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American Morning

Interview with Dana Corwin

Aired June 28, 2002 - 08:45   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: Britney Spears is taking a bite out of the Big Apple. The young woman who has made the bare midriff into a trademark headlined last night's star studded grand opening of her New York restaurant. It is called NYLA.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: Britney, you could do just about anything. Why a restaurant, and why in New York?

BRITNEY SPEARS, SINGER: Probably because, I mean, why not? Honestly. I mean, I love New York. The energy here is so good, and it's cool.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Brilliant answer. What else would you expect from young Britney? Well, NYLA, just in case you're wondering, it is short for New York and Britney's home state of Louisiana, N-Y-L-A. This is thick stuff. Dana Corwin of "Food and Wine" is here with the dish on Britney's place, on NYLA. Good morning.

DANA CORWIN, "FOOD AND WINE": Good morning.

KAGAN: I understand you kind of took one for the team last night. It was not the best night to be out in New York City trying to cover a big opening like this.

CORWIN: No. It was pouring, soaking rain. I stood in line with hundreds and hundreds of fans of Britney's, who were waiting, I think, for a look at the belly button, you know, more than a look at the restaurant.

KAGAN: Well, you know, that is Britney. Let's just see -- quickly, we will put the dress picture up of what she was wearing, of what Britney was wearing to see if people actually got a look at -- well, I don't see a lot of belly button happening there, Dana.

CORWIN: Some cleavage. There was a lot of cleavage there last night, not a lot of serious food. I stood by the kitchen door. Again, you know, reporter at large.

KAGAN: You go, girl!

CORWIN: I almost muscled my way into the kitchen, but Rudy Giuliani was on the other side of the door when I pushed it open.

KAGAN: Oh, no. So, was he getting the food there?

CORWIN: I think he was snuck through the kitchen -- I doubt he took a bite -- to go to the VIP room. Lots of stars.

KAGAN: So let's look at this restaurant idea. New York, Louisiana, what kind of menu does that make for, or do we care?

CORWIN: I think it's confusion on the menu, and that is OK because who is going to go for the food? The guy who is behind the restaurant is behind a Patrick Swayze restaurant that closed...

KAGAN: Ooh, that's big (ph).

CORWIN: ... and Marla Maples Trump restaurant that closed, OK? How good a shot does Britney have?

KAGAN: Which also makes you wonder -- you know, you heard the guy in line ask her, Britney, you could do anything, which might be overstating a bit, but she does have a lot of opportunities out there, she is one of the biggest stars in the world. Why do people like that need a restaurant? What does she need a headache like this for?

CORWIN: I think maybe she wanted to figure out the pink decor. She did have a little bit of influence on the style of the restaurant. She chose the idea behind the food. As we know, she did not taste any of the food, and I guess it seemed like a fun lark. Why not? Her dentist -- the dentist who lived next door to her manager, let her in on a really good deal.

KAGAN: And that's what brings us to NYLA.

CORWIN: So it brings us to NYLA.

KAGAN: You make a good point about anyone who is going to go there or the kids who are going to drag their parents there, they are not going for the food, they are going because they want to somehow get closer to Britney. But when we are looking at those pictures, it didn't look like there was lots of signs of Britney there, and certainly, she can't be there every night. She is a busy young lady.

CORWIN: Yes. I think that that's the sad part about the restaurant for the fans of Britney. There are no belly button rings. There are no dresses. There are no platinum wigs. There is no sign of her, except for her favorite flowers and the color of the room.

KAGAN: We are looking at more video of last night of this big opening as people came out in the rain. Who else was there besides Britney?

CORWIN: Oh, boy. Justin Timberlake, reputed to be there, to support his ex-girl.

KAGAN: Quote-unquote "ex-girlfriend." CORWIN: And to be honest, the crush was enormous. And the people I saw, there wasn't a beautiful person among them. There were VIP parts of the restaurant blocked off, couldn't get through. So, I am sure there were many VIPs in a very special, secluded room somewhere not to be seen by the rest of us.

KAGAN: You touched on these restaurants, and how they have -- the other stars haven't done well. Even if you look at the bigger picture, like Planet Hollywood, that was like the big -- that was the one that was the no miss...

CORWIN: Right.

KAGAN: ... the stock price that was so high. I mean, in the end, big bust.

CORWIN: I was just going to say big bust, but there are restaurants that have star names attached to them that do work. Michael Jordan has a very successful restaurant in New York and in other spots, Chicago among them. And Bobby De Niro has a restaurant, but they also have great chefs. They have great, great food at these restaurants, and they're not sort of banking on, you know, the power of somebody like a Britney. People would want to see Britney at the restaurant. Will they ever again? Seems unlikely.

KAGAN: Well, she won't be serving drinks, she is only 20 years old. Can't even do that legally. Dana Corwin from "Food and Wine." Thanks for stopping by.

CORWIN: Thanks.

KAGAN: Appreciate it.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: What happened to that -- wasn't there a joint in Rockefeller Center that three of the models opened? Claudia Schiffer and Tyra Banks. Is that still up and running?

KAGAN: Oh, that model cafe.

CORWIN: No. Fashion Cafe is done. Over.

CAFFERTY: Done, gone, over.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I am going to be to the contrarian. I think if you get the quality of food up, you can't make it in this town unless you serve good food anyway...

CAFFERTY: Got what, 6,000 restaurants?

HEMMER: Listen, as long as Britney Spears stays popular, too, kids are coming to this town. They're going to want to go there.

CORWIN: But you know, the truth is, it's really a lounge and her fans aren't old enough to drink there.

HEMMER: OK. CAFFERTY: To go there.

HEMMER: A lot of Shirley Temples.

CORWIN: Yes.

CAFFERTY: Where is the Dylan Hotel?

CORWIN: 41st Street, off Pershing Square. Dumb location.

KAGAN: Yes, location, location, location.

CAFFERTY: I was going to say, that's off the beaten track, too. You are in the middle of Times Square, that's another story.

CORWIN: I agree with you.

HEMMER: Hey, Dana, different topic. Are you a Bond fan?

CORWIN: A what?

KAGAN: James Bond. We are talking James Bond all morning.

HEMMER: Because we are Bond fans.

CORWIN: Oh, James Bond. Yes, I like James Bond.

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