Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Abuse Survivor Captures Grammys Audience; 26 Prisoners Escape In Brazil; Bobbi Kristina Brown Still In Coma; Plus-size Swimsuit Models Featured In Sports Illustrated

Aired February 09, 2015 - 15:30   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: You submitted the spoken word, that this piece to the Grammys, and they did not change a single word of yours. Tell me more about your message?

BROOKE AXTELL, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR: OK. I had the initial conversation with the producers and they asked me to submit a piece to review. And after that, they sent it to the White House and to Katy Perry. My opportunity to share this message of hope and healing on the stage of the Grammys is tremendous inspiration, hope for me, and for the survivors that I advocate for.

BALDWIN: Do you know, Brooke, whose idea it was to take this issue of, you know, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and put it in the spotlight at the Grammys? Was it the producers, the president, do we know?

AXTELL: It was the producers. And I am tremendously grateful for their vision and leadership on that. It was inspired by conversations that Ken Ehrlich, the executive producer of the Grammys had, when he was involved in some events at the White House. And it sparked his vision to create this segment. He reached out to Katy and asked what she would like to specifically address, and she wanted to focus on domestic violence.

BALDWIN: I want to ask you about Katy in just a minute, but, you know, Brooke, this is something, as we've just touched on, in the intro to something you have dealt with almost your entire life. And, you know, when you look at the last couple of months, it's an issue that has been smack dab in the forefront nationally, because of either stories of rape at our nation's colleges or the NFL finally instituting a policy. So do you think this has become a less taboo, less of a stigma?

AXTELL: I think major media coverage is an important first step, but it's signifying a shift in terms of a willingness to have the conversation. But I still think that we need to continue to progress with this in terms of grassroots activism, really empowering people to take the first steps towards healing and restoration and look at the ways that we can create intervention in our communities.

BALDWIN: Can you take me behind the scenes of the Grammys last night, Brooke, whether it was before or after, what did Katy Perry say to you? AXTELL: We had a moment to speak after our performance. And she just

conveyed to me that she was really thrilled with how it went and glad that we had the opportunity to raise awareness.

BALDWIN: Brooke Axtell, thank you so much. Please continue all the hard work you do. Appreciate it.

AXTELL: Thank you for having me.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, it is the prison break that has everyone talking about, 26 inmates escaped. The guards were apparently drugged. The bizarre details on how this whole thing happened, including the women who showed up. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Never thought I'd be asking this question, but what is the best way to bring federal prison, you ask. Apparently, you are looking at it -- sexy leather police uniforms and boots. Police are hunting for two women who seduced the prison guards leading to his mass prison escape.

CNN joins me now is Shasta Darlington from San Paolo, Brazil. How did they do it, Shasta?

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN BRAZIL BUREAU CHIEF: You know, Brooke, you got to wonder these two women walked (ph) in this pretty fantastic costumes. It is a week from carnival or maybe that's what convinced the guard. But why n the world where they even a little bit suspicious.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DARLINGTON (voice-over): A prison break that left very little to the imagination. Two women in these skimpy police costumes convinced the guards out of prison in western Brazil to let them in. And then according to investigators, seduced them.

Spiked bottles of whiskey were found next to the handcuffed guards who were found passed out the next morning allegedly with no recollection of the night before.

In the meantime, 26 prisoners have escape from jail in Nova Mutum, taking weapons with them.

Police investigator Angelina De Ambradis (ph) says the two guards and the prison director who slept through it all in another part of the facility have been charged with facilitating a prison break. They could face up to four years in prison. Police have recaptured some, but a manhunt continues for the rest.

And the small city of Nova Mutum can talk about nothing but those female temptresses.

(END VIDEOTAPE) DARLINGTON: Now, this big escape really has turned into the butt of jokes for a lot of people in Brazil, but for some, it's serious. In this town, the city of Nova Mutum, there's still 15 people, 15 inmates who have escaped, who they haven't recovered. And we're not talking about petty criminals, in some cases, they're armed robbers, and some have been found guilty of murder, even. So it's not all a laughing matter, Brooke.

BALDWIN: I -- I'm not laughing at all. I'm just fixated on those little negligee outfits and thinking how the heck did this whole thing happen over that.

Shasta Darlington, thank you. We'll leave it there. Let's move on.

The investigation into how Bobbi Kristina Brown ended up face down in a bathtub may now be focusing on one person, her boyfriend. The man who called himself her husband. We will tell you what a source close to the investigation is now saying, that's next.

Plus, these two models the in the "Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition" are considered plus size. Both will be joining me and let me know what they think about calling themselves that.

Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: While, Bobbi Kristina Brown clings to life, some people are asking pretty pointed question about how the daughter of Whitney Houston could end up face down in a bathtub. A source close to the family told CNN that Bobbi Kristina has injuries that still need to be explained, although the source didn't describe those injuries precisely.

I've got Don Lemon with me, host of "CNN TONIGHT." And so, they're treating this as a medical incident.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Yes. But they're also saying they're investigating Nick Gordon and looking at the injuries, how she allegedly -- how she sustained those injuries. Yet to be determined what the injuries are and how she ended up face down in a bathtub. And where was he, exactly because his friend, I think his friend's name is Max Lomas actually found her first, then called Nick and then called 911. And, apparently, this friend let a repairman into the house or a cable guy before, so they're trying to figure out exactly, the circumstances that led up to all of this.

BALDWIN: And again, so Nick Gordon is the boyfriend, that was clarified with Bobby Brown last week saying, they are not married, they were never married, and he's at the center of this whole investigation.

LEMON: Right. Nick Gordon is at the center of this. He is the boyfriend which was alleged husband, common law husband, however you want to put it, who was also raised with Bobbi Kristina, and that was obviously an issue, that a very tumultuous relationship. Some people say, there are reports that say the relationship at times was violent, that police were called often, and that was a concern from family members, that he had this, you know, undue influence over her and that the relationship sometimes turned physical.

So one would assume that if there are unexplained injuries yet to be determined, that they would be looking into the possibility that he may be the cause or at least know how those injuries got on her body. Or placed on her body.

BALDWIN: There is a vigil tonight. Do we know any of the names who will be in attendance?

LEMON: I don't know that who is going to be in attendance tonight. My reporting does not go that far, but we do know who has been visiting her in the hospital. And that has been Tyler Perry, of course, the entrepreneur and movie maker, mogul, actor, everything --

BALDWIN: All of the above.

LEMON: Everything, all of the above. Of course, Cissy Houston is now there, with her granddaughter. And Bobby has been by her bedside, of course, releasing statements, and reportedly saying, regardless of the circumstances, I'm not taking her off a ventilator, because he believes in miracles. So I know, one would assume that they are going to be there, and I would assume some close family friends will be there as well.

BALDWIN: Wednesday marks three years, three years since Whitney Houston was found, when you were on the air and had to report that live.

LEMON: It was odd watching the Grammys last night, Brooke. I didn't watch the entire thing. I sort of saved it, but it was weird to think about, because it made me think about the reporting. And that was a really sad time. Regardless of how you thought about Whitney Houston, she was a very talented woman. And she, you know, we all had demons and she dealt with some pretty strong demons. And now that it appears that that has been somehow handed down to her daughter, who's really just a child, this life was just starting, and let's hope that her life will continue, but according to the reports from the hospital, it doesn't look good.

BALDWIN: Some injuries that still needs to --

LEMON: Three years, can you believe that?

BALDWIN: No. I remember that whole weekend watching you.

Thank you very much, Don Lemon.

LEMON: Thank you.

BALDWIN: "CNN TONIGHT" 10:00 Eastern here on CNN.

It may be one of the most talked about parts of the "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit edition, the ad. The ad, it's future, she is smoking! I met her a little bit ago. So I'm about to introduce you to her. Featured model sort of plus size, she tells me. She wants to get rid of that close classification altogether.

Also ahead, another model -- I'm surrounded by beauty on this show, Don Lemon.

LEMON: She's not a plus size is she, no?

BALDWIN: She says she's not. Let's have that conversation. She's gorgeous. They all are.

LEMON: Get out of your show now.

BALDWIN: Get out of here! Get off my set. Model time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: She is not a typical sample size. She's not standard runway model material, I suppose, but she is in "Sports Illustrated" in the coveted swimsuit edition, model Ashley Graham. She joined me earlier to talk about being in the swimsuits for all advertisement that featured in this magazine. How she went from as she explained to me many moons ago being called thunder thighs to her mission to drop the plus size label. Here's our conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Ashley Graham is here. It is so awesome to see you in person.

ASHLEY GRAHAM, MODEL: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

Here's my first thing. Let's just rip the Band-Aid off. I mean, when will the day come when I just get to have you on my show and say you're gorgeous instead of hey, you're gorgeous in your plus-size and in the swimsuit edition of the magazine.

GRAHAM: The day is coming very soon. But I think it's a really great conversation right now that we are talking about curvy girls, curves in bikinis. I mean, this is the curvy girl era. This is what we need to be talking about right now.

BALDWIN: Were you always -- I mean, looking at you, were you always this confident or were there days --?

GRAHAM: Look, every woman has their day where they feel fat or they don't feel like going out into life. I have been there. I have had those days but it's not every day. It started at home. My mom was a very confident woman. She instilled that in me. She always says beauty comes from within. And I just learned that from a very young age.

BALDWIN: I mean, come on. I'm no perfect size two or four, ever. And so, I mean, I can remember days, boys can be mean when you're like in elementary school. I would never go back to seventh grade if you paid me.

GRAHAM: No, I got called thunder thighs, I got called the fat model, things like that. But I have never had a man tell me I need you to lose weight for me to like you. In the industry, I have had people ask me to lose weight, gain weight. I have been too pretty, I have been too ugly. There is always something. You can't ever please anybody, perfect doesn't exist. So whatever you want to be, that's what I say you are.

BALDWIN: What about this whole OK, it's great that you're in the magazine but not really in the magazine, you are in an ad in the magazine.

GRAHAM: It doesn't matter.

BALDWIN: It doesn't matter.

GRAHAM: Honestly, it was a great platform for swimsuit for all to take advantage of. Honestly, curves in bikinis is what the ad is really about. And we are trying to get more women in their sexy curvy swimsuits, especially on social media. Are we (INAUDIBLE) ladies.

BALDWIN: When we say plus size, what is that?

GRAHAM: Isn't that crazy? I mean, I have been called plus-size for 15 years. So I'm so used to it now. But plus-size in the fashion industry starts at size eight and it goes up to size 18. That's a very wide range. And the average size American woman is size 14. So basically I'm average but America's calling me plus-size or the fashion industry is calling me plus-size.

BALDWIN: But the thing with you, as you creep on her Instagram which I have done, you know, a lot of people think plus size and they're not working out, they are not eating, you know, these young women aren't eating healthily and you are like all about the gym. We were just talking a minute about working out together, I mean.

GRAHAM: I have workout videos coming out. It is called the curvy fit club and it is for curvy women who want to keep everything nice and tone and lean. It is quick 15 minute workouts. You can check them out right now on (INAUDIBLE). It's a really fun thing to be doing.

BALDWIN: Final message for young women who are just sort of like trying to feel comfortable and confident in their own size. What's your message?

GRAHAM: Size doesn't matter. It's about what's inside. And honestly, everything you see in the magazines is airbrushed, it is retouched. I have cellulite, I have rolls. And guess what, I don't care. I'm sitting here talking on TV about it. And I love every inch of myself and so should you.

BALDWIN: Amen. Congratulations.

GRAHAM: Thank you very much.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: How about that?

So here with me now, another swimsuit model also featured in this magazine, but she is called the "Sports Illustrated" rookie. She is 6'2". Her size is into double digits and many are citing her as the first plus-size model to be featured in the swimsuit edition. She is 25-year-old Robyn Lawley. She joins me right now.

And I should mention what we can't see in the shot is that you are nine months pregnant, so congratulations there. In fact that I read that you were pregnant while you were doing your thing in your bikini for "Sports Illustrated." So talk about being comfortable in your own skin, my goodness.

ROBYN LAWLEY, MODEL: Yes. Well, at the time I didn't really know and I was very tired and the crew thought it was hilarious I had to choose between lunch or sleeping and I was like I need to sleep, because the first trimester, you just like you are so tired all the time. And then at that night I think I had to have liked two burgers to recuperate.

But yes, it was a tough day for me. But the crew is the most funniest crew I have ever had the pleasure of working with. So it was an awesome day.

BALDWIN: Phenomenal. So. it sounds like you have come quite a ways, Robyn, from the days of going on casting calls in your younger years and you have the teeny tiny clothes that you're not quite fitting in and you were sent home. I mean, I read this, you know, that back in the day, you hated your figure.

LAWLEY: Yes. You know, I think, you know, people don't realize that the ramifications of telling a 16-year-old girl, you know, you didn't fit the clothes and you need to lose some more weight or, you know, you need to go on another diet. And you know, girls take that to the extreme and I really, really tried to get into modeling, and no one really stopped me, either, because everyone was like models are skinny and, you know, she needs to be a size, in Australia, six, which is like a four in America to actually model. So everyone was like this is normal.

And it wasn't normal. I was counting calories and restricting food and it was a horrible, horrible time for me. And I moved to France, so I'm a big cook, that's what I wanted to be when I was a child. I have a cookbook and I just stopped caring about my size, and then -- and I started seeing (INAUDIBLE) and some other Australian models doing so well and I was like what, they're like my size, I can model again? So I took up plus size modeling and have been doing it for six years.

BALDWIN: So hang on a second. Because I'm listening to you and I promise I am listening to you, but I'm looking at these pictures of you and I'm hearing this phrase plus size and I'm thinking what? I mean, what is plus size technically, because I mean, I don't know. I don't know how to ask the question I'm trying to ask, but you look pretty incredible.

LAWLEY: Thank you. You know, plus size like Ashley said, starts eight and up. And it's just one of those things, most of my clients in the beginning were clients -- retailers that stock like a 12 and up. And similar to like the fashion world where their sample size is a zero, the plus size fashion world, their sample size is a 12. And I'm a 12. So it's like -- it is a bit ridiculous but we're trying to slowly break the mold and I have been fortunate enough to work with clients such as, you know, Chantel Lingerie used me and have been using me for a long time without making a big deal about it, you know. Ralph Lauren has used me. And Kenneth Wills used me for an exhibition. And you know, I think, it is like, times are changing. But it is just -- yes, we have to get the rest of them on board.

BALDWIN: Yes, we do. And I have a feeling that will come, my dear. That will come. As a rookie in the swimsuit edition, final question, 45 seconds. You talk about breaking the mold. What's the next accomplishment for you? I mean, at the moment, where somebody may consider closing the door in your face, what's the next one to break through?

LAWLEY: Well, for me, you know, I really want my swimwear label to do really well and we are working on an active label, expanding that because I love making high end designer swimsuits. And I want women to feel comfortable in active wear as well because I'm, you know, I'm a really sporty person. I love sport and I want girls to feel good and I have yet to find anything that fits me. And because I'm going to focus on my baby for a little while, I figure this would be the prime time for me to really so I get to active wearing getting it good and getting it right.

BALDWIN: I love that. I love that 100 percent. Good luck on being a mom, Robyn Lawley. And thank you so much for spending the time with me today. I Appreciate it so much.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you for being with me. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.