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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview of the Amazing Kreskin, Mentalist

Aired December 31, 2001 - 06:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TOM HAYNES, CNN ANCHOR: What does the year 2002 hold for -- well, only time will tell. But some predictions won't hurt. The Amazing Kreskin is a mentalist and has made some interesting predictions on New Year's Eve in years past. He is in our New York bureau this morning. Thanks for joining us this morning.

AMAZING KRESKIN, MENTALIST: Tom, how are you?

HAYNES: It's kind of scary when I was reading about you. You said it would happen and, in fact, it did: the airline tragedy and the war. I mean, no one could have imagined what happened. How did you react to your accuracy?

KRESKIN: You know -- you know, Tom, part of the reason is as an entertainer I travel the world, and someday there's going to be -- I have to go into an in-depth discussion. I spent five years in Saudi Arabia touring as an entertainer. And entertainment is against the law publicly in the country. And I had a sense when I said -- in "Newsweek" magazine in the two-page piece that the gentleman did -- research that I had said New Year's Day last year here on CNN -- that we were already at war, could go into biological warfare and one of terrorism, the thing that unsettled me, Tom -- the thing that unsettled me was when I mentioned September, the two airlines, possibly three, and then I quickly changed the subject and said not a crash, but going out of business. And that, of course, happened because of the economy.

The one thing -- and I hope Mayor Giuliani isn't angry -- when I said New Year's Day -- and the sports people have repeated this so many times since last year -- that my favorite team, the Yankees, would not this year win the World Series. Of course, they didn't. And, by the way, your anchor gal said...

HAYNES: Yeah?

KRESKIN: ... when I made the point about Regis taking on a third show, so she said it has no time. But I sensed the millionaire show would level off. They wouldn't want to throw away the idea, they'd go into syndication. And guess what, it's going to be syndicated, and Regis has been asked to do it.

So, Tom, that was -- that was some year for me. I have to tell you that.

HAYNES: You are amazing, Amazing Kreskin.

KRESKIN: Well, it's the first name.

HAYNES: Do you scare yourself sometimes?

KRESKIN: Well, I'm -- I'm not a psychic. I truly -- I've flown almost three million miles. And I think the reason you folks came to me nine years ago, having me each year, you said to me, "Listen, you travel around; you get vibes of what's going on." And that's how I -- I sensed the war.

And, by the way, the question I'm constantly asked is, the recession, you know, yes, I said it would last two years. We got a year more to go. But on the plus side, you know what's going to happen, Tom, within the months and year to come? People are going to be buying larger homes, or they're going to be expanding their homes, especially kitchens. It's not a crazy remark, because people are going to be spending more time at home with those who mean something to them. Family, and friends as well.

HAYNES: All right. Let's talk about 2002. I have a fax with some of your predictions here. "A major scandal, which could have terrorist-like implications." What does that mean?

KRESKIN: It's going to take place -- out of all things, the last thing we wanted to happen -- and that is in the case of the Internet -- the computers, of course, are a viable part of our culture, and sooner or later this has to be taken into consideration.

The other thing, by the way, does it take a mentalist to not realize -- I mean, I'm sure you would sense this as well -- Mayor Giuliani, who of course is one of the great figures and will be one of this century, he is going to obviously sooner or later run for president. I think he's going to win, but I have a strong feeling -- and he would disagree right now -- that the Democrats are going to be a focal point on his going in to the presidency and...

HAYNES: What does that mean? Is he going to run as a Democrat or what?

KRESKIN: No, I don't feel he is, but I have a feeling that the offer is going to come very strongly from them. And, by the way, when two years ago I said that Hillary Clinton would run for office on this show, I was scathingly criticized by the press. I said she'd run in New York and win the Senate. And now coming to that circle now, if Gary Condit does decide to again run for office, so help me, Tom, he's going to win.

HAYNES: Is he really? My producer said you're going to read my mind now. And that scares me a little bit.

KRESKIN: Well, you got a moment? I'd like to try something.

HAYNES: Just really quick, because we've got to go.

KRESKIN: How much time do we have? About a minute, minute and a half?

HAYNES: No, like 30 seconds.

KRESKIN: Tom, close your eyes. Trust me, I don't want you to see what I'm -- all right, we don't have that much time.

HAYNES: Go ahead.

KRESKIN: I want to give a -- keep your eyes closed...

HAYNES: All right.

KRESKIN: ... because I want the listeners to know. You all see at home what I'm doing. Don't -- we're not selling -- Tom.

HAYNES: Do I have to keep my eyes closed?

KRESKIN: Tom, open your eyes. Open your eyes, Tom. Tom, the listeners just saw what I did. We don't have time. Everyone watching concentrate as I firmly get a close-up on this. Can you see these cards close up, Tom?

HAYNES: Yeah, I can. I'm scared, Amazing Kreskin.

KRESKIN: Can you see them? Can you see them?

HAYNES: Yes, I can see them. Go ahead.

KRESKIN: All right. Think of one of the cards as I -- have you thought of a card?

HAYNES: Yeah.

KRESKIN: Tell us the name of it. Tell everyone.

HAYNES: Queen.

KRESKIN: Queen of what?

HAYNES: Hearts.

KRESKIN: Well, that's the card that's staring us in the face in the bottom. Let me put this right here. And the reason I'm doing this, Tom, is everyone watching saw that I took out of my pocket a blue-backed card and I put it -- I put that blue-backed card into -- into this red-backed deck. I don't know if we have a close-up. Can we see the cards here are all red? It's red-backed deck. They're all red cards, but the viewers saw me put a blue-backed card in.

HAYNES: Right?

KRESKIN: I didn't say what it was. The truth of the matter is it's the very card you thought of, so...

HAYNES: Wait a second...

KRESKIN: And I will bet you...

HAYNES: ... you put the card in there after I said queen of hearts.

KRESKIN: You said it...

HAYNES: You put the card there.

KRESKIN: ... because I projected the thought. Well, one last thing...

HAYNES: All right.

KRESKIN: ... television -- and it's not CNN -- but one of the networks within six years is going to go out of business. It will no longer exist as we know it. A lot of people in the industry know the one I'm thinking of. But what we're going to have to -- and my book, by the way, which deals with predictions for the coming -- you can get this on amazingkreskin.com.

It discusses how the commercials, should we have a war, will have to change. And why -- and this was written last year -- why the commercials today are losing their audience. They're going to have to reshape how we communicate with the public. That's a whole new era.

HAYNES: Amazing Kreskin, you are really amazing. Thanks a lot for...

KRESKIN: Tom, by the way...

HAYNES: Yeah?

KRESKIN: With the bubble coming down in New York, right, and a new year, I've got to say, I'm going to treat that bubble like passing a kidney stone. We're leaving a tough year, we've got a challenge ahead of us, and we're going to win no matter how long it takes.

HAYNES: All right, Amazing Kreskin, thanks a lot for joining us.

KRESKIN: My pleasure.

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