THE LATE, LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG KILBORN – TRANSCRIPT OF MARG’S INTERVIEW
May 19, 2004
Craig: Our first guest has been nominated for multiple Golden Globe, Emmy, and Screen Actorâs Guild Awards for her starring role on televisionsâ number one program, âCSI.â
(clip from CSI is shown)
Craig: This is Marg Helgenberger!
Marg: Thank you!
Craig: What? What? What? (at the audience). You look great. You lookâŠ
Marg: Thank you.
Craig: That is a dress. You, yeah, yeah, yeahâŠ
Marg: Itâs actually a skirt and a top.
Craig: Oh, itâs a skirt and a top?
Marg: A skirt and a top.
Craig: Is it a real faux pas to say itâs a dress becauseâŠ
Marg: No, no, no, no, not at all.
Craig: Because the beige matches the beige and you know that⊠(points at her upper body)
Marg: And the shoes too.
Craig: I donât mean to be pointing. Iâll put my hands back over here.
Craig: Thanks for doing the show.
Marg: My pleasure.
Craig: Now you donât have to be here. You donât have to promote âCSIâ because itâs the number one show in the world. So you just, thanks for being here. Thatâs awfully nice of you to come by.
Marg: I love being here, Craig. I always have so much fun.
Craig: And alsoâŠ
Marg: I loved your up front bit. That was so funny.
Craig: Bit?
Marg: Well, skit! What is it? What? Iâm sorry.
Craig: No, it was a skit. I was acting like it was real for a moment. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Craig: Itâs nice because normally you would be there at Carnegie Hall saying hi to everybody.
Marg: We did that, yeah, for the first three years, I think. We did that, yes.
Craig: And, by the way, I want to mention it before I forget, you also want to promote your husband isâŠ
Marg: Oh yeah, sure. Yes. Yes!
Craig: Tell.
Marg: Itâs a little movie called âFrankie and Johnny are Marriedâ which opens in L.A. at the end of this month, in New York in June and then hopefully nationwide.
Craig: Itâs an Indie film
Marg: An Indie film.
Craig: What did he do?
Marg: Itâs based on an actual play, âFrankie and Johnny and the Claire de Luneâ and this producer, Michael Pressmanâs, experience of doing an equity production of that. And Alan plays a character in it.
Craig: So your husbandâs anâŠ
Marg: And Les Moonves has a cameo role
Craig: Oh my gosh. I was gonna sayâŠ
Marg: Yes. Playing himself (laughs).
Craig: So your husband is an actor?
Marg: My husband is an actor. Yes, my husbandâŠ
Craig: And heâs in the movie. Did he direct or produce it or just act in it?
Marg: He just acted in it, yes.
Craig: Okay, cool. We got that out of the way. Are you hurt?
Marg: Thank you.
Craig: Someone said you got injured.
Marg: Ahh, well, yes. I was in Nebraska for the weekend for my niece graduating from high school and I took a spill on a dirt bike so I have a few little scrapes and bruises.
Craig: Now does CBS freak out if you get hurt? Do they do that normally?
Marg: Ahh, they, well, ah, you knowâŠI got lucky because the showâs over and I just shot a movie and thatâs over, and I actually am going to Europe to do some press for the show. And so I avoided areas that are going to be seen.
Craig: Yeah
Marg: So thatâs good.
Craig: So, is it, is it, is it , is it(rubs his thigh) just like a bruise somewhere right around here? (audience laughs)
Marg: Um, no, itâs not on my leg. ItâsâŠthereâs bruise, thereâs a scrape here (points above right breast) and something here too (points at stomach). Yeah.
Craig: Okay. Okay. You look nice.
Marg: (laughs)
Craig: Iâm just going to let my imagination run wild. Youâve gotâŠthis is what Iâm thinking on the stomach. Thereâs a little tattoo there now. Thatâs what IâmâŠthatâs the injury. She fell and she got a beautiful heart tattoo. Thatâs how I work (laughs).
Craig: Now you tape the showâŠ
Marg: Iâd show you but that would be sort of de-classe (sp?), wouldnât it?
Craig: UhhhâŠwhatever. Yeah.
Marg: (laughs)
Craig: Weâll do it later. So you film the show? Itâs on film, up in Vegas. And, are youâŠ
Marg: I, well, yes. Yes, four times a year we shoot in Vegas. Yes, this particular episode you just showed a clip from, yes, was shot in Fremont Experience, that âwackyâ area (laughs). Have you ever been there?
Craig: No, I havenât. Whatâs it like?
Marg: Itâs just kooky. I mean, itâs just old, old Vegas â old casinos and a little downer and dirtier crowd in thisâŠ
Craig: I would enjoy that as opposed to the cookie cutters and the family-orientedâŠ
Marg: You know what. I have to say thereâs a lotâŠthereâs something â if Vegas has any kind of culture (laughs), itâs that old stuff. Because we shot in the Neon Graveyard, which is all of the old signs from the â50s and â60s.
Craig: The Sands Motel, Sinatra, all that stuffâŠ
Marg: Aladdinâs Lamp, The Silver Slipper, itâs like a big shoe â itâs fun, I mean all that kitschy stuff is really fun.
Craig: I heard that, you know, the time you spent in Vegas, when you have downtime, you spend a lot of time in your hotel room, but I also heard you spend time at the sports book and that you like to bet on sporting events.
Marg: I have bet on sporting events, yes. The Carolina Panthers â Iâve put inâŠ
Craig: Thatâs your team!
Marg: Thatâs my team.
Craig: Right, right.
Marg: Exactly, yes.
Craig: And they did very well.
Marg: Yes. I was so close to winning $3,500. That wasâŠ
Craig: Thatâs good⊠(audience laughs)
Marg: I know itâs not a big jackpot.
Craig: No, it is.
Marg: Because I donât really gamble. But I did this time.
Craig: You do have the number one show so maybe you could go up to $4,000 next time.
Marg: I know, I know, I know. Iâd rather spend it on something that I can actually take home with me, I guess. I donât know.
Craig: Why the Carolina Panthers exactly?
Marg: Itâs not really a terribly interesting story, but itâs sort of touching. I was shooting a movie in Wilmington, North Carolina, when they became a team. And my son and husband came to visit. My son was five, four or five at that time, and they said, they made this pact that this was going to be our team. And so weâve followed them ever since then.
Craig: AndâŠ
Marg: And this was, of course, their golden year. And it was just really magical.
Craig: And have you ever seen them play in person?
Marg: I have not, but they have.
Craig: Uh huh. (audience laughs)
Marg: Well, no, no wait! They play mostly on the East Coast.
Craig: I know, I know. I just wonderedâŠ
Marg: They played in Arizona, and Alan and Hughie saw them there.
Craig: And you apparently are in love, like a lot of other people, with the quarterback.
Marg: In love?! (laughs)
Craig: Well, like! You really enjoy him as a âŠ
Marg: Yes I do. I think heâs âŠwell, heâs fun to watch, but heâs ⊠Heâs Cajun, and heâs just gotâŠHeâs a true all-American boy!â
Craig: Jake Delhomme is his name.
Marg: Jake Delhomme!
Craig: Hereâs a picture of Jake.
Marg: There he is! That deserves a whoop, definitely!
Craig: Well, we like to make people happy. This is what we have for you. Charlie Dayton, the Panthersâ publicity director, has invited you to any home game or away game this year, and heâs going to give you tickets â any game that fits into your schedule.
Marg: Awesome!
Craig: Isnât that nice?
Marg: Yeah! I was wondering when they were going to call me.
Craig: And look what Jake Delhomme did⊠(pulls out signed jersey)
Marg: No way!!! Is that really his? He really signed it?
Craig: âTo Marg Helgenberger.â Look at that âBest Wishesâ from Jake Delhomme.
Marg: Oh my God, this is so exciting!
Craig: I love doing that stuff. Surprising people.
Marg: How cool! (laughs)
Marg: Thank you! (kisses Craig)
Craig: Youâre welcome, Marg.
Marg: Thank you.
Craig: Now when she comes back, this is all sheâll be wearing. Okay? (She laughs).
Marg: Did he actuallyâŠ
Craig: He signed it.
Marg: I see that.
Craig: And he wore it. And itâs kind of sweaty, yeah.
Marg: I was wondering if he actually wore it. Wow, how cool is that?
Craig: Stay right there. 5 Questions when we come back with Marg Helgenberger.
(commercial break)
Craig: Look at that! (points at Marg wearing seemingly nothing but the football jersey). Iâve never seen a jersey (audience applauds). It all happened. We did a little change behind the desk during the break and it was great. (Marg laughs).
Craig: You look wonderful. And it fits. Stand up for just a second to show these kids… (Marg stands up and models the jersey).
Marg: I wonder if he really did wear it. It smells pretty clean.
Craig: It smells clean, huh?
Marg: Yeah, well maybe he washed it.
Craig: maybe he washed it. But itâs yours!
Marg: Itâs mine now!
Craig: I want to ask you. Do people know âŠyouâre up for these awards all the time, Emmys and all that kind of stuff. Do people know you got your start in soaps?
Marg: Uhhh, some people do.
Craig: Yeah. What was the soap?
Marg: It was called âRyanâs Hope.â
Craig: Oh, thatâs a famous one.
Marg: Is it?
Craig: Yeah, yeah.
Marg: Itâs no longer on.
Craig: Yeah, I know.
Marg: Itâs a goner.
Craig: Did you save all those tapes and all that kind of stuff?
Marg: Oh God! No! (laughs)
Craig: Is that a no?
Marg: Thatâs a no! Big 80âs hair..
Craig: God, I wish we had a clip.
Marg: and frumpy clothesâŠ
Craig: I wish we had a clip of it.
Marg: You probably do and youâre going to haunt me with it.
(They show a clip from Ryanâs Hope)
Marg: (laughs) Where did you get that?
Craig: Huh?
Marg: Where did you get that?
Craig: Itâs weird. Jake Delhomme sent it to us. He liked you in it. I donât know where we got that. I have no idea, but it was good.
Marg: His own personal stash! (laughs)
Craig: All right, time for 5 Questions. Here we go. GeographyâŠ
Marg: Oh God.
Craig: You went to Northwestern University
Marg: Yes
Craig: which is a wonderful school. My dad always jokes that people go there but donât graduate because itâs such a tough school. I wonât put you on the spotâŠ
Marg: Oh. I did graduate.
Craig: Thatâs great. Thatâs not the answer to the question, but itâs great. How many schools are in the Big Ten?
Marg: Eleven
Craig: Thatâs correct. Eleven. They added Penn. Penn State.
Craig: You were in the movie âBad Boysâ but not âBad Boys 2.â True or False? You never saw âBad Boys 2.â
Marg: Thatâs true.
Craig: Yes, that is correct.
Marg: Wait! I saw some of it!
Craig: They donât care. You got the question right.
Craig: If they have a fourth CSI, not that theyâre going to, what city do I think it would take place in?
Marg: You think? MinnesâŠMinneapolis
Craig: Thatâs a greatâŠokay, Iâll give you a second choice.
Marg: St. Paul?
Craig: No. Iâll give you a third choice. No, nothing to do with Minnesota. Itâs a good instinct but nothing to do with Minnesota. Itâs a major city.
Marg: Chicago.
Craig: Yeah, there ya go. Right there. Oh, rapid fire! I donât know if you can do this. Put 10 seconds on the clock. Name four things important to women that men donât care about at all. 10 seconds. Are you ready?
Marg: Yes!
Craig: Go!
Marg: Cosmetic productsâŠfacials
Craig: Sure
Marg: ListeningâŠ
Craig: You gotta go! You gotta go! Gotta go!
Marg: I know! I donât know!
Craig: ListeningâŠright. Listening as far as listening to stories, right? Yeah. You didnât get four. Thatâs incorrect.
Marg: Sorry!
Craig: Look at these guys. Theyâre so into it.
Craig: And finally, using this whipped cream, okay? (audience cheers). Will you draw a body line of this guy Ted Jessup, one of our writers? Here on the floor? A line?
Marg: Around him?
Craig: Yeah.
Marg: Sure!
Craig: Now, heâs a big man. Go ahead and lay down, Ted. Donât hurt yourself, Ted. (Marg take the cream and starts drawing the line around Ted).
Craig: Oh yeah. Thatâs going well. Yes! Right there!
Marg: Thatâs not bad!
Craig: Good job!
(Marg starts to spray cream between Tedâs legs)
Craig: Hey, Hey! Whoa, Hey! Watch it now! Watch that! Watch it!
Marg: I almost got it on your rug.
Craig: Heâs so happy.
Craig: Okay. She did very well on four out of five. She also got a jersey. We saw a clip of her from âRyanâs Hope. Tickets to the game. âFrankie and Johnny are Married,â her husbandâs movie, starts in a week.
Marg: Youâve got it all.
Craig: And then âCSI.â Yeah, whoop de doo. 9:00, number one show on CBS, Thursdays night.
(Someone in the audience yells âI Love Marg!â)
Craig: Itâs great to see you again. Marg Helgenberger!!!
*Note: I transcribed this interview myself and cannot guarantee that I got every single word that was said. I did my best though and spent hours doing it. Please do not repost elsewhere without allaboutmarg.com’s permission. Thanks!