E-mail a friendTom Arnold
original airdate January 23, 2004
Host of Fox Sports Net's The Best Damn Sports Show Period, Arnold once worked at a meat packing plant. His co-workers would never imagine that he'd win a Peabody Award for writing and a Golden Globe for writing and producing. Arnold set up a writing scholarship and runs an acting workshop for students at a community college in Iowa. He's also active with various children's charities.
Tom Arnold
Tavis: 10 years ago, Tom Arnold co-starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film "True Lies," which means that one day he just might become governor of California. Until then, he's happy talking sports on "The Best Damn Sports Show Period" which airs weeknights on Fox Sports. Tom, nice to see you.
Tom Arnold: Good to see you, buddy.
Tavis: How are you?
Tom: I'm doin' well, doin' well.
Tavis: So is that--I've been dying to ask you. So is that why you endorsed Arnold, because you guys became friends?
Tom: We did become friends. But it was unusual because it was, like, my first big movie, and we stayed friends after that, and I assumed that when you acted with somebody you were friends for life.
Tavis: Right.
Tom: So my next movie was "Nine Months" with Hugh Grant, Robin Williams, all these people. At the end of that movie, I said, "Hey, what are we doin' next week?" And they're like, "There's no next week." So Arnold was sort of probably the only time I stayed friends with somebody, and he's a good man, and I supported him.
Tavis: So does that mean you're Republican?
Tom: No, I'm a Democrat.
Tavis: You're a Democrat.
Tom: Just like Arnold.
Tavis: Just like Arnold.
Tom: Yeah, you read his issues, you goin' through, down line for line through the issues, and that's the same thing. But you gotta say he's a Republican.
Tavis: So how do you think he's doin'?
Tom: I think he's doin' well. I think, you know, between now and March is very important. You know, he's tryin' to get some loans, get things organized. I think he's probably--he'll hate this. But he may have to raise some taxes for the upper cats. But he's doin' a good job. It's a full-time job. I think he thought he could go up there, work 3 days a week up there, then be in L.A. for a few days, you know? But it's tough. They're not makin' it easy for him, John Burton and the other people up there. They're not makin' it too easy.
Tavis: So you sound very knowledgeable about this political thing. Politics something that you dibble and dabble in or--
Tom: I'd love to be the governor of Iowa. That's my dream, yeah. But--where I'm from. But I know a little bit about it. My wife is a political consultant. I know John Burton, who's the president of the Senate here.
Tavis: I was impressed when you said that.
Tom: Yeah, he's a good man, good friend of my father-in-law who's in politics, Mike Roos. So I know all these people. Willie Brown married me--me and my wife. He was our minister, and so--
Tavis: I was gonna say--Willie Brown married you? I missed that story.
Tom: Yeah, exactly. We had Willie Brown, and Arnold was there, and Maxine Waters. We had a whole--you know, it was all politics all the time at the wedding, so--
Tavis: So you mentioned that you're from Iowa.
Tom: Yes.
Tavis: So what do you make of this John Kerry upset-daisy goin' in Iowa?
Tom: I know. I was kind of rooting for Howard Dean just because I liked his fire and I thought, well, you know, you think ahead. You think who's gonna debate Bush? What's that gonna look like? 'Cause I think that's where they'll win. If the Democrats are gonna win, it's during the debates when it's one-on-one and you can show who's the smarter, who's in charge, whatever. But, yeah, it's a big--they love, you know, John Kerry there. He's an attractive man. They love it, and he swept everybody off their feet, and it's, you know, I think it's probably a good thing. 'Cause twice as many people came out to vote in the caucus than did the last time and, you know, it's good for Iowa, and I'm glad everybody's out of Iowa now so we can all get back to normal, 'cause it's a little crazy for the state.
Tavis: Yeah. But Iowa takes its politics very seriously. Do you recall when you were growin' up that the politics were taken as seriously then as they are now? I mean, this caucus was, like, a big deal. The highest turnout, like, ever.
Tom: Yeah, I grew up in Wapello County, which is the highest--the most amount of Democrats anywhere in the country.
Tavis: Wapello County.
Tom: Yeah, southeast Iowa.
Tavis: Wapello County.
Tom: Exactly.
Tavis: Wapello County. I like to say that. Wapello County. Yeah.
Tom: So, it's--you take it very seriously, and this was Iowa's chance to shine a little bit. People get out there and vote, and, you know, they try to make a difference, but I think what happened with Dean was it got a little--they don't like it to get too ugly. They don't like it to get too loud. They like fire, but then at a certain point, they're like, "Oh, this guy makes me nervous."
Tavis: So you like Kerry?
Tom: Yeah. I liked a lot of the guys. I love, you know, Dick Gephardt. I loved him. I'm sorry he's out, but I--you know, really a nice guy. A lot of these guys are really nice guys.
Tavis: But Edwards is too good-looking, don't you think? He's just too cute. He's too cute!
Tom: My wife likes him the best just 'cause he's so good-looking. No, no, no. Yeah. It's not gonna work out. He's too handsome. You gotta have somebody that has some defects, some physical defects, to be president. Like me.
Tavis: I gotta change gears right quick, 'cause somebody's gonna adjust their channel. "is that Tom Arnold talkin' politics and not sports?" So can we shift gears and talk sports? I like that about you, 'cause you're like an open book. I can talk about anything with you.
Tom: Exactly.
Tavis: The Super Bowl. Who do you like?
Tom: Well, you know, honestly, the Patriots have gotta be the favorites. They won 14 in a row. They gotta be the favorites, but, you know--the underdog. We've had a lot of underdogs win Super Bowls and World Series and other things the last few years, so Carolina has a shot. I mean, it's probably gonna be a great game. You know? But you gotta think that the Patriots are gonna do it.
Tavis: Ok, so what's--it may be a great game. Maybe you're right about that. I was disappointed in the playoffs. Philadelphia let me down. Indianapolis--
Tom: The weekend before was--
Tavis: It was great. Exactly. But last weekend was phhth.
Tom: Yeah, it was. Philadelphia let me down, too.
Tavis: Yeah. Um, they let themselves down, probably more importantly. Having said that, though, you think the NFL's happy about this?
Tom: No. Well, CBS, who has the game, you know they were hoping for Philadelphia.
Tavis: Sure.
Tom: But that's the way it is. You know, the Super Bowl's such an extravaganza. Lot of times it's not really about the game. But people watch--even the commercials are good during the Super Bowl, which never happens. So it's the whole extravaganza. I'm sure the NFL's a little disappointed, but Carolina people are, you know--the Angels, you know, won the World Series. You think about that. You think about the Florida Marlins, you know? You think about the Patriots winning a couple years ago.
Tavis: What's wrong with sports? These small-market teams are winning.
Tom: It's good, though.
Tavis: You really think so? What makes it good for you?
Tom: Well, because then suddenly we're talking about the small markets, and it evens things out a little bit. You know, everything's in flux financially in these big sports leagues, and I think it's good. And I'd like to see the Ottawa Senators win the NHL crown this year, you know? Somebody that really needs it financially.
Tavis: All right, so there's football. Let's go to--how about golf? Michelle Wie. Is she good or is she good?
Tom: She's great.
Tavis: 14!
Tom: Exactly. I think an advantage she has, she lives in Hawaii, so she's away from things a little bit, you know. It's a little bit of a slower lifestyle. She's gonna be unbelievable. I pray that she keeps it up, and I pray she gets in there with the men and kicks butt. She's unbelievable. I mean, she is--you know, Serena Williams is unbelievable, but this gal, I think, may be the biggest thing ever.
Tavis: It's easy to say--easy for you to say, easy for me to say--how good she is, how unbelievable she is. That's 'cause we're not one of those guys who she, you know, like, beat at the--if you were a guy who this 14-year-old is upstaging, you can't be happy about this.
Tom: Well, some guys aren't, but some guys just smile about it and appreciate--and look at her as an athlete--
Tavis: It's embarrassing!
Tom: It is embarrassing.
Tavis: It's embarrassing!
Tom: It's embarrassing, but they better get used to it. I like when Annika Sorenstam--you know, she beat a lot of guys, too, but it's good.
Tavis: But this girl's 14, though, Tom.
Tom: Exactly. So--
Tavis: That scares me.
Tom: It does.
Tavis: All right, so there's basketball-I mean, there's football, there's tennis. How about basketball? 'Cause you do host "The Best Damn Sports Show," so you know all this stuff. What do you make of the Kobe situation?
Tom: Well, you know, Shaq's my next-door neighbor, so--
Tavis: He's your next-door neighbor?
Tom: Yes. So I don't see Kobe much, but, uh...
Tavis: Are you a Laker fan?
Tom: Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Tavis: So, they've got, like, 4 of the best players ever: Shaq, Kobe, Gary, and Karl. And right now it doesn't look like they're gonna make this thing happen.
Tom: They will make it happen. Why are we even talkin' about it? Wait till May. April, May.
Tavis:
Tom: Because those guys are resting. They're old.
Tavis: They're resting.
Tom: Wait till April, May. Guarantee it, there's gonna be a parade in L.A. In middle of June. They're gonna be champions again. Don't worry about it.
Tavis: What do you make of Phil Jackson? If he can pull this off with that Zen thing and make all these 4 guys play together, he's, like, the man.
Tom: Well, I really feel that-- I mean, I feel like Gary Payton is the key here. Gary Payton is sort of bringing Kobe in. Kobe and Shaq have never gotten along real well. Gary Payton is the key. I think he's gonna, you know, guide the team, take over. I think Phil is a player's coach. He kind of lets things happen a little bit, but, you know, we'll see what happens.
Tavis: Yeah. Baseball. So, the Yankees still the highest payroll in baseball and still trying to find a way to get back to where they're used to being.
Tom: Right, but that's great. You want an owner that really spends the money, that pays the attention. That's what's--
Tavis: You like Steinbrenner?
Tom: Yeah, I do.
Tavis: Oh, come on.
Tom: I think he's good for the sport. I think he's--
Tavis: You can't mean that, Tom.
Tom: Well, I wish Donald Sterling was more like Steinbrenner.
Tavis: Yeah. Spend some money, quit being so cheap.
Tom: He spends the money. He tries to put out a good product, and I think it's great. I'm also excited about the Houston Astros. Clemens, Pettitte. You know, they're gonna be a hell of a team this year.
Tavis: What happened with that A-Rod deal? I mean, it never happened. He never got out of Texas up to Boston.
Tom: They tried everything they could. Everybody tried everything they could, and I think it's disappointing, 'cause him playing for the Red Sox. I mean, that raises their game up, and that's very exciting. It gives him a chance to win something, too.
Tavis: Let me just back up, 'cause I been trying to--we've been walking through this conversation from league to league, from sport to sport. Let me just back up for a second and ask you what you think about the world of sports, period, these days. I'm reminded of a quote by former Chief Justice Earl Warren, who said that when he woke up in the morning, the first part of the paper that he read was the sports pages because it spoke of man's accomplishment rather than man's failure. Now, that's the way it used to be.
Tom: That's the way it used to be.
Tavis: Now you read the sports pages, it's like everybody's in trouble for everything. What do you make of sport these days?
Tom: Well, 2 things: I'm sober 14 years. I don't drink, drugs. Sports is my drug. You know? Sports is the thing that bonds me with people I don't know. You know, if I'm in an airport, you know, someone comes up, "how 'bout those Hawkeyes?" You know, instantly it's a bond. It's something we can talk about with a lot of people. It's a great thing. I think that, you know, when I look at a show like "Playmakers" on ESPN, which was a show about football players getting in trouble--and the NFL came and said, "We aren't gonna be on your network if you keep playing that show." I would've said to--
Tavis: Mmm. One of the things I love about you--even though I've only got 2 minutes left here--but since you mention this, I wanna probe this--one of the things I love about you is that you're like an open book. I mean, you are so out with everything about you. You mentioned just kind of--you slid right past the fact that you're sober now for 14 years. You had a real--I mean, a major drug problem. But you've, like, kicked that thing and you're, like, sober for--
Tom: Well, I'm kickin' it today. You know, I have to work on it every day.
Tavis: I saw you spit out your Nicorette before we started the conversation.
Tom: Exactly. You know, I've got issues, but I don't do drugs, and I don't drink, and I haven't done that for 14 years, and I work with a lot of younger people who are trying to do the same thing. If I didn't do that, I may be back there, and so I don't know--today's gonna be a good day, but I have to get up every morning and work on it, because I could be right back there, and then it would all be gone. Everything--you know, it's the thing I'm proudest of but the thing that I could lose at any second.
Tavis: The thing you're proudest of, but in 45 seconds, what is the greatest challenge, you think, to your long-term sobriety?
Tom: Just continuing to work and to reach out to others. You have to give it away to keep it, you know? You have to be selfless, you have to do some hard things. You have to go--you know, I've gone to crack houses and paid off debts for these young kids. You have to reach out to other people, you know? You have to selflessly reach out, and that sucks sometimes. You know, 'cause that's hard. It's a pain in the butt. But you gotta keep doing that.
Tavis: I'm glad you're sober, and I'm glad you're on "The Best Damn Sports Show Period." Tom, nice to see you.
Tom: Thanks, buddy.
Tavis: Thanks for coming on. That's our show tonight. Join me tomorrow on the radio on NPR, and I'll see you back here next time on PBS. Good night from Los Angeles, and, as always, keep the faith.
Back to January 23, 2004