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Glenn Beck

"Superman" a Good Film; Student Pays for College by Selling Water

Aired June 29, 2006 - 19:00   ET

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

ANNOUNCER: America needs heroes now more than ever. And in these desperate times only one man can answer the call. And that man is Super Dork, coming soon to an all you can eat buffet near you.
GLENN BECK, HOST: All right. So the Middle East is on fire, the northeast is under water, and the Supreme Court says the president overstepped his bounds in Guantanamo Bay. The world is going to hell in a hand basket. We`ll have more on that later on in the show.

You know, what kills me is I got up this morning with all of the crappy news that`s going on. I think this makes me a bad person. The only thing that I`m really concerned about is the weather for the July Fourth weekend. Does that make me bad? I swear to you, I got up this morning, and I saw the houses that are rained out and I thought, "Gee, I wonder what the five-day forecast is?"

I don`t -- I don`t know what that means except maybe, maybe it means that you know, it`s kind of like you go to the beach with a BlackBerry. You know, you just want to get away from it. You need a little rest and relaxation, but you still want to be connected. I think that`s what we`re going to provide for you. We`re going to connect you to the news and everything that you need to know but still like taking a stroll at the beach for a couple of days, you know.

This show is different. I am -- I think I`m, you know, kind of like you. I`m not here to save the world. All I`m trying to do is just survive. And honestly, make it to "Superman".

I went to "Superman" with my family last night. And I saw it. It was pretty good. Pretty good. I`ve got to warn you, you know, if you`re going to see this movie, you know, to see Superman stop an eight-legged android from blowing up the universe with a giant space laser, you`re going to be kind of disappointed. There`s action, but it`s also this love story that, I mean, you know what it is? It`s like "You`ve Got Mail" with explosions.

But, and it also halfway through the word film came to mind. Not movie. It`s kind of like a film. It`s stirring; it`s beautiful; it`s moving. It`s all the things that I hate in the movie. But I actually liked in this one.

My biggest problem with "Superman" really is the whole Clark Kent- Superman thing. I allow me to illustrate. Hey, where did Glenn go? My favorite host on TV?

Here I am; it`s me the whole time. No, he just disappeared and there`s some other guy on set. I mean, stop with the glasses, that`s the worst disguise. You know what, if you`re in Metropolis and you`re a thief it`s the easiest city in the planet to get away with. Change the color of your socks. I don`t know. He just disappeared. The other guy had brown socks on.

It`s a great movie to get your mind off of global warming and just kind of melt into the chair. Christy Lemire is here. She`s a film critic with the Associated Press.

Hello, Christy.

CHRISTY LEMIRE, FILM CRITIC, ASSOCIATED PRESS: How`s it going?

BECK: Good, how are you?

LEMIRE: Awesome. You and I think actually agree, I think, for the first time on anything ever.

BECK: Shut up.

LEMIRE: I loved this movie, too. It`s true. And yet, yes it`s romantic but it`s also really thrilling. And it has religious references, historical references. I think whatever you want to find in it, you`re going to find in it. I know, you didn`t like the romantic part of it, because you`re not a romantic guy.

BECK: No, no, no. That`s not true. I did really like the romantic part. I liked the -- I liked the part about the little boy. I enjoyed -- I actually enjoyed this movie an awful lot. I like it. It`s my favorite Superman out of all three. I don`t know a lot of people that are going to say that.

But I liked him and I didn`t like him at the beginning, and I think it`s because of the -- you know, where`s Superman, you know, that thing. But when he started playing Superman I liked this actor better than Christopher Reeve.

LEMIRE: Blasphemy.

BECK: I know. I know.

LEMIRE: Wow. I think he`s trying to be very faithful to what Chris Reeve did, how he did it. So they look a lot alike.

BECK: Yes.

LEMIRE: Dark hair, very tall, very chiseled. But it`s very faithful to the original source material, and yet it`s its own total film.

BECK: I was talking to a radio host today -- where was it -- it was Daryl Carlo (ph) at KLF in Dallas. He said to me, "You know, I read someplace that Superman is a Christ figure." And I`m like I know the woman who wrote about that. That was you.

LEMIRE: Yes.

BECK: Tell me your theory on this.

LEMIRE: Well, I think it`s fair if you want to see, I mean, for as long as the comic has been around you can interpret Christ elements in it, in that Joe-El, his father, Marlon Brando, sends his only son to earth to light the way for humanity, That humans mean well but they need someone to guide them.

And then there are images in the film where he`s floating in space and his arms are outstretched as if he is being crucified. So I think if you want to see that it`s in definitely there.

BECK: I mean, you really have to be high on a lot of popcorn.

LEMIRE: People have written books about this topic, entire books on this topic.

BECK: People don`t have enough to do.

LEMIRE: It`s a popcorn movie. It`s fun, it`s thrilling, it`s beautiful, everything you want in a summer blockbuster, all in one.

BECK: You know, the only thing that bothered me, and we have a guest here in a second who`s going to talk a little bit about this, is the first 15 minutes, maybe even as long as half-hour, it was like OK, let`s go. I mean, blow up a plane or something.

LEMIRE: Right. Takes a little while to get going. And then, you know, Kevin Spacey is excellent as Lex Luthor. Hackman was fun to watch in the original, but he kind of cheated the scenery. And Spacey does it a lot more smarmy kind of seething way that I like a lot.

BECK: Christy, let me ask you this without spoiling anything. I mean, it`s not -- nothing is a surprise in this movie. When they reveal the big you know, surprise, you`re like no!

LEMIRE: I didn`t write about it. I don`t want to give anything away to the readers.

BECK: I don`t want to give anything away. However, don`t you think that there is going to be a grand discussion at some point of the morality of Superman?

LEMIRE: Well, if he is the Jesus figure, he can do no wrong, right?

BECK: Right. There`s -- Superman has turned an ugly corner here in many ways that I think...

LEMIRE: Darker.

BECK: Yes, a darker corner. We`ll have a discussion about that after some people -- go see the movie. Christy, thanks a lot.

LEMIRE: Bye, thanks. See ya, bye.

BECK: All right. Ross - is it Marroso -- Marroso. Ross, you`re a Superman freak. A lot of people say, you know...

ROSS MARROSO, SUPERMAN FAN: Closet -- close Superman freak.

BECK: Obsessed.

MARROSO: I was for awhile.

BECK: You made a -- you made a documentary on the history of Superman, which you know, was a little over the top. Don`t you think?

MARROSO: Oh? No. I thought I was rather subdued in making my documentary.

BECK: And you are an expert on just about everything that is Superman. Did you see the movie?

MARROSO: I did. I saw it this morning, as a matter of fact.

BECK: So?

MARROSO: And like -- it was kind of like a Barbra Streisand movie "Yentl" but way better. Way better.

BECK: Wow, I don`t even know what that means. You didn`t like it?

MARROSO: Hey, all your talk about religion I think it fits right in.

No, no, no, no, no. I loved it. Although I went in really actually - - I thought I was going to be disappointed. I don`t know. There`s just so much hype, right? So how could it possibly live up? Really, they won me over.

BECK: Rank this in the Superman movies.

MARROSO: Rank it?

BECK: Yes, rank it.

MARROSO: Two. By the way, this now makes five, by the way. There was Superman 1, 2, 3 and 4. But four, everybody forgot about.

BECK: Yes, it`s kind of like "Godfather III" that everybody would like to forget about. I think this is -- there should be two show times for this movie. There should be the chick show time which is, let`s say 7 p.m., and then the guy show time which is about 7:35. Because there`s all of this set up on who Superman is. And only women really don`t know who he is. You know what I mean? I don`t mean that as a slam on all women. My wife knows who Superman is. But the only people when I talked about this on the air some women were calling in going, "Well, I didn`t know that he was from outer space." I mean, come on.

MARROSO: You need the "don`t have to silence your cell phone" screening, and then the screening for all the guys. Absolutely. You`re going to be answering questions after questions. Because I think they expect you to understand some things. They sort of dump you right into the middle of the movie like Superman has already been on earth and now he`s coming back. And so everyone has got to play catch-up.

BECK: You are -- you are somebody that is, I would assume, likes to be faithful to the character of Superman. There was something that a listener called to me today and pointed out that I missed. And soon as they said it I was like, "Oh, my gosh, there`s something missing from the Superman slogan in the middle when the newspaper editor says does he still stand for truth, justice..."

MARROSO: And the American way.

BECK: Not in the movie. They ask, is he still...

MARROSO: What is up with that? Suspiciously absent, I might -- I thought.

BECK: Why?

MARROSO: Especially for such a 21st Century Superman, who is already an unwed father, making what a dishonest woman out of Lois Lane.

BECK: For anybody that wanted to see the movie and was going to try to be surprised.

MARROSO: No, that`s not really a cliffhanger. You want me to spoil it? Superman didn`t die at the end.

BECK: NO, no. Stop, will you? Stop. You`re part of the Superman curse, aren`t you? That`s what you`re trying to do.

MARROSO: With my documentary "In a Single Bound". You know, the American way is actually something, maybe that`s what you`re referring to as over the top. It`s something that I kind of poke fun at in there.

But actually, I think on screen he`s still absolutely doing all of that American way stuff. And you brought up the curse. You know, the only really nasty part about the curse is those that are crazy enough to bring it up first. I hope you talked to your attorney and you have your will in order and everything.

BECK: Oh, no, please.

MARROSO: Do I believe in it? I look both ways before crossing the street now.

BECK: Right. Let me tell you, my friend. Superman curse. You know what the curse is, the Glenn Beck TV show curse. Because there isn`t anybody who`s worked on this show that`s ever going to be able to find a job again.

Thanks, Ross. Appreciate it. Watch his documentary at www.SupermanDoc.com. Thanks.

MARROSO: You`re welcome.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Don`t want to give away anything. But set up, set up, set up, set up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Set up, set up, set up. And it`s like guess what, guys. We`re familiar with the character Superman. We know who he is. We know he flies. We know he came to earth.

BECK: Lois Lane? Lois Lane, now she`s a reporter?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are her journalism credentials. Can we look back at her college? What was her GPA?

BECK: Shut up. I get it. It`s the Superman story. Who doesn`t know the Superman story? Well, wait a minute. Superman, isn`t he the guy that had the blue tights and the red cape and flew around and saved people? Why, yes, Billy, he is. You know, he came from another world.

All right. I get it! Blow something up!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: You know, when I was in high school I worked during my summer break. I picked raspberries on my grandparents` farm in Tuala (ph), Washington, or I worked in my father`s bakery. Really didn`t, you know, hang out at the beach or socialize with kids my age or have, you know, any kind of fun whatsoever. And I`m not bitter about that. No, not at all.

Nowadays most kids in high school can`t wait for summer break. You can be lazy. You can sleep till noon. Basically, you let your mind rot for about three months.

But not all kids see summer as a time to slack off. We met up with an extraordinary teenager and his father who are proving that, with dedication, drive, a summer job can turn big dreams into reality.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECK (voice-over): Drive down Rockaway Parkway in Brooklyn, New York, on a hot summer day, and chances are you`ll see two things. A lot of stop and go traffic and Jacob Roundtree and his dad. They weave in and out of cars, selling bottled water.

The father and son duo started selling water three years ago as a way to make cash over Jacob`s summer break. But with a little ingenuity and a lot of determination, they made more than pocket change. They actually made enough to send Jacob to one of the most expensive colleges in the country.

JACOB ROUNDTREE JR., COLLEGE STUDENT: I decided to go to Colby College in Maine, Waterville, Maine. It`s around $41,000 -- $44,000 a year.

BECK: That`s right. Along with a partial academic scholarship, Jacob`s tuition, over $40,000 a year, will come from his water profits.

ROUNDTREE JR.: I had a cooler at home, and we had two freezers that we had. And so, we bought a few cases of water, and started selling out here. And so after the first week I knew there was a lot of profit in it. And the second summer I bought a deep freezer, and since then I`ve been working from there.

BECK: It`s been a lucrative business, earning well over $10,000 in the past three summers. But for this father and son, it`s about a lot more than just money. It`s about the time they spend together.

JACOB ROUNDTREE SR., FATHER: We`ve gone as tight as you can possibly be as father and son. He knows any time he comes up with an idea, I will back it or anything he wants, I will get it for him. And I will get anything he wants because I know it`s usually something practical and something that he thinks that he needs to succeed.

ROUNDTREE JR.: We just click very well, and it`s very helpful. So I mean, we don`t even think of it as whether or not we`re sacrificing for each other. It`s more like we just expect each other to do stuff for one another, you know.

BECK: Selling water, a lot of people might say, is a job Americans just won`t do. It`s not glamorous. In fact, a lot of people, even some of Jacob`s friends, seem to think it`s downright degrading.

But the one thing I think you`ll notice about Jacob and his dad is the pride they take in their work. And even though dad is retired, you won`t see him in shorts on the parkway. He`ll be in a suit and tie, dressed for success. It`s that dedication and work ethic that rubbed off on Jacob Jr.

ROUNDTREE JR.: You have to pick something that you feel that you`re going to be successful in doing and put all your energy into it. I`ve seen other people out here selling, but they don`t -- they sell just to get by and make a few bucks. So it`s all based on how successful you feel that you can possibly be, and put everything into it.

BECK: So while his friends are at the beach or just hanging out this summer, Jacob will be out with his dad, keeping his business alive, proving that, if you`re hungry enough, or in this case, thirsty enough, you can afford to make your American dream a reality.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: Jacob, man, I am a fan of yours. That is -- that is absolutely tremendous. You know, the youth of America get such a bad rap. People -- me too, I mean, I sometimes I`ll -- I`ll go to places, I mean, try to get interns on the radio show. And you think, I mean, do they have work ethic at all? Look at you. Where do you get that? Where does that come from?

ROUNDTREE JR.: I think part of it is inert and then part of it I got from my father. I don`t know, just when I work, when I`m not working I feel, you know, that I`m losing energy and I feel lethargic. But as soon as I start working, I gain more energy. I can work until 2 in the morning and continuously getting more energy from it. I just feel like I`m doing so much whenever I`m working. So anything I do.

BECK: What has this taught you about your dad?

ROUNDTREE JR.: What?

BECK: What has this taught you about your dad?

ROUNDTREE JR.: Well, it`s taught me a whole lot. The amount of times we have conversations with each other I`ve learned how intelligent he is and how dedicated he is to the family, you know, me in particular, as well. And I`ve learned so much in terms of his history, how he`s come to where he is. And it`s an amazing story.

BECK: And how did he come to -- I mean, real short -- how did he come to it?

ROUNDTREE JR.: All right. Well, he went to UVA. He was one of the first black people to go there. And after his sophomore year he didn`t feel that it was the right environment for him. And he left and came to New York City and got -- and he started off with electrical engineering and taught himself the field and eventually started up his own few businesses. And...

BECK: Isn`t this country great? I got to tell you, this country is so great. If you -- and that`s what I think most people -- they don`t ever see it, man. They don`t get it. If you just do it. Look how much money you`re making selling water.

ROUNDTREE JR.: Yes, yes.

BECK: Who would have thought that?

ROUNDTREE JR.: I understand exactly what you`re saying.

BECK: So what do you want to do?

ROUNDTREE JR.: Well, I want to go into finance. And I just recently got an internship with Bear Stearns. And I met Ace Greenberg, the famous Wall Street maverick. And it was a great experience for me to be there.

BECK: You, sir, you know what? You -- let me shake the hand of a successful man. You are going to be absolutely tremendous. You have quite a future ahead of you. And please shake the hand -- shake the hand of your father for me, will you?

ROUNDTREE JR.: No problem.

BECK: Good to see you.

ROUNDTREE JR.: All right. Thank you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Good friend of mine, Mr. Roe Conn. He is from WLS 890 AM. He`s actually in town. He`s shadowing me today. Called security and everything. But he`s actually going to be filling in for me on Monday. How you doing, Roe?

ROE CONN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Excellent, Glenn. Thank you for having me.

BECK: Yes. So what`s the buzz in Chicago?

CONN: Well, the first thing is Barack Obama. Barack Obama, he is a senator from Illinois. He just became senator last Wednesday, and they`re already talking about him becoming president of the United States by December of this year.

BECK: Which is crazy because, I mean, wasn`t he like a farmer just like six weeks ago?

CONN: I think he was a high school student, actually. I don`t know what he was doing.

BECK: Like somebody with just a wee bit of experience.

CONN: Yes, you might. So the deal is this. He made a big speech about how the Democratic Party should bring God into its message, which of course as you remember in the last presidential election it was blamed -- the Democratic loss was blamed on the fact that they didn`t understand the churches. So Barack is making his first position statement.

Now here is the most important thing. This is the buzz -- the buzz from. Here is the most important thing. It is said that if you are a senator you cannot be president. That`s the concern. Because you have a voting record and there`s all that -- that baggage that comes along with being a senator. Just ask the Kennedys.

But what -- what Barack wants to do is he wants to step down from being a senator in 2010, run for governor of the state of Illinois in 2010. He supposedly, this is according to our sources has cut a deal with the head of the state senate in Illinois, and he will then run in 2012 for the position of governor of Illinois.

BECK: Do you know anybody that was actually interested in any of that? I mean...

CONN: What I just said right now? I`m not even interested.

BECK: It`s the people -- it`s the game players. It`s the people who are in their basement right now trying to either find a way to elect Hillary Clinton or defeat Hillary Clinton. I call them `08 basement dwellers -- you know what I mean -- that are so wrapped up in politics.

I don`t know -- you know, I`m going to go a step further. As I`m going to say, I don`t know anybody like that. I don`t want to know anybody who`s already thinking about 2010 and what they`re going to do to become president of the United States.

CONN: I think the important thing here is that here`s a guy who said I don`t want to think about that. He demurs.

BECK: Yes, yes.

CONN: Plays it like I`m not all that interested. Well, I think he`s more interested.

BECK: Here`s the -- here`s the interesting thing. To me, is what he said about, you know, religion plays a role in every day people`s lives. If he`s sincere, then that`s -- that`s going back to the -- my grandparents died Democrat. And even though they really were Republican, you know, Reagan Republican, they never would admit it, because FDR was a Democrat. But that`s when the -- that`s when the Democrats stood for the real, you know, average Joe.

CONN: Right.

BECK: They don`t even understand it now. They are so Hollywood in their approach, it`s like they don`t even understand the heartland of America.

CONN: It was a very interesting speech in the sense that...

BECK: Do you think he was sincere?

CONN: I do, actually. I think he was. As sincere as a politician can get. I mean, he has a job he wants, you know. He clearly wants this job. And I think that he knows it`s the right thing to say. And I think - - OK. Maybe.

BECK: Right. Exactly right. Roe Conn from WLS, 890 AM in Chicago. We`ll see you here Monday filling in for me.

CONN: Great. Thanks a lot, Glenn.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Let me go to Linda who wants to talk about the Gitmo thing. Yes, Linda?

CALLER: Glenn...

BECK: Linda...

CALLER: ... my fair-haired boy, why aren`t you jumping up and down mad? These people do not operate under the Geneva Convention.

BECK: Why am I not jumping up and down mad at the Gitmo thing?

CALLER: Yes.

BECK: I am upset about it. Wait, wait, wait, wait, hang on a just second. Hang on. Hang on. Let me be the typical talk show host.

This makes me so angry my head`s going to explode! We`ve got to stop this outrage! I mean, that doesn`t get me anywhere. I mean, you know what, Linda? I`m tired. I`ve seen all of this stuff this week; I can`t take any more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: This is the Supreme Court`s slap in the face today to the president, ruling that he overstepped his authority in ordering that some of the suspected terrorists detained at Guantanamo be tried by the military for war crimes.

No, no, I want to see him in court with Johnnie Cochran, for the love of everything that`s good and sacred.

A hundred-and-three-year-old Justice John Paul Stevens -- actually, that`s not fair. He`s not 103. I think he`s 133. He proposed that the trials are not legal under the Geneva Convention and also under U.S. law because they`re not, quote, "authorized by any congressional act," end quote.

Try to get Congress to do anything, please. A couple of things here. We`re at war, people! The case doesn`t even involve 415 detainees at Guantanamo. It involves maybe 10 people that prosecutors have identified as enemy combatants. You know, the P.C. term for terrorists. One of them is Osama bin Laden`s personal frickin` bodyguard. Hello?

The president last week said he wants to close Guantanamo, and, you know what? I`m with him. I mean, I wouldn`t mind a bathtub with a toaster handy just in case we need it, but, you know, for the most part I`d like to close Guantanamo, as well.

He also believes some of the people we`re holding there are dangerous. Yes, he`s right. Here`s what the president said after he heard about today`s decision. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The American people need to know that this ruling, as I understand it, won`t cause killers to be put out on the street.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: That`s a good thing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: In other words, there`s not a -- as I was...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: He has no idea what he`s even talking about. Right now, his advisers are sweating, "Oh, just leave it at that, George. Just leave it at that."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: A drive-by briefing on the way here, I was told that this was not going to be the case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: At any rate, we will seriously look at the findings, obviously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: That`s a good thing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: And one thing I`m not going to do, though, is I`m not going to jeopardize the safety of the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: You know...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: People got to understand that. I understand we`re in a war on terror, that these people...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Two things. Two things here. This is why I like George W. Bush. When he says, you know, "I`m not going to jeopardize the safety of the American people," he`ll throw the toaster into the -- you know, "Hey, Osama, here`s a bath toy." He`ll do it. And I like that about him. Us, he will protect. I really honestly believe -- that`s the one thing I believe to the core of George W. Bush.

He understands that we`re at war, and he`s going to do what it takes to keep us safe and our families safe. The other thing is he understands that. I think there`s a good portion of America that doesn`t understand that, that they really truly don`t understand we`re at war, man. This is it. 1938, World War II, here we are.

All right, let`s go "Straight to Hill" now, Erica Hill, the anchor of "PRIME NEWS" on Headline News. Hello, Erica.

ERICA HILL, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hello. I feel like it`s been ages since I`ve last been here.

BECK: I know. I`ve been on tour, and then you`ve been gone.

HILL: We`ve both just been flitting about, I tell you. Now everybody`s home.

BECK: You like this? I was on a job interview as the Joker today, and...

HILL: Did you have like a hat and everything that went with it?

BECK: No, I didn`t. I didn`t.

HILL: No?

BECK: But I do have the goofy smiles, so...

HILL: Hey, and that`s really all you need, the pearly whites.

BECK: Yes. Do you have plans for the holiday weekend?

HILL: Ah, well, most of them involve work, but, you know, I`m just going to relax a little, hang out with the hubby and the pets, you know, a little pool time.

BECK: Working? Working? Put on old newscasts.

HILL: I work Monday and Tuesday.

BECK: You do?

HILL: Yes. The news stops for no holiday, Glenn.

BECK: Stops on this program, I`ll tell you that right now.

(LAUGHTER)

All right, what is happening in the news?

HILL: All right, we`re going to start off talking about -- I know you were just talking about the president and security. Well, the nation`s head of aviation security now says he wants to lift the ban on lighters aboard planes because it hurts rather than helps aviation security.

Here`s why. The TSA chief telling "USA Today" that the screeners basically spend too much time looking for lighters instead of bombs. In fact, get this: They confiscate some 30,000 lighters a day at airports.

BECK: Have you flown El Al Airlines?

HILL: No, I haven`t, but I hear it`s the tightest security.

BECK: It is the greatest security on -- you know what? It would never happen. The ACLU would be crazy if you tried to do what El Al does.

The interesting thing is, here it is, the safest airline in the world. I got onto that plane, and I actually had a steak knife on board. They handed me a steak knife. And I looked at my wife and I said, "Here, this airline gets it. Instead of taking off the lighters and the stupid knives and giving you plastic knives, you take off the bad people and you don`t let them fly." What a crazy idea.

HILL: So you`re saying, eh, the lighter ban, let it go.

BECK: Yes, not so much. Not so much.

HILL: All right. Well, then your vote`s in for that one. We`re going to stick with the security theme here for a minute.

BECK: Ok.

HILL: Because word is there is a new message on the way from Osama bin Laden.

BECK: Oh, I can`t wait.

HILL: This comes to us from a posting on an Islamic Web site, which claims the Al Qaeda leader is going to release a new message soon to express grief over the recent death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was, of course, the group`s leader in Iraq. We should point out CNN hasn`t yet independently confirmed that announcement.

BECK: We`re grieving with you, Osama. It`s a new fall season, "Osama bin Laden: The New Tapes." I can`t wait to hear it.

HILL: I knew you`d be excited about that one.

BECK: Yes.

HILL: And just an update, too, I know you can`t avoid this, but this horrific flooding we`re seeing all across the Northeast. Some 200,000 people -- the good news here -- are now starting to return to their homes in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Governor Ed Rendell says the city really dodged a bullet on this one.

BECK: You know what`s really weird? I don`t mean to interrupt you. But one of these houses, I think the footage that we were just going to...

HILL: The restaurant?

BECK: ... is Stu`s house, my executive producer. You know Stu.

HILL: I know Stu. I grew up with Stu.

BECK: He had to go home early today so he could actually go home and fill some sandbags.

HILL: Oh, my gosh.

BECK: Believe it or not.

HILL: Well, I hope it`s OK. That that you`re seeing right there, that was a restaurant in upstate New York that was washed away.

BECK: Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody who is involved in that. And, Erica, we`ll see you again.

HILL: Have a great holiday.

BECK: You bet.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Got to tell you, the Gitmo ruling today and everything else that George Bush has had to put up this week from Congress, "The New York Times," the mess in the Middle East, I`ve got to tell you: Blood would be shooting out of my eyes. I`d be praying for my organs to melt.

I think the president, as much as the rest of us, deserve a little time out of town. Happily, he is traveling out of town. Unfortunately, his traveling companion seems just a little odd, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi.

They`re not going on a bicycle ride or down to the farm to chop wood. It gets weirder than that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: I thank the prime minister for coming to the White House. And I`m looking forward to joining him tomorrow at Graceland.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Graceland?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Officially, he`s here to see the president, but I know the highlight of his visit will be paying his respects to the King.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: To the King, they`re going to Graceland. Have you ever been to Graceland? It`s a creep show, man. Apparently they`re going because Minister Koizumi apparently nuts about Elvis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI, PRIME MINISTER, JAPAN: I love you. I need you. I love you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: OK, all right, he`ll sing Elvis songs at the drop of a hat. There you see it. He actually serenaded President Bush with one. He shares the same birthday as Elvis. A couple of years ago he put out a CD of his favorite Elvis songs. His brother ran the Elvis Presley Fan Club with him. I mean, this guy, no, this guy is the Ross Perot of Japanese politics. Now, he and George Bush, best buddies, road trip.

Joel Stein, "Time" magazine. Joel, what do you think of this guy?

JOEL STEIN, "TIME" MAGAZINE: First of all, Graceland rocks. You`re totally wrong. Have you been to Graceland?

BECK: Oh, have I been to Graceland? They almost threw me out because I asked where the drug cabinet was.

STEIN: It`s everywhere. You don`t have to ask them where it is.

BECK: That`s exactly right. I`ve been there. You know what? I guess you know what it is? You just don`t want to have died in 1979 and then have everything frozen at that time.

STEIN: You also don`t want to get all your money when you`re, like, 17 years old and then told to build a house.

BECK: You`re exactly right.

STEIN: It`s exactly what I would have been -- I would have built a jungle room, and, like, a pool room, and put carpet on the ceiling, yes.

BECK: Right. So it is a little creepy. So is there not some better place we could take him than Graceland? I mean, is this...

STEIN: I mean, this guy`s the most successful Japanese prime minister ever. No one`s had a five-year term. No one`s ever been popular. He`s been Bush`s buddy.

(CROSSTALK)

STEIN: The guy wants to go to Graceland, you take him to Graceland.

BECK: It`s the hair. It`s the hair, isn`t it?

STEIN: The hair is awesome.

(CROSSTALK)

STEIN: I`m getting the hair. Yes, I know. Tom Hanks has the hair already. That hair gets you incredibly popularity ratings.

BECK: That hair pisses me off.

STEIN: A year from now, Bush will have that hair.

BECK: Well, I`d love to see...

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: No, I`d love to see Bush with that hair. You know, maybe we should do -- maybe this is how we become more friendly with other leaders. Maybe we bring them to hot spots here in America.

STEIN: It`s a great idea, I think. I mean, going to the Rose Garden is kind of lame, right?

BECK: Right, going where?

STEIN: The Rose Garden, that doesn`t impress anybody. We want to show them America. Reagan took Gorbachev over all kinds of parts of America to show him how great our country was. We need to do this with other world leaders.

BECK: OK. Like I`m thinking take...

STEIN: Do you take Kim Il Jong -- Kim Jong Il?

BECK: Yes?

STEIN: I`m not sure how the Il works. I think it`s at the end.

BECK: No, it`s Kim Jong Il, yes.

STEIN: Kim Jong Il? I was a tour guide at Universal Studios last week for a column. You take that guy there, I think it`s all over.

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: You know what? Kim Jong Il, I take him to the Grand Canyon and say, "No, really, you`re safe. Look over. There you go."

STEIN: But the guy -- I think you`ve just got to -- this is more diplomacy. This is the way people used to think before there was war.

BECK: All right, so Kim Jong Il goes to Universal.

STEIN: He loves Hollywood. He`ll love it there. You take the Iranian guy.

BECK: Yes, President Tom, as I like to call him.

STEIN: You know what? I can`t pronounce his last name.

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: No, nobody can.

STEIN: Ahmadinejad?

BECK: Sure. OK.

STEIN: Where do you take him?

BECK: I`m guessing Dollywood, seeing that I see it on the screen. I don`t know if he`s actually going to enjoy that. You know what? There`s a lot of exposed breasts.

STEIN: That`s exactly why you take him there.

BECK: Ah, all right. I don`t really understand that one, but...

STEIN: Just like because -- just like Koizumi can`t get Elvis, this guy (INAUDIBLE) giant breasts.

BECK: Sure, OK, all right.

STEIN: And then Hugo Chavez, the guy we`re having a little problem with, who controls all the oil?

BECK: Yes?

STEIN: Take him to Carhenge out in Nebraska. We`ve waste cars so they look like Stonehenge.

BECK: That is an actual place? That`s no Photoshop, the cars there?

STEIN: The cars aren`t Photoshopped. I believe everything else is very quickly Photoshopped.

BECK: I would think the cars probably should have been Photoshopped, because that`s not a place that I`m really -- of course, if you`re driving through -- I guess, like I`ve been to the Badlands in South Dakota.

STEIN: Those are pretty.

BECK: No, no, there`s a reason they call it the Badlands. You get to, I think it`s Wall Drug out in the middle of nowhere, it`s...

STEIN: Oh, South Dakota, Wall Drug, sure.

BECK: Oh, you`ve been there?

STEIN: Oh, yes, I`ve been to Wall Drug.

BECK: Oh, yes, you`ve got to stop, because there ain`t nothing else there. You`re like, "I`ll stop at a drug store. I just want to see people again, please."

STEIN: You can leave Kim Jong Il there.

BECK: Yes, maybe.

STEIN: No one`s going to find him.

BECK: Joel, thanks for your time, sir. Appreciate it.

STEIN: Hey, it`s my version of diplomacy.

BECK: You bet.

ANNOUNCER: This is GLENN BECK.

BECK: All right. Now we go to our Public Viewer, who is Brian Sack. For some reason, he`s on every week to critique my performance.

BRIAN SACK, PUBLIC VIEWER: It doesn`t have to be painful. We can do this nicely.

BECK: Can we?

SACK: Sure.

BECK: Really? Let me ask you a question. You are going to France, I understand, tomorrow night.

SACK: Yes, I am. Oui.

BECK: That was pretty much it.

SACK: I like brie.

BECK: I think the rest of the country knows exactly what I`m saying here.

SACK: I`m researching your family roots for two weeks.

BECK: Right, right. No French in me, gosh darn it.

SACK: I`m just going to traipse around the Southwest and look for some clues.

BECK: What have you been finding in the dumpsters of life on me today?

SACK: The dumpsters of life? Well, I started digging on Monday. Wait, where`s Glenn? So is this -- this is a temp gig right, that you`ve got? Are you with...

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: I have taken more time off, but I`m promising you that I`m going to get better on that one of these days.

SACK: OK, so...

BECK: I`m just busy. I`ve got stuff to do. I`ve got a lawn service. I mow people`s lawns in my neighborhood.

SACK: Catering.

BECK: So, I mean, yes, there`s a lot of stuff that I do.

SACK: Puppy-styling. Phrenology.

BECK: What?

SACK: The bumps on the head thing.

BECK: No, I`ve got that. It`s right here. It`s right here, baby. I know exactly what it is.

SACK: Oh, OK.

BECK: This part is the self-esteem part right here.

SACK: OK, well, rub that a little bit.

BECK: Which is really funny, because self-esteem is right on the bald spot. It doesn`t really work for me that way.

SACK: Sure, esteem.

BECK: But anyway.

SACK: All right. So I turn on the TV...

BECK: Yes?

SACK: ... Diane Dimond, nice lady.

BECK: Yes, she`s great.

SACK: And, you know, I never would have guessed this from watching, but apparently a lot of your viewers feel very, very strongly about some issues, like gun control. And so I guess the e-mail inbox kind of filled up by the -- what, I`d say, like 8:00. And I`ll show you what your viewer was thinking as they were watching Diane Dimond, speaking on her views.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIANE DIMOND, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: Anyway, guns, as you know, are a problem, everywhere, especially in America, because who really needs an AK-47 to go hunting? Nobody. Nobody is the answer to that. And let`s just do some background checks on some of these people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SACK: Let the e-mails begin.

BECK: I got to tell you something, I would see that -- and that`s what was going in my head. It was like, "Eh, I don`t think so."

SACK: Well, a lot of people shot out their TV set that night.

BECK: Yes, yes.

SACK: So, any way, there is good news, though. Later on in the show, it was almost like you never left. And, now, did you take your fact checker with you?

BECK: My what?

SACK: Fact checker?

BECK: Fact checker, why do you say that?

SACK: Well, because, you know, she was talking to some guy, and then we had a classic. Oh, I don`t know. Here, I`ll show you. I`ve got a clip for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIMOND: You know, I know that, Jay, because we spotted you at that convention or at that championship here in New York. I want to show people, there you are.

JAY DELLA VALLE, "GLORIOUS MUSTACHE CHALLENGE": No, that`s not even me.

DIMOND: That`s not you?

DELLA VALLE: No, that`s my friend.

DIMOND: Oh, that looks like you. We thought that was you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Let me tell you something...

SACK: It`s like she`s reading your script.

BECK: Let me tell you something, write this down in your calendar, OK? This is the day I`m making a prediction that will come true. This is the show that will bring this network to the ground. This is the one that will put this network out of business. It really is.

SACK: Good to know.

BECK: That`s what I`m here for.

SACK: No, I noticed you`re looking at me through glasses.

BECK: Yes.

SACK: Now, do you have -- is there any difference when you take the glasses off or put them off, as to whether or not you see things?

BECK: No, you know what it is, honestly?

SACK: It`s just cosmetic like clown shoes?

BECK: It is so frickin` hot in this city, I am just -- is anybody else -- it`s 61 degrees in this studio, but there`s so much humidity.

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: No, it`s like -- I`ve got nose issues. Please don`t start with me. I`ve got sweat all over my face. Yes, that`s what it is.

SACK: Well, I have a little montage.

BECK: What?

SACK: I just noticed something. This is all in one show on Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: ... I am not a crusader -- you`ve been on the radio show a couple of times -- hey, I think one of the worst things that this country has ever come up with -- they`re not making charges of anything illegal -- which enemy...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Well, I mean, I just -- look, here`s the thing.

SACK: That was one show.

BECK: Let me ask you this. Let me ask you this, Brian...

SACK: Yes, sir.

BECK: Doesn`t it make -- when I say things like, "You know, I don`t know, I was -- well, let me ask you this"...

SACK: Oh, it`s totally more dramatic.

BECK: ... doesn`t it make me look smarter like that?

SACK: It`s definitely more dramatic. I`m going to get my own glasses. We can just have a competition.

BECK: Right. By the way, this is glass. It doesn`t help me see anything.

SACK: So they aren`t real glasses...

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: No, they`re not even real.

(CROSSTALK)

SACK: Right, OK. That explains things.

Now, we`re going to move onto a little thing I noticed the other...

BECK: Actually, I love saying this to you: Kevin, are we out of time?

SACK: Oh, no, it would be so much fun, just a little more time.

BECK: A little bit more?

SACK: Do you have more time?

BECK: No.

SACK: Perhaps?

BECK: Darn.

SACK: Oh, what a shame.

BECK: See you. Have fun in France, you freak.

SACK: Au revoir.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: You know, as we approach the July Fourth weekend, I thought we should focus at least for a few minutes on what make this country great in the first place, which I really, truly believe is our hatred of other cultures, races and other people in general, seriously. So let`s do some hate mail. That`s America for you, baby.

Sorry, I just actually had Ward Churchill over for a firing party the other night, so I`m a little screwed up on what made America great.

The first hate mail comes from Richard in Utah. "I was flipping channels last night and decided to watch a few minutes of Glenn Beck, probably the most loathsome talking head on TV." I don`t know. Bill O`Reilly`s not so hot. "But I had an idea. Why don`t you just fire Beck and give Karl Rove his own show, you know, get the B.S. straight from the source?"

Great question, Dick. Actually, let me give you a lesson in how the media works. Not a lot of people know this. But first, the corporate overlords who get their marching orders from the Zionist masters call George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, tell them exactly what opinions to have. Then, the Oval Office produces word-for-word talking points, which filter down to Karl Rove.

Next, Rove reworks the writing several different ways, assigns phrasing and mood to each conservative commentator, such as me and O`Reilly and everybody else. If Karl had his own show, I mean, he wouldn`t be able to tell nearly as many people what to say. I mean, it`s a question of efficiency. But thanks for asking.

Julie writes, "Thank god for the `New York Times` reminding us of who we are and what we stand for: freedom of the press. Glenn Beck, you should just move to China."

First, Julie, you should also point out that it was the "Wall Street Journal" and "L.A. Times" who also printed the article revealing a secret program designed to save American lives.

Secondly, you say I should move to China so I can`t broadcast my opinion here, in the land, as you said, that stands for free press. Strike anyone else as a tad hypocritical? I`d answer that, but someone else using the free press might tell me to move out of the country, as well.

Another Julie writes, "Glenn, why were you wearing a suit and tie the other day? Pink sweaters, baby. Pink."

Julie, glad to have you here. Welcome to the land of free press and freedom of expression, and even if that means pink sweaters every other night. But I should tell you the latest target in e-mail: my hair.

This is my real hair, but I tell you, you could shave my head and put a toupee on me and it would look more like real hair. I`m going to cry myself to sleep now. You can e-mail me at GlennBeck@CNN.com. Two-toned hair men unite! See you tomorrow, you sick freak.

END