another day. we'll be right back at it and try to get more. >> reporter: it's 11:00 and the mission for this aircraft is over tonight. but the scenario some 40 miles away continues to play out. border patrol agents are still looking for those 31 illegal immigrants. we know they caught three. everyone here has to wait to see how it all plays out. that's it for us tonight. "larry king live" starting right now. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >> larry: tonight after years of silence, john edwards' mistremendous speaks out in a sensational interview. rielle hunter talks about having sex on their first night together, the secret cell phone call that portrayed her affair and whether john edwards really wanted a baby. we have the inside scoop on this no hardz bar interview. what does jesse ventura have to say about cheating politicians? he's here and ready to rumble.

and todd bridges -- >> arnold, you're a lot older on the inside than you look to be on the outside. >> larry: the ugly secrets including sexual abuse by a former publicist behind his pain. the near deadly spiral into drug addiction and crime and being on the same cellblock as the menendez brothers. and ramirez. how did he survive all that is next on "larry king live." >> larry: good evening. real hunt area pears in the april april issue of "gq" magazine. how did you land this? >> it was a little bit of luck. we had a mutual friend that put

her in touch with me. there is nothing like getting that phone call, do you mind if rielle hunter calls you? that's kind of how it happened. >> larry: now let's run through some of the headlines from rielle hunter's interview with you. slept with john edwards the first night. elizabeth edwards confronted john after answering a cell phone call. she believes that edwards hoped she'd have an abortion. john edwards feared the wrath of elizabeth. he was emasculated. miss hunter did not think that edwards should run for president. what surprised you the most? >> oh, well just her candor in general. she didn't whitewash anything. she didn't sugar-coat anything. she answers everything. and i guess in specifically what surprised me was that she is very much in love with him to this day. and you don't call it a conventional romance. but they certainly have very, very strong feelings for each

other. >> larry: all right, she feels such compassion for elizabeth edwards yet she also says this about john edwards, "most of his mistakes or errors in judgment were because of the fear of the wrath of elizabeth. the wrath of elizabeth is a mighty wrath." "she is pretty rough here. >> for better for worse, she answered everything from her gut. now i think in some ways i think anybody who's ever been in a situation like she's in, you know, this isn't a new, novel idea that you believe, you know, the man's version of what is terrible about his marriage that is not terrible about your wonderful romance. i think there's a little bit of that. she is a very open minded person about a lot of things. but i think she is directly straight about how she feels about what he told her about their marriage. >> larry: does she have any

remorse? any remorse at all? >> you know -- remorse. you know, the remorse is like, you know, did you something criminal or terrible. i don't think she -- i think she feels -- she said, she feels compassion for elizabeth. i believe that. she feels -- she said to me, you know, i always had such judgment about infidelity. she comes from a family of infidelity both parents. and so i think remorse is a weird word for her, though. i don't think she feels like she did a horrible thing by falling in love with this man. and she doesn't -- >> larry: she acknowledged -- i'm sorry. >> i'm sorry, larry. you know, she made a comment that, you know, she believes infidelity does not happen in healthy marriages and that she says the home was a wreck before i got there. i was not the home wrecker. and i think she really believes that.

>> larry: she acknowledges that she -- she acknowledges that he was untruthful to a lot of different people on a lot of different occasions. >> right. >> larry: but she told you, he doesn't lie to me. he discloses everything to me. he doesn't lie to me at all. does that surprise you? >> yeah. and i pressed her on that. i said, you know, right now a lot of people in america think he is one of the most untruthful men in america. we know he lied to his wife. you know he lied to his staff. and to the country. you don't think he lies to you? and she said, he doesn't lie to me. she believes that. >> larry: she's -- she speaks in the present tense. are they talking every day? your opinion? are they involved now? >> i don't know how -- if they talk every day. but there's no question they have an on going loving relationship. >> larry: did you ask her why doesn't he get divorced and they get married? >> well, he's apparently on that

path. i did say to her, you know, come on. he's separated. you obviously have a great relationship. he adores his daughter. why not just be together? and her answer was, you want the fairytale ending. and i said don't you? and she said, i want whatever life brings me. and that is her attitude about life. >> larry: this affair was instantaneous, right? they meet at the hotel and they slept together that night? >> yeah. the way she describes the meeting, i'm laughing just because i'm sure nobody's ever done that before. but anyway, she -- the way she described it is just this instant, amazing connection. it was just this spark, crazy thing. and then she was outside the hotel and he walked around the corner and it was just this magical thing. and he said please call me. please call me. i'm only here one night. please call me. and then she talks about, you

know, how it progressed to his room. >> larry: she calls him johnny. >> she does. she does. she said she -- the first week of their relationship that she said, you know, i -- i just can't call you john. it doesn't come out right. can i call you johnny? and his response was, that's my name. and it's very funny. i never knew that. that his actual birth name is johnny. i guess we needed this to find that out. >> larry: by the way, we asked john edwards and elizabeth edwards for their reactions to the interview with rielle hunter. both declined to provide a statement. elizabeth's sister nancy told us enough has been said. the "gq" photos speak a now few thousand words. speaking of that, i know you talked to her last night. what is her reaction to the photos? the writer has nothing to do with the photos. >> right. >> larry: on "the view" today, i understand that barbara walters said she spoke to her and she cried for hours about the photos.

thought they were repulsive. didn't she pose for them? >> yes. and you know what? i think this is a little bit hysterical. i think what really happened here was, you know, when this first hit, today we have everybody making comments on the blog. they were brutal. i think it did get to her. and i think she said, ooh. but in the days to come she is going to be fine with them. she is a -- she's a beautiful, sexy woman. i mean, you know, the funny thing, i'm shocked by all this over the photos. first of all, it's "gq," it's not "the new republic." this racy photo thing, she's not in a bikini scanneding tanding head. >> larry: then why is she hurt by them. >> i think she's more hurt about it reaction to them. but, you know, you ever go on and read all the comments. i think that's what probably this is about. and i think she'll come to see them as -- and obviously at the time she was photographed she liked the photos. so i hope she --

>> larry: what do you make of the andrew young thing? his book is a major best seller. he told anderson cooper what made the difference of all the parties talking about his book are minor little things. nothing in essence. seriously discounts what he says. >> well, there's a major thing rielle hunter claims which is different and that is that it was andrew young's idea. and claims she overheard conversation. there is so many versions out now and people have to come to their own judgments about who is telling the truth on what thing and what they -- they all say this about rielle hunter. she is not making a nickel. she has nothing to sell. and in the course of this entire interview, she didn't sugar-coat anything for better or for worse. >> larry: and you liked her, i gather. >> i do. i do. i mean i like fascinating people

who have really interesting things to say. but i do. she's -- she's much different than the character tour that has been out there for years. you know, of this flaky new agy home wrecker. she is a complicated, interesting, warm person. >> larry: you got a hell of a piece. terrific interview. did a great job. known you a long time. you're top of your game. >> i'll meet you at the regency. >> larry: i've seen lisa there many times. >> ssshhh. >> larry: the article in the april "gq" out now. jesse ventura is standing by. what does he think about this? [ shapiro ] at legalzoom, you can take care of virtually

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at red lobster. >> larry: we're here to get the political news of the day, jesse ventura, the former independent governor of minnesota. the best-selling author of a terrific new book, "american

conspiracies: lies, lies, and more dirty lies the government tells us." also actor and democrat sean austin. he served on the president's council on service from 2003 through 2004. and in washington, congresswoman michelle buckland, republican of minnesota. first, what do you make of this whole rielle hunter-john edwards thing? >> well, it's simple as this, larry, you know, they all think they'll never get caught if they go out and cheat when they're high profile people. and you'd think they'd learn a lesson and realize they will. because in today's world of media and everything that goes on in media, you're not going to get away with anything anymore. >> larry: congresswoman bachmann, it happens to republicans, too, sanford and others. what do you think -- do you think it's the drive for power that attracts this? >> it probably is.

and i think people are in very high pressure situations and they get into a temptation. it's just horrible. it makes me sick to watch it. my heart is broken for john edwards' children, for elizabeth. it's bad all the way around. >> larry: sean, what's your read? >> well, i think the congresswoman is absolutely right. there's a lot of pain. there's a lot of pain for a lot of people. you know, this article is -- the woman has every right to speak out. and, you know, it's a great piece, i guess, for "gq," we have one of the most important public policy discussions and votes coming up. not just for our interview but just in the national conversation. it's just like we really can't afford the time to talk about that right now. we have to be focusing on something else, that's my feeling. >> larry: what's going to happen this week, jesse, with the health bill? >> well, if the democrats can ever get their act together, i mean they have the president. they have the house and the senate.

i can't -- i'm sitting here amazed that it's taken this long. >> larry: michelle, if i can call you michelle, you've been on so much and i've known you a long time, when reagan came in, one of his strong policies was to cut taxes. they passed that bill. they did it the same way the democrats want to do this, by a vote. only the 51 votes to pass it, doing through some parliamentary procedures. what do you have against this president taking his number one policy mode and doing it the same way? >> he has every right to go ahead and push his policy that he wants to. the problem is the american people have soundly rejected this job killing government takeover of health care. and for that reason, i think it's very important that we listen to the will of the people on this, larry, because after all, it's people, their loved ones that will be hurt, the health care system, the economy. there's a lot at stake right now. and i think it's really important that politicians listen to the voters. >> larry: but you're there to

lead not to follow. >> that's true. and based upon what my research has been on this issue, i think there's a better way we can do it. i'd love to see everyone be able to buy any health insurance policy they want anywhere in the united states. buy it with their own tochl free money and deduct the rest on their income tax return. that's bringing cost down. that's really what people want. >> larry: sean astin, he ran on this. >> he did. you know, this is an amazing country. everybody's got a voice. there's lots of voices screaming they want things done their way. the people did speak. the people voted overwhelmingly for this guy. the people have vote the consistently. and the democrats are in power. it's a big issue. it has -- it is full of complex ideas. >> larry: you are saying they gave reagan what he wanted, they should give him what he wants? >> i'm saying the people are represented. and right now there's a choice being made. and there's some good stuff in this bill, stuff that everyone agrees on. you shouldn't have your

insurance premiums raised out of, you know, control quickly with no reason. you should be able to take your insurance with you if you get, you know, you leave your job. you should, you know, there's like -- there's a bunch of good stuff in here. we should be celebrating it. >> larry: pick up on that in a minute. the president slammed insurance companies again today, demanded a vote on his health care bill. will he get it? ♪ [ woman ] nine iron, it's almost tee-time. time to face the pollen that used to make me sneeze, my eyes water. but with new zyrtec® liquid gels,

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i don't know about the politics. i know what's the right thing to do. and so i'm calling on congress to pass these reforms. and i'm going to sign them into law. i want some courage. i want us to do the right thing, ohio. >> larry: what do you make of this? >> he has to be out there and be high profile. but what i'd like to know is this, a question they won't answer for me. if -- now there's been government-run health care in the state of hawaii for 40 years. it seems to do very well. my other thing is if government-run health care is so terrible, then why do we have government-run health care for our veterans? and we've done that since world war ii. does that mean we're screwing the veterans over with bad health care? i don't think -- >> he's talking about insurance reform. i think that's a big thrust of this bill. >> larry: michelle, at a rally

in minnesota over the weekend, you said people shouldn't have to pay for this. you're not saying people don't have to pay their taxes, do they? >> we all know you go to the slammer if you don't pay your taxes. you certainly have to pay your taxes. >> larry: in this case, isn't it more insurance reform than government-run? >> well, i think what we'll see happen on insurance is we'll see a lot of the little guys go away. we'll end up having a few insurance companies. they'll turn into something more akin to public utilities. government will tell insurance companies how they have to conduct themselves. and they'll be just very few. so there will be very few choices. and, actually, insurance premiums will increase probably 35% for the younger people, especially. so it will be a big change in insurance. >> larry: sean? >> well, that's a huge crystal ball that's being read, you

know? they have to trust that the insurance providers they have to choose from are going to be fair and that they're going to get the best possible deal for themselves. i don't think that's like, you know, i don't -- i have no idea if it's going to weed out the little guy. this is america. people are entrepreneurs. >> larry: couldn't we say there's no reason for a country this rich for someone not to have medical coverage. >> it's a shame. it is shameful that people can't go to the doctor and, i mean, i know this is kind of beating the horse. but if we have not been misled into the iraq war, imagine the money we would have. we could provide that health care. and i'd rather have health care than the iraq war. >> larry, it's a moral imperative that we absolutely have to deal with in this country. low pressure

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>> larry: we're back with representative michelle bachmann, shawn astin and jesse ventura.

his new book is "american conspiracies: lies, lies, and more dirty lies the government tells us." there you see the cover. michelle, do you agree with sean that it's a moral imperative that we take care of our citizens less fortunate? >> well, we do. anyone who needs to go to a hospital today in the united states has full access. but under president obama's bill, $500 billion will be cut out of medicare, 30 million people will go under the system -- >> larry: are you saying that people who need medical care, every person in america who needs medical care gets it? >> well, what's going to happen, larry -- >> larry: you are saying that's the case today? >> today, anyone who goes to the hospital, whether you're here legally in the united states or illegally, you have a right to go to a hospital in the united states. >> larry: you have a right to go, what if you're not insured? >> remember, under this plan -- >> larry: they have to see you. >> remember under the plan people have a right to go on a

waiting list. but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll get the high quality health care that they're getting today. >> the emergency room thing is part of the cost problem. instead of getting the preventative treatment, early treatment, people are uninsured and show up at hospital rooms and cost us -- we're already with universal health care. we're overpaying for it in terms of hospital stays. >> that's what happens. they go to the emergency room where it costs even more instead of just going to the doctor's office. you know? and so you'll save a tremendous amount of money by eliminating all these people being forced to go to the emergency room. >> larry: michelle, you do agree there is a problem? >> there's no question there's a problem. that's why the solution that i offered was to bring costs down. that's the real problem in health care today. the high cost. we need to attack that. unfortunately, president obama's plan will increase costs about $2.3 trillion. and that's not going to help

anyone. we're looking at massive tax increases. and president obama's own numbers say we'll lose about 5.5 million jobs. that won't help the economy right now. >> larry: the congressional budget office, sean, says the senate bill will reduce $118 billion. >> is that true? i don't know. what i do know is all the stuff that i've looked at on the bill, it's a long bill, it's a lot of repetition. it represents the hard work of hundreds of people working incredible hours. and there's good stuff in it. so if people -- if opponents, good willed opponents of instruments in this bill they disagree with, let's have a smart discussion throughout november and -- or throughout the summer and in november elect the people who are going to make the right adjustments. but right now, how long are we going to ask people to wait? people are suffering. they've been suffering since november. >> larry: if the public is against it, then democrats' heads will roll in november, right? >> absolutely. but let's remember, the public is educated to day by sound bite

news. and so how good is it when you got fox out there who's certainly with an agenda. you know, they're cowards. they won't let me on yet they'll criticize me behind my back and won't let me on. but that's here nor there. but the thing is that i agree with sean. you got people out there that need help right now. they've needed it for a long time. we should be ashamed. every other industrialized country in the world -- >> let's be excited. we talk about how the government doesn't do stuff. the government is doing stuff. right now, it's -- it ain't pretty to look at. but there's good stuff in this bill that everyone can agree on. and let's enjoy that and work on what needs to be fixed as we go forward. >> larry: michelle, you get good health care, don't you? >> yes, we do. >> larry: why should you get better than john jones? >> well, i'm an employee and i work for the health care coverage that i get and it's a part of my benefit package. i'm just like any other federal

employee. >> larry: but you're an employee of us. >> that's right. >> larry: we employ you. >> that's right, i am. and i get a benefit package that is the same as any other federal employee. and i pay 29% of my premium. and at one point governor ventura ran on for governor that people loved in minnesota, he ran on personal responsibility. that resonated with me with the people in minnesota. it's important that people understand, too, that all of us have an obligation to add to the system and to pay for the services that we consume. >> larry: okay. we got some more coming and then we're going to meet todd bridges. don't go away. rogaine?

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the next generation of brink's home security. call now. >> larry: get in a couple calls. new freedom, pennsylvania. hello. >> caller: hello. good job, larry. this question is for senator bachmann. >> larry: go ahead. >> caller: i'd like to know where they're getting their polling numbers from. no one ever polled myself and a lot of other people. and, also, would she be willing to give up her insurance since

the citizens of this country pay for her insurance so she can see how it would feel to be -- >> larry: congresswoman? >> thanks so much. the poll i cited was cnn's poll. i think that's pretty reputable, a cnn poll. and also, i've been without insurance, my husband and i, when we've had little children. and so we just lived without it and, you know, tried to take care of ourselves the best we could. and we -- >> larry: did anyone get seriously sick? >> we had a little bit of money set asichltd frankly, we were pretty poor at that time. we were putting ourselves through graduate school. >> larry: no one got seriously sick? >> well, we had to take money out when we took the children to the doctor, that's what we had to do. but that's also part of being responsible parents, getting a job that offers health insurance. and so we bought our own insurance by ourselves. but then we also got jobs that offered insurance, too. >> larry: you wanted to say? >> i would say the congresswoman works incredibly hard and is

entitled to the benefits she receives. i think similarly every citizen of a great nation should be entitled to something. not to freeload, but to some sense of fair play. if they are trying to work that they, you know, and are in between jobs they don't have their entire economic fortune wrecked because somebody gets an illness and they're not covered. it's just -- it's just good government. yeah. >> well, i agree. sean said it all, larry, again. we're the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn't provide health care for our citizens and it's high time -- i thought we were supposed to lead the world instead of follow the world. >> larry: naples, florida, hello. >> caller: hi, i have a question. first of all, what happened to the transparency that is supposed to be in washington that he was supposed to be so transparent about what's happening and the back room deals that are going on? and what about the one poll a year, he's not even concentrating on any job, how

about those people, jesse, about those people that are suffering that are out of work and there's no stimulus jobs for anybody out there. they're just concentrating on passing their own agenda. i hope can you answer that, jesse. >> well -- you know, when you look at the situation, they're passing their own agenda like george bush didn't? they all have agendas. they all work to pass their agendas. that's nothing new in the world of politics. they all have agendas. >> larry: michelle, the stimulus plan seems to be working. it kicked into jobs. the banks paid back most of what they were loaned. don't you think that's kind of working? >> no, not at all. the stimulus has been a miserable failure. the president said if we pass the trillion dollar spending that the unemployment rate wouldn't go above 8%. it's now been hovering at 10%. so it's really been an abysmal failure. and it's actually added to the overwhelming debt burden. that's part of our problem.

we have social security and medica medicare. this year we're putting out more money for social security than what we're taking in. seven years ahead of time, medicare will be broke in seven years. so i don't know where we're going to go to get all the money to pay for all these entitlement programs. >> larry: hold on. >> larry, first, the stimulus package, the bailout started with president bush. >> that's right. >> obama just followed that. so to come on and say what he's doing isn't working, well then obviously -- and who ran the debt up more than anybody? george bush and the republicans. >> larry: we're running out of time. sean, is it going to pass? is it going to pass? >> i hope so. i mean i think, you know -- >> larry: you think so? >> well, president obama, senator obama when a candidate obama said it at every campaign stop, i can't do this on my own. i need the american people. i need your support to get this done. now it's a moment for anybody who supported him who thinks

that maybe, you know, he's telling the truth and is doing what he said and is trying to deliver some health insurance reform. call your senators and call everybody and say good job. had is great. i hope you get it over the finish line. >> larry: thank you all very much. governor jesse ventura, actor sean astin and congresswoman michelle bachmann, republican of minnesota. he played willis on the '80s sitcom "different strokes." actored to bridges is standing fwoi tell us about his battle with drugs, physical and sexual abuse he says he suffered growing up and now he has stayed clean fo for almost 17 years. that's next. [ loud rumbling ] [ rifle fires ] [ announcer ] if you think about it, this is what makes theladders different... from other job search sites. we only want the big jobs. join theladders.com. a premium job site for only $100k+ jobs...

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our own stereo. willis, i think we died and went to heaven! >> come off those clouds, little brother. >> don't get too used to this place. >> what you talking about, willis? >> larry: joining us now,ed to bridges, former child star known by willis on the hit tv series "different strokes." after that show ended, he spiralled downward into a life of drug addiction and crime.

he writes about what happened and his return to sobriety in a new book "killing willis." from "different strokes" to the mean streets to the life i always wanted. there you see its cover. by the way, what do we mean by the term in the title "killing willis"? >> because i was trying to kill myself. and because willis is a part of me. i was trying to destroy that whole part of me. >> larry: you were on a suicidal path? >> yeah. >> larry: you're lucky to be alive. >> i'm not lucky, i'm blessed to be alive. >> larry: what happened to you after the show? >> after the show, what happened -- the show kept me sane. during the show, i was 22 years old. when the show ended, i basically have found that i lost all my money, my accountant ripped me off. i was suffering from sexual abuse, suffering from physical abuse. >> larry: has a child? >> yeah. >> larry: who abused you? >> my father abused me physically and then my publicist

abused me sexually. >> larry: your publicist? >> yeah. >> larry: did you ever charge him? >> no. what happened was the bad part it was when we -- i finally came out and told my mother what happened, my father and my father took his side. and he talked to my dad. >> larry: so you had problems during the run of the show. >> yeah. but it never was effective on the show. it happened after the show. i had all the problems on top of me. i deposit know how to rationally do them. and how to fix them. my mother told me i should go to therapy. i thought back then in the early '80s that meant you were crazy. >> larry: how long were awe bussed? >> my father my entire life i lived with my father. i was my father's remote control changer. he would wake me up in the middle of the night to change the tv for him. he took out a lot of aggression on me. he would slap me in the back of the head and say cruel things to me. growing up as a 12-year-old kid, that stuff really hurts. >> larry: how long were you on the show? >> eight years. i was on shows before then.

i was on "fish." i was also on "barney miller." i was on -- i did a show with denny thomas. i was in "roots." i was the first black "little house on the prairie." i did 15 episodes of "the walt yonz." >> larry: child stars have difficulties later on. >> i would say all kids have difficulties when going through such enormous pain and suffering. i can't really pinpoint and say child stars. it is a very small percentage of us that have had problems. like at sean astin, he didn't have problems. but the public -- the media wants to make it out to be all of us. it's a great deal of us. we all have problems. >> larry: we'll ask in a minute how this turned to crime. how you wound up in jail. our guest, todd bridges, the book, "killing willis." iiii÷

>> larry: we're right back with todd bridges and his extraordinary first book. first, let's check in with anderson cooper. what's up tonight? >> tonight, a push on a health care bill this week, we uncovered a special deal for drug companies. it took a lot of lobbying and money. drug companies got what they wanted. we'll show what you they got and why it may cost you more money.

we're "keeping them honest" tonight. tonight, what rielle hunter says about her and john edwards' affair and why she insist that's john edwards never lied to her, even though he lied to his wife and the entire populationst united states. we'll also show you the paragraphs posed for. and a sexual abuse scandal closing in on the pope's past. some shocking statistics tonight. more than half the priests accused of sexual misdeeds in the past decade were never prosecuted. we're "keeping them honest" and we track down one priest that is still a priest and the church paid one of his accusers more than $1 million. those stories and more on "360." >> larry: unbelievable. anderson cooper at the top of the hour. back with todd bridges, the author of "killing willis." you wrote that your co-star who died of an overdeuose in 1999

introduced you to sex and marriage marriage. >> it came at a critical point in my life. when that happened with her, it actually got me back on line and realizing that was okay with girls. and what is happening to me wasn't really my fault. but i still couldn't stop blaming myself. >> larry: she came on with you? >> yeah. it was -- i was asleep one night and we were all taking a nap in the teacher's room. and i woke up and she was down there doing something to me that i never experienced before in my life. but i realized that it was, you know, that i didn't feel dirty. it didn't feel wrong, you know? >> larry: how about gary coleman? >> you know, i really love gary. but he is suffering from just the whole thing of physical, you know -- he's healthwise is not great. and he's very mad at the world. and i understand that. >> larry: did you talk to him? >> i tried talking to him. he doesn't want to communicate very much with us. >> larry: how about the drinking and drugs? how did that start? >> for me, it was a way to -- i never thought that doing that

would make me addicted. they really didn't explain to us about addiction. it was a way to cover up the pain i was going through. and never felt that i would become addicted. but i was wrong. and my brother used to tell me drugs will lead to harder drugs. i didn't believe him. and it did. >> larry: what about all the girls in your life? janet jackson one of them. >> yeah. she is a great person. we -- she was g i loved janet. and she is still the same. i talked to her a few months ago. she is still great. and i love those kind of people in my life. >> larry: how did you end up in jail? >> i made stupid mistakes. things i shouldn't have done, like, for instance, using drugs. carrying a gun in my car with drugs in my car. and, you know, i just -- like i said, it's detailed in "killing willis." it explaining the whole transformation. i felt while doing drugs it could make me feel better. but what it did is tear me down and send me to jail. >> larry: how long were you in jail for? >> i think the first case in

'99, i did nine months in county jail. that is when i was there. i was next to there next to ric ramirez. it's all in "killing willis." >> larry: the night stalker? >> the night stalker. i said something to the night stalker one day, i asked him, if you had one thing to do over, what would it be different? and he said, this time it wouldn't be old ladies. >> larry: what about the menendez boys? >> when i would talk to my mom, eric me mendez would get really sad. they really thought they could get out, win this case and get out. i never thought that they would get out. i knew i would get out one day, because i was only there for really drug addiction. >> larry: johnnie cochran was your lawyer? >> sure was. one of the best lawyers ever and he was a great guy to me. my last case, he said if i didn't straighten my life out, he would no longer want to represent me or help me. >> larry: how much time did you do in all? >> eight months in county and nine months in chino

correctional facility. >> larry: what straightened you out? >> god and i wanted a different life. i wanted to feel -- not feel the pain anymore of all the suffering from what i was putting myself through. and, you know, once an addict gets sick and tired of being sick and tired, he wants to straighten his life out. i remember going to court one last time, mother, help me out one more time. she was ant caretaker. she told me if you continue using drugs, i'll never help you again. and i remember going to court and i was sitting in court and i realized that i was tired and i was ready, but at that particular time when i was ready, i still didn't know how to go about it to really change my life. and god put the right people in my path to really help me find freedom. >> larry: where'd you go? rehab? >> i went to rehab, but this time i went to rehab and shut my mouth and really listened and really realized that i had to change the heartache and pain i was feeling. >> larry: was it tough to lick it, to beat it? >> you know, i would say it was very tough to lick it, but not to lick drugs and alcohol. it was very tough to lick

forgiving myself. because i was so angry at myself and so mad at myself for even allowing myself to go through that, i didn't know how to forgive myself. and in "killing willis," it details how a person learns to forgive themselves. because if you can't forgive yourself, you can't forgive anyone else. >> larry: after all of this, what's next for todd bridges? more, when we come back. we love getting our outback dirty. because it seems like the dirtier it gets, the more it shines. the subaru outback®. motor trend's 2010 sport/utility of the year®. hurry in to the subaru love spring event for great deals on all models. now through march 31st.

>> larry: you write how the sixth time in rehab finally took. you get sent to chinos correctional facility. you write, getting arrested may

be the best break in your life. >> well, yeah. what i definitely say is that being arrested wasn't a hindrance, it actually helped me. it helped me discover that i really wanted to be sober. i remember the last time i was sitting in that jail, i really realized that something had to be different about me, but i had to stop listening to myself, because my own best decisions got me in that situation. you know, like i said, i don't blame anybody in my book about what i went through. i accept full responsibility. i made some horrifying mistakes in my life. >> larry: but no trouble with the law since 1992, sober more than 16 years. >> yep. >> larry: yet people still hang that label on you. >> yeah, they hang the label on me. >> larry: why? >> well, because the way i look at it, they have nothing else better to say. and you know, i know that god's going to change all that now. and that's why i really wrote the book, not just to change the label, but to make people realize that there are a better way out. >> larry: you knew corey haim? >> i knew corey haim and tried to help, but he just wasn't ready. and that's the thing about drug

addiction, either you're ready or not. and two things will happen with drug addiction, either you'll go insane or you'll have death. that's something a practicing druggy has to look forward to. >> larry: what's next? >> i'm going to do my life story as a feature film, that's one of the things i want to do. i'm on a show called "dumbest criminals" on smoking gun tv. we talk about criminals who are doing things wrong. i'm so happy there weren't cameras around back when i was doing those kind of things, or i would be talking about myself. but i want to spread the message of recovery, spread the message of forgiveness. that's the secret to life, forgiving yourself. and once i learned to forgive myself, forgiving everyone else was so easy. i forgave my father and even forgave the guy that molested me. and in the book of "killing willis," i depict what it's like to forgive. >> larry: it's the basis of christianity. >> and also just the basis of life.

forgiving is in any -- >> larry: but it's hard, isn't it? >> very much so. because you want to continue to -- you know, most of you don't want to accept responsibility. that's the biggest problem in america. we don't want to accept responsibility. and i accept full responsibility for my terrible actions. >> larry: what was "different strokes lik strokes" like? >> for me, it was a wonderful experience. a safe haven for me. >> larry: a happy cast? >> it was, but the three kids had lives that paralleled so much to the lives they were dealing with. gary coleman was dealing with the fact that he was adopted and his parents made him work when he was ill and wasn't feeling well. dana plano was in a severe car accident, her mother wasn't around that much. so we had these things that were going on, but it's a small part. >> larry: how about the dad? >> the father, i talk to him on a regular basis. >> larry: how's he doing? >> he's doing great. he's 86 years old and we communicate at least two times a week. he's like my real dad?

>> larry: was he an important figure -- >> he's better than my dad was. he took me fishing and hung out with me. my dad's idea of taking us fishing was to drop us off and leave us. but in my life, my mother was has been so influential, my brother, my sister, my brother, james, they've been influential in my life to really help me -- >> larry: do they still show it late on night? >> they still show it. i still get checks from it. i get checks from shows like "the waltons." i'm blown away that i got like a $20 check from that show. >> larry: you were on "the waltons"? >> i was one of the first black cast members on the show and they actually said good night to me. my name was bud. they said, good night, bud. >> larry: i'm anxious to read this, todd. you deserve a lot of credit. >> thank you, appreciate it. >> larry: "killing willis" is the