ken: he is often called the dean of african american character actors. danny glover has co-starred with some of the biggest names in hollywood-- mel gibson, tom cruise, sally field, kevin costner, and harrison ford. in his very first movie, clint eastwood's escape from alcatraz, it wasn't so much seizing the moment as it was disguising the fact that he suffered seizures from epilepsy. today on sharing miracles, learn how this legendary film star overcame this debilitating disorder to become a lethal weapon on the big screen.

hi, i'm billy tauzin. imagine being a young actor about to take the stage to star in your first breakthrough play and suddenly, without any warning, you feel a seizure coming on. for most people it would be the end of the night and perhaps the end of an acting career altogether. but today's guest not only learned about how to control his debilitating seizures, he also went on to become a legendary actor. ken: he is one of hollywood's most successful character actors. five-time emmy award nominee danny glover has co-starred in more than 50 feature films, including places in the heart and the color purple, both nominated for oscars, and appeared in a string of television hits such as lonesome dove and hill street blues. yet despite all of that extraordinary success, danny glover became a household name for his portrayal of mel gibson's partner, sergeant roger murtaugh, in the blockbuster movie franchise lethal weapon,

which grossed more than $1 billion at the box office. seven days to retirement, i'm busted down to patrolman. i should have cut the red wire. you did cut the red wire. no, i didn't. i cut the blue wire. that's what i meant. we should have waited for the bomb squad. am i gonna have to listen to this every day? every day until i retire. that'll be a week too long. my feet are killing me. yeah, your feet are killing me, too. how can my feet be killing you? i got to listen to you bitch about 'em all day. you don't want to listen to me bitch, then you should have cut the red wire! i did cut the red wire! richard donner: i was very fortunate. i had two extraordinary leading actors that had respect for their process that they were doing and made my life-- sometimes i didn't come in, i just phoned it in. i'd ask the assistant director what's the camera facing, he'd tell me, and i'd say ok, yell "action." what's this? it's kind of soft. it's not a bulletproof vest. it's not gonna keep anything out. it's gonna keep my stomach in. what do you got under there?

it's a girdle. what? oh, god. it's a girdle. trish know about this? it's not a woman's girdle. it's a man's girdle. they make girdles for men? yeah, they make girdles for men. they do, huh? yeah, they do. haven't worn this uniform in 15 years. the cleaners must have shrunk it. richard donner: they loved each other. they came to my house on a sunday. danny was doing a show in chicago. they were dark on sunday. mel came over, they sat down, read the script for the first time, and i said, "that's it, guys, go home. we're gonna shoot it." ken: despite a career that has now spanned three decades, danny glover did not appear in his first film until he was nearly 35 years old. in 1979, he played an inmate in clint eastwood's escape from alcatraz, and his fortunes suddenly took off. before long he was co-starring alongside some of the biggest names in hollywood-- harrison ford, kevin costner, sally field, tom cruise, gene hackman, and finally a fateful pairing with mel gibson

in lethal weapon. through all that success he's remained the same old danny according to one of his closest friends, renowned singer and actor harry belafonte. harry belafonte: danny is very much my kind of guy. he is a human being of first class credentials, and his constant caring, and he as never failed to step in to do what he could to try to make a difference. ken: throughout his career, the hardest role for danny glover was learning how to live with epilepsy. he battled this debilitating disorder for more than 20 years, but he says a combination of medicines and mind exercises designed to literally talk himself out of having a seizure eventually helped him to overcome the problem and go on to become one of the most accomplished character actors in the history of american cinema. not bad for a self-professed shy kid from san francisco whose first line on stage, "i will not have a seizure," was never heard by anyone.

billy: you can find danny's story and many others like his on our website, www.sharingmiracles.com, an online forum where patients are telling their personal stories of hope, survival, and in many cases their own miracles. you can also watch entire episodes of sharing miracles on our website, www.sharingmiracles.com, anytime from anywhere in the world. we're joined today by award-winning actor and humanitarian danny glover. it's great to have you in the studio today, danny. danny: it's great to be here. thank you. billy: you are one heck of an actor, danny. you've played some amazing roles in some of the greatest movies. you played moze in places in the heart. you played mister in the color purple, of course, and sergeant murtaugh in the series of lethal weapon movies. what was your favorite role? danny: well, places in the heart will always be the role that i think is so important to me, and it's because of my relionship with my mother. my mother died in an automobile accident the very day that i found out that i was to do the role.

so on the one hand, i had to receive this incredible information that would change my career, and on the other hand i had to go get on a plane to grants, new mexico, and identify my mother's body. so the juxtaposition of those two things was pretty amazing for me that day, but at the same time, very rarely does an actor have the opportunity to use his work as a way of honoring and celebrating someone that he loved, in this case, my mother. billy: and i assume you never even had a thought that one day you'd be sergeant murtaugh in lethal weapon. danny: there's not even a trace of this in my family of anyone being an actor. you know, i remember meeting mel at the venice film festival in september of 1985, and he had done the river, i had of course done places in the heart and silverado,

and in passing we said, boy, it would be great to work with each other. i loved him in the australian films he'd done-- mad max, gallipoli-- i mean, he was brilliant in that. and so he says, it's funny, maybe we'll get a chance to work together. here we are in 1986, i'm in chicago doing an athol fugard play, lessons from aloes, at steppenwolf, which is john malkovich's theater. so i'm in chicago doing this, i get a call from my agent. they sent in a script, and that they want me to read the script. this is about color blind casting. it was a role written for a white actor, but dick donner decided that he wanted to see all actors, and he saw white actors and black actors. so i have a day off on monday. i get on a plane monday night, monday evening, to los angeles. i meet mel at dick donner's house along with a number of people from warner brothers

who were the producers of the film. and meet mel, we read the whole play at 6:00, 6:30 in the morning, 7:00 in the morning, because i have to get back on a plane and perform that night, that night in chicago. so we read the play, and it's amazing. the chemistry was right there. we read the play, and i remember someone from warner brothers at the time, looked back and forth, there was a moment of silence after we read that first script, the first reading at dick's house, and everybody was silent, then someone said, well, let's go make a movie. and by the time i got back to chicago to perform, all the arrangements had been made for me to do the first lethal weapon. billy: you also worked with oprah. i'm sure everybody wants to know about that. how's that going? danny: well, i tell you, what a great woman, and what an incredible opportunity. i remember her when we did the color purple together, and people always tease me about that line that she says,

"you told harpo to beat me." [laughs] well, here she was just starting out. nobody knew in their wildest imagination that she would be who she'd become, and it's an incredible experience working with her, but especially an experience with beloved, which i consider, and i'll say this-- on the one hand there's places in the heart and what i feel about places in the heart, but i think one of the most important films that i've done is beloved. billy: everybody knows you as an actor, but you're also a great humanitarian, and you've got a huge passion for that work. danny: i take my role as a citizen very seriously. and i remember, i'm always thinking about the ideas around democracy. alexis de tocqueville, a great historian, french historian who came here, and says, you know, this is a very-- 170 years ago, more than 170 years ago-- said this is a very interesting experiment,

this whole thing, democracy. but what is necessary to make it work is to have informed citizens who participate in the process, who are willing to celebrate it by their willingness also to dissent as well. and i like that idea. and i saw my parents evolve into great citizens during the civil rights movement. i see my daughter a great citizen, and i would hope that my grandson becomes a great citizen. we need citizens more than ever, true citizens more than ever at this particular point in time, with all the things we have to deal with, we need that, and so that's what my passion is, and so wherever i celebrate it in the communities that i've grown up in, the communities that i've worked with, the communities that i travel on behalf of unicef, a goodwill ambassador of unicef, the communities that i go in the world, wherever it is in the world, i want to celebrate people who are experiencing that and who are, in some sense, and i use the term "becoming architects of their own rescue."

billy: thanks so much, danny. when we come back, we'll talk to danny about growing up with epilepsy and how he was able to overcome the disease and then go on to become a hollywood star. narrator: some people say america's best days are behind us. the country that put a man on the moon has suddenly lost the will to tackle big challenges. we disagree. america's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are working on a record 800 new medicines to fight cancer, giving hope to patients everywhere. so when president obama called on the nation to end cancer in our lifetimes, it reminded us that america's best days aren't behind us-- they're just around the corner. this is montel williams. in the last ten years, diabetes has nearly doubled, and chronic diseases like cancer, asthma,

and heart disease make up 75% of the cost of health care. early diagnosis and preventative treatment can save lives and lower health care costs. that's why everyone should have affordable health insurance. until then, america's pharmaceutical research companies are committed to helping uninsured and struggling patients through the partnership for prescription assistance. because doing what's best for patients is what's best for everyone. we're back now with danny glover, but before we continue our conversation, jeff gilbert takes a look at epilepsy, a disease that effects more than 2.5 million americans. jeff: a seizure is a medical condition caused by an electrical malfunction in the brain. instead of discharging electrical energy in a controlled manner, the brain keeps firing. the result may be a surge of energy through the brain, causing unconsciousness and contractions of the body's muscles.

dr. trouth: and then it spreads to the whole brain, and then you get a total body stiffness, the patient is unconscious. there may be some jerking of the limbs, and then the patient can be completely unconscious for a period of time. jeff: if a person has recurrent seizures, they are said to have epilepsy. most seizures last only a minute or two, although confusion after a seizure may last longer. according to the epilepsy foundation, about 2.5 million americans have epilepsy, and there are about 108,000 new cases of epilepsy diagnosed in this country each year. dr. trouth: seizures can actually damage the brain because they repeatedly occur, and they can actually kill some neurons, so it can interfere with the brain and it can cause damage to the brain. jeff: to help in the battle against epilepsy, america's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are currently working on 547 new medicines to treat neurological disorders, including epilepsy.

billy: thanks, jeff. danny, how old were you when you realized or got diagnosed with epilepsy? danny: well, i was 15 years old, and i remember that morning as if it happened yesterday. i was a paperboy; i delivered papers for the san francisco chronicle. and i came home from delivering papers, and all of the sudden-- i was told that i fell out. i didn't know what had happened. all i knew is that i hit my head against the side of the wall heater in my home and had a burn across my head. but my parents worked for the post office, and we had a health care plan. took me to the hospital. we did all the appropriate tests. nobody could figure out what was wrong. i went to georgia. we were on a trip. it was a kind of trip we took every-- cross country trip from san francisco to georgia to visit my grandparents. i had six seizures in one night. billy: wow. danny: by the time i got back to san francisco, they put me on 100 milligrams of dilantin. i believe that was the only, at that time,

that was the only medication that you took for epilepsy. and so when i took the medication, you know, things were fine. you know, and often as a 16-year-old, 17-year-old, you don't take your medication. so periodically i would have a seizure. billy: what were those feelings like, danny? danny: one of the things was an uncontrollable noise. there would be a ringing in my ear, and the noise would intensify and intensify, intensify to the point that it was uncontrollable, and my body reacted by, you know, releasing, releasing sweat, i would sweat and everything else, and just that was the first thing that happened. the noise itself would trigger it. it was almost like you could start a noise, and that noise would trigger the epilepsy, the seizure at that time. and then it happened that way, and i was able to say, to think about, recognize it happening, was that you were able to assess, wherever you were, you said something's happening to me, please grab me.

please hold me. i'm about to have a seizure. billy: well, let's talk about that. these early seizures must have been horribly frightening because you didn't know what they were, right? danny: after we defined what it was, we took the medication, there's several things that happened, of course. i couldn't drive, so i couldn't get my license at 16, and i couldn't drink alcohol, because the alcohol would neutralize the impact of the medication. but the incident that i think was really transformative for me in terms of this whole journey with epilepsy, i was doing a play at the eureka theater in san francisco. a local theater, community theater, and first of all, it was my first major role that i'd ever done in san francisco. this is 1977. i walked up and down that basement floor-- it was a basement theater-- walked and said to myself "i will not have this seizure, i will not have this seizure, i will not have..." each time i said, "i will not have this seizure," i believed that i wasn't gonna have this seizure. each time i got a little bit stronger.

and the symptoms began to diminish to the point where i was ready to go on stage. billy: you talked yourself out of the seizure. danny: i talked myself out of having that seizure. billy: that's amazing, danny. danny: i talked myself out-- i will not have this seizure, i will not have this seizure. i even hopped up. i even did a little skip-- i will not have this seizure, i will not have this seizure, i will not have this seizure. and it happened i didn't have the seizure. the moment i got finished the performance and got off the stage, i said, carl, grab me, i'm about ready to have a seizure. [laughs] billy: your seizures have stopped, danny. danny: my seizures have stopped. billy: what happened there? danny: no one knows. just in the same sense i never had one before i was 15, and then after i was 35, they stopped. there was just this period in my life. but imagine, that 20-year period in my life, a very critical period in my own maturation and own growth, was something, in some way, it may have mapped, you know, put on the map or laid the kind of journey for me in the next part of my life as well. billy: so what's your message for folks today suffering with epilepsy?

danny: well, i don't know if i have a message or not, and i don't think about that. that to know that there are ways in which you become... you become important in your own rescue, that you become important in how you approach what is happening to you and how you use that as a catalyst for your own growth. and certainly everything-- and to talk with people who've had the same experience, to share with them your story, and you find something that you learn, that people are more willing to embrace you once you share your story. billy: danny, before you began speaking out about epilepsy, you were going through it. did you find it difficult to talk about it then? danny: well, to some degree. i mean, i did have a public stage to talk about epilepsy as i went through it,

and one of the things that i've tried to do, philosophically, is to de-emphasize what i do and what i do. what i do and what has happened to me in my life has been remarkable, but i'm somebody that gets up in the morning, that worries about my daughter and what's happening-- do everything else everybody else does as an adult. how i'm gonna pay the bills, everything else. as i began to talk about my life with people who have had challenges in their life, whether those challenges are challenges that they could have avoided or whatever, whether they're medical challenges. i begin to talk about what has happened with me and use that as a way of connecting with people and perhaps in some sense giving them some sort of insight as they approach and as they deal with their own lives. billy: well, your story's truly an inspiration, danny. thanks so much for joining us today. danny: it's a pleasure. thank you very much. billy: when we come back, we'll talk to one of our country's leading scientists about the latest research in the field of epilepsy and what patients living with it should know.

nearly 400,000 in texas. more than a quarter of a million in california. from the aloha state of hawaii... to the free state of maryland. hi, i'm montel williams. the ppa buses, sponsored by america's pharmaceutical research companies, have been to all 50 states helping more than 5 million people who are uninsured and struggling. call 1-888-4ppa-now. tell a trained specialist the names of your medicines. you can get them for free or nearly free... because america's pharmaceutical research companies want to help. announcer: at a time when american businesses are hurting, why should we worry about fixing health care? because quality affordable health care can save money and make businesses more competitive so they can invest in innovation, hire back workers, create jobs, get the economy working again for everyone. quality affordable health care-- it's not just something we should do

for america's families-- it's something we must do for america's economy. billy: welcome back. joining us now is dr. frank wiegand from johnson & johnson pharmaceutical services. doctor, thanks for being with us today. what causes epilepsy in the first place? dr. wiegand: well, billy, epilepsy is a disease where a patient suffers from recurrent, unprovoked seizures. this usually happens if in the brain there's a situation where you have a brain trauma, a brain tumor, for example, or where there are genetic predisposition to the disease. billy: what new research is being conducted in the field of epilepsy? dr. wiegand: there's lots of research being conducted. there are some patients that show a progression of their disease or develop epilepsy after a brain trauma, and for those patients it's extremely important

to understand for us as researchers is are there any ways that we can stop epilepsy even from occurring? billy: dr. wiegand, what should someone do if they think they have a seizure disorder? dr. wiegand: so my first recommendation would be to take this very seriously. a seizure can actually be a warning sign. it can be the first and only signal for a brain tumor. and so my recommendation would be to consult with a neurologist or someone who's really experienced in the diagnosis of epilepsy. the other recommendation is to bring someone with you to the first visit because in a lot of instances you might not be aware of seizure situations due to loss of consciousness. billy: doc, can a person diagnosed with epilepsy guard against having a seizure? dr. wiegand: yes, billy, there are a lot of things patients need to take into consideration when they suffer from a seizure. first of all it's very important that the diagnosis is secure and that we really know what kind of epilepsy the patient suffers from.

secondly, there should be a treatment plan agreed upon with you and your neurologist that tells you exactly, or that tells a patient exactly when to take their medication. their medication are their main guard against seizures, so it's very important to take those medications on a regular basis. thirdly it's important to avoid risky situations and to avoid situations that can actually trigger seizures, like sleep deprivation or too much stress. billy: thank you, dr. wiegand. it's the work that you and thousands of other scientists are doing every day that gives patients everywhere hope for a healthier future. dr. wiegand: thank you, billy, for having me on the show. billy: today there's a program also offering hope to millions of patients who are uninsured and struggling financially. it's called the partnership for prescription assistance, and it's sponsored by america's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies. the program is especially important during these tough economic times. to date the ppa has helped nearly 6 million patients across the country

to gain access to critical medicines that they need, in many cases for free. barbara: tucked away in america's far northeast corner, rhode island is the smallest state in the nation in terms of land area, but it's a state big on helping people in need. with the softening of the economy, unemployment in rhode island continues to climb upward, putting a strain on many social services. recently the partnership for prescription assistance, sponsored by america's pharmaceutical research companies, answered the call for help, traveling to providence to assist uninsured and struggling patients, many of them receiving free or nearly free medicine. jim langevin: whether it's on prescription drugs or universal health care, we're trying to provide and find ways to provide the best quality affordable health care to people not only in rhode island but across america. you know, the one thing i've learned in my life, and i live it every day, is that no matter what our backgrounds are, no one gets through life without challenges,

and no one gets through life without a little help along the way. joe pantoliano: i realized that i had been living with mental illness my entire life, but it wasn't until my diagnoses that i was relieved of the shame that i personally felt. i realize now that in talking about my own disease that it helps me to maintain my sanity on a daily basis, and part of maintaining that sanity is being involved in organizations like ppa. barbara: the ppa event was held at crossroads rhode island, which provides essential life services to a growing number of homeless people across the state. chronic diseases like diabetes cost rhode island more than $5 billion a year in treatment costs and lost productivity. ken: diabetes in america has doubled in the last 10 years. so many of those peopl could be helped if they didn't see a doctor for the first time in an emergency room and find that they've got full-blown diabetes.

we can do so much to help so many people and eliminate so much suffering by just raising awareness again of the programs that are available to help people if they need it, and the fact that chronic diseases need to be treated early, need to be diagnosed early and treated early. barbara: today, chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease account for 75 cents out of every $1 spent on health care in america. national ppa spokesman montel williams says that's a big reason why everyone should have access to affordable health insurance. but until that day comes, the ppa will continue to provide a vital safety net for millions of americans in need. billy: if you're uninsured and struggling financially, contact the partnership for prescription assistance through a toll-free number at 1-888-4ppa-now, or log on to www.pparx.org. today we met a remarkable actor who overcame a 20-year struggle with epilepsy and then went on to star in movies and television,

delighting millions of fans for more than three decades. we also talked to one of america's leading scientists and learned how new therapies and medicines are being discovered in laboratories across the country that are helping patients living with epilepsy. you can learn more about today's guest and read other inspiring stories just like theirs and post your own story on our website, www.sharingmiracles.com. you can also watch entire episodes of sharing miracles anytime from anywhere in the world. our show today is dedicated to patients everywhere. you're the inspiration that keeps america's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies committed to developing new, breakthrough medicines that are making a real difference for patients everywhere. i'm billy tauzin. thanks for joining us, and remember, the road to recovery begins with hope.

danny: each time i said, "i will not have this seizure," i believed that i wasn't gonna have the seizure.

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>> so what hns when you wear the conto and how does at cpare to traditional ab exeises? he tshow is dvan katz. t ?it, whaou >> well, leah, what we're looking at here is a thermography scan of jeffrey's abdomen. blue is a little bit cooler, meaning not a whole lot of muscle activity or blood flow in the area. as the temperatures, uh, go up more towards red, meaning oranges and yellows and reds, it means there's more blood and more activities in the muscles. so what we're gonna do is we're gonna put the contour to the test compared to traditional ab exercises that people are doing at home. so, jeff, what i want you to do, if you don't mind, is go ahead and lay on your back and we're gonna have you do, let's say, 50 crunches which is more than what most people do but we want to get a lot of blood and, uh, activity into those abs and then put it up against the contour and see how much more effective the contour is. y nmalldo?ches >> about 100. >> dr. kz: about 100? o.k., so we're gonna get you up therand en we' gna put the contouto theest and e how much morefive thcontour is tn doin this painful ercise. out the average person,k

that ptty ha work. >> that's ryarwo. >> oh, my god. >> now, we're gonna get jeff in front of the thermography screen again. we can see his abdomen here is blue and it's a little bit orange and red at the top where we can tell the abs were exercised, they were worked. there's more blood in the area, but as we can clearly see, his lower ab... there's a lot of the problem areas are still cold and blue. there's no blood, no activity going into the area and, also, not a whole lot into the obliques onto the side. >> leah: well, then let's try contour. i'd like to see what happens. >> i definitely would love to see that. >> so jeff has been wearing the contour for a few minutes now, and i gotta say, it looks a lot easier than when he was down on the floor doing crunches. dr. katz, i can already see a difference. >> there is such a huge difference already. you can see all the oranges, reds, greens... very little blue, and we haven't even taken off the belt to see what's happened in the lower abs which did nothing when he was doing the traditional crunches. >> o.k., i, i gotta come over here and feel these for a second because i like the way that you can see it but the way the muscle is really taut

right now-- that's just from immediately wearing it-- and you're not doing anything. >> nothing. >> just standing there. >> dr. katz: and not o see his a contracting form doio to cpromisg siti.tting >> i se can ke ioff w. >> all rht. >> jeff: all right. [♪...] >> o.k., well, as we can see here, it's easy to tell. it looks like his lower abs are on fire. >> leah: [laughing] i have to come over and get a better... wow! >> that is something that just cannot be faked. uh, that is something that just shows there is more blood flow, more metabolism and the muscles actually got worked as opposed to when he was doing those very uncomfortable crunches. and in fact, research that was done on contour actually showedhat contour worked doing the traditional crunches which jeff didefor >> i've been using tur for so timd e rst question i get from everyone is, "will it rlly work for m" thanswer is, yes, it will. just look at these un-retouched photos and all of these people got these incredible results

with the contour core sculpting system. >> my goal was to get back into a 5/6 'cause i've en a 7/8 for over0 years now and really wanted to get back into the 5/6 and here i am, wearing a 3/4 day. i've lost 11 inches off i couldn't believe it. i haven't worn these pants in so long. really wos. it's the first thing that's really worked for me. >> i'm definitely seeing results. i'm losing the stomach, i'm firming up and i can do iwithout pain. i can do it anywre-- just have the ab belt on and th the whole system, you're definitely gonna get results. [♪...] >> when it comes to new technology, most of us wait a while before we give it a try. but why would you wait to try the contour? who doesn't want a leaner, firmer, sexier core and who really wants to do exercises to get it? [scoffs]: i know i don't. so stay tuned foa very special introductory offer for the contour core sculpting system. when we come back, i'm taking contour to the street to show

you what happens when people just like you experience it for the very first time. i love this part. this is gonna be fun. stick around. >> announcer: the fitness phenomenon that has created sculpted waistlines and rock-hard abs across europe has arrived in america and now, you too can get the best abs you've ever had with the contour core sculpting system. contour has brought together the patented swisswave engineering, modern digital technology and the science of physiology to reveal the secret to the beautiful, sculpted abs you've always wanted. >> i've gotten incredible results from the contour system. i lost 11-3/4 inches around my waist. i feel amazing. >> woman: i lost eight inches in my midsection and i feel great. just feel more comfortable in my clothes and in my own body. >> woman: i don't have to spend hours at the gym. i can do it at home and i'm getting great results. >> announcercontour is a saf and extremely effective muscle stimulation device, cleared by the fda,hat stulates your core muscles directly.

so with contour, you work yo upper abs, lower abs, liques on both sides, as well as that stubborn lower belly area, all at the same time. in fact, thermographic testing proves that stda crunches primarily activate only the upr region of your core while contour activates your entire core. inact, this technology i found have er 600% more muscleation than traditional crunches. and it's so easy! simply put on the contour with the conductive gel pads against your skin. adjust the contour to your waist. select the program, press "start" and get a great total core workout anytime, anyplace. and its ergonomic design, built-in programs and easy-to-read display make this contour comfortable to wear, easy to operate and safe to use. the contour is so effective that these photos show the stunning changes that you too can achieve with the contour. >> it's the first thing that's really worked for me. 11 inches off my midsection... 11. that's almost a foot[lghs]

>> part of my goal w to take some of that softness, make it a little bit firmer. i couldn't be happier with the number of inches i lost but how it's making me look and how it's making me feel. >> announc: why do countless numbers of backbreaking ab exercises or spend thousands of dollars on big, bulky ab mhis? call now and try the contour core sculpting system for only $14.95 during this special trial offer. the contour core sculpting system comes with a one-size-fits-all contour core belt, electronic controller, batteries and one-year warranty, plus an instructional guide and sensible eating plan. it's everything you need to lose three inches off your midsection in just two weeks, guaranteed, and it's all yours to try for 30 days for just $14.95. and that's not all. call in the next 22 minutes, and we'll pay shipping and handling and send you this contour accessory travel backpack. together, they have a value of $40, but they're yours absolutely free when you call now. try the contour core sculpting system for 30 days. if you're not completely

satisfied, send it back and you won't be charged another dime. learn how you can save even more money by asking your operator how you can try the contour and have the $14.95 trial fee waived. absolutely the best way to get the best abs you'll ever have. with the contour, you'll always have the time for a great core workout anytime, anyplace. there's never been an easier, more effective way to get great-looking abs. call and order now. [♪...] call the number on your screen. >> if you're happy wit your current core workout and love doing traditional exercises the old-fashioned way, i applaud you. but if you're not happy with where you are or if you're looking for a smarter way to firm, strengthen and tone your whole core and get those sexy abs, well, then you have to try the contour. whether you go to the gym every day or you've ner been inside one, you're gonna find

the contour is theasiest, most effective way to get the best abs you'll ever have. >> i've gotten incredible results from the contour system. after the first, like, three days, i saw results. i've lost inches on my waist and i've gone down in, uh, dress sizeand pant sizes i feel incredible. i'm gonna continue to use the belt and continue to look and feel good. >> mark: the belt really works. the beltefinitely works and e results prove it. people do not have time to go stayn the gym and wo out so you can do this at home. you can go to the gym, work out for a half an hour and still go home and, you know, have this on for a good 30 minutes too and there's your hour. it's something that everybody should get out there and get and i'm glad i have one. >> the contour is like no abdominal exercise why? because it sets off a series of abdominal contractions that engage more muscle fibers than crunches alone. in fact, it's like doing six different core exercises at the same time-- a standard crunch for your upper abs,

elbow-to-knee crunches for your right and left obliques, trunk twists for your love handles, leg raises for your lower abs and pooch area and hyperextensions for strengthening and firming your lower back muscles. it's like doing six exercises little bto aine it's your choice. you can do all of that or you can just wear the contour. look-- my whole core is working: e r back., outer, weabit's evetr i an, we havought these abnal contractions give me a full 360-degree total core workout, and for all the women watching, please notice how the design of work that eaded poocarea that we all hate. d, i'm getting that incredible workout while i'm standing here talking to the coouand push a button. >> i feel working your upper abs

has always been the easiest because you just do a crunch, it works your upper abs. d having to work your lower abs, you always have to bring your legs up and do a reverse and it's always harder. so now, i can just put the belt on and it does, it targets my lower area. they're getting stronger, they're geinmore formed. i'm able to see the six-pack now that i've always wanted d i don't have to do anything. >> woman: the contour belt is specificallyeally focusing on helping me with my lower abs where i've had many prlems in just getting rid of a lot of the pudge and flab that used to be there and flattening it out. >> any free time, i put it on and it works really, really well on my abs, unbelievably. and it's fast as well. it's only 30 minutes. it's nothing and you have really good workt. >> i just use it for 30, maybe to an hour a day and, and you get results. i see results.

>> there's just comparison. the contour is more efficient and more effective than the crunch. the reason is superior muscle contraction. that's the real secret to incredible abs. that's why you're gonna get the firmstrong, toned waist you've been wanting. sound too good to be true? the best way to prove to you what the contour can do is to show you how people react when they experience it for [♪.]very first time. >> whoa. >> it's great, this is awesome. >> now, i'm tired. [groans] >> what is it doing? >> it's flexing. >> [laughs] you feel it. you can feel it. it's like i did 30 sit-ups. >> so now it's, like, pulsing. it does a pulsing and then it does, like, a tightening and stuff. >> lower, the middle... upper, everything. >> that's ally hitti it. like, i would want to feel that, you know? that's what i'd strive to get to at the gym. >> this is really one of those kind of things that i can just lay on the couch, watch the ball game and feel good about myself. this gives you a workout right

then and there. you dot have to go anywhere, you don't have to, like, put on any special equipment. it's really, it's getting intense again. >> you can power it up, power it down. >> right. >> you can tell that it's working. i... ooh. it's tight now. >> look at it. you might feel a little bit skeptical about it, but you know what? the thing actually wks. i catotally fe my muscle contracting as i'm... my voice is changing. [all laugh] >> since i box, i have to do a lot of crunches so, i mean, just doing this... i usually take a medicine ball and hit myself in the stomach. >> right. >> so just doing this, i don't have to do that. >> no. >> this is wonderful. >> i'm starting to feel like after i've done 100 crunches. i mean, it's not a hurt in a bad way. it's a hurt like i know i worked my abdomen and i know that i'm gonna, like, see some results sooner oter d i'm thin that i'm oking to g.all the >> leah: are you having fun? >> yeah, i think it's great. i wasn't expecting all this, to be honest with you. it's pretty cool, i like it. >> what i really like about it... >> leah: this is the flex. >> yeah, what i really ke about it... how it pulls the sides, how it really concentrates on the sides. >> so we've shown you how the contour works. we've proven to you

that it does and when you look at these abs, you can see the muscles don't lie. so if you're looking to get the best abs you've ever had, call and order a contour today. what do you think, luis? you in? >> oh, yeah, this... this is great. >> announcer: just think, with a simple push of a button, you're on your way to getting those sculpted abs and a lean, sexy waistline with a contour. and with one simple phone call, you can have the entire contour core sculpting system delivered right to your door for only $14.95 during this special trial offer. but you must call now. contour is different because you can actually see and feel your abs contracting while you have it on. contour is convenient. with the contour, you can get an incredible ab workout anytime, anywhere. best of all, contour is safe. cleared by the fda for the specific use of firming and tightening your core, the contour delivers results so remarkable that 57-year-old contour believer ken sherman purchased the company because he experienced incredible

results that he never thought he could get. >> until i found contour, i never believed for a moment that i could get great abdominals without hours and hours and hours of abdominal work. today, i do contour one program a night and i've got gatbs. my waist h gone from 35 to almost 31 inches and it's the smallest my waist has been since i was 15 years old. i was so impressed with the results i got from contour, i bought the company. contour really works. i'm 57 and i have the best abs of my life. try it, follow the system, and if you're not completely satisfied, send it back, no questions asked. >> announcer: don't wait another minute to take advantage of this limited-time trial offer of the complete contour core sculpting system for only $14.95. and if you're not completely satisfied, send it back and you won't be charged another dime. >> i would recommend the contour system to all of my friends, to everyone out there because you see results and it's not a hard workout. >> guys who want to get ripped, this is a great belt to go with.

you get the love handles gone-- which is most guys' biggest problem-- you're starting to see the cuts, you know, everything's coming down. your belt's feeling better, you're looking better in the board shorts. yeah, absolutely, i recommend it. >> it's not working your body hard, it's working your body smart. >> announcer: and it gets even better. call in the next 12 minutes and we'll pay the shipping and handling and send you this contour accessory backpack. these two bonuses have a value of $40, but yours free when you call now. and listen to this. when you call, ask your operator how you can get the $14.95 trial fee waived. now there's no reason to wait. with the contour, there's never been an easier way to get great-looking abs. call and order now. [♪...] call the number on your screen. >> ken: the contour works very much like pemaker. what a pacemaker does is send a signal to thheart,ausing it tbeat on a regur basis. ntour does exactly the same thing. it sends a signal to

yourbdominal muscles, allowing them to work harder and more intensely than they would otherwise in any other form of exercise. the net result is eat abs and a ve, ry strong re i've tried every possible abdominal machine there is out there. odt at allows you to getnal effort, sitting in front of yo tevion atom >> i hated doing abs. i hate the crunches, i hate the sit-ups. the contour belt, you put it on, sit on the couch and i get the same intensity level as i, as i would if i were in a gym doing the crunches. i've lost approximately five inchearoundhe waist. try it. do it. it works. >> i'd like you to meet a very impressive group of people. they did more than just try the contour once. they used the complete contour core sculpting system and got some truly amazing results in a very short amount of time. t'take a looatt yo

bere and aftericture.. i don't want to see it. >> ...pat's before and after pictures combined. >> group: wow! >> leah: notice the difference there in the msection? >> pat: yeah. i'm amazed. i mean, i knew it would do sometng. i didn't tnk it uld ever do . i do not have to stopfe. and work my stach. thisystem actual does the work for me. >> let's take a look at your before picture. [group murmuring] all right? what do you see when you look at th? >> mark: unhealthy. >> all right, let's take a look at the after photo of mark at what he ended up with. [group exclaims] >> yeah... now, that's me. that, th w mbefore the other one. >> leah: you are actually really, real tight all through the midsecon >> mark: you ain't kiddi. i meanas you can see from my before and after picture, o.k.,iz, i'd likeerence. and your aft pictus.ore nice! [laughs] you sassy thing! look at you, with your hands on your hips.

>> oh, wow it's just such a diffence. i just feel so much better. and have my ab all of my abs-- my lower, my upper-- just allei worked. it's just awesome. >> mike, what was it about contour, morimportantly... what did you want to accomplish? >> i wanted to get back into board shorts and look good in 'em. >> let's take a look at what, what you looked like, mike, before, o.k.? >> it's terrible. >> leah: oh! >> woman: you look like an old man. >> leah: no, come on. there's nothing wrong with that, but let's take a look at the after. >> group: wow! >> mike: that's better. >> woman: he looks 10 years younger, easily. >> mike: that's great. >> leah: love it. what would you say to people watching right now who may not be going to the gym, who may not be on the contour core sculpting system, who need that first step... what would you say to them? >> try it out. take the chance. um, it works. you're gonna get great results in a small period of time. i mean, you can see my love handles are almost gone. my pants, you know, those pants are barely hanging on me now. they're two sizes, uh, too big for me. i gotta go out and buy new pants now. >> did you ever think in life that you would be able to put a

contour belt on and get the best ab workout you've ever had? >> no, no. >> no? >> i never thought i could get thisreat of a rkout not doing anything. >> leah: that's right! >> my favorite part is i can watch tv. i like watching tv a lot and that's probably why i got such a big gut in the first place. but now, now i can get those abs while i'm watching tv. >> i like that you can see immediate results, so after, you know, the first few times i wore it, i already saw a difference in my stomach, in my abs and the way that my pants fit. >> so how about you? wouldn't you love to transform your abs without doing a crunch or a sit-up or getting on an ab machine? wouldn't you like to finally lose the inches and get that trimmed, toned midsection you've always wanted? well, you can with the contour core sculpting system. so ask yourself this question: why wouldn't you want to get the best abs you'll ever have when it's this easy? you can do it with the contour, so call now and don't let this opportunity pass you by. >> announcer: contour is a safe and extremely effective muscle stimulation device, cleared by

the fda, that stimulates your core muscles directly. so with contour, you work your upper abs, lower abs, obliques on both sides as well ashat stubborn lower belly-- thatooch area-- all at the same time. in fact, thermographic testing proves that old-fashioned crunches primarily activate only the uer region of your core while the contour activates your entire core. in fact, this technology has been shown to produce over 600% mormuscle activation than traditional crunches. the contour is so effective that these photos show the stunning changes that you too can achieve with the contour. >> it's like doing a crunch, only it's even a little more than that because you can actually feel each section of your abs kind of firing in succession. i've lost 18 inches total. contour system, i'm really impressed with the results i've gotten. >> woman: it was easy. the system works. all i had to do was put the belt on my waist and then sit down, turn it on and there you go. i lost 10-1/2 inches total. i see tight abs, i see firm stomach, i...

i fi clothes better. i have 20 pairs of jea that i couldn't fit but now i can fit 'em d with style and... [laughs] i'm just so happy that i can do that now. >> announc: why do countless numbers of backbreaking ab exercises or spend thousands of dollars on big, lky ab machines? call now and try the contour core sculpting system for only $14.95 during this special trial offer. the contour core sculpting system comes with a one-size-fits-all contour core belt, electronic controller, batteries and one-year warranty, plus an instructional guide and sensible eating plan. it's everything you need to lose three inches off your midsection in just two weeks, guaranteed, all yours to try for 30 days for just $14.95. and that's not all. call in the next six minutes, and we'll pay shipping and handling and send you this contour accessory travel backpack. together, they have a value of $40, but they're yours absolutely free when you call now. try the contour core sculpting system for 30 days.

if you're not completely satisfied, send it back and you won't be charged another dime. learn how you can save even more money by asking your operator how you can try the contour and have the $14.95 trial fee waived. absolutely the best way to get the best abs you'll ever have. with the contour, you'll always have the time for a great core workout anytime, anyplace. there's never been an easier, more effective way to get great-looking abs. call and order now. [♪...] call the number on your screen. the preceding has been a paid advertisement for the contour core sculpting system. this has been a production of script to screen, direct thinking for direct response. "you know what."

i used to picture how my life would be... pretty and perfect... parties and prom. i would be popular. i never pictured my life in any other way. announcer: if you want to change how you picture your life... change your life. call the boys town national hotline... 1-800-448-3000 (tdd#1-800-448-1433) anytime, day or night. >> announcer: the following is a paid presentation