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CNN Larry King Live
O.J. Simpson: Under Investigation Again
Aired September 15, 2007 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight O.J. Simpson under investigation again -- named as a suspect in the alleged armed robbery in Las Vegas. This as the fallen football star's controversial
The book "If I Did It" hits store shelves. The family of Nicole Brown, O.J.'s ex, the woman he was acquitted of murdering in the criminal trial of the century is outraged. But the family of Ron Goldman, the man killed along with Nicole, backs the book and has made their case to "Oprah".
Nicole's sister, Denise, joins us with her reaction to the Goldmans' dramatic TV comments and O.J.'s legal tangle.
And then the busiest guy in showbiz, "American Idol's" Ryan Seacrest, ready to host this weekend's Emmys.
And what does he know about rumors that Britney Spears might show up?
All next on LARRY KING LIVE.
Good evening.
We're back in L.A.
And an angry Denise Brown with us in New York.
But before we get her to comment, let's get to date on what this story is all about because, because we'll all learn it for the first time.
Ted Rowlands, what's the latest on this investigation into an armed robbery and O.J. Simpson?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, basically, according to O.J. Simpson -- I talked to him for 20 minutes earlier today -- this is much to do about nothing. According to the alleged victims, they were the victims of an armed robbery. And it's up to the Las Vegas Police Department to iron it out.
Basically, here's what happened, according to police. At the Palace Station Casino here -- it's off the strip a bit -- last night, apparently, there was some O.J. Simpson memorabilia being sold or brokered. O.J. says he got wind of this. And this wasn't just regular memorabilia. He says that these were items that were his. He found out that they were being sold so he set up kind of a ruse. A friend pretended to be the buyer, they went into the room and they took back his stuff.
Basically, he says he walked into the room, he was a little upset, talked to these people. He actually knew the people for 15 years. They were selling the stuff. He says, "That's mine, that's mine," took his stuff and left. End of story.
You talk to the other side, they say, no. They say what happened was is the door flew open, four men came running in, two of them had guns pointing the guns in the faces of these people. O.J. then came in last, started screaming at them. They took this stuff and left.
The key here, was there a gun involved?
Whose stuff with us it?
The Las Vegas police will try to figure that out tonight.
KING: We'll come back to you, Ted.
All right, Denise, off the top, what do you make of this?
DENISE BROWN, NICOLE BROWN'S SISTER, REACTS TO GOLDMAN'S "OPRAH" INTERVIEW: Oh, God, never a dull moment, Larry.
Surprise, surprise. I mean it's just unbelievable. It just is -- it's never ending.
KING: Well, you know, him.
BROWN: Oh, please.
KING: You're convinced that he murdered your...
BROWN: No...
KING: What are you -- are you shocked?
BROWN: You know what?
Nothing, nothing that he does shocks me. So I -- for something like this to happen, I was listening to some of the news things and, you know, if there was a gun involved or something like that, wouldn't it be ironic that he can get away with murdering two people but yet he might be into jail for burglary because there was a gun involved?
I mean crazier things have happened, Larry.
Crazier things have happened.
KING: Have the police questioned him, Ted?
(AUDIO GAP)
KING: Sorry. Well, I was going to ask Ted -- Ted also reported that O.J. has been in contact with the Brown family.
Do you know anything about that?
BROWN: No.
Why would he be in contact with us?
KING: I don't know. I don't know why we lost Ted. Anyway, I was going to ask Ted that question. Apparently, hew knew about it. If we can get him back, we'll check on it.
BROWN: No...
KING: Anyway...
BROWN: Well, I've been here. So, anyway, we've been talking about the -- that other problem that we have here.
KING: All right, first...
BROWN: So I've been out here in New York, so I don't know anything about a conversation.
KING: OK. We know about the ""Oprah"" show. You were supposed to go on with the Goldmans on ""Oprah"," but you instead did a separate section.
Why didn't you go on together?
BROWN: Because what happened was, Larry, is the -- we were supposed to go out -- I was going to tell my side of the story why I didn't think that it should be published. The Goldmans were going to go on there and they were going to talk about why they thought it should be published and then we were going to let the public make their own decision -- buy the book, not buy the book, whatever they wanted.
But what happened was that was when the book was going to be published in November. Well, that didn't happen because they rushed publication because of the "Oprah" show, thinking, you know, Oprah's show sells a lot of books.
Well, I decided, you know what?
I'm not going to do that. So I said no, I'm not going to go on there and debate, because it was a moot point at that point. And so I ended up doing a one-on-one interview with Oprah. And she asked me if I read it. I said no. She asked me if I was going to read it. I said no. Then I asked her the same question. I said are you going to -- did you read it? She said no. I said are you going to? She said no.
And you know what?
That was worth a million bucks right there. That was like such a great comment, and, you know, it was a good interview. I enjoyed talking to her. But I would not have enjoyed the circumstances then I, you know, Chris Darden was there and Marcia Clark was there. They brought back everything that happened 13 years ago. It was like -- it was going back in time at the criminal trial, which has absolutely nothing to do with the civil judgment. The civil trial was totally different attorneys. The civil judgment, which is the estate of Nicole for Sydney and Justin, the Goldmans and nothing to do with the Browns. So I have to clarify that, as well. The Browns nor Denise Brown gets a dime from this judgment.
So regardless of the fact that we went -- the estate went in to petition for 40 percent or whatever that they were awarded, which was 10 percent, it didn't matter because now they're saying the Browns. It's not the Browns.
KING: You and others have said that any profits made from this book would be blood money.
BROWN: Absolutely.
KING: Ron Goldman's sister Kim responded to that on "Oprah".
Watch.
BROWN: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "OPRAH," COURTESY HARPO PRODUCTIONS)
KIM GOLDMAN: Every time that he earns money, it's blood money because he's evil and he's using his infamy and his notoriety from what he did to Ron and Nicole to capitalize on it. And he's done all that in an effort to defraud the $38 million judgment against our family, for stabbing Ron to death.
Why should we not pursue that judgment because it might be deemed as blood money?
For us, it's justice when we get that money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: And, apparently, Denise, the book is number one on Amazon.com.
What's your response?
BROWN: Well, OK, first of all, what we have to do is we have to go back -- and I'd really love to clear this up, because back probably about a year ago, when all of this started happening with News Corp and Judith Reagan, Harper Collins, the News Corp people went to Indianapolis, tried to strike a deal with the Goldmans. And it was a huge deal. It was millions of dollars. And that deal was going to go behind the civil judgment and then, in turn, they were still going to publish the book and they were still going to air the TV show.
I said no. My family said no. And our attorneys said no. We are not going behind the civil judgment because that's illegal. Then, when we -- then whatever happened, we went -- tried to get in for, you know, to stop this book from happening. I don't really remember the total circumstances. Then all of a sudden the book goes bankrupt. The book goes bankrupt or the corporation, Lorraine Brooke, goes bankrupt and the estate has to do what they are obligated to do on behalf of Sydney and Justin.
So they had to go in to this bankruptcy case. My father, who is the executor of the estate, he had to do what was legally right on behalf of Sydney and Justin, because they could have turned around and sued my father for not going in for what's in the best interests of the kids. So we had to go into that.
Now, the 40 percent that we went in to ask for was to get at least on a level playing field so that we could stop the book from being published.
KING: Yes, yes, yes.
BROWN: Well, we were awarded the 10 percent with a whole pot of creditors, which was lawyers and writers and publishers and all of that. We're in the same pot. They get 90 percent of it. They could have waited 18 months before they published this book. Everything could have died down. It didn't need to be published. Eighteen months later, we could have gone back into court. It would have reverted to the trustee of the bankruptcy court, not to O.J. Simpson.
KING: I get you.
All right.
BROWN: OK?
KING: We'll take a break and be right back with more of Denise Brown.
We'll have more excerpts from the "Oprah" interview and some excerpts from the book itself.
Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "EXTRA," COURTESY WARNER BROTHERS TELEVISION)
FRED GOLDMAN: He's indicated so far, you know, with this kind of arrogance that, you know, that (INAUDIBLE), you know, had a right to do it, etc. etc. And if it turns out to be what I'd like to think it will turn out to be, then it will just be more of the same -- him feeling he can do anything he wants.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back with Denise Brown in New York.
Fred and Kim Goldman came on this show in November of last year when News/Harper Collins was going to publish O.J.'s book. And here's some of what they said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "LARRY KING LIVE")
F. GOLDMAN: Nothing would surprise me that this SOB would do. But the fact that someone is willing to publish this garbage, that Fox is willing to put it on air, is just morally despicable to me. I would hope that no one buys the book. I would hope that the message from people in this country is sent to his publisher, is sent to Fox, that this is disgusting, despicable and that we as a nation won't put up with it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Denise, when they changed their mind, did they sit down with you?
BROWN: No. They never did. And this is -- you know, the country spoke loud and clear back then in November. The country, they petitioned and they did everything. They spoke and they stopped News Corp and Harper Collins from doing what they were doing to do. They stopped Simpson. They stopped Judith Reagan and Rupert Murdoch, he said, nope, we're not going to do it. The public spoke loud and clear.
So when they changed their mind, it was kind of like a slap in the face. And it really shocked me because I thought, wait a minute, why would you change your mind when you truly believe that this is the man that murdered your son?
You say it's garbage. You say it's despicable and then you turn around and you write 14,000 words into that same book, that -- really it's -- it's a book that promotes the commercialization of abuse. It is just a morally wrong thing to even have out there in the public eye. Now they're saying that it's going to help victims of domestic violence, Larry. And I could scream because victims of domestic abuse, they live in that nightmare every single day.
KING: Is there...
BROWN: Do they want to read something like this?
And then the outcome of this man butchering these two people, what?
They want to read that this could possibly happen to them?
KING: Well...
BROWN: Oh, it just gives me chills.
KING: The Goldmans maintain that publishing the book isn't about money.
Here's what they told "Oprah".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "OPRAH," COURTESY HARPO PRODUCTIONS)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST: You all are not going to make a lot of money off of this book.
K. GOLDMAN: That is true.
WINFREY: Yes. So you're getting 17 cents per book.
F. GOLDMAN: Pennies.
WINFREY: Yes. Seventeen cents per book, which means you've got to sell a million books to get $170,000.
K. GOLDMAN: (INAUDIBLE).
WINFREY: And then Uncle Sam is going to get his and then there you go. So this isn't really about the money.
So what is it really about?
K. GOLDMAN: It's sending him a message. You put in your clip, and I'm glad you did that, that he said he would never work a day in his life to honor that judgment. Well, he did. He spent hours putting together this -- this confession about how he killed Ron and Nicole and he worked hard thinking that he was going to make millions off of it. And we snatched it right out from under him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Are you getting any money, Nicole, from getting this, at all?
BROWN: Denise. No. I'm not getting a dime.
KING: I'm sorry, Denise.
Forgive me.
BROWN: No.
That's OK.
I am not getting a dime. My family is not getting a dime. This is the estate of Nicole for Sydney and Justin. And, you know, why -- OK, if you're just getting pennies from something that we called a manual on how to commit murder way back when, why would you even want this out in the public?
You say -- they say now it's a confession. But wait a minute. It's a step by step, from what everybody is saying, it's step by step of the criminal trial. It's so easy just to go online, get the transcripts of the trial and there's the book.
He's got to trash Nicole?
He did 13 years ago in the criminal trial, saying that she is a drug addict and she is a party animal and the mafia and all this kind of stuff that he needed to help himself get off.
KING: Well, he didn't testify in the...
BROWN: Besides a lot of other things.
KING: He didn't testify in the criminal trial, though.
BROWN: Well, no, he didn't. But that's -- that's everything that they were talking about.
KING: Yes.
BROWN: Even Marcia on "Oprah," she says it's a step by step of the prosecution's case. So that's so easy to get.
KING: During the "Oprah" interview, Fred Goldman quite got emotional when he talked about the possibility of something positive coming out of the publication.
Watch.
BROWN: Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "OPRAH," COURTESY HARPO PRODUCTIONS)
K. GOLDMAN: There are disparaging comments in there about Nicole. But, again, it's through the eyes of a killer that speaks
WINFREY: Yes. Not just disparaging comments. I hear he trashed her and basically called her a slut.
K. GOLDMAN: He's an abuser and he's a killer.
What else is he going to say?
F. GOLDMAN: And he blames her for everything wrong in his life.
K. GOLDMAN: Right. Right.
F. GOLDMAN: Everything. And he's...
K. GOLDMAN: We thought...
F. GOLDMAN: ...and he's the wonderful human being who saves the world from everything. She's to blame for everything. He's a textbook case of an abuser. And you know what I...
K. GOLDMAN: But I'm telling...
F. GOLDMAN: Excuse me.
I hope that one single woman in an abusive relationship reads this book and says, God, that could be me. I have to get out and save my own life. One single woman will be worth it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Didn't that impact you, Denise? BROWN: Larry, these women, victims of domestic violence, they live in this nightmare day to day. That's what I was just saying earlier. What they need is they need a safety plan. They need to have an organization such as these coalitions and these shelters in their communities that they can reach out to and actually get help.
What this book is going to do, it's going to promote a murderer or a man who is actually abusing them from figuring out how to do it and to get away with it.
And do you know what's really interesting is that everything that's written in here, we've been talking about it so much.
Why waste your money and why spend a dime on it, because everybody seems to what's going -- what's in this book anyway. I have not read it. I will not read it. I think that, you know, this was written by the hands that I truly believe murdered my sister and Ron Goldman.
KING: Yes.
BROWN: Fred believes the same thing. But yet he wrote 14,000 words in this same manuscript.
Isn't it time to bring something positive to our society?
Isn't it time to look up, to do something that's bigger?
Life in -- our society's life is bigger than just this book and O.J. Simpson. I was shocked when I was looking on the news today, everything -- alert, alert, alert, you know, Simpson being arrested.
I mean is that really what our society wants and is that what we thrive on?
KING: Sad.
BROWN: Isn't there a bigger picture on trying to get criminals off our streets...
KING: Let me...
BROWN: ...and...
KING: I've got to get a break.
BROWN: OK.
KING: We'll come right back with Denise Brown on this saga.
Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: choking back tears, Fred Goldman called it a turning point in a seemingly endless legal battle against O.J. Simpson, the man he believes murdered his son Ron and Simpson's estranged wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.
F. GOLDMAN: After 13 years of trying to get some justice for Ron, today was probably the first time that we had any sense of seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back with Denise Brown.
The most graphic parts of "If I Did It" are in the chapter titled, "The Night In Question."
Here's a little of what the book says about the murders of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman: "I reached into the back seat for a blue wool cap and my gloves. I reached under the seat for my knife. It was a very nice knife, a limited edition, and I kept it on hand for the crazies. I looked down and saw her on the ground in front of me, curled up in a fetal position at the base of the stairs, not moving.
Goldman was only a few feet away, slumped over against the bars of the fence. He wasn't moving, either.
Both he and Nicole were lying in giant pools of blood. I have never seen so much blood in my life. It didn't seem real and none of it computed.
What the (OBSCENE WORD OMITTED) happened here?
Who had done this and why?
And where the (OBSCENE WORD OMITTED) when this (OBSCENE WORD OMITTED) went down?"
Denise, why on Earth do you think he did this?
BROWN: It's just awful.
Why did he do what?
KING: Why?
BROWN: Why did he murder two people or why did he...
KING: Yes. No. Write the book.
BROWN: Why did he write the book?
Because he doesn't care...
KING: Why?
BROWN: He doesn't care if it's good or bad, positive or negative. His ego thrives on both. It's not a confession. It's a book that was written because he thought he could make a lot of money. It's not a confession to murder.
KING: Oprah asked the Goldmans about the violence in the book.
Let's hear what they said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "OPRAH," COURTESY HARPO PRODUCTIONS)
K. GOLDMAN: This book is no more violent than if you typed in my brother's name on Google and his dead body shows up on the screen. It's no more violent than Denise's...
F. GOLDMAN: Autopsy information is on there.
K. GOLDMAN: It's no more violent than Denise's testimony in the criminal case, when she talked about the killer throwing his sister -- her sister -- up against the wall. It's no more violent than the criminal prosecution and the civil case, than any of the tabloids, the newspapers, the "People" magazines, Fox TV, NBC, ABC. It's no more violent than any of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Denise?
BROWN: So why would you even want to put it out there so that people could even read anything that's violent?
I mean our society is so violent now and our society has totally changed. I mean we just thrive on all of this negative stuff. Let's put some positive into our lives. Let's get these child molesters. Let's get these women out of these abusive homes. They can call 1-800- 799-SAFE to get out of an abusive relationship. They don't need to read a book like this. This book does absolutely no good.
I'm going to be a part of a bigger movement, and it's a global movement. And it's going to be reshape society -- reshaping society so that we can bring some sanity back to humanity.
I mean our society is just messed up. We just -- it's so convoluted and so messed up who we put up on pedestals and what we -- what we do. ReshapeSociety.com is going to be a group of people, entrepreneurs, corporations, people that care -- the doctors, the lawyers, the lawmakers....
KING: Do...
BROWN: ...people who really care about our society to bring some peace into this world. That's what we need to do.
KING: Do you like the idea that they at least put the word "if" very small?
BROWN: I don't care what it says, it was still written by the guy that they believe murdered their son and brother and the guy that murdered my sister. So I don't care what the title is. It doesn't matter. It's garbage all the way around, just like Fred Goldman had said at the beginning. KING: The book has some pretty awful things to say about your sister. We will not belabor it, but here's a sampling from the chapter titled, "The Two Nicoles."
Listen: "To make matters worse, several of her close friends started coming by to express concern about the shape she was in, as if I could do something about it. Nicole was still hanging out with that same crowd, they said, drinking too much and clearly doing drugs. This was not the Nicole I had known and loved for the better part of 17 years. This was a whole another person. At this point, even an idiot could have told you that drugs were involved. You don't get mood swings like that from eating Wheaties."
BROWN: Oh, she's just disgusting, you know?
In Nicole's diaries -- in her notes and diaries she talks about the times when he's doing drugs. I'm thinking what he's doing is he's explaining himself. He's looking at himself in the mirror and describing him.
And my sister -- every single word in her diary was it was about the drugs. She hated the drugs. She hated the partying. She hated all that stuff because that's when she would get the beatings. And it was her locked up in a wine closet. It was her going to the emergency room and, you know, telling the doctors that she fell off her bicycle, you know, instead of telling them that she was beaten. I mean things like that were in her diaries. And the one thing that I know from women across this world is that there's three things -- there's hope, shame and fear -- the hope that things are going to get better, the way they used to be when they first met that abusive person; the shame of not wanting anybody to know, not your family and not your best friend, nobody; and then the fear of what am I going to do and where am I going to go?
I want women out there to know they're not alone, that this is not just happening to them. This is not about a book. This is not about any of this stuff that's going on. It's like let's save lives. It's a much bigger picture than this.
Let these women know...
KING: Some more...
BROWN: ...they're not alone. There is a 24-hour domestic violence hotline, 1-800-799-7233. And you can get help.
KING: Some more moments with Denise Brown when we come back.
Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The victim stated that one of the suspects involved in the robbery was O.J. Simpson.
(END VIDEO CLIP) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We've got Ted Rowlands back.
You've reported that O.J. says he's been in contact with the Brown family.
What's that about, Ted?
ROWLANDS: Well, basically what O.J. told me is the stuff that he was trying to get back, these personal items included a number of photographs that he claims Nicole actually took but possibly negatives from those photographs. He said there were pictures of him and his family, of his children, and he said that before he went in there, he had talked to someone with the Brown family to say I think I found some stuff you might be interested. If I get it, I'll get it to you. That's what he told me over the phone. He didn't tell me who he talked to. But that's what he told me and that's part of the reason he said he went in there. They were personal items he just simply wanted back.
KING: Denise, you know anything about it?
BROWN: No. What he is doing? Blaming us for going into the Vegas hotel room for something?
KING: He said he was going to get stuff of yours. Did he contact anyone to your knowledge with the family?
BROWN: Not to my, knowledge, no. I've been here in New York since Wednesday. So, I have no clue.
KING: Just wanted to clear it up.
BROWN: No.
KING: On "Oprah," the Goldmans talked about what the publication of "If I Did It" means for Ron's memory. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: How does it honor the memory of Ron.
KIM GOLDMAN, BROTHER OF RON GOLDMAN: Because we made a commitment when we my brother was stabbed to death that we would do whatever we could to protect him and in his memory. And to do what we could in Ron's memory. His murderer walked away. Walked out of that court system.
FRED GOLDMAN, FATHER OF RON GOLDMAN: And every penny we can take away from this monster ...
K. GOLDMAN: Reminds him of what he did.
F. GOLDMAN: Is a piece of justice. Tiny as it may be, it's a piece of justice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Denise, we have an e-mail question from Tammy in Lonse, Michigan (ph). "Do Sidney and Justin feel betrayed by O.J. now that they know about how he wrote about their mother and murdered her?"
BROWN: They don't know. They don't know what was in the book.
KING: They don't.
BROWN: They have no idea. It was a fiction book and that is all that they know. But could I say something about what their comment was on Oprah? And I totally understand it and totally feel for them. I made the same commitment 13 years ago to Nicole that I would do whatever I could to help victims of domestic violence. Take Simpson for every penny that he makes, that he's worth but you don't have to publish this book in order to do it.
KING: All right.
BROWN: They knew that from the beginning, though, Larry. They even went on your show.
KING: Do Sidney -- during her interview, Oprah asked the Goldmans if the publication has given them some kind of peace. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
F. GOLDMAN: I don't think it brings peace for me. I think it brings a certain level of satisfaction that we have taken something from him.
WINFREY: Uh-huh.
F. GOLDMAN: More than anything.
WINFREY: Will there ever be peace?
K. GOLDMAN: No.
F. GOLDMAN: No. There won't be peace. I think it also is a recognition for him to know forevermore that we are going to be after him forevermore to make certain that he doesn't continue to do this stuff. And when he does, we are going to be after him.
WINFREY: OK.
F. GOLDMAN: To punish him for what he's done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Good. And I totally -- I absolutely agree with it. Keep after him. Do that. But when the country spoke and spoke loud and clear that they did not want this book published, we spoke, I spoke. KING: But why are they buying it?
BROWN: But now why publish it? Can I just tell you, you read pretty much the whole book. That is worth anything. Why go out and waste your money?
KING: Why do you think it appears to be selling?
BROWN: Well, I don't know how much is selling? I mean, I've heard that from 18 to 20 thousand dollars books sold. If you sell 18 to 20,000 books, you get on the "The New York Times" best seller list.
KING: Yeah, you do.
BROWN: So I could go in and buy them.
KING: We have an e-mail from Loraine, Stony Point, New York. You and the Goldmans are on opposite sides now, you are divided. Don't you think that makes O.J. happy?
BROWN: Well, absolutely, it does. Doesn't it make him happy that this book is published, that his words are going to be read now? Isn't that what he wanted all along? He already got his money. He was -- he's not going to make any more money. Even if the book, even if it wasn't published for 18 months, it wasn't going to revert back to Simpson. It was going to go back to the trustee, to the bankruptcy court, the trustee in the court. It wasn't going back to Simpson. Simpson is not making a dime off of this anymore. So it is about money.
KING: So the Browns have gotten nothing?
BROWN: They will not get anything. They're not a part of the civil judgment, Larry. It is the estate of Nicole for Sidney and Justin. The Browns get nothing. Denise Brown gets nothing. My sisters get nothing. The only person that is even remotely involved is my father, Lou bBown, who is the executor of the estate and he gets nothing. It is only the estate of Nicole that is involved in the civil judgment. That is it.
KING: Do you think it's ever going away?
BROWN: Oh, God, I hope so. Let's look at the bigger picture. Let's do something positive in society. That's all we can do. Let's not let evil prevail, Larry. Let's have good people stand up and say, no, it's enough. Let's open up the garage doors again. Let the kids run from house to house. Let them play, let them be happy in our communities and our societies. Get involved a global movement. Reshapesociety.com. Let's do it.
KING: Thanks, Denise. As always. Look forward to seeing you.
BROWN: Thank you.
KING: Sorry you couldn't be with us here.
BROWN: Me, too. Thanks.
KING: Denise Brown. Nicole Brown's sister, the former sister- in-law of O.J. Simpson. When we come back, our friend Ryan Seacrest who will host the Emmys on Sunday night. Will he dance? Will he tell jokes? We'll ask. Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN SEACREST, EMMY HOST: You can't do anything without somebody noticing which can be difficult at times. It is a possibility to go to jail, as well?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything is a possibility at this point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEACREST: The winner of "American Idol", (inaudible). Here we go.
Hilarious.
KING: Ryan's hosted our show. He's guested on our show. You are an unusual personality that you do everything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is acting and funny. He does drama and comedy.
SEACREST: I just say yes. When asked, I say yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: He is our friend. He is an incredible talent. He is the busiest person in the world. He is the host of "American Idol," the managing editor and lead anchor of E! News, executive producer of upcoming Kim Cardashian reality project on E! network. Host of the radio countdown American top 40. Host of L.A.'s - we're out of time.
SEACREST: Out of time. Thank you for having me.
KING: Why do you have a beard?
SEACREST: Because there's no time to shave. This is a result of all of those things that you are talking about.
KING: You have no time to do anything?
SEACREST: I now flush and pee simultaneously. Because there's no time to wait.
KING: So when you get up in the morning, you rush to the radio show and the day begins? SEACREST: It is dark when I leave and it's dark when I get home and this happens and then, you know, I get close to the Emmys and I'll quickly put a razor to it in the car.
KING: How did the Emmy thing come about?
SEACREST: They asked me to do it at which point I thought, OK. Who has said no? If you are asking me to host this show. And someone did. I said, great. Let's do it. It will be fun.
KING: Now, you are not a comic?
SEACREST: Clearly.
KING: You're not -- we have done that. You are not a comic. You are not a singer. What is your approach?
SEACREST: I dance.
KING: Uh-huh.
SEACREST: I dance.
KING: You will dance?
SEACREST: Of course. I will dance through all of those stars up and down the aisles. Yeah. That's -- that becomes the challenge. You are not a comic. A comic has always hosted the show. I'm not a dancer. So I'm not going to open with a big dance number. What I do for a living is run these live events and so I'm going to approach it like it's another big, live event.
And it is not about the host. It is about all of those nominees. I don't know if they're listening to the host when the host comes out. Because they're worried about will they win? What will they say if they get up there?
KING: It's not a lot of work, is it? Because the presenters are presenting. You the interlocutor.
SEACREST: Thank you. Here's what's funny about it. I keep getting these calls, do you want to have rehearsal? It's Friday and it's not until Sunday. We can -- can we just have brunch and talk about it on Sunday? There isn't that much work to it. To be honest with you. It's less than doing this show, it's less work than doing the radio show. And it's less work than running "American Idol" but you are in front of a lot of people in our industry who are judging you.
KING: Ah. So do you feel the pressure yet?
SEACREST: No. But Sunday morning I will. Sunday morning. Why worry now? I'll worry then. If I worry then, I'll get myself all worked up.
KING: So is there something to do to approach it? To deal with that? You've never dealt with it before.
SEACREST: Um, do you know, I tell you what they have done. They have built this stage that actually makes me feel more comfortable. They built, it is in the round this year. So there are stars literally almost as close as you and I are from the stage. And they're up on all sides of you so you can literally turn around 360 and speak and talk to all of them. So there is a -- it is a very, very different feeling and look and that actually makes me feel more comfortable about it.
KING: Do you do any opening of envelopes?
SEACREST: Well, I don't know. I haven't really ...
KING: The host doesn't.
SEACREST: I don't think I do. I'd like for an envelope to be opened and then the category for reality, say, "American Idol" is the winner. I figure I can beat Simon to the podium because he will be in his seat which I moved back.
KING: You have been compared so much to Dick Clark. Now, Dick, when he did shows and he has done various shows, he likes to interview winners.
SEACREST: Uh-huh.
KING: Are you going to do any of that?
SEACREST: I might, I might. I think this show -- it will be a lot of fun. There are a lot of moving parts to it. It is going to move quickly and I would like for it to as this show feels off the cuff and in the moment.
KING: Is Britney Spears going to be on?
SEACREST: There was a rumor that I had heard that she was going to be on this show and the second I heard that, I thought, how in the world do you work Britney Spears into the Emmy telecast? And I don't know the answer to that. I don't see it in the run down. I have not been told I have to do anything for Britney Spears. However, I was down there today and, you know, it is typical panic and there are closed doors and people running around so I don't know. If she is going to be on, I assume I'm not a part of it because I don't know anything about it.
KING: Let's take a look at what she did last week at the MTV Awards ...
SEACREST: Stand by.
KING: And get your comment.
SECREAST: Roll.
KING: Go. (MUSIC)
KING: The "American Idol" judges Simon Cowell and others said they could take her under the wing for six months and give you a new Britney Spears. Think so?
SEACREST: We were sitting in a press conference in San Diego during the "American Idol" auditions the other day and Simon said he would like to manage her and said come on guys, let's do it. I think she is in a position to have one of the greatest comebacks a pop star has had the opportunity to have.
You know, she -- she clearly is somebody that can perform. That can do it. She can sell records. She's done it. The question is, what will she do to get back to that place? There some people are rooting for her. That looked like it was in slow motion.
KING: Why do you think she did that?
SEACREST: God, why do I think she's done a lot of things over the last months? I don't know. I think she probably felt like she was ready and when you watch it, you get the sense that she may have needed another week or so to get ready for that telecast.
KING: Anderson Cooper's on the way back from Iraq so John King is sitting in to host AC 360 at the top of the hour. John what is up tonight?
JOHN KING, CNN HOST: Fascinating show, Larry. Thanks a lot. A lot happening, as you know, for a Friday and we'll certainly be hitting more on the O.J. Simpson story out of Las Vegas. Also, details on the longest serving Republican in the Senate implicated in a court today in a bribery scandal and Anderson with a 360 special report, keeping them honest in Iraq, a big night and bringing it to you starting at the top of the hour. Larry?
KING: Thanks, John. That's John King AC 360, 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific. Back with more of Ryan Seacrest, the host of Sunday night's Emmys right after this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to see Britney Spears so bad.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think she can pull off a come back, though?
CHRIS BROWN, SINGER: I think she can. I think she can pull off a come back.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back with Ryan sea crest. Is it true that you are going to do the red carpet interviews and host the Emmys.
SEACREST: I will host the preshow and then I will host the show.
KING: Why? That is manic. That is manic.
SEACREST: I have a problem. I just -- I like to say yes to all of these things. Why not?
KING: You have a severe problem.
SEACREST: Why not? I always wanted to be the guy working a lot and I'm that guy. I'll figure out when to go in and I'll do the show and I'll do the post show, too.
KING: Why don't you host a midnight special on Sunday night. Following the Emmys.
SEACREST: That's a great idea.
KING: A panel discussion.
SEACREST: I stopped sleeping last year. There's time. I have a whole day part I can fill.
KING: What are you out to prove?
SEACREST: What am I out to prove?
KING: What are you out to prove?
SEACREST: I just have no fall back plan whatsoever. I can't do anything else but fill time. That's all I can do. That's what I do. I fill time.
KING: You are a fill?
SEACREST: I'm a fill. I'm a filler. Yeah. I'm the filler.
KING: Newport News, Virginia, for Ryan Seacrest, hello.
CALLER: Hi. I was just wondering who's Ryan looking forward to seeing Sunday?
SEACREST: I like -- well, I love Ally Larter. She is cute. I like "The Office." That cast is fun. "The Entourage" guys are always a good time. There's going to be a live performance from Christina Aguilera and Tony Bennett which is fantastic.
KING: I was at a concert of his last Saturday night at Radio City. Packed the house. Packed the house. He was unbelievable.
SEACREST: He's amazing. He's great. So the two of them -- I think she is pregnant so we'll see her for the first time pregnant.
KING: That's -- that's nice. Any "American Idol" winners?
SEACREST: Performing? No.
KING: Castle Rock, Colorado, hello.
CALLER: Yes. I would like to ask Mr. Seacrest what in his youth, high school, college or lifetime experience has best helped him to prepare for the career that he's having now and what advice would he give to young people who aspire to a career such as his?
SEACREST: Well, when I was a kid, I did do a lot. Believe it or not, I played football. I was -- you know, in student government. I did the morning announcements, hosted the pep rallies. I do the same thing now it is just now a slightly larger way but I believed when I was a kid that I didn't have and I don't have any special talent. I just believed that I could work hard so I would get there before everybody and leave after everyone and ended up getting the job.
KING: Has success been difficult?
SEACREST: Not at all. Not at all. Anybody who says success is tough is crazy or lying. It's fantastic. It's great. To be able to pay for our house, to be able to do something you love. It's fantastic.
KING: Do you like the downside? The rumors, the tabloids?
SEACREST: Couldn't care less. It doesn't bother me a bit. Not at all.
KING: That's a great attitude to have.
SEACREST: It doesn't bother me. It really doesn't. I mean, I actually -- I said this the other day. If you are not in Jay's monologue, then you better start looking at your career because if you were in it and not anymore, then things aren't going as well.
KING: So, God forbid they don't mention you?
SEACREST: Yeah. If they're not making fun of you, then you have a problem. You need to go back do the puppet show.
KING: You told meow wanted to do something that Clark did a lot of, management. To produce shows.
SEACREST: I love to be on these shows but my play is to be in a position where I can start to own some of the shows I'm doing. If not all of the shows.
KING: You're a hired hand now?
SEACREST: Right now, well, the production company is 15 series in development. We just closed the deal for a scripted show we're going to produce. We have reality shows we are producing. So now I'm finally making that transition to own these shows and produce them. So I looked at what Dick did and even Merv Griffin whom I love you as know.
KING: Oh, yeah.
SEACREST: These guys used the momentum they had as personalities to build businesses and own properties and that is my plan. We'll see what happens.
KING: Do you have any time for a personal life?
SEACREST: Well, you and I had dinner a year ago. Right? We had dinner, was it a year ago?
KING: It was.
SEACREST: You and I had dinner.
KING: You know some -- you have nice lady friends.
SEACREST: Yes.
KING: Do you want to be married? Do you want to have children?
SEACREST: Here's the plan. I would like to almost die from working. And then get married. Do you know -- like almost kill myself and then get married.
KING: You will broadcast your wedding.
SEACREST: We've already sold it. We've got the Internet we're going to do. We're going to do texting.
KING: Coming up, the information everybody wants on Ryan and the Emmys, what will he wear? I'll ask and we'll offer a couple of wardrobe tips -- we'll have wardrobe tips for him when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Princess Anne, Maryland, hello.
CALLER: Hi. I wanted to ask Ryan, whatever happened to the co- host on season one of "American Idol"?
SEACREST: OK. Going back. Season one of "American Idol," Brian. We started the show.
KING: What was his name?
SEACREST: His name was Brian Dunkelman (ph), still is his name and we started the show as a pair because that was the formula that was successful in England and then once we started doing the show, I think that everyone realized that you didn't really need two hosts to do it. He's a comic and actor. I'm a broadcaster and a host and I wanted to do it. I think he wanted to go and pursue the acting career.
KING: Where is he?
SEACREST: I think he is doing stand-up. I haven't spoken to him in years. But I think he is doing stand up now.
KING: Did he not work? I mean, did the show not work with two hosts?
SEACREST: It was tough with two hosts. You know, I mean, when you are running a live show like that, somebody's got to be in control and take the lead so you can move it.
KING: Does it work with two hosts in England?
SEACREST: It did. But it's no longer on the air so I guess in the long run it didn't.
KING: It went off?
SEACREST: It went off. Yeah. "Pop Idol" lasted for a year or two in England. It was hugely successful and then went off the air and it's been successful since it launched.
KING: And "American Idol" airs there?
SEACREST: "American Idol" airs in the U.K.
KING: Do you fear it going? What do you care?
SEACREST: I care. I care. It's a driver. It drives everything. I have a couple of extra things to play into.
KING: It's still your number one drive?
SEACREST: It is the engine. It is the -- I mean, to be a part of that show that's made that kind of an impact on pop culture is pretty incredible.
KING: Not kidding. OK. We know it's important what to wear at these big award shows. So is it OK if I offer you a couple of suggestions.
SEACREST: I would love that.
KING: You got me hooked on high fashion jeans a while back. In fact, all the jeans I wear are Ryan Seacrest jeans.
SEACREST: That's right.
KING: So I am going to return the favor. A one of a pair kind of sneakers.
SEACREST: Ah, these are under the desk now.
KING: Look at these guys.
SEACREST: These are the Ed Hardys? Look at that.
KING: Look at that.
SEACREST: I mean, come on.
KING: And notice they come literally with no strings attached. No laces.
SEACREST: I need the comedy writers for the Emmys.
KING: And you can slip those off during commercial breaks and you know how I feel about a certain fashion accessory. In my opinion, you are not fully clothed without a pair of these, a pair of suspenders or braces made just for you by a member of our staff. Look at this outfit.
SEACREST: Look at this, huh?
KING: Come out with this Sunday night.
SEACREST: It is a winning combination, isn't it? Come on. It doesn't get better than that.
KING: Tiptoe through the tulips.
SEACREST: So I have got to get these buttons sewed on.
KING: Inside the thing.
SEACREST: And you where these things all the time. You kick around in these? Dressing like you're 15.
KING: You know why? They're comfortable.
SEACREST: OK.
KING: And you don't need laces and they feel great.
SEACREST: Right. But skull and cross bones does -- Larry King and skull and cross bones.
KING: What do you care? You know who we spent a pair to?
SEACREST: Who?
KING: Bob Woodward.
SEACREST: It's not consistent with your brand or his brand.
KING: Its got your name on it?
SEACREST: Thank you very much. I might put these on.
KING: What are you going to wear Sunday?
SEACREST: Actually, it's funny you say that. I am going to wear a tuxedo to start and then at one point there is the call for me to wear a costume for something that we've got to do and it may be the biggest mistake of my career to have footage of me in this costume exist. KING: Can you give us any kind of clue?
SEACREST: Big Bird. As the show goes on, if nothing -- tune in for this embarrassing footage. If nothing else ...
KING: Wait a minute ...
SEACREST: I'm telling you ...
KING: Who come up with this? Which one of the suits backstage says, Big Bird.
SEACREST: There is a reason for it. I'm not saying it is Big Bird. Think that.
KING: Are you honoring "Sesame Street"?
SEACREST: I'm not honoring "Sesame Street." I'm saying think big like that. Think over the top like that, think beak.
KING: Think animal, break, duck.
SEACREST: Think beak and duck and stay tuned. Because it's happening. It is happening halfway through the show.
KING: Donald Duck! OK.
SEACREST: OK, this is already enough. It's a scoop.
KING: Can't wait to see it. A scoop. Ryan Seacrest. Watch the end of a career Sunday night.
SEACREST: I feel like when we do this show we're not even on the air.
KING: Before we go, a quick reminder - we're not - a quick reminder to check out our Web site, cnn.com/larryking. You can download our newest podcast. Biz wiz Suze Orman. You can also take part in our quick votes or e-mail upcoming guests. It's all at cnn.com/larryking. Speaking of upcoming guests, Kathy Griffin comes back with us Monday night. She'll take on Sunday's Emmy Awards.
And now we head to Washington. My man, John King who is filling in for Anderson on tonight's AC 360.
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