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Piers Morgan Live
Afghan Attack Sparked by Koran Burning; Gadhafi Dismisses Cease-fire; Massive Protests in Yemen
Aired April 01, 2011 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PIERS MORGAN, HOST: Tonight, a deadly attack on the United Nations in Afghanistan. Muslim extremists say a Koran-burning U.S. pastor is to blame. I'll ask an American Muslim leader if this is just the beginning.
And with battles to the death in Libya, attacks on protesters in Syria. Is the wave of revolution in the Arab world out of control? I'll ask Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison about our role in the Middle East.
Then, a shocking video of a dot-com CEO killing an elephant. Tonight, I'll ask him what he was thinking.
And our outspoken interview with Sarah Silverman, fearless comedienne, talented actress. She's smart, charming, and funny, really out to be the perfect guest --
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MORGAN: -- as longs you have a seven-second delay.
This is PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT.
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MORGAN: Good evening.
A day of deadly violence across the Middle East today.
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MORGAN: Libya despite talk of a possible cease-fire, battles are still raging. Gadhafi's heavily armed forces outnumber rebels by about 10 to one. And there's still no sign of the fighting ending any time soon.
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MORGAN: And in Syria, at least seven people are dead and dozens injured after attacks by government troops on demonstrators. We'll have the latest from CNN's Nic Robertson and Mohammed Jamjoom.
Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, at least 12 people are dead after an attack on a U.N. building. The attacks sparked by protests against the burning of a Koran by a Florida pastor last month.
President Obama spoke out today condemning the violence.
And now, I want to bring in Corey Saylor, the director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Corey Saylor, terrible scenes in Mazar-e-Sharif. Do you condemn them?
COREY SAYLOR, COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS: Absolute tragedy, Piers. And we condemn it utterly.
MORGAN: To bring viewers up to speed with the Florida pastor Terry Jones. There was an initial incident with him in which he said he would burn the Koran and then didn't. But a few days ago, he then conducted a trial of the Koran. It was found guilty apparently, and he and his fellow church members in Florida burned one copy of the Koran. And it's that that sparked what happened today in Afghanistan.
Pretty serious repercussions for what many are saying was an act of pure bigoted idiocy.
SAYLOR: Well, Terry Jones deserves to be ignored 100 percent. And by no means does what he did allow anyone within the faith of Islam to go out and hurt other people. And that should be condemned utterly.
I mean, Muslims -- Muslims, the example is Prophet Mohammed. There's a famous story that every Muslim knows, Prophet Mohammed went to a city called Ta'if, he preached, he was chased out of the city by people throwing rocks at him. When he got out of the town, he was bleeding profusely. And angel came to him and essentially offered him to have the town destroyed. And he said, no.
That's the example right there. Part of the explanation that he gave, I'm paraphrasing here, is we don't know what these people's descendants are going to be like.
So, when he was abused, he met it with patience and tolerance. And I would advise my brothers and sisters around the world to remember that example. Patience and tolerance is how we meet bigots like Terry Jones.
MORGAN: Given that context, was it sensible of the various imams and mullahs who called for a day of anger and protests of the Koran burning -- was that sensible? Was it right? Would you condemn them for calling for those protests?
SAYLOR: I think unfortunately it's going to put more fuel on the fire that was already lit today. And we just simply don't need any more of that. What we need is what we saw immediately after when Terry Jones burned the Koran last week. He was met with absolute silence. Nobody paid any attention to him. And that is what he deserves.
He certainly does not deserve any more attention. And, certainly, no one is doing the religion of Islam a service by calling for a day of rage.
MORGAN: Where will this end, do you think, Corey?
SAYLOR: Well, unfortunately, think all too often extremists on both sides, the violent extremists that did the attack today, the extremists down in Florida, Terry Jones, control this conversation. And what has to happen is that those in the center who want a reasonable conversation have to continue to assert ourselves strongly. We don't accept what Terry Jones does. We don't accept anything like what happened in Afghanistan today.
And those of us that are leaders have to remind the people who follow us about the teachings of our own faiths. Jesus did not teach violence. Prophet Mohammed did not teach to respond to these things like violence. And that message has to be made clearly in unison with representatives of all face.
MORGAN: It would be helpful if Terry Jones realizes there are consequences to acts of a kind of idiocy that he's been perpetrating the last week.
Corey Saylor, thank you very much.
SAYLOR: Thank you.
MORGAN: In Libya tonight, there's talk about possible cease- fire. But no sign of fighting there is actually ending.
Joining me now, Nic Robertson on the ground in Tripoli.
Nic, another day of fierce battles clearly in Misrata. What is the latest?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, the government is the government here is dismissing out of hand, it seems, the conditional cease-fire that the opposition has put forward. The opposition has said that the government has to withdraw from Misrata and any other towns it has under siege, that it has to remove its snipers, mercenaries, and militias from the battlefield. These are their conditions for a cease-fire. The opposition says their ultimate goal is regime change.
But the government spokesman a while ago called these impossible demands, silly conditions, and said the rebels cannot be serious. It appears, from his statements at least, that the government is intent on continuing this fight because they feel that they have the rebels outgunned and outmanned, and perhaps outmaneuvered.
MORGAN: I mean, Nic, you know, any observer looking at this from outside of Libya is getting a firm impression that Gadhafi has regained the upper hand here. Is that accurate, do you think?
ROBERTSON: He feels he has. I think he feels that he never really lost it. Despite these recent defections of the foreign minister and various other senior officials, there's a sense that this regime is still strong. They've still got control. They've still got fight left in them.
And they think that NATO -- now it controls the imposing of the no-fly zone is going to perhaps interpret the U.N. Security Council resolution slightly differently. So, it won't be as aggressive in targeting Gadhafi's forces.
They're -- Gadhafi's government feels that they're -- the international community is going to view the situation as more complicated, that civilians on both sides are going to be potentially at risk. And I get the impression here, talking to people close to government, they think they want to wait and see which way the international community, NATO, is going to take the airstrikes. Are they going to continue them at the level they have been at, serious and aggressive, or are they going to start to back off?
MORGAN: Nic, thank you very much. And please, stay safe there.
In Yemen, tens of thousands of people flooding the streets for pro-and anti-government rallies today in the face of massive protests. How long can the government hold on? CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom joins me now.
Mohammed Jamjoom, this movement in Yemen is growing by the way. Many in Saleh's government are demanding he step down. Key military commanders have defected from his ranks. How long has he got?
MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Piers, if you talk to government officials like we've been doing in Yemen, many have already written the President Saleh's political obituary. They are confounded by the fact that he continues to hang on.
Last week, you had, as you had, military defection, you had ambassadors resigning at embassies worldwide. You had many government officials, even from his ruling party, stepping away from Saleh. What I'm told right now is that Saleh is trying by any means necessary to cling on to power.
What is it's really going to come down is two key allies of Saleh, Saudi Arabia, just to the country's north, and the U.S. We've seen tensions arise between the relationship between the U.S. and Saleh in the past couple of weeks. We see the U.S. stepping up their condemnation of Saleh. But they have not stepped away from Saleh yet.
I'm told that if that happens, that's when his hours will finally be numbered -- Piers.
MORGAN: What should America do in the Middle East in the face of the spreading chaos?
Joining me now is Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Senator, I suppose the obvious question is to start with what happened in Afghanistan today. We've almost forgotten about Afghanistan with all this other turmoil in the Middle East. But today, we were reminded very forcefully of the tensions there. We had 11 people killed, including some United Nations officials, in response to Florida Pastor Terry Jones' burning of the Koran.
Would you blame Mr. Jones for what happened today?
SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R), TEXAS: I think what he did was certainly unnecessary and I think the consequences have been horrific. I think it is a very sad day that those U.N. people were killed, of course.
MORGAN: I mean, do you believe that people now have to really be accountable for their actions? Many people viewed him as a harmless idiot at the time that he threatened to burn the Koran and then didn't. Once he actually went through with it, many warned that that could be the catalyst for this kind of retaliation. And now, it's happened.
I mean, there's got to be some way of stopping people like Terry Jones behaving this way, isn't there?
HUTCHISON: Well, certainly, you want him not to do things like that. But I think that the leaders of the Muslim religions must also have the ability to stop crowds from retaliating against innocent people for the acts of one person. And, you know, you could have one person anywhere in the world do something that is considered terrible to the Koran or critical of the religion. But that doesn't mean that you kill innocent people in retaliation.
I think that your earlier interview said that. He said Jesus Christ didn't promote radicalism or violence. And certainly, Mohammed didn't either.
So, the followers and the clerics in charge should also be very vigilant in preaching that you don't violently hurt innocent people because someone does something that is a terrible. Yes, it's terrible, but you don't hurt other people because of that.
MORGAN: Senator, let me move to events in Libya. Clearly, the American combat missions are due officially to end tomorrow. But the violence in places like Misrata appears to be worse than ever. Is it a sensible time for America to be withdrawing?
HUTCHISON: Well, honestly, Piers, I do think that it is time for the other countries in NATO and the Arab League to take more charge here, to take more responsibility. They have the air power. They have the armies and the military who can step up to the plate.
You were mentioning the deaths in Afghanistan of the U.N. people, and that's certainly legitimate. But we also lost six American soldiers yesterday in Afghanistan. We have 100,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, 47,000 in Iraq. We are and should be focused on those areas where we are the predominant player, and other countries should and can take up the slack.
MORGAN: Senator, thank you very much.
HUTCHISON: Thank you, Piers.
MORGAN: Coming up, shocking video of a dot-com CEO killing an elephant. He'll tell me why he did it.
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MORGAN: Controversy is raging tonight over a disturbing video that shows the CEO of GoDaddy.com shooting and killing a wild bull elephant in Zimbabwe. What was he thinking?
Well, joining me on the phone now is that CEO, Bob Parsons. And Dan Mathews, senior vice president of PETA, the most vocal animal rights group.
Mr. Parsons, it wasn't the smartest thing to be doing as a CEO, was it?
BOB PARSONS, CEO, GODADDY.COM (via telephone): Well, you know, actually, I think it was a wonderful thing to be doing. And the reason is, first of all, the media -- all the media mentions is that, hey, I shot and killed an elephant.
What the media doesn't mention is I shot an elephant that was destroying crops. I had a farmer come get us. I had tribal authorities help -- ask us to help out. And when I shot that elephant, it -- we took one bull elephant, drove the rest of the elephants out of the field, saved the crops. And a lot of people got to eat because the elephant was butchered, and people walked from 20 miles around to get a piece of that meat.
So, it was a very poverty-stricken area. And I'll tell you what, those farmers were desperately appreciative.
MORGAN: How much is your company worth, Mr. Parsons?
PARSONS: How much is my company worth? You know what, what it's worth. But --
MORGAN: Give me a ballpark.
PARSONS: Huh?
MORGAN: Give me a ballpark.
PARSONS: A ballpark? I don't know. I guess, it's well into the -- maybe $1 billion, I would hope.
MORGAN: You got a company worth billions. And yet, you're there saying that you have to shoot elephants to protect poverty-stricken locals. Why don't you just give them some money?
PARSONS: Well, I don't know that one has anything to do with the other. I mean, is it because -- you know, we're now, in this country, we have this bent that if you have money, you somehow are evil. But actually, I was there doing a very good thing. I was helping people that needed help, that are in a situation that, politically, is very tenuous. There really aren't that many relief organizations over there working.
And, you know, this was something these people needed. You know, hey, their crops aren't harvested. They starve to death.
MORGAN: Will you carry on shooting elephants?
PARSONS: Excuse me?
MORGAN: Will you carry on shooting elephants then?
PARSONS: Well, I will not carry on shooting elephants. But what I will carry on is helping the farmers deal with problem elephants. And it's very different.
MORGAN: Mr. Parsons, if you could wait one moment, I'm just going to bring in Dan Mathews from PETA.
You heard what Mr. Parsons said there, Mr. Matthews. What was your reaction?
DAN MATHEWS, SR. VICE PRESIDENT, PETA: Well, ever since this oafish violent video posted, we have taken our business with GoDaddy and gone elsewhere. And that's what we're encouraging other people to do.
If you really want to help the people there and if you really want to look after the crops, do what they've done in other communities across Asia and across Africa and erect fences. I understand Mr. Parsons may not get the same kind of rush with a hammer as he would with a gun, but that's the more sensible thing to do.
And people love elephants. That's why people are stopping going to Ringling Brothers and going to Cirque du Soleil instead. Elephants are these fantastic, noble, sophisticated creatures and they're on the fast track to extinction because of ignorant attitudes of people like Mr. Parsons here.
MORGAN: Mr. Parsons, you're apparently ignorant and should have been building fences instead of shooting elephants. What's your reaction to that?
PARSONS: I disagree with that totally. My friend here from PETA, his comments -- all that indicate is that he hasn't been over there. He doesn't know the situation.
Those elephants are not on the brink of extinction, particularly in that Zimbabwe-Botswana-South Africa corridor. I have many posts on my blog from people who live down there and they expressed support for what I did. And, you know, I'll tell you what -- the elephants are a problem in that area. And we're -- we're not killing the whole herd. But what we're doing is we're taking care of them selectively so that the farmers' crops are safe.
Keep in mind, if the farmers don't get their crops, they don't go on food stamps or welfare. They don't eat. They starve to death.
So, it's a very important thing and something that PETA and everybody else needs to be concern period. MORGAN: Mr. Parsons, if I may just say to you -- I mean, we're looking at picture of you at the moment posing proudly with your kill. If you were doing for this some kind of humanitarian purpose, why are you looking like you're some kind of super hunter with your kill there?
PARSONS: Let me tell you about the smile I have on my face at that time. What we did that night, we went into that field to get those elephants out. Was pitch dark, there was no moon, there was no stars. We had no night vision anything. We moved just by hearing.
It took us an hour to move through that sorghum, I can tell you, it was very intense. When we got within 15 yards of the elephants, the elephants do what they do at night. They're very aggressive. They attacked us. We turned the flashlights on and were able to select the oldest bull, shoot that bull, not harm the others, drive the rest out. And it was mission accomplished.
And that smile you're seeing was a smile of, you know what, we did everything we set out to do. My gosh, the crops are saved. The elephant is just one down, the rest are unharmed, and these people are going to eat tomorrow.
MORGAN: Mr. Parsons, are there other photographs in existence of you shooting big game like this?
PARSONS: Other photographs in existence? Yes. As a matter of fact, if you go on Video.ME, you will see a video of the same type of hunt last year.
MORGAN: And any other animals?
MATHEWS: He's killed other wild animals. It's kind of bloodlust. It's just like this troubled teens who beat up people and post the videos and brag about it. It's ridiculous. It's not a long- term solution.
(CROSSTALK)
PARSONS: -- it's not like troubled teens and beating up people and having anything to do with --
(CROSSTALK)
PARSONS: In these situations, the only reason that there's any game at all is because hunters support the area, they step up, they pay the money for game management. They set the quotas. They do all that in place.
Organizations like PETA don't put 10 cents into anything like this.
MATHEWS: There are a number of volunteer groups that do that already with a lot less means than you --
(CROSSTALK) MORGAN: OK, gentlemen -- let me ask you finally, Mr. Parsons. Have you had any financial damage to your company, GoDaddy.com, so far, in light this incident?
PARSONS: No, none at all.
MORGAN: So, nobody's removed any money?
PARSONS: And I'll tell you why -- because most people -- most Americans understand people need to eat. You know, most Americans understand that, you know, the circle of life and how that all happens. And that this needs to be done, and they understand it was very selective.
This wasn't anything wanton. I mean, this was done very selective. We were very careful to just hurt one bull, the old bull. And feed all these people.
Now, to me, that's a wonderful thing. And to try to make something dark of it, well -- and, of course, to attack me personally, that's what PETA does.
MORGAN: Well, Mr. Parsons, Mr. Mathews, I guess the viewers can make their own minds up. I appreciate you both coming on.
Coming up, the most dangerous woman in comedy. What will Sarah Silverman say tonight? Trust me, a lot. She's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MORGAN: Sarah Silverman is one of the funniest women in comedy today. And despite her lovely appearance, she's also one of the most dangerous. Sarah Silverman is also the author of "The Bedwetter" and she joins me now.
So, Miss Silverman, everyone has warned me that you are kind of dangerous creature that could at any moment go R-rated or worse.
SARAH SILVERMAN, COMEDIAN: Oh my, gosh. Do I --
MORGAN: Is it true?
SILVERMAN: Do I seem dangerous to you?
MORGAN: You seem relatively harmless, but all the best serial killers are harmless to look at.
SILVERMAN: That is true. They always say, oh, he was a nice neighbor.
MORGAN: Always.
SILVERMAN: Oh my God, I might be a serial killer. I am a good neighbor and pleasant to be around.
MORGAN: Where are your limits? SILVERMAN: I just go by a guideline of -- if it makes my heart sink or it makes me feel bad, then I won't say it. If it's more of a bummer than it is funny to me, I'm not going to say it.
MORGAN: I mean, with the explosion of stuff like Twitter has also allowed a platform to a lot of people. When a terrible disaster happens like we saw in Japan, for example, people go on Twitter. Some people go on to that and they crack jokes. And then, there's an avalanche of abuse headed their way from everybody else. But I've noticed other people carry on doing it.
Is that the kind of thing you could ever contemplate making humor out of?
SILVERMAN: If the humor is about, ultimately, something else, you know? It's not about taking any joy in a tragedy, but maybe pointing out other things that have to do with it. I'm not, you know, a -- I'm not a kid who's acting out to get attention. You know what I mean? I just -- I talk about the stuff that's interesting to me. And maybe --
MORGAN: But don't all comedians want attention?
SILVERMAN: Yes. Why do you think I'm here?
MORGAN: You all show off, don't you?
SILVERMAN: To hang out with you?
MORGAN: Of course! Why wouldn't you?
SILVERMAN: No, you're a lot of fun.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: I'd like to have your reputation. It's a good one. You have one that is cool. When I told (INAUDIBLE) I was interviewing you, she, like, "Wow, she's so cool, Sarah Silverman."
SILVERMAN: I'll give you a tip. You don't try to be cool. That's how I'm cool. I think that with you, you want to be like, I'm edgy. I'm a king. I'm ba-ba-ba!
But I think, like America more wants to root for you. You have to let down some guard and be a little vulnerable. Show me some vulnerability. What are you fears?
MORGAN: Oh, my God. Are you being serious? What should we talk about?
SILVERMAN: Rather.
MORGAN: You want some tears? I mean, what do you want?
SILVERMAN: I would love to make you cry.
MORGAN: You want to?
SILVERMAN: But only if it helps you, ultimately, if it is some sort of breakthrough.
MORGAN: You are making me quite emotional already.
SILVERMAN: Oh, my God, you are tearing up, I think.
MORGAN: You are. You are cracking into my tough British exterior.
SILVERMAN: Oh.
MORGAN: You're getting into my warm, little cuddly heart.
SILVERMAN: I know. I'm really understanding you, by the way, because usually when British people talk I just hear like, doit, doit, doit (ph). It just goes in one ear and out the other. And I know it is my own fault. It is my own shallowness and unworldliness.
But I really, I love "Law & Order" and when I saw that there was "Law & Order U.K." I TiVo'd it, I was so excited. I can't understand a word they're saying. I can't watch it. I don't know what's going on.
MORGAN: Why don't Americans understand a British accent? After all, you do speak English. I mean, you did get it from us.
SILVERMAN: I didn't get it from you.
MORGAN: You did.
SILVERMAN: Well, very many years ago, relatives, somewhere, maybe got it from you.
MORGAN: But you accept that it was our language to start with, so we speak it properly.
SILVERMAN: OK, if you want to have a "us and them" kind of attitude -- sure, yes, you're right.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: Quite bolshy, aren't you?
SILVERMAN: Huh?
MORGAN: You're quite bolshy.
SILVERMAN: I don't know what you said or what it means.
MORGAN: I think it is based around the Bolsheviks. That means you're rebellious.
SILVERMAN: Oh? Wow.
MORGAN: Quite in your face, you know, ready to strike.
SILVERMAN: Yes, but, playfully, I guess.
MORGAN: Are you playful?
SILVERMAN: Yes.
MORGAN: Or is it like an undercurrent of menace?
SILVERMAN: It depends on the situation.
MORGAN: How you feeling at the moment?
SILVERMAN: Right now, I'm feeling --
(LAUGHTER)
SILVERMAN: Right now, I'm feeling playful. Look how much fun you're having!
MORGAN: I'm having a great time. Because you're smart, as well as being funny. It's a quite dangerous combination.
And you're also kind of quite magnetic. When I met you, the first time, it was at Sarah (ph) House, one of the popular little Hollywood night spots. You were being chatted up at various levels, by people like Donald Draper and all sorts of stuff.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: And there you were, basking in the glow of all this male adulation.
SILVERMAN: You know, it's not really Don Draper, right?
MORGAN: Isn't he?
SILVERMAN: No, he's an actor named John Hamm.
MORGAN: You're telling me he's a ham?
(LAUGHTER)
SILVERMAN: Yes.
MORGAN: But you were like, at the center of it all, and you had this kind of raw energy that was coming out of you. It's very sexy.
SILVERMAN: Thank -- oh! Thank you. I like people. I like figuring people out and talking to people and listening to their ways, figuring out their little misogysis (ph).
MORGAN: People say about you, that you have a massively higher male following than female because your humor is very tailored to a male audience. When I watched you at that social gathering, and they were all hanging on your ever bold move. SILVERMAN: Well, no, I don't think I have more of a male audience. I think there were more men at that thing, that night. And some of my best friends are men. But, I think that women also are into it, you know? I think.
God, I feel like I'm a better role model than -- you know, I watch "The Bachelor" and the "Real Housewives," and, God, I feel like it should have a warning that says, this is not acceptable behavior. Do not grow up to be this.
MORGAN: Most, most --
SILVERMAN: I do think America eats it up and spits it out. England is even worse with that stuff.
MORGAN: It is. Completely. We're completely obsessed with --
(CROSSTALK)
SILVERMAN: Terrible, terrible people.
MORGAN: They are.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: They are the types who are in the shows, though.
SILVERMAN: Huh?
MORGAN: The types who are in these shows are fairly ghastly, aren't they?
SILVERMAN: Right, yes.
MORGAN: What are you looking at?
SILVERMAN: I understood that. I'm trying to read your lips, because I don't understand what --
MORGAN: Yes, you do.
SILVERMAN: -- these people.
MORGAN: Yes, you do. You are just trying to mock the English.
SILVERMAN: Doit-doit-doit, doit-doit-doit.
MORGAN: Sorry?
SILVERMAN: That's what I hear.
MORGAN: You hear doit-doit-doit?
SILVERMAN: Yeah.
MORGAN: Don't be so ridiculous. SILVERMAN: That's what you sound like!
MORGAN: Why I hear you going like this! Yeah? Like you are some hard ass on the streets of New York.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: That's what I'm hearing-
SILVERMAN: I'm-
(CROSS TALK)
MORGAN: Silverman!
SILVERMAN: I'm from New Hampshire.
MORGAN: Whatever!
SILVERMAN: New Hamp-shire.
MORGAN: It's all the same, isn't it?
SILVERMAN: Yeah.
MORGAN: It's all the same, isn't it?
SILVERMAN: Touche.
MORGAN: Exactly.
SILVERMAN: Is that a British word?
MORGAN: Touche is a French word.
SILVERMAN: Oh. It's Britishy in attitude.
MORGAN: Oh, because France is basically Britain, right?
SILVERMAN: Right.
MORGAN: Two little small countries, right? Across the pond?
SILVERMAN: Doit, doit, doit, doit.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: What do you think of America right now? What your view of your great country?
SILVERMAN: I love America. I think it has great potential. But I do think that in times like this, what happened in Japan. I just wish it didn't take terrible natural disasters or tragedies, or 9/11s, for people to have a glimmer of humanity, you know? It would be nice if that happened anyway. MORGAN: Having said that, I would argue that America, when there is big trouble around the world, they are always the first to go in and help.
SILVERMAN: That is true.
MORGAN: You may not agree with all the foreign policy stuff. You may not agree with the wars in Iraq, and so on. But you cannot argue that America, in terms of being the world's relief agent, never shies away from that responsibility. That's one of the great things about America, I think.
SILVERMAN: Yeah, I love America. I love America.
MORGAN: You think America loves you?
SILVERMAN: That is such a weird question. Do you think America loves you?
MORGAN: I shouldn't think so for a moment, no.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: They probably think who is obnoxious little Limey Brit we have got sitting here?
SILVERMAN: I think when you talk about a whole people, it's--
MORGAN: How about the great Larry King?
SILVERMAN: --getting, you are generalizing a bit.
MORGAN: No, I mean, does it matter to you that you are popular in America?
SILVERMAN: I'm popular for a Jew.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: See that is why people like you. Your ability to be just very sweet one moment, and then just utterly shocking the next.
SILVERMAN: Well, it is 100 percent true. I mean, if there is one thing we should realize that, in general, the world hates Jews.
(LAUGHTER)
You know? But, you know, it's nice to be an underdog I guess.
MORGAN: Is that true, though?
SILVERMAN: Uh, is it not?
MORGAN: I'm not sure.
SILVERMAN: I mean, I think when stuff like Mel Gibson, when he said, like, you know, like Jewish stuff or anything like that?
MORGAN: But there is outrage when he said things like that.
SILVERMAN: I think-there is outrage, but I think secretly there is nobody that likes blatant anti-Semitism, more than Jews. Because it something that you can point to. It is not just a gas in the air anymore. But, I'm not-you know, I'm a Jew in that it pours out of my- it oozes out of my pores uncontrollably. And personally, I have no religion, but I'm Jewee, beyond my control.
MORGAN: What's Jewee?
SILVERMAN: Jew-ish, you know? I'm Jew-I'm culturally, beyond my control, I mean, God, I-I probably-I get-after I wash my face I have full on pay-us (ph).
(LAUGHTER)
And my old boyfriend used to say, Yeah, pay-ya. Why do you think they call it pay-ya (ph).
(LAUGHTER)
SILVERMAN: Terrible. Ey, yi, yi.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: Let's have a little break, shall we?
SILVERMAN: Really, will you take a break? We'll be back right after this.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SILVERMAN: I have lost friends over this book, Mother. People look at me now and they just-they think I'm a bitch.
Oh, you agree. I'm outta here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MORGAN: That was Sarah Silverman's newest movie, "Peep World".
SILVERMAN: Hmm, mmm.
MORGAN: I see that really moved you watching that clip.
(LAUGHTER)
"The Peep World" basically is about-it's very funny, but it is about a dysfunctional family on a Titanic scale. Having read your book about bedwetting, effectively, clearly your own family didn't seem massively dysfunctional. But you, as part of it, seemed a bit dysfunctional.
SILVERMAN: Yeah, probably anybody can paint a picture of their childhood as horrifying, and it would be true. And beautiful and perfect, and it would be true, you know?
MORGAN: You were very candid in that book.
SILVERMAN: Yeah. I've got nothing to loose. It never occurs to me to not be candid. And maybe that came from being a bedwetter into my teens, you know? To me I was sure that would be my deepest, darkest secret for the rest of my life. And when I became an adult and realized that it is fine. That it is funny. It informed probably being a comedian in a lot of ways.
MORGAN: Can you be a successful, smart comedian, without having gone through a lot of crap in your life?
SILVERMAN: Probably not. No. I think you have to maybe overcome or not overcome some sort of adversity.
MORGAN: But you are also basically, clinically depressed at the age of 14. You are taking buckets of Xanax, and all this kind of thing. I mean, very unhappy teenager, even by teenage standards.
SILVERMAN: Yeah, it came over me like a cloud.
MORGAN: Why?
SILVERMAN: I don't know!
MORGAN: Because your family was-it wasn't a misery scenario was it?
SILVERMAN: No, I mean, you know-yeah, no! There was divorce and blah, blah, blah, like anybody else.
MORGAN: Was it the divorce do you think?
SILVERMAN: No. I don't know what it was. It was, hmm, it literally, like you know when you get the flu and it happens in a moment? And you are like, oh. Oh, my God, I have the flu. You know what I mean? It came over me like a cloud and it didn't lift for, you know, three or four years.
MORGAN: If I had gone through the kind of humiliation that you felt, with all the bedwetting, it is like this horrible feeling you had whenever it happened. And then I was depressed as well, and very sort of anti-social in many ways, the way you were, the absolute last career path I would ever consider would be stand up comedy. Where you have go out, A, show off; B, make people laugh-three, most importantly, and I've been in this position, when I've done speeches, which have bombed-when an audience turns on you, to me it is like one of the worst sickening feelings you could every experience. And yet you marched into that world.
SILVERMAN: Because what did I have to loose? MORGAN: From the most unlikely background.
Is that what you felt?
SILVERMAN: I had nothing to loose. I still feel like I have nothing to loose. You know, I think if you keep your-first of all, the amount of humiliation I had garnered over the years, I mean, bombing? That was nothing. The possibility of an audience not liking me? You know it was worth the risk of laughter and feeling that kind of high.
MORGAN: Most comedians I've met, the good ones, are all wracked with paranoia, insecurity, I'd imagine they are a complete nightmare to live with, and yet they are great fun, great fun to go out with. But they are just riddled with this kind of constant, self-analytical insecurity, driven by the pressure to make somebody laugh.
SILVERMAN: That's true, but I feel like even though dysfunction inherently is what maybe drove me to become a comedian I still-I don't romanticize it like I think a lot of comedians do. I don't want to be miserable. I want to be happy.
MORGAN: Are you?
SILVERMAN: Yeah.
MORGAN: What would you like from your life that you don't have?
SILVERMAN: Uh, nothing. I just want to be able to continue doing what I love. You know, I was thinking the other day, God, if there is an afterlife I hope I can still be a comedian, because it is my joy. Not just doing stand up and stuff, but the hanging out with other comedians and laughing and doing bits and-it's what I like.
MORGAN: You only date comedians? Do you? You have an allergy to non-funny people, don't you?
SILVERMAN: They don't have to be comedians but they have to be funny. I'm attracted to funny and kind-hearted.
MORGAN: Do you prefer men that make you laugh, or who laugh at your jokes?
SILVERMAN: Oooh, I think that make me laugh, but both. Yes, I don't know if I want to date someone. Some comics like to date people that don't find them funny. I think it is a kind of masochism.
MORGAN: That is so dark.
SILVERMAN: I know.
MORGAN: That is so dark.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: You are such weird people, aren't you, comedians? SILVERMAN: So weird. But you are not totally unweird.
MORGAN: I'm not completely non-weird. By comparison, to most comedians, I'm relatively normal.
SILVERMAN: One luxury comedians have is they tend to be very free with their vulnerabilities. And I think that that one healthy thing about comedians, you know?
I had this Catholic therapist for a long time. And I remember she said, she explained to me, like, you always hear about Jewish guilt. And she said you hear about it because Jews talk about it. They talk about their guilt, their Jewish guilt. Catholic guilt is bottomless. And it is completely inside and-
MORGAN: I'm an Irish Catholic.
SILVERMAN: Yeah.
MORGAN: You wouldn't believe how guilty we feel about everything.
SILVERMAN: I mean, you have got to be so (EXPLETIVE DELETED) up.
MORGAN: We're wracked with guilt. We don't talk about it, we can't, we're too guilty.
SILVERMAN: But I think, yes, I am a happy person. I think part of it was realizing, or learning, learning in therapy, that I'm responsible for my own happiness. And that other people are responsible for their own happiness. You know what I mean?
MORGAN: We're talking to people who make responsibility for other people's happiness. We're going to take a short break and come and talk about politics.
SILVERMAN: Oy!?
MORGAN: Yes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SILVERMAN: I'm making this video to urge you, all of you, to schlep over to Florida and convince your grandparents to vote Obama. It can make the difference.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MORGAN: Now you supported President Obama, with that commercial? Do you still feel as passionate about him as you did then?
SILVERMAN: Yeah! Yeah, I mean, let's not forget that he inherited a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) shit storm. Can we remember that for two seconds? And I'm enjoying the blind faith that so many people enjoyed eight years prior. You know? I think I have the right to do that. And I think he's a good man, and I think he-I think his heart is in the right place. And I'm rooting for him.
MORGAN: Have you met him?
SILVERMAN: You mother (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(LAUGHTER)
SILVERMAN: I met him for like two minutes as he was walking from, you know, through a hallway from one place to another.
MORGAN: Can we fast forward to the bit where you make a complete ass of yourself?
SILVERMAN: Ugh! So, you know, I knew I was going to meet him and it was going to be short. And it is so stupid what you think of what you are going to talk about meeting a president. I'm going to bring up Darfur, and I'm going to-meanwhile, I'm just like, hey. And end up talking about how I don't like Pixar movies.
(LAUGHTER)
Because, for me, the thought of a lonely robot in space kills me; my heart can't take it. So he said, I'm going to have to disagree with you on the Pixar point.
(LAUGHTER)
SILVERMAN: And then-
MORGAN: Didn't you then inform him that in your next movie you were going to be nude?
SILVERMAN: There is-ugh. So, it is so lame and it is one of the things that I wanted to just take back and put into my mouth, but you know none of the political things I planned on saying, of course, came out at all.
MORGAN: Can we just have the exact wording?
SILVERMAN: Well, he goes, "Well, what's next for you?"
And I go, "Uh, I'm going to be naked in a movie!"
(LAUGHTER)
SILVERMAN: And then I was like-
MORGAN: What did he say?
SILVERMAN: He defused the situation, you know, generously like-
MORGAN: How?
(CROSS TALK) SILVERMAN: saying, like, Oh, you'll have to send me that.
MORGAN: He didn't say that?
SILVERMAN: He said it not in a pervy way.
MORGAN: What other way can it not be pervy?
SILVERMAN: But in a let's make her not feel weird by saying a weird thing.
(CROSS TALK)
MORGAN: Let me get this straight. The president of the United States immediately responded by asking if you could send him a copy of the movie in which you are naked?
SILVERMAN: It was levity. He was like taking a weirdo thing I said and being gracious and making me feel a little better. And then immediately it was like, OK, let's take a picture. Bye.
MORGAN: Because I was about joke, if that was me, I'd say, hey, send me a copy. But I'd never imagine he'd say that.
SILVERMAN: I think he was being gracious. He wasn't being, you know-
MORGAN: Were you flattered that the president wanted to see you naked?
SILVERMAN: Well, no, because I know what it is. It was him being polite. It wasn't like, oh, can you get me that? I mean it was-
MORGAN: Michelle was in hearing distance?
SILVERMAN: No. But I mean, he was like very nice to me and he mentioned "The Great Schlep" and my comedy. And he was like, I like your comedy, though, I have to turn the volume down when my girls come in. But I have no illusions about it. I know that right before he walked in there was an aide who like, she's a comedian, she can be blue, blah, blah, blah. You know?
(LAUGHTER)
SILVERMAN: It was very exciting for me, probably less exciting for him.
MORGAN: Let's finish. Tell me very quickly about the movie. I watched it, I mean, you to me are the standout laugh person in it. I've got say, I found you very funny in the film.
SILVERMAN: Oh, yeah. Well, because it's not really-it's funny. It's like-it's funny but it is not really a comedy. But everybody in it is so great. And it's a sweet film about a family. For me, I liked this part. I auditioned for it. I was lucky to get it. I think a lot of times people -- I don't get cast in things for a reason that I feel like I understand, which is a casting director, a director wants someone to get lost in actors. Because I'm a comedienne and people know who I am, like a person they know, they worry maybe I won't get lost in this. You know? And I-I feel the --
MORGAN: How do you find the pace of the movie where everything is heavily scripted, you have to stick pretty much to what you've been given? And standout, where you walk out, it's live, it's all whatever you want to do, and then it's all over?
SILVERMAN: They're completely different. And I enjoy both of them. You know, as I said, I keep my overhead very low so that I don't need to take any jobs I don't love if given the opportunity. And so, you know, that character, Sherry, she's awful. She's a bitch, I guess. But it's sad. She's pathetic. It's heartbreaking. You don't want to sit next to her, or ever have to have a conversation with her.
But for me, it was three dimensional and it was exciting to be able to play somebody. I get offered parts that are usually kind of like a weak storyteller's exposition for the main character. I always say this example like, you're a lawyer, and he loves you. And if you don't marry someone, by the time-you know, the will-you won't get the will-whatever. It's just like-uh. It's just not interesting to me.
I would rather shoot something on me phone, on my couch, and put it out on the Internet. You know? I'm very-I love all the different forms of media. I don't aspire to one thing or another. I love that I get a chance to do so many different things. To me, Twitter is a great place to try jokes. It's message in a bottle. You know, it's a neat thing for me. And I love being able to post videos that are just me and my couch.
MORGAN: You've got like four times as many followers as me.
SILVERMAN: Maybe you should think about that.
MORGAN: I'm hopefully a but of the Silverman magic may rub off today.
SILVERMAN: Maybe.
MORGAN: Can you just tell your followers to follow me? @PiersMorgan.
SILVERMAN: Hey, followers, @PiersMorgan.
MORGAN: That's it.
SILVERMAN: If you like hilarious self promotional Tweets. Then you should follow @PiersMorgan.
MORGAN: And I'll say the same to mine. If you would like to follow one of the darkest, as you can see extraordinarily shocking and disgraceful comediennes in the history of American comedy, you can follow her at Sarah something Silverman. It is one of those botched names, wasn't it?
SILVERMAN: Thank you. Sarah K. Silverman.
MORGAN: Sarah K. Silverman.
SILVERMAN: Yes.
MORGAN: I think both our followers will be-
SILVERMAN: Don't you want to know my middle name?
MORGAN: What is your middle name?
SILVERMAN: Kate.
MORGAN: Kate. I'll call you Kate. Because that is what is the name of our next queen.
SILVERMAN: Yes, true.
MORGAN: So, you could be queen, play your cards right.
SILVERMAN: All right.
MORGAN: All right, Kate.
SILVERMAN: I'll practice. Doit, doit, doit.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: I wish I could say it's been a pleasure, but it's been tense, hasn't it?
SILVERMAN: Give me a break.
(LAUGHTER)
SILVERMAN: Look how much fun he's having. Have you ever see him have so much fun? I've never seen all his teeth. They're not bad.
MORGAN: For a Brit they're not bad.
SILVERMAN: Considering.
MORGAN: Yeah. It's been a pleasure.
SILVERMAN: And we'll be back.
MORGAN: We won't.
SILVERMAN: I know. Had a good time.
MORGAN: Thanks, come back.
SILVERMAN: All right.
MORGAN: We'll do it again.
SILVERMAN: Let's nail something down now.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: Come back next week.
Coming up, Jesse Ventura, former governor, professional wrestler, a major conspiracy theorist. A sneak preview on our "One on One".
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MORGAN: Jesse Ventura is not your average politician. He's a former governor, professional wrestler and conspiracy theorist par excellence. He's written a new book, "63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want You To Read". And he's my special guest on Monday. Here's little taste of what he says about his lawsuit against the TSA.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MORGAN: Tell me about your battle with the TSA.
JESSE VENTURA, FMR. GOVERNOR, AUTHOR: Well, it's still in court or it's pending court because it's with Homeland Security also and Janet Napolitano. They had-I had brought a federal lawsuit against them on the Fourth Amendment, the Bill of Rights. And I do this as an individual. All I would ask for them is to stop. Do not search me anymore.
MORGAN: Should nobody be searched?
VENTURA: I'm saying only me.
MORGAN: Why just you?
VENTURA: Because of who I am. It is not reasonable to believe Jesse Ventura, former governor, former mayor, six-year navy veteran poses any threat to anyone.
MORGAN: You believe in profiling, basically?
VENTURA: Yeah.
MORGAN: Who would you search? Describe the person to me.
VENTURA: Well, first-I don't know.
MORGAN: You're in charge.
VENTURA: No, no, no.
MORGAN: You can't cop out. You can't say I want to be excluded.
VENTURA: I'm not copping out. I'm just saying I'm suing on my behalf, no one else.
MORGAN: Would you only profile Muslims at airports?
VENTURA: I don't know. I've never done that.
MORGAN: It's not like you to have no opinion.
VENTURA: Well, on this one I don't have one.
MORGAN: Why? Because you're worried about being inflammatory.
VENTURA: No.
MORGAN: Don't be a coward.
VENTURA: Because I'm not -- you are calling me a coward?
(LAUGHTER)
VENTURA: Young man. I've done things that would make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MORGAN: Tough words from Mr. Jesse Ventura. He's for the hour on Monday night. And that's all for tonight. Here's my colleague Anderson Cooper with "AC 360."