Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

Interview With Pat Cooper

Aired May 12, 2002 - 17:13   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.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN ANCHOR: They don't all meet their end in a hail of bullets like in the movies. Joseph Bonanno, a founding member of the American mafia, died yesterday in Tucson, Arizona at the age of 97 years old. Bonanno, nicknamed Joe Bananas, headed one of organized crime's notorious five families from 1931 to the late 1960s. No one ever managed to convict him for anything more serious than obstruction of justice. But he detailed his career in a 1983 autobiography.

So what was the mob legend like? Comedian Pat Cooper who knew Bonanno personally joins us now in our New York bureau. Mr. Cooper?

PAT COOPER, COMEDIAN: Happy Mother's Day.

KARL: Hey -- happy Mother's Day to you. What a subject for Mother's Day. So, we've got to find out from you how this guy managed to live to be 97 years old. But, first -- what was he like?

COOPER: Because, number one, the man lived with one word -- that was called respect. He lived with it and he died by it. He never squealed on anybody. Whatever he did, he did it -- that was it. And it's a funny thing when a man like that -- and he's the last of these kind of men -- with a man like that, if in neighborhood someone did -- owed you money or something -- you didn't go to court get a lawyer, you called up the Joe Bonanno family and said, "that man owes me money." In 10 minutes, you got it. It was called street law. It was called respect. You don't have to go call the cops, you don't have to go call lawyers, you don't have to go call judges. This is what the man represented. He demanded respect and he got it.

Now, a lot of people say, well, he was a gangster, he was a killer. I don't know if he killed or if he was a gangster. All I know is the man, when I met him -- I was in Oscala's Restaurant (ph). I was with my agent, Willie Webber (ph). I'll never forget it. He sent me over a bottle of wine. Now normally a guy would wave and say thank him. I knew what it was to deal with this man. I got up -- I went over and shook his hand and thanked him personally. That's what the man represented, that kind of respect. Unfortunately, a lot of fathers today don't get that.

KARL: All right, well, it sounds a little bit like you're talking about a boy scout here -- not a mob leader.

COOPER: No, no -- I didn't say that. I didn't say that. I do not disrespect anybody because they told me killed, he didn't kill. That is none of my business. I respect a person who respects me and I give them back respect. I didn't say the man was a priest. He did a lot of things. But I'll tell you one thing -- he wrote a book, and the man turned around on "60 Minutes" and exposed who he was. He had never denied it, and I respect him for that -- whether you liked him or not.

I knew John Gotti. I mean, I didn't do anything what John Gotti did, but I got news for you: I respect him. He was nice to me, and that was the end of that tune. I like the "Godfather" movie. I like the "Sopranos" movie. I mean, you know, it's individual, how people treat you.

KARL: Now, he also made an effort to bring his family into some legitimate businesses. He had operations all over the country, didn't he?

COOPER: We all want to go into a legitimate businesses -- of course we do. And then behind closed doors, you start to rot. That's OK. Listen, we've got so-called politicians who are bigger crooks than the Bonannos. Give me a break, you know.

And then it's amazing -- here's a man that died in bed. Gambino died in bed. You know, all of these guys are supposed to be killers that they were going to wipe them out. They didn't, because they earned their respect within the culture of gangsterism, if that is what you want to call it.

KARL: And he had a plan to knock off two of his rivals, right?

COOPER: I don't know that to be true. He may have wanted to knock me off. I don't know. I don't believe what people to me. I got to see it for myself. You can't turn and say, "oh, just because you said it that is a fact." That's not true.

Listen, let me tell you something. The mafia was always there, the cosa nostra was always there. We are fascinated for some reason with the movies about mafia and "The Godfather." We love it. But you know something? You can't be a hypocrite.

KARL: All right, Pat Cooper -- thank you so much, and happy Mother's Day.

COOPER: Many more you to. Thank you.

KARL: Take care.

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