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Nancy Grace
FBI Searching Quarry in Lisa Irwin Case
Aired October 14, 2011 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, live, the heartland. A 10- month-old baby girl sleeping in a crib just feet away from her own mother, Daddy on the night shift, goes missing without a trace, front door unlocked, front window open, every cell phone gone.
Grainy surveillance video emerges, mommy shopping with a mystery man just hours before baby Lisa vanishes. What does Mommy buy? Baby food and a big honkin` box of wine! We ID that mystery man as police on the lookout for a neighborhood handyman spotted near baby Lisa`s home.
Bombshell tonight. We spot FBI agents running alongside a deep rock quarry less than a mile from the family home, surrounded by dense woods. Police head to relatives` homes to meet with family members, then leave the scene of the kidnap with a brown paper bag and envelope. Why?
And tonight, the timeline redefined. Daddy calls 911 precisely at 4:04 AM. This as we learn over 1,400 sex predators within just a five-mile radius of baby Lisa asleep in her crib. Tonight, where is 10-month-old baby Lisa?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He knows (ph) his (ph) screen is busted and his 10-month-old daughter is missing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Missing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Missing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Missing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) don`t know how long she`s been gone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That call initiates the intense search for Lisa Irwin.
GRACE: This baby gone from her own home. 911 calls just after baby Lisa reported missing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 4:00 o`clock Tuesday morning is when the father came home and discovered that the crib was empty, and then called police.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who besides Deborah Bradley, the mother, was the last person to see baby Lisa?
GRACE: If they`re looking for the baby, the first thing they should do is cooperate with police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They`re being strong.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our two other boys are waiting for her! Please!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one could cry 24/7.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just drop her off anywhere!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe 2 percent of all abductions, they are family-centered.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, the kids were not with her. They were not in that -- in that video.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s all about hope.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Investigators spent their time going back over a wooded area near 36th and North Brighton.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) know they`re looking for a body and not a baby.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, there are miracles, and hopefully, this will be one of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And tonight, season 13, "Dancing With the Stars," TV host and season 4 contestant Leeza Gibbons (ph) with us, "Dancing" semifinalist actress Monique Coleman (ph), season 11 finalist Kyle Massey (ph), season 13 professional dancer Val, long-time dancing pro Chelsea Hightower (ph) and my dancer partner, Tristan MacManus. We are all taking your calls.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, the next couple safe is -- Nancy and Tristan!
GRACE: Stomach burning. It`s, like, Oh, easy come and easy go. No problem!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) take it week by week and try and do your best performance every week and enjoy the process because it can be over.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And yes, it`s sad because you just -- you work really hard and you think nobody`s ever going to go home. And then, like, Oh, that`s right. It`s a competition. There`s only one mirror ball.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just really need to make sure that, you know, people vote because at the end of the day, even if the scores are high and no one votes, you`re going to be the one going home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. Bombshell tonight. A 10-month-old baby girl sleeping in a crib just feet away from her own mother, Daddy on the night shift, goes missing without a trace. We spot FBI agents running alongside a deep rock quarry less than a mile from the family home, the quarry surrounded by dense woods. Police head to relatives` homes to meet with family members, and then they leave the kidnap scene with a brown paper bag and an envelope. Why?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get there fast.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Baby Lisa.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody loves her!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Residential burglary in progress (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The front door was unlocked.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
GRACE: She`s at the grocery store buying wine at about 5:00 PM.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I came home from work...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dad comes home at 4:0 AM.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... most of the lights were on in the house.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He advised that he didn`t witness anything and doesn`t know how long she`s been gone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A residential burglary changes in a split second with Irwin`s description of what he found.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Only hours before, Mommy is at this nearby grocery store.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I go to the store and everybody says she`s beautiful!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jeremy Irwin calls 911 to report his 10-month-old baby daughter, Lisa, was missing from her crib.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) in all directions, no doubt about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody`s sleeping.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These folks have been up around the clock.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody`s eating.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we`re still full steam ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t be without here!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our main priority, our number one goal is to find this child.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: We are taking your calls. Straight out to Ed Lavandera, CNN correspondent joining us there outside the Irwin home, Kansas City, Missouri. Ed, FBI agents spotted running -- not walking, running -- down the side of a rock quarry less than one mile from the family home. What`s up?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what they have been doing and what we`ve seen them doing repeatedly over the last several days is going through a lot of these different areas very close to the home. What exactly they`re looking for and what exactly they have found, they are keeping very close to the vest, not sharing that kind of information. But we`ve seen them fanning out in various locations. That rock quarry is just the latest one where we`ve seen that.
What was interesting, though, is that there was an FBI evidence truck that pulled out of that area late yesterday afternoon. And obviously, we don`t know what was in there, if they found anything of significance. So - - but they keep doing that. In fact, as we speak here right now, there are FBI agents walking up and down the neighborhood here, looking through the gardens and the landscaping of various homes next to the Irwin house.
GRACE: Everybody, you`re seeing video from NBC`s "Today" show. It`s an FBI evidence truck at the rock quarry in the search for baby Lisa. Take a look at this.
Well, you know what? Here`s my take on that. And I`m going to go out to Dr. Vincent Dimaio -- let`s keep on that video for a second, Liz. I want to see what -- I want the viewers to see the FBI there. He`s the former chief medical examiner, Bexar County, forensic pathologist, joining us out of San Antonio.
Dr. Dimaio, you`ve been on plenty of murder scenes and done plenty of autopsies. I know this, when you see the FBI running alongside of a rock quarry -- there they are walking. We spotted them running alongside of a rock quarry. That`s not a good sign, Dr. Dimaio. What does it say to you?
DR. VINCENT DIMAIO, FMR. CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER (via telephone): It says to me that they think they`ve got something and they`re kind of excited about it. And they want to come aboard (ph) territory and see whether they can find any trace evidence, or unfortunately, a body.
GRACE: Now, I find it very interesting -- out to you, Alexis Tereszcuk, senior reporter, Radaronline.com. I find it very, very interesting that this rock quarry is less than one mile from the family home. So Alexis, if they do have evidence there, be it the baby`s clothing, baby Lisa herself -- who`s going to break into the home and then take the baby, you know, a half a mile away and put it in a rock quarry? Who would do that?
ALEXIS TERESZCUK, RADARONLINE.COM: Well, it would obviously have to be somebody that knows the area very well. And something that is really interesting is there are 1,400 registered sex offenders that live within a five-mile radius of this home. So they have a lot of suspects that maybe don`t even know the family but that could be suspicious.
As we`ve talked about, they are looking for a homeless man that was in the area, but it could also be the family that knows the area very well. They know this quarry is abandoned. It`s somewhere that they thought they could have hid somebody or a baby.
GRACE: Right. We are taking your calls. Out to Abigail in Missouri. Hi, Abigail. What`s your question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy. I love your show.
GRACE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was calling because I`m a young mother and -- of a young -- of a young child -- excuse me. And I always have the baby monitor on every time he is in his room. Did they have any type of baby monitor that they could hear her in the middle of the night? Because I know any mom would hear any type of noise that their child makes.
GRACE: Good question. Liz, let`s put up the pictures of the baby`s room and see if we can spot a monitor in there. To Ed Lavandera, do we know if a baby monitor was on?
LAVANDERA: Yes, I wish I could answer that question. I don`t have any information on that. You know, the house isn`t terribly large, so it wouldn`t take much -- you know, it`s not like you could absolutely not hear something that`s on the other side of the house. But specifically about a baby monitor, I`m not sure.
GRACE: Tell me, Ed, when the FBI got there to that rock quarry, what exactly did they do? Did they go down into the quarry? Are they on the outskirts, in those dense woods? What are they doing exactly? Let`s see the video.
LAVANDERA: Well, I think what you see a lot of is these FBI agents just kind of walking in a straight line, like they`re essentially canvassing and checking out a large area. So they -- you know, they kind of walk, you know, next to each other and keep walking, and then they`re -- and they`re looking for any kind of clues, any kind of evidence down on the ground, and you can see them doing that repeatedly.
GRACE: Liz, let`s cue up what we have of the 911 call. There are actually hours of transmissions going back and forth and back and forth, starting around a new redefined timeline. Daddy gets home from work around 4:04 AM. He calls 911, and the calls start flying between 911 and dispatch and various squad cars. Take a listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Report of a residential burglary in progress (DELETED) Contact Jeremy. Respond code 1.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He noticed his screen is busted and his 10- month-old daughter is missing. He advised that he didn`t witness anything and doesn`t know how long she`s been gone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you on your area canvass?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Finishing up with a neighbor from across the street now. I`ll contact you in a minute.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Call me on my cell ASAP.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
GRACE: Baby Lisa, just 10 months old, missing from her own crib as Mommy sleeps just feet away. FBI swarm a rock quarry less than one mile from baby Lisa`s home. Tonight, can baby Lisa be saved? Crucial hours passing now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody knows more about what`s going on in that house than they do. They would be where our original focus would be just because they live there. They know the child. And that would be where our greatest focus would be to begin with, regardless.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Report of a residential burglary in progress (DELETED) Contact Jeremy. Respond code 1.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trying to find this child.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Missing from her crib.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is her Barney that she sleeps with every night.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Around 10:30, when she put her daughter to bed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Made sure her binky was in her crib in case she needed it!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He noticed his screen is busted and his 10- month-old daughter is missing. He advised that he didn`t witness anything and doesn`t know how long she`s been gone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That call initiates the intense search for Lisa Irwin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Missing from her home here in Kansas City.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Police wanting to be sure that they haven`t missed anything in this whole area.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Help us find the guilty party and return Lisa home safely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Welcome back. We are live in the search for baby Lisa and taking your calls. A lot of this really not fitting together in my mind. Let`s take it from the top, Matt Zarrell. Go through the timeline.
MATT ZARRELL, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: OK, Nancy. What happens is, is that baby Lisa is put down in her crib by Deborah Bradley, the mother, at about 10:30. Deborah Bradley then goes to bed with her 6-year-old son in the bed with her and a stray dog -- a stray kitten -- excuse me.
What happens is, is that the father comes home from the night shift about 4:00 AM. This is the first time he had ever worked the overnight shift. He comes home at 4:00 AM. He notices the screen is pushed in...
GRACE: Whoa! Wait, wait, wait, wait! Wait! Did you just say this is the first time he`s ever worked the night shift?
ZARRELL: This is the first time he`s ever worked the overnight shift, yes.
GRACE: And out of all of the nights in the universe, this is the night somebody breaks in the house. OK, go ahead.
ZARRELL: OK, so he comes home at 4:00 AM. He notices that the door is unlocked. The lights in the house, most of them are on. And the front screen -- the front window is open and the screen for the window is pushed in.
He goes to the back room to talk to the mother about it, and that`s when he notices that the baby`s room is open. The father has reportedly said that the baby`s room is never open when she sleeps. It`s always closed. That`s when he immediately goes into the room, notices the baby is missing and frantically calls 911.
GRACE: OK. Take it from there.
ZARRELL: OK, what happens is police immediately get on scene. They start investigating. You heard the call from the dispatch where the dispatch initially reported as a burglary in progress, code one, which means get there immediately. Police then respond. You hear the police talking back and forth, doing a neighborhood canvas. And at that point, the police officers take the conversation to cell phones. So we unfortunately are not able to hear those conversations. But the investigation proceeded very fast from there.
GRACE: And now the parents have lawyered up with a high-powered criminal defense attorney who has represented a father recently who was charged in the kidnap and murder of his baby girl and was acquitted.
Unleash the lawyers, Gloria Allred, attorney, victims` rights advocate, host of "We the People," Alex Sanchez, defense attorney New York, Kirby Clements, defense attorney, Atlanta.
First to you, Gloria. What do you think?
GLORIA ALLRED, VICTIMS` RIGHTS ADVOCATE: Well, let me just say first of all you looked drop-dead gorgeous on "Dancing With the Stars"! But back to this case, Nancy. What I think is it`s a good thing that they`ve hired a criminal defense lawyer because they had hired a private investigator. Don`t know whether he`s still on the scene. But they`re not going to have any confidentiality spilling their story to their private investigator. So I think it`s long overdue for them to have hired a lawyer.
GRACE: You know what, Gloria Allred? Interesting what you just said about what they say to the private investigator will not be held confidential. OK, Alex Sanchez, let`s hear your side.
ALEX SANCHEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, look, I think there`s absolutely nothing wrong with hiring an attorney, and I think people are drawing these conclusions that if you hire an attorney, somehow you`re trying to hide information.
This could be the best thing for the prosecution because now the police and the district attorney can speak to the attorney and the attorney can speak to their client, and hopefully, there`ll will be greater communication between the parties. Those people are intimidated by the police. And why shouldn`t they go and get somebody that can speak on their behalf? And who better for that than an attorney?
GRACE: To Kirby Clements. Kirby, now, before you became a defense attorney, you were a felony prosecutor alongside of me. Everybody, that`s how I know Kirby. Kirby was a long-time hard-core criminal prosecutor, like myself, who then became a defense attorney.
Now, Kirby, think about it. I know your immediate response is going to be from a defense standpoint. But Kirby, when you were a prosecutor way back when with me, what would you have thought if a baby, an infant, a 10- month-old goes missing, and the parents immediately start contacting defense lawyers?
KIRBY CLEMENTS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I`m sure that my immediate thought would have been, Why are they contacting the defense lawyer and why are they bringing a lawyer into it? Because I don`t want anybody, or I did not want anybody getting in between me and the witnesses. But you know, I think it`s acceptable. I think it`s OK, though.
GRACE: Now you do! Take a look at baby Lisa, 10 months old, reward, tip line 816-474-8477. Crucial hours passing now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got to find this child. That`s our number one priority.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s zero, zero doubt in Deborah.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please! Just drop her off anywhere!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you don`t have any other suspects, you go with the one person that was there that night.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don`t care!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They had a box of wine, some baby wipes and baby food. Now, she did two separate purchases. She did the baby stuff first, and then the box of wine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you on your area canvass?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m finishing up with a (INAUDIBLE) neighbor from across the street now (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Call me on my cell ASAP.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The last person to see her...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The baby`s mother.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The front door unlocked.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of the lights were on in the house.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The window just on the edge of the house there, they had found open.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ten-month-old daughter gone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: We are live and taking your calls. Out to Sheryl McCollum, crime analyst, director of Cold Case Investigate (ph) Research Institute. Sheryl, what do you make of the scene?
SHERYL MCCOLLUM, CRIME ANALYST: They want you to believe that a stranger came in a window in the front of the house and left by the front door. And somehow, the stranger knew that Daddy wasn`t home that night. Somehow, a stranger would know there was not one but three cell phones.
I want to know how much of that wine is missing, Nancy. I want to know, you know, how quickly the mother could have gotten to that quarry and back because she had other children in the house. I want to know why she couldn`t pass a polygraph. What question bothered her?
I want to know why the Daddy won`t take one. I want to know why they`re not working with law enforcement, why they`re not pleading with, you know, the media. They should be on your show tonight, begging for help. They should be in the woods looking for her. But instead, they`re in some lawyer`s office getting their story straight.
GRACE: You know, Sheryl, you`re bringing up so many good points. And you know, Sheryl, you have been in the trenches. You`re not just the director of a cold case squad now. Sheryl has been in the courtrooms working on cases, investigating cases. That`s why she`s a cold case expert. And you`re right about everything you said.
To Dr. Brian Russell, forensic psychologist. Weigh in, Brian.
BRIAN RUSSELL, FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST: Nancy, I wish I could tell you that this looks to me like a stranger abduction because when strangers kidnap babies, they typically want to keep the babies alive. But every day, Nancy, this looks more and more to me like an Anthony situation.
And I think we have to keep in mind that for any parent who did intentionally or unintentionally kill a baby and want to dispose of the body, the Anthony case that we all just covered for the past three years was a almost class in what to do, what to say and what not to do, what not to say.
And I just want to add real quickly, having grown up in the Kansas City area, that I have been so proud of the law enforcement professionals in this area and the way that they`ve handled this case in front of the country.
GRACE: Brian Russell joining us from Lawrence, Kansas.
I want to remind everybody the parents are not suspects in this case. Not suspects. Police still wanting answers in the search for 10-month-old baby Lisa. Take a look at this baby girl. Who wouldn`t want this beautiful angel with them?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look at this picture.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The baby just vanished. It`s difficult.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look and keep thinking about this infant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re all shocked.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The baby`s mother, Deborah Bradley, was the last person to see Lisa.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: China and Tony.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has been the time of my life. I mean just not going to lie to you. Very stressful.
GRACE: I`m really going to Miss China. Everybody has gotten close. China and I have especially become very, very good friends. I`m going to miss her on a very personal level.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I always have a bit of survivor guilt because it`s sad to see China and Tony go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s so unfortunate for China. Yes. It`s like really, really hard when you go out and you haven`t had your best performance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s not just a lovely person but she`s a lovely dancer. I mean she`s one of the most beautiful dancers that I`ve seen on the show.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We both are happy to be here to dance another dance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s sad and good, but happy to be saved.
TRISTAN MACMANUS, NANCY GRACE`S PARTNER, DANCING WITH THE STARS: We`ll be dancing the rumba. I haven`t explained it to Nancy yet. She doesn`t give me a chance to talk. We`re going to make it as fun as possible. I hope you enjoy yourselves, if we make it there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: Welcome back, everybody. Season 13 "Dancing with the Stars." We are taking your calls as Tristan and I take to the dance floor with a rumba whatever that is.
Joining us tonight, an all-star panel. Tristan MacManus is here. Leeza Gibbons, contestant season four, star of "America Now", host of "My Generation" on PBS. Monique Coleman, semi-finalist, season three, actress, CEO of gimme.com. Is that gimme.com? Monique, is that what that is?
MONIQUE COLEMAN, ACTRESS, CEO, GIMME.COM: It`s Gimme (ph).
GRACE: Sorry. Got it. Kyle Massey, runner-up season 11. Val is with us, Chmerkovskiy, season 13, professional dancer and Chelsie Hightower. Everybody`s favorite, professional dancer, seasons eight, three, twelve. Hi Chelsie.
CHELSIE HIGHTOWER, PROFESSIONAL DANCER, DANCING WITH THE STARS: Hello. How you doing?
GRACE: I`m great. Thanks for being with us. First, out to Leeza Gibbons.
Lezza, thanks for being with us. Tristan needs some dancing tips. I`m trying my best to lug him around the dance floor with the rumba. He`s not listening to anything I`m trying to teach him. Please, tell him how to do it, Leeza.
LEEZA GIBBONS, ACTRESS, CONTESTANT, DANCING WITH THE STARS SEASON FOUR: Well, you know you said it Nancy, it`s that whole sex dance isn`t it? So, I think the two of you have got it going on this. There`s chemistry happening every week. You`ve been bringing it out there. You look great together. You totally rocked that Passo. It was unbelievable. Unbelievable!
GRACE: Leeza, were you ever held in jeopardy?
GIBBONS: Yes. Please. Listen, the day I said I would do it was all in jeopardy. But yes, I was in that awful red light which they did back then. I did four dances Nancy. So, I would have been off the show at this point. Back, my Passo was the one that was justifiably got me kicked of the show. I found it like you to be the most emancipating liberating celebration of all of the release of inhibitions. I mean it`s a great experience but I was terrified the entire time.
GRACE: So, your Passo did you in?
GIBBONS: It really did. At the end of the day I think viewers and voters they love the story lines and the personalities but they want people to do well. They want you to show your stuff. That`s why I was so sad, as you were when China and Tony got voted off. Because I think people assumed that they`ve got the votes. Seasonally great and they`ll be around.
So, it`s always sad when you see someone that you think can really go the distance not have that chance. I mean I was never going to get anywhere close to it.
GRACE: Well Leeza, that`s not the way I heard it. That`s not the way I heard it. I heard you were totally robbed and that it was a complete felony that should have been prosecuted in L.A. county court house.
Everybody, taking your calls, Leeza Gibbons. Let`s go out to Val Chmerkovskiy. Val, you know a lot of people have said that you dance in your brother`s shadow, Max. That`s his name, right, Max? Somebody named Max? That`s absolutely not true. Your styles could not be more different. Now, you are off the show but you are actually still on the show. What are you doing?
VAL CHMERKOVSKIY, PROFESSIONAL DANCER, DANCING WITH THE STARS SEASON 13: I`m performing. I`m you know lucky enough to have the producers ask me back to perform.
GRACE: Wait a minute. Is that you without your shirt on? Play that back, Liz.
CHMERKOVSKIY: That happened. I got a shirt on and a vest on today just to make sure everything is OK.
GRACE: Good. Good. You got a shirt and a vest. Good. And button that thing up, all right? This is not "Dancing with the Stars." Let`s go out to the lines.
Mary in Michigan, hi Mary, what`s your question?
MARY, CALLER, MICHIGAN: Hi. Thanks to taking my call Nancy. I want to say I only watch "Dancing with the Stars" because you`re on it. And you`ve been doing great. And I just love Tristan. He`s got the cutest little accent. You go and knock them dead, girl.
GRACE: Isn`t it cute?
MARY: Yes, it is.
GRACE: You know, spend ten hours in a rehearsal hall with him every day and see how cute it is. Actually, the crazy part is I`m starting to understand, OK. Give Mary some dancing tips. Mary in Michigan.
MACMANUS: Give you some tips?
GRACE: Let`s go with tips on the rumba.
MACMANUS: Just enjoy yourself.
GRACE: You said that about every single dance. Come up with a new tip.
MACMANUS: Listen to me. There`s a tip. There`s a tip.
GRACE: Don`t get your foot caught on your dress would be a good tip for me.
MACMANUS: It happens. It happens.
(LAUGHTER)
GRACE: Everybody, we are taking your call but now to Chelsie Hightower, professional dancer, joining us out of Salt Lake City.
Hi Chelsie, thanks for being with us.
HIGHTOWER: Thank you. It`s good to be here.
GRACE: So Chelsie, what`s your favorite dance and give Tristan and myself, tips on the rumba. We need it.
(LAUGHTER)
HIGHTOWER: It`s funny because my favorite dance is the rumba. And you know what it`s the dance of love. So, even if you guys aren`t in love with each other, you have to pretend like you are and really play that role.
GRACE: Wait a minute Chelsie. Chelsie, Chelsie, who said we`re not in love with each other? I never said that and I know Tristan didn`t say that. Because he`s like completely and totally in love.
HIGHTOWER: Well then, perfect. It should be really easy then.
GRACE: The rumba is your favorite. Chelsie, you were on from seasons 8 through 12, right?
HIGHTOWER: Yes.
GRACE: Did you ever take home the mirror ball?
HIGHTOWER: I have not yet. It will happen one day. One of these days.
GRACE: It will happen one day. OK.
Out to the lines, Vivian in Florida. Hi, Vivian. What`s your question?
VIVIAN, CALLER, FLORIDA: Hi Nancy. I love you and Tristan.
MACMANUS: Thank you.
VIVIAN: Hi, handsome. I just wanted to know Nancy, how this is going for you? You seem to be doing really well. I do ballroom dancing for the last year myself. And man, quick, quick slow can almost be your biggest nightmare.
GRACE: You know what? Actually, Vivian, once the music start, it`s really all a blur. I mean it. I`m trying focusing so hard on doing these incredibly intricate steps that someone choreographed and not falling down. And then last week I was told to connect with the audience so I have a new thing to worry about.
So - but I love our rumba. I really do. I thought our Passo was my favorite. But now I think maybe the rumba is. And Vivian, I`m very impressed that you are doing ballroom dance because it takes a lot of time to perfect. I learned that.
Out to Monique Coleman, semi- finalist season three, actress. Monique, were you ever held in jeopardy? Let`s work through it.
COLEMAN: Yes, I was. I was. I think I was held in jeopardy a few times. And they had that gonging song that was horrible. It wasn`t any fun being up there when you`re in the bottom two but -
GRACE: I`m seeing you right now. Now, I don`t think they have the red light anymore. Tristan and I should know because we`ve been held in jeopardy plenty of times. But now, they exchange that with a heartbeat.
COLEMAN: Yes, exactly. It was like, is that me?
GRACE: When we come back, everybody, Kyle Massey is with us taking your calls. Tristan, Leeza Gibbons, Monique Coleman, Kyle Massey, Val and Chelsie, all with us, an all-star lineup from "Dancing with the Stars."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think I might have broken either my cheek bone or his cheek bone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You look fantastic in this hologram.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Inspiring. This is a great color for our costumes next week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MACMANUS: It`s always the same to see someone go, you know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s always hard to see someone go like China.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I definitely nervous, standing up there in the bottom three and then the bottom two. And thank God we`re still here.
MACMANUS: China is a lovely, lovely person and Tony, Tony has meant a lot to me not just this season but last season when I came in first.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have the samba next week and we have a really good popular `80s song. So, that is going to be a lot of fun. Our costumes are `80s. And it is going to be awesome.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s more challenging training for "Dancing with the Stars" or basic training you went for in the military? Think hard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Basic training. Basic training is a lot tougher.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not may wing.
GRACE: I did a split for the first time since I was a cheerleader and got my foot caught into my dress and a lot of people have commented that you didn`t really help me out, Tristan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: They did comment on that. Welcome back, everybody. We`re taking your calls. Out to Kyle Massey, runner-up season 11. Hi, Kyle.
KYLE MASSEY, RUNNER-UP, DANCING WITH THE STARS SEASON 11: Hello. Good morning. Good morning.
GRACE: Thanks for being with us. Kyle is an actor, a dancer, a singer, a rapper. Kyle, I never found out, were you ever held in jeopardy?
MASSEY: Yes, all the time. Jeopardy is like a really scary thing. A lot of people at home just think of jeopardy as something to watch on TV but for people that are standing on that stage underneath the intense red light, it is terrifying.
GRACE: OK. This last time that we were held in jeopardy, I got to tell you, Leeza Gibbons, Tristan and I and who else was at the top? China. It was Kardashian?
Yes, we were at the top, Leeza, and of course Tristan is really not helping me at all because he`s very laid back and easy come and easy go. I thought I would vomit right down this metallic dress. This is the first time I thought I was going to actually vomit. In the past it`s been a hot lava feeling in my stomach. This time I thought it was going to come up.
(LAUGHTER)
GRACE: I felt that way the whole time. I turn around to get a little support from my dance partner. He`s, like, no problem.
OK, Leeza, tell me when you look back on "Dancing with the Stars," what is your gut reaction?
GIBBONS: It was transformative. It really was. I felt I was going to throw up when they would announce the name before the dance you know dancing the Passo every time. And then I would go blank, 100 percent blank.
But you know what, Nancy, for you to do what you do, you have to be in control and you know for those of us who understand being in control, it was really a breaking of that illusion and dropping your fear of intimacy and learning you know someone gives a step, you have to respond.
So I called my therapist and I said, you know what, I don`t have time to come for a while. And I think I`m going to work out my issues on the show. And I kind of did, poor Tony. He was my partner, bless his heart.
GRACE: Leeza, when you were in practice, did your partner yell at you all the time?
MACMANUS: Don`t be making it out like I`m yelling at you all the time.
GRACE: Come on.
GIBBONS: Tristan, we know. And now they are starting to show more of those moments.
GRACE: It`s on video, Tristan. They know. They capture everything on video. Did he ever go, no, no, no? Did that ever happen?
MACMANUS: One time.
GIBBONS: And worse. I think what is it with you guys? They have to break us down. They have to kind of, you know. It`s a lot to learn so I do understand that. But that emotional boot camp is traumatic isn`t it Nancy? You`re holding up well, girl.
GRACE: Listen, listen, from now on I`m just going to sit in a chair in the corner and start crying. We`ll see how that works out.
MACMANUS: No, no.
GRACE: So, Val, did you usually scream and clap at your poor pathetic so-called star to teach them how to dance? Did you use that tactic, the scare tactic?
CHMERKOVSKIY: No. There`s no scare tactics honestly. Tristan, myself, and all of the other professionals we just want the best for you. And you know it`s - we`re constantly adjusting to you honestly. It may not seem that way but we`re constantly adjusting our techniques and Tristan could be much harder than he is.
MACMANUS: Thanks mate. See?
(LAUGHTER)
GRACE: You know I don`t think he really meant that. OK. Hold on to Chelsie Hightower joining us out of Salt Lake. Chelsie, how do you train your star?
HIGHTOWER: You know what, it always depends. It`s always different. The star is always different. They always you they react differently to different teaching styles. So, like Val said you know you are constantly trying to adjust your teaching style to your celebrity. You know some of them are much more visual and some are more analytical. And ultimately, you always try to keep it as fun as possible.
And you know at the end of the day if they`re having a good time, they`re going to do the best they can do. So you know, trying to keep it fun and light hearted but also being firm when you need to be firm and cracking the whip when you need to.
GRACE: Did you hear that part about having fun?
MACMANUS: Yes.
GRACE: Tristan, did you hear that part?
MACMANUS: We`re always having fun. Haven`t seen you in ages. Are you all right?
HIGHTOWER: Yes. I`m good. I had a tonsillectomy.
GRACE: You had a tonsillectomy?
HIGHTOWER: I just had it.
GRACE: How do you feel?
HIGHTOWER: You know what, I feel OK. Yesterday was a terrible day for me. I was like literally every time I ate it felt like I was eating needles and pins. It was terrible. And then today I woke up and I felt much better. So, I think I`ve gotten over that hump where it`s, like, really, really, bad and it`s uphill from here. I`m thinking positive.
GRACE: Chelsie, you know I`m sorry about your tonsils but as long as it doesn`t affect your feet, don`t really care that much. Just your feet.
To Monique Coleman, Monique, you were the last woman standing season three. How did you do it?
COLEMAN: You know, my God, I kept the drama out of it. I mean I think that`s really what I did. I just really focused on the dancing and always did my best. I had, you know, I had a hard time sometimes because you know I feel like for the girls it`s a little different. The guys they have to put themselves out there.
GRACE: The girls have to dance?
COLEMAN: Yes, the girls have to flip.
GRACE: The guys can just stand there and make really strong poses. Have you noticed that?
COLEMAN: I didn`t say that.
(LAUGHTER)
GRACE: Come to me, Liz. I`m going to put it out there. Guys, watch this on Monday night. The guys will twirl the girl or she`ll twirl herself and then they stand there like this or like that and that and the girl dances all around them while the poor women stars have to do all of the footwork. It`s brutal. Would you agree or disagree, Monique?
COLEMAN: No, I have to agree with you. I mean I`m off the show now so I can say it. You know it was definitely - we`re dancing in three-inch heels. Sometimes you`ve got your goody bits out. And it`s, it`s very challenging. But I think at the end of the day it is also very difficult for the man to have to really learn the techniques of supporting the woman as well. So, I`m really proud of you. You`re really just doing amazing out there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They gave a thousand percent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it really comes down to the people at home that care.
GRACE: One, two, three.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nancy and Tristan, you`re safe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is why A.J. Hammer will never do "Dancing with the Stars."
GRACE: I rest my case.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BEAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) GRACE: Is there any remote chance that I can kill you in the end?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is not going to be easy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is going to be tough.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No one is safe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have been struggling with technique.
GRACE: We are practicing really a lot of times eight to nine hours a day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re going to be here for weeks and weeks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: China and Tony.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: Welcome back everybody. We are live with an all-star panel from "Dancing with the Stars." Ok, Tristan, to you. We are about to start with more than one dance a week.
MACMANUS: Yes.
GRACE: How are we going to do that?
MACMANUS: We`re going to start learning things quicker.
GRACE: I can barely learn one a week.
MACMANUS: I know. But like I said, we`re getting used to as the weeks go on, you know what, you still haven`t fully grasped this concept yet of listening to me. I try to say this is what I`m getting used to as well. Because I`m trying to teach you things and you obviously have your own way like everyone else of learning things. So, you focus on things I wouldn`t focus on.
GRACE: I`m sorry; I couldn`t hear anything you said.
MACMANUS: I know. I know.
(LAUGHTER)
GRACE: OK. Just tell them quickly in 15 seconds, what`s the rumba?
MACMANUS: The rumba is to me, everyone keep saying that is the dance of love. I don`t see it that way. But I came with it. I think it is definitely a dance that is based around a strong story. I like to say it is a dance of relationships, whether it is going well or going wrong or whatever it might be, that`s the way I look at it.
GRACE: OK. "Dancing with the Stars," Monday night.
Let`s stop and remember Army Sergeant First Class Tony Knier, 31, Sabinsville Pennsylvania, killed in Iraq, served 11 years. Awarded bronze star, Purple Heart, army commendation, army achiever. A family man who loved barbecues and hunting.
Leaves behind grieving mother Betty, stepfather Al, Brother Richard, Widow Bobby, children, Marcus, Dakota, and Caylee. Tony Knier, American hero.
Thanks to our guests. Our biggest thank you is to you for being with us.
A Special good night from the New York control room. Where`s the New York control room? There they are. Norm! Hi, Cat, Liz, all the way down the front row. Hi, everybody.
And happy birthday to two stars Rosie and Liz. Rosie loves to sing show tunes and traveled to Portugal. Liz likes visiting her family in Korea and her baby girl. Happy birthday, Rosie and Liz.
Everyone, see you tomorrow night, 8:00 sharp Eastern. Until then, good night, friend.
END
