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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Remembering Robin Williams; Power Struggle in Baghdad
Aired August 12, 2014 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now: power struggle in Baghdad, adding to the chaos in Iraq. The new prime minister announced as the old one refuses to step down. This as U.S. airstrikes take down Islamic terrorists that's taking hold over large part of Iraq. We are live with the latest on the ground and whether this new government is capable of stabilizing the country.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Remembering a legend. This morning, the world reeling, we all are really, after Robin Williams found dead in an apparent suicide. We are looking back on his many historic moments and his long battle with addiction.
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.
ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. It is Tuesday, August 12th, it is 4:00 a.m. in the East.
We welcome all of our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world.
Let's begin this morning with Americans waking up with heavy hearts, trying to cope and come to grips with the stunning death of Oscar- winning actor and comedian, Robin Williams.
BERMAN: The beloved entertainer apparently committed suicide at his northern California home on Monday. The spokesman says he has been battling severe depression. Now, this man who made us laugh for decades, had left so many of us wondering how and why this happens.
Our coverage of the remarkable life and tragic death of Robin Williams begins with entertainment journalist and host, Holland Reid, live from Atlanta.
Let's start with the good, first, Holland, because this career was extraordinary. Robin Williams was a man who could make everyone -- I mean everyone -- laugh.
HOLLAND REID, ENTERTAINMENT HOST, JOURNALIST: Absolutely. He was just a genius. He was a comedic genius.
The novelty of Robin Williams He could do all of these characters, all of these voices. He could embody every single thing that he was given. You always were waiting for what was next, which is why I think it hits so many people in the gut when they heard of this news, because there is no what's next anymore. And that made us want to continue to watch him no matter what project he was given. ROMANS: He was so funny and an amazing, dramatic actor.
REID: Absolutely.
ROMANS: You think about "Good Will Hunting", you know, he could be on and he could be absolutely funny. His improvability was unbelievable. And then, he could sit there with Matt Damon in that film and just break your heart with his quiet words, too.
REID: Absolutely. This is an Oscar winner, and not just a one-time winner, several nominations. He set to the challenge as a comedian to become a serious actor. He brought such a vulnerability to his roles that was just unique and will be sorely, sorely missed.
BERMAN: The comedy was always right on the edge of manic. I think he was so funny because you always had the sense he was barely in control.
REID: Absolutely.
BERMAN: Which brings me to the sad part here, the decades long battle with addiction and this word that he'd been battling depression over the last several months and this apparent suicide. What do you make of that?
REID: You know what's strange is he made a comment years ago that doing cocaine for him actually brought him down. It calmed him down. He was naturally like that all the time.
So, his manic behavior was true to him and his nature. I know he battled alcoholism, he admitted to that. Recent months, he was in a rehab center to treat his sobriety is what he said, so that he could stay committed to his sobriety. I think that his behavior, his natural instincts to be manic in all over the places, what made him Robin Williams. I don't know if the addiction had added anything to that, because he did say that cocaine actually made him calm down and he didn't like it.
But we do know that he struggled with addiction severely. And then now, as we see, depression as well with it ending his wife.
BERMAN: Holland Reid, appreciate you being with us this morning.
REID: Absolutely.
BERMAN: Such an incredible life. But such a sad subject to discuss.
ROMANS: John, you talk about how he was manic, I can remember being at a charity event where he was with Ben Stiller, and Ben Stiller's wife. And Lance Armstrong, Sheryl Crow, and all these people sitting around the table. As Ben Stiller and other very bright, funny people on the stage talking, he's under his breath, giving one liners and play-by-play.
It was the funniest hour of my life. That guy, it was as if he was brisling, kinetic energy by himself in his chair. He couldn't stop it.
BERMAN: I mean, comedically --
ROMANS: He was naturally funny.
BERMAN: -- he operated at a different level than almost any other performer.
ROMANS: Different planet.
All right. Friends, family members, fans, they are devastated by this loss of this man. The actor's battles with addiction are well chronicled. Williams spent time in rehab just last month. His wife of three years, Susan Schneider releasing this statement to CNN, quote, "This morning, I lost my best friend and the world lost the most beloved artist and a beautiful human being." I am utterly heartbroken. As he is remember, it is our hope that the focus will not be on Robin's death, but the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions."
BERMAN: There was a statement even from President Obama. The president said, "He was an icon, airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, president, professor and everything in between. He arrived in our lives as an alien and ended up touching every element of the human spirit.
Our Nischelle Turner takes a look back at this remarkable career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His high octane brand of comedy was his trade mark public persona. But Robin Williams proved himself for an Oscar winner with a strong philanthropic side. Born in 1951, it was in his 20s, Williams was unleashed first as an American TV star.
RON WILLIAMS, ACTOR: Mindy, run for your life! The emotions are coming.
TURNER: As Mork from the planet Ork in "Mork and Mindy", Williams became a household name. When the series ended after a four-year run in 1982, he showed he could do more than make people laugh.
WILLIAMS: My name is TS Garp.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's TS stand for?
WILLIAMS: Terribly sexy.
TURNER: The Julliard schooled actor unveiled his dramatic side for the first time in 1982's "The World According to Garp."
WILLIAMS: So, I was trained as an actor, so it's not like they have to medicate me.
TURNER: That serious side earned him Oscar nominations for "The Fisher King".
WILLIAMS: Good morning, Vietnam.
TURNER: "Good Morning, Vietnam" and "Dead Poet's Society."
WILLIAMS: He's the golden dude.
TURNER: He finally won his only Oscar statue in 1998 for "Good Will Hunting."
WILLIAMS: This one, yes. The others were just foreplay. It's extraordinary.
(LAUGHTER)
TURNER: But Williams never stopped being funny even when the topic seemed serious. He helped launch and co-hosted eight telethons over 20 years to help the homeless.
WILLIAMS: Men who sleep with chickens and the women who love them.
TURNER: Comic relief earned more than $50 million. And even when he talked about his battles with drugs and alcohol, he talked about it with humor.
LARRY KING, "LARRY KING LIVE" HOST: You were drunk?
WILLIAMS: Well, that's nice of you to say that.
TURNER: He took two trips to rehab, most recently this summer. He talked about the process on "LARRY KING LIVE" in 2007.
WILLIAMS: What happens to people basically start the process of, you know, just saying no, and being among others. And learning that you're not alone and working on giving up.
KING: Do you lose your sense of humor in it?
WILLIAMS: No. You find it. You're there with people who have a great sense of humor.
KING: So, you're funny there too.
WILLIAMS: Oh, yes, you got to be.
TURNER: In 2009, the Williams was rushed to the hospital with heart problems, forced to temporarily cancel his one-man show to undergo surgery. He talked about his recovery on "The Ellen" show.
WILLIAMS: You have you a heart surgery and they literally open you up. They crack the box. You are really vulnerable. Oh, a kitten, oh, God. It's -- the kitten -- and you get very, very emotional about everything. But I think that's a wonderful thing. It opens you up to everything.
TURNER: And with a new lease on life, Williams quickly spring back into action. In 2011, he made his Broadway acting debut, starring in Rajiv Joseph's "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo." That same year, he would marry his third wife, graphic designer, Susan Schneider.
In 2013, Williams would return to the small screen, starring in the CBS sitcom "The Crazy Ones", where he would reunite with his old friend Pam Dawber, better known as Mindy.
PAM DAWBER, ACTRESS: Never as screwy as you. You're like an alien.
TURNER: From stand-up to sitcoms and beyond, Williams would delight audiences with a whacky humor and joyful energy. He was the definition of full of life. And even now, his comic legend is destined to endure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: You know, we saw the clips there of comic relief. Other comedians, you know, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, my memory of watching this was they would all perform and people would laugh and that Robin Williams would do his thing and they were uncontrollable.
ROMANS: What an amazing talent.
BERMAN: We'll bring you more of this heart breaking death. It's going to be coming to you all morning right here on CNN.
ROMANS: All right. Now, to the other news this morning, the struggle for control of Iraq. The country's government is in turmoil at this moment. Iraq's president appointing a new prime minister, Haider al- Abadi, a move that the White House has been hoping to see for months.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Under the Iraqi constitution, this is an important step toward forming a new government to unite Iraq's different communities. Earlier today, Vice President Biden and I called Dr. Abadi to congratulate him and to urge him to form a new cabinet as quickly as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: That won't be easy. Iraq's current prime minister, Nouri al Maliki, is refusing to step down. He calls the appointment of al- Abadi to replace him a constitutional violation. He's threatening to use force to stay in office.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military has conducted its fifth airdrop of food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens trapped by the terrorist group ISIS on Mount Sinjar. I want to bring in Nick Paton Walsh live from Baghdad.
I mean, you've got a government that is in complete turmoil, people who are starving and need help. A U.S. involvement at this point that is targeted and limited.
You know, bring us up to speed in whether any of this is working. NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well,
certainly, Western officials are acting as though Nouri al Maliki is history. The French minister today is saying that he's moved on and he's probably responsible for the crisis in Iraq. John Kerry (INAUDIBLE) a complex job ahead in the next 30 days to put together a cabinet (INAUDIBLE) very tempestuous parliament here.
But the west is moving forward as though Iraq has a new prime minister. That's important, of course, to bring aid to Iraq from the West. (INAUDIBLE) contingent on al Maliki leaving power. But will he do that? He has three options really ahead of him. Many were concerns the movement of tanks around Baghdad (INAUDIBLE) giving a lot of power away. (INAUDIBLE) perhaps he wanted to hold on to power using the security apparatus. He could potentially try some legal challenges. (INAUDIBLE) successful so far.
And, bear in mind, as well, it's the constitution that's barely 10 years that hasn't been tested in court, going to be scrappy. Many have been saying the fight is turning against Nouri al Maliki. Whether he wants to go out smoothly or cause as much trouble as possible. And frankly right now, infighting between those parts of the Shia minority (INAUDIBLE) right now. Very tense and quiet in Baghdad.
ROMANS: Intense quite, I guess that's the best we can hope for. Thanks so much, Nick Paton Walsh for us this morning.
BERMAN: Twelve minutes after the hour.
A lot going on. Breaking news overnight: an angry crowd, again, filling the streets of a quiet Missouri town, furious over the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager.
We have new video from overnight and new words from the teen's mother as well.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone.
This morning, the shocking death of Robin Williams. It is soliciting a flood of reactions from fans who followed his work and from the friends who knew him best. The Oscar-winning actor and comedian apparently took his own life. That's what it looks like as of now.
A spokesman says he was suffering from depression. Williams was just 63.
Fellow comedian Joy Behar told CNN, it is a tremendous loss.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, COMEDIAN (via telephone): He was a good soul. You know, he was a very generous guy. He was nice to people. He was not a mean guy, you know? It's a terrible thing. I mean, I'm
at somebody's house tonight and we are having dinner, et cetera. People just screamed. It was shocking when this came through.
I mean, well, what else can I say? It's just -- it's a terrible, terrible, thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: The ability to make somebody laugh is a powerful, powerful gift. He had it more than almost anyone else, which is why I think so many people are moved and touched by his death. We are going to have more all morning on CNN.
ROMANS: Sometimes that laughter in comedy is masking, you know?
All right. It's been another violent night in Missouri following the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager by police. Ferguson police chief Thomas Jackson says shots were heard in the area and tear gas was used to disperse the crowd of about 300 people.
Several arrests were made, but we have not seen the widespread looting that shook that community just 12 hours earlier. Michael Brown's parents held an emotional news conference Monday, rejecting suggestions by police that the teenager, their son, went after the officer's gun before he was fatally shot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LESLEY MCSPADDEN, VICTIM'S MOTHER: He just graduated on his way to college. We can't even celebrate, we got to plan a funeral.
BENJAMIN CRUMP, BROWN FAMILY ATTORNEY: Trayvon was shot once. But as we understand from these witnesses, this child was shot multiple times and left on the ground like a dog. That's where I think people are reacting to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Thirty-two people were arrested Monday in connection with the violence from Sunday night. They face charges of theft, assault and burglary.
BERMAN: For now, it appears that no criminal charges will be filed against NASCAR driver Tony Stewart. His car struck and killed 20- year-old driver Kevin Ward Jr., as Ward walked on a dirt racetrack over the weekend. Police say the investigation remains open. At this point, no charges, again, in the accident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF PHIL POVERO, ONTARIO COUNTY, NEW YORK: No facts that exist that support any criminal behavior or conduct or that any probable cause of a criminal act in this investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: Stewart's racing team says he has not decided if he will race this weekend at the NASCAR event in Michigan.
ROMANS: All right. Time for an EARLY START on your money this morning. European shares are lower, Asian shares ended mixed, as those geopolitical risks come back and they weigh on the market.
The U.S. stock futures pointing higher, could mean a third day of gains for stocks if they hold. It's easing concerns about a much anticipated correction. What is a correction? It's is a 10 percent dip in stocks from the recent high. Stocks haven't fallen that much since 2011, the market needs a restart if stocks are going to continue climbing.
Brand new on CNN Money this morning, many Americans would accept lower pay for a bigger nest egg. Think about this, according to brand new Fidelity survey, 43 percent of workers would opt for a lower salary in exchange for a larger employer contribution to their 401(k) plan. Employers pitch in $3,500 a year. That's $1,000 more than 10 years ago. A side from this report that got my attention, Fidelity say we should be saving 10 percent to 15 percent of our salary for retirement if we want to have a healthy retirement balance.
Ten percent to 15 percent, Berman. Check it out. Are you?
BERMAN: It's a high bar. It's a high, high bar.
All right. Nineteen minutes after the hour.
Crisis in Ukraine: Russia moving in, promising aid for war-torn towns. But does Vladimir Putin have other plans in mind? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Reaction to the shocking death of actor Robin Williams is pouring in this morning. Williams died of an apparent suicide in his northern California home on Monday.
These comments from comedian Joan Rivers. She says, "I'm terribly saddened. He was an amazing talent and a very kind and giving man. Everyone remembers him as a comedian. But he was much more than that. He was an extraordinary actor and a very generous in spirit. I cannot remember a time that we were together that he didn't make me genuinely laugh."
ROMANS: In Gaza, the cease-fire is holding as indirect talks between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators for a permanent truce that gets under way in Cairo. The Egyptian intelligence officers are acting as intermediaries. Among the Palestinian demand, the revival of a Gaza commercial seaport project that began back in 2000. Israeli tanks and bombs destroyed it a few months later.
BERMAN: Leaders in Russia and Ukraine agreeing to send aid to civilians in eastern Ukraine. Moscow agreeing to International Red Cross oversight, as well as input from Western governments. Now, there were concerns from the West that Russian President Vladimir Putin might be planning to use this humanitarian help as cover for a possible invasion. Now, the pro-Russian separatists are surrounded in their two remaining strongholds.
ROMANS: Here's the latest on the global effort to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The drug used to threat two Americans and a Spanish priest who contracted the deadly virus has now been shipped to West African to treat infected doctors.
Now, the supply of ZMapp is now gone. It is exhausted. The company that makes it is working with the U.S. government to increase production.
Meanwhile, the death toll rises, more than 1,000 people in four West African countries have now died. The total number of confirmed or suspected number of cases nearing 2,000, and three missionaries who work with Ebola victims in Liberia are back in the U.S. this morning. They do not have the virus, but they will be kept in quarantine in Charlotte for three weeks as a precaution.
BERMAN: Twenty-five minutes after the hour.
This morning, remembering Robin Williams. The tributes pouring in from around the world. Mourning this star gone too soon. We have complete coverage when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
