[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
I’M MEGYN KELLY.
IT’S BEEN A BUSY WEEK.
AND THERE’S A LOT MAKING THE
ROUNDS TODAY.
ROUNDS TODAY. HERE TO HELP ME BREAK IT DOWN,
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, HARLAN
COBEN IS HERE.
AND JOE LEVI.
WELCOME, GUYS.
WELCOME, GUYS. WE’RE STARTING WITH -- IT’S
SUMMERTIME.
SUMMERTIME. SO WE’VE BEEN TALKING A LOT
ABOUT THE SHARK ATTACKS.
APPARENTLY THERE HAS BEEN AN
ACTUAL RISE IN ALLIGATOR
ATTACKS.
ATTACKS. THIS WEEK A GATOR BIT A WOMAN
WHO WAS IN A LAKE IN THE TAMPA
AREA OF FLORIDA.
SHE FOUGHT BACK AND WAS TREATED
AT THE HOSPITAL AND WAS
RELEASED, WHICH IS A MIRACLE.
BUT DAYS EARLIER, BE AN
ALLIGATOR ATTACKED AND KILLED A
WOMAN IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
45-YEAR-OLD CASSANDRA KLINE, A
TEACHER WALKING HER DOG NEAR A
LAGOON WHEN IT HAPPENED.
AND WE HEAR ABOUT THESE FROM
TIME TO TIME.
BUT TWO IN ONE WEEK IS PRETTY
TERRIFYING.
TERRIFYING. AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE NOT
LONG AGO.
LONG AGO. THERE WAS A WOMAN IN JUNE WHO
WAS ATTACKED AND KILLED BY A
GATOR.
GATOR. OF COURSE, WE ALL REMEMBER THE
DEVASTATING NEWS OF THAT LITTLE
BOY DOWN IN FLORIDA AT DISNEY
WHO WAS KILLED A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO.
AGO. AND THE QUESTION IS WHETHER, YOU
KNOW, WE THINK THIS IS A NEW
FEAR, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE MOVING
INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES MORE.
YOU KNOW?
YOU KNOW? WITH, LIKE -- AS WE SPRAWL OUT
IN THESE URBAN AREAS, WE’RE
STARTING OF GOING WHERE WE
HAVEN’T GONE BEFORE.
>> GOING INTO THE ENVIRONMENT OF
THE ALLIGATORS THEMSELVES.
WE’RE BUILDING HOMES THERE.
WE BEGIN TO ENCROACH ON THEIR
TERRITORY.
TERRITORY. YEAH, WE HEAR ABOUT THESE KIND
OF ENCOUNTERS MORE.
SOMETIMES IT’S ALLIGATORS.
YOU’RE FROM JERSEY.
BEARS, RIGHT?
BEARS, RIGHT? WE HEAR ABOUT PEOPLE SPOTTING
BEARS IN THEIR BACKYARD.
>> YEP.
>> YEP. >> WITH THE BEAR, I’M SO
CONFUSED.
CONFUSED. BECAUSE THEY’RE LIKE ALL SORTS
OF RULES.
OF RULES. I’M GOING OUT TO MONTANA THIS
YEAR ON VACATION.
AND IT’S LIKE, IF YOU RUN IN A
BLACK BEAR, YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO
STAND YOUR GROUND AND SAY,
LIKE -- HELLO, BEAR!
>> BUT IF IT’S A BROWN BEAR,
YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO COVER UP.
>> BUT IF IT’S A GRIZZLY BEAR,
KISS YOUR BUTT GOODBYE.
>> WHAT KIND OF BEAR ARE YOU.
SO I KNOW.
>> IF THEY HAVE THE HUMP HERE,
YOU’RE DEAD.
YOU’RE DEAD. SO HONESTLY, I DON’T EVEN KNOW
WHAT TO DO.
I DON’T KNOW HOW THIS WOMAN
FOUGHT WITH AN ALLIGATOR AND WON
TO THE POINT WHERE SHE HAS
ALREADY BEEN RELEASED FROM THE
HOSPITAL.
HOSPITAL. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> BUT I’LL TELL YOU, IT’S
SCARY.
SCARY. AND THESE PEOPLE WHO WALK DOGS
OR WALK IN THE PARKS, RIGHT
ALONG THOSE FLORIDA -- LIKE
PONDS.
PONDS. >> BECAUSE APPARENTLY WHAT YOU
READ, IF YOU READ ABOUT THIS, IS
THAT ALLIGATORS DON’T ACTUALLY
WANT THE PEOPLE.
BUT THEY LOOK AT THE DOGS AS
PREY.
PREY. >> YEP.
>> YEP. >> SOMETHING SMALL.
MAKE YOURSELF BIG, I GUESS.
ONE PIECE OF ADVICE WAS TO MOVE
AWAY FROM THE ALLIGATOR.
WELL, YEAH, I’M GOING TO DO
THAT, OKAY?
THAT, OKAY? [ LAUGHTER ]
I’M GOING TO DO THAT.
>> SOMETHING YOU COULD HAVE USED
FIVE MINUTES EARLIER.
THE OTHER THING IS, MY
SISTER-IN-LAW LIVES IN CAPE COD.
AND THERE WAS A MAN RECENTLY
ATTACKED.
ATTACKED. HE LIVES IN SCARSDALE, RECENTLY
ATTACKED BY A SHARK, BITTEN IN
THE TORSO.
THE TORSO. AND SHE SAID ON THAT BEACH AND
ON MOST BEACHES THERE, BECAUSE
CAPE COD HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF
SHARK ATTACKS, THEY HAD HUGE
SIGNS ON THE BEACH SAYING, "SWIM
AT YOUR OWN RISK.
SHARK ATTACKS FREQUENT."
YOU KNOW, LIKE -- WHO WOULD GO
PAST THAT AND GO INTO THE WATER?
>> THAT’S THE ONE THING WE
SHOULD POINT OUT THAT IT’S A
LITTLE SCARE TACTIC.
THE NUMBERS ARE REALLY LOW.
>> VERY.
>> VERY. >> OF THESE SORT OF THINGS.
>> ESPECIALLY ALLIGATORS.
>> AND I THINK THE FACTS HAVE NO
FEELINGS -- WE HAVE TO HAVE --
WE GET SCARED OVER THINGS THAT
MAYBE WE DON’T HAVE TO BE QUITE
SO SCARED OF.
>> NOTWITHSTANDING WHAT HAPPENED
WITH THIS WOMAN WHO FOUGHT OFF
THE ALLIGATOR, YOU KNOW THE ODDS
ARE IT’S NOT SO GOOD.
THAT’S WHY -- IF YOU HAVE A CAR
CRASH, YOU COULD LIVE.
IF YOU HAVE A PLANE CRASH, WE
KNOW HOW IT USUALLY ENDS.
>> WE HEAR ABOUT COUPLES WHO SAY
MY HUSBAND AND I ARE GOING TO
FLY ON SEPARATE FLIGHTS.
BUT DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. STATISTICALLY --
STATISTICALLY -- >> SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING YES.
>> BUT STATISTICALLY, IT’S JUST
FACTUAL THAT YOU WOULD BE BETTER
OFF IF YOU WERE DRIVING IN
SEPARATE CARS AND FLYING ON THE
SAME PLANE.
SAME PLANE. BUT, AGAIN, FACTS DON’T CARE
ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS.
>> EXACTLY RIGHT.
TO YOUR POINT, WE SHOULD TELL
THE AUDIENCE, THERE’S BEEN AN
AVERAGE OF TEN ALLIGATOR BITES A
YEAR IN THE 2010s.
AN AVERAGE OF EIGHT A YEAR IN
THE 1980s.
THE 1980s. AND THEN IN 2017, THERE WERE 155
INCIDENTS OF SHARK HUMAN
INTERACTION WORLDWIDE.
INTERACTION WORLDWIDE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN,
INTERACTION?
INTERACTION? LIKE, HEY -- SORRY.
[ LAUGHTER ]
SORRY.
SORRY. I’M OUTTA HERE.
>> IT ALSO SAID ALLEGED
INTERACTION.
INTERACTION. >> ALLEGED SHARK -- WE CAN’T
VERIFY ALL OF THOSE
INTERACTIONS.
INTERACTIONS. SOME OF THEM MIGHT HAVE JUST --
>> IT WASN’T SUBJECT TO
CROSS-EXAMINATION.
CROSS-EXAMINATION. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT BOOKS.
WE KNEW YOU WERE COMING TODAY,
HARR LONG,
HARR LONG, HARLAN.
HARLAN. A NEW STUDY SHOWS A THIRD OF
TEENAGERS DO NOT READ BOOKS AT
ALL FOR PLEASURE.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> SO YOU KNOW -- HAVE YOU SEEN?
FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE ARE
READING FOR PLEASURE NOW.
GIVEN THE ADVENT OF THE INTERNET
AND ALL THESE GAMES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE.
AVAILABLE. A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, NO
BIG DEAL.
BIG DEAL. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> THEY’RE STIMULATING THEIR
MINDS IN OTHER WAYS.
LIKE, WHAT’S THE GAME THAT
EVERYBODY IS SHOOTING -- THE
GUNS IN -- WHO WANTS THAT GAME?
FORTNIGHT.
FORTNIGHT. THEY’RE PLAYING FORTNIGHT.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
>> OF COURSE.
WE SHOULD BE READING.
>> READING HARLAN COBEN BOOKS.
>> SPECIFICALLY.
>> SPECIFICALLY. BEING SPECIFIC.
BEING SPECIFIC. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE’RE ALL
READING LESS NOVELS.
WE ARE ALL TOO OFTEN ON OUR
SOCIAL MEDIA.
SOCIAL MEDIA. WE’RE ALL ON THESE PHONES MUCH
TOO OFTEN.
TOO OFTEN. THIS IS NOT A TEENAGED PROBLEM.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD COMPLAIN
ABOUT, IF I COULD RANT FOR A
SECOND, WE GIVE OUR KIDS TOO
MUCH HOMEWORK NOW.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THE KIDS IN SCHOOL GET TOO MUCH
HOMEWORK.
HOMEWORK. THEY’RE NOT ALLOWED TO READ FOR
FUN.
FUN. MOST OF THE WRITERS YOU’VE HAD
ON THIS SHOW, IF YOU STARTED
ASKING THEM, THEY STARTED
READING COMIC BOOKS, THINGS THAT
ARE VERY COMMERCIAL.
NOW WE FORCE THEM TO READ STUFF
WE SHOULDN’T.
WE SHOULDN’T. THAT MIGHT BE ONE SOLUTION,
WOULD BE GIVE THEM A LITTLE MORE
TIME TO READ.
SECOND THING IS, I THINK WE’RE
ACTUALLY -- I DIDN’T READ THAT
MUCH AS A TEENAGER.
>> REALLY?
>> REALLY? >> I READ SOME.
BUT NOT LIKE -- LIKE THEY’RE
TALKING ABOUT.
TALKING ABOUT. >> WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
TEENAGERS, FOR GOODNESS SAKES.
LET’S MARVEL AT THIS STUDY.
THAT MEANS TWO-THIRDS OF
TEENAGERS READ A BOOK FOR
PLEASURE.
PLEASURE. AND, YOU KNOW, LET’S THINK ABOUT
TEENAGERS FOR A SECOND.
DO YOU CALL UP -- DO YOU SEE
TEENAGERS CALLING EACH OTHER,
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I’M READING A BOOK FOR PLEASURE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
REALLY?
REALLY? I MEAN -- SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT
IDEA!
IDEA! I’M IN.
I’M IN. >> WEREN’T YOU READING HARDY
BOYS, I LIKED NANCY DREW.
>> HUNGER GAMES.
KIDS ARE READING HARRY POTTER.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS KIDS
STILL READ.
STILL READ. >> IF YOU COULD ORDER A
TEENAGER -- LIKE COMMAND THEM TO
READ ONE BOOK, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
>> ONE OF MINE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
I’M CURIOUS.
I’M CURIOUS. WHICH ONE, IF YOU HAD TO PICK
ONE OF YOUR OWN.
>> "SHELTER" BY HARLAN COBEN.
BUT I WAS ACTUALLY THINKING OF
THE ONES I LOVED AS A KID, THE
CS LEWIS AND NARNIA SERIES.
"A WRINKLE IN TIME," STILL A
CLASSIC.
CLASSIC. AND SOME HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE, SO
I THINK THAT PROBABLY --
>> MY 8-YEAR-OLD LOVES "DIARY OF
A WIMPY KID."
THOSE ARE HYSTERICAL.
>> FUNNY.
>> FUNNY. >> AND THE MOVIES ARE HYSTERICAL
TOO.
TOO. WHAT ABOUT YOU?
IF YOU COULD COMMAND --
>> I LOVED "THE HOBBIT" WHEN I
WAS A KID.
THERE WERE NO MOVIES BACK THEN.
I ACTUALLY HAD TO READ THE
BOOKS.
BOOKS. AND ONE LED ME TO ANOTHER TO
ANOTHER TO ANOTHER.
BUT ALSO WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER
WHEN I WAS 15 OR 16, I GOT HOLD
OF "ON THE ROAD," THAT JACK CARE
WHACK BOOK.
WHACK BOOK. IF I COULD FIND A WAY TO
HITCHHIKE THROUGH MIDDLE EARTH,
I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY.
>> BOOKS BEING WRITTEN FOR THEM,
"THE HATE YOU GIVE," REALLY
GREAT LITERATURE.
GREAT LITERATURE. >> I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WHY ISN’T
YA, BUT I LOVE "A SHORT GUIDE TO
A HAPPY LIFE" JUST LITTLE PIECES
OF ADVICE ON EACH PAGE THAT
RESET YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT’S
IMPORTANT AND A TEENAGER COULD
TAKE THAT IN, IN A MEANINGFUL
WAY.
WAY. BUT "DIARY OF A WIMPY KID" IS
ALSO REALLY GOOD.
>>> SPEAKING OF CHILDREN, I KNOW
YOU HAVE KIDS.
NOT YET, RIGHT?
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL.
OR MAYBE NOT.
COULD BE VERY HAPPY WITHOUT
THEM, I HEAR.
REALLY HAPPY.
REALLY HAPPY. >> WE HAVE CATS.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. BUT THEY’RE NOW -- THERE’S THIS
CONTROVERSY BREWING, BECAUSE
SOMEBODY WROTE INTO THE
"WASHINGTON POST" SAYING MY
2-YEAR-OLD REFUSES TO GET
DRESSED.
DRESSED. HOW CAN I WIN THIS WAR.
EVERY PARENT HAS BEEN THERE.
AND THE ADVICE BACK WAS, DON’T
TRY TO CONTROL THEM.
YOU JUST LET IT GO.
JUST LET IT GO.
AND THEY SAID, IF YOU FEEL THE
NEED TO INTERVENE, ENGAGE IN
BREEZY DISCUSSION ABOUT CERTAIN
OUTFITS THAT ARE TYPICALLY WORN.
LIKE, ALL PARENTS ARE LAUGHING,
BECAUSE IT’S LIKE -- THIS IS NOT
HOW THE MORNING GOES.
IT’S LIKE, PUT IT ON!
RIGHT NOW!
RIGHT NOW! NOW!
NOW! >> ARM, SLEEVE, ARM, SLEEVE!
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> REMINDS ME OF THAT "FRIENDS"
EPISODE.
EPISODE. I’M BREEZY.
I’M BREEZY. PUT IT ON!
I’M BREEZY.
I’M BREEZY. >> AND KIDS ARE THE BEST AT IT.
I LOVE WHEN THEY GO COMPLETELY
SLACK.
SLACK. >> CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE STARTS
YOUNG.
YOUNG. >> THEY JUST GO COMPLETELY
SLACK.
SLACK. THEY KNOW EVERY MOVE IN THE
WORLD.
WORLD. >> IT’S LIKE A TREND WHEN IT
COMES TO RAISING CHILDREN OF
JUST, LIKE -- YOU JUST LET THEM
FIGURE IT OUT.
IT’S LIKE, OKAY -- AND THEY’RE
LIKE, LET THEM PICK WHATEVER
THEY WANT TO WEAR.
IT’S LIKE, WELL, WE LIVE IN NEW
YORK CITY AND IT WAS 10 DEGREES
ZERO AND MY CHILD WANTED TO WEAR
SHORTS.
SHORTS. OKAY, FINE.
OKAY, FINE. I’M KIND OF BIG ON THE LAW OF
NATURAL CONSEQUENCES.
NATURAL CONSEQUENCES. >> DID YOU LET HIM?
>> I HAVE DONE THAT, AS A MATTER
OF FACT.
OF FACT. YES.
YES. BUT I DON’T THINK THEY’RE IN THE
SAME MIND-SET OF I AM AS LAWS OF
NATURAL CONSEQUENCES.
NATURAL CONSEQUENCES. YOU’LL FREEZE AND THEN YOU’LL
LEARN!
LEARN! LISTEN TO MOMMY!
THEY’RE MORE LIKE, LIVE AND LET
LIVE!
LIVE! IT’S ALL GOOD!
>> AND THAT’S WHEN YOU REALIZE
YOU’RE A PARENT.
OH, MY GOD, I’M MY DAD.
WHO TURNED UP THE THERMOSTAT!
>> TOTALLY.
>> TOTALLY. >> OH, MY GOD, MY DAD IS HERE.
>> SOMEONE KEEPS DOING THAT IN
MY HOUSE, TOO.
WELL, IN ANY EVENT, I’M GOING
CONTINUE AS I HAVE BEEN, WHICH
IS PUT IT ON RIGHT NOW OR NO
DESSERT!
DESSERT! WHICH ALSO WORKS.
THREATENING ANY SORT OF FOOD.
>> I WAS ACTUALLY TERRIFIED
THERE FOR A SECOND.
I WILL DO WHATEVER YOU SAY.
>> THANKS, JOE.