[ APPLAUSE ] >>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
IM MEGYN KELLY.
DID YOU ALL SEE SERENA WILLIAMS
AT THE ROYAL WEDDING?
SHE LOOKED STUNNING.
JUST EIGHT MONTHS AFTER GIVING
BIRTH TO HER DAUGHTER, ALEXIS
OLYMPIA.
AND NOW, SHES READY TO GET BACK ON THE COURT, WHICH IS AMAZING.
SHES CRUSHED THE COMPETITION
FOR MUCH OF HER CAREER, NUMBER
ONE IN THE WORLD.
NOW, POST MATERNITY LEAVE, SHES GOING TO GO TO GRAND SLAM, SHES
GOING TO GO TO GRAND SLAM TENNIS.
TENNIS.
NEXT WEEKS FRENCH OPEN, RANKED 453. WEEKS FRENCH OPEN, RANKED
453.
THATS RIGHT.
SHES GOING TO RETURN AT A FAR
LOWER RANK BECAUSE SHE COMMITTED
THE SIN OF HAVING A BABY. TENNIS STILL TREATS CHILDBIRTH
LIKE AN INJURY.
JOINING ME NOW TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND A BOMBSHELL ADMISSION
FROM BRETT FAVRE, ARE THE HOSTS
OF "AMERICAN NINJA WARRIORS."
>> YES.
>> YES. MATT ISEMAN AND AKBAR
GBAJA-BIAMILA ARE HERE.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> WELCOME.
>> WELCOME.
TAKE A SEAT. >> GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> THE SCRUFF.
I LIKE IT.
>> THATS HIS G.Q. LOOK.
>> I LIKE IT.
>> WHAT I WAS DOING BEFORE APPARENTLY WASNT WORKING,E
APPARENTLY WASNT WORKING, MEGYN.
MEGYN.
>> IT WAS WORKING FINE, MATT.
LETS TALK ABOUT SERENA.
THE DEAL IS TENNIS TREATS PREGNANCY AS AN INJURY.TS
PREGNANCY AS AN INJURY. IT APPLIES THE SAME RULES IF YOU
SPRAIN AN ANKLE AND YOUR RANK
DROPS.
DROPS.
NOW, SHES 453.
OFFICIALS AT THE FRENCH OPEN
COULD HAVE CHOSEN TO OVERLOOK THIS AND SAID, WE REFUSE.LOOK
THIS AND SAID, WE REFUSE. >> LET ME TELL YOU, ITS A
BROKEN SYSTEM.
BROKEN SYSTEM.
EVERYONE KNOWS.
453.
THINK ABOUT THAT. THATS SERENA WILLIAMS.
YOU TELLING ME THAT 452 PEOPLE
ARE BETTER THAN SERENA WILLIAMS?
THAT CANT BE RIGHT.
CLEARLY, THE ALGORITHM IS OFF.
I HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO THE
WBC AND IBF CHAMPION.
I SAID, HOW DOES THAT WORK FOR
BOXING?
BOXING?
IF YOURE THE CHAMPION IN BOXING
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
SHE SAID, YOU WOULD PROBABLY
HAVE TO ASK FOR A GRACE PERIOD.
THATS WHAT NEEDS TO BE
IMPLEMENTED HERE, A GRACE
PERIOD.
>> IT IS.
HER AGENT DID SAY, SHE HAD TO
REBUILD HER BODY.
GIVE CREDIT TO A MOTHER FOR GOING THROUGH CHILDBIRTH.OR
GOING THROUGH CHILDBIRTH. GIVING BIRTH TO ONE OF US.
AND THEN, RETURNING TO THE
COURT.
COURT. >> IF THATS A DISADVANTAGE TO
HER PHYSICALLY, AND PREGNANCY IS
A PHYSICAL SETBACK, IT WILL
MANIFEST ON THE COURT.
SHOULDNT SHE BE ALLOWED TO COME
BACK IN WITH THE RANK SHE HAD?
>> I DONT KNOW IF NECESSARILY
COMING BACK WITH THE RANK SHE
HAD BECAUSE THINK 14 MONTHS IS A
LONG TIME.
LONG TIME.
AND THERES A LOT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO WORK THEIR WAY UP THE
RANK.
RANK.
IF THEY CAN COME UP WITH A SYSTEM WHERE THEY SAY, HERES A
GRACE PERIOD.
GRACE PERIOD.
SEVEN MONTHS, EIGHT MONTHS.
THEY HAVE TO ALLOW SOMETHING
THAT ALLOWS OTHER COMPETITORS TO
WORK UP THE RANKS.
>> FOR HER TO BE IN THE SAME
GROUPING.
>> THE GROUPING.
BUT NOT TO DROP DOWN SO LOW.
>> IT POSES AN UNEXPECTED
ELIMINATION RISK BECAUSE SHE FACES THE SERIOUS COMPETITORS AT
THE START OF THE COMPETITION.
POSES AN UNEXPECTED ELIMINATION
RISK FOR WHOM?
>> RIGHT.
>> IM SURE THE RIVALS DONT WANT TO FACE HER EARLIER,T
WANT TO FACE HER EARLIER, EITHER.
EITHER.
>> AND THE TOURNAMENT DONT WANT HER OUT.HE TOURNAMENT DONT WANT
HER OUT.
THEY KNOW WHO THE BIGGEST DRAW
IN TENNIS IS, AND THATS SERENA. >> WHO CAME UP WITH THIS SYSTEM?
>> THE WTA SAYS THEY WILL
CONSIDER THE RULES FOR NEXT YEAR
ON THE RANKING SYSTEM.
BUT NOT THIS YEAR.
THEY DO REMAIN COMMITTED TO
EVOLVING.
EVOLVING.
TO ACCOUNT FOR THE BIRTH OF
HUMAN BEINGS.
SO, THATS GREAT.
>> IT IS A MIRACLE. AND CREDIT TO THE MOTHERS WHO DO
THAT AND RETURN SO QUICKLY.
FIZZ LOGICALLYJ
FIZZ LOGICALLYJ PHYSIOLOGICALLY, CONSIDERING
PHYSIOLOGICALLY, CONSIDERING WHAT A WOMANS BODY GOES
THROUGH, FOR HER TO RETURN IS
REMARKABLE.
REMARKABLE.
>> SHE WAS BEDRIDDEN FOR SIX WEEKS BEFORE THE BIRTH OF HER
CHILD.
CHILD.
SHE ALMOST DIED.
WERE ROOTING FOR HER.
MY PREDICTION IS SERENA GETS THE
LAST LAUGH ON ALL OF THIS.
OKAY.
>> WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT BRETT FAVRE.GOT TO TALK ABOUT BRETT
FAVRE.
MATT, IN ADDITION TO "AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR" HOST, WAS AICAN
NINJA WARRIOR" HOST, WAS A DOCTOR.
DOCTOR.
AND AKBAR PLAYED IN THE NFL. BRETT FAVRE HAD A STUNNINGL.
BRETT FAVRE HAD A STUNNING ADMISSION, HE WAS IN REHAB THREE
TIMES.
TIMES.
TWICE FOR VICODIN ADDICTION, AND ONCE FOR ALCOHOL. ADDICTION, AND
ONCE FOR ALCOHOL. IT HARKINS BACK TO A QUOTE HE
SAID IN 1996, HE SAID, IM 26
YEARS OLD.
YEARS OLD. I THREW 38 TOUCHDOWN PASSES IN 1
YEAR.
YEAR.
IM THE NFL MVP.
PEOPLE LOOK AT ME AND SAY, ID LOVE TO BE THAT GUY.D SAY, ID
LOVE TO BE THAT GUY. BUT IF THEY KNEW WHAT IT TOOK TO
BE THAT GUY, THEY WOULDNT LOVE
TO BE HIM.
I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
THAT WAS AN EYE-OPENER FOR A LOT
OF FANS.
BUT YOU KNOW, HAVING PLAYED IN
THE NFL, THE TRUTH IS, THAT BRETT FAVRE IS CORRECT.THAT
BRETT FAVRE IS CORRECT. FOR WHAT WE GO THROUGH AS NFL
PLAYERS, ESPECIALLY THE CULTURE
THEN, THERES A THING CALLED THE
T-TRAIN.
T-TRAIN.
AND GUYS WILL LINE UP TO TAKE
THIS THING CALLED TORDAL. >> ITS A MEDICINE.TORDAL.
>> ITS A MEDICINE. >> IT HELPS TO REDUCE THE PAIN
AND EFFECTS.
AND EFFECTS. ITS A VIOLENT SPORT.
IT IS.
IT IS. THE CULTURE HAS CHANGED SINCE
THEN IN THE NFL.
BUT PLAYERS WOULD HAVE EASY
ACCESS TO THESE VICODINS, AND
YOU LOOK AT THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC
IN THIS COUNTRY AND YOU SEE WHAT
THEYRE GOING THROUGH.
THE SAME THING WAS GOING ON IN
THE NFL LOCKER ROOM WHERE PLAYERS HAVE ACCESS AND BUILT UP
THIS TOLERANCE AND BEFORE YOU
KNOW IT, YOURE ADDICTED TO
VICODIN.
IT WASNT HARD TO SAY, I HAVE
THIS BROKEN THING OR THIS MUSCLE BRUISE, HERE YOU GO. THIS MUSCLE
BRUISE, HERE YOU GO. >> THIS IS A REFLECTION OF WHAT
WERE SEEING IN SOCIETY AT
LARGE, THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC.
THERES A MISCONCEPTION, IF ITS
PRESCRIBED BY A DOCTOR, ITS
SAFE.
SAFE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAW WAS PAIN-SEEKING BEHAVIOR.AW WAS
PAIN-SEEKING BEHAVIOR.
PEOPLE WOULD COME IN, KNOWING
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY, TO TRY TO
GET THESE PRESCRIPTIONS. ITS UNFORTUNATE THAT WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THINGS LIKE MARIJUANA OR
THINGS THAT PLAYERS USE TO GET
PAIN RELIEF, THATS OUTLAWED BY
THE NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION.
THATS TESTED FOR.
THAT MIGHT BE A MORE EFFECTIVE
PAIN RELIEVER AND LESS ADDICTED
THAN OIPPIOIDS.
THAN OIPPIOIDS. THEYRE ENCOURAGED TO USE THINGS
ARE ADDICTIVE.
ARE ADDICTIVE.
>> WE HAD PARENTS ON HERE ADVOCATING THIS, PARENTS WHO
LOST CHILDREN TO O.D.s OF
LEGALLY DESCRIBED DRUGS.
I HAD THREE C-SECTIONS.
WHEN I HAD THEM, THEY GAVE ME
ONE OF THOSE.
I TOOK LIKE TWO THE DAY MY KIDS
WERE BORN AND I BROUGHT THE
BOTTLE HOME AND PUT IT IN MY
MEDICINE CABINET THINKING, IM
GOING THE NEED IT LATER.
LATER NEVER COMES AND THE PILLS
SIT THERE.
SIT THERE.
AND A LOT OF TEENAGERS IN PARTICULAR, WILL GO OVER TO
THEIR FRIENDS HOUSE AND STEAL
THEM AND O.D.
ITS VERY DANGEROUS.
AND GOOD FOR BRETT BEING HONEST
ABOUT IT NOW AND TALKING ABOUT
IT OPENLY.
IT OPENLY.
>> THIS IS THE PRICE WE DONT WANT TO TALK ABOUT, THAT A LOT
OF THE ATHLETES PAY.
SACRIFICING THEIR BODIES.
ITS SOMETHING WE DONT TALK
ABOUT, CTE IS THE SAME THING.
WERE STARTING TO SEE THESE
BILLS COME DUE.
THESE ARE THE HARD QUESTIONS
THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO ASK WHEN
THEY DEAL WITH THE PHYSICAL
SPORTS.
ARE WE WILLING TO PAY THESE
CONSEQUENCES?
>> ITS NOT WORTH IT.
I LOOK AT MY LITTLE ONES.
I SHUTTER AT THE THOUGHT OF THEM DRINKING ALCOHOL OR TRYING ATHEM
DRINKING ALCOHOL OR TRYING A DRUG.
DRUG.
BUT TO THINK THEY WOULD BE IN A SPORT WHERE IT WAS NOT ONLYIN A
SPORT WHERE IT WAS NOT ONLY ACCEPTED BUT EVEN CONDONED, YOU
KNOW, THAT SORT OF ABUSE.
>> NOW, THE NFL HAS TAKEN A
TOTALLY DIFFERENT APPROACH TO
WHERE PLAYERS ARE MORE AWARE OF
THE EFFECTS OF THESE VICODINS.
THEYRE NOT PASSING IT OUT LIKE
THE CANDY.
THE CANDY. THERE USED TO BE THE BLACK BAG
GOING ON A PLANE AFTER A GAME,
BLACK BAG COMES AROUND.
HERE YOU GO.
NOW, THAT CULTURE IS NO LONGER
EXISTING IN THE NFL.
THAT WAS THE CULTURE IN 95.
>> GOOD.
>> GOOD.
PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE OF IT,
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR IT.
SPEAKING OF GREAT ATHLETES,
BRANDI CHASTAIN.
SHE GETS HONORED.
>> THIS IS A GOOD STORY.
>> THE HALL OF FAME, INDUCTED
INTO THE BAY AREA HALL OF FAME. AND SHES A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN,AME.
AND SHES A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, RIGHT?
RIGHT?
AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE LITTLE
PLAQUE THEY DID OF BRANDI.
YEAH.
PEOPLE SAY IT LOOKS LIKE MICKEY
ROONEY THAN BRANDI CHASTAIN. >> OR BABE RUTH.DI CHASTAIN.
>> OR BABE RUTH. >> WHEN PABLO PICASSO SAYING, IS
THAT SUPPOSED TO BE A FACE?
IT LOOKS LIKE HON SOLO IN
CARBONITE.
CARBONITE.
OR REX RYAN. MICKEY ROONEY OR ANDY ROONEY
FROM "60 MINUTES."
YOU KNOW WHO I FEEL BAD FOR IS
THE ARTIST.
THE ARTIST. THIS ARTIST DID THE BEST JOB
THEY COULD.
THEY COULD.
AND NOW, THEYRE LIKE, HUH?
>> TO QUOTE THE LINE OF THE
SONG, YOUR BEST ISNT GOOD
ENOUGH.
>> PLEASE DONT REVEAL IT.
WHEN THEYRE DOING THAT, THEYRE
THINKING, DO I HAVE IT RIGHT? >> ITS LIKE LAUREL AND YANNY, I
HEAR ONE THING AND I HEAR THE
OTHER.
OTHER.
THE ARTIST IS LOOKING, I SEE CHASTAIN.T IS LOOKING, I SEE
CHASTAIN.
AND HIS WIFE OR HUSBAND IS PROBABLY LIKE -- NO, IT IS.
>> THE LIONEL RICHIE "HELLO"
VIDEO, WHEN THE BLIND WOMAN MADE
THE BUST OF LIONEL RICHIE.
IT LOOKED MORE ACCURATE THAN
THIS BRONZE PLAQUE THERE.
>> Reporter: IT REMINDS ME OF
THE LUCILLE BALL STATUE, WHICH
LOOKED NOTHING LIKE LUCILLE
BALL.
BALL.
>> IF THEY OFFER TO DO A BRONZE BUST OF YOU, LETS DO A A BRONZE
BUST OF YOU, LETS DO A PAINTING.
PAINTING. >> THATS THE LUCILLE BALL ONE.
MAYBE ITS THE SAME ARTIST.
MAYBE WE SHOULD OUT THE PERSON.
AND IN BETTER NEWS AFTER
INITIALLY SAYING THEY WERE NOT
GOING TO REDO THE BRANDYI
CHASTAIN ONE, THEY NOW ARE.
THIS IS GOOD.
>> WHY NOT USE THE TECHNOLOGY.
TECHNOLOGY COULD PRODUCE THAT IN
A BETTER WAY.
>> I KNOW.
OR A PHO PUTTING ON
THE RED NOSE.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. >> PUTTING ON THE RED NOSES, FOR
A GOOD CAUSE.
YOURE PARTICIPATING.
THURSDAY NIGHT ON NBC.
TELL US WHAT YOURE DOING.
>> RED NOSE DAY IS ALL ABOUT RAISING MONEY TO HELP ENDOUT
RAISING MONEY TO HELP END CHILDRENS ABOVE TYPOVERTY.
ITS A THREE-HOUR LIVE MARATHON.
WERE LEADING OFF WITH
"CELEBRITY NINJA WARRIOR" WHERE
SUPERFAMOUS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
TACKLE THE COURSE.
LIKE THIS GUY.
>> FOR THE FIRST TIME, IM GOING
TO BE RUNNING THE COURSE FOR "AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR."FOR
"AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR." IVE SEEN THOUSANDS OF ATHLETES
DO IT NOW.
ITS MY OPPORTUNITY.
I HOPE MY GUY DOESNT MAKE FUN OF ME AS IM GOING THROUGH.FUN
OF ME AS IM GOING THROUGH. >> HE DEFINITELY WILL.
>> AFTER THE FIRST PITCH,
THERES NO WAY IT CAN GO ANY
WORSE.
>> HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BRING UP
MY PITCH ON NATIONAL TV?
>> THAT WAS WRONG.
>> ITS HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT.
THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL
CELEBRITY EDITION OF THAT.
AND A LIVE BROADCAST WHERE WE HAVE NO IDEA WHATS GOING TOWE
HAVE NO IDEA WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN.
HAPPEN.
CHRIS HARDWICKE, JANE LYNCH.
>> I WILL BUY A TICKET TO THAT. >> RAISING MONEY FOR CHARITY.T.
>> RAISING MONEY FOR CHARITY. >> LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU BOTH.
RED NOSE DAY IS A SPECIAL AND
AIRS TOMORROW NIGHT AT 10:00
P.M., 9:00 CENTRAL HERE ON NBC.
AND --
>> "AMERICA NINJA WARRIOR."