Reporter Bianna Golodryga alternated between calling the statement, which has been widely mocked in much of the country, a joke and also a "quirky solution." In a brief interview, the ABC correspondent, who mostly covers celebrities, took all of Crow and "eco-activist" Laurie David’s comments at face value. After making the requisite joke about toilet paper, Golodryga threw a few softballs:
[Golodryga, Crow and David are sitting in the "Stop Global Warming" bus]
Bianna Golodryga: "...But tell us how this happened."
Sheryl Crow: "Actually there's an empty roll in there."
Laurie David: "We've run out of toilet paper."
Crow: "Yeah, We have ran out of toilet paper. We're just so happy that people are talking about global warming today, even if it is brought about by a joke."
Golodryga: "And for Sheryl Crow and Laurie David, their message is everything."
Crow: "We're definitely going to be back. We haven't finished. This is going to be a topic that’s going to be around for a long time."
In closing, Golodryga briefly mentioned the duo's verbal sparring with White House advisor Karl Rove at this past weekend’s correspondent dinner. With a straight face, the GMA correspondent reported asserted that for the two women, "this is not a political issue at all":
Golodryga: "Now, the press also picked up on Crow's run in with Karl Rove at the White House correspondent dinner over the weekend. But, they really wanted to stress that this, for them, is not a political issue at all. So, you know, they took with a grain of salt. They had a good humor about it."
Considering ABC’s collusion with David and Crow, it’s not surprising that Cuomo, during the transition to the weather, appeared to be offering a wink over the connection between weatherman Sam Champion and the environmentalists:
Cuomo: "Well, it is now time for the weather. There will be no segue. I will go right to Sam Champion and leave the topic alone. Sam?"
Sam Champion [Laughs]: "Morning, Chris. Yeah, it was a lot of fun hanging out with them too at the very beginning. They, again, they have people talking."
A transcript of the brief segment, which aired on April 24 at 7:31am, follows:
Chris Cuomo: "But first, Sheryl Crow's recent comments about the environment. They took an odd turn, in direction of her bathroom, specifically how much toilet tissue we should all be using. She meant for it to be a comment about the environment. It became something else and ran afoul of some critics and caused even more foul humor. I put that the right way?"
Bianna Golodryga: " I think you did, Chris, just hit the right notes there. Sheryl Crow and her side kick Laurie David wrapped up a two week global warming tour, which they started right here on ‘Good Morning America.’. Well, it's been quite a trip and it ended with a swipe at naysayers, literally. It all started with a joke. Wrapping up a nationwide global warming tour, singer/song writer Sheryl Crow posted a quirky solution online about a new way to save the environment. She wrote, ‘I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting.’ She told the joke to get people's attention, and boy did it work."
Jay Leno: "One square of toilet paper? Thank you, I'm not going to be shaking hands anymore."
Tucker Carlson: "She wants a federal law, apparently, on toilet paper use."
Rosie O’Donnell: "All wannna’ to do is have some fun. One little thing?"
Michelle Lee (Executive Editor, In Touch Weekly): "Seems like Sheryl was trying to be a little bit cheeky, no pun intended with her statements."
Golodryga: "Maybe Crow was inspired by her friend eco activist partner, Laurie David. After all, her husband Larry David of Seinfeld fame, once wrote this: "
[Seinfeld clip where Elaine yells at a woman from across a stall to "spare a square."]
Golodryga: "So, I got on the bus and sat down with Sheryl and Laurie to clear the air, so to speak. I wanted to go by and see if I could spare a square in your bathroom, but tell us how this happened."
Sheryl Crow: "Actually there's an empty roll in there."
Laurie David: "We've run out of toilet paper."
Crow: "Yeah, We have ran out of toilet paper. We're just so happy that people are talking about global warming today, even if it is brought about by a joke."
Golodryga: "And for Sheryl Crow and Laurie David, their message is everything."
Crow: "We're definitely going to be back. We haven't finished. This is going to be a topic that’s going to be around for a long time."
Golodryga: "Now, the press also picked up on Crow's run in with Karl Rove at the White House correspondent dinner over the weekend. But, they really wanted to stress that this, for them, is not a political issue at all. So, you know, they took with a grain of salt. They had a good humor about it."
Cuomo: "Well, she said it. She wanted people talking about global warming and now they are. Now did it go on college campuses? What’s the reception?"
Golodryga: "Well, you know, I asked how they were received there, if there were any hecklers at the campuses. And they said there was one group of hecklers and they were jokesters. They just said, you know what? They do support global warming ‘cause it helps them on their tans. So, overall people did receive them very well."
Cuomo: "Good. At least they’re talking. Bianna Golodryga, Thank you very much for bringing this to us. Well, it is now time for the weather. There will be no segue. I will go right to Sam Champion and leave the topic alone. Sam?"
Sam Champion [Laughs]: "Morning, Chris. Yeah, it was a lot of fun hanging out with them too at the very beginning. They, again, they have people talking."
