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CNN Saturday Morning News

Flu Epidemic Sweeps U.S.; Lance Armstrong to Admit to Doping; Federal Gun Violence Panels Continue to Meet; Crime Ring of Tide Detergent Theft Exposed; Interview with Producers of 85th Academy Awards; Razzies Founder Discusses History of Awards Show

Aired January 12, 2013 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

It could be the most stunning confession in cycling history. The real reason Lance Armstrong is sitting down with Oprah.

What will the White House decide when it comes to gun control? All morning long we'll put the proposals and pushback in focus.

They're the men behind "Chicago," "Hairspray," and now Hollywood's biggest night. Our exclusive interview with the producers of the Oscars.

Good morning, everyone, I'm Randi Kaye. It is 10:00 on the east coast, 7:00 a.m. on the west. Glad you're with us. We begin with Lance Armstrong and the expected big admission. "USA Today" reports that Armstrong will sit down with Oprah on Monday and spill the beans. He's expected to admit that he used performance enhancing drugs.

Joining me now is Dave Shields, author of "The Tour," a book about competitive cycling and be the tour de France. Dave, good morning. So I guess the question is, what does he have to gain by admitting this now if he does indeed go ahead with it?

DAVE SHIELDS, CYCLING ANALYST: I think that probably he's a bit worried about other cases that are going on. There's some -- some rumors that Johannes Berniel, his old coach, will say some things. I have also heard that according to some sources that he's kind of realized that his own children are going to eventually learn the truth. And it's going to be real embarrassing if he hasn't said it by that point. So I think he's just behind the eight ball.

KAYE: What are the chances -- because a lot of people look and wonder why. What are the chances that any admission or explanation even could put him back in the good graces of his sponsors or even his critics?

SHIELDS: I can't imagine that his sponsors are going to come back. I would imagine that you're probably right that there will be certain critics that will say, oh, good, he's -- you know, he's come clean, he said this, let's forgive him now. That probably is the right thing to do at one level. At another level, it's right it hold people accountable. I mean, he's made a lot of decisions that have really, really hurt a lot of people. So you know, he should feel some remorse for this. I hope he does.

KAYE: Any chance of legal action do you think following the admission?

SHIELDS: You know, interestingly, he's waited just until the statute of limitations has passed on one of the most important cases where he really would have perjured himself a lot. There are other things that there's a good chance that he could face consequences for. I would think that there would be certain people that are going to want to try to get a -- to get a little money back. But --

KAYE: You were talking about his 2005 testimony, though, right? In terms of the perjury that has passed?

SHIELDS: Yes. He literally took out a contract with an insurance company that he'd be paid a $7 million bonus if he won more than three Tour de Frances. And then when he did that, they said, well, we've got evidence that you doped to do it. And he completely destroyed several people's careers trying to defend himself, claiming that he hadn't done anything. Now he's going to say, oh, yes.

KAYE: Right. So the statute of limitations has now passed.

SHIELDS: Correct.

KAYE: When we talked last week, that's when we first started hearing that he may admit to doping, at the time you told me that you'd find it hard to believe anything he says. Do you still feel the same way?

SHIELDS: You know, to give you an example, I do feel the same way. A teammate of Lance Armstrong's that had a role in some of the books I wrote gave me some information. He once said to me, "My greatest days as an athlete were working with Lance. He got more out of me than I ever got out of myself. And I don't care if I ever see that son of a bitch again." So, you know, that's pretty powerful.

KAYE: Those are pretty strong words. What about his charity? Any hope for Live Strong to recover?

SHIELDS: The Live Strong Foundation is a wonderful foundation. There's great people associated with it. I'm sure it will go on. I'm sure it will be negatively affected be all this, no doubt about it. But I think that they'll ultimately land on their feet. I hope they do.

KAYE: Dave Shields, appreciate your time and expertise in this area, as well. Thank you very much.

SHIELDS: Any time. Check out Daveshields.com if you want to see more.

KAYE: Will do.

New information from the government shows that the flu is now widespread in all but three states. And state totals show that dozens have died from complications this season including 20 children. The frontline for the fight is really in doctors' offices and hospitals all across the nation, treating and diagnosing thousands of patients.

CNN's Athena Jones is at an urgent care in Falls Church, Virginia. Athena, I'm sure they've been busy there. What are they telling you?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They have been busy. Good morning, Randi. This is a multiservice facility. They provide dental care as well as medical services. And they've seen an increase in the number of people coming in. Let's head inside.

This is a facility that treats both dental care, as I said, and flu and other illnesses. They say that more than half of the people coming in in the last few weeks have been coming in with symptoms already. They want to see if they have the flu and get treated. The others are coming for vaccinations. They said that just in January alone, the first 12 days of January, they've seen an increase in demand for vaccination, an increase in the number of calls they're getting, especially for young people seeking vaccination shots. Randi?

KAYE: And is there enough to go around? There's been reports that a lot of the places are running out of it.

JONES: Nationwide doctors say there are enough vaccines to go around. There are still millions available. There are spot shortages that we're hearing about, people who may have call around, call around, check different facilities to see if they have vaccinations available. I can tell you that this facility got a shipment back in December, and they still have several dozen vaccination shots left. We understand that it takes longer to get the shipments coming in now since there is increased demand all around the country, Randi.

KAYE: Why does there seem to be so much concern about the flu and about it spreading this year?

JONES: The interesting thing is that this year the flu began earlier. Last year, the season was milder, described as milder. This year not only did it begin earlier, but the strain, this strain of influenza a, doctors say, is harsher. It can lead to more complications and can lead to people getting sick longer. So there's increased concern, because the flu kills people every year, 36,000 people. Already there have been at least 20 pediatric deaths this year. And the concern is that with such an early start and such a hard strain, a harsh strain, people need to be vigilant. Randi?

KAYE: Athena Jones, just talking to you from there makes me want to tell you to wash your hands. Thank you very much. Appreciate the reporting there.

The 66,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan may be headed home sooner than expected. President Obama now saying our path is clear there. Hamid Karzai met with Mr. Obama in Washington yesterday. Both men agreed to a complete transition of combat operations by the end of 2014. The president spoke after that meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our path is clear, and we are moving forward. Every day, more Afghans are stepping up and taking more responsibility for their security. As they do, our troops will come home. Next year this long war will come to a responsible end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: President Obama is considering keeping some troops, possibly between 3,000 to 9,000, in place across 2014 for counterterrorism and training, but only if they get immunities from prosecution. Karzai signaled he may be willing to give in to that demand.

Also in Washington, Vice President Joe Biden wrapped up his meetings on gun violence, saying there's no silver bulleted to solve the problem. Friday he met with producers of some of the most popular and violent video games, "Call of Duty" and "Medal of Honor." Biden said he wasn't looking to point fingers. He's just looking for some solutions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: We have a problem beyond, quote, "the massacres," the Columbines, the Auroras, Connecticut. There's 10,000 people a year gunned down in our cities, different motives, different reasons, different explanations. But it's a real problem. It's serious.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: There may be some room for compromise. Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says he may be open to limiting high-capacity magazines. He says that move wouldn't challenge the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

A man who many are calling a hero says he doesn't want to be called anything except teacher. It all started on Thursday when a 16-year-old student walked into his school in central California with a shotgun and pockets full of ammunition. He shot one student at pointblank range. That's when 40-year-old teacher Ryan Heber stepped in. He stood face to face with the gunman and gently persuaded him to put the gun down. Meanwhile, another teacher, Kim Fields, also helped distract the shooter while other students escaped the classroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF DON YOUNGBLOOD, KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: This teacher and this counselor stood there face to face, not knowing whether he's going to turn that shotgun on them and -- because they've seen the news media throughout our country in the last several months, and they probably expected the worst and hoped for the best. But they gave their students a chance to escape, and conversed, and it worked.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: The teen was taken into police custody. Police say he'll be charged with attempted murder. The wounded student was taken to the hospital and is in critical but stable condition.

The politics of the gun debate, the Newtown tragedy may be a game- changer with promises of action from the White House. Maria Cardona and Amy Holmes are here. We'll find out what they think about the process and whether or not it will work.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: There's got to be some common ground here to not solve every problem but diminish the probability that what we've seen in these mass shootings will occur and diminish the probability that our children are at risk in their schools.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Well, it has been a whirlwind week for Vice President Joe Biden. He has been at the center of the gun debate meeting with people on both sides of the conversation, two sides that are both fired up. What's expected to come out of those meetings is a blueprint for the administration's gun policy, and we're focusing on that this morning.

Joining me as they do every week, CNN contributor Maria Cardona and Amy Holmes, the anchor of "Real News" on "The Blaze." Good morning to both of you. Happy Saturday. Maria, what do you think the now policy is going to look like?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I think what we've heard mostly that will be included in this in some way, shape, or form will be renewal of the ban on the assault weapons which as you know has now gone away. And I think there's been a lot of focus on trying to get that renewed.

And I think importantly included in that should be a ban on the high- caliber magazine clips because that's exactly what the shooter used in Newtown. And we've seen that that is what really leads to these really deadly massacres. I think that something having to do with comprehensive access to mental health. I think what's critical and what the administration has said is that there should be as easy access to mental health facilities and help and programs as there is easy access to guns.

KAYE: Right.

CARDONA: I think also universal background checks. And what's interesting is that we know that the Gallup poll showed 92 percent of Americans agree with those universal background checks. And 72 percent of NRA members agree with those uniform background checks.

KAYE: Let me ask Amy. Amy, if that is all on the table which sounds like it is, how hard is it going to be for this administration to sell any gun control plan to the American people?

AMY HOLMES, ANCHOR, "REAL NEWS": I think what's remarkable actually is the amount of common ground. I would disagree with the assault weapons ban. There's been talk that the White House might step away because there's quite a lot of controversy over what exactly is an assault weapon.

However, the high-capacity magazine that Maria mentioned, there does seem to be common ground around that, and also mental health. Now that's a little bit tricky in terms of in you spot someone, know someone who is threatening themselves or harm on the Internet, for example. We just had a case of a young man in California who was making Facebook threats that he wanted to go and, you know, commit an atrocity at a school, at a kindergarten. Yet, authorities couldn't do anything are. Are there laws that are in place or laws that we should consider in trying to prevent these atrocities before they happen? And hopefully we'll be able to come up with solutions when it comes to that.

I have to say that I'm heartened by the areas where gun control advocates and Second Amendment advocates are trying to find common ground. Initially it seemed that the White House was going to be going way far to the left on this issue. I think even some Democrats, particularly Heidi Highcamp from North Dakota, for example, who are Second Amendment rights advocates, were able to push back.

KAYE: Yes. What's the likelihood do you think, Maria, of getting any gun control legislation through congress? Forget selling it to the American people.

CARDONA: Right. Well, speaking of going way left, let's talk about going way right. And so I think that that's a very good question to see where the House Republicans are going to be on this, because even though you do see that 72 percent of NRA members agree with universal background check and the majority of Americans agree with the ban on assault weapons, I don't think you see very many Republicans coming forward. You see a lot of Democrats who in the past have been, you know, and are NRA members focusing on that there needs to be changes, including Senator Mark Warner and Joe Manchin.

So I think the focus needs to be on what are Republicans willing to do. The White House is not going to go way left on this. They know that there needs to be some middle ground consensus. And I think that what is going to push that mid ground consensus, Randi, is the American people. I really do think that this is a very different moment that we are at after those 20 people were massacred in Newtown.

KAYE: Yes, I think a lot of people are saying the same thing.

On a very different topic, I want your impressions on the president's new cabinet nominees coming out. Amy, I'll go to you first. Your overall opinion and highlights?

HOLMES: My overall impression is that the president, he is stacking up a railroad car full of very highly controversial nominees. We have Jack Lew for U.S. treasury who we already have -- we see very stiff opposition to. And the president surely knew that going in. There have been reports that Mr. Lew was quite controversial when it came to the debt ceiling negotiations, that the other side did not find him to be sort of someone negotiating in good faith. He went on Sunday shows, said the budget needed 60 votes to pass, for example, which is clearly -- it's either intentionally misleading or he doesn't understand the legislative process.

Then of course you have Chuck Hagel. There is controversy on both the left and the right, rather right and the left, over that nomination. So this president, it seems like he's pushing the envelope with these nominees. And your producers also pointed out, no women.

KAYE: Yes. It's been called the "band of brothers," a couple of articles have described it that way. Maria, what's your take?

CARDONA: Well, I'm not worried about the "controversial nature" of these appointees. I think they will get through, and the White House feels pretty confident that they will get through.

But I absolutely agree that the next set of nominees and appointees need to look a lot more like this panel, Randi.

(LAUGHTER)

CARDONA: And I am sure, I am actually sure that it will, because clearly I don't know if it was just, you know, the timing of the rollout. Let's remember that Susan Rice was considered for secretary of state, so I don't think we'd be having this conversation if she hadn't run into trouble. Certainly, diversity has always been a priority for this president, and his past cabinet nominees and positions have certainly reflected the diversity of this country.

So I know that moving forward he's getting a lot of pressure from women's groups and Latino groups and African-American groups, as he should. I am sure moving forward his nominees will look more like what the country reflects.

KAYE: I like the look of the panel, too.

CARDONA: Yes, I love the look of this panel. Exactly.

HOLMES: It did occur to me that maybe president Obama needs to consult Mitt Romney's binders.

KAYE: There we go. All right, thank you very much. Amy and Maria, nice to see you.

HOLMES: Thank you.

CARDONA: Thank you, Randi.

Successful once, but a much different story the second time around. See what happens when two burglars try to haul off an ATM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Welcome back. Police in Miami are on the lookout for a couple of crooks. They pulled off a pretty brazen heist this week when they hauled off an ATM tied to their car. Wow. But thing didn't go as planned at their next stop. When they tried to drive off with another ATM, the machine in that case just doesn't want to budge. The guy goes in and body slams the machine. Then he walks away rubbing his shoulder, as you saw there.

Here's a warning for you. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(BARKING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Whatever you do, don't mess with Petey. He is an eight-month-old Jack Russell terrier and he scared off two gunmen at his owner's home in Florida. The crooks threw his owner to the floor demanding money, and that's when Petey jumped into action and came to her rescue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was jumping up and down in that guy's face. I don't know if he was trying to bite his face or whatever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: When Petey started to bite one of the crook's ankles, yep, they took off. Go, Petey.

In business news, American Airlines has filed an extension requesting more time to file its restructuring plan. American is asking for 20 additional days. The company is working on terms with creditors as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. The airline is in talks to merge with U.S. Airways. That move would create one of the largest carriers in the country.

Passengers on a plane in Australia were shocked when they looked out the window midflight and saw a snake trapped on the wing. It was a nine-foot-long python. This happened during a Quantis flight. Witnesses say the snake was clinging on for dear life. I bet it was. The rough wind and freezing cold temperatures were just too much. The python was dead when the plane landed.

And now some other stories making news across the nation. Take a look at this. An explosion at a duplex in north Texas yesterday injured three people including two firefighters. They were responding to a report of a gas leak in the town of Lewisville. The fire chief told our affiliate, WFAA, they had no warning that the blast was coming.

And in Atlanta, a police officer was shot in the face yesterday evening, 35-year-old officer Reggie Robinson now in stable condition in the hospital. He was responding to a report of a drug deal when he encountered a suspicious man. The man gave chase and then fired at Robinson. Police managed to detain the suspect and a weapon.

More on the deadly flu outbreak that is sweeping the nation. The CDC reports 47 states are experiencing widespread activity. The only states not showing levels that high are California, Hawaii, and Mississippi. One of the reasons that the flu is so dangerous is because it spreads so quickly and so easily. A simple sneeze can spread germs that can live for hours on a surface.

To find out just how easily the flu can spread, I took a ride on a New York City subway. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: With the flu so widespread, riding the subway makes New Yorkers think twice. So many commuters wondering, can I get it? We asked Dr. Len Horowitz to ride the rails with us and help us understand the power of a single cough or sneeze. All it takes is one good a-choo to send well over 40,000 droplets barreling in your direction at about 100,000 miles an hour. They can quickly make dozens of commuters within a few feet very sick. If a person used his hand to cover his sneeze, look out.

So if someone sneezed and then grabbed this pole to hang on to, they're going to leave germs behind. Say I hold on to the pole, I'm going to pick up those germs without knowing it. Then, say, maybe I come here to sit down and I touch my hand to the seat. I'm going to leave germs behind for the next unsuspecting commuter. And it spreads from there.

And Dr. Horowitz, a specialist in respiratory illnesses, says germs are so hearty they can survive overnight.

DE. LEN HOROWITZ, LENOX HILL HOSPITAL: The viral particles can stay alive for up to 24 hours. Somebody tomorrow morning get on the subway, touches it, touches their face, introduces it into their body, and they've got it.

KAYE: That could mean hundreds, maybe thousands of people end up sick.

MARISOL MENDOZA, SUBWAY RIDER: I carry my hand sanitizer in my purse.

KAYE: Some riders touch their face, rub their eyes, maybe even eat before ever washing their hands.

HOROWITZ: When you touch your face, you're essentially smearing the germ on it your face. And any opening, your nose, mouth, eyes, is the place where the germ can get into your body and incubate and multiply and cause infection.

KAYE: Just because that sneeze occurred on the subway doesn't mean the germs stay there. Say the person who sneezed stops at the metro card machine to buy a subway card before leaving the station. He's going to leave those germs right on that machine for the next person.

And it's not just subway riders. Anyone commuting by car or foot may use a germ-covered hand to open an office door or office refrigerator. Maybe they're even sharing your computer. Yuck. In a world where germs are the enemy, it's time to suit up for battle and keep your soap handy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: No kidding.

Money laundering, it has a whole new meaning. Why your detergent is now worth a lot of money on the black market.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Welcome back, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. Five stories now that you should know about this morning.

Number one, Lance Armstrong, "USA Today" reports that he is ready to admit to doping during his cycling career. The paper says he'll come clean to Oprah Winfrey on Monday. In the past Armstrong has strongly denied using any performance enhancing drugs. Overwhelming evidence from anti-drug agencies has cost him millions in endorsements. He's also been stripped of his seven tour de France titles.

Number two, Venezuela's vice president is in Cuba to visit his boss, Hugo Chavez. Chavez missed his inauguration Thursday though the Supreme Court said he could be sworn in to his third term at a later time. The 58-year-old Chavez hasn't been heard from since he went to Havana a month ago for cancer surgery. Government officials said he suffered a severe lung infection after that operation. No firm evidence Chavez is conscious.

Number three, the deadly flu outbreak. The CDC is reporting that two more children died bringing the total deaths this season up to 20. Officials also say that the number of reported U.S. cases has decreased, especially in the south. But it's too soon to tell if the season has actually peaked.

Number four, BP has settled with as many as 100,000 plaintiffs who claim they were sickened or hurt by the 2010 gulf oil disaster. A federal judge in New Orleans inked the deal yesterday. It covers cleanup workers and residents who live near the spill zone. A company spokesman said that BP is, quote, "pleased with the settlement."

And number five, one of Hollywood's most iconic movie theaters getting a new name. Grauman's Chinese Theater will be called TCL Chinese Theater. Not exactly the same ring. That's thanks to a 10-year multi- million deal with a Chinese electronics firm. Money is expected to go toward much needed renovations. The cultural landmark first opened in the summer of 1927.

All right, take a look at this, a bottle of Tide, right? And believe it or not, it is at the center of a booming crime ring involving drugs like crack, and it reaches as far off as the shores of Vietnam. The popular Procter and Gamble cleaner, street name liquid gold, is being stolen and traded for drugs in cities across the U.S. Several thousand dollars worth of the detergent has been taken right off store shelves in recent months, and at between $8 and $20 a bottle, a single cartful can be worth thousands.

Sergeant Aubrey Thompson from Prince George's County police has been tried to stop these pretty bizarre thefts, we'll call them, head on. Good morning, sergeant. Tell me, what is this about? Why tide?

SGT. AUBREY THOMPSON, PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY POLICE: It's a product that everyone uses. If you would go on "Family Feud" and ask the contestants what's the number-one detergent, I venture they say it would be Tide. The chief of police and county executive put me in charge of this unit and they wanted me to reduce thefts by 10 percent. And I met with the retailers, established a rapport with them, and the number-one item that was being stolen countywide, statewide, was Tide detergent. They couldn't keep it on the shelves.

KAYE: So in terms of why it's being stolen, when I first heard the story I assumed it was like Sudafed or some drugs being used to makes other drugs, like meth or something. But Tide has nothing to do with making drugs, right? This is simply a question of stealing it and then bartering with it?

THOMPSON: Yes, ma'am. We thought the same thing. I had unlimited resources. I stayed up late at night trying to find out what was the link, why so much tide of being stolen. And basically it's just a popular product, and everybody washes clothes. And it's low risk of being caught and high reward.

KAYE: So how big of a problem are we talking about here? How many people have you arrested? Is there a big tide ring going on?

THOMPSON: Yes, ma'am. Since 2011 we've probably arrested 30 people in related -- Tide-related thefts.

KAYE: Wow. From what I understand, you actually told "New York "magazine that one store in Maryland alone was losing, what, $10,000 to $15,000 a month. This is a big deal.

THOMPSON: Yes, ma'am. It's a very big deal. The thieves would come in there twice a day, four times a week, and making on average $16,000 a month tax free. The very first guy that we arrested for this type of theft had $96,000 in the bank.

KAYE: Oh, my goodness. What are they trading tide for? Are they trading it for drugs?

THOMPSON: The majority of people stealing tide are old, hardened criminals who did hard time in jail and got out. They're trying to find a new hustle, if you will, to make money but have a low risk of being caught or going to jail for it. And it's -- the tide is worth more than money. Sometimes they would trade it for -- they would go purchase drugs, and the drug dealers would say "bring me Tide." We've been search warrants in collaboration with narcotics division where we recovered kilos of drugs and guns, and in the corner it was 50 bottles of tide.

KAYE: So is it just the liquid? Are they taking the powder, too?

THOMPSON: No. They're taking what's popular. People don't use powder anymore. They're keeping up with the times. Liquid tide is liquid gold.

KAYE: That's really amazing. And we said it's reaching far-off shores. As far away as Vietnam, is that true?

THOMPSON: Yes, ma'am. We raided one nail salon in Capitol Heights, and the workers was shipping the tide overseas, over to Vietnam to stores that they had in Vietnam. KAYE: Wow. That is -- really something. And I guess it turns out its profitable. You would think they would take something that isn't as heavy, right, something smaller to trade with.

THOMPSON: Yes. Well, it's -- first of all, before anyone caught on to it, who puts security devices on tide? So they would go into the store and use the grocery carts, put it in and take it to the car and deliver it straight to the operations.

KAYE: Wow, amazing Tide ring out there. Sergeant, thank you very much. Best of luck with putting an end to this.

THOMPSON: Yes, ma'am. We will.

KAYE: Thank you.

Here's a look at what's coming up next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

They're the men behind "Chicago," "Hairspray," and now Hollywood's biggest night -- our exclusive interview with the producers of the Oscars.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: I want to show you some top CNN trends of the web this morning. First up, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Your favorite monopoly piece could be forced to go to jail forever if you don't vote for it. Hasbro, the maker of the board game, is replacing one of the tokens with one that is, quote, "more representative of today's monopoly players," and wants fans to vote on Facebook for the piece that they want to save. Voting ends February 5.

Next up, reports of a lion on the loose in Norfolk, Virginia, turned out to be just slightly exaggerated. Some startled people, though, called 911 to report that a lion was roaming the streets. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is 911, where is your emergency?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, I'd like to report a lion sighting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just saw an animal that looked like a small lion. It had the mane and everything.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just saw a baby lion on Colley Avenue and 60th.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a lion that ran across the street, a baby lion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was about the size of a Labrador retriever. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Very observant there, that last caller. That caller was really on to something, because the reason the lion was about the size of a Labrador retriever is because the lion was actually a Labra-doodle, a cross between a Labrador and a poodle. His name is Charles the monarch and his owner gets him groomed to look like the mascot for nearby Old Dominion University. We're told he's much better with kids than the king of the jungle.

Let me pull up the photo so you can see. In the -- in their defense, in these callers' defense, take a look. He does look like a lion, the way that he's groomed. He's got the big, strong legs. He looks husky barking up the tree there. He wasn't roaring, just barking. Let me clarify.

How's this for full contact reporting?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go ahead. I'm not going to get in trouble. It worked in practice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Oh, man. Let's see that one more time in slow-mo. Yes, that was Lee Valsvik, who I knew from my days at Minnesota. She was doing a live shot before the Viking's big playoff game against the Green Bay Packers last Saturday. Photographer was too excited for the game. Totally ran her down, he was supposed to just catch the ball, but nobody got hurt. Lee, good to see you, don't want to see you falling down like that.

And finally, the invisible man gets a Big Mac attack. It may be the best drive-thru prank ever, and it has exploded on YouTube. An aspiring magician named Rahut Hussein created a driver seat costume that makes him appear as if nobody's driving the car. So he put it on, and then he went through a bunch of fast food drive-thrus and recorded the stunned and really freaked out employees.

(LAUGHTER)

KAYE: Imagine that. Well, you may have heard the nominations are in for the 85th Academy Awards. It's time to put the best of the best together into one amazing awards ceremony. And that job belongs to two men, a producing team that's spent years planning the ceremony. Our Nadia Bilchik spoke to Neil Meron and Craig Zadan about their plans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADIA BILCHIK, CNN ANCHOR: This is your first time producing the Oscars, but you've been preparing for this for years. Tell me about that.

NEIL MERON, PRODUCER, 85TH ACADEMY AWARDS: Well, you know, it's -- we produced a movie a couple of years ago called "The Bucket List," which turned into a nice little hit. And we for the past decade or so have wanted to be doing this show. And when we got the job, we said, this has always been on our bucket list.

BILCHIK: And you've had a vision for how you would produce the Oscars for so long. So far is it turning out the way you hoped?

CRAIG ZADAN, PRODUCER, 85TH ACADEMY AWARDS: Yes, I would say that what's interesting about it is that Neil and I have played this fantasy game for the last five, six, seven, eight years, saying, what if, what if they called and said, would you like to produce the Oscars? And then you sort of say, what we would do. And we started coming up with ideas and pitching ideas to each other about what we'd do if we have the opportunity. And then of course after a while you sort of give up on that because you think, ah, they're never going to call.

BILCHIK: Who called?

MERON: We got a call from Hawk Koch, the president of the motion picture academy. He asked if we would like to produce the Oscars. It's the call you wait for your entire life if that's something you want to do. So it took barely a second for us to respond that it's a great honor. And yes, you know. We really, really were kind of preparing for this for many, many years.

BILCHIK: On your bucket list. So where are you drawing your inspiration? I mean, does a lot depend on who the nominees are?

ZADAN: For us, it doesn't actually, because I know that other producers have waited for the nominations and then created their show around the pictures and the actors who are nominated. We haven't done that. This year, what we did was we created the show based on the show that we wanted to see. So we started off by creating an entire entity of entertainment, and then the nominations fit to our segments of entertainment.

BILCHIK: So it's going to be a very different awards ceremony?

MERON: Well, you know, especially with our choice of Seth Macfarlane to host. And we think Seth brings something very, very special to the table. Seth is not as well-known as previous Oscar hosts, but he has such a vast well of talent that we will make great use of. Not only is he hysterically funny, a terrific writer, does impressions, does great voices, but he's an incredible song and dance man, too. He had an album out last year and was nominated for a Grammy for it. So he's a great musical artist, and he also has a respect for the legacy of what the Oscars are, for acting, and he's just a tremendous all-around guy.

BILCHIK: Let's hear a little from Seth when he was actually calling out the nominations.

SETH MACFARLANE, OSCAR HOST: Seth Macfarlane, the host of the Oscars. If you don't know who I am, just pretend I'm Donnie Osmond and we'll get through this.

These are five people who are the very best at sitting in a chair watching others people make a movie.

Congratulations, you five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein.

These are adapted screenplays, keep in mind. So that means the writers basically copied stuff from Microsoft Word and pasted it into Final Draft.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BILCHIK: Have you started working with Seth yet?

MERON: We've been working with him since the -- since September. We worked with him several times a week, about every day actually.

BILCHIK: How much collaboration, did the three of you get together and what on what his jokes are going to be, his comments? How much input from of the two of you, how much from him, how much from other writers?

ZADAN: Well, Seth is in charge of his sections of the show, his hosting sections. And he has his team of writers writing his material for that. We have input into that, of course. But Neil and I are creating the entire show around Seth. So we have created entertainment pods of different sections of the show that are unique for this particular Oscar show, that are different from other Oscar shows.

BILCHIK: And we know there's going to be a tribute to the James Bond franchise. Can you give us the scoop?

MERON: That's correct.

BILCHIK: What else can we expect to see?

MERON: I think, you know, I think if you look at the DNA of what we've produced previously, you can see that there's a great deal of music that has kind of come forth in our work. So you could probably expect there to be a lot more entertainment.

BILCHIK: Well, Neil and Craig, I hope you get to fulfill your entire bucket list. Producers of this year's Academy Awards ceremony, thank you so much for joining us.

MERON: Thank you.

ZADAN: Thank you, thanks for inviting us.

MERON: It was very nice.

ZADAN: Watch the show.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BILCHIK: All right, so you heard about some of the best of Hollywood. How about some of the worst? Up next, we are going to tell you all about the Razzie nominations and why this film, "Twilight," is leading the pack.

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KAYE: Welcome back. "Breaking Dawn Part 2," the last movie in the "Twilight" vampire series, was one of the most popular pictures of 2012. But it didn't get a single Academy Award nomination. However, it is dominating the Razzies, which every year honor Hollywood's worst films and actors. Here's a clip.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to report a crime. The Cullens have done something terrible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They think she's an immortal child.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was born, not bitten. She grows every single day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Creating an immortal child has long been outlawed and is met with the severest form of punishment -- death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Besides "Breaking Dawn," the other worst picture nominees are "Battleship," "Uji Loves in the Big Balloon Adventure," "That's my Boy," and "A Thousand Words." I'm joined now from L.A. by the creator of the Razzies, John Wilson. John, good morning. So I guess, first off, for those not familiar with the Razzies, how did the Razzies come about?

JOHN WILSON, RAZZIES FOUNDER: In the fall of 1980 I paid 99 cents to see a double feature of truly dismal disco musicals, Olivia Newton John in "Xanadu" and The Village People in "Can't Stop the Music." And I remember driving home from the theater and coming up off the top of my head with a list of at least a dozen movies that if there were an award for the worst achievement certainly would deserve to be included.

KAYE: And thus they were born. And you actually have what you get -- certainly not a statue to be proud of. Let me see it.

(LAUGHTER)

WILSON: Well, it's handmade. This is a Super 8 film reel spray painted gold. It's all tacky looking. This is shelf paper from 99 cents only, and it has a sprig of a leaf on top. It's intentionally tacky. We wish we could say the same for the movies we nominate. They achieved it without even trying.

KAYE: I understand that a former Oscar winner and a man are nominated for worst actress. Why are those performances award worth?

WILSON: Yes. I assume you're talking about Barbra Streisand in "The Guilt Trip," which is a very odd career choice. She had not had a starring role in more than a decade. This is a movie in which she and Seth Rogen are stuck in a compact car driving across America and driving each other nuts for an hour and a half. It does not sound like something most people would want to experience.

The actor who's in worst actress is in his eighth appearance as Madea, Tyler Perry, in what we are calling "Madea's Witless Protection." He's kind of driven that character into the ground.

KAYE: And what about "That's my Boy"? This is a film that I saw recently, I admit it. And you have put the entire cast on the Razzie left. It stars Adam Sandler, Vanilla Ice in there, Susan Sarandon's in it.

WILSON: Yes. That surprised me. This is his follow-up. Last year he won every -- his movie won every Razzie award, "Jack and Jill." this time he's playing a scofflaw dad who fathered a child with his math teacher when he was 14 and after basically banding the kid, comes back begging for many to pay back taxes. It's foul-mouthed. The basic concept of t isn't particularly humorous, I don't think. And it surprisingly to me watching it, I would have thought Adam Sandler had written it. It's on a level with most of his movies. He didn't. So that's at least one nomination he didn't get is worst screenplay.

KAYE: Yes. And his voice was really something. I didn't get that at all. It was strange.

WILSON: Yes. And from one scene to another it kept changing.

(LAUGHTER)

KAYE: Yes. Yes. Do you have -- is there one movie that you think was just the worst of the year?

WILSON: It would be that one. Of the five we nominated, I found it the most offensive, the most indefensible. "Twilight" I actually find very entertaining, but as a comedy. And I know that the fans of that franchise take it very seriously. But I personally do not know anyone who had to choose between a werewolf and a vampire for a date to prom night.

KAYE: So when an actor and actress gets a Razzie, how do they feel about it? Do you hear from them? Do you get nasty letters from them, or do they embrace it?

WILSON: It depends who you're talking about. Several Oscar winner have shown up to accept Razzies in the past few years. Halle Berry was hilarious and very foul-mouthed. Sandra Bullock showed one a wagon load of DVDs of her movie and accused us of not having seen yet.

My favorite response, when John Travolta's "Battlefield Earth," which was one of the worst movies ever made, when it swept the awards, somebody at a junket asked him. He said, "Oh, I didn't hear about it. I have people I pay to keep me from finding out things like that," which I thought, wow, that's like the ultimate perk of being rich I guess. Your newspaper doesn't have any bad news in it. KAYE: Exactly. It's sanitized for your reading.

WILSON: Or it looks like Swiss cheese. I don't know.

(LAUGHTER)

KAYE: John Wilson, creator of the Razzies. That was fun. Nice to see you. Thank you.

WILSON: Thank you.

KAYE: And just to top off your morning, we have a water skiing squirrel. I could talk about Twiggy and his three-day run at the Denver boat show. He's got four shows today. Look at him go. I could also talk about Twiggy's 27-year history thrilling audiences or that he's been in several movies and dozens of TV shows. But why bother? It's a waterskiing squirrel. Should we play it again? We'll play it again.

Much more CNN SATURDAY MORNING straight ahead after his quick break.

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