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Bird's Eye View of Oil Disaster; GOP Members Call for Steele's Resignation; Eating for Sport; Swimming in the Gulf

Aired July 03, 2010 - 22:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: We're in the middle of the Fourth of July holiday but there is not much to celebrate down in the Gulf and not many tourists to speak of.

The resign calls for RNC Chair Michael Steele gets louder from members of his own party. Could his latest slip of the tongue be the one to cost him his job?

And you'll see them tomorrow -- the people who eat all those hot dogs and chicken wings and everything else tell me why and how they do it.

And Steve Martin unplugged. The side of the actor you've never seen or heard before.

Good evening, everyone. Happy Fourth of July weekend. This weekend is supposed to be one of the busiest of the year on the Gulf coast. The hotels should be booked up, the shoreline teeming with people. Instead, unwanted visitors in the form of tar balls or oil slicks are driving away those vacationers who come with money. The whole Gulf coast will lose millions this weekend.

And tonight, our Allan Chernoff has new information on the cleanup and a unique view of exactly what's keeping people away.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A fly over of frustration. Huge puddles of oil sit above BP's gushing well. Ribbons of oil striped the water for miles. Yet since Wednesday, there's been little the government has been able to do about it. Waves are still too high for boats. Five hundred fifty stand ready to skim oil off the water.

REAR ADM. PAUL ZUKUNFT, COAST GUARD OPERATIONS DIRECTOR: The weather is one challenge that we can't defeat.

CHERNOFF: Admiral Paul Zukunft won't accept defeat. He directs Coast Guard cleanup operations, but he admits to disappointment.

ZUKUNFT: Yes, the Coast Guard, I mean, we do take it personally. Yes, it is -- it's portrayed as mission failure any time oil washes ashore. Not just with this spill but with any spill. And certainly damage it does to the environment. So that's the frustrating part? CHERNOFF: Zukunft will put the skimmers back to work as soon as the sea calms. The giant A Whale from Tehran, which swallows water with oil then separates it, has just begun work three miles from the gusher.

(on camera): To the public, it seems where are the resources. You know, they have been coming incrementally and it's now more than 70 days.

ZUKUNFT: Well, we hear their voices. We now hear their voices, but many of our Coast Guard including me have lived in the same community. We know what the Gulf of Mexico means to their life.

CHERNOFF (voice over): So the admiral is calling in reinforcements. Three hundred new skimmers in the next two weeks, a barge that will skim oil, and the Coast Guard is testing a supertanker as a skimmer.

Why is it taking so long? Zukunft says he's got troops from around the globe with all different types of ammunition.

ZUKUNFT: How do you -- how do you better coordinate 8,000 vessels (INAUDIBLE) up to multi-ton supply vessels.

CHERNOFF: Many of the smaller boats have been laying boom around islands off Mississippi and Louisiana. And now oil that has been floating for weeks is reaching those islands. The Coast Guard fears a shift in winds beginning Sunday will send more weathered petroleum towards those sensitive shores.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Allan Chernoff joins me now from New Orleans.

Allan, how are the cleanup efforts going on there?

CHERNOFF: Well, they are pretty much on hold, Don, because of the weather situation. Now, we've had those high waves and that really has caused a major setback here. The admiral says a bigger setback would be if another hurricane were to come in. That would force those two ships sucking up oil to depart. And he says it could take two weeks for them to get back into place.

So let's hope that the weather doesn't get any worse. We don't get any hurricanes.

LEMON: Is that his worst fear? Is that his biggest fear about the hurricane?

CHERNOFF: Absolutely. Yes. It would really be a catastrophic situation. Obviously, we have a catastrophe, but at least now there's some remediation. We have lots of skimmers in that region. Once the waves come, they will be able to get back to work and more should be joining them very shortly. But if we get a major storm, it's all off and that oil just gushes right in straight into the sea, much more of it. LEMON: Allan Chernoff in New Orleans.

Allan, thank you.

Vice President Joe Biden is spending the Fourth of July weekend with American servicemen and women in Iraq. Biden arrived today with his wife Jill. He is also scheduled to meet with Iraqi political leaders during his visit. It's been nearly four months since Iraq's election. The politicians are still bickering over who will lead the government, and a crucial deadline is looming. Nearly 30,000 U.S. troops are scheduled to leave Iraq by the end of August.

You know, the general credited with turning around the war in Iraq is calling for unity on all fronts in Afghanistan. General David Petraeus made the stakes clear to Afghan leaders at a meeting today. The general insisted, quote, "cooperation is not optional." He added, "Your success is our success."

And Petraeus arrived in Kabul on Friday after a swift confirmation to his new post by the Senate. He has his work cut out for him. June was the deadliest month for coalition troops since the war began.

You know, there is more fallout from the interview that brought down the general that Petraeus replaced. The Pentagon is putting in place new rules that could have saved the job of General Stanley McChrystal. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Pentagon will have to OK any dealings between reporters and military officials, but an assistant secretary promises that there won't be a, quote, "iron curtain between the media and military."

Gates reportedly told his staff the press isn't the enemy. McChrystal's interview with "Rolling Stone" stunned top brass at the Pentagon and led to his resignation.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele under attack within his own party?

Some top GOP figures are calling for his resignation because of a comment this week on the war in Afghanistan. What did he say? We will play it for you next.

And don't just sit there. We want you to be part of the show, be part of the conversation tonight. Send me a message on Twitter or on Facebook and check out my blog, cnn.com/don.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele is spending his holiday weekend on damage control. His calling GOP lawmakers and party officials to explain some controversial remarks he made about the war in Afghanistan. Here is part of what Steele said at a fundraiser Thursday in Connecticut.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MICHAEL STEELE, RNC CHAIRMAN: This is not -- this is not something the United States actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, that comment -- those comments are leading to calls for Steele's resignation from his own party. I asked what CNN senior political editor Mark Preston what Steele was thinking.

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: He would think on this weekend, this Fourth of July weekend, where Washington shuts down, where politics basically shuts down, Michael Steele would not want to have to be answering why he made these remarks. You know, what one analyst said to me today, or rather what one strategist said to me, Don, is that whenever he goes into this pundit mode, when he tries to be an analyst himself, that's when he puts his foot in his mouth. And I think that's what we saw here.

LEMON: OK. So, listen, what are prominent conservatives are saying because they are asking him to step down. So, what are you hearing?

PRESTON: Well, you know, from RNC members, just talking to them throughout the day, they are very frustrated about his comments. One of them said to me, look, it looked like we were turning the corner, we were becoming a unifying party, we were heading into the midterm elections without any gas, without any problems, and then this arises.

They are very, very frustrated, Don, because they really do taste some sense of victory. They think that they have a chance of taking back the House of Representatives. They feel like they can, you know, get close to taking back the Senate, and then there's all these state legislator races. So instead of talking about that, Don, they're having to talk about these comments by Michael Steele.

LEMON: Yes, and let's talk about some other prominent conservatives. Here's what they are saying. Here's what William Kristol is saying. The editor of the "Weekly Standard" said, "You are, I know, a patriot. So I ask you to consider, over this July 4 weekend, doing an act of service for the country you love. Resign as chairman of the Republican Party."

And then Liz Cheney agrees, saying "RNC Chairman Michael Steele's comments about the war in Afghanistan were deeply disappointing and wrong." "It is time for Chairman Steele to step down," she says.

So how deep a trouble is he in, Mark?

PRESTON: Well, you know, that's -- it's a very tough question to answer. At this time, he's OK. We would need 2/3 of 168 members who make up the Republican National Committee. Miss Cheney and Mr. Kristol do not make up the Republican National Committee, so...

LEMON: But, Mark, let me go here, because you and I have gone through this before. Even some gaffes that he made in interviews. Some people say, seeing his gaffes, he said it was strategic on his part. But he has been -- this isn't the first time he has been called upon to resign. Is the chorus growing louder from his own party to resign? Is this unusual unlike the other times that he has been called upon to resign?

PRESTON: Look, it's unusual because you are talking about a very -- a very - look, a very important subject right now to the American people which is the Afghanistan war. And the fact is he misrepresented in the comments when he said that this was Obama's war. This war began under President Bush. And when you hear the likes of Liz Cheney and William Kristol come out and say, it's time for him to step down, enough is enough, yes, it becomes very important.

But right now, Don, you would need 2/3 of 168 members to knock him out. That's a very high threshold. Could it happen? Potentially.

But you know, Don, we're four months before the midterm elections. And right now, Republicans don't want this big fight to be played out in the public square as they are trying to take back Congress and some of the state houses across the country.

LEMON: That was Mark Preston. So in response to all the criticisms he's received, Steele did release a statement saying in part, here's what it says --

"Barack Obama made clear his belief that we should not fight in Iraq, but instead concentrate on Afghanistan. Now, as President, he had indeed shifted his focus to this region. That means this is his strategy. And for the sake of the security of the free world, our country must give our troops the support necessary to win this war."

And as we said, this is not the first time Steele has stuck his foot in his mouth. But in an interview I did with him back in March of 2009, he claimed that even his gaffes are part of his larger master plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEELE: I'm very introspective about things. I don't do -- I am a cause and effect kind of guy. So if I do something, there is a reason for it even if it may look like a mistake, a gaffe, there is a rational, There is a logic behind it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And we invited Chairman Steele to join us this evening and he declined. The invitation is open for tomorrow night or any time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAKERU KOBAYASHI, COMPETITIVE EATER (through translator): It's very difficult, sad and difficult, because I know so many people are supporting me. It's not fair.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: He is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of his sport. But a contract dispute has him sidelined from this year's main event -- a competitive eating competition. That's right. A competitive eating competition. His story is coming up.

But first, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reveals her top priority for the month of July. We'll tell you what that is.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Checking your top stories right now.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, at least 230 people were killed when an overturned tanker truck exploded. The tanker had crashed trying to pass a bus. As the oil began to leak, local showed up to attempt to collect it. The man was smoking a cigarette, igniting the fire and the explosion. Some of those killed were sitting at a nearby bar watching the World Cup when the blast occurred.

These charred remnants of a tank are evidence of three days of violence in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Eighteen civilians died in the crossfire between hard-line Islamists backed by al-Qaeda and government troops. The fighting with rockets and mortars also wounded 45 others. A bus station and a hospital were among buildings attacked. And according to the UN, the fighting has forced 2,000 Somalis out of their homes.

Thousands attended the funeral today for two police officers in Tampa, Florida. They were shot to death Tuesday during an early morning traffic stop. The murders triggered an intense manhunt that ended yesterday when the suspect Dantae Morris surrendered to Tampa police. The police chief called Morris a cold-blooded killer. A judge ordered Morris held without bail.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Poland today as part of her official duties, but she says her demanding schedule won't hamper her efforts to plan daughter Chelsea Clinton's upcoming wedding. Clinton says she's focused on that important parenting role. Still, she admits balancing her public and private life is stressful. Chelsea Clinton will marry investment banker Marc Mezvinsky on July 31st.

Life is good for soccer fans in Berlin. Germany advanced to the World Cup's final four with a blow-out win over Argentina today. The Germans will play Spain, will squeak past Paraguay 1-0. On the other side of the bracket, Uruguay and the Netherlands have also qualified for the semi-finals. The tournament runs through next weekend.

Tomorrow will be the gourds (ph) fest of the year. Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest takes place as it has for the last 94 years. It is the Super Bowl of competitive eating which has all the training demands and conflict and drama of any major league sport.

CNN's national correspondent Susan Candiotti shows us. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They stuff down hot dogs like there is no tomorrow. Competitive eaters are treated like rock stars by fans and curiosity seekers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very funny. There are so many people, so many cameras.

CANDIOTTI: On July 4th, those cameras will be on Joey Chestnut, the world's number one competitive eater, a three-time champion, the current belt holder for hot dog eating, putting down 68 in just 10 minutes.

He says he's training hard, hoping to top 70 dos.

JOEY CHESTNUT, COMPETITIVE EATER: I have been eating a lot of hot dogs. I've been fasting to make sure my body can go from 100 percent empty to 100 percent full.

CANDIOTTI: And he's not kidding when he says full. This is an x-ray image of a competitive eater with 36 hot dogs in his stomach. The stomach is stretched out beyond recognition.

DR. MARC LEVINE, GI RADIOLOGIST, UNIV. OF PENN. HEALTH SYSTEM: It was pretty frightening to us because we had never seen anything like it except in patients who have obstruction of their stomach.

CANDIOTTI: Dr. Marc Levine studied competitive eating. He says contestants train their stomachs to stretch out so they can eat and eat, only limited by how long the contest lasts.

LEVINE: When we have him lift his shirt, his abdomen was no longer flat. It looked like he had a nearly full-term pregnancy.

CANDIOTTI: Many of these techniques were pioneered by six-time hot dog eating champ Takeru Kobayashi, the man who boasts of downing over 17 pounds of calf brains in 15 minutes. He accompanied me to -- where else -- a hot dog stand.

(on camera): Can we get two hot dogs?

CANDIOTTI (voice over): I asked him to show us one of those techniques, the way he gets those hot dogs down.

(on camera): Got that . He shakes to make it all go down.

(voice over): Even the hot dog vendor was impressed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You ate 15? 16? 100?

CANDIOTTI: Despite his celebrity, it's not all fun and games for Kobayashi these days. A contract dispute with Major League Eating, the world body that stages 80 contests each year is ready to sideline Kobayashi at the signature Coney Island hot dog showdown. Kobayashi says that he wants to compete but the contract is too hard to swallow, forbidding him from competing in any outside events.

TAKERU KOBAYASHI, COMPETITIVE EATER (through translator): It's very difficult, sad and difficult, because I know so many people are supporting men. It's not fair.

CANDIOTTI: The League argues no sport would allow its athletes to pick and choose events.

GEORGE SHEA, CHAIRMAN, MAJOR LEAGUE EATING: You know, Tom Brady can not say, I want to go to the Super Bowl, but then I don't want to be part of the NFL, I'm going to do what I want to play -- arena football or go over to Europe. It just makes no sense.

CANDIOTTI: May make some queasy, but the high-stakes sport of competitive eating is something these guys and their fans relish.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: So what does it feel like to have 38 hot dogs in your stomach? Two top rank competitive eaters will let us know, but you have got to stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The suspense is building for the consummate consumption contest. I mentioned earlier tomorrow is Nathan's hot dogs Eating Contest, and I talked to two people who plan to be there to take a bite out of the competition.

Sonya Thomas, who calls herself the "Black widow" is ranked number five by Major League Eating. Yes, there is such an organization. And Pete "Pretty Boy" Davekos is number 20.

We started off by asking where all those calories go and Sonya revealed her real weight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SONYA "BLACK WIDOW" THOMAS, COMPETITIVE EATER: I weigh 100 pounds.

LEMON: So where does it go? To your hair?

THOMAS: No, my body, but I wear it off so quickly from the work and exercise.

LEMON: So, you should see her. She is tiny, and you say what, your stomach expands?

THOMAS: Expands.

LEMON: You can expand your stomach?

THOMAS: Yes. We drink a lot of liquid with my meal, yes. LEMON: Yes. And so for hot dogs, you hold -- do you hold a record?

THOMAS: I have a female world record.

LEMON: Your personal best is 41?

THOMAS: 41 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

LEMON: And that is the female world record?

THOMAS: Yes, correct.

LEMON: "Pretty Boy," what about you?

PETE "PRETTY BOY" DAVEKOS, COMPETITIVE EATER: How are you doing?

LEMON: You're ranked number 20. How much do you weigh? You are a big guy?

DAVEKOS: I am about 205. I think the camera adds about 20 pounds, so.

LEMON: How tall are you?

DAVEKOS: 6'1".

LEMON: 6'1", 205, that's not that big. So, what happens? How do you get all these -- how do you get all these hot dogs in your stomach? All these -- some people say, not that it's crap, but how do you get all these in your stomach?

DAVEKOS: It's mind over stomach matter. It's like any professional athlete, they have to go out there with total vision and tenacity and just keep pushing through the pan. I mean, it just -- it fits, this room.

LEMON: So, "Pretty Boy," what happens after the competition? Because I've seen people during the competition, they actually get sick. I don't know if you saw the video that just went viral last year, the guy who, you know, threw up while he was eating. So, what happens to you afterwards?

DAVEKOS: Well, you know, throwing up, he probably wasn't a professional like ourselves, like Sonya and I. But I mean, usually, whether eating one hot dog or a hundred, it doesn't matter, I mean, you're going to feel a little -- a little queasy. I mean, it's kind of like having Thanksgiving dinner in a matter of 10 minutes as opposed to four hours, but as long as you have your Pepto, which is a trade secret, which we all carry in our bags afterwards, you'll be OK.

LEMON: Well, you know what, that is just funny because the "Black Widow" has hers, here sitting right here in the anchor desk, I will hold it up. There it is right there, and it's a trade secret. So I'm going to ask you, Sonya, "Black Widow," why?

THOMAS: Why for what?

LEMON: Why do it?

THOMAS: Why do it? It's fun and I like the competition. Not for only eating. Everything. Competition and prize money, too. That's good for your life, too. You know, everything is in a payment, too, and it's kind of a sport.

LEMON: You said for the money. How much money?

THOMAS: Like sometimes like prize money, if you win, about, some winner get 5,000, 6,000, 10, 000, and the traveling, too.

LEMON: The most you have made in a year?

THOMAS: I don't know. About, so far, I made about $10,000 a year.

LEMON: What's your real job? You can't live on $10,000 a year.

THOMAS: Yes. My real job is I'm a fast food restaurant manager.

LEMON: You're going to need this too just for that. So, listen, listen, they should be paying us for this.

So, listen, "Pretty Boy," why? Why do you do it?

DAVEKOS: I mean, I'm -- unlike Sonya, I mean, she has been one of us. The sport's greatest. So, making an income off of competitive eating for me is not even truly an option. I mean, my three passions in life are three things. It's food, travel and competition. And professional eating, Major League Eating allows me to combine all three of them. I have built great friendships over the years and I've seen a lot of places.

I mean, last year, I was asked to go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for almost like a tour to give back and do a competition with the troops. So I get a lot more out of it.

It's not a financial thing. I mean, I'm a sales manager from a multimillion dollar office company, privately owned, and out of Massachusetts. So, for the most part, you know, me, I just love the game. I'm not a golfer. I'm not a softball player. So I just love to eat and I love foods.

LEMON: What is the most money you've made from doing this?

DAVEKOS: I might have won, I believe, $150 once in Pigskin. So, that's where I cash out.

LEMON: That's it, really?

DAVEKOS: I just love it. I mean, I'm not for the money. I'm for the love of the game.

LEMON: All right. I want to get this name right. I think -- what's his name -- Takeru Kobayashi. What do you think about the controversy? He says he won't show up because Major League Eating won't let him compete in other contests. Do you think he'll be -- he'll be a no-show? What do you make of this controversy?

DAVEKOS: You know, I thought it was somewhat maybe just publicity thing in the beginning but I really don't think he's going to show. It's really too bad because, I mean, Kobayashi, you know, is definitely one of the, you know, I wouldn't say pioneer of the sport, but six years straight he won our Super Bowl, the Nathan's Famous that would, you know, which is where I'm coming tomorrow at high noon at ESPN.

That, you know, he's amazing. He's great. I just think that he should show up and he should compete. I don't want to go out this way. I think it's imperative that he shows up. It makes for better competition. The Joey and Koba rivalry is, you know, amazing. I mean, everyone loves that. Even as a competitor myself, I am as a bigger fan as I am as an eater. So, I hope he changes his mind and I hope he shows up, and I hope he does his thing. You know, that's my opinion.

LEMON: OK. You're competing tomorrow, right?

DAVEKOS: Yes. High noon.

LEMON: And what do you predict you're going to do?

DAVEKOS: My goal is 30 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. My record is 29 so I always like to do a little bit better than I did last time. Sonya is probably going for 40 something, so.

LEMON: OK.

And you, what are you going for? What do you predict?

THOMAS: I'm going try to do it about 50, but I am happy with 45.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Good luck to them.

You know, some people think that the best way to deal with a bad situation is with a little humor. But when it comes to the oil spill, many will say it's no laughing matter. We've got a video game to show and you can be the judge.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: You know, there are many beaches on the Gulf coast that are still free of oil. Unfortunately, for Pensacola beach, it isn't one of them. Officials aren't holding back anybody from taking a dip in the water, but our John Zarrella asks, is it really safe to swim there?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): More cleanup crews than we have seen in days scoured this section of Pensacola beach. Perhaps just a coincidence, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson dropped by for a first-hand look at the work.

LISA JACKSON, EPA ADMINISTRATOR: It has no owner. So the boat has long gone out of there?

ZARRELLA: While it's pretty clear the beach is a mess, what isn't clear to people here is whether the water is safe for swimming.

(on camera): Oil impact notice . These are the signs that have now been posted on all of 40 miles of Escambia County's coastline. And they say, avoid wading, swimming, or entering the water. But they don't say you can't get in.

(voice over): What would Administrator Jackson do?

JACKSON: Based on this that this beach has oil, no, I would not go into the water today.

ZARRELLA: Cindy O'Sullivan and Janie King couldn't agree more. They've lived in Pensacola for years.

(on camera): Would you get in that water right now?

CINDY O'SULLIVAN, PENSACOLA RESIDENT: There's no way. I don't understand why people are in it. It looks good. It looks pretty, but it's not.

ZARRELLA (voice over): Well, that depends upon who you talk with.

DR. JOHN LANZA, ESCAMBIA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Right now, I would go into the water.

ZARRELLA: Dr. John Lanza heads the County Health Department. Lanza believes the water is safe unless you see tar balls or sheen on the water or you feel oily and not from suntan lotion. For now, the County Commission is not banning swimming until the EPA gives them concrete guidance.

LANZA: Until we get a standard from the EPA on the levels of the petrochemicals in the water so that we don't suggest people go into the water specifically for that, we can't do anything.

JACKSON: There is nothing that I'm going to be able to tell you in a chemical lab that you can't learn about the safety of the water from a bathing purpose by looking at it and smelling it.

ZARRELLA: It looked pretty good to the Von Switch family vacationing from Oklahoma. They played in the surf. They hadn't seen the avoid the water sign and no one told them not to go in.

(on camera): If they were warning you to stay out of the water...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We would not have gotten in.

ZARRELLA: You would not have gotten in?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.

ZARRELLA (voice over): The bottom line seems to be this. Right now, scientifically no one is sure whether the water is safe. You are on your own. Just smell it first.

John Zarrella, CNN, Pensacola, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Well, BP's response to the spill hasn't impressed anyone, and if you think you could do better, well, have we got the video game for you. It is called Crisis in the Gulf. Your mission is simple -- stop the oil that's rising to the surface with laser-armed ships. But if too much oil spill out, and you lose. The game costs only a buck to download from an X-Box. New Orleans is one town that can laugh off almost any misfortune. While the game has its fans, it's not winning over everyone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON SAUL, GAMER: It's important to be able to laugh at tragedy because, I mean, what else could we really do?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's really stupid. I can't believe people play that.

RICKY JENKINS, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: Creative thinking, basically. Just doing what they can do to make some money off of something that maybe somebody else may think maybe funny, some people may not think is funny.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The game is called Crisis in the Gulf.

You know, as injured American soldiers return to the home front, one grateful American welcomes them in style. Meet this week's CNN Hero when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: For the more than 30,000 U.S. troops injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, coming home to a sputtering economy brings even more challenges. But one Texas builder, this week's CNN hero, is helping them rebuild their lives. Dan Wallrath spends his retirement giving injured soldiers a place to call home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Baghdad ended up being a hell of a ride. I sustained a very severe blast injury. My life just came to a complete halt.

DAN WALLRATH, CNN HERO: How are you doing? How is everything? You look sharp today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

WALLRATH: I've been building custom homes for 30 years.

One of the most important things for a family is a home.

I want you to read the sign for me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Future home of Sergeant Alexander Reyes, United States Army.

WALLRATH: Congratulations.

Giving these folks a new home, it means the world.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. That's all I can say.

WALLRATH: My name is Dan Wallrath. Five years ago, I have a friend of mine call me, a friend of his, his son had been injured in Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the day after he graduated from boot camp.

WALLRATH: He showed me some pictures. His son was big, strutting Marine. Then he showed me a picture of Stephen in the hospital. This just broke my heart.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stephen was wheelchair-bound. We are going to have to remodel -- I have no idea how I was going to pay for it. Dan just said, we're going to take care of it.

WALLRATH: We rebuild their home and I realize this is not isolated case. So I went back to my builder buddies and said we have got do something.

We build homes for returning heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan. The houses are mortgage free. It changes the whole family's life.

Welcome home.

It gives them just a new start so that they can move forward. These young men and women are doing this for you and me. How can I not help them?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: So far, Dan Wallrath and his organization have completed homes for seven injured veterans and began construction on five more. Each is given completely free of charge.

So to nominate someone you think is changing the world, go to cnnheroes.com.

Writer, actor, director Steve Martin wears many hats. Ahead, we will show you a side that you probably haven't seen.

But first --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't buy popsicles in the store. I would rather eat rocks compared to this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard his story. I guess he used to be like in an office, like an office worker. And when his stand popped up, it was like gang busters right away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, you could say Stephen watched as his corporate job melted away, but he has found a cool new venture that is paying the bills now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Remember the Wall Street meltdown and the huge AIG bailout? Well, some of those AIG employees were still collecting bonuses. Others were losing their jobs like the 26-year-old analyst you are about to meet. After being let go by the company that was too big to fail, he's finding success on a much smaller scale. And on this hot holiday weekend, business is booming.

CNN writer Dan Donahue and photographer John Pearson bring out his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVEN CARRS, FORMER AIG EMPLOYEE: It's $2.50.

My name is Steven Carrs (ph). I sell pops. I started a company named "King of Pops." I used to work at AIG. I was a product analyst. So I was looking at spread sheets all day. And when all the AIG things started to happen, I guess I kind of happened with it, and I was laid off along with a lot of people in my division. I didn't feel like going back and trying it again so I decided to try this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's really good.

DANA LEE, ATLANTA RESIDENT: I've got chocolate sea salt. I was told it was life-altering.

CARRS: I get all of my ingredients at farmer's markets around town. We're processing strawberries, washing them, washing peaches, cutting peaches and getting the pit out. It's a lot of work, but you have to do it if you want then to be fresh.

The demographic that is drawn towards our stuff, they like supporting local business. They like getting a good, fresh product. SCOTT NESBIT, ATLANTA RESIDENT: You can buy popsicles in the store. I would rather eat rocks compared to this.

JASON WORKING, ATLANTA RESIDENT: I heard his story. I guess he used to be like in an office, like an office worker. And when his little stand popped up, it was like gang busters right away.

It is unusual to hear like pineapple habanero or mango habanero. Mango chili is really popular.

SUSAN TODD-RAQUE, GEORGIA RESIDENT: I ordered one of everything. I love turning my friends on to all these unique tastes.

CARRS: I have been known to dip into the stash a little bit. You have to -- sometimes if you're hot enough. So I try to keep it under four a day, which is a pretty good amount of popsicles.

We're just getting started so we probably don't have the same benefits I had when I was working at AIG.

Try not to get sick. That's the first plan. I'm definitely happier. I'm in the Popsicle business for the long haul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Good for him. Writing my work, I may have to go to have some popsicles. I'm going to see you next week.

You know, disaster-battered New Orleans gets a boost from some major stars this weekend. You'll hear how Janet Jackson is doing her part.

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LEMON: Disaster-battered New Orleans is back in the headlines tonight but for reasons of celebration. The Essence Music Festival is bringing life to the city this weekend, showcasing performers who say they need to be a part of it and that includes Janet Jackson. HLN anchor Richelle Carey sat down with Miss Jackson herself - I should say Miss Carey sat down with Miss Jackson herself.

And Miss Carey, first to understand it's not all fun at the festival. People were there to talk about the Gulf oil disaster, right?

RICHELLE CAREY, HLN ANCHOR: Oh, absolutely. People that are here realize they have to be connected to what is happening in the community and what the people and this community are dealing with to continue recovery from Katrina and now what has happened with the oil spill.

So the administrator of the EPA, Lisa Jackson was here to have a town hall to talk about the environment. There were other organizations here trying to raise awareness of what's going on in the Gulf oil spill, because Essence has always been about more than music. It's about being connected to your community. And Janet Jackson, she is connected to the community. She says that there is a specific reason that she chose to perform at Essence this year. She is acutely aware of what is happening in the news. Here is some of my conversation with her.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAREY: We are here.

JANET JACKSON, SINGER: Yes.

CAREY: At the Essence Music Festival. What brought you to the festival this year? Why this year?

JACKSON: They have asked me for a while...

CAREY: Uh-huh.

JACKSON: ...to be a part of the festival and my schedule never permitted it. And they asked me to be a part of it again this year. And once again, my schedule actually really doesn't permit me to do so, but I wanted to do it. I know it was going to be in New Orleans, and how special it would be.

CAREY: People here do not catch a break for years. There is Katrina. Then there is the Gulf oil, not really a spill, a gusher, out there in the Gulf of Mexico. Talk about your reaction to that when you realized what was happening and how you see people along the Gulf coast processing it.

JACKSON: I -- when I originally heard about it, I thought it was horrible. Then when I actually saw that it was over a month and it was still ongoing, that's what really tripped me out. I could not believe that.

But I tried to really focus on something positive, something good. That, you know, good things always come out of tragedy, and what good can come out of this. And it actually came from CNN. How the -- there was a guy that created this boat and he goes right into the water and he takes the wildlife out of the water and he cleans them right on his boat and releases them back into the wild.

CAREY: Now what does that say about the people who live along the Gulf coast, the people of New Orleans?

JACKSON: They're strong. They come together. They pull together in times of need. I mean, you have been seeing that with Katrina as well. It's a special place. Very special.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAREY: So as you can see, Don, Janet Jackson, as busy as she is, finds time to watch what's happening in the world and watch what's happening in this community here, and she had a reason that she felt like this was the year for her to make it to the Essence Music Festival.

LEMON: Yes, and you know what? As you and I talked, because we were texting about it. You know, I saw Janet Jackson and the family last week in Glendale for the one-year anniversary. And she wasn't there last year. Probably she was filming a movie, and then her brother died, right, I think just before the Essence -- I think the Essence Music Festival was going on.

How was she handling it this time since it's been a year? Did you get a chance to ask her that?

CAREY: She did open up about a lot of things. She talked about love. She talked about showbiz and kids. She did not feel comfortable, understandably, talking about her brother's passing.

But I will tell you this. After almost two hours on stage last night, the end of the concert, Don, you look up on the screen, there was a huge picture of Michael and Janet, as children right there on the screen. It moved some people in the crowd to tears. It looked like Janet was crying. It is clear that her brother is part of who she is. It is so clear.

LEMON: Yes. And we texted after this. When I saw her, I said, Janet, will you please come over and talk, and she said, it's hard right now. I can't. Maybe some other time.

CAREY: Yes.

LEMON: It's still right there.

CAREY: She was on that stage crying.

LEMON: Yes. Thank you, Richelle. Great interview, OK?

CAREY: You bet.

LEMON: You just heard from his sister. You can hear from the brothers of Michael Jackson during my special report in just under 10 minutes right here on CNN. "Michael Jackson the Final Days" reveals the details, the events that led up to the death one year ago. That's at 11:00 p.m. Eastern, again right here on CNN.

You know, it's Steve Martin like you have never seen him before.

Take a look.

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LEMON: Actor, comedian. What's next? We'll find out, coming up.

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LEMON: On the weekends, we always want to try to catch you up on some of the news that you might have missed during the week. First off, our cell phones contributing to the decline in the bee population. Researchers in India think they have found a link after placing cell phones in a beehive and turning them on for 30 minutes a day. After three months the size of the hive was greatly reduced. The agriculture department says the bee population dropped nearly 30 percent in the U.S. last year. And experts say their economic value from pollination is around $12 billion a year. That's a lot of money.

His job is to excite the fans, not incite the fans. But it turns out the Philly fanatic has done just that. The mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies is getting sued. "The Philadelphia Daily News" reports 75-year-old Grace Crass is asking for more than $50,000 damages. Her suit says the fanatic climbed under her legs, exacerbating her arthritis during a game in Redding in 2008. Now according to "The Daily News," the fanatic has faced lawsuits at least five times and is likely the most sued mascot in the majors.

Bill Clinton has enjoyed a post presidential boost to his income. Since leaving the Oval Office, the former president has made just under $65 million in public speaking fees. Just take a look at the last several years.

Wow. In 2009, he made about $7.5 million for 36 paid speeches. In 2008, he brought in $5.7 million for 25 speeches. And in 2007, a banner year, he brought in over $10 million just talking to people. Just talking. Most of his paid speeches have been to overseas audiences.

You know, comedian Steve Martin isn't shy in front of a crowd but this latest on-stage hobby involves more than making us laugh. For more than 40 years now, he has played the banjo. Did you know that? If you think that's surprising, wait until you hear how good he is at it.

CNN producer Jason Morris and editor Jerry Appleman caught up with Martin at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival where he played with the Steep Canyon Rangers.

Steep Canyon Rangers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

STEVE MARTIN, ACTOR, MUSICIAN: I've loved the banjo for a long time ever since I was a teenager. I grew up in Orange County, California, and there was a lot of folk music in those days. And they played the banjo in a very different way than I play it now or than I actually learned to play it. They played more of a folk music way. It was - like that.

But another style called free fingers played by Earl Scruggs and that was the real true bluegrass sound and that's what I really -- that's when I really got seriously interested when I heard that sound.

(MUSIC PLAYING) MARTIN: Bluegrass music was defined in the '40s, '50s, and '60s really, but it's like being an impressionist painter today. You just can't do it. It just has to change in subtle ways and it can adhere to tradition but people will always be interpreting it. There's really a lot of young bands who are redefining bluegrass and still sticking to the original five or six instruments that define them.

It's very joyful and it's very moving. It's very unlike comedy because comedy you're always thinking what's next? What's next? That works. What's next? With music you can actually enjoy the moment and you can enjoy the audience's enjoyment of it. I mean, a song lasts three minutes, four minutes and you can have as much fun as the audience can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)