Blagojevich Talks Pistachios With Perez Hilton
LOS ANGELES (CBS) - As deposed Gov. Rod Blagojevich moves into a new venture as a pistachio pitchman, he once again proclaimed his innocence in an interview with celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton.
Blagojevich is one of several celebrities appearing on a national commercial for Wonderful Pistachios. He is one of several celebrities appearing in the nut company's Get Crackin' campaign.
Earlier this week, Wonderful Pistachios posted a video of Blagojevich sitting down for an interview with Hilton on the set of the commercial. It is not clear when the interview was taped.
In the interview, Hilton begins by remarking that Blagojevich's hair is "looking quite lovely today."
Blagojevich confirms that his hair, which has been its own punchline to the point where it once spurred a product called Bleepin' Golden Shampoo, is "all his." He goes on to say, "Pistachios are not only good for your hair growth, but they're good for the complexion of your skin."
But most of the interview focuses on the new commercial, which Blagojevich uses as a means once again to proclaim that he is innocent of the corruption charges against him.
The 15-second commercial shows Blagojevich sitting silently at a table, wearing a black suit, black shirt, and fluorescent green tie, which he was also wearing for the Hilton interview.
"I'm sitting at a desk and there a briefcase that's slid in front of me, and I kind of look at it like there's something in there that I really covet, and I guess the implication is that there's cash in there – but I would never take anything that I wasn't entitled to," Blagojevich says in the Hilton interview as he turns directly to face the camera as if to emphasize the last point.
Blagojevich opens the briefcase to find it overflowing with pistachios.
"I believe in this product, Wonderful Pistachios," he said. "It's almost better than money."
When Hilton asks Blagojevich is what he's doing now, he gets serious, even as light, Vaudeville-style music continues to play.
Blagojevich replies, "I'm still trying to prove my innocence.
"Winston Churchill said, 'A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth gets a chance to put its pants on,' and I've been scratching and clawing for nearly two years to tell everybody I possibly can that I didn't do the things that I'm falsely accused of doing," Blagojevich said.
Blagojevich said federal prosecutors, "in spite of the fact that we never even put a defense on, was unable to prove any of the alleged corruption charges."
Jurors convicted Blagojevich on just the one of 24 counts against him in August after a two-and-a-half month trial. Among the charges jurors disagreed on was that Blagojevich tried to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's old U.S. Senate seat for a top job or campaign cash.
A retrial on the 23 deadlocked charges is set for April of next year.
"We'll go back to the drawing board and keep fighting the good fight," he said. "I do have the truth on my side, and I think ultimately, this is why we're closer to being vindicated than I was even four months ago."
"Good, I'm a champion of the truth," Hilton replies.
Hilton also interviewed several other celebrities who appeared in the Wonderful Pistachios campaign, including actor R. Lee Ermey, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi of "Jersey Shore" fame, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, comedian Lewis Black, and even "Keyboard Cat."
