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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With Billy Norris

Aired October 27, 2002 - 07:48   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.


ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Moore looks at gun violence in America in his new movie, "Bowling for Columbine," taking you from the halls of Columbine High School to the home of NRA president Charleton Heston.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: The documentary is being described as both humorous and horrifying. I had a chance to take a look at it yesterday, and indeed it fits on both counts.

Billy Norris, a teen movie critic for "The St. Petersburg Times Express," that is the teen section of that paper, joins us now from Tampa, Florida with all the details.

Billy, thanks for joining us this morning.

BILLY NORRIS, TEEN MOVIE CRITIC: Thanks for having me.

SAN MIGUEL: I was wondering what your take was on the movie. And do you think that other teens should check it out?

NORRIS: Well first of all I -- Michael Moore's work was absolutely no less than brilliant. It's -- despite how the name suggested, it's very little has to do with Columbine. It's more about gun violence and gun control in America. And it's really -- like you said, it combines hilarity with utterly bone chilling reality. It's really, really scary.

And the way that Michael Moore combined those two elements is just absolutely incredible. And it really, it's very thought provoking. And I had a few discussions with friends and family after seeing it. And it's -- there's so many interesting topics about it. And it's really eye opening. And I think, you know, it has an R rating because there's a violent scenes and a lot of language.

SAN MIGUEL: Uh-huh.

NORRIS: But I think that R rating could be a bad thing, because it's going to prevent a lot of high school kids from seeing this. And I really feel that it's a necessity for these high school aged kids to see it.

NEVILLE: So Billy, if high school aged kids do see the movie, what do you think they'll get from it? What message is there for them?

NORRIS: Well, I just think that it's going to show them what violence can do, and how absolutely prevalent it is and how horrible it is. And it's just absolutely amazing.

And I know it's really relevant, too, because my -- I know with the sniper attacks, and the sniper investigation, and my school, my high school just had a lockdown last week, just to -- you know, in just case. You know, okay, here's what you have to do in case somebody comes to school with a gun or a knife or something.

SAN MIGUEL: Yes.

NORRIS: And it's really just creepy.

SAN MIGUEL: I was about to say, you know, that's a sign of the times right there that your school would have to go through that situation.

NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: But I have to ask you, Michael Moore is -- you know, he calls himself a documentarian. Others might say he's a propagandist. He kind of comes at this with a kind of a certain political agenda.

NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: And I know that a lot of this reviews of this movie say that, you know, he kind of sets things up to answer them in the way that he wants answered. Did you kind of get that as well, that he was coming at this from a certain point of view?

NORRIS: Well, he definitely -- the view that he presented definitely not an objective one. And he -- I have to agree with what he's saying there. I don't think it's about propaganda.

What he's doing is strictly -- it's more just showing the world how much violence is in America in comparison to other countries. And other than that, it's just he's going at it and trying to attack it. It's less answers and more just getting it out there.

NEVILLE: So Billy, do you think that perhaps if some of your classmates and your peers would see the movie, perhaps it would help. If anybody has any thoughts of any idea of going ahead and trying to take on some sort of violence, in this manner with guns or what have you, as would happen with Columbine, do you think this would deter some of those students?

NORRIS: I'd like to think so. I'd like to think that it would make them think twice before they do anything like that.

SAN MIGUEL: You saw in the movie, Billy, about how they were talking about all the things that affect young people these days, such as movies...

NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: ...and also video games.

NORRIS: Video games.

SAN MIGUEL: I know that this coming Tuesday, a new video game in the grand theft auto series is coming out.

NORRIS: Yes.

SAN MIGUEL: Ramped up Auto Vice City.

NORRIS: Vice City.

SAN MIGUEL: This was -- is one of the most popular video games to ever come out in the industry.

NORRIS: Definitely.

SAN MIGUEL: Rock Star Games makes it. It's also one of the more violent -- it's become the poster boy, if you will, for violence in video games. You get points for killing people, basically.

NORRIS: Yes.

NEVILLE: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: You become a criminal. Have you played this game? Do you know others who play this game? And what is your take on this?

NORRIS: It's a very popular game in my school. I have played it. When I played it, you know, I was kind of shocked to see, you know, you run around with a baseball bat, beating old ladies down and taking their money after you kill them. It's extremely violent. You know, you drive around in cars picking up prostitutes, doing jobs, killing people. It's really horrible. And so many kids play it.

And you know, that could be another source for violence and just sheer anger in lots of teens today.

NEVILLE: Right, because maybe these sort of games perhaps desensitizes some kids to violence.

NORRIS: Right.

NEVILLE: But it's just a video game.

NORRIS: Right, they're like okay, I'm going to kill somebody. Well, I just get to start over and take their money, you know? It's really awful. It's going to give them a totally distorted view of things.

SAN MIGUEL: Let me ask you, because I could hear the fans of video games out there right now of all ages saying, come on, you can't blame video games...

NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: ...you can't blame everything for what some kids are going to do in this country. NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: Do you believe that most kids out there are able to separate the fantasy from the reality of that situation, whether it's going to see or checking out a game like Grand Theft Auto, or going to see an R rated movie that 17-year olds can go.

I mean, do you think that some folks make too big of a deal out of this connection between what teens are watching, and how that's going to impact what they may do in real life?

NORRIS: Well, I know that a lot of my friends and a lot of teens can distinguish between fantasy and reality, but there are a lot that don't. Now a lot of the media, it does kind of -- I guess you could say it kind of promotes violence. And you know, no offense, but it kind of -- it's almost geared towards scaring people.

And you know, the stuff in this movie really is no worse than what you see on TV. And so, I don't really think the media or video games and movies has a big of an influence on teen violence.

NEVILLE: Hey, Billy, you mentioned earlier that you talked to some friends and relatives after seeing the movie. I'm curious as to what you discussed?

NORRIS: Well, we just discussed issues. One big thing was they had an interviews with Marilyn Manson, shock rocker Marilyn Manson and Matt Stone, one of the creators of South Park, that very raunchy cartoon on Comedy Central. And they really had very sensible views. They were very sensible people. Marilyn Manson was just giving his whole view on the Columbine thing and saying, you know, how can they be blaming me for this when there's so much other, you know, really, really bad stuff going on in the world?

NEVILLE: Right.

NORRIS: And I'm just making rock music. And he said well one thing that really got into my heard was he said that if he was back at Columbine, he would've just listened to what these people had to say.

SAN MIGUEL: Yes.

NORRIS: He wouldn't have tried to put out a message. You know, don't do this, don't do this.

NEVILLE: Okay.

NORRIS: He would have just listened. And that -- I thought that was really cool.

SAN MIGUEL: Because he said apparently nobody was listening to Eric Harris...

NEVILLE: That's right.

SAN MIGUEL: ...and Dylan Klebold and that's why they did... NEVILLE: They needed an outlet.

SAN MIGUEL: Exactly. Well Billy Norris, the teen movie critic of "The St. Petersburg Times" expressed. Some very good insight this morning. Thanks or getting up early and joining us.

NEVILLE: Yes, thank you.

NORRIS: Oh, thank you.

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 October 27, 2002 - 07:48   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Moore looks at gun violence in America in his new movie, "Bowling for Columbine," taking you from the halls of Columbine High School to the home of NRA president Charleton Heston.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: The documentary is being described as both humorous and horrifying. I had a chance to take a look at it yesterday, and indeed it fits on both counts.

Billy Norris, a teen movie critic for "The St. Petersburg Times Express," that is the teen section of that paper, joins us now from Tampa, Florida with all the details.

Billy, thanks for joining us this morning.

BILLY NORRIS, TEEN MOVIE CRITIC: Thanks for having me.

SAN MIGUEL: I was wondering what your take was on the movie. And do you think that other teens should check it out?

NORRIS: Well first of all I -- Michael Moore's work was absolutely no less than brilliant. It's -- despite how the name suggested, it's very little has to do with Columbine. It's more about gun violence and gun control in America. And it's really -- like you said, it combines hilarity with utterly bone chilling reality. It's really, really scary.

And the way that Michael Moore combined those two elements is just absolutely incredible. And it really, it's very thought provoking. And I had a few discussions with friends and family after seeing it. And it's -- there's so many interesting topics about it. And it's really eye opening. And I think, you know, it has an R rating because there's a violent scenes and a lot of language.

SAN MIGUEL: Uh-huh.

NORRIS: But I think that R rating could be a bad thing, because it's going to prevent a lot of high school kids from seeing this. And I really feel that it's a necessity for these high school aged kids to see it.

NEVILLE: So Billy, if high school aged kids do see the movie, what do you think they'll get from it? What message is there for them?

NORRIS: Well, I just think that it's going to show them what violence can do, and how absolutely prevalent it is and how horrible it is. And it's just absolutely amazing.

And I know it's really relevant, too, because my -- I know with the sniper attacks, and the sniper investigation, and my school, my high school just had a lockdown last week, just to -- you know, in just case. You know, okay, here's what you have to do in case somebody comes to school with a gun or a knife or something.

SAN MIGUEL: Yes.

NORRIS: And it's really just creepy.

SAN MIGUEL: I was about to say, you know, that's a sign of the times right there that your school would have to go through that situation.

NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: But I have to ask you, Michael Moore is -- you know, he calls himself a documentarian. Others might say he's a propagandist. He kind of comes at this with a kind of a certain political agenda.

NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: And I know that a lot of this reviews of this movie say that, you know, he kind of sets things up to answer them in the way that he wants answered. Did you kind of get that as well, that he was coming at this from a certain point of view?

NORRIS: Well, he definitely -- the view that he presented definitely not an objective one. And he -- I have to agree with what he's saying there. I don't think it's about propaganda.

What he's doing is strictly -- it's more just showing the world how much violence is in America in comparison to other countries. And other than that, it's just he's going at it and trying to attack it. It's less answers and more just getting it out there.

NEVILLE: So Billy, do you think that perhaps if some of your classmates and your peers would see the movie, perhaps it would help. If anybody has any thoughts of any idea of going ahead and trying to take on some sort of violence, in this manner with guns or what have you, as would happen with Columbine, do you think this would deter some of those students?

NORRIS: I'd like to think so. I'd like to think that it would make them think twice before they do anything like that.

SAN MIGUEL: You saw in the movie, Billy, about how they were talking about all the things that affect young people these days, such as movies...

NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: ...and also video games.

NORRIS: Video games.

SAN MIGUEL: I know that this coming Tuesday, a new video game in the grand theft auto series is coming out.

NORRIS: Yes.

SAN MIGUEL: Ramped up Auto Vice City.

NORRIS: Vice City.

SAN MIGUEL: This was -- is one of the most popular video games to ever come out in the industry.

NORRIS: Definitely.

SAN MIGUEL: Rock Star Games makes it. It's also one of the more violent -- it's become the poster boy, if you will, for violence in video games. You get points for killing people, basically.

NORRIS: Yes.

NEVILLE: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: You become a criminal. Have you played this game? Do you know others who play this game? And what is your take on this?

NORRIS: It's a very popular game in my school. I have played it. When I played it, you know, I was kind of shocked to see, you know, you run around with a baseball bat, beating old ladies down and taking their money after you kill them. It's extremely violent. You know, you drive around in cars picking up prostitutes, doing jobs, killing people. It's really horrible. And so many kids play it.

And you know, that could be another source for violence and just sheer anger in lots of teens today.

NEVILLE: Right, because maybe these sort of games perhaps desensitizes some kids to violence.

NORRIS: Right.

NEVILLE: But it's just a video game.

NORRIS: Right, they're like okay, I'm going to kill somebody. Well, I just get to start over and take their money, you know? It's really awful. It's going to give them a totally distorted view of things.

SAN MIGUEL: Let me ask you, because I could hear the fans of video games out there right now of all ages saying, come on, you can't blame video games...

NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: ...you can't blame everything for what some kids are going to do in this country. NORRIS: Right.

SAN MIGUEL: Do you believe that most kids out there are able to separate the fantasy from the reality of that situation, whether it's going to see or checking out a game like Grand Theft Auto, or going to see an R rated movie that 17-year olds can go.

I mean, do you think that some folks make too big of a deal out of this connection between what teens are watching, and how that's going to impact what they may do in real life?

NORRIS: Well, I know that a lot of my friends and a lot of teens can distinguish between fantasy and reality, but there are a lot that don't. Now a lot of the media, it does kind of -- I guess you could say it kind of promotes violence. And you know, no offense, but it kind of -- it's almost geared towards scaring people.

And you know, the stuff in this movie really is no worse than what you see on TV. And so, I don't really think the media or video games and movies has a big of an influence on teen violence.

NEVILLE: Hey, Billy, you mentioned earlier that you talked to some friends and relatives after seeing the movie. I'm curious as to what you discussed?

NORRIS: Well, we just discussed issues. One big thing was they had an interviews with Marilyn Manson, shock rocker Marilyn Manson and Matt Stone, one of the creators of South Park, that very raunchy cartoon on Comedy Central. And they really had very sensible views. They were very sensible people. Marilyn Manson was just giving his whole view on the Columbine thing and saying, you know, how can they be blaming me for this when there's so much other, you know, really, really bad stuff going on in the world?

NEVILLE: Right.

NORRIS: And I'm just making rock music. And he said well one thing that really got into my heard was he said that if he was back at Columbine, he would've just listened to what these people had to say.

SAN MIGUEL: Yes.

NORRIS: He wouldn't have tried to put out a message. You know, don't do this, don't do this.

NEVILLE: Okay.

NORRIS: He would have just listened. And that -- I thought that was really cool.

SAN MIGUEL: Because he said apparently nobody was listening to Eric Harris...

NEVILLE: That's right.

SAN MIGUEL: ...and Dylan Klebold and that's why they did... NEVILLE: They needed an outlet.

SAN MIGUEL: Exactly. Well Billy Norris, the teen movie critic of "The St. Petersburg Times" expressed. Some very good insight this morning. Thanks or getting up early and joining us.

NEVILLE: Yes, thank you.

NORRIS: Oh, thank you.

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