Return to Transcripts main page
ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES
Dick Clark Dead of a Heart Attack
Aired April 18, 2012 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Erin, thanks. Good evening, everyone.
We begin tonight with breaking news. The passing of a man who once confessed to dealing with light things that didn't really count. In fact as you'll see, Dick Clark, who died today of a massive heart attack at age 82, was wrong to be so modest. Those light things he says he dealt in, not only did they count, they counted a lot and some changed the world.
He recognized the power of youth long before the youth movement even existed. He integrated a corner of the media watched by the entire nation while a third of that nation was still segregated. He turned a beat, as he put it, that kids could dance to into the motivating force of a business empire and made singers into stars.
The legendary Aretha Franklin and Little Richard will join us in just a few minutes to talk about Dick Clark but here's a look back at his career by Kareen Wynter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WINTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was known as the world's oldest teenager. Dick Clark began his career on the weekly dance party that would later be known as "American Bandstand" in Philadelphia in 1956.
The show became a national and later an international sensation, after it was picked up by ABC one year later.
In spite of racial attitudes at the time, Clark was a pioneer in promoting African-American artists, including Percy Sledge, The Silhouettes, The Supremes and Gladys Knight and the Pips. An appearance on "American Bandstand" launched many a musical career and from Jerry Lee Lewis to Janet Jackson, they all wanted Dick Clark to give their record a spin.
DICK CLARK: If you look at the history of "American Bandstand," it covers everything. From popular music back to the big band days when we started in 1952 with Perry Cuomo and Eddie Fischer and the (INAUDIBLE) Seasons and so forth, through the rock 'n roll period, country music, rhythm and blues, rap music, heavy metal, it is everything.
WYNTER: But music wasn't his only beat, Clark proved a prolific businessman, an television icon, hosting the game show, the "$25,000 Pyramid", "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes", and of course the Annual New Year's Rockin' Eve broadcast, he turned his Dick Clark Productions into a multimillion dollar media empire.
CLARK: There'll be some other surprises along the way.
WYNTER: Clark created the American Music Awards in 1987 as a rival to the Grammys. Clark also had a hand in the global fundraising, Live Aid, and in the grassroots, Farm Aid. He was inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
CLARK: That's a nice piece. See, you said the magic word.
WYNTER: From the early days of rock to the president, Dick Clark had a way of bringing us the tunes that had a good beat, were easy to dance to and memories of Saturday afternoon sock hops.
Kareen Wynter, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Extraordinary career, an extraordinary life, our next guest needs no introduction, royalty seldom does, the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, joins us now by phone.
Miss Franklin, you knew Dick Clark. You were interviewed by him on "American Bandstand." What did he mean to you personally?
ARETHA FRANKLIN, SINGER (via phone): My god. He was such a nice man. He was just --well, good evening, everyone, I'm sorry. Such a nice and very easy man to work with, a very warm and classy and just an ageless person. And if you didn't go on "American Bandstand" you just hadn't made it yet. You had to go on the bandstand.
COOPER: He was that important in American music.
FRANKLIN: Absolutely, if you didn't go on there, you hadn't made it.
COOPER: The fact that his appeal spanned generations, from music shows to game shows and New Year's Eve and so much more, what do you think it was that -- I mean it's a tough business, what made him such a success?
FRANKLIN: I think that he was just so industry savvy and he was such a warm and personable kind of person, very, very well liked by everyone, the artists, industry people, everyone, even the parents loved watching "The Bandstand." As a teenager I loved it. I started with him when the "Bandstand" was in Philadelphia and that was long before he moved out to Los Angeles. But I started with him there and just so likable. It's very sad to hear that.
COOPER: Were you nervous the first time you were on the show?
FRANKLIN: You know it.
(LAUGHTER)
FRANKLIN: You know it. But I made it. I made it and I went back a number of times after that. He made you very comfortable.
COOPER: He's -- I mean he introduced so many musical acts to the American public including many African-American performers at a time when they were not being given equal treatment on the national stage?
FRANKLIN: Uh-huh, uh-huh. That is true. He as well as Mike Douglas, out of Cleveland, who I saw when Tiger Woods first came on the scene, I ran into Mike Douglas and it was so great just seeing him after all of those years, but, yes, they both were really, really fabulous.
COOPER: He also -- I mean he also had integrated audiences, he had African-Americans --
FRANKLIN: Yes. Yes.
COOPER: Dancing with white couples as well, which again you just didn't see on TV at the time.
FRANKLIN: No, you didn't and he very easily did it. He crossed that with no sweat.
COOPER: Did you know at the time when you first started going on the show what a good businessman he was? Because I mean there are a lot of people who are TV hosts, but he -- I mean he produced, he owned the content. He was very savvy.
FRANKLIN: I had no idea, but as time went along, you began to see different things emerge, like the "Pyramid" and his business enterprises, he had a beautiful office out in Los Angeles. I saw that. Of course that was one of the highlights to see. And no one knew -- who knew, you know, that he was that savvy.
COOPER: Yes. Miss Franklin, just stay with us, also joining us on the phone, another guest from "American Bandstand," the man who first made rock n' roll scream, Little Richard joins us now.
Little Richard, thanks for being here. What did Dick Clark mean to you?
LITTLE RICHARD, SINGER (via phone): Oh, he was a real, real personal friend of mine. We had an office at 9000 Sunset and he had the Dick Clark's productions right across the street from us. And I knew Dick way back there when we first started with "American Bandstand" in Philadelphia, (INAUDIBLE) Hall, I knew way back then.
COOPER: Did -- I mean his move to integrate his show, his move to give voice to African-American artists when they weren't getting on television in the same way, did that -- do you think that was a risky move at the time? Was it a surprising move to some?
LITTLE RICHARD: No. Dick has always been a beautiful person. He loved everybody, he was an all-around person and yes, they was good people and they loved everybody. If you had it, you had it, if you didn't, he still gave you a chance.
COOPER: Were you nervous the first time you went on a show?
LITTLE RICHARD: I'll always be nervous. I get nervous before I got to the piano, my hand goes shaking. You know, I just always get nervous.
COOPER: Miss Franklin, he -- you know, Dick Clark seemed to make everything seemed easy. He had the ability to make it just seemed like he was just talking to you, just talking to the viewers as well, but it's not that easy, I mean he was really -- he had a very specific skill.
FRANKLIN: Yes, he just had it like that. Very easy manner and fabulous (INAUDIBLE) was what he was doing. He was a master at it.
COOPER: I also want to bring in 360 MD, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He's with us tonight.
The statement from his spokesman, Sanjay, says that Dick Clark suffered a massive heart attack while at a hospital for an outpatient procedure. I want to play a clip of him discussing his health, particularly his type 2 diabetes with Larry King back in 2004. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLARK: Well, after 10 years, I'm -- this is the first time I've talked about it, Larry. I've got type 2 diabetes, which isn't earth shaking news, but what got me shook up was when I went in, 10, 11 years ago and they told I had it, I didn't think much about it. Do a little exercise, watch my diet, take medication if necessary. And all would be well.
And about four or five months ago they announced that 2/3 of the people with diabetes have died of heart disease or stroke. I better get more serious about this thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Sanjay, he suffered a stroke shortly after that interview. How at risk is someone with type 2 diabetes and a history of stroke for a massive heart attack?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: A pretty significant risk. And I'll add a couple of more things, one is his age. Just -- once you get beyond 70, and you go from 70 to 80, your risk of having an event like this, some sort of significant heart event, almost doubles. So it goes up significantly. But simply having diabetes put you at the same risk of having a heart attack as having had a previous heart attack.
So it's significant. As you saw there, Anderson, it was 10 years, you know, at the point that he was talking about it, he already had the disease for 10 years. Also the fact that he had had a stroke in the past indicates that the -- the blood vessels could develop what is known as arthrosclerosis.
Anderson, something you know about, most people know that it's hardening of the arteries. If he'd had that stroke, it shows that his blood vessels had developed that, even back at that time, several years ago, and then, you know, he had this outpatient procedure, that could also put him at increased risk. You start adding all things up, and it is a -- something that doctors would obviously be very concerned about because of his age and his past history.
COOPER: Miss Franklin, did you surprise you that -- I mean even in the last few years, even after his serious stroke, he was still doing, you know, the "Dick Clark's Rockin'" -- you know, the New Year's celebrations. Did it surprise you that he wanted to keep on working?
FRANKLIN: No, it did not. The industry is something that keeps one young and of course he had to have had a love for it to have done it as long and as well as he did it.
COOPER: Well --
FRANKLIN: So, no I was not very surprised when he made such a courageous effort in coming back to the "Rockin' New Year's Eve," I did see that. And I just wished him well.
COOPER: And Miss Franklin, I have never seen anyone who stayed as youthful looking as Dick Clark did through decade after decade after decade. It's pretty remarkable.
FRANKLIN: Ageless. Ageless.
COOPER: Yes.
FRANKLIN: Yes. Ageless.
COOPER: Yes. We've got to take a short break. We're going to be back with much more about Dick Clark, more with Miss Franklin and Little Richard, Sanjay Gupta. Also Andy Cohen from Bravo is going to join us in the conversation next. He's the latest in a long line of TV's personalities who counted Dick Clark as an inspiration. So does Ryan Seacrest who is lucky enough to work alongside him.
Ryan Seacrest wrote today, quote, "When I joined his show in 2006, it was a dream come true to work with him every New Year's Eve for the last six years." He continued to say he was a remarkable host and businessman and left a rich legacy to television audiences around the world. We will all miss him."
President Obama also paying tribute tonight, quote, "He reshaped the television landscape forever as a creative and innovative producer. And of course for 40 years we welcomed him into our homes to ring in the New Year. But more important than his ground breaking achievements was the way he made us feel as young and vibrant and as optimistic as he was."
Our own tribute continues after a short break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Our breaking news tonight, the passing of Dick Clark, died today at age 82, left behind legacies and music, pop culture, and as we've been saying in the media business, he was part of perhaps the only legal pyramid scheme in American history, the "$10,000 Pyramid," also bringing in the Golden Globes TV, the American Music Awards, blooper shows, even took time to put together a collection of his own bloopers on "American Bandstand". Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLARK: What do you think about girls in bikinis, do you endorse it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like it.
CLARK: I'm with you, but it will be interesting. I honestly don't think American girls are going to go for this stuff.
Then there's some good old everyday mistakes.
And now we roll along once again with -- this should be Jerry Lee -- no. Zandie and the Juniors.
You know we have so much to remind you about. The Monkees today on the bandstand, next one of my -- there's a slip. The Beatles today on Bandstand.
For the first time we have two of the top 10 song here tonight. You've heard Johnny B. Good. Not yet? Huh? I gave it away. How about the manual dexterity? Take a look at a very nice machine provided by the Ross Electronics people of Chicago. They gave us three of these a show. Oops, what have I got here? You can carry it about with you and you can run it on batteries, too, let's take the little top off here, I'll show you the top. The wonderfully (INAUDIBLE) got his microphone tucked under my arm and I can't do anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: The joys of live TV in the golden age. Some moments out from the early days of what we would turn into a media empire. More now on the business of being Dick Clark from Tom Foreman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dick Clark was, from the very start of "American Bandstand," a fresh faced young man with a wise old head for business. It was Clark who convinced ABC in 1957 to take his local TV dance show to a national audience five days a week.
Clark, who focused on the biggest acts, turning it into an instant hit, and Clark who played off of his rising fame by hosting dances off-camera to make extra money. CLARK: Hey, Mike, can I have the mic back? Just for a second?
FOREMAN: Making money was always Clark's admitted goal. He graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in business administration and formed his own company the very year "Bandstand" went national, investing in music publishing, record production and distribution. Years later he would tell the "Los Angeles Business Journal," "I knew being a performer does not necessarily carry with it a lot of longevity, that's why I became a producer. "
And what a producer. Dick Clark Productions grew into a Hollywood power house. Clark over the decades became involved in hit game shows, primetime reality shows, awards programs, holiday specials, feature films and TV dramas. By the late 1970s, he had signed one of the biggest production deals ever with NBC.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications estimates Clark's company produced more than 7500 hours of programming, and there is, of course, "New Year's Rockin' Eve." That program has been a mainstay of ABC's lineup every New Year's since 1972.
(On camera): At times there seemed no end to how big Dick Clark's empire might grow. He produced concerts, wrote books, hosted radio shows, opened restaurants, bought real estates, sold skin care products, through it all he was renowned as a no-nonsense stickler for details who started and ended meetings on time.
(Voice-over): So how much was he worth. "Forbes" note that he originally put just one of his houses up for sale in Malibu for $3.5 million and estimates at his peak Dick Clark was making what today would be around $60 million a year.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Back now joining us on the phone, the legendary Aretha Franklin. Also Little Richard. Also joining me here in the studio, Andy Cohen, host of Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live."
Andy, for you, how influential was Dick Clark?
ANDY COHEN, HOST, "WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE": Well, he is amazingly so, because he was not only a great host but he was a producer as we just saw. And when you look at the breadth of shows that he produced, he came up with an award show to compete against the Grammys, which is you would think unheard of.
COOPER: Right. The American Music Awards.
COHEN: The American Music Awards now and I think it's 30th year or more, which is a huge show for ABC, just everything that he did was an incredible breadth of work.
COOPER: Miss Franklin, were you surprised when he came up with the American Music Awards? I mean it really was a competition to the Grammys. That's a tough thing to do and yet he made it a success.
FRANKLIN: He certainly did. And no, I was not surprised. If Dick Clark did it, if he touched it, it turned to gold. And after the American Music Awards, after-parties were too, too fabulous.
COOPER: Really?
FRANKLIN: everything was wonderful as the American Music Awards after-party. As --
COOPER: Tell us, I want to hear the details on this, Miss Franklin.
(LAUGHTER)
FRANKLIN: Really good, really good. Great after-parties. Spent a lot of money.
COOPER: Little Richard, do you remember these after-parties as well?
LITTLE RICHARD: Yes. I didn't ever attend any because I was traveling and going to other places, but anything Dick Clark touched, it becomes a success, it becomes gold. Overnight, because he's a very successful businessman, he's a tycoon in business, and he knows what he's doing and he knows how to do it. And if he touched you, you're moving up. You're going up.
COOPER: Little Richard, did you know even back when you first started being on a show -- back in the day that he was as savvy a businessman?
LITTLE RICHARD: Yes, I did because, you know, Dick (INAUDIBLE) going to fall for mine. I had just made 7 to 9 myself.
COOPER: That's amazing.
LITTLE RICHARD: I've had two heart attacks and God brought me through, and Dick Clark saw me and told me one time what I needed to do. I had pain, he told me what I needed to do and I started doing it. Dick Clark is a great businessman, he's a -- he knows what he's doing.
COOPER: One of the best things that's happened to me in the last couple of weeks, was just listening to you and Miss Franklin talking during the commercial break to each other. If I could just -- when -- do you remember the first time, Little Richard, you met Aretha Franklin?
LITTLE RICHARD: I've known Aretha for years. I've always loved Aretha, even I know (INAUDIBLE) shout of song way back, never grow old. And where she sung with so much feeling, she got so much feeling (INAUDIBLE), that ain't moving must move when she sings, she makes my toes move.
COOPER: She makes -- (LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Miss Franklin, do you remember the first time you saw Little Richard?
FRANKLIN: Yes, many years ago I met Richard at the Apollo Theater, he came backstage and we met. There was something that he wanted me to record and I think it was, "You Saw Me Crying in the Chapel."
LITTLE RICHARD: Yes.
FRANKLIN: I think that was it.
COOPER: Wow.
FRANKLIN: But that's where we met.
COOPER: Miss Franklin, what do you think --
FRANKLIN: Not that many years ago.
COOPER: Not that many years, OK. Five years ago, maybe.
LITTLE RICHARD: She's way, way younger than me. Way younger.
FRANKLIN: Yes, I was a baby then.
(LAUGHTER)
LITTLE RICHARD: She was way younger. She was a hot girl but she's -- you know, young girl. This age is not (INAUDIBLE).
COOPER: Miss Franklin, what do you think Dick Clark's legacy is going to be?
FRANKLIN: Oh, my god, I think just -- that he made such a great contribution to the health and welfare of the young adults across this country and in and out of the country.
COOPER: We've got a "Digital Dashboard" question from one of our viewers from Facebook. Shirley asks, "Was he as kind off set as he was on set?" Miss Franklin?
FRANKLIN: Yes, he was the same man off camera that he was on camera. His manner never changed. Very mild mannered, just a warm and beautiful man.
COOPER: I think, Little Richard, that's one of the things that really came across on the screen is even if -- I mean viewers really didn't know much about his personal life, what -- who he was in person, but he came off as sort of the every man that was just very likable, a person you wanted in your home. LITTLE RICHARD: Yes. What you saw -- what you see is what you get, what you see is it for Dick, he's a real, real, real good man. And I'm not just saying that because he's passed away, I hate that he's passed away but he is a good man that loved people and he shows his love and his joy to you. The last date I did with him -- he kept (INAUDIBLE). And that's the last time I've seen Dick and his wife. He had a party (INAUDIBLE) and I played for the party.
COOPER: You played for the party?
LITTLE RICHARD: I've got a fair show, by the way, at the time.
COOPER: That must have been quite some party.
Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, thank you so much for talking with us tonight, I appreciate it.
FRANKLIN: Thank you.
COOPER: I know you got to go.
FRANKLIN: Richard, it sounds like you should be paying for the party because --
(CROSSTALK)
LITTLE RICHARD: I've been screaming, Aretha.
(LAUGHTER)
FRANKLIN: OK.
COOPER: All right. Have a good night.
LITTLE RICHARD: And nice hearing you, baby, and I love you, and God bless you.
FRANKLIN: Thank you so much, Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Thank you.
FRANKLIN: It was a pleasure speaking with you, I'm sorry that it had to be on such a sad occasion.
COOPER: I am as well, but it's an honor talking to you and talking to Little Richard as well. THANK YOU.
FRANKLIN: Thank you. Bye-bye.
LITTLE RICHARD: Thank you for -- thanks for bringing me on, Anderson.
COOPER: I appreciate it, Little Richard. Thank you.
LITTLE RICHARD: I love this show. I always have loved it. Thank you. We'd love to have you back sometime. Take care. Andy Cohen is going to stick around with us.
It is amazing because there are very few people who are sort of broadcasters in the broad sense that he was.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: I mean you think about Regis Philbrin, Larry King, people could kind of span the range of doing a serious thing, doing a dance show, doing a game show, doing a whole variety.
COHEN: And I think the key word, and you've said it a couple of times is likeable. He was so likeable there was nothing offensive about this guys, and President Obama used the word that has been on my mind for the last few hours, which is optimistic.
COOPER: Right.
COHEN: There was optimism about his that I think spanned his entire career. When I was a producer at CBS News, he was creating a show called -- it was a competition for "The View."
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Like a male "View", right.
COHEN: And it was an all-male version of the "View".
COOPER: I remember Danny Bonaduce and Mario Lopez.
COHEN: Exactly well, through a crazy set of circumstances I went in for the show and became a finalist to be on this show and wound up with Dick Clark and spent a day with him in a room. Had never met him before, obviously he was so nice to me and so kind. And he also was on -- he was on air, but he was really there as a producer. So he was going to be the Barbara Walters in the show and he it did, ran for a couple of years, I think, on NBC.
But he was giving me these amazing notes and he was bringing things out of me that I didn't even know how to even be your act. He was incredible just in that room that day and so nice.
COOPER: Andy, stick around. We're going to continue the conversation. We've also got Barry Gordy, founder of Motown Records. Another legend on the phone. He's going to joins us just moment. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Our breaking news tonight, the death of Dick Clark, the Jacksons tonight releasing this statement on his passing, quote, "Not only did he create a beloved platform that allowed numerous gifted artist to break through, he single-handedly redefine popular culture. His legacy will endure and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time." It is really mind-blowing the number of music giants, the Jacksons included, who played "American Bandstand" in the decades it aired on network television. Here's a moment from 1970.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLARK: Ladies and gentlemen, would you greet the Jackson 5.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Amazing. I was watching some clips of Madonna earlier, a few years ago, Andy Cohen watch what happens live is joining us in the studio.
And joining us also in the phone, the legendary Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records and the hit behind that song and many more.
Mr. Gordy, thanks so much for being with us. What are your thoughts about the impact that Dick Clark had on the music in America particularly Motown?
BERRY GORDY, FOUNDER MOTOWN RECORDS (via telephone): First of all, Anderson. I am so saddened and devastated over the loss. I heard about it this morning and I just could not get myself together for a while. Dick and I were friends for over 50 years. And I was -- you know, I was from Detroit and he was from Philly and we wound up being next door neighbors in Malibu, California for a long time.
So, we had a lot of time together and I knew him just very well and what he did for music was just beyond even explanation. And what he did for me personally, was the same way in terms of the act that I had on the show, if it were not for Dick Clark, I do not believe Motown would have been the company it was.
COOPER: Because he was willing to put so many African-American artists on the air, and then - I mean, his program was integrated, and people -- black people, white people in the audience dancing?
GORDY: Well, I don't think he really, you know, it was just kind of what he was and it was like music overcame everything. You know, the bandstand platform was such that he brought it in from the top to the lowest, from Beatles to Aretha Franklin and Beach Boys to little Richard. And I just think he didn't do it from a soapbox, he just did it, that's who he was. You know, he was about music and he knew music brought people together and I don't think he thought as much about it as the public did.
Obviously he got some flat for it, I'm sure. But he continued and he just broke barriers without doing it the way other people do it. And emotionally, the music brought people together, emotionally before integration laws and all the people were about that that was just Dick Clark.
That was just Dick's part. He was a wonderful, wonderful man and he did everything with class and style and integrity. If he gave you his word, you could count on it. You know -- COOPER: Which that is high praise in the TV business. There are a lot of people who it's not that way.
You know, Andy. I was thinking about this earlier today. I mean, in many ways, hi paved the way for certainly someone like Ryan Seacrest, or - you know, I'm doing multiple. I work for multiple network doing 60 minutes. I have a syndicated show. You were an executive at Bravo, but you were also on the air. At Bravo, you, you know, hosted Ms. Universe pageant. I mean, --
ANDY COHEN, TV HOST, TV EXECUTIVE: I did by Dick Clark production.
And when Dick Clark started to do this, there were really other than Merv griffin that we were talking about, I don't think there were not that many people who were on air and also working behind the scenes.
COHEN: You are absolutely right. And when you look at his career, we were trying to think of other people who have done this. I mean, Merv Griffin, one of the amazing legacy, but look at what Dick Clark has done. That's like Merv Griffin supersize in a weird way just terms of the breath.
But, no, and Mr. Gordy, if you look at the career he's had, and he also has produced incredible shows along the way as well.
COOPER: Yes.
Mr. Gordy. Did -- was he always a good businessman? Was he always - I mean, how did he know how to do all these stuffs?
GORDY: Yes. He was born with the knowledge, not only was he a good businessman, he knew how to deal with people and he always had that humility about him that, you know, that comes natural with being who he was.
You know, he was -- it was honored at the 1993 academy of television, arts and sciences - I mean, the hall of fame. That's what it was, the hall of fame. And I presented him with the award and he was so humble, that he cried like a baby, it meant so much to him. I mean, and as great as he was, he would always be humble to people. And always talked to people, always take pictures, always make people feel that they were really good friends and he was interested in them.
I mean, Dick was an amazing, amazing man.
COOPER: That really came across on TV. And I think it's why so many people wanted him in their homes. He seems like somebody who you would want entertain your home, who you wanted just to have a conversation with and was genuinely likable.
Berry Gordy, I know, it's been a difficult day for you and I appreciate you being on the program to talk about the Dick Clark that we knew and the Dick Clark that you knew, your friend that you for so long. Thank you so much, Mr. Gordy.
GORDY: My pleasure. You're welcome.
COOPER: Yes. And Any, thank you. Appreciate it.
COHEN: Thanks.
COOPER: Yes. Really interesting. Let us know what you think. We are on facebook, Google plus. Follow me on twitter @andersoncooper. We're tweeting about Dick Clark tonight. Let's know your memories about him, what you think his legacy is going to be.
There's also breaking news in the secret service sex scandal. We are learning new details about what 11 secret service agents were allegedly doing before President Obama arrived in Columbia last week for an International summit. three of those agents were out of their jobs. We will talk to a "New York Times" reporter in just a moment who actually interviewed one of the women. And the story she tells is unbelievable. The latest ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well, there's breaking news in the sex scandal that put the secret service back in the hot seat. Tonight, three of the 11 secret service agents who allegedly brought prostitutes back to their room in Cartagena, well, while they were on the job, no longer have these jobs.
According to secret service, one agent was allowed to retire, another has resigned, and a third has been put on noticed to be fired. That leaves eight agents on administrative leave. Their security clearances pulled while the investigation continues.
Now, as many as ten military personnel are also under investigation, including five army special forces members. The allege it misconduct unfolded last week before President Obama arrived in Columbia for international summit. Now, by the time his plane touched down, the agents and officers caught up in the scandal had already been sent home.
A source tells CNN that investigators are now looking on to whether drugs were involved in the incident. What's more, we have learned the allegations were even worst that first thought.
Joining me now is CNN National security contributor Fran Townsend who's just learning more details. You found a more information about the specific team the service members were on. What can you tell us?
FRAN TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: Anderson, you know we talk about these guys, this group of secret service agents being part of the advance. And I think the common assumption is that they have been there for sometime in advance for the President's arrival.
Well, what we're learning now is that this group of agents, at least some portion that are part of what's called the junk team. The junk team arrives only in the last 36 to 48 hours before the president's arrival, typically bringing the presidential limo with them.
At least the portion of this team brought the limousine in with them. They had just arrived the morning of this incident. So you arrive, you drop the car off, the car is being protected, that's not an issue.
They go to their hotel, they check in. There's a control room where you can get rid of any sensitive documents and weapons. Shower up you get ready and you go out to dinner. And it's the evening they arrived in the country.
COOPER: So, that makes the same day they arrive, they go out and pick up these women allegedly.
TOWNSEND: That's exactly right.
COOPER: And they obviously had some knowledge of where to go or somebody had some knowledge of where to do where they asked around, I guess.
TOWNSEND: Well. It's not clear, you know. I -- presumably that will come out as part of the investigation. What we do know is that the secret service, like many law enforcement agencies has an office in Columbia at the embassy in Bogota. And so, there would have been agents, local agents, who are also working on there before the president's arrival.
COOPER: There's also - I mean, I've been in Cartagena, and it's amazing place in Columbia as an amazing country. But, plenty of people will come up to you on the street, identify you as George and come up and say, what do you interested in? Where do you want to go? I will help you. I mean local people who are paid by these clubs to encourage people to go and that's also a possibility, I suppose.
TOWNSEND: Absolutely. We know certain details of the investigation so far have leaked. There weren't women who were under the age of 20. All the women seem to been of age, if you will.
One source said to me, there is no indication, they have interviewed maids, they have interviewed others and there's no indication of drug used involved. But there was clearly, we know from sources and witnesses, there was a lot of drinking going on. And there was a dispute over the payment. In fact, you have to wonder, Anderson, if there hadn't been dispute over the payment of the one prostitute, if this any of these would have come to light?
COOPER: Well, in a moment, we are going to talk to "New York Times" reporter who has interviewed one of these women who is at the heart f the scandal because she is the one who had a dispute over the payment, and the story - he is going to tell in just a moment. It's really stunning, about the details of this that it went on so long.
But, I got to say, just hearing the details that we know for far, we don't know everything yet, it's hard to believe this is an isolated incident. I mean, it's hard to believe that a bunch of guys hit the ground running in Cartagena and it makes you wonder what's been going on, on other trips.
TOWNSEND: Absolutely. I will tell you, Anderson. When I was in the government and I was the protective when I was traveling internationally, I saw no sign of anything of the sort, they were incredibly professional. Everything I saw.
But you were not there for the advanced team and what happened there. I do think though, the fact that it's 11 people, two supervises and this happens as you say so close to the time of their arrival explains why the director of the secret service Mark Sullivan has said he's going to appoint this external panel to look at this. Because I think there are some concerns about whether this is an isolated incident.
COOPER: Fran. Appreciate your being on and talking to sources. Thanks very much.
As we mentioned, one of the prostitutes allegedly hired by the U.S. secret service agents and brought back to the hotel room, has gone public with her story. She is 24-years-old. She said she didn't realize the American man she met last week was a secret service agent.
William Neuman, reporter for the "New York Times" interviewed her. I spoke with him just shortly before airtime about what she told him.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: William you spoke to the woman who is at the heart of this who was involved in the argument over payment with the secret service agents. What is her side of the story?
WILLIAM NEUMAN, REPORTER, NEW YORK TIMES (via telephone): One of the things she said was that she had no idea these guys were secret service agents. She says she only found out a few days later when the news broke and that she was really stunned by that.
She said that she met up with a small group of Americans in a discotheque here in Cartagena and one of them was essentially hitting on her and said he wanted to be with her and she says that she told him, well that's great, but you have to give me a gift. And he said, well, how much is the gift and she says that she told him $800.
And then a lot of drinking happened and at some point she and him went back to the hotel. And also, there was another Colombian woman who hooked up with another secret service agent. And they all went back to the hotel together.
And the next morning this woman asked for her payment. And the guy said -- he became angry, and he said I was drunk, you can't expect me to pay that and she insists and he called her name and gets angry and throws her out of the room. And then she then -- there's this sort of bizarre scene unfolds where she enlists the help of this other prostitute and the other American and they sort of knock on the door. She says they were discrete and weren't trying to make a scene. But they spent a couple of hours trying to coax this guy to open his door. And according to her he wouldn't even say a word.
And finally, she gets fed up and goes to leave and runs into a police officer in the hotel. Tells him the story and he goes back with her and then you have this bizarre scene where you've got two Colombian police officers now, these two prostitutes, hotel security guy shows up. And then at some point more of the Americans come out of their hotel rooms and they -- and according to her, three of these guys are standing in front of this one guy's door, sort of blockading it and against from the people around there. And this is all going on this very fancy beach front hotel the day before President Obama shows up at the summit meeting.
COOPER: The scene that you describe is unbelievable. I mean, the fact that it went on this long. There were reports that the president's schedule may have been in the room which would obviously be a security concern. Did she see the schedule or anything else that could have jeopardized the president's security?
NEUMAN: No. There's no indication on that. As she said, she had no idea at all that these guys had anything to do with the government or Obama or any kind of security thing.
COOPER: This woman was very clear with you that she was an escort not a prostitute. This may be a dumb question but what is the difference?
NEUMAN: It was upsetting to her even though she had never been identified in any of these reports, that people were talking about her as though she was a common prostitute and she insisted, I am not a prostitute, she said I'm an escort and she said the difference is that she gets paid more money and has a better sort of clientele.
COOPER: You say the woman was still angry but also seemed scared, fearing some kind of retaliation from the U.S. government?
NEUMAN: You know, I think that she's scared of a bunch of things. I think she's scared to find herself as the person who sort of kicked the hornet's nest and started this thing off. She's scared, she says, of, you know, that maybe this guy is now in big trouble and could lose his job and would want to retaliate against her.
She says this is a U.S. government. This is a huge deal. And you know, I think that this is, you know, this is just a society where often for good reason there's been reason to be afraid of authority and, you know, government security apparatus. So there's just this sort of, she's afraid that somebody might want to do something to her.
COOPER: I have been to Cartagena several times. I'm not familiar with this place where they met. Is this a place where one would go to specifically meet one where you could go and hire or was this a Disco-tech where lots of different kinds of people go?
NEUMAN: Well. You know, there's been a lot of clubs named in news reports and stuff. A lot of these clubs are literally whore houses, dressed up -- not even dressed up. But someone's bar and various a abbreviated way, sort of strip clubs. But, primary they are whore house.
This particular place was not. This was a fairly high end disco and right in sort of the tourist part of town.
COOPER: William Neuman, I appreciate your report on this. Thank you.
NEUMAN: All right. Thanks very much.
COOPER: We will continue to follow the story as it unfolds.
In Texas tonight, police say they now know why this baby boy was stole from his mother's arms moments after she was gunned down outside her pediatrician's office.
The baby is safe tonight, his life however, has changed forever. Details ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Incredibly disturbing story out of Texas tonight. There is, though, one piece of good news in it. This baby boy is alive and safe. His name is Keegan and he is back in father's arm. Keegan's mom, however, is dead.
Police say, she was gunned down by the woman who then snatched up Keegan and drove off with him. She is in custody tonight charged with the crime the most two terrible and should bizarre to contemplate.
Here's Ed Lavandera.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kala Golden was doing what mothers do, caring for her newborn baby, taking her 3-day old son, Keegan to a doctor's checkup. That's when police say she was confronted by another woman, a stranger. Witnesses say an argument erupted, then horrifying sounds.
TIA COLLINS, EYEWITNESS TO CRIME: They were struggling and I didn't know what was going on. But after I heard the -- after the fourth gunshot, then I knew something was going on.
LAVANDERA: The attacker shot Kala Golden several times in the chest then snatched the baby. Witnesses says Golden even after she was shot could be heard screaming, my baby.
LIEUTENANT DAN NORRIS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TEXAS SHERIFF'S OFFICE: The mother of the 3-day-old child has been shot and she tried to get the child from the vehicle and she was dragged to the ground as the car took off.
LAVANDERA: An amber alert is issued and adjust few hours later detectives searching for a description of the suspect's getaway car find it in a apartment complex in Montgomery County, Texas near Houston.
A S.W.A.T. team descends on the apartment and arrest 30-year-old Verna McClain. A short time later, they find baby Keegan alive and unharmed with McClain's sister in a neighboring county. And that's when investigators say they begin to unravel McClain's shocking motivation.
CAPTAIN BRUCE ZENOR, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TEXAS SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Initially, information is that she did have a miscarriage, she need to justify having a child to her soon to be fiance and they were going to get married in May, and she had led him to believe she was pregnant and she had a child, so she needed a child. She needed to produce a child.
