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Joy Behar Page
Religion Running for Office; TV Ad Controversy; Finding the Lord on the Field; Interview with Rod Stewart
Aired December 12, 2011 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, HOST: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
FR. EDWARD BECK, RELIGION CONTRIBUTOR, ABC NEWS: Joy.
BEHAR: You`re not supposed to know who I am.
BECK: Joy, I would recognize that voice anywhere. It`s either you or Tony Soprano. I mean -- anyway, so what brings you here after all these years?
BEHAR: Well, I have been doing my show now, you know, for two years. I might have committed a few sins so I thought I would just confess them tonight.
BECK: Joy, I have seen the show. You have committed a few sins. Go ahead.
BEHAR: Really? I mean you are being a little strict, aren`t you. I mean it`s my business. I`m in show business. I have to tell a few lies. I don`t think they were mortal sins. They`re probably venial sins.
BECK: They were both. I watched. I`ve been on the show, remember? Go ahead.
BEHAR: All right. Tell me if this is a sin. I told Nancy Grace, she`s the next Ginger Rogers. Is that a sin?
BECK: Joy, lying is a sin.
BEHAR: I told Gloria Allred that Herman Cain harassed me just so she would come to my house for a party. I like her. Was that a sin? What was wrong with that really?
BECK: Do you know how many women have told Gloria Allred that? Next.
BEHAR: All right. All right. All right. Let`s see. Don`t get mad at me for this because I used a swear word when I thought that you, Father Beck, were related to Glenn Beck.
BECK: I think I know what swear word that was. I mean maybe I used it myself actually.
BEHAR: All right. All right. Here`s another one and this may be the worst one and you tell me if I should go to hell for this. I told Dr. Oz I was pregnant just so he`d take a look. Will I burn in hell?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming up on THE JOY BEHAR SHOW, Joy`s religious panel weighs in on GOP presidential hopefuls and the role of religion in the primaries. They`ll also hit on the rise of Tim Tebow and athletes who wear their religion on their sleeves.
Plus a look back at Joy`s interview with Rod Stewart.
That and more starting right now.
BEHAR: The campaign season is in full swing and the NFL season is heating up. But all anyone is talking about is Jesus; religion seems to have moved to the forefront of politics and believe it or not, football.
Now joining me to talk about this phenomenon is Father Edward Beck, a religion contributor for ABC News and our favorite priest. Rabbi Shmuley - - our favorite rabbi -- Boteach, author of the "Conversations You Need to have With Yourself" and our favorite Muslim. Imam Johari Abdul Malik, the outreach director of -- wait for it -- the Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center. Thank you all for being here.
I did it right, didn`t I? I did it right. Thank you. My goodness, I`m going to go to heaven now.
IMAM JOHARI ABDUL-MALIK, OUTREACH DIRECTOR, DAR AL-HIHRAH ISLAMIC CENTER: Your Arabic is improving.
BEHAR: Now, you know, we`ve got Romney is a Mormon and people are saying, religion is going to interfere with the voters and then you have Perry going on television saying he`s proud to be a Christian, as if anybody even challenged him.
BECK: If anybody asked him.
BEHAR: You know, why is religion entering into this race? We had Kennedy was a Catholic, never mentioned it again. Jimmy Carter religious, never mentioned it. Why are they bringing this up now.
BECK: First of all I think it`s a good thing that it`s entering the race. If you go to a dinner party, what do they say the two things you shouldn`t talk about?
BEHAR: Politics and religion.
BECK: Exactly because we feel deeply about it. It matters to us. And we are a believing country. I mean 93 percent believe in God. So they want to know what a candidate believes about faith because they think it forms character. How they make moral, ethical decisions and these candidates happen to be bringing it into the conversation themselves.
ABDUL-MALIK: I think part of it though is a political football. You want to preach to the choir, to try to get yourself a few points by saying I`m a real Christian and the Mormon is not a real Christian.
BECK: But the Mormon, Mitt Romney doesn`t want to talk about his Mormonism because he knows it`s controversial.
BEHAR: Well, he knows it could be a liability, that`s why.
BECK: So he doesn`t talk about it.
BEHAR: Yes. Go ahead Rabbi.
RABBI SHMULEY BOTEACH: Well, let me take issue with my dear friend Father Beck.
BECK: Once again.
BOTEACH: I don`t care what -- I don`t care what anyone believes -- I care what they do. We`ve seen so much religious hypocrisy of people preaching one thing, practicing another. I care about a candidate`s character, his vision, his policies and finally his effectiveness.
This country is up a creek. We are in real trouble. We don`t care whether a president believes that the moon is made green cheese, or whether he`s an Evangelical Christian or a Mormon. The fact is that all of our beliefs will appear strange to the other person. We care about a guy that`s going to get us back to work, that`s going to reduce the national debt, that`s going to spread freedom and democracy, fight the terrorists, and finally restore American luster and confidence.
Let`s stop making too much of religion. Religion is supposed to inform and influence politics from above.
BEHAR: Ok. You were saying before it tends to make you think about a person`s moral judgment and all that. So an atheist can`t be elected in this country because people think that if you don`t believe in God that means that you`re a bad person. That`s not true.
BECK: Well, that may be a prejudice. But you asked why do you think it`s entering the conversation? And I think because people care about it. It matters to people. You`re not going to change that --
BEHAR: Do they not care about the infidelity in the candidates on the Republican ticket this year?
ABDUL-MALIK: Hello.
BECK: Well, I think they do care about it although it doesn`t seem to be hurting Newt Gingrich right now.
BEHAR: Why not?
ABDUL-MALIK: Don`t worry, it will.
BEHAR: Why not.
BOTEACH: A person`s private morality Joy, has no bearing whatsoever on his public actions.
BECK: Wait, wait that`s not part of morality though. That was public action.
BOTEACH: The fact is that so many -- let me just make a point -- the fact that so many of our best presidents unfortunately had many private affairs.
BEHAR: That`s true. Oh, yes. The list goes on.
BOTEACH: Franklin Delano Roosevelt --
BEHAR: Right.
BOTEACH: Roosevelt saved the world from Hitler and yet his wife, Eleanor didn`t share a bedroom with him for three decades because he cheated on her with Lucy Mercer Rutherford. Thomas Jefferson is the author of our independence. But he had a sexual relationship with a slave woman and produced six children.
ABDUL-MALIK: So what are you saying, Shmuley, we need to go out and find people who belie their faith and they make great leaders, that`s what you`re saying?
BOTEACH: No. I`m saying that we have to elect people who save the country even if they`re not perfect in their private life because this country is in big trouble. I`m tired of perfection.
ABDUL-MALIK: I would agree.
BOTEACH: You know the Christians always want to emphasize the perfection of Jesus. We Jews have very imperfect models in our bible, Abraham and Jacob and King David -- imperfect people.
BECK: Rabbi Shmuley.
(CROSSTALK)
BECK: Sorry I had to get it in. Amen.
BOTEACH: Well said.
ABDUL-MALIK: Touche. Touche my brother.
BEHAR: Touche.
Let me tell you about another story that`s out there. Lowe`s the store that -- like a Home Depot type of store. They have just pulled their ads from TLC`s "All American Muslim" a show that deals with Muslims facing religious adversity in this country because a conservative Christian group from Florida threatened a boycott of the retailer.
I mean what about that? What does Lowe`s have to do with Muslims?
ABDUL-MALIK: On one level, I find this very hard to believe that this little group in Florida can push Lowe`s in this direction. If that is their objective, to say we`re Evangelical and we don`t want this Muslim program on television, they just shot themselves in the head. Now, everybody wants to know what is this American Muslim show and I want to watch it?
BEHAR: This Christian group, right wing Christian group came in and basically said, get it off or we`re not going to buy stuff from Lowe`s. So go to Home Depot, don`t buy something from Lowe`s.
BECK: And they`re setting a dangerous precedent. What about if there`s another show that they`re advertising on that they don`t like? They`re going to keep caving.
BEHAR: Well, it`s called blackmail.
BECK: It`s kind of crazy especially since this show presents very moderate Muslims trying to be part of the American way of life.
ABDUL-MALIK: It winds up working against people who are racist and bigots or Islamophobic -- they`re probably homophobic, they`re probably anti-Semitic and it`s working against them.
BEHAR: Maybe Muslims should not shop at Lowe`s. Just don`t shop there.
BOTEACH: No, no. Let me --
(CROSSTALK)
ABDUL-MALIK: Hold on there, Rabbi. I know that the Muslim leadership is planning to talk with the Lowe`s executives to ask them what in the world are you doing? Maybe there`s been enough blowback now that we don`t have to have competing boycott, we can actually have a dialogue and say, you guys really know what you`re doing.
BEHAR: Other religion leaders have to speak out against -- like the Christians have to speak out against anti-Semitism and Christians have to speak against anti-Muslimism and the Jew`s have to speak out against anti- Christianity I believe.
ABDUL-MALIK: Every Muslim American is --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Ok. One at a time.
BOTEACH: Every Muslim American is as American as George Washington. That`s the beauty of this country. Once you`re an American, no one can question your identity and your citizenship.
The strange thing about this story is that my understanding is that this is the Florida Family Council. What`s so interesting about some of these family groups, they focus on everything except family. There`s a 50 percent divorce rate. Why are we talking about Muslims on TV? There`s a 50 percent divorce rate. Why are we talking about gays getting married. 50 percent of all heterosexuals can`t stay together.
Why don`t they focus on things like getting marital counseling made tax deductible so couples can really get the help they need and keep families them together instead of these scapegoats and distractions.
BEHAR: Rabbi Shmuley, I only have a minute left. So let me get this last story in because this is very interesting. This Denver Broncos quarterback, Tim Tebow, has been known to pray on the field, kneel and point toward heaven and wear Bible verse numbers in his eye -- in his eye black. Ok.
Should Jewish players do the (INAUDIBLE) on the football field? Maybe Muslims can also stop the game and face Mecca every five minutes. I mean what is this about?
BECK: I think it`s great. I think it`s great. I like Tim Tebow. He`s a great guy. He puts his money where his mouth is. He was a missionary. He went to the Philippines and helped poor people. He`s not stopping the game. He does it after he gets his touchdown. He kneels down and gives praise to the Almighty. He does his thing and he plays good football and guess what, he is winning.
(CROSSTALK)
ABDUL-MALIK: If you have the skills of Tebow, you`d be praying too.
BEHAR: Why? He`s not a good player.
ABDUL-MALIK: No, no. He`s no -- when -- when he wins like that, people over -- everybody is saying hallelujah, it must be a miracle because it doesn`t go with the regular performance.
BECK: The last four games. The last four games.
ABDUL-MALIK: Hallelujah is all I can say.
BECK: Amen.
BEHAR: All right, Rabbi, last word, go ahead.
BOTEACH: Joy, I think it`s terrible that he prays at games. I think the only thing that should be allowed is really dignified displays of women with their cleavage with pompoms and Lycra and guys with beer guts with their teams written -- their teams name written across their bellies. Only that should be allowed but please no faith, God forbid.
BECK: We have that have like cheer leaders, we have that.
BEHAR: Maybe Tebow can pray while he`s half naked. That would satisfy everybody.
ABDUL-MALIK: Including you.
BEHAR: Including me. Ok. Thank you guys we`ll be right back.
ABDUL-MALIK: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did Alec Baldwin`s apology to himself on "Saturday Night Live" do more harm or good? We`ll hear what comedian Margaret Cho has to say next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: Actress and comedienne Margaret Cho is funny, feisty and one of my favorite guests and she`s here with me now. Margaret, hi Margaret.
MARGARET CHO, ACTRESS: Hi.
BEHAR: How are you, dear?
CHO: I`m doing great. How are you?
BEHAR: I`m ok. Now let`s talk about Alec Baldwin, he`s a -- he`s a friend of mine. I love -- I love Alec. I think he`s a very talented guy. But he went on "SNL" this week and to poke fun at himself for getting kicked off a plane. You might have seen it but if you didn`t see it, watch it I`m going to show it to you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: What harm would it do to let him keep playing his game. Not any game, mind you, but a word game for smart people?
SETH MYERS, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIFE": Captain Rogers, don`t phones interfere with the plane`s communication system?
BALDWIN: Oh you don`t believe that, do you, Seth? Would you really get on an airplane that flew 30,000 feet in the air if you thought one Kindle switch could take it down? Come on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: I tell you, I thought it was hilarious, between "SNL" and the Republican debates, I haven`t laughed that hard on Saturday night. Did you think it was funny?
CHO: I thought it was hilarious. He`s quite a wizard. He can take something that`s pretty awful or something that, you know, makes him look bad and make it into something that makes him look really good. And that`s something that I`ve really admired about him for years. I mean, he`s such a -- he`s such a great person to kind of like play with in pop culture because he`s kind of magical. He has the Midas touch.
BEHAR: Well, because he`s extremely talented and he knows comedy. He can`t help himself he has little anger issues here and there. And then he makes it nice by making fun of himself really. But some people felt that it made him look more arrogant.
CHO: No. I mean, I think the fact that he can laugh at himself and really a kind of like step out of the situation and poke fun at it, I think it makes him just look better.
And it also just popularizes the game. I mean, I didn`t even know about the game before any of this and now I`m dying to play it.
BEHAR: Now well, it`s kind of a scrabbly game which I understand the addiction because it annoys me when they say turn off everything when you`re on the plane because you`re anxious and you want to play the game to distract you from the fact that the plane is going into the air against all, you know, logic.
CHO: Yes.
BEHAR: Right?
CHO: Well and plus, I just -- I don`t understand why we have to shut everything down and completely stop doing what we`re doing just because the plane is taking off. I think they`re just -- I don`t know, you know I`m sure that there`s some reason behind it but have never really been explained. It`s never been explained to me why we have to do that. So I don`t know why.
BEHAR: Have you ever gotten kicked off a flight?
CHO: I`ve never gotten kicked off a flight. Oh, gosh, I really -- I don`t know what I could do to -- you know, I really should try to do that sometime. It`s a good -- it`s a career booster.
BEHAR: Totally. That and a sex tape.
CHO: Yes.
BEHAR: Did you watch the -- the GOP debate Saturday night?
CHO: I didn`t. I didn`t watch the -- I`m curious about this whole bet, this Mitt Romney bet. I didn`t see it. I didn`t see it, I want to know.
BEHAR: Well, he made a bet but the other thing is that infidelity was brought up on the debate. You know and every time -- every time people -- they talk to Perry and this one and that one, others were speaking but the camera would be on Newt Gingrich. It`s like he`s the guy that we`re really talking about. You know I mean --
CHO: Yes.
BEHAR: But do you -- I mean, when -- when Clinton -- truthfully, when Clinton got into his jam with Monica Lewinsky, I thought that -- that it was obnoxious of him, at the time, I did a whole slew of jokes about it, I`m sure you did. Did you?
CHO: Yes. Oh absolutely. I think that was probably one of the greatest things to hop into comedy ever. I mean, any kind of political scandal --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Right.
CHO: -- is always really fun and funny. And you know when you can take these figures, no matter whether they`re -- you know you agree with them politically or not, it`s -- it`s a funny -- it`s a funny opportunity.
BEHAR: Yes. But I mean, I don`t -- I personally don`t care if they`ve cheated on their wives or what have you as long as they know how to run the country. Because look at Clinton; he was a very, very effective president.
Now let`s -- let`s talk about Rick Perry for a minute, now he`s running an anti-gay ad in Iowa. Have you seen that?
CHO: Yes I have -- you know what`s interesting about Rick Perry, is when I played Austin many years ago, I was -- he was first governor of Texas and the audience members were saying, if you really want to get this crowd going talk about the fact that Rick Perry is gay. And that`s been an enduring rumor about him for all of the years he`s been in office.
BEHAR: Really?
CHO: That he is gay and that he is closeted. And it`s just like a whole, I don`t know any time anybody does like a big anti-gay thing, I`m kind of like well, what is that supposed to mean? And -- and the whole weirdness of him wearing the brokeback jacket and that.
BEHAR: Yes and the hat, too.
CHO: In that video.
BEHAR: Yes.
CHO: And the hat, and then saying that somehow the LGBT community somehow gets in the way of Christmas. Are we like the new Grinch or something? Like -- I think it`s so weird, like how do -- how do we affect prayer in school? I don`t understand it.
BEHAR: Well, the gays in the military, he has a thing with that that it interferes with Christianity in some way. Oh he`s just desperate and hanging on to Jesus now, because that`s what happens, you know. They get into that Christian frenzy when they`re losing and they start to bring out religion.
CHO: Yes.
BEHAR: That`s my observation of them.
Let me go to another topic.
Now Jessica Simpson just inked a $3 million deal with weight watchers to lose baby fat. How do you like that? The girl can`t even be fat after a baby, leave her alone but $3 million.
CHO: She`s beautiful. Well I mean, what -- what an amazing amount of money to do something. I mean that`s -- it`s crazy. I think she`s a beautiful girl. I don`t think she really needs to lose any weight. And you know, but if they want to do that, I think that`s amazing. I mean, I didn`t realize that people had those kinds of deals. I mean, do you get to keep the money if you lose the weight or do you have to give it back if you don`t?
BEHAR: I think -- I think you don`t get it. No I did Jenny Craig and they gave me a few shekels and not like $3 million but I`m not you know, Jessica Simpson I guess.
But they gave me some money. And I lost it -- they pay me, I lose weight, that`s how it works.
CHO: I want one of those deals.
BEHAR: I know you do. Ok. We`re going to take a break. We`ll have more with Margaret Cho in just a moment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Later this week, actor Denis Leary plus Whoopie Goldberg and Steve Martin.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: I`m back with the lovely Margaret Cho. Margaret, your new DVD "Cho Dependent" is out now. And you do your stand-up. I like it, "Cho Dependent", it`s funny. But you also sing on this -- you also sing on this DVD, yes?
CHO: Yes. I have a pretty good singing voice, which is a new discovery. But I do like comedy songs and things that I wrote with some great, great people, people like Patty Griffin and I sang with Fiona Apple and Audie de Franco (ph) and Keegan (ph) and Sara (ph). It`s a lot of fun. The record is great.
BEHAR: You know, I love to hear about your mother. And you told your mother when you were what, 14 years old, that you were going to be a comedian. What did she say when you first told her?
CHO: Well, I told her that I was going to do comedy and I was really young. She goes, "Oh maybe it`s better if you just die." And, you know, now she`s really supportive. Like now, she looks out on the audience and she`s like, "Oh, that person represent $40 and that person is $40 and that person is $40. That`s $120." It`s all about the money.
BEHAR: Oh. Isn`t she clever?
CHO: Yes.
BEHAR: Was she impressed with the fact you were nominated for a Grammy for your last CD?
CHO: Yes. I think -- yes, you know, she really is excited. You know, like my parents like didn`t know like what to expect just because they had never seen Asians in entertainment. And so, like anything that I do is super exciting to them.
BEHAR: That`s good.
Now, here`s another subject because "Men`s Health" magazine just named Jennifer Aniston the hottest woman of all time. I`m highly insulted. Do you feel left out?
CHO: Of all time.
BEHAR: Do you feel left out?
CHO: I do feel left out because I think we`re the hottest women of all time. And I think the reason that they picked her is because she`s funny which is true, she`s very funny. But if it`s about funny, then you and I should be up there.
BEHAR: Well, she`s a funny actress. That`s not the same thing as what we do. A funny actress has lines. We have to come up with lines ourselves.
CHO: Right definitely.
BEHAR: But Angelina Jolie came in at number 10.
CHO: I thought she was really hot. I mean I don`t know. She seems like she would be -- I don`t know like exactly what constitutes "hot" exactly. But I would imagine that she has like if you -- I don`t know if you put a thermometer in her, there would be a couple of degrees more.
BEHAR: They`re all white. They`re all -- the top 10 are white women. I`ll read them to you. Jennifer Aniston, Raquel Welch, Marilyn Monroe, Britney Spears, Madonna, Ursula Andress, remember her? I call her undress because she used to take her clothes off back in the day. Bettie Page.
CHO: She`s gorgeous.
BEHAR: I didn`t even know Bettie Page was a real person. Pamela Anderson, Jane Fonda and Angelina Jolie. What`s missing from that list?
CHO: Well, we`re missing Beyonce. We`re missing just any -- you know, Joan Chen. We`re missing you and I. We`re missing a lot of diversity. I mean a lot of these women are pretty amazing, of course. But you`re taking it from different eras also but they kind of like promote one certain type of beauty. And I think that beauty has a lot more diversity than that.
BEHAR: Exactly. Exactly. They need a little Margaret Cho in there, a little Connie Chung.
CHO: I think so. I love it. Little Connie Chung?
BEHAR: Little Halle Berry. Where`s Halle Berry? She`s a gorgeous girl.
CHO: I know. Where`s Halle Berry? She`s beautiful.
BEHAR: I don`t know. And also And Iman -- well, I could go on today. Sophia Loren was left off --
CHO: Yes.
BEHAR: What about Sophia Loren? I thought she was the sexiest of all time. But I guess not.
CHO: She was sexy. She is sexy still. So yes.
BEHAR: Ok, Margaret, thanks for doing this.
CHO: Thank you.
BEHAR: Margaret Cho, Dependent DVD is out now.
We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MUSIC
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: You know, from songs like "Maggie May" to "Fly Me To The Moon," Rod Stewart has sung them all and considering he sold over 250 million records. I`d say he`s sung them rather well. OK? And his new CD is called "Fly Me To The Moon," the great American song book volume V, and it`s out now. Welcome to my show, Rod.
ROD STEWART, SINGER: Thank you, Joy. Thanks for having me.
BEHAR: I would likely to see you at the "View," but I like seeing you here close up like this.
STEWART: We can get personal now, can we?
BEHAR: That`s right, baby. Listen, we`re in the same age bracket. I know that my eggs are dried up, and so, you`re not interested but still.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: Well, my sperm is still pretty useful.
BEHAR: I`ve heard about your sperm. Your sperm is quite useful.
STEWART: It`s been very useful over the years.
BEHAR: I know. I mean, you`re on number eighth child.
STEWART: Eight, yes, eight.
BEHAR: The baby is in utero at the moment.
STEWART: Yes. She`s four months pregnant.
BEHAR: The wife.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: Who`s a lovely blonde.
STEWART: Isn`t she just, yes.
BEHAR: Isn`t she just, but aren`t they all just?
STEWART: Yes, she carries it very well because she`s 6`3", you know.
BEHAR: Yes, I --
STEWART: (INAUDIBLE). She carries it really well.
BEHAR: But it shows that you`re a secure male because you don`t care that, you know, she`s so much bigger than you, taller than you.
STEWART: No, it doesn`t worry me at all.
BEHAR: It doesn`t.
STEWART: It worries my manager a lot because every time he sees pictures of us, will you please walk in the front. Let her walk behind. She can`t wear high heels. You know, he`s so worried about it. It is what it is.
BEHAR: Oh, yes. It`s like Sarkozy. He`s got that tall wife, Carla Bruni.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: He`s dwarfish. Yes. He`s very short.
STEWART: Yes. I`m 5`11".
BEHAR: She could eat escargot off his head. You know, Elton John, who just did a concert this week at the beacon, I know, I understand -- Whoopi was carrying on about it, but he said that you are the best singer he`s heard in rock `n` roll.
STEWART: Quite right.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: That`s quite a compliment. Isn`t that a good -- that`s a good compliment.
STEWART: Yes. Isn`t it lovely calling me that?
BEHAR: But now you`ve morphed into singing standards, which a lot of people who listen to seriously Sinatra on Sirius radio like myself love that kind of music. And you, to me, you bring a different kind of -- what`s the word?
STEWART: Contemporary.
BEHAR: Yes, contemporary and a more on gutteral sort of voice. I just like it.
STEWART: Thank you.
BEHAR: I do.
STEWART: That was the intentions. You know, Sinatra did his way and I`m doing it this way.
BEHAR: That`s right. Well, you know, but one of the great things is when you listen to standards, you know, Ella Fitzgerald will do it one way, then Dinah Washington, Mel Torme, and you, and Frank, it`s all different.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: And yet all the songs sound great.
STEWART: Yes, they do. You know, as we spoke early, they don`t write them like this anymore. I know it`s an old cliche, but, you know, when we were doing a show earlier on, you can see my guitar players, we were pretty accomplished guitar players, but they have their specs on and they just have to march these chords are just fantastic. You know, you don`t get those chords and riffs in rock `n` roll. It`s a very sophisticated music.
BEHAR: Yes. But I`m a big fan of, you know, "Maggie May" and all of those songs, too. I love those.
STEWART: 1971 "Maggie May."
BEHAR: I know. I was such a baby in those days. You`ve said that these songs are like chocolate. What do you mean by that?
STEWART: Chocolate?
BEHAR: Yes, that`s a quote we found. Did you not say?
STEWART: No. I didn`t say that.
BEHAR: All right. Let`s move on. OK. Let`s talk about you. Because, you know, in the previous conversation I had with you, we were talking about your throat cancer that you had in 2000.
STEWART: Thyroid cancer.
BEHAR: Oh, thyroid cancer. It wasn`t throat cancer. So, thyroid cancer. But I didn`t know that you lose your voice with thyroid cancer.
STEWART: Oh, yes, because, you know, they split you open from here to here. In doing so, you know, they tear through the muscles that control the vocal box.
BEHAR: I see.
STEWART: So, therefore, your muscle memory loss, so you have to teach yourself to sing all over again. It took me nine or ten months.
BEHAR: Nine or ten months of what?
STEWART: Just practicing. I`d go in and sing same Maggie.
(SINGING)
STEWART: Oh, my voice is gone again. The next time, I goes --
(SINGING)
STEWART: It`s gone again. Until, I could sing all of "Maggie May" and all of the repertoire.
BEHAR: So, you have to work up to it again.
STEWART: Yes, yes.
BEHAR: And did you have chemo or radiation?
STEWART: No chemo. I was so lucky because I have a checkup, you know, every year, which I recommend everybody to do if they can afford it. It`s expensive, but they just found this little nodular and decided to play safe and cut it out.
BEHAR: Oh. So, that`s what they did. So, they just cut it out in the early stages, but it still destroyed your voice for a while.
STEWART: Yes, yes.
BEHAR: So, that must have been a terrifying time for you.
STEWART: Oh, it`s horrible. You know, I thought, what I was going to do? I thought -- you know, I`m not trained for anything else. I thought I`d become a landscaper.
BEHAR: A landscaper. Why that?
STEWART: I don`t know.
BEHAR: I know the English love their gardens, but where did this come from?
STEWART: Well, I don`t -- you know, I have lovely gardens. And that was the first thing that came into my head, and I love being close (ph) to the earth, you know, so landscape gardener, can you see it?
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: Stewart and Stewart sounds (ph) landscape gardeners.
BEHAR: I mean, really, when you think about it, all of us in show business, we`re so used to showbiz. I don`t know what am I going to do, go to law school at this point, you know? What do you suppose to do?
STEWART: We`re vulnerable as well, you know, because you always think I don`t know you. You always think somebody is going to tap you on the shoulder and say, can I have it back now?
BEHAR: I know. Well, you have so much success on you. I don`t think that would ever happen to you. No, no, no, no. But I think it is a panicking thing.
STEWART: Yes, it is.
BEHAR: So, let`s see. You`re going to be a dad. We talked about it a little bit, for the eighth time, and are you a different father now? Because you have -- how old is your oldest?
STEWART: The eldest -
BEHAR: The eldest.
STEWART: One is in her 40s.
BEHAR: She`s in her 40.
STEWART: She (INAUDIBLE) biological father. She was for adoption when I was 17 or 18, I think.
BEHAR: Oh, it`s one of those.
STEWART: Yes, it was one of those. I was actually stone broke. I mean, I didn`t --
BEHAR: And stoned probably too, right?
STEWART: Maybe a little bit stoned.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: And so, she was put up for adoption and only found out her father was about 15 years ago.
BEHAR: Really?
STEWART: But she still had her mother and father who looked after her. So, I didn`t want to get involved and upset that.
BEHAR: So, she was put up for adoption?
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: So, the mother of the child, did she have a relationship (ph) with the mother?
STEWART: Her mother told her who her father was.
BEHAR: Oh.
STEWART: But we`ve -- since her mom and dad have died, obviously, I`m the biological father, we`ve tried to come together and be close together. It`s working out pretty well.
BEHAR: That`s great.
STEWART: I never felt like I was her dad because I didn`t take her to school, I didn`t change her nappies. There was not a paternal thing there.
BEHAR: Yes.
STEWART: But I`m trying.
BEHAR: You`re trying and make up for it now, yes. But, listen, it`s a great thing that you had that at the end of the day, you have each other now.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: And I`m sure she appreciates it. And to have a really extremely wealthy daddy like you --
STEWART: Steady. Don`t mention that. She don`t know I`m wealthy.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: Well, I mean, come on. I wouldn`t turn my back on daddy warbucks either, if you were my daddy.
STEWART: She`s been good like that, though. She doesn`t ask for anything (ph).
BEHAR: Yes, wouldn`t (ph) know.
STEWART: I send her a little something now and then to keep her going.
BEHAR: Of course. So, and then, what about the rest of the kids?
STEWART: They`re all tremendous, all wonderful. Ruby is an aspiring musician. Liam loves hockey. He`s going to be playing hockey. Renee (ph) is dancing. Kim is studying political science. They`re all up to -- the other one is turning four and the other one is in here. So, I think that`s the lot. I`ve got many. That`s the eight, yes.
BEHAR: Yes. I mean, have you had any trouble with any of them?
STEWART: No big trouble now and then. You know, just youthful, teenage spirit which we`ve all done a little bit of trouble.
BEHAR: You have one kid who was in trouble this week, I think, right?
STEWART: Sean.
BEHAR: Yes, what happened to him?
STEWART: He was in prison last night.
BEHAR: In prison or jail?
STEWART: He was in the police station.
BEHAR: Oh, police station, a little different from prison.
STEWART: I spent the night in that police station. I know it`s very comfortable.
BEHAR: Yes. What -- did you like it?
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: Did you really?
STEWART: No, I was.
BEHAR: What were you in there for?
STEWART: They stopped me in Beverly Hills. I was driving and they accused me of being drunk. I said, look, guys, I`m playing soccer tomorrow, football. I never drink on Saturday night because I`m playing in the morning. Oh, come with me. You know, they took me in. They kept me in there for about six or seven hours. My lawyer had to come and get me out. But you know, I was clean.
BEHAR: Maybe they stopped you because you`re Rod Stewart.
STEWART: I think it had a bit to do with it as well.
BEHAR: Oh, it had a bit to do with it is right.
STEWART: Anyway, he let me clear up my son`s problem.
BEHAR: Yes, clear it up.
STEWART: It was all a big mistake because they thought his license had run out, but it hasn`t so they let him go.
BEHAR: Oh, so it`s a big nothing.
STEWART: Yes. So, we let him spend a few hours in the nick doing good, you know?
BEHAR: The nick. I love it.
STEWART: The nick.
BEHAR: I love the Brits. I love the Brits. I love real angle (ph) file. I watch Masterpiece Theater, masterpiece mystery. I love all the Brits. They come up with fantastic work.
STEWART: They do. They do. We`re a very proud nation.
BEHAR: Aha. OK. We`re just getting started here. So, we`ll have more with rod Stewart on the way. Don`t go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING) If you want my body and you think I`m sexy come on and tell me so. If you really need me just reach out and touch me come on sugar let me know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: I`m back with singer, Rod Stewart. His new album "The Great American Songbook Volume V" is out now. You know, you were grooving to that a little bit, and when you made that -- how old were you when you made that song?
STEWART: 1979.
BEHAR: Yes.
STEWART: I was in my late 30s.
BEHAR: You were in your late 30s?
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: So, what kind of flak did you get for that? You know, if you like my body and you think I`m sexy?
STEWART: If you listen to the lyrics, as I found myself explaining so many times --
BEHAR: Did you?
STEWART: It`s in a third person. I was writing about two other people.
(CROSSTALK)
STEWART: The critics didn`t get it. You know, it did get me a lot of shtick, but people love it now.
BEHAR: Oh, it`s a terrific song.
STEWART: It was a song that was part of the disco era. So, you know, people love it when I play it now.
BEHAR: Maybe like when you`re 85, you can just slow down the beat.
STEWART: No.
BEHAR: (SINGING) If you think I`m sexy and you have my nappies.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: But you know, a lot of rock `n` roll guys are still grooving. I mean, look at Mick Jagger. I saw him in -- oh where I was, in Jersey, I guess, a couple of years ago, you know. I mean, they`re -- how old are they now? They`re selling out handicapped parking, OK? It`s unbelievable how long they`re going.
STEWART: Still the best rock `n` roll band in the world.
BEHAR: They are fantastic.
STEWART: They`re fantastic. Woody is in the band. We used to be in the Faces together.
BEHAR: But Keith Richards has written a book, you know, about Mick.
STEWART: About Mick`s winkle.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: It says he`s not well-endowed at all. And then Gerri Hall who should know --
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: Came through and said, oh, no, he`s quite --
STEWART: I personally think --
BEHAR: What do you call it, a winkle?
STEWART: Winkle, yes. On a television, it`s a family show.
BEHAR: OK.
STEWART: I think the Stones are very good at controversy. They`ve made, you know, for years and years and I`m sure Mick and Keith are having a good laugh about it.
BEHAR: You think so? Well, Mick didn`t get upset. The only thing he`s allegedly, what I read, the only thing that upset him is that Keith said he had a voice coach. That really ticked him off.
STEWART: Oh, I can`t imagine he had a voice coach.
BEHAR: Well, that`s probably why he got --
STEWART: I have a voice coach, but only insomuch as to make my voice stronger. So, I can sing five night a week, two hours, and that`s all.
BEHAR: Right. Right. Do you sing from your throat mostly or from your diaphragm?
STEWART: Everybody sings from their diaphragm. You know, when I go for a high note, you probably notice, I have to throw my head back. Phil Collins does as well.
BEHAR: Oh, he does.
STEWART: Technically, that`s not how you should sing, but we do it and made a few shillings at it.
BEHAR: Exactly. OK. Now, let`s talk about "Dancing With The Stars" and "American Idol." I know that they both originated in the UK.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: Why is it that the UK has all these great shows and then we just steal them?
STEWART: Well, I think it works the other way around. I think we`ve stolen a few things from America.
BEHAR: Really?
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: "Law & Order" I think.
STEWART: Yes. "Law & Order."
BEHAR: I think "Law & Order" because I saw Brenda Blethyn the other night on "Law & Order," and yes, that`s true. But you were on there, right?
STEWART: Yes. I`ve done all those shows.
BEHAR: You`ve done them all. Do you enjoy that?
STEWART: I do. I especially enjoy "American Idol" and the "X Factor" simply because I think it`s a good vehicle for young kids. So many mates I`ve known, you know, haven`t had a chance to break through. And that TV slot does give them a chance to break through. Otherwise -- you know, some of the talent is terrible.
BEHAR: But you do you really think that like someone -- let`s take Ella Fitzgerald. We were talking about Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn, do you think that they would make it on "American Idol"? Because they were not beautiful. You have to look good also these days. You can`t just be a great singer.
STEWART: Hard one to answer that. I mean, I always thought Ella was very good-looking in her day, you know, when she was young. But, you know, it`s an image-driven business now, so perhaps, maybe they wouldn`t. I certainly wouldn`t have done any good, you know. Sort about to go round the pub for now and get drunk and go on.
BEHAR: Why, you were scared?
STEWART: You know, I was terribly scared.
BEHAR: You have stage fright?
STEWART: Oh, man, yes.
BEHAR: And how did you get over it? Alcohol and drugs.
STEWART: Still haven`t gotten over it. What are you talking about?
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: No, but I think the MTV just ruined, in a certain way, ruined the music business back in the day because, all of a sudden, you had to dance, you had to sing, you had to be curvy, you have perky boobs, everything. It didn`t seem right to me.
STEWART: Yes. I don`t think the music business is in the healthiest state that it`s been in. It`s the wonderful thing about rock `n` roll, though. You know, it`s a small (ph) spectrum that goes around and around and keeps sort of trying to reinvent itself, but that`s the beauty of it.
BEHAR: That`s true. That`s true. Now, you once played for 3.5 million --
STEWART: 5.4.
BEHAR: Oh, I have that wrong. 5.4 million fans live on New Year`s eve in Rio. Now, you said you had stage fright. What about that?
STEWART: Well, it was -- you know, stage fright was in the early days. I got over it eventually. When you know people love you in the audience, it makes it easier.
BEHAR: Give it to me now.
STEWART: But that was on Copacabana Beach. Ever been there?
BEHAR: No, I have not.
STEWART: It`s like a horseshoe. We`re one end of the horseshoe and the millions of people went all the way round the horseshoe. In fact, when we came off the stage and played the last note and got in the cars to leave, they were hearing the last note at the end of the beach.
BEHAR: Wow.
STEWART: Extraordinary. Extraordinary.
BEHAR: So, that was one of your great moments, I guess.
STEWART: Yes, it was. Yes.
BEHAR: It is easier when the audience knows you and loves you than when you`re still making your bones, I guess --
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: Yes, that`s true. And here, let`s talk about the hair.
STEWART: It`s all mine.
BEHAR: I know it is. Very nice. It looks great. Where did you get the spiky idea from?
STEWART: I can`t remember. I really can`t remember. I`m sure I copied somebody way back.
BEHAR: You know what`s fascinating about your hair? I just touched it. No mousse.
STEWART: No, don`t have any. No.
BEHAR: No mousse. How do you keep it straight up like that?
STEWART: But you have upside down. Let me show you. Are you watching?
BEHAR: Yes. They see it.
STEWART: Upside down.
BEHAR: And then it just goes straight up.
STEWART: I`ve tried other hairstyles, all to no avail because it won`t sit down.
BEHAR: No. This is you.
STEWART: Good.
BEHAR: This is you. OK. I have a few Twitter questions which we`re going to do in the next segment, also, but let`s start with a couple of them, all right, because these are people love you and write into Twitter pages, et cetera, and they want to ask you, how do you stay so young and sexy-looking? That`s what someone wants to know. I didn`t write that, neither did any of your wives.
STEWART: You know, I mean, I look into my mirror sometimes and it`s dreadful.
BEHAR: But I mean, these are your fans. They think you`re sexy and you look great. You do look great.
STEWART: I do take a lot of pride in what I look like and I work out and do work out a lot.
BEHAR: What kind of workout do you do?
STEWART: I`ve had a trainer for about 12, 13 years. And we`ll do cardio three days a week and weightlifting for a couple of days a week, and I play football, still play football.
BEHAR: That`s a lot of working out. Five days a week of working out.
STEWART: Five days a week. Just for an hour.
BEHAR: Do you watch what you eat?
STEWART: Pretty good. Yes. Pretty good. I want to keep the arteries open so I don`t, you know, try to eat less fatty foods.
BEHAR: Right.
STEWART: I`m a bit paranoid about my health. That`s one thing I`m scared of, getting sick.
BEHAR: Well, everyone is scared of that. You`re not alone. I mean, who wants to ever get sick?
STEWART: Oh, get down to Harley Street.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: But are you a hypochondriac a little bit?
STEWART: Close.
BEHAR: Yes?
STEWART: Yes, close. I think I`m getting closer to that now. Yes.
BEHAR: Well, as you get older, the more things can happen to you.
STEWART: I love life. I want to be --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: I know. Nobody wants to leave the party, Rod.
STEWART: Exactly.
BEHAR: I know. OK. We`ll be back in a couple of minutes with Rod Stewart.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: I`m back with Rod Stewart. Here`s couple of Twitter questions for you. This one probably everyone`s always asked you this, but I have never heard the answer, so I want to know who is Maggie May?
STEWART: This was a lady that was about I think ten years older than me that took my virginity at a jazz festival in England.
BEHAR: Just like the song.
STEWART: Yes, it is. I don`t know if her name was Maggie, but --
BEHAR: So, it really happened to you?
STEWART: Yes. It was a very quick encounter.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: But the way you sing the song, though, it sounds as though she was holding you there.
STEWART: No, no. You have license to roam off, but it was -- I left a nasty stain and that was all over.
BEHAR: When you say "I wish I`d never seen your face," did you really mean that?
STEWART: No, no. You know, I can`t even remember her face.
BEHAR: No. Who can remember?
STEWART: You know?
BEHAR: Yes, yes.
STEWART: I can`t remember her face. She was a redhead, though.
BEHAR: She was a redhead. That`s a question here. Why only blondes, my dear Rod? You should try brown or a redhead.
STEWART: I`ve been out with quite a few women that are not blonde.
BEHAR: But you don`t marry them.
STEWART: No, I don`t.
BEHAR: All your wives were blonde. Is that right?
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: Do you still wear spandex?
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: What`s up with that?
STEWART: Spandex? Well, I used to wear them in the old days. No, no. I used to wear spandex trousers, leopard skin trousers.
BEHAR: You don`t wear those any more. If so, do you still own pink spandex? Did you wear pink ones?
STEWART: Yes, pink ones with the -- it was skin tight. It came across there and showed a nipple. The other nipple was covered.
BEHAR: Oh, I see.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: It was quite brazen.
BEHAR: Quite brazen. OK. This one is really very, very intrusive. How many women have you been with?
STEWART: Oh, I have no idea. But you know, that is the dumbest question. People who say they`ve been with 5,000, they`re lying.
BEHAR: They`re lying.
STEWART: You know. I never liked just shagging for the sake of it. I always enjoyed the chase and the romance.
BEHAR: Yes. But that`s time-consuming, the chase and the romance and then the shagging.
STEWART: Yes, I love it.
BEHAR: Better to just go right for the shagging.
STEWART: No. I`m a romantic. I have not had too many one-night stands.
BEHAR: No, no, no.
STEWART: My teeth nearly fell out there.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: Let`s see. Oh, this is good. I have heard that Mr. Stewart plays his own music in the background while having sex. I need confirmation. True or false?
STEWART: Absolutely false. Absolutely.
BEHAR: Whose music do you play? Ravel`s Bolero?
STEWART: I don`t play any music. I have to concentrate, make sure I get it right.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: Can`t have music.
BEHAR: I know that you`re still very, very virile and you have -- but aren`t you happy that Viagra has come out just in time?
STEWART: I`ve never used it.
BEHAR: As you enter your later years?
STEWART: I haven`t used it, thus far.
(CROSSTALK)
STEWART: Because it takes a lot of the feeling away from the end of the old chap, you know?
BEHAR: Oh, it does?
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: What did you call Mick Jagger`s?
STEWART: The winkle.
BEHAR: The winkle. Anyway, it`s lovely to have you here.
STEWART: I thought you were trying to get rid of me. OK, fine.
BEHAR: We have to go. We had some fun, though, right?
STEWART: We did.
BEHAR: It was. OK. His new album "Fly Me To The Moon" is out now.
Good night, everybody. Pick up the album. It`s really good.
END
