Published: Sunday September 9, 2007
Says Geraldo At Large host Geraldo Rivera to the crowd, chanting "9/11 was an inside job" at the beginning of the show: "Get a life."
The protesters continue chanting as Rivera reports on the high temperature in New York City (87 degrees Fahrenheit), causing the death of one dog left in a hot car. As Dr. Jennifer Ashton explains, the heat from inside a car will cause a dog, unable to sweat, to go into organ failure.
As the chants continue in the background, Rivera and Ashton look over the results of a baking experiment. The inside of the car used in the experiment, as it turns out, was hot enough to bake their batch of cookies to completion.
"The proteins in our body literally become denatured," explains Dr. Ashton, of the effects of a hot car interior. "They separate, and that's how people die."
As the protest continues off-screen, Judge Jeanine Pirro disagrees with a "free pass" given the mother of one particular child left in a hot car, citing cases in which the legal consequences were far worse with less harm caused to the child in question.
As a sign reading "Stop the Neocon Mad Men" is lifted over Rivera's shoulder, he reports on a 42-year-old Guatemalan immigrant with a criminal history who is found dead. Judge Pirro and advocate Fernando Mateo express ultimate dissatisfaction in the charges brought against a police officer charged in the man's death.
"We've been surrounded by an activist--radical--I don't know, Communist group. I don't know who the hell they are," says Rivera after returning from commercial. Vocal protests continue unabated in the background.
To screams and chants, Rivera and correspondent Laurie Dhue discuss the minutiae of Republican Senator Larry Craig's arrest. Also giving their input are psychologist Dr. Victoria Zdrok and three detectives who have worked on sex stings.
"As this group of misfits behind me continue their chanting," Rivera quips, he waves his fist at the camera to express his annoyance.
Mark Geragos contends with a man with a loudspeaker, who was later arrested and identified as 33-year-old Alex Jones, prominent figure in the 9/11 Truth Movement.
Jones was later charged with operating a bullhorn without a permit.
"All Hell is breaking loose on 6th Avenue," says Rivera, as video is taken of police approaching the crowd to make arrests.
"You need a permit to protest -- or demonstrate -- here in New York, but this anarchist group came forward. They really are one of the least attractive groups of demonstrators I've ever seen."
After a few more choice words and the desire to avoid using "foul language," Rivera returns to his scripted story: The story of Southwest Airlines passenger Kyla Ebbert, told to change her outfit by attendants.
In a gesture of solidarity, female correspondents Pirro, Zdrok and Ashton appear on stage with Ebbert in outfits identical to the one that prompted her booting from the plane.
"Did you realize that you were going to get caught in such a controversy?" asks Rivera.
"Never," responds the former Hooters waitress, with banners waving behind her and chants continuing in the background. "I never imagined that this outfit would get me noticed for anything other than it's a very cute outfit."
When asked if she could believe it when it was the outfit that caused her to be ejected from the flight, Ebbert affirmed that she could not have imagined that situation taking place.
Judge Pirro, while not sure if there are grounds for a lawsuit, commends Ebbert for standing her ground.
"This is why we live in a free country," says Dr. Zdrok. "We are free to wear what we want to wear as long as it's not offensive."
"You have to be strong and stand by your beliefs," says Dr. Zdrok to Ms. Ebbert.
"They should be more concerned about terrorism than someone as innocuous as a college student who's dressed in the way kids dress," says Pirro.
Ebbert is a student of international business, and has "now decided to pursue law."
The following video is from Fox's Geraldo at Large, broadcast on September 8.