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"American Hustle" "Gravity" Lead Oscar Nods; Oscar Snubs For "The Butler" "Saving Mr. Banks"; Chilling Audio Could Be Newtown Shooter; Obama's Controversial Former Pastor Back In Spotlight, Slams White House; Apple To Refund $32.5M For Kids' Purchases; Families Struggle Without Tap Water In West Virginia

Aired January 16, 2014 - 10:00   ET

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

A.J. HAMMER, HOST, HLN'S "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Sure. We can start off -- take a look at the best motion picture nominees right off the top here. "American Hustle" as we were just speaking to nominee Amy Adams who turned in that marvelous performance nominated; as is "Captain Phillips," "Dallas Buyers Club," "Gravity," "Her," "Nebraska," "Philomena," "12 Years A Slave," and the "Wolf of Wall Street" so you have nine pictures nominated. They can be as few as five as many as ten. We got nine this year. We'll move to performance by an actor in leading role, coming up next with Christian Bale for "American Hustle", Bruce Dern for Nebraska. You have Leonardo Dicaprio in the "Wolf of Wall Street."

Leo not nominated a deal throughout his career, deserves a nomination if you ask me on this. Matthew McConaughey won at the Golden Globes the other night nominated for Dallas Buyers Club. Actor in a supporting role category, amazing in "Captain Phillips." Michael Fassbender, a nomination that surprised everybody. Great to see him get in so many terrific performances to be considered. We have him for "12 Years A Slave." Jonah Hill, "The Wolf Of Wall Street." Did you have something?

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I was talking to my producer. They accidentally turned my microphone on. Now that I'm back, I do want to hear about the snubs.

HAMMER: You know, it's so interesting this year. It's difficult to call them snubs because there were so many performances. You can only slot so many in each category. Best picture category, a few people were surprised at the 10th slot might not have been filled in by "Blue Jasmine" or perhaps "August Osage county. Robert Redford got of love at the Golden Globes. Also somebody considered a shoe in for the category. "Saving Mr. Banks" another one, we're looking at, could have filled in slot 10 as well as actress. Emma Thompson.

Wachim (ph) was not nominated. We saw her getting a lot of love. It's a good movie. I'm glad it's going to get attention for being nominated and presence at the Golden Globes the other night. A lot of people have shied away from it. When you hear a guy falls in love with his operating service, you may not get it. When I saw it and had a chance to watch it the other night, I said I wanted to crawl inside Spike Jones mind and go exploring and see how he was able to pull this together and make it an incredible film. COSTELLO: At first glimpse it sounds like a mentally imbalanced man. It's really how technology can take over us, which is an interesting thing to explore these days.

HAMMER: And how humanity can explain us. You'll be surprised how people react with the fact he has fallen in love with his OS. Looking at it now and the way he was styled for this movie, you may think creepy guy in love with his computer. He's not the guy you expect him to be. I'm really happy to see the picture getting attention. Would have liked to see a nomination for him in the best actor category?

COSTELLO: Her brother nominated "12 Years a Slave." Tell us about that.

ZAIN ASHER, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE/BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Honestly I could though the sleep last night. I really couldn't. This was so emotional for me. I'm going to try not to cry. This is a day my family has been really hoping for and waiting for such a long time. He's been acting since he was 13 years old. My god, I told myself I wasn't going to cry. I do feel so emotional now. He's been acting since he was 13 years old.

He's work so hard for this. Growing up with him, he was always in his bedroom practicing Shakespeare lines, writing it on the wall. I would go out with my friends and come home in the morning and he'd be reciting, someone who's really dedicated. He's been acting over 20 years. To finally see recognition for his work, I can't describe the feeling. I'm sorry.

COSTELLO: That's so awesome. So have you talked to him?

ASHER: We spoke last night. I've been calling him this morning. He was sick in bed yesterday. When we spoke last night, he was a little nervous because there were so many amazing people nominated this year. Matthew McConaughey, Leonardo DiCaprio, amazing actors. You don't know how things are ever going to go. Yesterday was emotional for me, my mother, both my brothers, my sister. I wasn't sure when I was listening to nominations what was going to happen. We're all so grateful it did happen.

COSTELLO: Thank you for sharing the love. That was awesome. I want to bring in Dennis Moore now. He is the managing editor of "USA Today'" Live Section. Hi, Dennis.

DENNIS MOORE, MANAGING EDITOR, "USA TODAY": Hello.

COSTELLO: What was your take away?

MOORE: I'm devastated because "Saving Mr. Banks" did not get nominated and Emma Thompson, who is spectacular. We love her. Where is the love from the academy?

COSTELLO: Why do you suppose that movie was left out? I mean, "The Butler" was left out too right?

MOORE: It was a strong category. There's a 10th spot. Complicated way this is voted. Price water house people had these various methods in which they have equations. For some reason it slipped through. It's really disappointing.

COSTELLO: Tom Hanks starred in "Saving Mr. Banks" and a lot of people thought he would be nominated for that movie. He was nominated but not that movie.

MOORE: That's right. I thought he was not quite as strong. He was much better in "Captain Phillips." I didn't see Walt Disney as I was seeing Tom Hanks that I'm not surprised.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you so much for joining us, Dennis Moore, A.J. Hammer, and Zain Asher, thanks for sharing the emotional story about your brother. That was awesome.

Onto other news now, former top aides to Chris Christie could be served with subpoenas today. A New Jersey assembly committee is taking over the Bridgegate investigation. One of the first tasks is to subpoena documents. Accusations he misspent millions on the Sandy recovery fund, he's expected to highlight recovery effort this is morning.

Also for the first time since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, we could be getting disturbing new insight into the mind of a mass murderer. "The New York Daily News" reports to have uncovered a radio interview with Adam Lanza has a bizarre link to another story: Travis, the chimp that attacked a woman and disfigured her in 2009. In the radio interview, it's said the chimp is not much different than the teen involved in a mall shooting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Parallel to attacks random acts of violence brought up on your show. An actual human I don't think it would be such a difference to a mall shooter or something like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: CNN's Pamela Brown is live now with more on this. Good morning.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol. CNN still working to verify whether the voice is Adam Lanza. If hit is indeed him like the "Daily News" reports, the chilling audio may provide insight into his mind set as you pointed out and may have been a warning a year before he went on the shooting rampage that shattered the nation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN (voice-over): Is this the voice of Adam Lanza? According to a report in the "New York Daily News," it is. The cover story includes what is purported it was recorded a year before the 20-year-old committed one of the deadliest mass murders in American history. The paper spoke to two classmates of Lanza who said it was him.

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: He didn't act any differently than any human would.

BROWN: The audio obtained by the "Daily News" is from an Oregon college radio show called "Anarchy Radio," the man the paper identifies as Lanza wanted to discuss the death of a domesticated chimp named Travis with radio host and self proclaimed anarchist, John Zerzan.

In 2009, Travis was shot and killed by a police officer after he brutally mauled a Connecticut woman. The caller who identifies himself as Greg compares the violent chimp attack with that of a teenage mall shooter in an over 7-minute interview.

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: The attack is parallel to the attacks of random acts of violence committed by humans, which the mainstream also has no explanation for. I don't think it would be a stretch to say that he very well could have been a teenage mall shooter or something like that.

BROWN: Zerzan doesn't know who the caller was, but remembers the call.

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: The voice is kind of odd, sort of robotic and maybe he is trying to disguise his voice or something. I don't know.

BROWN: According to a blogger cited by "The Daily News," Lanza posted in an online forum under the username "Smiggles." A name Sandy Hook investigators say he may have used in instant messages. In one 2011 post uncovered by the blogger, Smiggles wrote about calling into John Zerzan's radio show.

DR. CASEY JORDAN, CRIMINOLOGIST: I think the subtext of what he's saying, violence is innate and instinctual to humans and really should not be punished because it is their natural basis. That's the message I think he's trying to get across and the parallel to himself is obvious. He feels possessed by this need, this compulsion to commit violence.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: The Connecticut state police spokesperson told CNN this morning we have not provided details regarding this alleged information and have no detailed information about this unverified story. Also we reached out to Adam Lanza's father, Peter, and have not heard back.

COSTELLO: Pamela Brown, many thanks to you.

A grocery store shooting in El Cart, Indiana ends with three people dead and police trying to figure out why it happened. Police say the gunman entered the store and shot two women before turning the gun on himself. One of the victims was a shopper, the other an employee.

Also this morning, one of the most controversial figures from Obama's 2008 campaign is back in the headlines. The Reverend Jeremiah Wright, once Barack Obama's pastor and mentor, is now turning his back on his form her friend and brewing new controversy. This time, Wright is taking aim at the Obama administration. CNN's George Howell has more for you from Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Remember this?

REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT: Goddamn America.

HOWELL: The controversial comments from President Obama's former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright. He's been silent since the president denounced him during the 2008 president campaign, but today, returned to the spotlight.

Wright spoke at a breakfast celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, an event sponsored by the Chicago Teachers Union, which is no stranger to controversy as union engages in a very public showdown with the school system and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the president's former chief of staff.

CNN was invited to attend the breakfast, but just as Wright took the podium, all TV cameras were kicked out. Reporters were allowed to stay inside and that's when Wright started throwing punches directly at the Obama administration.

First, calling into question whether Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is qualified for the job suggesting Duncan only got his job because he quote, "has a good hoop shot," a reference to his basketball games with the president.

He went on to compare Dr. Martin Luther King's famous quote "I have a dream" to the Obama administration saying for the president, quote, "I have a drone." We were able to capture part of this on a camera phone.

WRIGHT: Policies of this country there's a kid on the list. The president decides who we going to kill this week. Its government based. Racism's and it's Character. We need to teach the kids truth.

HOWELL: Wright left the event avoiding cameras. The president of the Chicago Teachers Union, Karen Lewis defended Wright's comments when he compared himself to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Wright argued that the famed civil right leaders was reduced to only, quote, "sanitary sound bites" just as Wright says he had been reduced to sound bites.

KAREN LEWIS, PRESIDENT, CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION: I think we always focus in on a very small portion of the work he was trying to accomplish and very few people actually take that one step further. So Dr. Wright has clearly done that. These are the things that we talk about when we talk about social justice.

HOWELL: CNN political analyst, John Avlon says Wright took the opportunity to do major political --

JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It's pretty clear that Reverend Wright feels betrayed by President Obama. The two were very close at one time, but here he is directing all those attacks about racism, classism and the U.S. is a militaristic power at President Obama. It's an amazing falling out.

HOWELL: George Howell, CNN, Chicago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, the water may be OK for most to drink in West Virginia, but question -- would you really drink it? I'll talk to one resident who has strong words for her elected officials and the company responsible for the mess in Charleston.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Best Buy stock getting slammed on Wall Street, right now, shares of the company are down 30 percent. Best Buy reported holiday sales number early this is morning blaming steep sales prices from its competitors and fewer customers in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

A pint sized Apple users, the company will refund millions of spent by kids making app purchases without the consent of parents. One woman said her daughter racked up $2,600 worth of charges on a game called "Tap Pet Hotel." Christine Romans is in New York with more on this. I bet parents are really happy this morning.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they are. You know, the FTC, Carol, said they got tens of thousands of complaints from parent who is said their kids had this 15 minute open window after a parent's pass word was put in where they could buy in app things like crazy anywhere from 99 cents to $99. You mentioned the mother that said her daughter racked up $2,600 on that pet app.

Parents said suddenly there were hundreds of in purchases. Apple will pay at least $32.5 million in this settlement. Apple is going to reach out to you or you can reach out if you think this is you. Apple had another $100 million class act settlement. They've changed policies to make sure it doesn't happen again

Whether mobile arena or mall down the street, fundamental consumer protections apply. Apple saying it's changed the billing processes. It's going to pay full refunds for anybody whose kids racked up all that money -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Kids are quick. Got to catch them. That's good.

ROMANS: They know how to use it better than I do, Carol. That's the thing.

COSTELLO: Amazing. Christine Romans, thanks so much.

There are more worries this morning over the water around Charleston, West Virginia. Now pregnant women are told to stick to bottled water even if they live in the area the ban has been lifted. The company responsible for the leak, Freedom Industries, has been cited again for storing at a second facility. That company may have to move its materials once again because it has no backup plan. Imagine the entire week without running water. No cooking, bathing, drinking from the faucet. Eight days later, that's the life for thousands and thousands of people in West Virginia. The water is safe for 70 percent of the area, but it's hard to find anyone who would drink a glass of water out of their tap without hesitation.

Jacquelyn Bevan was just told she could start flushing her pipes a couple of hours ago. She joins us from Charleston. Good morning.

JACQUELINE BEVAN, CHARLESTON HOMEOWNER: Good morning. How are you?

COSTELLO: I'm a lot better than you this morning. You could begin flushing your system when you got the word, was there a feeling of relief for you?

BEVAN: There's a feeling of relief, but also a feeling of worry. I'm still not convinced the water is safe. I haven't flushed my systems even though I'm given the go ahead.

COSTELLO: Well, the CDC issued to pregnant women not to drink the water even if the order has been lifted. That can't make you feel great.

BEVAN: We've had concerns any way before the CDC made this this morning, so you know, we're still worried. I mean, if the CDC is telling us we can't drink this if we're pregnant, I'm not giving this to my 7-year-old child. Every mom is saying the same thing. We're not giving this to our children if a pregnant woman can't drink this. Our children are not drinking this. We're not feeling safe in West Virginia. I think this is just more disturbing news here. It's bothersome.

COSTELLO: What most upsets you about the situation?

BEVAN: Excuse me I'm sorry.

COSTELLO: What most upsets you about the situation besides not having water?

BEVAN: I think the thing that most upsets us is we're not given any details about the chemical. I don't think we've been informed as well as we should be. There's not a lot of data on this chemical. There's not a lot of information, not a lot of research on the long term effects. That's our biggest concern because we want to know what's going to happen in the future. This story is going to go away, but health concerns stay with us.

They're going to continue down the line. We don't have those answers. I would like to see our leaders and officials coming out answering those questions. What do we have to look forward to? I believe that the water is not safe. They're telling us it is one ppm, parts per million. From what I understand, this chemical can react with other chemicals in the system unless it's one part per billion.

That tells me it's not safe. If it smells, which it has, has a strong smell and strange colors. People are breaking out with rashes and headaches. Water is not safe. A lot of people agree they're not drinking this water even with the ban lifted.

COSTELLO: Freedom Industry, the company responsible for all of this, do you have a message for them?

BEVAN: I haven't seen Freedom Industries, but one time to get a dis- genuine apology. It was very insincere. Gary Southern coming out on television and drinking a bottle of water when hundreds of thousands were without water that evening was a smack in the face to West Virginia. I would like to see him come out, give us the details of this chemical and what they though. They have not spoke out to us yet. I'd like to see him come and address the people here.

COSTELLO: You said you were disappointed in your elected officials. Can you name an official you want to hear more from?

BEVAN: I don't want to say I'm disappointed in all elected officials. I have had some reaching out. Some have been coming around giving out water to people in need. Senator Chris Walters has been talking to people. I know Suzette Rains has also. We have a lot of concerned citizens voicing opinions. I don't want to say disappointed but I'd like to see more of them. I'd like to see our governor and senators come to these meetings. Governor Rockefeller, you need to hear the people here. That's imperative, come and hear what the people in West Virginia are concerned. People are scared. We need you to come here.

COSTELLO: The office communicated to us they're there for you guys. Do you feel that way at all?

COSTELLO: I mean, I have seen interview, but I'm here in Charleston down by the capital. I would like to see them in the forefronts, out on the street, at community meetings. I would like to see them more interactive.

Really, I haven't seen people being interactive with the people. That's where they're going to get information from. You can meet somebody in the office, but until you hear the people come together and hear what's going on, that's what we need. People to come out and hear us. We'll have more community meetings, and I'm hoping they take this opportunity to come and talk to us.

COSTELLO: There's an open invitation from Jacquelyn Bevan.

BEVAN: Yes, please come talk to us. This is our children. That's my concern, my boy's safety, children and babies here in West Virginia. We're not giving this water. Give it to us, wait until it's safe and then we'll intake it. Wait until it's safe. We don't feel it's safe. I believe it's not safe. We're not told everything.

COSTELLO: All right, Jacqueline Bevan, thanks so much for talking to me this morning, I appreciate it.

We're extending an invitation to Freedom Industries and the governor to come on this program to explain what happened and we also wanted to know how you can restore public trust in your company. We wait word from you. Thanks so much. Still to come, the NTSB puts out a wish list to save lives. Will those recommendations be adopted? Rene Marsh is following that. Good morning, Rene.

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. That list was released minutes ago. It impacts every mode of transportation. What's on the list? We have it for you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The NTSB is releasing the 2014 most wanted list this hour. It's actually a wish list outlying what changes the agency wants for reducing transportation accidents and saving lives. It comes out the day after the five year anniversary of the miracle on the Hudson. Passenger toasted the emergency landing and to Sullenberger. We hear how safety improvement suggestions have fallen on deaf ears.

CHESLEY "SULLY" SULLENBEGER, "MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON" PILOT: Several dozen recommendations the result of our flight investigation, so far to my knowledge, none have been --