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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPENOctober 15, 2008Justin TimberlakeLAS VEGAS, NEVADA JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Good morning, everybody. THE MODERATOR: Welcome Justin, our host this week. Thanks for spending a few minutes with us in the interview room. To get us started, just talk about the week so far and your hopes for the rest of the week. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Well, the first thing I'll say is the tournament hasn't even started and we already learned some things that we're going to do next year. But the Shriners Organization and the PGA, everybody here at the TPC, it has just been amazing. And also, all the volunteers that showed up, I want to make sure I give them a plug as well. We're all doing a great thing, and, you know, hacking it up out there while we're doing it. So I'm just excited to be a part of it. This has been about a year and some change, yeah, in the making, and I'm just happy to be here. THE MODERATOR: Great. All right. If you'll raise your hand, Michelle will pass the mic for any tournament- or golf-related questions. Q. With all the foundations and charities out there, why Shriners? JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Well, to be honest, this last year has been a really cool experience for me to learn more about the Shriners. I didn't know as much as I do now, obviously. They got involved with the tournament before I did. In the process of basically pimping myself out to the PGA, in the process of basically putting myself on a platter to the PGA we started talking about the Vegas tournament, and they started talking about how they would like to see a little more of Vegas at the tournament. In the process of that, before we actually decided if we were going to do it or not, the Shriners got involved. So I started learning a little about them, and I met the ambassador. I don't know if she's around here. Hope you get a chance to meet her. Her name is Katie (ph). She's 18 or 19 years old, and first time I met her -- this was -- I immediately got to see the effect of what the Shriners Hospitals do. When the Vegas tournament, when we were courting each other, we went to -- we were out at Rivera Golf Club in Los Angeles, and they brought Katie out. I think she's 18 or 19 years old. She's got a prosthesis. I think her left leg is a prosthesis. She played a whole round of golf with me. I was just, you know, really moved, really inspired to see someone that young that obviously doesn't have the amenities that we have, and that it just didn't change anything about her, her life. That she's living her life exactly the way she wants to. You know, when you see something like that, someone who doesn't have a choice, someone who is born less fortunate and see what the Shriners Hospitals is able to do for her. I got to see the immediate effect of that. I started learning more about it, and it's a wonderful, wonderful organization. I think since I've been in the business, which it's kind of weird to say 10 to 12 years. I'm a seasoned vet (laughing.) Being in the business this long, even in the group, in InSync and now moving forward in a solo career, I've always been involved with philanthropy, specifically for children. So to me, when the Shriners Hospitals for Children got involved with the Vegas tournament, this all just became a no-brainer. Q. Take us through how you went about trying to get celebrities here today. What you learned in the process... JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Well, I didn't really -- well, my sort of -- when we started talking with the people here in Las Vegas with the PGA, they wanted five to ten. I think we were more concerned with getting a great field of pros. I think that's what we wanted. You know, for the next five years I'm going to make it my duty to sort of recruit as many celebs who will come out. This is a real tournament. Even though we won't be playing on the days that the pros are competing, it's still a real tournament. So even today at the Pro-Am, I wanted the people that came out to actually play. It's one thing to bring celebrities out who entertain, and I think everybody that's out here today will do that. But you also want people that know the game, love the game, will respect the game, and came to actually play and just have a good time. So I really didn't have a crazy expectation as you who might show up this year. I think every facet for this tournament this year I just kind of said, Okay, this is our first year. Let's learn everything we can this year and just keep applying it to the years to come. But I think what have to do -- I personally, for me, I'm going to show up to tournaments that the pros I love are going to play in. You know, that's always been my M.O. for showing up at any Pro-Am. So hopefully in the years to come we'll have a trickle-down effect. I'd love to, next year, have twenty. I'd love to keep doubling the number of celebs that can come out and play and have that the time. I think that's a lot of it as well, is you have to be able to get time off. Obviously everybody's working all year-round. But I'm really happy with the turn out this year. I didn't really know who was going to respond to the call out, and I think we got a great group of people, a diverse group of people who just love the game. You know, I don't care how famous you are. We're all equal out here. I don't have a wish list of who should and should not come. Q. (No microphone.) JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Well, I'm not exactly sure. I knew that the people here in Vegas were excited. I was obviously excited. I offered -- when I say I put myself on a platter, I'm serious. I offered up -- I mean, I went over and hung out at the wives' luncheon yesterday. But it's something that's fun for me. I want to be in every part of this tournament. It's one thing to put your name on something, but it's no good if you don't really put your mark on it. So I don't have -- I've only played in a select number of Pro-Ams. I played in the Bob Hope and I've played in Pebble. I haven't played in that many Pro-Ams, so I don't have a certain rule sheet to put this Pro-Am on the map. But I think that's a good thing, because I think you think of Vegas and you think of golf and you think of even the pros that we have out this year. I met so many of them last night. O told 'em, I was like, Listen, call me after this week. Anything that we can do for you better for you, I'd love to be the ambassador for that just to make this a fun event. The comment I kept getting was, We haven't even started and it's already better. So I just want to make it fun. I don't have any rule except that it should be fun and everybody should come out and have a good time. And let the pros work when they're working. That was the big deal for me. That was my only stipulation was I love to have the celebrities come out and play, but, you know, I said this recently in an interview and I think I was quoted. I said, You know, I'm not going to have Nicholson come out and stand side stage and sing Karaoke with my songs when I'm trying to do my job. So for me to -- hopefully this doesn't happen, but to try to hit a ball out of a bunker and I'm whiffing it three or four times and he's waiting on me sitting the green. You know, that's his paycheck. They have familles to support and I respect that, and I want everyone else to respect that. That was my only rule: Don't get the hackers out with the pros. Let them do their thing and let's watch and enjoy. Anybody that wants to hang out, like I said, the celebrities that have come out this year, they all love the game. I wouldn't be surprised if you see a couple of them walking around the tents and maybe following a couple of their favorites around the course, so... Q. (No microphone.) JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: I mean, I played with John a bunch of times. We're both from the same town. I don't know how often he makes it back there. It's hard for me to make it back. The holidays are always a good time to make it back. I played with John a bunch times, so we always have a ball. He's one of my favorites. He's a great guy. Yeah, we had a blast. We had a blast. I haven't seen him in a while, and so we just basically walked the fairways and caught up. Q. (No microphone.) JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Yes. Yeah, you know, we were talking about the course, and he goes, You know, this is one of the few courses that when there's no wind it's one of the easiest courses he could play because he hits it a mile. But he said when it's windy it's one of the hardest courses you can play. Because there is really no refuge if it is windy. It's wide open. Yeah, we had a blast. We had a blast. Q. (No microphone.) JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: I don't know where Sam is. I'm sure you could track him down. I think there was a no-betting rule so he passed. No, I think Sam is actually working right now, so we'd love to have him out next year. I think we'll get him out next year. He owes me anyway. But for me, when I first went out and started playing it was a way to get away from everything that I do. I really -- I'm pretty intense when it comes to my profession. I don't take myself seriously per se, but I take what I do seriously, and I have since I started. When I first went out and started playing golf it was one of the things where I love to be outdoors as well. How I got into the game was we had just played three shows in a row, indoor arenas, and I was getting cabin fever. One of my crew guys, my stage manager, who actually lives in Vegas now, Anthony Giordano, he talked me into coming out. My dad taught me how to hit a ball when I was ten, but I was way more interested in girls than golf. But Anthony got me out on the course, and I just started hitting balls on the range. I walked 18 with him and played a couple holes, and then on 18 I hit a perfect drive. I was, you know, I was fairway green, and I was hooked. Now, you know, now that I can exactly play some single digit handicap which could vary (whispering) depending on who's playing with me. I think now you actually get into the game. You start -- I mean, first of all, you really get away from everything. I enjoy ever facet of the game. It's the toughest -- I'm a pretty athletic dude, pretty athletic person, and I think this is the toughest game I've ever played. Q. Nice sweater vest, man. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Thank you. Q. Just kidding. I got one on? JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Mine was free. We work so hard and we get good paychecks, and then like celebrities still, it's swag. You can advertise swag and we'll show up anywhere. Isn't that terrible? It's another thing that makes us just like you. Q. Two quick ones: How often do you find the time to be able to play the game with your schedule? And I know you're helping Jessica with her album, so that's one more thing to do. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: I don't know where that came from, but that's entirely untrue. Q. About playing golf? JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: No, I'll play golf at midnight. Q. So you're not helping Jessica with an album? JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: I don't know what you're talking about. Q. How often do you get to play golf given your schedule and all the things have to do? JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Well, I mean, that's the double-edged sword of the game of golf. When work is good you don't have time to play, and then when you're off work you get more time to play and then you keep playing and playing and playing, and all of a sudden you're like, I need to work again so I can play some more. Q. How often do you play? JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: How often? Well, I probably played -- this year, I probably played 50 rounds maybe. Somewhere in between 30 and 50, I think. Next year I'd like to see that number double, so... Q. How does mentally preparing for playing golf differ from mentally preparing for going on stage? JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: I think you asked the best question all day. I've performed for half a million people at one time. Like I was on tour, I probably had three, four hours of sleep the night before that performance. But literally, half a million people at one time. Imagine what that looks like. Just a sea of people. And I remember that -- I don't remember half of the performance because I was so tired. Three or four hours of sleep. It was like I was in my sleep. It's just kind of reactionary. But if you ask me to hit a golf ball in front of twenty people, I mean, all of a sudden everything changes. This game is a great equalizer. I would say the thing about me is when I was a kid, all I cared about what basketball and girls. I grew up an athlete, and I would say I actually attack my career in more of a fashion of an athlete than an entertainer, so to speak. I have an hour and a half routine before every show just like the pros have an hour, two hour routine of warming up before every round. I was an athlete first, so preparing for -- I mean, obviously I'm not out here -- I don't have to shoot low today. I just have to have fun. So I don't really have a routine per se. But I guess just the mental aspect of it, I attack everything like an athlete. That's how I grew up. THE MODERATOR: Justin, thank you. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Cool. You guys have fun today. End of FastScripts |
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