uraguay's capital. which sort of reminds me of flipper. but it's like baby pigeons. you rarely see -- >> amazing. what a cute little -- i guess you're not supposed to call them fish, they're mammals, right? >> technically that would be correct. joe, thanks very much. ♪ tonight ricky martin sizzles on the world stage and now on the pages of a revealing new book celebrating an incredible career. ♪ the international pop star gets personal about a private life. a secret he kept for so long.

how his love for his twin sons forced him to go public. ricky martin answers my questions and yours next on "larry king live." >> we love him. good evening and a very special welcome to our cnn espanol listeners. ricky martin is the author of a new memoir simply titled "me." why did you title it that? >> very simple. it was my life. it was my moments, my ups and downs. it's about me. >> why now? >> i'm going talk about my

children for a minute. when i held them in my arms. >> twins? >> twin boys. i said this is about -- it's about dignity, it's about love, it's about transparency. i need to do something about this. and then one day i sat in front of the computer and i started writing about my foundation and my trips to india and i said i think i found the right way to do it. so it was something that was -- it was there. it was very organic how it happened. >> you didn't think much about having kids did you? >> i always wanted to be a dad. >> you did? >> yeah. i have amazing memories with my father. i always said you know what? this is something that needs to happen. i didn't know how i was going do it. and then the work that i do with my foundation which is about human trafficking, child

trafficking, you know, i read -- i read and heard so many testimonies of children. and the way they heal easily. i guess something happened there that triggered the paternity. >> was it hard to write? >> it was entense. very intense at moments. very painful at moments. and then moments of joy. >> you didn't have to write it. >> i didn't have to but it felt amazing at the end when i said my book is done. it felt right. >> and describing the journey that brought you where you are today, there is a section you call baby stesteps. >> yeah. >> would you read part of this first and then we will get into it? >> it was approximately five years ago when i understood and felt deep down in the bottom of my heart and soul that i was finally ready to accept my truth. i had plenty of time to think,

to fall in and out of love and to live through everything that i had to live through. until then, even though i knew deep down in my heart what i was about, i didn't own it. i didn't need to tell the rest of the world. on one hand i felt it was nobody's business but my own. on the other hand i simply didn't see how i was going to change everything. and i have to go back to my children. transparency. >> how did you come to have the twins? >> i stopped my black and white tour, an amazing tour and i said this is the right moment. i can take it any more. >> how did you get them? >> sur gacy. adoption is a very beautiful option and maybe in the future, that would be the way.

but science and medicine has given us so much. >> you had a surrogate mother? >> i had a surrogate mother. >> your sperm? >> and an egg donor. and a volunteer. very simple. since the moment i typed surrogate in my computer to when i held my children was exactly a year. >> during all the years of your fame. you were in the baby group. how old were you? >> i was 12 years old. >> that group hit it early. >> in 1977 they started. they became a phenomenon by the beginning of the 80s. i started in july of 1984. >> then you broke away on your own. >> five years later i was done with the band. i was so tired. and i went to new york city to live and relax. it was the first time in my life that i was literally not

following a schedule and it was very important for me to do so. >> i have seen you work. you entertained at a gala for our heart foundation and my son was six months old and danced with you on stage. there were always rumors about you. you had heard them, right? >> yeah, yeah, of course. >> what was that like? what was that life like to live? >> i was just not ready to even focus on the idea of -- >> coming out? >> coming out and telling the world that i was -- that i am gay. and the way i was treated for some members of the media, it didn't feel right. it didn't feel good. >> how do you mean? >> it was treated in a very markable way. everything within told me don't do it. it's just not right. are you? are you gay?

are you bisexual? who are you? what are you? to be honest, larry, i didn't know why i didn't know back then. i wasn't ready. and no one should be forced. no one should be forced to come out. >> how did you come out? >> well, first to my mother. and she actually asked me, my son, are you in love? and i was in love. and she said is it with a man? and i said yeah, mom, it's with a man. it's fantastic. stand up and give me a hug, she said. with my father, pretty much the same way. >> hold on. people saw your act it was very sexual and sensual act. >> it still is. >> were you pretending?

>> i am gay and i enjoy dancing with women. and i will always enjoy -- i allow myself to feel the music and just go for it. >> you had to pretend a life didn't you? >> i didn't -- i don't know if i was pretending. i didn't know who i really was. i didn't know. denial is very powerful. when ever i had an encounter with a man i would think about it and keep walking. sexuality is very complex and it is very different for everybody. there are moments that i said yes. yes i am. how am i going tell the world? and then there are moments when i started dating a woman and it felt right and comfortable. >> you had relations with women? >> i had very steady relationships with women. i fell in love with women and it felt right.

>> physically in love? >> i fell physically in love. a lot of people say yeah rick, maybe you were trying to prove to yourself something. okay. may i was. but in the meantime i was feeling comfort, passion. i felt passion. and it felt beautiful. >> so can that still come again? with a woman? >> you know, like i say in my book, love is about souls and encounters. today i am a gay man. and everything about saying this feels right. for many years i would say bisexual. does that exist? maybe yes. when i was with a woman i was loyal and faithful to that woman.

>> there was a but? >> there was a but but that but didn't -- the thought of that wouldn't last two seconds. i would try not to think about it. >> you never thought you would be sitting on a worldwide television program saying i am a gay man? >> i never thought. trust me larry, if i knew how good it was going feel i would have done it ten years ago. >> much more on ricky's life. we will preview his new single, too. the book is "me". we will be right back.

♪ >> listening to ricky's new single, "the best thing about me is you." from the sound of it you will be hearing a lot more of this one. this could be a big hit. is this out? >> thank you. very simple. ray ga, tropical vibe. a lot of people say i was not expecting this kind of music from you in your come back. i thought you would do a power

ballad or a living la vida loca vibe. >> where did you go? you owned the world and suddenly you wor gone. >> it was so healthy for me to do so. >> did you hibernate? >> yes. i started working in 1984 and i did not stop until like two days ago. my trips to india just spending time in the u.s. going across country. really finding silence is something that i was not used to. something that i was afraid of. i haven't been creative. >> you came out on your website in. >> on twitter. >> march 29 of this year you published a letter that concluded i am proud to say i am a homo sexual man.

i am very blessed to be who i am. >> i was so ready. i couldn't take it any more. i wrote that letter on a friday. i think i made it public on a monday. that week for me was eternal. you know, i wanted to wait for everyone in the office to come back. and i sent it to everybody first. my mother was coming to miami where i lived. i wanted her to be near me before i made it public. all i know is when i pressed send, i just felt alive, really. >> where there very rough days when the hiding -- hide something the wrong word. when you are trying to find who you are? that must be terrible? >> everything around me was

telling me that what i was feeling was not right. that was probably evil. from my faith? >> evil? oh faith. >> a lot of people say maybe your culture. i don't think about the culture this is something that people from all over the world deal with. it doesn't matter if you are european, latin american or hispanic the u.s., asian, you deal with acceptance. it happened at my age. >> this is the image. to the latin, the thought of being gay is very difficult. it's very not macho. >> right. >> maybe that was one of the reasons why it took me so long.

>> i kept woshing working working and that what i did not to think about that. there was a moment in my life where the only thing keeping me away from actually accepting or confronting my reality was work and work was also taking me there. everybody was asking me about it. >> when you saw gays put down or anti-gay material or people, weren't you pained? how did you handle that? >> yeah. >> it was very painful. i think it was probably one of my lowest moments where i was seeing unjustice. to be in front of a camera and talk about something that was

not right. >> we will talk about ricky's sons, charity work and friendship with the supreme court justice. lots more coming up. [ female announcer ] discover northland 100% juice.

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♪ >> the book is "me" the author is ricky martin. barbara walters interviewed ricky for her 200 oscar special and pushed him pretty hard about his sexuality. >> sexuality is something that each individual should deal with in their own way. that's all i have to say about that. >> well, you know, you could stop these rumors. you could say as many artists have, yes i am gay. or you could say no i'm not. i don't want to put you on the spot. you know this is being said.

>> thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to express the rumors. but for some reason, i just don't feel like it. >> only i dear barbara could say i don't want to put you on the spot but are you gay? >> it really is funny now that i look at it. i haven't seen that video in a while. did that bother you? she has said that she regrets questioning you as she did. >> at the moment, i felt invaded. once again, i was just not ready. i was not ready. why? i don't know. could be a thousand reasons why i was not ready. but you know, two days later i was already working again. >> was there a time you knew you were gay? >> yeah, yeah. maybe like -- i was like early 20s. probably 20, 21 years old i fell

in love and i fell in love with a man. i was about to give up everything. my career -- >> was he in show business? >> no. i was like you know what? let's go. let's go explore the world. let's live in europe and asia and live a beautiful life. how romantic and naive. >> what happened to it? >> like any other relationship it didn't work. it didn't happen. it felt horrible when we broke up. really painful. i was in my early 20s. it felt so bad that i thought okay. maybe this is just not right. ignorant on my part. it's not right. maybe i'm not gay. so i started dating women again. and it felt good. >> you must have been mixed up. >> it is very confusing. you know what? right now as we are talking there are thousands of men and women who are struggling with acceptance. it's very difficult.

what you are feeling is not compatible with what society dictates or with what your faith dictates or what your family are telling you to feel. and it's just not right unfortunately. this is the reality. >> did faith play a part in this? >> totally. totally. i grew up catholic. i don't want to say it is catholicism. there are many religions that accept homosexuality and have no problem with it. >> the book is "me." still lots more to go and lots more to talk about. judge judy is here tomorrow night. thursday night "dancing with the stars" finalists will be here. back with ricky martin after this. and the life you want to . fortunately there's enbrel, the #1 most doctor-prescribed biologic medicine for ra.

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♪ >> are you having as much fun as it appeared? >> when i was on stage -- when i am on stage i am always having fun. >> you never let anything bother you? >> i never let anything bother you. you are dealing with 20,000, 25,000 -- >> do you miss it? >> i do miss it.

but i -- one of the things that made me stop and go home for a minute was the fact that not even being on stage was giving me that rush and happiness and joy. so i said wait a minute. one thing is not to like interviews too much because they are invasive. but to be on stage and not have a good time, what's going on? it's time to stop. now i am ready to go back. >> you are going back? >> march, world tour. >> all right. you call yourself gay or bisexual? are you still bisexual? what are you? >> very confusing. for everybody but for me. i am gay. >> no interest in women at all? >> but, i am gay. g-a-y. gay. >> we tweeted -- we get a lot of tweets for you asking if you are involved with someone now? >> i am in a relationship and i am very happy.

>> are you open. do you bring him around? >> it's usually very overwhelming to start a relationship like we were talking in the break. to be in a relationship with ricky martin it gets a little more overwhelming, now at this moment in my life when i am presenting my book and everything. but we are not afraid of anything, not hiding anything. when ever we decide to make it public we will walk on the red carpet together or something i guess. >> were you ever bullied? >> you know, larry, i am bullied today. it's very weird. you know? is i am a twitter fan and i check my messages all the time and you can get 100 messages of love and you are very happy. and then you get that one message of the hater and, you know, if you are in a bad day it ruins your afternoon. it's so sad that there is still

hate out there. >> then why look at it? >> yes, of course. you don't look at it and you ignore it. >> why bother to see what they are saying? >> for me, networking is amazing. >> you're nuts then. >> what twitter and facebook has done for me is have an immediate reaction of what's going to on out there. in fact when i was recording my music i would let them know what i -- what my -- what i was learning and listening and they would say i love this. it's very interesting. it's a new era. >> as a kid, how did you handle success early? >> when i was nine years old i really wanted to bh in the show business. i would grab a wooden spoon and start singing. >> but you got well known early? >> at the age of 12 i became

part of the music band meneudo. one day i was riding my bike to school and the next day i was in a private 737, living in a hotel suite and singing for 200,000 people. it was drastic but i enjoyed it. it was an amazing beginning. a great school of discipline. and up until today, i am benefitting from that. >> you told me during the break that you don't keep in touch with the group? >> not really. i am sure if we see each other we would say what's up how you doing give me a hug. but not really. >> ricky performed at the grammys for the first time in 1999. you sang the color of life. you got a standing ovation. this was like coming out. watch.

♪ >> now even though you had been in the business all this time that made you an overnight sunization, right? >> maybe here in the united states. for the anglo market. that in 1999, i released the album and that album in the united states was really -- it was already three times platinum but the anglo market didn't know who i was. >> you were always big in the latino market? >> since 1984 because of the band and when i released my

first solo, it was successful. >> was that grammys that made you? >> in the united states. in the united states. because with that album, the one that i got the grammy for that evening, i was already almost a year on a world tour. it was amazing because i was performing in india and tokyo and singapore and sydney with a spanish album. in new dehli, i did a stadium with a spanish album. i am definitely very grateful to the gramys because it was the next level. >> as we go to break we will have ricky ask our viewers at cnn espanol to stay with us. >> in spanish? [ speaking in spanish ] nobody in my family ever had a heart attack.

if anything, i thought i'd get hit by a bus, but not a heart. my doctor put me on an aspirin regimen to help protect my life. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. check with your doctor because it can happen to anybody.

♪ >> ricky martin is the guest. the book is "me". tell me about this relationship with with a supreme court justice?

>> what an honor. i don't even know how to start. i received a phone call from her office inviting me to when she was sworn? >> why you? >> i don't know but i'm not going ask. i was honored by the detailing of it. i just sent her my book. we had a beautiful conversation. she talked to me about her struggles when she went to college as a hispanic woman. i told her about my grandmother who went to college in the united states back in the 1940s and how intense it was. it was a very beautiful relationship that we have. >> how did you grandmother come to go to college in america?

>> she wanted her masters in the 1940s. she hopped on a plane and said it is time to just keep studying. i was talking to justice sotomayor about it. i wrote about her in my book because i am very proud of her. >> you ought to be. we get a lot of questions posted via facebook, one of your favorite things. would you get married? >> would get married. that's -- that's why i want to have that option, larry. there are many countries around the world where same-sex

marriage is a right. >> not puerto rico. >> not there and not america. >> why don't you go somewhere if you are really in love with this man, you could go somewhere? >> we could go to spain or argentina? why can't i do it in my country where the laws artecting me. i can do that in the backyard of my house to have beauty and symbolic. i don't want to be a second class citizen. i pay my taxes. why can't i have that right? we're not talking about getting married now. that's not part of our conversations. >> would your partner like to have children? >> maybe. maybe. all i know is that he loves my children. and my children love him. it feels very beautiful.

>> what's the part about fatherhood you like the most. >> you know, i melt. and they tell me t' amore every other hour. >> they own you. >> before i used to ask permission of my parents to leave the house. now i ask permission to my children to leave the house. >> what will you do when you tour? >> they already have their passports. they are coming with me. a lot of people say children need stability. their stability is to be with daddy and that will be what's normal for them. >> how will you tell them about what is normal on the outside world, though? and that they have a father and

don't have a mother? >> well, when they ask me i will say every family is different. every family is very particular. i would say that there are families with a mom and a dad and families with two moms and families with three moms and right now it's about the love that we have among each other and you have to walk through life with pride and happy and honored to be part of a modern family. >> there are rumors that ricky is headed to broadway. we will ask about that next. of my engine? e one a day men's -- a complete multivitamin for my overall health. plus now it supports my heart health and helps maintain healthy blood pressure. [ engine revs ] whoa. kinda makes your heart race, huh?

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>> the day you sprained your ankle? >> yes you did. you were so kind and patient. >> that was ricky martin looking like moses on general hospital. you were on general hospital? >> i was on general hospital. it was a very intense moment of my life. very beautiful moment of mine. >> a one-time appearance? you were a regular? >> two and a half years. maybe three. >> who did you play? >> miguel. i was a bartender/orderly in the hospital. >> and you had romances with nurses? >> i had romances, yes.

>> all of badway hits are coming if evita comes back would you be interested? i am really happy. i had the opportunity to do les mis and i always said i need to go back to broadway. my agent said let's work on something and evita was a part and i will do cha. i am really looking forward to it. >> who will be evita? >> elaina rogers. she is an amazing singer and amazing actress. next week i will work on my tour. then i will focus entirely on broadway. because it is one of my passions.

every night to be in front of an audience and you have to sweat to get a standing ovation. >> who did you play in mis? the hero? >> yeah. >> and every night repeating the same thing? t character. something in the stage that will trigger something different every night. >> the book is out. star i mean -- >> i am a father. >> twins. >> beautiful healthy boys. nothing but gratitude. live as it is at the moment is balance and i don't want to sound cliche but i am only being honest.

no masks, nothing. i am in a really good place spiritually, mentally, physically, and i am ready to do more. very beautiful internal strength that i have got. >> how is your mother? >> my mother is amazing. for ten years i have been saying mom, miami, come and visit her. now all of the sudden she lives in miami because the babies are there. i have an amazing relationship with my parents. >> is your dad still living? >> he is a psychologist, retired, lives in puerto rico. >> you have an amazing life. >> everybody goes through dark moments in their lives. >> what was your darkest? >> my darkest probably that --

>> living a -- >> trying to find myself. trying to really accept who i was and not be afraid and or ashamed of what my emotions were about. it really was a struggle. >> ricky has lent his name and energy to a number of causes. we will talk about that next. sure, decaf or regular? - regular. - cake or pie? - pie. - apple or cherry? cherry. oil or cream? oil or cream? cream... please. when other toppings are made with hydrogenated oil, the real dairy cream in reddi-wip's sure an easy choice. nothing's more real than reddi-wip. fork or... spoon? [ deb ] people don't just come to ge capital for money. they come to us for help. at ge capital, we've been financing taylor guitars for over eight years, helping them build a strong dealer network.

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>> larry: we'll be right back with ricky martin. the book is "me." but let's check in with anderson cooper. what's our lead? >> keeping them honest, facts matter, the truth matters, and that's why we're digging deeper with sarah palin and a "new york times" reporter with a factual error. we'll talk about the facebook battle that ensued and why politicians cling to the mistakes even when confronted with the truth. and a judge sentencing the murderer, quote, i could go on for days about the depth of your depravity. it's sufficient to say you belong in a cage. find out what punishment he did receive. >> larry: that's 10:00 eastern, 7:00 pacific with anderson cooper. you do a lot of philanthropic work. you're an activist against human trafficking. what got you into that? >> many years ago i was invited by my colleagues, someone building an orphanage in india.

i went to see what was going on and when i was there he told me let's go out to the street and let's rescue girls. and i'm like, okay, let's rescue girls. and then, we brought girls that were from the ages of 4 to 7, and he told me, yosee girls like them could become prey for human trafficking. and i'm like, what does that mean? and he goes, children forced into prostitution. i'm like, what are you talking about? she's 4 years old? 7 and 9. yes, men pay for their virginity. i went crazy, larry. i went back home and i started doing research about human trafficking, and i had no idea i can't be silent about this. because it would be like allowing it to happen. and i went to washington, d.c., and i started meeting with amazing activists, people who are my mentors today, and i'm

doing my part. a little bit. there's so much that needs to be done. >> larry: i understand also that you went to thailand after the tsunami and haiti after the earthquake and these experiences affected you a great deal. >> well, that's what happens. traffickers take advantage of situations like that, because children become orphans or semi orphans and they are vulnerable and they go and kidnap the children. so i went there. and i said, this could be happening right now. media, listen to me. in could be happening right now. so let's be aware. and i had the opportunity to meet the younger survivor, baby wave. baby wave was a month old, and he was in a hospital being protected by the nurses, because in five days, five different men went to the hospital saying that's my nephew, that is my son. >> larry: what are they going to do with the baby, then?

>> you know, human trafficking, to be raped or for organs, or for false adoption, human trafficking is terrible. it's a slavery of the new era. >> larry: we'll have ricky read another passage from the book "me" right after this. they could have shipped it too. saved ourselves the hassle. i'm not too sure about this. look at this. [ security agent ] right. you never kick off with sales figures. kicking off with sales figures! i'm yawning. i'm yawning some more. aaaaaaaand... [ snores ] i see your point. yeah. [ snores ] [ male announcer ] we understand.® you need a partner who delivers convenience. next time use fedex office. one month, five years after you do retire? ♪ client comes in and they have a box. and inside that box is their financial life.

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>> larry: you want to read from the end of the book? the book is "me." >> yeah. okay. it says throughout these pages i've shown myself exactly as i am. without censorship. the truth is never easy to pin down, especially when it's a matter of personal truth. which is why i will always continue -- why i will always continue on with my search. my spiritual path for the rest of my days. it is this constant search that will always bring me about intense emotions. it teaches me how to challenge myself, question myself, and always push forward.

but the most important thing and what inspires me the most is that this book can help to inspire other people to face their fears and push forward and their lives as well. and that for me is the greatest gift of all. >> larry: looking, as you look retrospectively, should you have come out sooner? >> like i've said, larry, i wish i knew how good it was going to feel, i would have done it ten years ago. but i guess i had to go through my spiritual search, my spiritual path to get to conclusions and be able to be comfortable enough to look myself in the mirror and say, everything is going to be fine. you're a good person. and god doesn't make mistakes. >> larry: were you surprised at how well your parents handled it? >> my parents are amazing. i was very lucky because i know it's not everyone's case. >> larry: had you to be nervous about that, though. >> i was but in my case my mom

asked me and it was like, half the work is done. yes, mom, and then she gave me a hug and told me she loved me and then my father said, i just want you to be happy, son. go ahead and live life to the fullest. but that was not enough for me. it still took me a long time to make it public. but it feels amazing and i never felt better. >> larry: the tour starts when? >> march. march in puerto rico and then we'll come to the united states, we'll do latin america, hopefully europe and australia, it's a long tour. >> larry: and then evita will come fall of 2012? >> no, spring 2012. >> larry: not far away. >> not far away. we're almost there. we're already dealing with the schedule of two years from now. >> larry: you're going to have two very busy little twins. >> i'm really looking forward to this. and they inspire me. they inspire me to become a better person. >> larry: t