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<i>Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn</i>

Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn

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A BIG thank you to Tiffany over at the Andy Roddick Club for spending an hour and a half typing out this transcript for all of those who could not watch! For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn is a late-night talk show airing 12:30AM-1:30AM on CBS. Andy did this interview while he was in Los Angeles for the Mercedes-Benz Cup, July 29, 2001.

C: Craig A: Andy

C: At age 18, our next guest is the HOTTEST young american tennis star on the circut today. after his gutsy appearance in Paris this spring, he also has become the Jerry Lewis of tennis, the French adore him.

C: TAKE IT OFF! . I'm sorry. Please welcome, Andy Roddick.

C:You're the man...Thanks for being here.

A:Thank you for having me.

C:You're busy. I know you're busy. You're in a tournament.

A:Yeah. There's a tournament here in LA right now actually.

C:Are you playing?

A:Uh yeah, I play doubles again tomorrow night,so

C:Wow. And you also gave up Dodger batting practice. What's that all about?

A:I did.For the chance to be here with you, I had to give up Dodger batting practice. You know I thought it was a fair trade though. :)

C:Yeah... You're a big baseball fan. Why did you get the offer to bat with the Dodgers?

A:Uh it's just something I like to do sometimes when I'm at tournaments. Uh if they can set something up with the baseball or basketball team they let me hang out a little and act like I know what I'm doing or something.

C:So this actually, this little show meant something to you?

A:A LOT!

C:Are you joking?

C:I wanna ask you some questions. First of all, how tall are you? You seem taller than some other tennis players.

A:About 6'2''

C:Ahhh yeah and Petey's tall isn't he?

A:Yeah most of the guys actually now-a-days are getting bigger and bigger.

C:I call him Pete because I know Pete.

A:You're kinda "homeys"? Yeah?

C:Yeah. Uh Agassi's not that tall is he? He's like 5'11''.

A:About 5'11'' yeah.

C:And McEnroe is what...5'11''?

A:Around 6 foot, yeah...somewhere around there.

C:Uhhh that's fascinating.

C:Now, I'm fascinated, but let's see you, uhh. This is what they're saying, you're ranked in the top 25 now in the world right?

A: Right.

C:And when did you turn pro?

A: Uhh last year.

C:Wow. That's great! This is what Agassi said.....Andre Agassi says, "I think Roddick, that's you, has been the best U.S. hope for a long while. I like his game. I like the way he handles himself and goes about his business." That's very nice for Andre to say that.

A: Ahh yeah, it's awesome when you get a compliment like that from one of your idols.

C:Yeah. Who did you idolize growing up?

A: Ya know, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, Jim Courier. The whole American group before me, I always cheered for them.

C:Uh huh, and have you ever played against any of those guys?

A: I played against all of them.

C:Really?

A: Yeah.

C:Have you ever beaten any of them?

A: I beat, uh Pete, Michael, and Jim in an XL once.

C:Wow!

C:Uh tell us about your first tournament win? There was a rain delay going on. Where was that at?

A: That was in Houston this year.

C:Uh huh.

A: And there was a big delay and the crowd was packed before the rain delay, but then it lasted for like 4 hours or something and when we went back out on the court there were probably only 200 people there and they were going crazy. They had these wild bandanas on and everything.

C:So they had been drinking.:)

A: Exactly, Natural. So I went back out there and they were just goin nuts. They were making as much noise as when it was packed before. So afterwards I was signing some autographs and stuff and they were so happy. They were like appreciative that I was signing autographs. So I said if any of them didn't have tickets for the next days' final, then, umm, they were on me and so I'd hope they'd take me up on it.

C:Did you grab the mic? Someone said you grabbed the mic.

A: Yeah, uhh, when they were leaving, I kinda stood up and said if you don't have tickets, stop by the ticket place and uhh...

C: Oh isn't that dramatic huh?? Wow!

C: Ahhh do you have a temper?

A: Ahhh yeah a little bit of a temper.

C: You ripped off your shirt there a-la Dennis Rodman. Whats' that all about?

A: Yeah you know, I saw Dennis...hahah. No. Umm I was in like a different state then. Ya know I was just kinda pumped up and jacked and uhh it was actually my coaches' idea, so uhh I'll blame it on him.

C: Ok.

A: If anybody thinks it's stupid, it was his fault.

C: Ok. I'm a big tennis fan. I want you to be as cool as you can. I like, Remember Borg? Remember Borg???

A: Yeah

C:You've heard of him then right?

A: Yeah a couple times. :)

C: I like the Ice Borg. I liked how he was very calm....Not that.....I don't know what you're style is. You can do whatever you want.

A: I'm actually the opposite.

C: Oh really?

A: Yeah.

C: Go with that then.

A: Do you not like me then?

C: Uhh, what happened at the French Open this year?

A: Umm, I played a tough match against Chang. It was 4 hours and I was cramping. It was just an ugly scene, ya know. He was jumping around and all in shape and stuff and I was....

C: He is in great shape, yeah.

A: Yeah, so it was pretty emotional and uhh, the crowd got behind me a little bit, uhh they really kinda adopted me as one of their own, which is pretty cool and uhh then in the next round I got hurt and I kinda had to uhhh....quit

C: Yeah

A: So uhh, but umm all-in-all it was a great experience in Paris this year.

C: I guess the obvious question is..uhh....have you met Anna Kournikova?

A: UMM . Ya know, I've accomplished a lot of my goals this year for tennis, but that being one of them I've not accomplished.

C: You've never met her?????

A: No. Shes' kinda been hurt this year, soo....

C: THAT'S WHY SHE HASN'T BEEN WINNING!

C: I know her. She's a friend. She does the show. She's really cool. Yeah.

A: Really?

C: Yeah we're tight.

C: Now have you ever seen her in person?

A: I have, yeah.

C: And how do you see her in person, but not meet her?

A: She walks by and I'm kinda like ....ahhh......and then it's like....GONE.

C: Alright. Let's see. Uhh Andy Roddick and you have a nickname. There are some nicknames, one is from ESPNS's Burman(?)..."KID RODDICK"..you like that?

A: Yeah, that's kinda like my Rock Star name. Ya know...Kid Rock, Kid Roddick.

C: You like it?

A: I dunno. NO one's ever called me that soo...

C: I thought Burman did?

A: Ohh ok, maybe him.

C: Uhh do you have a nickname? Cuz we have a few we wanna run by you.

A: Ahh ok yeah, I'm scared.

C: No....for Andy Roddick: Andy Man? Rockin' Roddick? uh...Roddick? There ya go....And my FAVORITE uhh....SCOOTER....Any of those?

A: How did that last one get thrown in there?

C: LOVE Scooter...just love Scooter.

A: Alright :)...Makes sense then.

C: But uh...Roddick's kinda cool, right?

A: Uhhh, yeah, yeah, I guess so. I mean....

C: Are you a sex symbol at all? I know a lot of these tennis guys are...

A: Ummm...yeah....

C: Ya know what I'm saying...Do you have a girlfriend?

A: I don't have a girlfriend, so...If you guys can give me any help, or give me some tips...or maybe Estella backstage(previous guest)....

C: Are you seriously struggling?

A: Ya know I like this girl from home, but she's not into it.

C: Say this again...you like this girl from home, which is in Florida.

A: Yeah, yeah.

C: And she's not into what? Dating?

A: Uhh.....not into me....

C: What do you mean? You talk to her a lot?

A: Yeah she kinda meakes me feel like a loser sometimes.

C: What? What does she do? Does she say I don't wanna go out?

A: Naw

C: She your age?

A: I'll call her, enthusiastically or email her or something and I just don't get a nice response.

C: Here's something that may change your life.

A: Ok

C: I know the French Open was a big deal and all the other tournaments and stuff, but now you've done Kilborn, I think you might be able to close the deal. I know what I'm talking about!

A: This is true. I hope so. I'm at a crossroads here, so I need something big.

C:Maybe the Dodger batting practice was a better choice. Maybe that woulda helped. I dunno. We are outta time. Pleasure meeting you. Make sure you come back when you've won all the tournaments in the future though, OK?

A: Alright. Thanks a lot.

C:Alright. Nice meeting you.

A: You too. I appreciate it! Thanks A LOT!

C:ANDY RODDICK....

~~END TRANSCRIPT~~