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CNN Larry King Live
Murder In Miami: Sean Taylor Shot, Killed; Interview With Creflo Dollar
Aired November 27, 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, murder in Miami.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At approximately about 3:30 this morning, Sean Taylor expired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: The victim -- the Washington Redskins star safety, who was at the top of his game. Now, his grieving family, the NFL, football fans and the police want to know who shot Sean Taylor in his own home -- fiance and baby daughter nearby -- and why. In a late twist, the girlfriend has been identified. She's actor Andy Garcia's niece.
Then, ministers living large -- Pastor Creflo Dollar, a target of the Senate probe into televangelist finances -- defends his lavish lifestyle.
Is he living up to his name at church members' expenses?
Plus, triple threat (ph) and all with sizzling American beauty Sharon Stone. The actress and mother is also a champion fund raiser for AIDS. We'll catch up with her, her career, the kids and her private life -- carefully guarded until now. Next, on LARRY KING LIVE.
We start with the tragic story in Miami and the tragic death of safety Sean Taylor of the Washington Redskins, formerly the University of Miami Hurricanes.
In Plantation, Florida, is Richard Sharpstein, the family friend and former attorney for Sean.
And in Miami is our own John Zarrella, CNN's Miami correspondent.
Anything late to report -- John?
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, what we're hearing is that Sean Taylor's father, late this afternoon, came out and pleaded with whoever killed his son to please turn himself in. At the same time police are clearly treating this as a homicide and they are saying that there are clear signs of forced entry.
But the police are also telling us tonight that they do not believe that there's any link to Sean Taylor's past in what happened, that they believe this is a pure random act of violence, although there was a break-in at his house eight days before this incident and they're investigating, trying to piece together whether there is any connection between the break-in, eight days ago, when no one was home, and the break-in Monday morning when Sean Taylor was gunned down and killed -- Larry.
KING: Richard, the Skins played in Tampa and flew back to Washington.
Why didn't Sean go back with them?
RICHARD SHARPSTEIN, SEAN TAYLOR'S FRIEND AND ATTORNEY, KNEW HIM FOR 10 YEARS: Sean had permission of the team, Larry, to go back to his home in Miami. He was concerned about the burglary that had occurred the week before. But primarily, he was there to see an orthopedic surgeon to get a second opinion on his knee, which was injured. And he was told in Washington he was out for the season. He wasn't supposed to be there.
KING: I see.
Was he at all -- did he express to you any fear for his safety?
SHARPSTEIN: He never expressed fear for his safety. I know there was concern after the first burglary. This was a random burglary, Larry, but it was probably tied into the first burglary -- whether it was the same people or related people that returned. This was a tragic, senseless incident. I don't believe they were there to kill Sean Taylor, but he was killed nonetheless. So this is murder, and these people need to be caught.
His girlfriend and his young 18-month-old baby were cradled in a bed when he was senselessly shot when the door was burst in.
KING: John, Murder is not uncommon in Miami. And it's not uncommon around that university. The University of Miami has had its share of violence on and off the field.
Is there any conjecture about this?
Is there talk about who might have done this and why?
ZARRELLA: No, not really any talk of it. But you're absolutely right. In fact, just a year ago, Bryan Pata, another University of Miami player, was gunned down in the parking lot of his apartment complex. And to this day, that murder still goes unsolved. So police have two murders -- one University of Miami player, one a former University of Miami player, now the Redskins safety, that they are looking into. Certainly very tragic.
The University of Miami, throughout the years, has had its share of losses -- in violent ways -- of many of their star players. So this just the latest in a very tough, tough chapter that the University of Miami has gone through -- Larry.
KING: Richard, Sean's father, Pedro Taylor, is chief of police of Florida City. That's a smaller town near Homestead. He issued a statement. He said: "Many of his fans loved him because of the way he played football. Many of his opponents feared him because of the way he approached the game. Others misunderstood him. Many appreciated him and his family loved him. I can only hope and pray that Sean's life was not in vain and that it might touch others in a special way."
How was he misunderstood, Richard?
SHARPSTEIN: Well, actually, Pedro's though thoughts sum it up perfectly. Sometimes Sean was misunderstood because he was shy. He was an introvert. On the football field, he was ferocious. But even in high school, he shunned the limelight. He -- he ran from the media. And they took that as arrogance. And sometimes he was misunderstood as being ego-centric.
Quite to the contrary, Larry. I've known him since high school. My wife, Janice, and I, and my law partner, have known him since he played football at Gulliver Prep. My girls were cheerleaders there. He was a warm, sensitive, kind young man and misunderstood because of his quiet side. And he wasn't the type of -- he didn't wear his pride on his sleeve, that's for sure.
KING: Robert Parker, director of the Miami-Dade Police Department, joins us from Miami.
Anything later to report, Robert?
ROBERT PARKER, DIRECTOR, MIAMI-DADE POLICE DEPARTMENT: Actually, not lately, Larry, here, in terms of developments of the case. Obviously, we're working this thing full speed. A lot of investigators are working a lot of details. As you may have heard earlier, we took quite a bit of evidence from the scene, all of which is being processed presently. We wish that we had some information that would say we had suspects in mind or in custody, but that's not the case so far.
KING: If this is random, meaningless, does that make it harder to find out the culprits?
PARKER: Not necessarily. In most cases, people make mistakes in terms of covering their tracks. The fact that it's random -- and I really do have a tendency to just believe that it is random. I think the most potential coincidental think is the fact that we had an earlier burglary there -- and potentially that it's the same burglar. But other than that, I think it is random.
We're pretty adept at apprehending burglars and people who engage in conduct such as this. So we feel confident that, in time -- and I wish it had happened already -- but that, in time, we will apprehend the individual.
KING: Did his girlfriend see anything?
PARKER: We don't think that the girlfriend saw anything, no, based on her position and where she was in the bedroom.
SHARPSTEIN: Actually, Larry, she was hidden under the sheets. When they heard thumping in the outer room, Sean told her to hide. She gathered the baby in her arms. Sean locked the door. And then when he went back to the door, it was kicked in and two shots were fired. She did not come out from under the sheets until after the people had cleared the house. She saw nothing.
KING: Has Andy Garcia said anything to your knowledge yet, Richard?
SHARPSTEIN: No. He is Jackie's uncle. Jackie and Sean were high school sweethearts. They had been together seven years. Andy is her father's brother. I haven't spoken to him. He hasn't come out publicly. I'm sure he is comforting Jackie. She's a wonderful, sweet young lady who went through a senseless tragedy and lost her lover and the father of her daughter.
KING: In the past, Sean talked about how fragile life can be.
Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY COMCAST SPORTSNET)
SEAN TAYLOR: You've seen a couple of players in the last couple of weeks, you know, be subjects to shootings. And it's just a life- changing thing, where one shot of a bullet or whatever the case is, you know, it changes lives. So it's just basically just staying away from those types of things and staying out of harm's danger -- of harm's way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you just look at him from the way he has changed over the last year, you know, it's just been -- it's been outstanding to have an opportunity to spend time with him, because he was just a special person. And, you know, he will truly be missed by all of us. You know, we hold him close to our hearts and it's just a tough situation right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: The Redskin coach, Joe Gibbs, said today that Sean matured a lot over the last 18 months since the birth of his daughter.
Would you confirm that, Richard?
SHARPSTEIN: Oh, absolutely. Sean -- the birth of his daughter turned him in -- like most fathers -- into a beaming, proud father. He had matured a lot. He was only 24-years-old, Larry. His football game had matured. He had matured. He was a wonderful young man and he was just in the prime of his life. And it's an unfortunate incident, the fact that this young girl has to grow up without a father. And his girlfriend and he were going to get married, I understand, at the end of the football season.
It's totally senseless and pathetic.
KING: A full investigation underway, Robert?
PARKER: Absolutely. We've pulled out all the stops in terms of following up all leads. We have a full investigative team assigned to this. We're working it round the clock in terms of getting to the bottom of this. We hope to soon have some positive news or information. That's not to indicate that we're working anything that's going to lead to that, but that is our true hope, that we can solve this as soon as possible.
KING: And John Zarrella, of course, will be atop this thing.
And thank you all.
Coming up, Christian ministries under fire and investigation -- we'll talk to Evangelist Creflo Dollar about his church and cash flow, when LARRY KING LIVE returns.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CREFLO DOLLAR, PASTOR, WORLD CHANGERS CHURCH INTERNATIONAL: The word of God is the gateway to the world of wealth.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As for Dollar, he lives in a multi-million Dollar home in Fayetteville, Georgia, travels in expensive cars and private jets, even access to a $2.5 million Manhattan apartment -- with no apology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Welcome back.
Earlier this month, Senator Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, began an investigation of six prominent Christian ministries. He wants to know if they have illegally used donations to fund lavish lifestyles. Senator Grassley sent letters probing a wide range of areas -- everything from checking and savings accounts, to airplanes and fancy cars. Those contacted have until December 6th to respond.
One of those contacted is Dr. Creflo Dollar, pastor of World Changes Church International and of Creflo Dollar Ministries. He and his wife Taffi are the subject -- one of the subjects of this U.S. Senate inquiry looking into finances.
Are you surprised that you're one of them, doctor?
DOLLAR: Well, yes, sir. I'm very surprised. One of the things that we really want to make clear is that Senator Grassley sent out a very nice letter requesting for us to participate. And, unfortunately, the letter doesn't hold the power of a Committee subpoena, because you have to have the backing of the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and you have to have the majority vote of that Committee.
So it was a letter requesting for information to participate in him, you know, doing a good job. We really appreciate him wanting to continue to do a good job in overseeing federal tax laws.
KING: Therefore, you are complying?
DOLLAR: Well, we -- we've always stated that we would be willing to comply with any valid request. So what we did after we got the letter was submitted the information to our counsel. They have responded to his letter with a letter from our counsel. And I'll just have to allow the legal argument to take place, because I'm not a lawyer.
KING: I know. But simply put, have you given them the information he requested?
DOLLAR: No, we have not given him the information that he has requested, simply because we don't believe we are under any legal obligations to have to do it when the IRS has already been given the authority to act as a tax examiner and not a Committee.
KING: So why not, doctor, comply?
It's a United States senator. He's the ranking member of the Committee. He's made, as you said, a very nicely written request. You've already complied with the tax people. You've got nothing to hide.
What have you got to lose?
DOLLAR: Well, the difference between giving the information to the IRS versus giving it to a Senate committee is that the IRS is bound by Code 6103, which gives you the tax privacy. The Committee is not bound by any type of codes that will offer us privacy and who wants to wake up the next morning and see their salary and their information in the newspaper?
KING: But you don't want to -- for example, if you're taking personal advantage using credit cards that the church -- that people have given you money as church donations and they turn into buying you a suit of clothes, you don't want to take advantage of people that way, do you?
So this way, by coming out in the open, you show the public you're not.
DOLLAR: Well, first of all, you know, I use my own credit cards to get my clothes. But I believe it's important for us to make sure that we are accountable to those donors and supporters of the ministry, and not to make it a public -- make it a public practice to reveal things concerning our donors, concerning the people that support our ministry, when some of those donors really don't want their names exposed to the public.
KING: Does a donor, any donor, have the right to request information from you after he or she has made a donation to you?
DOLLAR: Absolutely. And not only are we willing to share that information with the donors, but our membership has the right at any time to come into our accounting department and to see the audit reports, to see any financial information that they wish to view, because as a supporter and donor of the ministry, they have a right to see that information.
KING: We'll take a break and come back and we'll talk about the lifestyle and how Dr. Dollar responds to those who criticize it.
Our guest is Dr. Creflo Dollar, pastor of World Changes Church International.
Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOLLAR: And I pray over this first fruit offering. I declare a blessing over this first fruit. And because the first one is blessed, the love is blessed and the rest are (INAUDIBLE) in Jesus' name.
Amen.
(INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOLLAR: ...offering. And then once you bring an offering, come into his courts (ph), worship the Lord with the beauty of holiness, here before him on the Earth. So it is scriptural (ph) to bring an offering when you come into the sanctuary of God.
Amen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: My guest is Dr. Creflo Dollar.
Give us a sense of your lifestyle, doctor. You -- it's reported you have a mansion in Atlanta, a multi-million dollar apartment in New York, a private jet.
Why would a minister -- a guy speaking the word, anyone speaking the word of the Lord -- need that?
DOLLAR: Well, first of all, the private jet is owned by the church. I don't own it personally. And I see that jet as necessary -- a necessary tool in order to accomplish the mission of our ministry. I preach all over the world. We have offices all over the world. I pastor a church in New York and Atlanta. We're setting up hundreds of satellite churches around the country. So my board of directors and the constituents that support our ministry saw it as a necessary tool in order for me to accomplish the mission.
As far as the apartment in New York, I've been working for years, and if you manage your money properly and if you work and, you know, own businesses and do what you're supposed to do, then you can afford to buy those with your own money. I think there's a miscalculated assumption that whenever a minister owns anything that he had to use the church's money to purchase it. But there are ministers, like myself, who -- we own our own businesses. We're intelligent enough to invest and to save and to manage our money properly. And so if we choose to purchase what we want to purchase with our money, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
KING: But did the money come from basic starting with donations that you used smartly enough and invested well enough to get that beautiful apartment in New York, but the basis of the money was from donors?
DOLLAR: Not my money. The basis of my money came from my businesses. I had a job before I went into the ministry. I used to be a therapist. And when you invest properly and you do the proper things with your money -- I try to practice and comply with the IRS. And that is to keep the finances of the ministry separate from personal spending. And that's very important in order to comply with IRS regulations.
KING: When Senator Grassley says -- he said in an interview: "Jesus comes into the city in a simple mule and you get people today expanding his gospel in corporate jets. Somebody ought to raise questions about whether that's right or wrong."
Don't you think most people would say that what you're doing -- if you've got a corporate jet, whether the church owns it or not -- is basically anti- -- it's anti what you're teaching?
DOLLAR: Not at all. What we teach is a gospel that simply says, according to the word, that it is God's will for you to prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. We also believe that the father takes pleasure in the prosperity of his children. So if the first amendment still in operation, then whether people agree with it or not, it still gives us the freedom to exercise what we believe from the word of God.
And so -- there are people who don't agree with it, but it is clearly identified in scripture in the bible to prosper, not only in your health, not only in your family, not only with your marriage, but also financially. But if the constituents and the supporters and the board of directors have no problem with getting those tools to use it in ministry, then it's no problem at all. And I think when most people look at it and make comments, it's because they lack the understanding of the IRS regulations and the complying with the IRS. And there's nothing wrong with it at all. Those constituents believe that that church should have those tools.
KING: So you deserve, then, your tax exemptions?
DOLLAR: Well, I want to make sure I'm very clear on this. As a citizen of the United States, I pay taxes. Also, as a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization, we pay -- we are responsible for paying sales taxes and we're also responsible for paying employee taxes. Now, we are exempt from federal taxes, but that is because that regulation was given to us by the United States government.
KING: Yes.
DOLLAR: And so, as a result of it, we didn't make the laws. We're just abiding by them.
KING: Let me get a call.
Washington, D.C. a call for Dr. Creflo Dollar.
Hello.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.
KING: Hello?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.
How are you doing?
KING: All right, go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got a question for the pastor. Thank you for letting me answer ask my question.
But, Pastor, I do think that the bible also mandates that we help the impoverished people in our communities. So I just wanted to know what you do personally and what does your ministry do to help the people in your community who aren't as fortunate as you are?
DOLLAR: Yes, sir. We have over 60 outreach ministries that reach out in almost every area. We feed the poor. We clothe them. We build homes. We have an outreach ministry to prostitutes and to bring them off the street and put them into housing. We have a ministry where we give money to single mothers to help them cut their grocery bills down. We have ministry to HIV/AIDS. We have drug addiction ministries.
Our outreach not only goes out and reaches out to our community, but as a worldwide ministry, we reach out to our community, we reach out to the entire United States and we reach out to the six continents around the world.
KING: We'll take a break and be back with some more moments with his Dr. Creflo Dollar. And then Sharon Stone on this edition of LARRY KING LIVE.
Senator Fred Thompson will be our special guest on Friday night.
Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ...followers, the more they give, the more they'll be blessed. Now White and five other media-based ministries are being investigated for alleged financial misconduct by Republican Senator Grassley. SEN. CHARLES GRASSLEY (R-IA), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: I'm just interested in not the personality and not the preaching of these people, I'm only interested are the laws being followed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He says he's following up on news reports and complaints to his office from whistleblowers about possible misuse of millions of dollars that go to tax-exempt mega churches.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Some more moments with Dr. Creflo Dollar.
Last night, Dr. Dollar, Pastor Paula White, who is also under investigation, was on this show. And here is what she responded when I asked her about that last night.
Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PASTOR PAULA WHITE: Why is our faith being targeted as part of this inquiry when there are laws on the book and there is legal jurisdiction any time there is abuse in financial handling?
KING: But Senator Grassley is trying to change the law with regard to a tax break because he feels if someone is in the church and they can afford a plane, why do they get a tax break? It's a fair question.
WHITE: But there are already current laws on the books and there are jurisdictions -- the IRS can come in and do any kind of investigation for a person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Dr. Dollar, do you believe that you deserve, in the areas you get it, tax exemption?
DOLLAR: Oh, absolutely. If you look at how our nation has always operated, we just would be in a pitiful position if the church was not able to reach out and help people when tragic situations hit.
I mean, we do things that the government won't even think about doing because we're grassroots. We have compassion for people. We touch those people.
And the government is not always going to give us the funds in order to really help our people in very horrific situations. So, I absolutely do think we deserve to do that and to be able to do it. And you can do it with that tax exempt status. But we do so much for people is what I want folks to really realize.
If you take away the church from the nation, understand that the church makes good people. And good people make up a strong nation. But if you continue to attack the church, which will create good people, then you're going to effect the strength of that nation. And without a doubt, the strength of this nation is the local churches that are in this nation.
KING: And if donations were diverted for personal use, you would be against that completely, right?
DOLLAR: Oh, absolutely. Why? Because it's against the law.
We should be accountable for making sure that the financial donations of donors and supporters are being used for the purpose that we have stated for them to be used. And so I have no problems with the laws, but I think people need to understand, we didn't create the laws.
And so maybe the government never thought that the church would grow past 200 or 300 or 500 people. But now that the churches are growing to 10,000 and 20,000 and 50,000 because they're reaching out more, they're feeding more people -- they're the ones who went into Katrina and ministered to the folks. They were the ones that go into tornado situations. And so we've got to be careful not to beat up on the church all the time, because it's the church that will be there to bury you, to marry you, to comfort you, to counsel you, to take care of you.
And we can't depend on governmental funds to pay for all of the services that we are providing to the public every single day.
KING: Thank you, Dr. Dollar. Thanks for being with us.
DOLLAR: Thank you, sir.
KING: Dr. Creflo Dollar, pastor of the World Changers Church International and of Creflo Dollar Ministries.
When we come back, Sharon Stone, the mother, actress, philanthropist, will be here. And later, Kenneth Cole will join her.
It's all ahead on LARRY KING LIVE.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARON STONE, ACTRESS, "BASIC INSTINCT 2": All right, all right. I killed Johnny Boz.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?
STONE: I didn't like him. For the money, to see if I could get away with it. To show that death really isn't very important. Because I was bored and you know how I hate being bored.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: She is one of my favorite people and has been for a long, long time. Sharon Stone, the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actress, spokesperson for amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.
You were here a year ago for the movie "Bobby," and we're going to cover World AIDS Day, which this is, in a minutes. A couple of other things.
You're still sexy. Not bad for a single mom.
How do you juggle your life -- movies, mother, children?
SHARON STONE, ACTRESS: Well, you k now, like all women, I think, we're just sort of born to it. I'm very lucky with my three kids, and that I've been in the movie business for so long, and that I've been able to use my fame for such great things.
I'm lucky. I'm in my 12th year with the American Foundation for AIDS Research, now the Global Foundation for AIDS Research.
KING: I remember the first one at the -- where were we, in New York? It was a big dinner.
STONE: Yes. That was wonderful. We got to honor you.
KING: I got an award.
STONE: Yes, you did.
KING: I got an award.
STONE: You've been helping us for a long time, Larry.
KING: "Playboy" named you among the 25 sexiest stars of the century.
Do you still like being a sex symbol?
STONE: Yes, it beats not being a sex symbol, I guess.
KING: Is getting -- approaching 50 scare you?
STONE: You know, it did. I had a couple of weeks where I thought, Jesus. That's a big number. And then, you know, I started feeling really great about it, excited about it and kind of wonderful.
KING: You should.
STONE: It's kind of a luminous thing. It's exciting now.
KING: And you love life. How is it going?
STONE: It's not so bad.
KING: Want to tell us?
STONE: No, I don't.
KING: But you obviously -- with that look, there's someone special.
STONE: Yes, kind of.
KING: How are the kids?
STONE: The kids are great.
KING: Roan, Laird and Quinn.
STONE: Yes. And they're wonderful. They're at this great age where they're really having fun together, chasing each other around.
KING: You have to share Roan, right?
STONE: Yes.
KING: Is that hard?
STONE: You know, it's not as hard as it was. It's getting to be a nice, nice thing now.
KING: So he goes back and forth, San Francisco, L.A.?
STONE: L.A. And he's really enjoying his brothers now that they're all walking and talking and playing together.
KING: And how's your -- I'm just getting caught up on things. How's your health? You had a brain aneurysm. You were hospitalized.
STONE: Six years ago, yes.
KING: God, that was six years ago.
Any recurrence of anything?
STONE: No. I seem to be able to walk and talk just fine.
KING: But you were -- there was a time it was touch and go, wasn't it?
STONE: There was. In the beginning, I have to say, it was -- it's a big thing, like when you have anything that affects the brain. It's pretty scary and pretty -- I think when anyone has a big affecting incident in their life, whether it's a -- you know, a divorce or a job change or a move or a health crisis, it's a moment to reconsider your whole life. And it's very affecting.
KING: Your sister Kelly (ph) had a struggle with Lupus. How's she doing?
STONE: Yes. Well, you know, Lupus is a big deal. It's a very big deal.
KING: It sure is. She sleeps a lot, right?
STONE: She does. And we're working with the people at the Lupus Foundation and trying to help with that. And, you know, it's affected our whole family.
KING: We have an e-mail question from Frances in Lawndale, California.
"Would you say that you've successfully balanced your priorities between raising kids, making movies and helping the research to cure AIDS?"
STONE: Yes, I think so. I do, because I think that the main thing that happens when you have kids is that it adjusts the way you look at the world overall. And I think it makes you feel very involved in the world in a new way and it opens your heart very differently. It makes you really see the future differently and want the world to be a better place for your kids.
KING: Movies in the works?
STONE: Yes. I have just been approved to direct a movie.
KING: No kidding?
STONE: Yes. So I'm very excited about that.
KING: A movie -- is it a book, an original script?
STONE: It's an original script.
KING: What about being in a movie?
STONE: I'm going to be in that movie.
KING: In the movie.
STONE: And I have a couple of independent movies coming out, one that's just been accepted at Sundance, so we're very excited about that.
KING: So, in other words, at this point right now, life is good?
STONE: Life is very good.
KING: You once worked at McDonald's?
STONE: Yes, I did.
KING: Where?
STONE: As a kid.
KING: Growing up?
STONE: In Pennsylvania. Oh, I did everything. I was the French fry girl, the milkshake girl, the counter girl.
KING: Now let's get to the subject at hand. This is the year anniversary of... STONE: World AIDS Day.
KING: This is World AIDS Day.
STONE: That's right.
KING: It's always November 26th, right?
STONE: Well, December 1st is the official World AIDS Day. And so every year, we like to do bring people together to take a good look and say, are we doing everything we can to combat AIDS and HIV? And of course, we never are, because we have so many people in the world living with AIDS. And right now, we have 33.2 people now live with HIV and AIDS worldwide.
KING: 33.2 million?
STONE: Million -- 2.5 million of them are under the age of 15, Larry.
KING: Why did you get involved?
STONE: Well, I've been involved for a very long time, long before I worked with amfAR. I worked -- I worked at the Elizabeth Glaser Foundation here in our community when it was just a very small thing, a local fair. And of course now it's a worldwide foundation, which is really quite wonderful.
KING: Elizabeth Taylor, did you work with her too?
STONE: I did. And, in fact, the very first time that I worked with amfAR, I was at Cannes, at the film festival in the south of France, with a film I had there that was closing the festival, "The Quick and the Dead." And that -- they came to me, the people at amfAR, and said that Elizabeth Taylor was going to be unable to attend the event and would I step in for her? Which it's a little bit daunting when someone says, can you fill in for Elizabeth Taylor?
And I said that I would, but I had no idea how I would. And the night came and I went and I was very nervous.
And I gave a talk about a night that the Make a Wish Foundation had come to me and said a little girl would like you to grant her wish, and she was dying of AIDS. And I granted her wish, and I talked about that that night in Cannes. And people were very moved.
And several days later, Dr. Krim, who heads amfAR, said, "Do you think you would take a position for us for three years?" And I took the position for three years thinking, in these three years, I'm really going to get something done.
And we raised a lot of money. But, of course, we don't have a cure and we don't have a vaccine, even though amfAR has found two of the three newest class of the AIDS drugs, we provided the money for that research. KING: I want to ask you about that. There is a general presumption not that it's cured, but that it's sort of controlled. Nobody dies of it. That's what people think. Let me ask you that when we come back.
STONE: Yes. OK.
KING: Our guest is Sharon Stone. And in a while, we'll be joined by the famed designer Kenneth Cole, who is also very, very involved. He is chairman of the board of amfAR.
Let's go to St. Petersburg where Anderson Cooper stands by. He will host that debate tomorrow night.
Anderson, what's up?
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER 360": Hey, Larry, thanks very much.
Coming up at the top of the hour on "360," we are live from St. Petersburg, as you mentioned. Tomorrow night, this is the stage where GOP presidential hopefuls will answer your YouTube questions in our second CNN/YouTube debate.
We got nearly 5,000 questions. They've now been submitted. We're going through them, literally, as we speak.
It's going to be a pretty remarkable evening. That's tomorrow night at 8:00.
Tonight on "360," at the top of the hour, a close look at the GOP. Is it a party in disarray or are they preparing to mastermind another victory? Some think they are.
We'll dig deeper tonight.
Also, in crime and punishment tonight, we'll bring you the story of a man who admits to a murder here in America, but has found a loophole in the law to avoid prosecution. You won't believe how he did it.
We'll explore that.
And the latest on the Sean Taylor murder mystery.
All at the top of the hour on "360" -- Larry.
KING: Thanks, Anderson.
That's "AC 360" at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.
More of Sharon Stone and treating HIV/AIDS. And still ahead, fashion designer Kenneth Cole.
Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STONE: We will stand for the one child who dies every minute. We will stand for the one person who dies every second of AIDS.
ELTON JOHN, MUSICIAN: It is a huge pandemic that's affecting the whole world.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to do something.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Only one percent of people affected in Africa are getting any medical treatment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The only other option is to die.
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: Every 14 seconds a child becomes orphaned.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're talking AIDS with Sharon Stone.
What about the conception or misconception that AIDS is kind of controlled?
STONE: Well, I think we have to even look at just what's happening here in America. You know, we have current statistics that there are 40 million people here in America with AIDS, but we are just about to have new numbers released that will probably happen some time soon after World AIDS Day, and they're going to look more like 60,000 people here in America with AIDS.
And we have, you know, so many people here with AIDS. We have in the world a child is dying every two minutes from AIDS. We have to look at what's really happening. And I think the biggest number we have to look at is how many people have survived AIDS. Zero.
KING: Yes, that's true, right?
STONE: Zero. And that's the big number.
KING: If you get it, you will die?
STONE: You will die. And that's the number we have to think of. That's the big number.
KING: A lot of kids born with it?
STONE: That's what we're trying to deal with now, is that we're able to -- in Massachusetts last year, we had -- mothers of HIV were able to give birth to zero children with AIDS. But we have many places in the world where it's not possible yet to deliver children HIV negative, because we don't have the equipment or the help.
And, of course, in many parts of the world, when mothers give birth to -- who are HIV positive, give birth to an HIV negative child, they have to look at other daunting possibilities, which is if they breastfeed, then they'll pass it on. But if they don't, they're giving their babies formula that have dirty water. And the child would die faster from the dirty water formula than they would if they actually gave them HIV positive breast milk.
So, we're looking at other issues other than just passing on HIV. We're looking at...
KING: There's a lot to this?
STONE: Yes. We have to get clean water to these people, too, so that they can help their children survive. So we have to look at compassionate care of people around the world.
KING: This Saturday, December 1st, is World AIDS Day. And Kenneth Cole will join Sharon Stone and I right after this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STONE: We will not be silent. We will not be silenced. We will stand for those 40 million people who are, at this moment, dying of AIDS.
KENNETH COLE, DESIGNER: I think there are ways that everybody can help. And I think we all have resources available to us. And hopefully, people will support us in ways that they can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Welcome back to LARRY KING LIVE with Sharon Stone, spokesperson for amfAR.
We're joined by in New York Kenneth Cole, the famed designer, chairman of the board of amfAR. That's the Foundation for AIDS Research.
What got you involved, Kenneth?
COLE: You know, I've been doing it over 20 years, Larry. And I joined for a short period of time, I guess just like Sharon. And I saw an opportunity to do something, it seemed, not -- it seemed significant with not such significant amount of resources. And over time, there continued to be just so many ways to affect what seems to be so much.
But the reality today is it's somewhat unsettling because you look back, you reflect, and it's one step forward, six steps back. Today, one for every person that is treated, there are six people that still today contract HIV.
KING: This year's campaign is "We're Forgetting AIDS." What does that mean, Kenneth? COLE: You know, it's a little tabloid-esque, Larry, but what it is, it's a bold statement and reminds all of us that, as far as we have come in so many ways, we haven't come very far at all. And as I said, for every person that contracts HIV, six people -- that are put under treatment, six people contract HIV.
People are still behaving recklessly. In the U.K., where the ad will be running, the statistics are 75 to 80 percent of people practice unsafe sex. In New York, it's 55 to 75 percent.
People aren't getting tested to the degree they need to anywhere. So, it just reminds people that, in fact, are we, should we be addressing this in a more serious way?
KING: Why would anyone, Sharon, be stupid enough -- is the only with word for it -- to practice unsafe sex?
STONE: Because I think that people don't really believe it can happen to them. I don't think that people are in the reality of how prevalent AIDS really is and how serious that it really is.
I don't think people realize that it's one of the leading killers in society today. I don't think they realize that, you know, it's the fourth leading killer of women in America or that, you know, half of the people that have AIDS are women. I don't think people really understand how serious this epidemic is.
KING: Do you think we're going to cure it Kenneth?
COLE: You know, I think we're making a lot of progress, Larry. People are living longer. People are living better.
amfAR has for 25 years, $250 million later, amfAR has been out front virtually at every turn. And the first -- took the lead in supporting, promoting Ryan White litigation in funding most of the initial research which has led to a lot of the drugs today that are helping people live longer, funded the mother/child initiatives today that are allowing thousands and thousands of children to maybe live at all, and who are being born without HIV.
And the first initial education journals which consolidated all the research (INAUDIBLE). Meanwhile, at the end of the day, no one has been cured, as Sharon said, which is the biggest and most unsettling statistic of all.
KING: Yes.
We have an e-mail from Jessica in Springtown, Texas.
"What do you feel is the most rewarding thing about fighting to stop AIDS?"
Sharon?
STONE: For me, it's seeing that where we went from even just when I started 12 years ago, where people were really silenced by shame, where families would spurn people next to them and where people wouldn't touch each other and talk to each other, people are really communicating, loving each other, stepping forward.
It's very much talked about. It's out in the light, where even politically now people are talking about it.
It's something we can talk about on your show. It's something that people can say, I have AIDS, I know someone with AIDS. Someone in my family has AIDS. It's something we just say the words now.
KING: It used to be not spoken about, right, Kenneth?
COLE: I'm sorry. I lost you on that.
KING: It used to be -- we've only got 30 seconds. It used to not be spoken about. You didn't talk about AIDS.
COLE: No. There was a stigma that was devastating early on.
I mean, 40,000 people died in the U.S. before President Reagan even acknowledged that HIV -- before he mentioned the word "HIV" in public. And incidentally, the first public event where he appeared was at an amfAR event shortly thereafter.
But you couldn't deal with it. If you did, you were presumed to be at risk, you were presumed to have an agenda.
KING: We are...
COLE: So, we've come so far, but in other ways we haven't.
KING: Thank you, Kenneth.
Thank you, Sharon.
STONE: Thanks, Larry.
COLE: Thanks, Larry.
KING: Don't forget, Saturday is World AIDS Day.
And by the way, Elizabeth Taylor returns to the stage Saturday night with James Earl Jones. They're going to do "Love Letters" at the Paramount Studios.
And that day, there will be no picket line. That's a great idea.
By the way, a good friend of mine and a great athlete passed away today. Bill Hartack, one of the world's great jockeys, who won five Kentucky derbies and was a four-time national jockey champion and was one great guy and a great friend, Bill Hartack passed away at age 74.
I want to tell you about a great new book. It's called "Schapiro's Heroes." It's photojournalism in the finest sense of the term. There you see its cover. The lives of Martin Luther King, Robert Kennedy and Muhammad Ali are just a few that have been documented by world class photographer Steve Schapiro. And he shows you the rarely seen sides of political and cultural icons of our times.
As always, check out our Web site, CNN.com/larryking, and you can download our podcast or e-mail upcoming guests.
And now from the site of tomorrow's Republican debate, Anderson Cooper and "AC 360."
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