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Joy Behar Page
Leno Returns to Late-Night TV; Interview With Johnny Weir
Aired March 02, 2010 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOY BEHAR, HOST: Tonight on THE JOY BEHAR SHOW, Jay Leno returned to late night TV and spent part of his first show looking for a desk. If he wanted a piece of furniture, why didn`t he just book Mitt Romney?
Then Olympic skater Johnny Weir is a showman on the ice, the dance floor, the glam, the glitter, the body paint. I wasn`t sure if I was watching the Olympics or revival of "Cats".
And they do all the housework from hiring the maids to scheduling the nannies; the "Real Housewives of New York City" will explain why life is so exhausting.
All that and more starts right now.
As Olympic athletes head home, another well-publicized competition is picking up where it left off. Jay Leno returned to his old slot on "The Tonight Show" last night to face off against David Letterman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": There`s no place like home. There`s no place like home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jay, Jay, it`s me, Kevin.
LENO: Kevin?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You remember me, don`t you, Jay, your old pal, Ross?
LENO: Ross, of course.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You had us worried. We thought you were leaving us.
LENO: But I did leave. I went away to the strangest place. It was wonderful but suddenly it wasn`t so nice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: Ok. NBC execs are thrilled that their late night lineup is back to normal and now they can concentrate on what`s really important, screwing up their primetime lineup.
So how did Jay do? Let`s ask Sandra Bernhard, comedian and actress and Jim Norton, comedian. Jim, let`s start with you.
How do you think Jay did last night?
JIM NORTON, COMEDIAN: I resent the fact that you didn`t make me an actor too. It`s kind of hurtful.
BEHAR: I`m sorry. I`m sorry Jim.
NORTON: He did fine. I heard the clips, I didn`t watch it. I mean the jokes were there. And it`s like he kind of very quickly addressed what it was and he`s just going to go back to doing what he did. I don`t think he`s going to harp on it. I don`t think Letterman will either.
BEHAR: Did you watch it?
SANDRA BERNHARD, COMEDIAN, ACTOR: I saw bits and pieces. I was just so glad to be able to see Jay laying down. It`s so nice to see a man of his stature on a bed. Actually if he was going to do the Wizard of Oz thing, I wish he`d come out in drag as Judy Garland singing "Somewhere over the Rainbow".
BEHAR: That would have been funny.
BERNHARD: That could have been fun.
BEHAR: Yes. It would have been great.
BERNHARD: And a good kick-off to the new revised season.
BEHAR: I mean, I think -- I didn`t really watch the whole thing. Did he get his desk back?
BERNHARD: Yes.
NORTON: Yes.
BEHAR: That was key. That was key.
BERNHARD: What, did he go around pretending to knock on people`s doors? All this kind of stuff to me is so yuck.
BEHAR: Listen to what Howard Stern had to say about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD STERN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Just the mere mention of Jay Leno`s name makes me want to vomit. I don`t like this guy. I don`t disguise it. Jay`s a lap dog. He goes on at 10:00 at night, he bombs there.
The bottom line is that Jay is also a thief and that`s what gets my goat the most.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: Ok, ok. Stern`s beef with him is completely personal. Stuttering John went over to the Jay Leno Show and that`s why he`s pissed off because Stuttering John wanted another job and he can`t take the fact that he left.
BERNHARD: I don`t think Howard has ever been a big fan.
BEHAR: Of Leno?
BERNHARD: No.
BEHAR: Well, all right.
BERNHARD: Listen. Howard loves -- he loves the (INAUDIBLE) and the craziness and it`s like the more outrageous -- but I genuinely think he doesn`t care for Howard -- I mean, for Jay.
BEHAR: For Jay. I mean a lot of people I though took on Jay unmercifully in many ways. Do you think that was fair?
NORTON: It`s the same thing. For some reason they dislike seeing somebody smacked down. It`s like the obsession with Tiger Woods, Jay didn`t really burn anybody and everybody acted like, "Jay, it was all his decision." It was this child-like attitude everybody has.
And to call the guy a thief; he`s not a thief. That`s like the worst insult you can give a creative performer.
BEHAR: A comedian.
BERNHARD: The stuff he`s stealing is not gold. I mean it`s like zircons. That`s what he`s stealing
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: But do you -- do you Sandra, do you really think that Letterman`s material is funnier than Jay? I don`t.
BERNHARD: I think it`s his approach. I think it`s his gestalt, the way he looks at the world, is I think more sophisticated.
BEHAR: More interesting to you?
BERNHARD: Yes. And he`s not trying to appeal to the mass market.
Dave has always had his thing and the way he looks at the world and he stuck to it and he doesn`t second guess it. I like that about Dave.
BEHAR: Ok. Letterman made reference to Leno last night. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE LETTERMAN, CBS HOST: My name is Dave Letterman, same time, same host. I`ll tell you something tonight is a rough night for my mom. She doesn`t know who to watch, Jimmy Kimmel or Jay.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: This self-deprecating humor is very charming I think. I like that. But Leno does it, too. I mean all comics do that.
NORTON: Yes.
BERNHARD: Yes, except me. But any way, I`ve risen above that.
BEHAR: Have you? I think it`s important to be a little self- deprecating.
BERNHARD: I`m kidding.
BEHAR: If you`re going to make fun of someone else, you better start with yourself.
BERNHARD: Of course, of course.
BEHAR: Now here -- Leno has booked Palin for tonight and Letterman has Romney.
BERNHARD: What a sexy night. Wow, getting hotter by the minute.
BEHAR: Palin`s politics may be annoying but she`s much more charismatic than Romney.
BERNHARD: But not nearly as annoying as she is. Here`s a woman who retired from governorship, you know, because she didn`t want to (INAUDIBLE) to run so she can get these $100,000 gigs. She deserves everything she`s getting and more.
NORTON: We get a lot of people -- look at how Spitzer left politics and he`s not getting attacked this way. Not that I disagree with him, I live the same life he does.
BERNHARD: I know but he didn`t go around trying to get people to, you know -- whatever.
BEHAR: The thing is that Leno plugs that Palin`s going to be on tonight and he said it was her late night appearance. That`s not true. She had been on Conan.
BERNHARD: Right.
BEHAR: Was that deliberate or do you think unconscious, or what that he sort of dissed Conan? In the beginning, he and Conan were friends and he as against Letterman. Now he and Letterman are friends and they`re against Conan. What`s going on over there?
NORTON: It was just something. A steady (INAUDIBLE) an in- studio thing. He`s not going to smack Conan.
BEHAR: I didn`t think he meant that on purpose, did you? Even though you don`t like Leno, come on.
BERNHARD: No, no. Listen, I think the obvious things are just a distraction --
BEHAR: From?
BERNHARD: From the fact that, you know, people are not focusing on entertainment right now and great entertainment. I think all of these talk shows have lost their way. I just feel like we should get back to what Carson did. He had people on, there were great moments.
BEHAR: What do you mean? I do it.
BERNHARD: And I give it up to your every time. I always seem like an ass-kisser
BEHAR: You kiss my ass, then fine. I enjoy it.
BERNHARD: I kiss your ass every time.
BEHAR: Thank you, Sandra and thank you, Jim.
BERNHARD: They might imply something.
We`ll be back in 60 seconds with new details on the Letterman scandal. Don`t go anywhere.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: While everyone is focused on Leno`s return to late night, David Letterman is facing a March 9th court date in the alleged extortion attempt against him. Almost four months after Joe Halderman apparently tried to shake down Letterman for $2 million. New details are still coming out.
Joining me now is Mark Seal, contributing editor of "Vanity Fair". He`s written a feature on this topic for this month`s issue. Welcome, Mark.
MARK SEAL, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "VANITY FAIR": Thank you, Joy.
BEHAR: Ok. Tell me what you found the most surprising thing in your investigation.
SEAL: Well, I just think the whole thing was like a spy movie or something like that. It was so much intrigue and back and forth. Stephanie Birkitt is a very interesting character. She was an intern in the writer`s department who became Letterman`s more or less on air sidekick on the show more than 200 times. I thought she is a fascinating character.
BEHAR: She`s the girlfriend that Letterman has admitted to having an affair with?
SEAL: Well, he never named her in person, but that`s according to Joe Halderman`s friends say that they were involved.
BEHAR: And did you find out what kind of relationship she had with Joe Halderman?
SEAL: Yes, she and Joe Halderman lived together in Halderman`s home out in Connecticut. They were planning to have a family, according to Halderman`s friend Bob Arnaut (ph). And then he found her diary last year where she talked about her love for Dave. And Halderman said, please leave and she wanted to stay and she said the extra money she was making was important to their future together. And then it went downhill from there.
BEHAR: Why do you think she was writing everything in a diary? She`s a grown woman. Who keeps a diary at that age?
SEAL: Yes. I know. That`s interesting isn`t it? You`re right.
BEHAR: Is it just because she knew she was sleeping with an important person and that some day she would need those notes?
SEAL: Who knows? Could be.
(CROSSTALK)
SEAL: Could be.
BEHAR: Yes. And so now he finds out what`s going on and I guess he freaked out about it, Halderman.
SEAL: Right. According to his friend, what happened was, he saw Dave and Stephanie in David`s $100,000 Tesla sports car at the end of his driveway and that set him off.
BEHAR: Why, because he was unemployed himself and jealous?
SEAL: Well, he wasn`t unemployed. He`s quite an accomplished producer. He covered conflicts in 86 countries, he`s on a True Crime show now. He`s quite accomplished. He was the go-to guy for Dan Rather and a lot of other anchors.
BEHAR: He`s on True Crime show. He`s on it.
SEAL: "48 Hours".
BEHAR: He`s his own story.
I`m curious, where did the affairs between Letterman and Stephanie take place?
SEAL: According to Halderman`s friend, they took place in -- well, I think he -- I`m not sure exactly the locations. But in various locations he said.
BEHAR: You know, the thing about that whole story that ticked me off, which you refer to me in your article --
SEAL: Right.
BEHAR: -- because the only thing that annoyed me, I don`t care if he`s sleeping with a girl or whatever, but that -- it became a boy`s club over there and that the girls who weren`t sleeping with the boss weren`t getting -- well, you know -- promoted. That`s the part that bothered me.
SEAL: Right, that was the industry gossip. And Halderman`s attorney says that Letterman created and fostered an atmosphere of sexual misconduct. But I talked to his executive producer, he said absolutely not.
BEHAR: Well, of course, what is he going to say?
SEAL: Yes.
BEHAR: But the girls loved Letterman --
SEAL: He has such charisma.
BEHAR: Yes, yes.
SEAL: I know, he`s one of the -- by his own admission he`s self- loathing and insecure. But he has charisma.
BEHAR: What more can a woman ask for?
SEAL: That`s right.
BEHAR: A man who hates himself and is insecure.
SEAL: Now, you know, one woman told me that she would be sitting at her desk with her back to the door, the hair on her arms would rise up and she would turn around and Dave would be standing in the doorway --
BEHAR: Well, he`s the boss --
SEAL: -- she said he`s electric --
BEHAR: He`s electric because he`s a big star on television.
SEAL: That`s right.
BEHAR: So will Halderman get a slap on the wrist or is he going to go to jail?
SEAL: Who knows the courts says -- they`re going to announce the court date soon. And we`ll see what happens. Can you imagine Letterman testifying in the court room?
BEHAR: That will be great. I can`t wait for those clips on my show. Mark, Mark thank you very much. Mark Seal.
SEAL: Thank you Joy, thank you.
BEHAR: Coming up, he`s an Olympian, he`s a TV star and he`s always the center of attention. The fabulous Johnny Weir stops by, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: He wowed the crowds in Vancouver with his dynamic skating performance, but Olympian Johnny Weir is known for more than his flair on the ice. He`s also known for speaking his mind and for his flashy skating costumes: the feathers, the sequins, the tool; where does he get those outfits? Did Cher have a garage sale?
Joining me now is Olympic figure skater and star of "Be Good Johnny Weir" on the Sundance Chanel. Welcome Johnny to the show.
JOHNNY WEIR, OLYMPIC FIGURE SKATER: Thank you so much, Ms. Joy.
BEHAR: I was watching you. You`re a fantastic skater and you placed sixth at the Olympics overall, which I think is pretty damn good.
WEIR: It`s very good but you know, I skated the best I could possibly skate --
BEHAR: Yes.
WEIR: -- and you know I`m an athlete. At the end of the day I wanted that medal. I wanted that crowning achievement.
BEHAR: You wanted the gold. Well, everybody wants the gold.
WEIR: Well, everyone wants the gold.
BEHAR: Yes.
WEIR: Well, I felt like that day I deserved it.
BEHAR: You did.
WEIR: And I was great. It was the best I had ever been.
But figure skating is a judged sport, a political sport. And there was already one American assured a medal -- a medal spot and maybe they were saving room for the -- two Americans couldn`t be on that --
BEHAR: Well, that could be some -- maybe the choice is all political at times you know?
WEIR: Absolutely.
BEHAR: But you had a lot of controversies with the whole Olympic Committee. I mean, they`re a little nasty. Are these two Canadians --
WEIR: They`re staid, I like to say.
BEHAR: They are very staid?
WEIR: Yes, just very rigid and frigid in some cases.
BEHAR: They`re frigid -- what about all those condoms up there because we`re talking about frigid? I was reading there were hundreds and hundreds of condoms.
WEIR: I didn`t know we were allowed to have condoms --
BEHAR: Well --
WEIR: -- I mean, there are usually rules in the Olympic village, no smoking, no drinking, no drugs and no fornication.
BEHAR: Yes.
WEIR: So I was very shocked that they were giving us condoms.
BEHAR: But I mean, did you know people who were using them?
WEIR: No. I had a very quiet roommate, Tanis Baldman (ph), I wish I had been let in on the joke.
BEHAR: Yes, I don`t think it was a joke -- I think the joke was -- yes the joke was they were doing it and you`re not.
WEIR: Well, thank God no one got pregnant.
BEHAR: Yes, that`s true, that`s true.
WEIR: Not yet anyway.
BEHAR: But this-- the two Canadian commentators said that you`re mannerisms might hurt other men competing in skating saying that you should get a gender test. That`s nasty.
WEIR: It`s very nasty.
BEHAR: I mean -- you know --
WEIR: You know, like -- I`m a figure skater, I`m an athlete. I was at the Olympics representing the United States --
BEHAR: Yes.
WEIR: -- and myself and just showing everyone what I can do. And seven days after I actually finished the competition is when these comments surfaced. And I had to hold a press conference talking about my opinion about things and I`m totally an advocate of freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
So I`m not hurt that the commentator said it. I just wish they would think before they actually said it. There are so many kids like me coming after me whose parents might repress them just because they saw what these guys said about me that their kids are going to turn out to be like me.
BEHAR: Yes.
WEIR: And I think me is pretty fabulous.
BEHAR: You are fabulous and I love your Snooki hairdo, also.
WEIR: Thank you, it`s Marie Antoinette.
BEHAR: Oh, Marie Antoinette, not Snooki?
WEIR: No.
BEHAR: Oh, ok. So Snooki must have stolen it from Marie Antoinette also?
WEIR: I think so, but you know what? I don`t know that much about Snooki. Is she cool?
BEHAR: That`s ok. Don`t worry about it.
WEIR: All right, I don`t mean to be snob.
BEHAR: Now, there are also some comments about you being quote unquote "too gay for figure skating". Now, how do you respond to that?
WEIR: It`s figure skating.
BEHAR: It`s figure skating, hello.
WEIR: Hello. No, I mean, everyone is different.
BEHAR: Like bobsledding although (INAUDIBLE) may disagree, I`m sorry. Go ahead.
WEIR: Well, I mean, they never talk about somebody being too butch for figure skating.
BEHAR: No, they never say that. Well, I think too butch might be too hard on this ice or something. I don`t know, you need a sort of a delicate person to skate.
WEIR: And you know, in a lot of cases the girls are more butch than the men.
BEHAR: Well, yes, that happens a lot, everywhere.
WEIR: I mean, feathers, rhinestone, you know, velvet, glitter. It`s not exactly the image, especially for Americans, of a macho sport. But what I do, I challenge any football player, any hockey player, any soccer player to do what I do for one day and not cry.
BEHAR: Yes. They wouldn`t be able to do it, huh?
WEIR: No, I mean --
BEHAR: Those big gorillas on the ice, I don`t think so.
WEIR: No, they would cry.
BEHAR: But you know, we had Isaac Mizrahi on the show last night.
WEIR: Oh gorgeous, how is he?
BEHAR: And we spoke about you. He loves you and he thinks you`re fabulous. But we talked about the comments made about you being too gay. Look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: When they`re talking about the wardrobe, I consider it a compliment when they say he looks too gay unless -- unless they`re talking about -- like over the top. I don`t know.
ISAAC MIZRAHI: Right, well, I mean by the way, there are gay women, too.
BEHAR: Look at the way you are dressing, you always dress beautifully.
MIZRAHI: What`s that? What was that shot? There was somebody - - is that Johnny Weir?
BEHAR: Yes, Johnny, yes that`s him.
MIZRAHI: -- in his tiny little panties? I never saw that. I didn`t see that, that is a little too gay.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: Ok, so he said you were too gay, A little too gay. And Elton John, by the way, says Jesus, he thinks Jesus was gay. So you`re on very good company.
WEIR: I suppose so, I think Jesus was a woman.
BEHAR: You do? Ok well, that could make news, it`s possible.
Let`s move on -- forget about it -- let`s move on -- let`s move on to the fur controversy.
WEIR: Yes.
BEHAR: Now, you were wearing fur. Tell me what happened when you wore this fabulous white fox fur thing.
WEIR: You know it was just like a little nubbin --
BEHAR: A nubbin?
WEIR: -- a small tiny morsel of a sock. It`s there in the picture. It was beautiful. It was a beautiful costume. It showed everything I wanted to show as far as going with the music and the character and everything. And I like fur. I`m not going to lie and say that I don`t and say that I only wear faux fur, because I don`t.
BEHAR: You don`t? So -- why not just wear faux fur just to get them off your back or at least the least of it?
WEIR: Getting them off my back isn`t necessarily the most important thing to do in my life. I mean I love my life, I love the things that I love and that`s the way it`s going to be. I`m not going to change for anybody.
Of course, I understand all sides of the argument or I try to. But just because someone feels one way doesn`t mean I`m going to change how I feel.
BEHAR: Ok. Well, good for you.
Don`t go anywhere, because we`ll be back in a minute with Johnny Weir.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEIR: Going to any state trophy (ph), I`m more trained than I`ve ever been.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: More power. Go, Johnny.
WEIR: I`m in the best physical shape.
And the problem with that is, this is exactly how I felt for Russia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: That was a look at "Be Good Johnny Weir", an 8-part documentary series currently airing on the Sundance Channel and Olympic skater Johnny Weir is here with me right now.
I watched that and I was also watching the part in your show where you`re teaching the girls to skate and you said them falling is ok. Just go with the flow. I thought it was a metaphor for life in a way.
WEIR: It is. I mean I believe that a person is defined how they claw themselves back up from any adversity; how they pick themselves up.
When you`re at the top, everything is supportive (ph); everyone wants to help you. But when you fall, you have to find your own way to get up without anyone`s help. That`s what defines a character.
BEHAR: So at the end of your career, let`s say maybe 20 years from now, as a skater, you`ll teach maybe?
WEIR: Oh, my God. My poor bones.
BEHAR: Yes, I know. What is the age limit on skaters?
WEIR: Twenty-five is kind of old. I`m 25 now.
BEHAR: That`s old, really?
WEIR: It`s pretty old. I mean my skating life has been short. I didn`t start until I was 12, so mine has been a lot shorter than most people. But still once your body hits a certain age, things get harder and harder every morning.
BEHAR: Tell me about it.
WEIR: I may look 25 on the outside but it`s 85 on the inside.
BEHAR: I see what you mean. Yes.
Anyway you must have known you could skate when you were 3 years old, right?
WEIR: I didn`t know it. I`m from a really small town in Pennsylvania.
BEHAR: They have ice there.
WEIR: Sometimes. The first time I skated was in a corn field behind my house.
BEHAR: Really?
WEIR: Yes. And from then I taught myself to do things by watching TV.
BEHAR: I love the Russian coach that you have; she`s strict.
WEIR: Very strict.
BEHAR: You seem a little scared of her. Is that good?
WEIR: It`s very good. It`s why -- I was with an American coach for the first however many long years of my career and then I switched to Galina Zmievskaya, who`s my current coach. She instilled in me sort of a work ethic that you don`t -- that you can`t learn. It has to be pushed into you. And I needed somebody that was stronger than me.
BEHAR: She was it for you.
WEIR: I love a strong woman.
BEHAR: Your mother seems strong too, but this Galina really is tops. She cracks the whip.
WEIR: She absolutely does. And, you know, she puts the fear of God in you and you do your work and you do the best work that you can do to please your coach.
BEHAR: Well, I guess in your field, you need that.
WEIR: Absolutely.
BEHAR: I have a couple of Twitter questions before we leave. I thought you might be interested in answering some of these. First of all, what is the average cost of your costumes, someone wants to know?
WEIR: The costumes -- it`s pretty outrageous. When you`re dealing with all Swarovski rhinestones, the best fabrics and things; it looks silly sometimes to people on television but it`s very expensive I mean.
BEHAR: And you have to pay for it all by yourself?
WEIR: Yes. We get a little bit of help from the U.S. Figure Skating Federation, but it`s little.
BEHAR: That was in the series. I saw that. I remember that.
WEIR: Coaching, costumes, choreography; everything is out of your own pocket.
BEHAR: It says what is the -- let me see -- "if you weren`t a skater, what would you be?
WEIR: I would be a fashion designer, I think.
BEHAR: I think that that`s your next career.
WEIR: Absolutely. Or Mick Jagger.
BEHAR: Yes. I mean you have a flair for it. Why not go with it?
BEHAR: Or Mick Jagger -- that`s a tough one, you have to be able to write those songs.
WEIR: That`s a tough career.
BEHAR: That is a tough career. I mean look at them, you know.
WEIR: I can`t go to school for that?
BEHAR: No, I don`t think so. You can`t learn that.
But you`re doing very well with your fashion, so stay with that.
WEIR: I love fashion. It`s just another form of art and a way to express yourself as an individual. Yes.
BEHAR: Absolutely. Good luck to you, kiddo. All right.
WEIR: Thank you so much.
BEHAR: Catch Johnny in "Be Good Johnny Weir" Monday nights on the Sundance Channel.
Up next, Tiger Woods returns home but will his family take him back? I`ll have an update.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: New trouble for the Jackson family. The L.A. county department of children and family services was called to the Jackson home after the children were caught playing with a stun gun. TMZ broke the story and joining us now is Mike Walters, assignment manager for TMZ. Mike, what`s the latest?
MIKE WALTERS, ASSIGNMENT MANAGER, TMZ: Well basically, Joy, the DCFS went out to the house last night at 10:30 p.m. and investigated, they talked to some of the people that worked there and the children. According to our sources, the kids were playing with a 300 volt stun gun and actually two of Jermaine`s children, who also live at the house, were trying to stun a blanket, Michael Jackson`s littlest kid.
But any way, they went out, they`re going back today to do a full blown investigation. I got to tell you this is really bad for the Jackson family right now because according to our sources, there`s another gun, DCFS took one but there`s another one in somewhere in the house on the property. They don`t know where it is.
BEHAR: Where did they get these?
WALTERS: Well basically we are told that one of Jermaine`s kids, Jaffar, one of his young children, ordered it online and it was actually delivered to the house about three weeks ago. Security finally heard like that sound from upstairs in the house. They didn`t know what it was. They finally figured it out, went up there and actually stopped two of the kids from stunning little blanket, upstairs.
BEHAR: It`s unbelievable that a child can order a stun gun on the internet. Just like that, what does this mean for the other three children of Michael Jackson? Can they be taken away?
WALTERS: Yes. I mean I have to tell you, Debbie Rowe is, you know, according to paperwork, because the marriage -- the mother and DCFS, if they feel there`s a danger to those children, remember Catherine Jackson, grandma, is an older lady. If they feel there is a danger they can take those kids out of that house. There`s also Jermaine`s, Randy`s and some other children, cousins living there. All the kids can be removed from the house if it`s not properly fixed and we`re told today they will be there, DCFS to do a full-blown investigation to figure out what exactly is going on in that house, if there`s control, and especially if there is other stun gun that`s laying around, really, really dangerous situation.
BEHAR: Wow, I hope that they also investigate the company that sold the stun gun to him. But that`s another story. Let`s talk about Tiger. I hear there is some news in that front. The reporter that Tiger, his wife and the kids are all back in Florida but living in separate homes is. That true?
WALTERS: Yes, the word on the street is that Tiger has gone back from Arizona. Remember he said that he was going back to rehab. He`s now back in Orlando. We`re told that Tiger`s is actually going to play in something called the Tabith Stock Cup which is his neighborhood Isle worth in Orlando versus another neighborhood.
Interestingly enough like you said, Elin has rented a house in Lake Butler Sound, which is another big golfing community nearby. The other big house where Tiger where is staying, they also own a smaller house on the golf course. So they`ve been staying separate. We`re told they`re doing therapy together. But definitely not 100 percent living together. Trying to do therapy for the kids. But Tiger we`re being told is just hitting balls, there on the golf course. He`s trying to kind of get back in the swing of things before this tournament.
And I would not be surprised, Joy, if you see Tiger Woods play the Masters, even though he said he wasn`t sure if he was going to play this year.
BEHAR: Right.
WALTERS: Maybe by the end of the year. But I bet you he comes out and plays the Masters.
BEHAR: and I bet you if he wins the Masters everything will be forgiven.
WALTERS: Hey Joy, it`s the Kobe Bryant of Los Angeles thing. You know what, nobody remembers what happened to Kobe. He comes to Los Angeles, starts winning championships and everyone forgets. If Tiger Woods wins the Masters, people start forgetting, they don`t even - you know, in a month we won`t remember any of the girls names.
BEHAR: I know -
WALTERS: It will be totally out.
BEHAR: But you know who`s going to remember it? Elin Woods.
WALTERS: Absolutely. And you know what, right now I`m being told that you know what? They`re not 100 percent, Elin is not totally back on with this marriage. She`s still considering divorce. Just wants to kind of do this for the kids for now and Tiger with the rehab. But I`m told it`s not 100 percent rekindled, Joy.
BEHAR: Okay thanks, Michael. It`s always interesting to talk to you.
WALTERS: All right, Joy, see you.
BEHAR: Okay, I want to turn now to some of the stars of Bravo`s "Real Housewives of New York City," reality show with so much drama. It could have been written by Jackie Collins. Now I`m pretty sure everybody here is speaking to each other, but even if they`re not, they`ll have to speak to me.
Joining me now are Jill Zarin, Countess Luann de Lesseps and Kelly Bensimon. Luann, hi.
LUANN DE LESSEPS, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NYC": Hi.
BEHAR: I know you two girls have been here before, but you are new, so welcome to the show, Kelly.
KELLY BENSEMON, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NYC": Thank you.
BEHAR: Just because we came off of Tiger, did you know that Clinton apparently offered Tiger Woods his support? Does anybody see anything wrong with that?
LESSEPS: I think it`s great. I think that he made a gesture towards Tiger. I mean look, he made a mistake. I mean where is the forgiveness here? Clinton made a mistake, he seems to be forgiven. So what`s wrong with Tiger Woods being forgiven?
BEHAR: Well because Tiger made a mistake and he made a mistake and a mistake and a mistake and a mistake.
LESSEPS: I know he did -
(CROSSTALK)
LESSEPS: I understand that - wait, wait, wait, at the end of the day, he`s trying to get help --
BENSEMON: Is that 14 mistakes?
LESSEPS: At the end of the day he`s trying to get help, right?
BEHAR: Yes.
LESSEPS: And his wife is standing by his side and I commend her for that.
JILL ZARIN, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NYC": I agree with you but I meant that you can`t compare what Bill Clinton did, who was the President of the United States that we put into office doing what he did to Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods is a private person, in my opinion, it`s really no one`s business but his own except that he has put himself out there as a squeaky clean person. But we didn`t vote for him.
BEHAR: Let`s talk about you Luann because you`re going through a divorce, this story is interesting.
LESSEPS: I`ve gone through it already.
BEHAR: Oh you went through it, it`s done?
LESSEPS: It`s done.
BEHAR: But it`s only recently right? That he sent you an e-mail telling you he was dumping you basically for some woman from Ethiopia?
LESSEPS: For some. No, no, you have it all wrong.
BEHAR: Tell me.
LESSEPS: We were separated, we were separated and he then he did meet somebody else and then he kindly let me know.
BEHAR: But in an e-mail, very rude.
LESSEPS: In an email, which, I agree with you it was not the way to go. But some people are not good at confrontation and he`s not one of them. So we divorced in last May.
BEHAR: And how long were you married to this guy?
LESSEPS: 16 years.
BEHAR: And you have children with him.
LESSEPS: We have two great children.
BEHAR: And this is what the idiot does? He sends you an e-mail? This is outrageous.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: I think you`re reliving history and redoing it a little bit. You`re pretty hurt, 9 months ago. I mean --
LESSEPS: You know, of course - Jill of course I was hurt. Of course, but you know, like I said, we had been separated for a while before which nobody quite understood. And --
BEHAR: How long?
LESSEPS: We were separated since January.
BEHAR: That`s not that long after 16 years. Two months?
LESSEPS: I know, you know, it was very unexpected and hurtful. Of course it was.
BEHAR: You need to get in touch with your rage. Okay.
ZARIN: Your inner rage, exactly.
BEHAR: You know there is a study that I read this week that it said, it is from England, so I don`t know if it`s really that good because I mean it`s one of these studies, you know, you never know. But basically they say that smart guys are less likely to cheat than dumb guys. Now was your husband smart?
LESSEPS: He`s very intelligent.
BEHAR: He is, what does he do? Oh, he`s a count. Why are you laughing? Don`t do that -- She gets pissed --
LESSEPS: Yes, no -
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: I know - cause he`s like a count, he`s very intelligent.
LESSEPS: He is very intelligent. He, one of his mentors won the Nobel Peace Prize, Eunice. And he`s in to microfinance.
BEHAR: He`s not dumb. I see.
LESSEPS: He helps, you know, third world countries and the poor and --
ZARIN: Can I help you out, he`s a scholar.
BEHAR: All right. Enough with that.
ZARIN: He`s a scholar.
BEHAR: He got the full bright award -
ZARIN: He got the Full bright scholar.
LESSEPS: He got the Full Bright Scholar and he`s a very intelligent man. So what was your question? Do intelligent men cheat more than not intelligent men?
BEHAR: Yes.
LESSEPS: I don`t think so.
BEHAR: No the dumber ones cheat more.
LESSEPS: Oh yes, I think the dumber ones cheat more.
BEHAR: They say that in that in the study but could it be that the smarter ones just cover their tracks better?
LESSEPS: I think the smarter ones think less with - down below the belt, shall I say?
BEHAR: Yes -- than the dumber ones. With their head -
(CROSSTALK)
BENSEMON: Well you said it not me. But in the European defense, you know -
ZARIN: She`s married to -
BENSEMON: But you know, I mean -
LESSEPS: She was -
BEHAR: Oh yes.
BENSEMON: Being a philanderer in Europe isn`t exactly something that not - you know, shied upon. So, I mean - who knows to say. I`m not saying that he ever did anything, I`m not referring that. I`m just saying that it`s more accepted there than here -
LESSEPS: Look at -
BENSEMON: Here any time something happens, everybody is down your throat.
LESSEPS: Look at the politicians in Europe.
BENSEMON: Right.
LESSEPS: You know it`s not unlikely that -
BENSEMON: Right.
ZARIN: What are we talking about?
LESSEPS: Nobody talks about it. They don`t want to hear about it.
ZARIN: Not that it makes it any better, it`s just different.
BENSEMON: Right.
BEHAR: It still feels bad to the wife.
LESSEPS: It does.
BEHAR: Now you ladies are in a show. I was watching it. I was riveted to the first segment.
ZARIN: Is it the first time you`ve watched it?
BEHAR: No, I sort of saw the story here and there but I really wasn`t so attached to it as I am now.
LESSEPS: Oh good.
BEHAR: Because I know all about the fights and I know who was talking to whom.
ZARIN: Just debate, okay.
BEHAR: But I was wondering just to get this out of the way, how much of it is put on and how much of it is true? Because an Atlanta housewife, one of the chicks from the Atlanta show, Kim Zolciak, she just stepped out with a new lesbian lover. Okay now, everyone is acting like this is big news.
BENSEMON: Right.
LESSEPS: Who cares?
ZARIN: I care.
LESSEPS: You do?
ZARIN: I care a little bit.
BENSEMON: I think - sometimes -
BEHAR: Is she a day tripper or is this the real thing?
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: Listen I think -- she thinks is the press, I think it`s the press. What do they call that?
BENSEMON: Some people like media more than others.
LESSEPS: I think that anybody that puts on a wig and lies about having cancer is somebody that you --
BEHAR: Is that what she did? This one?
LESSEPS: Yes, she put on a wig -
(CROSSTALK)
BENSEMON: Then it came out in the reunion that she didn`t really have cancer.
LESSEPS: And she said to people that she wears a wig because she had cancer.
BEHAR: So it turns out she was lying about the cancer?
LESSEPS: Yes.
BEHAR: So we don`t -- can`t trust her then.
LESSEPS: Exactly. So what are we going to believe?
BEHAR: So maybe it`s the attention -
ZARIN: Maybe?
BENSEMON: What Joy ask is some people - do some - are some of these scenes put on? And yes, sometimes you walk into it, like when we`re together.
LESSPES: Yes.
BENSEMON: We`re like this, on camera, off camera, this is us. Sometimes when I walk into a scene and I`m talking to somebody and I walk in and they go haywire, I`m like, what is going on? So you know, sometimes it`s surreal. Sometimes it`
BEHAR: Let me -- before we go, wait, before we go to commercial, if you had to pick one of the casts to be your lesbian lover, which one would it be?
LESSEPS: Oh my god.
ZARIN: I like Kim Zolciak.
(LAUGHTER)
ZARIN: Oh of your cast?
BEHAR: Of your cast?
BENSEMON: You wouldn`t take me?
ZARIN: Oh I would take Kelly?
BEHAR: You would take Kelly?
LESSEPS: Oh I`m jealous.
ZARIN: Playboy.
BEHAR: The countess is jealous.
(LAUGHTER)
ZARIN: Playboy.
BEHAR: How about you before we get to commercial.
LESSEPS: If I had to pick somebody from the show? Do I have to?
BEHAR: Yes, pick one. No, you don`t have to, Kelly?
BENSEMON: Probably Jill because she`s long and --
BEHAR: Okay so I see a couple here. Thank you very much, ladies. We`re just getting started. We`ll be back with more from "The Real Housewives of the New York City" in just a minute, you don`t want to miss this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look at your hair. It`s really pretty. I love it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s extending me an olive branch and I like it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I cut it a week ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take it and run with it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m running with it. I love it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t think Ramone looks anything like Cameron Diaz.
BEHAR: Meow. Back with me to dish on all the drama of the third season of their hit Bravo reality show, which begins on March 4th, three stars of "The Real Housewives Of New York City." okay, we know who you are already. We don`t have to go through that again. You girls can be very mean. If she wants to say she looks like Cameron Diaz, why didn`t you give it to her?
ZARIN: I did and then I put my finger down my throat.
BEHAR: And then you said, I don`t think so -
LESSEPS: Well you know what? I don`t think she looks like Cameron Diaz. I mean I`m being honest about it. You know what, don`t get me wrong, she looks great.
BEHAR: Yes. ZARIN: She does.
LESSEPS: Ramona is in her 50s and she looks amazing.
BEHAR: You don`t have to say her name. See that was catty.
LESSEPS: Oh it wasn`t catty.
BEHAR: To say her age. Ramone is in her 50`s
(CROSSTALK)
BENSEMON: Ramone would kill you that you did that to her.
ZARIN: People magazine has said it all -
LESSEP: It`s everywhere, our age.
BEHAR: I know but you know what, it`s one thing to see it on the written page, it`s another thing to hear the number come out of your mouth. It`s very annoying.
LESSEPS: It`s great to look a certain way at a certain age and I say hats off to her. I really - I think so --
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: Everyone - Ramone, you know god bless you. And I think Ramone why don`t you make your age even older, like why don`t you say you`re 65.
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: Right why don`t you say you are 80, and then you can say look at this skin. I mean instead it`s the opposite, you know, a lot of women want to be younger -
BEHAR: Yes, I know.
ZARIN: You say you are 35 but you don`t look 35.
BEHAR: But you made her cry. Was it you, Jill?
ZARIN: No. The alcohol. The alcohol made her cry. Did you see how much tequila she was drinking.
BEHAR: I was going to say the scene was that Ramona and you were in something.
LESSEPS: Because I wouldn`t go to her house for labor day because her husband -
BEHAR: Mario.
LESSEPS: Mario said something really mean to me -
BEHAR: What`d he say, what`d he say -
LESSEPS: And I say was very rude. I had just - you know I was divorcing and it was very hurtful what he said.
BEHAR: So what did he say?
LESSEPS: You know he called - he got an opportunity to say, instead of countess to say countless. Which was really mean.
BENSEMON: That`s not nice.
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: He said it to a photography who was calling out her name. Countess, countess and then Mario says countless.
LESSEPS: It doesn`t matter. It was just really mean and hurtful. So when I tried to explain to her that I don`t feel comfortable coming to your house for labor day because I don`t feel welcome.
ZARIN: Nasty.
BEHAR: And then she turned on her.
ZARIN: I didn`t turn on her, I tried to mediate. You know Ramona, why don`t you just say --
BEHAR: Who are you, the lawyer?
BENSEMON: She is.
ZARIN: Actually, I am.
BENSEMON: She`s a council.
ZARIN: I am and I think I was being fair and I said it on the front of the boat. I said all she had to do was to say, you know what you`re right, it was mean and I`ll speak to Mario and he`ll call you tomorrow and apologize.
BEHAR: All right.
ZARIN: And that would have been it.
LESSEPS: Very simple.
ZARIN: She made very such a mean girl. Who would be - nobody needs her.
BEHAR: Well she just started crying because she felt you were ganging up on her, two against one. I saw the show.
LESSEP: Did you think we were ganging up on her?
BEHAR: Well I think that when it`s two against one, somebody feels ganged up on, don`t you? Think about sisterhood.
(CROSSTALK)
BENSEMON: Here`s what she should have said is that you know what, Luann I`m really, really sorry on behalf of Mario.
ZARIN: Right. Right.
BENSEMON: If you would like to talk to him, call him. She didn`t do that. She just -
ZARIN: She did -
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: He would have called you but he doesn`t have your number, are you kidding me?
BENSEMON: Right.
LESSEPS: Ramone said he would have called you for an apology but he didn`t have your number.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: All right. Let`s just talk about the countess thing. You take a little guff for it.
LESSEPS: I do, I do and that`s why Ramona always relies on that, because you know she runs out of tools and always goes to the countess. That`s her last step to really get me.
BEHAR: Nobody else teases you about being the countess?
LESSEPS: Well Bethany likes to tease me.
BEHAR: Why do you hang on to it? Why do you hang on to the countess?
LESSEPS: Because it is who I am, it`s part of who I am. I`m very proud of that and so there`s -
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: But you`re going to get teased about it, you know that. In America, people tease people with labels like that.
LESSEPS: You know my name is Luann -
ZARIN: It teaches you -
LESSEPS: You know what? These guys call me countess more than anybody.
ZARIN: Yes, I do.
LESSEPS: I`m not the one who calls myself, I don`t go around saying I`m the countess. I`m Luann.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: I know but people behind your back may go "The Countess Is Coming."
LESSEPS: Yes, either you love it or you hate it.
BENSEMON: Yes, if you have a title like that.
BEHAR: Yes.
BENSEMON: And your husband`s --
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: Yes, use it.
BENSEMON: No, be proud of it.
ZARIN: Be proud.
LESSEPS: I am proud of it.
BENSEMON: Listen if any woman had a countess, are you kidding me, they`d wear it with big C`s all over their t-shirts.
(CROSSTALK)
LESSEPS: And wear them with tiaras.
ZARIN: And by the way we know people who by those titles.
BENSEMON: Exactly. She didn`t buy that title, she married it. And there`s a difference.
ZARIN: There are people so desperate for reorganization.
BEHAR: Well I think -- keep it, because the idiot gives you an e-mail saying he`s off, forget it. And the money -
BENSEMON: Keep the jewelry.
BEHAR: How about the money?
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Okay now Jill let me -
BENSEMON: We love you, Joy.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: You brought up Bethany before. Bethany seems to be a target that you don`t like, I notice, especially you, Jill. What is the story?
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: It`s not a target. Last season I was the new girl and she attacked me and I just made it clear that I wasn`t going to, you know, play in her play ground. And that you know, if she`s going to be force, she`s down here and I`m up here. I just don`t want to be part of it. And so she got really upset by that that I didn`t want to engage in that.
BEHAR: Okay let`s look at this tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZARIN: It`s sad for me to even talk about the whole Bethany and I sort of not being friends anymore. Bethany was really in my inner circle. The last phone call I actually have, she left me a message and I saved it and it was so hurtful. She said to me that I need to find a hobby. That was her closing statement. You know what, Jill? Ouch. You need to find a hobby. And you know what? I did. And it wasn`t hanging out with her anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: A lot of people seem to have trouble with Bethany. Is it because - I mean I`m just saying now, is it because she`s a successful businesswoman?
LESSEPS: No.
BEHAR: And there`s a little jealousy?
LESSEPS: No. She attacks you and people talk about her. It`s very simple.
BEHAR: I think.
LESSEPS: It`s not about being you know -being , qualified, capable, you know successful. Because we`re all very successful people in our own right. But if she doesn`t attack you, no one talks about her. And that`s why she does it.
BENSEMON: There is something wrong with people - just one last -
BEHAR: Yes go ahead.
BENSEMON: There`s something wrong with people that have to attack other people in order to make themselves feel better.
BEHAR: We actually have more time with you girls.
LESSEPS: Oh, good.
BEHAR: Just stay right there. We`ll be right back after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BENSEMON: I would never cross her, because she would -- that does not a friend make.
LESSEPS: Can you imagine, that`s my fear.
BENSEMON: That`s not a friend. That`s called a foe. The girl is like -- she has issues. I mean, she invented the margarita. Come on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: That was Kelly and her Frenemy Bethany Frankel on "The Real House Wives of New York City". Before we get to the fact that you posed for playboy, I want to just bring up that you had a little drama of your own.
BENSEMONE: Yes.
BEHAR: Where you were arrested for allegedly punching your ex- boyfriend.
BENSEMONE: I was. Someone that I knew actually walked to the police station and had me arrested for allegedly hitting him.
BEHAR: What`s his name?
BENSEMONE: I`m not going to tell you his name.
BEHAR: Okay. But Besemone is your ex-husband?
BENSEMONE: Yes.
BEHAR: And you have a new boyfriend now?
BENSEMONE: I`m seeing many people, yes.
BEHAR: Oh so you don`t have a new boyfriend? Wait. You just looked at her --
LESSEPS: Many people.
BENSEMONE: I don`t know what to say. I`m seeing different people.
BEHAR: And you know what Kelly, many people are seeing you, because you`re on the cover of the March issue of "playboy."
LESSEPS: Hello.
BEHAR: Now some say you did it to one-up Bethany`s nude PETA ad that she did.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: She posed nude for PETA.
ZARIN: No competition.
BEHAR: Yes.
BENSEMONE: I mean listen, let`s be honest.
BEHAR: You girls are so altruistic.
BENSEMONE: PETA is an amazing organization. And I`m so happy for them that they`re getting the coverage that they`re getting because they`re an amazing organization.
BEHAR: Yes.
BENSEMONE: "Playboy" is an iconic magazine and I`m so incredibly honored to be gracing not only their cover but to have a story and interview. I mean - it`s the greatest honor ever.
BEHAR: What made you decide to do that?
BENSEMONE: Well when they asked me to do it, I mean I was so impressed that they would want a 40-year-old woman in their pictures. And so I asked my ex-husband to take the pictures. And the nice thing about it, it`s really me.
BEHAR: That`s weird. Wait a minute. Your ex-husband took --
BENSEMONE: Joy`s like, what?
ZARIN: Is there a reconciliation?
BENSEMONE: No. My ex--
BEHAR: Bensemone is a photographer.
BENSEMONE: Joe Bensemone is one of the most famous photographers in the world, and he makes women look more beautiful than they actually are and I just thought to myself if I`m going to be doing something like that, then I would definitely want someone that wants a better version of me.
BEHAR: Now you have two daughters, any qualms about doing the shoot with your daughters?
BENSEMONE: No. We talked about it. I actually brought them in the morning, to the studio, you know, they hung out with John and I and they were really happy --
BEHAR: Oh they`re his kids?
BENSEMONOE: Yes, they were so happy that their parents working together. They were excited about it.
BEHAR: Do you girls want to pose nude, too? Or what?
ZARIN: Hugh hasn`t called yet. But you know it`s always an option.
(CROSSTALK)
LESSEPS: I just want to go to the Playboy party.
(CROSSTALK)
ZARIN: You know, don`t leave any door closed.
BEHAR: Jill, you have been spotted hanging out with Jon Gosselin and Michael Lohan. Why?
LESSEPS: Oh god.
ZARIN: I`m not -
BEHAR: Why are you hanging out with these two losers?
ZARIN: Where do you get your facts from?
BEHAR: I get them from the tabloids like any other researchers.
BENSEMONE: That`s my girl.
ZARIN: I love you. No. Last summer -- it`s a long story but I ran into the mayor of South Hampton and we went out for dinner, one meal. That was it.
BEHAR: With who?
ZARIN: With Jon Gosselin, Kate Major, it was unbelievable. The mayor of South Hampton and his wife and Michael Lohan and his then girlfriend, who now I think got a restraining order out on him.
BEHAR: I see.
ZARIN: And the most interesting dinner I ever had and the assistant of my husband.
LESSEPS: And then we ran into him at the polo.
BEHAR: The next day. The question is why is the mayor of South Hampton hanging out with these two losers?
ZARIN: That`s the question. I`ll tell you why. Michael Lohan, the mayor of South Hampton owns a rehab center out in Long Island.
LESSEPS: What?
BEHAR: That explains it all.
ZARIN: They`re friends through that.
LESSEPS: Who? What?
ZARIN: The mayor of South Hampton owns a very well-known place.
BEHAR: All right I have to tell you this has been a treat for everyone here. So, thank you, ladies, for coming on the show.
LESSEPS: Thank you, Joy.
BEHAR: The new season of "Real House Wives Of New York City" starts Thursday night on Bravo. It really is must see TV. Good night everybody.
END
