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New Day Saturday
Police: Teen Opens Fire at School; Northeast Braces for Another Wintry Slam; Clash Over In-Flight Cell Phone Use; Chinese Ship Aggressive Toward U.S. Ship; "Richie Rich" Defense; Most Viewed YouTube Ads of 2013
Aired December 14, 2013 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: We're so grateful for your company on this Saturday morning. Good to see you. I'm Christi Paul.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Good to be with you. I'm Victor Blackwell. It's 7:00 now on the East Coast. This is NEW DAY SATURDAY.
And there is the shock and the grief that we have seen many times over the last several years. This time, it's in Colorado. Actually again in Colorado. Parents, police, students all searching for answers.
PAUL: Yes, on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the horrific Newtown school shootings, there's been another tragedy, this one at Arapahoe High School in Denver suburb there. But these are some of the images that we're getting from the moments that it happened.
Police say 18-year-old student Karl Pierson entered the school with a shotgun. Shots rang out. Now, Pierson is dead. And another student is in critical condition this hour. She's fighting for her life.
BLACKWELL: Now, let's go to CNN's Casey Wian. He's in Centennial, Colorado, with us live.
Casey, investigators, they think that they now found a possible motive involving the librarian at the school. Tell us about that.
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Victor.
Investigators say they have four separate crime scenes they continue to look at. One is the school behind me. One is the car in which he lived, and his father's home. They do not know why at this point, that 15-year-old was shot, but they say he came to the school seeking revenge against a teacher.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That school is in lockdown. I'm not sure why.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's smoke. North side of the smoke.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a fire in the library.
WIAN (voice-over): Chaos and confusion at Colorado's Arapahoe High School as a gunman opens fire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm on the north side. I have a student down in the athletic hall. Shotgun shell on the ground, assuming they have a shotgun. I see two shotgun shells on the ground right here.
WIAN: And this morning, the suburban high school is still a crime scene.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We advise that this time, we do have one student down and they have found shotgun shells.
WIAN: Police say the gunman identified as 18-year-old Karl Halverson Pierson shot one student before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was pretty scary. There were two shots. Then we heard the screaming.
WIAN: Police say Pearson appears to have been seeking revenge against a specific faculty member, because of what police call a confrontation or disagreement. Witnesses saw Pierson enter Arapahoe High School carrying a shotgun and making no attempt to hide it. Police say Pierson asked other students the whereabouts of a faculty member, reportedly the school's librarian and head of the speech and debate team.
When the teacher heard that this individual was asking for him, the teacher exited the school immediately, on my opinion was the most important tactical decision that could have been made.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw him, he was kind of running military towards the building. I alerted everybody in the building. That's when I heard two big bangs, boom, pop!
WIAN: In addition to the shotgun. Authorities found two Molotov cocktails inside the school. One was rendered safe. The other had been detonated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's why the deputies found a large amount of smoke in the immediate area. That was ignited immediately, prior to or during the shots being fired.
WIAN: As part of the investigation, authorities will be looking at school surveillance video. They are also searching Pierson's car, his home and another he had access to.
The shooting happened 10 miles from the infamous 1999 Columbine High School shooting where Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 12 students and one teacher before killing themselves.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My husband was a freshman at Columbine. So, he's freaking out. It's bringing back horrible memories. Yes, it's just way too close to home.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WIAN: Now, sheriffs are saying this could have been so much worse. Because, as we mentioned in that report, he walked into this school with a shotgun two Molotov cocktails, they say the reason that more people were not killed or injured is the quick response of the law enforcement and the active shooter protocol that was quickly implemented by school officials, Victor.
PAUL: Good heavens.
WIAN: Casey Wian there in Centennial, Colorado, for us. Thank you.
Now, last spring, after the Newtown shooting, the NRA created the National School Shield Program. Now, this urges schools to arm teachers and other staff members, librarians and other members of the faculty.
The director, former Congressman Asa Hutchinson, told Wolf Blitzer the program has been successful.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASA HUTCHINSON, DIRECTOR, NRA'S NATL. SCHOOL SHIELD PROGRAM: Virtually every state has looked at school safety legislation and had it introduced. You had schools employ additional resources in terms of school resource officers and other protection, for the children. They've increased technology as well. So, there is a safer response capability.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: All right. We want to talk to Tom Fuentes, a CNN law enforcement analyst in Washington.
Tom, good morning to you.
TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Good morning, Christi.
PAUL: Good morning.
We know at least, you know, one rural district has armed administrators. We know an Arkansas district's plan was nixed by the state attorney general. What is the answer here? Is the answer to arm teachers and how do you feel about that?
FUENTES: I think it's a pretty stupid idea, frankly. According to the Census Bureau, there are 7.2 million teachers in the United States in over 100,000 elementary, high school and universities, the idea that you're going to arm 7.2 million people and somehow that's safer to have that many people running around in schools with guns.
And if you have a situation just like what happened yesterday, a person walks in with a shotgun, and you have a couple hundred faculty members pulling their guns out to look for the shooter, then the police arrive, you're going to end up with shooters -- with teachers being shot. I don't know how you make it easier on the police when you have that many people with that many guns running around inside of a school. It's not sensible. It's not practical. But it sounds good politically.
BLACKWELL: Hey, Tom, let me just for the sake of discussion here, play the other side of this conversation. Wayne LaPierre came out with that news conference where he said the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. And if you look at the Navy Yard shootings, some of the mall shootings, the school shootings, even this one, the sheriff says that he believes it was the threat of officers coming in that made this young man take his life and end this rampage.
Why is that wrong?
FUENTES: Well, I think he's leaving out one thing. Another thing that keeps people safer is bad guys that don't have guns. And I think that's the issue that they want to avoid. Not that everybody in the world has to arm themselves because we have a couple of thousand psychotic individuals running around the U.S. with guns.
So, I think that -- again, these ideas aren't practical. They're not sensible. They keep coming up with them and they manage to keep things status quo.
PAUL: But, Tom, is it practical to think bad guys won't get guns?
FUENTES: Not entirely, but how is more bad guys in the United States have them than anybody else in the world. Nobody else is experiencing the number and the frequency of the shootings that we have in this country.
So, you know, what's the difference between the United States? Do we have that many more deranged people in the country by percentage than other countries? I don't think so.
I think that it's the fact that we're not -- you know, everything from the mental health institutions, the policies, the checks that nobody wants to have before people are able to purchase a gun, all of that factors into just about anybody that wants to can arm themselves and do just about whatever they please, and the idea that you're going to try to arm 7.2 million teachers to reduce the threat to students is frankly is ridiculous.
BLACKWELL: All right. Tom Fuentes, CNN law enforcement, thanks for being part of the conversation.
It's really several conversations going on here.
PAUL: Yes.
BLACKWELL: It's about the guns.
PAUL: Right. BLACKWELL: As Tom said, but also keeping those guns for getting into schools. And how do you keep someone from going into a school. We'll continue the conversation throughout the weekend, of course, here on CNN.
Now, as we mentioned, today is the one-year anniversary of that shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Hundreds of people -- look at this -- gathered. This was at a candle light vigil at Washington National Cathedral. They paid tribute to honor the shooting victims.
Twenty-six teachers and staff and children -- 20 of them children, six of them adults -- were killed in that massacre.
Now, the shooter Adam Lanza, he also killed his mother and took his own life.
Now, people in Newtown have asked the media, understandably, to give them privacy today. It's been understandably a very difficult year and the last thing they want is see reporters asking questions with mikes in their face.
So, for that reason, CNN and other national news organizations will not report from Newtown today.
PAUL: Certainly want to respect those feelings.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
PAUL: Now, the other big story we're watching, too, is affecting you. That's the weathers. I mean, the Northeast is bracing for another blast of this wintery stiff. Buffalo, New York, could see as much as 10 inches of snow before the weekend is over and they already have couple of places in New York and they have two to three feet.
BLACKWELL: Yes, imagine that. Up to your hip for some folks.
And in Connecticut, let's look at the winter storm. A warning is in effect there. Those winter storm warning. Safety crews are getting snowplows ready to keep the streets clear for drivers. Nobody wants to drive in any of this.
Similar scenes are going to play out across the northern half of the country today, including Chicago, which is where we find Jennifer Gray this morning.
Jennifer, good to see you out there with the coat and, what is that, you got that -- the full hat and scarf.
What are you seeing now? I see some flurries.
JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we do have some flurries out here. Earlier this morning, it was a very, very fine snow. But now, it's starting to pick up a little bit.
Chicago picked up about an inch, inch and a half overnight. And guys, it is cold out here. We have our thermometer. Temperatures are well below freezing, showing about 26 degrees out here. We have snowplows you may be able to hear them in the background. They are keeping the streets clear. Another inch or so possible throughout the day today.
But guys this is just the beginning. We're expecting 22 states to be under winter storm watches or warnings throughout the day today and tomorrow. The storm system stretches about 1,000 miles East/West. Tens of millions of people will be affected and Chicago is just the beginning.
We're tracking the storm and as we go throughout the day today, already starting to see snow across the Ohio Valley, up in the Northeast. The storm system will continue to push east throughout the day today. Washington, D.C., you are going to get rain mixed with a little bit of an icy mix a little bit later this morning. And then we are going to see the snow continue to fill in, in places like New York City and Boston throughout the afternoon today. Boston, it could linger as you go overnight into Sunday.
So, watches and warnings in effect. There's the hour by hour forecast as the rain continues to push to the East and the snow finally pushing out during the day on Sunday.
And, guys, we could see three to five inches of snow around New York City. Up to 8 inches around Boston. And if that's not bad enough, Victor and Christi, we could see wind gusts up to 30 to 40 miles per hour in places like New York City and Boston later today.
BLACKWELL: Just a full whiteout. And you get those winds and the snow.
Jennifer, thank you so much. Stay warm.
GRAY: We'll try.
PAUL: I know. Thank you.
Hey, coming up on NEW DAY -- I don't know if you're aware, but the next time you fly, you might be forced to pay more for it.
BLACKWELL: Yes. We're talking about airlines are raising their prices. Oh, and consider the timing, just in time for the holidays.
PAUL: Or is that a fluke? Come on.
BLACKWELL: Maybe not. Listen to this. Washington politics could be impacting the cost of your ticket, too. We'll talk about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: Seventeen after the hour now.
The fight over whether to let passengers use cell phones on airplanes is heating up.
PAUL: Yes. BLACKWELL: This is something everybody can talk about.
PAUL: Oh my goodness.
The FCC this week voted in favor of lifting the ban on in-flight cell phone use. You know not everybody is on board with this.
BLACKWELL: That's true, including the Department of Transportation, because they are pushing and they say they will consider banning cell phones even if the FCC votes to change the rule to allow them in the air in the future.
PAUL: You know we have to talk to author of "Travel Unscripted", Mark Murphy, about this. He is joining us via Skype from Philadelphia.
Mark, good morning to you. Now, let me tell you, the DOT says it's looking at keeping this ban in place as a matter of fairness to consumers.
But before we hear from you, let's listen to something the chairman of the FCC said earlier this week. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM WHEELER, FCC CHAIRMAN: I'm the last person in the world who wants to listen to somebody talking to me while I fly across the country. But we're the technical agency and we will make the technical rules that reflect the way the new technology works.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: OK. So you hear that, and you think, is this about the consumer, or is this about technology? Mark, what do you say?
MARK MURPHY, "TRAVEL UNSCRIPTED": Yes, well, the FCC is about technology. So, the bottom line is can you put airplanes -- can you let the cell phone use take place in the airplanes? Absolutely. Pilots have had cell phones in their cabins for years. They know it's OK. They finally got around to ruling it's OK.
Now the other question is, do we want cell phones on airplanes? That's really where the rub is. You know, I know about you, Victor, but I don't know, man. I don't want someone chatting up to me for a six-hour flight to L.A.
BLACKWELL: No. I wear noise cancelling headphones and we don't even allow people to use cell phones now. So, I don't people on the phone.
So, let me ask you this -- even if the law allows for the cell phones to be used these planes, the airlines have to pay for these expensive, the cell connections at high altitudes, and they're already struggling. Is that going to happen?
MURPHY: Yes, if people will make to use their cell phones on the planes. But here's the rub, if you want to text, if you want to get e-mail on your phone, all of that, you can do that right now with Wi-Fi. If there's Wi-Fi in the air, that case has been solved.
If you want to make an air to ground call, they will charge you $3 to $4 a minute based to do that. So, that's pretty discouraging unless there's an emergency and they have to call, because imagine, if you're on a 10-minute call, that's $40. You're probably not going to do it unless you have to.
So, I don't think you're going to see widespread usage. But that's what we're looking at right now.
PAUL: That's a good point to make. Here's something else, you know, when we talk about people's finances. There's a budget deal in Washington that's going to cost travelers a little bit more as well. The agreement as we understand, it would raise the TSA security charge to $11.20 for round trips.
How does that work? I mean, should -- would it be worthwhile for people to book their trips now to try to save a few bucks?
MURPHY: Yes, first and foremost, if you book it now, get out ahead of the change, which is coming, I believe in January. So, if you do that, book it now. If not, you're going to pay the extra fee.
It's not a big fee. But the problem with travel and tourism and taxes is the politicians can tax people, because they're not voting in a particular area. So, if I go to New York and stay in a hotel, guess what, they're going to tax the hell out of me in a hotel for stuff in New York City. I can't vote against that, you know, in terms of the representatives who are in New York who are saying we're going to tax the heck out of the travelers coming in.
So, it's taxation without representation. And then with this TSA fee, what's happened is the number of people being screened has gone down, yet the TSA budget continues to grow, and I that's indicative of government as a whole. The appetite for taxing and revenues are through the roof. The numbers don't add up. If it was a private company they wouldn't do that because it would turn passengers away.
In the end if the speaker can be turned on, then what's the harm I guess is the attitude.
BLACKWELL: Yes. I guess, it's like people are going to fly anyway.
PAUL: Right, it's necessary to people.
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: That's not going to stop you from flying.
Mark, good to talk with you, as always, about this. We'll see you next weekend.
MURPHY: Thank you. PAUL: Thanks, Mark. We've all got that one ad that we love every time it's on.
BLACKWELL: So, we've got a treat for you this morning. The top 10 most viewed ads on YouTube this year. And they are great. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: All right, we all have our favorites, don't we?
BLACKWELL: Yes, yes.
PAUL: The ads of the year, the ones that no matter what you're doing, you stop and you watch because they just hit home somehow.
BLACKWELL: Or they're just funny. Sometimes they're just funny.
PAUL: That, too, yes.
BLACKWELL: You know, some ads do a little better than others. Listen.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
BLACKWELL: Yes, you remember this one. This is the Audi ad where the teenager goes to prom by himself and he's driving in the car with that black eye.
KAYE: Yes, according to Ad Week, that commercial, one of the most viewed ads of 2013.
BLACKWELL: It came in at number 10. This one came in number 9. Do you remember this one?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hate Mondays.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, they're the worst.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No worries, man. Everything will be all right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: This is the Volkswagen ad. It was a bit commercial. They released it before Super Bowl. And because there was a controversy, many people went to watch it before it aired on television. The ads got more than 10 million views on YouTube. And that for Volkswagen got more than 14 mllion.
This one got more than 16 million.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need somebody strong enough to clear trees one gentle and heave bales, yet gentle enough to wean lambs and wean pigs, and tend the pink-comb bullets, who stop his mower for an hour to splint the leg of meadowlark. So, God made a farmer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: That's Dodge Ram's farmer commercial.
Also hit during the Super Bowl, boy, auto companies are really knocking it out in the front.
BLACKWELL: That's my favorite ad of the year. It's two minutes long, but it's amazing.
PAUL: It's worth it, yes.
They're not all Super Bowl ads, we should point out. I mean, coming in at number seven with more than 18 million views and replayed in office buildings around the country is this one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEL: Guess what day it's? Guess what day it is! Huh, anybody? Julie, guess what day it is. Come on. I know you can hear me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: Mike, what day is it, mike? Hump day.
PAUL: Oh, you do that well, Victor.
BLACKWELL: Thank you very much. I've heard it a few times. They've got t-shirts with "Guess what day it is" slogan. I hear when you go to the GEICO Web site on Wednesday the little camel is there saying "guess what day it is."
PAUL: Oh, is it really?
BLACKWELL: Yes, on the Web site.
PAUL: We need to check it out.
BLACKWELL: So, a lot of people loved GEICO ad, really well played.
Holiday ads also, they do well. This one may want to make you ship your pants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ship my pants? Right here? Ship my pants, you're kidding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can ship your pants right here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You hear that? I can ship my pants for free. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I just may ship my pants.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ship your pants. Billy, you can ship your pants.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I can't wait to ship my pants, dad.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just shipped my pants and it's very convenient.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very convenient.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: Come on. Tell me you're not chuckling right now. It's a popular K-mart ad that did so well online, more than 20 million views.
We haven't cracked the top five yet. So, coming up in about 20 minutes, we're going to share those with you.
The year's most popular online ads, including the most viewed YouTube ad of 2013. And I know that you've got your thoughts. So, let us know on Twitter.
BLACKWELL: Yes, let us know. The comedy -- the comedy helps. But that farmer ad, go to find it.
Still come to come on NEW DAY: Nobody had a winning ticket last night. Which means you still have a shot at the mega millions. We're telling you how high this jackpot is now. I understand it could go higher.
PAUL: It could.
Winter storm warnings, though, are in effect across the Northeast. So, get your tickets as soon as you get out.
BLACKWELL: Right.
PAUL: We're going to take you live to New York and see how one town is handling a second brutal snowstorm today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Mortgage rates ended the week higher. Take a look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Bottom of the hour right now. We're so glad to have you for company. I'm Christi Paul.
BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell.
Let's start with five things you need to know for your NEW DAY.
Up first, investigators today plan to search the home of a teenager who they say opened fire at a high school in a Denver suburb. Police say that 18-year-old Karl Pierson shot and injured a 15-year-old girl. She's in a critical condition. Police believe that he wanted to confront a librarian at the school. That faculty member escaped safely. Police say Pierson then shot and killed himself.
PAUL: Number two, a police chase through Los Angeles ended with gunshots and a driver in the hospital. A silver corvette dodged police for an hour and a half before it crashed into another car. Police apparently shot the driver as he tried to escape. He was taken to a local hospital. We have not been able to confirm his condition yet.
BLACKWELL: Number three, CNN confirmed the USS warship had to dodge a Chinese ship in the South China Sea to avoid a collision. The U.S. officials say the Chinese ship peeled off from its group and deliberately barreled towards the USS Cowpens last Friday. China claims much of the South China Sea is territorial. Those are territorial waters, but the U.S. does not recognize that status.
PAUL: Number four, "The Wall Street Journal" reports Sprint maybe looking to buy T-Mobile. Now, that merger, think about this, could be worth more than $20 billion if it goes through. That would leave only three major cell phone carriers in the U.S., including Verizon and AT&T. Now, "The Journal" reports there could be a bid as we recall as the beginning of the year.
BLACKWELL: Let's talk about more big money. No one won last night's mega millions jackpot. So, Tuesday's drawing is going to be a biggie, $550 million. And experts say for the next drawing, the chances of being killed by an asteroid are 1,000 times better than your chances of winning the jackpot.
PAUL: Don't let that stop you, though.
BLACKWELL: Yes, try for something.
PAUL: We have to be optimistic.
BLACKWELL: Somebody is going to win at some point.
PAUL: It might as well be you, right? Exactly.
Well, the Northeast is getting absolutely hammered by this brutal winter storm today. Some parts of Upstate New York could see another 10 inches of snow. That's on top, think about it, of the three feet they've already got on the group.
BLACKWELL: You know, most people know what they're in for when it comes to winter weather. Some neighbors say they've had enough, though.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like this for I don't know how many days now. In fact, the fellow that plowed our driveway said he had never seen this much snow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: And Fred Pleitgen is in Mt. Kisco, New York, this morning.
Fred, we see you've got snow on the top of your head. What's it like where you are there?
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I'm getting my hair dyed for free here in a nice snow white. But people here are actually preparing for the snowstorm.
We came here around 5:30 in the morning. That's about when the snow started and we really saw snowplows on the street from the moment that all of this started. Also, a lot of snow spreaders on the street spreading those salts.
And for a while, it was quite difficult for some of the cars to actually move around here, but that's certainly better since the authorities have been out here and getting the streets prepared. The folks here are trying to get things done early. We were at a place called Billy's Hair Salon, which opened at 5:15 today and there are actually people who are getting their hair done early because they're not sure how well they will be able to move around.
One of the big issues, of course, here in this area, outside of New York City is, are people going to be able to get out of their driveways? What about the side roads?
Right now, it appears as though folks are dealing with that quite well. But, of course, as you said, there is still going to be a lot of snow coming down from the skies today.
So, we'll wait and see how that develops, guys.
PAUL: All right. Fred Pleitgen, stay warm there. Best of luck to you. Thank you so much.
BLACKWELL: Let's put up some pictures we have here. These are pictures of the beginning of the procession. The vehicles you see here. This is Mthata, South Africa.
A few moments ago, we showed you images of the plane landing and on that plane, Nelson Mandela's body. The funeral is tomorrow in the town of Qunu. You see the rolling hills there. Mandela writes in his autobiography, "A Long Walk to Freedom," that he played in those hills. His childhood home, shooting slingshots at birds and herding cattle there.
He's going to be buried in his childhood community, and there will be people who knew him throughout his life and world leaders there. Of course, the president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, will be there as well.
We have full coverage on CNN. But live look now at the end of these 10 days of mourning in Mthata, South Africa.
PAUL: Also today, a Wichita, Kansas, man is jailed on terror charges. The Feds say Terry Lohan (ph) planned a suicide attack at an airport. That's where he worked as a technician. Little did Lohan know his partners were actually undercover FBI agents. And they say he plans to detonate a car bomb in the name of jihad.
(BEGI N VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL KASTE, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Today's arrest, however, emphasizes home grown terrorism is a continuous threat within the United States. While we feel protected in the heartland, in the middle of America, we have a certain sense of security. But, today, again, it reminds us that terrorism remains a very real threat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: Lohan's neighbors say he pretty much kept to himself, but they're still pretty shocked about the whole thing.
BLACKWELL: Yes, understandably.
You know, this has been a story people have been talking about over the last few days. The Richie Rich defense, some people are calling it.
PAUL: Yes, a drunk teenage boy kills four people with his pickup truck. But he won't go to prison.
You're watching NEW DAY SATURDAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: A teenager in Texas will not go to prison after getting drunk and killing four people with his truck.
PAUL: Yes, that statement alone has a lot of people going "What?" I mean, that's a novel defense strategy. It's called affluenza, wealth, privilege, no limits, and, it worked.
CNN's Randi Kaye is on the story.
Good morning to you, Randi.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Victor and Christi.
This story has so many people outraged. Some are calling it the Richie Rich defense. If this teenager wasn't from a wealthy family, would he be in prison? Critics say that's where he belongs.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): He got drunk, then jumped behind the wheel of his pickup truck and plowed down four people in a drunken haze. So why isn't Ethan Couch behind bars?
Keep in mind, he's just 16, too young to legally drive with any alcohol in his system. And in this case, his blood alcohol measured 0.24, three times the legal limit in Texas. Eric Boyles' wife and daughter were both killed.
ERIC BOYLES, WIFE AND DAUGHTER KILLED IN CRASH: We had over 180 years of life taken, future life, not 180 years lived, but 180 years of future life taken, and two of those were my wife and daughter.
KAYE: Investigators say surveillance tape shows Couch and his friend stealing beer from a Walmart store in June. Then they got drunk at a party.
Leaving there, police say Couch gunned his pickup, going nearly 70- miles-per-hour in a 40.
Just about 400 yards down the street, he slammed into Hollie and Shelby Boyles, who had stopped to help Breanna Mitchell fix a flat tire. Youth pastor Brian Jennings was driving by and had also stopped to help. All of them were killed.
Ethan Couch was charged with four counts of intoxication manslaughter and tried as a juvenile.
(on camera): In one of the most bizarre defense strategies we've ever heard of, attorneys for Couch blame the boy's parents for his behavior that night, all because of how they raised him.
A psychologist and defense witness testified that the boy suffered from something called "affluenza," a lifestyle where wealth brought privilege and there were no consequences for bad behavior.
He cited one example where Couch, then 15, was caught in a parked pickup with a naked 14-year-old girl, who was passed out. Couch was never punished, according to the psychologist.
He also testified that Couch was allowed to start drinking at a very early age, even drive when he was just 13.
Prosecutors fought for a 20-year sentence, but the defense argued Couch needed treatment, not prison. The judge agreed and gave Couch 10 years probation, plus time in alcohol rehab, no prison.
She told the court she believes Couch can be rehabilitated if he's away from his family and given the right treatment.
He'll likely end up at this pricey rehab center in Newport Beach, California. His father has agreed to pay the half a million dollars or so that it will cost.
SCOTT BROWN, ETHAN COUCH'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Taking him away from his family and teaching him to be a responsible citizen, that's a consequence.
KAYE: A consequence for killing four people? Not even close says this woman, whose daughter, Breanna Mitchell, died in the crash.
MARLA MITCHELL, DAUGHTER KILLED IN CRASH: He will be feeling the hand of God, definitely. He may think he's gotten away with something, but he hasn't gotten away with anything.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Ethan couch's defense lawyers argue this is the best solution, because if prosecutors got their way and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He may have been able to get out in just two years. This way, they say, he's under some type of supervision and probation for 10 years instead of two -- Victor, Christie.
PAUL: All righty. Randi Kaye in New York, thank you so much.
We'll keep watching that because you know that is not over.
BLACKWELL: A lot of people are talking about. Over the last year, you know, we're coming up to the point of the year when people say when you look back over 2013.
PAUL: Right.
BLACKWELL: How about the ads?
YouTube has an answer to the question. What is the top ad of 2013?
PAUL: Not only that, but take a look at this. Is one of these women the next breakout star of "Saturday Night Live"? It could be if the show's producer decides they have the right stuff.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
BLACKWELL: You know, it's not easy to surprise the Internet, but Beyonce did it and this is with the album. Nobody saw this coming.
PAUL: Yes, it's a 14-track self titled album released exclusively on iTunes at midnight.
BLACKWELL: Yes, yes.
PAUL: Fans had to buy the whole thing. That not that they minded.
BLACKWELL: Yes, $15.99, though. I mean, it's the most I ever paid for one album.
PAUL: Did you just tell us what you paid for it?
BLACKWELL: I certainly did. Yes, I'm a Beyonce fan, unapologetically.
PAUL: And here, there's got a little bit of everything, including you saw that little baby there, that's Blue Ivy, the cameo by Beyonce's daughter with Jay-Z. The album shot up to number one, by the way, on iTunes, after its release. Pretty good on their part.
BLACKWELL: Yes, I got a couple tracks I was listening to this morning as I preparing for the show. Good for energy.
Hey, "Saturday Night Live" is hiring. The sketch comedy show hopes to add a black woman to the cast next month. The executive producer Lorne Michaels told "The New York Times" about 25 women have auditioned.
Here is a picture from one of those casting audition periods. One aspiring performer posted this picture from the auditions online. Now, "SNL" has been hammered for its lack of adversity.
You remember, Keenan Thompson, he's not going to play a black female on the show until they hire a black female for the show. The cast doesn't have a black woman since Maya Rudolph left the show and that was in 2007. We're going to talk with a black comedian, black woman who was a hit on sketch comedy television. We'll talk to her about this controversy first started.
PAUL: Yes.
BLACKWELL: So, we're going to continue that conversation now that Lorne Michaels appears to want to put a black female on the show.
PAUL: We'll do that a little bit later.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
PAUL: Also this morning, we are bringing you the most viewed ads of the year on YouTube. We showed you five of them already.
Here is number five according to Adweek.
BLACKWELL: All right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, how do you make the world believe your poop doesn't stink or in fact you never poop at all? Poo-Pourri. Poo- Pourri is before-you-go toilet spray which is proven to trap those embarrassing --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: Wow! I have never seen this one.
PAUL: And you know what? I haven't either. But I've heard it.
BLACKWELL: Poo-Pourri.
More than 20 million views. You can understand why.
Here to talk with us more about these ads is Mike Shields, digital editor for "Adweek."
Mike, good to have you. Before we get to you, let's check out number four.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
PAUL: Oh, the Jeff Gordon Pepsi ad. So popular, more than 39 million views.
But, you know, Mike, when you look at that, what is it that draws people into these? That one in particular.
MIKE SHIELDS, ADWEEK: Well, if you look at that one, I mean, that's really -- for a long time, brands put their 30 seconds spots on YouTube. You see some of the top ads from YouTube are from Super Bowl or typical TV spots. But that's shot for the web entertainment. It's a really stun. It's long. It's a lot more like something you would see on "Saturday Night Live" than what you would expect from a brand.
BLACKWELL: Let's check out number three. It is called child of the '90s.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Life moved a little slower. Discs were square. Desktop holders had personality. Extra storage space was a zipper away. There is only one social network.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: So, 48 million views. I don't see what in this ad makes it so popular. I understood the appeal for all of the ones leading up to this. Why is this such a hit?
SHIELDS: That seems to touch an emotional chord. You're right. Usually, it's comedy that translates really well, or, you know, cute babies dancing, kind of stuff that you typically expect to go viral. That one is a little bit puzzling to me. It struck an emotional chord with people.
PAUL: Well, I think it takes them back, look, hungry, hungry hippos.
SHIELDS: Nostalgia is a huge Internet viral thing.
PAUL: I know we are getting closer to the most viewed ad of 2013. But before that, let's show you number two on the countdown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a forensic artist. I work for the San Jose Police Department from 1995 to 2011.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I showed up to a place I've never been. There was a guy with a drafting board.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We couldn't see them. They couldn't see us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: Oh, my gosh. A three-minute ad, more than 60 million views. You don't see the product or know what is advertised until the last ten seconds.
Why do you think this strategy work, Mike?
SHIELDS: Well, I mean, you know, Dove has is established themselves around real beauty and women's body issues. You know, you're right. That's a three-minute ad. It is something you would see at Sundance. It's got a documentary feel.
Again, it strikes an emotional chord. The idea of, you know, women are rough on themselves. That I think translates to a lot of women. And you saw that take off this year.
BLACKWELL: Yes, if you watch the ad, for people who have not seen it, you know, the women go in and describe to the artist, how they believe they look and appearance. Someone who has looked at their first and describes them and they have to come back and look at what the artist drew based on their description and the other person. It ends with you're more beautiful than you think. It was really well done.
All right. Number one, the most viewed ad on YouTube -- thanks for the drum roll -- the ad with more than 66 million views. It's going to be dancing babies. I feel it!
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
PAUL: This is the thing. Dancing babies. What is the ad for? Anybody remember?
Bottled water.
OK. Talk to us about the brands? I mean, you know, how they are embracing the power of the Internet. You would not buy three minutes of television for one ad. I mean, this is -- is this the new way of the future for ads? Is it really working? Are they selling bottled water with this?
SHIELDS: You know, that's a great question. I don't know it is translating into water moving off the shelves. Although they stuck with the baby theme for a couple of years in a row. I mean, I think my conclusion is extreme cuteness is viral. It translates well.
And I think, you remember, YouTube is a social network. People want to instantly share this and plug it in.
It's also s global. And I think something like this probably pretty plays well in Brazil and Sweden and elsewhere. You know, it's not something you get outside of the United States.
But I think -- you know, I roll my eyes of the idea of the brands these days or publishers as if we're all talking about Coke ads instead of "Breaking Bad." You're starting to see this play out in YouTube where it's a real creative environment for companies. Brands are entertaining us.
BLACKWELL: Yes. Throw dancing babies in. Or pulling in emotional chord. It will work. Mike Shields with "Adweek." Good to have you. It was good fun.
I'm surprised my rooster ad with the Mercedes Benz ad didn't make it.
PAUL: My kids make me play that all the time. They think it's hysterical.
BLACKWELL: I'm sure at least a few hundred views.
PAUL: I probably, yes, no kidding.
We're going to be right back. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: Time now for the good stuff.
PAUL: For the good stop.
BLACKWELL: You know what the music means.
PAUL: Oh, yes.
BLACKWELL: Part of the show where we feature the good news out there.
First up, this is a 9-year-old boy, he decided someone else deserved his trophy more than he did.
PAUL: Man, we can learn so much from kids. Joshua Zuchowski and Reese Branzell, they're two of the top swimmers in Florida. But they're in two different teams. Reese has been in the hospital with his bone infection. So, when josh won first place, he brought the trophy to the hospital and gave it to his rival.
That is true sportsmanship.
Josh, good for you.
BLACKWELL: Yes, I know Reese's dad very well. He was a director when I was working there in Florida. So, we're praying for Reese and hopefully he feels better.
PAUL: How is he doing?
BLACKWELL: He's doing not as well as his parents would like. But we're going to stay on top of that.
Thanks for starting your morning with us.
PAUL: Yes, we're so glad to have you.
The next hour of your NEW DAY starts right now.
