YOU KNOW MY FIRST GUEST FROM "BRIDESMAIDS" AND "DAMAGES" AND

THE X-MEN MOVIES.

SHE NOW STARS IN "THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS".

PLEASE WELCOME ROSE BYRNE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ( APPLAUSE )

>> HOT BAND.

>> Stephen: THEY ARE AN AMAZING BAND, AREN'T THEY?

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK.

WE HAD YOU HERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, A LIGOVER A YEAR AGO.

WE'VE HAD YOUR LOVELY PARTNER AND FATHER OF YOUR CHILD, BOBBY

CANAVALE ON.

HE WAS VERY, VERY TIRED THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM.

HAVE YOU GUYS GOTTEN ANY SLEEP.

BECAUSE YOUR BABY IS ONE YEAR, ROCKY.

>> ONE YEAR, ROCKY.

VERY LITTLE SLEEP, STILL VERY LITTLE SLEEP, BUT WE'RE GETTING

ALONG OKAY.

>> Stephen: DO YOU TRADE OFF?

DO YOU TRADE OFF, YOU SLEEP, THEN I'LL SLEEP?

>> IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TRADEOFF.

THE LION IS A BIG ONE.

>> Stephen: WHAT'S THE LION?

>> WHO GETS TO SLEEP IN THE MORNING.

>> Stephen: WHO GETS TO "LIE IN."

I THOUGHT LION WAS A METAPHOR EITHER YOU GET UP AND FEED THE

BABY OR I WILL CLAW YOUR EYES OUT.

BECAUSE THERE'S A SCORE-- THERE'S A SCOREBOARD, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> Stephen: IN YOUR MIND YOU'RE PUTTING UP LITTLE CHALK

MARKS.

>> EXACTLY.

IT WAS 4:00 IN THE MORNING-- YEAH, YEAH.

THE LIE-IN IS A BIG ONE.

>> Stephen: DO YOU DO ANY SLEEP METHODS?

DO YOU HAVE ANY?

>> I DID, I DID, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T AGREE WITH.

>> Stephen: WHAT WAS YOUR METHOD?

>> I LET THEM CRY.

>> Stephen: LET THEM CRY OUT.

THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE-- IF YOU GIVE IN AT ALL, IT'S LIKE

NEGOTIATING WITH A TERRORIST.

>> IT IS!

IT IS!

IT'S EXACTLY LIKE THAT.

THEY'RE LIKE LITTLE COMPUTERES AND THEY TAKE IN INFORMATION.

>> Stephen: YEAH, I THINK I SAID IT TO YOUR HUSBAND--

THEY'RE SMALL BUT RELENTLESS OPPONENTS.

THEY NEVER GIVE UP.

>> THEY ARE.

>> Stephen: THEY KNOW YOU LOVE THEM.

>> I KNOW.

>> Stephen: THEY USE IT.

>> THEY DO.

THEY'RE LITTLE DICTATORS.

THEY JUST BOSS YOU AROUND.

>> Stephen: I ACTUALLY HAD A PEDIATRICIAN CALL MY CHILD

"STALIN."

I AM NOT JOKING.

HE SAID, "THE BABY WILL BREAK YOU LIKE STALIN PUTTING YOU IN A

LABOR CAMP.

DO NOT GIVE IN TO YOUR BABY."

>> THAT'S HEAVY.

>> Stephen: HE'S NO LONGER WORKING.

EXCELLENT DOCTOR, BY THE WAY.

HERE'S THE THING ABOUT YOU, I LOVE YOU AS AN ACTRESS.

I ENJOY YOUR MOVIES SO MUCH THEY FORGET YOUR AUSTRALIAN.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Stephen: EVEN THOUGH I'VE INTERVIEWED YOU BEFORE.

I HAD TO ASK MY STAFF AGAIN, "IS SHE AMERICAN OR AUSTRALIAN?"

YOUR HUSBAND, OF COURSE, IS NOT.

HE'S FROM HERE, FROM BROOKLYN?

>> FROM JERSEY.

ANYONE FROM JERSEY HERE?

COME ON.

>> Stephen: THAT'S AN AUSTRALIAN WHO KNOWS HOW TO PLAY

TO A CROWD?

WHO'S FROM MELBOURNE.

>> EXACTLY, SOILED ME?

YEAH!

GET OUT!

AMAZING.

>> Stephen: WE ALWAYS SHIP SOME IN FOR THE GUEST.

YOU GUYS JUST WENT DOWN THERE RECENTLY.

>> WE WERE THERE FOR, LIKE, FIVE MONTHS.

>> Stephen: FIVE MONTHS.

DO DYOU HAVE TO BE TOUR GUIDE THE WHOLE TIME.

>> I DID.

I TURNED INTO A LITTLE BIT OF A TOURIST GUIDE.

WE WENT TO THE RAIN FOREST IN QUEENSLAND, I THINK THE OLDEST

RAIN FOREST IN THE WORLD AND WE DID A BEAUTIFUL TOUR WITH AN

INDIGENOUS GUY CALLED MOXIE, WHO IS LOVELY.

HE WOULD SHOW YOU A LEAF AND BE LIKE, "THIS LEAF WILL KILL YOU."

IF YOU-- YOU KNOW, "IF YOU TOUCH IT, YOU'LL BE DEAD IN 20

MINUTES.

AND THIS LEAF, WHICH LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME, WILL SAVE YOUR

LIFE."

( LAUGHTER ) "WHO KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE?"

>> Stephen: YOU CERTAINLY GOT WAY MORE AUSTRALIAN JUST NOW.

( LAUGHTER ) >> IT'S IN THERE.

IT'S IN THERE.

>> Stephen: ALL THE TIME?

>> OH, YEAH.

>> Stephen: WHEN DOES IT COME OUT WHEN YOU GET A LITTLE

SOMETHING TO DRINK.

>> >> , OF COURSE, YES.

>> Stephen: ANGRY.

>> ANGRY-- IT'S TERRIBLE WHEN I SAW ROCCO'S NAME.

I MASSACRE IT.

ROCCO!

IT'S ITALIAN, BEAUTIFUL, ROCCO.

>> Stephen: TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE HARBOR IN SYDNEY.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, AND HOW DID HE GAIN SO MUCH WEIGHT SO

FAST?

THIS IS BOBBY.

>> IT'S A REAL SHAME THAT PHOTO, ISN'T IT?

LOOK AT THAT.

( LAUGHTER ).

>> Stephen: WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING HERE?

>> HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S 470 POUNDS.

>> Stephen: AND, YET, YOU STILL LOOK THIN.

>> HE-- LOOK, WE CLIMBED THE HARBOR BRIDGE, WHICH IS AN

INCREDIBLE THING TO DO, AND, UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS A KIND OF

WINDY DAY, SO WE GOT A LITTLE BACK-AIR COMING THROUGH.

>> Stephen: SO THAT'S AIR GOING THROUGH HIS OUTFIT AND NOT

GOING THROUGH YOUR OUTFIT FOR SOME REASON.

YOU CLIMBED TO THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE?

>> YES.

>> Stephen: IS THERE A STAIRCASE.

>> YES, YOU GET CHAINED TO THE SIDE.

IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE CONVICTS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AUSTRALIA,

OBVIOUSLY, WAS A PENAL COLONY.

SO, YEAH, YOU CLIMB TO THE TOP.

AND THE GUIDES ARE REALLY GREAT GREAT, VERY PROFESSIONAL, THEY

DO TWO, THREE TOURS A DAY, BUT THEY'RE VERY RELAXED, VERY

AUSSIE.

>> Stephen: IT LOOKS DANGEROUS.

>> "IT'S ALL RIGHT, DON'T WORRY, MATE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DIED MAKING THE BRIDGE.

BUT YOU'LL BE FINE.

IT'S REAL SAFE.

THIS IS MY FOURTH TRIP TODAY."

AND YOU'RE LIKE UUH."

>> Stephen: DID YOU ENJOY IT AND GO I'M LIKE I DID IT?

>> THE AUSTRALIAN TOURIST BOARD WILL PROBABLY KILL ME IF I DON'T

SAY THAT.

NO, IT WAS MARVELOUS.

I'M NOT THAT GOOD WITH HEIGHTS, SO I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE

THOUGHT TWICE BEFORE.

YEAH, YEAH.

>> Stephen: NOT GOOD WITH HEIGHTS-- LET'S GO TO THE TOP OF

THE BRIDGE.

THE NEW MOVIE YOU'RE IN WITH THE LOVELY AND TALENTED OPRAH

WINFREY IS CALLED "THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS."

AND YOU PLAY THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK, REBECCA SKLOOT.

FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK BEFORE-- I HAVE INTERVIEWED

REBECCA SKLOOT.

IT'S A FASCINATING STORY.

TELL PEOPLE WHO HENRIETTA LACKS IS AND WHY SHE'S CALLED

IMMORTAL.

>> HENRIETTA LACKS IS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN.

SHE DIED IN 1951.

SHE WAS FROM MARYLAND, BALTIMORE, SHE DIED OF CERVICAL

CANCER.

AND AT THE TIME, HER CELLS WERE TAKEN WITHOUT HER CONCEPT OR

KNOWLEDGE.

SHE WAS RECEIVING TREATMENT AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL AND

HER CELLS WENT ON TO BECOME THE FIRST HUMAN CELL LINE TO GROW

OUTSIDE OF THE BODY.

LIKE, MOST CELLS WOULD DIE AFTER TWO OR THREE DAYS OF BEING

CULTURED AND HERS DOUBLED AND TRIPLED AND WENT ON TO BECOME

THIS FORCE OF NATURE.

AND THEY DEVELOPED THE POLIO VACCINE.

THEY DEVELOPED HIV COCKTAILS, CHEMOTHERAPY, IN VITRO

FERTILIZATION.

>> Stephen: ALL BASED ON THE CHAIN OF HER REPRODUCED CELLS.

>> WHICH WERE CANCER OW, AND THEY WERE SO POWERFUL --

>> Stephen: AND NOT JUST IN THAT LAB, EITHER.

>> NO, THEY'RE LITERALLY ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

>> Stephen: ALL OF OUR LIVES ARE BETTER BECAUSE OF WHAT THIS

WOMAN WAS ABLE TO GIVE TO THE WORLD.

>> LITERALLY, LITERALLY.

AND THIS IS-- THIS IS THE STORY OF HER FAMILY WHO,

UNFORTUNATELY, WERE VERY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

AND TRYING TO SORT OF GIVE THEM REPARATIONS AND TO FIND OUT MORE

ABOUT THEIR MOTHER-- SHE HAD FIVE CHILDREN, AND THEY DIDN'T

REALLY KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

>> Stephen: AND THE WOMAN, THE AUTHOR YOU PLAY, REBECCA SKLOOT,

SHE IS TRAVELING AROUND WITH-- IS IT THE DAUGHTER OR

GRANDDAUGHTER?

>> IT'S THE DAUGHTER.

HOE HENRIETTA'S DAUGHTER, WHO WAS TWO WHEN HER MOTHER DIED,

THEY'RE TRAVELING AROUND, AND IT'S, LIKE, THIS INVESTIGATIVE

STORY BETWEEN OF THE TWO OF THEM, THE JOURNALIST AND MOTHER

AND THEY'RE BOTH OBSESS WITH THE STORY AND WANT TO FIND OUT ABOUT

HENRIETTA AND WHO SHE WAS.

>> Stephen: AND THAT'S THE PART PLAYED BY OPRAH WINFREY.

WE ALL LOVE OPRAH HERE BUT YOU HAVE THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF

HAVING OPRAH YELL AT YOU IN THE SCENE WE ARE ABOUT TO WATCH,

WHICH I WOULD NEVER LOOK FORWARD TO.

BUT THIS IS OPRAH WINFREY UPSET AT THE PROSPECT OF THEIR FAMILY

BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AGAIN.

>> EXACTLY.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK YOU WANT TO WRITE, WHICH IS ALL

FINE AND GOOD, BUT WHERE'S THE FUNDING IN THERE FOR THE FAMILY?

>> I DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDING.

>> YOU AIN'T OFFERED NONE, EITHER.

>> I CAN'T OFFER YOU SOMETHING I DON'T HAVE.

I TOLD YOU I WANT TO START THAT FOUNDATION.

>> WHERE IS IT?

>> WHAT?

>> THE BOOK!

YOU SAID YOU TURNED IT IN, SO WHERE IS THE BOOK?

>> THERE'S NO BOOK YET.

>>INGS WHERE THE BOOK!

I SAID, WHERE IS THE BOOK!

IS IT FOR SALE ALREADY OUT THERE AND YOU'RE MAKING MONEY OFF OF

MY FAMILY LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

WHERE IS THE BOOK.

>> LOOK, HERE, HERE, HERE, MASTERCARD, VIS A$2,000 PAST

DUE.

TRAVEL EXPENSE REPORTS.

I WRITE CHEESY ARTICLES TO PAY FOR OUR ROOMS AND GAS.

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: WELL, GOOD LUCK

WITH ROCCO.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS, STEPHEN!

>> Stephen: "THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS" AIRS THIS

SATURDAY ON HBO.

ROSE BYRNE, EVERYBODY!

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH LEWIS BLACK.