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Joy Behar Page
Lindsay Released from Jail; Where is Kyron Horman?
Aired August 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, HLN HOST: Tonight, lock up your nail polish. Lindsay Lohan is back on the streets after fewer than two weeks in the slammer. Wow, 13 whole days. You know? My sweater`s been at the dry cleaners longer than that.
As the President promises to draw down troops in Iraq, a new movie explores the toll the war is taking on our soldiers. Actress America Ferrera and Wilmer Valderrama talk about their new film, "The Dry Land".
Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston have called off their wedding. Levi denies fathering a child out of wedlock when he and Bristol were split although those weren`t his actual words. His actual words were -- blah.
That and more right now.
For criminals who have done hard time behind bars, assimilating back into society isn`t easy. Lindsay Lohan was set free after serving almost 14 percent of her 90-day sentence. And the world she left bears little resemblance to the one she faces today.
So if you`re watching, Lindsay, here`s what you missed. Chelsea Clinton said, "I do," Levi and Bristol said, I don`t, and Republicans just said no to everything.
Upon her release, Lindsay followed the judge`s orders and went directly to the UCLA Medical Center for rehab.
Here to discuss all things Lindsay are Howard Bragman, celebrity publicist and founder of 15 Minutes; Blayre Farkas, program director of the rehab facility Seaside Palm Beach; and the lovely and talented rob Shuter, AOL`s PopEater columnist.
Ok. Let`s start with you, Howard. She was released from jail today at 1:15 a.m. And she went back -- she went to the back exit to avoid the paparazzi. Was that a smart -- you`re a publicist. Is that a smart move for her or should she have made more of a to-do like Paris Hilton did?
HOWARD BRAGMAN, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: No, I think it was one of her recent smarter moves that she`s done, Joy. And I`m very proud of her. I`m proud of the sheriff`s department and her team that did it pretty much in the dark of night and did it quietly. We don`t need to see her until she`s gone through some sort of catharsis or transition.
And a circus would have only helped sort of reinforce the old image as opposed to the new Lindsay that we all hope to see when she gets out of rehab.
BEHAR: Rob, that was good then, right?
ROB SHUTER, COLUMNIST, POPEATER.COM: I hear she didn`t have a choice there. They told her you`re going out the back. They decide how you leave.
BEHAR: So much for her maturing.
SHUTER: They literally said, "The car`s at the back. Jump in. You go to rehab." So I don`t think they sat down with her while they were filling out the release forms saying would you like to go through the front or the back? They told her let it go and they shipped her off pretty fast.
BEHAR: There was speculation there would be stylists grooming her.
SHUTER: There was.
BEHAR: But why?
SHUTER: There was a hairdresser scene at the rehab facility about an hour before she arrived. So she got there. Nobody has seen her yet. However, the people at the rehab facility must think she has fantastic hair because she did have her stylist waiting for her.
BEHAR: And she looks pretty good when she left, right?
SHUTER: Well, no one saw her leave but he waited for her at the new place, the place she was going to. He was there about an hour before she arrived.
BEHAR: I see.
Now Blair, Lindsay went directly from jail to rehab. Not even a day home with her delightful family to regroup. Is this the best thing for her or what? Shouldn`t you have somebody to go to, to transition to the next phase?
BLAYRE FARKAS, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, SEASIDE PALM BEACH: No. I think it`s absolutely the best thing. If you think about when we might start to diet, we say we`re going to start a diet, tonight we`re going to eat cake, we`re going to eat pasta, we`re going to eat all this great stuff. It`s quite the same thing when you go to rehab, you know the desire to use is even bigger because you know you`re going have 90 days, 30 days where you`re not going to be using at all.
This is probably the best move they could have made to move her right straight from one to the other.
BEHAR: I see. That`s a very good point.
SHUTER: But it implies though that you would think, if she was let off for one night and she spent that with her family, she would be safe. This clearly makes this very concerned about not just the bad friends that she has but also the family. For her to have to go straight to rehab --
BEHAR: Why? What do you think they would do? Do you think there are drugs?
(CROSS TALKING)
SHUTER: I don`t think they`d do that but there has been pictures out of Lindsay and Dina dancing together. There`s been pictures out of her and her little sister at clubs. Maybe this is a good thing that she never had the opportunity to do that but go straight to rehab.
BEHAR: Well, ok. All right.
FARKAS: Well, think about, too, that she -- she`s been with her family and been with her friends and not been able to stay clean. Obviously, the past has told us that she can`t stay clean when she`s with her family or friends. Why for 24 hours would it be any different now? She hasn`t gained any tools on how to stay sober. She`s just been told she can`t use. She needs to learn how to be sober.
BEHAR: So, right to rehab, do not pass go, do not collect $200. The judge changed the rehab facility.
SHUTER: They did.
BEHAR: What`s behind the switch?
SHUTER: Behind the switch is the judge`s concern that the original facility, the one that Lindsay and her family wanted to go to wasn`t secure enough. When pressed and asked what does that mean, the judge said she was scared that drugs could be taken into the first facility.
This is a much more maximum security. There are no drugs that are going to be coming into this facility.
BEHAR: But she`s been in and out of -- Blayre, she`s been in and out of rehab before. She was 30 days in Wonderland, 45 days in Promises, then in August of 2007 she spent two months at the Cirque Lodge in Utah.
And what about -- you know, what`s going to happen to her in rehab this time? It is a longer stint, I noticed that, 90 days.
FARKAS: Well, it`s a longer stay. You know, 90 days has proved to be the most efficacious length of time for treatment. And above and beyond that, she`s got real consequences now. I mean, she`s been brought to the table for the conversation of her own sobriety before but there`s been no reason for her to stay and be a part of that conversation.
Now, the other side of her leaving the table of why to get sober is that she`s going to end up in jail. That`s a huge motivator. It may be what she needs.
BEHAR: I know. That could be. Even 14 days can give you a taste of the horror, right?
FARKAS: Absolutely.
(CROSS TALKING)
BRAGMAN: Joy, I just want to say, she`s got to want this rehab. You can put her in solitary confinement with no human contact. If she`s not really accepting and she doesn`t really want it, she`s going to come out and really revert to her old behavior.
BEHAR: Right.
BRAGMAN: I hope her head space is good. And the therapy there is good enough to get her to understand.
BEHAR: According to Michael Lohan, the father today on an Atlanta radio station, he said that --
BRAGMAN: And he`s an expert on -- oh.
BEHAR: Well, he said that -- I know. He said that Lindsay had a spiritual revelation in jail. What kind of spiritual revelation did she have? Do you know anything or did you buy that? What do you think, Howard?
BRAGMAN: I didn`t hear about the spiritual revelation, but I was thinking maybe she could come out and be one of those kids who divorces from her parents. I think that would be a very healthy spiritual revelation for her.
Honestly, she needs to get back with her family, but her family is -- has a lot of issues. I`ve been in green rooms with Michael where he shows up with videographers and bodyguards. He was there with nine people last time I was in a green room. Their family loves the press.
BEHAR: They do.
BRAGMAN: They have got to start loving Lindsay.
BEHAR: It`s not helping the girl.
BRAGMAN: They have to love her.
SHUTER: I talked to Michael on Thursday -- talk about loving the press -- I sat down with Michael on Thursday. He told me that he felt that he had -- he was to blame for this. For the first time ever he did seem as if he was taking some responsibility.
BEHAR: Really?
SHUTER: He really did. He had tears in his eyes a little bit. I don`t know how sincere he was. But I`ve never heard Michael ever take responsibility.
BEHAR: Why is he saying this now? That he is to blame?
SHUTER: He said that her career started to fall apart and her life fell apart when him and Dina started to divorce and he admits how ugly that was and she saw this. And so he thinks that --
BEHAR: How old was she when they got divorced?
SHUTER: She was about -- I think in "The Parent Trap", so probably about 13, 14, so she was young. And then I think since that -- that was a high water mark. Her career has gone down since then.
However, what I do think is interesting -- I spoke to somebody who said that at this new facility she`s going to learn to make new friends and start a new life. The biggest concern is you can`t make new family members. She`s got those.
BEHAR: Yes. Right. Ok.
FARKAS: She can learn how to set boundaries with the family members she has. What seems so important is this child grew up in an alcoholic household. She never learned how to create safe spaces for herself. That`s one of the things she needs to learn to survive --
BEHAR: It`s very hard. It`s very hard to do that when you`re a young person. Very hard.
SHUTER: Especially family.
BEHAR: I wonder how much therapy she`s got. Divorce is hard on kids. It`s not the easiest thing. My daughter went through it. It is not easy to get through. They need a lot of help.
FARKAS: And divorce in a spotlight.
BEHAR: And divorce in the spotlight, well, that sucks even more.
So in other legal news, Snooki from "The Jersey Shore" was arrested on Friday for disorderly conduct after spending the afternoon drinking with friends on the beach in Seaside Heights.
I must say, I give Snooki credit. You know why? She`s chubby, she`s vulgar, she has a hairball on top of her head, yet she thinks she`s the most fabulous. Can we say delusional here?
She loves herself. Have you heard her? She`s the greatest.
(CROSS TALKING)
BEHAR: She`s built like a fireplug. And you know what I mean? It`s unbelievable. I would like a little of that. Wouldn`t you?
SHUTER: I would like a little of that, too.
BEHAR: There were girls I grew up with, some of them that were fat, they had fat legs, but they walked around like they were stunning. I always wanted to be like that, but I couldn`t pull it off. You know? I always wanted that.
Howard, is Snooki the new Lindsay? Because she`s a little boozer, this one.
BRAGMAN: You know. I have to say, first of all, Lindsay is a girl of gifted talents. I`m not a big "Jersey Shore" fan. I`m sort of with Barack Obama on this one. It`s like, oh, Snooki`s a girl? When I heard the news?
BEHAR: Yes, he said he didn`t know who she was. Barack Obama.
BRAGMAN: You know, I know there`s some cute looking guys with great abs on the show. That`s about as far as I get.
BEHAR: Down, boy.
BRAGMAN: But, you know, she`s not Lindsay.
BEHAR: Down Howard.
No, she`s not really at that point. Also she has parents, even though they`re divorced which could account for some of this acting up.
BRAGMAN: Right.
BEHAR: But her father sounds like he loves his daughter. And I don`t know about the mother --
SHUTER: They`ve certainly given her a lot of confidence. She`s certainly happy with herself. Did you hear what she said when she was being arrested?
BEHAR: No.
SHUTER: Do you know who I am?
BEHAR: Oh, yes. Oh my God.
FARKAS: Grandiosity maybe --
BEHAR: Right.
FARCOUS: Exactly. And the rest of that line maybe do you know -- do you know who I am? I don`t know who I am, is usually the end of that line.
BEHAR: That`s right. That`s right. Ok, thank you, guys, very much.
Up next, Congressman Anthony Weiner lost his cool on the House floor late last week. Passion in Congress is so rare it`s still making news. So should we be seeing more anger like this from Democrats? Maybe, I`ll ask him.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming up a little later on THE JOY BEHAR SHOW, the latest on Chelsea Clinton`s wedding. Who was there, who did they wear and was any expense spared?
Now back to Joy.
BEHAR: Other than the occasional FU from Rahm Emanuel, language in the halls of Congress usually remains collegial. But this past Thursday, Democrat Anthony Weiner gave his Republican colleague Peter King a mouthful. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK: You vote yes if you believe yes. You vote in favor of something if you believe it`s the right thing. If you believe it`s the wrong thing, you vote no.
We are following a procedure -- I will not yield to the gentleman and the gentleman will observe regular order. The gentleman will observe regular order.
It`s Republicans wrapping their arms around Republicans rather than doing the right thing on behalf of the heroes. It is a shame, a shame. If you believe this is a bad idea, to provide health care, then vote no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: With me now is the very calm Anthony Weiner, Democratic Congressman from Brooklyn. Can`t they afford decaf in the halls of Congress, Anthony? Can I call you Anthony?
WEINER: You may. Can I call you Joy?
BEHAR: You may call me Joy.
WEINER: Thank you.
BEHAR: I`ve been asking the question for the past one and a half years -- where are the attack dogs for the Democrats? The Republicans have them. Besides you and Grayson, I don`t hear a lot of passionate rhetoric like that. I don`t hear it.
WEINER: Well, this was I mean --
BEHAR: I like it, by the way.
WEINER: -- let`s remember -- in -- in this case, I had already spoken about this bill. This isn`t really about who is up and who`s down. And this is a pretty important issue for nine years the 9/11 first responders who showed up on the pile, we remember seeing them down there digging with their hands --
BEHAR: Right.
WEINER: -- something like literally pulling out their friends and relatives. They`ve been sick and getting sicker.
And what troubles me is that too often in politics today you have people who get angry as a profession who really aren`t angry. They`re faking it.
BEHAR: You mean, Glenn Beck?
WEINER: Perhaps.
BEHAR: And Bill O`Reilly.
WEINER: There you go.
BEHAR: Yes and --
WEINER: So you can -- you keep going the whole roster perhaps.
BEHAR: Sean Hannity?
WEINER: Right, but I mean, they -- they trade on this false sense of anger and trying to gin other people to be angry when we really should be more thoughtful.
But there are some times when my colleague stands up just before me -- the real context to put this in is he basically turned something that was about health care into a political fight.
BEHAR: Peter did.
WEINER: Peter did -- Peter King.
BEHAR: Yes.
WEINER: And I just -- it just made me angry. And sometimes it`s just -- that`s what that is, it`s just anger. And -- and I don`t regret it. I mean, I`m still angry when I think about it that we were only 21 people changing on the Republican side.
They only had 12 votes for this bill that should be noncontroversial. Only 21 changing sides and this thing passes the House and we have a completely different conversation today.
And rather than do that, rather than them all pull together for something we really should be able to agree on --
BEHAR: Yes.
WEINER: -- they made it political and it was angry.
BEHAR: Well --
WEINER: But it wasn`t -- look, I didn`t wake up that morning and say well, I`m going to go yell at --
BEHAR: Right.
WEINER: -- in the House of Representatives.
BEHAR: But when are the Democrats going to get it through their heads that the Republicans have no interest in bipartisanship? They have no interest in cooperating with the Democrats? They`re only there to obstruct and to get Obama out of office?
WEINER: Well, I think you`re exactly right. But I -- maybe I was naive and maybe you -- you would have seen this coming better than I. I thought 9/11-related things, healthcare related things --
BEHAR: Which you would think --
WEINER: -- to those first responders you would think would transcend that. I was wrong. And I truly admit it.
BEHAR: But is there -- is there anything on their side that would be a caveat to what you`re saying?
WEINER: I haven`t seen it. I mean, look, we remember -- we`ve now seen a certain pattern here. During the health care debate it`s the same thing. We -- there are hundreds of debates amendments in committee, we accepted many of them. Not a single Republican vote.
During the stimulus package, it was the same thing. We are making stipulations and concessions, not a single vote. I think we have to see bipartisanship as a means, not an end. Just being bipartisan for the sake of bipartisanship, it doesn`t get us better legislation.
So typical, I heard some people saying, why don`t make -- let them amend the bill. You mean, to make it worse? To make -- to change it? Why? What is it that they don`t want to provide? And this should be a noncontroversial thing.
But you`re right. Too often I think that we worship at the altar of bipartisanship and not realizing that all the Olympia Snowe`s in the world aren`t going to get legislation passed.
BEHAR: I mean you only have a couple of them who really will play ball with the Democrats.
WEINER: That`s right and what we wind up is negotiating this ourselves.
BEHAR: But it doesn`t -- President Obama was on "The View" last week -- and I said to him --
WEINER: He was on "The View" last week?
BEHAR: Yes.
I said to him, you know, where is -- where is your side coming out with this stuff? I mean, you don`t really see it. You don`t see it. I mean I would like to see more of that.
Should he be his own attack dog?
WEINER: Well, look I --
BEHAR: Does he need more people like you?
WEINER: Well, can I tell you something? Well, we need a lot more people like me, sure, but look, the -- the fact is there was a lot of discussion. And you probably read a lot of it. Should he go on "The View", should he not? Is it presidential?
BEHAR: Oh I know that Governor Rendell, I have a bone to pick with him.
WEINER: In fact --
BEHAR: By the way, can I say something about Governor Rendell?
WEINER: Sure.
BEHAR: He made a big stink about oh, Obama shouldn`t go on "The View" because it`s beneath him, it`s like the "Jerry Springer" show -- something to that effect. May I just tell my audience that Governor Rendell tried to get on "The View". He wanted to come on "The View".
WEINER: Yes.
BEHAR: He didn`t make it. I mean --
WEINER: But the point --
BEHAR: -- talk about hypocrisy.
WEINER: -- but the point is that what he did --
BEHAR: And what kind of Democrat is that?
WEINER: -- but what he did --
BEHAR: Yes.
WEINER: -- is he had an opportunity to essentially campaign.
Now that was in the context of answering questions.
BEHAR: Yes.
WEINER: They are all questions but the idea was that didn`t make him less of a president. In fact, it made and reminded people, you know what? This is the things the guy believes in. I`m going to go out --
BEHAR: That`s right.
WEINER: -- and try to make sure this is possible. None of us -- so the answer to your questions, he needs to do it more. I think he needs to be out there speaking from a sense of emotion more.
BEHAR: But -- but not from -- not from a point of anger because then he`ll be labeled the angry black guy.
WEINER: Yes.
BEHAR: And that`s -- that`s not good for him.
WEINER: But Joy, I think people want to know -- I think, saying what you believe, even if you lose a vote --
BEHAR: Yes.
WEINER: -- I think has some value.
BEHAR: Do you think he does that enough?
WEINER: I think, I didn`t think he did it enough on health care.
BEHAR: No.
WEINER: I thought that if he was still earlier --
BEHAR: But he passed it.
WEINER: I know, I know. But it certainly wasn`t as good a health care as it could have been if he would have stood up earlier in his presidency. These are the things I believe -- I`m not going to wait until I get 60 votes. I`m going to try to change the facts on the ground by traveling around to try to get them.
But all of that being said he has this remarkable record and still have this sense of detachment. That a lot of people think he hasn`t done anything.
BEHAR: Exactly.
WEINER: He`s done an amazing amount.
BEHAR: That`s exactly my point. That he has done so many things, he`s passed 200 laws in 18 months.
WEINER: Yes, I mean -- we`ve got a pretty -- a pretty good record on this. But the fact is that when that he is -- now he is as you saw a very cool guy.
BEHAR: He`s very cool.
WEINER: He`s very cool. And sometimes the people want to see --
BEHAR: But he`s elegant. The way he is. He`s professorial. You know? He has got beautiful hands to sign all those laws, I must say. And so do you. Let me see.
WEINER: Thank you.
BEHAR: Very nice. Thanks very much. Congressman Anthony Weiner.
Up next, could divorce drama distract from the search of 7-year-old Kyron Horman? I`ll have an update next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: This week marks the two-month anniversary of the last day anybody saw 7-year-old Kyron Horman. His parents have been keeping their missing son in the news by talking to the media. This morning they spoke to "Good Morning America".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you miss most about seeing him?
DESIREE YOUNG, KYRON HORMAN`S MOTHER: He`s a very affectionate kid. He has been since he was a baby. Just the random hugs and the sounds and - - I always -- he has this short hair -- I always run my fingers through his hair just about every day. Everyday stuff.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: With me now is Bruce McCain, attorney and retired captain of the local county sheriff`s office. Bruce, what is the latest on this case?
BRUCE MCCAIN, RETIRED POLICE CAPTAIN: Well, Joy as of this afternoon here in Portland, the biological parents Kaine Horman, Desiree Young and her husband Tony have in fact made an appearance before the Multnomah County grand jury. Whether they`re testifying or not, we don`t know; we presume they are but it`s a secret closed process. But it`s obviously important enough that they actually closed off three floors of a very busy courthouse to keep the media at bay.
This is actually a significant development. We knew about Dede Spicher`s subpoena last week. At that point, she was the only one who had appeared so far. We`re kind of waiting to see who was going to be next. Now Kaine, Desiree and Tony Young are making their appearance this afternoon as we speak before the grand jury.
BEHAR: Why not the stepmother? Shouldn`t she be called to the grand jury too?
MCCAIN: Typically grand juries -- because Joy, a grand jury`s primary function is to investigate crimes that occur in the county. If you have someone, whether they`re named a suspect or not, you tend not to bring them in. For the very important reason that if they, for example, believe Terri Horman is the prime suspect, if they bring her in and compel her to testify, guess what? She`s now been granted immunity from prosecution. You don`t want to do that.
BEHAR: I see. I see.
I understand that Kyron`s parents received a call from Oprah.
MCCAIN: That was reported here in the local law and weekly newspaper, that they indicated that yes, they`ve been contacted by Oprah, but they also insist that they won`t take money for selling their story. They`re not in it for the money, which is obviously the right thing to say.
BEHAR: Would they go on for free? She doesn`t pay people.
MCCAIN: That I don`t know, joy. But they certainly are doing everything they can, especially with the local officials absolutely silent about this. The last thing Kaine and Desiree want is for Kyron to disappear off the front page and off the Web site. They`re doing everything they can to keep this story alive and fresh.
BEHAR: They seem to be convinced that this child is still alive. Do they have any proof of that?
MCCAIN: No, they don`t. It`s argument from silence since they don`t have his body. There`s nothing wrong with Desiree and Kaine hoping for the best. The problem here Joy is that there`s two almost irreconcilable theories that they`re clinging to.
On the one hand they`re absolutely convinced Terri Horman was instrumental in the planning and the plotting of his disappearance, and yet we`ve got this also belief that Kyron is being held, staged or stashed in her words, by a third party kidnapper who is caring for him, feeding him, keeping him alive and there`s been absolutely no connection between those two theories at all which makes that after nine weeks now almost impossible to accept.
BEHAR: So there`s no real information on the whereabouts of this child at the moment?
MCCAIN: After a half million dollars in our ninth week, the authorities are apparently no closer answering where Kyron is and what happened to him or whether he`s alive or dead.
BEHAR: Ok. Thank you Bruce for the update.
MCCAIN: You`re welcome Joy.
BEHAR: We`ll be back in a minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: Beautiful bride, handsome groom, proud parents, sounds like a typical wedding, except for the secret service agents, million dollar price tag, and the FAA`s closing down air space. Chelsea Clinton got married in Rhinebeck, New York, over the weekend. Here now to talk about the big day is columnist for "The Washington Post" reliable sources Amy Argetsinger.
AMY ARGETSINGER, COLUMNIST "THE WASHINGTON POST": Amy Argetsinger.
BEHAR: Argetsinger, easy for you to say. Celebrity party planner and host, "MY FAIR WEDDING," on WEETV, the fabulous David Tutera. And news anchor of CBS news, "THE EARLY SHOW," who was in Rhinebeck this weekend, Erica Hill. Erica, what did you see in Rhinebeck?
ERICA HILL, NEWS ANCHOR, "THE EARLY SHOW": You saw a lot of people, a lot of excitement. Barricades, State Police everywhere and barely any of the people that everybody wanted to see. Because they kept everybody so closed off. There was a glimpse on Friday night after the rehearsal dinner of secretary of state Clinton and former president Clinton. There was a glimpse of Madeleine Albright. And a big siting on Saturday throughout town in the village of Rhinebeck, a village of 8,000 people were Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen.
BEHAR: Right, they were the only Hollywood couple.
HILL: They were the only Hollywood couple that anybody really saw. But it was such a coup to see them because everybody wanted a glimpse of this wedding because everything was so tightly --
BEHAR: Yes, they really kept it under wraps.
HILL: They did a great job.
ARGETSINGER: They didn`t keep it under wraps though, we knew where the wedding was going to be, we knew when it was going to be, we knew who the groom was. I mean you think about a lot of the celebrity weddings that get pulled off in total secrecy. We never see them coming until after they`re over. So, you know, they had a big wedding. And you can`t keep a big wedding a total secret. We were all there. We were all watching this one.
BEHAR: But it sounds as though Barbra Streisand wasn`t there and Steven Spielberg.
HILL: Well there were these rumors that so many people were going to be there, exactly.
BEHAR: Yes.
HILL: Steven Spielberg, Oprah, Barbra Streisand. And it turns out it was a lot of speculation.
BEHAR: Even Snooki wasn`t there. Which is fascinating.
ARGETSINGER: Which is appalling that she wasn`t invited.
BEHAR: And also President Obama wasn`t invited. Which I thought he should have been invited. But what do I know.
ARGETSINGER: Who wants to have two presidents at their wedding. You have Obama there. Who looks at the bride any more.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: That would have gone. He would have said exactly that. Who needs two presidents there. But they would have extended the president of the United States who Hillary works for. OK, whatever.
DAVID TUTERA, CELEBRITY PARTY PLANNER: Well it`s about the bride.
BEHAR: What?
TUTERA: It`s about the bride.
BEHAR: Yes.
TUTERA: I mean they really did make this focused about her. You know it is interesting because I think that Chelsea really held the reins on this planning.
BEHAR: She did.
TUTERA: It could have been about the celebrities and about the politicians but it really became the focus on her. Her mom and dad, I clearly think, were really not part of all the planning.
BEHAR: No.
TUTERA: She really was in control here, Chelsea. Kudos to her.
HILL: The wedding planner said, there was a great piece in "The New York Times," this morning where they spoke with the wedding planner, he said this was about Chelsea and Marc. And they held the reins on this one.
TUTERA: And you can tell.
BEHAR: Let`s do the dresses for a second. Because Chelsea wore Vera Wang and Hillary wore Oscar De La Renta. What did you think of them? They looked pretty I thought, both of them.
TUTERA: I think they both look stunning. Chelsea looked magnificent. She looked demure, she looked sophisticated. Her whole focus was keeping things simple. And her dress by Vera Wang was strapless. It had a little bit of beading. The silk organza was stunning. But it was not over the top. Now Hillary, on the other hand, Oscar De La Renta, the fuchsia ground.
BEHAR: Let`s see that. Can we see that?
TUTERA: She popped, sophisticated. She made the statement I expected her to make. I have to say --
HILL: Which translates into what?
TUTERA: Well you know sometimes -
BEHAR: I`m here.
TUTERA: Does the mother of the bride sometimes outshine the bride? I don`t know.
BEHAR: No, no, no, she didn`t.
TUTERA: But she looked beautiful, Chelsea.
BEHAR: I wore black to my daughter`s wedding because I wear black to everything.
TUTERA: Well you had a new York city black tie event. That makes sense.
BEHAR: Yes, that`s true.
ARGETSINGER: This is outdoor.
TUTERA: Exactly.
BEHAR: I see, now what about the cost of the wedding? Estimated at $3 million.
ARGETSINGER: Yes, yes, yes.
BEHAR: Others say that`s not true.
TUTERA: I disagree. I disagree.
AGETSINGER: Those estimates -- those estimates are coming from VIP wedding planners who had nothing to do with this wedding. This is part of the wedding industrial complex. These people have an incentive to try to make you think that it`s normal to spend $500,000 on flowers. These people are not involved with the weddings. But their estimates could have got circulated out there as if they were. People close to the Clintons say this thing was a six-figure wedding. Now, granted that could be $999,999.
BEHAR: True.
ARGETSINGER: But the guests I talked to who went to it said, hey, it was a nice wedding but it wasn`t a billionaire wedding. It wasn`t over the top. It was not a multimillion dollar affair.
BEHAR: That`s interesting that you`re saying like real estate agents in the past few years before the bust, they jacked up the prices just like these people. And then, oh, yes, OK, I`ll buy that. I`ll pay that for that house.
ARGETSINGER: They are trying to make ridiculous things seem normal.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: You are a planner, you know.
TUTERA: She`s right, actually. Because I watched this very carefully. I could have been on many shows this week and chose not to because we don`t know what`s going on at the time. We do more now, $3 million to $5 million, absolutely not possible, even if they wanted to spend those funds. Knowing it was in Rhinebeck, knowing the guest count, knowing what was necessary for their wedding -
BEHAR: Right.
TUTERA: It was definitely a million to maybe a million and a half, to a million point seven five.
BEHAR: That`s what your estimate is.
TUTERA: That`s what my estimate is.
BEHAR: That`s still a lot of money. George Bush, spent $100,000 on Jenna`s.
TUTERA: Tenting can be really expensive but not -
BEHAR: What`s so expensive about a tent?
TUTERA: That tent can cost easily to $300,000 just to put that tent up.
BEHAR: No kidding.
TUTERA: Easily. But again, 3 to 5 million, is that creates a better story.
BEHAR: What does a $3 million wedding look like?
HILL: We wouldn`t know because we haven`t seen it.
BEHAR: Probably that and double the number of people.
TUTERA: And double the amount of flowers and everything. Chelsea kept it simple. Simple does not equate to 3 to 5 million.
BEHAR: By the why weren`t the Cargils not there?
HILL: I`ll have to call James and ask him.
BEHAR: Ask James. Do you know James?
HILL: I used to talk to him when I worked for this network. But there were a few people who were questioned about why wasn`t this person who as opposed to this person getting invited. What we keep hearing, and Amy can probably speak to this as well, this really was about people that Chelsea and Marc knew and that they wanted there.
BEHAR: Right.
ARGETSINGER: That`s how they kept this list down. And 400 is not down. But they put the word out. They were deliberate for putting the word out, to the group of friends.
BEHAR: They were smart to do that.
ARGETSINGER: It had to be Chelsea`s people and it had to be Marc`s people. And so there were a lot of White House staffers there, but not the really brand name famous cable TV ones. It was the ones you never really hear very much about, the inside players, the ones that are right there close to Chelsea during those growing up years during the years she was on her mother`s presidential campaign. The real inside lower level people.
BEHAR: All right Amy tell me about the toast that Bill Clinton gave. Did he say la`chaim? He is Jewish, the groom. Did they hit the glass. Did they do that bit?
ARGETSINGER: Oh yes they did the stepping on the glass bit in the ceremony. But Bill gave a toast in which he said that ever since Chelsea had been old enough to formulate a thought, that he had been outnumbered in his household. That it was 2 to 1 and that he hoped now with the son-in- law that there would be an even playing field. And I heard that from one of the guests. That`s sweet, but that sounds like any old toast you would hear at any old wedding. And I realized, well, that`s the point. This guy was not being the former president of the United States here at this wedding. He was being the father of the bride, very sweet, simple.
BEHAR: Don`t you think that it was secretly touching how they love their daughter and they must have felt a little guilty about what he put that kid through during that whole thing about miss you know who, Lewinsky.
ARGETSINGER: Everything.
BEHAR: I mean the picture of the three of them walking on the grounds there, the three of them with Hillary`s face turning this way and they`re all holding hands and the embarrassment that the Republicans put them through.
ARGETSINGER: Well not only that.
BEHAR: That poor kid.
ARGETSINGER: You know having your kid grow up inside the White House even if everything goes great, that`s not really a great way to grow up in a fish bowl like that. And she was there during the most vulnerable years. So she went through a lot for them regardless.
BEHAR: OK let me change the subject because even though Chelsea and Marc got married, Bristol and Levi have broken off their engagement -- or she broke it off. She`s broken it off. There`s a report in "The National Enquirer," which you know we don`t know for sure if that`s true, that Levi is the father of an ex`s unborn child.
HILL: Well this girl has denied this to "US" magazine.
BEHAR: Right.
HILL: She says Levi is not the dad.
BEHAR: The girl has denied it. And of course, he has offered to do a DNA test. So if in fact he is not guilty of this little heinous little behavior, then why would she call the engagement off?
ARGETSINGER: Well I`m going to wait until we see a report out of "People" or "US." those two publications have been living in Bristol`s --
BEHAR: Well what`s your theory?
ARGETSINGER: I think we have to wait and see what`s actually happened here.
BEHAR: No, we don`t.
(LAUGHTER)
ARGETSINGER: Here`s what I predict. Either they`ll get married or they won`t. We may not have seen the last breakup. We may not have seen the last makeup. This is a 19-year-old and a 20-year-old who had a baby between them. Who knows what`s going to happen.
TUTERA: They`re not going to get married?
BEHAR: They`re not getting married David?
ARGETSINGER: Who knows.
TUTERA: They`re not getting married unless a reality show picks them up for coverage to create a show, they`re not getting married.
HILL: There`s a question, too, that maybe they were trying to shop a reality show. If it`s not working out, perhaps if there`s a breakup, there`s so much speculation.
TUTERA: It`s so pre-meditated. They`re not getting married.
BEHAR: Is this type of press bad for Sarah Palin?
HILL: It`s interesting because when it all happened, when the engagement came out again and when Bristol said, I haven`t told my mom yet. We`re just sort of letting them know in this article. Everybody said, what`s Sarah Palin going to say? She came out with a statement and she basically said, you know my daughter`s really good at forgiving which is hard for other people to do. And there was some positive press actually for Sarah Palin in that. People were saying, you know what, at least she`s really honest about this. She`s not trying to turn it and say --
BEHAR: Well what choice did she have?
HILL: Oh, great, I`m welcoming him in with open arms. The kind of thing that can go either way. And frankly it is going to be played however which side wants to see it.
BEHAR: I think Sarah Palin would like to have a contract on him, you know.
HILL: Drawn a quarter?
BEHAR: -- contract on him. Yes, because I mean he does not help her at all. And he knows where all the bodies are buried. And if she turns on him, he will turn on her. It`s brutal!
TUTERA: Yes, that`s a show.
BEHAR: We`ll be covering it right here. Thanks, guys. Up next, you may know her best as "UGLY BETTY," but America Ferrera is as smart as she is lovely. She`s got a new film and she`ll be here along with her co-star Wilmer Valderrama to talk about that and much more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES: The hard truth is we have not seen the end of American sacrifice in Iraq. But make no mistake. Our commitment in Iraq is changing from a military effort led by our troops to a civilian effort led by our governments. And as we end the combat mission in Iraq, a grateful America must pay tribute to all who serve there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: As the president announces the U.S. is on schedule to end our military`s combat role in Iraq, a new film "THE DRY LAND" chronicles a vet`s return to America and how post traumatic stress disorder affects our soldiers and their families. Watch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look at me.
Don`t you ever touch me like that again, James. Don`t do what? I don`t know what I`m supposed to do. You don`t talk to me. You went crazy last night. And then you walked out the door this morning. No! No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: With me is will Wilmer Valderrama one of the film`s stars and America Ferrera, star and executive producer of "THE DRY LAND." America, tell me about your character. I saw the movie and I liked it very much. It`s a very compelling film. And it keeps you interested in these -- the plight of these vets. And but your character tries to adjust.
AMERICA FERRERA, ACTOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE DRY LAND,": Right.
BEHAR: So tell me about her, the wife.
FERRERA: Well, I play Sara, James` wife. And a lot of the research I did to prepare for the role was just to talk to women whose husbands had come home from this war with PTSD. And you know I think that something that was very unknown to me and I think most people is that -- is the kind of battle that the families fight. You know, the sacrifices that the family`s make. And especially the spouses. Not just when their loved ones go away, but when their loved ones come home. And they`ve been through an experience or are experiencing symptoms of being exposed to battle that they don`t let their loved ones in on. They don`t know how to let their loved ones in on. They don`t know how to explain to themselves what they`re going through.
BEHAR: Right, the movie does not sugarcoat it.
FERRERA: No.
BEHAR: It does not.
FERRERA: It`s a dramatic film, but we`re scratching the surface. And when we show it to military -- which we have. We`ve shown it to military audiences.
BEHAR: At Fort Carson, where is that?
FERRERA: In Colorado Springs.
BEHAR: Uh huh.
FERRERA: We screened for over 400 soldiers and their spouses and you know when we screen it for military audiences, they understand that this is scratching the surface. This is a message of hope, this film, and ends in not the worst case scenario. And the worst case scenario is happening every single day.
BEHAR: A lot of suicides, right? In the real world?
FERRERA: Yes it was just reported in the last year more soldiers have taken their own lives than have died in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.
BEHAR: Wow. Really?
FERRERA: Sure.
BEHAR: That`s so heartbreaking.
FERRERA: It is heartbreaking. And like President Obama said we do have an obligation to get - serve honor, due honor to the sacrifices that the men and the women have, and their families.
BEHAR: Yes.
FERRERA: Because the families really they live a life that`s unlike what most of us are living. You know they`re giving those sacrifices, then living with the war for the rest of their lives, not just when the war is over.
BEHAR: Yes, that`s right, now Wilmer, you said something interesting you said that this is a better movie because it`s not a political movie. It doesn`t have a political message. Tell me about that a little bit.
WILMER VALDERRAMA, ACTOR, THE DRY LAND: Yes, no, I think that specifically now as we embrace, you know, the next chapter of this war, I think that, you know, the next frontier for us is really to try to understand, you know, what the sacrifice is. And so I think that it really is -- unfortunately, with a lot of movies, they have to have a subliminal politic a agenda. One of the wonderful things about this movie is that we were able to just, you know, tell the story of the human behind the soldier and I think that that`s the next chapter. We`re already in Iraq, we`re already in Afghanistan. The next wave of entertainment, of filmmaking should be about inspiring, you know, our national community to understand and hopefully that understanding turns into appreciation.
BEHAR: Well like I said before, it doesn`t sugarcoat the situation. I remember during the Bush years, they did not allow body bags to be shown on television. And I always thought that was a mistake. People need to see the horrors of war.
FERRERA: Right.
BEHAR: Because if we don`t see the horrors of war, we`ll just continue to have them.
FERRERA: Absolutely. And I think that a lot of people are shocked to hear the statistic about how many soldiers are taking their own lives. And you know, they often say -- a lot of people, you know, well this is the worst case scenario, this is pretty dramatic. This must be a sensational version of it. And the truth is that it`s not.
BEHAR: It`s a terrific film. I recommend it to everybody. Let me just change the subject since I have two people who are from the Hispanic community, from the Latina community, Sarah Palin, remember her? She claims that Obama does not have, quote, unquote, the cojones to tackle illegal immigration. Wilmer, you tweeted on the Arizona immigration bill and have met Obama. Does he have the cojones?
VALDERRAMA: You know well I appreciate that Sarah Palin is bilingual. That`s really fantastic. No, but I got -- I got to admit, you know, it`s been such a tough journey from the beginning of this presidency. You know there`s so many different agendas that we need to track down. But I think that it`s more than the president`s, you know, ability to be able and this goes back to a national community, we need to understand, you know, what`s happening at home. And I think we need to be very realistic about it. I think, look, I`m really excited to see where the next chapter is for the president.
BEHAR: Well I mean but the thing about it is basically he said the federal government is now going to stop you from stopping people in Arizona based on what they look like. And the federal government is going to tell the state how to do it. How does that translate to no cojones? That translates to big cojones. And the big cojones telling the little cojones what to do.
FERRERA: Thank god.
BEHAR: Now where does she come of saying he has no cojones. I mean I can`t even talk about her.
VALDERRAMA: It`s really -- I mean, it`s really an interesting conversation.
BEHAR: Yes, it is.
VALDERRAMA: I think -- and I got to tell you, it starts with us as a community. You know I mean --
FERRERA: I will say that I hope that this entire ordeal really inspires the Latino community to really start paying attention and really start getting involved. Because what we need --
VALDERRAMA: More outspoken, yes.
FERRERA: What we need is to use our voices.
BEHAR: You two could be great spokespeople. Thank you very much for joining me.
VALDERAMA: Thank you.
BEHAR: When we come back, we`ll have a bit more with America. Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: I`m back with America Ferrera, star of the new movie "The Dry Land" and formerly of course from "UGLY BETTY ," which I said, during the break, how they could put a beautiful girl like you to play Ugly Betty was beyond my casting comprehension.
FERRERA: It was fun - it was fun acting, playing a character.
BEHAR: Aren`t you glad to be pretty again?
FERRERA: No. I`m glad to not wear the braces. I`m glad to not --
BEHAR: Were those real braces?
FERRERA: They were -- I had to pop them in all day just like in and out. I`m glad I don`t have to do that anymore. But I loved playing the part.
BEHAR: Well it was a terrific show.
FERRERA: Yes.
BEHAR: Do you miss it?
FERRERA: I do miss it, yes. When you go -- you know, when you work that much that long for four years in a row and then it just stops, it`s little bit like traumatizing. It`s traumatizing. You`re like, I don`t have to be anywhere, no one --
BEHAR: Then you have to carve out your day. Sometimes it`s daunting to have to do that.
FERRERA: Yes, yes.
BEHAR: Somebody on facebook wants to know when you`re getting married. Have you set a wedding date with your fiance?
FERRERA: I have not, no.
BEHAR: Who is your fiance? Do we know him?
FERRERA: I don`t think you would -- I don`t think you would know him.
BEHAR: Is he famous?
FERRERA: No.
BEHAR: He`s not. Then we wouldn`t know him.
FERRERA: Then you wouldn`t know him.
BEHAR: I mean unless I hung out at your house. I don`t know the guy. The other thing about your career is that, you know, you`re now an executive producer of this film and an actress in a very serious film. So it`s a little different. Which do you like better? Do you like making movies and being the big shot of it, the boss of it, do this, do that?
FERRERA: I did not feel like being the producer is being the boss. I just like the image that sticks out in my head is holding down the craft tent so it doesn`t blow into frame when you`re making a movie with no money.
BEHAR: I see.
FERRERA: But producing was so fun and so -- you know, it was hard work, but very rewarding. And you know, as an actor, it`s very empowering to feel like you can create content and be behind, you know, the juices, the flow of, you know, creativity versus just kind of sitting around waiting for someone to cast you.
BEHAR: It is kind of fun to watch somebody else do it, too, isn`t it?
FERRERA: It is.
BEHAR: And not be on all the time.
FERRERA: Right.
BEHAR: That I think is a fun thing to try. But you`re a very political girl also. You campaigned for Hillary when she was running against Obama.
FERRERA: I did.
BEHAR: Then you switched over to campaign for President Obama.
FERRERA: Of course, yes.
BEHAR: So were you invited to the wedding?
FERRERA: I was not, no. I wasn`t. I`m not a -- you know.
BEHAR: You`re not a friend of --
FERRERA: I just met Chelsea and I couldn`t be happier for her. I mean she looked so happy in those pictures.
BEHAR: Didn`t she.
FERRERA: And gorgeous and just so glad that --
BEHAR: We`re happy for her. She`s deserves it, she`s a good kid. She was very good, she never embarrassed her parents by doing anything.
FERRERA: And they were good parents, they are good parents. They made a really smart, wonderful, beautiful human being.
BEHAR: Do you think she`ll have a career in politics?
FERRERA: I have no idea. I don`t know.
BEHAR: I wonder, I think she`d be probably good.
FERRERA: I mean, she`s one of the smartest people I ever met.
BEHAR: Really?
FERRERA: I have no doubt in my mind that she could if she wanted to.
BEHAR: Another question from facebook, how did the "UGLY BETTY" cast get along behind the scenes. They always ask me that question about my other show, too. So what`s your answer to that?
FERRERA: My answer is probably a little less scandalous. But I love my cast. Honestly --
BEHAR: No fights? No diva behavior.
FERRERA: None, no.
BEHAR: With all those divas on the set.
FERRERA: All those divas on the set.
BEHAR: Wow, anyway, always fun to see you. I loved seeing you before, I love seeing you today. Good luck with everything. You`re just a delightful girl.
FERRERA: Thank you.
BEHAR: "The Dry Land" is in select theaters now. So go check it out. Good night, everybody.
END
