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Authorities Prepare For Super Bowl; Chris Christie Facing New Allegations; Amanda Knox Convicted Of Meredith Kercher's Murder Again In Italy; Exclusive Interview With Antoinette Tuff

Aired February 01, 2014 - 15:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Just a day away from the biggest football game of the year. And while fans and players get pumped for the Super Bowl, thousands of security officials are focused on keeping it safe.

Alexandra Field is joining me live now from Super Bowl boulevard right there in Times Square.

So Alexandra, this is a complex security plan and it goes way beyond jumped officials on the ground. Explain what's happening.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Absolutely, Fredricka. Air land and sea, that's what they keep telling us is the plan as far as securing the Super Bowl. We got an opportunity to see the role of the U.S. customs and border protection agencies will play once the game starts tomorrow and even actually a few hours before that. Their job will be to control the skies above MetLife stadium. They have a fleet of aircraft ready to go including black hawk helicopters, which will circle a ten-mile perimeter around the stadium. Their goal is to guard a special no-fly zone. They say that if somebody tries to breach that perimeter, get into that zone, they will approach the pilot and try to escort the pilot to the ground where federal agents will be waiting to question the pilot. They tell us from time to time, these perimeters are breached. Usually it seems to be some kind of pilot error or a mistake made.

Meanwhile on the ground, we have told you that there will be a vast command center. It's in a secret location, but it's the place where officials from a number of different law enforcement agencies will be working together to monitor all aspects of Super Bowl security in realtime. The Super Bowl's instinct commander, New Jersey state police's Ed Cetnar told us he feels his team is prepared. Here is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. COL. ED CETNAR, NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE: We've been planning this for over a year and have been looking at all our vulnerability sites and making sure that when the 80,000 folks come in to celebrate the Super Bowl, every contingency is covered.

(END VIDEO CLIP) FIELD: The last few days that command center has been up and running 24/7. It will continue through the game tomorrow. But Colonel Cetnar says he won't be in the command center during the game. He will actually in the stadium so that he can initiate a response if there is some kind of response that is required -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And then Alexandra, what do we know about any kind of restrictions for those ticketholder at MetLife stadium? What are they, you know, not allowed to bring in, or what is permitted given it is cold and people like to bundle up.

FIELD: Yes. If you're lucky enough to have a ticket to the game, you are one of those, you know, 80,000, you have to deal with some very tight security. This is the first mass transit Super Bowl, so this could be tight security on the trains and buses that are headed for the stadium. And once people arrive live at the stadium, they'll, of course, going to be subject to search and screening much like going to an airport and per the new NFL guidelines, they know that they can only carry very small bags into the stadium. Otherwise, they have to use those clear bags that have been issued at NFL stadiums really all season long. That policy was changed in the aftermath of the Boston marathon bombings, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Alexandra Field. Thanks very much there from Times Square.

All right. And now to the new accusations against New Jersey governor Chris Christie. A former top appointee claims he has evidence disproving Christie's comments about the notorious lane clovers at the George Washington Bridge.

Erin McPike joins us live now from Washington.

So Erin, these new allegations are all about what Christie knew about the lane clovers and when he knew it.

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. It's important to point out that that former official, David Wildstein, who's making the claims, wants his former employer, the New Jersey port authority, to pay his legal bills. Something they already rejected once, and he wants immunity. But if his claims turn out to be true, some New Jersey papers are saying Christie should resign.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor -- autograph? Autograph? Governor --

MCPIKE (voice-over): Chris Christie wasn't answering questions on his way to Howard Stern's 60th birthday party, where instead he posed with a New Jersey icon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, Jon Bon Jovi.

MCPIKE: Not talking about the latest shoe to drop in the scandal threatening his political future, this one, from former Christie appointee David Wildstein. He's the port authority official who replied, got it to the Christie staffer who e-mailed him time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee and then shut down two lanes to the George Washington Bridge, snarling commuters for four days last September.

REP. FRANK PALLONE (D) NEW JERSEY: I think, you know, he's looking for some sort of immunity.

MCPIKE: In this letter, Wildstein's attorney warns, evidence exists tying Chris to having knowledge of the lane closures while they were closed.

PALLONE: I think we don't really know that Wildstein saying he has evidence or that he's going to indicate that the governor knew the motive or actually gave the order to close the lanes.

MCPIKE: As for that purported evidence --

ALLAN DERSHOWITZ, PROFESSOR, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: It should be subpoenaed. He has no Fifth Amendment right not disclose physical evidence that exists. They can get that without giving him broad immunity.

MCPIKE: But Christie's team is doubling down. Mr. Wildstein's lawyer confirms with the governor has said all along. He had absolutely no prior knowledge of the lane closures before they happened and what Mr. Wildstein's motivations were for closing them to begin with. The Christie statements cite him from December 13th.

<15:05:10>

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: The first I ever heard about the issue was when it was reported in the press.

MCPIKE: And this January 9th news conference where Christie asserts he didn't learn the back story that the lane closures may have been political retribution against the mayor of Fort Lee until the morning before.

CHRISTIE: But even then, I was told this was a traffic study.

MCPIKE: All this comes just as Christie, who was expected to get positive national attention, hosting the Super Bowl.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCPIKE: But there are likely to be more tough days ahead. The subpoena documents in the investigation the "New Jersey legislature" are conducting are due in to that committee on Monday, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Erin McPike, keep us posted on that. Thank you.

All right, two ex-boy scout leaders now charged with third-degree felonies after pushing over this ancient rock in Utah's goblin valley state park in October. They are accused of intentionally damaging debating and destroy this property. But the ex-leaders say they did a good thing. They say the rock would have fallen on people walking by. If convicted, they could get five years in jail.

On to Florida now, hundreds of criminal drug cases now under a cloud of suspicion. Police say evidence in the cases may have been compromised. The investigation centers around a chemist who worked in a police crime lab. He is suspected of tampering with prescription drugs being held as evidence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERALD BAILEY, COMMISSIONER, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT: So far we've identified several dozen evidence submissions where prescription drugs were substituted with over-the-counter medications. As you know, this has the potential of impacting hundreds of drug cases across our state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The chemist has been suspended from his job. The investigation covers cases in 35 of Florida's 67 counties.

She spent four years in an Italian prison. Now Amanda Knox could be headed back there after an Italian court convicted her again for the 2007 murder of her British roommate. Knox says she'll never return to Italy.

CNN's Elise Labott has more on what could be an epic extradition battle for Knox.

ELISE LABOTT, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER: Fred, this time Amanda Knox is fighting her conviction from home instead of an Italian prison cell and she says she's determined to remain here in the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LABOTT (voice-over): Once again a convicted killer under Italian law for the murder of her roommate in Italy, Meredith Keecher. Amanda Knox was distraught yet defiant Friday when she spoke with ABC News.

AMANDA KNOX, CONVICTED OF MURDER TWICE: I will never go willingly back to the place where I'm going to fight this until the very end.

LABOTT: After four years in an Italian prison, Knox was freed in 2011 when an appellate court threw out her conviction and that of her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. But the Supreme Court demanded a new trial, where Knox was found guilty and sentenced to more than 28 years in prison.

KNOX: This really has hit me like a train. I did not expect this to happen. I really expected so much better from the Italian justice system. They found me innocent before. How can they say that it's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt?

LABOTT: Knox vowed to appeal the verdict before the Supreme Court, but if she loses, she could face extradition back to Italy. The state department wasn't ready to go there. MARIE HARF, DEPUTY STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN: Well, the case is still, it's my understanding, still working its way through the Italian legal system. So, we don't want to get ahead of that process.

LABOTT: Under the U.S.-Italian extradition treaty, an offense must be punishable under the laws of both countries. Knox could claim double jeopardy having already been acquitted. She has already hinting at a irregularity by Italian prosecutors making the case for extradition.

KNOX: I really hope that people try to understand that, like when you have overzealous prosecutors and when you have a biased investigation and coercive interrogations like these things happen, and I'm not crazy.

BRUCE ZAGARIS, EXTRADITION LAW EXPERT: She could also argue that she's already spent a lot of time in detention in Italy. And that justice would not be served by extraditing her, so and then ultimately, the secretary of state is going to have to, you know, make a decision.

LABOTT: Extradition law expert Bruce Zagaris says the U.S. to simply ignore the extradition request but that would be highly unusual in the case way close ally like Italy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LABOTT: Now, the U.S. risks damaging relations with Italy if it refuses to extradite Amanda Knox. Italians point to a number of high- profile cases in which U.S. suspects have been convicted of wrongdoing but got off, including the 22 CIA agents who were convicted in absentia for The rendition of an Egyptian cleric, they have not served any time -- Fred.

<15:10:11>

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much, Elise.

Now to the deadly volcano eruption in Indonesia. We want to warn you, some of the images in this next video might be difficult to watch. Its volcano erupted this morning in North Sumatra killing at least 14 people. Spokesman said the victims were hit by hot ash clouds. They were all found in a village close to volcano's crater. This volcano erupted hundreds of times in the past month. In January it forced 22,000 people to clear the area.

All right, just days from now, the Olympics winter games, and they have ramped up security for these Olympics, but what do folks in Sochi say about all of this? We'll go to Russia.

And they're supposed to keep us safe, but one officer is revealing some of our worst fears about the TSA.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

<15:14:52> WHITFIELD: We are less than one week way from the start of the Olympic Games in Sochi. U.S. athletes are already there, and while they are trying to focus on the games, the major security concerns are in the back of their minds. Some athletes even told their families to stay home.

Ivan Watson has more on what's happening in Sochi right now to keep everyone safe.

<15:15:09>

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Russia is tightening its ring of steel around the upcoming Olympic Games. Security barriers include warships, patrolling Sochi's black sea coast. Tens of thousands of Russian security forces have been deployed here to stop terrorists who have threatened to target the more than two weeks of pageantry and sports when many of the world's eyes will be on Russia.

(on camera): It is clear there are extra security measures in place here, but most of the Russians we've been speaking to here in the sleepy port of Sochi, they tell us they're not really worried about terrorism. They're simply excited about the eminent launch of the winter games.

(voice over): Vladislav (ph) and Yadislav (ph) -- both 21 years old, they came here from the Russian city of Yekaterinburg two weeks ago to work at a hotel.

"We're not afraid of any threats," the young man tells me. "Security is at a much higher level and there are many police at places like the train station."

"Nyet", Sit Lamiyashimyev (ph) says when I asked her if she's afraid of terrorist attacks. "The Olympic park is the safest place in Sochi," she says. "Look how many police officers and Cossacks we have on the streets."

She's right. You can spot those Cossacks wearing tall fur hats outside many Olympic venues walking alongside uniformed police. One week before the games, anticipation is clearly building though we also find some residents of Sochi who just can't wait for the Olympics to be over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Fred, that last man I talked to, he said is completely fed up with the Olympic Games. He is fed up with all the construction with the increasing security measures, the fact that he, a local laborer has to carry three different travel permits just to get from home to the office.

And when I asked whether he is afraid of being targeted, he said, frankly, outside of the Olympic venue, it would be very easy to bomb leave an explosive bag, full of explosive, in any given shop. So, you do have point of range of opinions here from the ordinary Russians who are hosts to these Olympic Games -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Ivan Watson, thanks so much.

All right, a man with a gun marches into a school, and it could have turned into another awful scene, but it didn't, thanks to a heroic woman, who talked the gunman down. We'll talk to her, next, about how that day changed everything.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

<15:21:31>

WHITFIELD: This week among the invited guests as the president's state of the union, was a woman hailed as a hero where talking down a gunman at a Georgia elementary school. Bookkeeper, Antoinette Tuff calmed 911 right away when a gunman walked in on August 20th. She didn't run. She didn't hide. Instead she spoke calmly, relaying the man's demands to police until he eventually decided to give up. And what she said to him was extraordinary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTOINETTE TUFF, BOOKKEEPER, GEORGIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: We're not going to hate you, baby. It is a good thing that you have given up. So, we are going to hate you. So, just stay there calm. Don't worry about it. I'll sit right here and see that you're not trying to harm me, OK? It's going to be OK, sweetheart. I just want you to know that I love you, though, OK? And I'm proud of you. That is a good thing you've gave up and don't worry about it. We all go through something in life. And you know, I tried to commit suicide after my husband left me. But look at me now. I'm still working and everything is OK. He said that they can come on in now. He needs to go to the hospital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So calmly. And matter of fact, Antoinette Tuff is joining me live now from Dallas.

Good to see you, Antoinette.

TUFF: Good to see you, too.

WHITFIELD: So much has happened to you, and others, since that day in August. People know what you did. You're recognizable. You've shaken hands with the president. You've received phone calls from him and you just released a new book, "prepared for a purpose." And to top it all off, this week you were a guest of the first lady at the state of the union address.

So give me an idea. What's most memorable about being in the capitol as a guest of Michelle Obama?

TUFF: Well, you know, they laid out the red carpet for us. But the most thought that was so memorable thing for me was when the whole Washington, D.C. shut down and you got to ride in the car and all the police officers were around and just allowed you to be escorted. Just to be able to see how it is not just on TV but to actually be live in color with it was awesome, awesome.

WHITFIELD: So, that motorcade? And you know, I grew up in the Washington, D.C. area so I know what it's like to witness the motorcade. How everyone stops, whether you've seen it 1 million times or not, it is an incredible sight. But another thing, you'll be able to, you know, testify what it's like to actually be in the motorcade. That's a totally different story.

TUFF: Yes. Yes, totally different story. You know, usually, like you said, you know, you're behind the cars, three, four cars and say, come on, come on, come on. but when you're actually in it, you're like, take your time. Take your time!

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: I bet.

Well, your actions were extraordinary and I know as it happened that day in August, the last thing were you thinking about is, all the praise you would be receiving afterwards, and being invited, and having the opportunity to have the kind of experiences that you've had.

So let us, you know, talk a little bit about that day of purpose, that real calling for you. You write in your new book, "prepared for a purpose," that everyone has a purpose, and that day, your purpose really rose to the surface. You intervened that day. How has that moment, that discovery of purpose, altered your path?

TUFF: It has done it in several different ways. I wrote my book, which is "prepared for a purpose," and also I'm actually now going out doing professional speaking all over the world, nationally and internationally. And also it allowed me to actually start my new nonprofit organization where people have given all over the world to kids on the move for success on my account, Gofund me, and we were actually be able to give a scholarship award out for someone to go college. So, it's just tremendously changed my life and so I'm just grateful to God to be able to do that.

<15:25:21>

WHITFIELD: Incredible. And congratulations on your book, "prepared for a purpose." Your book, you know, reveals a lot about that day and how faith is very big in your life before, during and after those frightening moments, but what if you're not a spiritual person? How do you think your book or your story can reach them to, perhaps, do something as courageous as you did?

TUFF: Well, you know, it doesn't make a difference if you are saved or not saved. All of us have a purpose in life. And so that's why I'm actually going to be traveling all over to help people to be able to show them how to be prepared for their purpose. You don't just look at it spiritually but you also look at it as far as how do you actually look at your life and know when you wake up in the morning, there is a purpose for your waking up? And actually, how do you go out and change other people's lives? And that's what I'm going to be actually talking about in my seminars, in my actual workshops.

WHITFIELD: And how do you reach that person who says, you know what, I wake up in the morning and I don't know what my purse is? How do I reach within, how do I search and find what my purpose is? What do you say to that person?

TUFF: I tell them, first of all, go out and look inside of your heart. Look inside to see exactly what it is you like to do. All of us have hobbies and all of us have jobs. So, you have to actually look inside to be able to see yourself. A lot of times we look at others, but you have to actually start within. All of it actually starts within yourself.

WHITFIELD: And now what? What's next for you, what's next for your children, your mission?

TUFF: Well, my mission now is to go out and actually show people how to be prepared for their purpose. I travel nationally and internationally. Go forth and do my actual kids on the move for success and continue to give children educational opportunities that otherwise don't have it. And as I go continue to do my book tour and be able to allow people to read my purpose and I'm while I'm actually out going forth and doing this. So, it's a great opportunity and I just thank God for it today.

WHITFIELD: And I guess you know it's going to be even more gratifying than what it was like when you got that first phone call from President Obama and then another phone call that coming from Michelle Obama's office. How do you top that?

TUFF: You can't. You know, my thing is, it's just, you know, I look at lives that I'm changing today. And when you see the light in someone else's eyes to know that words that proceed out of your mouth is actually life for them, it takes the place of anything that you're ever feeling that makes you feel like you're no one. So, it's great opportunity.

WHITFIELD: Antoinette Tuff, thank you so much. Pleasure talking with you. Wish it was in person but I can totally feel your energy from afar, you joining us from Dallas. Appreciate it, and congratulations on your book.

TUFF: Thank you so much.

WHITFIELD: All the best to you. Thank you.

All right, many flyers, they don't trust the TSA screening process. Now find out why one former TSA officer's comments are fueling their suspicions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the face of hope. Faith was born HIV negative even though her mother was virus, the ultimate example of the goal of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation, creating an aids-free generation.

NIGEL BARKER, PHOTOGRAPHER, FILMMAKER: We have the research. We have the medication. People have to be educated around the world. We got to get rid of the discrimination stigma that associated with even getting tested.

FOREMAN: Celebrity photographer Nigel Barker saw the success of the foundations' program when he visited Tanzania. Even in nomadic tribe steeped in culture and tradition and reluctant to change.

BARKER: I spoke to the women that had been trained by the foundation in the ways of how to deliver a baby safely. If you could reach a group like this, you can treat children anywhere in the world.

FOREMAN: And the foundation seems to be doing just that.

BARKER: Take, for example, sub-Saharan in Africa. Several hundred babies born every day, HIV positive. But the good news is, when I first got started in 2008, I was saying, 1,000 babies are being born every day HIV positive, and realizing a generation-free is doable in our own lifetime.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

<15:29:51>

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

<15:33:08>

WHITFIELD: All right. Just past the bottom of the hour. Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Here are the top stories crossing the CNN news desk right now.

Gunfire erupts on the streets of Bangkok, Thailand today ahead of Sunday's national elections. A hospital says at least six people were wounded when they say gunmen opened fire on police and pro-government demonstrators.

And actor, Maximilian Schell has died. He is probably best known for the film, "Judgment at Nuremberg," a role that won him an Oscar for best actor back in 1961. His portrayal of Vladimir Lennon (ph) hit an HBO miniseries, also that won him a Golden Globe. Schell was born Austria, but fled the Nazis with his family.

After months of hearing, the U.S.A. department has finally issued its report on the keystone pipeline. The verdict, the project won't significantly impact the climate. Environmentalists worried about green house gas emissions and climate change, and they were condemning the report. The proposed pipeline would stretch between the U.S. and Canada.

And have you ever wondered, what TSA officers are really looking at and thinking about when you walk through the body scanners at airports? Well, you're not going to like what you're about to hear. In fact, a former officer is confirming our worst fears.

Here's CNN's Rene Marsh.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A former TSA officer calling out the agency he once worked for, stirring up fears and suspicions many fliers already had. Jason Harrington says the agency uses ineffective anti-terrorism security measures at the expense of the public's health, privacy and dignity and is just getting started. And he is just getting started adding Officers would pull a bag or give a pat-down because a flier was rude.

<15:35:05>

MARSH: Those body scanners that gave fliers a virtual strip search and produced graphic images, Harrington describes as entertainment. Officers gawking at images of overweight people and genitals. Their every fold and dimple on full awful display piercings of every kind were visible. He adds the rapid scan full body scanners couldn't even distinguish plastic explosives from body fat and guns were practically invisible if turned sideways.

TSA says many of their procedures and policies referenced in this article are no longer in place or characterized inaccurately. For example, scanners that show graphic images are no longer in airports.

MARC ROTENBERG, PRESIDENT, ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER: For them to be saying today it's not a big deal, because they've been now removed, after all the years when they resisted removing those airports, I just think, you know, is a little hard to take at this point.

MARSH: When it came to profiling, Harrington says until 2010, officers had a list of 12 names whose passengers automatically reserved enhanced screening. To that the TSA said, no comment.

(on camera): Well, in a statement, the TSA tells us don't tolerate unethical or unlawful behavior and they take quick action when its discovered. We did reach out to the former TSA employee who wrote this article, but got no response.

Rene Marsh, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, he has sold millions of albums and made lots of money. What's the reason for Bruno Mars' success?

And our next story is about two boy whose grew up in middle class New York, but find a whole new world when their parents put them in private school. The boys and the subject matter of part of a documentary 13 years in the making called "American promise."

CNN's Anderson Cooper introduces us to them and their journey on the road to excellence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, AC360 (voice-over): It's 1999 when we meet these best friends. Both just 5-years-old. Both excited to start kindergarten. They've been selected to attend the Dalton school, a private school located on Manhattan's Upper East Side, a school I went to as a child. His parents, Michelle Stevenson and Joe Brewster (ph), decided to document the boys' academic journey.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Define black spiders was --

COOPER: As a result we get to know these boys and their families in a truly intimate way over the next 12 years of their lives.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dalton, will open doors for him for the rest of his life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm hoping.

COOPER: That's the hope for both families. But in time, the boys find themselves struggling. Not only with the typical growing pains, but also with issues of race, class and gender.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They've decided that our son is a problem. He's not a problem at home. He's not a problem in the community. He's a problem at Dalton. Ability the question is what is it about Idris that makes his disruptive?

IDRIS BREWSTER, FORMER STUDENT, THE DALTON SCHOOL: There is a thing where people have to dance with the girls, this one part. People have to dance with girls, and I don't like that part, because I'm not -- I don't get to dance with the girls. They usually say, no. I don't know why. They just say, no, which makes me feel bad.

COOPER: A quality education is a priority for both family, but at what cost?

MARTHA EDELSON, THE DALTON SCHOOL: There's a cultural disconnect between independent schools and African-American boys, and we see a high rate of kids not being successful. The boys not being successful, and the question is, why?

COOPER: The boys part ways in high school. Shaon (ph) leaving Dalton for a predominantly African-American school. But their journey doesn't end there. This film offers an inside look into two families of color, the everyday challenges and choices they face. All questions raised, aren't answered but the doors for critical discussions for all of us is left wide open.

Anderson Cooper, CNN. New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: American promise has its national broadcast premier Monday night at 10:00 eastern on PBS. We'll be right back.

<15:39:23>

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<15:42:37>

WHITFIELD: All right. Bruno Mars just won his second Grammy. But his biggest gig ever is the Super Bowl. Mars knows on his halftime show not just about performing. It will also impact his bottom line. Call it the business of Bruno Mars.

Chief business correspondent Christine Romans tells us more.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, Bruno Mars is taking music's biggest stage. He is also coming off a Grammy's win, not bad for 28-years-old.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS (voice-over): Bruno Mars is going from superstar to the super bowl. Born Peter Hernandez to a musical family in Hawaii, he started out as the world's youngest Elvis impersonator.

He struggled as a performer. He was dropped from Motown records, then changed his business plan and began writing and producing songs for other artists.

His big break came in 2010 doing vocals or two songs he helped write, "nothing on you," and "billionaire." His debut album, a success.

And landed Mars two number one hits. Album number two reached number one.

And the accompanying tour brought in $46 million so far.

Altogether, Mars has sold 115 million singles worldwide and landed five number singles faster than any male singer since Elvis.

BRUNO MARS, SINGER: Thank you. You've been a wonderful audience.

ROMANS: The 28-year-old was Billboard's artist of the year last year.

MARS: Expect to have fun with us.

ROMANS: And landed his second Grammy this one for best pop vocal album of the year, "unorthodox jukebox." Outside the studio, he has invested in Chromatik, a start-up that makes digital sheet music and electronic cigarette maker enjoy, which he uses to kick the habit.

Up next, the biggest stage in Music, Mars will play the Super Bowl halftime for more than 100 million viewers. He joins legendary pierce, the first artist under 30 to headline in a decade. The business of being Bruno Mars is far from over.

<15:45:15>

MARS: I feel like I haven't even started yet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: He sold millions of albums, thanks in part to strategic business discount, not a bad business plan -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: OK. So if you do watch the super bowl this weekend, you're going to want to keep an eye on one of the running backs for the Seattle Seahawks. He is unlike any of his teammates and making history in the game tomorrow before it even starts.

Here's Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Derrick Coleman is living a boy's dream, playing in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks. He didn't start playing football until seventh grade, because his mom really didn't want him to.

DERRICK COLEMAN, RUNNING BACK, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: I was just a normal kid. I was just going out trying to play football.

GUPTA: And the dream of making it to the pros began in high school. There he was ranked the number two fullback in the nation by ESPN.

COLEMAN: I wasn't really thinking about it so much until maybe my senior year. And I was just going out and playing just hard. I just wanted to play.

GUPTA: Next stop, UCLA where he was a running back for four years. His college career ended with a degree in political science. And now the 23-year-old is showing his versatility as a fullback for the Seahawks scoring his first touchdown in the pros earlier this season. He's gotten this far with lots of hard work, and by overcoming something only two other players in the entire NFL have. He is legally deaf, the result of a rare genetic disorder.

COLEMAN: Basically I lost my hearing when I was three. I've had hearing aids ever since.

GUPTA: How does he do this? But first all, he makes no excuses.

COLEMAN: No matter your issue, actually that don't stop you for doing what you want to do. You should always find a way.

GUPTA: His skullcap keeps his hearing aide in place, and --

COLEMAN: I can read lips, and can read it very well. So, what I do is, you know when I can't hear something, I always go and make sure I'm looking at the person. The person who I know, the quarterback, whoever, they look at me. I was basically just like all of you guys.

GUPTA: Off the field he tries to make time to speak to deaf and hard- of-hearing children to offer words of encouragement especially for those struggling.

COLEMAN: Don't let your hearing be an excuse for not wanting to go for your dream, whatever your dream is. Successful people, in my opinion, they always find a way. And if you want to be successful you have to find a way.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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WHITFIELD: All right, time now for the science behind when we look at the why behind the what. Well, today we look into the science behind those ads we love to watch.

Here's Nischelle Turner.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Do you remember laughing at this? Feeling really uncomfortable during this. Or rooting for this adorable little kid? You know you liked watching them, but do you even remember what those commercials were for?

Believe it or not despite all the buzz, a recent study shows 80 percent of those ads don't make people buy the stuff they are selling. So why are companies spending big bucks on ads year after year?

MIKE OZANIAN, FORBES MAGAZINE: They do it because if it is successful, the game is tremendous.

TURNER: Some experts say the super bowl ad craze started 30 years ago when Steve Jobs took a chance by airing a controversial ad for Apple's debut of the Macintosh computer drawing parallels between IBM computers and the conformist society in the (INAUDIBLE) novel "1984."

OZANIAN: Apple saw a huge spike in Macintosh sales. It was incredibly effective. It was emotional. That was the benchmark and is still the benchmark today that people use to decide whether or not a super bowl ad is effective.

TURNER: That ad cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce. Since then, the cost to produce has skyrocketed. In the past decade Forbes magazine says money spent on advertising has doubled from $150 million to more than $300 million because it's one of the few TV events of the year that's evidently DVR proof.

OZANIAN: You and I don't want to show up to work the next day and say I want to watch the super bowl on tape tonight. We want to watch it live. And that's the main reason why the super bowl, which is going to have over 100 million people watching it live, commands the price for advertising that it does.

TURNER: Since companies are spending all that money on just a few hours of TV broadcasting, some now release teasers week ahead of the big game to garner buzz online. David Beckham's H&M had may score points with audience participation.

OZANIAN: So, what happens, you can go there. You can even vote for the end of his commercial. Everybody loves David Beckham for one reason or another.

TURNER: While others may fall short of the goal line.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two professional football teams will be playing a game in honor of my first wonderful pistachios wonderful.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will be back to fly.

OZANIAN: I don't think wonderful pistachios will see a bounce in sales because of that commercial.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Boy, we will be watching.

All right, well, she wowed the world with an amazing trick shot, that one right there from half-court. How did she do that? And can this college basketball cheerleader do it again? I'm asking her, next.

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(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

WHITFIELD: Unbelievable. That was Ashlee Arnau making it look so easy. She's a senior and a cheerleader at William Carrie University at Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Look at it again because we can't believe it. She says this is actually her fourth time sinking the front hand spring shot from half-court. Crazy.

All right, Ashlee with us now on the phone. We just had to get her on to line to find out how in the world did you do this, Ashlee, and how long did it take you to be able to nail that shot?

ASHLEE ARNAU, CHEERLEADER, WILLIAM CARRIE UNIVERSITY, HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI (via phone): It's actually taken me a long time. I guess I started doing the flip since December of last year. Made it in February for the first time. And then I haven't really had it practiced since. So, I hurt my ankle in June so I have been out of commission. So I just started it up again and it's taken me a couple times.

WHITFIELD: So where did this idea come from? Were you just kind of, you know, messing around doing a little gymnastics, a little bit of basketball poof, you put it together?

ARNAU: Basically. I mean, it started kind of when I was 12. I would always flip around at soccer practice. And so, I was like can you flip over the ball, and so I did it at soccer practice and I guess it just carried over until when I was cheerleading and I was really bored and felt like hey, I wonder if I can do it with the basketball.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my God. And so, now, I understand the globe trotters gave you a ring. Is that true?

ARNAU: Yes.

WHITFIELD: OK. What did they want to know?

ARNAU: Yes, I got a phone call the next day in February. And they are like hey, can you come teach us. (INAUDIBLE). And we were in the gym and I was trying to show them and they were like, you know, it's impossible for us to learn it. We want you to perform with us. So they let me perform with them.

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WHITFIELD: Oh, my God. That's fantastic.

All right, well, you know, Ashlee, you're amazing. Thanks so much for your time. We got to go because, you know, the clock is ticking and time is up for us.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Bleacher Report on Super Bowl Boulevard next.

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