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Interview With Franco Columbu
Aired August 12, 2003 - 14:34 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, you've been hearing an awful lot about actor Arnold Schwarzenegger now that he's set to become possible governor of California. But we went out of our way to find someone from Schwarzenegger's past, someone who not only knew him when, but still remains great friends with the emerging politician.
Franco Columbu has known Schwarzenegger for 37 years, he's worked out with him, competed with him and even did a joint documentary called "Pumping Iron." He joins us now live from Los Angeles.
Franco, nice to have you with us.
FRANCO COLUMBU, FRIEND OF SCHWARZENEGGER: Hi. Nice to see you.
PHILLIPS: OK. So be honest. Who pumped more iron, you or Arnold?
COLUMBU: Oh, who knows, you know. I've been pumping iron for 37 years. We've lifted thousands of tons of weight. Who knows?
PHILLIPS: So he's had a strong work ethic, I can only assume.
COLUMBU: He trained so hard. We used to train three hours a day. And if I did one repetition less as I worked out really heavy, he would look through the mirror and say, Franco, there's one rep missing. Get this next rep done, too.
It was very disciplined. Arnold is the greatest discipliner of anybody.
PHILLIPS: Well, take us back 37 years, Franco. What was it like, the two of you coming to -- well, actually, you knew each other before you came to the United States. What was it like then? And did you see big dreams for you and for him?
COLUMBU: Arnold, I met Arnold on a stage when he won Junior Mr. Europe and I won a powerlifting competition. And he won -- I won my powerlifting competition. And I say, Where are you from? He said, I'm from Austria. I was from Italy and this is in Germany.
And at that moment, I said, Wow, you won. This is incredible, it's the first time I saw you. He says, Oh, yes. I'm finishing my military in Austria, I'm going to come back to Munich. And then if you want, we can train together, and I want to become Mr. Universe.
And that actually happened. His ambition was step by step to go higher and higher.
PHILLIPS: Now, you had lunch with him the day he made the announcement on Jay Leno. Did he tell you he was going to make that announcement?
COLUMBU: No. You know, I'm so used to him, that he could go either way. And we were at lunch, there were several of people. And he actually was there until 3:00.
So I said to myself, He looks so relaxed. And everybody was convinced that he's not running, I'm going along with the flow. And then he says, Happy birthday, Franco. Now I'm going to go now. And he left.
I didn't even pay attention, I didn't even ask him. I could have asked him in German, and the other people would not even know, but I didn't.
And then the funny part was that Arnold called me after and said, You know, I just wanted you to know you're the first person I'm calming to let you know I'm running for governor. And I said, Oh, yeah, I'm the first person to know too after 100 million people saw you.
(LAUGHTER)
COLUMBU: It was very funny.
PHILLIPS: Did this surprise you? Has he been interested in politics/ Has he always been associated with politicians since you've known him?
COLUMBU: It didn't surprise me at all because No. 1, Arnold had an interesting politics way -- as soon as he came to the United States. Because when I came here, like, six, eight months later after him in the '70s, we used to watch TV. And we only watched the news media and the politics because we were not familiar with football, baseball and other sports. And we were, like, so interested in America going to the moon and all of this kind of things.
And later on, Arnold became the president of the sport of physical fitness in the White House with Bush Sr. And his interest was always connected, even from outside, directed to some kind of politics because he saw that the influence in an economy or in the world or America versus Europe was you have to be in the political arena to really fight and understand the system.
PHILLIPS: Let's talk about understanding the system for a moment, Franco. As you know, one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's competitors, Cruz Bustamante, he's coming forward and talking about...
COLUMBU: Oh, yes.
PHILLIPS: Yes, that he's for the Latino people. And as you know, that's a very important vote in California. I was looking at this cartoon from Lalo, very a popular Latino cartoonist in the area calling him "the next Terminator." And of course you see the t-shirt, "I Love Prop 187," Prop 187 being denying health care, education and welfare benefits to illegal immigrants.
Talk to me, as an immigrant, also. And Arnold Schwarzenegger, the same thing. Did he ever talk about this with you, Prop 187, or the issue of immigration?
COLUMBU: No. I'll tell you the truth. At that time, it was 19 years ago, probably was the first and the beginning when he met Wilson and he was, obviously, we went through even Sacramento a couple of times.
But I'm so little familiar with that Prop. And we never talked about it. However, I want you to know, Arnold is a very smart person. He is -- does more benefit to the Latinos than anybody because in the Industry Games, for example, in the after-school program, it's all, really, for the minority in America, and especially the Latinos.
PHILLIPS: So for him...
COLUMBU: And I think my opinion, it would backfire, and Arnold would become even more.
PHILLIPS: Are you going to be involved with his campaign, Franco?
COLUMBU: If he asks me, I will always try, you know, try my best to help. I would like to be involved. But only if he asks me.
PHILLIPS: Well, he helped you work out and discipline you 30- something years ago. You probably could help him, too. Franco Columbu, thanks for your time.
COLUMBU: Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 12, 2003 - 14:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, you've been hearing an awful lot about actor Arnold Schwarzenegger now that he's set to become possible governor of California. But we went out of our way to find someone from Schwarzenegger's past, someone who not only knew him when, but still remains great friends with the emerging politician.
Franco Columbu has known Schwarzenegger for 37 years, he's worked out with him, competed with him and even did a joint documentary called "Pumping Iron." He joins us now live from Los Angeles.
Franco, nice to have you with us.
FRANCO COLUMBU, FRIEND OF SCHWARZENEGGER: Hi. Nice to see you.
PHILLIPS: OK. So be honest. Who pumped more iron, you or Arnold?
COLUMBU: Oh, who knows, you know. I've been pumping iron for 37 years. We've lifted thousands of tons of weight. Who knows?
PHILLIPS: So he's had a strong work ethic, I can only assume.
COLUMBU: He trained so hard. We used to train three hours a day. And if I did one repetition less as I worked out really heavy, he would look through the mirror and say, Franco, there's one rep missing. Get this next rep done, too.
It was very disciplined. Arnold is the greatest discipliner of anybody.
PHILLIPS: Well, take us back 37 years, Franco. What was it like, the two of you coming to -- well, actually, you knew each other before you came to the United States. What was it like then? And did you see big dreams for you and for him?
COLUMBU: Arnold, I met Arnold on a stage when he won Junior Mr. Europe and I won a powerlifting competition. And he won -- I won my powerlifting competition. And I say, Where are you from? He said, I'm from Austria. I was from Italy and this is in Germany.
And at that moment, I said, Wow, you won. This is incredible, it's the first time I saw you. He says, Oh, yes. I'm finishing my military in Austria, I'm going to come back to Munich. And then if you want, we can train together, and I want to become Mr. Universe.
And that actually happened. His ambition was step by step to go higher and higher.
PHILLIPS: Now, you had lunch with him the day he made the announcement on Jay Leno. Did he tell you he was going to make that announcement?
COLUMBU: No. You know, I'm so used to him, that he could go either way. And we were at lunch, there were several of people. And he actually was there until 3:00.
So I said to myself, He looks so relaxed. And everybody was convinced that he's not running, I'm going along with the flow. And then he says, Happy birthday, Franco. Now I'm going to go now. And he left.
I didn't even pay attention, I didn't even ask him. I could have asked him in German, and the other people would not even know, but I didn't.
And then the funny part was that Arnold called me after and said, You know, I just wanted you to know you're the first person I'm calming to let you know I'm running for governor. And I said, Oh, yeah, I'm the first person to know too after 100 million people saw you.
(LAUGHTER)
COLUMBU: It was very funny.
PHILLIPS: Did this surprise you? Has he been interested in politics/ Has he always been associated with politicians since you've known him?
COLUMBU: It didn't surprise me at all because No. 1, Arnold had an interesting politics way -- as soon as he came to the United States. Because when I came here, like, six, eight months later after him in the '70s, we used to watch TV. And we only watched the news media and the politics because we were not familiar with football, baseball and other sports. And we were, like, so interested in America going to the moon and all of this kind of things.
And later on, Arnold became the president of the sport of physical fitness in the White House with Bush Sr. And his interest was always connected, even from outside, directed to some kind of politics because he saw that the influence in an economy or in the world or America versus Europe was you have to be in the political arena to really fight and understand the system.
PHILLIPS: Let's talk about understanding the system for a moment, Franco. As you know, one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's competitors, Cruz Bustamante, he's coming forward and talking about...
COLUMBU: Oh, yes.
PHILLIPS: Yes, that he's for the Latino people. And as you know, that's a very important vote in California. I was looking at this cartoon from Lalo, very a popular Latino cartoonist in the area calling him "the next Terminator." And of course you see the t-shirt, "I Love Prop 187," Prop 187 being denying health care, education and welfare benefits to illegal immigrants.
Talk to me, as an immigrant, also. And Arnold Schwarzenegger, the same thing. Did he ever talk about this with you, Prop 187, or the issue of immigration?
COLUMBU: No. I'll tell you the truth. At that time, it was 19 years ago, probably was the first and the beginning when he met Wilson and he was, obviously, we went through even Sacramento a couple of times.
But I'm so little familiar with that Prop. And we never talked about it. However, I want you to know, Arnold is a very smart person. He is -- does more benefit to the Latinos than anybody because in the Industry Games, for example, in the after-school program, it's all, really, for the minority in America, and especially the Latinos.
PHILLIPS: So for him...
COLUMBU: And I think my opinion, it would backfire, and Arnold would become even more.
PHILLIPS: Are you going to be involved with his campaign, Franco?
COLUMBU: If he asks me, I will always try, you know, try my best to help. I would like to be involved. But only if he asks me.
PHILLIPS: Well, he helped you work out and discipline you 30- something years ago. You probably could help him, too. Franco Columbu, thanks for your time.
COLUMBU: Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
