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France No Vote Shakes Up Europe; Chatting With Chris Rock

Aired May 30, 2005 - 14:32   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: All right. As CNN celebrates 25 years on the air, we also recognize those correspondents who have braved incredible odds and a fair amount of danger to tell the story. CNN's first Beijing bureau chief, Mike Chinoy, shares his personal reflections in a book which is still available -- Amazon and what not -- "China Live."
Mike Chinoy, C, H, I and a Y. Here to share some moments with us. He's here with week as part of our anniversary events. And it's a pleasure to have you here.

MIKE CHINOY, SR. ASIA CORRESPONDENT: Thanks.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some serious events. You've been to North Korea now 13 times.

CHINOY: That's right.

O'BRIEN: Unlucky 13. The situation right now does not look good. They seem hell-bent on testing a nuclear device. Diplomacy seems to be going nowhere. Clearly, what is going on right now is not working. What can break this impasse? Is China the key or is it something the U.S. needs to do?

CHINOY: Well, it depends who you talk to. You're right, there is an impasse. Diplomacy is absolutely deadlocked. There are people in the Bush administration who think China is the key because the Chinese give North Korea most of their fuel, most of their food. But, in fact, my sense is that -- the real issue here is the North Koreans want to negotiate directly with the United States. They say -- they've hinted -- that they'd be willing to trade their nuclear program for the right benefits.

The Bush administration has consistently said we're not going to get into this kind of horse trading that the North has to denuclearize first and then they can talk about what Pyongyang wants. So with no diplomatic progress, the North Koreans are churning out the nuclear material. And as long as there isn't any diplomatic progress, they're going to have more of it.

O'BRIEN: So it's sort of a stick/stick approach. I don't see a carrot in all this. As a matter of fact, the president just a little while ago called Kim Jong Il a tyrant, a dangerous person, who ran concentration camps. Clearly that kind of dialogue does not do much to engender the atmosphere for diplomacy.

CHINOY: Well, one of the things -- and I heard this repeatedly on many of my trips to North Korea. The North Koreans see the United States as the guarantor of their system. They want the U.S. -- they want to deal with the U.S. that would allow their system to survive. And in -- so over the last dozen years, they've signaled repeatedly that they'd be willing to trade their missiles, their nukes, for the right price. But they want that process.

But the Bush administration sees these people as bad guys and doesn't want to deal with them. These kinds of insults just get the North Koreans' backs up and make, I think, the move to diplomacy harder.

O'BRIEN: Now, as you're talking there, there you are at one of those incredible military parades in Pyongyang. What is it like being there? Is it just -- on the surface from where we sit, it seems to be just kind of a regime where insanity rules.

CHINOY: Well, it certainly is the strangest place I've ever been. I mean, it's a place -- it's like a religious cult with the trappings of a state. You know, an ancient Korean dynasty where people worship the emperor and treat him like a God. And everything that people do is -- revolves around glorifying Kim Jong Il and before that, his father, Kim Il Sung.

That's what makes the North Korean system tick and that's why when the president of the United States calls the North Korean leader names, it resonates more deeply and in a more negative way with the North Koreans than it would be otherwise, because this is a state that's built around glorifying this guy like he's a god.

O'BRIEN: So in a sense, it plays into Kim's hands in that respect. All right, let's talk about China here for a moment. Tiananmen Square, we're approaching an anniversary, the 16th anniversary. Happens to be your birthday. Interesting that you were there on your birthday reporting in 1989.

CHINOY: It was not a very happy birthday.

O'BRIEN: No, I should say not. It's interesting, China is -- first of all, there you are in the midst of all that. We were pulled off the air. Of course, the iconic scene of that one person in front of the tank. It's hard to even encapsulize all those events. But what has happened in China since is the regime has steadfastly refused to renounce anything to do with it. And yet there has been this strange bubbling up of capitalism. In other words, there's a free market, but not a free discourse of political ideas. You can't have it both ways, can you?

CHINOY: Well, the Chinese have a very interesting situation here. You have a system where there is very little political freedom, but, compared to when I first went to China, a huge amount of personal liberty. When I first went to China in the '70s, even before we set up the CNN bureau, people were wearing Mao jackets and little Mao buttons. The state told you where you'd work, who you'd marry, what you could read, whether you could travel.

Now, in terms of personal freedom, it's like almost any other country. But you cross that line and start talking about challenging the Chinese communist party and, boom, the heavy hand comes down. And that includes discussion of Tiananmen.

O'BRIEN: Interesting. So you -- when you're trying to do your job there, it must be very difficult, because there's this distinct line. You can't -- when it comes to reporting the regime, you're very limited, aren't you?

CHINOY: Well, one of the ways the boom, the market reforms, have changed China is that it used to be much more rigid. The wiggle room for reporters is much greater now. I was in Szechuan province in western China a couple of weeks ago doing a story about the big dam on the Yangtze River, where they're relocating a million and a half people. And we were able to talk to people being forcibly relocated and who were disgruntled.

Even in Beijing, you can get to dissidence, but there's no guarantee after we air our story that they won't get into trouble. But you can get away with a lot more now because the fabric of the system is looser in a lot of ways, even though the Chinese Communist Party has still got that very tight grip on the fundamental issue, which is Chinese people acting against its authority.

O'BRIEN: All right. Loose in fabric, but not broken.

CHINOY: That's right.

O'BRIEN: All right. Mike Chinoy, we enjoy your reporting from Asia. You're now based in Hong Kong. Really, you're our senior correspondent over there. Your reporting is great and thanks for stopping by.

CHINOY: Glad to be here.

O'BRIEN: June 1st marks our official 25th anniversary. Wednesday night, CNN will bring you a special look at the top 25 stories that we've all witnessed together here this past quarter century. "Defining Moments: 25 stories That Touched Our Lives" begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 Pacific, right here on CNN.

O'BRIEN: Damage control in the Champs Elysees. French president Jacques Chirac probably smarting a bit today -- understatement, I think -- after voters handed him a stinging defeat, rejecting a proposed constitution for the European Union yesterday. And it looks like heads are going to roll.

Our Richard Quest is in Paris, with a little more on the fall- out. Richard.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you from the French capital where, yes, it has been an extraordinary day of meetings, uncertainty, discussions, because substantially what happened with this referendum was that the French people said they didn't like the way the European Union, the collection of 25 nations, was going. And more than that, they said they didn't like the way their own country, France, was going. High unemployment, weakened social welfare net, increased immigration, all sort of issues that the French people basically have decided to take their wrath out on the president of the French Republic.

Miles, the best way to think about it is, it's very similar to the mid-term elections in that sense where, for instance, you suddenly get the electorate taking their wrath out on the White House.

O'BRIEN: Yes, it's similar, but it seems like the stakes are a little higher, aren't they, Richard? We're talking, after all, about ratifying a constitution. A very fundamental shift in how the Europeans govern amongst each other and something that is very critical to the overall strategy of most of the countries of Europe in order to kind of create a counterweight to the superpower on the other side of the ocean, the United States.

QUEST: Right. Now, that's the point, Miles. Depends who you speak to. Talk to one group of people and they say, no, no, this is just a tidying up operation, taking old treaties, bunching them together, redefining, packaging it all up...

QUEST: Right. Now, that's the point, Miles. Depends who you speak to. Talk to one group of people, and they say, no. No, this is just a tidying-up operation, taking old treaties, bunching them together, redefining, packaging it all up, and Bob's your uncle. Talk to another load of people and they say, ah, this is the redefinition of the EU, its constitution, its people, its relationship with its countries. And that has been the ground that they've been going backwards and forwards.

What has happened in the rejection of this treaty by the French people is they said, basically, we don't like it whatever it is. We're not sure what it was. You never did a very good job explaining how it was going to work. And we don't want anything to do with it.

And now, Miles, this is the interesting bit. Everybody has to carry on with the old rules. It's perfectly workable. It's not just very efficient.

O'BRIEN: All right. Well, we're just going to have to leave it at that and watch it unfold. And there will be another vote in The Netherlands coming up. In a word, do you think that will go up or down?

QUEST: The Netherlands in a word, "non" -- and probably more "non" than the French.

O'BRIEN: Interesting. Maybe a jemais, never. All right. Richard Quest, always a pleasure having you drop by.

Babies as billboards. Ahead on LIVE FROM..., one mother's auction idea.

First, what to see at the movies the Memorial Day. Sibila?

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, he's a world famous comedian, actor and father. And now Chris Rock can add zebra to his resume. I'm one on one with the "Madagascar" star when LIVE FROM... returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: A mom in Pennsylvania, Michelle Hutchinson, has a novel marketing idea. She wants to use her soon-to-be born baby as a billboard. Hutchinson is inviting advertisers to put their names or logos on her child's clothing and baby stuff. Her logic is simple. She says everyone looks at babies. True.

The baby, her second, is expected to arrive in June. We wish them both well.

Well, we've all heard those annoying cell phone ringtones. Don't they just drive you crazy? Well now, one has become a hit single in Britain. Listen up.

(MUSIC)

Who knows why? You know, how do you explain the French? That is the "Crazy Frog Axel F" ringtone. It's actually the sound of a man imitating a revving moped. Now that is high art.

The track used is a sample of the theme song from "Beverly Hills Cop" films. You hear that, right? The Crazy Frog song beat out the group Coldplay to take the UK's number-one single spot. Go figure.

"Star Wars - Episode III" tops the box office again. Has a lot of competition all of a sudden. Rock solid. Comedian Chris Rock had two movies debut over the Memorial Day weekend. This guy is a busy guy. CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas busy covering that and other matters from L.A. Sibila.

VARGAS: That's right, Miles. Estimates show "Revenge Of The Sith" added about $70 million to its pot, for a total of $270 million so far. But also having a rocking Memorial Day weekend is Dreamworks' "Madagascar." Estimates show the animated flick finishing in second place with about $61 million.

Now I caught up with "Madagascar" star Chris Rock to talk about life, his journey from Brooklyn to Hollywood and, of course, his new role as Marty the zebra.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: So, Marty has big dreams.

CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN/ACTOR: Marty's a big dreamer. You know, Marty dreams of leaving the zoo and going out into the wild. You know, I guess he saw a brochure or some commercial or something. (BEGIN MOVIE CLIP)

LION: C'mon. What did you wish for?

MARTY: Nope, can't tell you that.

LION: Come on, tell.

MARTY: No, siree. I'm telling you, it's bad luck.

(END MOVIE CLIP)

VARGAS: Talking about big dreams, you know, you're a guy from Bed-Stuy.

ROCK: That's me.

VARGAS: Did you ever think and imagine that you would be at the place that you are right now?

ROCK: I never thought or imagined I would be at the -- all I wanted to be -- I mean, you know, if you'd have offered me a job making $6 an hour, you know, whatever, 20 years ago, I would have took it and never told a joke the rest of -- ever. I mean, you know, so that was my idea of, you know, success.

VARGAS: How did it all change for you? What was the turning point?

ROCK: I don't know. You know, once I got into comedy and, you know, it was like a calling. It's weird, because I'm from -- like, my grandfather is a preacher and my other grandfather is a preacher, so, like, preaching's in my blood. And people -- you know, preachers have a calling. But I wasn't called to preach. I was called to do stand- up.

VARGAS: And then you hosted the Oscars. I mean, only a handful of people get to do that. That is huge.

That's what I hear. Yeah, the Oscars went great. I had a ball. I've never had -- you know, I've never gotten such a positive reaction for anything I've ever done.

VARGAS: Have you been approached to do another Oscar gig?

ROCK: No one's called yet. It's still early. But if they want me to do it again, I'll do it.

VARGAS: If you could talk to yourself -- I mean, if you could go back 15 years and talk to a younger Chris --

ROCK: A younger Chris?

VARGAS: -- what would you tell yourself?

ROCK: Here's the thing: If I could do it -- and I love my life, but I would probably go to school; pay attention in school; graduate; get a high school diploma; go to college; live a normal life. And I love my life, but, you know, being in show business emotionally, it's so up and down and all around the place and you really -- you take your friends and your loved ones on this roller coaster.

VARGAS: Yeah.

ROCK: It would probably be nicer to, you know, be like an attorney in Phoenix. (Laughs.) Easier.

VARGAS: That we be easier, for sure.

ROCK: It'd be like an easier life. But I don't know. I'm having a ball. And what would I tell Chris? I would just -- it's going to work out, man.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: Things certainly are working out, Miles. Rock's other movie "The Longest Yard," also opened this weekend in third place with an estimated $60 million. So I'd say all in all, Rock's life rocks.

Miles.

O'BRIEN: I should say. Six bucks an hour. I wonder how long it takes him to make six bucks down. Milliseconds.

VARGAS: Yeah, milliseconds.

O'BRIEN: All right, Sibila. Thank you very much.

We have a little update for you on that crane story. You remember the crane story we told you so much about it -- 56 hours this guy on top of a crane held Atlanta at bay. Well, there he is. Just was at a hearing at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. Carl Roland has been denied bail pending an extradition hearing. Pinellas County, Florida, very interested in having him remanded to that jurisdiction, as they like to say in the legal world.

He is wanted in connection with the strangling death allegedly of his girlfriend in that location. Nevertheless, Roland remains until that extradition hearing can be set. Presumably he'll be on his way to Florida before too long.

Next, want to make your 4-year-old Zac Angell very happy? Just give him a hand. It's all for his dad, who is serving in Iraq.

And later, Wolf Blitzer goes behind the lines with U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf. It's a special hour with the troops for Memorial Day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: As we honor military veterans this Memorial Day, let's not forget their families, who have also sacrificed so much. Brittany Morehouse with affiliate News 14 Carolina has a heartwarming story. It's of a little boy with an unusual way of coping while his father is in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ready?

BRITTANY MOREHOUSE, NEWS 14 CAROLINA REPORTER (voice-over): Trips to the mailbox are now a daily adventure.

ZACK ANGELL, FATHER IN IRAQ: Yes.

MOREHOUSE: Letters inside now spark small giggles of glee. 4- year-old Zac Angell can't wait to open his mail.

ANGELL: Look, American!

MOREHOUSE: His father is in Iraq, but Zac's not looking for notes from dad. He wants to see more hand cut-outs. The crafts were inspired by a concert Zac attended before his father Michael went overseas. He saw a performance by High Five, his favorite TV personalities. The group members told Zac they'd pray for his dad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He came to me one day and said, Mom, is anybody else praying for Dad like High Five is? Of course, you know, we're praying, grandma and grandpa. And he said, do you think they could just make a high five hand so I can see who's praying like High Five is?

MOREHOUSE (on camera): It all started when the Angels sent a letter out to 20 family members and friends. But the hands just kept on coming. Now they have 2,401 hands.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which one's your favorite color?

MOREHOUSE (voice-over): The rainbow of prints now fills their foyer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look at this tiny little baby hand.

MOREHOUSE: They come in all shapes and sizes from 24 different states and even other countries.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is from Brittany Smith in Virginia.

MOREHOUSE: For Zac, they all communicate one simple message.

ANGELL: We're praying for daddy.

MOREHOUSE: His mother says the hands help the whole family cope, but most of all they've cured Zac's terrifying nightmares and anger explosions.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nothing came close to doing what the hands have done for him.

So what's his name?

MOREHOUSE: Loved ones say the most amazing part is how he views the visual symbols.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I turned to Zac and I said, do you think we have enough hands? No, mom, you can never have enough love and prayers. He goes, but I do think you are going to need to get some more tape.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: You can never have enough love and prayers. Brittany Morehouse, with our affiliate News 14 Carolina, thank you very much. And we wish Zac well. By the way, I bet you'd like to help Zac out, some of you out there. You may cut out your hands and send them to The Angells, Davidson, North Carolina -- don't need a street address, they'll find. You do need the zip code, though. That is -- listen up -- 28036. There it is. Lower part of your screen right there, 28036. The Angells, Davidson, North Carolina. Send them a hand. Give them a hand.

Next, here for the U.S. troops in the field, Wolf Blitzer takes you behind the scenes with American forces in the Persian Gulf. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired May 30, 2005 - 14:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. As CNN celebrates 25 years on the air, we also recognize those correspondents who have braved incredible odds and a fair amount of danger to tell the story. CNN's first Beijing bureau chief, Mike Chinoy, shares his personal reflections in a book which is still available -- Amazon and what not -- "China Live."
Mike Chinoy, C, H, I and a Y. Here to share some moments with us. He's here with week as part of our anniversary events. And it's a pleasure to have you here.

MIKE CHINOY, SR. ASIA CORRESPONDENT: Thanks.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some serious events. You've been to North Korea now 13 times.

CHINOY: That's right.

O'BRIEN: Unlucky 13. The situation right now does not look good. They seem hell-bent on testing a nuclear device. Diplomacy seems to be going nowhere. Clearly, what is going on right now is not working. What can break this impasse? Is China the key or is it something the U.S. needs to do?

CHINOY: Well, it depends who you talk to. You're right, there is an impasse. Diplomacy is absolutely deadlocked. There are people in the Bush administration who think China is the key because the Chinese give North Korea most of their fuel, most of their food. But, in fact, my sense is that -- the real issue here is the North Koreans want to negotiate directly with the United States. They say -- they've hinted -- that they'd be willing to trade their nuclear program for the right benefits.

The Bush administration has consistently said we're not going to get into this kind of horse trading that the North has to denuclearize first and then they can talk about what Pyongyang wants. So with no diplomatic progress, the North Koreans are churning out the nuclear material. And as long as there isn't any diplomatic progress, they're going to have more of it.

O'BRIEN: So it's sort of a stick/stick approach. I don't see a carrot in all this. As a matter of fact, the president just a little while ago called Kim Jong Il a tyrant, a dangerous person, who ran concentration camps. Clearly that kind of dialogue does not do much to engender the atmosphere for diplomacy.

CHINOY: Well, one of the things -- and I heard this repeatedly on many of my trips to North Korea. The North Koreans see the United States as the guarantor of their system. They want the U.S. -- they want to deal with the U.S. that would allow their system to survive. And in -- so over the last dozen years, they've signaled repeatedly that they'd be willing to trade their missiles, their nukes, for the right price. But they want that process.

But the Bush administration sees these people as bad guys and doesn't want to deal with them. These kinds of insults just get the North Koreans' backs up and make, I think, the move to diplomacy harder.

O'BRIEN: Now, as you're talking there, there you are at one of those incredible military parades in Pyongyang. What is it like being there? Is it just -- on the surface from where we sit, it seems to be just kind of a regime where insanity rules.

CHINOY: Well, it certainly is the strangest place I've ever been. I mean, it's a place -- it's like a religious cult with the trappings of a state. You know, an ancient Korean dynasty where people worship the emperor and treat him like a God. And everything that people do is -- revolves around glorifying Kim Jong Il and before that, his father, Kim Il Sung.

That's what makes the North Korean system tick and that's why when the president of the United States calls the North Korean leader names, it resonates more deeply and in a more negative way with the North Koreans than it would be otherwise, because this is a state that's built around glorifying this guy like he's a god.

O'BRIEN: So in a sense, it plays into Kim's hands in that respect. All right, let's talk about China here for a moment. Tiananmen Square, we're approaching an anniversary, the 16th anniversary. Happens to be your birthday. Interesting that you were there on your birthday reporting in 1989.

CHINOY: It was not a very happy birthday.

O'BRIEN: No, I should say not. It's interesting, China is -- first of all, there you are in the midst of all that. We were pulled off the air. Of course, the iconic scene of that one person in front of the tank. It's hard to even encapsulize all those events. But what has happened in China since is the regime has steadfastly refused to renounce anything to do with it. And yet there has been this strange bubbling up of capitalism. In other words, there's a free market, but not a free discourse of political ideas. You can't have it both ways, can you?

CHINOY: Well, the Chinese have a very interesting situation here. You have a system where there is very little political freedom, but, compared to when I first went to China, a huge amount of personal liberty. When I first went to China in the '70s, even before we set up the CNN bureau, people were wearing Mao jackets and little Mao buttons. The state told you where you'd work, who you'd marry, what you could read, whether you could travel.

Now, in terms of personal freedom, it's like almost any other country. But you cross that line and start talking about challenging the Chinese communist party and, boom, the heavy hand comes down. And that includes discussion of Tiananmen.

O'BRIEN: Interesting. So you -- when you're trying to do your job there, it must be very difficult, because there's this distinct line. You can't -- when it comes to reporting the regime, you're very limited, aren't you?

CHINOY: Well, one of the ways the boom, the market reforms, have changed China is that it used to be much more rigid. The wiggle room for reporters is much greater now. I was in Szechuan province in western China a couple of weeks ago doing a story about the big dam on the Yangtze River, where they're relocating a million and a half people. And we were able to talk to people being forcibly relocated and who were disgruntled.

Even in Beijing, you can get to dissidence, but there's no guarantee after we air our story that they won't get into trouble. But you can get away with a lot more now because the fabric of the system is looser in a lot of ways, even though the Chinese Communist Party has still got that very tight grip on the fundamental issue, which is Chinese people acting against its authority.

O'BRIEN: All right. Loose in fabric, but not broken.

CHINOY: That's right.

O'BRIEN: All right. Mike Chinoy, we enjoy your reporting from Asia. You're now based in Hong Kong. Really, you're our senior correspondent over there. Your reporting is great and thanks for stopping by.

CHINOY: Glad to be here.

O'BRIEN: June 1st marks our official 25th anniversary. Wednesday night, CNN will bring you a special look at the top 25 stories that we've all witnessed together here this past quarter century. "Defining Moments: 25 stories That Touched Our Lives" begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 Pacific, right here on CNN.

O'BRIEN: Damage control in the Champs Elysees. French president Jacques Chirac probably smarting a bit today -- understatement, I think -- after voters handed him a stinging defeat, rejecting a proposed constitution for the European Union yesterday. And it looks like heads are going to roll.

Our Richard Quest is in Paris, with a little more on the fall- out. Richard.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you from the French capital where, yes, it has been an extraordinary day of meetings, uncertainty, discussions, because substantially what happened with this referendum was that the French people said they didn't like the way the European Union, the collection of 25 nations, was going. And more than that, they said they didn't like the way their own country, France, was going. High unemployment, weakened social welfare net, increased immigration, all sort of issues that the French people basically have decided to take their wrath out on the president of the French Republic.

Miles, the best way to think about it is, it's very similar to the mid-term elections in that sense where, for instance, you suddenly get the electorate taking their wrath out on the White House.

O'BRIEN: Yes, it's similar, but it seems like the stakes are a little higher, aren't they, Richard? We're talking, after all, about ratifying a constitution. A very fundamental shift in how the Europeans govern amongst each other and something that is very critical to the overall strategy of most of the countries of Europe in order to kind of create a counterweight to the superpower on the other side of the ocean, the United States.

QUEST: Right. Now, that's the point, Miles. Depends who you speak to. Talk to one group of people and they say, no, no, this is just a tidying up operation, taking old treaties, bunching them together, redefining, packaging it all up...

QUEST: Right. Now, that's the point, Miles. Depends who you speak to. Talk to one group of people, and they say, no. No, this is just a tidying-up operation, taking old treaties, bunching them together, redefining, packaging it all up, and Bob's your uncle. Talk to another load of people and they say, ah, this is the redefinition of the EU, its constitution, its people, its relationship with its countries. And that has been the ground that they've been going backwards and forwards.

What has happened in the rejection of this treaty by the French people is they said, basically, we don't like it whatever it is. We're not sure what it was. You never did a very good job explaining how it was going to work. And we don't want anything to do with it.

And now, Miles, this is the interesting bit. Everybody has to carry on with the old rules. It's perfectly workable. It's not just very efficient.

O'BRIEN: All right. Well, we're just going to have to leave it at that and watch it unfold. And there will be another vote in The Netherlands coming up. In a word, do you think that will go up or down?

QUEST: The Netherlands in a word, "non" -- and probably more "non" than the French.

O'BRIEN: Interesting. Maybe a jemais, never. All right. Richard Quest, always a pleasure having you drop by.

Babies as billboards. Ahead on LIVE FROM..., one mother's auction idea.

First, what to see at the movies the Memorial Day. Sibila?

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, he's a world famous comedian, actor and father. And now Chris Rock can add zebra to his resume. I'm one on one with the "Madagascar" star when LIVE FROM... returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: A mom in Pennsylvania, Michelle Hutchinson, has a novel marketing idea. She wants to use her soon-to-be born baby as a billboard. Hutchinson is inviting advertisers to put their names or logos on her child's clothing and baby stuff. Her logic is simple. She says everyone looks at babies. True.

The baby, her second, is expected to arrive in June. We wish them both well.

Well, we've all heard those annoying cell phone ringtones. Don't they just drive you crazy? Well now, one has become a hit single in Britain. Listen up.

(MUSIC)

Who knows why? You know, how do you explain the French? That is the "Crazy Frog Axel F" ringtone. It's actually the sound of a man imitating a revving moped. Now that is high art.

The track used is a sample of the theme song from "Beverly Hills Cop" films. You hear that, right? The Crazy Frog song beat out the group Coldplay to take the UK's number-one single spot. Go figure.

"Star Wars - Episode III" tops the box office again. Has a lot of competition all of a sudden. Rock solid. Comedian Chris Rock had two movies debut over the Memorial Day weekend. This guy is a busy guy. CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas busy covering that and other matters from L.A. Sibila.

VARGAS: That's right, Miles. Estimates show "Revenge Of The Sith" added about $70 million to its pot, for a total of $270 million so far. But also having a rocking Memorial Day weekend is Dreamworks' "Madagascar." Estimates show the animated flick finishing in second place with about $61 million.

Now I caught up with "Madagascar" star Chris Rock to talk about life, his journey from Brooklyn to Hollywood and, of course, his new role as Marty the zebra.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: So, Marty has big dreams.

CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN/ACTOR: Marty's a big dreamer. You know, Marty dreams of leaving the zoo and going out into the wild. You know, I guess he saw a brochure or some commercial or something. (BEGIN MOVIE CLIP)

LION: C'mon. What did you wish for?

MARTY: Nope, can't tell you that.

LION: Come on, tell.

MARTY: No, siree. I'm telling you, it's bad luck.

(END MOVIE CLIP)

VARGAS: Talking about big dreams, you know, you're a guy from Bed-Stuy.

ROCK: That's me.

VARGAS: Did you ever think and imagine that you would be at the place that you are right now?

ROCK: I never thought or imagined I would be at the -- all I wanted to be -- I mean, you know, if you'd have offered me a job making $6 an hour, you know, whatever, 20 years ago, I would have took it and never told a joke the rest of -- ever. I mean, you know, so that was my idea of, you know, success.

VARGAS: How did it all change for you? What was the turning point?

ROCK: I don't know. You know, once I got into comedy and, you know, it was like a calling. It's weird, because I'm from -- like, my grandfather is a preacher and my other grandfather is a preacher, so, like, preaching's in my blood. And people -- you know, preachers have a calling. But I wasn't called to preach. I was called to do stand- up.

VARGAS: And then you hosted the Oscars. I mean, only a handful of people get to do that. That is huge.

That's what I hear. Yeah, the Oscars went great. I had a ball. I've never had -- you know, I've never gotten such a positive reaction for anything I've ever done.

VARGAS: Have you been approached to do another Oscar gig?

ROCK: No one's called yet. It's still early. But if they want me to do it again, I'll do it.

VARGAS: If you could talk to yourself -- I mean, if you could go back 15 years and talk to a younger Chris --

ROCK: A younger Chris?

VARGAS: -- what would you tell yourself?

ROCK: Here's the thing: If I could do it -- and I love my life, but I would probably go to school; pay attention in school; graduate; get a high school diploma; go to college; live a normal life. And I love my life, but, you know, being in show business emotionally, it's so up and down and all around the place and you really -- you take your friends and your loved ones on this roller coaster.

VARGAS: Yeah.

ROCK: It would probably be nicer to, you know, be like an attorney in Phoenix. (Laughs.) Easier.

VARGAS: That we be easier, for sure.

ROCK: It'd be like an easier life. But I don't know. I'm having a ball. And what would I tell Chris? I would just -- it's going to work out, man.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: Things certainly are working out, Miles. Rock's other movie "The Longest Yard," also opened this weekend in third place with an estimated $60 million. So I'd say all in all, Rock's life rocks.

Miles.

O'BRIEN: I should say. Six bucks an hour. I wonder how long it takes him to make six bucks down. Milliseconds.

VARGAS: Yeah, milliseconds.

O'BRIEN: All right, Sibila. Thank you very much.

We have a little update for you on that crane story. You remember the crane story we told you so much about it -- 56 hours this guy on top of a crane held Atlanta at bay. Well, there he is. Just was at a hearing at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. Carl Roland has been denied bail pending an extradition hearing. Pinellas County, Florida, very interested in having him remanded to that jurisdiction, as they like to say in the legal world.

He is wanted in connection with the strangling death allegedly of his girlfriend in that location. Nevertheless, Roland remains until that extradition hearing can be set. Presumably he'll be on his way to Florida before too long.

Next, want to make your 4-year-old Zac Angell very happy? Just give him a hand. It's all for his dad, who is serving in Iraq.

And later, Wolf Blitzer goes behind the lines with U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf. It's a special hour with the troops for Memorial Day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: As we honor military veterans this Memorial Day, let's not forget their families, who have also sacrificed so much. Brittany Morehouse with affiliate News 14 Carolina has a heartwarming story. It's of a little boy with an unusual way of coping while his father is in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ready?

BRITTANY MOREHOUSE, NEWS 14 CAROLINA REPORTER (voice-over): Trips to the mailbox are now a daily adventure.

ZACK ANGELL, FATHER IN IRAQ: Yes.

MOREHOUSE: Letters inside now spark small giggles of glee. 4- year-old Zac Angell can't wait to open his mail.

ANGELL: Look, American!

MOREHOUSE: His father is in Iraq, but Zac's not looking for notes from dad. He wants to see more hand cut-outs. The crafts were inspired by a concert Zac attended before his father Michael went overseas. He saw a performance by High Five, his favorite TV personalities. The group members told Zac they'd pray for his dad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He came to me one day and said, Mom, is anybody else praying for Dad like High Five is? Of course, you know, we're praying, grandma and grandpa. And he said, do you think they could just make a high five hand so I can see who's praying like High Five is?

MOREHOUSE (on camera): It all started when the Angels sent a letter out to 20 family members and friends. But the hands just kept on coming. Now they have 2,401 hands.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which one's your favorite color?

MOREHOUSE (voice-over): The rainbow of prints now fills their foyer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look at this tiny little baby hand.

MOREHOUSE: They come in all shapes and sizes from 24 different states and even other countries.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is from Brittany Smith in Virginia.

MOREHOUSE: For Zac, they all communicate one simple message.

ANGELL: We're praying for daddy.

MOREHOUSE: His mother says the hands help the whole family cope, but most of all they've cured Zac's terrifying nightmares and anger explosions.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nothing came close to doing what the hands have done for him.

So what's his name?

MOREHOUSE: Loved ones say the most amazing part is how he views the visual symbols.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I turned to Zac and I said, do you think we have enough hands? No, mom, you can never have enough love and prayers. He goes, but I do think you are going to need to get some more tape.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: You can never have enough love and prayers. Brittany Morehouse, with our affiliate News 14 Carolina, thank you very much. And we wish Zac well. By the way, I bet you'd like to help Zac out, some of you out there. You may cut out your hands and send them to The Angells, Davidson, North Carolina -- don't need a street address, they'll find. You do need the zip code, though. That is -- listen up -- 28036. There it is. Lower part of your screen right there, 28036. The Angells, Davidson, North Carolina. Send them a hand. Give them a hand.

Next, here for the U.S. troops in the field, Wolf Blitzer takes you behind the scenes with American forces in the Persian Gulf. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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