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 Cher's new movie Stuck On You may be a comedy about Siamese twin frat siblings Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear. But it could be Cher who gets most stuck to her character in the story, playing a rather extreme caricature of, well, Cher. The statuesque, dark-haired and seemingly ageless lady stopped by New York to talk about, among other things, the love-hate relationship with the Farrelly Brothers and their wacky script, her lifelong love-hate relationship with that diva label that won't go away, and what it's like to be stuck in the movie with a boyish lover who still does homework. She also gave a detailed update on where her music is going. Cher slinked into the room in pinstripe pants, a low-cut see-thru red purple veil blouse, long sparkly bone earrings, and a dominatrix style riding jacket. Her hair was done in dreds, and covered with a silver gypsy scarf. Rounding out her flamboyant, one-of-a-kind outfit were floral-print black stiletto boots. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Okie dok. What do you want to know? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
I saw you yesterday, here at the hotel, letting some fans take pictures with you by the elevators. And I thought, how cool is that, taking the time out for your fans. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Well, ninety-nine percent of the time I do that. Because it's as fast to say no, I can't do it, as just signing the autograph during the time you're going, oh no, no, no, just leave me alone. And sometimes that happens, like at Christmas time, when I'm trying to buy something, like the last present. So I'm still kind of a sucker. Yeah, I'm a sucker. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
How is your tour going? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | It's been going for a really long time. But I'm not done. I guess I will be done some time next year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Are you surprised by how well it's doing? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Completely. We've played places like five times, you know. I thought it was just a farewell [tour] in the beginning. But you can't go back to New York and Chicago five and six different times. At some point, somebody is gonna say, "Get outta here!" But does anyone ever say farewell? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
The Who did.... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Yeah, but wasn't it a long time ago that they said farewell? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
I think it was a few years ago. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Well, okay.... I guess they think people have a short memory! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Like those stores that always have "going out of business" signs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Yeah, I love those. But they are always going out of business, from the get go! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
How different is going out on a stage and performing for a thousand people, from getting in front of a camera for a movie? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Completely. I have control on the stage. And I'm completely out of control on the set. You know, I really know what I'm doing on stage. And you have to work a lot harder. Doing a movie, it's boring. But going out on stage, it's fast. You have a new chance every night. People are having a good time before you go out there. And all you have to do is come out and be reasonably good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What about the Farrelly Brothers? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Well, that's like being with the Marx Brothers, all those guys. They were hysterical. And I was on the road, and having breaks and coming down and doing my part. And then going back on the road, and coming back again. So the truth is that I never saw anybody but the boys. I never really met any of the other cast. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Has the success of your tour inspired you musically to do some different stuff? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Well, I'm going to make another album. It's not going to be a dance album. I'm going to go back to my older stuff. A little more rock 'n' roll. And I think that'll be fun. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
How do you feel about the music sharing on the Internet? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | I think it's so bad. I think it's so wrong. It's stealing. That's all there is to it. And it's stealing from the people who can't afford it. The people who wrote the songs. And technicians. It's like dominoes. You know, where you take work out of the people who are packing and printing, and shipping, and all that. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What music are you listening to now? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | I'm actually listening to the Michael McDonald Motown. I just think it's great. I love him. He just has the voice, that one-in-a-million voice that no one has. So, yeah, that's what I'm listening to. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Now, you have this crazy reputation of being a diva. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Ha! Yeah... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Well, where did that come from anyway? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Where does anything come from? You guys! I mean, I don't know, how did I get that? I'm so not the diva. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
But wasn't it fun to send up that reputation, like you do in Stuck On You? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Yeah, that was great. But it's so silly. I didn't even think I had that reputation. I don't really care what anyone calls me. It doesn't make any difference to me. But that's just not who I am. Like I'm not somebody who makes people take out the green M&Ms from the bag. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Uh, which color do you make them take out? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Red! I can't stand the red ones. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Did you have any concerns playing yourself in a movie? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: |
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NYROCK: |
Do you have any guilty-pleasure thing you watch on TV, like reality shows? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | I don't like it, and I don't watch it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
But you've been so much a part of TV, so isn't it ironic that you could care less? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Well, not that there are no good shows on. I just don't watch TV. I don't think to watch TV. And I don't want to see some asshole eat worms, you know? I'm so not into that. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Talk about your look in Stuck On You, and how much input did the Farrelly Brothers have? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | No, they had nothing to do with it. When I told them what I wanted to do, they were so excited. They thought it was really funny. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
So what do you do to put your look together? Do you just go into your closet and pull stuff out? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | No, no, no! I mean, we had things made. I have a great stylist. So we worked together. Some things were from my closet, and some things we put together. We cut new wigs, and all kinds of stuff. It was really important that the only person who had an identity, was my character Honey. So whenever you saw Honey, she had the same hair color, and was in the same kind of outfit. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
How huge is your closet anyway? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | ...Which one?! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
I can't even imagine what Cher's closet looks like. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | It's big. It's big... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Bigger than this pretty big room? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Yeah! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
And what about when your clothing gets phased out? Is there like an auxiliary closet that lives somewhere else? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | No. Sometimes the clothes go to friends and family. And sometimes it goes to Goodwill. Sometimes it goes to secondhand stores. And sometimes it goes to this girl I know. She sells the stuff. And then it goes to charity. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Your clothes are very distinct. Do you ever drive around, and see your clothes on other people who are walking around in them? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Absolutely. Or someone will come up to me and say, "I bought this at so-and-so store. Is it really yours?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
And what do you answer? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | I go, "Yeah," or "No, you got totally ripped off." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Have you ever gotten stuck being in a film where you thought, somebody get me out of this? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Yeah, I'm sure I've said that a whole bunch of times. I actually said it about this film before I went to shoot it! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Really? How come? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Because I just lost all my confidence. And I thought, I am never going to be able to do this right. I'm gonna be such shit in this movie. And I called my agent. It was the night before I was supposed to go there. And I said, "I have to get out of this movie. I have to get out of it!" And she said, "Why?" I told her, "I'm just not going to be able to do a good job. I still haven't figured out how I can play myself, and not play myself. And also play myself, and re-dialogue." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
So what happened to change your mind? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Well, then I kind of got over it. And went down. And once I started doing it, it was so easy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What do you think of the Farrelly Brothers' brand of humor? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | I love it. I mean, I wouldn't have done it, had I not been a huge fan of theirs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
You're famous for reinventing yourself all the time. Where does that come from? Is it a boredom thing, or are you just in love with self-transformation? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Well, you know, I don't really think I do. I'm the same person. I've been the same person since I was six years old. So I don't get that whole reinvention thing. I mean, you do something that's not successful and you're bored, and you do something that's successful, and you're reinventing yourself. Like I do stuff with hair and costumes, and things like that, because what am I gonna do? Come in a pair of overalls and a white tee shirt? I mean, that would be boring. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What did you think when you first got the script for Stuck On You and found out that it was about conjoined twins? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | I thought it was great. I laughed my ass off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Are you concerned that it might be seen as politically incorrect? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | No. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Why not? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Because I hate political correctness. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Have you ever felt that you had to be politically correct, and you didn't want to be? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Yeah, I have. I don't like it much, and usually I don't do it. But I've felt lately, that you have to be. I've shut my mouth a whole bunch of times, when I think I should have spoken. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Well, a lot of celebrities have gotten into hot water lately for speaking out about the way things are. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Yeah. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
It seems that if you're an entertainer, you give up your right to speak out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Well, not Arnold Schwarzenegger, which I find amusing! What can I say? So it's only if you're a liberal? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
How do you feel about the Michael Jackson controversy, and do you empathize with him? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | You know what I empathize about most, is how the press will not stop running the same thing, over and over again. I mean, it's no longer news. He hasn't done anything. That is what I empathize with. I feel though, that this is a good time for him to go to court, and prove his innocence -- or not. I think it's long overdue. But I was really down on him. I mean, we used to be friends. I've known him since he was a kid. But dangling that baby over the balcony, for me that was the breaker. That was kind of the straw for me. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
How do you feel about all the pressure with the Academy Awards voting, and the anti-piracy panic? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | I don't care. I just want to see the movie. And I don't care what outside people want. The only thing I'm upset about is that I had to sign this thing that scared me. Because it said, "We'll take away your Academy membership, if you lose this video." You have to sign this waiver now, when you get your videos. But if any of them go missing.... Don't give them to your friends; don't give them to your family. Just keep them in your house under lock and key! And I just thought, Oh my God, I'm gonna lose my membership? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Have you liked any of the movies this year? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | So few. I loved Once Upon a Time in Mexico. And there were people getting up and leaving right and left, and I was laughing my ass off. I thought it was so funny. But I don't think a lot of people got it, you know? But it was a bad year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
When you won an Oscar, what did you have to do to promote yourself? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | Nothing. I did interviews like this, but nothing else. What do others do? I'm so out of the loop! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Well, they have meet-the-stars cocktail parties, and stuff. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CHER: | That's funny. It sounds like politics! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
You've never been invited to one of those? Continued on Page 2 December 2003
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