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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview With Joe Cahn

Aired August 30, 2003 - 07:37   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: Football season definitely upon us.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, and a big football fan in the house at the CNN headquarters this morning. That would be our own football aficionado, Rob Marciano.

COLLINS: Yes.

ROBERTS: Easy for me to say this morning. What's wrong with me now?

COLLINS: A little bit of Dr. Seuss going on.

ROBERTS: Yes, I've got a little problem here. Bob, save us from ourselves.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you didn't want to say expert, because that's the farthest from the truth. So I suppose that word would best describe it.

ROBERTS: Football lover.

MARCIANO: Yes, lover. If you're looking for advice on who to bet on this weekend, don't call me. Call whoever you might do that for.

But let's talk more about what you can expect this weekend. Weather wise, we are looking at rain that will be stretching across much of the mid section of the country, not the greatest weather for some folks, who like to tailgate. I mean this weekend we've got college football season. It's happening. It starts this weekend. It started on Thursday. Next weekend we have NFL season, as well.

Well, tailgaters, football fans, you're going to love this. We have with us this morning, he calls himself the commissioner of tailgaters America.

Joining us from Washington this morning is Joe Cahn.

Joe, you're busy, I see. What have you got cooking up there?

JOE CAHN, COMMISSIONER OF TAILGATING: Well, you know, I've got some corn. I've got some braut. So I'm going to go ahead and do some ribs today. But, you know, I don't call myself the commissioner, I AM the commissioner of tailgating.

MARCIANO: Well, I've got to apologize right off the bat there. So that would...

CAHN: Quite all right.

MARCIANO: Is your organization, is it -- are you a professional? Are you paid for what you do or is this just a life long love?

CAHN: Well, it's a love of food. I'm from New Orleans. I obviously know a good party, Mardis Gras. I know good food, great Louisiana food, and eight years ago I started traveling around the country tailgating. And what tailgating really is is the new community social. It's America's last great neighborhood. And I think that's the real fun part of it.

Until about two years ago, I didn't even know there was a football game after a tailgate party. It was a tailgate party and then everybody left. And all of a sudden I saw them in a stadium.

Tailgating is that which everybody participates in. It's like the fans' pre-game warm-up, but where everybody is equal. We're at Navy right now and wherever I am, I travel in an R.V. across this country, about 30,000 miles I'll travel this year, to about 40,000, to about 45 stadiums. And in that, I'm always at home. So I live in Annapolis maybe only for about five hours and that's why I'm always for the home team.

MARCIANO: Well, listen, have a seat and relax. I know you seem a little bit nervous. I'm kidding, of course. This is nothing new to you. What, the game is Navy against who today?

CAHN: VMI. You know, it's a VMI-Navy game. Of course, I'm predicting a Navy win. Thursday I was at Villanova and, of course, Villanova won. It's interesting because there are not a lot of people out here. It's a 1:30 game. But the weather is, the weather is gorgeous and about four to five hours before game time, people will start arriving.

I get here very early because I have a big, obviously, vehicle to park, but I think that the whole point of tailgating is the community getting out together. I, again, for eights years in tailgating.com, which is just a Web site for tailgating aficionados, and it's getting bigger and bigger, you know, where people now are using caller I.D., everybody's a friend in this area.

MARCIANO: Well, let's talk about some of your friends across the country. I'm going to throw up a map and we're going to talk about where you're going to be going after you go to Annapolis. Tailgating America, I made this map last night, Joe, and I'm a little bit bleary- eyed because there's so many stops your making. How many stops are you making on this tour, do you know?

CAHN: Approximately 40. Approximately 45. I'll be doing, I'll end up in Houston for the final game of the season. I'll be in New Orleans for the championship game. So I'll see the pro-championship and the college championship. But I'll be anywhere from Seattle to Miami, from New England to San Diego. And when I mention each of those places, you know, I'm thinking about lobster in New England. MARCIANO: Lobster, nice.

CAHN: And I'm thinking some great Mexican food in San Diego. And maybe some salmon up in Seattle and, you know, I go around and what I do is I set out my...

MARCIANO: Got to go to Pike Street Market.

CAHN: Well, at Pike's Market.

MARCIANO: Yes.

CAHN: And go down to Miami and eat maybe some whole pig. Well, wait a minute, I am a whole pig. But, you know, the big thing...

MARCIANO: No, I wouldn't say that, Bill.

CAHN: Well, I would, because what my job is is to really talk to people and to have people who will -- viewing today...

MARCIANO: Just give me a...

CAHN: And say, you know, I don't particularly -- I don't like football and I say to you, even if you don't like football, come and join America's picnic. Tailgating is very unique to this country. Come out to a game, even if you don't come to the game, come and visit your neighbors of the community. You'll see people who you may live next door that you'll never know and you'll see the visiting team and visitors from around the country.

It is really America, the last great American neighborhood, and as I was here a couple of years ago talking to some admirals, I said to them is there a place where the admirals and captains tailgate and then the enlisted men tailgate? And he looked at me and he said, "Sir, in tailgating, there is no rank."

And I think that really says it all, that in tailgating we're all equal. Some of us have better food, but if you just want to bring a baloney sandwich, come on down. If you want to bring the caviar and foie gras, come and see me.

MARCIANO: Joe, one of the more patriotic things -- and I notice that you're going to all the military academies. We appreciate that. And folks can come see you if they do bring that baloney sandwich, because I think your spread is going to be a little bit better.

Thanks for joining us this morning, Joe, and have a great season on the road.

CAHN: Thank you.

Grill one for the Gipper.

Go Navy.

MARCIANO: All right. That's Joe Cahn. He's the commissioner of tailgating America.

Thanks very much, Joe.

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 August 30, 2003 - 07:37   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Football season definitely upon us.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, and a big football fan in the house at the CNN headquarters this morning. That would be our own football aficionado, Rob Marciano.

COLLINS: Yes.

ROBERTS: Easy for me to say this morning. What's wrong with me now?

COLLINS: A little bit of Dr. Seuss going on.

ROBERTS: Yes, I've got a little problem here. Bob, save us from ourselves.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you didn't want to say expert, because that's the farthest from the truth. So I suppose that word would best describe it.

ROBERTS: Football lover.

MARCIANO: Yes, lover. If you're looking for advice on who to bet on this weekend, don't call me. Call whoever you might do that for.

But let's talk more about what you can expect this weekend. Weather wise, we are looking at rain that will be stretching across much of the mid section of the country, not the greatest weather for some folks, who like to tailgate. I mean this weekend we've got college football season. It's happening. It starts this weekend. It started on Thursday. Next weekend we have NFL season, as well.

Well, tailgaters, football fans, you're going to love this. We have with us this morning, he calls himself the commissioner of tailgaters America.

Joining us from Washington this morning is Joe Cahn.

Joe, you're busy, I see. What have you got cooking up there?

JOE CAHN, COMMISSIONER OF TAILGATING: Well, you know, I've got some corn. I've got some braut. So I'm going to go ahead and do some ribs today. But, you know, I don't call myself the commissioner, I AM the commissioner of tailgating.

MARCIANO: Well, I've got to apologize right off the bat there. So that would...

CAHN: Quite all right.

MARCIANO: Is your organization, is it -- are you a professional? Are you paid for what you do or is this just a life long love?

CAHN: Well, it's a love of food. I'm from New Orleans. I obviously know a good party, Mardis Gras. I know good food, great Louisiana food, and eight years ago I started traveling around the country tailgating. And what tailgating really is is the new community social. It's America's last great neighborhood. And I think that's the real fun part of it.

Until about two years ago, I didn't even know there was a football game after a tailgate party. It was a tailgate party and then everybody left. And all of a sudden I saw them in a stadium.

Tailgating is that which everybody participates in. It's like the fans' pre-game warm-up, but where everybody is equal. We're at Navy right now and wherever I am, I travel in an R.V. across this country, about 30,000 miles I'll travel this year, to about 40,000, to about 45 stadiums. And in that, I'm always at home. So I live in Annapolis maybe only for about five hours and that's why I'm always for the home team.

MARCIANO: Well, listen, have a seat and relax. I know you seem a little bit nervous. I'm kidding, of course. This is nothing new to you. What, the game is Navy against who today?

CAHN: VMI. You know, it's a VMI-Navy game. Of course, I'm predicting a Navy win. Thursday I was at Villanova and, of course, Villanova won. It's interesting because there are not a lot of people out here. It's a 1:30 game. But the weather is, the weather is gorgeous and about four to five hours before game time, people will start arriving.

I get here very early because I have a big, obviously, vehicle to park, but I think that the whole point of tailgating is the community getting out together. I, again, for eights years in tailgating.com, which is just a Web site for tailgating aficionados, and it's getting bigger and bigger, you know, where people now are using caller I.D., everybody's a friend in this area.

MARCIANO: Well, let's talk about some of your friends across the country. I'm going to throw up a map and we're going to talk about where you're going to be going after you go to Annapolis. Tailgating America, I made this map last night, Joe, and I'm a little bit bleary- eyed because there's so many stops your making. How many stops are you making on this tour, do you know?

CAHN: Approximately 40. Approximately 45. I'll be doing, I'll end up in Houston for the final game of the season. I'll be in New Orleans for the championship game. So I'll see the pro-championship and the college championship. But I'll be anywhere from Seattle to Miami, from New England to San Diego. And when I mention each of those places, you know, I'm thinking about lobster in New England. MARCIANO: Lobster, nice.

CAHN: And I'm thinking some great Mexican food in San Diego. And maybe some salmon up in Seattle and, you know, I go around and what I do is I set out my...

MARCIANO: Got to go to Pike Street Market.

CAHN: Well, at Pike's Market.

MARCIANO: Yes.

CAHN: And go down to Miami and eat maybe some whole pig. Well, wait a minute, I am a whole pig. But, you know, the big thing...

MARCIANO: No, I wouldn't say that, Bill.

CAHN: Well, I would, because what my job is is to really talk to people and to have people who will -- viewing today...

MARCIANO: Just give me a...

CAHN: And say, you know, I don't particularly -- I don't like football and I say to you, even if you don't like football, come and join America's picnic. Tailgating is very unique to this country. Come out to a game, even if you don't come to the game, come and visit your neighbors of the community. You'll see people who you may live next door that you'll never know and you'll see the visiting team and visitors from around the country.

It is really America, the last great American neighborhood, and as I was here a couple of years ago talking to some admirals, I said to them is there a place where the admirals and captains tailgate and then the enlisted men tailgate? And he looked at me and he said, "Sir, in tailgating, there is no rank."

And I think that really says it all, that in tailgating we're all equal. Some of us have better food, but if you just want to bring a baloney sandwich, come on down. If you want to bring the caviar and foie gras, come and see me.

MARCIANO: Joe, one of the more patriotic things -- and I notice that you're going to all the military academies. We appreciate that. And folks can come see you if they do bring that baloney sandwich, because I think your spread is going to be a little bit better.

Thanks for joining us this morning, Joe, and have a great season on the road.

CAHN: Thank you.

Grill one for the Gipper.

Go Navy.

MARCIANO: All right. That's Joe Cahn. He's the commissioner of tailgating America.

Thanks very much, Joe.

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