30 Years of John Belushi Memories
COSTELLO: Checking stories across the country now. From Arizona, heart stopping footage of a helicopter crash caught on camera. The aircraft was filming a change in the Korean version of the car show "Top Gear" when it went down. Amazingly, the pilot and copilot survived. No word on what exactly caused the crash. In Alabama, a historic walk across one of America's most famous bridges. Activists are retracing the steps of the civil rights era march from Selma to Montgomery. On March 7th, 1965, protesters were beaten by police in a brutal attack that became known as Bloody Sunday. That march led Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act, getting African-Americans across the United States the right to vote. And the 40th Iditarod is underway in Alaska. Sixty-six people registered for the 975-mile race which will take place over the next few weeks. The first 30 finishers will split a prize of $550,000. It's been 30 years since comedian John Belushi's death, but much of his comedy is still alive in reruns and movies. "Showbiz Tonight's" Nischelle Turner is in Los Angeles. And it's -- I can't believe it's been 30 years, first of all.</s>NISCHELLE TURNER, HLN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes.</s>COSTELLO: And Belushi's good friends are just now speaking out about it, like Dan Aykroyd.</s>TURNER: Yes, you know Carol it was 30 years ago today that Belushi died. You can see that Dan Aykroyd definitely still misses his old friend. Now "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT's" Kareen Wynter, got a chance to speak with Dan Aykroyd who says, "If Belushi had lived he would shown everyone his more intellectual side". Listen.</s>DAN AYKROYD, ACTOR: And if he was alive he would be directing plays in New York City. He would be there with the leading likes of theater avante-garde and traditional. He would be directing plays and musicals. He would be one of the premiere director producers on Broadway. That would have been his destiny because he was so intelligent and so well referenced there. And, yes, he was more of an academic than was given, you know, than the Bluto image would have you believe.</s>TURNER: In honor of Belushi tonight, Aykroyd is holding a fundraiser for the House of Blues Foundation in Joliet, Illinois. The foundation provides musical education to underprivileged kids, which is of course is a tribute to Aykroyd and Belushi's classic film "The Blues Brothers", where John Belushi played Joliet Jake on a mission from God. I know, Carol I know that's one of your favorites, yes. And you may be interested to know --</s>COSTELLO: Of course it was.</s>TURNER: -- that Dan Aykroyd told us. Listen to this, this is good, that he was writing "Ghost Busters" for himself, John Belushi and Eddie Murphy.</s>COSTELLO: Oh, it makes you kind of sad, doesn't it?</s>TURNER: Wouldn't that have been great movie?</s>COSTELLO: Yes, it was a great -- it was a great, it was a great movie anyway, but that would have been awesome.</s>TURNER: Yes.</s>COSTELLO: A day cannot go by where we cannot talk about Lindsay Lohan. I watched "Saturday Night Live". And --</s>TURNER: Me too.</s>COSTELLO: And I just found it kind of sad.</s>TURNER: You know, it was -- it was interesting. Let me put it like that. And Lindsay Lohan, the good thing is she can still bring the ratings. Because "Saturday Night Live" had its second best night of the season with her as the host. Now, it seems like people tuned in just to see how Lindsay would do. And doubtless, of course, some people also tuned in to see if she will have a screw-up on the air. And some critics are saying this morning, Carol, that the show really didn't seem to trust her and they relegated her to kind of smaller roles or playing bit parts in some of the sketches. So you know, we'll -- we'll see. She didn't do terribly. But she didn't shine, I guess, that's -- that's what they're saying.</s>COSTELLO: That's a very elegant way of putting it.</s>TURNER: I'm trying to play nice this morning ok.</s>COSTELLO: I thought it was so pathetic.</s>TURNER: Some of it was funny though. I did laugh -- I did laugh at points.</s>COSTELLO: Thanks Nischelle. We appreciate it.</s>TURNER: All right.</s>COSTELLO: You can see that entire interview with Dan Aykroyd by the way as he remembers his friend John Belushi on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" that's at 11:00 Eastern.