Return to Transcripts main page
Joy Behar Page
Miners Rescued; Conspiracy Theories with Jesse Ventura
Aired October 14, 2010 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOY BEHAR, HOST: There are reports from Chile that one of the rescued miners has a wife and four mistresses. You know, I`m shocked. I had no idea Tiger Woods was even in Chile. Did you know that?
No, I didn`t know that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming up on THE JOY BEHAR SHOW, all 33 Chilean miners are safe and in the spotlight but besides a horde of reporters some alleged mistresses are nipping at the miners` heels to get a piece of the action.
And self-proclaimed non-witch Christine O`Donnell, duked it out in the Delaware debate last night. How did she do?
Plus he`s a former wrestler and former governor, the one and only Jesse Ventura is here to talk Tea Party and conspiracy theories.
That and more, starting right now.
BEHAR: Hey, I`m not sure you heard. I had a little drama with Bill O`Reilly on my other show today. I`ll get to all that in just a bit.
But here is some real drama. After two months underground all 33 miners in Chile are finally safe. Chile`s president has pledged continued support to the men and their families. But for some of those miners, that`s going to be a little tricky.
Their mistresses are reportedly vying for a piece of that pie. And when you factor in potential movie, TV and book deals; that`s a lot of pie.
So how will the extra marital stress affect the already difficult recovery of these guys? With me now from Chile with the latest is CNN`s Gary Tuchman.
All right. Gary, and what -- tell me Gary, what`s the atmosphere like there now that they`re all out? How are they doing?
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: National celebration, Joy. People are just ecstatic. There was a lot of hope that all 33 would be fine. When the first one came out the celebration started. When all 33 came out 22 hours later it definitely was a national celebration. I would not be surprised if October 13th becomes a national holiday in this country.
And so far they`re doing remarkably well. They all had to go to the hospital. That was the mandate. They went to the hospital.
BEHAR: Right.
TUCHMAN: But other than a few minor situations there are no major medical problems whatsoever -- that`s great.
BEHAR: They are monitoring them continuously. What exactly are they looking specifically for? Is there something that they`re looking specifically for.
TUCHMAN: The main things they`re looking for are skin issues, dental issues. One man has a slight case of pneumonia. They`re looking for things like that.
They`re also looking at two particular men, one man with diabetes and one man who has hypertension. But they`re doing fine. They are very happy with the physical condition that these men are in despite the fact they were under ground for almost ten weeks.
BEHAR: I know. It`s remarkable.
You know, one of the miners, Johnny Barrios, was greeted by his mistress as he was rescued and his wife of 28 years refused to be there after discovering her husband was cheating. Now, I saw it on television but you were right there. Was it awkward? They seemed to be very, you know, affectionate, embracing each other. What was your read?
TUCHMAN: Yes, my read was the same. It was very interesting here because when we got here a few days ago, we talked to a lot of family members here who told us all about Yonni Barrios, that he had a wife and mistress and they were wondering who would be there.
The journalist in me said it would be great if they both showed up, it would be very interesting. But as it turns out we were all watching and we were all betting, informal bets of course, not with money and most of the money -- most of the made up money that is was on the wife and it turns out it was the mistress. So it was quite an interesting scenario. Let`s put it that way.
BEHAR: With the government offering benefits and things to the families of the miners, the other alleged mistresses are coming out of the woodwork. Who is going to get the cash in this case if anybody?
TUCHMAN: Well, I think the Chilean courts are going to have a good time dealing with this. It`s no surprise that mistresses who might really be mistresses would come forward and it is no surprise that mistresses who may not be mistresses may come forward but they`re going to have to figure this out probably in the Chilean court system ultimately.
BEHAR: It`s just -- it`s kind of just wonderful, the whole thing. I am enjoying it very much and we are so happy for all of them. You`re doing a great job Gary.
So thanks for doing this again.
TUCHMAN: Thank you Joy.
BEHAR: I want to bring in my panel now.
Ben Sherwood author of "Survivors Club; Robi Ludwig, psychotherapist and care.com contributor; and by phone from Pennsylvania, Tom Foy, he survived the Quecreek mine disaster in 2002.
Let me start with you Robi. The guys went through a major ordeal. Ok. Now they`re faced with like family and relationship conflicts as you heard.
ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: Yes.
BEHAR: So it`s kind of like more anxiety for them, isn`t it.
LUDWIG: Right. Exactly. You know, because they got caught in a lie. And you don`t want that --
BEHAR: Big time.
LUDWIG: Probably, you know, having both a mistress and a wife in some ways helped keep them happy and stable and what they need after a traumatic event is family stability. So if they lose that right now, it certainly won`t help with their recovery process.
BEHAR: Right. Well the wife of this guy, she didn`t even show up. She seems pissed.
LUDWIG: And she has a reason to be. How awkward that he had to come and greet his mistress. It will be interesting because it seems to be a culture where this might be more of a norm but it doesn`t mean the wife likes it or accepts it especially if it`s public. It is one thing for it to be private; it`s another thing to be public.
BEHAR: Are there really cultures where the wife actually goes along with this or is that just a fake idea?
LUDWIG: They might understand it better and maybe they`re not as emotionally wounded by it.
BEHAR: Really?
LUDWIG: You know, that is a possibility. If it`s more of a cultural norm -- although it is hard to imagine not feeling insulted.
BEHAR: I mean even Simone Signoret and Sartre got mad at each other even though they said go do it. And they got mad. I don`t know if it ever works.
LUDWIG: Yes, right. I agree.
BEHAR: Ben even for those families that have great support systems and everything, how hard is it for survivors to adjust to coming out of a situation like this in your experience?
BEN SHERWOOD, AUTHOR, "SURVIVORS` CLUB": Well, let`s talk. This is a very juicy story but we know this is a lot of conjecture right now and the personal situation that this guy is going through in his choice, we don`t have enough facts to sort of make some of these judgments.
The thing I would point out in the context of what was just said is that these guys have had 69 days under ground in a very traumatic situation to think about what`s important in their lives and we know from survivor stories around the world that in these situations often people come up and experience what`s called post-traumatic growth.
They actually grow from the experience and have whole new priorities. They change their lives. They deepen their relationships in certain ways with certain people. They make brand new choices about what they`re going to do with their precious days.
LUDWIG: Right.
SHERWOOD: So when people come up, we have no way of knowing what that one miner is thinking about who he wants to be with and who he wants to spend his life with but we do know one thing for sure, Joy. He`s had a lot of time to think about it and what he wants to do and this post traumatic growth is actually a very good thing.
There are scientists in the United States and in North Carolina in particular who have looked at this phenomenon in all kinds of crises and disasters and growth is good because it leads to these people leading more meaningful, more rewarding lives.
BEHAR: Right. Ok. Tom who is on the phone with us, you were trapped in the Quecreek mine in Pennsylvania for 78 hours. So what psychological scars did you carry with you? Did you have this growth Ben is talking about when you got out?
TOM FOY, SURVIVED QUECREEK MINE DISASTER: We didn`t really have something like that. I mean, a lot of guys were a lot different. Some guys were going to be a little bit tougher and some are not. It all depends how you fight it. You just can`t sit and think about it all the time. You got to get up and move around and try to keep it off your mind.
LUDWIG: The other thing, too, is that, you know, these miners received a lot of support very early on. And in some ways, not that anyone is designed to have a trauma happen and get through it better than other people, but they would survive being in this better than you or I would because they`re used to being underground.
BEHAR: I know.
LUDWIG: They have a lot of national pride so they felt a lot of support. It wasn`t like they were down there feeling all isolated, so it`s true. We don`t really know what they were thinking. They might have been traumatized but some might come through this situation feeling really fine and want to go back to being miners because that`s what they do.
BEHAR: Go ahead.
SHERWOOD: Joy?
BEHAR: Yes?
SHERWOOD: One of the really surprising facts about survivors around the world -- I mean this is one of the biggest surprises in the literature of resilience and who bounces back and what happens after these big disasters is that most survivors, the majority, do really well. They do fine.
In fact, when they have looked at how many of the survivors experience really bad effects like post traumatic stress and anxiety, and depression and suicidal thoughts, they find that the range is somewhere between 15 to 30 percent, so about 70 percent to as many as 85 percent are just fine. And I think that`s a really important thing to think about, about these 33. Some of them will definitely have negative effects in their lives but most of them are going to do just fine.
BEHAR: Let`s talk about the media attention that they`re going to get for a second. Tom, let me talk to you. As a survivor, yourself, how tough was it to be suddenly thrust into the middle of the media like that and then have it be taken away from you? How did that affect you? Tell me about that.
FOY: In a way it was just like when I came up and came out of my capsule. It was probably the best thing that ever happened because, I mean, right now these guys definitely need to be alone with their families and stuff and not being (INAUDIBLE). This is what people don`t know how you feel -- I mean but you just got to let them go a little bit and once they get settled down a little bit, then call them now and then you know. Don`t call and call and call -- it`s like you`re calling us right now which is good.
Let`s me and some of these people around know that we want to thank all the rescue workers and everything that we did and --
BEHAR: Yes.
FOY: -- that`s how we got to do that but the main thing is give the guys a break and let them do their business and don`t bug them and don`t talk about them.
BEHAR: Yes. Ok.
Well, I`m sorry I called you now. Listen, Tom, we`re thrilled that you`re out and that everybody is out of the mine in Chile and we`re just happy to have spoken to you about it. And thank you both of you very much.
Up next you know I butted heads with Bill O`Reilly on my other show today. Jesse Ventura is no stranger to a fight so he`ll give me his take next on our faceoff next?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming up a little later on THE JOY BEHAR SHOW Christine O`Donnell and Chris Coons go head to head on national TV but was the Tea Party darling ready for primetime? And the ladies from the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" drop by to dish some dirt.
Now back to Joy.
BEHAR: Today on "The View", Bill O`Reilly had a real pin head moment. First he said a mosque should not be built close to Ground Zero here in New York and then he said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": What are you talking about?
BILL O`REILLY, FOX NEWS HOST: Muslims killed us on 9/11.
GOLDBERG: Oh, my God.
O`REILLY: Muslims didn`t kill us on 9/11? Is that what you`re saying?
(CROSSTALK)
O`REILLY: I`m outraged. You`re outraged? Muslims killed us on 9/11.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: Well, I was really angry. I though O`Reilly, I thought he was saying something -- that I construe as hate speech frankly.
I`m joined now by former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura. I mean, it upsets me as you can see because I really think that to say Muslims killed us on 9/11 is like you could say that about any group to lump an entire group like that.
JESSE VENTURA, FORMER MINNESOTA GOVERNOR: Yes and, Joy, to say that to me, I question 9/11. I got a conspiracy theory.
BEHAR: I know.
VENTURA: So who is to say they actually did or not? I`ll -- I`ll give you a -- but --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Well, that`s -- that`s another thing, yes.
VENTURA: -- but let me say this about the mosque. Excuse me. The Constitution says they can do it. It ends there. You cannot subject the Constitution to a popularity poll.
BEHAR: Yes.
VENTURA: The Constitution is there, Joy, to protect unpopular speech. Popular things don`t need protecting.
BEHAR: But -- but do you think that that is hate speech or is it free speech when somebody says something like the Muslims killed us on 9/11?
VENTURA: Well, it`s a fact.
BEHAR: Isn`t it provocative?
(CROSSTALK)
VENTURE: Because they -- if -- if you believe -- sure it is. But -- but, you know, to me it -- I don`t really consider it hate speech. I -- you know? If -- if -- if it`s truly the truth and its facts and facts are facts. And whether they make you uncomfortable or not, that`s you as an individual.
BEHAR: Well, he would say that they were facts. He would -- that was his answer to us.
VENTURA: Right.
BEHAR: And that -- that they happened to be --
(CROSSTALK)
VENTURA: But the point is it doesn`t even matter because the Constitution says they can do it --
BEHAR: Well, it`s -- it`s -- I agree with you.
VENTURA: Now we`re going to change the Constitution according to Bill O`Reilly`s opinion or 70 percent of the nation`s opinion?
BEHAR: It is 70 percent.
VENTURA: Well, so what?
BEHAR: He cited a poll.
(CROSSTALK)
VENTURA: So what?
BEHAR: He cited a poll. But it`s possible that this type of speech is what`s provoking people to say things like that.
VENTURA: Maybe. But even if it is, no matter, I -- I`ll repeat again, the Constitution and Bill of Rights are there to protect unpopular things --
BEHAR: So when he -- ok
VENTURA: -- not popular.
BEHAR: So when he apologized, he did apologize for it.
VENUTURA: Yes.
BEHAR: I don`t know, did you see the apology? I thought it was -- it was grudging but he -- I think he did it.
VENTURA: Yes, well --
BEHAR: What do you think about him?
VENTURA: Oh he`s a spineless puke.
BEHAR: Ok.
VENTURA: That`s -- that`s well, that`s what I call him as a Navy Seal. First of all, the whole Fox won`t have me on because --
BEHAR: The Fox Network?
VENTURA: Yes --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Why not?
VENTURA: -- they can`t -- the night time guys. Back in the hole. Well, I call them the Three Stooges and we all know which one is Curly. Take a look. If -- if Glenn Beck isn`t Curly Howard`s kid, legit or illegit, I mean look at the two. Put the pictures side by side, that`s a good one for your show here.
BEHAR: I should.
VENTURA: Yes.
BEHAR: Separated at birth.
VENTURA: Yes Glenn Beck and Curly Howard.
BEHAR: We should do that. It looks good.
VENTURA: And you know, and so I view him and Hannity and them as the Three Stooges because they -- if they can`t intimidate you they won`t have you on.
BEHAR: Well, are they afraid of you? You were a Seal.
VENTURA: Well, they`re afraid of me because I don`t back down on what I believe and they can`t intimidate me and make me feel uncomfortable. I make them uncomfortable.
BEHAR: You`re also a Vietnam veteran.
VENTURA: Yes.
BEHAR: So they can`t really hit you on unpatriotic. They love that - - wave that flag.
VENTURA: Oh yes, well not only that --
BEHAR: Yes.
VENTURA: -- but my father had six Bronze Battle Stars in World War II. My mother is a World War II veteran served in North Africa --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: I`m curious -- I`m curious.
VENTURA: -- and my brother and I are both Vietnam veterans. My entire family fought and served at the time of war.
BEHAR: Are any of -- are any of the Three Stooges veterans. Did they ever go to war?
VENTURA: I don`t know.
BEHAR: No?
VENTURA: No, I have no idea.
BEHAR: I don`t think so.
VENTURA: So we have to find out.
BEHAR: Ok, we`ll find out. Maybe someone could check that.
So, now Paladino, another guy --
VENTURA: Yes.
BEHAR: -- another prize, another bargain as we call them. He apologized for his anti-gay speech but his -- his comments I think you might have heard his comments also about you know that he puts perverts in the same sentence with gay --
VENTURA: Yes, yes.
BEHAR: -- the gay pride parade.
VENTURA: Yes.
BEHAR: What do you think about that? Is this speech so pervasive now that we can`t do anything about it?
VENTURA: Well, you know, free speech is free speech --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Right.
VENTURA: -- whether you like it or not. It`s there and you certainly can exercise that right.
But, you know, you can also take into account and not vote for people like that would be a good idea. As far as he goes, you know, clearly -- I feel proud because I`m hetero and I feel proud because there is a magazine in Minnesota called "Lavender" it`s a gay magazine.
BEHAR: Yes.
VENTURA: They put my picture on it a couple of years and awarded me and they said this is the best politician for gay rights in the history of the state of Minnesota. Now, here`s what I want to do though. I fought for four years to get them state benefits. Guess what happened after I left. New contract came up. The gays were the first thing the Democrats bargained back to the Republicans and now they have no benefits again.
BEHAR: Is that why you are an independent that you don`t go to either party?
VENTURA: Absolutely. Because both of these parties they are like pro wrestling, Joy. On the camera they tell you they hate each other and they`re going to destroy each other. Behind the scenes they`re working together, they are cozy with each other, they go to dinner, and they cut deals.
And that`s what they -- and but yet they the people to believe oh, they hate each other. I`ve got to vote one way or the other. I also today do not advocate for the third party anymore.
BEHAR: No.
VENTURA: No, and I`ll tell you --
BEHAR: Because --
VENTURA: -- I`ll tell you what I -- because any third party in which the system is so corrupt, any third party that can compete will have to corrupt itself so you`ll have a three-headed monster rather than two. I now advocate the same thing George, Tom, and John advocate. You know who they are?
BEHAR: No.
VENTURA: George Washington, Tom Jefferson, and John Adams. Abolish political parties.
BEHAR: I love that.
VENTURA: Abolish.
BEHAR: I dated all three believe it or not.
VENTURA: Did you? Abolish political parties.
BEHAR: We`ll have more with Jesse Ventura in just a minute.
Yes I did. Thomas was the fabulous one of course.
VENTURA: Was he?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: I`m back with former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura. I`d like to just report to you that a crack research team has discovered that the three stooges -- O`Reilly, Beck, and Hannity -- have never served in the armed forces. Just for the record.
VENTURA: Yes.
BEHAR: Ok. The new season of your show, "Conspiracy Theory", is starting and it airs tomorrow at 10:00 p.m. on TruTV.
VENTURA: Yes.
BEHAR: So what conspiracies are you working on?
VENTURA: Well, the best one we have and the one that I`m excited over, they let me do JFK again. And right away all the press says, well what could you possibly bring to the table?
BEHAR: It was a suicide. Don`t. Stop.
(CROSSTALK)
VENTURA: No. What can you possibly -- I know -- bring to the table that`s new on JFK?
BEHAR: Yes.
VENTURA: I think we`ve done a good job, Joy. When it airs you will hear and see the first confession. We have a confession from a father to a son on his death bed.
BEHAR: Oh, well how do we know that that`s real?
VENTURA: Well, because you`ll know the person. And that`s all I`ll say because I don`t want to ruin our ratings.
BEHAR: Of course not.
VENTURA: I`ll just say that on my show you will get -- and the son has been trying to get the father also made him promise to go public. For two years he has been attempting to go public but mainstream media won`t touch it. So it comes to Jesse Ventura.
I want to take your show to thank mainstream media. Thank you, mainstream media. You cover things like Anna Nicole Smith. You cover things like whether sports athletes are cheating on their wives.
BEHAR: HLN. It`s the best.
VENTURA: Keep doing it. That keeps me employed and keeps my crew going and we will cover these other things that you have out there.
BEHAR: So the person who is going to make this confession, we will recognize him when we see him.
VENTURA: Well, he is very elderly because he is dying so whether you physically recognize him I don`t know. You will know who he is.
BEHAR: Oh, boy.
VENTURA: You will know who he is.
BEHAR: That sounds good. Tomorrow night at 10:00 p.m. On TruTV.
VENTURA: Well, that isn`t the one tomorrow. Tomorrow we do -- tomorrow night is Plum Island.
BEHAR: I have to wait for this?
VENTURA: Oh, yes.
BEHAR: How long?
VENTURA: Until we put it on.
BEHAR: Oh, daddy, tell me who it is.
VENTURA: Eight weeks it might be.
BEHAR: Please.
VENTURA: We also look at 9/11 looking at the Pentagon and the alleged plane that hit there. I do some very interesting interviews with a woman that actually walked, who was in there and walked out the hole that the alleged plane created.
BEHAR: Oh, all righty.
VENTURA: And she has some very interesting things to say having experienced it directly and being there when the alleged plane hit.
BEHAR: Oh.
VENTURA: We also do a water conspiracy.
BEHAR: The BP thing?
VENTURA: Drinking water
BEHAR: What about BP?
VENTURA: BP we do, too, on the oil spill; a couple of circumstantial things. Most of the conspiracies we deal with, probably 75 percent, deal with the government. I would tell you that probably 65 percent to 70 percent of the conspiracies at some point, guess what rears its head? Halliburton.
BEHAR: Oh, wow.
VENTURA: Halliburton.
BEHAR: Dick Cheney`s company.
VENTURA: Here is what happened at the BP oil spill. Hear this. Three weeks prior to the oil spill, the biggest company that cleaned them up was a company called Boots and Coots out of Houston. Three weeks prior to the oil spill they were bought out by Halliburton.
BEHAR: That`s interesting.
VENTURA: That`s very interesting. And the other interesting thing, two to three weeks prior top BP officials sold off their stock in their own company. Very interesting.
BEHAR: I look forward to that. Very interesting.
The second season of "Conspiracy Theory" with Jesse Ventura premieres tomorrow at 10:00 p.m. on TruTV.
We`ll be back in a minute.
VENTURA: Thanks Joy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Coming up a little later on the JOY BEHAR SHOW, the bizarre candidacy of Republican tea party nominee, Carl Paladino, gets even stranger. We`ll have the latest.
And the ladies from "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" drop by to dish some dirt. Now back to Joy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, HOST: All eyes were on Delaware last night where Republican Senate nominee, Christine O`Donnell faced off in the debate with her Democratic rival, Chris Coons. O`Donnell was mostly composed, but she did have a tough time answering a few of the questions. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NANCY KARIBJANIAN, MODERATOR: What opinions of late that have come from our high court do you most object to?
CHRISTINE O`DONNELL, (R) DELAWARE SENATE CANDIDATE: Oh, gosh. Give me a specific one. I`m sorry.
KARIBJANIAN: Actually, I can`t, because I need you to tell me which ones you object to.
O`DONNELL: I`m very sorry. Right off the top of my head. I know that there are a lot, but I`ll put it up on my website. I promise you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: What is off the top of her head? For the record, her opponent only named one. So, will this debate help her or hurt her? Here now to discuss this and other topics are Steve Kornacki, news editor and columnist at salon.com, Rebecca Dana, senior reporter for The Daily Beast and the fabulous Jay Thomas, actor and Sirius XM radio host. OK. How do you think she did, Rebecca?
REBECCA DANA, THE DAILY BEAST: Well, it seemed -- she seemed like she was more auditioning for a slot on Fox News than running for a position of public office. So, in that regard, I think she did actually really well. It was a very Palinesque performance, down to missing that Supreme Court question, which Sarah Palin missed herself when she was running for vice president.
BEHAR: Right. And shouldn`t she have been prepared with that particular question? Since Palin got that question in the Katie Couric interview?
STEVE KORNACKI, SALON.COM: Well, first of all, I`m curious. Has anybody gone to her website today? Did she put up the list?
DANA: Oh, that`s a great question.
KORNACKI: Instead of doing my job I came here and did this. The other question, you know, I have watched that. I mean, there is an out for her if she doesn`t know. She could realize that it`s a very conservative Supreme Court right now. She`s a very conservative candidate.
So, you might be able to find some wiggle room there and say, well, you know, there are some past cases when the court was more dominated by liberals that I disagreed with and here they are. We`re talking about a very conservative court now where actually conservatives are pretty happy with it.
BEHAR: They seemed to be bought and sold (ph) by Fox News. The Supreme Court is being bought and sold, in my opinion. It looks like that to me. What do you think, Jay?
JAY THOMAS, ACTOR: Well, I think the voters of Delaware have a clear choice. This guy, Coons, believes that what Barack Obama is doing is correct, and it takes a long time for the ship to turn. And then Ms. O`Donnell is a witch.
(LAUGHTER)
THOMAS: So, if I were in Delaware, I would vote before she turns your ass into a toad.
BEHAR: That`s right. That is always a danger (ph).
THOMAS: But the reality is this. They`re not voting for anybody in this election. They`re voting against stuff.
BEHAR: Yes, that`s true.
THOMAS: And we don`t want a 2000-page, you know, health care system. We don`t want any of that. And so, people like Christine O`Donnell get to run, and I think Sarah Palin looks like she just cooked a dinner and she shot a moose and then she does the, you know, the family business, and she looks like a real person and maybe a simple person can go to Washington and fix things and that`s the problem.
BEHAR: That is the problem. And I want to play another clip from the debate.
THOMAS: But she`s a little too simple, I think.
BEHAR: Which? Christine?
THOMAS: Yes. Really too simple.
BEHAR: OK. Another clip in the debate in which O`Donnell attacks her opponent. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O`DONNELL: When you look at his position on things like raising taxes, which is one of the tenants of Marxism, not supporting eliminating the death tax which is a tenant of Marxism, I would argue that there are more people who support my catholic faith than his Marxist belief.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: In her defense, she was referring to Groucho Marx, I have to say. Because I really don`t think she knows about Karl Marx. So, she must have been talking about Zeppo and Harpo and Groucho. Am I wrong?
THOMAS: Look, she`s obviously some sort of a mistake.
(LAUGHTER)
THOMAS: And it`s embarrassing. And they need to get this thing over with. I know that I would never send a child of mine to be educated in Delaware after watching this.
BEHAR: Go ahead, Rebecca.
DANA: The reality is Christine O`Donnell is sucking up a huge amount of oxygen in this midterm election, but the truth of the matter, I was in Delaware this week. And there are no road signs for Christine O`Donnell. I talked to one of her supporters who was one of two guys who`s been phone banking for her. I mean, she`s 20 points down in the polls as of Tuesday.
BEHAR: What did you learn about her in the --
DANA: You know, I spoke to -- I know quite a bit actually. I spoke to a lot of her neighbors back before she -- back when she was unemployed for many years in the early ots (ph). And as they said, the walls were very thin. And they were aware of a lot of small hypocrisies of Christine O`Donnell`s earlier life. Lots of boyfriends coming through. Lots of --
THOMAS: They could hear sexual shouting?
DANA: That`s what they told me.
BEHAR: Oh, that`s just hearsay. We can`t really say that.
DANA: Sure, but --
THOMAS: That doesn`t bother me. I would vote for her if she`s a screamer.
(LAUGHTER)
THOMAS: I would write that in. Yes, I like that.
DANA: Nobody used the words "sexual shouting" but what people did say to me even people who went to high school with her, high school principal, her old neighbors, her old friends, what they did say is that for a long time, this is a woman who`s coveted not public office necessarily but the spotlight. So, that`s what we saw in this debate.
THOMAS: You know, can we talk about the other guy, Coons, for one second?
KORNACKI: The one point that I would make, though, is --
THOMAS: I want to say something about the other guy.
KORNACKI: If you look at her platform, you talk about coons and you talk about, you know, this guy comes across as really competent and really sound on the issues and of course a lot of people would be against her, but if you look issue by issue at where Christine O`Donnell stands, she is not really on any issue that matters out of line with any of the other major Republican candidates who are running for the Senate this year.
All of those other candidates in battle ground races whether it`s in Florida, or Colorado, or Pennsylvania, all these states are probably going to win. So, you look at Coons and you want to feel good because, you know, here`s a guy. You know, he has pretty solid background, really good grounding in public policy, and he`s going to end up winning this thing, but it has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with then fact that she doesn`t pass the kook test.
She comes across as a kook to people. You know, the other guy, you look in Florida, look at the tea party candidate down there, he is good at faking it. You can ask him about the Supreme Court, I imagine, he can probably fake his way through that answer. She comes across as a flake, she loses. But these other guys who will vote the exact same way in the United States senate next year as she would are going to get in and a lot of more are going to get in.
BEHAR: Do you think that Bill O`Reilly, for example, is more dangerous than let`s say Glenn Beck because he pretends to be someone who is reasonable to talk to?
THOMAS: Alleged. That`s alleged.
BEHAR: Whereas Beck acts like a crazy buffoon? Same point.
THOMAS: You just said hearsay before. What you just said is alleged. You can`t -- it`s alleged. You can`t just --
BEHAR: What is alleged?
THOMAS: YOU just accused him of something that --
BEHAR: I didn`t accuse him of anything. I said he comes across as level headed and open minded when in fact he`s not.
THOMAS: No, no. You said in fact just now. You need to say alleged.
BEHAR: What are you, writing a book?
THOMAS: Well.
BEHAR: OK. Moving on. After Carl Paladino, Republican nominee for New York governor, apologized for recent anti-gay comments. The rabbi who helped draft those remarks is mad at him for the apology. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RABBI YEHUDA LEVIN, WITHDRAWING SUPPORT OF PALADINO: I was in the middle of eating a kosher pastrami sandwich. While I was eating it, they come running and they and say, Paladino (INAUDIBLE). I said what? And then they showed me the statement. I almost choked on the kosher salami.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DANA: I thought it was pastrami.
BEHAR: OK. Whatever he was eating. So, OK, Jay, he never had the gays, and now, he doesn`t have the orthodox Jews either.
THOMAS: That was Adam Sandler. That was not a man of any religion, I could imagine, right?
DANA: He can`t even keep his kosher deli straight.
THOMAS: And you know what, for a group of individuals who have been discriminated against, murdered for their beliefs, how an orthodox Jew can be against a group of individuals who is discriminated against, any group, whether you`re gay or black.
KORNACKI: Let be clear on who this guy is and who he really represents. This is the Terry Jones of the orthodox Jews. From a Terry Jones to the pastor down in Florida whose flock consisted of about 16 people. This guy`s, you know, church or congregation or temple or however you refer it without even know, had like 22 members in it.
He doesn`t even, the orthodox Jewish community of Brooklyn is basically centered in Williamsburg. This guy is out in Midwood. He`s an outcast from the small, sort of insular community.
BEHAR: Are you saying he`s not a real Hasid?
KORNACKI: Well, he doesn`t have a lot of credibility with the sort of mainstream Hasid community.
DANA: Jews (INAUDIBLE) responsible for September 11th, not all Jews or even devout -- orthodox Jews are responsible for this man.
BEHAR: Well, he`s talking for the specific --
THOMAS: We live in a time where almost anybody can just say something with very little group following him and get on international television. Thank you very much.
(LAUGHTER)
KORNACKI: But that`s the Paladino camp. I mean, these guys are sitting up in buffalo, you know, ten hours away. They get a call from this guy, you know, who says I can deliver the orthodox Jewish vote. They don`t ask any questions. They don`t do any research. And they go and they scheduled him the event (ph). They let the guy write a speech for them. They hand the speech to the candidate. He put his glasses on. He starts reading it. That`s how this whole story came about.
THOMAS: Oh, my God. That`s ridiculous. That is stupid.
DANA: Speaking of the kook test, I mean, could we please apply this to Carl Paladino at this point. Please voters of New York, don`t let this man --
BEHAR: And how is he getting the point?
KORNACKI: I don`t know. He`s 20, 30 points behind.
BEHAR: I love that phrase.
THOMAS: Who is the best tea party candidate? Who is the person --
DANA: I mean, Sharron Angle in Nevada is doing a great -
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Alice in Wonderland was the best tea party.
Thanks everyone. Up next. The real housewives of Beverly Hills. Will they meet the high bar of scandal set by the rest of the Bravo housewives?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: There are real housewives in New York, Atlanta, New Jersey, Orange County and D.C. But now to quote the Jeffersons, they`re moving on up to Beverly Hills. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The sun always shines in Beverly Hills, but not on everyone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything might look perfect but it`s not. It`s a land of make believe.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This town runs on status. Status can come from money, connections, fame, or even looks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We could be the toast of the town one day and nobody the next. It can all go away in an instant.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: Here now to talk about their very first season are three members of the "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Camille Grammer, Kyle Richards, and Adrienne Maloof. Welcome, guys. Yes. Before we start, you`re all rich, so why are you doing this?
KYLE RICHARDS, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": I think that, you know, we thought it would be an adventure. Definitely. I thought it would be an adventure. Why not, you know?
BEHAR: It`s fun. I was saying too on the break that you all look like you`re having an easy time with each other, but you know, no show of the housewives survives without some hair pulling.
RICHARDS: Well, we might not pull each other`s hair necessarily.
(CROSSTALK)
RICHARDS: Well, no. That`s, you know, we only have one season.
CAMILLE GRAMMER, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": We all have very strong personalities. I mean, all six girls on the show. And you know, Kyle and I kind of crash at times.
BEHAR: What`s different, Adrienne, about this show? They don`t have in Atlanta or the other places?
ADRIENNE MALOOF, "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": I think you have a lifestyle also with Beverly Hills. You have the drama and you have the lifestyle. And you have six very business savvy women, very independent, and, you know, we like to mix it up, but we also like to give back, too. Very philanthropic and very hands-on moms.
BEHAR: I was watching one of the things with you in it, Adrienne, and you were having a fight with your husband, Republican. You brought a picture of Obama, and he was like I wouldn`t show up to that event and two of you had a fight. You seem to be a Democrat --
MALOOF: Right. I`m a Democrat. He`s a Republican.
BEHAR: And you and Kelsey, you were married to Kelsey. He`s a republican and you`re a Democrat too?
GRAMMER: A moderate.
BEHAR: How do you get along with these husbands?
MALOOF: Oh, at times it`s difficult, especially when my brother is giving a special small party only 30 people at his home and my husband didn`t want to go because he`s a Republican. Well, I thought that was ridiculous. First African-American president? You know, my children will be reading about this in future history books. So, I was upset.
BEHAR: So, what did you do? Did you withhold sex from him?
(LAUGHTER)
MALOOF: I don`t have to do that.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: So, I was reading today a review of the show, and I`m just telling you what I read. They say that there`s a certain desperation in you guys. What do you think this person meant when she said that?
GRAMMER: They don`t know us.
BEHAR: They don`t know you.
GRAMMER: And it`s ridiculous.
BEHAR: You don`t buy it?
GRAMMER: No, I don`t buy into that at all. Not at all.
BEHAR: OK.
RICHARD: I`ve only heard good reviews. I didn`t read that one.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: She liked it sort of but she felt that you guys seemed desperate or something. Now, let`s talk about you, Camille.
GRAMMER: Yes.
BEHAR: You`ve separated from Kelsey Grammer.
GRAMMER: Yes.
BEHAR: But in the show that I watched, he`s there kissing you.
GRAMMER: Absolutely.
BEHAR: So, what happened? Was he in the show or isn`t he?
GRAMMER: He is in the show. I think he`s in maybe two or three episodes. And he was leaving in the first episode. He is to go to New York. And I was supposed to move with him to New York City.
BEHAR: And then what happened?
GRAMMER: And what happened was -- well the first month, he said, he`s going to be so busy with the play. He didn`t want any distractions and thought that me and the children would distract him from his --
BEHAR: OK. That`s a month --
GRAMMER: Yes, I understand that.
BEHAR: Then what happens?
GRAMMER: And then we decided, well, the kids, you know, we`re going to keep them in school because why change schools in April. Have them finish out the year. And then in June, I got a phone call from a mutual friend telling me that my marriage was over.
BEHAR: He didn`t even call you?
GRAMMER: No, he didn`t.
BEHAR: A mutual friend called you.
GRAMMER: Yes.
BEHAR: Wow. That is deep.
RICHARD: Good times.
BEHAR: That is deep. After how many years?
GRAMMER: Thirteen years of marriage, and we`ve been together for over 14 years.
BEHAR: I don`t even know how to respond to that.
(CROSSTALK)
MALOOF: Really sad. Three people in a marriage gets a little crowded right?
BEHAR: I mean, that must be difficult. Now, what are you doing on the show about that?
GRAMMER: Well, it comes up on the show, of course, because he decided to do this while we`re filming a reality show. So, I try to hide a lot. I mean --
(CROSSTALK)
RICHARD: We knew something was up definitely.
GRAMMER: I quit the show at one point and I came back because I realized I`m not a quitter. I`m a strong person, and I had an obligation to Bravo and my cast.
BEHAR: Do you think that you`ll have a, you know, an acrimonious divorce or will it be friendly?
GRAMMER: I`m looking forward to that. I think, you know, because we have two beautiful young children together. I think I want us to be able to co-parent these children and be civil.
BEHAR: There`s a kind of book "Public Humiliation to a Divorce when you`re in the Public Eye."
GRAMMER: Absolutely.
BEHAR: So, that makes it a little rougher on you. Now, -- so I feel I`m sorry that all happened to you, Camille.
GRAMMER: Thank you, Joy.
BEHAR: Now, you. Your niece, Adrienne and your sister, what`s her name? Kim.
RICHARD: My sister Kim, yes.
BEHAR: And you, not Adrienne, Kyle.
RICHARD: I`m Kyle.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Can`t keep track of all you housewives. Kyle and Kim are sisters.
RICHARD: Yes.
BEHAR: And you are also the aunts of Paris Hilton?
RICHARD: Yes.
BEHAR: Which means that your sister is Paris`s mother.
RICHARD: That`s right.
BEHAR: So, where is Kathy Hilton? Why isn`t she on the show with you?
RICHARD: Well, because she`s doing her own show with Paris.
BEHAR: You Hiltons really get around.
RICHARD: You know, what can I say? You know, we grew up in front of the camera, my family, so it feels like natural.
BEHAR: Adrianne, you`re part of the Maloof family which owns many businesses including, I have it here, the Sacramento Kings and Palms Casino Resort in Vegas.
MALOOF: Mm-hmm.
BEHAR: Tell me about the family a little bit.
MALOOF: Well, I grew up, obviously, in a family business. I have four brothers and my mother and I have always kind of been behind the scenes working in this business. And I originally wanted to do the show because I thought it`s about time the females kind of step in front. I think a very savvy business woman, so that`s the reason I wanted to do the show.
BEHAR: It`s kind of like lifestyles of the rich and famous which was made for a famous by --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Do you have any feeling, I shouldn`t really blame you guys. It`s really the station. The fact that we`re in a major recession in this country and they`re flaunting your wealth on television. Speak to that for a second.
RICHARD: We discussed that at length before we decided to do the show. That was a big concern for us.
BEHAR: And what did you decide? How do you feel about that?
MALOOF: I think we`re also very philanthropic, and it`s a wonderful platform, obviously, for your business but obviously for something that you believe in philanthropically and you want to give back.
RICHARD: Your charities. Obviously, the more you have to during these times I think you back more.
GREMMER: And also I think Bravo was thinking a little escapism for people out there watching, you know, why -- you know, let`s not harp on economic times when we can escape.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: So, do you think people actually want to watch rich people when they`re out of work?
MALOOF: I don`t know.
GREMMER: You know what, I don`t know. I don`t know.
BEHAR: OK. We`ll have more with these rich housewives in just a minute.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: I`m back with the real housewives of Beverly Hills. Now, you have a few in the can right? You already put this on tape. So, do you have any regrets of that anything you said or did? I mean, can you tell me a little bit about how that -- what do you regret?
RICHARD: No, there are just so many moments that I wish I could take back, you know. Camille and I had a misunderstanding. We`re very different. We clashed and we were both very upset after that, that`s actually when she quit the show a couple weeks. And then my sister Kim is on the show. And we don`t always get along.
BEHAR: I saw that little fight with you and your sister. Is there sibling rivalry between you and your sister?
RICHARD: I wouldn`t call it sibling rivalry. It`s not about jealousy. I kind of think of that as, you know, being -- but we just definitely clash and I`m sure a lot of siblings do, but it`s very hard to have the cameras in front of us, and things that you don`t want out there, you know. The cameras are rolling and you can`t take it back.
BEHAR: It`s fascinating to watch a cool reality show from my point of view, because it doesn`t look that real. It looks produced a lot of times, you know.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: It`s very real.
MALOOF: It`s very real.
BEHAR: You forget the cameras are rolling at some point?
MALOOF: Absolutely. And when you have six women together, you`re going to get drama.
BEHAR: And you had some drama?
MALOOF: Oh, yes.
RICHARD: Well, there are some reality shows that are lightly scripted. This show is not at all. It is go about your life and let the cameras roll.
BEHAR: Would you do anything over, Adrianne?
MALOOF: Well, I have to say that not only did it affect all of us, at some point, but in your marriage, it can affect your situation.
BEHAR: So, how did that go? What happened there?
MALOOF: Well, we had our difficulties. And I think it`s, you know, he works. I work. I have a family business. I`m raising three little boys. And then to throw this in at times he wants me there when he wants me there, and I`m very independent. So, I think that caused some issues at times.
BEHAR: I wonder if there`ll be any divorces at the end of this.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: I know, Camille. Well, maybe Kelsey is watching the show tonight and he`ll call you and say I`m sorry that I did it that way. Hello, Kelsey?
GREMMER: I don`t think so.
BEHAR: You don`t think so?
GREMMER: I don`t think so.
BEHAR: You know, I have this phrase. You think you know someone and then they show up in a French beret. I once knew somebody and suddenly he is wearing a French beret. And I feel that way about (INAUDIBLE). It`s like who is this person?
MALOOF: Get Kelsey a French beret.
BEHAR: Yes. Do you feel that way? Like who is this guy?
GREMMER: Absolutely. I was with him 14 years. And now I don`t know who he is.
BEHAR: You don`t know who he is anymore?
GREMMER: No.
BEHAR: Have you girls been, I shouldn`t call you girls. We`re not girls. We`re men.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Are you divorced?
RICHARD: No.
BEHAR: And this is your first marriage?
MALOOF: My second marriage.
BEHAR: What happened to the first?
MALOOF: Six months. Good girl good guy not good together too young.
BEHAR: OK.
MALOOF: Been married for nine years. At times, it seems like 90, but yes, you know.
(LAUGTER)
BEHAR: All right. I think we`ve said everything we have to say about this show. Is there anything you want to add?
MALOOF: Just watch it.
RICHARD: Yes. Tune in tonight. It`s fun, exciting.
GREMMER: 10:00.
BEHAR: OK. You can catch the series premiere of "The Real Housewives of the Beverly Hills" tonight at 10:00 on Bravo. Good night, everybody.
END
