you-givin' you problems. >> he's crazy. >> yeah, just like-- [ laughter ] good, say some more nasty things about him, george, while you're here. did you ever have any, uh-- you mentioned when you were on the show december the 19th that you were-- that you were gonna win the crowd. did you ever have any doubts about the outcome of the fight at all? >> not really because i had just worked harder than joe frazier. not only for training and practice fights for three and a half years, and he had been partyin' and livin' the good life. he had all the money. i'm just a poor man, so i couldn't lose. >> you think there's some truth into the fact then that the best fighters are sometimes what they call hungry fighters? >> i don't know about hungry, but i guess the one that wants, you know, more. so, what the other guy has, he doesn't really appreciate it. yet, you know, what else can he achieve. you can't be the double heavyweight champion, or the triple heavyweight champion. you can just be the heavyweight champion of the world. >> right. you said something on a show, i think i saw on an interview, you said that-that you didn't feel that the crown didn't belong to you, or no matter who won it, or had it for a while-- you

joe frazier had it for a while, and you'll have custody of it, eventually of course, unless you retire, uh, undefeated, uh, you'll probably fight somebody and you might lose it. so, do you feel that way about it? it's yours for now. >> right, you must prevail. i only have it, you know, to do with it what i can for the time bein', and eventually i'll have to give it up. that's a fact. once you think is yours to hold, you're in trouble. >> right. what's your professional record now? >> i've had a total of 39 fights. >> right. >> i've won 'em all. 36 by knockout. >> 36 by knockout. that's incredible. [ applause ] there was a picture in the paper where you hit joe frazier and he was actually off the floor. uh, i mean both feet. like eight or nine inches off the floor. you hit him with some kind of an uppercut, or something? >> yeah, i caught him with a right uppercut.

way of a right hook. i saw him myself, i think a week after the fight, and-and i didn't realize i had hit him with such power, but it was somethin' i had been practicin' all along, and most of my fights had ended that way-- by way of knockout. >> joe frazier weighs what? two hundred and-- >> fourteen, as a matter of fact. >> and to lift a man up in the air by hitting him in the jaw, that's-that's gotta be tremendous. >> what's the hardest shot you've ever, uh, taken? >> i've been fortunate so far. i haven't been knocked down as a pro. as a pro? >> never been hurt in a fight, so things have been goin' pretty well. think i better make a good exit pretty quick. >> now, you're not gonna-- joe frazier did, are ya? you're not gonna get out now because you're a champion and, uh, say, "i'll go to the parties now?" and, uh, things are pretty good? you said you thought maybe you made that mistake. >> well, really, i don't have any aspiration to be an entertainer, or anything of that nature. i like fightin' because fightin'

i like to go home and go to sleep. and i don't think-- i don't fit in at parties because i'm dull and i don't drink or smoke and i don't dance that well. so, i just don't fit into that. can't sing a lick. >> can't sing at all? [ laughter ] you can certainly liven a party by lifting somebody off the floor though. >> they call me old dull george foreman. >> yeah, there were-there were some press reports that were, uh, archie moore, advised of the head. now, is that a legal punch or is that just-- was he just-- >> well, frazier is a tremendous fighter. he's got one of the greatest defense around. he has his chin, and, you know, normally a guy gets so excited that he can't find a punch, you know, hit him on the chin ain't a thing to get panicky. so, he advise me wherever you can hit him; on top of the head, on the foot, you know, hit him. [ laughter ] so, uh-- >> just hit him, huh? >> so, then my manager, you know, thought maybe i'd hurt my hand, but it came to the point where he would hide everything, so i hit him on top of the head

you know, he went down. so, thanks to archie moe. >> so, fighters can actually hide what you call-- hide-hide their chin? >> yeah, that's the button. if a guy protects his chin, he's a good professional fighter. >> yeah. >> i always say. >> i would do that. i would hide my chin in a locker in scranton. [ laughter ] leave it there during the off season. whatever that means, i have the slightest idea. uh, what was it you said to joe? did-- you went over and talked to joe frazier's manager, what was it, between the fifth and sixth rounds? >> no, the fight didn't go but two rounds. >> w-w-when was it? you walked over and said-- oh, after the knockdown, or something. >> yeah, after the-- >> after the fifth knockdown, i think. >> after the fourth knockdown i told him, you know, i told him he better stop because i'd kill him-- exaggeratin'. >> right. >> but, uh, he took me serious because he-- joe frazier couldn't protect himself at that point. >> right. >> i went out and knocked him down again for the fifth time or sixth time, or somethin' like that. he eventually brought the towel up to save him. you know, he didn't have to get

he had made lots of money and made a good impression on the world. >> right. >> he didn't have anything to die about. >> now, you went over-- you talked to frazier after the fight, didn't ya? >> yeah. >> what'd you say to joe? >> i told him that i had more respect for him than any other fighter at this stage, and that, you know, that he was a good fighter, and whatever other kind of compliments you can give a guy after you beat him. [ laughter ] >> yes, is that why is it-- it's kind of wondrous to me because you see fighters, and that would always happen. you go out and you beat each other senseless for ten rounds and always at the end you embrace and kiss like, you know, it was all just in fun. uh, that's just the, uh, respect for each other in the ring, i suppose, huh? >> yeah, i have a lot of respect for most of the guys that i've fought. >> you've been fighting, what, about ten-ten times a year? now, as the champion, you don't have to fight that often, do ya, george? >> i don't know, you know. probably the reason i've made it so far as a professional, not because i'm so great or better than everybody in the whole world, it's because i've had a

my career in the right way. made me champion of the world, so i pretty much leave him to that job because he makes such a major proportion of my earnings. so, if i could do that, you know, say when i could fight, i could keep that in my pocket. you know? i don't fight-- only when he says. >> right, but you keep in training all the time? >> not really. you know-- >> now, we had ali on the show about a week ago, and i asked what would happen if and he said, "well, you telegraph your punch." he said you come back like this. that's the way ali did it on the show. he said you come back like this, and you know the punch is comin', and ali said he would go, doot-doot-doot-doot-doot, while you were-while you were doin' this. now-- now, you know, uh, you know ali. is that-- is there any truth to that at all? >> i don't know if i telegraph a punch. i guess it's all right to do whatever you like with your punch so long as it land where you intend, you know? [ laughter ] >> how many-- obviously,

see you telegraph it. >> yeah. >> it arrived late or something. >> joe frazier didn't see it. >> yeah. what's your-- do you got your next fight scheduled at all? >> not really. i'm just takin' it easy right now. i guess my manager finally found some contenders who are willin' to challenge me. i just consider myself just another fighter. no different, you know? the world title-- >> except you're the champion. >> that's up to, you know, the people who makes the ratings and everything. i figured i was champion after i turned pro. a lot of guys didn't think so, and they proved it, but, you know, i'm just another fighter. >> when did you-- when did you really wanna become a pro fighter? >> i won a gold medal in mexico in '68. >> that's right. >> afterwards everyone said i would be a great fighter, and so they convinced me that i wanted to be a pro. >> but you never-- what, you signed as a kid? >> no, i had my first amateur fight in february of '67, the next year i was an olympic champion. and, so it happens pretty quick. i had first thought about fightin' when i heard

floyd patterson on the radio. i was in the job corps center. >> that was your first professional fight? >> i ever heard of, and everybody looked at me and said, "you're big, why don't you be a fighter?" and eventually i worked around to it. >> yeah. what's the best thing a fella could-- suppose a guy's out and he's at a party or he's at a bar, and somebody starts to slug him. what would you suggest he do? i mean... >> i suggest that he call the police. [ laughter ] [ applause ] >> you got a point there. i never thought of that. uh-- >> i think that most fighters, the reason we all fight is because we have a lot of fear within us. we've all proven ourselves by, you know, pursuing a professional boxing career. i think that i'm basically a scary man. >> fearful, really? >> yeah. >> when you were a kid did you fight? [ laughter ] as a kid did you fight?

of trouble as a kid? >> yeah, i was constantly tryin' to prove my courage, jumpin' on guys for no reason at all. i'm glad that's over. a lot of times i got whipped. [ laughter ] >> you're, uh, you're 24 now, and, uh, they say a fighter really gets to his peak around 26-27 years old of age. is that true? i mean, physically. >> well, hopefully, at that age i will be goin' on to somethin' new. fightin' has been real good to me. i've become a champion because of all the hard work and a good amount of prayer, and people that think a lot about me. i hope to move onto a greener pasture before 26. >> and what would you like to do? >> well, my wife is in school right now, studying to be something, i like to follow her foot steps, really. >> did you drop out from school along the way somewhere? >> yes, i got my education. high school education in a job program. eventually i'd like to go back to college and get a degree. that's much better than being the champ of the world.

[ applause ] >> how about - do you have youngsters? >> beg you pardon. >> do you have youngsters? boys? do you have children? >> no, i have one girl. >> yeah. >> had my first child on january 6th, i was preparing for a fight, my trainer told me he was going to send me home to my baby quick. [ laughter ] he did too. >> if you - [ laughter ] [ applause ] yeah you did. not the way you had in mind, i'm sure. if you had a boy, would you want him to be a professional fighter? that's a question fighters are often asked. because it's a rough profession and it's-- >> fighting has been really good to me. >> right. >> and i wouldn't say anything wrong about boxing, only if the guy would like to be a fighter, there will be nothing i could do anyway. fighting is something that if it gets to a guy, you can't beat you know. >> yeah. >> you know, and i'm the one to

it's up to them individually. if my son would like to be a fighter i wouldn't say anything. >> george, is a pleasure to meet you and have you on our show and i wish you much luck with your career. you wear the crown very well and most proud of you. would you come back and see us again? >> you bet. >> thanks, george. [ applause ] [ cheers ] [ applause ] i - i seen the amount of the shows and the - he is the kind of man that is opinionated, sure young man. can you imagine lifting somebody up in the air with one punch. >> i'm glad he likes us. >> yes. [ laughter ] now is time to find

what's a mediator? [ applause ] >> sandy, most delightful, and intelligent young lady. she's starting on her own

busy appearing on a lot of television shows, would you welcome please miss sandy duncan. [ applause ] [ music ] >> he was really nice. >> yeah, isn't he? i've never met him before but-- >> he was just- he was gentle and i liked him. >> those are the kind of fellows that always fool you. >> punch you out. >> yeah-- yes, you gotta go and punch out. it was always the quiet ones as a kid, when you grew up, there were very quiet, it's the loud mouth guys you never had to worry about. was some quiet little guy sitting around and then - remember it says the old cliche and then the town bully would pick on him once and the kid will response, just real quiet. you look pretty nice. >> thank you. thank you. >> i'm not supposed to say congratulations, i'm supposed to say, best wishes to the bride, right? yeah, you were recently married. >> i am a married lady. >> wow. >> well - i started to say

supposed to say congratulations. >> that's right. >> why do they do that? >> we did - why? >> yeah, why do they congratulate you. >> you're supposed to congratulate the groom for winning the hand of the girl. >> thank you. [ laughter ] >> it goes back, i don't know. it's a long time in history. >> yeah, see - i knew you go back a long time in history. [ laughter ] >> but that's really it, that's why you congratulate the groom and best wishes to the bride. >> i saw your book at the book store. >> very good. it works, see. >> it do-- yeah! [ laughter ] >> what did i lose in here? >> no - right. >> and you married the man - >> no. oh, no. see, it really gives you pause about the credibility gap in the news, all together because they all say is the doctor that g the thing out of my eye but that's not true. he was one of the doctors that was looking for the tumor but he didn't do the actual operation. >> i see. >> you don't fraternize with your patients, that's against doctor rules. >> well, obviously somebody did, or you wouldn't be married, right?

>> anyway, no we did - like you did, you know. we wanted quiet kind of thing without the circus aspect that can happen. >> right? >> so, um, we went up to - we were gonna go skiing, that was the main purpose of the trip, actually. and we thought by the way, we will get married. >> so it's not to blow >> right. [ laughter ] >> you know, instead of going to a movie one night - no, so we did and it was weird because we thought to get married in the nevada side, because then you don't have to i mean they make it so easy to get into and so hard to get out, as you know. right? [ laughter ] [ applause] >> i think it's sometimes - sometimes it should be the other way around. they should make it as difficult to get married as it is to dissolve a marriage. >> i agree. two minutes, it was like - do you? - yes i do. fine, good bye and that was it, you know. and the other takes years- anyway, we went in and it was a blizzard and it was snowing and we drove, and we said, okay here is the legitimate piece,

so we got out and they said, oh it's snowing, you know, the judge is very busy, could you go somewhere else. oh okay, fine. we get in the car and drive to another town, this is carson city, you've heard of that? >> oh, yes. >> one of the better places, so the judge wa at court, so we went across the street and gamble a little. came back and we signed the papers, and then we went in and the judge was just arriving, and our best man was his secretary. he was in cowboy boots and a shirt, he was very nice - it was, you know, a quick wedding, then we went on skiing, which is a bad thing to do on your honeymoon. do you sky? >> no, but why is it a bad things to do on your honeymoon? >> they're all so perfect, those people. those girls, they have those itty bitty noses, itty bitty teeth, long blonde hair, and i don't sky. >> oh. snow buddies, isn't that what they call those girls? they live around sky lounges. >> but they are perfect and you know - >> and they wear those thigh sky pants.

outfits, and i'm sitting here with my book and tom is going up and down the lift with these perfect girls. [ laughter ] and i thought, that won't work, you see. i've got to learn to sky for self defense, so i got in all the gear - have you ever been in the gear? [ laughter ] >> i had sky boots, so i tried it once, years ago when i was in the service. i went up to mount rainier and i was in the service, and i put a pair of ski is on and somebody put me up on a slope and it was a disaster. absolute disaster. >> me too. i thought i was going to be the star of the class, i got in the beginners class, and they surround you with a picket fence so you won't hurt the other skiers. [ laughter ] and i kept bearing into the picket fence and the guy who was the instructor - i think he was german and he kept - >> they are - >> something, but they are mean, whatever they are. and i kept getting lounge to the picket fence with my ski is, and he kept coming over to me and saying, you're an embarrassment to the class. >> oh!

and finally i thought, i'm not having fun having a good time, so i'm gonna take off my ski is and go sit with my book. i don't care if those girls are pretty, he said, they are shallow and they are not bright. >> yeah. >> and they have no sense of humor. >> well, he is not going on a scavenger hunt either, i mean. [ laughter ] >> anyway - >> so, that's a funny line you just said. >> what? >> i got tired of trying to have a good time or trying to. >> oh, but that's it, anytime, any kind of sport, i don't know about you but with - it's hard to have a good time. >> yeah. are you jealous? of your husband - i mean, are you possessive? >> oh yeah. >> very possessive? >> yeah. i never knew that before, that a not a quality i thought i had. >> until you get married - >> ah! [ laughter ] >> is he possessive? >> yes, but not as much. man are cooler about things like that, i think. >> yeah, that's interesting. we'll have a word from one of

[ applause ] >> we are back. we're talking with sandy duncan and steve martin, very funny young man, and bennie barnes will join us a little later. we talked about sandy - you come from a little town in texas, red small town. >> tyler town. >> tyler, texas. and you went to new york when you were-- >> oh, i was 19. >> 19, now that would scared a lot of people. >> yeah, except i-- it would scare - well it did, except i moved into a very shelter environment which was good for me because around 14,or 15, my mother kept saying, is there anything you want to talk about, and i'd say no. so it's a good thing that i moved into a place called "the rehearsal club," uh, it's like a girls dorm, sort of in new york city. carol burnett lived there, lot of people lived there, and it's great because you have built-in friends, and you kind of learn the ins and outs without having to cope immediately with new york, which is a lot to cope with when you're shelter from a small town.

there-- is all kind, you know, what else, actress out for people, belly dancers, and everything. huh? >> all women? >> no. yes. [ laughter ] >> come on. >> all women, in fact man aren't allow above the first floor, they have a little sitting - it's very provincial and very nice. uh, anyway, so i lived there for about 3 years, but the first i was there they had a thing where you set the alarm system if you open the window to far, and the police come and the bells ring, and i did that and they allowed me to stay. [ laughter ] >> why did you do that? >> i didn't mean to. >> oh, i see. >> and then the very next week, i was getting ready for a date and so - you weren't supposed to have electrical appliances-- it's an old building, they try to make money now to renovate it-- and i had everything. i had a tv, radio, hair dryer, plug-in curlers, the whole thing, so i plugged my hair dryer to get ready for the date

flicker and i just panic. thrown me out, here i am, i don't know anybody in new york city, so i unplugged it, and thought oh my god, i ran out on the hall and say cherie, come here, the lights are off in the room. she came in and says, yes they are, they are off and you've done it now. so we started hiding everything and all the sudden the girls are talking out in the hallway, we go out and i said, i have blown this whole building cherie, the fuse is blown and i've done it, they're going to kick me out. so the girls are running around, screaming and it's dark, and i go to look out of the window because-- and i've blown the block. >> the whole block? >> the whole block is gone and it turns out to be the new york city blackout, it wasn't me after all. [ laughter ] >> oh, that's funny. you were there during that blackout. we were getting ready to tape the show that night and it went out about i think around 5:30 and that was the strangest town to walk around that evening, so you did it with your hair dryer. >> that's right. >> we'll be right back. you got a cold, here's a word

[ music ] [ applause ] >> um, steve martin is on the show tonight. uh, if you haven't seen steve work before, uh, it's difficult to explain exactly what he does. it's usually something a little bit strange, he'll be appearing in a concert with "the nitty gritty dirt band" in new york's town hall on march 9th. and i haven't the slightest idea what he's prepared tonight, but we'll find out. would you welcome, steve martin. [ applause ] [ music ] i don't deserve this. well, uh, hi folks. may i take your order? [ laughter ] actually, why i'm out here tonight, i've been doing a lot of tv shows lately, you know, the tonight show, you know, and big deals. and i began to realize that in order to succeed in television, you have to appeal to everybody, you know, from the garbage