Marie Osmond on 'Glenn Beck'

This is a rush transcript from "Glenn Beck," April 17, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GLENN BECK, HOST: Well, parents need to start taking responsibility for their children's education, and my nest guest knows the topic pretty well. She is one of nine children, and has eight children of her own, it's Marie Osmond, author of the new book, "Might as Well Laugh about It Now."

MARIE OSMOND, AUTHOR, "MIGHT AS WELL LAUGH ABOUT IT NOW": And eight is enough.

BECK: Eight is more than — it's like twice as much.

OSMOND: Hi, Glenn. How are you?

BECK: How are you? Very good.

OSMOND: It's so good to see you again.

BECK: So... eight children.

OSMOND: Eight.

BECK: Did you ever think to yourself, that's a heck of a problem for me?

OSMOND: Am I possessed? Yes, I did — no.

(LAUGHTER)

BECK: That's going to be...

• Video: Watch Beck's interview

OSMOND: You know, I had four and I thought I was done. But God had a different plan, and I love them, boy, I tell you. You learn a lot. I raised my four little ones a little bit differently than I did my older ones.

BECK: You know, I had a divorce and so I have two older ones and two younger ones. And the older you get, the wiser you get.

OSMOND: Well, let's hope so.

BECK: Yes.

OSMOND: We hope, right?

BECK: I mean, I've really learned — I learned a lot of lessons. When you get — first of all, the first thing I realized is, gosh, when they turn 18, it's not over. I thought I was like, OK, out now.

OSMOND: You're just beginning.

BECK: It never stops.

OSMOND: Yes, it's — but you know, I have to tell you, I love it. I love the teenagers. I love the struggles. I love the little ones. I love the alone time sometimes. I think that is important as well, to regenerate and recuperate, but mostly I think some of my greatest lessons I have learned about myself is that mirror that we put into those children or when they are defiant, you go, why? What is this about?

And really just to say, you know what, I love you. My issues are done. I'm the parent. You don't have to like me. I don't need to be your friend. I'm your parent.

BECK: Yes. Don't you think that's one of the big problems is that people try to be their friends to their kids?

OSMOND: You know, you talked about divorce. Single homes are now, what, 70 percent. And I really believe as a working mother who has supported my family my entire life, my children, you feel guilty as a woman.

You feel very guilty because you're working and then you go home and you want to be with your children but you feel guilty at work. You're there, you feel guilty about not being with your kids.

And so as mothers we try to compensate, whether it is buying them things or slacking on their chores or whatever.

We cannot buy them their self-esteem. They have to learn that themselves, you know?

BECK: I think that is — but I think that's — it is just not moms that do that, it is dads that do that, especially divorced dads.

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: Just... you feel guilty because you're working all the time or whatever, and you just — it's Disneyland when dad comes home.

OSMOND: Well, you know, you just have to go back to the people who founded this country. Those children started working at age, you know, 10. And...

BECK: George Washington was surveying land at 16 years old, on his own.

OSMOND: And it sure didn't hurt them any. You know, they learned to work hard and to appreciate everything we have. That's what this country is founded upon. And so — but do me a favor, don't get into any economic talks tonight, OK? Because I heard that people pass out on this set and I've had enough of that!

BECK: Yes. I was going to say, I don't know anybody who has — stop me anywhere.

(LAUGHTER)

All right. More with Marie Osmond here in just a second.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Back with Marie Osmond, she is the author of a brand new book called "Might as Well Laugh about Now."

Marie, we are in troubled times in America. People are struggling, et cetera, et cetera. And the book — your book is really about — I mean, you've — I mean, everybody thinks of the Osmonds — no offense — but everyone thinks of the Osmonds as "everything is great." And.

OSMOND: Well, we went to bed with hangers in our mouths every night so we had to smile.

BECK: Yes, yes. But you — but, I mean, you've had bulimia. You have gone through a couple of divorces. You have...

OSMOND: Well, to me, the eating disorder portion of my life, I believe that all disorders, diseases, whatever you want to call them, are -
- you know, is clarity of thought.

At that particular time, I was learning 350 pages of script a day. I was working 17 day hours a day. I wanted to be a normal child and I couldn't be. And so you try to control something. And I believe two, with all of the extra added pressure of producers taking me out into parking lots and telling me at 5' 5" and 110 pounds that I was an embarrassment to my family, which was ridiculous.

You know, they said drop 10 pounds or the show is cancelled and all of these — 200 people lose their jobs. And I'm sitting there going, what did I do? And you know — and if you ever tell your parents, you know, we'll call you a liar.

So you deal with those things as only a 14-year-old can deal with that stuff. And so it manifested in various ways. And so I'm analytical. I love to read. I love people. I love the psychology of it all. And you know, I have worked my way through those issues but they were hard at that time.

BECK: I know your family is — I mean, your parents — I love your brother Virl. He is...

OSMOND: He just had a stroke.

BECK: Oh no.

OSMOND: It's really tough when you're — you know, because I'm one of the younger ones. Now the older ones are starting to — you know, they get — he's one of my deaf brothers. I have two — my two oldest brothers are deaf.

BECK: I'm sorry. How is he? I didn't know.

OSMOND: He's doing OK. I'm — actually on my book tour, I'm heading into Salt Lake, since I live in Las Vegas now. I'm a Las Vegan, not vegan, a Vegan. That's me. But I'm going to go stop and see him. But he is doing OK. But you know, they start to get older and it is kind of like, wow.

BECK: He is.

OSMOND: He is a remarkable man.

BECK: The reason your brothers — he taught — he and your other deaf brother taught your brothers how to dance.

OSMOND: Well, my parents did that so they could hear the rhythm. And you know, I made myself deaf for about a week. I went in and had layers of cotton and wax and everything. And it was one of the most, oh, profoundly unique experience of my life, to realize that — can you imagine being born — you think we have problems, being born into an entertaining family and you can't sing a note.

It was tough, you know? And they dealt with it, both of them, so beautifully. I'm so proud of them, and I honor them, you know?

BECK: A lot of great stories in the book. Thank you so much. God bless you.

OSMOND: Oh, well, we didn't talk about any of them, but they're fun.

(LAUGHTER)

OSMOND: But we'll laugh about it later, won't we?

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