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CNN Larry King Live

Woods to Speak Out; Interview with Floyd Landis; Preview of 'Viva Elvis'; Interview With Quentin Tarantino

Aired February 18, 2010 - 21:00   ET

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

LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, the whole world is waiting -- Tiger Woods will finally speak out about the sex scandal and being sorry in less than 24 hours.

Can his reputation and marriage be saved?

And then, disgraced Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, stripped of his title, now a wanted man -- he's here in his first interview since a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Plus, Priscilla Presley and "Viva Elvis".

(MUSIC)

KING: We have a sneak peek of the Vegas spectacular that opens tomorrow.

(MUSIC)

KING: Next on LARRY KING LIVE.

And later, Quentin Tarantino will join us.

By the way, it's the event we've all been waiting for -- Tiger Woods will break his silence tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. Eastern at PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. It's his first public statement since acknowledging he cheated on his wife.

The former sportscaster, Pat O'Brien is with us to talk about it.

And Jim Gray, correspondent for the Golf Channel.

And Donny Deutsch, chairman of Deutsche Inc. The multi-billion dollar marketing communication company, is also here.

But first, let's check in quickly with CNN's Susan Candiotti in Florida with the latest.

How are preparations going for the event -- Susan?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they seem to be going well. And, Larry, I know that there are media here, but perhaps not as many as I thought there might be. At this hour, they are prepared inside that ballroom behind me. But that's just going to be a place where the reporters are going to be watching -- from a distance. We will only be seeing Tiger Woods via closed-circuit television because about a mile down the road from here, at the Sawgrass, is the PGA clubhouse, behind a secure gate. And that is where Tiger is going to be making his expected apology before a camera and in front of some close friends and associates, with only some pool reporters there to give us a color report on what was happening in the room at the time.

So what I see is what -- is what you are going to be able to see on television -- Tiger at a distance.

KING: Thanks, Susan.

Susan Candiotti will be checking in with us tomorrow night.

All right, Jim Gray is in Tucson, Donny Deutsch is in New York and Pat O'Brien is here. A statement on Woods' Web site today read: "While Tiger feels that what happened is fundamentally a matter between him and his wife, he also recognizes that he's hurt and let down a lot of other people who were close to him. He also let down his fans. And he wants to begin the process of making amends. And that's what he's going to do by discussing it there tomorrow."

What do you make of this, Pat?

PAT O'BRIEN, FORMER SPORTSCASTER: Well, Larry, nice to see you again.

You know, he might as well have done this on YouTube because if he's going to limit it to his friends and people and have a prepared statement -- I heard somebody say today it's not a conference -- it's a press, but not a conference because there's no -- no talking. But, you know, go on YouTube and do it if you're going to do it this way.

I mean think that Michael Vick had the formula for this when we came back. He stood in front of the cameras. He answered questions. He was contrite. You could see the look on his face. He threw away his script and just went from his heart.

And I -- you know, I don't think Tiger owes anybody any kind of an apology, by the way, except his family and maybe a blanket apology, I'm sorry if I embarrassed my fans. But, you know, I think we might be making too big a deal out of this, but I think he made a big deal out of it by waiting 70 days.

KING: Jim Gray in -- in Tucson, Arizona, he's at the big Match Play tournament there. You're looking at new photos of taken -- taken today, by the way, of Tiger Woods.

Jim, what do you make of this decision and the way they're doing it?

JIM GRAY, CORRESPONDENT, GOLF CHANNEL: Well, I think, it's good that he's finally having something to say instead of releasing another statement on his Web site. At least we will be able to see him. He has not been seen, other than a picture that was taken, reportedly, by the "National Enquirer" when he was reportedly in rehab in Mississippi for sexual addiction.

So I think it's good that he comes out and shows his face and it's good that he's going to have something to say.

It's going to be hard to say just exactly what it is because it's all speculation now, so I guess we're going to have to reserve judgment until we hear what he has to say.

But in and of itself, just that he's coming back out into the public, I think this is going to be a personal statement tomorrow that may not require questions being asked. I don't think that he's necessarily at the point where that will take place. And that may come down the line, but I'm not certain of that.

I think that what this might be is something that addresses those who is close to him -- the closest to him and that's why they have been invited.

KING: Donny Deutsch, you know a lot about marketing.

What do you make of this move?

DONNY DEUTSCH, CHAIRMAN, DEUTSCH, INC.: I actually think it's -- it's a great move. I disagree with Pat. I usually agree with Pat about a lot of things.

But I think by opening up the questions, all you'd be doing -- the questions would be what about this woman, what about this woman and, you know, just continue the sordid thing.

What he will get on and do is say I am sorry, I've let my family down, I let my wife down, I let my children down, I am a flawed human being. I don't use that as an excuse, but I'm working on that. I'm getting the help I needed. I'm going to put all of my heart and soul into mending my family together. I apologize to my fans.

And it will be effective if it seems genuine. You know, recently, we saw the president of Toyota do a 40 degree bow and a lot of people said, where's the 90 degree bow?

Tiger needs the 90 degree bow. We have got to feel genuine, genuine, genuine contrition.

And, you know...

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: -- we're a forgiving society. And -- and I think by the -- he'll -- he'll say this. And I -- I hope he doesn't hide behind the sex addiction thing in terms of what not -- now, obviously, he's got issues. He's working on whatever he needs to work on. And, you know, he's going to probably announce...

KING: Well, that...

DEUTSCH: -- when he'll play golf again. And I would handle it exactly as he's handling it.

KING: Well, that's all we can do is purely speculate, which is what that is.

Pat, do you want to comment on this?

O'BRIEN: Yes. I usually agree with everything that Donnie says. And Jim Gray, I caddied for Jim Gray. But, you know, there are some other questions here, Donny and Jim and Larry. And that is, there was the police report. There was the hospital visit 70 days ago. There's all these allegations about this Canadian doctor that's involved with hormone growth -- you know, was he involved in that or not, yes or no?

I don't think -- I agree with Donny. I don't think you have to go to this woman, the Perkins' waitress and that sort of thing. You know, that's his own business. That's -- by the way, that's nobody's business.

But I do think that he's got to subject himself to some sort of question and answer at some point, otherwise people are just going to -- it's already a disaster.

If you listened to sports talk radio today, he's just getting ripped to shreds.

KING: But how can we bury him until we -- until we watch him, you know?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I mean I'm saying...

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: But, Pat, David Letterman...

KING: Jim, yesterday...

DEUTSCH: David Letterman...

KING: Hold it, David.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry.

KING: Yes, hold it, David.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry.

KING: Jim, yesterday, the PGA Tour commissioner said that Tiger Woods is still in rehab. Commissioner Tim Finchem said: "I don't know what his plans are in terms of what he's going to say. I don't know what he's going to go after he finishes his rehab."

That's the first, Jim, acknowledgement that he's in rehab, isn't it?

GRAY: Well, it's the first that's an acknowledgement from somebody who might know. I mean we haven't gotten that from Tiger Woods or from his camp. The PGA commissioner, you would think, would know, but I don't know that he necessarily knows exactly, because when I interviewed him yesterday on the Golf Channel as part of our telecast, he said he didn't know exactly what Tiger was going to say and that he had not spoken to Tiger.

But I believe that Tiger Woods may come out tomorrow and say that he is going to continue his rehabilitation and that he's not quite ready to return to golf, but that he will play golf again and that he will start taking those steps.

I think what he wants to do is try and repair, if he can, whatever he has left of his family and his relationship with his wife. That could be a very difficult task and it's going to take quite a bit of time.

KING: Yes.

GRAY: But I believe that that will be what his focus is and probably what he will say to all of us tomorrow.

KING: We'll pick up with Donny Deutsch in a moment.

Tiger has lost some endorsements in the past few months.

Will sponsors come back after tomorrow?

Who knows?

That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: These early pictures of Tigers were released, by the way, to Getty Images, which prevented paparazzi from getting the supposed million dollar shot of him.

You wanted to comment, Donny.

And was that a good move, releasing those pictures?

DEUTSCH: Yes, clearly. You know, it kind of takes some of the sensationalism out of it. It kind of puts the paparazzi at bay.

The point I was making before about his, you know, answering questions, David Letterman came out, did it his way. He didn't answer anybody's questions and put it behind him. So I still think that's a formula.

And as far as the endorsers, you know, it's interesting, Nike hasn't gone anywhere, Gillette hasn't gone anywhere, Electronic Arts. The male-oriented sponsored have not gone anywhere nor will they. And he'll continue to get new ones in the future, once this is behind him.

Tiger Woods is going to still be the billion dollar empire he is and, you know, strangely enough, he'll end up being bigger than ever and this is the crazy world that we live in. You know, when he comes back, whether it's the Masters or whatever, it will be the highest rated tournament ever. Hopefully he wins, it's triumphant, the wife hugs him, there's a great ending to this rather trashy tale at this point.

KING: Do you see that happening, Pat?

O'BRIEN: Yes, I absolutely agree on that.

KING: You do?

O'BRIEN: I think for everybody who leaves him on the endorsement side, they'll be standing in line on the other side. Tiger Woods is the best athlete in the world and commands -- you know, commands the entire media right now.

Tomorrow -- you'll be on this tomorrow, I'm sure. And tomorrow, I know ESPN is running it all day long. They've already said, we're going to have all day Tiger.

You know and -- and I agree with Donny, too. He could come back -- could come back bigger than ever.

KING: Do you think he was being spiteful, Jim, in holding this press thing tomorrow at the same time the Accenture tournament is underway which dropped him?

GRAY: Well, his agent, Mark Steinberg, says, no, that there is a pending reason and a deadline as to why he had to do this. Ernie Els came out and said he felt that it was very selfish. Ernie Els, a former number one player in the world.

Some of the players here in Tucson are upset with the whole thing. Rory Mcllory, one of the fine young players, a top 10 player in the world, a young man 20 years old, from Ireland, said today, hey, he's just tired of the whole thing. He's sick of it. He hopes that Tiger comes out and can put this behind him.

So it's really difficult to -- to say just exactly if he did it out of spite, Larry, or if he was doing it because he has this impending deadline.

I do want to tell you this. We were just given this news, that the Golf Writers Association, who had three seats tomorrow in the room with Tiger, to listen to this, along with the wire service -- three people from each wire service and one pool camera -- well, the golf writers have pulled out. They will be boycotting the session. They do not like the premise and they do not like the fact they will not be able to ask any questions.

KING: Wow!

Thanks. Jim always breaks news.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

KING: Jim Gray, if there's something happening, Jim Gray breaks it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

KING: Jim and -- and our guests will be back tomorrow night, too, along with many others.

You want to comment on that, Pat?

O'BRIEN: I want to see Jim Gray in there get -- get to Tiger, like he did to Pete Rose at the All Star game.

KING: What do you make of that, Donny?

(CROSSTALK)

DEUTSCH: Those golf writers, I think there's a little irony here, is that they are -- get paid more and they -- and, Jim, obviously, you cover this beat. You know, golf has never been bigger than because of Tiger. So be careful of the hand that -- you know, biting the hand that feeds you.

I -- I -- I just find that a little strange that they're boycotting, you know, because I mean are they going to stop writing about him, also?

Golf needs Tiger Woods. And I think the golf writers should understand that better than anyone.

KING: What about -- don't you think, Pat, they're being treated like props tomorrow and they don't want to be a prop?

If they can't ask a question, what are they doing there?

O'BRIEN: Well, if you consider yourself a journalist, why would you even go...

KING: Yes.

O'BRIEN: -- if you were told not to show up, not to ask any questions?

That's ridiculous.

KING: Would you go?

GRAY: Pat's...

O'BRIEN: Not if I couldn't ask a question, no.

GRAY: Pat's exactly right, if you can't ask a question...

KING: Jim, you wouldn't go?

GRAY: No, I wouldn't go. I would like to go. I'd like to be able to go and ask Tiger Woods some questions. And I'd like to be -- I would be respectful in asking him those questions. But I think there's a responsibility and an obligation. He may not owe the world any answers to his sex life and I don't think that the type of journalist that would be asking him these questions are really interested in his sex life. But there's a whole lot more that goes along with this...

DEUTSCH: The whole thing is about his sex life.

GRAY: -- the responsibility that he has to the game and the damage that he has done to the game, Donny.

DEUTSCH: Jim...

GRAY: And the people who have...

DEUTSCH: Jim, come on.

GRAY: -- been affected by this. He owes some people some answers.

So, I mean, you can sit back there...

DEUTSCH: Jim, but, by the way, what...

GRAY: -- and say whatever it is you want to say...

DEUTSCH: -- what answers does he owe to the golfing community?

I -- I'm missing that. He owes playing golf. The fact that he was an unfaithful husband, how has he let down the golfing community?

I mean we're...

GRAY: This is a game...

DEUTSCH: This is all about sex.

GRAY: Donny...

KING: Folks...

GRAY: Donny, unlike...

KING: Guys...

GRAY: Donny, this is a game...

KING: I've got to move to other topics because...

GRAY: This is a game that's known for honor and loyalty and dignity.

KING: These guests will be back tomorrow.

GRAY: And he has (INAUDIBLE) the game and he owes these people some answers. (CROSSTALK)

GRAY: Thank you, Larry.

KING: If you like what you -- if you like what you've seen so far, wait until they see tomorrow.

O'BRIEN: I'm sure there's no unfaithful husbands in the country clubs.

KING: We're do...

(LAUGHTER)

KING: We're doing a whole hour tomorrow.

Next, first he was stripped of his Tour de France win, now he's a wanted man in France.

What's going on?

Cyclist Floyd Landis is here.

We've got the exclusive next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Floyd Landis is a talented American cyclist stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after a drug test came back positive. And now, there's a French warrant out for arrest in connection with the suspected hacking of an anti-doping lab center -- or computer, rather.

Dr. Brent Kay is the executive director of Outsports Medical Center. He's also Floyd Landis' doctor, treating him for a hip injury.

First, quickly, Floyd, do you feel any kinship with Tiger Woods being a celebrity in the public spotlight, even though he's not under a warrant?

FLOYD LANDIS, AMERICAN CYCLIST: Well, I do feel for him, yes. I know what it's like to be on the adverse side of the press and it's not fun. So I -- I wish him the best.

KING: All right, now, what does this mean?

You can't go to France?

If you go to France, you'll be arrested?

LANDIS: You know, Larry, I don't really know all that much about what's going on. I know mostly what everyone else has read in the press. And just to be -- to be really clear about a couple of things that I think have been misreported, for one thing, at no time -- I mean and from the outset of case, we spent hundreds of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars just trying to get access to the documents from this lab.

But at no time during any of these hearings did we ever use any document that wasn't provided to us directly from the lab.

KING: You never tapped into a computer illegally?

LANDIS: I wouldn't know how to do that, first of all. But, secondly, there's been an assertion by the -- by the lab director, Mr. Bordry, that at some point in -- in these hearings, we somehow used some documents that we obtained in some other way in my defense. And that's just a -- that's just plain not true.

KING: And you're completely denying it?

LANDIS: Well, it's on the record. I mean that's the -- the one thing about -- some of these things, I can't -- I can't speak to, because I don't know. But I do know that on the record in these hearings is the fact we never used anything like that.

KING: And who -- Arnie -- Arnie Baker is your co-cycling colleague right?

He's also under indictment, apparently and there's a warrant out for him, too?

LANDIS: Yes. These big words -- indictments and warrants. I really don't know anything about that.

KING: All right. We asked the French anti-doping agency, AFLD, to comment on the Landis story. We were told AFLD's president does not want to answer questions about a case now before French justice.

We were given this statement, which we have translated, reading, in part: "On November 7, November -- on the 7th of November, 2006, AFLD filed a complaint for hacking into the computer system of the national anti-dope laboratory. The judge who's handling this complaint has summoned Floyd Landis, who, to this day, has not replied to him. AFLD has no comments on this case until a verdict has been reached."

Why haven't you replied, Floyd?

LANDIS: I've never been contacted.

KING: You've never been contacted?

LANDIS: Just -- no. I've never been served any sort of warrant. This is all news to me.

KING: So you're replying tonight by saying you didn't do any anti-doping, right?

LANDIS: I did not do hacking.

KING: Or any hacking?

LANDIS: Certainly.

KING: Nor did you do any doping, you deny that?

LANDIS: I don't think they did any anti-doping either, but.

KING: You deny doping, too, right?

LANDIS: Absolutely, yes.

KING: So you're denying everything here.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: What's your position on this, Dr. Kay?

DR. BRENT KAY, FLOYD LANDIS' PHYSICIAN: Well, I think there's a number of things. I mean, it -- it's crazy that he's never been served a warrant, that he's never been notified and, yet, at the same time, this lab director is stating, you know, that -- that he is under indictment.

And the other, you know, big issue is that Floyd was the first athlete to ever make his anti-doping case public. All these documents are out there. Everything that we obtained through discovery, through the U.S. Anti-Doping Association is everything that we used to the trial. It's everything that, you know, we presented in a public format. And it's all still out there. It's still out there for everyone to see.

And when you go through all the documents we used in the trial and otherwise, you'll find that everything was provided to us from the (INAUDIBLE).

KING: So what do you make of these charges?

KAY: Well, I think it's a matter -- it's a means for them to go after Dr. Baker, who did a tremendous amount of work in Floyd's defense. It's another means to try to make Floyd look bad, particularly in light of the fact that their star witness this week was convicted of drug trafficking. You saw the star witness that they used to testify against Floyd in his hearing was convicted in federal court this -- this week of drug trafficking. And this is the person that they used, you know, to say that Floyd utilized these different products during the Tour de France.

KING: Simply put, Floyd, why don't you just go to Paris, answer the warrant?

Have you received the warrant?

LANDIS: That's what I'm trying to tell you.

KING: No.

LANDIS: No, I haven't received anything.

KING: You haven't received anything?

LANDIS: No.

KING: Did you -- where -- if you received it, would you go?

LANDIS: I would have to see what it says. I mean, I -- from what I can figure out by reading what I see in the press, it's a -- it's some sort of warrant for a failure to appear in the first place. And I...

KING: And you never...

LANDIS: -- I was never told to appear in the first place.

KING: (INAUDIBLE).

LANDIS: I would be glad to answer questions. I don't know that I would be able to pay for myself to go to France for a week to do so.

KING: But tonight, you flatly deny, one, ever doping, right?

LANDIS: Yes.

KING: You're saying that. And, two, ever tapping into a computer, which you would not know how to do?

(LAUGHTER)

LANDIS: I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but...

(LAUGHTER)

KAY: I can tell you for sure, he couldn't do that.

KING: I couldn't.

So that's what he's apparently charged with, right?

KAY: That's what's in the press.

KING: And the title was taken away?

LANDIS: It was taken away by the -- by the very lab that's making these allegation. And it's odd to me, again, Larry, even more so now, having read the statement they made to you. The reason the story is out there in the first place is because of an assertion made by this very lab that now says they don't have a comment. So they started this story and now they don't want to comment on it. And I'm here to defend myself and I've been put in the position again, once again, where I have to defend myself.

KING: I'm going to have you back.

Thanks.

LANDIS: Thanks, Larry. KING: If you go to France, we'll tag along, too.

LANDIS: All right.

KING: Dr. Kay, thanks for coming by.

Priscilla Presley and "Viva Elvis," next.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

KING: Cirque du Soleil's newest Las Vegas show, "Viva Elvis," has its official premiere tomorrow night at the ARIA Hotel and Casino. Actress, entrepreneur and former wife of the late Elvis Presley, mother of his only child, Lisa Marie, is here to tell us all about it.

Welcome back to LARRY

KING LIVE.

Priscilla Presley, I have in front of me the program for this show.

You have been part of -- what part do you play in this?

PRISCILLA PRESLEY: Well, Elvis Presley Enterprises are partners in this wonderful venture with Cirque du Soleil. So, of course, you know, we've been -- it's been three years, actually, in the making.

KING: Is this similar to the love show about the Beatles which is at the -- what hotel is that at?

PRESLEY: Oh, gosh, where is that one on?

That's on...

KING: The Mirage.

PRESLEY: The Mirage, that's right.

KING: Which we went to for that show. And we'll go see this one next week.

PRESLEY: Oh, that's good. It's -- no, it's very different. And I think you know, Cirque prides themselves on all the shows that they do that it's very unique and different in their own way. So this -- this is unlike any of the shows they've ever done. It's quite spectacular.

KING: Someone told me it's -- it's much like a Broadway presentation.

PRESLEY: Well, you know, Cirque is very unpredictable. I think you've got a little of everything in this show. It's quite a presentation. I think, you know, when you go, if you're a Cirque fan or if you're an Elvis fan or if you're a Vegas fan, I think it really has something for everyone.

KING: Do we see shots of Elvis on the screen?

PRESLEY: Yes, you do.

KING: Do we see people acting out songs that he sings?

PRESLEY: You see -- you see a nice representation. I mean, it definitely is Cirque's tribute to Elvis. It's -- like I said, it has a lot of everything. I can't imagine someone watching the show and not being entertained. It is very Vegas in entertainment kind of (INAUDIBLE).

KING: Well, we're going to see a clip of it.

What's the hotel like, by the way?

PRESLEY: It's beautiful. It's -- I have it...

KING: See, that's in the City Center.

PRESLEY: Yes, it's in City Center. I haven't actually seen all of the hotel myself because I've been, you know, going to the theater and -- and but I stayed in the rooms. The rooms are very nice.

KING: I heard a lot about it.

PRESLEY: Yes.

KING: All right. The Cirque du Soleil team and the ARIA Resort gave LARRY

KING LIVE a special behind-the-scenes look at "Viva Elvis".

Check this out.

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're in the "Viva Elvis" Theater. It's certainly one of the more spectacular theaters in Las Vegas and on a grand scale, just like Elvis would have wanted it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's fireworks, there's music, there is bands, rock and roll.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got 75 artists that are in the show, over 100 technicians it takes to pull off the show every single night.

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How can you do an Elvis Presley show without a blue suede shoe?

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's as much activity happening backstage on this show as there is onstage in the show. For our act, "Jailhouse Rock," people are dancing up here on the levels. All of a sudden, we flip under -- underneath, so we're also dancing upside-down at the same time. Over a 90,000 pound piece, almost four stories tall, it takes the iconic "Jailhouse Rock" we know from the movie and puts it on stage.

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Within the first 15 minutes of the show, there's over 115 quick changes. We have more costumes in this production right now than any other show.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elvis had a career that spanned a lot of different genres in music -- rock and roll, Western sections, romance sections, the gospel sections.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He changed the world.

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think if Elvis were able to see what we've done here, he would absolutely love it.

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: It makes you want to go.

Priscilla, what part did you play in the production?

I mean, did you have a lot of input?

PRESLEY: Not in the production part, but definitely -- definitely going to see the show, having some inputs, having some suggestions, obviously. Again, you know, Cirque is very -- the Cirque du Soleil folks have -- they -- they have a very unique way of operating. You know, they know, it's not...

KING: It's their baby, right?

PRESLEY: It's their baby, absolutely. They've done many of these shows. I believe there's 20 shows worldwide, all over. Sometimes you don't want to tamper with what they know. But we've definitely had, you know, some say. The first time we saw it, December, was pretty much a work in progress, and we've seen it evolve more and more each time we've gone.

KING: Think Elvis would have liked it?

PRESLEY: I knew you were going to ask me that question.

KING: You did? I didn't know I was going to ask it. PRESLEY: I think it's probably one of the first things. Elvis loved entertainment.

KING: He loved Vegas.

PRESLEY: He loved Vegas. He loved all forms of entertainment. I remember going to a show he loved that was just an adage number. It was the famous Atagia Bragia Thinka (ph) show in the very early '60s, the two of them dancing. He loved to watch dance numbers. So I can't imagine him, you know, not being -- feeling honored that a whole show has been, you know, produced just for him.

KING: By the way, we have an expanded look at "Viva Elvis," behind the scenes. It's on our website. Go to CNN.com/LarryKing. Check it out. Don't be cruel. Stick around for more with Priscilla Presley and "Viva Elvis" next.

We could not have done this show without the help of many. A special shout-out to Warning Brothers Home Video, Sony Music, Area Casino, and last but not least, the incredible Cirque Du Soleil. We thank you one and all.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back with Priscilla Presley. Do they show that movie scene in Elvis in the Cirque du Soleil presentation?

PRESLEY: He's the star of the show.

KING: Are there other movie clips?

PRESLEY: There is.

KING: Lots of clips of him?

PRESLEY: Yes, he's the star. And I think -- you know, you see a lot of very famous clips. You see probably footage that you've never seen before. A lot of news --

KING: What's the theater like?

PRESLEY: Theater is beautiful. It holds 1,800 people. Very intimate. I walked on the stage and looked out. The stage is quite large. You get a different perspective. But if you go on the stage, looking out into the arena, it's very -- the colors are warm. I think you could sit there all right.

KING: Needless to say, the sound system must be terrific.

PRESLEY: Yes, of course. Absolutely.

KING: You were married in Vegas, weren't you?

PRESLEY: We were, at the Aladen Hotel. No longer there, though.

KING: What do you feel every time you go back? PRESLEY: Deja vu, a lot of great memories. You know, he took me the very first time I came out to visit. That was -- he had a love affair with Las Vegas. That was well known. I went there at a very young age and played blackjack and counted on my fingers making sure I had the right number.

KING: He had just finished the Hilton engagement right before he died. Wasn't that soon after he died?

PRESLEY: He was just getting ready to go out on tour again.

KING: Right. Has Lisa Marie, your daughter, seen the show?

PRESLEY: Yes.

KING: What does she think?

PRESLEY: When she saw it, it was a work in progress. She saw it in December. Still it wasn't finished. She hasn't seen the finished product yet. She had another commitment and wasn't able to make it. She'll be seeing the show very shortly.

KING: There were rumors that it wasn't doing well. Was that premature of people to go see a work in progress and comment on it?

PRESLEY: It is. It is. Because, like any show, you know, you have to tweak it. You have to get a feel for it. You know, it was a little late, about a month late, actually, coming in and working on the stage. So I feel that, you know, it probably was a little premature. But the area opened, the hotel. I think they had a soft opening there. Again, a work in progress, and it's come a long way.

KING: Are you nervous?

PRESLEY: I'm very nervous.

KING: Where are you going to be while the show is on?

PRESLEY: I'll be sitting right there watching it with --

KING: In the audience. Not backstage? Sit out there with the crowd?

PRESLEY: Where will I be? What do you mean.

KING: You, personally.

PRESLEY: Where will I be in my head?

KING: Physically.

PRESLEY: Probably sitting in the middle.

KING: People get nervous, sometimes they don't like to sit in an audience, watching a show they feel a part of.

PRESLEY: With me, I like to watch what the audience reaction, see their faces, you know, see kind of what they're feeling.

KING: Is Lisa Marie going?

PRESLEY: Tomorrow night?

KING: Yeah.

PRESLEY: No, she won't be able to make it tomorrow night. The show changed its dates a few times. So she was committed and wasn't able to get out of it. She's going and she's looking forward to it.

KING: So am I. We'll be back with more Priscilla Presley. The show, of course, is "Viva Elvis," and it opens tomorrow night in Las Vegas. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: It's hard to believe. We're back with Priscilla Presley. As always, we want to thank Elvis Presley Enterprises for helping us out tonight. He would have been 75. Can you picture Elvis 75?

PRESLEY: No. It's hard to believe. I mean, you know, he's still -- he was like a kid. You know, he had a wonderful spirit of play, and you just never saw him --

KING: He couldn't age. No. He'd be doing specials for AARP, 75 years old. By the way, grandma --

PRESLEY: Thank you very much.

KING: You have twin daughter -- twin granddaughters.

PRESLEY: Yes.

KING: How is Lisa Marie doing? How are they doing?

PRESLEY: Doing great. They're the love of our lives. We've been captivated by them. They're so cute. Watching them grow and walk around. I'm still in shock of how little they are. They have such complete control. Their little bodies are all over the place chasing each other.

KING: How old are they now?

PRESLEY: They're a little over, what, about 15 months. Around 15 months.

KING: Did the Michael Jackson -- that whole thing hit you hard?

PRESLEY: I know it hit Lisa very hard.

KING: It did?

PRESLEY: It did. It hit her very hard.

KING: They remained friends? PRESLEY: Yes, they did. They remained friends.

KING: How's your life? You're running -- we were out at Graceland a couple years. Had a great time. That was a great show.

PRESLEY: Yes, it was a good show.

KING: Are you doing well?

PRESLEY: I am doing well. Thank you, I am doing well. It's been busy, but it's good.

KING: No matter what you ever have in your life, right, relationships, success, no matter what you do, you're always Elvis' wife, right? You can't shake that. Didn't change the name.

PRESLEY: No. No. No. But, you know, it's been -- it's been really good. I think that just the mere fact, you know, that we were able to, you know, bring Elvis to Grace -- I mean, to Vegas and the legacy still goes on, it's very rewarding for all of us involved.

KING: Is the show very Vegas? You know what that means.

PRESLEY: I think -- I think it will be a nice surprise for people. Again, you can make it pretty much what you want, but you'll definitely be entertained and it's -- it is Vegas. What can I say? It is Vegas.

KING: We're going to meet people associated with the cast, associated with Cirque du Soleil. They'll join Priscilla. Still to come, Quentin Tarantino. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWS BR?E?AK)

KING: Priscilla Presley remains with us. Joining us from Las Vegas, Armand Thomas, director of creation for Cirque Du Soleil's "Viva Elvis" and Stephane Mongeau, the executive producer of "Viva Elvis." Armand, were you a fan of Elvis Presley?

ARMAND THOMAS, CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: I'm afraid I didn't really know his music well before I joined. I certainly am now. I feel like I went to Elvis university over the last three years, and can talk your ears off about his life and music, if we had the time.

KING: Stephen, what about you?

STEPHANE MONGEAU, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "VIVA ELVIS": Oh yes, I was a huge fan of Elvis. I remember in high school, we used to listen to Elvis as we were listening to the Beatles as well. My mom and dad always listening always to Elvis.

KING: What was the tough part about putting this together, Armand? THOMAS: Well, we always knew that the expectation was enormous and that we had the legacy to uphold. The hardest part really is not to have Elvis actually with us, obviously. So our main focus was to represent him in everything that we did to connect the show with Elvis' presence, whether it be his voice or his image or actually, you know, right down to set elements, colors.

Priscilla helped us enormously in understanding Elvis. And to do a show like this, it's inescapable that you first have to know who the man really was before creating a show like this.

KING: Priscilla, what was it like working with them?

PRESLEY: Oh my goodness. Well, you know, it was good. It was a, you know -- we had our ups and downs. Only in that, you know -- you know, I know Elvis very well. The family knows Elvis very well, obviously. So you want the interpretation to come across clear, and I think that, you know, we have -- we're so close to it. We obviously have expectations. And it's trying to get it translated and that's probably the most difficult.

KING: Stephane, was Priscilla easy to work with or tough?

MONGEAU: No, she was easy to work with. She was very nice. Every time we had the opportunity to have her with us, it was always very, very nice and very helpful for us.

KING: Stephane, are your expectations high? There were so many stories about this show. And now the "Time Magazine" review was sensational last week. Are your expectations high for a successful run?

MONGEAU: Of course the expectations were very high and are very high. We're very glad where the show is right now. As Priscilla said, it's a work in progress. All of our creations are a process. This one was particularly difficult because it is a show with Elvis, but without having him present, live with us.

But -- and he's an important icon and an important entertainer. So the expectations are very, very high. We believe that we got the right show. And we hope everyone will to be glad to see and will be entertained like Elvis used to entertain Las Vegas.

KING: Armand, what do you think the audience will take away from this show?

THOMAS: I hope they take away a better understanding of why he is the phenomenon he is and always will be. I hope we're able to introduce not only Elvis as being the musical icon, but also who he was as a man. We touch on several elements of his life and the sentiments that influenced his music. Certainly when people walk out of the theater, our biggest success will be for them having understood why he is timeless and so relevant today.

KING: Do you think, Priscilla, we'll come out knowing Elvis or knowing him more? PRESLEY: Well, I know you will definitely come out liking him an awful lot. And I think it's great for people who didn't know him to know how big of an impact he created on not just us, you know, in the US, but all over the world.

KING: Honestly, I never heard a bad word about him. Thanks for being here, Priscilla. Thank you, Armand. Thank you, Stephane. The show opens up tomorrow night in Las Vegas at the Aria Hotel. It's "Viva Elvis."

Oscar nominated director Quentin Tarantino is here. He's going to tell us why Brad Pitt had to be in "Inglorious Basterds." That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We welcome to LARRY KING LIVE, return visit with one of my favorite people, Quentin Tarantino, the award winning director and screen writer. His film "Inglorious Basterds," nominated for eight Academy Awards, including best picture, best director, best original screen play. It opens with the line, "once upon a time in Nazi occupied France." It's bloody, brilliant, sometimes ferociously funny. It's been described as a Jewish revenge fantasy. Here is a sample.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRAD PITT, ACTOR: My name is Lieutenant Aldo Raine. I'm putting together a special team. I need me eight soldiers. Eight Jewish American soldiers. You all might have heard rumors about the armada happening soon. Well, we'll be leaving a little earlier.

We're going to be dropped into France dressed as civilians. Once we're in enemy territory, as a bush whacking guerilla army, we're going to be doing one thing and one thing only: killing Nazis. Sound good?

CROWD: Yes, sir!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: None of this is true. It's brilliantly written, especially one of the scenes when the whole world dies. No Jew dies in the film. One Jew.

QUENTIN TARANTINO, DIRECTOR: One.

KING: One Jew dies in the making of this movie. Are you surprised at the response you've gotten? I guess this is your most successful movie.

TARANTINO: It is, actually, by about 100 million dollars. Well, it didn't come completely out of the blue. We actually hoped it would do really well. We had wonderful expectations. But, you know, how often are wonderful expectations realized? So, yeah, we hoped it would do this, but actually the fact it did it and did it in a bigger way than I thought is ridiculously gratifying.

KING: There's nothing automatic in Hollywood, except in "Inglorious Basterds," Christopher Waltz, who plays the Jew finder, will win the best supporting actor award. You might as well mail it to him. How did you find him?

TARANTINO: His situation -- it was literally the perfect example of the casting process working exactly as it should. When I wrote that character, I was aware enough to know I had written this character that was one of the best I'd ever written. I truly didn't know anybody who could play it, because I knew whoever had to play it had to be of German or Austrian decent, real. Not grow up in America and their parents were that. They had to actually be from there. And they actually had to be able to do the dialogue in all three, if not four different languages the movie has, and bring the poetry out of each of them.

KING: Where did you find him?

TARANTINO: He literally walked through the door. He walked through the door of the casting office. He's a well-known, respected actor. Mostly for German television and miniseries in Germany. When he walked -- that's what you -- when you write a piece, especially when you're writing character pieces, you're hoping -- what you're throwing up to the gods is that the person that you wrote will walk through the door. So far, someone has always walked through the door for me. I was really testing it, testing that luck when I wrote Landa. It came through.

KING: Brad Pitt didn't have to walk through the door. Did he sign on right away?

TARANTINO: He was the first person after myself to sign on.

KING: Really?

TARANTINO: Yeah. I actually -- I knew he wanted to work with me, and I wanted to work with him. We kind of had this mutual crush affair, as far as artists were concerned. Just waiting for the right role, where it will be perfect. About three weeks before I was finished -- maybe four weeks before I was finished with the script, I said, hey, this is probably the one. I just let word be known that I do have something coming his way, and is he available, and I'll get to him right away.

You know, he could have easily been not available. He could have been three movies backed up in advance. It could have been Angie's time to work, instead of his time.

KING: One of the funniest scenes is when he tries to be Italian. Do you expect things? Do you expect to win?

TARANTINO: It would be really nice to get a -- KING: I don't have a vote. I would vote for it.

TARANTINO: It would be really nice to win an Oscar for one of the three things or eight things I'm up for. I'm only up for two things. And I think I stand a very good chance. I think we stand a good chance for best picture and I think I stand a very, very good chance for best screen play. I can't imagine Katherine is not going to get it for best director. I'm going to vote for Katherine.

KING: For --

TARANTINO: Yes, for director. I mean, I think I stand a really good chance for both screen play and picture.

KING: Did "Avatar" blow you away at all?

TARANTINO: I loved it. It was fantastic. I was really taken with it. "Avatar" was right up in my -- when I did my nomination, it was actually in the top category.

KING: One other thing, Quentin. I hope you win, because I like you. I like a lot of people associated with this. This was my favorite movie this year, walking away with --

Quentin Tarantino, "Inglorious Basterds," if you haven't seen it, you have yourself to kick around. Anderson Cooper and "AC 360" is next.