3-28-2011 - Rosie Radio Back From Break and an Interview with Tom Shadyac!

In case you missed it...

ELIZABETH TAYLOR, BOOKS ROSIE'S READING AND PARKER'S MILITARY HOPES
Rosie started today's program talking about her flight back to New York from Miami yesterday.  A passenger on the flight came up to her to once again tell her how much worse she looks on TV than in real life.  Rosie wondered why people feel the need to say these things to her?!  And she thought perhaps it was because of the absurd amount of makeup that they make her wear on television.  Rosie said she hopes to have the minimum amount of makeup needed when she goes back to television for OWN. 

Rosie mentioned how Elizabeth Taylor died over their break.  Rosie talked about the time she went to Elizabeth Taylor's house and the times she went to dinner with her.  Elizabeth once told Rosie when walking into a crowded restaurant you should place your eyes on the seat where you are going to be seated and walk towards it without making eye contact with anyone.  Elizabeth told her THAT'S how you make an entrance!   Elizabeth then walked into that restaurant that way and every eye was on her.  Rosie talked about the work Elizabeth did with AIDS and giving a human perspective to the face of AIDS.  Meanwhile, Rosie said her teens had no idea of who Elizabeth Taylor was which continues to shock her.  She talked about the time she called Taylor after Roddy McDowall died and said Elizabeth Taylor was a kind, sweet, lovely woman.  Rosie said when anyone famous dies she immediately does the math in her head and figures out how old her children would be if she were to die at that age and whether or not they would be okay.  Jeannie said she does the same thing. 

Rosie mentioned several books she's reading.  She's reading Up from the Blue: A Novel by Susan Henderson.  She likes it but said it's jarring how real the book is to her.  (It's about kids who lose a parent.)  Tracy recommended the book to her but she said it's been traumatizing because of the memories it's bringing back to her.  She also read Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.  Unbroken is the true story of Louis Zamperini.  Rosie said it's a harrowing tale and an interesting book.  Lastly, she mentioned the book Shadows of War: Violence, Power, and International Profiteering in the Twenty-First Century.  Rosie said they're going to have the author, Carolyn Nordstrom, on the show to discuss it!

Rosie then talked about her eldest son Parker who continues to have dreams of entering the Marines.  Rosie said Parker has wanted to go into the military his entire life and even wanted to go to a military academy, though she's never let him.  She said sending Parker away for school would make her too sad!  But she talked about the challenges they've been having recently and how she feels Parker is arguing with her just for the sake of arguing.  Even though Tracy continues to point out to Rosie that it takes two to argue!  Rosie described a fight they had over him not wanting to take a shower and a fight over him not being ready to leave.  Jeannie assured Rosie that it gets better and said her daughter, who gave her such a hard time in her early teens, is now a pleasure to be around!  Jeannie said she and her daughter actually had a great conversation this weekend talking about some of the things that used to cause great stress in their relationship.  Her daughter came up to Jeannie after the discussion and told her how much she enjoyed talking to her and even told her how much she loves her.  Rosie couldn't believe it and took it as a sign that there's hope!

Rosie took some calls from listeners.  One caller was also very worried when her son started to show interest in joining the military but said it turned out to be the best thing he's ever done for himself.  Rosie said Parker has been interested in the military since he was a young boy even after Rosie has tried to show him documentaries and films that depict the realities of war.  Janette recommended Rosie let him go to a military academy or summer camp to learn more about it before he decides to enlist.  Jeannie said Rosie needs to remember that it's only when we follow our passion that we can be truly successful. Rosie took another call from female Marine whose parents tried to talk her out of enlisting.  But today she's still in the military and loves it.  Rosie said she has tremendous respect for the armed forces and thanked all the listeners for calling in. Rosie took a final call from a listener whose daughter was hanging around the wrong crowd and then joined the Navy.  The caller said her daughter learned so much about respect and hard work and the military did her a world of good.

NURSE JACKIE, CELEBRITY APPRENTICE AND TWITTER FEVER
Rosie said she was excited that Nurse Jackie returns tonight!  And she missed last night's Celebrity Apprentice so she had Bobby fill her in.  Rosie was happy to hear Dionne Warwick was fired.  She discussed the Twitter-feud she got into with Star Jones.  Rosie said she couldn't believe Star's behavior on the program and then Twittered her to tell her.  Star emailed Rosie and asked to call her personally if she ever has a problem with her instead of publicly Tweeting her.  Rosie promised she would and they've since made up. 

Rosie's a little worried about her new love for Twitter.  She said she checks it too much and worried she's addicted.  She called it "fast food for your brain."  She said the good part about Twitter is she gets to get back in touch with other celebrities that she rarely sees like Emilio Estevez, for example.    Rosie said she and Emilio had such a great time when they filmed a movie together.  They would get themselves laughing so hard they had to stop filming at sometimes!  And now they've reconnected because of Twitter and Rosie loves that.  Jeannie asked Rosie if she even got her birthday messages Jeannie posted for her on Facebook! She was pretty upset Rosie didn't respond and both Bobby and Jeannie could not understand why Rosie doesn't like it.  Rosie said Facebook felt intrusive to her and she admitted she's forgotten her password for it.  She asked Pete to delete her Facebook account but he doesn't know her password either!  

CHRIS BROWN'S TANTRUM
Rosie then wanted to talk about the latest Chris Brown incident where he threw a chair at a window after an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts. Rosie said that Chris did a horrible thing two years ago (when he beat Rihanna) but he's since apologized, done his time and admitted his wrongdoings.  She said even the judge in the case commended Chris on how well he accepted his responsibility for what he had done.   Rosie said Chris probably chose to do the interview with Robin Roberts because he had had a successful interview with her in the past and he probably trusted her.  But in the interview Robin repeatedly asks Chris about the Rihanna incident even after he addresses it.  Rosie played the audio from the interview below and counted how many times Roberts brings up the topic.   



Rosie counted 6 times that Robin mentions it to him.  She asked at what point is it considered badgering! Rosie felt as if Brown had addressed this issue, had done his time and feels he should be allowed to move on.  She also didn't know what Roberts' agenda was for asking him so many times about the incident.  Rosie said it was the same thing for her after The View incident and after the Donald Trump feud.  She said in every interview, all anyone wanted to do was ask her about were those topics.  The call screener Amanda really doesn't like Chris Brown, and said she will never forget the pictures of Rihanna's face after he beat her.  Rosie said she wasn't minimizing the incident or what he did but said since then he's done the right thing since then he should be allowed to move on from it.  Janette wondered if it could be racially related or because Chris is a rapper.  She wondered if black rappers are held to a different standard.  Rosie thought that might be why.  She said as a rapper, you are either an angel or a thug.  Rosie joked that part of her wanted to throw a chair through a window that day on The View!  (but she didn't because they were in the basement and there were no windows!)

Rosie took a call from a listener who agreed that Robin Roberts pressed Chris Brown too much in the interview.  But she also felt Chris needs anger management.  Rosie read an email she received from Tracy during the discussion.  Tracy felt completely the opposite of Rosie so Rosie invited Tracy to call in and express her opinion.  And she did!  Tracy then called in and said even the way Chris was sitting in the interview made him look like a pouting toddler.  She said if Chris  Brown had just answered Roberts' questions and addressed the subject head on she would have moved on.  Tracy said after you've been convicted of Domestic Violence having a tantrum about it doesn't help your cause. Tracy also said Brown's biggest problem in the interview was that he wasn't taking responsibility for what he had done, he was too contrite and he should have sat up straight because he looked disrespectful.  So there!  :)

Rosie took a call from a listener who said Rosie is giving Chris way too much leeway.  He said for him to damage the window the way he did he must have used a lot of force.  He also said Chris should know how to control himself better.  Rosie thought Brown was professional because he finished his interview and performance and she didn't think throwing the chair was as horrific as other people think (though she admitted she could be wrong).

Rosie briefly mentioned how Geraldine Ferraro died.  Rosie called Ferraro a lovely woman who did so much for women in politics.  Pete said Ferraro once had dinner at his house in Korea!  She also briefly mentioned George Lopez comparing Kirstie Alley on Dancing With the Stars to a pig. (see video below)  Rosie said Kirstie's forgiven Lopez but Rosie has not.

VIDEO REMOVED

Rosie said Tracy has been battling a horrible flu bug and while they were in Miami she asked her to sleep in another bedroom.  Then when Tracy said that was mean to make her sleep in another room Rosie built a wall full of pillows between them in bed so she wouldn't catch it.  Rosie asked if this was mean.  Tracy called Rosie "emotionally Autistic" because she also didn't bring Tracy anything when she was sick, like Gatorade. Rosie said she sent Parker over but she told him to leave it on the steps so he wouldn't catch it either!

TOM SHADYAC

Rosie then introduced I Am filmmaker Tom Shadyac who was in the studio for the interview. Rosie congratulated Tom on what a great job he did on the documentary considering the difficult subject matter.  Tom and Rosie discussed his former life of fame and excess and how he was making millions of dollars on a stream of very successful movies.  Then everything changed after Tom fell off his bike and suffered post-concussion syndrome.  Tom said he had to put up blackout curtains and live in a closet because the less stimuli he allowed in, the better he felt.  As he recovered from the accident he also was waking up to hypocrisies of his own life. When he looked at his moral life, Tom said he wasn't who he was trying to be in this world.  During his journey of self-discovery he realized how the natural world never takes more than it needs. If it does, it's called a cancer and it dies.  And he was taking everything he could and much more.  Tom felt we were not being told everything about humanity and he set out to find answers.  What he found was a much more positive story about humanity than we have previously heard. 

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images North America

Tom said science can now prove basic theories like "everything we do effects everything in the world."  Tom and Rosie discussed the yogurt culture as an example of this.  In the film they put "meters" into a yogurt culture and then mentioned to Tom something that would cause an emotional reaction.  His emotional state effected the realities of the bacteria in front of him that he wasn't even connected to.  He said that experiment proves that we effect our surroundings and sayings like "laughter is contagious" and how "when we talk to our plants they thrive."  Rosie and Tom also discussed the innate democracy in nature and how it's part of our DNA to positively respond to things being fair.  

Today Tom follows a principle to live simply.  He said when the walls came down and he invited his neighbors and his community into his life, his happiness increased.  Tom said one assumes societal/financial success is equated to happiness but in reality that's untrue.  He said after we've met our basic needs more money doesn't increase your happiness.  Only being able to make and share art has ever made him happier. 

Rosie had a similar experience after she left her television show in 2002.  She said she felt scorned for turning down offers of millions of dollars to remain on television, but for her, she felt the need to return to the essence of what inspired her to create art to begin with.  Tom agreed.  He said we become artists because we want something more and then when we achieve success we hover above it and our art can stymie and stagnate.  Rosie said she aimed to be famous as if there was some place to reach and in the end she became disillusioned.  Tom said we have to rethink that theory of success and understand there is no destination to try to achieve. He said Rosie had the power to make changes all along and she didn't need to reach a certain level of fame in order to do that.  He said all the listeners can effect change right now and that sometimes the tiniest act is the most memorable act.     

I Am (trailer)

Tom said they're releasing the film I Am city by city.  CLICK HERE to find a time when it's showing at a theater near you!  Rosie said I Am is a film everyone should see.  She said it will make you reevaluate everything you are in the world. 

Tom and Rosie briefly discussed the Chris Brown incident and how we as a culture think we are separate from violence when really we all hold responsibility for it.  Tom said it's true that we are our brother's keeper.

Rosie recommended all her listeners go see the film I Am and promised Tom was going to stay for a second part of an interview that will be aired later this week.  Rosie closed the show.

and that's what you missed - kw