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Joy Behar Page
Interview with Wynonna Judd; Interview with Rod Stewart
Aired November 25, 2010 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOY BEHAR, HLN HOST: She started out in the early `80s performing with her mom as half of country music`s most iconic duo, The Judds. Five Grammys, 14 number one hits, and 20 million albums later, Wynonna Judd embarked on an equally successful solo career. Her new CD, "Love Heals", is now available exclusively at Cracker Barrel and benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.
I`m so happy to welcome to my show, the lovely and talented, Wynonna Judd.
WYNONNA JUDD, SINGER: Wow. Quite an introduction there, Joy.
BEHAR: Isn`t that nice? Cracker Barrel?
JUDD: Listen, we`re talking America, people. You don`t know about that?
BEHAR: No. Where is Cracker Barrel?
JUDD: What`s the matter with you?
BEHAR: Where is Cracker Barrel?
JUDD: Everywhere.
BEHAR: It is? It`s not in New York.
JUDD: It`s like one of the biggest corporations in the history of the world. Listen, in country music, we team up with the best.
BEHAR: OK.
JUDD: OK? So, here`s the deal. I`ve done it all.
BEHAR: You have?
JUDD: Twice.
BEHAR: Yes.
JUDD: You know my story, you`ve read the book, seen the movie.
I`ve tried to figure out ways to hook up with people in different ways. And those fine people, you know, not only brought me in, made me a part of, you know, their store, which is literally like going into a general store.
BEHAR: Yes.
JUDD: You know, you eat everything you love, that you grew up eating, if you`re from the south. And they have this general store. You walk in, you see the Wynonna, you know, merchandise, and a 12-year-old is buying the sparkle shirt and my CD is sitting there, and you buy that, after, you know, good meal. It`s just what country music is all about, right?
BEHAR: Yes.
JUDD: Food and music, right?
BEHAR: I guess I just haven`t heard of it because I don`t leave New York City. I`m working 24/7. So I don`t know --
(CROSSTALK)
JUDD: Come to Nashville and you and I can go and have our own table.
BEHAR: I`ve been to Nashville. I love Nashville.
JUDD: Seriously, it`s Americana.
BEHAR: Yes.
JUDD: The Wounded Warrior Project is something that I`m very passionate about. And I`m not even going to go into politics or war or any of that.
I`m going to tell you that I`m a people`s people kind of person. And I`m all about music and healing and giving people hope. And so, when they put out "Love Heals", love is the greatest of these. So, for me, it was a no-brainer.
BEHAR: Good for you. Good for you. That`s right. And now, career- wise though, you`re going to be performing with your mother again, I hear.
JUDD: Who would have thought it?
BEHAR: So, how did that all happen?
JUDD: It`s bring-your-mother-to-work year.
How did it happen? OK. Last year, seriously, I`m singing with her on a TV show for 50,000 fans.
BEHAR: Yes.
JUDD: I look out in the audience and we see generations. And the next generation of Judd-heads are born. And I`m watching them sing, and I`m watching mom. And I`m thinking as a daughter, oh my God, you know, 15 years ago, she walked off stage. Here we are. And 50,000 people are singing back to us the Judd music. And I`m going, oh, this is just an absolute. It has to be. And a woman knows. A woman knows when she`s ready.
BEHAR: Ready for mom?
JUDD: Absolutely.
BEHAR: Uh-huh.
JUDD: Ready for love, ready for whatever.
BEHAR: Well, she was forced to retire, I understand. She was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. And the doctors only gave her three years to live. That`s pretty deep.
JUDD: About six feet deep.
BEHAR: Yes. That`s right.
JUDD: Come on. I`m quick. I`m like you. I`m a comedian. Come on. Work with me.
BEHAR: But you know, I know that from reading all your stuff that your relationship with your mother has been -- has its ups and downs over the years.
JUDD: Tumultuous.
BEHAR: Tumultuous, yes. I mean, did you ever go into therapy together?
JUDD: Oh, for about 20 years.
BEHAR: Really?
JUDD: Seriously.
BEHAR: You gave it a shot?
JUDD: I gave it a shot. I think we built many wings on to the institutions of healing and recovery. Our life coach literally went with us to do Oprah and he said, you guys, are doing so well. You know, it`s OK for you to be in public without me. And we decided to tour because our healthy relationship is -- well, it`s better than it`s ever been.
BEHAR: I see. You know, sometimes, you just have to work at these things.
JUDD: You have to show up.
BEHAR: Yes.
JUDD: And agree to disagree.
BEHAR: That`s right.
JUDD: And we did so today. And, you know, I shot her a couple of looks and she poked me a couple of times. And I thought making little notes for our next meeting of boundaries.
You know, we`re a work-in-progress. We`re about progress, not perfection. So, we show the fans and the audience if we can do it, anybody can. You just have to continue to show up.
I mean, look at that dress. Look at that woman, prissy butt, you know, dancing on stage. She`s so cute.
BEHAR: She is cute.
JUDD: The older I get, the smarter she is. It`s awesome.
BEHAR: Let`s show the thing from the Ralph Emery Show. I want to hear the music. Take a look at this.
JUDD: Oh my, gosh.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: Look at you at 19 or 20. How old were you then, right?
JUDD: I was literally like 18, 17.
BEHAR: What do you think when you see that?
JUDD: Oh, crap.
BEHAR: Is it weird? You look beautiful. You look beautiful now.
JUDD: No. You know what, it was like 6:00 in the morning. I didn`t have to go to high school. Duh.
BEHAR: Yes. You loved that.
JUDD: I was ready to be a rock star.
BEHAR: But you`ve had rocky road. I mean a lot of your stuff -- first of all -- but the one thing I noticed also was that when you were kid, you were growing up in Kentucky without a TV or a phone. You know what? I didn`t have a TV either when I was growing up in Brooklyn.
JUDD: Thank God. Thank God.
BEHAR: But I mean, were you very poor, is that why?
JUDD: We were poor in terms of, you know, I mean, we were living this genteel poverty. My mother was always creative. We always had what we needed. We had food stamps. You know, she was studying to be a nurse. You know, the bio reads pretty consistently that we went from welfare to millionaire, you know, like overnight. So, it`s a crazy story.
BEHAR: Isn`t that the dream?
JUDD: It is. Absolutely.
BEHAR: But that`s the dream that a lot of politicians have and they said, oh, everybody is going to do what The Judds did. And that`s not true.
JUDD: Well, I just know that it was a destiny thing. Seriously, all I had -- if people keep thinking this is magic solution to being poor. All I can tell you is this, we`re part of this incredible story of rags to riches, and people look at us and go, even though I don`t listen to country music, your relationship.
They look at Ashley as an actress. I mean, we`re the American dream.
And so, going from poverty to the White House, I mean, hello, we`re singing on the wall in Washington, D.C. We`re, you know, on all these tours that have just been record-selling, you know.
BEHAR: It`s very -- it`s crazy. Abraham Lincoln. He went from poverty to the White House.
JUDD: That`s one of my favorite stories of all time, by the way.
BEHAR: Yes. Now, I read that growing up, you didn`t know who your real father was.
JUDD: I didn`t find out about my real father until I was 30 and pregnant with Elijah.
BEHAR: How did you find out?
JUDD: We were in counseling and my sister told me.
BEHAR: Your sister --
JUDD: She`s known since she was 11.
BEHAR: So, Ashley had -- you were raised by Ashley`s father?
JUDD: Uh-huh, biological father.
BEHAR: So, she knew?
JUDD: Everybody knew but me.
BEHAR: Well, that`s odd.
JUDD: Beyond odd.
BEHAR: How did that make you feel?
JUDD: I went through a real dark night of the soul. And the only thing that I think kept me going was that I had life growing inside of me and I knew who Elijah is in terms of a Judd side.
I did go through a period of questioning, who am I, and then all of a sudden, I literally stepped into this -- OK no keyhole thinking here. I had to think universally that I know who my heavenly father is.
I had to go through this whole process of realizing that it`s not just about, you know, being a sperm donor. This is about -- OK. This is your story. And you`re going to have to be better, not bitter. Figure it out. And I had to go into this process of mourning.
BEHAR: I mean it`s a little bit odd. And your mother should have told you probably, right?
JUDD: You know, I questioned that a lot and I finally did some work around that and I realized that in her defense, she didn`t know what to do. And sometimes, when people don`t know what to do, they hold secrets. Secrets keep you sick. You know, we hear that all that time in our recovery work --
BEHAR: Right. But Ashley had to hold the secret, too, which sort of impairs your relationship with your sister, too.
JUDD: Well, I tell you what it does. It holds people hostage. And when the truth was told, it set us free. And I could now step into, you know, who it is that I am and embrace that and make peace with -- listen, we did the song "Grandpa". You know, my sister`s biological grandparents raised me. I think everyone knew that it would devastate me.
BEHAR: Yes. JUDD: And they were putting it off so that I could be older when I found out, maybe to handle it better. I`ve questioned everything.
BEHAR: Right.
JUDD: But I do know this that the work I`ve done has propelled me into this great place of acceptance. And they say the five stages of grief are denial, bargaining, -- what`s the next one, hello -- anger and sadness. You go through that and then you accept it and then you surrender it.
BEHAR: Yes. That`s the Elizabeth Kubler-Ross on death and dying.
JUDD: Absolutely.
BEHAR: And there`s a lot of things that apply to that particularly --
JUDD: I`m a walking monologue when it comes to things that I -- words that I literally hold like the best revenge is living well.
What am I going to do with this information? Am I going to be a victim or victor? And I had to make that decision for myself, Joy. I had to sit there and go. I can laugh about it and make jokes or I can really face it and walk through it and go in the wilderness and yell at God and say, why. Or I can go, ok, this is what it is.
BEHAR: Yes, but you have suffered over the years.
JUDD: Yes, I have. And I wrote a book about it, and ironically, it`s a best seller. So, how interesting is that? I mean, everybody sees themselves in me. I see myself in the fans. They relate to me.
BEHAR: Well, people have issues. People have difficulties.
JUDD: No kidding.
BEHAR: As you said, there are lots of secrets and lies in family so they can relate and identify --
JUDD: I thank God I found out when I did because I was pregnant with Elijah and I put all of my love and all of my truth into promising my son and my daughter that I would not do that. So, do you see what I`m saying?
BEHAR: I do.
JUDD: You learn from it.
BEHAR: You should learn from it, and you did it.
OK. We`re just getting started with Wynonna Judd. Back after a quick break.
We have more talk.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: I`m back with country superstar, Wynonna Judd. You know, you look great. You lost weight. You`re skinny now.
JUDD: I`ve lost my mind a couple of times.
BEHAR: But you lost -- I read that you lost 60 pounds. How do you feel?
JUDD: Believe everything you read, people.
BEHAR: Which is what?
JUDD: I don`t know if it`s 50 or 60 or 53. I don`t even know. I don`t go by numbers, seriously.
BEHAR: But how did you lose it?
JUDD: I got into a process of putting myself back on the list. I`m serious. It`s not that big of a secret, people. The word no is a complete sentence. And I literally started saying "no". And I started walking. And I started saying, I would love to do that benefit and I can`t. That was the hardest thing for me to say "no", and I did.
And I started taking care of myself and mattering to myself because I`m a mom. I`m raising teenagers. I`m a working mom. And I just had to say "no" and work less.
BEHAR: So, you`re just trying to take care of yourself and thinking more about yourself instead of everybody else probably.
JUDD: Which to women and men out there feel selfish, but we have taken the word selfish out of the equation, and we now self-care.
BEHAR: That`s right. That`s good.
JUDD: Thank you. Thank you.
BEHAR: But you know, I was reading that you -- I heard that you`re close to your family obviously --
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: But you had trouble talking to them about weight. Is that because, you know, your mother and your sister are both -- neither one of them seems to have a weight problem.
JUDD: It`s because they can buy off the rack.
BEHAR: Bitches (ph).
JUDD: Don`t get me started.
BEHAR: People who can ride off the rack are annoying.
(CROSSTALK)
JUDD: Bless their hearts. OK. Here`s the deal. I`m so close to my family. We live on the same farm. We are so close. And I think we had to sort of, you know, separate and redo the contract and say, OK, this is what works for me. And I told Oprah literally on her show that this is what I learned.
"That doesn`t work for me" is one of the greatest lines I have ever heard and learned and used in my family. I just had to start saying, you know what, I`m not you guys. I`m a different bird. I`m the rebel. I`m sort of the black sheep, whatever. All those diagnoses, you know.
BEHAR: So that doesn`t work for me. You know Starr Jones. You know Starr when she was --
JUDD: Very well.
BEHAR: She said to me, she uses this one, my needs have changed. I thought that was very good.
JUDD: Because it`s about me doesn`t make you, you know -- it just means I need this because I`m working on something. And you don`t have to agree with it, but this is what I need. They still are going to think you`re crazy.
BEHAR: Yes, they will. They`ll always think you`re crazy.
JUDD: But at least you stood up for yourself.
BEHAR: Now, you went through a painful divorce in 2007. This is a shocking story. Your husband was arrested and eventually convicted of aggravated sexual battery against a minor under the age of 13. What the heck was that about?
JUDD: It was about betrayal for me.
BEHAR: Is this the case of you think you know somebody and then you really don`t.
JUDD: No. It`s about addiction.
BEHAR: What was he addicted to?
JUDD: I can`t talk about this recovery. I can tell you this, Joy, that I -- I just want to be really clear that I`ve talked about it already so I can`t go into it again because I promised myself I wouldn`t be labeled the victim of -- and because I`ve done so much healing work around it.
And I just know this. I know that there`s good in everybody. And when someone`s addicted, they are not their disease. And some people in their disease do things -- I`m a Judd not a judge. I know that`s a one- liner but that`s my story.
And I`ve moved on. And my kids are healthy. I`m healthier. And I`ve moved on. And my music is new. I`ve got this new attitude. I`m surprising everyone I go see who`s known me for a long time.
They`ll be like, how did you do this? I did it with Brain State. Go online, brainstate.com. I did it with, you know, Alli (ph) helped me in the beginning. You know, you and I both done things to get started.
But you know what, I am -- I`m just always -- one thing about me, I`m a seeker. And I`m always trying to find new ways to do my music, whether it`s Cracker Barrel or I`m teaming up with my mom. If you look at me, you see someone who`s always trying to do the next right thing.
BEHAR: But you work on things, I think.
JUDD: Heck, yes.
BEHAR: A lot. I mean, is it hard for you to trust men now?
JUDD: No.
BEHAR: It`s not.
JUDD: No. It`s hard for me to trust myself sometimes, but I have this wonderful universe --
BEHAR: In what way? What do you mean by that?
JUDD: Because I think growing up in the music industry, you`re so diagnosed and told who you are. You have to figure -- you have to unlock your own mythology and say, no, I`m not. No, I`m not.
BEHAR: People think they know who you are?
JUDD: Yes. And so, I think I finally at the age of 46 say, no, thank you. I will not accept that.
BEHAR: Are you dating now?
JUDD: Oh, yes. You should see me.
BEHAR: I`m looking at you.
JUDD: I`m really something.
BEHAR: Now, this summer you had not one but two near-death experiences.
JUDD: Why not?
BEHAR: What happened?
JUDD: Why not? Let`s just make it drama all the way.
BEHAR: So, what happened to you?
JUDD: Go big or go home. Well, I almost died from a blood clot through my heart, which the thing that saved me was, ironically, my lungs, which, you know, I`ve been complaining about the music business for 25 years. The very thing that sometimes in my life I loathe was the thing that saved me. Isn`t that ironic that my lungs held on to the clot? It didn`t push it back through my heart. I`m still here. The doctors say I`m one out of like a million people.
BEHAR: Then you had a head-on collision crash?
JUDD: I didn`t have a head-on. He had a head-on, and I was in the car going -- you know. It was crazy.
BEHAR: Who`s he?
JUDD: I have no idea. This man came across the lane. And my daughter`s in the car. And I saw her fly. And my road manager was driving. And I heard her say, oh, no. And it`s like a movie. It`s like a slow motion thing. I walked away from it. I was on stage the next three nights with a broken rib and hematoma. And these people go and, you can`t leave the hospital. I`m like, watch me.
Because I`ve got a job to do -- I`m just one of those people who says I can`t be stuck in this anymore. So, I`m going to go tour with my mother. You know, talk about crazy.
Let`s talk about that. The wrecks and all that`s nothing. You get a bus. You get on the road with your mother for ten years and call me. Then tell me how it went.
BEHAR: That is a rough one. A lot of people could not do it.
JUDD: But we`re so great. We`re so great. We`ve got new music coming up. We`ve got, you know, this tour, 18 or 20 cities. You know, go on wynonna.com or the Judds Tour. It`s a universal message which is hope. I mean, you just got to have something to --
BEHAR: Do you want to put Ashley in the singing mix? Does she sing?
JUDD: She does sing.
BEHAR: She does. Is she good?
JUDD: I think she`s good. I think she`s -- she sang for me -- you know, your voice changes. So, I haven`t, you know, heard from her in a couple of years. But when I first heard her sing, I thought, she has a voice, but she`s very smart, because there`s only room for one Judd on the bus now.
Just like, you know, I go see her on set, and I`m very respectful if that`s her --
BEHAR: You don`t want to be an actress?
JUDD: I`m an actress.
BEHAR: But I mean, would you like to be in a movie like her? She`s a movie actress.
JUDD: Absolutely. Absolutely. But you know what, I have respect for her, and it`s sort of her thing. So, I walk behind her, not in front of her. I try very hard to respect, you know, mom that she`s, you know, older and wiser and more experienced, and yet, I`m the lead singer. I can hold my own, but I have that respect.
BEHAR: You know, you girls are very talented, all three of you, but don`t you think it`s because but you`re all pretty also that you`re so successful? You`re all very pretty.
JUDD: No. I don`t.
BEHAR: OK. Never mind.
JUDD: Never mind. Next page, Joy.
I look at that picture and I don`t see myself that way. Anybody knows -- I`ve never thought of myself as pretty. I can be honest with you here. I`ve thought of myself as very gifted with something that isn`t mine.
BEHAR: You`re all pretty. You`re all pretty. All three of you. Stop it.
JUDD: I can work a room if I have to.
BEHAR: OK. We`ll be back with more, yes more, from Wynonna Judd in just a minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: I`m back with Wynonna Judd, half of country music`s most beloved duo, The Judds. I have some of these Twitter questions for you. You know, people like to write and they ask their own questions.
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: So, let me hit you with a few, right?
JUDD: Bring it.
BEHAR: Wynonna and Naomi are not your real names. What are they and why did you change them?
JUDD: First of all because I can. This is America. And I was 12 and I knew everything. I knew I needed a new name for a new attitude and a new guitar. I`m serious. I walked in and literally said, mom, my name was Christina. Read the book.
BEHAR: That`s a pretty name, Christina. Yes. And what was Naomi`s name?
JUDD: Diana. She was born Diana, which is pretty but not prissy enough. So, when I changed mine, my mother changed hers, and now, we`re her-story.
BEHAR: OK. Are you aware you have a huge gay following?
JUDD: Are you kidding me? It`s the highlight for me. Halloween, I`m like how many men are going to be me for Halloween. That`s all I care about.
BEHAR: I think a lot.
JUDD: That`s when you know you`ve really made it. It`s so amazing that people like impersonating, I`m like yes, I`ve made it.
BEHAR: I think you`re competing with Snooki.
JUDD: I can take her -- is it a girl? I can take her with one hand tied behind my back.
BEHAR: You don`t know who`s Snooki is, she`s the one with that thing on her head and "The Situation", "The Jersey Shore."
JUDD: I got "The Situation".
BEHAR: I can`t believe she never heard of him. I love you even more for that.
JUDD: I don`t watch TV. I know about your show and the orgasm show is the only one I`ve ever seen.
I`m serious.
BEHAR: OK.
JUDD: You just needed to know that.
BEHAR: I`m happy that you watch my show.
Now, last year, this person says, not me, you got a lot of flak for saying it was too soon for Taylor Swift to be winning "Entertainer of the Year?" Do you regret saying that? Is she ready now? Signed -- Taylor Swift. No. Kidding.
JUDD: I wrote her a letter, by the way.
Here`s the deal. They only got part of the story. If you walk around the corner and you hear somebody say the last part of the sentence. That`s what the press did. They didn`t hear the beginning about me saying, listen. It`s like winning an Oscar at age 12. What`s next? I said, too much, too fast.
I wasn`t upset that she won. I wasn`t jealous. I have plenty of awards, thank you. I was simply saying, where do you go from here? What`s next for her? Prom?
I was making a joke.
(CROSSTALK)
JUDD: I was being funny? I was being light-hearted. I was saying, what do you do when you`re Taylor Swift and you`re 18, and you`ve done it all? What do you do?
And everybody thought that I was being, you know, unkind. And that was not my point. They didn`t understand the whole snippet -- I mean the whole story. They just got snippet and took that in the press went with it.
BEHAR: Well, of course, you know.
JUDD: Shocking.
BEHAR: I know. I know. What would you be doing if you weren`t an award-winning singer?
JUDD: You want to know the truth?
BEHAR: Yes.
JUDD: I`d probably be in either prison or I would be in a life of absolute despair, because I`ve struggled all my life to find -- and if it hadn`t been for the arts, I really honestly, Joy, don`t know that I could have made it.
BEHAR: I think you would have been a gang leader.
JUDD: I am a gang leader. You see them right there.
BEHAR: Is that your gang?
JUDD: Yes.
BEHAR: All right. You know, I don`t care. Whatever you would have done, would have been OK with me.
JUDD: It wouldn`t have been great. I probably would have done something with animals because they don`t talk back.
BEHAR: Animals, they don`t talk back and they just love you.
JUDD: Yes.
BEHAR: And you`re terrific. Thank you so much.
JUDD: Well, you know I love you. I`ve always loved you. And you`ve always been good to me.
BEHAR: You`re a sweetheart.
Be sure to see Wynonna and The Judds: The Last Encore Tour beginning in November 26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Up next, he`s still sexy, the one and only Rod Stewart.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING) Happy we`ll be beyond the sea and never again. I`ll go sailing and never again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, HOST: You know, from songs like "Maggie May" to "Fly Me To The Moon," Rod Stewart has sung them all and considering he sold over 250 million records. I`d say he`s sung them rather well. OK? And his new CD is called "Fly Me To The Moon," the great American song book volume V, and it`s out now. Welcome to my show, Rod.
ROD STEWART, SINGER: Thank you, Joy. Thanks for having me.
BEHAR: I would likely to see you at the "View," but I like seeing you here close up like this.
STEWART: We can get personal now, can we?
BEHAR: That`s right, baby. Listen, we`re in the same age bracket. I know that my eggs are dried up, and so, you`re not interested but still.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: Well, my sperm is still pretty useful.
BEHAR: I`ve heard about your sperm. Your sperm is quite useful.
STEWART: It`s been very useful over the years.
BEHAR: I know. I mean, you`re on number eighth child.
STEWART: Eight, yes, eight.
BEHAR: The baby is in utero at the moment.
STEWART: Yes. She`s four months pregnant.
BEHAR: The wife.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: Who`s a lovely blonde.
STEWART: Isn`t she just, yes.
BEHAR: Isn`t she just, but aren`t they all just?
STEWART: Yes, she carries it very well because she`s 6`3", you know.
BEHAR: Yes, I --
STEWART: (INAUDIBLE). She carries it really well.
BEHAR: But it shows that you`re a secure male because you don`t care that, you know, she`s so much bigger than you, taller than you.
STEWART: No, it doesn`t worry me at all.
BEHAR: It doesn`t.
STEWART: It worries my manager a lot because every time he sees pictures of us, will you please walk in the front. Let her walk behind. She can`t wear high heels. You know, he`s so worried about it. It is what it is.
BEHAR: Oh, yes. It`s like Sarkozy. He`s got that tall wife, Carla Bruni.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: He`s dwarfish. Yes. He`s very short.
STEWART: Yes. I`m 5`11".
BEHAR: She could eat escargot off his head. You know, Elton John, who just did a concert this week at the beacon, I know, I understand -- Whoopi was carrying on about it, but he said that you are the best singer he`s heard in rock `n` roll.
STEWART: Quite right.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: That`s quite a compliment. Isn`t that a good -- that`s a good compliment.
STEWART: Yes. Isn`t it lovely calling me that?
BEHAR: But now you`ve morphed into singing standards, which a lot of people who listen to seriously Sinatra on Sirius radio like myself love that kind of music. And you, to me, you bring a different kind of -- what`s the word?
STEWART: Contemporary.
BEHAR: Yes, contemporary and a more on gutteral sort of voice. I just like it.
STEWART: Thank you.
BEHAR: I do.
STEWART: That was the intentions. You know, Sinatra did his way and I`m doing it this way.
BEHAR: That`s right. Well, you know, but one of the great things is when you listen to standards, you know, Ella Fitzgerald will do it one way, then Dinah Washington, Mel Torme, and you, and Frank, it`s all different.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: And yet all the songs sound great.
STEWART: Yes, they do. You know, as we spoke early, they don`t write them like this anymore. I know it`s an old cliche, but, you know, when we were doing a show earlier on, you can see my guitar players, we were pretty accomplished guitar players, but they have their specs on and they just have to march these chords are just fantastic. You know, you don`t get those chords and riffs in rock `n` roll. It`s a very sophisticated music.
BEHAR: Yes. But I`m a big fan of, you know, "Maggie May" and all of those songs, too. I love those.
STEWART: 1971 "Maggie May."
BEHAR: I know. I was such a baby in those days. You`ve said that these songs are like chocolate. What do you mean by that?
STEWART: Chocolate?
BEHAR: Yes, that`s a quote we found. Did you not say?
STEWART: No. I didn`t say that.
BEHAR: All right. Let`s move on. OK. Let`s talk about you. Because, you know, in the previous conversation I had with you, we were talking about your throat cancer that you had in 2000.
STEWART: Thyroid cancer.
BEHAR: Oh, thyroid cancer. It wasn`t throat cancer. So, thyroid cancer. But I didn`t know that you lose your voice with thyroid cancer.
STEWART: Oh, yes, because, you know, they split you open from here to here. In doing so, you know, they tear through the muscles that control the vocal box.
BEHAR: I see.
STEWART: So, therefore, your muscle memory loss, so you have to teach yourself to sing all over again. It took me nine or ten months.
BEHAR: Nine or ten months of what?
STEWART: Just practicing. I`d go in and sing same Maggie.
(SINGING)
STEWART: Oh, my voice is gone again. The next time, I goes --
(SINGING)
STEWART: It`s gone again. Until, I could sing all of "Maggie May" and all of the repertoire.
BEHAR: So, you have to work up to it again.
STEWART: Yes, yes.
BEHAR: And did you have chemo or radiation?
STEWART: No chemo. I was so lucky because I have a checkup, you know, every year, which I recommend everybody to do if they can afford it. It`s expensive, but they just found this little nodular and decided to play safe and cut it out.
BEHAR: Oh. So, that`s what they did. So, they just cut it out in the early stages, but it still destroyed your voice for a while.
STEWART: Yes, yes.
BEHAR: So, that must have been a terrifying time for you.
STEWART: Oh, it`s horrible. You know, I thought, what I was going to do? I thought -- you know, I`m not trained for anything else. I thought I`d become a landscaper.
BEHAR: A landscaper. Why that?
STEWART: I don`t know.
BEHAR: I know the English love their gardens, but where did this come from?
STEWART: Well, I don`t -- you know, I have lovely gardens. And that was the first thing that came into my head, and I love being close (ph) to the earth, you know, so landscape gardener, can you see it?
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: Stewart and Stewart sounds (ph) landscape gardeners.
BEHAR: I mean, really, when you think about it, all of us in show business, we`re so used to showbiz. I don`t know what am I going to do, go to law school at this point, you know? What do you suppose to do?
STEWART: We`re vulnerable as well, you know, because you always think I don`t know you. You always think somebody is going to tap you on the shoulder and say, can I have it back now?
BEHAR: I know. Well, you have so much success on you. I don`t think that would ever happen to you. No, no, no, no. But I think it is a panicking thing.
STEWART: Yes, it is.
BEHAR: So, let`s see. You`re going to be a dad. We talked about it a little bit, for the eighth time, and are you a different father now? Because you have -- how old is your oldest?
STEWART: The eldest -
BEHAR: The eldest.
STEWART: One is in her 40s.
BEHAR: She`s in her 40.
STEWART: She (INAUDIBLE) biological father. She was for adoption when I was 17 or 18, I think.
BEHAR: Oh, it`s one of those.
STEWART: Yes, it was one of those. I was actually stone broke. I mean, I didn`t --
BEHAR: And stoned probably too, right?
STEWART: Maybe a little bit stoned.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: And so, she was put up for adoption and only found out her father was about 15 years ago.
BEHAR: Really?
STEWART: But she still had her mother and father who looked after her. So, I didn`t want to get involved and upset that.
BEHAR: So, she was put up for adoption?
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: So, the mother of the child, did she have a relationship (ph) with the mother?
STEWART: Her mother told her who her father was.
BEHAR: Oh.
STEWART: But we`ve -- since her mom and dad have died, obviously, I`m the biological father, we`ve tried to come together and be close together. It`s working out pretty well.
BEHAR: That`s great.
STEWART: I never felt like I was her dad because I didn`t take her to school, I didn`t change her nappies. There was not a paternal thing there.
BEHAR: Yes.
STEWART: But I`m trying.
BEHAR: You`re trying and make up for it now, yes. But, listen, it`s a great thing that you had that at the end of the day, you have each other now.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: And I`m sure she appreciates it. And to have a really extremely wealthy daddy like you --
STEWART: Steady. Don`t mention that. She don`t know I`m wealthy.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: Well, I mean, come on. I wouldn`t turn my back on daddy warbucks either, if you were my daddy.
STEWART: She`s been good like that, though. She doesn`t ask for anything (ph).
BEHAR: Yes, wouldn`t (ph) know.
STEWART: I send her a little something now and then to keep her going.
BEHAR: Of course. So, and then, what about the rest of the kids?
STEWART: They`re all tremendous, all wonderful. Ruby is an aspiring musician. Liam loves hockey. He`s going to be playing hockey. Renee (ph) is dancing. Kim is studying political science. They`re all up to -- the other one is turning four and the other one is in here. So, I think that`s the lot. I`ve got many. That`s the eight, yes.
BEHAR: Yes. I mean, have you had any trouble with any of them?
STEWART: No big trouble now and then. You know, just youthful, teenage spirit which we`ve all done a little bit of trouble.
BEHAR: You have one kid who was in trouble this week, I think, right?
STEWART: Sean.
BEHAR: Yes, what happened to him?
STEWART: He was in prison last night.
BEHAR: In prison or jail?
STEWART: He was in the police station.
BEHAR: Oh, police station, a little different from prison.
STEWART: I spent the night in that police station. I know it`s very comfortable.
BEHAR: Yes. What -- did you like it?
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: Did you really?
STEWART: No, I was.
BEHAR: What were you in there for?
STEWART: They stopped me in Beverly Hills. I was driving and they accused me of being drunk. I said, look, guys, I`m playing soccer tomorrow, football. I never drink on Saturday night because I`m playing in the morning. Oh, come with me. You know, they took me in. They kept me in there for about six or seven hours. My lawyer had to come and get me out. But you know, I was clean.
BEHAR: Maybe they stopped you because you`re Rod Stewart.
STEWART: I think it had a bit to do with it as well.
BEHAR: Oh, it had a bit to do with it is right.
STEWART: Anyway, he let me clear up my son`s problem.
BEHAR: Yes, clear it up.
STEWART: It was all a big mistake because they thought his license had run out, but it hasn`t so they let him go.
BEHAR: Oh, so it`s a big nothing.
STEWART: Yes. So, we let him spend a few hours in the nick doing good, you know?
BEHAR: The nick. I love it.
STEWART: The nick.
BEHAR: I love the Brits. I love the Brits. I love real angle (ph) file. I watch Masterpiece Theater, masterpiece mystery. I love all the Brits. They come up with fantastic work.
STEWART: They do. They do. We`re a very proud nation.
BEHAR: Aha. OK. We`re just getting started here. So, we`ll have more with rod Stewart on the way. Don`t go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING) If you want my body and you think I`m sexy come on and tell me so. If you really need me just reach out and touch me come on sugar let me know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: I`m back with singer, Rod Stewart. His new album "The Great American Songbook Volume V" is out now. You know, you were grooving to that a little bit, and when you made that -- how old were you when you made that song?
STEWART: 1979.
BEHAR: yes.
STEWART: I was in my late 30s.
BEHAR: You were in your late 30s?
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: So, what kind of flak did you get from that? You know, if you like my body and you think I`m sexy?
STEWART: If you listen to the lyrics, because I found my self explaining so many times --
BEHAR: Did you?
STEWART: I was writing about two other people.
(CROSSTALK)
STEWART: You know, it did get me a lot of shtick, but people love it now.
BEHAR: Oh, it`s a terrific song.
STEWART: It was a song that was not (INAUDIBLE) in disco era. So, you know, people love it when I play it now.
BEHAR: Maybe like when you`re 85, you can just slow down the beat.
STEWART: No.
BEHAR: (SINGING) If you think I`m sexy and you have my nappies.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: But you know, a lot of rock `n` roll guys are still grooving. I mean, look at Mick Jagger. I saw him in -- oh where I was, in Jersey, I guess, a couple of years ago, you know. I mean, they`re -- how old are they now? They`re selling out handicapped parking, OK? It`s unbelievable how long they`re going.
STEWART: Still the best rock `n` roll band in the world.
BEHAR: They are fantastic.
STEWART: They`re fantastic. Woody was in the band. We used to be in the faces together.
BEHAR: But Keith Richards has written a book, you know, about Mick.
STEWART: About Mick`s winkle (ph).
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: It says he`s not well-endowed at all. And then Gerri Hall who should know --
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: Came true and said, oh, no, he`s quite --
STEWART: I personally think --
BEHAR: What with do you call it, a winkle?
STEWART: Winkle, yes. On a television, it`s a family show.
BEHAR: OK.
STEWART: I think the Stones are very good at controversy. They`ve made, you know, for years and years and I`m sure Mick and Keith are having a good laugh about it.
BEHAR: You think so? Well, Mick didn`t get upset. The only thing he`s allegedly, what I read, the only thing that upset him is that Keith said he had a voice coach. That really ticked him off.
STEWART: oh, I can`t imagine he had a voice coach.
BEHAR: Well, that`s probably why he got --
STEWART: I have a voice coach but only so much to make my voice stronger. So, I can sing five night a week, two hours, and that`s all.
BEHAR: Right. Right. Do you sing from your throat mostly or from your diaphragm?
STEWART: Everybody sings from their diaphragm. You know, when I go for a high note, you probably notice, I have throw my head back. Phil Collins does as well.
BEHAR: Oh, he does.
STEWART: Technically, that`s not how you should sing, but we do (INAUDIBLE).
BEHAR: Exactly. OK. Now, let`s talk about "Dancing With The Stars" and "American Idol." I know that they both originated in the UK.
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: Why is it that the UK has all these great shows and then we just steal them?
STEWART: Well, I think it works the other way around. I think we`ve stolen a few things from America.
BEHAR: Really?
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: "Law & Order" I think.
STEWART: Yes. "Law & Order."
BEHAR: I think "Law & Order" because I saw Brenda Blethyn the other night on "Law & Order," and yes, that`s true. But you were on there, right?
STEWART: Yes. I`ve done all those shows.
BEHAR: You`ve done them all. Do you enjoy that?
STEWART: I do. I especially enjoy "American Idol" and the "X Factor" simply because I think it`s a good vehicle for young kids. So many mates I`ve known, you know, haven`t had a chance to break through. And that TV slot does give them a chance to break through. Otherwise -- you know, some of the talent is terrible.
BEHAR: But you do you really think that like someone -- let`s take Ella Fitzgerald. We were talking about Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn, do you think that they would make it on "American Idol"? because they were not beautiful. You have to look good also these days. You can`t just be a great singer.
STEWART: Hard one to answer that. I mean, I always thought Ella was very good-looking in her day, you know, when she was young. But, you know, it`s image-driven business now, so perhaps, maybe they wouldn`t. I certainly wouldn`t have done any good, you know. So, about to go round the public for now and get punked (ph) and go on.
BEHAR: Why, you were scared?
STEWART: You know, I was terribly scared.
BEHAR: You have stage fright?
STEWART: Oh, man, yes.
BEHAR: And how did you get over it? Alcohol and drugs.
STEWART: Still haven`t gotten over it. What are you talking about?
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: No, but I think the MTV just ruined, in a certain way, ruined the music business back in the day because, all of a sudden, you had to dance, you had to sing, you had to be curvy, you have perky boobs, everything. It didn`t seem right to me.
STEWART: Yes. I don`t think the music business is in the healthiest state that it`s been in. It`s the wonderful thing about rock `n` roll, though. You know, it`s a spectrum that goes around and around and keeps sort of trying to reinvent itself, but that`s the beauty of it.
BEHAR: That`s true. That`s true. Now, you once played for 3.5 million --
STEWART: 5.4.
BEHAR: Oh, I have that wrong. 5.4 million fans live on New Year`s eve in Rio. Now, you said you had stage fright. What about that?
STEWART: Well, it was -- you know, stage fright was in the early days. I got over it eventually when you know people love you in the audience it makes it easier.
BEHAR: give it to me now.
STEWART: But that was on Copacabana Beach. Ever been there?
BEHAR: No, I have not.
STEWART: It`s like a horseshoe. We`re one end of the horseshoe and the millions of people went all the way round the horseshoe. In fact, when we came off the stage, we played the last note and got in the cars to leave, they were hearing the last note at the end of the beach.
BEHAR: Wow.
STEWART: Extraordinary. Extraordinary.
BEHAR: So, that was one of your great moments, I guess.
STEWART: Yes, it was. Yes.
BEHAR: It is easier when the audience knows you and loves you than when you`re still making your bones, I guess --
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: Yes, that`s true. And here, let`s talk about the hair.
STEWART: It`s all mine.
BEHAR: I know it is. Very nice. It looks great. Where did you get the spiky idea from?
STEWART: I can`t remember. I really can`t remember. I`m sure I copied somebody way back.
BEHAR: You know what`s fascinating about your hair? I just touched it. No mousse.
STEWART: No, don`t have any. No.
BEHAR: No mousse. How do you keep it straight up like that?
STEWART: But you have upside down. Let me show you. Are you watching?
BEHAR: Yes. They see it.
STEWART: Upside down.
BEHAR: And then it just go straight up.
STEWART: I`ve tried other hairstyles, all to no avail because it won`t sit down.
BEHAR: No. This is you.
STEWART: Good.
BEHAR: This is you. OK. I have a few Twitter questions which we`re going to do in the next segment, also, but let`s start with a couple of them, all right, because these are people love you and write in to Twitter pages, et cetera, and they want to ask you, how do you stay so young and sexy-looking? That`s what someone wants to know. I didn`t write that, neither did any of your wives.
STEWART: You know, I mean, I look into my mirror sometimes and it`s dreadful.
BEHAR: But I mean, these are your fans. They think you`re sexy and you look great. You do look great.
STEWART: I do take a lot of pride in what I look like and I work out and do work out a lot.
BEHAR: What kind of workout do you do?
STEWART: I`ve had a trainer for 12, 13 years. And we`ll do cardio three days a week and weightlifting for a couple of days a week, and I play football, still play football.
BEHAR: That`s a lot of working out. Five days a week of working out.
STEWART: Five days a week. Just for an hour.
BEHAR: Do you watch what you eat?
STEWART: Pretty good. Yes. Pretty good. I want to keep the arteries open so I don`t, you know, try to eat less fatty foods.
BEHAR: Right.
STEWART: I`m a bit paranoid about my health. That`s one thing I`m scared of, getting sick.
BEHAR: Well, everyone is scared of that. You`re not alone. I mean, who wants to ever get sick?
STEWART: Oh, get down to Harley Street.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: But are you a hypochondriac a little bit?
STEWART: Close.
BEHAR: Yes?
STEWART: Yes, close. I think I`m getting closer to that now. Yes.
BEHAR: Well, as you get older, the more things can happen to you.
STEWART: I love life. I want to be --
BEHAR: I know. Nobody wants to leave the party, Rod.
STEWART: Exactly.
BEHAR: I know. OK. We`ll be back in a couple of minutes with Rod Stewart.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BEHAR: I`m back with Rod Stewart. Here`s couple of Twitter questions for you. This one probably everyone`s always asked you this, but I have never heard the answer, so I want to know who is Maggie May?
STEWART: This was a lady that was about I think ten years older than me that took my virginity at a jazz festival in England.
BEHAR: Just like the song.
STEWART: Yes, it is. I don`t know if her name was Maggie, but --
BEHAR: So, it really happened to you?
STEWART: Yes. It was a very quick encounter.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: But the way you sing the song, though, it sounds as though she was holding you there.
STEWART: No, no. You have license to roam off, but I left a nasty stain and that room (ph) was all over.
BEHAR: When you say "I wish I`d never seen your face," did you really mean that?
STEWART: No, no. You know, I can`t even remember her face.
BEHAR: No. Who can remember?
STEWART: You know?
BEHAR: yes, yes.
STEWART: I can`t remember her face. She was a redhead, though.
BEHAR: She was a redhead. That`s a question here. Why only blondes, my dear Rod? You should try brown or a redhead.
STEWART: I`ve been out with quite a few women that are not blonde.
BEHAR: But you don`t marry them.
STEWART: No, I don`t.
BEHAR: All your wives were blonde. Is that right?
STEWART: You know where it probably came from? Because when I was growing up, it was Bridget Bardot, jane mansfield and Marilyn Monroe, you know?
BEHAR: Aha. That`s right.
STEWART: So, those three (ph) big bombshells.
BEHAR: They were also not skinny. This like the skinny that are around now. They had boobs. They had hips.
STEWART: Oh, man.
BEHAR: I know. Now, it`s like anorexia rules Hollywood. Don`t gasp but have you ever considered doing a country song?
STEWART: I`m going to do a country album.
BEHAR: Oh, yes? Is that you`re next thing?
STEWART: I`m going to do a blues album and then a country album.
BEHAR: Oh. You know what song I really like? I love that song "I hope you dance." You know that song? Womack. What`s her name? Womack.
STEWART: Womack.
BEHAR: Very good. Do you still wear spandex?
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: What`s up with that?
STEWART: Spandex? Well, I used to wear them in the old days. No, no. I used to wear spandex trousers, leopard skin trousers.
BEHAR: You don`t wear those any more. If so, do you still own pink spandex? Did you wear pink one?
STEWART: Yes, pink ones with the -- it was skin tight. It came across and showed a nipple. The other nipple was covered.
BEHAR: Oh, I see.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: It was quite brazen.
BEHAR: Quite brazen. OK. This one is really very, very intrusive. How many women have you been with?
STEWART: Oh, I have no idea. But you know, that is the dumbest question. People who say they`ve been with 5,000 they`re lying.
BEHAR: They`re lying.
STEWART: You know. I never liked just shagging for the sake of it. I always enjoyed the chase and the romance.
BEHAR: Yes. But that`s time-consuming, the chase and the romance and then the shagging.
STEWART: Yes, I love it.
BEHAR: Better to just go right for the shagging.
STEWART: No. I`m a romantic. Not too many one-night stands.
BEHAR: No, no, no.
STEWART: My teeth nearly fell out there.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: Let`s see. Oh, this is good. I have heard that Mr. Stewart plays his own music in the background while having sex. I need confirmation. True or false?
STEWART: Absolutely false. Absolutely.
BEHAR: Whose music do you play?
STEWART: Don`t play any music. I have to concentrate, make sure I get it right.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: Can`t have music.
BEHAR: I know that you`re still very, very virile and you have -- but aren`t you happy that Viagra has come out just in time?
STEWART: I`ve never used it.
BEHAR: As you enter your later years.
STEWART: I haven`t used it, thus far.
(CROSSTALK)
STEWART: Because it takes a lot of the feeling away from the end of the old chap, you know?
BEHAR: Oh, it does?
STEWART: Yes.
BEHAR: What did you call Mick Jagger`s?
STEWART: The winkle.
BEHAR: The winkle. Anyway, lovely to have you here.
STEWART: I thought you were trying to get rid of me. Ok, fine.
BEHAR: We have to go. We had some fun, though, right?
STEWART: We did.
BEHAR: It was. OK. His new album "Fly Me To The Moon" is out now.
Good night, everybody. Pick up the album. It`s really good.
END
