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Joy Behar Page
Congressman`s Topless Trouble; "Teen Mom" Good or Bad?; Interview With Marlon Wayans
Aired February 10, 2011 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: Coming up on THE JOY BEHAR SHOW, why is a married congressman posting shirtless photos of himself on Craigslist? Representative Chris Lee steps down after using his real name during an online fling. Was he trying to get caught?
Then, does MTV`s hit show "Teen Mom" glamorize underage pregnancy? While cast members get magazine shoots and others, MTV says the show is a cautionary tale. Are you buying it?
Plus, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez allegedly hooked up with a 17- year-old girl. It`s legal so should we care?
That and more starting right now.
ROBIN QUIVERS, HLN GUEST HOST: Hi, everybody. I`m Robin Quivers sitting in for Joy.
A topless photo, Craigslist and a married congressman: those are the ingredients for the latest Washington scandal. New York Republican Christopher Lee resigned yesterday after a woman claimed the lawmaker sent her a topless photo via Craigslist of himself showing his face.
Here now with me are guests Steve Kornacki, he`s a political editor and columnist for salon.com; Stephanie Miller, who is the host of the Stephanie Miller show; and Jeff Gardere, a clinical psychologist.
Steve, so tell us. How did all of this come out?
STEVE KORNACKI, COLUMNIST, SALON.COM: Well, apparently the congressman was in Washington, D.C., and he was on Craigslist in the "men seeking women" classified section, and he replied to an ad, started talking to this woman, who he had never met before, 34 years old. Told her that he was 39, he`s actually 46; told her that he`s divorced, he`s actually married. And then she said, you know, can you send me a picture? He sent her this infamous now, you know, shirtless picture of himself.
QUIVERS: He also told her he wasn`t a toad. But --
KORNACKI: He also, to cover his identity, claimed that he was a lobbyist instead of a member of Congress but he used his name, Chris Lee on his e-mail address.
QUIVERS: And his face.
KORNACKI: And sent this picture to someone he`d never met. So she, you know, recognized the name or Google searched it or whatever, put two and two together, stopped contacting him and then went to this Web site Gawker which came out with the story. Then 2 1/2 hours later, probably the quickest resignation ever, he`s an ex-congressman.
QUIVERS: It`s pretty amazing how everybody knows now how to contact someone in the media, you know. So this woman, she does all of her research, which is incredible in the first place, and then she goes to Gawker and she says, look, I`ve got a story for you. So we`ve all basically become reporters. And these congresspeople have to know that now you`re not talking to a private citizen. You`re talking to a possible reporter.
JEFF GARDERE, PSYCHOLOGIST: And it`s amazing, isn`t it? They never learn from each other`s mistakes. I mean this is just so obvious that when you play with fire like this you`re going to get burned and this guy just didn`t heed that at all.
KORNACKI: That`s what it is. It`s the absolute failure to even attempt to cover this up. He used his real name, his real picture and he never met her before.
QUIVERS: And Stephanie what are these guys thinking? I mean, like you said, we`ve seen it over and over again. What are they thinking? Or are they not thinking? How does this happen?
STEPHANIE MILLER, HOST, STEPHANIE MILLER SHOW: Well, Robin, first of all, why do guys get the idea that we want to see them with no shirts on? It could have been worse. It could have been a shirtless governor Chris Christie, I grant you that.
I mean it really is incredible. It was like Larry Craig handed the cop in the bathroom his card and said I`m a senator. What do you think of that? Well, I think there`s going to be a lot of unfortunate publicity. That`s what I think of that.
QUIVERS: Yes. Absolutely.
Let me read you what he reportedly sent the woman. "Hope I`m not a toad. I`m a very fit, fun, classy guy, 6 feet, 190 pounds, blonde/blue, 39, lobbyist. I promise not to disappoint." FYI, he also told her he was divorced so why on earth does he use his real -- his own likeness? What is he doing?
GARDERE: You know I think part of that of course is a very suicidal behavior as far as his career, as far as his social life, as far as his family life. I think a lot of that when we look at it from a psychological point of view, Robin, is someone who perhaps is playing a Russian roulette with their lives, with their careers. In some ways they want to be punished, they want to be caught.
The ones who legislate morality, the ones who talked about -- he talked about how to be safe on the Internet because people are trolling the Internet. Well, that`s exactly what he did.
QUIVERS: But isn`t that a little crazy?
GARDERE: It is very crazy because I think in many ways this is how we want to atone for our sins. We know that we`re doing something that`s very wrong and at the end of the day we want to get caught. And that`s why people do such obvious things. The fact is, if he really wanted to be a regular man pig, he could have done it, gotten away with it, but he did it in a way so that eventually he would get caught. That`s part of that thrill-seeking that feeds maybe some sort of anxiety, depression or maybe a very discordant marriage he may have.
QUIVERS: He was warned before, Steve, wasn`t he? Wasn`t he called in with a bunch of other people by --
KORNACKI: Right. John Boehner, the Speaker of the House, the top Republican of the House had some concerns about, you know, reports or rumors that certain Republican members might be, you know, kind of keeping company with women who are girlfriends or whatever. He was one of them so there was some concern.
You know, I would just say that there`s been a lot of talk in relation to this. This is an example of hypocrisy that this is one of these guys who preached one thing and he was doing something different.
I really don`t see that here. What I really see is a guy who is -- let`s remember this guy did not have a history in politics until three years ago. He was a successful businessman. He didn`t have anything to do with politics. He ran for office. He happened to win. He is a back bench member from congress whose name nobody really would have known until two or three years ago.
And even then, you know, in Washington, D.C. this guy was not really high profile. So I think he`s probably just sort of living his life like he was before. You can say this is dysfunctional or --
(CROSSTALK)
GARDERE: I would have to disagree.
QUIVERS: First of all, Stephanie --
GARDERE: It`s so stupid what he did, it`s got to be pathological.
QUIVERS: Let Stephanie get in here for a second.
MILLER: First of all, he is a conservative Republican, Robin and he is for "don`t ask, don`t tell" which I guess is understandable since his personal policy in his house is, don`t ask, don`t tell your wife what you`re doing on Craigslist.
QUIVERS: Right.
MILLER: But I mean the bottom line Robin is he`s too stupid to be in Congress. I mean seriously. How do you not know -- there`s Google these days. Remember in the `70s we just dated serial killers and we didn`t know because there was no Google. Like you were saying, it takes two seconds to Google someone and find out who they are. Right?
QUIVERS: And is it the new technology? Are all of these people getting into trouble because of increased access?
GARDERE: Absolutely. And part of that, though, knowing what`s out there, they have an impulse control problem. For you to not to be able to regulate your behavior enough so you that can cheat in a way that`s smart versus a way that`s really stupid and suicidal again is part of an impulse control problem, part of a pathology, part of someone who really -- this guy really needs a shrink.
QUIVERS: I have a question. Is there a guy who just wants to have a little conversation with a woman? Or do you think he probably made some hook-ups doing this before?
GARDERE: It might just be the tip of the iceberg and why perhaps -- and I don`t know. I`m not a journalist -- why he may have resigned so quickly because there may be more political fallout. I feel very badly for him. I know we`re joking about him.
I feel bad for him but I feel worse for his wife or family who now have to deal with these issues. And my advice to him, my love prescription to him is, man, go out and get yourself some therapy and try to figure out why you went down in flames the way that you did. You could have done it better.
MILLER: Wait a minute. Is the point of psychology to help you cheat smarter? Is that what your point is here?
GARDERE: It`s to help you address, Stephanie, what you did that destroyed your family.
MILLER: You know this is --
GARDERE: That`s a serious thing.
MILLER: You know this is the tip of the iceberg. If he resigned this quickly, Robin, he`s got to be -- there`s got to be somewhere he`s on "men seeking women" that want to do it with scuba gear and schnauzers. There`s some freaky stuff out there. You`ve got to know this is the tip of the iceberg.
QUIVERS: But is this sort of like that powerful man syndrome, because we have lawmaker after lawmaker in both local and federal politics falling to scandals like this?
GARDERE: Sure. I think when you have someone who may have some underlying psychological issues but they also have a huge ego to go along with it, then they feel indestructible and it may explain why they`re playing Russian roulette in the way that they do their social business, their romantic business.
And there`s something very interesting also going on here, too. The woman he was communicating with was a woman of Irish-black descent. So there may be some other things going on as to what the freaky-deaky is that he`s looking for on the side. That`s a Freudian term.
QUIVERS: Oh, freaky-deaky. He`s pulling out all of those medical terms on us.
Thanks, guys. We`ll be right back after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming up a little later on THE JOY BEHAR SHOW, Miley Cyrus now says smoking a bong filled with salvia was indeed a bad decision.
And New York Jets` quarterback Mark Sanchez is in hot water after allegedly hooking up with a 17-year-old.
Now back to Joy`s guest host Robin Quivers.
QUIVERS: It wasn`t that long ago when a teenage girl got pregnant she quietly disappeared to have the baby and never spoke of it when she returned. Thank goodness things have changed but not all the changes may have been good.
Reality shows like MTV`s "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom" showcase teenagers having kids, and are making them famous for it. So are these shows a cautionary tales as the producers claim or are they glamorizing teen pregnancy?
Here now to discuss it are Sunny Hostin, legal contributor for "In Session" on TruTV and Marisa Nightingale from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Welcome ladies.
MARISA NIGHTINGALE, NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT TEEN & UNPLANNED PREGNANCY: Thank you.
QUIVERS: Sunny, your mother was a teen mom, and you don`t like these shows. Why?
SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION": No, I don`t. Because I experienced growing up with a teen mom and a teen dad, and it is difficult. And I don`t see that really portrayed when I see these -- reality shows. I think it certainly glamorizes teen pregnancy and it`s upsetting that they get paid, what, $60,000 to $65,000 to sort of show the world their drama.
And I know for a fact that most high school graduates the median average salary is like $26,000. So they are making money on showing people what is really a very difficult thing to go through because I went through it first hand.
QUIVERS: What was the problem of growing up with a teen mom?
HOSTIN: Well, first of all, you know my mom is just this really incredibly bright person. And I -- she had to let her dreams defer because she had to take care of me. It took her eight years to graduate from college, thankfully she did. It took her another six years to get her master`s degree in education, all because she had to be a part-time student because she was being a full-time mom.
And most families -- and we`re a success story, really -- my parents got married and they stayed married for a long time. That`s a success story. That doesn`t happen usually.
I`m a lawyer. I went to college. I had a wonderful childhood, but it was a difficult childhood.
QUIVERS: Marisa, you say these shows have some value, though, don`t you?
NIGHTINGALE: Yes, I think they`re tremendously helpful. I think if you actually watch the shows, if you sit through an hour-long episode of "16 and Pregnant" or "Teen Mom", you see how hard it is. It is not glamorous at all in these shows. They`re showing you how hard it is when your boyfriend breaks up with you. He says he`s going to stay and then he doesn`t. Trying to finish high school and not quite making it.
I think there`s a lot of hardship that these girls and their guys in their lives are revealing, and it`s -- it`s very true to life. It`s very realistic.
QUIVERS: But, Sunny, would you say that sometimes they`re making it look so glamorous that it could encourage kids to want to get pregnant?
HOSTIN: Robin, I`ll go a step further. I`ve been looking at some of the boards and kids are asking what the qualifications are to be on these reality shows. So I think they`re actively either getting pregnant to be a reality star or to get on these shows because there is a big payday ultimately.
And then the other thing I think that you have to consider is that you know teen pregnancy has gone up in the past decade, not down. And so how - - you know, what role do the sort of reality shows play in it? I think a really big role.
QUIVERS: Marisa what do you say to that?
NIGHTINGALE: Well, let me correct one thing that teen pregnancy and birth rate over the last 16 years have declined by more than a third.
HOSTIN: That is total.
NIGHTINGALE: They`ve gone up a little bit, down a little bit, but the net is that they`ve declined by a huge amount. And that`s not just because of television.
(CROSS TALK)
HOSTIN: That`s not what the CDC says. That`s not what the CDC says.
(CROSS TALK)
NIGHTINGALE: The teen birth rate is at the lowest it`s been in decades. And these shows -- I mean "Teen Mom" and "16 and Pregnant" didn`t start airing until June of 2009. Our teen birth numbers are from 2009. So these shows didn`t cause the teen pregnancy rate to go up or down, but they`re part of the conversation that families are having all over the country.
(CROSS TALK)
HOSTIN: They`re part of the problem. They`re part of the problem; I wouldn`t say just part of the conversation. I think they`re part certainly of the problem. I -- I speak at high schools all the time and I speak at my mother`s school. And I always ask, what do you want to be when you grow up? Because a lot of these kids are from very difficult backgrounds.
I used to hear policeman, I used to hear athlete. You know what I hear now? Reality star and that is because of shows like these "Teen Mom" shows.
So I don`t buy the argument that teen pregnancies are going down and that it`s just part of the conversation. I think there are statistics that teen pregnancies are going up and part of the problem are these particular types of shows.
NIGHTINGALE: Well --
(CROSS TALK)
QUIVERS: I want to -- wait a minute Marisa for a second --
NIGHTINGALE: Yes, yes.
QUIVERS: -- I want to show you a scene that aired on "Teen Mom" involving a girl named Amber.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMBER: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) me?
GARY: Amber, quit.
AMBER: Huh?
GARY: Amber, you need to get off me. Amber?
AMBER: No. I swear to God, I wish I was (EXPLETIVE DELETED) I would beat your (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
GARY: One more hit.
AMBER: One more hit what are (EXPLETIVE DELETED) hit me?
GARY: No.
AMBER: I am at the edge, do you want to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) --
GARY: If you want to hit me, then --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIVERS: Now, does a scene like that help or hurt when kids are watching at home?
NIGHTINGALE: I think it`s a really disturbing scene. And I think that Amber and Gary have a lot of problems that they are showing to the rest of the country. But these shows are actually about the hardships of teen pregnancy and teen parenthood, which are declining but we still have one of the highest rates in the entire industrialized world.
In fact, three out of ten girls will get pregnant this year even with a massive decline and one out of six will be a teen mom. So the issue is as important as ever and in the 15 years I`ve been working on these issues, I think that one of the main barriers has been parents and teens haven`t known how to start the conversations they need to have.
(CROSS TALK)
QUIVERS: Is there any validity to that, Sunny, that it does help people at home watching with their parents and have a conversation?
HOSTIN: I just don`t think so. I mean, bottom line, Robin, children shouldn`t be having children. And children should certainly not be watching other children raise babies. And you know, I -- I don`t see that it helps at all.
(CROSS TALK)
QUIVERS: Well, let`s --
HOSTIN: It certainly doesn`t help the -- the -- you know, Amber, it certainly doesn`t help her. And one of the reasons why this was even picked up by the police is because it was filmed. So how does that help her?
(CROSS TALK)
NIGHTINGALE: Let me -- let me --
QUIVERS: We will have more --
NIGHTINGALE: Ok.
QUIVERS: -- when we -- we have to break.
NIGHTINGALE: All right.
QUIVERS: We`ll have more when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUIVERS: I`m back with my panel and we`re talking about reality shows and teen pregnancy. In the last month alone these girls have been on the cover of "In Touch", "Life and Style", and "Us Weekly". Marisa, isn`t this glamorizing teen pregnancy?
NIGHTINGALE: Well, I want to turn to the teens themselves. Our campaign did a scientific research study with members of girls and boys clubs; 82 percent of those teens said they do not think that the show glamorizes. In fact, they learn more about the challenges of teen pregnancy from the shows. 15 percent said, yes, they did think it glamorized it a little. But remember 15 percent -- that is not the majority.
And I think the problem here is the culture of the tabloid celebrity. If you watch the show itself and sit down and have a conversation about what you`re seeing within that show, it is the most unglamorous thing you`ve ever seen.
QUIVERS: Well, that is a great and idealized situation where the parents and the kids are all sitting around and then they talk about the television show after it`s over. But your statistics don`t really tell you what effect this is having on the kids who are watching.
NIGHTINGALE: Well, in fact, our study does. And the ones who participated in the study, not only did 82 percent say they learned more about the challenges of being a teen parent, 40 percent of those in the study then went home and talked to their parents about the content and the consequences of what they saw in the show. These are low income kids, not ones with all the advantages in life. And this show is sparking conversations that were not happening before.
HOSTIN: I just actually can`t believe that anyone can make an argument that this show or these shows are a good thing for teenagers. It does not make any sense to me whatsoever to say that 85 percent of some kids that were interviewed say, no, it doesn`t glamorize teen pregnancy. It`s a good thing for me. It just doesn`t make sense.
QUIVERS: How is it we let kids determine what`s good and bad for them?
HOSTIN: And that`s even the bigger question. Isn`t that the bigger question? I mean --
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: Yes. I mean when did that happen?
HOSTIN: We know a child`s brain doesn`t form really fully until 25 years old. Parents aren`t sitting with their kids watching these shows. Kids are on the computers watching screens --
NIGHTINGALE: Yes, but I think parents should be. I think this is a great opportunity. Parents can go to our Web site, thenationalcampaign.org, order DVDs of the show, watch them with their kids.
HOSTIN: That`s a ridiculous suggestion.
(CROSSTALK)
NIGHTINGALE: No, their parents should watch this show.
(CROSSTALK)
NIGHTINGALE: Absolutely.
HOSTIN: Maybe they should go to church with their children or have dinner with their children.
NIGHTINGALE: If you`re not watching --
HOSTIN: This is not a parental guide.
NIGHTINGALE: If you`re not watching what your kids are watching, how can you talk about it?
QUIVERS: Marisa, does the at-risk teen have a parent who`s going to be doing that? Does the at-risk teen have a parent doing that?
HOSTIN: Of course not.
NIGHTINGALE: The majority of parents say they want to talk about these issues. They don`t know how to start. This is one way to start. And I will say all parents, high income, low income, whatever, are their kids` first and best teacher. So if they`re not teaching their values to their children, of course other values are going to seep in and take over.
QUIVERS: And do you think that seeing, you know, a girl get a boob job, another girl winding up, you know, on the cover of a magazine after being on "Teen Mom", that that doesn`t encourage some child to say, hey, I could become famous that way?
NIGHTINGALE: Well, there are a lot of people out there who are famous for being famous so you can`t account for if somebody sees someone on some random show and tries to copy them, you can`t account for that. I maintain that --
HOSTIN: But that`s what this does. That`s exactly what this does.
NIGHTINGALE: Look, it`s unfortunate when the tabloid culture takes over. What I`m saying is that the content of these shows and the compelling and realistic nature of what they show about teen pregnancy, birth and parenthood is better than any public service ad I`ve ever seen.
HOSTIN: I completely disagree on that one.
QUIVERS: Ok. Thanks, guys.
Back in a minute with some pop culture dish.
A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Tonight on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT", too sexy for court? Big outrage today over Lindsay`s little white dress at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUIVERS: Welcome back. I`m Robin Quivers filling in for Joy.
OK, the big story today, married Republican Congressman Christopher Lee, his topless photograph and subsequent resignation. We talked a little bit about it earlier, but I want to get a reaction from today`s panel on this and some other dishy news of the day.
With me are comedian Marlon Wayans. Sarah Bernard, host of "The Thread" on Yahoo, and Paul "Triple H" Levesque, WWE superstar and star of the new movie, "The Chaperone."
Welcome.
OK, so did you see the pictures of the congressman?
MARLON WAYANS, COMEDIAN: You`re talking about the one where he`s posing like old Jack LaLanne?
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: There he is, yes.
WAYANS: He`s talking about he`s 39. He looks like he`s 79 in there.
PAUL "TRIPLE H" LEVESQUE, WWE SUPERSTAR: He had one of those crushers in his hand right before --
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: Did he pump up a little bit before he took that photo?
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: I got my (inaudible) on!
QUIVERS: Sarah, my question is, is he hot?
SARAH BERNARD, HOST, THE THREAD ON YAHOO: Oh, my goodness, I can`t say that he`s hot, no! I think this whole thing is so icky. But what I think is so surprising about all this is given all the other scandals that New York politicians have faced of late, it`s not as extreme. So why did he so abruptly resign? I think there`s got to be a ton more stuff that would have come out if he hadn`t. So I`m very curious what all that is.
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: I think he probably has a bottomless photo, and that`s the one he`s really -- that`s the one he wants to resign before that comes out.
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: Good. Because I don`t really want to see that one.
QUIVERS: Right.
WAYANS: I don`t think he wants you to see it.
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: Probably was cold that day.
QUIVERS: He sent the picture in the response that, you know, he didn`t think he was a toad.
BERNARD: Right.
QUIVERS: So is he a toad?
LEVESQUE: I`m starting to see a trend here, though, I`m a little bit confused. Is it not a good thing to try to cheat on your wife over the Internet where millions of people can see it the second you do that? Is that not smart?
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
QUIVERS: Are you beginning to think that?
LEVESQUE: I don`t know.
WAYANS: I need to know this.
LEVESQUE: Yes. That`s what I`m trying to figure out here.
BERNARD: The other thing that I think is so funny is the woman who put -- she`s the one who posted the ad that she was looking for a guy, right?
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: You wouldn`t think that the person who is just your random personal seeking Craigslist poster was such like a Sherlock Holmes sleuth. She figured out who he was.
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: She could be on Craigslist and be looking you up at the same time. She`s good.
BERNARD: Yes.
WAYANS: I`m just surprised you can find everything on Craigslist. You can put out an ad on Craigslist for anything and get it. That`s -- congressman, half-naked, Jack LaLanne. I need to find it.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
QUIVERS: -- request it and get it. Yeah.
WAYANS: That`s crazy.
QUIVERS: But the thing about Craigslist is, are you really looking for a good guy when you`re on Craigslist?
LEVESQUE: Happiness. I mean, that`s what you`re looking for. Committed, long-term relationship that works out in the long run. That`s what you`re going to find over the Internet.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: So was he stupid, or is he crazy?
LEVESQUE: Is that a trick question?
WAYANS: Probably one of the dumbest things you can do. But here`s the thing, I just think like, look, people make mistakes. I don`t think -- as people, how can we expect, you know, like, people in the government to be perfect? Nobody is perfect. Everybody is going to have some kind of dirt. Everybody is going to have some kind of problem. And all these guys retire and go, I am a sex addict. It`s like, look, you messed up, call it a day. But you know, it doesn`t mean you -- I don`t think you have to retire.
BERNARD: But don`t you think that`s why there must be something else that he is not -- that he doesn`t want us to know?
WAYANS: I think it`s shame that makes him go, you know what, I messed up, I`m not perfect, I messed up. Maybe they tease you a lot in Congress.
LEVESQUE: I agree with you.
BERNARD: Well, now he`s got a lot of time to hit the gym and get even buffer.
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: We`re going to see some butt shots now.
QUIVERS: Moving on to a more buff story, New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. He reportedly hooked up in his New Jersey home last month with a 17-year-old Connecticut high school student. So how many times in the NFL do they have to see their fellow sports figures fall and they still get into trouble?
LEVESQUE: A lot of people don`t know this, I just made a movie called "The Chaperone." Originally Mark Sanchez was in that movie, "The Chaperone."
QUIVERS: Oh, really?
LEVESQUE: Yeah, he was going to star in it. It was a little bit different, though. It was about a chaperone on a junior high school trip for a girls school. And--
QUIVERS: He would have been perfect.
LEVESQUE: It`s more of a dating game type of a project for him.
(LAUGHTER)
BERNARD: Well, you said you like the Jets, right? I mean, I think--
WAYANS: I love the Jets.
BERNARD: -- people just have it in for them this year. It`s like every, what, six weeks something has to come out about somebody on that team (ph).
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: They`re putting a lot of hormones in the food nowadays--
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: A lot of hormones in the chicken. You`d be like, are you 17 or 37?
QUIVERS: Well, in the WWE, you guys have to maintain a certain level of, you know--
LEVESQUE: Morality?
QUIVERS: -- sophistication and morality.
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: That`s how I think of the WWE.
QUIVERS: You know, they`re advertising for kids to come out and see those--
LEVESQUE: Sure.
QUIVERS: We don`t see these wrestling scandals.
LEVESQUE: But at the same point in time, if you`re at a nightclub, you don`t think a 17-year-old girl is going to be there in the first place. And then, you know, I`ve seen a lot of 17-, 16-year-old girls who look like they`re 35 and divorced twice. (inaudible), you know.
QUIVERS: We just discovered that this girl--
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: -- started partying at the clubs with her mother when she was 15. So she did have parental supervision when she first tried going into clubs.
BERNARD: Well, you know, the other thing about this story is, there`s nothing illegal here. The age of consent in New Jersey is actually 16.
WAYANS: Oh, it is.
BERNARD: He`s lucky he has a house in New Jersey.
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: But she knew the laws. When he was talking to her at the club, he said, how old are you? She said, I`m 17. He says, oh, I can`t talk to you until really -- I can`t go out with you until you`re 18. She goes, no, I`m legal in New York at 17. She knew the laws.
BERNARD: Right. So he -- so this is--
LEVESQUE: He just bought that, though.
(CROSSTALK)
LEVESQUE: He just bought -- he said, like, oh, really? Great, let`s go.
WAYANS: Guys are going to start looking for women differently. I think guys have got to start looking for women with missing wisdom teeth. I think --
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
WAYANS: -- stretch marks, you look for the inoculation with -- the tuberculosis inoculation.
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: The old school--
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: If you don`t get it, you were born in the 80s?
WAYANS: Yes, yes.
QUIVERS: Moving on, Miley Cyrus says she made a mistake when she smoked that bong filled with salvia caught on that video from TMZ. So is this just face-saving, career saving? What is Miley Cyrus doing?
WAYANS: Well, if it was a mistake, what did she think was in it? It was supposed to be some killer weed, but they put salvia in it. You know, but look, she`s a teen. She`s a kid. You know, and if you put a camera on enough YouTubes (ph) and there was video cams on probably everybody here --
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: Everybody carries a cell phone with a camera. Everybody can record.
WAYANS: Yes.
QUIVERS: And there`s Facebook, Twitter, you can`t keep this stuff secret anymore.
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: I`m on Miley`s side on this one. Her friend was basically ratting on her. I mean, if you look at all of the child stars, all of the people in Hollywood who became famous at a young age, what on earth do you think they were up to? This is probably one of the most mild situations she could have gotten herself into. And she was in a private situation, and her friend is the one who really ratted her out.
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: -- at such a young age, like she`s been a star since she was like 8. And a huge star -- she`s lucky there was only salvia and there was not crack in that pipe.
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: She`s really holding it together pretty much as child stars go.
LEVESQUE: You probably don`t make the best decisions when you`re smoking a bong full of salvia either, I mean, that`s, you know, she wasn`t in the right state of mind.
QUIVERS: As you say, she`s a kid, yet she is a huge, multimillion- dollar business. And that brand has to be taken care of.
BERNARD: Maybe she`s getting a little nervous because Justin Bieber`s movie is coming out tomorrow. He`s taking over the world. Everyone`s talking about him. She`s got to get back in the game--
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She should make him hit the bong.
QUIVERS: That is the problem with these child stars. How do they transition to adulthood? Is she going to make that transition successfully? It becomes a very precarious time for them.
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: I just think as a society, that we have to forgive kids when they`re kids and just -- you know, it`s hard for them to grow up in the spotlight. You know?
BERNARD: She`s trying.
QUIVERS: Yes. And where are her parents in all of this? Why is she- -
BERNARD: They`re getting a divorce.
WAYANS: They`re going through a little thing called divorce.
QUIVERS: That`s true. That`s true, I forgot. This poor girl from a broken home, and we`re giving her all this grief.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Poor billionaire girl from a broken home.
QUIVERS: Yes, well, thanks, guys. If you`re in New York, you can see Marlon Wayans performing with his brother Shawn at Caroline`s tonight through Sunday, and catch Triple H and "The Chaperone" opening in select theaters February 18th. We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, if you don`t come forward, this guy could strike again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what, guys? You`re right. We`re going in. I`m going to tell pops I`m going to help the police. You know why? Because I`m my own man and I make my own decisions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Someone come with me, please?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of here. Go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man, want to come with me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIVERS: Actor and comedian Marlon Wayans is perhaps best known for his `90s sitcom "The Wayans Brothers" and films like "Scary Movie" and "White Chicks," and of course for being the youngest of 10 siblings in a Hollywood family dynasty.
So with me now is the very funny Marlon Wayans.
WAYANS: Thank you. Thank you.
QUIVERS: So you are the baby of the family.
WAYANS: I must say, Joy, you`ve gotten such a tan since the last time I seen you.
QUIVERS: You know, it was very hot in the Caribbean.
WAYANS: I think you were sitting there on "The View," going you know what? I like the way Whoopi look. I`m going to do what Whoopi says. How are you doing, baby girl?
QUIVERS: I`m good, I`m good. I`m Robin, obviously.
WAYANS: I know--
(CROSSTALK)
QUIVERS: Joy is not here tonight.
WAYANS: I know.
QUIVERS: But yes. Ten brothers and sisters.
WAYANS: Yes.
QUIVERS: All funny.
WAYANS: Yes.
QUIVERS: A lot of competition?
WAYANS: No. I mean, although there`s enough people on my team to start their own flag football team, in my family, but, no, not really competition. My parents didn`t raise us that way. My parents raised us to love each other and to support each other. The only time we compete is Thanksgiving dinner.
QUIVERS: Really?
WAYANS: Yes. Because who`s going to get that good stuffing first? Because my brothers -- we are honestly like heathens. My mother is sitting there going, why don`t y`all stop? Look, I raised you better than that. Meanwhile, she`s the first one in line, lumping on her plate.
QUIVERS: When the food comes, all bets are off.
WAYANS: Yes, ma`am.
QUIVERS: Well, you and your brother Shawn usually work together.
WAYANS: Yes.
QUIVERS: How does that happen? You know, because everybody is sort of there and they`re funny.
WAYANS: By the graces of God.
QUIVERS: Yeah.
WAYANS: No, it actually works perfectly. We`re so different, yet so similar that we have like different approaches to things. So --
QUIVERS: But as you`re growing up, how does that -- do you all sit around and, you know, did you just start writing together, or were you just the two youngest and you were playing around with each other?
WAYANS: Me and Shawn have been writing together since before we knew how to write. Like in crayon we was writing like ideas. It`s funny, when we was like 5 and 6, we wanted to be Ernie and Burt. Like that`s the first buddy comedy team, Ernie and Burt.
QUIVERS: OK.
WAYANS: I was Ernie and he was Burt. And then it grew to Ed Norton and Ralph Cramden. And Abbott and Costello.
QUIVERS: So you always saw yourself--
WAYANS: We always saw ourselves--
QUIVERS: As a team.
WAYANS: Always.
QUIVERS: That`s interesting. And--
WAYANS: But what`s great now is we`re a team, but we`re men, so we can do things separately but we`ll always come back together.
QUIVERS: Well, that was what I was going to ask. Because I know you have products -- products -- projects.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: You better get you some of this Dentyne, baby!
(CROSSTALK)
WAYANS: You want some of this here?
QUIVERS: No, but you have separate projects.
WAYANS: Yes.
QUIVERS: And I wondered if that causes any problems when you come along and you say, well, I want to take some time and do a movie.
WAYANS: No. The only time it may cause friction is if we have something lined up like directly at the same time. But for the most part, it`s staggered well. You know, I always take -- let my Wayans Brothers stuff kind of take precedent, you know, because that`s our company and our business and now our brand. And you know, it`s doing it with family so -- you know, but I always find time to do the other stuff, because that`s important to me.
My brothers, they came up as comedians, writers, producers, directors, star, every night. Me, I came up as an actor. I just turned into a comedian in the last year and a half. But that`s for the actor.
QUIVERS: A-ha. Well, for me you guys have all always been funny.
WAYANS: Thank you. Just not (inaudible)--
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
QUIVERS: No. But I just, you know, you do those dramatic roles, too.
WAYANS: Yes.
QUIVERS: And you really have a real sense of the dramatic.
WAYANS: Oh, thank you. Thank you.
QUIVERS: Yes. Did you ever take lessons?
WAYANS: Performance Arts High School.
QUIVERS: Oh, OK.
WAYANS: I went to Performance Arts High School and then I majored in drama at Howard University. I did film and theater. But, you know, I love the dramatic arts. I just -- but I also love comedy. I was raised as a comedian, but I was taught as a dramatic actor. So I did Shakespeare. You know, me and Omar Epps, classmates, best friends. We went to the Performance Arts High School, taught by the best teachers in the city.
QUIVERS: Well, you know what, the Wayans are known for producing all of these funny children. You have children now of your own.
WAYANS: Yes.
QUIVERS: Do you see funny?
WAYANS: They got it.
QUIVERS: Yes?
WAYANS: They got the gene. Like my son, he`s into sports, but he`s really -- and he`s really good. The boy is fast as -- they can`t touch him. Flag football, they can`t -- he`s just like -- he run like -- he`s got something to prove, like little O.J., like before all the bad stuff. Even after.
(LAUGHTER)
QUIVERS: The Hertz commercial.
WAYANS: No. He ran after them, when he was on the freeway, he`s getting -- he`s side-by-side with the white Bronco.
(LAUGHTER)
WAYANS: So -- and my daughter, she`s actually -- she`s writing, like she`s writing, she`s acting. She`s a wonderful singer. Like, she has it. They`re like next level, both of them write well, they have great imagination, they do art.
QUIVERS: And you would like to see them go into show business? You don`t have a problem?
WAYANS: No. When they get older. I don`t want them in it now, because I don`t want them to grow up under the spotlight. It`s hard to grow up under the spotlight. You know, it`s hard. I imagine what it could be like for a Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears. No, because you go through this transition and you grow up -- you know, you get awkward, your teeth get big and crooked and your arms get all long, you know, and you`re going through puberty. It`s weird and it`s hard. So I just want them to have childhood.
QUIVERS: Uh-huh.
WAYANS: And let them have that and let them hone their skills there. And then when they`re adults, let them decide to enter this business, and they`ll be prepared for work. Because this is work.
QUIVERS: It is work.
WAYANS: Let them be kids.
QUIVERS: Yes. And so--
WAYANS: But I would love to pimp their little behind and get them making me some money, get on out there and pay for your Buckley School, kids.
QUIVERS: Well, you know, it is Valentine`s Day, and you`ve teamed up with Dentyne to talk about safe breath?
WAYANS: Yes. Safe breath is a very -- see, you say it with a smile, but baby girl, this is a very important issue that we have to take care of. Safe breath.
QUIVERS: There`s been a problem?
WAYANS: There`s been a problem for centuries. Now finally there`s an organization to -- that`s finally going to help prevent and -- that problem from happening.
QUIVERS: Is it really?
WAYANS: So I joined the Safe Breath Alliance, and Dentyne is endorsed by the Safe Breath Alliance. And it actually does -- this is safe breath awareness month, which is in cahoots with Valentine`s, because you know--
QUIVERS: Is it a deal breaker?
WAYANS: Oh, yes. You could be the finest chick, but if you go -- I`m out. It`s a wrap. You had me at hello, you didn`t have me at hello.
QUIVERS: Have you had that problem? You really run into a girl -- do you say something? Now you can offer the Dentyne.
WAYANS: Yes. But see, sometimes you say, would you like some -- do you want some gum? And they`re like, no, I`m good. I say, no, no, you want some gum.
QUIVERS: Thank you, Marlon. We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUIVERS: According to recent studies, men today are far more body conscious than ever. Last year in the U.S. alone, men spent over $1 billion just on hair growth products, and the number of nose jobs, tummy tucks and, yes, man boob reductions are also on the rise.
So when it comes to the fussing, primping and grooming, are men the new women? With me now is Dan Peres, editor in chief of "Details" magazine.
So, Dan, Congressman Chris Lee is not the only guy concerned about how he looks with his shirt off.
DAN PERES, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "DETAILS": He`s not. But it bears noting, though, I think in the constellation of U.S. congressmen that he actually looks OK with his shirt off. I mean, it could have been a lot worse.
QUIVERS: That`s true--
PERES: Still not a good look --
QUIVERS: He did not--
PERES: -- but it could have been worse.
QUIVERS: -- represent Congress poorly.
PERES: No, no.
QUIVERS: What is the ideal body type? Is that changing?
PERES: I do think it`s changing. I think it`s changed a lot over the last couple of decades. I think we went from action stars like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was huge, beefed up. I think it`s much leaner now. I think the buzzword now is toned. People want to be toned and lean. They don`t want to have mass.
QUIVERS: Now, are men responding to what women prefer or is this just the guys getting together and deciding, we want to change?
PERES: I think men are actually more vain than ever before, and it`s less what women prefer or what women are telling them they would like to see, and more how they want their own image to come across.
QUIVERS: And how far is this going to go? How far is -- are they grooming more? Are we getting into make-up? What`s going on?
PERES: Oh, I think the sky`s the limit. I think there are make-up lines for men, I think there are grooming devices.
QUIVERS: There are really guys going to make-up counters and saying, you know, I need some blush?
PERES: Oh, absolutely. I also think there are, you know, manscaping, body hair trimmers, and men are going getting waxed, and all of this ridiculous stuff is happening. And it`s fascinating to watch.
QUIVERS: Well, what is this stuff about baldness? Is that like the biggest scare for most men?
PERES: I would say with the exception of death, baldness is the scariest thing that could happen to a guy.
QUIVERS: And what does it mean to a man?
PERES: It means going bald, which is so not good. And if you think about it--
(LAUGHTER)
PERES: -- look, some guys do it really well, and of course there is Ed Harris and Bruce Willis, but for the most part, look, men are spending over $1 billion a year to stop themselves from balding, whether it`s, you know--
QUIVERS: And what do they think it means? Does it mean they`re unattractive? Does it mean they can`t get a woman or a mate? What does it mean to them?
PERES: Thankfully, I wouldn`t know, but I think it`s just an insecurity. You know, what does being a shorter man mean really, you know? They can still be successful, they can still have wonderful relationships. Doesn`t really make a difference, but the perception is what they`re concerned about and the stigma of being bald. Imagine being bald and short.
QUIVERS: Yeah. But where is all this going to go? So are we going to see, you know, back to the day when men were wearing full faces of make- up and wigs and the whole thing?
PERES: I hope not, you know.
(LAUGHTER)
PERES: I think one of the things we will see is men are taking much better care of themselves.
QUIVERS: Well, that`s true, yes.
PERES: So if nothing else, they are going to look better, their body, they`re going to be in much better shape.
QUIVERS: And what is the future of the lumberjack?
PERES: You know, this whole sort of trend towards kind of scraggly, bearded, I think is gone. I think we`re going to see a lot more kind of clean-shaven. Men really are interested in grooming. Men are really interested in grooming products and they want to -- they want to look good. And they want to smell good.
QUIVERS: All right. I hope we have some time in the mirror, girls. Thanks, Dan. And thank you for watching. Good night, everybody.
END
