Larry King Live! (CNN, November 22, 1999)

Celine Dion Discusses Her Decision to Bow Out of Show Business

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "MY HEART WILL GO ON")

LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, one of the world's greatest talents is calling it quits: the incredible Celine Dion, bowing out of showbiz to get a real life and she hopes a baby. Celine's here for the full hour and is she ready to talk, next on LARRY KING LIVE.

Great pleasure to welcome a friend here in New York. Later in the program, we'll meet her husband. Celine Dion, the winner of five Grammys, an extraordinary talent. If you saw this week's "TV Guide," you saw this maybe surprising headline: "Celine Says Goodbye" although you can see her Wednesday night on a special on CBS. She's going to sing with Sinatra on that, which is amazing. And of course, she bows out New Year's Day in Las Vegas with her final performance. Why?

DION: Why goodbye?

KING: Why goodbye?

DION: Well, maybe to come back and say good hello maybe for - but I just wanted to take a long break, take a break and have a normal life for a while. There's so many things I want to do.

I have been realizing - you know, when you're 18 and 21 and 22, you hold on to your dream. Well, when you grow older, you have more experience, and I don't want to hold on to a dream anymore. I want to hold on to my roots, my origins, my family, my friends.

As a woman, I have been a singer. I have been - this has been my life, my...

KING: Since?

DION: Since for 18 years at least, but I need to - my soul and my heart needs to talk, and I need to become a woman. I need simple things. I need to cook. I need to see - to walk in the rain and see nature and maybe have a kid, be at home with Rene, travel the world maybe but as a tourist, play golf, have no pressure: because for 18 years I've been a very, very disciplined person. KING: I know.

DION: Training my voice, only my voice, only my voice. No dairy products and eating different types of food, because when you sing it's a different diet. And I'm a little tired of being - to have this - this discipline now.

KING: How long is a while?

DION: A goodbye for at least two years, because there's so many things I want to do that I'm wondering if I'm going to have enough time, two years, to do everything I want to do, but at least two.

KING: Was this a tough decision to make?

DION: Absolutely not.

KING: Not?

DION: Absolutely not difficult.

KING: Was it your decision?

DION: Yes.

KING: Period. In other words, you told Rene...

DION: But it was our decision. It was - it was my decision, but we talked about it. We are a team. Rene and I...

KING: He's your manager, right, and your husband, right?

DION: He is especially my husband and my second half. Rene and I were number one - we're one. That's what I mean. Like we both of us were just one person. And I have been married to my manager for almost five years,, and he's been married to his singer. And When he got ill not too long ago, for the first time in my life I had two months off. We were supposed to - we were supposed to stop anyway before this happened to him.

Before the "Titanic," we were supposed to take a year off at least, and then the "Titanic" happened. And then we postponed everything, keep postponing everything. But now, after what happened to him, it was another great reason why to stop.

But two months for the first time I was with him. And I loved it. And I've met my husband.

KING: Did he readily agree to this two-year hiatus?

DION: He cannot wait. He cannot wait.

KING: Because he's the manager. That means he's not working either for the two years because he works with you.

DION: Exactly. He's not going to be working. We're going to be spending time together.

KING: Did anyone try to talk you out of this: concert promoters, record people?

DION: You know what? I'm surprised, not at all, because everybody that I work with, they're kind of a family to me. We have been working together for many, many years, and every time - like the last draw I did they all came to me and they all said to me that they were happy for me and that I deserved it. And I think I felt it.

KING: And I tell you, you worked hard. I mean, in the middle of a concert tour you did my cardiac gala last year for the Cardiac Foundation in Washington.

DION: It's been a year already. I can't believe it.

KING: A year and half, a year in November.

DION: A year and a half. I can't believe it.

KING: Ricky Martin worked this year. How do we top the two of you?

(LAUGHTER)

You worked, right? You liked singing. You told me that last year. You like to sing.

DION: I love singing. And whatever I had to do to do a good show and to be totally top shape vocally, I would do it. And I would stop talking a three weeks, a week, 10 days, three days. I would do everything in my power to be in top shape.

KING: Do you not think you're going to miss that?

DION: I'm going to miss that. There's no doubt about it. I'm going to miss singing. I'm going to miss not everything in show business. But I'm going to miss to be on stage and sing for the people, because they give me a show every night. They entertain me every night.

KING: You get as much out of it as they do?

DION: Absolutely. We're a team. And I'm going to miss them.

KING: Rene's illness had to play a big part in this, so let's discuss that. He'll come on later in the show.

He was diagnosed with throat cancer, right?

DION: That's right.

KING: When?

DION: In march.

KING: How were you told?

DION: Actually he got the surgery the 30th of March, on my birthday.

KING: How were you told?

DION: We both had a cold a couple of weeks before that and was getting better, and he was getting better but he still was coughing. And to make a long story short, we were traveling. I was touring. He was in a plane with me.

KING: By the way, Rene is going to be on at the end of the show and he's watching this. So occasionally we'll see shots...

DION: He's very excited about that. You know, he loves you.

KING: ... of - this one. There he is. I love him.

DION: You look wonderful, hon.

You notice the bump on the right side in the plane like that. And I said, honey, maybe because you still have that cold. When you swallow - and I know a lot about neck here. And I said, let me press that. I said, does it hurt? He said no.

I said, let me touch the other side, and I was expecting a bump on the other side, like a sore throat or something. And I said, it doesn't hurt? I said don't worry about it. Let's wait tomorrow.

I was a little concerned about it, but I didn't make a story of it, like I just forget about it.

So the next day, he saw a doctor who came at the hotel just for a checkup. And he said...

KING: Where was this?

DION: In Dallas. And he said, doesn't look so good. But he said, I would like you to see a doctor. So we got nervous about it. We went to bed. And the next day I had a show. I can't remember where was the show. I lost it a little bit. But I was touring. And he was supposed to come with me.

And he said, I'm going to go to the hospital. And come and join me in the afternoon, and we'll go to the airport together. But he said I've got to go for that appointment earlier. He went to see the doctor. And I went to meet him.

KING: Where was this?

DION: It was in Dallas at the hospital. And then he said, we have to open to see what it is, but it doesn't look so good.

KING: Did they do that there in Dallas?

DION: They did that in Dallas. KING: Biopsy?

DION: Biopsy. And Rene said to me, I want you to go on with show tonight. Of course, I wanted to be with him so bad but I didn't want to put more pressure on him, because we still didn't know what it was. And I kept thinking positive. And I said: OK, I'm going to go do the show; you do a good show too right here. I'm coming back.

I did the show, and I came back, and we found out. Yes.

KING: Celine Dion is our guest. She's with us for the hour. We'll be including your phone calls.

This is LARRY KING LIVE.

Here's a clip from Wednesday night's performance. She'll be in concert on CBS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THAT'S THE WAY IT IS")

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back with Celine Dion.

OK. You do the concert, back to the hospital, they do the biopsy, then what?

DION: Back to the hospital. That's right. And then they letting us know that it's cancer.

KING: When did they tell you, in the morning?

DION: The next day, in the morning, yes.

KING: How did they tell you that?

DION: I stayed with - after my concert, when I joined him back to the hospital, I - we were with a couple of friends, and then at one point he said to me, go to bed, you know, like you have shows to do. I want you to rest. So I stayed with him I think around - until 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning, and then Pierre La Crowe (ph), one of our friends, he stayed at the hospital with Rene and I went back to the hotel, and Koko (ph), his wife, she came to the hotel with me and she said, sleep. Everything's OK. Don't worry about it. And so, I slept for a couple of hours and then she woke me like maybe three hours later. She took my face like this and she said, your husband needs you. He just got the news. It was bad news. But when she said to me, my husband needs me, I knew it was not going to be good news and I have never got dressed so fast in my whole life.

KING: What's your first reaction to hearing that? Do you feel the worst?

DION: I remember my body all shaking, but I didn't cry. I was not frustrated. I was not angry. I couldn't wait to get to the hospital and to comfort him. Everybody thought I was probably going to fall on the floor and just go crazy. They were there to support me, to get ready and say oh, my God, you know - and I don't know why, but I felt so strong.

KING: How did you react, then, to all these tabloids, and he's dying? He's got a day to live. Rene - Celine rushes in the waking hours. Last rites.

DION: I don't pay attention to this at all.

KING: You knew it was happening, though, right, didn't you?

DION: Oh, yes, I think I am starting to get a sense of show business a little bit and I know what they're going to do with us. It's their work, but I don't need to follow this. I don't need to read this. I definitely don't want to follow this at all. I know what we went through - what he went through especially. In which - and which feeling we are now and what we're looking forward to - no tabloids, no newspaper is going to tell us what is going to happen.

KING: How quick - how long after that did they do the surgery?

DION: The next day. They did two times. They open, they check it out, they said it's bad. And the next - actually within 24 hours, they cleaned it up nicely again to make sure there's nothing left.

KING: Was there a period of time, though, after the surgery where there's a lot of worry? Do they tell you whether it took or do they tell you right away it looks like we got it?

DION: The doctors he had, Rene, were unbelievable. They are very positive and they say, we cleaned it out. There's nothing more. It's clean. You have nothing - don't worry about it. Get out of here. You're OK. You can walk. Get out of here. And I have got to tell you, it's been - a lot of people go through this, OK, we're not the first people, and unfortunately, not the only ones, but it's - I got to tell you, Larry, only positive things came out of this thing.

KING: Only positive? You got closer to him?

DION: It changed our lives. It changed his. It changed mine. We stopped planning the future. We live one day at a time. Everything is so intense. I never thought I could love him more. I don't think he could - I don't think he thought he could love me more. I know I'm his favorite singer in the world, but...

KING: Is it true now whenever you sing your famous signature song you think of him now?

DION: All the love songs, I think of him. He's my soul. When I reach down, this is for him. But he needs me now, and that's the whole difference in the world. He needs me. I'm not only - he doesn't only think I am cute and I'm a good singer and he loves me. No. He needs me, and I can make a difference in his life, and that makes me feel wonderful.

KING: Other changes? Are you trying to have a baby?

DION: Not now. But we will try to work on this seriously after my work.

KING: Why not now?

DION: OK, let's go. No.

KING: I mean, you didn't want - I mean - you could get pregnant before New Year's Eve.

DION: Oh, nothing's stopping us, but I'm the kind of person - I don't know why it's like this, but my nature is like that. My body knows that it's one thing at a time. And I'm so stressed because everything I do, I give my whole self. So much...

KING: You're going to be some mother.

DION: Me? You think so? I hope so. I hope to.

KING: Would you adopt if you couldn't have children?

DION: Never really thought of it, but some people ask me the question and maybe. I keep every book open. Why not? I keep every book open. Sure. But let's have fun first. Let's give it a try.

KING: So in other words, when you're going to be a mother you'll be a hundred percent mother like you're a hundred percent singer?

DION: I will be. Big time, big time. Count on me for that.

KING: Back with more of Celine Dion on this edition of LARRY KING LIVE. We'll be taking your calls as well.

Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Lucky guy. We're back on LARRY KING LIVE.

These things were printed, so I have to ask them, that you have anorexia?

That was printed somewhere. You have heard this?

DION: Oh, yes, many times.

KING: Do you eat?

DION: Anytime any - I do eat. You know, every time something like this - like when you - if you talk about it, people will think - people who think that I am anorexic, they will think that now that I am trying to defend myself, because it's true. If I don't talk about it, it's because I am trying to hide something. What's my position? What should I say?

KING: So there is no win?

DION: No.

KING: All you can do is say no.

DION: To you, no, I am not. I am not...

KING: Doesn't it drive you crazy to see where these things start, though?

DION: You know what? I think - but I think - yes!

KING: Maybe you're too - you look too good. You look slim.

DION: I am lucky in a way.

KING: But you have always been thin.

DION: I have been thin all my life. My dad is skinny like a toothpick. I am thin all my life. I am lucky I can wear different clothing and I feel top shape, and it's all right. But, I mean, no, I eat anything I want and I am just lucky like that.

KING: Another widespread rumor was that your husband when he got this report had frozen sperm so that you could have a baby in case something happened, true?

DION: When you go through chemotherapy and radiation, it kills the bad thing, but it kills the good things, too. And we had to go through some procedures like that to make sure that our hope for the future...

KING: Was that after the surgery, they did chemotherapy?

DION: It was after the surgery and before the chemotherapy.

KING: So you did freeze some sperm. It's not a bad idea.

DION: It's not a bad thing at all.

KING: It's his baby.

DION: Hey, come on, it's right there waiting for us. I am ready for it.

KING: You - this concept of needing - him needing you and you having to be there... DION: Mm-Hmm.

KING: ... you don't think it's going to lead to "I did this for you" kind of thing? On those nights when you miss the applause?

DION: Oh, no.

KING: Come on, Celine. You're going to miss the applause. Applause is habit-forming.

DION: Well, Rene is probably one of my best...

KING: Habit-forming.

DION: ... my best critics and my - he's a fan. So if I need - I'm going to sing for him at home. But - no, of course I'm going to miss that, Larry. I'm going to miss that. I'm going to look at my ceiling in bed and I'm going to hear them. But I don't stop - I'm not stopping for a long break because I'm fed up, or I'm not stopping because...

KING: You're stopping for you.

DION: I'm stopping because - because I need to be sincere towards them.

KING: What's the first thing you're going to do?

DION: I think I'm going to stay in bed the first day and just try to feel my bones and my spine and my - like I'm - now I own myself completely.

KING: Is home Montreal?

DION: Home is Montreal. We have a home in Florida also, which we spend six months, six months. But wintertime in Montreal we spend in Florida and summertime in Florida we'll spend in Montreal.

KING: And you're going to do quite a bit of traveling?

DION: We'd love to do some traveling, Rene and I, no body guards, no chauffeurs, no entourage, as tourists. I traveled the world a couple of times, maybe many times, and I don't know anything. I haven't seen anything because I haven't had the time. I want...

KING: Four o'clock, go to the theater?

DION: I want to sit down on a terrace and have a coffee and people smoke around me and I say - they shouldn't smoke, but it's all right. It won't affect my voice. If I lose my voice, it doesn't matter. I won't have to train. I'm going to see - I've never been to - it's nothing, but I've...

KING: I'll tell you what happened to...

DION: ... never been to museum. I want to go... KING: You've never been to...

DION: I've never been to an opera. I've done Oprah's show but I've never been to seen an opera.

KING: I'll tell you one thing that's going to happen. You're going to go on a cruise - Don Rickles, this happens to him - he goes on a cruise as a vacationer, and someone's going to come over and say what time are you on? What time - what time is it? Eight o'clock show?

DION: Oh, well. You know, Rene and I, we talked about a cruise, to rent a boat and go to the Greece islands, something like that. I don't know. I just want to see the beautiful things in the world that I haven't got a chance to.

KING: Back with more of Celine Dion, then your phone calls. And later, we'll meet Rene.

This is LARRY KING LIVE. Guess who's here tomorrow night? Phil Donahue. A lot of people owe him a debt.

Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "IT'S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW")

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "TELL HIM")

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Celine and Barbra.

It was reported that you were supposed to sing together at the Grammys, and she canceled out. And they - she said she wasn't feeling well, and somebody said it was because she didn't want to work with someone who had replaced her.

DION: That's tabloids again. They can say whatever they want. I talked to her, and I know it's true. She had no voice. She had big flu, she has fever, sore throat. She sounded not so good on the phone.

KING: She still your hero?

DION: She is definitely. I love her. She knows so much. She's so strong.

KING: She's a special girl.

DION: Oh, what a girl. I love her.

KING: She said on this program once that she does not think of her voice as a gift. Never thought it was special, thought she could sing. Do you think that your voice is...

DION: Well, Barbra, let us think that it's special. You're unique.

KING: Is your voice a gift?

DION: I think I've been given a talent. I'm very fortunate for that. Yes, I think so. And I don't know. I haven't done anything for that. I just...

KING: Do you pinch yourself sometimes and say, thanks for the gift?

DION: I - I don't have to pinch, but I say thanks for the gift. I mean, I've been given this and I've been raised with music all my life. I guess it's the only thing I know. I haven't done much. I just train my voice every day with teachers and try to do the best I can.

KING: Have you heard from a lot of other people in the business since you said you were leaving?

DION: No.

KING: No?

DION: No.

KING: Do you often think back - people who grew up poor, and you grew up pretty poor, right?

DION: Mm-hmmm.

KING: You were the 14th child.

DION: Mm-hmmm.

KING: Do you often think back to those days? DION: Absolutely, always.

KING: Gleason used to say every day.

DION: Always, because it's what keeps you balanced and focused and on the ground. I never want to lose my foundation. This is the thing that I'm the most proud of. I want to keep that. I'm from Charlemagne, this little town, with 13 brothers and sisters.

KING: There they are.

DION: They're beautiful. Oh, that's not that beautiful.

KING: Who is that?

DION: That's me. Guess who?

KING: You look like you're a - you're a little pugnacious little...

DION: I'm trying to pose. I'm trying to - my brother cut my hair, see? See thee bangs here? They're all...

KING: Is the whole family close?

DION: Very close.

KING: Still close?

DION: More than ever.

KING: You number them or you call them by name?

DION: It depends.

KING: Hello, number six. It's number 14 calling.

DION: Sometimes. Like I have my sister Maneaut (ph) who travels with me. She's number 11. Sometimes when I introduce her I introduce her as number 11.

KING: Do you have lots of nephews and nieces?

DION: I stopped counting after 35, 37. I don't know. My sister just called me a couple of weeks ago - one of my sisters, Pauline. And she called me and she asked if Rene and I could be - she's got her sixth child. She just delivered her sixth child - if I wanted to be the godmother and Rene to be the godfather. And I didn't even seen Claudia yet, so I can't wait.

KING: Is there ever a time where everyone's together?

DION: Christmas time. That's why I love Christmas so much because it's the only...

KING: They'll all be there? The nephews, the nieces, the 14 of you, the...

DION: Everybody. And you know what we're going to do next year? Instead of doing a big Christmas party at the end of the year, I'm doing a big show the 31st. And instead of doing a big party, the 1st of January for the New Year's we're bringing everybody to Las Vegas. We're going to be like 250 people - like 238, my family and...

KING: Going to Vegas, they'll to see your show or the night - the day after your show?

DION: Actually, it's kind of a private show, Larry, for friends. So they're going to be there with us for that show. And we're going to celebrate Christmas. We're going to share gifts and time and dance and music and love and hugs. And the fifth, Rene and I are getting married again.

KING: Redo the vows?

DION: Yes.

KING: Because?

DION: Because - because I love him more than ever and because five is our lucky number. It's going to be five years we're going to be married.

KING: So January 5th?

DION: Fifth, 5:00 for five years of marriage.

KING: In Las Vegas?

DION: In Las Vegas, yes, thank you very much.

KING: It's a good day do bet number five.

DION: Exactly.

KING: Anyway, we're going to take a break, come back and go to your phone calls for Celine Dion. We're learning lots here. Later you're going to meet the aforementioned Rene.

This is LARRY KING LIVE.

Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DION: (singing in French)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back on LARRY KING LIVE with Celine Dion, who's won five Grammys. What do you think - where are you working New Year's Eve?

DION: New Year's Eve, the 31st of December I'm in Montreal home. There's....

KING: Aren't you in Vegas? Oh, that's New Year's Day.

DION: The 1st, the 1st. And Vegas is not really a show. It's kind of a private for friends and a couple of...

KING: Where will your last show be?

DION: The last real show, the 31st of December in Montreal.

KING: You're singing?

DION: I'm singing. It's a big show. I'm going to have some guests. I'm going to have a good time. It's many - three-hour show. It's going to be a party. It's going to be my last show.

KING: What do you think that's going to be like, singing publicly, you know, not for family and stuff, for the last time?

DION: I keep thinking that it's going to be hard for me, but every time I'm trying to picture myself on stage it's kind of - I want - I don't want that to be sad. I want that. I want to stop. I want to take a break. So I definitely don't want to say, bye, everybody, I love you, boo-hoo.

I want to say, see you. See you soon. Take care of yourself, OK? See you soon I hope. All right. Thanks for tonight. Had a great time.

KING: Before we get some calls, do you - you have a lot of self-confidence, don't you? I mean, you know you're good? You know you're good?

DION: I think I can do it. I think I'm all right. I think the kid is OK.

KING: You don't go on-stage worrying how am I going to do tonight?

DION: Not worrying. Sometimes if I'm sick, I'm worrying, yes, of course. But when the music starts, there's no second that I have to think am I going to - no. You do the show or you don't do it. If you cancel, you cancel before. You don't wait until the last minute.

KING: The show we'll see Wednesday night on CBS was taped at Radio City, right?

DION: Radio City...

KING: You did an hour show in an hour and 15 minutes.

DION: That's right. That's right. KING: That's amazing.

DION: Yes. I don't know. Like last year, I did this special that took a few more hours than that, and it was in a small studio with some people. And it was a little difficult, but I loved the experience. It just was long.

And this year, when they asked me to do another special, I was like, oh, I don't know if I can do that. Maybe, I'm not so good with this.

And it was Radio City Music Hall with - it was a real show actually. It was an hour show with - with an audience on stage. And it took us like an hour and 15 minutes.

KING: In it, we will see you sing with Frank Sinatra. He's singing "All the Way," the great Sammy Cahn tune.

DION: Yes.

KING: Is that hard? He's on tape, right? I mean, it's a tape of Frank singing.

DION: He's on tape. And they found some footage of him singing "All the Way" with...

KING: From the movie?

DION: From different...

KING: Concerts?

DION: ... years, different years.

KING: Oh.

DION: Like you see him young, getting older, and singing the same song. They've done an amazing job.

KING: OK. What's it like to sing with a tape with a legend?

DION: There's such a legend and he's so unique that you cannot forget it's a tape. You forget that he's not physically with us anymore. You forget it, because some people don't die. And Frank is not dead.

KING: Is it difficult technically? You have different chords, right? You're singing with an orchestra. He's already - that's done already.

DION: It was probably difficult for David Foster, who did an amazing job.

KING: Oh, he's the best.

DION: Well, you should ask him, but for me, no. Frank took me under his wings. And I didn't have much to do. He took me with him.

KING: Everyone talks about his phrasing. That's the key in Sinatra, isn't it?

DION: He's unique with that. It's very difficult to follow, but when you're in a studio you can always fix things. That's the magic of the recording. But I admire him so much.

KING: OK. We're going to take a - we're going to take a break and come back. We'll take some calls for Celine Dion, and later, we'll meet her husband, Rene.

This is LARRY KING LIVE.

Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "ALL THE WAY")

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, Peabo Bryson & DION: "Beauty and the Beast")

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Not bad. We're back with Celine Dion. They're going to be married, by the way, at Caesar's Palace.

DION: That's right.

KING: Private little nice ceremony or the whole - the whole (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

Montreal, Quebec, hello.

CALLER: Hi, I wanted to ask Celine, after you come back from your vacation with Rene, I wanted to know what would you like to do first: like, make a record or do some acting.

KING: She's already - you're already back now.

DION: Exactly. Hello, Montreal, nice talking with you. KING: What do you think you'll do?

DION: I don't know.

KING: She's back!

DION: Yes, and hopefully with - I don't know. I want to do some acting too, so I don't know. Hopefully with a record, but maybe a movie too. Maybe a package deal. I don't know.

KING: To Toronto, hello?

CALLER: Hello?

KING: Toronto, yes. Turn your TV town, go ahead.

CALLER: Hello?

KING: Go ahead.

CALLER: Hi, Celine.

DION: Hi, how are you?

CALLER: Great.

DION: What's your question?

CALLER: I just wanted to always say that you're just great. Up until you came along, I thought Barbra Streisand was great but now there's you as well. How was it like to work with her, and how is she as a person? And was there any competitiveness between the two of you?

DION: No competition. I can answer this right away. It was a dream come true for me definitely to meet Barbra and to work with her. As a woman, I've got to known her as a woman now. The artist, I'm - she's my idol. I love her very, very much as an actress and as a singer, of course. But as the woman, she's so strong and she knows what she wants. And her eyes are everywhere, and she knows. And she's got so much. She knows so much. She gets behind a camera, behind the lights. OK, this light's no good for me. You've got to put it there. She knows what she wants and she's a very, very special lady, so - and, of course, no competition. Of course not, no.

KING: And talented people are never thrown by someone who is very, very particular, are they?

DION: What do you mean, I'm sorry?

KING: I mean, you're talented so you understand her being particular about things.

DION: Absolutely.

KING: A top professional never worries about a top professional. DION: I mean, I - she knows what she needs, she knows what she wants. And the thing with Barbra is, like, she knows exactly how a camera works and how the lighting is good for her or what's her best side or she's going to look the best if she does this or that. And she's not shy to let the people know around her this is what I need and will go and down that. And she doesn't - she's not afraid to spend hours and hours rehearsing until it's perfect. And I agree with that. It's great.

KING: Are there minuses, any minuses, in having a husband as a manager?

DION: What does minuses mean? Like a bad side or something?

KING: The other, yes. The - you don't know what minuses means? Well, that's all right. It's new in Montreal.

DION: Minuses.

KING: The less - one of the down sides.

DION: I understand. I mean, my - I don't see any.

KING: None at all?

DION: I don't see any, no. We've been a great team. It's been ...

KING: You must have had some disagreement.

DION: ... working so well. He hasn't been doing lots of mistakes so far - for 18 years. I'm very proud of him.

KING: I mean, is there anyplace you were booked where you said, I don't want to go there or I don't want to do this?

DION: There's - I've been - I've been - no, when we started working together, I've never asked any questions like that because I had no idea. I had no experience at all. So I needed to trust. I think this is one thing in life when you need to trust people. You cannot make it on your own. But with the years, because he's taught me so much, at one point, 10 years after or 13 or 14, 15 years after, I start - like, let's say since three or four years ago, I started to not question - I don't want to do this, I don't want to do that - but I've asked questions like why - why that? Or why do you want - I don't think it's - do you really think it's a good idea? I'm not sure. And he's like - trust me on that.

KING: And he's right?

DION: And that's it. That's it.

KING: There's no - you can't reduce in importance the importance of a good manager, right?

DION: It's the key. No matter talent - whatever talent you - you have, it's...

KING: Got to be directed?

DION: Oh, I meet so many wonderful, talented people. But the management and the orientation of the career and - it's everything. But the only thing I have to do is go on stage...

KING: And do it.

DION: ... and do the best I can with my songs. That's it. I know the show will start. I know I get the best musicians, I know I get the best technicians, I know the trucks will be loaded, I know we're going to hit the road, I know it's going to be - I don't have to worry about anything else.

KING: We'll be back with more of Celine Dion. A few more phone calls and then we'll meet her husband.

Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE")

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "WHERE DOES MY HEART BEAT NOW")

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Getting the whole Celine Dion here, aren't we?

You've got a new album - we'll talk about that in a little while - called "All the Way... A Decade of Song."

Let's get another call. New York City, hello.

CALLER: Hi, Larry.

KING: Hi.

CALLER: Hi, Celine.

DION: Hi.

CALLER: Firstly, I want to say I love your music and voice.

DION: Thank you very much.

CALLER: My question is have you ever considered and would you consider doing a musical play on Broadway?

KING: Great question.

DION: I think I'm a little afraid to be on stage every night.

KING: You're on stage every night when you tour.

DION: Almost, almost

KING: Oh, you mean in a part?

DION: Yes, but it would be fantastic, I think.

KING: Would you like to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) like do "Annie Get Your Gun."

DION: Oh, Larry, that would be great.

KING: "Oklahoma"?

DION: Definitely. I'd love to do some musicals.

KING: You'd pack them in.

DION: You think so?

KING: I think so.

DION: One thing is for sure, I'd love to do some movies. This is for sure. Maybe a little more than Broadway, but I'm not - like I said, I'm - you never know.

KING: We've talked a little about Rene. We're going to meet him right after these words.

Don't go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "IMMORTALITY")

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back with our remaining moments. There you see the wedding of Celine Dion and Rene Angelil. They're going to repeat this - I don't know if the same kind of gaudy, like as big as this going to be, at Caesar's Palace January 5th when they remarry.

And joining his illustrious wife with us on their remaining moments here on LARRY KING LIVE is Rene Angelil.

Give me a correct pronunciation.

DION: Perfect.

RENE ANGELIL, CELINE DION'S HUSBAND: Angelil. Angelil.

DION: Angelil.

KING: Haleel (ph) Angelil.

ANGELIL: Well, it was - actually, it was - you know, the doctors are so great. I had a great doctor that operated on me, Dr. Stickler (ph).

KING: But you were scared?

ANGELIL: I was scared, but it's important, the people that surround you, support you - you need a lot of support from your family. Luckily, I had great support from Celine and from my children. They were there throughout the treatments.

KING: That's great. You look great.

ANGELIL: Yes, I feel...

KING: Will you have that voice always? It's going to...

ANGELIL: Yes, always had a voice like this. Actually, I have a better voice now.

DION: I think he sounds better than ever.

KING: She was always very strong for you. When you met, though, you were much - I mean, she was like a baby. How old was she?

ANGELIL: She was 12 years old.

KING: You didn't fall in love then?

DION: Don't start a story. They're going to write that.

KING: She was 12?

ANGELIL: She was 12.

KING: When did you realize you were in love?

ANGELIL: Well, you know, I got divorced when she was about 17, 1985, and we were always together, traveling together and working together. And one day in Dublin, actually, we were in - in Dublin, in Ireland for the Eurovision Song Contest, 1988.

DION: Lucky country for us.

ANGELIL: Yes.

KING: And what did you say?

ANGELIL: I didn't say nothing.

DION: Didn't say much.

ANGELIL: But at night, you know, when you kiss good-night, always kiss on the cheek. And on that night, I made like a little stop right here and...

DION: A little stop.

ANGELIL: And everything changed.

KING: Had you fallen in love by then?

DION: I was in love a long time before that.

KING: Did you ever discuss the difference in ages as an impediment to the marriage?

DION: Absolutely not. You were more afraid of me, though.

ANGELIL: Yes. I was more afraid to - to - first of all, to - to admit it to all the fans and all the people. It took like four or five years before she came out actually and wrote something on one of the albums.

DION: I couldn't keep this inside of me any longer.

KING: Do you have grown children?

ANGELIL: Yes, I have three great children.

KING: They get along with you?

DION: Very well.

KING: Are you looking forward to possibly being the father of a little one?

ANGELIL: Yes, I would love to.

KING: There's nothing like it.

ANGELIL: I'd love to. I envy you, Larry.

KING: There's nothing like it.

ANGELIL: I know. We're trying. And like Celine said, we're going to try real hard.

KING: She was telling me something. When you worked in Paris and he had to stay in Florida recuperating, he would talk in your ear while you were on stage at an outdoor concert.

DION: That's right. He wanted to be with me, I wanted to be with him. So what are you going to do?

I'm in Europe and he's in the United States. So...

KING: How many people were in the audience?

DION: Earplugs. We did two shows back to back in (UNINTELLIGIBLE) France: 98,000 per night with the French show. And a week later, I did an English show at stadium - Wembley Stadium with an English show two nights in a row: 75,000 people.

KING: Now, he - now, how did this work? You had an earpiece in your ear.

DION: Earpiece. I do my show, and like via satellite he could talk to me from our home in Florida.

ANGELIL: I watched every show of the stadium tour this summer in Europe.

DION: Yes.

ANGELIL: Like LARRY KING LIVE, it was live. Celine Dion live.

KING: So you're singing, and what would he say to you?

DION: I'd say, when somebody - I'd say, I love you, honey, I miss you so much, you look beautiful. I'm like, all the way - and I'm like, OK, next song.

ANGELIL: We had a little sign.

DION: We had a sign, because I couldn't talk and say: "What was that? Me too, honey" - love somebody. I couldn't do that.

KING: So what was your....

DION: So we did a sign. I was doing this, like I got you.

KING: Did you ever give her instructions, like go a little to your left, move forward a little more, I don't like the way you look, tuck your hair, your hair's in your eyes? No. It was just giving her love words.

DION: Love words.

ANGELIL: And not that many times by the way.

DION: No, but I loved every one of them. KING: So why don't you do me a favor? There's this new album out called "Celine." By the way, "All the Way," you have kind of adopted this as your new song, huh?

DION: This is our new song, and this is the way we live. This is our - when we do something, we go all the way.

KING: Great late friend Sammy Cahn wrote that song.

ANGELIL: Great song.

KING: You do these liner notes, and at the end you do a little note to - to Rene.

DION: Yes.

KING: It's at the end of the liner notes. Would you read it?

DION: Of course, I'd love to.

KING: Hope you can - it's small print.

DION: It's all right. "Dear Rene, when we chose to get married five years ago, we promised before man and God to help each other and to be totally committed and devoted through the good and bad times, in sickness and in health. The past year and its sadness and worries made me realize the power of those vows. My love, I am promising again that I will always be there for you, no matter what. I love you more each day and forever."

KING: Did you ever think you might lose him?

DION: I am afraid to lose him every day.

KING: When you got the news that day?

ANGELIL: You know, that's the first thing you think about when you hear this word...

KING: Word "cancer." Cancer sounds life and death.

ANGELIL: But it's not as bad as...

KING: Very curable if you get it early.

ANGELIL: Now, the doctors are so great. They work so hard to get where they are. You have to have confidence.

DION: Yes.

KING: Did you think? Were your worried?

Had to be worried.

ANGELIL: Of course. When I got the knew, I got worried but I had a great doctor there. KING: And you had a great wife.

ANGELIL: A great wife.

DION: I became the manager. And I said, you're not going to let this thing kill you, I'm telling you.

KING: We've only got 30 seconds left. Are you looking forward to this retirement for two years?

ANGELIL: Oh, absolutely. We're so looking forward to - we want to play golf, do some boating, travel, see the family.

KING: A manager with nothing to manage, a singer with nothing to sing.

DION: I'm telling you.

KING: Life deluxe. Thank you, darling.

DION: Larry, we'll be watching you.

KING: You see...

ANGELIL: We'll be watching you every night now.

KING: Wherever you are?

DION: Yes, exactly. No jet lag.

KING: And good luck on the new wedding.

DION: Thank you so much.

KING: January 5.

Celine Dion, her husband, Rene, thanks very much for joining us.

For all of us here at LARRY KING LIVE, stay tuned for "CNN NEWSSTAND" and good night.

(VIDEO CLIP, "MY HEART WILL GO ON")

TRIBUTE TO CELINE DION - WWW.ANGELFIRE.COM/POP/DIVACELINEDION

2000/2009 - PORTUGAL