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CNN Live Today

'New You Revolution'; An Interview With Billy Idol

Aired February 15, 2005 - 11:31   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up on the half hour, actually past the half hour, truth be told, I'm Daryn Kagan.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Rick Sanchez. Here's what's happening right now, in the news.

Congress may have an $82 billion dollar spending bill on President Bush's desk by April. Most of the money will go to pay for the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The cost of the war since the 9/11 attacks is now approaching, according to government figures, $300 billion.

The Senate is expected to confirm Michael Chertoff today as the second Secretary of Homeland Security. He will replace Tom Ridge. Six hours of debate are planned, with the vote about 4:00 p.m. Eastern. CNN will provide live coverage of that for you.

The U.N. wants to send 10,000 peacekeepers to Sudan to protect civilians there, But It's still not clear whether the Sudanese government will allow U.N. troops into the Darfour region. Thousands have been killed there by government-supported militias.

And Congress banned butane lighters on commercial aircraft starting today. The Transportation Security Administration won't make the deadline. The TSA would only say that the ban is under review.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

KAGAN: One day after the Beirut bombing killed at least 17 people, Lebanon is shut down in mourning for former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. And as we reported earlier, investigators are digging through the rubble any clues on how that bomb was set.

This morning, senior international correspondent Brent Sadler was able to get to the scene of the explosion and brings us this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: The fallout from the political assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is still reverberating, not just here in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, but throughout the Middle East and far beyond.

This is where the massive explosion took place. We just pan off to my right, you can see the size of the crater here, a massive hole that has given you some sort of idea of the scale of the blast that claimed the life of Mr. Hariri and at least nine others in his armored motorcade. One of his closest colleagues, a former minister, Bethel Flahan (ph), is in hospital abroad fighting for his life with over 97 percent burns as a result of the magnitude of the blast.

If I can give you some idea of the collateral damage around here, we'll pick our way through the debris. This on my left is the former renowned St. George Hotel. It still had not been rebuilt after the 15-year civil war that engulfed this country in the 1970s and 1980s. The blast was set off between the St. George hotel and another empty building that was in the process of reconstruction.

Now, as we walk through the debris here, I can see Lebanese army soldiers and now in the process of taking photographs of the blast site, looking at how this detonation was laid, how these explosives were set. It's still unclear at this stage whether or not this was a car bomb, a suicide bombing, or some sort of underground explosion. What we do know is that there were construction works going on in this area. And we do know from what the authorities are telling us on the ground that between 250 and 300 kilos, maybe about 700 pounds of explosives, were detonated, and we believe a single blast.

Now if you take a look around here, you can see the mangled wrecks of many cars. The armored convoy of the late prime minister was literally decimated by the powerful blast that shook the center of Beirut the previous day. This really is a throwback, a dark throwback to the civil war years here, that Rafik Hariri had always strived, he said, to remove those dark days, those dark decades from Lebanon's history, to move this country forward and to try to integrate it in a wider Middle East peace process that he was a passionate believer in.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Here's some other world news that we're following on this day. Chinese media say at least 203 people are dead from Monday's gas explosion in a coal mine in the northeast. At many as 13 are still feared trapped underground. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is still underway.

The president of the Philippines is vowing to wipe out Muslim militants believed to have caused deadly bombings in three cities. Some 3,000 soldiers are hunting supporters of a jailed Muslim rebel. The group Abu Sayyaf, has claimed responsibility for three attacks on Monday that killed seven people.

And in Venezuela as well, and Colombia, relief crews are till trying to provide, food, water and medical supplies to those affected in the recent floods. At least 85 people have died in both countries during the week of floods and landslides. Officials say more than 21,000 people have lost their homes as a result.

KAGAN: We are at 36 minutes past the hour. He is back. His style's the same. Guess who talks to Billy Idol coming up next. He's still got the blond hair.

SANCHEZ: I do? KAGAN: Well, we're going to give it to you.

SANCHEZ: Then past the halfway point of the new revolution, the "New You Revolution," pardon me, I left a word out. Find out whether some alternative treatments work for this nail-biter, that's what he is.

KAGAN: This is the guy who said a piece of nail like filet mignon.

SANCHEZ: The white parts.

We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Participants into Dr. Sanjay Gupta's "New You Revolution" are five weeks into the program now. They're working hard to break that habit and create newer, healthier ones. We've been updating their progress each week. Right now, a checkup.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Our "New You" participants have made it past the halfway point, and it seems everyone is still on course, especially Jonathan Karp.

(voice over): Jonathan Karp has been doing really well. So we treated him and his valentine to his and her manicures. This is the first time Jonathan has ever felt his nails were worth such a treat.

JONATHAN KARP, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: Hot towel. It's nice.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is...

KARP: Nails for males.

GUPTA: Keeping daily score in his journal has proven to be a key to his progress.

KARP: You know, every day, I just quantify and make sure I hit that zero and stop biting. So now I don't want to even start up again. So that's really my major motivation.

GUPTA: Trying to help him break his bad habit, he's tried some alternative therapies. First, acupuncture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You might want to think about it as body- centered. Stress management.

GUPTA: Jonathan said acupuncture made him a little more relaxed. But twice a week acupuncture treatments didn't fit into his busy schedule. Next, hypnotherapy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What this does is it helps create a different reflex. Not this, but this. Not this, but this. It trains the brain virtually instantly.

GUPTA: But Jonathan had a hard time believing this could work.

KARP: What I first expected from hypnotherapy was to be totally relaxed. But I felt it was actually stressful, and I was uncomfortable the whole time.

GUPTA: So to reach his goal of having perfect nails for his wedding day, he's turning to more self-motivation, more exercise and the continued support of his fiance.

KARP: I'm about 80 percent there. No, actually, like the first time I think that I actually have to clip my nails with a clipper, and I'm like, wow, they're getting too long. That will be I think the day to just maybe drink some champagne.

GUPTA (on camera): So as you can see, there's been quite an improvement for Jonathan, about 80 percent there he says.

Our other participants are also doing well, changing what they eat. That's been their priority. Here's their weekly checkup.

(voice over): Six weeks ago, Leigh Ann ate fast food all the time, because she didn't know how to cook. So she's getting a lesson in how to make healthy fast food, including lean cuts of beef.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Beef tenderloin is a great cut for quick meals, because you don't have to do much to it. Flip them one more time.

GUPTA: "Cooking Light" food editor Ann Pittman (ph) shows her that homemade meals can be easy and flavorful. Now Leigh Ann is able to make five new meals, each in about 20 minutes.

LEIGH ANN RAYNOR, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: This is very easy. I think even I can manage this.

GUPTA: Harald's vice has always been his love for food. So early on, his trainer cleaned out his fridge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we're just going to get rid of all this, all of the goodies, so nobody's tempted around here.

GUPTA: And how is Harald doing now? Well, for starters, his lunch at work has gotten leaner.

HARALD FRICKER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: Turkey sandwich.

GUPTA: He's not starving either, because he's supposed to eat five meals a day and about 2,000 calories. So far, he's lost 15 pounds.

Sandra continues to exercise every day.

SANDRA GARTH, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: This is going to take four more inches off my waistline. GUPTA: And she's stocked her fridge with healthy foods.

GARTH: Yogurt, fat-free cream cheese, some salad.

GUPTA: But she's still cooking the way she used to -- for her husband.

GARTH: Before the "New You Revolution"...

GUPTA: For herself, it's a leaner version of her favorite foods. She's eating healthier, but having a hard time eating enough, frequently eating less than 1,000 calories. Her body needs at least 1,200.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your metabolism doesn't think I'm not going to get fat for a while so I better slow down.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, for the "New You Revolution."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, next week, Dr. Gupta will go through a checkup with Thekla Fischer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THEKLA FISCHER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I'm taking it for the future, especially during pregnancy. It would be really good to be able to rely on those exercise classes to help me overcome some of the pain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Thekla's definitely getting more exercise. We'll see if she's making progress breaking her other bad habits.

As always, you can follow all of our "New You" participants and e-mail them simply by logging on to CNN.com/revolution.

SANCHEZ: I get to interview a friend of mine coming up here in just a little bit.

You grew up during the '80s. You know about...

KAGAN: Give or take a few decades.

SANCHEZ: One of your rock 'n' roll idols.

KAGAN: Literally. Bill Idol stopped by.

What happens when you put Rick Sanchez and Billy Idol in the same room? It's a combination that few minds can even wrap their heads around.

SANCHEZ: Crazy, man!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: We turn now the world of rock 'n' roll. He is definitely a rocker well know, but hasn't had a new album out in about 10 years. He's got one now. As a matter of fact, it's called "Devil's Playground." We are joined from New York by none other than Billy Idol.

Billy Idol, it certainly is a pleasure it see you, sir.

BILLY IDOL, MUSICIAN: Yes. Great to see you, too.

SANCHEZ: Hey, this is the first time you put an album out in 10 years. Why the wait?

IDOL: We didn't spend 10 years making this record. In fact, we've only really spent the last two. I actually spent the last sort of five years basically putting a band together so that when we made this record, it would be a real group playing it. I always thought that was the strongest thing about one of my earliest records, "Rebel Yell," and that's what I put in practice here. I think it's a really strong album. I think it's best album since "Rebel Yell" I've made, and that's the reason for coming back.

SANCHEZ: You know, there's something a lot of people don't know about you, and that's that you're a dutiful dad. You're very devoted to your kids. And is that one of the reasons you've been kind of out of the musical limelight for the last couple of years?

IDOL: Well, yes, certainly. About '94 or '95, my son was about the age for little league and stuff like that, and that was just about perfect for me to like back off a bit the whole grunge thing. And I didn't want to chase fashion. That was my main thing. So it was great. I got a chance to, you know, grow up with him, and to see her as well, Bonnie.

SANCHEZ: What do you mean you didn't want to chase fashion? I'm not quite sure I quite understand what you mean?

IDOL: Well, it's like, what happened, I was always leading fashion, and then the grunge thing kind of came along. And because I've been so on top in the '80s you know, I, you know, what can I do? Suddenly go grunge? I thought it was better to wait for a bit, let that energy pass, and then, you know, I think they'll find out that the there's space for Billy Idol yet.

SANCHEZ: You what's interesting about you, as you become a star in your own rite, and that's just through music, which obviously you're extremely talented, but also through the visual side of music that's developed into the last couple of decades. Most people say when they first started watching MTV, there's Billy Idol. How big a part of your preparation or what you wanted to create for yourself has been tying into the whole music video scene?

IDOL: Well, of course, in the '80s, that was a massive platform for me. I mean, that's what it really was. A musical platform. I think a lot of people got lost in the idea that we were video groups. No, no. We were real groups who just happened to look good enough that your girlfriend wanted to have sex with us. Sorry.

SANCHEZ: If you do say so yourself, right?

IDOL: Yes, if I do say so myself. And you know, the point was that for me, personally, when I came to America in about '81, just as -- year before or so, MTV's really got going. They wouldn't play my records on American radio because I had spiky hair. They said punk rock doesn't sell advertising, it won't make any money. So MTV provided me a platform which then the kids all phoned up the radio, then they played my records and I think made money on the advertising. So I think we're all happy.

SANCHEZ: One final question. We often have a tendency to want to label, if you will, entertainers in the rock world specifically. For a long time you were known as a punk rocker. If were you to come up with a term for the music you perform now, what would it be?

IDOL: Well, I mean, I think Billy Idol, we've really tried to, in the end, incorporate every kind of style that I love. It's our music. But I would say that the music -- even though it's not directly punk rock anymore, and is does have some facets of punk rock, there are some punk rock songs, but we touch on everything.

But I'd say the music has punk rock attitude. And that means that it's coming from the heart, it's honest, it's believable. It's about real things and it's got an edge to it. And I'd like to -- I wanted to keep that in, but then again, I wanted to be -- If I wanted to play rockabilly Idol, I wanted to play rockabilly Idol. If I wanted to be punkabilly Idol, I wanted to be punkabilly Idol. If want to be a folkabilly Idol, that's punk -- it's do what you want.

SANCHEZ: We've got it.

IDOL: And we can do it. I've got the glads, I've got the guys, I've got the girls to do it. So, it's fun.

SANCHEZ: You're great. We love your passion. None other like him. Billy Idol. The new album is called "Devil's Playground." We thank you, sir, for taking time to talk to us today.

IDOL: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Interesting guy. And from entertainment, we stay with it.

KAGAN: We do. Breaking news out of Santa Maria, California, concerning Michael Jackson. Breaking news as he was making his way to the courthouse in Santa Maria, California. Let's go to Miguel Marquez, standing by with the latest -- Miguel.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yet another twist in this case. The judge in this case, Judge Melville, just came into the courtroom a short time ago and announced to the courtroom that Mr. Jackson, while on his way here, grew ill and was taken to the emergency room at Marion Hospital here in Santa Maria. It's not clear whether they will continue with the voir dire, or the questioning of the jurors, today. The judge only made that announcement.

It's not clear whether or not they are going to continue, because typically they like the defendant to be there. But the big news right now is that Mr. Jackson's motorcade was en route here to the courthouse. He grew ill and is now at an emergency room here in Santa Maria. It's not clear what he is sick from or how serious his illness is, and whether or not it will hold things up here until his health is all sorted out. Back to you.

KAGAN: So no clue as to the symptoms or has made him feel sick or what they're dealing with as he goes to the hospital in Santa Maria?

MARQUEZ: Yes. The court is in break right now, as well, until they kind of determine how they're going to proceed without Mr. Jackson here. And it's not clear how long he will be at the hospital. This may be a fairly simple matter, and he may be able to rejoin them shortly, but until they know what his disposition is, it seems they're going to remain in break and figure it all out.

KAGAN: All right. Things on hold in Santa Maria. Miguel Marquez, thank you.

Things on hold in Santa Maria. Michael Jackson taken to the hospital, complaining of some type of symptom, we don't know what, as he was making his way from his home in San Inez in the valley to the courthouse in Santa Maria, as jury selection goes on in that trial. Things are on hold in central California.

We're going to take a break. We're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: But right now we're going to toss it on up to Wolf Blitzer in Washington, D.C.

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 February 15, 2005 - 11:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up on the half hour, actually past the half hour, truth be told, I'm Daryn Kagan.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Rick Sanchez. Here's what's happening right now, in the news.

Congress may have an $82 billion dollar spending bill on President Bush's desk by April. Most of the money will go to pay for the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The cost of the war since the 9/11 attacks is now approaching, according to government figures, $300 billion.

The Senate is expected to confirm Michael Chertoff today as the second Secretary of Homeland Security. He will replace Tom Ridge. Six hours of debate are planned, with the vote about 4:00 p.m. Eastern. CNN will provide live coverage of that for you.

The U.N. wants to send 10,000 peacekeepers to Sudan to protect civilians there, But It's still not clear whether the Sudanese government will allow U.N. troops into the Darfour region. Thousands have been killed there by government-supported militias.

And Congress banned butane lighters on commercial aircraft starting today. The Transportation Security Administration won't make the deadline. The TSA would only say that the ban is under review.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

KAGAN: One day after the Beirut bombing killed at least 17 people, Lebanon is shut down in mourning for former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. And as we reported earlier, investigators are digging through the rubble any clues on how that bomb was set.

This morning, senior international correspondent Brent Sadler was able to get to the scene of the explosion and brings us this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: The fallout from the political assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is still reverberating, not just here in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, but throughout the Middle East and far beyond.

This is where the massive explosion took place. We just pan off to my right, you can see the size of the crater here, a massive hole that has given you some sort of idea of the scale of the blast that claimed the life of Mr. Hariri and at least nine others in his armored motorcade. One of his closest colleagues, a former minister, Bethel Flahan (ph), is in hospital abroad fighting for his life with over 97 percent burns as a result of the magnitude of the blast.

If I can give you some idea of the collateral damage around here, we'll pick our way through the debris. This on my left is the former renowned St. George Hotel. It still had not been rebuilt after the 15-year civil war that engulfed this country in the 1970s and 1980s. The blast was set off between the St. George hotel and another empty building that was in the process of reconstruction.

Now, as we walk through the debris here, I can see Lebanese army soldiers and now in the process of taking photographs of the blast site, looking at how this detonation was laid, how these explosives were set. It's still unclear at this stage whether or not this was a car bomb, a suicide bombing, or some sort of underground explosion. What we do know is that there were construction works going on in this area. And we do know from what the authorities are telling us on the ground that between 250 and 300 kilos, maybe about 700 pounds of explosives, were detonated, and we believe a single blast.

Now if you take a look around here, you can see the mangled wrecks of many cars. The armored convoy of the late prime minister was literally decimated by the powerful blast that shook the center of Beirut the previous day. This really is a throwback, a dark throwback to the civil war years here, that Rafik Hariri had always strived, he said, to remove those dark days, those dark decades from Lebanon's history, to move this country forward and to try to integrate it in a wider Middle East peace process that he was a passionate believer in.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Here's some other world news that we're following on this day. Chinese media say at least 203 people are dead from Monday's gas explosion in a coal mine in the northeast. At many as 13 are still feared trapped underground. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is still underway.

The president of the Philippines is vowing to wipe out Muslim militants believed to have caused deadly bombings in three cities. Some 3,000 soldiers are hunting supporters of a jailed Muslim rebel. The group Abu Sayyaf, has claimed responsibility for three attacks on Monday that killed seven people.

And in Venezuela as well, and Colombia, relief crews are till trying to provide, food, water and medical supplies to those affected in the recent floods. At least 85 people have died in both countries during the week of floods and landslides. Officials say more than 21,000 people have lost their homes as a result.

KAGAN: We are at 36 minutes past the hour. He is back. His style's the same. Guess who talks to Billy Idol coming up next. He's still got the blond hair.

SANCHEZ: I do? KAGAN: Well, we're going to give it to you.

SANCHEZ: Then past the halfway point of the new revolution, the "New You Revolution," pardon me, I left a word out. Find out whether some alternative treatments work for this nail-biter, that's what he is.

KAGAN: This is the guy who said a piece of nail like filet mignon.

SANCHEZ: The white parts.

We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Participants into Dr. Sanjay Gupta's "New You Revolution" are five weeks into the program now. They're working hard to break that habit and create newer, healthier ones. We've been updating their progress each week. Right now, a checkup.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Our "New You" participants have made it past the halfway point, and it seems everyone is still on course, especially Jonathan Karp.

(voice over): Jonathan Karp has been doing really well. So we treated him and his valentine to his and her manicures. This is the first time Jonathan has ever felt his nails were worth such a treat.

JONATHAN KARP, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: Hot towel. It's nice.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is...

KARP: Nails for males.

GUPTA: Keeping daily score in his journal has proven to be a key to his progress.

KARP: You know, every day, I just quantify and make sure I hit that zero and stop biting. So now I don't want to even start up again. So that's really my major motivation.

GUPTA: Trying to help him break his bad habit, he's tried some alternative therapies. First, acupuncture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You might want to think about it as body- centered. Stress management.

GUPTA: Jonathan said acupuncture made him a little more relaxed. But twice a week acupuncture treatments didn't fit into his busy schedule. Next, hypnotherapy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What this does is it helps create a different reflex. Not this, but this. Not this, but this. It trains the brain virtually instantly.

GUPTA: But Jonathan had a hard time believing this could work.

KARP: What I first expected from hypnotherapy was to be totally relaxed. But I felt it was actually stressful, and I was uncomfortable the whole time.

GUPTA: So to reach his goal of having perfect nails for his wedding day, he's turning to more self-motivation, more exercise and the continued support of his fiance.

KARP: I'm about 80 percent there. No, actually, like the first time I think that I actually have to clip my nails with a clipper, and I'm like, wow, they're getting too long. That will be I think the day to just maybe drink some champagne.

GUPTA (on camera): So as you can see, there's been quite an improvement for Jonathan, about 80 percent there he says.

Our other participants are also doing well, changing what they eat. That's been their priority. Here's their weekly checkup.

(voice over): Six weeks ago, Leigh Ann ate fast food all the time, because she didn't know how to cook. So she's getting a lesson in how to make healthy fast food, including lean cuts of beef.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Beef tenderloin is a great cut for quick meals, because you don't have to do much to it. Flip them one more time.

GUPTA: "Cooking Light" food editor Ann Pittman (ph) shows her that homemade meals can be easy and flavorful. Now Leigh Ann is able to make five new meals, each in about 20 minutes.

LEIGH ANN RAYNOR, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: This is very easy. I think even I can manage this.

GUPTA: Harald's vice has always been his love for food. So early on, his trainer cleaned out his fridge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we're just going to get rid of all this, all of the goodies, so nobody's tempted around here.

GUPTA: And how is Harald doing now? Well, for starters, his lunch at work has gotten leaner.

HARALD FRICKER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: Turkey sandwich.

GUPTA: He's not starving either, because he's supposed to eat five meals a day and about 2,000 calories. So far, he's lost 15 pounds.

Sandra continues to exercise every day.

SANDRA GARTH, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: This is going to take four more inches off my waistline. GUPTA: And she's stocked her fridge with healthy foods.

GARTH: Yogurt, fat-free cream cheese, some salad.

GUPTA: But she's still cooking the way she used to -- for her husband.

GARTH: Before the "New You Revolution"...

GUPTA: For herself, it's a leaner version of her favorite foods. She's eating healthier, but having a hard time eating enough, frequently eating less than 1,000 calories. Her body needs at least 1,200.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your metabolism doesn't think I'm not going to get fat for a while so I better slow down.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, for the "New You Revolution."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, next week, Dr. Gupta will go through a checkup with Thekla Fischer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THEKLA FISCHER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I'm taking it for the future, especially during pregnancy. It would be really good to be able to rely on those exercise classes to help me overcome some of the pain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Thekla's definitely getting more exercise. We'll see if she's making progress breaking her other bad habits.

As always, you can follow all of our "New You" participants and e-mail them simply by logging on to CNN.com/revolution.

SANCHEZ: I get to interview a friend of mine coming up here in just a little bit.

You grew up during the '80s. You know about...

KAGAN: Give or take a few decades.

SANCHEZ: One of your rock 'n' roll idols.

KAGAN: Literally. Bill Idol stopped by.

What happens when you put Rick Sanchez and Billy Idol in the same room? It's a combination that few minds can even wrap their heads around.

SANCHEZ: Crazy, man!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: We turn now the world of rock 'n' roll. He is definitely a rocker well know, but hasn't had a new album out in about 10 years. He's got one now. As a matter of fact, it's called "Devil's Playground." We are joined from New York by none other than Billy Idol.

Billy Idol, it certainly is a pleasure it see you, sir.

BILLY IDOL, MUSICIAN: Yes. Great to see you, too.

SANCHEZ: Hey, this is the first time you put an album out in 10 years. Why the wait?

IDOL: We didn't spend 10 years making this record. In fact, we've only really spent the last two. I actually spent the last sort of five years basically putting a band together so that when we made this record, it would be a real group playing it. I always thought that was the strongest thing about one of my earliest records, "Rebel Yell," and that's what I put in practice here. I think it's a really strong album. I think it's best album since "Rebel Yell" I've made, and that's the reason for coming back.

SANCHEZ: You know, there's something a lot of people don't know about you, and that's that you're a dutiful dad. You're very devoted to your kids. And is that one of the reasons you've been kind of out of the musical limelight for the last couple of years?

IDOL: Well, yes, certainly. About '94 or '95, my son was about the age for little league and stuff like that, and that was just about perfect for me to like back off a bit the whole grunge thing. And I didn't want to chase fashion. That was my main thing. So it was great. I got a chance to, you know, grow up with him, and to see her as well, Bonnie.

SANCHEZ: What do you mean you didn't want to chase fashion? I'm not quite sure I quite understand what you mean?

IDOL: Well, it's like, what happened, I was always leading fashion, and then the grunge thing kind of came along. And because I've been so on top in the '80s you know, I, you know, what can I do? Suddenly go grunge? I thought it was better to wait for a bit, let that energy pass, and then, you know, I think they'll find out that the there's space for Billy Idol yet.

SANCHEZ: You what's interesting about you, as you become a star in your own rite, and that's just through music, which obviously you're extremely talented, but also through the visual side of music that's developed into the last couple of decades. Most people say when they first started watching MTV, there's Billy Idol. How big a part of your preparation or what you wanted to create for yourself has been tying into the whole music video scene?

IDOL: Well, of course, in the '80s, that was a massive platform for me. I mean, that's what it really was. A musical platform. I think a lot of people got lost in the idea that we were video groups. No, no. We were real groups who just happened to look good enough that your girlfriend wanted to have sex with us. Sorry.

SANCHEZ: If you do say so yourself, right?

IDOL: Yes, if I do say so myself. And you know, the point was that for me, personally, when I came to America in about '81, just as -- year before or so, MTV's really got going. They wouldn't play my records on American radio because I had spiky hair. They said punk rock doesn't sell advertising, it won't make any money. So MTV provided me a platform which then the kids all phoned up the radio, then they played my records and I think made money on the advertising. So I think we're all happy.

SANCHEZ: One final question. We often have a tendency to want to label, if you will, entertainers in the rock world specifically. For a long time you were known as a punk rocker. If were you to come up with a term for the music you perform now, what would it be?

IDOL: Well, I mean, I think Billy Idol, we've really tried to, in the end, incorporate every kind of style that I love. It's our music. But I would say that the music -- even though it's not directly punk rock anymore, and is does have some facets of punk rock, there are some punk rock songs, but we touch on everything.

But I'd say the music has punk rock attitude. And that means that it's coming from the heart, it's honest, it's believable. It's about real things and it's got an edge to it. And I'd like to -- I wanted to keep that in, but then again, I wanted to be -- If I wanted to play rockabilly Idol, I wanted to play rockabilly Idol. If I wanted to be punkabilly Idol, I wanted to be punkabilly Idol. If want to be a folkabilly Idol, that's punk -- it's do what you want.

SANCHEZ: We've got it.

IDOL: And we can do it. I've got the glads, I've got the guys, I've got the girls to do it. So, it's fun.

SANCHEZ: You're great. We love your passion. None other like him. Billy Idol. The new album is called "Devil's Playground." We thank you, sir, for taking time to talk to us today.

IDOL: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Interesting guy. And from entertainment, we stay with it.

KAGAN: We do. Breaking news out of Santa Maria, California, concerning Michael Jackson. Breaking news as he was making his way to the courthouse in Santa Maria, California. Let's go to Miguel Marquez, standing by with the latest -- Miguel.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yet another twist in this case. The judge in this case, Judge Melville, just came into the courtroom a short time ago and announced to the courtroom that Mr. Jackson, while on his way here, grew ill and was taken to the emergency room at Marion Hospital here in Santa Maria. It's not clear whether they will continue with the voir dire, or the questioning of the jurors, today. The judge only made that announcement.

It's not clear whether or not they are going to continue, because typically they like the defendant to be there. But the big news right now is that Mr. Jackson's motorcade was en route here to the courthouse. He grew ill and is now at an emergency room here in Santa Maria. It's not clear what he is sick from or how serious his illness is, and whether or not it will hold things up here until his health is all sorted out. Back to you.

KAGAN: So no clue as to the symptoms or has made him feel sick or what they're dealing with as he goes to the hospital in Santa Maria?

MARQUEZ: Yes. The court is in break right now, as well, until they kind of determine how they're going to proceed without Mr. Jackson here. And it's not clear how long he will be at the hospital. This may be a fairly simple matter, and he may be able to rejoin them shortly, but until they know what his disposition is, it seems they're going to remain in break and figure it all out.

KAGAN: All right. Things on hold in Santa Maria. Miguel Marquez, thank you.

Things on hold in Santa Maria. Michael Jackson taken to the hospital, complaining of some type of symptom, we don't know what, as he was making his way from his home in San Inez in the valley to the courthouse in Santa Maria, as jury selection goes on in that trial. Things are on hold in central California.

We're going to take a break. We're back after this.

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KAGAN: But right now we're going to toss it on up to Wolf Blitzer in Washington, D.C.

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