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Joy Behar Page
Kate Gosselin, a Dancing Diva?; Martha Stewart`s Man Trouble; Gene Simmons` Family Jewels; Interview with Todd Bridges About His Molestation and Drug Addiction.
Aired March 19, 2010 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOY BEHAR, HLN HOST: Tonight on THE JOY BEHAR SHOW, after "Different Strokes", Todd Bridges` life took a different path. But now he`s back on the straight and narrow and he`ll join me here on the studio.
Then there are rumors being leaked from "Dancing with the Stars" that Kate Gosselin can`t dance. The woman gave birth to eight children. I`m amazed she can walk.
And one of Tiger Woods` mistresses has released some of the dirty text messages he allegedly sent. Someone`s going to have to wash his phone out with soap.
That and more right now.
Tiger Woods may be returning to golf but one of his alleged ex- mistresses is also back in the news. Joslyn James released text messages she says are from Tiger. They are so raunchy it made me blush.
Or it might have been the menopause. I`m really not 100 percent sure. But they were very raunchy.
Joining me to talk about this and other hot button topics from the week are comedian, Kathleen Madigan; Nicole Sullivan, actress and spokesperson with Jenny Craig; and actor Ralph Macchio. Greetings.
All right. You want me to read something? I`m going to read you just a little bit because I can not -- I cannot read everything. Even on HBO they would not read this. Ok.
He says, this is what he says, "I want to treat you rough." He tells her. "Throw you around, spank you and slap you. Slap your face. Treat you like a dirty little whore." I won`t go on any further.
KATHLEEN MADIGAN, COMEDIAN: Oh do.
BEHAR: No, I can`t. He calls her a whore a few times. He says, "I want to own you."
I mean when you see this stuff, I`m sorry that I was so nice to him now.
NICOLE SULLIVAN, ACTRESS: Is he here?
BEHAR: I`ve just been easy on him in a certain way. Not really. But people, this is really vile.
(CROSSTALK)
SULLIVAN: I feel more sorry for him after reading because I was like, "You`re broken." That`s what a broken brain says.
BEHAR: I feel sorry for his wife because she is going to have to go back to this guy.
RALPH MACCHIO, ACTOR: Absolutely.
MADIGAN: She doesn`t have to. She shouldn`t go back. I mean all women -- we need to have a meeting, ladies. Everybody can`t keep doing this. We need to walk around with burqas at this point. It`s so embarrassing.
BEHAR: Only Mrs. Sanford, is the only one who left.
MADIGAN: The text is filthy and dirty. That`s reasonably normal but you can`t punch me in the face. I mean how does that fly with this woman where she`s reading it, going great I can`t wait for you to punch me in the face later on. You`re really sexy.
BEHAR: What do you think Ralph?
MACCHIO: How do you -- it`s hard to fathom just, you know, being that naive -- for lack of a much better word -- maybe stupid to embark even into texting like that. I just can`t even understand. It`s interesting. I said to my son, I was coming over here. He`s 14, and I said, "What do you think of Tiger Woods," because I said, "I was doing this panel."
He goes, "Oh, he`s an idiot, he`s a jerk and he should be banned from golf." Now he used to love Tiger Woods. You know what I mean. He comes from a family of -- my wife and I have been married for 23 years. We`re uncool because we have a successful marriage. But it`s interesting how that --
BEHAR: Yes. He`s not a hero to the kids anymore.
MACCHIO: I mean I don`t think he should --
SULLIVAN: If my husband did that I would be crying in a pool of his blood.
BEHAR: That`s generous.
SULLIVAN: It`s that --
BEHAR: Ok. Other Tiger news, the president of the United States was asked on Fox News about Tiger returning to the Masters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Tiger has acknowledged that he had betrayed his family and, you know, that`s a personal issue that he`s got to work out. I hope they`ve work it out. I`m sure he`s going to still be a terrific golfer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: Why didn`t he ask Tiger what he thinks of health reform? Why are they asking the president about this case?
MADIGAN: I know. And why is he responding?
BEHAR: Because he feels like he has to, I guess.
(CROSSTALK)
SULLIVAN: They`ve worked it out, like it`s already been settled. Hope they work it out. No. It`s a process.
BEHAR: He hasn`t read the sexting.
(CROSSTALK)
MACCHIO: Even on top of that, it was a pretty soft response. I guess he was cornered because he was asked about it. It`s kind of how do you -- I don`t know -- it`s a tough question you have to deal with as President of the United States. How do you -- he`s been friendly with the man and yet you`re dealing with a role model and so many other elements that it`s really --
MADIGAN: At these guys all say they hope it works out; and that the family can put it back together. I don`t -- if this lady stays what does that do to that lady in the trailer that`s getting hit in the face with the frying pan, that she`s going to stay. If this woman stayed --
BEHAR: He didn`t hit Elin; Elin may have hit him.
MADIGAN: The amount of abuse and this and how much can this lady take.
BEHAR: And also we don`t know if he actually hit this girl, this Joslyn.
MADIGAN: No, I`m not saying he actually did it. Just texting it.
BEHAR: This is just like sex talk on the sexting. That`s what it`s about. He`s interested in everything, also.
Now let`s move on to Kate Gosselin. She`s denying reports that she was being a total diva on the set of "Dancing with the Stars". Also "The National Enquirer" claims her dance partner said Kate is a clutz who doesn`t listen and can`t take directions. Sounds like my high school drama teacher. I got the same report.
I mean I`ll tell you right now, she was on "The View" yesterday or whenever, the day before yesterday, and she was very nice. There was no diva behavior -- just my own perception. What do you think of that?
MADIGAN: Well, yes, I would expect her to be a clutz. She`s not a dancer. I would tell that dancer person well, she`s not a dancer.
SULLIVAN: I know but she`s a lady in Pennsylvania.
MADIGAN: I know but if she`s going to be on the show you have to teach her how to dance.
BEHAR: You know what she does? She told me she dances in her basement. She goes down there with her kids and practices in her basement; dancing in the basement.
(CROSSTALK)
SULLIVAN: They built her a studio.
MACCHIO: I mean it seems like a story. That seems as though -- it seems like a nothing story.
BEHAR: Well, supposedly she makes $75,000 an episode. So a lot of stuff is coming out against her. Why don`t people like her?
MADIGAN: Well, have you ever watched the show?
BEHAR: Not really.
MACCHIO: Me neither.
MADIGAN: I watched one episode and I couldn`t watch her any more. She was so mean. And I know the husband there`s something wrong with him too. But there`s no reason to keep yelling at the man.
(CROSSTALK)
MADIGAN: He`s been yelled at so much he didn`t even respond any more. He would just sit in the chair and stare at the floor.
BEHAR: Yes.
MADIGAN: And you know what he does? He`d do this and he doesn`t do that -- I think people like to hate her. That`s why they watch the show.
SULLIVAN: But you know she`s making money for her family. I know it`s a weird sort of odd choice that she`s making but --
MACCHIO: Right. She`s been on every opening of every thing, you know.
SULLIVAN: Right. But she`s making it work for her. I mean --
BEHAR: She`s not working at McDonald`s making money.
MACCHIO: She`s stretching out that 15 minutes.
BEHAR: Ok. Now sit tight. In 60 seconds, I want your take on Martha Stewart`s man troubles. Oh, yes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: Martha Stewart`s former BFF has written a tell-all about the domestic diva and said she`s so man-hungry she follows wealthy businessmen around the Hamptons. So do I, big deal.
This is what she says. "Stewart was so desperate for a new husband Martha could be as naive as a little girl with men. And each time she met a man she liked Martha heard wedding bells." Are you buying this?
SULLIVAN: No.
MACCHIO: No, no, I`m not buying it.
MADIGAN: And really even at this -- at this age, the most attractive thing about Martha is her bank account. Don`t go to the Hamptons. They have money. If she went to the unemployment line, all those guys and they`ve probably been to prison, they`d have things in common. They wanted money. She`s looking for a boyfriend in the Hamptons --
BEHAR: Yes. But with friends like this who needs a cell mate.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: You know, the thing about her is people in her category they only like men with money and power.
SULLIVAN: They have to. She can`t date -- she is so much -- she`s an empire. She`s a business walking around town.
BEHAR: Why not, though? Can`t she marry -- go out with a regular guy?
MACCHIO: Right. A regular Joe from the burbs.
BEHAR: Remember Cher? She was going out with a guy who made pizzas.
MACCHIO: Right. He was 20 years younger than her.
BEHAR: Martha could get a younger pizza maker.
MACCHIO: I guess so. It`s the Martha Cougar show.
SULLIVAN: If they make a pizza, she would correct him. She makes such delicious pizza.
BEHAR: That`s true. She would be so annoying with the pizza guy, oh my God.
MADIGAN: Or if she went to a country where they didn`t know her. Like if she ran around China they`ve probably never seen her show. And they probably don`t know that she`s totally annoying and nitpicky and crazy. Oh, look at that lady, lots of money.
BEHAR: All right. How would you like fit your BFF wrote a book about all the little things that you did, Kathleen, in your life? You wouldn`t like it right?
MADIGAN: Well, she would never finish the book.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: She would be dead.
SULLIVAN: Name one god-fearing woman that hasn`t stalked a guy a little bit. Come on. It`s in all of us.
MADIGAN: Joy?
BEHAR: Ok. Moving on. Not only is Betty White being wooed by TV and film execs she`s also fielding advances from the sexiest man alive on "The Tonight Show". And I don`t mean Ross, the intern. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, NBC HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": Betty? Betty?
BETTY WHITE, ACTRESS: I`m in the shower, Jay.
LENO: I`m sorry, I`ll come back.
WHITE: No, it`s ok, Jay. I`m not shy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Neither am I. Could you pass me that loofah.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: I didn`t know it was a co-ed shower.
MACCHIO: That was a part of the 10:00 show and they moved it up --
BEHAR: So, Betty White is having a whole resurgence of popularity at 88 years old.
MACCHIO: Awesome.
BEHAR: Kind of great.
SULLIVAN: Oh, it`s awesome.
MACCHIO: I mean she has the Screen Actors Guild lifetime achievement thing and then you saw that Super Bowl ad. And then it just took off from there. That`s all -- I mean you start -- you discussed Tiger Woods and we discuss what`s happening Betty White, it`s like the best and worst of what the media can do or what celebrity can do.
SULLIVAN: Yes. That`s a really good point.
BEHAR: They are remaking "The Karate Kid" Ralph.
MACCHIO: Yes they are.
BEHAR: Why mess with a classic, I say? Are you doing a cameo or anything?
MACCHIO: No, no, I`m not. It`s starring Betty White as the Elizabeth Shue character --
MADIGAN: They got that part too.
MACCHIO: No. I think that -- no, I`m not doing a cameo.
BEHAR: "The Karate Kid" on Medicare. You`re not doing a cameo?
MACCHIO: No, No. I don`t have anything to necessarily do with the project. I mean Will Smith did call me. He`s producing it for his son. He was very cool about it.
"I know I`m messing your baby. Don`t be mad at me. I want your blessing."
BEHAR: But they didn`t put you in the movie.
MACCHIO: We talked about that but, you know, the truth is I let the legacy stand of what we did.
SULLIVAN: Yes, you made the right choice there.
BEHAR: Thank you guys.
Up next, Gene Simmons stops by to talk about his family jewels, his show. Get your mind out of the gutter.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENE SIMMONS, FORMER MEMBER OF "KISS": Ok. I got to get some work. Fair warning, once I get in here I will stop being your good-looking dad with the (INAUDIBLE) and I will become him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you`re bringing the onesie in.
SIMMONS: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s cool.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bye, dad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: That was legendary Kiss front man Gene Simmons in the fifth season premier of "Gene Simmons` Family Jewels" on A & E.
Joining me now are Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed. Hello.
SIMMONS: Hi.
SHANNON TWEED, WIFE OF GENE SIMMONS: Hello.
BEHAR: You happy little couple, you.
SIMMONS: Oh, look how proper you are. You`re smiling. You know I got to take Shannon with me wherever I go from now on because I get preferential treatment when she`s here.
BEHAR: Really?
SIMMONS: You smile -- otherwise it`s your big hairy brute. What the hell did you -- look, I even put on a monkey suit; you completely ignored me and went right to Shannon. I`m sticking with her.
BEHAR: Is it time for you to take the glass off with the --
SIMMONS: I told it`s an affectation when the camera comes in for the close up it`s a reveal.
BEHAR: Ok. So there it is.
SIMMONS: Does the Phantom take off the mask right away?
BEHAR: No. Ok, you want to milk this is a little bit?
SIMMONS: Does the Phantom take off his mask?
BEHAR: No.
(CROSSTALK)
SIMMONS: I said that on CNN, I said shmichael, you didn`t hear it?
BEHAR: Shmichael?
SIMMONS: We`ll leave it at that. It`s a family show.
BEHAR: Now, yes it is a family show. You`re a family guy. Who would have pegged you as a family guy?
SIMMONS: Me. Nobody asked.
BEHAR: I mean you have this other persona as this --
SIMMONS: Right. And so do you.
BEHAR: No, I don`t.
SIMMONS: Yes, you do. I know -- nobody ever talks about your wild crazy days but there`s our family.
BEHAR: But it`s a little different from what people think of you, I think.
SIMMONS: Well, yes. And the question was? Look, I`ve always been the same person. I`ve never pretended to be anything but. I`ve never been high or drunk in my life willingly except in a dentist`s chair. And that`s never been a secret. I say what I mean, mean what I say. On stage is who I am and off stage it`s simply just never been a public issue.
BEHAR: But you two have been together now for 26 years.
TWEED: 26 years.
BEHAR: Never gotten married.
TWEED: But honestly you`re not the same person you were when I met you.
SIMMONS: Yes I am.
TWEED: Oh come on.
SIMMONS: What are you talking about? I still drop my clothes on the floor. And I still --
BEHAR: You`re still a slob.
SIMMONS: I`m faster to tie my tie.
TWEED: No, hopefully they`re only in my bedroom.
BEHAR: But why didn`t you get married? Is there any reason? We`ll get to that in a second.
SIMMONS: Marriage --
BEHAR: I`m trying to establish the fact that you two have not been married but you`re together for all these years.
(CROSSTALK)
SIMMONS: What was the question?
BEHAR: Why haven`t you gotten married for 24 years?
SIMMONS: It is nothing wrong.
TWEED: No one asked me.
SIMMONS: See, here`s the important thing, guys. When you get with a woman, be quiet.
TWEED: Don`t tell the men what to do. Please leave them alone. Poor men.
BEHAR: I know. I don`t think you should be giving advice.
TWEED: I don`t think you should be giving advice.
SIMMONS: I shouldn`t be giving.
BEHAR: No.
SIMMONS: Well.
BEHAR: I`ve studied your background Gene. And I read that you reportedly have slept with 46 women.
SIMMONS: No, I didn`t sleep with them. Not all the time.
BEHAR: You had sex with them.
SIMMONS: Yes, that`s true.
BEHAR: I don`t think you got that much sleep. I find that gross, frankly.
SIMMONS: Thank you.
TWEED: No. No you haven`t seen the Polaroids. Those are gross.
BEHAR: Who?
SIMMONS: Here`s an important thing. If you are serious --
TWEED: It`s important to note that it`s back when they were Polaroids.
BEHAR: Well, I mean it`s not in the past 26 years I figure, right?
SIMMONS: Hold on a second if you`re serious about a woman --
BEHAR: I`m asking you a direct question.
SIMMONS: This is what you have to learn as guys. You can never finish a sentence --
BEHAR: You are sandwiched between two women.
SIMMONS: If there`s two women -- there`s a tomb stone up here. You just can see it.
TWEED: If I put my hand in here. I can get him to say --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Go ahead. Go ahead. Let him finish.
SIMMONS: Thank you. So if you`re serious about moving in with a girl, you know, full disclosure before the fact is not just a business issue, be completely up front. So for years and years I took beautiful photos of these gorgeous women -- why are your shaking your head?
Sort of like a tourist. If you`ve been there take a photo. What is funny? I`m being completely serious.
BEHAR: So that was -- these were historic documents?
SIMMONS: Well, when I`m old and I can`t remember who I am, that`s right I did. It`s sort of like a beautiful scenic flower --
BEHAR: Doesn`t that bother you?
SIMMONS: I showed her the photos right away before we moved in together.
BEHAR: I know but do you have little details this one did this really well? This one did this?
SIMMONS: No. Well you could see in the shot -- you could see -- but on the back I had names, city and date.
BEHAR: Yes. But I mean does it --
TWEED: I wasn`t impressed.
BEHAR: Doesn`t it annoy you to know that he has this --
TWEED: Yes. It annoys me to no end.
BEHAR: -- memorabilia?
SIMMONS: Well, as opposed to what, being with a eunuch. You can`t have it both ways.
BEHAR: I don`t think -- I think there`s something in between a eunuch and you.
SIMMONS: Thank you, I think.
You never talked about your wild days, have you? I mean you`re sitting here --
BEHAR: I don`t have any. I missed the sexual revolution.
SIMMONS: Have you been living in sin for 27 years or not?
BEHAR: I am so disappointed that I missed the sexual revolution. I`m a bitter, bitter woman. I missed it.
SIMMONS: You are living it. Are you living in sin right now for 27 years?
BEHAR: 27, yes.
SIMMONS: Are you married.
BEHAR: No.
SIMMONS: What`s the difference?
BEHAR: I`m not attacking you for that.
SIMMONS: I`m not defending.
BEHAR: I`m talking about this sexual promiscuity.
SIMMONS: I know all about you Behar. I know you`re a wild --
BEHAR: No, you know no (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
SIMMONS: Behar comes across like, "I`m on `The View` I`m your next door neighbor, no you`re not. You`re a wildcat in bed and you have the masks and the whips and I know what you do.
Ok, back to CNN, the family.
BEHAR: So what about the kids. Do you give them sexual advice?
SIMMONS: Not me.
BEHAR: Ok.
SIMMONS: Mom?
TWEED: I do.
BEHAR: You do. What do you say? Don`t follow anything your father says, right?
TWEED: My son asked me -- I don`t want to embarrass him.
BEHAR: Ok, tell it to me when we come back.
TWEED: I do, I do give them advice.
BEHAR: We`ll take a break. Sit right there. We`ll be back. We have Twitter questions for you also. We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: I`m back with Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed. I have some Twitter questions but before we get to that what`s the advice you gave Nick?
TWEED: I told Nick when you kiss a girl try to keep some of that saliva in your mouth.
BEHAR: That`s very maternal. Ok. What more could any child ask for?
TWEED: You got to contain it.
BEHAR: Here`s a couple of Twitter questions for you.
SIMMONS: Wait, wait. Can we get to the dramatic --
BEHAR: Oh, the glasses. Is it time for the flourish?
SIMMONS: Oh, yes. It`s time. Before the show is over.
BEHAR: Can we have a drum roll?
SIMMONS: Ready? Come on in. Closer. Listen -- I want my close up, Mr. de Ville (ph). Are you ready?
BEHAR: Ok. Put them back on. Just kidding you. Take them off because people are scared.
SIMMONS: Take them off, put them on. I`m coming, I`m going.
BEHAR: They`re scared. When they see a person with glasses like that they get scared.
SIMMONS: That`s good.
BEHAR: They think you`re like a criminal of some sort but you`re not.
SIMMONS: Good.
BEHAR: Is Gene`s famous tongue insured by Lloyd`s of London? Someone wants to know.
SIMMONS: No they are insured by Freud`s of London. You have to be smart to get that one.
BEHAR: Yes, my audience --
SIMMONS: Those are semantics but I`m not anti-semantic.
BEHAR: No, you`re not. So what`s the answer, yes or no?
SIMMONS: No. BEHAR: How does Gene feel about the fact that Abba was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but not Kiss.
TWEED: Don`t get him started.
BEHAR: Bitter. Are you bitter?
SIMMONS: No, bitter. The truth is I have two choices. Buy the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and fire everybody --
BEHAR: That`s a good one.
SIMMONS: -- or just take the high road and enjoy it. There are disco artists in there: Madonna, LL Cool J, they`re clearly all on crack. Good luck to everybody that wants to get in.
(INAUDIBLE)
SIMMONS: They are going have Hassidic music in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They`re all on crack.
BEHAR: It`s sort of a (INAUDIBLE). Fabulous. It`s so hip.
SIMMONS: Well, you are Jewish.
BEHAR: No I`m not. But I know about (INAUDIBLE). Listen somebody would like to you be a replacement for Simon Cowell on "American Idol".
TWEED: I think you would be great.
SIMMONS: Well, I have done "American Idol".
BEHAR: What was her name?
SIMMONS: Did I tell you about Wildcat Behar over there? She`s pretending to be -- what was her name?
BEHAR: So --
SIMMONS: Sure.
BEHAR: You would be good. Don`t you think he`d be good?
TWEED: Excellent and evil.
SIMMONS: No. You`re just -- the truth hurts and people need to -- Simon is a friend, he`s a good guy and he`s the best thing on that show because he tells you the truth.
BEHAR: Yes, but you have a lot of qualities for that show. I never thought of it until this -- because you know music.
TWEED: And you`re qualified to say --
BEHAR: You say the truth. People love that.
SIMMONS: And good looking.
BEHAR: Well, whatever.
SIMMONS: Well, whatever.
BEHAR: I love Jewish men but somebody who has been with 4,600 women, no.
TWEED: But if you`ve been for 26 years -- aren`t you almost a virgin though?
BEHAR: I am -- I have -- me -- him?
TWEED: Yes. He`s all cleaned up now.
SIMMONS: I`m out of this. You two get a room. I`m done.
BEHAR: I like how he puffs his hair up.
SIMMONS: What am I going to do? Let it fall down.
BEHAR: No, don`t. You`re fabulous the way -- don`t change a hair on that head.
Thanks for joining me you guys. Always a pleasure to see you.
SIMMONS: I promise to keep your secret a secret.
BEHAR: Ok. Keep it a secret.
I have no secrets. That`s how boring I am.
The new season of Gene Simmons` Family Jewels premiers Sunday at 9:00 on A & E.
Up next, he said he reached out to help Corey Haim before his death. Former troubled child star, Todd Bridges will join me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOY BEHAR, HOST, JOY BEHAR SHOW: Former teen star Corey Haim was laid to rest today in his native city of Toronto. Haim who spent years struggling with drug addiction is just one of the many child stars to meet a tragic end. Here to update the Corey Haim`s story is in Jim Moret, chief correspondent for Inside Edition and author of "The Last Day of My Life" and also sitting with me, joining me, is former child star and author of "Killing Willis," Todd Bridges.
Jim let me start with you, what do you know about the funeral that took place today?
JIM MORET, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": Well it was about a 45 minute funeral, 200 mourners were there, at his mom`s request, Corey Feldman, who is a friend of Corey Haim, did not come and Corey Feldman wrote, specifically on his own blog, that he did so out of respect for Corey Haim`s mom, he didn`t want to make this a media circus. According to people who were at the service, it was very sad, but filled with laughter and coincidently today also, the 911 call made by Cory`s mom, the day that she found him collapsed, was also released today. A heart-wrenching 911 call where a mother is trying to resuscitate her son who literally is lying dead before her; it`s really sad, the city of Toronto at first was thought to be paying for the funeral services, they`ve denied that and a memorabilia company actually put up $20,000, which more than cover the cost for the funeral today.
BEHAR: So what`s the latest then on the cause of death? So you`ve updated is already on the cost of the funeral, I heard that, and Corey Feldman wasn`t there because of the-- he didn`t want to be a media circus. OK, so now, what-
MORET: -- He`s planning something in LA to commemorate the life of his friend. As far as the criminal probe, and there will be a criminal probe leading into illegal drug use, because Corey Haim`s name was found on some illegal prescription pads, which the Attorney General says, is part of a California ring, but we don`t know what killed him yet and that`s because Joy, toxicology reports are not yet complete by the LA County coroner. It`s becoming a familiar, familiar story that a celebrity dies, it takes 30 or 40 days to get the tox reports and that will ultimately tell us what killed actor Corey Haim.
BEHAR: It`s becoming a familiar story that prescription drugs are involved. Thanks Jim very much for joining me.
Now I want to turn to former child star Todd Bridges, the role of Willis in the sitcom, Different Strokes, made him a star. And now he`s the author of a new book, "Killing Willis, from Different Strokes to the Mean Streets, the Life I Always Wanted," welcome to the show Todd. I want to talk to you about Corey Haim, now he was a friend of yours-
TODD BRIDGES, ACTOR: Yes, he was and it`s, the unfortunate part about it was, I stopped talking to him about two months ago, because he changed his number. And when I was in talks with him, I was trying to get him to realize that he had to make a change in his life. But, you know, the problem most addicts are, if they`re not ready they`re not ready.
BEHAR: They`re not ready. Well you know a little bit something about that. Tell me about your own drugs.
BRIDGES: Well me, I, I was-- it took five rehabs before I was ready and the last time that I was ready, I finally decided that something had to be different. And I got sick and tired of being sick and tired, I got tired of being, you know, the humiliation, the shamefulness that I was feeling inside, but I didn`t really know how to deal with really what was going on inside of me. And what I wrote in "Killing Willis" is I describe, I depicted in my life of what it was like growing up as a, not only just a child star, but just growing up in a household that was full of violence and pain.
BEHAR: Yes, I want to get into that, but I just want to ask you something, Corey Haim and Brittany Murphy both seem to have suffered from prescription medication; is that the new Hollywood addiction?
BRIDGES: Well not the new Hollywood addiction, is a new addiction period in America. I think that`s what we`re not really looking at. We want to just pinpoint and say Hollywood, but really it`s in America. I mean you have housewives that are addicted to prescription medication. You know you have mothers who, you know, are single mothers who are addicted to prescription medication. It`s the number one thing that`s killing people, because what they`re doing is they`re mixing it with a bunch of other stuff. See if you take a prescription that a doctor prescribes to you, it`s going to be OK, but the problem is no addict can do that. He takes a little bit of this one, a little bit of that one, and then he forgets how much he takes, he takes a little more of this one, a little more of this one, and when you combine them together it creates an illegal cocktail.
BEHAR: It used to be that you had to go into tough areas, to drug infested neighborhoods to get drugs. Now you just call your pharmacist or your doctor, get some friends to call Dr. and get another prescription under their name.
BRIDGES: It`s become really dangerous in America. And I think that we have to realize that America is plagued by prescription drugs and medication that`s killing people and it`s not just Hollywood, it`s everybody.
BEHAR: It`s everybody. Now you`ve had some experience with losing a friend to addiction also, you worked with Dana Plato, back in the day on Different Strokes, and she died in 1999 of a drug, of prescription and apparently you, I remember reading that you tried to get her help just before her death.
BRIDGES: Three days before she died I talked to her, she said, well you know Todd, I don`t have a problem like you do; and I knew she was in such denial. And also when she went on the Howard Stern`s---
BEHAR: She said, she didn`t have a problem like you-
BRIDGES: Like I did.
BEHAR: What was the difference between her addiction and yours?
BRIDGES: None, but that`s what I mean, that`s the problem with a lot of addicts, they`ll deny it and say that yours is worse than mine or you have a problem and I don`t.
BEHAR: But, were you saying that to her too, at that time?
BRIDGES: No, no, no I just knew that all addictions are the same, but I just wasn`t practicing, I was a recovering alcoholic. She was not practicing; she was practicing at the time, but not recovering. And then she goes on Howard Stern and then they ask her did she ever done cocaine, she says no. And I`m thinking, I`m listening to the radio show, wow I did a lot of cocaine with her, why is she not telling the truth. My thing is don`t, you know, don`t lie be honest.
BEHAR: Well, well if you, most drug addicts will lie, I think.
BRIDGES: If they`re practicing, yes.
BEHAR: They`re covering up the fact that they`re using, right?
BRIDGES: Oh yes, you have to, because you want people to think you`re as bad as you think you are.
BEHAR: Now you know, let`s talk a little bit about being a child star and drugs. It seems as though we seem to see a lot of child stars turning out, you know dead or addicted; is there something about being a child star that contributes to this dilemma?
BRIDGES: Well no, for me no. For me, I accept full responsibility, had nothing to do with being a child star, but it had everything to do with having something happen to me as a tot, at 12 years old, as I depicted in "Killing Willis," has everything to do with having a physical abusive father, he hit me a lot he hit my mom a lot, I mean my earliest recollection as a child is, watching my dad punch my mother and knock her under a table. You know, especially---
BEHAR: ---How old were you?
BRIDGES: I was six years old. And back then, you know mothers just didn`t leave.
BEHAR: They still don`t sometimes.
BRIDGES: Yes, my mom was really afraid to leave, I guess at that time. And you know, that`s an early recollection of a child, it`s terrible. You know my father never knew how, because I spent my entire life, and I depict it in "Killing Willis," searching for a father, just somebody, some guy to say he loved me. You know, not in a bad way, but in a great way, to be a father, because I mean Mr. Drummond was more my dad than my own dad was.
BEHAR: Who`s Mr. Drummond?
BRIDGES: Conrad Bain, he played my father on Different Strokes.
BEHAR: That`s right, that`s right. I hear that he`s still doing pretty well.
BRIDGES: He`s doing great. I talk to him every other day.
BEHAR: So you believe that, it`s not really the atmosphere of Hollywood or the child star, all the things that we seem to tend to think it is, it`s more about how you grow up?
BRIDGES: Yes, because I can tell you for every child star you name that`s gone wrong, I can name you five that haven`t. So the percentage is not as big as the media is making it out to be. It`s a really small percentage of child stars gone bad.
BEHAR: But what about the pressure on children? I mean even I as a grown-up, I realize there`s rejection, there`s pressure to perform, there`s criticism that you take all the time, it`s rough on the kid.
BRIDGES: Yes, but we already know this when you`re in the business. You`re used to rejection; you`re used to things happening like that. So it`s not that difficult to get over.
BEHAR: You are as child, you`re used to that?
BRIDGES: Of course you are, of course you are. You`re used to your parents telling you no. You`re used to your dad, your mom telling you no, you can`t have that. So you already get used to rejection. For me---
BEHAR: I don`t know if it`s the same level though.
BRIDGES: For me, for me it was. It was the same level and---
BEHAR: --- so instead of being used to it, you are pained by it.
BRIDGES: Well I was pained by it, because the rejection that I was receiving was from my father. And then after I was sexually molested, which is written in my book "Killing Willis," my father took the side of the molester and that killed me. You know that really---
BEHAR: How old were you then?
BRIDGES: I was 12 years old. And I was on a top-rated sitcom at the time, I was experiencing that from my publicist, I was experiencing abuse from my father, and him taking his side, and I was experiencing racism from the LAPD. I would ride my bike to the store, I lived in Canoga Park, I would ride my bike to the store with my other friends, and they were all white, and they would pull me over, and pull us all over, take my bike and make my mom go down and get it. They`d tell me my bike was stolen.
BEHAR: Nasty.
BRIDGES: Yes, and you know as a child with that happening, that`s just, I didn`t understand, because I was from San Francisco, so I didn`t know racism. I had no idea, my whole thoughts, you know I thought we, they treated you right no matter who you were or what you were.
BEHAR: So you didn`t experience racism in San Francisco?
BRIDGES: No, none at all. My best friends were white.
BEHAR: It`s an open minded city, it`s an open-minded city.
BRIDGES: It`s a very open-minded city and we really got along, everybody did.
BEHAR: Tell me about this molester, he was your publicist?
BRIDGES: He was my publicist. And what happened was---
BEHAR: ---Where is he now?
BRIDGES: He`s probably somewhere in LA, I`m sure.
BEHAR: He`s not in jail? No one turned him in?
BRIDGES: Well my mom tried to and my dad wouldn`t let her. My dad told her that I was lying and that the molester knew I was going to do this, because after the third time that it happened, I guess he could tell that something started changing in me and I knew something wasn`t right and I just exploded on him one day and attacked him. And my mother knew right away, when I attacked him, she knew what went wrong---
BEHAR: Did you ever try to tell your mother?
BRIDGES: I told both my mother and father at the same time---
BEHAR: ---So what, your mother believe you?
BRIDGES: Oh yes my mother went and grabbed a butcher knife and was going to stab him and my father stopped her and said Todd is lying, you know, and that`s what happened.
BEHAR: It`s very disappointing for a child, to not be backed up by your own parents.
BRIDGES: Of course, and then he tried to come back to the house, and he goes, James said I could come over anytime; my mother said, you come over here, I`m going to stab you, so you better not ever show up at this house again.
BEHAR: It`s interesting you mother had, she showed some courage against this guy, but not against her father. Your father must have been very rough, a big tough guy.
OK Todd, sit there, we`ll be back with Todd Bridges in a minute, with some more talk.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: Kids, that was actor Todd Bridges as Willis and the hit sitcom, Different Strokes, he`s back with me now talking about his life and his new book, "Killing Willis."
I just have to comment on Gary Coleman, he`s so cute and he seems to be troubled adult.
BRIDGES: Now his story is, a completely different tune, it has a whole different twist to it. His parents made him work when he was deathly ill, this is why he hates the thought of Different Strokes, I mean I remember being on the set when he was throwing up, rejecting a kidney, and his parents would make them work. Again---
BEHAR: Again going back to your feeling about and what was Dana`s problem with her family?
BRIDGES: Danish problem was her mother was never around. She was always,-- I would go to Dana`s house and I go where`s your mom at, oh she`s gone, I`m like, she`s gone all the time.
BEHAR: So who was watching Dana?
BRIDGES: She was. You know and that was a problem there. You know and in my household there was certain things going on also, so we kind of like all came from, you know, crazy backgrounds of parents. You know, my mother was great, my father on the other hand wasn`t. You know the safest part I always felt was when I was on the set; me and my mom were on a set, we felt safe. That`s when it was safe for us.
BEHAR: I say, that`s interesting. Now you have a son who`s an actor right? How old is your kid?
BRIDGES: My son is 11 and my daughter is 13. My son`s an actor.
BEHAR: Your son is an actor.
BRIDGES: Yes, my daughter isn`t, because she lives with her mother and my son lives with me and my wife.
BEHAR: I see, so how do you feel about your son being an actor?
BRIDGES: My son is a brilliant actor, but he`s also a great kid and also his father loves him and tells him he loves him, his father hugs him, his father take him fishing, his father takes him bowling, his father plays basketball with him, his father plays video games with him, I do all the things that my dad didn`t do. I tell my son when I`m wrong, if I get mad at him for some reason and I realize that I`m wrong I go back and I apologize, that I should not have done that and I`m sorry. See those are things that parents should do, but my dad didn`t do that.
BEHAR: No, and you know, I`m just warning you, that divorce does affect children anyway, you could be the best father, they still get a little bit wounded by divorce, so you have to take care of that too. Ok, now while you were struggling with drugs you also had some arrests. And these are the bad times were talking about now, we`ll get to the good times in a minute all right, including one that was very public in 1989, because you were, you stood trial for attempted murder. I mean what happened there?
BRIDGES: Well with that situation, this was a situation where the police had got a thing from a witness, a statement from a witness, that would not have put me at the scene, but the district attorney never received that piece of paper and they tried me and then when that witness came forward then they were like, why did you get tried for this case? So I think that it was another situation where, you know, we all know now about the LAPD, what they were capable of and what they have been doing and I was the first one to start talking them; about what they were doing. And they were trying to get away with anything they could and when I put them on front street, you know, that`s why when the case and I won the case so easy, it was ridiculous. But in the process of it, the only thing I was guilty of was using drugs and being at the wrong place at the wrong time. I was outside when everything took place.
BEHAR: Well that that could hurt you.
BRIDGES: Well yes, I was in the wrong place and that was the only thing.
BEHAR: And using.
BRIDGES: And using drugs.
BEHAR: And you spent some time in jail waiting for your trial---
BRIDGES: I had no bail at first and my bill was 2 1/2 million dollars.
BEHAR: How long were you in jail?
BRIDGES: Nine months.
BEHAR: Nine months and with the Menendez brothers.
BRIDGES: Yes and I was also mixed in with Richard Ramirez too.
BEHAR: Wow, being with the Menendez brothers, did they mention that they were orphans?
BRIDGES: (LAUGHTER) I`ll tell you this is interesting about those two, whenever I was talking to my mom, Eric used to have the worst look on his face, I used to go, mom I love you, and Eric would just be, head down, you know kind of teary eyed. But they used to tell me, we`re going home, I`m like, they`d go we`re going home, and I was like, they go we`re going to get, to get manslaughter and were going home; and I`m thinking to myself, I`m the only guy in here who`s really innocent, I`m going home. They`re like, oh no Bridges, you`re not going home, I`m like, yes I am, you know and I went home. Of course I came back a couple of was later, but that was beside the point.
BEHAR: Just, just on this topic for second, a lot of people don`t believe that they were molested by their father, do you believe it?
BRIDGES: That, well not enough to shoot them, you know I mean?
BEHAR: Well, I don`t know if it`s, could be quantified.
BRIDGES: Well I`ll explain this to you, this is the way I look at it; even though I don`t like what this guy has done to me, it still doesn`t give me the right to shoot him. Doesn`t give me the right to shoot him, it doesn`t. You know, I mean he may have destroyed part of my life; still it doesn`t give me the right to take his life from him. It doesn`t, now my question is, what did the mother do them, killed the mother.
BEHAR: Yes I know they were bad, but now let`s talk about some good stuff. Because you were clean and sober for a while now.
BRIDGES: 17 years.
BEHAR: 17 years, congratulations, I`ll shake your hand on that. How do you feel about the perception out there that there`s, that you being a drug addict and you`re always in trouble, I mean---
BRIDGES: The sad part about it is, is that the perception of me, Todd Bridges, is always still, just getting out of jail. But the perception about a few other people that have been through the same thing that I have been through, it`s just great. And it never gets brought up, like if a child star gets into trouble today, my names the first that comes up. And actor Todd Bridges in 1985 had problems, I`m like, you know; I`ll tell you something, I save a woman`s life one time in Balboa Lake and I jumped in and save her life and I wasn`t expecting, I didn`t want any press coverage, I was just doing what I felt was necessary at the time, she`s a paraplegic and I saved her life, I resuscitate her, got her back to breathing, the medics came and they were looking at me, and I`m like, oh no, I`m trying to hide, now great, I don`t want them to see me. So then I`m watching the news show on one of those channels, I`m not going to mention the network, and they go "actor Todd Bridges was a hero today, but he wasn`t such a hero in 1985." (LAUGHTER)
You know and I`m like, come on, you know.
BEHAR: You can`t win.
BRIDGES: They act like I just got out of jail; you know it`s been a long time.
BEHAR: Well you what, I think that this book tour you`re doing and your book, shows people where you`re at now.
BRIDGES: And it`s a true story of my life and I`ve got facts to back it up.
BEHAR: I see that you do, OK Todd stay right there, I have some Twitter - Facebook questions for you, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: I`m back with actor and now author, Todd Bridges.
Let`s go for some Twitter questions all right?
First of all, where did your hair go, someone wants to know?
BRIDGES: Well what happened was what usually happens in left the scene. One day it was there and then, I shaved, well what happened was, I shaved it off, about 15 years ago, I said OK, I want to change my image, I`m going to cut my hair off and I cut my hair off, but it never came back. That was it.
BEHAR: Now that happens when you pluck your eyebrows.
BRIDGES: Will when I salute now, I salute like this.
BEHAR: OK, this is a serious question; have you ever felt confused about your sexuality as a result of being molested?
BRIDGES: Yes, when I was 12 years old I was totally confused. I didn`t know whether I was heterosexual or homosexual. And what happened was, Dana Plato did something to me when I was 12 1/2 about to go 13 and made me realize that I like girls.
BEHAR: Oh, Dana and you. Did you have sex with Dana?
BRIDGES: Well yes, what she did was even better than that, you know reciprocating where I don`t have to reciprocate back. Well she reciprocated back but it`s different (inaudible).
BEHAR: One good deed-
BRIDGES: Well one good deed always does another, but when you`re male that one good deed is always better, if you`re selfish.
BEHAR: I see, OK (LAUGHTER)
BRIDGES: Which I`m not, so.
BEHAR: So, did you see Gary Coleman`s meltdown on the Insider? What did you think of that, did you-
BRIDGES: Well I was really upset that they, that lady went after him first of all, but he didn`t handle it the right way, but she attacked.
BEHAR: Who was it again?
BRIDGES: Some lawyer lady, I forget her name.
BEHAR: Who do you attack,-- Lisa Bloom,---
BRIDGES: Yes she attacked, she came at, first she goes, she goes, OK Mr. Coleman, did you hit your wife? Well no- Tell me did you hit your wife? Come on now Gary, tell me; Gary was like, No. And I felt so bad for him, because the kid is really sick and if you need to go after a kid who`s that unhealthy and that, in such bad shape, you really, something`s wrong with you.
BEHAR: Well you mean sick physically or mentally?
BRIDGES: He`s physically sick, so bad---
BEHAR: Kidney issues?
BRIDGES: Not just that, he just had heart surgery a couple of months ago.
BEHAR: Yes I know, well OK>
BRIDGES: But she went after him, hook, line and just went after him and I felt so bad for him, but he didn`t handle it the right way, could have said, you know something I`m not doing this and walked off, without getting all upset like that.
BEHAR: Well that`s why this question is, do you feel bad for Gary Coleman? Yes I guess you do. Do you think he suffers from a mental disorder, someone wants to know?
BRIDGES: I kind of think he does, because I`ll tell you, what`s weird about it is, I will not do him like he`s done me in the past. When we were having all of our problems he just ripped us to shreds on the shows he got on.
BEHAR: Really, why would he do that?
BRIDGES: Because he was angry and he was mad, he thought that people were putting him in the same category, and I kept telling him, what I did to myself, what I did to me, has nothing to do with you. But I refuse to give into it, I feel bad for him and I hope that he gets his life together, I really hope he does.
BEHAR: Yes, OK ---
BRIDGES: --but in "Killing Willis" we actually depict exactly what his father was all about.
BEHAR: What was his father about? Tell the audience what his father about.
BRIDGES: Well his father was the kind of guy, he wasn`t very smart and this is what he told me one time, he goes, I`ve got imported furniture coming in Todd and I go, really----
BEHAR: --I got what?
BRIDGES: Imported furniture coming in-
BEHAR: Important furniture?
BRIDGES: No, imported---
BEHAR: Imported
BRIDGES: I go from where, San Francisco, (LAUGHTER) and I went, oh wow. I`m thinking France, Italy,-San Francisco.
BEHAR: Well that is kind of an exotic state, city---
BRIDGES: I guess.
BEHAR: Well you know you have totally changed everybody`s mind about you I think, that they ever had. And good luck to you.
BRIDGES: Believe me I will not rob you on your way out or anything like that.
BEHAR: No, come on.
BRIDGES: What kind of car do you drive and where do you live, I mean, did I say that?
BEHAR: I take the number one train.
BRIDGES: Oh, the number one train.
BEHAR: OK, thanks for joining me Todd. The book is called "Killing Willis."
Good night, everybody.
END
