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Michigan Lawmakers Release Funds for Flint Water Cleanup; Carol Costello's "Person Who Changed My Life"; Lack of Diversity in Oscar Nominations. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired January 21, 2016 - 15:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:34:02] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Michigan lawmakers today voted to release $28 million in emergency funding just to handle this massive water crisis in the city of Flint. But the mayor there says it will take at least $1 billion to fix this, the city's infrastructure, the public health issues, et cetera.

One of the researchers in the contaminated water study says "Parents and caregivers are overwhelmed with grief and helplessness."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIDDHARTHA ROY, FLINT WATER RESEARCHER: There was a grandmother talking to me on the phone and she was crying, she was -- she said to me, "I poisoned my kids for over a year when I was giving them bad water." And even if I tell her it's not your fault, what good does that do?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is live in Flint, Michigan. You talked to the doctor who first sounded this alarm about this tainted water in Flint. And this all came out over a dinner?

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. In some ways that's absolutely right, Brooke. So, this doctor, Dr. Mona Attisha, she was having dinner with a friend of hers who works at the EPA.

[15:35:04] This, it dates back to August of 2014. And this colleague of hers from the EPA said, "You know that they switched the water over from Detroit, from Lake Huron to the Flint River.", which is just here behind me, Brooke. And that's going to increase the lead in the water significantly.

And that sort of got the doctor Mona on her crusade. She started looking at previous lead levels among children in Flint and started comparing them to current lead levels and she found that they doubled and even tripled in some situations. So that's what really started this. There was no formal announcement, there was, you know, nobody specifically looking at this. It came can about very surreptitiously.

BALDWIN: How bad is this? I mean you're - we keep talking about it, you're there, you see it.

GUPTA: You know, Brooke, I tell you it's one of those things. First of all, you know, we trust water. Right, you turn on the tap ...

BALDWIN: Take it for granted.

GUPTA: ... you drink water, you bath in it. You trust it. You take it for granted. And I know a lot of people have said had that, but just think about that for a second. People did that for awhile here as well. And even though the wart looked a different color, it smelled funny, it tasted funny, they just kept getting told that, you know, look it's hard water, don't worry about it, it's fine. I mean that's its just really remarkable what happened here. How bad is it?

Well, lead in the water is one of these things that if they gets into especially a developing body, a child's body, it's irreversible. It binds so strongly to certain tissues in the body that you really -- it's impossible to remove. And it can have effects not just currently, not just now but also many years in the future. So a child could have cognitive deficits, could have developmental delays, that could happen when they are a teenager even if they they're small child now. And you'll be wondering was it the lead? Was it the lead? Was it that time period back in 2014 that caused this? You know, you don't know. So, that's a psychological as well as the physical.

BALDWIN: Is there anything the parents can do to help these kids to counter any of those effects as they're growing up?

GUPTA: Yes, and I talked to some of the experts here. And this may sound a little simplistic but just hear me out. I mean people always talk about the importance of good nutrition and good education. Why is good nutrition particularly important here? When you think about lead coming into the body, it's looking for places to stick essentially. If you, if you have a good diet and you have lots of iron in your diet, lots of calcium in your diet, you have essentially filled up a lot of those receptors.

So when the lead comes in, it has a harder time sort of finding places to stick. So a good diet is more than just a euphemism here, it actually makes a difference. We also know lead can cross into the brain, causing intellectual impairments later on down the road. So, early childhood education becomes so much more important here. Again, not just a euphemism, but, you know, concretes potential way to lessen the effects to this.

But keep in mind Brooke, 40 percent of the city is impoverished. There's a life expectancy that's 10 to 20 years lower than the rest of the state. It's a tough place even without all this.

BALDWIN: I'm so glad you're there. Please keep shining the light on this horrible problem. Sanjay Gupta, appreciate it.

GUPTA: Got it. Thank you Brooke.

BALDWIN: And please watch Sanjay's full report tonight, 8:00Eastern on AC360. Next, Will Smith speaks out about the lack of diversity in Oscar nominations. He says it's not about him getting snubbed. More on a controversy in what interest Elba had to say about the industry just this week.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:42:40] BALDWIN: This is something we have been talking about day after day after day on this show. The Oscar nominations, the lack of diversity after the academy selected only White actors in top categories for the second year in a row. Actress Jada Pinkett Smith got this whole discussion going when she announced she would not attend this years Oscars. Others who followed suit including. As of this morning, her husband Will Smith, who was widely expected to be nominated for his role in the film "Concussion".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL SMITH, ACTOR: This is so deeply not about me. This is about children that are going to sit down and they're going to watch this show and they're not going to see themselves represented.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Let me bring in Todd Johnson, Managing Editor at "theGrio.com" and Vanessa De Luca, Editor in Chief of "ESSENCE" magazine. By the way, Chris Rock will be on the cover of your March issue. So nice to have both of you here. Thank you so much for taking the time.

TODD JOHNSON, MANAGING EDITOR, THE GRIO.COM: Thank you.

VANESSA DE LUCA, EDITOR IN CHIEF, ESSENCE MAGAZINE: Thank you.

BALDWIN: To you first. Hearing Will Smith, your response to his message.

DE LUCA: I mean I think it's a very valid point he's making. The whole issue at the end of the day is about inclusion. And that, that resonates whether you're talking about in front of the camera or behind the camera. Clearly, when you see an academy made up of predominantly White males, where's the inclusion in that? And so you have to ask yourself will this ever change? Will we ever seek, you know, the majority of the top four acting categories where there is diversity if the people in the room making those decisions about the vote aren't representative of the community that -- the diversity that's out there in the world.

BALDWIN: And this isn't new this isn't breaking news. I mean I love, I read your piece and theGrio and I said, we've got to get you on today because, you know, so Todd wrote about Eddie Murphy and when he spoke in 1988. And so let just for those -- let's just go back in time. And this is part of what Eddie Murphy said addressing, you know, the lack of diversity then. "I just feel that we have to be recognized as a people. I just want you to know that I'm going to give this award but black people will not ride the caboose of society, and we will not bring up the rear anymore. I want you, the academy, to recognize us." Obviously, his remarks are germane today.

[15:45:00] JOHNSON: No, were still relevant today. And Eddie was on stage at the show during the Live Show ...

BALDWIN: On the stage.

JOHNSON: ... at the podium making this a point. And he was very focused and he was giving the award and he admitted he would do that, but he wanted this to be known. And I think it's important to know that this issue has been going on far before Eddie Murphy.

BALDWIN: Should we have an Eddie Murphy moment this February?

DE LUCA: Well, you know, I mean with Chris Rock hosting the Oscars, anything can happen. With all the controversy that's going to on around "OscarsSoWhite" that hashtag. It would be -- this is his moment and opportunity to speak the truth to power which he always does. He never holds his tongue. And this is an opportunity to really call people to the carpet for this result that we're seeing time and time again.

BALDWIN: But, what about beyond? And it was, you know, Spike Lee clarified yesterday saying, "Listen I never brought up the word boycott. I'm going to the Knicks game instead. I'm just not going to go my wife and I aren't going to go." But those who do choose to go, to me it could be beyond a Chris Rock hosting. It could be on the red carpet. It could be folks who are giving awards as well, right? And by way, not just African Americans.

JOHNSON: Not at all. I think this years Oscars will be about disrupting what is normal. Disrupting what the status quo is. The red carpet interviews won't just be focused on who was the best actor or actresses or behind the scenes or directors or cinematography. We'll be talking about real life issues. You have George Clooney, you have Mark Ruffalo coming out and talking about on-screen representation and a larger problem in society with diversity. And I think these are issues that need to be talked about at the Oscars. Spike's talking about the Knicks game and Pro Sports and other avenues and areas that Americans are crazy about. There's no reason why we can't talk about important things and also things like the Oscars. Things that you want to go see the movies and escape. But we can talk about real issues too.

DE LUCA: And let's not forget that the president of the academy is an African American woman, Cheryl Boone Isaac.

BALDWIN: Women. Yeah, African American woman, yeah.

DE LUCA: And she's come out very directly and said that she realizes there's a problem that this needs to be addressed, that there need to be some procedures, some disruption of the way that this academy, the makeup of the academy so there can be an opportunity for more inclusion and for more people of color in general. Women, you know, the GAMT to be recognized.

BALDWIN: Vanessa, we'll look for ESSENCE with Chris Rock based on the front next month in time. Thank you both very much. I appreciate both of your voices today.

JOHNSON: Thank you.

DE LUCA: Thank you.

BALDWIN: In mere minutes, a new CNN poll will be released of Iowa with some fascinating dynamics on both sides of the presidential race. We'll have those numbers for you at the top of the hour. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:52:04] BALDWIN: This been so fascinating learning more about my colleagues all week long. We've been sharing stories about the people who changed our lives, the lives of us anchor types here at CNN. This is all part of the CNN special it's airing Sunday called "The Person Who Changed My Life". And right now, is the story of my colleague, she's already laughing, Carol Costello.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four, three.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello, thank you so much for joining me.

I have always wanted to be a T.V. reporter since I was 12 years old.

I cannot tell you the sense of excitement.

Really easy to feel the hope and the love.

Take a look at all of those people.

I watched Mary Tyler Moore, she worked in the news business. And I loved her. She was independent. She was strong. She was sassy. She was everything that I wanted to be.

Maybe it was a little of Mary's spunk to that gave the courage to call Cole (ph) a legendary news director I had never met.

I'm Carol Costello.

I was 21 and working as a reporter in Akron, Ohio. I needed some guidance. I needed to work in a bigger market, so I took a big risk.

Ron Bilek at the time worked in Cleveland. So I called him one day out of the blue and he dame (ph) to talk to me.

RON BILEK, FORMER T.V. NEWS DIRECTOR: Somebody came and drove through town and said, "I'm in town. Could I talk to you?" I said why not. The guy driving the 13A bus maybe a better talent than, you know, the anchor you have on the air right now.

COSTELLO: We just struck up a great conversation. And it got to be a relationship. And I called him every two weeks for the next -- I would say for the next three years. And those phone calls consistent of advice, encouragement.

You can find everything down here.

I needed it. I was struggling. My confidence was shot after I was fired from T.V. 23 in Akron.

And I said to him, I don't think I'll never going to make it in journalism. And he told me to be patient. He just gave me the courage to continue.

BILEK: How are you doing?

COSTELLO: Good.

BILEK: Good seeing you.

COSTELLO: Ron was right. My patience paid off. When he became the news director here at WSYX in Columbus, he hired me.

Do you remember where your office was?

BILEK: Yeah, it was over there, I think.

COSTELLO: I always wonder though this effect that you took my call meant the world to me. Did you realize that?

BILEK: No.

COSTELLO: Really?

BILEK: No. What I got out of our conversations was that you got what the business was all about. This is somebody that has got more meat on the bone than most of the people that I talked to.

COSTELLO: What was my role?

BILEK: I thought you were one of my best reporters. And so I always wanted you to be covering stuff that I thought was some of the most important things in the community. And at that particular time the city had somewhat of a crime problem.

COSTELLO: And sometimes you just don't care.

[15:55:00] That's exactly how violent kids are living their whole entire lives.

The best advice that Ron ever gave me was finding that nugget of information that makes me different from every other reporter on the air.

But Ron's advice was often harsh. He didn't mean to words.

I would bring scripts to you and you would look at them and you'd say,"This is a piece of shit."

BILEK: Because it was, right? COSTELLO: Right.

BILEK: I'm not politically correct, but I'm -- but I care, no matter how rough, hard, obnoxious I was. It wasn't mean-spirited. It was, damn it, I want you to be good because I know you can be good.

COSTELLO: Today, she was telling me that she had a crappy news cast one day. She was hiding behind a computer and you threw an apple at her.

I liked his bluntness because I always knew where I stood with Ron.

Ron certainly had his share of haters. He was the news director at 10 stations across the country. But there are others just like me who appreciated his candor and the way he pushed us to succeed.

Joe Johns, many thanks to you.

Joe Johns and I work now at CNN, but more than 30 years ago, Joe worked for Ron in Charlotte.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Ron Bilek was the greatest learning experience I could have ever had in this business. He was like a masters in television without having to pay tuition.

I can't say that I enjoyed it 100 percent, because it was so tough. But I'm very thankful for it because even to this day in sticky situations, I know how to do it. And I think of Ron Bilek.

ALICIA HENRY (ph): Hi.

COSTELLO: That's exactly how I feel.

HENRY (ph): I know you used to work here.

COSTELLO: I did and he hired me here. Ron Bilek.

BILEK: Hi, how are you?

HENRY (ph): Hi. Alicia Henry (ph), nice to meet you. I have heard your name before.

BILEK: Yeah, I'm Ron.

HENRY (ph): He's the legend around here.

COSTELLO: He is a legend.

HENRY (ph): Yeah. You're a legend.

COSTELLO: While Ron had a knack for coaching on air talent. He was always happy to stay behind the scenes. It took a lot of convincing to get him to do this interview. What was your hesitation?

BILEK: I'm extremely shy. I don't think I look good. I mean, as you guys know, there are no pictures of me. COSTELLO: That's kind of odd, Ron.

BILEK: I'm kind of an odd guy, you know.

COSTELLO: Were you surprised that you were the person that made the most impact in my life?

BILEK: Yeah. I was taken back. I thought it should be a parent or a priest or something.

COSTELLO: See that's probably says something pathetic about me.

BILEK: I was going to say. Yeah. I sit back and say, "Whoa."

COSTELLO: Exactly what is wrong with her?

BILEK: My God.

COSTELLO: But I'm a career oriented person and I always have been, right?

BILEK: Yeah.

COSTELLO: You taught me how to do television.

That was me, young and energetic. Ron helped me channel that enthusiasm into success. Thank you so much for stopping by. I really appreciate it.

BILEK: I'm at the gym when you're on the air. I don't ...

COSTELLO: So you're forced to watch me?

BILEK: Well, yeah.

COSTELLO: What am I doing right? What am I doing wrong?

BILEK: Well, I wanted to tell you, stop saying, "I appreciate you being with me." That says you're shocked that they would be willing to be with you.

COSTELLO: I can take anything. I've been fired three times. And I've always bounced back. And I credit Ron with giving me the toughness to survive.

So, I think I did become my own version of Mary Tyler Moore.

LOUIS LOU GRANT, AMERICAN TELEVISION CHARACTER: If I don't like you, I'll fire you.

MARY TYLER MOORE, ACTRESS: Right, right.

GRANT: If you don't like me, I'll fire you.

COSTELLO: I had to ask myself, who was my Lou Grant? Ron was, because Lou was gruff. He didn't quite know how to talk to people, but he was lovable in a weird kind of way. And that's Ron Bilek.

Thank you, Ron.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Carol Costello, I have goose bumps for you. I love him.

COSTELLO: I keep expecting Ron to call and say, "You know, that story was a piece of ...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: "Yeah. Stop running that. I'm really (ph) done with me. I'm done with me."

COSTELLO: I know.

BALDWIN: Did he have -- I mean, he seemed honest to goodness surprised that he was your person.

COSTELLO: Oh, yeah. He's a very shy man. Very introverted, he doesn't like to be on television, doesn't like attention. Doesn't like -- doesn't think anyone likes him. And -- but he doesn't realize how many reporters out there and anchors on the air today are there because of Ron Bilek.

The only thing I regret like not saying like, why didn't he ever tell me, "Carol, your hair was really, really bad. Please change it."

BALDWIN: Listen, we've all been through different generations of hair issues. Let's not even - whatever, we're humans. Did he really chuck an apple at somebody sitting behind the computer?

COSTELLO: He really did. He was hard core man. I can't even ...

BALDWIN: I mean he (ph) can' never do that now.

COSTELLO: Oh, no, you could never get away with that stuff that he -- but for some reason, it made me work harder.

BALDWIN: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: There was something about that. Then I said, you know what, I know he's doing this because he cares and then not many bosses give you that much time.

BALDWIN: But, the fact that you, if I may, the fact you, you know, picked up the phone and called him every two weeks for three years, talk about gumption and, you know, panache.

COSTELLO: It was desperation. Are you kidding?

BALDWIN: Well, you done all right. And you look amazing. Whatever you're drinking, eating, whatever, amazing.

Carol Costello, ladies and gentlemen, I loved the piece. Thank you so much for sharing it.

COSTELLO: Thanks Brooke, thank you.

[15:59:59] BALDWIN: Do not miss our two-hour special "The Person Who Changed My Life" this Sunday night, 8:00 Eastern here on CNN.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thanks for being with me. Let's go to Washington, "The Lead", starts now.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks Brooke. Just a dusting paralyzed the nation's capital for hours last night. So, what's going to --