Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
With All Due Respect
Aired December 31, 2009 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBIN MEADE, HOST (voice-over): Let's just let it all hang out!
REP. JOE WILSON (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: You lie!
KYLE PETTY, NASCAR ON TNT ANALYST: Everybody loves a great train wreck.
SPIKE LEE, FILM DIRECTOR: People need to see Tiger.
PETTY: If Tiger had confronted it, we would be in a different place.
CHARLES BARKLEY, NBA ON TNT ANALYST: You're kidding me, right?
MEADE: Have you talked to him yet, post scandal?
ANTHONY ANDERSON, ACTOR: All right. Now, let's talk for real.
DENNIS ECKERSLEY, MLB ON TBS ANALYST: I think she's a breath of fresh air.
PETTY: Does he deserve a second chance? You bet your bottom dollar.
ERIC STONESTREET, ACTOR: A dog lover's (INAUDIBLE) dog's safety will get his on Michael Vick.
BARKLEY: I don't look at my DUI as a problem. It was a blessing for me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: Welcome to WITH ALL DUE RESPECT. I'm Robin Meade.
Now, normally, you're going to find me on HLN "MORNING EXPRESS" with Robin Meade. But today, we're taking a raw, unfiltered look at what had you talking in 2009.
I'm talking -- let's just let it all hang out. Now, I can be frank. But let me introduce you to some fellas whose middle name should be frank.
He redefined the game of baseball. Please welcome, the closer, Dennis Eckersley. (APPLAUSE)
MEADE: His name is Raising Royalty. Please welcome NASCAR legend, Kyle Petty.
PETTY: How's it going? Hey. Thank you.
MEADE: Welcome.
Hang on. There's only one, Sir Charles Barkley.
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: Lord only knows what's going to happen in 2010, but we do know what had you talking at least in 2009.
So, Charles, you go ahead, hit me. What do you think was the biggest -- biggest story of 2009?
BARKLEY: One of the biggest stories in the world probably right now is Tiger Woods.
MEADE: It is?
BARKLEY: I mean, it's a very difficult situation, very personal to me. But it's the biggest story of 2009.
MEADE: And before we speak out more about 2009, let's bring out an outspoken special guest himself. He is the director of the documentary, "When the Levees Broke" -- please welcome, film icon Spike Lee.
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: From politics to pop culture, 2009 was definitely the year of the scandal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The biggest scandal of 2009 was...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The biggest scandal of 2009 was...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tiger Woods scandal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The biggest scandal of 2009 was Tiger Woods.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mark Sanford.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: David Letterman.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rihanna and Chris Brown.
UNIDENTIFED MALE: Definitely the A-Rod scandal. ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I didn't think they were steroids.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bernie Madoff.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The biggest scandal of 2009 was Tiger Woods' infidelity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tiger Woods is Cheetah Woods.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can't these men keep their penises in their pants?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MEADE: It seems like every other sound bite there was about Tiger Woods.
Now, Charles, you guys go way back. You've been friends for a long time. Have you gotten to talk to him yet post-scandal?
BARKLEY: I have not. And that's probably one thing that's been very frustrating for me, myself, and all of his friends.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael?
BARKLEY: Yes, nobody has been able...
MEADE: Michael Jordan...
(CROSSTALK)
BARKLEY: And first of all, we're his friends and I want him to know that he has friends. We love him. We don't judge him. I mean, that's his personal business.
And it's funny, the media try to tell us, it's our business. It's really not out business. I know once you're famous, a lot of people make money on you, but, you know, I feel bad -- first of all, I feel bad for the wife. I've got to say that.
MEADE: So, you're frustrated because you can't get access to him to help him?
BARKLEY: Well, you need to -- the one thing about fame and all of us are famous, you've got to have people around you who you can trust. You know, fame has gotten a little bit different now. You know, there are so many people around you trying to make money. You know, and you've got to be careful.
You know, like I use -- like let's take Michael Phelps. I'm not here -- I don't judge him for smoking pot, but one of his friends, friends, took a picture of it. And I think we all know -- if you can't smoke pot with your own friends, you know, they're not good friends, you know?
LEE: His phone's picture phones, this stuff is crazy. MEADE: You're talking about Michael Phelps.
LEE: Anything. I can't -- the old Yankee stadium, before they had the -- I can even go into the bathroom and use a urinal without people pulling out, you know...
PETTY: You think this thing, the Tiger scandal that we have right now, OK, do you think it would happen to Nicholas or Palmer in '64, '65, '67?
LEE: No. The media is not the way, I mean...
PETTY: So, the media is to blame for part of it?
LEE: The media is so relentless. And it's like a monster has to be fed. And they will do anything they can to keep -- to keep it fed.
MEADE: What was your initial reaction to hearing about Tiger?
LEE: I was kind of -- I was shocked. And the stories are coming in and I was just wondering, I hope that Charles, that Michael Jordan, these guys get to him because we are just talking about this in the backroom. I mean, here in Charles, he's insulated. And no one -- if Charles -- or if Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan can't get...
MEADE: Right. That's insulation.
(CROSSTALK)
LEE: He knows he's a boy.
BARKLEY: Yes.
MEADE: You got his number, right?
LEE: He changed it.
BARKLEY: Oh, he changed his number.
(LAUGHTER)
LEE: If Charles and Michael can't get to him, and I don't -- these other people are making bad moves.
BARKLEY: I think -- I think when we have these fires in your life, as I call them, you need to talk to somebody else who is famous who have been through things in their life. I don't think you can talk about it to your family and friends because your family and friends, they are not famous. You know, you need to be able to talk to somebody else.
LEE: But his handlers...
MEADE: Well -- he wanted this obviously to be a private affair. His friends can't even get to him. But when it came to David Letterman, I mean, he took his scandal straight to millions of viewers. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, TV HOST: I have sex or had sex with women who work for me on this show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MEADE: And there it was. It was just like, out there, the audience like, do we laugh? What do we do?
(CROSSTALK)
PETTY: I was watching that that night. I thought I was a joke. I keep waiting for the punch line. What's the punch line to this?
So, I didn't see that as an apology. I didn't see that as an admission. I'm just saying I'm sitting in North Carolina and I'm watching that, thinking, OK, (INAUDIBLE), this is what you said. You know, you said this but that's not anything. And did the ratings go up? Yes, everybody love as great train wreck. That's why we're watching this stuff with Tiger right now.
MEADE: Yes.
PETTY: Because if Tiger had confronted it, we would be in a different place. Some of this is self-induced, just as you said, it's the handlers. He has -- but, you know, you have to go back and you have to take advice, like Charles said, I think. You have to take advice from someone who's been there or someone that understands the pressure that you're feeling at that time. His handlers don't understand the pressure. His handlers don't understand...
LEE: Worry about stop losing more money.
(CROSSTALK)
PETTY: It's all about the buck at that point.
So, he's put himself in a position with those handlers. He needs to call his friends, just as you say, Charles. He needs to call his friends and say, "What do I do next? How do I handle this? How do I confront this head on?"
(CROSSTALK)
ECKERSLEY: I feel duped by Tiger Woods. I do. I feel like a sucker because I'm -- you know, obviously, he's human. He came out and said that which I kind of took offense. It's like we know you're human. But then again, I bought into it. I thought he was different. I really do.
And so, was I shock? No. But I was disappointed.
LEE: Bill Rhoden wrote a great article in yesterday's "New York Times" sports section.
MEADE: Keep talking, I'm going to go to the audience here.
LEE: And he talked about people need to see Tiger.
BARKLEY: Yes.
LEE: They need to see him.
BARKLEY: That's the first thing I said. He needs -- you can't just blog about it.
I don't think, especially when you apologize, you can't do it on a blog.
LEE: That's too personal.
MEADE: We have a beautiful lady right here who wants to ask a question.
What's your name?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Alicia.
MEADE: Hi, Alicia. Who do you want to ask?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Sir Charles.
MEADE: Go ahead.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: How are you?
BARKLEY: Good, ma'am.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I wanted to know, I know you had a little problem with the law this year. Are you still considering running for public office? I'm an Alabama native and I'd love to see you run for governor.
MEADE: Yes.
(APPLAUSE)
BARKLEY: Well, thank you. Well, you know, it's interesting. I don't look at my DUI as a problem. It was a blessing for me, you know, because I didn't kill nobody and I didn't kill myself. I got great love for the police, that wasn't one of their better nights.
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: The police, that wasn't one of their better nights?
BARKLEY: That wasn't one of their better nights.
MEADE: What do you mean?
BARKLEY: Well...
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: Wait. What do you mean it wasn't one of their better nights? I mean, they pulled you over because of suspicion of DUI.
BARKLEY: And I was. But what happened after that was -- I already did the mug shot, I already did the fingerprints. Police have been treating me fantastic all night and I say some sexually suggestive stuff that I thought that I should be doing instead of sitting -- after waiting on my ride and I say, oh, this isn't how I spend my -- had planned on spending my night. I had hoped to spend my night doing this.
The notion that...
MEADE: Doing what?
BARKLEY: ... I was in a rush to get them sexual treatment was total -- was total B.S.
(APPLAUSE)
BARKLEY: Yes.
(INAUDIBLE)
BARKLEY: And I really -- and I got to say, it really disappointed and made me really mad, that's all people talked about. I said, that's not what happened. You know, that stuff happened (INAUDIBLE).
MEADE: You were joking being the Charles. I got you.
BARKLEY: Yes. I know to never joke with them again. Yes.
Up next: Serena's breakout, Kanye's rant, and Levi Johnston be quiet already. This is what had you talking and that's what we are talking about next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEADE: So, parents, if your kids are around, you might want to ask them to leave the room.
LEE: Of all of the examples of disrespect that you've shown to me, that's the biggest one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: All right. Welcome back to WITH ALL DUE RESPECT. Sometimes, you have to say it that way. I'm Robin Meade here, with Dennis, Kyle and Charles. And we've not even scared off our special guest yet, Spike Lee.
Today, we're looking back at the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2009.
Everywhere you look, people have no respect.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened to respect?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The best example of bad sportsmanship was definitely the woman from New Mexico with the ponytail takedown.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've never seen anything like that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely, Kanye West for what he said to Taylor Swift.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, Kanye. What are you doing, man?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He didn't mean to hug and a prescription.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I would say LeBron James not shaking hands with the players after the playoffs game.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Serena Williams' meltdown, it's sad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She went too far. I mean, she's threatened that woman.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People, you need to calm down.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: You know, a person who apparently needed to calm down a little bit was tennis champion, Serena Williams. During her U.S. Open meltdown, you heard someone referred to that. Well, she came -- it seemed to become unhinged for the first time in her career.
John McEnroe, he really made a career, though, out of being something very similar.
PETTY: And that's a hard question. McEnroe did it constantly, constantly.
Serena has not. She's not done it constantly. This was out of character. And I think that's why they made such a big deal. And she got very personal.
So, you know, I think it's a lack of respect for the judge at that point in time. And, you know, when we play a sport, when you play a sport, you've got referees, you've got umpires -- that's what they're for, is to keep control of the game, and you've got to respect the rules of the game. And you got to respect that.
LEE: Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute.
PETTY: You don't have to respect the rules of the game?
LEE: Yes, but how many times a manager get kicked out of the game...
PETTY: Oh, yes, yes.
LEE: The players, the lady was making bad calls, I know Serena.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
PETTY: We know that's a bad call. We're not talking about the incident...
LEE: I'm just saying.
PETTY: I'm just talking about -- I'm not talking about the incident, I'm talking about how she reacted to the incident.
LEE: I don't think it ain't do with respect -- disrespect...
PETTY: Yes.
LEE: ... to me.
PETTY: Well, it does...
LEE: The lady was making bad calls. She was heated and she gotten (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: Repeat that, something along the lines of, you know, stuffing a ball down her throat, so to speak.
LEE: That's nothing compared to what in NFL and NBA. I mean, what, because she's a woman, she shouldn't do that? I mean, she's a great athlete.
PETTY: No, she should be able to vent. I'm not saying that she shouldn't be able to vent.
LEE: Well, I don't think she got threaten her but...
PETTY: No, but I don't think you need -- when you step over that line and it becomes personal, when you start kicking dirt on the guy, you start pushing a guy, then that's it.
(CROSSTALK)
ECKERSLEY: I guarantee you that she is humiliated by the whole thing.
MEADE: She apologized but she got like $92,000 fine.
(CROSSTALK)
LEE: But you guys, in the heat of the moment...
ECKERSLEY: I mean, I've done some silly things. I'm sure you have...
LEE: Charles...
BARKLEY: Yes.
LEE: Charles, come on, baby. I want you to speak up for Serena.
(CROSSTALK)
MEADE: When was the first meltdown -- when was the first melt down you had?
BARKLEY: I jumped across the table and chased to the ref into the locker one time.
(LAUGHTER)
BARKLEY: At that particular moment, I wasn't...
LEE: You dunk a thing over his head.
BARKLEY: I told him I don't remember that.
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: You want to talk about no respect, what in the world -- a lot of people were talking about the MTV VMA...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that was crazy.
MEADE: ... because of Kanye. I mean, Kanye, you did not just jump up on stage and steal country cutie Taylor Swift's moment. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KANYE WEST, RAPPER: I'm really happy for you. I'm going to let you finish. But Beyonce has one of the best videos of all times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MEADE: What is he thinking?
ECKERSLEY: He got to be drunk. I mean, he's better be drunk.
(LAUGHTER)
ECKERSLEY: ... because if he's not drunk, he's a jerk. I mean (INAUDIBLE).
MEADE: I mean, it's kind of become a thing, though, hasn't it, to kind of voice his disapproval. Usually it's about him not winning.
LEE: What was it? The American what?
MEADE: The American Music -- no, it's MTV, VMA. Wait a minute. VMA.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's good point.
LEE: Who cares?
MEADE: OK, MTV...
LEE: Yes, they didn't care.
MEADE: MTV is one thing, but no respect on the floor of Congress. This has become part of our lexicon now. You lie!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegal.
REP. JOE WILSON (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: You lie!
(BOOING)
OBAMA: Not true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEE: Look at Nancy's face.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
LEE: Of all of the examples of disrespect that you've shown to me, that's the biggest one because you're talking about music, you're talking about sports...
MEADE: Audience?
LEE: ... but we're talking about...
(APPLAUSE)
LEE: ... the United States of America and stuff that directly affects people's lives.
MEADE: Now, we can go the whole show talking to politics. But I'm standing here staring at Kyle's ponytail, and it reminds me of another case of no respect and I want to show you guy this is tape, OK? The elbow-throwing, ponytail-pulling New Mexico woman soccer player and do you remember her, and the all out brawl at the high school girl soccer game, two different stories, two pieces of tape here. Oh, girls behaving badly, right? All right. Spike, you know, they got over 20 million hits on YouTube combined with this pieces of tape. Yes, are we fascinated or what's the deal? Why are we so enthralled with this?
LEE: Why? I think it's very simple, America is the most violent country in the history of modern civilization.
(APPLAUSE)
LEE: We have more guns, more shootings, more killings, than any other country ever.
BARKLEY: I thought those girls got a break. If a guy did that, the sports fans would go crazy.
MEADE: I know that there are probably kids watching at this hour. So there is one more clip of a bad sport that we'd like to show you bad sportsmanship. So, parents, if your kids are around, you might want to ask them to leave the room because here it goes.
(VIDEO CLIP)
LEE: That's wrong, man. That's wrong.
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: Spike, thank you so much. You've been wonderful.
LEE: Thank you.
MEADE: Hasn't he?
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: We will take a break. We'll be back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: Welcome back to "WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.
Now, before we get back into it, let's bring in our next guest. You know him from "The Transformers" and as Detective Bernard on "Law & Order." Please welcome, the very talented and funny, Anthony Anderson.
(APPLAUSE)
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: OK. So, Anthony, he's thumping at a bit, to get right into this here.
You know what, this past year, whether they looked for fame or fame found them, celebrities -- or maybe I should go like this -- "celebrities" were interfaced like never before.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The biggest celebrity on the planet without a doubt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: LeBron James.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Levi Johnston.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sarah Palin.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Barack Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Paris Hilton. I love her. Paris, if you're out there, I want to marry you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Levi Johnston is a tool.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sarah Palin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's kind of hot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barack Obama is the man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barack Obama is the man.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's the biggest thing in media right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He sneezes and the world sneezes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's pretty much on every channel that you flip to. Obama, Obama, Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barack Obama could be the world's biggest celebrity, yes, next to Jay-Z.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: Anthony, in your opinion, did Barack Obama become the president because of his star power?
ANTHONY ANDERSON, ACTOR: First of foremost, he became a president because he's a great politician, but I believe his policies and his work speaks for itself. Yes.
MEADE: Anthony...
(APPLAUSE)
ANDERSON: All right. Now, let's take for real.
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: That was kind of a diplomatic answer.
ANDERSON: Now, that I've got that out of the way.
Hell yes, Barack Obama. He's a rock star.
(APPLAUSE)
ANDERSON: Let's be real. He's a rock star.
MEADE: I like this Anthony better.
ANDERSON: Only a few people can go around the world and you mention by their -- one name. You say Barack and everybody knows who you are talking about.
MEADE: So, Sarah Palin, because she has staying power.
ECKERSLEY: I think she's a breath of fresh air, you know? I really do. I mean, now, do I want her to be president? No. And I give her credit for not wanting to just wring that kid's throat, Levi...
MEADE: Levi Johnston.
ECKERSLEY: I mean, she has been so mellow.
MEADE: Levi Johnston is her almost son-in-law. That didn't happen though.
ANDERSON: You know, where I'm from he's not her daughter's almost son-in-law, he's her daughter's baby daddy.
(APPLAUSE)
ANDERSON: And I don't know -- I don't know when becoming somebody's baby daddy made you famous.
PETTY: When you knock a girl up in the south, OK, they chain you to something, OK? You don't get to be a celebrity, OK? He knocked this chick up -- the worst thing that could happen when I was growing up in high school is you get a girl pregnant. My man here has turned it into a payday.
MEADE: Levi Johnston was paid $25,000 to disrobe for "Playgirl." How much for you?
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: How much...
BARKLEY: It depends on, the fat Charles Barkley or the skinny Charles Barkley?
ANDERSON: Does anybody want to see the fat Charles Barkley naked?
(CHEERING)
ANDERSON: Come on, take it off.
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: I've got to cut it off -- I've got to cut it off right there.
ANDERSON: I'm getting naked with you. I mean, not with you.
MEADE: Two words: Balloon Boy -- next.
ANDERSON: Oh, I'm sorry. OK.
(LAUGHTER)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETTY: It would have been a better story if he had been in the balloon.
(LAUGHTER)
STONESTREET: Nobody is better equipped to walk my dog than Michael Vick because everybody is watching him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(APPLAUSE)
ROBIN MEADE, HOST: Welcome back to WITH ALL DUE RESPECT with Robin Meade. I'm here with Dennis, Kyle, Charles and "Law & Order's" Anthony Anderson.
Nice to have you guys here.
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: So, we're talking fame. And while some achieved it in 2009, others were so desperate for their first 15 minutes of fame, it was like they were jumping up and down going, "Look at me. Look at me."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why does everybody have to be famous?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody wants the light shining on them like myself right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Reality TV is funny.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The favorite reality show is "The Girls Next Door."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Little People, Big World."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "The Real Housewives of Orange County." UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) getting in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Octomom is kind of hot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The White House crashers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's hilarious that the Secret Service missed it.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: Balloon Boy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A waste of airtime and a waste of my time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was funny and I watched the whole entire thing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: It is always your reaction to the whole "Balloon Boy" incident thing when you saw it up there on the monitor.
DENNIS ECKERSLEY, MLB ON TBS ANALYST: I think, once again, it's this shameless-- I mean, what people do, I mean, to bring your kids into it, makes it like through the roof for me. You know, I know they made fun of it and all of that, but when it gets right back down to it, it's like, it's beyond irresponsibility. It's insane. It's like I...
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: Yes. Like, what are you thinking?
Well, Dennis was talking about basically how he felt when he learned that it was a hoax, right? What was the moment that undid the whole thing? Well, here you go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD HEENE, BALLOON BOY'S FATHER: Why didn't you come out?
FALCON HEENE, BALLOON BOY: You guys said that we did this for a show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: Did you see the dad's face? It's like, oh, no.
Anthony, it's like -- you know, are the kids the only ones left that don't know how to lie, and thank goodness for that?
ANTHONY ANDERSON, ACTOR: Out of the mouth of babes, you know, speak the truth. It's crazy. Daddy, you said because we could make some money.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: Right? You know, I always thought balloon boy was, you know, a pilot about Charles Barkley.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: All we got to do is wrap him up in aluminum foil. We go the little boy.
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: You know, in just two days, more than a million people watched this clip from a new MTV reality show called "Jersey Shore."
(CHEERS)
MEADE: Some say that it's true that people are looking for their moment of fame and will do anything for it.
ECKERSLEY: Wow. God! Man!
ANDERSON: I just heard about it. I never saw it.
(CROSSTALK)
MEADE: You just saw it for the first time? Well, tell me your reaction.
KYLE PETTY, NASCAR ON TNY ANALYST: My reaction is, somebody should have jumped up and whipped that guy's ass to be honest with you.
(APPLAUSE)
PETTY: I mean, here's the deal. You shouldn't hit a woman, OK? You shouldn't hit a woman. I was just raised that, you know, you don't hit kids with glasses and you don't hit women, OK? Make them take your glasses off before you're going to get on a school yard fight.
But I mean, that is just -- that's incredible. That's not entertainment at all. I don't care who watched it on TV.
MEADE: But it's ludicrous. It's outrageous.
A really great audience member has a question. You thought about this, too. Who do you want to ask?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Anthony. My name is Cliff (ph). What's next to reality TV?
MEADE: Oh, like how far are we going to go, basically? Like, now, what's going to get people's attention?
ANDERSON: You know, I don't know. Hopefully, the next thing for reality television is that it's taking off our airwaves. I think it's...
(APPLAUSE)
ANDERSON: I think it's a waste of time. You know, I really don't want to be involved in anybody's lifelike that, you know? That's just my opinion.
MEADE: But, come on, didn't you watch a reality show? Come on.
ANDERSON: I'm not going to lie. My guilty pleasure...
MEADE: Yes.
ANDERSON: ... is "Housewives of Atlanta."
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: But you just said you wanted it taken off, Anthony?
ANDERSON: I'm sorry?
MEADE: But you just said you wanted it taken off.
ANDERSON: I will watch the final season...
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: ... before they take it off the air. I like Nene.
(CROSSTALK)
PETTY: I like Kim, but I love Nene. I love Nene.
ANDERSON: I like Kim, too.
PETTY: I like Kim but I love Nene.
MEADE: So, you just said take reality TVs off, I like Nene, I like Kim...
ANDERSON: Take it all off except the "The Housewives of Atlanta."
(LAUGHTER)
CHARLES BARKLEY, NBA ON TNT ANALYST: Who was Kim?
MEADE: Kim has the wig.
ANDERSON: Kim has the wig.
MEADE: She's the blond one with the wig.
ECKERSLEY: But I like "Orange County." I mean, I got stuck into it. I mean, my wife -- I blame it on my wife. The next thing you know, I'm watching this stuff.
MEADE: Oh, sure, Dennis.
ECKERSLEY: You know, the thing about it, is it really reality TV? Because it's really scripted, you know? And we're watching, you know, this play act. It's not really reality TV.
But, meanwhile, I have to admit that I've watched a few.
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: You know, let's talk about the Salahis, the White House party crashers, who, by the way, were rumored to be up for "The Real Housewives of D.C."
Is this worthy of a congressional hearing, the fact that they crashed the party? They said they didn't. They said that they were invited -- Charles?
BARKLEY: Well, I don't trust Congress as far as I can throw them. They waste their time on steroid investigation, baseball. Now, they want to do BCS...
MEADE: Yes.
BARKLEY: ... just to me clearly is something serious, because somebody could have hurt the president, but these two people -- they are really nobody just trying to be a somebody, you know?
(APPLAUSE)
BARKLEY: Like Balloon Boy, the Salahis, like they stuffed them down our throat...
PETTY: It would have been a better if he had been in the balloon, I don't care what it is like there, OK? It would have been a better story.
ANDERSON: And it would have been a better story had the Salahis' last name been Jenkins or Johnson. That's all I got to say.
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: What's your name?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Joe Hubbard.
MEADE: Joe, who are you going to ask your question to?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Charles over there.
MEADE: All right.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I'm wondering if you think that Octomom deserved all the attention that she got.
BARKLEY: You know, that's a perfect example of like, are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? But, see, these people who made money, these "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" and shows like that, and these magazines, they forced it like when Robin asked that question, we don't want that crap. Like Kyle said, is the kid all right? Yes. OK.
Don't talk about Octomom, like Octomom, and that other couple, Jon and Kate...
(CROSSTALK)
BARKLEY: First of all, if you follow Jon and Kate -- first of all, I want you to know I have nothing -- no disrespect or dislike for any of these people, but I do -- why would you want to watch a show about a man and a woman and eight kids?
MEADE: Anthony, the guy who wants reality taken off. Do you watch reality shows?
ANDERSON: I want them to bring me a show called Pookie and Shameka (ph) and follow them around.
BARKLEY: They've got that.
ANDERSON: That's the show I want to see.
BARKLEY: I thought a saw a promo for Lil Wayne's and...
(LAUGHTER)
BARKLEY: Lil Wayne's and (INAUDIBLE) girls.
ANDERSON: (INAUDIBLE) and tiny.
BARKLEY: Yes, I think it is. See, you know all of the names. Come on.
MEADE: Anthony, we want to thank you so much for being here. You've been awesome. Thank you so much.
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: We'll be right back.
(APPLAUSE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC STONESTREET, ACTOR: A dog lover's (INAUDIBLE) dog's safety will get his on Michael Vicks.
BARKLEY: Anybody who uses Twitter is a loser.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) MEADE: Welcome back to WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.
Today, we're looking at back at everything that had you talking in 2009. Now, one show that has everybody talking right now is ABC's "Modern Family" and its breakout star, Eric Stonestreet. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cam, don't be mad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cam, I've known I've wanted to be a clown since I found out clowns were just people with makeup.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: Great character. Would you please welcome Eric Stonestreet.
(APPLAUSE)
ERIC STONESTREET, ACTOR: Hi. How are you? Thank you so much.
MEADE: Before we get started on this, I love this story about Eric and that is that he actually tried out two times for -- to be a clown for Wrigley Brothers and they said no.
STONESTREET: They said no both times.
MEADE: But let's talk.
STONESTREET: Yes.
MEADE: 2009 was littered with comebacks. Some, they were good. And others, I think the jury is probably still out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why can't people just stay gone?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't care if he is the most amazing football player in the world. He hurt dogs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chris Brown is an idiot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To beat up the most beautiful woman in the world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You cannot hit a girl.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's a poster boy for domestic violence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whitney Houston is an inspiration.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm glad she's back. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you retiring, you're not retiring? You're coming back, you're not coming back? Just make up your damned mind and let's get on with it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: All right. Let's start with Eric.
Thank you for being here, by the way.
STONESTREET: Yes.
MEADE: Everybody is talking about the Brett Favre comeback. Why are we so fascinated with that comeback?
STONESTREET: Well, I think, we're fascinated with it because he's having a killer season, like first and foremost. I think because he's 40...
MEADE: Old in the world of sports.
STONESTREET: Old in the world of sports, and a little more interesting where I think if he was a 23-year-old athlete in his prime, people wouldn't be talking about it as much. But Brett Favre is arguably the toughest best quarterback to ever play the game, and he's having an incredible season.
(APPLAUSE)
STONESTREET: When the Green Bay Packers decided it was time to bring in Aaron Rodgers and kind of push him out a little bit. So...
MEADE: Now, do you think people want to see him failed, Dennis, or is that just human nature?
ECKERSLEY: You know, I'd be the first -- because, you know, I try to say that I'm fair, you know, and objective. But sometimes, you know, like for him, for instance, he's so overexposed -- anybody that gets so overexposed after a while, you know, it's like, what is it with this guy, you know?
MEADE: Right.
STONESTREET: Is he overexposed because he's just really great?
ECKERSLEY: It's not his fault.
STONESTREET: Yes, right.
(CROSSTALK)
ECKERSELY: I'm not saying that be gets overexposed like that, and now, he's having a great season. But that's not really a good example of it because I have a tendency, if I see too much, it's like, I've had enough of this guy and he needs to come back down to Earth with us.
PETTY: I think he loves the game so much. You love baseball. I love racing.
STONESTREET: I love clothing.
PETTY: Yes, you love clothing, right?
(LAUGHTER)
PETTY: But the thing is, you know, I think Green Bay had to make a decision to move forward for them in the next eight or 10 years, they had to make a decision. He stood in the way of that organization, but he wasn't willing, he wasn't ready to give up.
MEADE: Now, I know, like in your case, Charles, your body told it was time to give up.
BARKLEY: Well, yes. Your body always tells you.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
BARKLEY: That's nothing personal. Every jock gets to a point where you can't play. You know, Brett Favre is arguably one of the most unique guys ever. I mean, can't remember a jock in history who was able to -- he's having a monster season. I mean, you know, you say, usually people want him to fail and just people in Green Bay.
MEADE: You know, help me save face here and that -- so the audience doesn't think I was putting you down. Tell us the story of how your game ended basically.
STONESTREET: Charles' game has never ended.
BARKLEY: Thank you, man. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
BARKLEY. Well, when guys who suck are kicking your ass, it's time to go.
(LAUGHTER)
BARKLEY: I mean, that's the way it is. If you talk to any guy who played the game or you start playing against guys that you know can't play dead, and they are beating you like a drum, it's time to go home.
MEADE: Dennis, when did you know it was time to leave for you?
ECKERSLEY: You're talking about, you know, beating you like a drum, at the end, it was tough.
BARKLEY: It is. ECKERSLEY: I kept thing to myself, these people are probably looking at me and saying, get out of this game. You know, that's why the last few years were tough. But, you know, I feel like -- you know, I'm jealous of guys that can keep ongoing like musicians or you, that you can act forever. My act is done. Whatever I did, it's done. It's really sad. It take as while to get over it.
MEADE: I bet it is hard.
BARKLEY: Let me make one point of Dennis' part, like I probably should have retired two years sooner but like Dennis said is, you suck.
(LAUGHTER)
BARKLEY: And when I was younger, I used to always say, why are these guys hanging on? But then you say to yourself, "OK, I'm going to get this summer and I'm going to work really hard and I'm going to spring training and you say, I want to have one more shot at the light. I want to have one more good season, and you said, there's light at the end of the tunnel. And in the middle of the season, you realize it was a train. Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: Well, let's talk about a comeback that had nothing to do with age here, Michael Vick.
Charles, I mean, should the disgraced sports stars like that be allowed to come back in the game?
BARKLEY: Sure. Of course, everybody deserves -- I mean, you know, that's the one thing I don't agree about the Tiger Woods, the Michael Vick, that they would look -- everybody wants to act like they are perfect. Nobody ever made any mistakes. It drives me crazy.
(APPLAUSE)
PETTY: But I think the deal with Vick is a little bit different, and my point is this: he served his debt to society.
BARKLEY: Yes.
PETTY: OK. He went through the system, and he served his debt. Does he deserve a second chance? You bet your bottom dollar.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROSSTALK)
BARKLEY: But I'm really pulling for Michael Vick. Because, you know, it's funny when you hear people say, "You don't deserve a second chance." And my question to them is: so, are you saying that anybody who goes to prison do not deserve a second chance? I want to be specific because Michael Vick made millions of dollars. STONESTREET: Yes, and I've always felt like athletes, because they're, you know, in the spotlight or in a specific genre of life, that they can't be punished more than the average person.
MEADE: OK.
STONESTREET: And I think that's what happens with athletes when they make a mistake like we all do, is they pay their debt to society and why should they be punished because they play a sport on top of that?
MEADE: He also said that he wanted to get a new dog. Now, I know that you have a dog that you love. I have a picture.
STONESTREET: Oh, there he is right there.
MEADE: I mean, would you even let him walk that dog?
STONESTREET: Absolutely. Here's why I would let Michael Vick walk my dog, because I think it's the same thing as flying in an airplane on the same day one crashes. Nobody is better equipped to walk my dog than Michael Vick because everyone is watching him.
PETTY: Exactly.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
STONESTREET: Everyone has their eyes on him and my dog will be well taken care of, or me and Michael Vick will have a conversation.
MEADE: What about Chris Brown? I mean, Kyle, everybody is...
BARKLEY: Listen, Robin...
MEADE: Oh, you want to get in here?
BARKLEY: You can never hit a woman.
PETTY: That's right. We said that a minute ago.
BARKLEY: That's all you say about like...
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: Does he deserve a second chance? Let me ask that.
He's plugging a new album out, the critics kind of are down on it, and it's not the hottest thing on the radio.
PETTY: Who cares what the critics say, it's what these people say when they buy. That's what matters.
BARKLEY: Yes.
PETTY: Anything can be critically acclaimed and falls straight through the cracks.
MEADE: Well, does he deserve a second chance...
(CROSSTALK)
PETTY: OK. Here's what I'm going to say: I think everybody deserves a second chance, OK? I think you say your prayers at night, you thank God for all the blessings you've had, but I think everybody deserves a second chance. It's what you make with that second chance.
Now, some people's road to their second chance should be a lot longer. Chris Brown's road should be a long, long road back to get a second chance. But everybody deserves a second chance.
BARKLEY: You know, Kyle said it earlier when we were watching the "Jersey" thing, and people say, "What do you think on the Rihanna and Chris Brown thing?" I say, you can never hit a woman. Then they're like, "What else?" I'm like, there's nothing else.
PETTY: Yes.
STONESTREET: That's right.
BARKLEY: You can never hit a woman.
STONESTREET: That's what I said. He should learn to pick on somebody his own gender.
(LAUGHTER)
PETTY: Exactly.
MEADE: Eric Stonestreet, I agree with that. Thank you so much for being here. Great job.
(APPLAUSE)
STONESTREET: Thank you.
MEADE: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MEADE: So, welcome back to WITH ALL DUE RESPECT. Before we flip the calendar year to 2010, let's rewind on '09. Now, we have Grizz and Dot Com from "30 Rock" here in the audience.
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: You have a question.
DOT COM, "30 ROCK": My question, as a big TV watcher, is, other than "30 Rock," what is your favorite TV show of 2009?
BARKLEY: My favorite show is "The Mentalist" and I watch "House" religiously. (APPLAUSE)
ECKERSLEY: You know, this is a corny one, but "The Brothers & Sisters" I watch on Sunday night. Imagine that.
(APPLAUSE)
ECKERSLEY: I mean, that's the only drama where you have life going on.
BARKLEY: First of all, the only way you are watching "Brothers & Sisters" is if you started out watching "Desperate Housewives."
ECKERSLEY: I wait until it's done.
BARKLEY: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
MEADE: What's your name?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: My name is Kristin (ph).
MEADE: Kristin, what do you want to ask in.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I want to ask Dennis, who inspired you the most this past year?
ECKERSLEY: Whoa!
MEADE: That was a nice question.
ECKERSLEY: You know something? I have to say, once again, Michael Jackson. You know, I want to be a better person.
(APPLAUSE)
BARKLEY: Michael Jackson is my favorite entertainer in my life, because when he died, I cried. But then when I saw the movie, it was like, OK, I'm all right now.
MEADE: And what's your name in.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: My name's Jen.
MEADE: Hi.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Hi.
Charles, in 2010, are you going to get a Twitter account and start tweeting?
(LAUGHTER)
BARKLEY: Baby, if you watch the show, and clearly you have, anybody who uses Twitter is a loser. (LAUGHTER)
PETTY: I tweeted six times during this show, what you've said.
BARKLEY: Yes.
MEADE: Who was your athlete of the year? I know you didn't tweet it, but who was your athlete of the year?
BARKLEY: That's a good question. You know who I was really happy for? Alex Rodriguez.
(APPLAUSE)
BARKLEY: Yes.
MEADE: A-Rod, huh?
PETTY: Mine's Jimmy Johnson.
MEADE: Your athlete of the year?
PETTY: Mine's Jimmy Johnson. In our sport, it's 60-some odd years old. No one has ever won the championship four consecutive times, and guys like Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, the quality of competition that we have, that's a phenomenal fate and a phenomenal record. So, I'm going to go with my guy.
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: Now, let's do some rapid-fire questions here. There were a lot of, like, good dudes and bad dudes. So, let me ask you, guys, who was your best dude?
Dennis, go ahead.
ECKERSLEY: Men and women of the Armed Forces. My son just finished his basic training.
(APPLAUSE)
ECKERSLEY: So, I salute my son and everybody else in the Armed Forces. Congratulations.
(APPLAUSE)
MEADE: That's right.
Charles, best dude?
BARKLEY: Best dude? You know, I'm in a mood. I'm going to say Michael Jackson. God rest his soul.
MEADE: Yes.
(APPLAUSE) MEADE: Kyle?
PETTY: Yes. I would have to agree with Dennis on that one. When you look at -- we're so blessed in motor sports that so many military participants come out, do the national anthem, there's so much that comes to the race, so many that come to the race. You meet so many young kids that are defending what we're able to sit up here and talk about. So...
MEADE: And their families sacrifice so much, too.
You know what? That's all the time we have. What a beautiful way to end it. Thank you, guys.
Thank you for joining us on WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.
A special thanks to Eric Stonestreet, Anthony Anderson and Spike Lee for stopping by.
So, for Dennis, Kyle and Sir Charles, I'm Robin Meade. Have a safe and Happy New Year.
