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Cold Weather Turns Deadly in Parts of U.S. and Asia; Investigating Metal Debris Found in Thailand; Manhunt for Three Escaped Inmates in California; Brazil to Inspect Olympic Venues Daily; Iran Seeks to Revive Tourist Industry; Refugees Respond to Cologne New Year's Eve Attacks; Egyptian Government Cracks Down on Opposition; Celebrities Talks Oscars So White; L.A. Duo Builds Big Audience Through Social Media. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired January 25, 2016 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:11] JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: This is CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. Ahead this hour, from the United States to Asia, dozens left dead by a blast of winter weather and for millions, the bitter cold could not come at a worse time.
A manhunt is on for three men who broke out of a maximum security jail by cutting through steel bars and then repelling from a roof.
And the Academy Awards promising big changes in response to criticism about a lack of diversity at the Oscars.
Hello, everybody. Great to have you with us. I'm John Vause. NEWSROOM L.A. starts right now.
The United States and parts of asia are coping with extreme deadly weather. In Taiwan at least 85 people have died from the southern drop in temperatures. In parts of mainland China, we're seeing their coldest weather in decades. Meantime the eastern U.S. is digging out from a major blizzard over the weekend, it dumped record snowfall in six states and left at least 15 people dead.
Matt Rivers is live in Beijing. And Matt, in many parts this cold snap has turned deadly, especially there in Taiwan. What are the details?
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. Taiwan certainly one of the hardest hit areas in what was a weekend of extreme cold throughout Asia here, the southeastern portions of Asia. And Taiwan as you mentioned right off the top, at least 85 deaths have been attributed at least in some way to the cold temperatures. That according to Taiwanese state media.
It's important to remember that on the island of Taiwan, most of the homes don't have central heating. And so while there were forecasts for temperatures to drop as low as they did, many people on the island, according to state media, simply unprepared for the kind of record-low temperatures and snow that they received -- John.
VAUSE: And, Matt, we're also coming into the start of the travel period for the Lunar New Year, the biggest migration of humanity on planet there in China. So what impact is this cold weather having on so many people simply trying to get home?
RIVERS: Right. Each year millions and millions of Chinese people, mainly migrant workers and students, travel home during the first week of February around the Lunar New Year. The holiday doesn't star this year until February 8th. However, the travel season starts two weeks before that and then finishes up after February 8th. And so people already beginning to make their way homes, and going by
all the kinds of transportation you might expect, trains, cars, and flights. What we saw is many, many train tracks across the eastern and southern portions of the country were affected by the snow. Blizzard-like conditions, many train trips were canceled. Then highways were actually shut down here in China.
Oftentimes rather than plowing the highways, they are simply closed down by authorities so that made for quite the headache. And then airports as you might imagine suffering extreme delays all weekend long.
VAUSE: And there is this one airport where more than 10,000 travelers have been stranded since Saturday? It's the Kunming Airport in Yunnan Province.
RIVERS: That's right.
VAUSE: What is the latest from there?
RIVERS: That's right. Yes. They were stranded since Saturday. Most of those people around 11,000 or so people were stranded, mainly because the airports that they were supposed to be traveling to were experiencing all kinds of delays and closures because of the weather. That according to airport officials that we spoke to this morning. But there is some good news. All of those people that were stranded are expected to be able to get on flights today as the weather across the region has gotten a little bit better over the last 24 hours.
VAUSE: Matt, stay warm. It looks pretty chilly right now. We appreciate it. Matt Rivers live in Beijing.
Officials in the eastern part of the United States are warning of travel dangers even though the winter storm itself is moving on. More than a thousand airline flights have been cancelled for Monday.
CNN's George Howell has more on the record-setting blizzard that wreaked havoc over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Monday morning commute is just hours away. And throughout the East Coast this Sunday --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's four feet of snow. So it's a lot to handle.
HOWELL: The sound of shovels digging out, millions of Americans trying to take back their streets from record-breaking snowfall in many places, major cities from New York to Washington and Baltimore came to a standstill over the weekend. Crews are still are working to get the Metros, train and rail services back to normal in some places.
In the nation's largest city, the travel ban for New Yorkers has since expired.
MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK CITY: 7:00 a.m., bus service started to get restored. 9:00 a.m., some of the above ground subways started to get restored. Now we know this is going to take well into the day for service to get back more to normal. But everyone's goal is to get this city as close to as normal as possible for the Monday morning rush hour.
[01:05:01] HOWELL: But still officials are urging residents to stay off the roads. In Washington, D.C. schools and federal offices are to remain close on Monday. But in the meantime, take a look at this. A huge snowball fight that took place in D.C.'s DuPont Circle. People having a little fun, while the major cleanup continues on the roads.
The city brought in some 400 snowplows to start clearing roads with hopes that conditions will be better for drivers come Tuesday. Coastal flood warnings have been lifted in New Jersey where several communities were flooded and left without power.
The state's governor, Chris Christie.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Folk did have to leave because of lack of power in those barrier islands in places like Sea Isle City, Avalon, Stone Harbor, North Wild Wood. So for those folks, they went and sheltered often with friends and families, I'm happy to report that there are so far no deaths in New Jersey connected with the storm.
HOWELL: In several states, drivers were stranded on the roads for hours, during the peak of the blizzard. Many roads throughout the East Coast still remain very icy so even though the storm has passed, it will take some time before things get back to normal.
George Howell, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri is with us now for the very latest on the forecast.
And boy, what a mess for the United States and for China they still got a couple more days to deal with the cold.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it's going to last for a couple more days at least, too, John.
(WEATHER REPORT)
VAUSE: Twenty degrees on Wednesday in Hong Kong. I bet they're still wearing coats and glove and hats. (LAUGHTER)
VAUSE: They feel it bad down there. OK. Pedram, thank you.
JAVAHERI: Thanks, John.
VAUSE: ISIS has released a gruesome new video apparently showing nine of the terrorists who carried out the November attacks in Paris. In the highly edited footage, the men give their so-called final statements, one terrorist says that Paris attacks were ordered directly by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The video also shows the men beheading and shooting hostages. Finally it ends with footage of British Prime Minister David Cameron and a threat that Great Britain might be the next ISIS target.
[01:10:08] Thai and Malaysian officials are investigating a mysterious chunk of metal debris. Fishermen found this off the southern coast of Thailand on Friday. Some officials believe it might be from the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-370, others, though, say it doesn't even look like part of a plane. A number of investigators have arrived on the scene. They've taken a close look at it and they have now left.
Saima Mohsin reports from Pak Phanang where the debris was found.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Let me give you a closer look at this. Now there is wiring. And if we follow it all the way around, you can just see how large this piece is. We think it's roughly around three meters wide, at least 2.5 meters tall, it's taller at the other end. It's kind of like a conical shape, less wide at the bottom than at the top.
And I want to show you these. These are incredibly important. They're barnacles. Now these can give a lot of information. How long has this piece been in the water. And potentially where exactly in the ocean that they come from or has it been to.
Now what else are they looking for? They're looking for numbers. Now we haven't seen any serial numbers. But there are a number of different numbers on this 323. Let me bring you down here. 307, 308. There are circular pieces. A lot of nuts and bolts. And these are also important.
Let me bring you down here and show you these rivets. Now experts tell me that rivets are used on a Boeing 777, the same aircraft as MH- 370, but only inside of the frame, not on the external side of the fuselage.
Now some experts are debating whether this even belongs to any type of aircraft. Many are saying that it could well be from a rocket. But that of course is for experts to determine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Well, Saima Mohsin there reporting from Thailand.
Here in California, the search is on for three fugitive inmates who broke out of a maximum security jail on Friday. Authorities described the men as dangerous. They have charges including torture and murder. The fugitives may have been done for 16 hours before anyone noticed.
Earlier I spoke with Lieutenant Jeff Hallock from the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LT. JEFF HALLOCK, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: It's a pretty widespread investigation and search. We've got investigators and crews spread out throughout Southern California just because we don't know where they're at and we're continuing to just follow up on information and intelligence that we received which is -- again to places across Southern California. So we've been at it for about 48 hours now and are continuing to dedicate all possible resources to the effort.
VAUSE: And Lieutenant, what more do we know about how these men actually escaped? They tight towels and sheets together, they climbed down four stories and there is also the possibility that a fight may have been staged as some kind of diversion?
HALLOCK: Yes. What they had found there, the preliminary investigation that we've conducted, we know that they breached several layers of security. The initial breach, we released some photos earlier today, but they breached a metal plate, if you will, a steel plate actually. They cut through that. Made access into an unsecured area of the jail and the plumbing tunnels.
Again compromised some other security through there in terms of rebar and metal and steel and those types of things. But they eventually made access to an unsecured area on the roof of the jail and then from there they repelled down to the ground, about 50 or 60 feet and then, you know, obviously fled the area on foot. And again, we're still trying to follow up on where they went from there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the capture of the three men.
Donald Trump lashing out at his rivals one week from the Iowa caucuses after going to church. Mr. Trump went after Ted Cruz, who is 11 points behind him in the latest Iowa polls. The Republican frontrunner also hit one of his favorite targets, Jeb Bush. Mr. Trump has been the target of attack ads by the Bush campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Jeb Bush, here is a guy who spent close to $100 million. The polls coming out this morning, he went down. He's down at the bottom.
It is time to give up, Jeb. It's time to give up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Sarah Palin's endorsement of Donald Trump has prompted a comeback from her celebrity doppelganger. Over the weekend, Tina Fey reprised her role as Sarah Palin on the comedy show "Saturday Night Live."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[01:15:01] TINA FEY, ACTRESS: Guess what, America. I don't really think this guy should be president. I'm just here because he promised me a spot in his cabinet. And I belong in a cabinet because I'm full of spice and I got a great rack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: As for the Democrats, candidates Martin O'Malley, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are getting set to go face-to-face with Iowa voters during a special CNN town hall. You can watch it live Tuesday morning at 10:00 in the morning, Hong Kong time, that's 11:00 in Tokyo, or the replays starting at noon in London, 1:00 Central European Time. You will see it only here on CNN.
A short break. But when we come back, as the sanctions drop away, Iran is looking for ways to grow its economy and we'll show you Tehran now seeks to become a more inviting destination.
Also ahead, Brazil announces new measures to stop a dangerous virus from spreading during the upcoming Olympics.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(SPORTS)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: With the Real Olympics just months away, Brazil is announcing new measures to prevent the feared Zika virus from spreading.
Shasta Darlington has more on what authorities will be doing to keep the virus in check as tens of thousands of visitors arrive from around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[01:20:08] SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With concerns growing over the Zika virus and the Olympic Games just six months away, officials say they are taking steps to minimize risks.
Now leading up to the games and during both the Olympic Games and the Paralympics Games they say they'll be inspecting all of the venues on a daily basis to make sure there isn't any standing water. And that's important because that's the breeding ground for the mosquitoes that transmit the virus. Now they're also quick to point out that Rio de Janeiro really hasn't
been the focal point of the Zika virus or the birth defects that have been linked to it. That's been more in the northeast of the country. And they're also hopeful that with the games coming in August, that the winter, the dryer cooler months here in Brazil, that that will also help minimize risks.
And this has been a very serious issue here in Brazil. While the Zika virus cropped up in the first half of last year and really didn't initially set off any alarm bells because it's such a mild virus, a few months later when doctors noticed that there was a huge spike in birth defects, something called Microcephaly, where babies are born with small craniums and developmental issues often leading to early death, they quickly determined that there was a link between the two.
And just to give you an idea, since the Zika virus was detected, nearly 4,000 babies have been born with this Microcephaly here in Brazil. That compares to about 140, 150 on an average year. So people are taking this very seriously. They are fumigating in the northeast. They are already checking for stagnant water and they say they will step up all efforts as we get closer to the games.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: And another sign of warming relations between Washington and Tehran, the head of Iran Air says his country wants to begin direct flights to the United States. It's the latest push to revive the Iranian tourist industry as sanctions expire.
Here's Fred Pleitgen reporting in from Tehran.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): A high end video produced by Iran's Civil Aviation Authority. As the country looks to drastically modernize its air travel sector in a CNN interview, the Transport minister outlined ambitious goals.
ABBAS AHMAD AKHOUNDI, IRANIAN TRANSPORT MINISTER: I'm seeing that Iran Air will compete within five to seven years with all the regional airlines.
PLEITGEN: Years of sanctions have devastated Iran's airlines and even its aircraft are old and unsafe because of a shortage of spare parts. But at one of the first major international airline conferences in Tehran, companies from all over the world are scoping out what they hope could be a dynamic new market.
(On camera): Iranian authorities believe that they will need hundreds of new planes in the coming years. Not just to meet the demand of its citizens, but also for the millions of tourists they believe could be coming here soon.
(Voice-over): Iran is looking to buy more than 100 aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus and the minister in charge says that is just the beginning.
AKHOUNDI: We think we need about 100 short-range fleet for our local flight. And for national flight and international flight about 400 fleet that can do the -- long-range air flights.
PLEITGEN: But because Iran's economy is highly dependent on oil, the drop in international crude prices could hamper Iran's plans for a large scale modernization of its air, road and rail infrastructure.
While some believe that could also affect development of the tourism sector, Iran's Tourism minister tells me the country will be ready for a major influx of foreign visitors.
"The price of oil has a big effect on our economy," he says. "But 90 percent of our investment in tourism is done by the private sector and the private sector started investing even during the sanctions."
For years, international sanctions have made Iran's airlines some of the most unsafe in the world. Now Tehran is keen to leave behind its troubled aviation past and get its fleet and airports up to speed.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: A short break here on CNN NEWSROOM L.A. When we come back, five years after a revolutionary uprising and it is back to the future in Egypt. Security has been tightened around Cairo's Tahrir Square. We'll explain in a live report from the capital.
Also police say the New Year's Eve attacks in Cologne were carried out by migrants and refugees. Now asylum seekers are worried of a potential backlash.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:28:18] VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. Thank you for staying with us. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause. The headlines this hour.
ISIS has released a propaganda video that claims to show the nine men behind the November terror attacks in Paris. It shows the attackers' so-called final messages and some of the terrorists beheading hostages. The video also suggests Britain may be a future ISIS target.
The cold wave sweeping through parts of Asia has turned deadly in Taiwan. At least 85 people have died from hypothermia or heart issues caused by the suddenly frigid temperatures. Meanwhile, Hong Kong had its coldest day in 59 years. And the mainland is feeling the big chill as well.
Crews in the eastern U.S. are working to clear roads and get public transportation running after a massive blizzard over the weekend. It broke record snowfall in several states and left at least 15 people dead. Thousands of flights were cancelled and hundreds more will be grounded on Monday.
All this week we're looking closely at the migrant crisis. More than a million refugees have made their way to Germany in just the past year. While many received a warm welcome initially, a New Year's Eve attack on hundreds of women in Cologne has raised tensions and growing fears of a backlash.
Atika Shubert spoke with a number of refugees in this historic city.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police have described what happened at the Cologne train station on New Year's Eve as a new dimension of crime by a mob of North African men.
[01:30:00] German federal police used an Arabic term.
He says, "This is a new phenomenon for Germany and we're very concerned about this. We know this phenomenon from Egypt, mass sexual assault happening in large crowds," he says. "It is not a game, and anybody who commit assaults like this must be arrested and brought to police regardless, anyone, whether German nationals or refugees."
This is exactly what Mustafa Caretta (ph), a 48-year-old Syrian refugee, had feared would happen.
"Some people were waiting for something like this to happen," he tells us. "Something that puts refugees in a bad light. But we will do our best to prove to others that most refugees are not bad."
Mustafa (ph) and his family were among the one million asylum seekers who came to Germany in the last year. Initially, Germany publicly welcomed refugees, but national polls now show Germans dissatisfied with Chancellor Angela Merkel's policies. 70 percent now believe more crime is coming.
Nabela Hamdi (ph), a Kurdish refugee, introduced us to Mustafa (ph) and his family to understand how the New Year's Eve assaults and backlash will impact refugees.
Mustafa's (ph) son-in-law believes the assaults were less about culture and more about the disrespect of the law and order brought with them.
"There is no law in places like Syria," he says. "Some who came to Germany grew up like this and do not want to know anything in this new place, but refugees must realize that there are laws in Germany and must abide by the laws. Everybody has rights here but also responsibilities."
The assaults have galvanized anti-immigration groups. Attack on refugees and migrants have also increased, but Mustafa's (ph) son, Yusuf (ph), is not afraid.
"I'm not afraid, definitely not," he says. "Because the people I met within the last four months I've seen in Germany were good people, full of respect."
Small groups of refugees have come to leave messages and lay flowers at the Cologne train station, but even Hamdi (ph), the refugee coordinator, admits it will take time.
"I'm a very positive person," he says. "I think we have reduced peoples' prejudices against refugees. But I can understand people who feel, well, if you invite someone to your home, offer to take care of them and then this person betrays you, what is natural to be sad and very disappointed."
Time to rebuild trust between residents and refugees who are here to stay."
Atika Shubert, CNN, Cologne.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: The scene in Cairo's Tahrir Square is different from what it was five years ago at the start of Egypt's uprising. President Abdel Fattah el Sisi has ordered a new crack down on opponents and tightened security ahead of the anniversary. Amnesty International calls it a human rights crisis of huge proportions.
Ian Lee joins us now with more from Cairo.
Ian, the crack down, the arrests, the raids, it's another sign that the government is moving against those who essentially are showing any opposition.
IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. We heard it from the government telling people don't dare think of going out and protesting today although we haven't heard of any calls for mass protests. The anger though among the public is slowly growing. They went to the street, to the square five years ago demanding three things, bread, freedom and social justice. Well, as we heard from Amnesty international's report, freedoms have been curtailed. When it comes to bread, that's all about the economy. Egypt's economy was heavily damaged after the revolution. With the sluggish world economy, it's has really struggled to try to pick back up.
But the police today aren't taking any chances. There was a large crackdown ahead of the anniversary.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEE (voice-over): Arab leaders quake at the site of Tahrir. Millions of Egyptians took to the square, a force for change, demanding a better life.
(SHOUTING)
LEE: That was 18 days in 2011. The masses returned to do it again in 2013. Shortly after, the new government cracked down.
Police arrested Yusuf (ph) during a protest, charged with threatening national security, he says.
We're concealing the university student's identity. He's afraid for his safety.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): They electrocuted me with two wires to the chest and the back. I was screaming in pain. My torturer said the electricity was weak. Plug it into the A/C. The shock sent me and with guys holding me back a few meters.
LEE: Yusuf (ph) languished in prison for over a year.
(on camera): How did you deal with the torture?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): I cried hard. I felt weak, impotent and crushed. I broke a piece of glass and felt like I wanted to end all this. I wanted to die.
[01:35:13] LEE (voice-over): CNN can't verify Yusuf's (ph) story, but Egyptian human rights lawyers say his story is not unique.
UNIDENTIFIED EGYPTIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ATTORNEY: They use extreme force, violence, torture, violence in prisons and especially in police stations it's gone up, on the rise.
LEE: One report details police abuse in 2015. In it, nearly 500 people died in police custody. 700 cases of torture were documented.
(on camera): In the lead-up to the anniversary of the revolution, activists tell us the government is cracking down on any perceived threats, including making arrests and raiding cultural centers and private homes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There say deliberate attempt to send the mess annual to anyone considered protesting that it won't be tolerated this time around.
LEE (voice-over): Egypt's minister of interior defended his tactics were labeled as legal on state TV.
MAGDY ABDEL GHAFFER, EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF INTERIOR (through translation): Questions are being raised now about some practices that violate human rights, well, they are necessary because of the reality we now live in. We are facing a ferocious wave of terrorism that Egypt hasn't witnessed in modern history.
LEE: Among the wave of terrorism, ISIS in Egypt killed over a thousand people including hundreds of civilians.
But Yusuf (ph) sees the government's tactics as counterproductive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): The government gives the terrorist organizations a kiss of life. The youth join these groups as a result of the government oppression and terror. They don't give the young people a way to vent their anger.
LEE: Five years on, for many, the hope of Tahrir has been replaced by despair.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEE: John, human rights lawyers I talked to, before the revolution, during the revolution and now, they're telling me right now that the situation is not only as bad as it was before the revolution, but it actually has grown worse under the presidency of el Sisi.
VAUSE: When el Sisi took over from Morrisy, he came in with a wave of support. He was very popular. They wanted him there. They wanted the stability that came with al Sisi. Is it possible to know how his popularity, do we know what level it is at right now?
LEE: He is fairly popular among a certain segment of society. But it has taken a hit. There's a few things that stand out. One is the economy. He hasn't been able to revive it, especially when we have the downing of the Russian jet in Sinai in October. That was a blow for his image of being a man bringing security to Egypt, that something like this could happen where ISIS claims they brought down the plane from a bomb. Also he had the biggest expansion of the Suez Canal. That was promising billions of dollars in revenue, despite being a multi-billion dollar project, revenue from the Suez Canal happened to increase. In some months, it has decreased. So he does have a lot of pressure to revamp this economy and to bring security here. But, again, it is going to be difficult. Not only does he has the factors inside Egypt but also the world economy is not -- is sluggish now too. One of the main sources of revenue, the Suez Canal, they're not seeing the shipping they would like.
VAUSE: Ian, thank you. Ian Lee, live on the anniversary. We'll keep a close eye on what happens in Cairo. Thank you, Ian.
Still to come on CNN NEWSROOM, celebrities, including Danny DeVito, all talking Hollywood and race. The Oscars So White controversy up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[11:42:38] UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Man, they're just trying to show us that they've won. And they trying to take you out. But if anybody wants to leave, there is the door. So who's staying?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Yeah, guys, who's staying?
(LAUGHTER)
I know I am.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: The best actor is --
Oh, my god, I knew it. It is a five way tie. All of the white guys!
(LAUGHTER)
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Yeah, we did it!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: That was "Saturday Night Live" taking on the Oscars So White controversy. For the second year in a row, all 20 nominees for the Academy Awards in the acting categories are white. That has prompted an outcry and calls for a boycott.
Earlier, I spoke with entertainment journalist, Segun Oduolowu.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: We've heard about this for a while now. First up, "Saturday Night Live" skit, funny?
SEGUN ODUOLOWU, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: It wasn't funny because it was real. That's how black people really feel. People of color actually feel that, yes, if there were five white guy, one on a telephone, in a movie about black people doing nothing --
VAUSE: The white guy would get nominated.
ODUOLOWU: -- the white guy would get nominated. There was no guile to it. It should have been a documentary. That would have been honest.
VAUSE: It's reality TV. OK, a few big names have come out and spoke about the lack of diversity. Danny DeVito the most blunt, speaking at Sundance. He said, "We're living in a country that discriminates so sometimes it is manifested in things like this and it is illuminated, but just generally speaking, we're racist. We are a bunch of racists."
ODUOLOWU: I felt the comments were very strong as you said. Danny DeVito, he's been a director, an actor, a producer. He knows Hollywood inside and out. So for him to say it, it rings of credibility. I think he's speaking not only his truth. But what he has seen, what he's experienced, and then to talk about the country, look at our politics here in America. The leader in the polls is a demagogic figure that scapegoats minorities and people of color and immigrants every chance he gets. He climbs in the polls. To say art is imitating life, you go no further than our own country.
VAUSE: Look at the Democrat side, three white people running too, two white guys and an older white woman. There's no diversity either.
ODUOLOWU: Right. Let's think of the establishment.
[01:45:04] VAUSE: OK. Let's look at some of the changes the Academy is promising to make at the Oscars. They put this out Friday night, Saturday morning. 10-year terms, renewed only if that person is active in a motion picture. Lifetime terms after three 10-year terms, all if nominated for an Oscar. The new rules will be retroactive. In other words, if you haven't worked on a movie for ten years, you won't get to vote. The Academy with identify and recruit new members for greater diversity. Will that work?
ODUOLOWU: It is not enough. 10 years is a lot. I was pushing for six. I think that if you're nominated for an Oscar in 1965, that shouldn't grandfather you in. There are special effects that weren't even around. There are different things from someone being nominated for an Oscar long ago.
But I want everyone to understand that people of color are not saying there needs to be some type of affirmative action push --
VAUSE: It's not going to be a quota.
ODUOLOWU: No.
VAUSE: We have to have three black nominees --
(CROSSTALK)
ODUOLOWU: It's not that. It is to make the Academy a representation of what Hollywood is becoming.
VAUSE: But this is an attempt, isn't it?
ODUOLOWU: It's an attempt but why now? Two years in a row. They just realized it was 90 percent old white guys, just realized two people of color in the Academy. They are just realizing this? Don't want to say too little too late but if you want to make a stand, six- year term limits and open it up. Make more possible for women for Latinos, for Asians. It's not just about black people not being nominated.
VAUSE: Other people made that point, no Latinos out there, no Asians out there either.
ODUOLOWU: None. None. People are hung up on someone like me saying it needs to be more diverse. They say, well, the black guy wants it to be more diverse. I'm saying look at the lack of women, lack of Latinos, lack of Asian. The Academy is not a snapshot of what Hollywood is becoming. It's not you and I.
VAUSE: Exactly.
ODUOLOWU: Look at us. We get along fine. And you're Australian.
(LAUGHTER)
VAUSE: OK. People hold that against me all the time, too.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER) VAUSE: When it comes through we have Chris Rock hosting this -- the second time. He's been under pressure to boycott. He said he's rewriting his monologue. Is that more powerful for him to stand there and address it.
ODUOLOWU: It is more powerful he does the monologue and addresses the issue. You don't run from or hide from it. He's the master of ceremonies, the emcee. If I was up there as a presenter and took the time presenting an award to you to hijack the Oscar and speak my peace, that's not right. That's not the time for it. But the emcee, the guy in charge of addressing the crowd, address the crowd with some of the fears and anger and some of the issues that the Academy is facing, it's perfect for Chris to do this.
VAUSE: He will do that. A lot of uncomfortable people sitting there.
ODUOLOWU: I hope so.
(CROSSTALK)
VAUSE: We can all watch and see what happens.
Segun, thank you for coming in. It's always good.
ODUOLOWU: Always a pleasure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Short break here. When we come back, America's biggest sporting event is finally set. We'll break down the marquis matchup for Super Bowl 50.
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(WEATHER REPORT)
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[01:51:57] VAUSE: Welcome back. We now know who will face off in the biggest sporting event in the U.S. The Denver Broncos will play the Carolina Panthers for the NFL championship in Super Bowl 50. Denver Quarterback Peyton Manning hopes to hoist the trophy in what could be his last season. But favorite Cam Newton has only lost one game all year and looks to help the Panthers win their very first-ever title. It is all set to happen February 7th in Santa Clara in California.
Before the Internet, becoming a top music act with our recording contract was pretty much impossible. But an L.A. duo is building a big audience through social media.
Samuel Burke explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING) SAMUEL BURKE, CNN DIGITAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a music world experiencing radical destructive change, L.A.-based pop band, Xylo, is thriving.
(SINGING)
BURKE: Less than a year together, and only four songs released online --
(SINGING)
BURKE: -- they're already headlining their first ever New York show.
Xylo is the brother and sister duo of Chase and Paige Dudley.
(SINGING)
BURKE: Their debut single "America" gained them instant recognition on music blogs and social media without the help of a record deal.
(on camera): It used to be you had to write a hit album and tour for years to win an international fan base. Today, before they ever play a premier venue like here, first they have to make it here.
(SINGING)
BURKE (voice-over): Xylo credits its rise to music sharing platforms like Sound Cloud, Hype Machine and their growing social media fan base. The band has millions of streams on Spotify.
PAIGE DUDLEY, SINGER: Hey, guys, it is Paige from Xylo.
BURKE: And thousands of followers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. It is the way of breaking in the business these days.
CHASE DUDLEY, SINGER: We made music in our garage and uploaded it on the Internet. And millions of people heard it.
PAIGE DUDLEY: So easy. Just to press click, sharing my music with the world.
(SINGING)
BURKE: As the online buzz grew, Xylo came to the attention of Sony Music exec, Adam Alfred, who signed him to his label. For Alfred, success is about connecting with fans.
ADAM ALFRED, EXECUTIVE, SONY MUSIC: I think it is important for the fan and the artist to communicate directly. That's what the fan has come to enjoy. And expect. And I think that fans, music fans these days want to be on the journey with the artist as they grow their careers. They want to feel like they're part of the ride.
BURKE: Xylo is far from the only band using social media to advance. An entire new generation of stars are bypassing the traditional tastemakers. (SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sean Menendez, who has a number-one single, he was signed off of Vine.
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was doing covers and six-second Vines and got signed off of that because he got to a huge following. He was this cute 14-year-old boy up in Canada. Next thing you know --
SEAN MENENDEZ, SINGER: Sweden.
(CHEERING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- he's got thousands and thousands of young girls following him.
[01:55:17] BURKE: In today's pop market, albums take a back seat to singles. Live dates generate much-needed revenue and a band's work is never done.
(on camera): Very guerrilla, social guerrilla marketing.
PAIGE DUDLEY: Yeah. Totally. You feel like you have to keep posting harder and harder and pushing people to share your stuff each time you release a new single.
BURKE (voice-over): CD sales are collapsing, streaming revenues remain minuscule. But with a growing fan base, spreading the word --
(SINGING)
BURKE: -- Xylo still hope to connect with the masses.
PAIGE DUDLEY: Thank you, guys, so much. We're Xylo.
(CHEERING)
BURKE: Samuel Burke, CNN, New York.
(MUSIC)
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause.
Stay with us. The news continues now with 100 percent more Errol Barnett after a short break.
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