Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Update On Circus Accident In Rhode Island; Clippers' Leadership In Flux; Pro-Russian Activists In Odessa Released; Business Of Buying An NBA Team; Rising Call to #Bringbackourgirls In Nigeria

Aired May 04, 2014 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here's the top stories that we're following at this hour.

If controversy was hanging heavy on the LA Clippers, well, they didn't even show it. The team had a huge win last night, but now the front office is facing big changes.

And protesters in Ukraine storm a police station today, breaking windows and doors. Another intense clash just days after dozens of deaths. We're live at the scene.

And the insults and jokes were flying in Washington. Coming up, the funniest moments and who got the worst of it at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

First, this breaking story we're following for you. A circus accident in Providence, Rhode Island, that may have resulted in some serious injuries. It happened when performers fell from the rafters, apparently, during an aerial stunt. Nick Valencia is here giving us more about this event. This was a Ringling Brothers performance?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a Ringling Brothers circus event. It happened just a couple of hours ago in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. And this part of the show, Fred, was called the Human Chandelier. It involved performers hanging over about 20 or 30 feet off the ground. And according to local affiliates, something went terribly wrong. Investigators are looking into whether a possible cable snap dropping these performers. At least eight acrobats injured. We don't have the extent on their injuries. But one person on the ground also suffered injuries and was taken to the hospital.

The Ringling Brothers had just gotten to town on Friday and were to continue shows through Monday. This performance, this part of the performance, Fred, was canceled and the show was canceled. No word yet on the severity of those injuries. But we do know at least nine people, including eight performers, taken to the hospital.

WHITFIELD: Now this stunt had just started. It really hadn't gotten underway but a matter of seconds before a full house, right? All of the people, the spectators there saw it as it happened?

VALENCIA: That's right. We saw the video of this accident and it was very, very dramatic, Fred. As you mentioned, the performance was just under way. And all of a sudden you just see this human chandelier, these performers drop to the ground. No support underneath them. They fell immediately to the ground, about 20 or 30 feet, according to witnesses.

WHITFIELD: No net, no padding as far as you're able to tell?

VALENCIA; As far as I was able to tell from looking at that video.

WHITFIELD: All right. We're going to talk more about this breaking news situation with Steven Payne. He's the vice president of corporate communications for Feld Entertainment, the parent company for Barnum & Bailey.

All right, so Steven, what's your understanding as to what happened?

STEVEN PAYNE, VP OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS, FELD ENTERTAINMENT (on the phone): Well, the information that we have now, the apparatus that the aerialists performed from fell to the floor during the show. Eight of the hair-hang performers as well as one dancer were transported to local hospitals. We do not have any complete information right now as to why the apparatus fell or the condition of any of the injured performers. As was previously mentioned, the rest of the show was canceled, and we're making a determination about the remainder of the shows for the Providence engagement.

WHITFIELD: Now, Steven, is this an act that had been performed many times over? I realize that this act, this show in Providence just started on Friday. But is this something that had happened and this apparatus had been used many times over?

PAYNE: Correct. This apparatus had been used for multiple performances each week since this show launched back in January. And each and every time that we come to a new venue, all of the equipment that is used by this performer -- this group of performers as well as all the other performers is carefully inspected. We take the health and safety of our performers and our guests very seriously. And our company has a safety department that spent countless hours making sure that all of our equipment is indeed safe and effective for continued use.

Again, we don't have any complete information as to what occurred this morning. We are conducting a full investigation in conjunction with local authorities to make a determination as to what happened.

WHITFIELD: Steve, have you seen any videotape of what happened?

PAYNE: I have not seen the videotape of this incident, no, I have not.

WHITFIELD: Was it described to you at least, then?

PAYNE: I'm very familiar with the act in question. I've seen the shows multiple, multiple times. And so I am familiar with exactly what would have transpired -

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Okay. What's the description that you received? PAYNE: Our thoughts and prayers are with our injured performers and their families. And their health and well-being is, of course, our primary concern is with them at this point.

WHITFIELD: Absolutely. What has been described to you about what happened? What phase of this act did the accident happen?

PAYNE: What I've been told from our unit management (ph) and the people who were there is that all eight of the performers were on the apparatus at the time it fell. I do not have any information as to exactly how high it was at the time of incident. But clearly it was -- something went very wrong with this apparatus, which has been used 12 to 14 times a week for months. So we're very concerned about what type of equipment failure took place, hence our investigation this afternoon.

WHITFIELD: Okay. Because the incident seemed to happen, this accident or these performers fell to the ground happened very shortly after a curtain that is around this human chandelier, not long -- a matter of seconds after that curtain was removed, then there was some movement that the acrobats seemed to do all in a synchronized manner, and then suddenly plunged to the ground. Is that what has been described to you?

PAYNE: That is what I have been told. But again, when the curtain was removed, they all perform in a synchronized routine throughout the entire portion of the act. I do not know whether the curtain is considered to be a contributing factor or not. It's too early for me or anyone else to speculate as to what might have been the cause of the accident. We'll just have to wait for the investigation to continue and more complete information

WHITFIELD: And as our Nick Valencia was explaining, you were scheduled to be - or at least the circus is scheduled to perform until Monday. Obviously canceled for today. Will tomorrow's performance be canceled? Will performances be canceled indefinitely even as you plan to go to other touring cities?

PAYNE: Well, again, it's too early for me to make any determination - for us to make any determinations -- as to the status of any future performances in Providence at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. A lot hinges on the determinations that are made about the safety and the equipment and everything that goes into the greatest show on earth.

As I said at the beginning, the safety of our performers is the number one priority. So we as a company are going to do everything possible to make sure that all future performances are absolutely safe for our performers and our guests.

WHITFIELD: And this was a performance that did not involve animals. This was strictly a human chandelier, correct?

PAYNE: Correct.

WHITFIELD: OK. And can you give me any sense as to what kind of injuries these performers -- you said eight performers may have sustained?

PAYNE: I have no information on the injuries that they sustained or their current medical condition.

WHITFIELD: Okay. You don't know what kind of medical treatment they are receiving right now?

PAYNE: I do not know. I know that all nine performers were transported to local area hospitals.

WHITFIELD: Nine performers. Of course, we wish them all the best. It was a frightening, harrowing moment for that full house, all of the spectators to witness as it happened. Stephen Payne, thank you so much.

Of course, we're wishing the best for those nine performers that Mr. Payne was describing for us at that Ringling Brothers performance, all forming this human chandelier right there in Providence, Rhode Island. Many of whom are now speaking medical attention. Still unclear what kind of injuries they may have sustained. But that's pretty remarkable, Nick, to hear that they may have been suspended, what, 20, 30 feet in the air when suddenly plunged to the ground.

VALENCIA: That's right. And the potential for there not to be a safety net or something in case something like this happened. As the guest just mentioned, 12 to 14 times that this apparatus was used per week since January. They are going to be looking into what potentially happened to this apparatus, why it collapsed causing this very dramatic scene for all of those people in the crowd. Nine people taken to the local hospital.

WHITFIELD: Yes. I guess that no net, no crash pad really speaks to the confidence that they had about the safety of that performance. So still unclear what happened. Thanks so much, Nick. As you get more information, of course bring it to us. Appreciate that.

All right. The other big story that we're following for you out of Los Angeles, the fans are still celebrating after the Clippers' big win in game seven of the playoffs last night. They beat the Golden State Warriors, 126-121, and advanced to the semi finals.

There are big changes ahead in the Clippers' leadership, however. And Donald Sterling's estranged wife now, well, she is weighing in on all of that. CNN national correspondent Deborah Feyerick is covering this story for us from New York.

So Deborah, this story continues to experience all kinds of changes on a daily basis. What now?

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it absolutely does. I'll tell you, Fred, Shelly Sterling made it very clear that she was not going away quietly. She released a statement yesterday establishing that she is the co-owner, that since 1981 when the Sterlings bought it, she's only had the best interest of the team at heart, she says. And she said she's been in touch with Commissioner Sterling and said, "I welcome his active involvement in the search for a person of the utmost character and proven excellence." She says that a commitment to promoting equality and inclusiveness. She also says, "As a co-owner, I am fully committed to taking the necessary steps to make the Clippers the best team in the NBA. That has been my aspiration ever since 1981."

So what is the takeaway on this? The takeaway is that she is very much in control. That she's having conversation with the NBA commissioner, that she supports his decision and that they've agreed that the league and the team should move ahead to find the best CEO.

Another takeaway: she makes a personal dig at her husband. She wants to find a man with "the utmost character." Well, right now, that's certainly not her husband. And also, "a person who has a commitment to providing equality and inclusiveness." Also a man, not her husband.

This is a woman is incredibly brazen. She filed two lawsuits against Donald Sterling's alleged mistresses. The latest one, as we know, V. Stiviano. And in those lawsuits, she wants property back. She wants gifts back that Sterling gave to the mistress because she says, hey, this was our property. I never gave him permission to use our money to buy her gifts. So therefore, she's in possession of those gifts basically wrongly because I never said okay.

So it's very clear Shelly Sterling is in control of the situation right now, and by establishing herself as a co-owner, this is now a game changer, depending on what the NBA does, whether they decide that Sterling should be selling the team.

WHITFIELD: And so wait a minute, Deborah. Is there acknowledgement from the commissioner, Commissioner Silver, that she is indeed a co- owner?

FEYERICK: She's a co-owner because it's community property. In California, it's all community property. So therefore, whether it says it on paper or not, as his wife and having purchased this team more than 30 years ago, they are not only having to deal with Donald Sterling as to whether they should kick him out, but now essentially, they have to see if they can kick her out as well. And that's where it becomes really, really sticky. Very, very shrewd move on her park, but Shelly Sterling may be sitting courtside for a long time to come.

WHITFIELD: OK. We'll are going to talk more about this from the standpoint of what it takes to buy a team like that, if it ever comes to that, and then of course, the continued legal road, especially now that Miss Shelly has reminded everyone that she, too, is a co-owner.

Deborah Feyerick, thanks so much. More straight ahead over the next couple of hours.

In the meantime, we're looking overseas where cheers actually rang out.

(VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: What led up to the release right there in Ukraine and that celebration there, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The site of Ukraine's deadliest clashes in months is seeing more violence today. Just two days ago, more than 40 people were killed after a riot ended in a fire in Odessa. Dozens of activists were detained after that.

Well, today, hundreds of pro-Russian activists demanding that they be released. Police did end up letting dozens of people go. They were greeted with cheers and hugs.

And in a calmer moment in Odessa, Ukraine's acting prime minister met with local leaders. He offered his condolences for those who died this week, and says Ukraine has to unite. Odessa is in the southern part of the country, hundreds of miles from the clashes in eastern Ukraine, closer to the border with Russia. And it had been fairly calm up until this week.

Phil Black joins me live now from Odessa. So Phil, take us through what happened today.

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure, Fredricka. We've seen a lot of anger on the streets of this city since that fire and those clashes on Friday claimed so many lives. A big crowd gathered outside the police station. Most were happy to stand in the rain and just scream, demanding the freedom of the 60-plus people that were held inside. Pro-Russian activists who had been arrested after those street clashes. But some would (INAUDIBLE) this stage a break-up. They attacked a building, breaking window security cameras trying to get through doors, whatever they could.

In the end, they managed to break through into the inner courtyard of the police station itself. It was around that time that the senior police officer inside tried to make a deal. He said he would let all of those pro-Russian activists that were currently being held go if everyone went home peacefully. So those activists started to be released, and they really emerged from the station as heroes. It was an incredibly emotional scene. Very loud cheers, crying, hugs, smiles, as people were reunited with their loves ones. And these people were really welcomed back to the community as heroes, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Phil Black, thank you so much, in Odessa.

Is there any hope for intervention given this intensifying violence? CNN's chief political correspondent Candy Crowley spoke with the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine on "STATE OF THE UNION" this morning. Candy now with me from Washington.

So, Russia's Putin says he's not the aggressor in all of this. The ambassador disagrees, but says Putin can help bring a resolution. In fact, the ambassador believes Putin was instrumental in yesterday's release of the U.N. observers held hostage, right?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. And there was plenty of evidence for that. There was a Russian envoy that went across the border to talk to those who were holding the Western military observers hostage, and they were released. And they were fine. So this is sort of the one bright spot where it has looked so increasingly like a civil war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEOFFREY PYATT, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: Russia played a decisive role in accomplishing that. It demonstrates that Russia has influence and can play a constructive role when it wishes to do so. And we hope that that's very much the approach that they will take in the days ahead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So the situation is bad but this ambassador, he doesn't want to quite label it a civil war. Why not?

CROWLEY: No, he doesn't. If you look at those pictures and if you understand the two sides and what's going on in so many cities across eastern Ukraine, it certainly does look like a civil war. But he's not willing to go that far right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PYATT: I don't see that yet, Candy. What I see is a society which is facing extraordinary, extraordinary threats of division. But where the dominance opinion in in every public opinion survey from every Ukrainian I talk to is how can we get our country to pull together again?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CROWLEY: Fred, the problem here is that the West and the U.S. are pushing so hard toward those May 25th elections where they hope that the current existing Ukraine government will be supported by a vote of the Ukrainian people. So to call it a civil war now only further casts some doubt as to whether that vote can be taken. And what the U.S. wants, what the West wants is to tamp this violence down so that both can be taken and the Ukrainian government, which as you recall, came in in a coup, will be given some substance to back it up and therefore will have kind of the will of the people behind it to further take action on what's going on in eastern Ukraine. So to call it a civil war now, they believe, would undermine those actions.

WHITFIELD: All right, a big story we'll continue to watch this week and beyond. Candy Crowley in Washington, thank you.

CROWLEY: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, buying the Clippers. A lot of big celebrities want to do it but, guess what? It takes more than just money.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, pretty significant news now about the Donald Sterling scandal. Sterling's wife, Shelly, is claiming that she is co- owner of the Clippers. And that could complicate things as the NBA moves to get rid of Sterling as owner following his racist rant. The Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors, by the way, in game seven, not being distracted at all, perhaps, by all of this. This was the last game of the playoffs for them, last night. Now they advance to the Western Conference Semifinals.

Players are also hearing some big news about their leadership, not just about Sterling but the NBA, apparently, is hiring a new team CEO in light of the controversy surrounding their owner, Donald Sterling, and the racist remarks caught on tape.

So, Sterling's wife Shelly releasing this statement, saying this, quote, "I welcome NBA commissioner Adam Silver's active involvement in the search for a person of the utmost character, proven excellence and a commitment to promoting equality and inclusiveness." And then it goes on to say "As a co-owner, I am fully committed to taking the necessary steps to make the Clippers the best team in the NBA. That has been my aspiration ever since 1981." That is coming from the wife, Shelly Sterling.

All right, NBA owners are expected to vote this week about whether forcing Sterling to sell the team - talking about Donald Sterling to sell the team. And if they do, we could see big names battling to take over. Oracle CEO David Ellison, entertainment mogul David Geffen, and Oprah Winfrey are also planning to possibly make a bid on the team. Other potential big-name buyers, boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr., hedge fund manager Chris Hansen and former boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya

All right, but it takes a lot more than just deep pockets to buy an NBA team. Joining us now from New York, CNN national correspondent Deborah Feyerick and Bloomberg Businessweek reporter, Ira Boudway. All right. Good to seat both of you.

So Ira, let's begin with you. Let's talk first about this as Deborah put it earlier, a potential game-changer here now that Shelly Sterling is saying, wait a minute, I am co-owner here. So you've got to take me into consideration, too. How much of a difference is this going to make?

IRA BOUDWAY, BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK REPORTER: It depends on if she means co-owner. If she means co-owner as the person married to the owner and therefore, theoretically entitled to half of the team, then I don't think it matters. I think the managing partner is Sterling, and that's the person they'll be forcing out. If she has independently a large share in the team, then sort of liquidating her ownership might be trickier. But it sort of remains to be seen. We don't know exactly who owns exactly what slices of the team. But my understanding is that Sterling -- Donald -- essentially owns the entire team.

WHITFIELD: OK. But you know, Deborah, this statement that she makes, even to the commissioner saying, I actually agree with you, NBA commissioner Silver, that there needs to be better leadership and this is something that I want to make happen. So essentially she's saying, you can give me a new CEO and you can do and bring in what other reinforcements you need, but I'm still going to be part of this team. FEYERICK: There's no question that she's basically telling the NBA commissioner, we're going to take care of this together. We're going to get rid of him because he's made terrible remarks, allegedly. But me, I'm going to work this through with you.

It's a very interesting statement released by her lawyers. This was done before last night's game after the NBA commissioner said that there was a search for a new CEO. It's very shrewd. You've got to remember, this is woman who actually sued Sterling's mistress saying that she wanted back all of the gifts that her husband had given to the young woman. And the reason given is that it's community property, which is something that happens in California.

So, if she's asking for $250,000 worth of gifts back from the alleged mistress, you better believe she's going to be asking for her share of this team, if not her share, the team entirely. It's a very interesting and very shrewd play on her behalf.

WHITFIELD: It is very interesting. Let's talk about the buying part, if it comes to that, Ira, because I know you wrote an article entitled, "So you've decided to buy the Los Angeles Clippers." We know that buying the Clippers would not only be expensive but a real headache in your view. Why?

BOUDWAY: Well, I mean, first of all, you're competing against the richest of the rich. And that means that, you know, it doesn't just depend on the financials. You're depending sort of on the whims of some very wealthy people who can raise the price dramatically very quickly. And you don't really know what other people think about what it would worth to them to own the Clippers.

The other issue is that you have to pass the NBA's vetting process, which is very strict and will I think be especially strict in this instance because of what happened with Sterling.

WHITFIELD: They don't want a repeated mistake.

BOUDWAY: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: OK. So say you've got the money; we're looking at the potential contenders. Say they have the money. And apparently the team could be up for grabs for close to a billion dollars, and it's not so simple just having deep pockets, though. You say it really could take years before a new buyer would ever really take possession?

BOUDWAY: Yes. It depends on whether Donald Sterling tries to block the league's action. Assuming they vote to strip him off of his ownership, they would say that's illegal. And while sorting it out, if it's a federal anti-trust case, it could take years and it's not clear that the NBA would accept bids that the point because it's not clear who owns the title. So they may wait.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And so Deborah, when you think and re-evaluate this statement coming from Shelly Sterling, it really doesn't seem to entertain the idea of splitting the assets of her husband with the co- owner. It seems that she's saying she's in it for the long haul. It sounds as though she will not voluntarily gave up this team as a co- owner. It seems like she would have that leverage.

FEYERICK: That's absolutely correct. By releasing this statement, what she has done is she is showing everyone, everybody who is watching this story that she is in complete agreement with the NBA commissioner, that she wants what is best for this team, as does he that she's committed to the excellence. Regardless of what her husband has said or done, she's saying, look, I'm a co-owner here. How did they work that out? And Ira would know better than I. Is this something that, for example, is she entitled to keeping half of the team and they have to sell Donald Sterling's share off as his wife, albeit estranged?

WHITFIELD: Great question, Ira. Do you know the answer?

BOUDWAY: I think if she wants to claim through community property, if she wants to claim her half of the team as half an asset that belongs to her husband, I think she would have to file for divorce. They could evaluate that asset and say it's worth this much. Otherwise what would happen, if the NBA is able to strip Sterling of his ownership, she would then be entitled to half of the proceeds of the sale, but she would have no more say in the sale or anything else than Donald Sterling has who's been banned for life and has no longer has a say in what happens.

WHITFIELD: So if normal circumstances in an NBA team transaction may take years, now we're really talking about a lot of years, potentially. Ira Boudway, Deborah Feyerick, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

BOUDWAY: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Vice President Joe Biden may not have actually been at the correspondents' dinner. You know, that was the big date that everybody was talking about last night, but he did make a splash. And speaking of dates, look at who his date was.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to be so star struck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm here because I came last year and I had such a good time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you making her work? She should be in there with the president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have your gig on?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I still have my gig on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's up, Chuck?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. Nice to see you. Glad to be here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, that was just a little peak into last night at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Vice President Joe Biden wasn't there, but he did kind of weigh in on another famous vice president, Julia Louise Dreyfuss, the star of the HBO show, "Veep" in this clip. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Selena, what are you doing?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought you were the president. Are you going to this correspondents' dinner tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm not going. It's a punch of politicians trying to explain politics to Hollywood. It's not worth it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly. Who wants to see David Gregory crying in the corner all night? Do you want to come and pick me up? Yellow? Seriously? Yellow?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get in this car.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's locked.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just check for me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. I've got to remember that. Yes. OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa. Don't touch the desk. Don't touch the desk.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, let's get out of here and get something to eat.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is good. My granddaughters like the sprinkles.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the sweetest thing that you can get in the executive branch. Guys, what are you doing?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's in your mouth?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Carrots?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't touch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Haven't you guys listened to anything that I've said about healthy eating? Hand it over. Hand it over. You guys, come on, let's move.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Busted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can say that again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She looks good. I just forgot my purse, so -- I'm sure there are raisins in here. It's a fruit. Plus, it's more than you give you at that correspondents' dinner, let me tell you. Plus, I work out every day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, sure you do. I do, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You want to arm wrestle.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't really work out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I didn't think so.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So where are we headed next? We can write any headline we want?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Knock yourself out. Go to it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The headline I'd like to write is Selena Meyers sworn in as president, but only good time. Yes, we can all look directly into the camera, Kevin. The point is, you're not supposed to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Selena, Joe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are you doing here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Getting my tattoo done. Do you know what the difference is between the Koch brothers and a tattoo? They are both painful, but you can get rid of a tattoo.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right, let's do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bring it on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Bring it on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, Girl.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Jay Dog, are you going to this dinner thing tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not going. Important things going on here in the capital.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, OK, right. Thanks. You know what, Joe, I'm going to need to go to the dinner. You see, the thing is, I'm not really the VP but you are. I'm an actress from Hollywood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So can you give me a ride?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The secret service doesn't let me drive off the property.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That makes no sense.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can get a cab.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I've got my dress and this hair. Thanks a million, Joe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good luck.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: My gosh. So they had a little fun there. Again, all of that from the White House Correspondents' Association. They put together that film and it ran last night at the dinner. The real Vice President Joe Biden was not at the dinner, but he was by virtue of that. But the star of "Veep," the HBO show was at the dinner. Talking about it today, political commentator, Marc Lamont Hill, joining me. OK, that was some fun stuff.

MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: That was extremely fun. I thought that whole video was fun.

WHITFIELD: No one doubted that Joe Biden had a sense of humor, but he puts them up there now.

HILL: Yes, he's got some comedic chops, too.

WHITFIELD: Yes, I know. Very impressive. So talk to me about what you think is significant about this dinner. It is all in fun, but it does give folks, I guess, a chance to see these politicos in a different way.

HILL: Yes. I love the fact that it's really hash tagging around the world as nerd problem. All of us in journalism get to hang out with the celebs and the celebs get to show their nerdy side. It was a lot of fun and it's getting more advertising than 20 years ago, but it's still a lot of fun.

WHITFIELD: And the president was there front and center. It's his night to joke around and he made his own funny jokes about his vice president. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It is strange to think that I just have 2-1/2 years left in this office. Everywhere I look, there are reminders that I only hold this job temporarily. But it's a long time between now and 2016 and anything can happen you may have heard the other day Hillary had to dodge a flying shoe at a press conference.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: All right, so everybody has a good sense of humor about this. What about the president and the timing? He's always a hit at these dinners, as you know.

HILL: He is the best. Bush is very good. I think Obama may be the best at this. He has the right timing and temperament and self- deprecating humor and enough aimed at the other side. It's perfect.

WHITFIELD: And the comedian of the night was Joel McHale. Let's listen to some of the jokes he said. He was kind of racy at times.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOEL MCHALE, COMEDIAN: Good evening, Mr. President or as Paul Ryan refers to you yet another inner city minority relying on the federal government to feed and house your family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: My goodness, OK, so people kind of nervously laughed at moments like that.

HILL: You know, it was weird because that was one of the better jokes. You know, he sometimes went so far it wasn't even fun. I love irreverent humor but some of the jokes just didn't hit and you heard the groans in the crowd. It was not as bad as Jay Leno back in 2010, but it was darn close to maybe the one of the worst that I've seen in ten years.

WHITFIELD: All right, Marc Lamont Hill, always a lot of fun. Of course, people will be watching the replays for many days to come because every time you listen to it, you hear one little nuance or thing and it's fun to watch the expression in the audience, those who nervously laugh or those who are stone-faced who said I'm not going to laugh here.

HILL: Exactly, people tried.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you, Marc, appreciate it.

All right, straight ahead, no laughing matter at all. Nigeria's president now addressing his nation more than two weeks after nearly 300 school girls were kidnapped. What does he have to say now? A live report coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The kidnapping of over 223 school girls in Nigeria is igniting global outrage and international pressure is building for their safe return. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is addressing his nation on the situation. Let's go to Isha Sesay in Lagos, Nigeria. So what is being said, if anything?

ISHA SESAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka. This is the first time that the president has addressed the nation on this matter, which took place some three weeks ago almost now where these 276 girls were taken from their beds in the middle of the night in the north eastern part of the country. The president saying on TV this evening, in fact, he is still speaking, but saying a short time ago that basically the Nigerian military and Nigerian security forces are doing everything they can to locate these girls.

But making the key point, which you know is not going to fill ordinary Nigerians with any kind of relief or confidence that they do not know where these girls are. They still have not been able to identify their location. But the president going on to say and expressing full confidence in the forces and their capabilities and that they will locate these girls, he says, they will return them to their families. They will defeat Boko Haram.

This is the first time we got some level of operational detail, Fredricka, about this effort to find these girls. The president saying that they are using helicopters and aircraft to scan the area. Also pointing to the fact that he's formed a fact finding commission to go to this area where these people can engage the parents of these missing girls.

And I think what is interesting in that is that the president seemed to be inferring in these remarks that a lack of progress has been made in an effort to find them because the parents are not cooperating with security forces. They are not giving up information about the girls' identity, which is going to strike some as somewhat odd, but that's what the president said, the families need to cooperate more with the Nigerian authorities.

So some level of detail, but still many more questions to be answered such as how is it possible that 276 girls could be taken from their beds in the dead of night in a place that is supposed to be under a state of emergency -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Right, a place that is supposed to be safe for those girls as well and then it's difficult to understand why the president is being so confident that they will find the girls when at the same time he is also saying we have no idea where they are.

SESAY: Absolutely. No doubt about that. What is that confidence based on? He did say that they were engaging with local countries bordering Nigeria to see whether these girls have been taken into those areas, saying that if they are in other countries that they will be brought back. But Fred, they don't know where they are.

WHITFIELD: My gosh, it's so unsettling and so terrifying. All right, Isha Sesay, thank you so much from Lagos, Nigeria. We'll be right back with more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Coming up, a horrific accident at a circus leaves nearly a dozen performers injured. New details on this breaking story at the top of the hour.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VENUS WILLIAMS, PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER: I have it say, I feel more confident on the court than in my life.

ANNOUNCER: Venus has not always been optimistic about her future. Three years ago she told the world that she was suffering from a fatigue-suffering disease.

WILLIAMS: I just see it as a challenge. In my life, I've never been defeated by anything that I've lost. I've had to learn, but I've never had to lay down the towel.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you ever have days where you feel like you can't get out of bed?

WILLIAMS: Yes, I do. But that makes me anxious. So once you get that far down, once you get back up, you realize that you have really nothing to lose.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)