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JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Extreme Makeover, Government Edition: What Would You Cut?; Dog Shot by Police as Owner Handcuffed
Aired October 9, 2013 - 19:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST: Tonight, day nine of the U.S. government shutdown has infuriated Americans, demanding a game changer, but nobody in power is coming up with a creative solution. Instead politicians are hitting the treadmills. Yes, outrageous but true. Politicians can`t work it out, but they can still work out. Yes, members of Congress can still use the House gym. And they`re using it on our dime.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of preschoolers have been shut out of Head Start. So let me get this straight: fat-cat politicians regard their gym as an essential service, but poor kids getting a Head Start on education? Not so crucial. Leave that for another day. Are you kidding me?
I took to the streets where people have as mad as hell.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s twisted. That`s definitely twisted. They shouldn`t do that. They really shouldn`t. I mean, come on, a gym over education? That`s really twisted.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Can you believe the politicians can`t work it out, but the members of the House of Representatives can still work out? They`ve still got their gym open and running, and they are working out on their Stairmasters, but Head Start has been cut for thousands of students.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s awful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It is awful. So you and I are going to try to fix this thing. Join we as we play "Extreme Makeover, Government Edition." Tonight we`re looking at hoarders in government. You know, like the TV show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ve got a living room here. Maybe four years earlier this was functional. Last three years it`s just been a pile of stuff. But it`s a lovely room. I`ve got a chandelier here, clear view into the kitchen. I got two sofas. You may not know that they`re there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Why does hoarding happen? Well, it`s when people can`t throw anything away. They get new stuff in, but they just can`t bring themselves to throw out the old stuff. Isn`t that what is happening with our government right now? We`ve decided to bring in a new program, Obama care. So what can we get rid of in its place? Let`s see, how about the post office?
See, if we just keeping adding and adding and adding and don`t remove any programs that have outlived their usefulness, like regular mail in an e-mail-text age, then government is just going to get bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let`s stop the excuses. Let`s take a vote in the House. Let`s end this shutdown right now.
(SFX: PAC-MAN DYING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every day matters. We wake up every morning hoping that this is the day that it will come to an end.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Democrats, Republicans, I think it`s a shame that they can`t get their act together and work as a team.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You cannot run a government on blackmail. You can`t do that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Feel what the people feel, you know. Put yourself in our shoes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get it handled and get it handled now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So what do you think? If we bring Obama care in, isn`t there something else we could trim? Hey, that rhymes.
Call me: 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586-7297.
Straight out to our fantastic Lion`s Den debate panel tonight. All right. I`m going to start with Jon Leiberman. Couldn`t we play "Let`s Make a Deal," and in return for accepting the controversial Obama care, get rid of other parts of government that are like old appliances we don`t need anymore?
JON LEIBERMAN, HLN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, absolutely. There is so much waste in government. Every month the office of the inspector general comes out, groups like Citizens Against Government, they come out, and they document literally tens of millions of dollars in waste in Washington, D.C., that, if we simply got rid of that, it could go a long way toward paying for other initiatives.
But I`ll tell you this, Jane: What needs to happen right now is Congress and the president need to stop accepting their paychecks. If we go to work and we don`t do our job, we don`t get paid. But yet, they are simply showing up, and they`re not doing their job, and yet they`re still collecting their paychecks. That`s what needs to stop right now.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right. And I agree with all the throw-the-bums-out rhetoric, but I want to get down to brass tacks. Because there are solutions if people would think outside the box.
Now, let`s take our military. Not only the biggest in the entire world, it is bigger than the military of the ten other largest companies -- countries, rather, combined. More than half a century ago President Eisenhower issued this ominous warning on his way out of office. Don`t let the country`s military machine get too big and powerful. Listen and then we`ll debate it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DWIGHT EISENHOWER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Eisenhower was a conservative Republican, and he had been a five-star general in the U.S. Army during World War II and served as supreme commander of the allied forces in Europe. Yet he`s the one who warned about the military industrial complex.
Take a look at that chart. Our military is massive. The Defense Department made up about 20 percent of the government`s almost 4 trillion dollar budget last year. Twenty percent.
All right. Adam Thompson, radio talk show host, should our military be the first place we look to trim the fat?
ADAM THOMPSON, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: It should absolutely be one of the -- one of the first places we look. Because first of all, listen, we have the best military forces in the world. We have enough nuclear capabilities to blow up the world a million times over. OK? We don`t need to be in foreign countries acting as a policeman for the entire world.
I think the first thing we need to do is put our dog only in fights that really concern us. There are so many countries we can pull out of immediately that, if we did that, we would save in the billions into the trillions of dollars instantaneously. So first off, pull the troops back and put the money in military where it needs to be, starting with benefits and paying our veterans and our military forces, which is one of the things that they`ve already cut, which is disgraceful.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Listen, 50 percent of all discretionary funds of the federal government is used by the military, according to "Business Insider." I mean, there is an insane amount of military waste. Now, one report said you could cut a trillion dollars from the military. We`ve all heard the stories about the $100 rolls of toilet paper.
I went to the streets and found -- guess what -- a lot of Americans mentioned the military as that room to remodel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would eliminate the military and bring all the - - bring all the troops home from Afghanistan, the drone wars, the CIA, the NSA. Let`s get rid of all of it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I actually used to work, in part, for the government on the cruise missile when I was 23, and I was charge of $80 million, and the waste is unbelievable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Easy to say but then entire communities in the United States are built around the military, and they depend on the military.
So straight out to the Lion`s Den. Danielle Belton, political blogger, it`s easy to talk about hypothetically cut military spending, but with millions of American families depending on military spending, is it even politically feasible?
DANIELLE BELTON, POLITICAL BLOGGER: Well, that`s the tough part about cutting defense spending.
I`m from St. Louis, Missouri, and my father worked in the aerospace industry, and he was someone that -- I mean, he put food on our table because of the fact that people -- the government bought the F-15 fighter jet. That was the main reason why I was able to go to college, why we had the home that we had, was all built on how much was being spent in the military industrial complex.
So granted, you have lots of lobbyists; you have lots of politicians. You have lots of corporations that are all in bed with each other, basically, to keep this fundraising machine going at all costs, whether you actually need the weapons or not.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I mean, we`ve got to do something. Rolonda Watts, hosts of "Sundays with Rolonda," we have to do something. See that money? It`s really not at the end of the day just paper you can print out. I mean, come on. We`re on the verge of a financial crisis here if things don`t get resolved sometime soon.
ROLONDA WATTS, HOST, "SUNDAYS WITH ROLONDA": Well, that`s true. I think we need to claim a declaration of independence from war. There`s no question we need a strong defense. There`s no question about that. But I feel that maybe that budget is a bit bloated.
And you pointed out in every house we need to clean out the clutter here and there. And it`s ironic that because of that, it`s coming back to bite our own military families. This is unconscionable what is happening. And -- and it`s just -- when there are children that are suffering, military families that are suffering, there has got to be something done. Enough is enough.
(CROSSTALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You have $150 million per plane, there`s a problem. And I`ve read at one point -- I can`t prove this is true -- that there are some corporations that make parts for the military. They put different parts in different states so they`re protected politically so nobody wants to cut that particular thing they`re making for the U.S. government, for the military.
LEIBERMAN: There`s absolutely -- there`s absolutely fat there, Jane. But also we can`t forget, we`re living in the age of terrorism, and terror is still a real threat both here and around the world. And a lot of that spending is counterterrorism money and other terrorism-related activities.
THOMPSON: But listen, we could fight terrorism here in our country much better if we pull troops out of all of these other countries we`re in. We`ve been fighting wars as long as I can remember, but the last few decades...
LEIBERMAN: You know, it`s easy to say that.
THOMPSON: America has to come first.
LEIBERMAN: It`s easy to say that, but you would be the first to yell if, God forbid, there`s another terror attack here, and it gets traced to another country. I mean, so we have to look at the full picture. It`s easy to say what needs to be cut.
THOMPSON: We live in a world where...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hold on one second, Adam. Rolonda wants to get in.
WATTS: Well, maybe we should work on the way we relate to people, to other people. I mean, militarism, materialism and racism have been called the three evils of this nation. And maybe we need to change our policy with people instead of with politicians.
I think there`s so many politicians in bed with so many different situations that there`s going to have to be a major change of a thought process, a major change of consciousness in this nation before things like our budgets change. Our minds, our hearts, our consciousness has to change first. Where is the compassion and the humanity in politics these days? It`s gone.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Look, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have cost more than $150 billion a year, according to "Business Insider."
Susan, Illinois, what do you have to say?
CALLER: Ridiculous. Recess is over. These guys need to get out of the sand box, put on their big boy pants and get back to work and do what they are paid -- well they`re the only ones getting paid. Do it. Get back in there and do it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I love it. Get out of the gym, dry off your sweat, put on your clothes and get to work, members of Congress.
More on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Day nine of the shutdown, and of course, the politicians can`t work it out, but they can work out. You heard me right. Considered essential services, the gym for members of the House of Representatives.
But what`s not so essential? Apparently, Head Start. OK. Closed down for thousands of American kids. That is an upside-down world. It`s sick and twisted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It is sick and twisted. You know that TV show "Hoarders"? Well, tonight we`re asking is the U.S. government kind of like a hoarder, keeping all those same agencies and then adding new ones, never getting rid of anything? Is it time to get rid of stuff that just doesn`t apply anymore?
I personally am sick and tired of the political games between Republicans and Democrats. Are we finally ready to try something new for the 21st century and break out of our old patterns?
Independent Jesse Ventura says he wants to take a run for president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you thinking about getting back in? People wondering and asking you directly will you run for president?
JESSE VENTURA (I), FORMER GOVERNOR OF MINNESOTA: They`re asking me all of the time. And I`ll tell you, it`s lining up perfect for me. Because I`ll tell you right now what I`ll win with. I will give the American people, if I run, the opportunity to vote for the first president since George Washington, the father of our country, who does not belong to a political gang.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tomorrow night right here on this show, I`m going to talk live to Jesse Ventura about his plan. So please join me for that.
Out to the Lion`s Den. I think so many people, and I`ve been out there talking to people every day on the street. They`re fed up with the status quo. They`re fed up with this Democrat versus Republican nonsense. Could all of this, this crisis that we`re in, really create sort of a law of unintended consequences, break up the stalemate paralyzing Washington with an independent candidate who could be viable?
And I`ll toss it to our Libertarian in the group, Adam Thompson.
THOMPSON: Let me tell you: It`s about time we put an end to this two- party control that basically pulled a coup on the American public. We`ve only been seeing Democrats and Republicans for the last several decades. They control every single debate, all the lobbyists. When`s the last time you saw an independent candidate being able to really take to the stage unless you go back to Ross Perot 20 or 30 years ago to express a thought different than one of these two parties.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Now hold on a second. Adam, Adam. Good speech, but now we have to move on to Danielle Belton. You didn`t look too happy when we were talking about an independent, Danielle.
BELTON: Well, it`s like I`m skeptical. I mean, the political playing field is pretty much rigged by both parties. It`s really hard for an independent candidate to really gain any traction because you have to basically build things on a state by state basis. And the Republicans and the Democrats are already in every state. They`ve built a system that favors the two-party system. It`s really hard for any third party to break through. So I`m skeptical. I mean, that`s the reality of it. I`m skeptical of the...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Things have to change. I mean, Yolanda -- hold on. Stop, Adam, for a second.
Rolonda, we had the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. I`m sure they were sitting around in their hot tubs or in their baths, saying, "Well, this could never change." But things do change. People get fed up enough. They hit a point where, you know, remember the revolution that started our country?
WATTS: Listen, change can be very good, Jane. All of us know that. And I think our government is so antiquated in so many ways and particularly in how it deals with us, the United States, the people.
To think that the weakest in our communities are being so hard hit while they`re in the treadmills and the political gangs, as the gentleman just said. I -- I just -- it breaks my heart that we`re not a more compassionate nation.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s go out to the phone lines. Suzette, Illinois, your question. Or actually, I`d like to hear what you have to say. Your thought.
CALLER: Well, my comment is I`m not sure of the legal process, but each state needs to recall all of their congressmen, find them. I don`t know if the government can recall them or if he has to ask for an emergency election. They`re doing their job. People are being hurt by it. Get them out. Get somebody in there that`s going to work.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here`s my rant. Our government has become unmanageable. We need to stop playing the tired old political games of the 20th Century party politics and try something new for the 21st Century. It`s called technology and efficiency.
The U.S. government has to undertake an inventory and get rid of antiquated policies, agencies, policies, like for example, the post office, that really don`t apply anymore. We can use technology to streamline, increase efficiency and catch rampant fraud.
The president says he won`t negotiate with opponents who have taken the government hostage. Maybe he should consider a totally different conversation with the other side. There`s plenty that can be and should be cut: military waste, subsidies to big agriculture, ridiculous government grants for experiments we don`t need, fraud in the disability programs, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. If all of that were remodeled, then just maybe we`d have room in our house for that brand-new appliance called Obama care.
What do you think, Jon Leiberman?
LEIBERMAN: Well, I think it`s a good point. Look, one thing we have to look at is -- and this is a very big misnomer out there -- raising the debt ceiling right now. We`re paying bills that are just coming due. We`re not increasing the debt in any way. This is simply to cover bills that have already been rung up.
So yes, I think we do have to have a real discussion about spending. Sure, there is a lot of bloat. But I believe that`s a different conversation. That`s the next conversation.
For right now, we need to figure out...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Get the egos out of the way, and if you can`t win at checkers, play chess. If you can`t win at "Go Fish," play poker. Just do something different.
Up next, a real outrage. A horrific story we`re bringing you in the hopes that we can all prevent this from ever happening again. It makes me sick.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get in the car, man. Get in the car!
LEON ROSBY, DOG OWNER : Don`t shoot my dog. Don`t shoot my dog, man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight I am so sick over what I`m about to tell you. I can`t even believe this really happened, but it did, and it was all caught on tape. This is an outrage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get in the car, man. Get in the car!
ROSBY: Don`t shoot my dog. Don`t shoot my dog, man. Don`t shoot it!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: This guy named Leon Rosby was walking his dog in Hawthorne, California. He sees cops responding to an armed robbery. Now, this U.S. citizen decides he`s going to videotape what he sees with his cell-phone camera. In my opinion, we as Americans have a right to videotape police as long as we`re out of the way. This man was on a public street and you can see, he`s some distance from the officers. And there he is with his dog, who doesn`t look aggressive at all.
Rosby has his dog, named Max, who`s a Rottweiler with him, and the dog is on the leash. The Hawthorne Police Department said Rosby was interfering with police at the scene.
When cops come to arrest Rosby, he puts Max, his dog, in his car before being handcuffed. Max then jumps out and runs to the owner, because he wants to help his owner. He sees his owner is under distress. Then one officer suddenly opens fire, shooting the dog Max four times as spectators scream. Max the dog died and all this is caught on tape, but it`s too upsetting to show on TV.
Rosby is understandably devastated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSBY: He wasn`t just a dog. He wasn`t just a dog. I mean, you know, he licked off my face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Rosby does have a complicated history with police. He filed a lawsuit against the department earlier this year. And he`s been charged with several other crimes for allegedly intimidating a witness to this incident we`re seeing here. So that makes things murkier -- murkier, for sure.
But Max was an innocent. An innocent dog. Dogs are shot all of the time during arrests, even though they have committed absolutely no crime.
In a statement the police department said, quote, "Fearing that the attacking Rottweiler would imminently fight the officers, one officer fired his duty weapon several times, striking and killing the dog," end quote.
I`m sorry. Jon Leiberman, "HLN AFTER DARK" contributor, you have lots of law enforcement sources. Cops should have handled this situation differently. How so?
LEIBERMAN: You know, I talked to a law-enforcement friend of mine today, and he said these are the types of incidents that embarrass the police department and that make it bad for other law-enforcement officers.
Look, first of all, it`s very questionable why this man was even detained at all. Clearly, he was standing on a public street videotaping this incident.
But then, when you watch how the police officer responds, the police officer fired -- I counted -- at least five or six shots. I had to actually stop the video, because it makes your stomach turn when you watch this police officer at point blank range execute this dog. The police officer could have easily put one bullet, you know, if the police officer felt in danger, put one bullet maybe in the foot of the dog.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Unbelievable.
LEIBERMAN: But they`re talking about...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: There goes the dog. You see the dog in the car, and he`s concerned because his companion, his human companion is being arrested, so he jumps out. But it`s no indication that he`s going to -- that this dog is going to kill anybody. Look at him.
LEIBERMAN: It`s heartbreaking. The cops could have Tasered the dog.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
LEIBERMAN: The cops could have done other things to subdue the dog, but five to six shots at point-blank range, killing, executing the dog is inappropriate.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Makes me sick. Shyla, Colorado, what do you have to say about this? Shyla, Colorado.
CALLER: I think this is ridiculous. And this dog was -- handcuffs were putting put on his owner. A dog is going to do what a dog is going to do to protect its owner.
If I were -- if I were the owner I would -- I`d be upset, too, because I know people that own Dobermans, Rottweilers, pit bulls, anything. It`s not how -- it`s not the dog that`s going to attack. It`s how the dog is being treated. If you treat your dog good, they`re going to behave. Of you treat your dog like, you know, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), it`s going to be aggressive.
And as a parent, I`ve had -- as a parent, I`ve had dogs, and I haven`t had a problem with any of the dogs that I`ve had.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I have three little Chihuahua rescues, Chihuahua mixes. They`re not Rottweilers. They`re not big, but they would have reacted the exact same way. If they saw me under distress, being handcuffed, they would want to come to my aid. It doesn`t mean they`re going to hurt anybody.
Max`s tragic death serves as a reminder that all animals need formal rights, legal rights so they can be just as protected as humans they share this planet with. This beautiful innocent dog is dead, but hopefully, we can save the next dog from being senselessly murdered. That`s right, murdered.
On the other side, a new topic. Is there a Kardashian curse? First troubles for Khloe and Lamar, and now, well you will not believe what`s happening now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRIS JENNER, REALITY TV STAR: This is where I go for privacy and peace and to be with my family.
BRUCE JENNER, REALITY TV STAR/OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: I have no privacy and no space. I`ve got no space.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRIS JENNER, REALITY TV STAR: There`s a lot going on as you can probably imagine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a major split in the Kardashian clan.
BRUCE JENNER, TV PERSONALITY: See if anybody misses me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Kardashians know it. They`re just playing the game.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re having a good time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that`s what makes it exciting
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 18 hours a day, seven days a week. No days off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Khloe has now opened up about her marital issues with husband Lamar Odom.
B. JENNER: I do my best to try to keep everything calm.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN HOST: Bruce Jenner, with all due respect, where do you get off lashing at a photographer when you`re the one who decided to live your personal life on reality TV? I`m sorry dude. You can`t have it both ways.
"Here`s my life. Yes, watch it all. Wait no. Turn that camera off. I want my privacy." Long ago Bruce signed up for E!`s "Keeping Up with the Kardashians". He just announced he`s separated from wife Kris and now he has decided he only wants the cameras turned on when he says it`s ok. After nearly 10 seasons of their reality TV show, could we finally be seeing the real Bruce Jenner?
Check out this behind the scenes video from X17 online.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
B. JENNER: So help me I`ll (EXPLETIVE DELETED) that thing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? You know you`re in the news about a split.
B. JENNER: Now look. Listen. Listen you (EXPLETIVE DELETED) get the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of here. You`re on private property I just called the cops. You both get the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are in the news about a split?
B. JENNER: You hear me? Get the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We have reached out for comment. We`ve not heard back from Bruce Jenner. That`s much different, of course, than the meek, submissive Mr. Jenner on E!`s "Keeping Up with the Kardashianshs".
K. JENNER: This is where I go for privacy and peace and to be with my family.
B. JENNER: I have no privacy and no peace, baby. I`ve got no space whatsoever. I got a little corner in the garage.
K. JENNER: You can go get a man-cave. You and your ping-pong table and your dog can go have a great time. Your helicopter friends -- you can all go find a little get away that you can go relax at.
B. JENNER: I`ll look for a place. Everybody needs a little space.
K. JENNER: Don`t make me laugh.
B. JENNER: Actually it would be kind of good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Sounds like his mother. Well, it looks like Bruce got the space he needed. He and Kris just announced through E! News, quote, "They are living separately and are much happier this way", end quote. So is their entire reality show relationship a sham now?
Straight out to Alexis Tereszcuk, entertainment editor, RadarOnline -- what do you know?
ALEXIS TERESZCUK, ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, RADARONLINE: What I know is I think that everything involving reality TV is fake. They`ve been living apart for months and months and months. We`ve been saying this. Kris had been denying -- she`s been flat-out lying saying they spend every night together while they really don`t.
When she said Bruce get a man cave, you know what -- he took here for her word and he actually got a man cave in a whole other house. So this is just another one of the Kardashian drama-filled episodes of their show. It`s just something else to drive up ratings. You know, they have the third lowest rating of their entire series last weekend so now people are going to be tuning in to see what the drama is.
Khloe and Lamar --
(CROSSTALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: They hope. They hope. They hope. Has the show jumped the ship? Let`s ask that, Rob Kardashian -- Kim, Kourtney and Khloe`s brother -- talked to "Entertainment Tonight" about the split he says there`s no bad blood between anybody really.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROB KARDASHIANS, REALITY TV STAR: They`re best friends. They`re happier than ever and, you know, you got to watch season nine to see. But honestly, everything is completely fine. They`re happy. They`re doing their thing and they`re just, to me that`s just like their business and I just want them to deal with it on their own.
Bruce to me is always my dad. He been in my life since I was two years old and that will never change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You just heard Rob Kardashian trying to sell us on season 9. Reports are despite the separation the show will go on, the show must go on as they say and they`re going to continue filming as a family.
Now, Kris is one of the executive producers so she`s got a whole lot of control on what is left on the editing room floor, as they say.
Straight out to the "Lion`s Den"; Kendra G., radio host, Atlanta`s V103 -- do you think she`s going to edit out the really messy ugly parts of their marriage meltdown? Or could they possibly show the ugly truth.
KENDRA G., RADIO HOST: They`re going to show it all. Kris Jenner is a mastermind when it comes to marketing. We`re going to tune to Season 9 because guess what, they`re not going to get divorced. They`re going to date other people. Kris Jenner does not have time to sleep with Bruce Jenner right now. She`s giving him a pass to do what he wants to do. They`re going to show this. They`re not going to break up all the say. Now Season 9 just got juicier. I can`t wait to watch it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh really?
You know, I have a problem with the whole -- not to say if someone offered me a reality show I wouldn`t take it. I have to admit my own potential for hypocrisy here. But that would just be to showcase the vegan lifestyle, of course.
Listen, we have a very special guest tonight, star of Bravo`s "Real Housewives of Miami", Adriana Demoura.
ADRIANA DEMOURA, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF MIAMI": Hi.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And we`re so excited to have you tonight. Your wedding was filmed for the show and you guys have had your share of ups and downs in the spotlight. Let`s check out this clip of Adriana from Bravo.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEMOURA: You guys are talking a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. She said that you guys were kind being the bad girls again because we thought you were friends.
DEMOURA: Bad girls?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s what she made it seem like.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Me?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Her.
DEMOURA: Are you serious?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Some artist came in like Karen was only like innocently trying to take a picture with him.
DEMOURA: This is a father of kinetic art. This is like meeting a priest. You don`t just come completely oblivious to it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I love the way you say "oblivious". Adriana, Kris and Bruce have apparently been living separately for a long while now. And then they come together to film. Is that authentic or is it inauthentic? I mean if you`re not together should you try to continue your reality show any way to make money? Adriana -- your thoughts.
DEMOURA: Well I think this news doesn`t come as a shocker to me because I think if you`ve been watching their seasons, they have demonstrated, you know, trouble in their relationship throughout I think the last two seasons. You know, there was no chemistry left.
I think all of the passion was gone and they -- at least I could see as a viewer I could see them as brother and sister just like business partners. There was no more passion left and that was clear to me in their footage. So it didn`t come as a shocker, this news to me.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But I guess my question to you is how do you handle a relationship when a relationship is all about intimacy and having a camera rolling, how do you have intimacy? I mean when I know a camera is rolling I sit up straight. I tilt a certain way to look slimmer. You know I do -- I`m not going to be exactly the person I am when it`s not on.
DEMOURA: And just I think it`s just that. When you`re doing reality TV it`s you but it`s you on steroids. And obviously you`re going to try to show your best side and sometimes the producers are not going to try to show your best side. So it`s complicated. It`s complex.
And also you have to remember you`re shooting and then this is being shown months later. So things develop you know throughout those months while they`re editing. So things can change. I`ll give them the benefit of the doubt because maybe when they`re filming they were trying things and then, you know, two, three, four months later that`s not the case anymore.
You can`t hold them accountable now for what they filmed six months ago or even longer.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Interesting. It`s a case of double trouble with the Kardashians. Khloe, of course, as we all know going through a major relationship dramarama. Lots will remember she`s on the verge of splitting from NBA star Lamar Odom over his alleged drug addition.
Listen to Khloe talk about her marriage problems on E!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KHLOE KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: I do want to help or cater to Lamar but also there`s only so much anybody can take. He is a very depressed person, which is sad. But understandable for everything he`s been through in his life. And I do love Lamar with ever ounce of who I am but it`s really scary when someone is in such a deep low.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s not my imagination. They`re not the only reality love birds whose marriage fell apart.
We all remember golden couple, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey. They starred in three seasons of their own MTV show and then they divorced in 2005.
And then, of course, who could forget when Jon and Kate were two low- key parents with eight kids. They divorced, as we all know, after a decade of marriage.
We all know about reality queen Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries, the previous one. Their engagement and marriage was documented on E! and it lasted 72 days.
Back out to the "Lion`s Den" -- Kendra G., there seems to be a reality TV curse when it comes to marriage and I`m sorry Adriana, I don`t want to poison anything but it seems like that..
DEMOURA: Are you throwing a curse on me?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: No. I would never do that. I would never do that.
G.: Let me talk about Khloe. Khloe and Lamar, they have a serious situation. Lamar is on crack, allegedly. And this is something that, you know, if you are a wife, you`re supposed to stand by your man. I know we`re talking about it because they`re on television but I`m really praying for them because I don`t him to OD.
I`m not quite sure how I feel about this. I do want Khloe to use protection though if she`s going to still continue to sleep with Lamar because I`m not sure what he`s doing out here because he`s on drugs right now. I don`t want her to get anything. So use protection Khloe but I understand you standing by your man. I do understand.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Well -- we haven`t confirmed that --
DEMOURA: Aren`t you glad that she didn`t get pregnant.
(CROSSTALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I wish her the best and I hope he gets it together.
G.: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: -- Adriana, continue on. I`m fascinated. I want to hear everything you say.
DEMOURA: I said aren`t you -- I mean she should be glad that she didn`t get pregnant really because having a child, you know, at this point would be catastrophic. I`m happy that she didn`t get pregnant for her.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I just wonder if there`s a moment where when the cameras are rolling you`re like, what have I done? I`ve made a deal with the devil, I`m trapped. I`m making a lot of money but who am I? I don`t feel authentic. I don`t know. I`m not saying that for sure. I`m saying - - I`m asking and we`re going to answer it on the other side.
Stay right there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEX MCCORD, TELEVISION PERSONALITY: Having been a reality star myself, there is nothing not calculated about the timing of this. Because you are shooting a show but at the same time you`re also living in the moment with everything documented. And I think that nobody expected that the split between Khloe and Lamar would be this painful. You see it coming out on Twitter.
I think that she as a mom and a calculating mom-ager fell on her sword. They could have released this at any time. They could have waited until later. They could have done it sooner during her talk show. I think that it was their ace in the hole knowing that when it hits the fan, put this out there to deflect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
B. JENNER: So help I`ll (EXPLETIVE DELETED) that bag.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? You know you`re in the news about a split?
B. JENNER: Ok. Look, listen you (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Get the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of here. You`re on private property. I just called the cops.
You both get the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. You`re on the news about a split?
B. JENNER: You hear me? Get the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And that`s (inaudible) online. You know what? I got to rant for a minute about that video. All right. Bruce Jenner dropping F bombs left and right at the paparazzi. I`m sorry, Bruce but how dare you attack the photogs when you`re making a fortune basically putting your life on display? A tad hypocritical, don`t you say? You made a deal with the devil. Photogs come with the deal. But when push comes to shove, suddenly you decide you don`t want the world to see, then you say please respect my privacy. You sold your privacy to the highest bidder years ago.
Back out to the "Lion`s Den", Kendra G., do you agree?
G.: I agree with you 100 percent on this one. First of all, I mean this family has a love. Like Kris Jenner is in love with Benjamin Franklin. They`re all about their money. So you are absolutely right. They cannot (inaudible) with us people to talk people about their lives that they put on television for us to watch at all times.
So I agree with you, Jane, of course. He cannot get upset. The swearing, the guy should hit him.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Adriana, you are a star of Bravo`s "Real Housewives of Miami". Do you agree because I would assume that there are moments where maybe you go out without makeup to go shopping or something and somebody comes up to you. You don`t want that camera rolling. But isn`t that the pact you made with the devil a little bit?
DEMOURA: Yes, it is actually. And there have been many instances where I was not wanting to take a picture or have people recognize me and I`m not even, you know, to the level that the Kardashians are because you know, they`re huge.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Not yet.
DEMOURA: But still -- I`ll be after I`ve been on your show many times. But yes, it`s disconcerting and sometimes you have to remind yourself well, I did sign up for reality TV so I can`t take it out on people that are documenting my life or trying to get close to me.
(CROSSTALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s go to the phone lines. Michelle, Tennessee, what do you have to say? Michelle, Tennessee?
MICHELLE, TENNESSEE (via telephone): I think the Kardashian women are nothing but drama queens and he`s the one -- he shouldn`t have agreed to be on their show.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well let me tell you, I think Bruce Jenner is a bit of a drama queen himself. I mean he`s spent his entire life branding himself.
We have to give credit where credit is due. He was a great athlete. You know, he won medals. I remember his face on cereal boxes. He wasn`t always Mr. Kris Kardashian. That came with this reality show. And then the paparazzi followed. So this is his life now.
And I want to go back to Alexis Tereszcuk, I mean has this show jumped the shark, as they say? Which means it`s kind of past its prime or will all this dramarama with two couples within the Kardashians breaking up allegedly, purportedly and all this other drama with Lamar added on, will that be, you know, re-juicing the show?
TERESZCUK: I think the show did jump the shark years ago. We have been reporting we`ve exclusively told you all the many times that they had faked scenes when Kim was apparently supposedly talking to her mom about wanting to break up with Kris Humphries? And then she filed for divorce -- I`d say wrong. They filmed that months after that. This show had been fake for years and years.
I do want to defend Bruce just the tiniest bit. And I`m so sorry. Here`s the thing. That is one of the reasons why he`s getting out of this marriage. He is so sick of being in the public eye. That`s what we`ve heard. That it`s just been too much with Kris. She`s making their daughters -- he didn`t want them to drop out of school.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well then drop out of the show.
G.: I agree with you Jane.
TERESZCUK: That`s what he`s trying to do. I`m not trying to defend Bruce forever. I`m just giving him a little bit there.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I understand.
G.: But he can get out of that contract if he wanted. He`s also making money for this, so don`t feel too bad for Bruce Jenner. He is a grown man. He did not want to filmed, he cannot be filmed. They both -- they all love Benjamin Franklin. That`s the man they all love. So they`re going to continue to get that money so I don`t feel bad for Bruce Jenner.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: He is a multimillionaire on his own. He doesn`t need to be doing the show. I think there`s a part of him that likes it. You know what -- we all want attention and when that camera`s on you, you feel like you`ve got the world`s attention and in a way, you do.
We`re going to have to see. I`m going to watch now and I wasn`t a fan before.
Stay right there. We`ve got a video for you, you won`t believe on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Time for Pet of the Day. Send your pet pics to hlntv.com/jane.
Harry and Lily -- well, you`ve got a house, it`s a co-op. Fudgie -- you`re in a Hawaiian shirt. I think you`re going to a luau. Misti and Soxx say we`re not going tonight. We decided to just be couch potatoes and hang. And Brisco says I might be going to Frisco because my name is Brisco.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here`s why I`m ticked off. Bags, bags, everybody`s got them on the street, right? But a lot of them are plastic and they don`t really need to be. Look at these reuseable bags made of recycled materials. They come in great colors, and you could even have one as a backpack. Right. And we open them up. Look how big they are and look how much they hold. It`s so easy.
Sometimes, you get a discount at the supermarket to use them. This would save us so much in terms of environmental damage. Remember, plastic is a petrochemical, so you`re talking about oil in plastic, you`re talking about really waste that doesn`t need to happen anymore. So I`d be a lot happier if everybody would use these reusable bags.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: This video is so special, I just had to share it with you. It`s the Humane Society of the United States video of the week and look at it. A beautiful dog and a beautiful little piglet and they`re hanging out and playing together. And they`re digging up a storm, look at that little piglet.
Oh, yes. He wants to get involved. His little tail is wagging just like a dog would and look he`s got some dirt on his nose. Look at the friendliness between them. Boy, if the Republicans and Democrats could get along the way these two beautiful creatures from different species could get along, wouldn`t that be nice? And they`re all sentient beings. That pig is just like a dog -- even smarter.
Tomorrow on this show, special guest. Jesse Ventura is going to talk about the government shutdown. Is he thinking about a run for the White House as an Independent? That is tomorrow right here, 7:00 p.m. You don`t want to miss it. We want to hear from you about what you want to do about this government insanity. We got to figure something out -- we`ll figure it here.
Nancy Grace.
END
