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Michael Jackson Arraigned; Derby Drama; Interview With Jim Caviezel
Aired April 30, 2004 - 15:00 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I'm Miles O'Brien at the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM.
In the city of Fallujah, a suicide car bomb attack killed two Marines and wounded six others. Meanwhile, Marines are moving out of some posts in that Sunni stronghold, making room for an Iraqi security force. It's part of a tentative deal designed to end the insurgency there.
Tomorrow, it will be exactly one year since President Bush declared major combat over in Iraq. At a Rose Garden today with Canada's prime minister today, Mr. Bush defended those remarks. He says his speech recognized Saddam Hussein's removal from power, but also acknowledged the difficult road ahead.
Mission not accomplished, that's the message today from Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Speaking at Missouri Westminster College in Missouri -- you saw it here live on CNN -- Kerry calls it a moment of truth in Iraq. He's calling for an international effort to stabilize and rebuild Iraq.
One was tardy, the other early, one flamboyant, the other somber. One charges of child molestation, the other an added charge tied to allegations of child abduction, extortion and false imprisonment. Both men are Michael Jackson. And if his arraignment back in January was a spectacle, today's was serious business.
We have details of which from CNN's Gary Tuchman joining us from Santa Maria, California -- Gary.
TUCHMAN: Well, that's right, Miles.
Michael Jackson's second visit to this courthouse here in Santa Barbara County, California, was much more mellow than his first visit here. About 400 fans stood out in front as Michael Jackson showed up at this courthouse. And he showed up 50 minutes early, 50 minutes before the scheduled 8:30 Pacific time hearing, a marked difference from the first time, when he waded through supporters and people cheering him on and showed up 20 minutes late, angering the judge.
So everything was quiet when he inside, but, legally, it was not a good day for the 45-year-old king of pop. In addition to the original charges again him of lewd acts and supplying alcohol to a minor, the grand jury decided to hand up an indictment with an additional charge revealed today of conspiracy, of child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. So more legal trouble for Michael Jackson.
No trial date was set today. It's expected a trial date will be set at another hearing four weeks from today. Michael Jackson did talk to supporters when he came out of the courthouse.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL JACKSON, DEFENDANT: I would like to thank the fans around the world for your love and support from every corner of the Earth. My family has been very supportive. My brother Randy has been incredible. I want to thank the community of Santa Maria. I want you to know that I love the community of Santa Maria very much. It's my community. I love the people. I will always love the people.
My children were born in this community. My home is in this community. I will always love this community from the bottom of my heart. That's why I moved here.
Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: This community of Santa Maria is about 30 minutes north of Los Olivos. That's the home of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.
We can tell you much tighter security this time. There weren't as many people here, but fences were put up. Michael Jackson was required to drive up into the driveway of the courthouse away from the fans, instead of the street. And there were no problems whatsoever. Michael Jackson did no jumping on his vehicle this time.
Earlier this week, Michael Jackson fired two of his attorneys. He hired a new attorney, Thomas Mesereau, a famed trial attorney. And Mesereau talked to reporters after the hearing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS MESEREAU, ATTORNEY FOR MICHAEL JACKSON: This case is not about lawyers or anyone else becoming celebrities. This defense is going to be conducted with professionalism and dignity at all times. This case is about one thing only. It's about the dignity, the integrity, the decency, the honor, the charity, the innocence, and the complete vindication of a wonderful human being named Michael Jackson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: Michael Jackson is still free on $3 million bond. He is said to be having a pizza party as we speak with family, friends, and acquaintances -- Miles, back to you.
O'BRIEN: Gary, as I understand it, the indictment is heavily redacted, which means things have been blacked out quite a bit. But reading through it, do you have any idea on this conspiracy charge who his co-conspirators might be?
TUCHMAN: Well, right. And you noticed that, Miles, that they did redact a name of one or more co-conspirators. We don't know who it is. We don't know if that person could potentially be in trouble also. And we don't know if we'll ever find out, because, in four weeks, they will tell us what can be publicized from the grand jury transcript. We don't know if they will be able to publicize the names of those alleged co- conspirators.
O'BRIEN: Gary Tuchman in Santa Maria, thank you very much.
It's nail-baiting time for former NBA player Jayson Williams. That story tops our looks at news across America.
Williams is waiting for jurors in his manslaughter trial to come to agreement on two of the charges he faces. Yesterday, the jury said it had reached decisions on six counts, but did not say which of the six. That leaves two hanging. Williams is charged in the February 2002 shooting death of his limousine driver.
Smoke, flames and planes, never a good combination. Despite these dramatic pictures, the four-person crew of this C-130 cargo plane in Minneapolis walked away yesterday evening without a scratch.
And here's dirt in your eye. Blinding dust storms across parts of New Mexico forced some roads to be shut down. State police say a plot of dry, vacant land across Interstate 40 appears to be the source of the storms. Water tanks have been ordered to wet the dirt down along that highway.
The latest now from Iraq, flash point Fallujah. U.S. Marines turned to former Iraqi troops to help control rest of the town, but commanders are quick to say this is not a retreat, merely a repositioning. Officials say there are no signs the insurgents are about to surrender. That was more than evident in an attack east of Fallujah. Two Marines were killed, six wounded in a car bomb attack.
And the standoff in Najaf continues. The militant Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr is keeping up the hard-line rhetoric, calling the United States an enemy of Islam. U.S. commanders are trying to broker a deal that would allow an Iraqi civil defense corps to take control of that city.
President Bush has an added his voice to chorus of condemnation concerning accusations of abuse at a prison near Baghdad. Pictures of the alleged mistreatment by U.S. soldiers first aired in this country and today they led the news on the Arab satellite networks. Iraqis are not happy and neither is President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I share a deep disgust that those prisoners were treated the way they were treated. Their treatment does not reflect the nature of the American people. That's not the way we do things in America, and so I -- I didn't like it one bit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Six American soldiers face criminal charges in connection with the alleged abuse. Ironically, the prison where it occurred was a notorious chamber of horrors under Saddam Hussein.
Horse racing's biggest weekend is here. Run for the Roses in Kentucky -- Josie.
JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Josie Burke at Churchill Downs in Louisville, where the countdown to tomorrow's 130th running of the Kentucky Derby is under way. I'll have a race preview coming up.
O'BRIEN: And actor Jim Caviezel has put down his cross and picked up a woodie, from "The Passion of the Christ" to playing Bobby Jones. We'll talk with him coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER UPDATE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Advertisers may be jockeying for position as much as the horses at the Kentucky Derby. From now on, the Run for the Roses takes place tomorrow, but it's a judge's decision about jockeys' uniforms that's making a little bit of news today.
CNN's Josie Burke joins us now from Louisville, Kentucky.
Who are the advertisers? Let's see. There's the Ford Mustang would be good. And then, of course, obviously jockey shorts would be good, too, right.
(LAUGHTER)
BURKE: Miles, you're very funny.
The race is still more than 24 hours away, but the jockeys participating in tomorrow's Kentucky Derby can all claim already that they've won something. That's because yesterday a judge barred a state regulation that would have prohibited the jockeys from wearing advertisements during the race. Now the jockeys can go ahead and try to earn a little bit of extra money. But they were still wondering just why they had to fight for this right in the first place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHANE SELLERS, JOCKEY: You think football players would go and play the Super Bowl if the winning team would get paid and the losing team would get nothing? Or do you think Kobe Bryant is going to have to pay for tickets for his family to come and watch him or football players or baseball players or -- why do we even have to bring this argument up? Why?
And I hate to be negative, but, you know, it hurts my feelings, you know? I mean, I've killed my body for 23 years and the game has been good to me, but again, I've been good to the game. I could have settled to ride at the smaller racetracks. And I give 23 years of my life and I put the show on every day and I think I represent the support well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE: The slight favorite in tomorrow's race is a horse call The Cliff's Edge at 4-1. But really there is no clear-cut horse to beat in the Kentucky Derby tomorrow, but that doesn't mean there's a shortage of great stories. There are always fabulous stories associated with this race. And this year, it's no different.
The second choice is a horse by the name of Smarty Jones. Now, Smarty Jones has a perfect 6-0 record, but a checkered past. Last year, he almost killed himself during a training accident. He fractured his skull and his eye socket. Then there's the third choice, Tapit. Now, he has a trainer who has some unusual methods, including he likes to stick in with his feed eggs and Guinness Stout.
Now, Miles, in case you're wondering, the jockey for Tapit won't be able to advertise for Guinness Stout, because there's already a beer company that's associated with the Kentucky Derby, so he'll have to think of something else.
O'BRIEN: Wait a minute. Guinness Stout is what the horse drinks? Is that right?
BURKE: He puts the Guinness Stout and some eggs in with his feed. This trainer also likes to make the horse feel comfortable. So he installed a humidifier and an air purifier in his stall.
O'BRIEN: Well, naturally, naturally. What a lucky horse.
All right, Josie Burke, enjoy the race. Thanks for dropping by.
(FINANCIAL UPDATE)
O'BRIEN: From savior to miraculous legend, Jim Caviezel's range as an actor seems to know no bounds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "BOBBY JONES: STROKE OF GENIUS")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Are you sure you caused that ball to move?
JIM CAVIEZEL, ACTOR: I know I did.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You're to be congratulated, son.
CAVIEZEL: Sir, that's like congratulating a man for not robbing a bank. I don't know how else to play the game.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: His latest work has him filling the shoes of golfing legend Bobby Jones. We'll talk to him about that and that other role he had when LIVE FROM continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "BOBBY JONES: STROKE OF GENIUS")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Bobby, hit the hell out of it.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: A new movie tees up in theaters across the country today. It's called "Bobby Jones: Stroke Of Genius." It's about the life of golfer Bobby Jones. More than 60 years before Tiger Woods became a household name, Jones won golfing's grand slam.
Now, he's played by actor Jim Caviezel, who starred, as you will remember, in the mega-hit "The Passion of the Christ."
I had a chance to talk with Caviezel about making the leap from playing savior to sports hero.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Thanks very much, Jim, for being with us.
A lot of our viewers, of course, were introduced to you as an actor, not to minimize your previous career, but, of course, the blockbuster we're talking about is "The Passion of the Christ," you playing the lead role. Is there any way to explain in a short way how that has changed your acting career, and for that matter, your life?
CAVIEZEL: I think the word anonymous is becoming more rare.
(LAUGHTER)
O'BRIEN: It's interesting because, you know, walking down the street the way you look right now, you look a lot different from the way you looked in that role.
CAVIEZEL: Yes, but a lot of people watch a lot of press and of course they put two and two together.
And there was a mystery. They wanted to know who this guy was that played this guy. So -- but most people are really good. They come up to you and they say thank you or what not. So...
O'BRIEN: And as far as the offers, I assume they've been coming in pretty strong and heavy.
CAVIEZEL: Yes, no, the offers have been amazing.
In any actor, it's a dream situation, you know? I can't even keep up with the amount of material there. But, still, I look for good stuff, like I found with this Bobby Jones. I had no -- I have no passion for golf. I'm sorry, no pun intended there. And I read the script, and I thought, God, this is great. And I talked to the director and said, you know, Rowdy Herrington. I said I loved his screenplay and would love to do the movie.
He said, do you play golf? I said, no. He said, why would you want to do it? I said, well, it's not about golf. It's about life. It transcends that.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: And the Bobby Jones story is much larger than golf, isn't it? Is that what really attracted you then?
CAVIEZEL: No question. It couldn't be about the golf.
However, I still had to qualify the acting with the golf. I mean, they go hand in hand. One thing, I had an athletic background, played basketball for many years, and every time I saw a film where a basketball player addressed the foul line incorrectly, I just -- I knew right away that he wasn't a basketball player. And it took me out of the movie and I didn't want to offend golfers that way.
O'BRIEN: So I'm sure you did a little bit of research.
CAVIEZEL: Had to.
O'BRIEN: First of all, let's do a little clip from the movie. I want to set this up briefly by just saying this is Bobby Jones playing a tournament. And in the course of this tournament, he mistakenly moves a ball ever so slightly, a pine needle, and calls over the judges. Let's listen for a moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "BOBBY JONES: STROKE OF GENIUS")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Are you sure you caused that ball to move?
CAVIEZEL: I know I did.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You're to be congratulated, son.
CAVIEZEL: Sir, that's like congratulating a man for not robbing a bank. I don't know how else to play the game.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: How much is that -- how much is that part of legend? How much is that the real Bobby Jones?
CAVIEZEL: Absolutely 100 percent the truth.
"The Legend of Bagger Vance" borrowed that from the great Bobby Jones. That cost him -- that stroke penalty that he called on himself cost him the U.S. Open. And, you know, he was a man who obviously had great ideals, went through all the temptations that any great celebrity goes through, but he embraced responsibility. And he was an exceptional guy in the fact that he retired at 28 years old and never played professional golf. Although he beat all the professionals, he won 12 majors and never took a dollar, a single dollar, in any tournament that he ever of played in.
O'BRIEN: It's extraordinary.
Now, one final thought, too, before I want to ask you about learning the game of golf. But, quickly, it's also a story of how a successful person balances obligations to family as well. Let's listen to one clip. This is he, Bobby Jones, and his wife.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAVIEZEL: I could win all four.
CLAIRE FORLANI, ACTRESS: What?
CAVIEZEL: I could win all four majors.
FORLANI: Bob.
CAVIEZEL: Mary, I can do it. I can't get away from this idea of predestination. I have to do it. And then I'm going to give it up. By doing everything, no one can say a word.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Bobby Jones really struggled with that, didn't he?
CAVIEZEL: Yes, of course he did. And he also had syringomyelia, which is a disease that attacks your spinal cord.
And, imagine, most sports are a game of inches. Definitely golf is a games of thousands of a millimeter. And to be able to deal with that kind of pressure at that time period, where he was going to go after a major feat like winning the grand slam, which no other golfer has ever done in history since then, that he was able to do that with all of that and with the kind of clubs they used, the hickory sticks, just, it's remarkable.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's -- we've put together a little split- screen here for you, Jim, a guy who didn't even watch golf. I want to compare the swings here. I know this is probably unfair to do, but Bobby Jones vs. Jim Caviezel. Take a look at it in slow motion. To the left, obviously, Bobby Jones to the terrorist. And, you know, I think you kind of got it. It's not bad. Did you spend a lot of time looking at that old vintage stuff there?
CAVIEZEL: I think we got about 95 percent of it.
Physically, there are things that he could do that I just physically could not do as far as flexibility is concerned. And, obviously, his consistency to hit the ball, which you know, if I didn't hit it once, they gave me another crack at it. Obviously, I was on film.
(LAUGHTER)
O'BRIEN: And those plus-fours are a good look, aren't they?
(LAUGHTER)
CAVIEZEL: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All right, Jim Caviezel, good luck with the new project. Appreciate you spending some time with us.
CAVIEZEL: Thank you very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: All right, it's time for us to hit the 19th hole. That wraps up this Friday edition of LIVE FROM.
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 April 30, 2004 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I'm Miles O'Brien at the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM.
In the city of Fallujah, a suicide car bomb attack killed two Marines and wounded six others. Meanwhile, Marines are moving out of some posts in that Sunni stronghold, making room for an Iraqi security force. It's part of a tentative deal designed to end the insurgency there.
Tomorrow, it will be exactly one year since President Bush declared major combat over in Iraq. At a Rose Garden today with Canada's prime minister today, Mr. Bush defended those remarks. He says his speech recognized Saddam Hussein's removal from power, but also acknowledged the difficult road ahead.
Mission not accomplished, that's the message today from Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Speaking at Missouri Westminster College in Missouri -- you saw it here live on CNN -- Kerry calls it a moment of truth in Iraq. He's calling for an international effort to stabilize and rebuild Iraq.
One was tardy, the other early, one flamboyant, the other somber. One charges of child molestation, the other an added charge tied to allegations of child abduction, extortion and false imprisonment. Both men are Michael Jackson. And if his arraignment back in January was a spectacle, today's was serious business.
We have details of which from CNN's Gary Tuchman joining us from Santa Maria, California -- Gary.
TUCHMAN: Well, that's right, Miles.
Michael Jackson's second visit to this courthouse here in Santa Barbara County, California, was much more mellow than his first visit here. About 400 fans stood out in front as Michael Jackson showed up at this courthouse. And he showed up 50 minutes early, 50 minutes before the scheduled 8:30 Pacific time hearing, a marked difference from the first time, when he waded through supporters and people cheering him on and showed up 20 minutes late, angering the judge.
So everything was quiet when he inside, but, legally, it was not a good day for the 45-year-old king of pop. In addition to the original charges again him of lewd acts and supplying alcohol to a minor, the grand jury decided to hand up an indictment with an additional charge revealed today of conspiracy, of child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. So more legal trouble for Michael Jackson.
No trial date was set today. It's expected a trial date will be set at another hearing four weeks from today. Michael Jackson did talk to supporters when he came out of the courthouse.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL JACKSON, DEFENDANT: I would like to thank the fans around the world for your love and support from every corner of the Earth. My family has been very supportive. My brother Randy has been incredible. I want to thank the community of Santa Maria. I want you to know that I love the community of Santa Maria very much. It's my community. I love the people. I will always love the people.
My children were born in this community. My home is in this community. I will always love this community from the bottom of my heart. That's why I moved here.
Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: This community of Santa Maria is about 30 minutes north of Los Olivos. That's the home of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.
We can tell you much tighter security this time. There weren't as many people here, but fences were put up. Michael Jackson was required to drive up into the driveway of the courthouse away from the fans, instead of the street. And there were no problems whatsoever. Michael Jackson did no jumping on his vehicle this time.
Earlier this week, Michael Jackson fired two of his attorneys. He hired a new attorney, Thomas Mesereau, a famed trial attorney. And Mesereau talked to reporters after the hearing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS MESEREAU, ATTORNEY FOR MICHAEL JACKSON: This case is not about lawyers or anyone else becoming celebrities. This defense is going to be conducted with professionalism and dignity at all times. This case is about one thing only. It's about the dignity, the integrity, the decency, the honor, the charity, the innocence, and the complete vindication of a wonderful human being named Michael Jackson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: Michael Jackson is still free on $3 million bond. He is said to be having a pizza party as we speak with family, friends, and acquaintances -- Miles, back to you.
O'BRIEN: Gary, as I understand it, the indictment is heavily redacted, which means things have been blacked out quite a bit. But reading through it, do you have any idea on this conspiracy charge who his co-conspirators might be?
TUCHMAN: Well, right. And you noticed that, Miles, that they did redact a name of one or more co-conspirators. We don't know who it is. We don't know if that person could potentially be in trouble also. And we don't know if we'll ever find out, because, in four weeks, they will tell us what can be publicized from the grand jury transcript. We don't know if they will be able to publicize the names of those alleged co- conspirators.
O'BRIEN: Gary Tuchman in Santa Maria, thank you very much.
It's nail-baiting time for former NBA player Jayson Williams. That story tops our looks at news across America.
Williams is waiting for jurors in his manslaughter trial to come to agreement on two of the charges he faces. Yesterday, the jury said it had reached decisions on six counts, but did not say which of the six. That leaves two hanging. Williams is charged in the February 2002 shooting death of his limousine driver.
Smoke, flames and planes, never a good combination. Despite these dramatic pictures, the four-person crew of this C-130 cargo plane in Minneapolis walked away yesterday evening without a scratch.
And here's dirt in your eye. Blinding dust storms across parts of New Mexico forced some roads to be shut down. State police say a plot of dry, vacant land across Interstate 40 appears to be the source of the storms. Water tanks have been ordered to wet the dirt down along that highway.
The latest now from Iraq, flash point Fallujah. U.S. Marines turned to former Iraqi troops to help control rest of the town, but commanders are quick to say this is not a retreat, merely a repositioning. Officials say there are no signs the insurgents are about to surrender. That was more than evident in an attack east of Fallujah. Two Marines were killed, six wounded in a car bomb attack.
And the standoff in Najaf continues. The militant Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr is keeping up the hard-line rhetoric, calling the United States an enemy of Islam. U.S. commanders are trying to broker a deal that would allow an Iraqi civil defense corps to take control of that city.
President Bush has an added his voice to chorus of condemnation concerning accusations of abuse at a prison near Baghdad. Pictures of the alleged mistreatment by U.S. soldiers first aired in this country and today they led the news on the Arab satellite networks. Iraqis are not happy and neither is President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I share a deep disgust that those prisoners were treated the way they were treated. Their treatment does not reflect the nature of the American people. That's not the way we do things in America, and so I -- I didn't like it one bit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Six American soldiers face criminal charges in connection with the alleged abuse. Ironically, the prison where it occurred was a notorious chamber of horrors under Saddam Hussein.
Horse racing's biggest weekend is here. Run for the Roses in Kentucky -- Josie.
JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Josie Burke at Churchill Downs in Louisville, where the countdown to tomorrow's 130th running of the Kentucky Derby is under way. I'll have a race preview coming up.
O'BRIEN: And actor Jim Caviezel has put down his cross and picked up a woodie, from "The Passion of the Christ" to playing Bobby Jones. We'll talk with him coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER UPDATE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Advertisers may be jockeying for position as much as the horses at the Kentucky Derby. From now on, the Run for the Roses takes place tomorrow, but it's a judge's decision about jockeys' uniforms that's making a little bit of news today.
CNN's Josie Burke joins us now from Louisville, Kentucky.
Who are the advertisers? Let's see. There's the Ford Mustang would be good. And then, of course, obviously jockey shorts would be good, too, right.
(LAUGHTER)
BURKE: Miles, you're very funny.
The race is still more than 24 hours away, but the jockeys participating in tomorrow's Kentucky Derby can all claim already that they've won something. That's because yesterday a judge barred a state regulation that would have prohibited the jockeys from wearing advertisements during the race. Now the jockeys can go ahead and try to earn a little bit of extra money. But they were still wondering just why they had to fight for this right in the first place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHANE SELLERS, JOCKEY: You think football players would go and play the Super Bowl if the winning team would get paid and the losing team would get nothing? Or do you think Kobe Bryant is going to have to pay for tickets for his family to come and watch him or football players or baseball players or -- why do we even have to bring this argument up? Why?
And I hate to be negative, but, you know, it hurts my feelings, you know? I mean, I've killed my body for 23 years and the game has been good to me, but again, I've been good to the game. I could have settled to ride at the smaller racetracks. And I give 23 years of my life and I put the show on every day and I think I represent the support well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE: The slight favorite in tomorrow's race is a horse call The Cliff's Edge at 4-1. But really there is no clear-cut horse to beat in the Kentucky Derby tomorrow, but that doesn't mean there's a shortage of great stories. There are always fabulous stories associated with this race. And this year, it's no different.
The second choice is a horse by the name of Smarty Jones. Now, Smarty Jones has a perfect 6-0 record, but a checkered past. Last year, he almost killed himself during a training accident. He fractured his skull and his eye socket. Then there's the third choice, Tapit. Now, he has a trainer who has some unusual methods, including he likes to stick in with his feed eggs and Guinness Stout.
Now, Miles, in case you're wondering, the jockey for Tapit won't be able to advertise for Guinness Stout, because there's already a beer company that's associated with the Kentucky Derby, so he'll have to think of something else.
O'BRIEN: Wait a minute. Guinness Stout is what the horse drinks? Is that right?
BURKE: He puts the Guinness Stout and some eggs in with his feed. This trainer also likes to make the horse feel comfortable. So he installed a humidifier and an air purifier in his stall.
O'BRIEN: Well, naturally, naturally. What a lucky horse.
All right, Josie Burke, enjoy the race. Thanks for dropping by.
(FINANCIAL UPDATE)
O'BRIEN: From savior to miraculous legend, Jim Caviezel's range as an actor seems to know no bounds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "BOBBY JONES: STROKE OF GENIUS")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Are you sure you caused that ball to move?
JIM CAVIEZEL, ACTOR: I know I did.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You're to be congratulated, son.
CAVIEZEL: Sir, that's like congratulating a man for not robbing a bank. I don't know how else to play the game.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: His latest work has him filling the shoes of golfing legend Bobby Jones. We'll talk to him about that and that other role he had when LIVE FROM continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "BOBBY JONES: STROKE OF GENIUS")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Bobby, hit the hell out of it.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: A new movie tees up in theaters across the country today. It's called "Bobby Jones: Stroke Of Genius." It's about the life of golfer Bobby Jones. More than 60 years before Tiger Woods became a household name, Jones won golfing's grand slam.
Now, he's played by actor Jim Caviezel, who starred, as you will remember, in the mega-hit "The Passion of the Christ."
I had a chance to talk with Caviezel about making the leap from playing savior to sports hero.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Thanks very much, Jim, for being with us.
A lot of our viewers, of course, were introduced to you as an actor, not to minimize your previous career, but, of course, the blockbuster we're talking about is "The Passion of the Christ," you playing the lead role. Is there any way to explain in a short way how that has changed your acting career, and for that matter, your life?
CAVIEZEL: I think the word anonymous is becoming more rare.
(LAUGHTER)
O'BRIEN: It's interesting because, you know, walking down the street the way you look right now, you look a lot different from the way you looked in that role.
CAVIEZEL: Yes, but a lot of people watch a lot of press and of course they put two and two together.
And there was a mystery. They wanted to know who this guy was that played this guy. So -- but most people are really good. They come up to you and they say thank you or what not. So...
O'BRIEN: And as far as the offers, I assume they've been coming in pretty strong and heavy.
CAVIEZEL: Yes, no, the offers have been amazing.
In any actor, it's a dream situation, you know? I can't even keep up with the amount of material there. But, still, I look for good stuff, like I found with this Bobby Jones. I had no -- I have no passion for golf. I'm sorry, no pun intended there. And I read the script, and I thought, God, this is great. And I talked to the director and said, you know, Rowdy Herrington. I said I loved his screenplay and would love to do the movie.
He said, do you play golf? I said, no. He said, why would you want to do it? I said, well, it's not about golf. It's about life. It transcends that.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: And the Bobby Jones story is much larger than golf, isn't it? Is that what really attracted you then?
CAVIEZEL: No question. It couldn't be about the golf.
However, I still had to qualify the acting with the golf. I mean, they go hand in hand. One thing, I had an athletic background, played basketball for many years, and every time I saw a film where a basketball player addressed the foul line incorrectly, I just -- I knew right away that he wasn't a basketball player. And it took me out of the movie and I didn't want to offend golfers that way.
O'BRIEN: So I'm sure you did a little bit of research.
CAVIEZEL: Had to.
O'BRIEN: First of all, let's do a little clip from the movie. I want to set this up briefly by just saying this is Bobby Jones playing a tournament. And in the course of this tournament, he mistakenly moves a ball ever so slightly, a pine needle, and calls over the judges. Let's listen for a moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "BOBBY JONES: STROKE OF GENIUS")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Are you sure you caused that ball to move?
CAVIEZEL: I know I did.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You're to be congratulated, son.
CAVIEZEL: Sir, that's like congratulating a man for not robbing a bank. I don't know how else to play the game.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: How much is that -- how much is that part of legend? How much is that the real Bobby Jones?
CAVIEZEL: Absolutely 100 percent the truth.
"The Legend of Bagger Vance" borrowed that from the great Bobby Jones. That cost him -- that stroke penalty that he called on himself cost him the U.S. Open. And, you know, he was a man who obviously had great ideals, went through all the temptations that any great celebrity goes through, but he embraced responsibility. And he was an exceptional guy in the fact that he retired at 28 years old and never played professional golf. Although he beat all the professionals, he won 12 majors and never took a dollar, a single dollar, in any tournament that he ever of played in.
O'BRIEN: It's extraordinary.
Now, one final thought, too, before I want to ask you about learning the game of golf. But, quickly, it's also a story of how a successful person balances obligations to family as well. Let's listen to one clip. This is he, Bobby Jones, and his wife.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAVIEZEL: I could win all four.
CLAIRE FORLANI, ACTRESS: What?
CAVIEZEL: I could win all four majors.
FORLANI: Bob.
CAVIEZEL: Mary, I can do it. I can't get away from this idea of predestination. I have to do it. And then I'm going to give it up. By doing everything, no one can say a word.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Bobby Jones really struggled with that, didn't he?
CAVIEZEL: Yes, of course he did. And he also had syringomyelia, which is a disease that attacks your spinal cord.
And, imagine, most sports are a game of inches. Definitely golf is a games of thousands of a millimeter. And to be able to deal with that kind of pressure at that time period, where he was going to go after a major feat like winning the grand slam, which no other golfer has ever done in history since then, that he was able to do that with all of that and with the kind of clubs they used, the hickory sticks, just, it's remarkable.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's -- we've put together a little split- screen here for you, Jim, a guy who didn't even watch golf. I want to compare the swings here. I know this is probably unfair to do, but Bobby Jones vs. Jim Caviezel. Take a look at it in slow motion. To the left, obviously, Bobby Jones to the terrorist. And, you know, I think you kind of got it. It's not bad. Did you spend a lot of time looking at that old vintage stuff there?
CAVIEZEL: I think we got about 95 percent of it.
Physically, there are things that he could do that I just physically could not do as far as flexibility is concerned. And, obviously, his consistency to hit the ball, which you know, if I didn't hit it once, they gave me another crack at it. Obviously, I was on film.
(LAUGHTER)
O'BRIEN: And those plus-fours are a good look, aren't they?
(LAUGHTER)
CAVIEZEL: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All right, Jim Caviezel, good luck with the new project. Appreciate you spending some time with us.
CAVIEZEL: Thank you very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: All right, it's time for us to hit the 19th hole. That wraps up this Friday edition of LIVE FROM.
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