LiveWorld Transcripts

HBO presents

Tammy Faye Bakker Messner
"The Eyes of Tammy Faye"

November 28, 2000

She's been the butt of jokes, gone through public humiliation and government scrutiny, and seen every friend turn away, but the unsinkable Tammy Faye Bakker Messner has emerged with her faith intact. Read what Tammy Faye had to say about her life and the new Cinemax documentary "The Eyes of Tammy Faye."

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Cinemax: Hello everybody, and welcome to Cinemax.com's chat presentation with the unsinkable Tammy Faye. We're all familiar with her story, from PTL to the present, and she's now the subject of a new documentary called "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," currently airing on Cinemax. Tammy has agreed to take some time out of her busy schedule to talk with us about her amazing life and the documentary. Cinemax is pleased to present the amazing Tammy Faye!

Tammy Faye: I appreciate everyone who took time to watch the movie. That meant a lot to me. I thought people would not be interested after all these years, so I'm glad after all these years that they took the time to watch it.

Johny Matt: Hello Tammy Faye. What do you think of this documentary about your life on Cinemax?

Tammy Faye: Hi Johny! I feel the documentary was a very honest portrayal of my life, and was done in good taste. I'm very happy with it.

Jobs Tran: Did the making of the new movie give you any new insight?

Tammy Faye: I don't quite understand your question, but I look back on the movie and I can't believe I'm still alive! I'm grateful to God that I'm alive and that my children are still serving God and that we all made it. I'm also very glad that life comes in increments, and that we don't have to face life all at once because I think if we did have to face it all at once, we would die. None of us could live if we knew what was going to happen in our lives, so I thank God that we can't look around corners. That way, we can just take one thing at a time as it comes along.

Marty3: Hello Tammy Faye. Describe what it was like being married to Evangelist Jim Bakker?

Tammy Faye: Hi Marty. It was extremely intense! Jim was a very intense person who never stopped. He was always busy and planning. Our bed was always filled with drawings and plans for buildings and carpet and wallpaper samples, and there was never time for just the two of us. He was always busy going on to the next building. It was really very lonely.

Chatter: How did you stay so strong in your faith though it all?

Tammy Faye: I preached and sang for years, songs saying that God could get you through anything. That's what God's word says, and I believe what God says; never thinking I'd have to live through every single word I'd ever sung or preached and it worked for me too. You know, life is an attitude. You choose every day if you're going to have a good attitude about life, or a bad one. I had chosen to have a good attitude about life, because it's not the circumstances in life that destroy you, it's your attitude towards those circumstances that make or break you.

Christopher: Tammy, will you ever make a new musical CD?

Tammy Faye: Yes, I'm getting ready to. A company has already asked me to do it, and the only reason it's not done is that I can't make up my mind whether it's going to be a country or a Broadway hits CD. I'll do one of the two. In fact, I'm going to New York in a couple of weeks to discuss it, and they've already hired a producer for it. So Christopher, which would you prefer? I think Broadway hits would be fun! And I have that kind of Ethel Merman voice to belt them out!

Marty3: Hello Tammy Faye. What has been the biggest misconception about you according to the media?

Tammy Faye: That I'm all makeup and nothing more! I think the news media has made me a cartoon character like Betty Boop and they haven't been able to see my heart. My heart loves people. I'm a very down to earth mom, grandmother, I clean my own house, I cook my own meals, I'm just a normal regular gal. And I think that's the biggest misconception. I'm not a diva, nor do I put my makeup on with a paintbrush!

Mr. Hiho: Are you still involved with religion in some capacity or in another line of work?

Tammy Faye: I am an ordained minister, I still sing, and I still minister in churches around the country.

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