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CNN This Morning
Ukraine Marks 9 Months Since Russia's Deadly Invasion; Adidas To Investigate Claims Of West's Inappropriate Behavior; Today: Artemis 1 Mission Faces Biggest Stress Test So Far. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired November 25, 2022 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[07:30:00]
JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL (via Skype): So we need -- we need more air defense in Ukraine. That's obvious. We see the horrendous, horrific attacks every day against civilian infrastructure in cities in Ukraine and therefore, we need to help Ukraine be able to shoot down those incoming Russian missiles and drones. And that's exactly what we are doing, but we should further step up and that's my call to NATO allies.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You've obviously seen the latest attacks from Russia continuing to go after essential services in Ukraine. We were talking earlier they are having to perform heart surgery basically by flashlight in some situations.
Do you believe that this is a Russian campaign of terror on Ukrainian civilians?
STOLTENBERG: What we see now is that President Putin is trying to weaponize winter and -- by these deliberate attacks on cities, on civilian infrastructure. He tries to deprive the Ukrainians of gas, heating, water. And this just demonstrates once again the brutality of this war and the importance of President Putin and Russia ending this war.
The best way we can address the horrific scenes we see from Ukraine is to support Ukraine. And I would like to commend, especially, the United States for providing unprecedented support to Ukraine -- military support and battalion (PH) support, and also help them to repair the energy grid -- the gas infrastructure -- in addition to the air defense systems we are providing.
And we do that because we stand in solidarity with Ukraine but also because this is in our own security interest to ensure that President Putin does not win in Ukraine.
COLLINS: Well, and speaking of what the end of this could look like, do you agree with the sentiment that you've heard from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley saying that the idea that it would be possible for Ukraine to completely push Russia out -- it would be a very difficult task for the Ukrainians?
STOLTENBERG: The Ukrainians are by far paying the highest price for this war. What we do is measured in money. What they do is measured in blood -- lost lives every day. So it has to be up to Ukraine to decide.
And we need to remember what this is. This is a war of aggression by Russia against an independent sovereign democratic nation in Europe with internationally recognized borders. NATO and NATO allies are not party to the conflict but we help Ukraine to defend themselves. The right for self-defense is enshrined in the U.N. charter.
Most wars will end at the negotiating table. At the same time, we know that what happens around the negotiating table is dependent on their strength on the battlefield. So if we want Ukraine to prevail as a sovereign independent state, we must provide military support to Ukraine. So when there most likely will be some negotiations at some time and they are able to achieve a result which ensures that they prevail as a democratic state in Europe.
COLLINS: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, thank you for your time this morning.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Adidas is launching an investigation into allegations that rapper Kanye West created a toxic environment and the company ignored complaints about it. We'll discuss.
(COMMERCIAL)
[07:37:47]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Reaves is going up against Booker. Reaves is down. Booker knocked it away. Reaves is down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it's worse.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, look at Beverley.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uh oh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He comes in --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- and knocks over Ayton.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Because of what you just saw there, Lakers guard Patrick Beverley is paying a price for shoving that -- in that incident. He has now been suspended for three games. And a new statement from the NBA says it was based, in part, on his history of unsportsmanlike acts on the court.
In last year's Western Conference Finals, Beverley, who was then with the Clippers, pulled a similar move, shoving the Suns' Chris Paul in the back. Now he is facing this suspension after the incident that happened yesterday.
LEMON: And new this morning, Adidas launching an investigation into allegations of misconduct against Kanye West following a Rolling Stones magazine article that reported that Adidas board members ignored the rapper's inappropriate behavior. This comes after the company ended its partnership with the performer over a series of antisemitic remarks.
CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich is with us this morning. Good morning to you.
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, guys.
LEMON: A couple of things here. Sometimes you should just get out of the spotlight when you're having -- when you're dealing --
YURKEVICH: Yes.
LEMON: -- with things like this because the hits just keep on coming for Kanye.
YURKEVICH: Yes. I mean, he's back in the spotlight again because of these misconduct allegations against him. So, Adidas is investigating.
This comes after the Rolling Stone magazine reported that high-level employees at Yeezy sent a letter to the executive board of Adidas asking them to address, quote, "the toxic and chaotic environment that Kanye West created." And also in this letter that was obtained exclusively by the Rolling -- by Rolling Stone -- they go on to say that Adidas knew about this behavior and chose to ignore it.
So, just yesterday, Adidas released a statement about all of this. They said, quote, "It is not currently clear whether the accusations made in an anonymous letter are true. However, we take these allegations very seriously and have taken the decision to launch an independent investigation of the matter immediately to address these allegations."
And you guys know that Kanye West and Adidas had a very successful partnership for about a decade. And after sort of an outcry of the public to end their relationship over antisemitic comments, they finally went on to do that about a month ago. But clearly, this relationship is not over as this investigation goes on.
[07:40:05]
COLLINS: Yes, and it's fascinating to see how as more of these negative stories have come out about Kanye West how people are learning more. People who have worked with him for a long time saying actually, it's not that surprising that he made these comments or that he's making this now and saying this publicly because he has a history of saying that in the past.
YURKEVICH: Yes. It's -- they're saying there's a pattern there. It's not one incident. There is a pattern. And Kanye West -- we have not heard from him on this yet. We have not
heard from him publicly. He also doesn't have a publicist or an attorney representing him on this matter.
LEMON: Yes.
YURKEVICH: So -- but let's -- you know, let's not forget that Kanye West does like to come out publicly and talk about all of this, so we could see something from him soon. Just we haven't heard from him on this specific issue yet.
LEMON: That's the problem with people giving him the platform. And sometimes -- again, I know people who are in -- who have very high- profile positions --
YURKEVICH: Yes.
LEMON: -- and when they're going through things you don't exacerbate it by offering them more opportunities to hurt themselves in the media. You know what I'm saying?
YURKEVICH: Yes.
LEMON: Thank you, Vanessa. I appreciate it.
YURKEVICH: Thank you.
LEMON: Thank you.
The Artemis 1 mission making its closest approach to the moon this week, and the pictures are worth the trip. Plus, actress Margot Robbie revealing what she did to calm her nerves before shooting a graphic scene with co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.
(COMMERCIAL)
[07:45:41]
COLLINS: A revealing behind-the-scenes moment from the Martin Scorsese film "The Wolf of Wall Street." Actress Margot Robby -- Robbie confessing that she needed some liquid courage before she shot that nude scene with her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio. Margot was speaking at an event for the British Academy of Film and Television.
She said, quote, "I'm not going to lie. I had a couple of shots of tequila before that scene because I was nervous -- very nervous. I know it sounds silly now knowing how big the movie became but at the time I thought, 'No one is going to notice me in this film.'"
Margot Robbie said she questioned if she wanted to continue being an actress after working on "The Wolf of Wall Street" because according to The Hollywood Reporter, at the same event, she said that he work in "I, Tonya" -- the movie as Tonya Harding -- was the moment that made her feel like she was a good actress.
LEMON: She was really, really good -- COLLINS: That movie was great.
LEMON: -- in that movie.
COLLINS: So good.
LEMON: Margot Robbie, have you seen yourself?
COLLINS: Really.
LEMON: You didn't think you would get noticed in that movie? Come on.
All right, let's talk about space now. The biggest test yet this weekend for NASA's Artemis mission. The Orion spacecraft made its closest approach to the moon this week and sent these new images of the moon's surface back to Earth before it enters something called distant retrograde orbit.
Just give me a second. I'm not looking at the prompter. I just want to see these pictures.
Joining us now to explain what that means is Columbia University physics professor Brian Greene. He's also the founder of the World Science Festival. Good morning to you.
BRIAN GREENE, PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, FOUNDER, WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL: Good morning.
LEMON: Happy Thanksgiving.
And Kaitlan is all about it, asking you a million questions in the commercial break here. Before you guys get into it -- because I know you're going to want to get into it -- is this -- has there been a resurgence in interest in space, and also with the United States doing it? Because before, it was just like kind of the space cowboys and their rockets. You know, the Bezos and the Tesla owners --
GREENE: Yes.
LEMON: -- of the world. Is there a resurgence here?
GREENE: Absolutely. You know, back in the -- in the '60s and '70s, it was all about the political race -- you know, beating the Soviet Union to the moon. And once we got there the kind of drive dissipated a bit. But now, it really is in the service of exploration, trying to take the next step beyond Earth to the moon and then ultimately, to Mars and beyond.
LEMON: These pictures -- these images we're looking at, are they really great quality? Are they fascinating to you?
COLLINS: Yes. What do learn from these?
GREENE: Yes. I mean, it's an amazing mission -- this powerful rocket. This approach is 81 miles from the surface of the moon. Wonderful resolution. And it's just the beginning, right?
COLLINS: Yes.
GREENE: This is just the first step. And when we start to send crewed missions, and we start to land on the moon and start to drill and understand and have a permanent outpost, that's where the excitement really will begin.
COLLINS: But these are the closest --
LEMON: Can I just ask a favor before you jump in? Can you guys --
GREENE: Yes.
LEMON: -- put the pictures behind him so I can see them as they're talking about it? Sorry -- go ahead, Kaitlan.
COLLINS: Well, these are the closest images of the moon that we've ever had, right?
GREENE: Well, we've been to the surface itself --
COLLINS: Right.
GREENE: -- so that's pretty close. But, yes, the --
COLLINS: Right. But the pictures themselves are just (INAUDIBLE).
GREENE: But in 50 years, this is the closest we've gotten -- absolutely.
COLLINS: Yes.
And what's happening today with the spacecraft entering the lunar orbit? What does -- what does that mean? I know people can --
GREENE: Yes.
COLLINS: -- watch it. That'll be interesting. But what does it mean?
GREENE: Yes. Actually, at 4:52 p.m. is when this is going to happen, so every Best Buy and Walmart should have this on the T.V. screen so people can see it during Black Friday.
But the Orion spacecraft is going to thrust into an orbit around the moon. It's going to be a 50,000 or so mile orbit, so it's going to be the most distance craft that could carry human beings that we've ever sent up into space. For six days, it's going to go in half of a large orbit, and then it's going to resume its journey back to Earth.
COLLINS: OK, I worry that there's a timing conflict because I think that's going to be while the USA and England are playing --
GREENE: Yes.
COLLINS: -- in Qatar. So we'll see --
GREENE: Break in -- just break in.
COLLINS: -- what -- we'll see what the stores decide to air.
GREENE: Yes.
COLLINS: It's super interesting.
LEMON: What -- so how close are we looking at here because it's like -- I mean, it's just like, you know, I don't know.
GREENE: I have to turn myself to see this. Now, yes, so this is an 81-mile shot and, you know, that's an amazing achievement. The fact that --
LEMON: That's 81 miles?
GREENE: Yes. That's the closest approach.
And it's, again, just the start. The goal is to learn from these images in this first flight. This is Artemis 1. A year or two from now, Artemis 2 is going to take a crew up. They're not going to land. And then maybe in 2025, Artemis 3. I think it's going to be beyond 2025, frankly.
COLLINS: Yes.
GREENE: We'll actually land the first woman and first person of color on the moon. That's the goal. And then ultimately, have some permanent outposts.
LEMON: Oh, cool.
[07:50:00]
COLLINS: But this all paves the way also for Mars, right?
GREENE: Yes, that's what this is all about. The moon is nearby. We can test out humans in space again with all the detailed technology that needs to make it safe and then ultimately, on to Mars.
COLLINS: Yes. It's fascinating.
LEMON: It is fascinating. And look, here's what I -- this is just me.
GREENE: Yes, sure.
LEMON: I'm not an astronaut, scientist, physicist --
COLLINS: What?
LEMON: -- or whatever. No, not at all. Can you believe it?
GREENE: Oh, we thought you were. LEMON: So, obviously, there's some kind of life out there but we just probably don't know how to recognize that life, right? It doesn't mean that it's obviously human, right? It's a different type of life.
When do you think we get to that point where we kind of figure that part out?
GREENE: Yes, I don't know. And it's not so obvious to me. I get the idea. There's so many planets and so much space out there. How could there not be some form of life out there? But who knows? Maybe life is a one-off event that happened in the cosmos and we are the seed --
LEMON: Oh my.
GREENE: -- that will then spread life -- hopefully, better than we've done so far on Earth.
LEMON: But I mean life the way we know -- recognize it.
GREENE: Yes.
LEMON: I mean, obviously, there's -- it's a living --
GREENE: Yes.
LEMON: -- solar system and living galaxies. Do you understand what I'm saying?
GREENE: Poetically.
LEMON: Yes.
GREENE: But if we're talking about life as replicating molecules that have come together in these complex forms, I don't know that there's --
LEMON: Right.
GREENE: -- another instance.
But my gut feeling is you're right that there is other life out there. But here's the big question. Is there intelligent life out there, right?
LEMON: Oh.
GREENE: Life is one thing, but on our planet, if the asteroid hadn't wiped out the dinosaurs, they might still be walking around. And would they be here having an interview? I don't know -- or would they still just be foraging out in the forests?
COLLINS: No Velociraptors allowed on set.
GREENE: Exactly. So that's the question. Life versus intelligent life.
LEMON: Yes.
COLLINS: Professor --
GREENE: Thank you.
LEMON: Buzzkill. Come on, we can have Velociraptors -- no?
COLLINS: Have you seen "Jurassic Park?" I think you missed like what happens in the movie because you don't want the Velociraptors on set.
Professor, we love having you on set though, so thank you so much.
LEMON: That was fun.
GREENE: Thank you.
LEMON: Thank you. Thank you -- appreciate it. And good luck. I don't know what happened to your hand, but --
GREENE: Yes, it will get better.
LEMON: Yes, thank you.
Up next, we're live at a pub in London -- now that is dangerous -- where England and USA fans are gathering to watch the big World Cup match.
COLLINS: And a miraculous rescue operation for a man. He went overboard from a Carnival cruise ship and spent 12 hours in the water. We're going to talk to the Coast Guard's search and rescue mission coordinator about that dramatic rescue next.
LEMON: Now that is -- that mission is unbelievable. Can you believe 12 hours?
COLLINS: Can you tread water for 12 hours in the ocean?
(COMMERCIAL)
[07:56:27]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tonight, the National Dog Show Best in Show winner is the French bulldog.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, David, you were right. And look at this. No one happier. They have cornered the market on energy --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Have --
LEMON: What? What were you saying?
COLLINS: That dog -- he's going to have, like, shaken baby syndrome. LEMON: I know. Shaken doggie syndrome. They were so excited.
That's Winston. Winston is a French bulldog. His owner, Perry Mason Winston -- Perry Mason, I should say. Winston won Best in Show at the 21st National Dog competition. He is the first of the breed to ever win top honors, beating out hundreds of other canines. The most- watched dog show in the country.
So, just to paint a picture of how competitive this is, these dogs are sometimes trained for years to win this title. It's crazy.
COLLINS: It's pretty cute.
LEMON: Yes, I know. It's adorbs --
COLLINS: Winston --
LEMON: -- Winston. Let's hope Winston is OK. He was like whoa!
COLLINS: A lot of excitement there.
LEMON: Yes.
So the holiday season is here, right?
COLLINS: Yes, and you know what that means?
LEMON: What does it mean?
COLLINS: Classic movies.
LEMON: All right, well --
COLLINS: And T.V. specials are back. It's such a good time of year to watch. It's like nostalgia lane.
And this year, CNN is bringing you a look at all of your favorites. Here is what we've got on deck.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM HANKS, ACTOR: Christmas movies and television specials are always about someone who has lost their faith in humankind regaining it.
PHIL ROSENTHAL, CREATOR, "EVERBODY LOVES RAYMOND": "Christmas Story" is one of the best movies about nostalgia, family, and Christmas.
SARA SIDNEY, CNN JOURNALIST: I watch it every year at least twice. It's the script of my life.
RAMI MALEK, ACTOR: It's hard to beat "Home Alone." Just the fun and hijinks. It is on the Mount Rushmore of holiday movies.
RON HOWARD, DIRECTOR: I lost myself in "Miracle on 34th Street."
ALONSO DURALDE, FILM CRITIC, AUTHOR: "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" was capturing how the holidays make us all insane.
BEN MANKIEWICZ, HOST, TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES: There is that consistent Christmas element in "Elf" of change, of realization.
TIM NAFTALI, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Watch a good Christmas show and it doesn't matter when it was made. These ideas don't get old.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unwrap the stories behind everything we love to watch at Christmas. A 2-hour special event, "'TIS THE SEASON: THE HOLIDAYS ON SCREEN."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: And "'TIS THE SEASON: THE HOLIDAYS ON SCREEN" premieres Sunday night, 8 p.m. eastern only on CNN.
What's your favorite Christmas song?
LEMON: Uh -- oh, I've got some. So, Donny Hathaway, "This Christmas."
COLLINS: Oh, that's a good one.
LEMON: Singing "This Christmas." And Charles Brown, "Please Come Home for Christmas."
Singing "Please Come Home for Christmas."
COLLINS: I think "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" is my favorite.
LEMON: Singing "Please Come Home for Christmas."
COLLINS: Speaking of "Home Alone."
LEMON: "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree?"
COLLINS: Yes.
LEMON: Singing "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree."
COLLINS: Yes.
LEMON: That's Patsy Cline, right?
COLLINS: I thought it was Brenda.
LEMON: Is it Brenda?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brenda Lee.
LEMON: Brenda Lee.
COLLINS: Brenda Lee.
LEMON: Brenda Lee, Brenda Lee.
COLLINS: Thank you for that. All right --
LEMON: What else do we have? Wait, we've still got a couple of seconds here before the top of the show. Favorite Christmas songs? I like the Stevie Wonder Christmas album.
COLLINS: Stevie Wonder is a good one.
LEMON: Everything is good. I like -- what's his name? Burl Ives. Anything Burl Ives puts you right in the Christmas mood.
COLLINS: The control room wants some justice for Mariah Carey, saying she's got to be mentioned here.
I actually like Arianna Grande's Christmas songs. I'm such a millennial. I know.
LEMON: Mariah Carey is good. I mean, it's become a classic over the years. The Jacksons' Christmas album, very good as well. Luther has a great Christmas album. And Motown does a really great Christmas album.
COLLINS: Have you been listening to Christmas music already or do you wait until today, like I do?
LEMON: I do wait on the Christmas music because --
COLLINS: Until after Thanksgiving.
LEMON: -- it can -- it's Christmas music for me is like a Bloody Mary. You can only have -- we can only do it for so long because of so much tomato juice. So you can have one Bloody Mary and maybe two. Christmas is like last -- the music lasts maybe three to four weeks and then you're like OK, I can't really do it anymore.
COLLINS: Yes, there's a time limit to that.
LEMON: Can I ask you -- this is weird. Do you watch -- you know, there's some channels that have like the Christmas movie.
