Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Showbiz Today Reports: 'Rat Race' Premieres; Charts in Tune to Alicia Keys
Aired July 31, 2001 - 10:46 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.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You may just be starting your day, but in Hollywood, the rat race got under way last night. The new comedy "Rat Race" brought out stars Breckin Meyer and Cuba Gooding Jr. to the film's premiere. Co-starring comics, including Whoopi Goldberg, Paul Rodriguez, and Jon Lovitz, also came out for the first look at the flick, a comedy about a Las Vegas casino boss who finds a new way to get people to bet money.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ACTOR: It's why it's a road picture, a buddy -- it's a comedy of a bunch of greedy lunatics who are after money -- but then aren't we all?
BRECKIN MEYER, ACTOR: It's the first movie I've made where I can say to my mom, Just go see it; I don't have to tell you ahead of time. It's not a teen comedy. I don't have to explain you may see my ass, or anything like that. She can just go see it and have fun.
CUBA GOODING JR., ACTOR: For three months, I got to do nothing but laugh and make co-stars laugh. It's funny working because working with Whoopi Goldberg, John Cleese -- all of these people are trained comedians and actors, and here we were in an environment not trying to be funny, but trying to keep up with what everybody else was doing around us. So we had a good time.
JON LOVITZ, ACTOR: This movie was so great everybody from the director, the writer, and all the cast all had great senses of humor, that's why the movie is so funny. It's the fifth highest testing movie in the history -- in the history -- of Paramount Pictures.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OKWU: Musician Alicia Keyes has just joined the rat race of the music biz, and she's off to a very, very fast start. Her very first album debuted at number one on Billboard's album charts and has stayed there for over the past few weeks. The record's called "Songs in A Minor," and it's making Keyes a major star.
Lori Blackman tells us what makes her a "Showbiz Today" star of tomorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LORI BLACKMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The entire music industry is buzzing over Alicia Keys, and for good reason.
You have your first album out right now, called "Songs in A Minor," and it debuted at number one a few weeks ago and has stayed there. Are you surprised by the immediate success that you've had with this?
ALICIA KEYS: Yes. I mean I felt that people would gravitate towards it and like it, and I hoped that people would absolutely support it, but I never quite imagined that they would support it in this capacity so soon.
BLACKMAN: You were a classically trained pianist, which you incorporate into your hip-hop, R&B-style music, which is very atypical for this genre.
KEYS: Thank you. I like to be atypical. Yes, I started studying when I was seven, and I just studied for 11 years. I completely, really enjoyed classical music, especially moody Chopin, some Beethoven that's very moody. It draws me in in some way.
So incorporating them both together from the soul music that I love -- Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield to hip-hop -- Biggie, Tupac, a lot of people -- incorporating it is just natural.
BLACKMAN: You are only 20 years old. You will likely have a very long and wonderful career ahead of you.
KEYS: Thank you.
BLACKMAN: What would you like to do with it? You've almost hit a pinnacle already.
KEYS: No way. There is always more to do, more to experience, and I hope to be a voice, a voice that can touch people and reach people and let them know that they are not alone and that people go through lots of different situations and that you can overcome it. I think that is one of my main goals right now.
Lori Blackman, CNN Entertainment News, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
