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American Morning

90-Second Pop, Culture Watch

Aired February 05, 2004 - 07:45   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Time once again for "90-Second Pop." In today's episode a Grammys preview, and why Janet Jackson won't be part of music's biggest night.
Here to discuss things with us today is Toure, contributing editor for "Rolling Stone."

Hello to you.

TOURE, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "ROLLING STONE": Hi.

COLLINS: "New York Times" reporter Lola Ogunnaike.

LOLA OGUNNAIKE, "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTER: Hi.

COLLINS: And B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "US Weekly."

Thanks so much, you guys, for being here.

You know, we were chatting in the break, and I know you just haven't had anything to say about this whole Janet Jackson thing.

TOURE: Yes, it's been a boring week.

OGUNNAIKE: Nothing to say.

COLLINS: Yes.

TOURE: A little slow.

COLLINS: Lola, let me ask you. We've been hearing, obviously, that Janet Jackson is now not going to be a presenter at the Grammys. What happened here?

OGUNNAIKE: She's been disinvited from the Grammys.

COLLINS: She has been disinvited.

OGUNNAIKE: She has been disinvited from the Grammys. Well, she's saying that she's opting not to participate, but word is she's been disinvited. And suddenly, Luther Vandross will not appear at the Grammys. So, it's all coincidental, but yes, she's (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

COLLINS: What so much fallout here? What's the major complaint?

OGUNNAIKE: Well, I think, you know, she did this during the halftime show of the Super Bowl, one of the most wholesome events of the year, and had this been at the MTV Awards, it would have been a different story. I think people would have laughed it off and maybe talked about it, but it wouldn't have been nearly as controversial. But having a breast pop out during the middle of the halftime show is just something that was totally unexpected, and the fallout has been major.

B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": But they really worked, they really thought a lot about it, and Janet has taken the fall.

OGUNNAIKE: Definitely.

SIGESMUND: You know, CBS, MTV, the NFL and even Justin Timberlake are all getting off scot-free essentially. Janet (UNINTELLIGIBLE) said it's my fault.

COLLINS: Well, that's because Justin is shocked and appalled.

SIGESMUND: Well, that's something different.

COLLINS: Yes, sure.

SIGESMUND: You know, Justin, in the last day, started talking about this and saying how appalled he was and how surprised he was by this. And I don't think that's good for his public relations.

TOURE: But now there are new victims.

COLLINS: Yes.

TOURE: Poor J.C. Chasez was going to do the halftime show at the Pro Bowl.

COLLINS: Now, that's 'N Sync.

SIGESMUND: Right.

TOURE: Now, they're taking him -- which is totally ridiculous. 'N Sync has spent all this time creating this wholesome sweet image. They have done anything. They've never hurt a fly, and now they're kicked -- I mean, this is like guilt by association.

SIGESMUND: Right.

COLLINS: So, he's been kicked off of the Pro Bowl entertainment.

TOURE: They say you can't do the halftime show. You can do the Anthem. And he hasn't said whether or not he wants to do it. But the whole thing is ridiculous.

SIGESMUND: And then tonight on ER, they are snipping out two seconds of an 80-year-old woman's breast. She's a...

OGUNNAIKE: Not that anyone wants to see that anyway.

SIGESMUND: She's a medical patient, but everyone is being so conservative right now, and so careful in light of what happened on Sunday, that they're taking precautions that are unheard of.

(CROSSTALK)

COLLINS: Right.

TOURE: We've seen enough elderly women's breasts this week already.

COLLINS: Oh, Toure. That comes from Toure, not me.

OGUNNAIKE: Any time you watch -- I mean, "Sex and the City" you see breasts all the time. You can have breasts...

COLLINS: Cable.

OGUNNAIKE: ... on cable anytime you want to.

COLLINS: Right, right.

OGUNNAIKE: But not during the dinner hour.

(CROSSTALK)

COLLINS: Yes, exactly.

Let's move on, if we possibly can, to the Grammys. Now, you've got some interesting picks for winners here. That song that I love, "Hey Ya," but, you know, the lyrics, not so much to them.

TOURE: Well, no, but, I mean, you know, record of the year is about a performance, what an artist does.

COLLINS: Right.

TOURE: And sometimes an artist gets in a studio with stupid lyrics and they just make the song pop. But I'm thinking it's probably going to be "Crazy in Love." It's got a lot of energy. It's got tremendous production. It's just a great, fun record. But it's going to be a big night for Outkast overall.

SIGESMUND: This is their year, right?

OGUNNAIKE: This is basically "shake it like a Polaroid picture," (UNINTELLIGIBLE) lyric.

TOURE: Exactly.

OGUNNAIKE: I'm sorry.

TOURE: Yes, that's true.

(CROSSTALK)

SIGESMUND: Everyone loves them. I mean, they're critical darlings. They're commercial -- you know, commercially huge. TOURE: And their album has a tremendous amount of aesthetic ambition to it. So, people are going to respect that. Like, Andre 3000 is a rapper, and he decided to do the whole album singing. And sometimes that's not the best choice, but he's trying -- he's trying to do something different, and we like to see that.

COLLINS: Right.

SIGESMUND: And neither of those two are going to be wearing a bustier on Sunday night.

OGUNNAIKE: Exactly.

COLLINS: Thank goodness.

TOURE: Andre might. You never know what he's going to show up in.

OGUNNAIKE: But, you know, Justin is nominated for album of the year.

TOURE: Right.

OGUNNAIKE: And I'm wondering if this will hurt him?

TOURE: Well, I think the votes are already in.

SIGESMUND: This is going -- his distancing himself...

COLLINS: Is he going to perform or anything?

SIGESMUND: ... from Janet like this is not good.

OGUNNAIKE: I think -- I don't think so. I think he should be there to defend her. He shouldn't...

SIGESMUND: Right.

OGUNNAIKE: ... back off from this.

TOURE: Right.

OGUNNAIKE: He helped malfunction that wardrobe.

TOURE: Oh, come on.

OGUNNAIKE: What?

TOURE: There was no malfunction.

COLLINS: Hey...

TOURE: They did what they planned.

COLLINS: What about Prince?

SIGESMUND: Yes, I can't wait.

COLLINS: Not that he'll be wearing a bustier, but Prince is back.

SIGESMUND: You know, they are looking for a new opening act, so they are thinking about Prince, supposedly now. If you want...

(CROSSTALK)

TOURE: We want more wholesome. We want to control the show.

COLLINS: Right.

SIGESMUND: If they want to rein it in, he's probably not the best person to have open a show.

(CROSSTALK)

COLLINS: Yes, he's going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) or something.

TOURE: Who is mostly like to do something shocking? Oh, not Prince.

COLLINS: Where is Norah Jones, when you need her?

TOURE: Exactly.

COLLINS: Yes, yes.

TOURE: Exactly. John Mayor (ph) predictable.

COLLINS: Exactly. To the three of you, thank you so much for being with us. Toure and Lola, and B.J. Sigesmund, you guys, again, have a lot to talk about, as always. Appreciate it very much.

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 5, 2004 - 07:45   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Time once again for "90-Second Pop." In today's episode a Grammys preview, and why Janet Jackson won't be part of music's biggest night.
Here to discuss things with us today is Toure, contributing editor for "Rolling Stone."

Hello to you.

TOURE, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "ROLLING STONE": Hi.

COLLINS: "New York Times" reporter Lola Ogunnaike.

LOLA OGUNNAIKE, "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTER: Hi.

COLLINS: And B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "US Weekly."

Thanks so much, you guys, for being here.

You know, we were chatting in the break, and I know you just haven't had anything to say about this whole Janet Jackson thing.

TOURE: Yes, it's been a boring week.

OGUNNAIKE: Nothing to say.

COLLINS: Yes.

TOURE: A little slow.

COLLINS: Lola, let me ask you. We've been hearing, obviously, that Janet Jackson is now not going to be a presenter at the Grammys. What happened here?

OGUNNAIKE: She's been disinvited from the Grammys.

COLLINS: She has been disinvited.

OGUNNAIKE: She has been disinvited from the Grammys. Well, she's saying that she's opting not to participate, but word is she's been disinvited. And suddenly, Luther Vandross will not appear at the Grammys. So, it's all coincidental, but yes, she's (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

COLLINS: What so much fallout here? What's the major complaint?

OGUNNAIKE: Well, I think, you know, she did this during the halftime show of the Super Bowl, one of the most wholesome events of the year, and had this been at the MTV Awards, it would have been a different story. I think people would have laughed it off and maybe talked about it, but it wouldn't have been nearly as controversial. But having a breast pop out during the middle of the halftime show is just something that was totally unexpected, and the fallout has been major.

B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": But they really worked, they really thought a lot about it, and Janet has taken the fall.

OGUNNAIKE: Definitely.

SIGESMUND: You know, CBS, MTV, the NFL and even Justin Timberlake are all getting off scot-free essentially. Janet (UNINTELLIGIBLE) said it's my fault.

COLLINS: Well, that's because Justin is shocked and appalled.

SIGESMUND: Well, that's something different.

COLLINS: Yes, sure.

SIGESMUND: You know, Justin, in the last day, started talking about this and saying how appalled he was and how surprised he was by this. And I don't think that's good for his public relations.

TOURE: But now there are new victims.

COLLINS: Yes.

TOURE: Poor J.C. Chasez was going to do the halftime show at the Pro Bowl.

COLLINS: Now, that's 'N Sync.

SIGESMUND: Right.

TOURE: Now, they're taking him -- which is totally ridiculous. 'N Sync has spent all this time creating this wholesome sweet image. They have done anything. They've never hurt a fly, and now they're kicked -- I mean, this is like guilt by association.

SIGESMUND: Right.

COLLINS: So, he's been kicked off of the Pro Bowl entertainment.

TOURE: They say you can't do the halftime show. You can do the Anthem. And he hasn't said whether or not he wants to do it. But the whole thing is ridiculous.

SIGESMUND: And then tonight on ER, they are snipping out two seconds of an 80-year-old woman's breast. She's a...

OGUNNAIKE: Not that anyone wants to see that anyway.

SIGESMUND: She's a medical patient, but everyone is being so conservative right now, and so careful in light of what happened on Sunday, that they're taking precautions that are unheard of.

(CROSSTALK)

COLLINS: Right.

TOURE: We've seen enough elderly women's breasts this week already.

COLLINS: Oh, Toure. That comes from Toure, not me.

OGUNNAIKE: Any time you watch -- I mean, "Sex and the City" you see breasts all the time. You can have breasts...

COLLINS: Cable.

OGUNNAIKE: ... on cable anytime you want to.

COLLINS: Right, right.

OGUNNAIKE: But not during the dinner hour.

(CROSSTALK)

COLLINS: Yes, exactly.

Let's move on, if we possibly can, to the Grammys. Now, you've got some interesting picks for winners here. That song that I love, "Hey Ya," but, you know, the lyrics, not so much to them.

TOURE: Well, no, but, I mean, you know, record of the year is about a performance, what an artist does.

COLLINS: Right.

TOURE: And sometimes an artist gets in a studio with stupid lyrics and they just make the song pop. But I'm thinking it's probably going to be "Crazy in Love." It's got a lot of energy. It's got tremendous production. It's just a great, fun record. But it's going to be a big night for Outkast overall.

SIGESMUND: This is their year, right?

OGUNNAIKE: This is basically "shake it like a Polaroid picture," (UNINTELLIGIBLE) lyric.

TOURE: Exactly.

OGUNNAIKE: I'm sorry.

TOURE: Yes, that's true.

(CROSSTALK)

SIGESMUND: Everyone loves them. I mean, they're critical darlings. They're commercial -- you know, commercially huge. TOURE: And their album has a tremendous amount of aesthetic ambition to it. So, people are going to respect that. Like, Andre 3000 is a rapper, and he decided to do the whole album singing. And sometimes that's not the best choice, but he's trying -- he's trying to do something different, and we like to see that.

COLLINS: Right.

SIGESMUND: And neither of those two are going to be wearing a bustier on Sunday night.

OGUNNAIKE: Exactly.

COLLINS: Thank goodness.

TOURE: Andre might. You never know what he's going to show up in.

OGUNNAIKE: But, you know, Justin is nominated for album of the year.

TOURE: Right.

OGUNNAIKE: And I'm wondering if this will hurt him?

TOURE: Well, I think the votes are already in.

SIGESMUND: This is going -- his distancing himself...

COLLINS: Is he going to perform or anything?

SIGESMUND: ... from Janet like this is not good.

OGUNNAIKE: I think -- I don't think so. I think he should be there to defend her. He shouldn't...

SIGESMUND: Right.

OGUNNAIKE: ... back off from this.

TOURE: Right.

OGUNNAIKE: He helped malfunction that wardrobe.

TOURE: Oh, come on.

OGUNNAIKE: What?

TOURE: There was no malfunction.

COLLINS: Hey...

TOURE: They did what they planned.

COLLINS: What about Prince?

SIGESMUND: Yes, I can't wait.

COLLINS: Not that he'll be wearing a bustier, but Prince is back.

SIGESMUND: You know, they are looking for a new opening act, so they are thinking about Prince, supposedly now. If you want...

(CROSSTALK)

TOURE: We want more wholesome. We want to control the show.

COLLINS: Right.

SIGESMUND: If they want to rein it in, he's probably not the best person to have open a show.

(CROSSTALK)

COLLINS: Yes, he's going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) or something.

TOURE: Who is mostly like to do something shocking? Oh, not Prince.

COLLINS: Where is Norah Jones, when you need her?

TOURE: Exactly.

COLLINS: Yes, yes.

TOURE: Exactly. John Mayor (ph) predictable.

COLLINS: Exactly. To the three of you, thank you so much for being with us. Toure and Lola, and B.J. Sigesmund, you guys, again, have a lot to talk about, as always. Appreciate it very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.