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BILL O'REILLY: Joining us now from Orlando, Florida, is Scott Stapp, the lead singer of perhaps the hottest rock group in the world, "Creed." That group has sold an astounding 30 million albums the U.S. alone.
So Mr. Stapp, what is on your mind tonight? I understand you watched the special.
SCOTT STAPP, LEAD SINGER "CREED": Yeah, I watched the special. And it inspired a lot of thought, and inspired me to give you a call, and basically talk about it with you a little bit.
O'REILLY: All right, what's on your mind?
STAPP: Well, I was kind of concerned because I thought you put a lot of emphasis on the amount of records that, you know, Insane Clown Posse and Marilyn Manson and other artists that you had on show, they had sold, and the impact that that showed on our youth.
And I really felt like, that it kind of misrepresented the impact that they are making. I really feel like, it's a very minute number in the grand scheme of things. And if you add it up, all the artists that have more of a positive message. and even a medium to moderate message that just had sincerity and was about life, it had much more of an impact on our youth. And you get those facts based on the sales numbers.
O'REILLY: All right, that's -- I mean, it's a legitimate point. Let me answer it now. Insane Clown Posse, and let's throw them up so people know who we're talking about here, have had one platinum and two -- three gold albums.
STAPP: Right.
O'REILLY: One platinum and three golds.
STAPP: Right.
O'REILLY: And they've sold about -- close to three million albums.
STAPP: OK.
O'REILLY: So yes, compared to you, they're small-time players.
Marilyn Manson sold about five million albums.
STAPP: Right.
O'REILLY: And he's a bigger player than Insane Clown Posse. But the point was this, Mr. Stapp, that the children most at risk in America, the kids that don't have a lot of guidance, the kids that don't have parents who really care about them, are targeted by these guys, these guys -- and the rappers too. You know, the gangsta rappers.
They target the kids that are most at risk and are most vulnerable to their, what I think, insidious message. And therein lies the message of the special that these children, hearing this without guidance are very, very likely to adopt anti-social attitudes.
STAPP: Well, I came here basically to give you a little bit more hope, because I think these kids are making better decisions than you think. And I also think that these artists don't think it through enough like you did and specifically set out to target these groups of kids. I think they're just looking for a gimmick to sell some records.
O'REILLY: I think you're right.
STAPP: In any way that they can.
O'REILLY: Although Marilyn Manson's a very bright guy. He's a very smart guy.
STAPP: I've spoken with him.
O'REILLY: Yes, he is.
STAPP: And he is a very intelligent person.
O'REILLY: And he basically says that there are kids who are disenfranchised that need an outlet for their anger. And he provides it.
Very interesting what he says. But you know, and you know this, too. You being in the business and you being very successful. The people that are really at fault here are the music companies, the record companies.
STAPP: You're exactly right. And it's the sensationalism that the media, the record companies and the music press put on these artists, and make them appear to have a much larger impact than they do. So it scares a lot of the parents. And it scares a lot of the general public who watched your show into thinking that these..
O'REILLY: But it should be. It should scare them.
STAPP: Well, it scares them into thinking that they have a much more dramatic impact than they do...
O'REILLY: Maybe, maybe.
STAPP: ...on the overall --
O'REILLY: But it's like anything else. I mean, we did the movie industry, too. And you could say, well, look "Shrek," and "Ice Age," and all these are great G-rated movies. And they're swell. And a lot of people go to see them. More people go to see them than the other movies that are corrupting.
But the fact that all of this stuff is available, not only records, but TV, movies, Internet, all of it's available to troubled kids. I got to tell you, that worries me. But I'll give you the last word. And we want to congratulate you and your band, which is a pretty clean-cut operation.
I hope that doesn't stigmatize you. But your stuff is pretty entertaining and not damaging at all. We congratulate you on your success. I'll give you the last word.
STAPP: Well, thank you. I just want to say that I believe that we have -- we should have a lot more hopeful view on what the choices that our youth of today are making, especially post-September 11.
And you know, I feel like, you know, this is a small subculture that it's a phase in their life that they're going through, and that there's a lot more out there that they'll grow into and mature into. And there's a lot more positive things out there that are there to wrap their arms around them and give them hope and love and dreams. And that's my last word.
O'REILLY: All right, Mr. Stapp. And we respect it very much.
Thank you.
STAPP: Hey, thanks for having me.
O'REILLY: Pleasure.