( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )
>> NICE JOB, GUYS!
>> Stephen: I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>> I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE!
THIS IS INCREDIBLE!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: I HAVE SO MANY
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU TONIGHT, I MIGHT ACTUALLY REFER TO MY
CARDS, BUT I'LL TRY NOT TO, AND I'M SURE I WON'T GET TO ALL OF
THEM, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS I WANT TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT, NOT ONLY YOUR CAREER, BUT ESPECIALLY THIS MOVIE THAT COMES
OUT TOMORROW, "A STAR IS BORN," WRITTEN, DIRECTED AND STARRING
BRADLEY COOPER AND YOU.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: AND I'VE GOT SOMETHING ON THESE PEOPLE,
THEY'VE NEVER SEEN IT, BUT I THINK EVERYONE'S GOING TO SEE
THIS MOVIE BECAUSE I RARELY LEAVE A MOVIE THEATER AS MOVED
AND AS INSPIRED NOT ONLY AS AN ARTIST BUT ALSO JUST AS A HUMAN
BEING, TO BE BETTER AND TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AROUND ME
AND TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH AND
WHAT THEY WANT TO EXPRESS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL AND SO HUMBLE TO BE
HERE.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> YOU KNOW, THERE CAN BE 100 IN
THE ROOM AND 99 DON'T BELIEVE IN YOU AND JUST ONE DOES, AND
BRADLEY COOPER BELIEVED IN ME, AND I WOULD NOT BE HERE WITHOUT
HIM TODAY.
HE'S INCREDIBLE.
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: HOW DID THAT COME
ABOUT?
HOW DID YOU MEET HIM AND END UP GETTING THIS PART?
>> WELL, IT WAS JUST KIND OF THIS INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.
I SANG THE NIGHT BEFORE I MET HIM AT AN EVENT FOR CANCER
THROWN BY SEAN PARKER.
I WAS DOING A JAZZ SET THAT EVENING, AND BRADLEY JUST HAD TO
BE IN THE AUDIENCE AND I GOT A PHONE CALL THAT HE WANTED TO
MEET ME THE NEXT DAY, AND HE CAME TO MY HOUSE AND I'M, LIKE,
OH, MY GOD, WHAT'S GOING ON?
AND HE CAME INTO THE HOME, AND I LOOKED INTO HIS EYES, AND I JUST
FELT AN INSTANT CONNECTION WITH HIM.
HE MADE ME FEEL SO COMFORTABLE.
HE'S SUCH A KIND AND LOVING PERSON.
IT'S SO RARE.
I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING, THERE'S A LOT OF FAKE PEOPLE IN
HOLLYWOOD, AND BRADLEY IS NOT ONE OF THEM.
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: YOU KNOW, HE'S
PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVE.
>> THAT, TOO.
>> Stephen: HE'S PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVE, GREAT ACTOR AND A
FANTASTIC MUSICAL PERFORMER.
HE CO-WROTE THIS MOVIE AND HE WROTE HIS SONGS AND DIRECTED IT.
AND ACTED.
>> Stephen: AND ACTED.
I ADMIRE HIM SO MUCH MORE AND I LIKE HIM SO MUCH LESS BECAUSE
LEAVE SOMETHING TO THE REST OF US IS MY FEELING WHEN I LEFT THE
MOVIE.
COME ON, ( BLEEP ) DAMN IT, BRADLEY BRADL COOPER, SOME OF US
TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING.
>> HE IS REALLY GREAT AT EVERYTHING.
THAT'S THE TRUTH.
>> Stephen: IS THIS THE PREMIERE AT THE THE VENICE FILM
FESTIVAL?
>> YES.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) THAT'S AMAZING.
>> IT WAS A REALLY FUN TIME.
IT WAS JUST A CULMINATION OF THE WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE I HAD WITH
HIM.
YOU KNOW, THAT DAY THAT I MET HIM AT MY HOUSE, HE WANTED TO
SING A SONG WITH ME CALLED "MIDNIGHT SPECIAL" BY CREDENCE
CLEAR WATER REVIVAL.
>> Stephen: SURE.
I BEFORE WE SANG, I FED HIM FIRST BECAUSE HE WAS HUNGRY AND
WE'RE BOTH ITALIAN AND FROM THE EAST COAST AND THAT'S WHAT YOU
DO.
SO I WAS HEATING UP LEFTOVER PASTA IN A FRYING PAN, AND WE
WERE TAKING, AND I PRINTED OUT THE SHEET MUSIC AND WENT TO THE
PIANO AND I STARTED TO PLAY, AND HE OPENED HIS MOUTH AND STARTED
TO SING AND I SAID, OH, MY GOD!
I SAID, BRADLEY, YOU HAVE IS A VOICE.
THAT MAN SINGSY HIS GUT, FROM HIS SOUL.
YOU CAN BE A TECHNICALLY PERFECT SINGER, AND I'M SURE THE BAND IS
ALL AGREE, YOU CAN BE TECHNICALLY PERFECT BUT HAVE NO
ABILITY TO TALE STORY.
AND HE CAN JUST TELL A STORY WHEN HE SINGS.
I WAS SO DRAWN TO HIS PASSION AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I
WANTED TO DO THIS.
IT WAS BECAUSE I BELIEVED SO MUCH IN HIM AND I WAS SO
GRATEFUL THAT HE BELIEVED IN ME.
>> Stephen: IT'S ABOUT AN ARIZONA MUSIC STAR, JACK, WHO IS
BRADLEY COOPER'S CHARACTER, AND HE MEETS YOU, AND YOU ASPIRE TO
BE A SINGER, YOU ASPIRE TO BE A STAR.
YOU DO YOUR OWN SINGING, BUT YOU'RE AFRAID TO SHOW YOUR SONGS
TO OTHER PEOPLE.
>> WELL, I WOULD PUT IT DIFFERENTLY.
>> Stephen: I BET YOU WOULD.
( LAUGHTER ) >> YOU KNOW, MY CHARACTER, ALLY,
IN THIS FILM, SHE'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN I WAS.
I MEAN, WHEN I WAS 19 YEARS OLD AND I DECIDED -- YOU KNOW, MY
FRIENDS WERE CALLING MEGAGAY WHEN I WAS OUT D -- ME GAGA WHEN
I WAS SINGING IN CLUBS, I KNEW I WOULD BE GAGA.
I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING AND I WAS DRAGGING MY KEYBOARD AROUND
NEW YORK CITY, BANGING ON EVERYONE'S DOOR, I WAS
PRETENDING TO BE MY OWN MANAGER TO GET GIGS.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS YOUR FAKE MANAGER'S NAME?
>> I DON'T REMEMBER.
I WAS LIKE ( ENGLISH ACCENT )
HELLO, THIS IS LADY GAGA'S MANAGER, SHE'S REALLY HOT RIGHT
NOW.
( LAUGHTER ) I WAS REALLY WORKING IT, DOING
EVERYTHING I COULD, I REALLY BELIEVED IN MYSELF.
BUT THE CHARACTER ALLY, SHE'S NOT THAT WAY.
SHE'S IN HER 30s.
SHE'S GIVEN UP.
SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN OURSELF.
SHE'S BEEN TOLD SHE'S NOT BEAUTIFUL ENOUGH TO MAKE IT.
SHE WRITES GREAT SONGS, BUT DOESN'T LOOK SO GOOD.
TRUTHFULLY, SHE'S INCREDIBLY INSECURE AND LACKING IN
SELF-CONFIDENCE.
ETH MEETING JACKSON, OR JACK, AS SHE CALLS HIM IN THE FILM, IT'S
HIS LOVE OF HER AND BELIEF IN HER THAT GIVES HER WINGS TO FLY.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE A CLIP HERE AND THIS IS THE FIRST GUY
YOU MEET.
HE'S DRUNK, IN A BAR, COMES INTO THE PLACE WHERE YOU'RE SINGING.
>> MY CHARACTER SINGS ONCE A WEEK AT A DRAG BAR AND SHE'S THE
ONLY GIRL THAT GETS TO SING LIVE BECAUSE THEY LOVED HER SO MUCH
BECAUSE SHE USED TO WORK THERE AS A SERVER.
>> Stephen: AND YOU GET INTO A FIGHT.
HE'S ICED YOUR HAND DOWN WITH FROZEN PEAS, AND YOU'RE SITTING
IN THE PARKING LOT OF A GROCERY STORE AND TALKING ABOUT WRITING
SONGS.
>> YEP.
I STARTED WRITING THIS SONG THE OTHER DAY.
♪ I'M OFF THE DEEP END ♪ ♪ WATCH AS I DIVE IN ♪
♪ I'LL NEVER MEET THE GROUND ♪ >> HOLY ( BLEEP ).
CAN I TELL YOU A SECRET?
I THINK YOU MIGHT BE A SONGWRITER.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: I THINK THAT
SCENE, IS TO ME, MY WIFE AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT IT, THAT
SCENE IS THE CORE OF THE MOVIE.
THAT SCENE IS THE CRYSTAL AROUND WHICH THE ENTIRE RELATIONSHIP
GROWS.
PART OF THE MAGIC IS WATCHING YOUR CHARACTERS FALL IN LOVE,
INTERTWINED WITH ARTISTIC COLLABORATION.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: HOW MUCH OF THAT STORY OF WHAT IT MEANS TO WRITE
SONGS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO TAKE A RISK BY SHARING YOURSELF IS
YOUR STORY?
>> MAN, IF I DIDN'T HAVE AN ABILITY TO SHARE MY SONGS, I
JUST -- I DON'T KNOW WHO I WOULD BE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S PART OF WHO I AM.
IT'S PART OF WHAT MADE ME HAPPY MY WHOLE LIFE.
YOU KNOW, IF I WASN'T SITTING WITH YOU RIGHT HERE NOW, I WOULD
STILL BE IN A BAR DOWNTOWN, BANGING ON A PIANO SOMEWHERE
WITH MY HIGH HEEL ON THE KEYS, SINGING MY BRAINS OFF.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU DIDN'T SEE RIGHT BEFORE YOU SAW THAT
CLIP IS THAT SHE SINGS TO HIM, "TELL ME SOMETHING BOY, AREN'T
YOU TIRED TRYING TO FILL THAT VOID?
OR DO YOU NEED MORE?
AIN'T IT HARD, KEEPING IT SO HARD CORE.
AND THEN SHE SINGS THE LYRICS AFTER, I'M OFF THE DEEPENED,
WATCH AS I DIVE IN, I'LL NEVER MEET THE GROUND, CRASH THROUGH
THE SURFACE WHERE THEY CAN'T HURT US, WE'RE FAR FROM THE
SHALLOW NOW.
YOU KNOW, FOR ME AS A SONGWRITER IN THESE TIMES, LIKE, I COULDN'T
BE MORE GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE I WORKED WITH ON THIS PROJECT TO
PUT THAT SONG INTO THE WORLD BECAUSE I THINK WE LIVE IN A
PRETTY SHALLOW TIME.
( APPLAUSE ) AND I THINK THAT WE LONG FOR
THAT DEPTH.
WE LONG FOR THAT HONESTY.
>> Stephen: HE SAYS RIGHT BEFORE YOUR CHARACTER, ALLY
REALLY LAUNCHES INTO SUPERSTARDOM, IT'S YOU'VE GOT TO
DIG DOWN DEEP AND BE HONEST OR THE AUDIENCE WILL KNOW YOU'RE
NOT BEING HONEST, OR ELSE YOU WILL HAVE NO LEGS, NO CAREER,
NOTHING YOU WANT TO CONTINUE.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CHALLENGED WITH THAT, HEY, I'M
NOT BEING HONEST, I LOST MY WAY?
OR THAT SONG, I WISH I COULD WOO REDO IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T
APPROACH THAT AS HONESTLY AS I SHOULD HAVE?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT?
I TRY NOT TO DO THAT.
BECAUSE WITH MY RECORDS AND MY MUSIC, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS
EXACTLY WHERE I'M AT.
AND THAT'S AS HONEST AS I CAN BE.
IF I, YOU KNOW, WISH I COULD HAVE TWEAKED SOMETHING IN THE
MIX HERE OR THERE OR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SANG A LITTLE PART A
LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, I TRY NOT TO BE HARD ON MYSELF ABOUT THOSE
THINGS BECAUSE THE MOST HONEST THING I CAN BE IS EXACTLY WHAT
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, AND IF THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IN THAT
MOMENT, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
THAT'S IT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: WELL, WE HAVE TO
TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK.
DON'T GO AWAY.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE LADY GAGA, EVERYBODY!