time around or the dude from "Blood Diamond," so they`re out.

That leaves us with Mark Wahlberg and Jackie Earle Haley. Now, this one was tough. I had to get down to imagining the phrase "Oscar-winner Marky Mark." Yes, not going to happen. Oscar goes to Jackie Earle Haley, especially because he plays a child molester with a heart of gold, and that`s a role that Hollywood can embrace.

Up next, best supporting actress. Now, there`s the two chicks from "Babel," Adriana Barrozababa or whatever her name is, and Rinko Kikuchi, which nobody`s ever heard of. Sorry, ladies, you`re out. Abigail Breslin, she`s only 10. She`s cute. She`s got her whole life ahead of her to screw up. No Oscar for you. Cate Blanchett, she won two years ago, so that leaves Jennifer Hudson. Now, if I had seen "Dreamgirls," I would have been moved to tears by her bold and brassy performance.

You know, but she`s not going to be the only "American Idol" castoff to win a big prize this year. I predict that the Nobel Prize for Physics will go to Elliot Yamin. You heard it here first.

We`re cooking now. Best actor, Leonardo DiCaprio. Not only has he grown as an actor, but he`s still super dreamy. Best actress, Helen Mirren`s a lock for "The Queen." FYI, until about two weeks ago, I was convinced that this movie was about Charles Nelson Reilly.

And finally, the big one, best picture. "Little Miss Sunshine," does it have enough of a message for Hollywood? No, so that`s out. "Letters From Iwo Jima," three-hour movie with subtitles. Anyone who says they saw this movie is lying. "The Queen"? No, they won`t win, so that leaves "The Departed," an old-fashioned entertaining crime movie, or "Babel," the message-ist movie of the year. Got a lot of message in it, a movie that nobody really saw or liked.

What Hollywood will do is what they`ll always do. They`ll ram some preachy garbage down our throats and give "Babel" and Al Gore an Oscar. Yes, count on it.

That`s it from Columbus. We`ll see you back in New York City on Monday. See you later, you sick, twisted freak.

END