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New Lawsuit Field in Flint Water Disaster; Supreme Court to Take up Obama Immigration; "White Out" at the Oscars. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired January 19, 2016 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:30:00] MELISSA MAYS, FLINT, MICHIGAN RESIDENT: That they knew that the water was tainted. They didn't stop the water. And they continued to force it through our taps and force us to give it to our kids. And that's criminal. I'm sorry, there's no other word for it. The fact they took away my right as a mother to protect my children because they chose to cover up and lie instead of fixing the water problems or at least addressing the public, saying, hey, there's a problem with your water. Get some filters, drink bottled water, we're going to fix it. They could have done that in May of 2014, but they chose not to. They chose to hide and we poisoned our own children. There's nothing to take that away and fix it.
But right now, they need to stop billing us. They need to pay for the damage they have done to our homes and our bodies. And the stress that we lived through, it's unreal. What we have to do to change our lives every day. There's no price tag on it, but somebody needs to help us because we're footing the bill for this on our own. And in a city where 41 percent are under the poverty line in this city, it's criminal beyond criminal. They just keep piling it on. And it needs to stop. It needs to stop now.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: We will be at the State of the State tonight. We'll be watching Governor Snyder.
Melissa Mays, thank you so much for your time. Our hearts truly go out to all of you in Flint. It needs to be fixed. Thank you very much.
MAYS: Thank you so much.
BALDWIN: Let's switch gears here. We're getting information into us that Ben Carson is suspending his Republican campaign activities for the rest of today and tomorrow after staffers were involved in a car crash. We're told it happened in Iowa. A van transporting three campaign volunteers and an employee of the campaign hit a patch of ice and the van flipped. Three people are in the hospital. One has been taken to a trauma center. Ben Carson himself says he will be traveling to Nebraska today to be with the staffer's families. As soon as we get more updates, we'll pass it along to you immediately.
Coming up next, Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith among those calling for a boycott of the Oscars over the lack of diversity among the nominees. We're about to speak with some who agree and some who say this is ridiculous, a boycott wouldn't do anything. We'll chat all sides, coming up.
Plus, one of President Obama's actions on immigration now heading to the United States Supreme Court. What the justices will decide and when. Stay with me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:36:30] BALDWIN: All this uproar over Hollywood's whiteout of African-American actors and directors at the Oscars is not dying down. The debate gained momentum after Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of Will Smith, who was not nominated for his role in "Concussion," called for a boycott at the Academy Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JADA PINKETT SMITH, ACTRESS: Is it time that people of color recognize how much power influence that we have amassed, that we no longer need to ask to be invited anywhere. I ask the question, have we now come to a new time and place where we recognize that we can no longer beg for the love, acknowledgment, our respect of any group.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So here is an Oscar scorecard. In the program's 88 year history, only 15 African-Americans have won awards in best or supporting actor. As for directors, only three nominated, the first, John Singleton, "Boyz in the Hood." No winners to date. So is a boycott in order?
Our panel today, Don Lemon, host of "CNN Tonight; "Ebony" magazine editor-in-chief, Kieran Mayo; Comedian Chuck Nice, and USC Annenburg lecturer and veteran pop culture critic, Miki Turner.
So awesome having you all on.
Let me turn, Miki, to you since I know you're not with us here physically. You're the one who is covering multiple Academy Awards ceremonies and I'm wondering from your perspective what is the real issue here.
MIKI TURNER, USC ANNENBURG LECTURER & VETERAN POP CULTURE CRITIC: Well, the real issue in Hollywood is not about discrimination or racism. Nepotism is the biggest issue in Hollywood and --
BALDWIN: How do you mean?
TURNER: Well, because people tend to hire people they know. Or relatives, uncles, cousins, that whole bit, friends. Will and Jada do the same thing as does Spike. It's a pattern that's been in existence since film has been here. That's nothing unusual. What I find amusing about this whole backlash is that we're still talking about make believe. We're still talking about a 13.5-inch statue to validate your work. And that seems mildly amusing to me. It seems outrageous when, as a race, we have so many other bigger issues to be concerned about now.
BALDWIN: I'm hearing, as I was listening to you, hmm.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Jump in. Who wants first?
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I have to agree with her on some level and disagree on another. People tend to hire people they are comfortable with and people who look like them. So I think that happens a lot in Hollywood.
I'm not a big fan of boycotts, but there's an issue in Hollywood when you have for two years or a numb of years in a row and no African- Americans, no people of color, that's an obvious problem. Now the people in Hollywood, the actors have to decide whether they are going to boycott or not. I'm team Chris Rock and I want Chris Rock to get more viewers than any other host because I like him and had he happens to be African-American. But the issue of diversity needs to be addressed in Hollywood. Not like we need to talk. We really need to talk about it because the Academy needs to be more diverse. That's the problem.
[14:39:56] BALDWIN: Let me jump in, Kierna, because I want to go to you next.
The first African-American president of the Academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and she admits there's a problem. She says this, "We have implemented changes to diversify the membership, but the change is not coming as fast as we would like. This isn't unprecedented for the Academy. In the '60s and '70s, it was about recruiting younger members to stay vital and relevant. In 2016, the mandate is inclusion and all of its facets, gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. We recognize the very real concerns of our community."
But is she also saying if there were to be a boycott, would that not bode well in terms of wanting future work or hurting folks in the end?
[14:40:36] KIERNA MAYO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, EBONY MAGAZINE: Right. I'm on the fence about a boycott --
BALDWIN: You are?
MAYO: -- in part because I'm not clear on what we mean by a boycott.
BALDWIN: Just I assume anyone not showing up.
(CROSSTALK)
MAYO: African-American stars not showing up to the Oscars would mean about 2 percent of the people are not in attendance. This is the big story. That not Oscar is so white, so we're really not unpacking anything new.
Talking about nepotism, it is a de facto kind of racism. It is nepotism, but it just so happens that everyone is 60 and white and male. Of course, your friends are 60 and white and male and the films you support and love and vote for reflect your point of view, your interest, your world. I'm concerned a bit about -- first of all, for Cheryl herself, I wouldn't want to be her right now. She's here at the tipping point.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: I would want to be her. I think the challenge is for her. But I also think when pop say we shouldn't watch. It doesn't matter unless you have a Nielsen box.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: So if you're black and you have a Nielson box --
(CROSSTALK)
CHUCK NICE, COMEDIAN: -- the thing that we're missing.
(CROSSTALK)
MAYOR: No one has ever seen a Nielsen box.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: This conversation often always breaks down even the boycott. Black people aren't going to watch. Black people aren't going to attend. The real conversation is when it comes to diversity, diversity is just that. So the protest should also be diversified. It should be about women.
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: And the thing is to what end are you boycotting? Boycotting when you look at it, we just celebrated Martin Luther King Day yesterday, that boycott had an end. Money was taken out of a bus company's coffer and brought them to their knees and they had to make change. So what's the end of this boycott? If it's awareness, OK. If it's more black people in films, that's not going to work.
(CROSSTALK)
MAYO: Let's not cut off our noses.
Sorry, Don. I hear you.
LEMON: No, no, you're right.
(CROSSTALK)
MAYO: Again, we can debate the points of a particular boycott but what's important and what's coming out here is this resistance.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: On that, let me jump in. We were talking about Janet Hubert, "The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire."
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: She was the original Aunt Viv. And let's just say there was a little discord with Will Smith and she was out. She went on YouTube and posted a video and lashes out at Will Smith and at his wife for what they have said and done. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET HUBERT, ACTRESS: For you can't ask other actors to jeopardize their career and their standing in a town that you know damn well you don't do that. And here's the other thing. They don't care. They don't care. And I find it ironic that somebody who has made their living, made their living, and made millions and millions of dollars from the very people that you talk about boycotting just because you didn't get a nomination, just because you didn't win, that's not the way life works, baby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Ew, Miki, Miki, does she have a point?
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
TURNER: Can I just say, please. Can I just say that was a great performance? Bravo. Bravo.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
TURNER: She needs a technical award for that. But some points she made were valid, but at the same time, she's still a little bitter about what went down at "Fresh Prince."
Here's the point. There is a large fear factor here. Will and Jada can afford to speak up.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: And people at home can afford to boycott.
TURNER: Some people are worried about their mortgages. So it will be interesting to see if not only they join in this boycott, but if Brad and angle and George and Leo --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: It's who joins them.
NICE: I'm glad that Jada said these things, but I don't take her point seriously. Just like I don't take Aunt Viv seriously. You can't say my husband didn't get nominated so I'm mad, and then you can't say I hate your husband so you shut up. That's kind of what's going on.
LEMON: Aunt Viv wanted more money for "Fresh Prince" back in the day, back in the '80s.
MAYO: Right.
LEMON: And wanted Will Smith to stand up for her as the star of the show. He didn't. Allegedly, he said my deal is my deal, your deal is your deal, and you deal with it. So she doesn't feel like --
(CROSSTALK)
[14:45:16] BALDWIN: Bad blood from in back of that.
LEMON: -- he was standing up for people back in the day and now when he's not nominated --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: What about Chris Rock? I'm looking at you, Comedian.
Obviously, he's hosting. So he has a lot on his shoulders and I'm curious how he should address it. He said this to the Hollywood reporter in 2014. Flipped the script a little bit. Quote, "Talking about Hollywood, it's a white industry just as the NBA is a black industry. I'm not even saying it's a bad thing. It just is."
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: What if someone called for the boycott?
NICE: I like Chris Rock. I respect him and know him and I think he's the funniest comedian working. He's wrong on that statement. The NBA is not a black industry. How many black owners are there? He's wrong there. However, how should he address this? As a comedian. Do what you were hired to do. First of all, he'll acknowledge it. That's what he should do. That's what you do as a comedian. We don't boycott. We write joke jokes. So you write jokes about the situation. That brings awareness to it. And it answers the situation.
LEMON: Comedians don't care who they offend. They don't care about political correctness. I don't think Chris Rock does that.
But, again, when you said other people going to boycott because, as Miki said, they are concerned about money, people at home who criticize the people at the Oscars or people on the air, they don't have anything to lose because they don't have a mortgage to pay as well and they don't know the inside of the industry and what pressures other people are dealing with, and what they are doing behind the scenes to fight for diversity, they don't know those things so can sit there and talk about it.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: There are African-American actors and directors and screen writers, but when you look at the voting bloc, it's 93 percent white.
LEMON: That's the problem. That's the issue.
MAYOR: Don, we do have a vested interest.
NICE: You do have an interest, but you don't understand the mechanics of it.
MAYO: The mechanics. We don't understand the mechanism and we're not directly impacted by not watching the Oscars, but I would say for a community at large -- and at "Ebony," we're talking about tens of millions of African-Americans -- it's critically important that we resist when we see moments like this, when there is --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: What do you mean resist?
MAYO: I mean, we are vocal. We need a Jada Pinkett Smith --
LEMON: Amen.
MAYO: -- to be vocal right here, right now, despite the fact you can say you're interested because of your personal stake or you could say to them you're interested because of your personal stake. This conversation is critical. It's imperative we're on CNN in the middle of the day talking about it because otherwise, the status quo never gets channeled. That's what I mean.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Let's go to L.A.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Go ahead, Miki.
TURNER: This conversation is very cyclical. We have this conversation every two to five years when we have these whiteouts. Yeah, like last year. I think one of the important elements that's missing from this conversation is that, on the other side of this, people are working. Interest is getting work. Michael B. Jordan, they are getting work. They might not be recognized for accomplishments on screen, but I would rather see them working personally.
LEMON: I agree.
Can I make this point? I think you're absolutely right. The way to do that we're not sure what a boycott means. When you look at it, I have the box office for "Straight Outta Compton", the end of 2015, $200 million worldwide. That's huge. So when you look at that, those are the people we're supporting with our dollars. If a film does not support who you are, what you look like, what you believe in, then don't go see that film.
(CROSSTALK)
NICE: -- "Finding Nemo."
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: That's the best boycott in my estimation that you can do is not support people who don't support you.
BALDWIN: Thank you all so much.
(CROSSTALK)
TURNER: Don, do you know how much "Brooklyn" made? I was just curious.
LEMON: No, how much?
TURNER: How much did "Brooklyn" make? I was just curious if anyone knew how much "Brooklyn" made.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: I don't have the numbers. We'll figure it out.
BALDWIN: Miki, Don, Kierna, Chuck, thank you all so much. Let's not do this once a year.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Bye, Miki.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Coming up next, let's go to Washington and talk about the Supreme Court taking on one of President Obama's signature actions, this time on immigration. How many people could this affect? That's coming up next.
Also ahead, more on our breaking news, a huge development on the campaign trail. We have learned from the governor of Iowa, he says he wants Ted Cruz defeated. Hear why. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:53:48] BALDWIN: Immigration debate is about to play a bigger role in the 2016 campaign. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up a challenge from 26 states to immigration reforms that President Obama ordered a year ago. The actions sought to spare the undocumented parents of children born in the United States from deportation.
So joining me now our justice correspondent, Pamela Brown.
So let's begin with what are these state challenges based upon, Pam. PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT; You may remember that Texas
and 25 other states immediately challenged this saying the president's actions on immigration went outside his scope of executive power and causes an undo burden on them. The lower court sided with them saying the program preventing these 4.3 million people from being deported likely violates the law. As of today, Brooke, the Supreme Court is weighing in saying it will take up the case, and not only that it's adding the question of whether the president's action was within his scope of executive authority under the Constitution. Some legal experts we spoke with said the courts opinion could go further than immigration, Brooke, by redefining the balance of power between Congress and the president. The stakes are very high, not only for those millions of undocumented immigrants who could be impacted by this.
[14:55:03] BALDWIN: Pamela Brown, thank you, in Washington for us.
Next, we have more on our breaking news. Huge development on the campaign trail. The governor of Iowa says he wants Ted Cruz defeated. Now Donald Trump is weighing in, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Just about the top of the hour. Great to be with you on this Tuesday. I'm Brooke Baldwin. You're watching CNN.
13 days to go until the Iowa caucuses. The pressure is tightening. The ground in Iowa is shaking with some big moves today. Iowa's Republican governor, breaking tradition, saying he wants Ted Cruz, the leading candidate in his state, defeated.
And moments ago, Donald Trump responded to that gesture at the very beginning of one of his rallies in Iowa today.
